John H. HOGREFE, one of the substantial German settlers of Lincoln township, was born at Walsrode, in Hanover, Germany
September 2, 1816 where he lived on a farm until 26 years of age. In 1842, he immigrated to America, landing at Baltimore. August 10
after a nine week voyage.
He went to Marietta, Ohio and in spring 1843 moved to the city of St. Louis, Mo. That fall he moved
to Lexington in Lafayette Co., Mo. and farmed there until the spring of 1846. He then went to St. Charles County as a minister of
the German Methodist Church and was employed there in preaching until October, 1846. From then until 1850, he traveled over a broad
section of Missouri as a Methodist minister.
He then settled on the farm he now owns west of Craig. That bottomland was then nearly
a wilderness with only a few scattered settlements. Mr. HOGREFE has since engaged in both farming and acting as a local preacher of
the German Methodist Church. He owns 394 acres of land.
He was married to Rebecca TROOK on April 19, 1847. Formerly of Ohio, she
lived in Andrew County at the time of their marriage. Mr. HOGREFE has six sons and one daughter; Henry, Joseph, Abraham, Benjamin,
Simeon, George W., and Matilda. He has always been a Republican. He is one of the earliest settlers of the Mo. River bottomland
and has been one of the best citizens of the county.
Source: "An Illustrated Historical Atlas Map, Holt County, MO.
Published by Brink, McDonough & Co., Philadelphia, 1877
Provided by Dave Roberts of Lyon County, Kentucky,
a former Holt County resident.
