Family/Spouse: Herman J Zeirke. Herman was born on 16 Jul 1872 in Biscay, Minnesota; died on 2 Feb 1944 in Albany, California. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Samuel Frederick Zeirke was born on 7 Jan 1898 in Hutchinson, Mcleod Co., Minnesota; died in Y.

Notes:

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In 1880 census he was a Hotel Keeper.


PIONEER OF ILLINOIS, MINNESOTA AND NORTH DAKOTA

Samuel's father died when he was 7. When he was 18, in 1842 , he moved west to Chicago, IL, a small village at the time . He had only $3 in his pocket--all his worldly possessions . Sixty miles west of Chicago, in the town of Mayfield, h e procureda piece of government land and started a farm.

When Samuel and Charlotte began married life together, thei r furniture consisted of one chair.

In 1857, Samuel first ventured to Minnesota and took a piec e of land near the town of Acoma. Indian troubles forced hi m to return to Illinois, where he stayed until 1879, his bu siness being the shipment of horses from Illinois to Minnes ota wherethey were sold to the pioneer farmers.

In 1879, he moved back to Minnesota with his family and ra n a hotel known as the "Railroad House'" (later the Merchan ts Hotel). After a year of this, he traded the hotel fo r a farm in the town of Lynn and then later moved to Hutchi nson, MN.

A few months before his death, at the age of 78, Samuel aga in became a pioneer establishing a homestead in North Dakot a, which was, at the time, the frontier of the Northwest. H e returned to Hutchinson for a time and died there.

By the time of his death, he owned 200 acres in Dekalb Coun ty, IL, 600 acres in McLeod County, MN and 160 acres in Nor th Dakota. "His one purpose in later years of his life wa s to provide well for his children and no family could hav e had a morethoughtful or indulgent father...His influenc e in the church and in the community has always been for ho nesty, temperance, industry, and a consistent religious lif e." --Obituary, Hutchinson Leader, Fri. Nov. 7, 1902, p.4.

Samuel married Charloette Abigail Selts on 26 Sep 1850 in Mayfield, DE Kalb Co., Illinois. Charloette (daughter of John Selts and Mary Warner Douglass) was born on 23 Jun 1834 in Orleans Co., New York; died on 8 Nov 1908 in Hutchinson, Mcleod Co., Minnesota. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

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She was a memeber of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Membe r Ladies Benefit Society.

Notes:

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some records show he was born in Vermont. His occupation wa s carpenter.

Located in 1850 census for, Mayfield township, Dekalb Co. , Illinois.

John married Mary Warner Douglass on 16 Oct 1816 in Shoreham, Addison Co., Vermont. Mary (daughter of Joseph Douglass and Hannah Simonds) was born on 17 Apr 1796 in Shoreham, Addison Co., Vermont; died on 20 Mar 1875 in Charter Grove, DE Kalb Co., Illinois; was buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Mayfield Township, DE Kalb Co., Illinois. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

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Located in 1800 census for, Shoreham township, Addison Co. , Vermont.

2 of his daughters appears to have named thier children Ben jamin and Eliza. These where popular at the time. However m aight sugest a maternal family name.

Joseph married Hannah Simonds on 9 Jul 1795 in Addison Co., Vermont. Hannah was born in Addison Co., Vermont; died in Addison Co., Vermont. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]