The Peter Diercks Trunk was almost lost from the family in the fall of 1992 when it was inadvertently put up for auction. It was saved from possible obscurity by the quick actions of Gerald and Willis Diercks that day.
Although no one knows for sure, it is believed that Heinrich Diercks (1777 – 1838) built the trunk and inscribed his name. After his death his son Peter (1811 – 1857) took possession of the trunk, made a poor attempt at scratching off the first name and then placed his own first name just to the left of this area. Peter did not match the font very well, either.
When Peter died, Johann Hinrich Diercks (1838 – 1917) took possession and employed its use on the voyage to America with his family in 1873. Conjecture is that there was another, larger trunk for possessions and that food for the journey may have filled this trunk.
Willis Diercks recalls this trunk in his upstairs bedroom while he grew up with his parents on County Road 4 near Goodhue, MN. He seems to remember the oily stain on the floor of the trunk, which supports its use storing food. About the time he left home his father, Kurt, died. Shortly after this his widowed mother, Margaret Diercks, moved out of the house in 1941. The trunk went to son, Alvin Diercks' farm where it was used for decades on three separate farms as tool and parts storage in a shed.
Alvin and his wife Elnora retired from farming and moved to a house in Goodhue along with the trunk. Alvin died in 1986 followed by Elnora in July of 1992. Most of their possessions were put up for auction held at the Goodhue Lion's Club that fall and the trunk was among them.
Fortunately, Willis saw the trunk among the items in the auction and quickly summoned Alvin's son, Gerald Diercks, to the rescue. Gerald had to submit the highest bid to secure it since it was too late to pull any items from the auction.
Gerald brought his prize to a Diercks Family Reunion at Colvill Park in June of 1998 where he proudly displayed it in this picture. Gerald and his wife Rosemary died in 2006 when son, Dwight Diercks, took possession of this storied, 200-year-old trunk and it remains in the family to this day. - Wayne Diercks
Although no one knows for sure, it is believed that Heinrich Diercks (1777 – 1838) built the trunk and inscribed his name. After his death his son Peter (1811 – 1857) took possession of the trunk, made a poor attempt at scratching off the first name and then placed his own first name just to the left of this area. Peter did not match the font very well, either.
When Peter died, Johann Hinrich Diercks (1838 – 1917) took possession and employed its use on the voyage to America with his family in 1873. Conjecture is that there was another, larger trunk for possessions and that food for the journey may have filled this trunk.
Willis Diercks recalls this trunk in his upstairs bedroom while he grew up with his parents on County Road 4 near Goodhue, MN. He seems to remember the oily stain on the floor of the trunk, which supports its use storing food. About the time he left home his father, Kurt, died. Shortly after this his widowed mother, Margaret Diercks, moved out of the house in 1941. The trunk went to son, Alvin Diercks' farm where it was used for decades on three separate farms as tool and parts storage in a shed.
Alvin and his wife Elnora retired from farming and moved to a house in Goodhue along with the trunk. Alvin died in 1986 followed by Elnora in July of 1992. Most of their possessions were put up for auction held at the Goodhue Lion's Club that fall and the trunk was among them.
Fortunately, Willis saw the trunk among the items in the auction and quickly summoned Alvin's son, Gerald Diercks, to the rescue. Gerald had to submit the highest bid to secure it since it was too late to pull any items from the auction.
Gerald brought his prize to a Diercks Family Reunion at Colvill Park in June of 1998 where he proudly displayed it in this picture. Gerald and his wife Rosemary died in 2006 when son, Dwight Diercks, took possession of this storied, 200-year-old trunk and it remains in the family to this day. - Wayne Diercks
The Peter Diercks Trunk was almost lost from the family in the fall of 1992 when it was inadvertently put up for auction. It was saved from possible obscurity by the quick actions of Gerald and Willis Diercks that day.
Although no one knows for sure, it is believed that Heinrich Diercks (1777 – 1838) built the trunk and inscribed his name. After his death his son Peter (1811 – 1857) took possession of the trunk, made a poor attempt at scratching off the first name and then placed his own first name just to the left of this area. Peter did not match the font very well, either.
When Peter died, Johann Hinrich Diercks (1838 – 1917) took possession and employed its use on the voyage to America with his family in 1873. Conjecture is that there was another, larger trunk for possessions and that food for the journey may have filled this trunk.
Willis Diercks recalls this trunk in his upstairs bedroom while he grew up with his parents on County Road 4 near Goodhue, MN. He seems to remember the oily stain on the floor of the trunk, which supports its use storing food. About the time he left home his father, Kurt, died. Shortly after this his widowed mother, Margaret Diercks, moved out of the house in 1941. The trunk went to son, Alvin Diercks' farm where it was used for decades on three separate farms as tool and parts storage in a shed.
Alvin and his wife Elnora retired from farming and moved to a house in Goodhue along with the trunk. Alvin died in 1986 followed by Elnora in July of 1992. Most of their possessions were put up for auction held at the Goodhue Lion's Club that fall and the trunk was among them.
Fortunately, Willis saw the trunk among the items in the auction and quickly summoned Alvin's son, Gerald Diercks, to the rescue. Gerald had to submit the highest bid to secure it since it was too late to pull any items from the auction.
Gerald brought his prize to a Diercks Family Reunion at Colvill Park in June of 1998 where he proudly displayed it in this picture. Gerald and his wife Rosemary died in 2006 when son, Dwight Diercks, took possession of this storied, 200-year-old trunk and it remains in the family to this day. - Wayne Diercks
Although no one knows for sure, it is believed that Heinrich Diercks (1777 – 1838) built the trunk and inscribed his name. After his death his son Peter (1811 – 1857) took possession of the trunk, made a poor attempt at scratching off the first name and then placed his own first name just to the left of this area. Peter did not match the font very well, either.
When Peter died, Johann Hinrich Diercks (1838 – 1917) took possession and employed its use on the voyage to America with his family in 1873. Conjecture is that there was another, larger trunk for possessions and that food for the journey may have filled this trunk.
Willis Diercks recalls this trunk in his upstairs bedroom while he grew up with his parents on County Road 4 near Goodhue, MN. He seems to remember the oily stain on the floor of the trunk, which supports its use storing food. About the time he left home his father, Kurt, died. Shortly after this his widowed mother, Margaret Diercks, moved out of the house in 1941. The trunk went to son, Alvin Diercks' farm where it was used for decades on three separate farms as tool and parts storage in a shed.
Alvin and his wife Elnora retired from farming and moved to a house in Goodhue along with the trunk. Alvin died in 1986 followed by Elnora in July of 1992. Most of their possessions were put up for auction held at the Goodhue Lion's Club that fall and the trunk was among them.
Fortunately, Willis saw the trunk among the items in the auction and quickly summoned Alvin's son, Gerald Diercks, to the rescue. Gerald had to submit the highest bid to secure it since it was too late to pull any items from the auction.
Gerald brought his prize to a Diercks Family Reunion at Colvill Park in June of 1998 where he proudly displayed it in this picture. Gerald and his wife Rosemary died in 2006 when son, Dwight Diercks, took possession of this storied, 200-year-old trunk and it remains in the family to this day. - Wayne Diercks
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