Mr. Ferdinand Gnewuch, aged 80 years, a well known and prominent farmer, Sec. 18 consisting of 230 acres of well improved land with excellent buildings, in the town of Lebanon Dodge County, dies at his home Wednesday, death resulting from a fall from the main floor to the basement floor of a barn of his son-in-law, Carl Schwefel, near his own home. Mr. Gnewuch was born in Prussia August 7, 1833 and as a lad come to this country in 1847 with his parents who settled in the town of Lebanon. At the age of 16 he left the farm for about ten years and sailed on the Great Lakes, attaining the name of captain. In the fall of 1858 he returned to the homestead and married Miss Ernestina Maas, also of Prussia.
In politics a Democrat, he was first town Treasurer, the Assessor and was Chairman of Lebanon from 1863 to 1876, when he was elected County Clerk. At the end of his term as County Clerk, he again was made Chairman. Mr. Gnewuch was a member of the Legislature of Wisconsin in 1865 and 1873. Is with his family a Lutheran and have always been a leading man and public-spirited citizen of his township.
The surviving relatives are the wife, two sons, three daughters, twenty-three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. The sons and daughters are: August Genwuch, Lebanon; Mrs. Fred Uttech, Watertown; Mrs. Carl Schwefel, Lebanon; F. H. Gnemuch, who lives on the homestead; Mrs. Albert Fehrmann, Lebanon, Mrs. Fred Maas, who died some months ago and was buried with her husband at a double funeral was a daughter of Mr. Gnewuch.
Funeral services will be held at 1 o’clock Sunday afternoon at the residence and at 2 o’clock at the Lutheran Church at Lebanon.
Take from: Watertown weekly Leader, July 14, 1914 and The History of Dodge County, Wisconsin: