Jacob M. (Martin) Gruen (Grün) (-3G)

the foster father of our maternal grandmother
(Click to see a chart showing his relationship to us)

*marks direct-line ancestors. The (-3G), etc. after the names indicates the number of generations before Erven Thoma.

Jacob's parents were both born in Baden. The mother may have died before their immigration or perhaps before the 1860 Census. The family may have immigrated in the 1850's, probably through New Orleans.

The 1860 Fed. Census for Missouri (St. Louis ward 6, p. 177, p. 443, dwelling 766, family 968, dated 18 July) shows the family of George Greene. George is a 40 year old laborer. No wife is listed so he is probably a widower. Six children are listed: Louisa (female), 19; Henry, a painter, 17; Jacob, apprentice tinner, 16; Sena [or Lena] (female), 14; Mary, 12; and Kate, 9. All were born in Baden. No street address is given in this Census. At this point I am not sure if this is the correct family.

The 1860 Fed. Census (St. Louis, ward 5, p. 7, dwelling 47, family 47) also has a Jacob Green (might be Grun) living in the household of Bernard Hunt in St. Louis ward 5. He is a 21 year old shoemaker from Baden. No relative is with him. The occupation of shoemaker fits well with the MOS of saddler for Jacob M. Gruen in the Army (see below).

Jacob served in the Union Army in the Civil War. He enlisted on 23 Apr. 1861, serving as a private in Company A of the 4th Missouri Infantry until 28 July 1861. Then he tranfered to Company A of the 1st Missouri Cavalry, chief artillery rank, serving 3 years, 1 month, 17 days until his discharge on 18 Sept. 1864. In the cavalry he may have been a saddler (shown on the Ancestry.Com database).

There is also a record (Ancestry.Com database) of a Jacob Gruen, private, in the Company B, 1st Missouri Infantry, Battery B 1 Mo Light Artillery. I do not know if the Jacob Gruen in Battery B 1 was the same person as Jacob M. Gruen in the cavalry or the other Jacob Gruen in St. Louis.

There is a marriage between a Jacob Gruen and Sophia Sommer in the Index to St. Louis Marriages 1860-76. It took place on 24 Oct. 1863 (vol. 11, page 468 in the Register). This Jacob is a different one, see page for other Jacob Gruen.

Our Jacob M. Gruen and Regina Zimmermann were married by a clergyman, Charles F. Stark on 25 Sep. 1869. The Rev. Stark was pastor of Bethany Evangelical Church from 1867-77 at which time the church was at 22nd and Franklin Streets. The IGI database gives the marriage under the name "Grun". The St. Louis Marriage Register and the St. Louis Missouri Marriages, 1804-76 database on Ancestry.Com also have Jacob M. listed under "Grün".

No Jacob M. Gruen appears in the St. Louis City Directory until 1870. The 1870 St. Louis City Directory lists Jacob Gruen who is a bartender at C. Jenne & Co., living at 2628 Tayon Ave. This company was a wine dealer and importer located on Market St. at the SE corner of 5th. The owner, Charles Jenne (-3G), is the head of household at the same address as Jacob. Notice that "Jenne" is the maiden surname of the wife of Joseph Scharfenberger (-3G). I am assuming that Maria M. Jenne (-3G), the wife of Joseph, was the sister of this Charles Jenne.

The 1870 Census for Missouri has no Scharfenberger and one Gruen in St. Louis.  He is Joseph Gruen, 35 years old, a type setter, from Baden with a wife and 3 children.(11-WD, 84-SUB DIV, M593, roll 821, p. 560). Since the St. Louis Directory shows a Jacob Gruen boarding with Charles Jenne I will have to look for that name in the Census but it does not show up in the Census Index.

There is a Jacob Green indexed by Ancestry.Com for the 1870 Census in St. Louis, MO (family 1582 of subdivision 10 on page 210, stamped p. 868, dated 07 July). Upon closer examination of the image, the surname looks like Gruen. The head of household is a bar keeper, John Gruen. Jacob is 33 years old and is also a bar keeper. Jacob was born in Hesse-Darmstadt. Included in the household is a Barbara, 31, who is probably the wife of either John or Jacob. There are several children. There is also a Sophia, 28 years old.

There is a Jacob Green in the 1870 Fed. Census for Missouri (M593_816, printed page 351, hand-entered p. 95, dwelling 584, family 598, lines 25-27, dated 23 June). He and his family are living in the 12th subdivision of ward 6 of St. Louis, but I do not know the street name. Jacob is a 25 years old saloon keeper, born in Baden--his parents of foreign birth. His wife is named Rachel, which name also appears in the 1880 Census, second enumeration. She is 20 years old, was born in Missouri, and is keeping house. Her parents were of foreign birth. Their daughter, Jacqueline, is only one month old and was born in Missouri in May. She is at home. The son was not born until ca. 1872. In this Census the family is living near the family of Bernard Hunt (see 1860 Census listing above).

