Fred Vocke
Fred Vocke, who spent his last years in well earned retirement from labor, passed away n Cincinnati, May 27, 1898. He was born in Hanover, Germany, in 1843, so that he was only about fifty-five years of age when his life's labors were ended. He pursued his education in the schools of his native country and sailed for the United States at the age of twenty-seven years, landing at New York city, where he remained for a time. He then left the metropolis for Cincinnati and here engaged in the leaf tobacco business, first as a traveling salesman and afterward as an independent merchant, establishing business on his own account on Second street under the firm name of Frese & Vocke. After a few years he went to New York, where he engaged in the same line of buisness, and when success in substantial measure was his, he retired from active commercial pursuits and returned to Cincinnati to make his home, which he established in Clifton, there spending the remaining days in honorable and well earned retirement. His success was the visible evidence of well directed energy, careful investment and soud judgment and his life record proved that prosperity is ambition's answer.
It was in Cincinnati, in 1882, that Mr. Vocke was united in marriage to Miss Emma Doerr, a daughter of Charles Doerr, who came from Germany and, settling in this city, engaged in the bakery business on Vine street. The death of Mr. Vocke occurred May 27, 1898. He had been an active member and earnest worker in St. John's church at Elm and Twelfth streets and was a public-sprited citizen whose interest in the general welfare and progress was manifest in active cooperation with the movements which he deemed essential as factors in good government. while born across the water, no native American citizen was more loyal to the interests of the country or strove more sincerely to uphold all that was best in the public life. He made friends wherever he went. He was well liked because his cordiality was unfeigned, because he was unassuming and unostentatious, and because he sincerely tried to conform his life to the highest standards of patriotic citizenship and of honorable manhood.
From Cincinnati: The Queen City 1788-1912; Vol. 4 by Charles Frederick Goss, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. Chicago / Cincinnati,. 1912