Henry & Johanna (nee Lohmann) Kohrs with great grandson Don Lambert, son of Juanita (nee Phillipson) and Emil Lambert
Children of Henry & Johanna (nee Lohmann) Kohrs
EMILIE (1858-1943)
MARIE (1860-1930)
HELEN (1863-1954)
BERTHA (1865-1961)
CONRAD CARSTON (1868-1908)
HENRY (1870-1925)
JOHN LUETJE (1872-1954)
FRANK L. (1876-1956)
From "History of Davenport and Scott County" Vol. II by Harry E. Downer-S.
J. Clarke Publishing Co. 1910 Chicago.
Surnames: Kohrs, Phillipson, Lohmann, Gehrmann.
Henry Kohrs, whose foresight enabled him to realize the possibilities of Davenport as the center of many industries and a prominent shipping point for the west, was born in Holstein, Germany, November 15, 1830, a son of Carsten and Gesche (Krause) Kohrs. The father was born in the same place as his son and died there in 1835. The education of Henry Kohrs was received in the excellent schools of Germany and there learned the butcher's trade. When twenty-three years old he came to the United States and for a short time was in New York city but soon removed to Davenport, landing here March 13, 1854.
Being a hard-working and industrious young man, he soon secured employment in a dry goods and grocery store, from which he went to a clothier's, and in this way became acquainted with the language and customs of his new home. In 1855, he was able to start in business in a humble way, opening a market on Western between Fourth and Fifth streets. In 1857 he removed to Harrison avenue, and in 1858 erected a building at Nos. 310 and 312 West Second street, where he carried on business until 1874. During all this time he worked very hard, making every change pay, and carefully saving all he could, so that in 1874 he was able to embark in the pork packing business in a small way and so laid the foundation of his present immense establishment. The plant stands on its original site, but there have been many changes, not only in the buildings, but the methods. As his business grew, Mr. Kohrs also grew, eagerly seizing upon any improvement that would be profitable for him to introduce into his establishment. For years he continued alone and then took his sons into partnership with him. In 1898 W. H. Gehrmann became a member of the firm, which is now known as the Kohrs Packing Company. Of late years Mr. Gehrmann has relieved Mr. Kohrs of much of the active work.
On Christmas Day, 1857, Mr. Kohrs married Johanna Lohmann, a native of Germany, who came to Scott county in 1855 and like her husband is still in excellent health and in possession of all her faculties. Eight children were born to them: Amelia, now Mrs. Phillipson; Mary; Helen, now Mrs. William H. Gehrmann; Bertha; Conrad, who died in 1908, aged forty years; and Henry, John and Frank who are members of the firm.
While a good republican, Mr. Kohrs time has been so occupied with business cares that he has had but little leisure to give to politics, but in the '80s he served his ward as a member of the council and was chairman of the committee on streets. He is a member of the Turner and Shooting Clubs. Although in his eightieth year, Mr. Kohrs spends several hours each day at his business, and is hale and hearty, enjoying the companionship of his wife and children and the esteem his success has won for him.
Aside from his material prosperity, Mr. Kohrs is worthy of all confidence and friendship he has evoked, for he possesses those sterling traits of character that make for the most desirable citizenship and which all captains of industry do not possess. As a business man he has prospered, but it is as the good citizen, the kind and loving husband and father that he will best be remembered. His children have been carefully reared by himself and wife to be a credit to any community, and thus in another way he has served his adopted country by giving it honorable citizens, carefully trained to recognize the law and its restrictions.
Scott County, Iowa USGenWeb Project: Retrieved on 11 April 2009 from http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/1910vol2bios16.htm
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