There is a record of the death of Jacqueline Catherine Green on 15 Aug. 1870 in St. Louis. She lived at 2721 Walnut (St. Louis Death Records, vol. 3, p. 316). She was probably the girl listed in the 1870 Census above.

The 1871 St. Louis City Directory does not list a Jacob M. Gruen but does list a J. Green with the listing for C. Jenne & Co., wine dealers, in the business section of the 1871 St. Louis Directory. This is probably a misspelling of J. Gruen who was living and working with Charles Jenne a year earlier. The company address is given as 420 Market. Charles Jenne (and probably also Jacob M. Gruen and his wife) is living at 2628 Market [sic! Tayon?]. Jacob Gruen is listed in the 1872 St. Louis Directory as a partner with Charles Jenne in the Charles Jenne & Co., wine dealers, at 420 Market. Jacob does not have a separate residence listing in this directory; he is perhaps living with Charles Jenne at 2628 Market. [Charles died on 15 Dec. 1872.] The 1873 Directory repeats the 1872 information. The 1874 Directory does not list our Jacob M. Gruen or Charles Jenne in the business or residential sections. The 1875 Directory has Jacob M. Gruen with a saloon at 420 Market and residence at 2624 Market. The 1876 Directory has the same information.

Josephine (-2G) was unofficially adopted (perhaps ca. 1877 but certainly beteween the Censuses of 1870 and 1880) and raised by the Gruen family that at one time lived near the Greer Ave. (north St. Louis) address where the Eugene Thake (-3G) family lived. So she was not a true Gruen; her blood ancestors are not yet proven, but her birth surname is probably Scharfenberger (see below) (also see my arguments for a connection between Josephine and Joseph Scharfenberger). There are a couple of Scharfenberger families listed in the St. Louis City Directories before 1880 (see the Scharfenberger surname page).  One is prominent, Joseph Scharfenberger, who operated saloons and wine depots, an occupation like that of Jacob Gruen and Charles Jenne. Joseph married a Maria M. Jenne (-3G) on 11 Apr. 1868 in St. Louis. A Joseph Scharfenberger is listed in the St. Louis Directory as early as 1867 as a brewer. He is last listed in the St. Louis Directory of 1876. The St. Louis Death Register has his year of death as 1877.

The St. Louis City Directory of 1877 lists Jacob M. Gruen with a wine business at 420 Market and residence at 27?6 Market. Notice that this business address is the same as that for C. Jenne & Co. in 1871. Could it be that Charles Jenne died between 1871 and 1877 and Jacob Gruen took over the business? The Directory of 1878 lists Jacob Gruen, wine dealer at 420 Market, living at 2706 Manchester Rd. [sic! Market?]. The 1879 Directory has Jacob M. Gruen, wines at 420 Market, residence at 2376 Market.

The 1880 Census for St. Louis, Missouri (first enumeration, T9_723, supv. dist. 1, district 132, page 16, sheet 33D, dwelling 117, family 142, lines 41-46, dated June 4) has a Jacob Gruen family in St. Louis. The head, Jacob Gruen, is a wine merchant. He is 36 years old, born in Baden. His parents were also born in Baden. His wife, the family housekeeper, is named Regina. She is 29 years old, born in Missouri. Her parents were born in Darmstadt in Hesse. Their son, George, is 8 years old, born in Missouri. Also is the household is a boarder, Josephine Scharfenberger, 9 years old. She was born in Missouri; her father in Bavaria; her mother in Baden. I belive this was the same person as Josephine Gruen in the 1900 Census, although the ages do not quite match (neither do the ages of Jacob). Also in the household is a servant girl, Carolina Mueller(?), 16 years old. Carolina was born in Illinois; her father in Germany and her mother in Darmstadt in Hesse. Also in the household is John George Gruen, the father of Jacob. He is a salesman at 61; he and his parents were born in Baden. They are living at 2710 Laclede Ave. in St. Louis which houses several families. (Click here to see an organized list of arguments connecting Josephine and Joseph Scharfenberger.)

