Fred was born in Josephinowo, Kries Wirsitz, Posen, Prussia to Carl Gums and Wilhelmine Luetke. He was christened on Mar 24, 1850 in Lobsens Parish. The family were shepherds in Germany and his father was the foreman of the sheep ranch. Fred arrived single in New York on Mar 27, 1872 and was married to Bertha A. Werner and living in Henderson by 1875. Bertha was also from Lobsens Parish in Prussia. His father, Carl (aka Charles) Gums, and his two brothers, Ludwig (aka Louis) Gums, and Carl (aka Charles) Gustav Gums Jr. arrived shortly after. About the turn of the century, Fred changed the family surname to Goms, while the others kept it as Gums. He was a Fire Marshall and Foreman of a fire company. He died of influenza in 1918. Both his church record and death certificate state that he was buried in Brown Cemetery, but there are no plot owners nor headstones with that name. However, recent findings show that several of his wife's relatives are also buried in this cemetery and may have been his plot owner. The rest of his family relocated to Havre, MT while his father and two brothers moved up north in Minnesota.
His obituary consisted of this resolution: "Whereas, The Chief of the Universe in his infinite wisdom, has seen fit to remove from our midst our beloved brother fireman, Fred Goms: Whereas, The intimate relations held with him in the faithful discharge of his duties as a member of this association makes it eminently befitting that we record our appreciation of him for the services be has rendered. Therefore, be it resolved by the Henderson Fire Department, duly assembled that the sudden removal of our Brother Fireman will be deeply felt by our association and will prove a serious loss to our department and be it further resolved that the Department express their deep sympathy with the bereaved family. Resolved that a copy of these resolutions be spread upon the minutes of this meeting, a copy be printed in the Sibley County Independent and a copy be presented to the family of our deceased Brother.
Frank C. Weber, Chief,
A. H. Stucke, Asst. Chief,
Ad. L. F. Schafer, Secretary."
His death certificate states that he was buried in Brown Cemetery. But the cemetery has no record of his burial nor even owned a plot, and a stone by stone search revealed that no one by that surname is buried there. Stone by stone searches of surrounding cemeteries revealed nothing.
His obituary consisted of this resolution: "Whereas, The Chief of the Universe in his infinite wisdom, has seen fit to remove from our midst our beloved brother fireman, Fred Goms: Whereas, The intimate relations held with him in the faithful discharge of his duties as a member of this association makes it eminently befitting that we record our appreciation of him for the services be has rendered. Therefore, be it resolved by the Henderson Fire Department, duly assembled that the sudden removal of our Brother Fireman will be deeply felt by our association and will prove a serious loss to our department and be it further resolved that the Department express their deep sympathy with the bereaved family. Resolved that a copy of these resolutions be spread upon the minutes of this meeting, a copy be printed in the Sibley County Independent and a copy be presented to the family of our deceased Brother.
Frank C. Weber, Chief,
A. H. Stucke, Asst. Chief,
Ad. L. F. Schafer, Secretary."
His death certificate states that he was buried in Brown Cemetery. But the cemetery has no record of his burial nor even owned a plot, and a stone by stone search revealed that no one by that surname is buried there. Stone by stone searches of surrounding cemeteries revealed nothing.
Fred was born in Josephinowo, Kries Wirsitz, Posen, Prussia to Carl Gums and Wilhelmine Luetke. He was christened on Mar 24, 1850 in Lobsens Parish. The family were shepherds in Germany and his father was the foreman of the sheep ranch. Fred arrived single in New York on Mar 27, 1872 and was married to Bertha A. Werner and living in Henderson by 1875. Bertha was also from Lobsens Parish in Prussia. His father, Carl (aka Charles) Gums, and his two brothers, Ludwig (aka Louis) Gums, and Carl (aka Charles) Gustav Gums Jr. arrived shortly after. About the turn of the century, Fred changed the family surname to Goms, while the others kept it as Gums. He was a Fire Marshall and Foreman of a fire company. He died of influenza in 1918. Both his church record and death certificate state that he was buried in Brown Cemetery, but there are no plot owners nor headstones with that name. However, recent findings show that several of his wife's relatives are also buried in this cemetery and may have been his plot owner. The rest of his family relocated to Havre, MT while his father and two brothers moved up north in Minnesota.
His obituary consisted of this resolution: "Whereas, The Chief of the Universe in his infinite wisdom, has seen fit to remove from our midst our beloved brother fireman, Fred Goms: Whereas, The intimate relations held with him in the faithful discharge of his duties as a member of this association makes it eminently befitting that we record our appreciation of him for the services be has rendered. Therefore, be it resolved by the Henderson Fire Department, duly assembled that the sudden removal of our Brother Fireman will be deeply felt by our association and will prove a serious loss to our department and be it further resolved that the Department express their deep sympathy with the bereaved family. Resolved that a copy of these resolutions be spread upon the minutes of this meeting, a copy be printed in the Sibley County Independent and a copy be presented to the family of our deceased Brother.
Frank C. Weber, Chief,
A. H. Stucke, Asst. Chief,
Ad. L. F. Schafer, Secretary."
His death certificate states that he was buried in Brown Cemetery. But the cemetery has no record of his burial nor even owned a plot, and a stone by stone search revealed that no one by that surname is buried there. Stone by stone searches of surrounding cemeteries revealed nothing.
His obituary consisted of this resolution: "Whereas, The Chief of the Universe in his infinite wisdom, has seen fit to remove from our midst our beloved brother fireman, Fred Goms: Whereas, The intimate relations held with him in the faithful discharge of his duties as a member of this association makes it eminently befitting that we record our appreciation of him for the services be has rendered. Therefore, be it resolved by the Henderson Fire Department, duly assembled that the sudden removal of our Brother Fireman will be deeply felt by our association and will prove a serious loss to our department and be it further resolved that the Department express their deep sympathy with the bereaved family. Resolved that a copy of these resolutions be spread upon the minutes of this meeting, a copy be printed in the Sibley County Independent and a copy be presented to the family of our deceased Brother.
Frank C. Weber, Chief,
A. H. Stucke, Asst. Chief,
Ad. L. F. Schafer, Secretary."
His death certificate states that he was buried in Brown Cemetery. But the cemetery has no record of his burial nor even owned a plot, and a stone by stone search revealed that no one by that surname is buried there. Stone by stone searches of surrounding cemeteries revealed nothing.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
