The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 926 A portrait of Herman C. Froemke appears in this publication. HERMAN CHRISTIAN FROEMKE. The substantial traits of character displayed by Herman Christian Froemke, gained for him a creditable position in the regard of his fellow citizens in Yakima county, where he took up his abode in 1905 and made his home until his demise. He was born in Germany, December 7, 1856, a son of Gottlieb and Mary Froemke, who brought their family to the United States and established their home in Winona, Wisconsin, where Herman C, Froemke acquired a public school education. Later the family removed to Moorhead, Minnesota, and afterward became residents of Ransom county, North Dakota, where the father followed the occupation of farming until his death. His wife died in Canada. Herman C. Froemke had the usual advantages and opportunities of the farmbred boy of that period and locality. He took up farming on his own account in young manhood, being thus engaged near Fargo, North Dakota, while subsequently he returned to the vicinity of Britton, South Dakota. He afterward established his home at Sheldon, North Dakota, and there followed farming until 1905, when he removed to Yakima county, Washington. Three years before he had purchased one hundred and ten acres of land on the Tieton but afterward sold a part of it. In 1904 he purchased ten acres three miles west of Yakima and later sold one acre of that tract. His place was and land covered with sagebrush. With characteristic energy he began its development and improvement, planting it to pears, apples, peaches, cherries, plums and apricots. In the course of time his labors wrought a marked transformation in the appearance of his land. The sagebrush was replaced by well kept orchards bearing large crops. He also engaged in the raising of alfalfa and upon his home ranch he erected a nice residence, substantial barns and outbuildings and made all necessary improvements, converting his place into one of the valuable and attractive properties of the district. On the 6th of December, 1882, Mr. Froemke was married to Miss Louisa Linse, who was born in Buffalo county, Wisconsin, a daughter of Fred and Anna (Berg) Linse, who were pioneer farming people of Yakima county. To Mr. and Mrs. Froemke were born seven children: Alice, who died in infancy: Fred; who died in 1908 at the age of twenty-five; Rose, the wife of John Broetje, a resident farmer of Yakima county, by whom she has three children: Harry, who is married and has two children and is also following farming in Yakima county; and Clara, Elmer and Gertrude, all at home. Like her husband, Mrs. Froemke is of German lineage. Her father was born in Saxony, Germany, and her mother in Hesse. They came to the United States as young people and were married on this side of the Atlantic. In 1902 they removed to Yakima county and the father purchased a seven-acre orchard three miles west of Yakima, upon which he now resides, having reached the age of seventyseven years. His wife, however, passed away in 1911. They had a family of eight children: Louisa, now Mrs. Herman C. Froemke; Sarah, the wife of Herman H. Kuehl, residing at Yakima; Henry, who follows farming on the Tieton; Samuel, who is engaged in ranching on the Tieton; Mary, the wife of Henry Froemke, a resident farmer of Yakima county; Martha. the wife of Marvin Thomas, who is farming on the Tieton; Benjamin, who carries on farming in the same locality; and Harry, who is an adopted son and is now a member of the United States army. It was in 1916 that Mrs. Froemke was called upon to mourn the loss of her husband, who passed away on the 18th of June of that year. He was not only a successful fruit raiser but he had been president of a Farmers Elevator Company in North Dakota. His political allegiance was given to the republican party but he never sought or desired office as a reward for party fealty. He belonged to the Evangelical church, of which Mrs. Froemke is a member. He was devoted to the welfare of his family and counted no personal effort or sacrifice on his part too great if it would promote the welfare and happiness of the members of his household. He labored diligently and earnestly to attain success that he might give to them a comfortable living and he left his widow in substantial financial circumstances. ******************************** Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in January 2008 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.