The 1880 Census for St. Louis, Missouri (second enumeration, T9_733, supv. dist. 71, enum. dist. 342, page 10, sheet 225B, dwelling 54, family 85, lines 18-23, dated 10 Nov.) shows the Jacob M. Gruen family living at 2710 Laclede Ave. The head, Jacob Gruen, is a wine merchant. He is 36 years old, born in Germany. His parents were also born in Germany. His wife is named Rachel [sic! mistake?] and has no occupation listed. She was born in Missouri; her parents in Germany. Their son John G. Gruen is 9 and is employed in a store. George J. Gruen, father of Jacob, is 70 and widowed. He is a wagon driver (perhaps for the family wine business). He and his parents were born in Germany. Fred Gruen, cousin of Jacob, is 21 and single, and is employed as a cellar man (probably in the family wine business). He and his parents were born in Germany. On the line above Jacob we find Josie Schaffenberger [spelling?], an adopted child of 9 years old. She was born in Missouri of parents born in Germany. [I am assuming that she should be included in the Jacob Gruen family--see the first enumeration.]. The servant girl seen in the first enumeration is not listed.

The 1880 Census for Missouri has another Jacob Gruen. For details, see his page.

The 1880 St. Louis City Directory has Jacob M. Gruen with a saloon at 420 Market and a residence at 2706 Market [sic! Laclede?]. In the 1881 St. Louis City Directory Jacob Gruen is listed residing at 2706 Laclede and a saloon at 418 Market. The 1882 Direcory has Jacob M. Gruen with a saloon at 418 Market and a residence at 2710 Manchester Rd. The 1883 Directory has Jacob M. Gruen with a saloon at 418 Market and residence at 2710 Market. In the 1884 Directory Jacob M. Gruen has a saloon at 418 Market and a residence at 2628 Market.

A book from 1885 titled "Namensliste der Pioniere des Nord-Amerik Turnerbundes der Jahre 1848-1862" lists members of the Turnverein athletic clubs in St. Louis. A Jacob Gruen is listed who was a "Wirth" (German for innkeeper, restaurant owner or landlord). He came from the Pfalz region in Germany, therefore I do not think he is our Jacob.

In the St. Louis Death Records, 1850-1908, Jacob's father's death (26 July 1885) is listed. The obituary or death notice is in the St. Louis Post Dispatch of 27 July, on p. 5. The father is living at 16 S. Beaumont. This is the same address as Jacob's family (see below).

In the 1885 St. Louis Dir. we see Jacob M. Gruen with a saloon at 418 Market and a residence at 16 S. Beaumont. The 1886 and 1887 Directories have the same information. Between 1887 and 1900 the family moved to 414 Market. A book titled "The German Element in St. Louis" (found in the library of the Missouri Historical Society) mentions that Jacob M. Gruen had a tavern on Market street for many years in a building that was formerly occupied by the Donegan & Co., a dry goods merchant, in the 1860's. The 1889 roster of the General Lyon Post No. 2 of the Department of Missouri Grand Army of the Republic lists Jacob M. Gruen who served in the Union Army first as a private in Co. A, 4th Infantry, Volunteers from Missouri, then as a private in Co. a of the 1st Cavalry, Volunteers from Missouri, and finally as the Chief Orderly of the 1st Cavalry, Missouri Cavalry Division. this roster states that he was a wine merchant with a business at 418 Market St. in St. Louis.

The 1890 Veteran's Schedule (home #45, family #66, dated June 1890), taken from the now lost 1890 Census (11th Census of the U.S., supv. dist. 1, enum. dist. 5, p. 1), gives the Civil War service record of Jacob M. Gruen that we listed in a paragraph above. The address given for Jacob in June 1890 is 414 Market St. This enumeration was recorded by a Charles Zimmermann [related to Regina?] There is also a veterans' schedule for the other Jacob Gruen who was living at this time on Hickory St. (supv. dist. 1, enum. dist. 196, house #66, family #82).

The 1890 Census was destroyed in a fire so no family details are available, but the 1890 St. Louis City Directory lists Jacob M. Gruen with a saloon at 418 Market. Residential address is 414?. The 1891 Directory has Jacob M. Gruen, saloon at 418 Market and residence at 2702 N. 21st St. That Directory also lists a Gruen's Hotel at 414 Market which, because of its proximity, may be operated by Jacob or his father. The 1892 Directory has the same listing as 1891.

Jacob, along with a William Jenne, was a witness for the naturalization of a Chas. Jenne, aged 23, in a St. Louis Circuit Court, on 16 Oct. 1894. Chas. Jenne came from Germany as a minor. (MO Archives Naturalization Records vol. C, page 70.) I do not know the relationship between this Charles Jenne and Jacob's business partner, also named Charles Jenne, who died in 1872.

The 1895-1899 Directories have Jacob M. Gruen, saloon and wines, 418 Market, r 2702 N. 21st.

The 1895 roster of the Missouri Department of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) lists Jacob M. Gruen as a member of the Post #2 (General Lyon Post). The roster gives his Civil War units as A4 Mo. Inf. and also A1 Mo. Cav. (Published by Western Veteran, Kansas City, MO.)

