SHEBOYGAN HISTORY

John Sandrok, Page 601

JOHN SANDROK, Chief of the fire department of the city of Sheboygan, and ex-Sheriff of Sheboygan County, is a native of Hesse-Cassel, Germany, where he was born April 23, 1831.  His father, Caspar Sandrok, died in his native country when his son, the subject of this sketch, was but thirteen years of age.  At the age of eighteen years, or in 1849, Mr. Sandrok determined to come to America.  That was a time of trouble in the monarchies of Europe--armies were being raised and a revolution on a large scale was in progress.  Rather than be taken into the army, Mr. Sandrok, like many other young men, decided to come to America.  His family consisted of four brothers and three sisters, and he is the only one who has made the United States his home.

    Mr. Sandrok came at once to Sheboygan County, with which he has ever since been identified.  With the fire department of Sheboygan he has been connected since 1853.  He resigned as Chief when elected Sheriff in 1874.  After the expiration of his term of two years in that capacity, he engaged in contracting and building, which he continued for twelve years.  During that time he erected many of the more important buildings of Sheboygan, including the Geele Block, Schreier's Brewery, the court house and others.  Previous to this time he had been in the employ of A. P. Lyman as carpenter for twelve years, except during the years he served as Sheriff.  The fire department of Sheboygan, though it does not include a large number of men, is a very efficient one, and owes much of its usefulness to its able Chief.  In earlier years, when the town had not yet assumed much dignity as a city, the office of Chief of the fire department was a less important one than now and demanded but a portion of his time, but all of Mr. Sandrok's attention is given to this department, which, as before stated he has made a very efficient one.

    In the Chair City occurred the marriage of Mr. Sandrok and Miss Eleanora Smidt.  Mrs. Sandrok was born in Polle, Hanover, Germany, March 16, 1834, but came with her parents to Sheboygan in 1849.  Mr. and Mrs. Sandrok have a family of nine children, six boys and three girls.

    In his political affiliations, our subject is a Democrat.  He has the distinction of being one of the oldest members of the Odd Fellows' lodge in the city.  He also belongs to the Kranken Verein.