Museum the New Llano Colony



David Goeke

Birth:  

Family Information: His father had been a German and a good farmer back north.  

Description: He was a fine hand with everything that grew, including bees and poultry.  

Pre-Colony History: At some point he had lived at Zion City, Illinois and sung in the choir of John Alexander Dowie (a faith healer who promised a utopian dwelling for all who sought shelter there.) Another colonist, Billy Maltby had been a chorister with him and in 1934 they still chummed along very well together.  

Home in Colony:  

Job in Colony: In September 1931 one hundred fifty sacks of beans and peas were picked in the forenoon by a volunteer crew of men, women and children. The crowd gathered a little after 7 am and was divided into different crews to look after different fields; by 11:30 the job was done. Volunteers included: Killian, Butts, Lloyd, Baldwin, Waters, Doc Williams, Quentin, Fred Busick, Roscoe Busick, Byron Busick, Vivian Busick, Graves, Webb, John Allred, Melvina Hullinger, Fred Levan, Goeke, Eldred, Tom Farrell, Claud Allred, Earl Swenson, Mackie, Frank Collins, George Collins, Boydelatour, Cleve Campbell, Mr. Caves, Clarence Long, Harry Rennick, Dee Kurtz, Pittman, Edminster, Walter Fread, Clarence Fread, Mrs. Herron, Woodruff, J.W. Gilbert, H.M. Wood, Winegar, Bert Moore, Lindwall, Ole Synoground, Rohr, Carnahan, Hoens, Mrs. Wooley, John Neill, Robert Roe, Warren Roe, Nesnow, Bartrum and B. Stevens.

In January 1932 he was part of a group including Joe Hough, Whitmer, Thurman, Banks and George Williams laying floors in the big concrete building and getting it ready for occupancy.

In April 1932 he was setting out shrubs on the west and north sides of Harriman Circle with the assistance of Wayne Mahler, Archie Ogden and Willy Brough.  

Other Info:  

Post-Colony History: He left the colony around 1933 for a better life in Kristenstadt in Texas where a fellow was selling land for $40 an acre. The fellow issued scrip to folks who could exchange it for supplies, but David could make no headway with him and returned to live near Llano with another chap.  

Death:  

Sources: "Llano Colonist": September 5, 1931, January 9, 1932, April 16, 1932, June 30, 1934  

 

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