In the 1895 publication titled, "St. Louis Up to Date," we find the name Jacob Gruen on p. 216 stating that he was the president of Crown Vinegar and Spice Co.. This Jacob Gruen was born in Germany and was also president of the German Mutual Fire Insurance Co. Since a George E. Gruen was listed as that company's manager, I think that this Jacob was not our man but was the other Jacob Gruen detailed here.

In the 1900 Census for Missouri  (4 June, supv. dist. 11, enum. district 281, 18th ward, sheet 3, stamped p. 279A, dwelling 26, family 47, line 9) the head of the household at 2702 N. 21st St. in St. Louis is Jacob Gruen. He is 58 years old, born in Aug. 1841 in Germany, with parents also born in Germany. Jacob is naturalized, came to the U.S. in 1865 and has lived in the U.S. for 35 years. He is a wine merchant. Also in the household is Dina, Jacob's wife of 30 years. Dina is 47 years old, born in Nov. 1852 in Missouri. Dina's father and mother were born in Germany. Dina can read and write and can speak English.  The name Dina agrees with the recollection of a living relative; it is no doubt the nickname for Regina (see 1880 Census). In the household there is also a Josephine Gruen, listed as a daughter, born in August 1872 and 27 years old. She was born in Missouri. According to this Census, Josephine's father was born in Germany and her mother in Missouri--but this is probably referring to her foster parents, the Gruen's. The Census also states that she can read and write and can speak English. They are renting.

Jacob applied for his Civil War veteran's pension on14 Sept. 1903 (application #1303 906). But the military unit does not agree with the records in the 1890 Veterans' Schedule shown above. Is this application for the other Jacob Gruen?

In the 1905 index (SLGS) of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.), Frank Blair Post #1, Jacob Gruen is listed as a member with the rank of corporal in Co. B, 1st MO Infantry. However, because of the post and the rank I think this refers to the other Jacob Gruen.

On the marriage license of his fosterdaughter, Josephine (21 Apr. 1906), her address is given as 2702 N. 21st St. in St. Louis, MO which agrees with the 1900 Census address of the Jacob family.

There is an obituary for Jacob M. Gruen in the St. Louis Post Dispatch on 28 Oct. 1907 (p. 12) which states that he died at the age of 65 after a brief illness on Saturday, 26 Oct. 1907 at 4:45 pm and was buried on the 29th. There is no other Jacob in the St. Louis Public Library's Obituary Index from 1880 through 1912. This obituary lists Josie (Josephine) as his foster daughter, George J. Gruen as his son, Dina as his widow, Frieda as his son's wife and Elsie as his son's daughter. Dina's maiden surname is given: Zimmermann. The funeral took place on Tuesday the 29th at 1:30 pm from his residence at 2702 N. 21st St. in St. Louis. The cemetery was not mentioned. However he was buried in Bethany Cemetery, in lots 23-24, Pavillion section, according to the microfilm copy of the Bethany Cemetery records for 29 Oct. 1907. In that record his age at death is given as 65 years, 2 months, 29 days. My visit to the cemetery reveals there is no gravestones on the lots and that the Scharfenberger family is buried in the adjoining lot. Jacob was a past commander of Gen. Lyon Post No. 2, G. A. R. [Grand Army of the Republic] which could be an organization of veterans in the Union Army. Take note that another Jacob Gruen in St. Louis died in the same year, on 12 Jan. 1907. It was easy for me to confuse these two men since they both had the same occupation and type of business.

An obituary also appeared in the 27 Oct. 1907 issue of Westliche Post, a German-language newspaper in St. Louis. It reads:

The Proceedings of the 27th Annual Encampment of the Department of Missouri Grand Army of the Republic which was held at Trenton, Missouri on 13 and 14 May 1908 (published in 1908) lists 1907 deaths of its members. Jacob M. Gruen is listed as a member of Post No. 2 and it is stated that he served as a private in Co. A, in the 1st MO Cavalry.

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His foster daughter, Josephine Scharfenberger (-2G) (married to Erven Thake) died on 03 Feb. 1913 in St. Louis. His wife died on 11 Dec. 1920 in St. Louis at the age of 68 and was buried on the 14th in Bethany Cemetery. His son married Alfreda Stuckmann and they had a daughter named Elsie in June 1897. Elsie (Elsa) married (Froning) but died early, ca 30 Apr. 1924. The son George died in Nov. 1937 and was buried on the 11th in Bethany.

A Jacob Gruen is listed in the SLGS Four-Generation Charts db, vol. 14, chart 103. I do not know what that is.

Thanks is extended to the Missouri Historical Society for sending several items referencing Jacob.

Created Mon. 8 May, 2000. Updated 25 May 2006.