William Frederick POKE

WILHELM FRIEDRICH POOK/WILLIAM POKE /WILLIAM POLK

Sources:

Family Photos; Historic Pittsburgh at Pitt.edu; Return of Marriage 14 March 1889 Pittsburgh, PA; Consent to Marriage of a Child or Ward; Pittsburgh, PA Directories 1888-1892; IGI Source call 1299331; Germans to America, Glazier and Filby Volume 20; Death Certificate Henry Poke.

Wilhelm Friedrich Pook (Poke/Polk) was born in Preussich, Minden, Germany on December 13, 1863. He and his family emigrated to the U.S. on the ship "Atlantic" from Bremen and arrived, through Southhampton, in New York City on 24 October 1867. Research on the Pook family in Germany and immigration records continues. I believe the last name is spelled Pook. William probably worked for his brother Henry W. Poke in his grocery store as a clerk (klerk) and lived with him on Boggs Avenue in Pittsburgh prior to marrying Mina Brookmann on 14 March 1889. William is listed as a travelling salesman in the Pittsburgh Directory 1888-1892 and living at 264 Southern Avenue, the home of his wife, Mina. 311 Boggs was around the corner from 264 Southern and, after they were married he and Mina probably lived with her parents. The Brookmanns owned and lived at 262/264 Southern Ave. William and Minnie Brookmann were married on 14 March 1889 at her residence in a Evangelical Lutheran ceremony performed by Pastor Adolph Ebert. Minnie was still a minor (17) and so her father, Frederick, had to give his permission for her to marry. William and Minnie had a son, Frederick, born abt December 1889. He died 17 April 1890 of pneumonia. Minnie got pregnant again and, on 16 April 1891 she gave birth to Wilhelmina Poke, my grandmother. Unfortunately, Minnie died 10 days later of Paiespenai Spelicomia. She was barely 20 years old. Minnie is buried at Saint Paul’s Cemetery along with her son Frederick.

Family lore has it that Wilhelmina was raised by relatives. I believe she was raised by the Prills in Ripon, Fond Du Lac County, Wisconsin.

"Will" remarried Lousie Prill in Ripon, Fond Du Lac County, Wisconsin on 30 August 1894. He was a hotel proprietor/owner of the Broadway Hotel in East Liverpool, Columbiana Co., Ohio. We have a watercolor drawing reproduction of a painting of the hotel before it was torn down. It stayed in the family until 1964. Will and Louise diviorced between 1910 and 1920. He died 18 January 1933 at 211 Boggs Avenue, where he had returned. He is buried in East Liverpool with his daughter Florence Inskeep.

Colleen Northup

July 14, 2007

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