"Portrait & Biographical Record of Portland & Vinc. Oregon." Chapman 
Publishing Company, 1903. p. 491.
 
JOHN F. BROETJE

     One of the first to hew a way through the wilderness, and make a place for the erection of the little town of Oak Grove, was John F. Broetje, around whom cluster many pioneer memories, and to whom is attributed much worth while endeavor.   Mr. Broetje was born in Oldenburg, Germany, March I, 1833, his father, Anton Gerhard, having been born in the same part of the empire in 1782. The father was a gardener and farmer during his entire active life, and died in his native land at the age of seventy-four years. The mother of John F. Broetje was formerly Mary Gesche Muller, also born in Germany, and who lived to the unusual age of ninety years. Of her six sons and two daughters, seven grew to maturity, John F. being the youngest in the family.
     While being reared on the paternal farm John F. Broetje attended the public schools in Germany, and at the age of twenty-one, in 1854, crossed the ocean and settled in Springfield, ILL., where he worked at blacksmithing and locksmithing for a short time. Afterward he secured a position as porter in the capitol building at Springfield, and during this time saw much of the feverish activity centered there before the culmination of hostilities in the Civil war. The gaunt and tall figure of the great emancipator was a familiar one in the halls of the capitol, and from his more humble position the porter watched him with ever renewing interest. In 1860 Mr. Broetje removed to southern Illinois and engaged in farming near Belleville, and there also was inaugurated his first educational work, in which he subsequently engaged for thirteen years, his longest stay in any one locality being eight years.  He was a popular and capable teacher, and recalls with great satisfaction this particular epoch in his life work.
     In 1880 Mr. Broetje came to Oregon and located at Mount Tabor, where he opened up a floral establishment, and managed to work up a large and profitable trade. This continued to be his home for ten years, and in 1890 he came to Oak Grove, invested extensively in town real-estate, and eventually lost very heavily on the same because of the general hard times. Nevertheless, it was his mind that first conceived the idea of the town, and his was one of the most fertile and resourceful in planning for its subsequent development.  He must be mentioned particularly in connection with grape culture in Clackamas county, for lie is the pioneer agitator of this branch of industry, and has done much to interest others in it. In fact he is the first to grow grapes in this part of the state, and his observations have been intelligently placed before the public in well written articles in the Oregonian, as well as submitted in written form to the state agricultural department. At present Mr. Broetje is living with his son, Julius, who is engaged in a large and successful business as florist, and in partnership with whom he is engaged in raising all kinds of ornamental trees, shrubs, and the high class flowers in demand among floriculturists. A market is found in Oregon City and Portland, and many plants and flowers are imported from the flower centers of Europe and the Orient, especially from Japan, the land par excellence of the floriculturist. Floriculture in its most advanced form has also been exploited by Mr. Broetje through the medium of his expressive and facile pen, and no one thinks or describes more charmingly upon subjects of interest to all lovers of the true and beautiful in nature.
     In Springfield, ILL., Mr. Broetje married Augusta Schuchardt, born in Illinois, a daughter of Fred Schuchardt, who came from Saxony, Germany, in 1832. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Broetje, viz.: Fred G. and Anton G., gardeners and fruit raisers of Mount Tabor; John H., in the same business in Oak Grove; Julius, head of the hothouse of Oak Grove; Anna, now Mrs. Emial Bertschinger; and Sophia, the wife of Jacob Ott, of St. Louis, Mo. Mr. Broetje is a Republican in national politics, and has actively maintained the principles and issues of his party ever since the beginning of his voting days. He is a member, of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in May 2007 by Diana Smith.  Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.