Andrew Herre was a linen weaver, at which he always worked, but was the owner of a small farm
Gottfried Herre was educated in the village school of Germany. He learned the blacksmith's trade, beginning at the age of fourteen. When he reached the age of twenty he went for himself and worked at the trade wherever he could find work. At the age of twenty-nine he came to America, and located in Cleveland, where he worked one year, then came to Williamston, Michigan, and worked there one year in partnership with John Burklee. He then bought eighty acres of wild land in ALaiedon township and lived there about one and a half years, when he sold the farm and settled in Okemos, bought a lot and worked at his trade. He purchased ten acres of land and run a wagon shop in connection with blacksmithing. At this he worked for eighteen years, then traded his business to William Turner for one hundred acres of land and moved onto the farm. This was partly improved, with a small, frame house and an old stable. Our subject rebuilt the house, built new barns and made it one of the finest home farms in the community. He later added thirty acres to the farm. Here he lived until 1894, when he retired and left the farm in charge of one of the boys.
April 8, 1855, Mr. Herre was married to Louise Tachs, born in Mecklenburg, Germany, Sept. 23, 1834. Her parents lived and died in Germany, both passing away at the age of eighty-five. Her father was a farmer by occupation. Mrs. Herre and a sister, Mary, were the only ones of the family who came to this country. Mary was the wife of Henry Dickman, residents of Alaiedon township, and both are deceased.
Seven children have been born to our subject and wife: Emma, Aug. 25, 1856, the wife of Henry Foster of Haslett Park. They have three children, Sydna, Nellie, and Lena; Pauline, July 10, 1858, was the wife of Fred Simmons of Montcalm county, and died thirteen years ago; Louise, Feb. 22, 1860, the wife of Elias Spross, living on part of our subject's old farm. They have three children, Nettie, Harold and Otto; Carl, born Nov. 21, 1861, married Sarah Raby, is employed in the Lansing Wagon Works, and they have two children, Florence and Eva; E. G., born Aug. 11, 1862, married Etta Phillips and lives on the old homestead; Herman, Aug. 20, 1864, married Belle Swarthouse, lives on forty acres of the old home and has two children, Ray and Bernie, and Otto was born Sept. 23, 1865, and died at the age of three months.
Our subject has always been a Democrat and though several times a candidate was never connected with any office. The family are members of the German Lutheran church at North Lansing and highly respected people of their locality. The characteristic German thrift and energy has been prominent throughout their lives and by means of it they are in possession of a comfortable competence for the declining years of their lives.
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 Sondra Higbee
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