History of Kentucky, five volumes, edited by Judge Charles Kerr,
American Historical Society, New York & Chicago, 1922 Vol. III, p.73,
Daviess Co.

     Joseph Matthews Gerteisen, a prosperous farmer and public-spirited
citizen of Daviess County, in which he was born April 25, 1874, is a son
of Frank and Tiny (Ruster) Gerteisen, the former a native of Ohio and
the latter of Indiana.  The parents came to Kentucky after their
marriage, first living at Louisville but later moved to Daviess County
and settled on a farm.  They had twelve children, Joseph M. being the
youngest and when he was four months old the mother died.  The father
survived her several years and died in Tell City, Indiana.  The oldest
sister of Joseph M. Gerteisen, Mary by name, reared him, and still makes
her home with him, neither of them having married.
     Growing to manhood on a farm, Joseph M. Gerteisen secured but a
limited education, and since he was seventeen years old has fought the
battles of life for himself and his sister.  He has worked for wages,
and then later rented farm land, and through his industry and thrift
prospered so that in 1903 he was able to buy his present farm of 120
acres of land, lying along the Ohio River above Owensboro about three
miles.  This is one of the old homesteads of the county, and the
residence is a commodious brick structure which is so placed as to
overlook the river.  Here Mr. Gerteisen and his sister accord a hearty
welcome and generous hospitality to their many friends.  They were
reared in and still adhere to the Catholic faith.  Mr. Gerteisen has
always manifested a commendable spirit of public enterprise, and during
the great war withheld no support from the many inaugurated movements to
enable the administration to carry out its policies.
     In 1910 Mr. Gerteisen was in a hotly contested campaign for the
office of sheriff on the democratic ticket but was not successful, owing
to a division in the party in local matters.  He has always been engaged
in farming, and with the exception of a brief period when he was
interested in a retail liquor business has not been engaged with outside
matters.  He disposed of his interest in this because he felt it was not
a line in accordance with his ideas of honor, and he realized that he
would rather make his money out of tilling the soil.

Gerteisen Ruster 
=
OH IN

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