George Philip Gein (1873 to 1940) was a Wisconsin laborer, grocer, and farmer. Most people know him only as the father of Ed Gein, the Plainfield murderer and grave robber.
George died in 1940, 17 years before Ed’s crimes came to light. This guide separates documented facts from repeated myths.
George Philip Gein Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | George Philip Gein |
| Born | 1873 (commonly listed as August 4), Vernon County, Wisconsin |
| Died | April 1, 1940 |
| Age at Death | 66 |
| Nationality | American |
| Heritage | German-American |
| Wife | Augusta Wilhelmine Lehrke |
| Children | Henry George Gein and Edward “Ed” Gein |
| Occupations | Laborer, grocer, farmer |
| Cause of Death | Heart failure |
| Net Worth | Not publicly documented |
Who Was George Philip Gein?
George was a working-class Wisconsin man who held many jobs and later farmed near Plainfield. He was never famous in his own lifetime.
His name entered true crime history after 1957, when biographers began studying Ed’s childhood home.
George Philip Gein’s Early Life
George was born in Wisconsin in 1873. Sources disagree on the exact town, with Bergen and Coon Valley both named, so Vernon County is the safest answer. Few records describe his childhood.
George Philip Gein’s Parents and Family Origins
His parents are not firmly established. Genealogy sites list different names, and one account says Ed described his father as an orphan. Reliable writers avoid naming them without original documents.
Education
No dependable source documents his schooling. He entered manual work early, so his education is best described as unknown.
Nationality and Ethnicity
George was American by nationality. Like Augusta, he came from a German-American family, a common background in nineteenth-century Wisconsin.
George Gein’s Early Career in La Crosse
In La Crosse, George moved between several jobs. City directories connect him with railroad section work, tannery labor, and a fireman’s post at the local gas company.
Was George Gein a Carpenter?
Many biographies call him a carpenter, and Wikipedia lists carpenter, tanner, and firefighter among his jobs. Directory records show the railroad, tannery, and gas-company work more clearly. Carpenter is best treated as a widely reported trade.
George and Augusta Gein’s Grocery Business
The family also ran a grocery in La Crosse, and the 1910 census listed George as a retail grocery dealer. Accounts differ on whether George or Augusta handled most of the daily work.
The family later sold the store and left the city.
George Philip Gein and Augusta Lehrke’s Marriage
George married Augusta Wilhelmine Lehrke in 1900. Both were Wisconsin-born with German roots. The marriage lasted until his death in 1940.
Their personalities clashed. Augusta was deeply religious and strict about alcohol, while George drank heavily.
George and Augusta Gein’s Troubled Marriage
Augusta became the dominant parent. She warned her sons about the sinful outside world and raised them with rigid rules.
George stayed in the home but held little influence.
George Philip Gein’s Alcoholism
Nearly every account calls George a heavy drinker. His drinking strained the household, but he clearly held jobs. Alcohol should not be named as the cause of death, since the reported cause was heart failure.
Claims of Abuse Toward Henry and Ed Gein
Wikipedia and later biographies describe him as a violent alcoholic who beat both sons. These accounts were written after Ed became notorious, so they are best phrased as “later accounts say.”
George Philip Gein’s Children
George and Augusta had two sons:
- Henry George Gein: the older son, born around 1901.
- Edward Theodore Gein: the younger son, born in 1906.
Henry George Gein
Henry worked on the family farm and reportedly criticized his mother’s hold over Ed. He died in 1944 during a brush fire on the property.
Officials called it an accident, though writers later raised doubts. No one was ever charged, and George was already dead by then.
Edward Theodore “Ed” Gein
Ed was born on August 27, 1906, in La Crosse. He later admitted to killing two women and robbing local graves.
His crimes inspired characters in Psycho, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and The Silence of the Lambs.
The Gein Family’s Move to Plainfield
In the 1910s, the family left La Crosse for a farm near Plainfield in Waushara County. Sources describe about 155 acres in an isolated spot.
Augusta wanted her sons away from outside influences, and the isolation shaped Ed’s childhood.
George Gein as a Farmer
Census records place George as a farmer in 1920 and again in 1930. Farming became his longest-running occupation, with Henry working beside him.
George Gein’s Relationship With Ed
Their bond appears distant and tense. Augusta, not George, dominated Ed’s emotional world.
