Ferdinand Geiersdorf was born in Munich, Germany (then
Bavaria) on December 5, 1831. When he first came to Sandusky he was a poor
butcher’s apprentice, but eventually he became quite wealthy in the fish business.
Mr. Geiersdorf’s image can be seen in the image above on the upper left, from Plate IV in the book, Sandusky Einst und Jetzt. Below is an
advertisement which appeared in the 1869 Sandusky City Directory.
From 1863 to 1867, Geiersdorf served as
Sandusky’s Mayor. He was the first individual of German descent to become Mayor
of the city. In his inaugural address, which was published in the April 15,
1863 issue of the Sandusky Register,
he stated that because of the ongoing rebellion (the Civil War), local residents
would be taxed rather heavily until the war’s end. Mayor Geiersdorf called for
immediate cleaning of the streets and gutters in town, to maintain the
excellent health of the residents of Sandusky. He hoped to see that the
principal roads coming in to Sandusky would be maintained in good condition, to
ensure the ability of visitors being able to travel to Sandusky, to frequent its
offices and businesses. Mayor Geiersdorf concluded his address with the words
of President Jackson, “The Union must be preserved.”
When Ferdinand Geiersdorf
died on September 22, 1870, he was greatly mourned. In a biographical sketch in Sandusky
Then and Now, it was said about him that “His goodness and readiness to
alleviate need with an open hand will live after him.” The former Mayor was
buried at Sandusky’s Oakland Cemetery.
A large letter G is at the top of the monument of
Ferdinand Geiersdorf. The letters of his surname, appearing at the base of the monument, were designed to resemble tree branches.
Read Sandusky Then and Now, translated into English from
the German version of Sandusky Einst und
Jetzt, to learn more about the earliest German American residents of
Sandusky.
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