Grover Cleveland "Cleve" Esterline was born 20 September, 1885 in Evansville, Vanderburgh, Indiana. The fourth child, second son of John Wesley Esterline and Mary Ann Farmer. And Grandson of a German Immigrant John Henry Esterline. The Esterline family were from Wurzburg in Bavaria, Germany. According to the History of Evansville Indiana the Demographic Population around the time of Cleve`s birth consisted of mostly German Immigrants who were fleeing Europe in hopes of a better life. Family lore states that our Great Great Grandfather John Henry fled Germany as a stowaway on a ship at the age of nine years. That statement is merely hearsay. I have yet to locate any records of him on a ship. However he did file his intent for naturalization in Spencer County, Indiana. He said he left Germany through Le Havre, France and arrived in New York on May 15, 1838. Perhaps the ships records were destroyed.
Timeline...
20 June 1900-The first Census record that Cleve appears on is the 1900 Census. Enumerated on 20 June, 1900 in Elk Township, Stoddard County, Missouri. Cleve was 14 on this Census. He listed his occupation as a Farm Laborer. His father was a Farmer,
3 November, 1906- Cleve married Cora Mae Wilkey in Bloomfield, Stoddard, Missouri. Grandpa and Grandma Esterline likely made their first home somewhere near Bernie, Stoddard, Missouri.
23 September, 1907- Daughter Gertie is born in Kennett, Dunklin, Missouri. 3 February, 1909- Daughter Rosetta was born somewhere in Southeast, Missouri.