Gustav “Gus” Adolph Klugas was born 2 August 1877 in Germany; his parents were Gottlieb and Augusta Klugas. Gus was living in Hedwigshorst, Germany when he left on the ship, Graf Walderee from the Port of Hamburg, Germany on 29 April 1900 and arrived in New York on 14 May 1900. He came to Saginaw, Saginaw County, Michigan in 1900.

Gus married Elizabeth “Lizzie” Wenzel on 7 April 1904 in the Christ Lutheran Church, James Township, Saginaw, Michigan by Clergyman M. Bode. Gus was living in Lakefield Township and Lizzie was living in Jamestown, Saginaw County, Michigan. Lizzie was born 13 May 1886, her parents were Gustav and Augusta Wagner Wenzel.

Gus and Lizzie had the following children:

1. Linda Klugas was born 15 April 1905 in Lakefield Township.

2. Erna Klugas was born in 1907 in Lakefield Township

3. Karl F. Klugas was born 8 September 1908 in Lakefield Township.

4. Freda Edith was born 26 September 1914

5. Irma Klugas was born 1917 in Lakefield Township.

Gus and Lizzie owned and operated an 80 acre farm in Section 16 of Lakefield Township on Meridian Road between Roosevelt and Lakefield Roads. Their neighbors in 1916 were Mary Bublitz, Mrs. J.G. Clark, Archie B. Clark, Edward Kissane, O.B. Parker, Jacob Lauer, Fred Gotts, William Sandoff and Richard Welke.

Gustav registered to vote in Lakefield Township on 1 April 1905. Elizabeth Klugas registered to vote on 24 March 1920 making her one of the first ladies in the township to register to vote after the success of the woman's suffrage movement final passage.

Gus was elected as Constable in Lakefield Township on 2 April 1928. Lizzie belonged to the Lakefield Ladies Society.

Lizzie died on 6 July 1941 and Gus died in 2 July 1969. They are both buried in the Lafayette Cemetery, Lafayette Township, Gratiot County, Michigan.

SOURCES: Lakefield Township Records; 1916 Lakefield Township Plat Map; 1910 and 1920 U.S. Federal Census; Gus and Lizzie Klugas' marriage record; Hamburg Passenger list; New York Passage List; Gus' WWI draft registration; Gus Klugas death record; Lizzie & Gus Klugas' obituary; and Della Miller McKay's obituary collection. Linda Klugas photo from Parker School photo, owned and identified from Elsie Wenzel Hutfilz.