Charles H. Brocke is one of the substantial respected and honorable citizens of the vicinity of Nez Perce. The labors of his hands dispensed with wisdom and industry have done a worthy amount in the good work of building up this country and of augmenting the wealth of the County, while his own holdings have been increased to a prosperous degree.
Charles H. Brocke was born in Dixon County, Nebraska, on September 4, 1859, being the son of John P. and Christina (Webber) Brocke, natives of Germany, and born on the banks of the Rhine. The father served as a soldier in the German army and then they migrated to Dixon County, Nebraska. The country was very new and in 1863 there occurred the awful Wiseman massacre in their neighborhood. While the father was in the army, and the mother away from home, the Indians killed all their children, five in number. The neighbors were all frightened and fled from the country and Mr. Brocke was left to hold the frontier position alone. He did so and later the country settled up permanently.
Our subject had but scanty opportunity to secure an education in this wild country, which he was forced to gain by careful personal research and reading nights. On October 17, 1881, he married Miss Catherine, daughter of Henry and Catherine Burgel, natives of Germany. They came to the United States and located in Wisconsin and in 1874 went thence to Nebraska. In 1897 our subject came west to Kendrick, landing there on February 16.
In April of the same year he came and bought the relinquishment of his present place, putting his filing on it on April 17. It was all unimproved and he at once set to work to make it one of the valuable home places of the community and the excellent improvements show the industry and wisdom with which he has wrought. He does a general farming business. Mr. and Mrs. Brocke are devout and active members of the Catholic Church and are of exceptionally fine standing in the community. They have eight children, John P., Marv C, Katie, deceased, Christina, Rosa, Lena B., Frank H, and Katie E. Mr. Brocke’s father died in 1891 aged sixty-six. His widow is now living in Vermillion, South Dakota, aged seventy-two.
Source: An Illustrated History of North Idaho: Embracing Nez Perce, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho; Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903