Manfred History & Preservation, Inc.
Gustav and Augusta Boese
Husband's Full Name: Gustav Boese
Husband's Place of Birth: Shonviese, East Prussia
Husband's Father's Name: Julius Boese
Husband's Mother's Name: Catharine Krueger Boese
Husband's Siblings' Names:
1st Wife's Full Name: Augusta Pohlke
Wife's Place of Birth: Russia
Children's Names: Arthur, Louis, Hugo, Leo, Baby Boy (died)
2nd Wife's Full Name: Wilhelminia
Wife's Place of Birth: Germany
3rd Wife's Full Name: Maria Broschat
Wife's Place of Birth: Preussen
Children's Names: Erich, Arno, Aimee, Elmer
Within his lifetime, Gustav experienced many joys and also much sorrow. Like his father, Gustav lived in three countries over the years. He was born at Shonviese, East Prussia Germany to Julius and Catharine Boese on October 9, 1859. At age six, Gustav, his parents, and two siblings moved to Russia in the hopes of better opportunities. Gustav grew to manhood there, and in about 1882 he married Augusta Poelke who was born 1862 in Russia.
Their first child Arthur was born in 1883 and their second child Louis in 1884. In 1886, Gustav, his wife Augusta and their two children made a harrowing escape from Russia together with his father and family. Having crossed safely, they then made their way to Hamburg, Germany were they immigrated together to America on the ship Polaria arriving at New York on June 21, 1886. Gustav and Augusta settled at Madison, South Dakota where their son Hugo was born April 9, 1887, son Leo on April 11, 1889, and another son in 1891 who died at birth. During that same year, Augusta had to be admitted to the State Hospital in Yankton.
In 1893, Gustav and his children moved to Manfred Township by ox team. Sadly in 1899, his wife Augusta and sixteen other women perished in a fire at the Yankton State Hospital. On January 17, 1900, Gustav became an American citizen witnessed by Karl Radke and Rudolph Fiebich. He married Wilhelminia (Minnie) Rappuhn, widow of Gustave Rappuhn, but this marriage did not last. Tragically, his oldest son Arthur died in 1907 when dragged by a team of horses. In time, Gustav went to California where he became a carpenter. On November 12, 1914 at Lodi, California, he married for a third time to Maria (Mary) Broschat born March 17, 1881 at Labiau, East Prussia Germany. Their child Erich was born August 30, 1915, then Arno on June 10, 1918, and Aimee on February 21, 1923. Sadly, two of their children died young: Baby Aimee on July 10, 1923 and 5½ year old Arno on January 23, 1924. Their last child Elmer was born November 27, 1924. Maria died at San Joaquin, California on February 16, 1938 and Gustav died at Modesto, California on September 30, 1942.
Source: New Manfred News December 2003 – page 5