Frederick Grether, born in 1850 in Baden, Germany, was a prominent hardware merchant in Greenfield, Missouri. He immigrated to the United States at age nine, initially settling in Philadelphia before moving to Bond County, Illinois, and later St. Louis. Grether began working in the tinner’s trade in 1866, eventually opening a successful hardware store in Greenfield in 1883. In 1881, he married Augusta Dienst from Gasconade County, Missouri, and they had three children: Walter, Frederick, and Ralph. A Republican, Grether cast his first presidential vote for Horace Greeley in 1872. He was also a member of the I.O.O.F. and A.O.U.W.
Frederick Grether, hardware merchant, of Greenfield, is a native of the Grand Dutchy of Baden, Germany, born in 1850, and is the son of Jacob and Mary Grether. There were eight children born to this union, five of whom came to the United States. Frederick Grether was but nine years of age when he accompanied his sister to the United States. They settled in Philadelphia, remained there three years, and then Frederick emigrated to Bond County, Ill., and two years later went to St. Louis. In 1866 he commenced working at the tinner’s trade and served an apprenticeship of three years. He then worked for three years as a journeyman, and in 1883 became a citizen of Greenfield, Mo., where he established a hardware store. He has met with good success, and is one of the leading businessmen of the town. In December 1881, he married Miss Augusta Dienst, a native of Gasconade County, Mo., born in 1850, and to this union have been born three children: Walter, Frederick and Ralph. In his political views Mr. Grether affiliates with the Republican party, and his first presidential vote was for Horace Greeley in 1872. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. and A. O. U. W.