Watchmaker. A native of Osthofen, Germany, he was a pioneer of the pocket watch. Gruen was educated in public and private schools and learned watchmaking as an apprentice to Hans Martens in Friedburg. After emigrating to America in 1867, he married the daughter of a watchmaker and went to work for her father in Delaware. In 1874, he moved to Columbus, Ohio and established the Columbus Watch Manufacturing Company. His business soared to success and the watches that he designed were sought after internationally. Gruen left the company to his two sons, Frederick G. and George J. Gruen in 1894. They moved the business Cincinnati, Ohio in 1898 and renamed it the Gruen Watch Company. Gruen died from heart failure while on a business trip on the steamship “Berlin” off the coast of Italy in 1911 when he was 64 years old.  His company,  later renamed Gruen Industries,  continued until 1958. (bio by: K Guy)  Family links:  Spouse:  Pauline Whittlinger Gruen (1847 – 1887)*  Children:  Fred G Gruen (1872 – 1945)*  Flora S Gruen Bieser (1874 – 1956)*  George J Gruen (1877 – 1952)*  Charles H Gruen (1881 – 1927)* *Calculated relationship