Thinking of my Dad on his birthday

OCEE KEATON GROPPE
June 7, 1928 - May 28, 2002

The Old Country . . .

Thanks to the extensive research conducted by Mae (Groppe)  and Ben Popp, early Groppe history in Germany was uncovered.  Photographs convey a unique picture of time and place. . . 

This is the house near Verliehausen that August Groppe lived in with his father, mother, brothers and sisters.  It was built of fachwerk construction by earlier Groppes in 1773.

Fachwerk (German, literally: “framework”) refers to timber framing or half-timbering, also called in North America “post-and-beam” construction and post-frame construction.  It is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs (larger versions of the mortise and tenon joints in furniture).  The methodology comes from making things out of logs and tree trunks without modern high tech saws to cut lumber from the starting material stock.  Using axes, adzes and draw knives, hand powered auger drill bits (bit and brace) and laborious woodworking, artisans or farmers could gradually assemble a building capable of bearing heavy weight without excessive use of interior space given over to vertical support posts.

The inscription on the timber over the door on the side of the house reads:

“Oh God, give us your Blessing, so that we never lack nourishment in this newly built house.  Share whatever is brought in here, so that the work here is done joyfully with God. 1773”

This is the church in Verliehausen where the Groppes worshipped.  It was built before 1600.