Johann (John) George Merkle was born Jan 26 1829 He was born in Wuttenburg Germany He came to America and when he was in Ill he joined his money with his English teacher and others in his class to buy land to create a town like they knew in Germany. They called the group the German land Vernon They bought the land for the town of New Ulm together and so became the dream of a new homeland for Johann (John) He was married to Verionca Fink but she died it was said in Child birth in New Ulm 1861 During that time John went to fight for his new homeland in the Civil War. Johann(John) George Merkle left his son with his sister in law his name was Carl (Karl) Merkle he died in the Souix uprising incident while his father John was fighting in the Civil War John went to fight for his new homeland in the Civil War His unit was the First Minnesota light artilery division of Minnesota The state of Minnesota was the frist state to send soldiers to fight in the Civil War When he returned home he had lost his his son and family Then on July 13 1868 he was married to Catherine Maresch married by the Justice of the Peace in New Ulm Both had lost sposes The Merkles lived in Milford Township for three years with Johann (John) being the first school teacher there. They then moved to the town of New Ulm where Johann (John) was the manager of a lumber company. Their house was on 718 North Minnesota St at the time it was built it was a log home. Johann (John) and Catherine had ten children together Martin 1866 was son of Catherine, Michael, Josephine 1870 who later married John Schrimpf,Lorenz 1872,George 1874,Maria (Mary)1876 who married Frank Mitchell,Charles 1877,Catherine (Miss Kate)1880 who never married,Regina 1882 who married George Palmer and Herman 1884. They had many grand Children