Griebling Family History & Genealogy

Mabel Griebling of Waynesfield, Auglaize County, Ohio was born on November 10, 1879, and died at age 95 years old in November 1974.

Alfred Griebling of Wisconsin was born on October 20, 1880, and died at age 84 years old in January 1965.

Harvey Griebling of Wisconsin was born on August 11, 1887, and died at age 76 years old in October 1963.

Emma Griebling of Lucas, Richland County, Ohio was born on June 27, 1890, and died at age 85 years old in November 1975.

Elsie Griebling of Orland, Glenn County, California was born on February 10, 1891, and died at age 86 years old in January 1978.

Viola Griebling of Mansfield, Richland County, Ohio was born on May 4, 1893, and died at age 86 years old in August 1979.

Anna Griebling of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin was born on November 14, 1893, and died at age 75 years old in September 1969.

Clara Griebling of Manitowoc, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin was born on July 22, 1893, and died at age 83 years old in August 1976.

Emil Griebling of New York was born on October 17, 1894, and died at age 70 years old in November 1964.

Helen Griebling of Chicago, Cook County, Illinois was born on September 8, 1895, and died at age 85 years old in December 1980.

Otto Griebling Born April 28, 1896 Koblenz, Germany Died April 19, 1972 (aged 75) New York City Cause of death stroke Resting place Sarasota, Florida Nationality German American Occupation Circus clown Spouse(s) Hanna (divorced 1948) Anna Otto Griebling (April 28, 1896 – April 19, 1972) was a German-born circus clown who performed for many years with the Cole Brothers and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circuses.[1][2] He was one of four clowns given the title Master Clown by Irvin Feld. Early years Otto Griebling was born April 28, 1896 in Koblenz, Germany. There he was introduced to the circus business, as well as ballet and opera.[3] Following the death of his father, his mother emigrated to the United States ahead of her children. His older brother Emil (b. 1894) worked his way overseas on a boat, eventually working on Wall Street. Young Otto worked his way to the United States by boat in 1911.[4] After arriving in America, Griebling left home after reading an ad seeking apprentice bareback riders. He studied under and worked with Albert Hodgini in Baraboo, Wisconsin for several years, performing in Hodgini's act in the Sells Floto Circus and other circuses.[5] Griebling changed his performance area in 1930 after suffering a serious fall. He developed a silent tramp clown character, an act that he would perform as a clown. He would walk around the circus holding a slab of ice asking for Miss Jones. When he didn't find her, he would come around again, this time the ice slab was smaller, finally he would find Miss jones but as he handed the ice to her, it would melt away right in her hand! His signing on as a clown with the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus in 1932.[6] He was a clown with the Cole Brothers Circus from their first tour in 1935,[7] eventually becoming Cole Brothers' head clown before he joined the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1951. Griebling spent the rest of his circus career with Ringling, going on strike in 1956 with Emmett Kelly [9] and later teaching to the first few classes of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College. He appeared as Jimmy Durante's stunt double in the 1962 film Jumbo. In 1970 Otto had his larynx removed due to cancer, but it did not affect his silent act. Marriage[edit] Otto Griebling, Sr. was married twice. His first wife, Hanna, was a fellow circus performer;[10] they had three children together and divorced in 1948.[4] His second wife, Anna, relocated with him to Venice, Florida in 1961. She passed on in 2005.[11] They had the following children:[12][13] Elsa Griebling Gable (?-1971) Joan Griebling Simons Otto Griebling, Jr. Death[edit] Otto Griebling died on April 19, 1972 from a stroke following a brief illness for which he was hospitalized at Saint Clare's Hospital in New York City.[1][2] He was buried at Sarasota Memorial Park in Sarasota, Florida. Legacy Griebling was inducted into the International Circus Hall of Fame in 1973.[14] and the International Clown Hall of Fame in 1989.[15]German circus clown Otto Griebling was a German-born circus clown who performed for many years with the Cole Brothers and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circuses. He was one of four clowns given the title Master Clown by Irvin Feld. Wikipedia Born: April 28, 1896, Koblenz, Germany Died: April 19, 1972, New York City, NY Cause of death: Stroke Resting place: Sarasota Spouse: Hanna Griebling, Anna Griebling

William Griebling of Mansfield, Richland County, Ohio was born on February 7, 1896, and died at age 77 years old in November 1973.