Freda L. Malan Gruen

Childhood

Freda was the daughter of Bartholomew Malan (b. 1832 Piedmonte, Italy - d. 1911 Highland, IL) and Jennie Combe Malan (b. 1843 Lausanne, Switzerland - d. 1913 Highland, IL).

Bartholomew was the son of Etienne Malan (b. 1811 Italy - d. 1889 Sebastopol, IL) and Suzanne Bennett Malan (b. 1811 Italy - d. 1877 Sebastopol, IL).

Jennie was the daughter of Jean Paul Combe (b. 1807 Italy - d. 1878 Highland, IL) and Madelaine Salome Soumi Combe (b. 1806 Rougemont, Vaud, Switzerland - d. 1872 Highland, IL)

Siblings

• Stephen L. Malan (b. 1872 Saint Rose, IL - d. 1915 Greenville, IL) m. Melvina Decreval (b. 1882 Sebastopol, IL - d. 1950 St. Louis, MO) in Clinton, IL;
• Rebecca Malan (b. 1863 IL - d. 1928 St. Louis, MO)
• Henry E. Malan (b. 1870 IL - d. 1926 West Frankfort, IL)
• Emma Malan Gruen (b. 1870 IL - d. 1943 Wood River, IL) m. Edward Gruen (1872-1928 Highland, IL)
• Mary Malan Balsiger (b. 1868 Highland, IL - d. 1935 San Jose, CA) m. John Balsiger
• Jennie Malan DeMoulin (b. 1874 IL - d. 1960 Greenville, IL) m. Florent August DeMoulin (b. 1875 France - d. 1954 Greenville, IL)
  • Clara F. DeMoulin Hudson (b. 1904 - d. 1933) m. George Monroe Hudson (b. 1901 Tamalco, IL - d. 1978 White Hall, IL)

Marriage

On October 4, 1899, Freda married George Gruen in Bond, Illinois.

Children

• Bertha Gruen married Alfred Baseler, a leading brother among the Kelly-Continental brethren (Reunited Brethren) who was instrumental in merging his group with the Glanton Brethren in the early 1970's.

• Samuel Brian Gruen (b. 1903 Saint Rose, IL - d. 1950 Sabetha, KS) m. Edna Mae Wells (b. 1910 Sadlea, MO - d. 1997 Raymore, MO); Baptist deacon;
  • Samuel Edward Gruen (b. 1929 Abilene, KS - d. 2005 Maize, KS)
  • Richard Eugene Gruen (b. 1934 Abilene, KS - d. 1999 San Juan Capistrano, CA)
  • Ernest J. Gruen (b. 1936 Abilene, KS - d. 2009 Lenexa, KS), married Delores Ann Slaughter. See one bio. He authored six books and pastored Baptist churches ten years in Wichita. Then in 1966, he co-founded "Full Faith Church of Love" megachurch in Kansas City, KS, now known as "Cross Points Church" in Shawnee, of which hived "Bridgeway Church" in Lenexa, KS in 2014, and "Park City Church" in Overland Park, KS in 2017.

• Eva Martha Gruen Martin (1905-1989) studied at Emporia State, and the Baptist Missionary Training school in Chicago, and left for India in 1932. In 1937, she married John Clough Martin, a Baptist pastor there in Ongole, South India, who studied at Dennison University, and Colgate University Divinity School. John's grandfather, Dr. John E. Clough, was a pioneer missionary in South India also. She died in Burnsville, MN.

• Ruth Gruen (b. 1907 IL - d. 1989 Erie, PA) m. Lewis Day Iredell (b. 1900 Erie, PA - d. 1968 Erie, PA), son of Arthur D. Iredell (b. 1868 Franklin, OH - d. 1905 Erie, PA) and Alice Jessie Lewis Iredell (b. 1870 Erie, PA - d. 1941 Erie, PA)

• Alice C. Gruen Waddell (b. 1909 Taylorville, IL - d. 2006 Seattle, WA) m. Paul V. Waddell in 1948 at Fremont Baptist, Seattle;

• Timothy George Gruen (1914-1992) m. Lola Mae Cormack (1915-2004); served @ First Baptist of Abilene;
  • George Everett Gruen - Idaho Falls, ID
  • Donald C. Gruen (1949-1951)
  • Ronald Eugene Gruen (1947-2020) m. Vicki L. Persinger; Three children; Florissant, MO
  • T. Lee Gruen served as an elder 1970's-1980's at Grace and Truth Gospel Chapel, an open brethren assembly near Abilene, Kansas, and in respected lay leadership at Community Bible Church of Abilene from the 1990's thru present day. Three children; 1st wife: Libby Wade (b. 1945 Great Bend, KS - d. 1990 Abilene, KS) who was also in fellowship at Grace and Truth.
• Donna Gruen Kooken - Flower Mound, TX

• Paul Frederick Gruen (b. 1923 Abilene, KS - d. 1990 Los Angeles, CA) moved to St. Louis in 1944, Los Angeles in 1950 with McDonnell-Douglas Aircraft, later with Lockheed Aircraft. Never married. His nephew T.Lee officiated his funeral at Newbern.