My Genealogy Hound

GEORGE W. GRUBE, a wealthy and influential citizen of West Bethlehem, Pa., was born in one of the Rhine Provinces of Germany, January 29, 1845. His father, Abraham Grube, was born in the same place, and followed his trade there, which was that of merchant tailoring. He emigrated with his family to this country in 1857 and settled in New York City, where he still pursued his trade. Three years later he located at Newark, N. J., and engaged in gardening, remaining there until his demise. He was a zealous member of the Lutheran Church, and belonged to the Masonic fraternity. The mother of our subject was Margareta Schneider, the daughter of a prominent farmer. The grandfather had the honor of being a soldier under the great Napoleon Bonaparte, serving under him on the march to Moscow, Russia, and return.

The subject of this sketch is the eldest of six children, five of whom are still living. He was reared in Germany, and attended the common schools there until 1857, when he sailed for America on the ship “Devonshire,” and after forty-three days on the sea landed in New York City. Upon his arrival he was compelled to begin work immediately, and engaged with a huckster in Newark, N. J. While engaged in this way he attended a private evening school, in 1859’ he weut into business with his father at West Newark, as a manufacturer of bonedust for fertilizing purposes, continuing in this occupation until 1867, when a disastrous fire compelled them to cease operations. George W. then came to Bethlehem and here began life anew by gathering old bones, boiling down grease, handling hides, hair, glue, etc. Later he engaged in the hide, tallow and junk business, dealing also in cement, lime and sand.

Mr. Grube was so successful in all his undertakings that he was enabled to speculate in real estate. He now owns the Monocacy Block, containing four stores, and also twenty-three residences. These latter are situated in different parts of Bethlehem, West Bethlehem and South Bethlehem. In 1891 he sold out his junk business, and in 1893 started a silkmill, having at first only two men employed in a small building. At present he has a large manufactory, with a daily capacity of ten thousand yards of silk ribbon.

The marriage of Mr. Grube occurred at Bethlehem, when he took Miss Emma Brader as his companion for life. There were seven children born of this union, as follows: Flora A., Frederick W., Lizzie, Maggie, Charles O., Lucy and George W., Jr. Our subject was one of the first Councilmen from the First Ward of West Bethlehem, and has been re-elected every three years on the Democratic ticket. He is the present Chairman of the Finance Committee, and is a stockholder of the Freemansburg Building and Loan Association. Politically he is a Democrat, and is accounted a substantial citizen and man of public spirit, being interested in local and national government, doing his duty at the polls, and assisting in matters of local enterprise.