Blaming George for Ed’s crimes oversimplifies the story.
Was George Gein Involved in Ed Gein’s Crimes?
No. The timeline rules it out. George died in 1940, while Ed’s known murders and grave robberies happened later. He had no known link to anything found on the farm.
George Philip Gein’s Final Years
Local accounts describe George as a semi-invalid in his last years. His exact illnesses are not documented. He lived on the farm with Augusta and his adult sons until he died.
George Philip Gein’s Death and Cause of Death
George died on April 1, 1940, at age 66, of heart failure. Some local sources give a slightly different day, but April 1 appears in major references.
George Philip Gein’s Obituary
No full original newspaper obituary is widely available online.
George Philip Gein’s Burial
He is reported to be buried at Plainfield Cemetery. Augusta died in 1945, and Ed, who died in 1984, also rests there.
What Happened After George Gein Died?
His death began a chain of losses. Henry died in 1944, and Augusta died in 1945 after a stroke. Ed was then alone on the farm, and his later crimes followed.
George Philip Gein’s Age, Height and Appearance
George lived to 66. His height, weight, and appearance are not reliably documented.
| Detail | Information |
| Age at Death | 66 |
| Height | Not publicly documented |
| Weight | Not publicly documented |
George Philip Gein’s Net Worth
No record gives a net worth for George. He lived on wages, store income, and farm work. Figures like $500,000 or $1 million have no source and should be ignored.
George Philip Gein in Monster: The Ed Gein Story
Darin Cooper plays George in Netflix’s Monster: The Ed Gein Story. He appears in only one scene, which shows him as a heavy drinker in an unhappy marriage.
George Philip Gein: Netflix vs. the Real Story
The show matches later biographies on his drinking and his weak role beside Augusta. It leaves out his documented jobs in rail, tanning, grocery, and farming.
Monster is a dramatization, so specific scenes may be invented.
Why George Philip Gein Is Famous Today
He is famous only through Ed. Readers who study Ed’s childhood want to know about the parents behind it.
Lesser-Known Facts About George Philip Gein
- Records place him in railroad, tannery, gas-company, grocery, and farm work.
- The family ran a grocery before moving to Plainfield.
- He was a semi-invalid late in life.
- He died 17 years before Ed’s 1957 arrest.
- He never knew about the murders or grave robbing.
Frequently Asked Questions About George Philip Gein
When was George Philip Gein born?
He was born in 1873 in Wisconsin, commonly listed as August 4.
Where was George Philip Gein born?
Sources point to Bergen or Coon Valley in Vernon County, Wisconsin.
Who was George Gein’s wife?
His wife was Augusta Wilhelmine Lehrke, whom he married in 1900.
How many children did George Philip Gein have?
He had two sons, Henry George Gein and Edward “Ed” Gein.
What did George Gein do for a living?
He worked as a laborer, grocer, and farmer. Carpenter is also widely reported.
Was George Gein an alcoholic?
Later biographies consistently describe him as a heavy drinker.
Was George Gein abusive?
Later accounts say he beat his sons, but these were written after his death.
Did George Gein know about Ed Gein’s crimes?
No. He died in 1940, years before the crimes were discovered.
When did George Philip Gein die?
He died on April 1, 1940.
How old was George Philip Gein when he died?
He was 66 years old.
What was George Philip Gein’s cause of death?
The reported cause was heart failure.
Where was George Gein buried?
He is reported to be buried at Plainfield Cemetery in Wisconsin.
What was George Philip Gein’s net worth?
It is not publicly documented. He lived as a working-class laborer and farmer.
Who plays George Gein in Monster?
Darin Cooper plays him in Netflix’s Monster: The Ed Gein Story.
Final Thoughts
George Philip Gein is remembered because of his son, yet his own life was far from the crimes that made the Gein name infamous. He worked in rail yards, a tannery, a gas company, a grocery, and on a farm.
His marriage was strained, and later accounts describe him as a drinker and a harsh father. He had no part in Ed’s crimes and died in 1940, long before they were uncovered. Treating him as one troubled figure in a larger family story is the most accurate way to remember him.
James Anderson is a passionate English grammar writer at GlobalMegzine, sharing simple language tips, word meanings, slang guides, and easy grammar knowledge for everyday readers.