History of Winona County, vol III, 1913; pp 695-697

Herman F. Gerlicher, president of the Dr. Koch Vegetable Tea Company, one of the growing concerns of Winona, is a native of the city where he still resides, born April 10, 1862, son of Andrew and Susan (Oech) Gerlicher, the pioneers. He was taken to Wilson township, this county, as an infant, and there remained until eighteen years of age, attending district school, and assisting his parents with the general work of the farm. After a year's course in the Iowa Wesleyan University, at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, he entered the law offices of Gould & Snow, at Winona, with whom he remained a year. Then he entered the employ of the L. C. Porter Milling Co. Subsequently, he worked for the Laird, Norton Company from 1882 to 1906, a period of nearly twenty-five years. In 1906 he became actively engaged in the Dr. Koch Vegetable Tea Co. Mr. Gerlicher is one of the popular men of Winona, and is a member of the Blue Lodge and the Scottish Rites bodies of the Masonic order. The subject of this sketch was married, February 4, 1886, to Sophie Staack, a native of America but of German ancestry. This union has been blessed with three children, Henrietta, Roscoe F. and Stanley C. The two sons live at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Henrietta married Walter A. Swoffer, and they have two children, Gretchen and Walter John.

The Dr. Koch Vegetable Tea Company was originated in 1890, by George W. Gerlicher, the founder and organizer, and was a gradual development from the drug business in which he had for some years been engaged. The success of the company was assured from the start and the business is growing year by year. The concern manufactures Dr. Koch's Remedies, extracts, ground spices, toilet articles, and the We-no-nah stock tonic, the We-no-nah poultry tonic and the like, all of which are sold throughout the United States. The plant is at 61-63-65 East Second street, Winona. In 1906, by reason of ill health, George W. Gerlicher withdrew from active work, and moved to Los Angeles, California. Other members of the family have gradually become interested in the concern. The present officers are: President, Herman F. Gerlicher; vice-president, Ben F. Gerlicher; secretary-treasurer, Carl Gerlicher.