(G-7) Wenzel Gruner
140 East Miller Lake Rd, Coldwater, MI
G-7 Wenzel Gruner (1831-1985). The seventh and youngest child of
Franz von Gruner and Katharina Bergman was 21 years younger
than his eldest brother, Franz (who stayed in New York State) and
9 years younger than Anton with whom he traveled to Branch County
Michigan seeking land. He built this house soon after
marrying Emily Randall in 1858.
Wenzel and Emily had seven children: Mina Laura, Mary Katherine,
Edna, Ward Cole, Benjamin, Bartlett and Starr. Wenzel died unexpectedly
of a heart attack in 1885, only a few months after his return from a trip
to his native Bohemia. He was considered a "well known and highly
esteemed citizen of Coldwater Township" as reported in the local
newspaper. Copies of published newspaper accounts of his death
provided many biographical notes about the Gruner family.
The farm was operated by his sons until Ward acquired his own land,
about a mile and a half west. Emily died in 1914 and this farm was
sold about 3 years later. Ben became a telegrapher and moved to
Alabama. Bartlett became a baker and moved to Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.
Starr served in WWI and operated a men's clothing store in Coldwater,
known as Gruner and Sloman's. He was elected Mayor of Coldwater
before a difficult divorce prompted him to move to California. Neither
Bartlett nor Starr had any children, so Wenzel’s descendants who bear
the name Gruner belong to either the Benjamin or Ward branches.
Ward was the only one to remain in this area and to
leave descendants with homes to be used in this booklet. The house
is presently owned by Hicks and the land is owned by Larry Fraser.
Fraser owns much of the land once owned by the Gruner's on both
sides of East Miller Lake Road.
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