Tombstone Tuesday--The Immigrant Hagens

 My hubby's family has the most recent immigrants of any I have been researching.  My own line traces back to the colonies for the most part, but his family came to the United States 1888.  The   microfilm of "Extractions from DECLARATIONS of INTENTION and/or NATURALIZATION RECORDS states that: "Petitioner renounced allegiance to the King of Prussia of whom he had been a subject."  The Hagen family stones are located in the Holton cemetery, just down the road from where we live. 

 Ludwig and Wilhelmine came to Michigan with their children Anna, Carl, Martha, Paul, Otto, and Frank.  The daughters moved, one to the Upper Peninsula, and one to Muskegon, and Frank to Wisconsin, the other three sons remained in the immediate area.  Their graves are located in the same cemetery, with Otto and Carl buried near the large family stone.  They have the same small but hefty stones, very like their parents individual stones.

 I recently learned that the original homestead of Ludwig and Wilhelmine is the small home and 80 acres located just down the road from where I currently live.  Previously my husband had called the farm of their son Paul the "home place."  That is another 80 acre farm that backed up to his fathers, and together the family farmed the 160 acre half section.

The one thing that made this family hard to research is the short period they lived here in Michigan.  Coming in 1888, they were only here for one federal census, the lamented 1890 census.  However, Ludwig was still alive for the 1894 Michigan state census. 
Sometimes you have to be happy with the small things.

Tombestone Tuesday--The Hagen side

As I mentioned last week, I was surprised to find the Walsworth family in Clark cemetery.  Many of the more recent ones are in Holton cemetery, in Muskegon county Michigan.  Also in the Holton cemetery are more of Hubby's family on his fathers side..
His paternal line came to Michigan from Germany by way of Baltimore in 1888, as near as I have found so far.

The original Michigan family is for the most part buried by this massive family marker in the Holton cemetery. Simple, but still with some embellishment, it is how I picture that early immigrant family.  Solid and plain, sturdy and here to stay.

The story I got from my husband was that there were three brothers (as always!)  I later found out there were fiour brothers and two sisters.  Mother Wilhelmine I do not know much about.  She died shortly after they arrived and would have only been in the 1890 census.  (Darn that fire!)  She even died to early be be recorded in the Michigan state census of 1894.   That is the census where I discovered the fourth brother, which lead to Hubby and his brother reminiscing and stating, oh year, there were a couple of aunts too.  Don't you love those family talks? 

The father of the band was Ludwig.  He did start the naturalization process.  I liked the part of the form where he stated he renounced allegiance to the King of Prussia, to whom he was formerly a subject.  Alas, he also died before another federal census, but he did appear in the state census.
The family stories did help, and were bolstered by research. 

 The two uncles that my hubby and his brother remembered are buried near the parents.  Both lived near where we live now.  Carl's obituary was featured in this blog over a year ago.  He helped build many barns in the area, many still standing.

Otto is the mystery brother that I don't know much about.  Hubby should have been able to know him, but he hasn't shared any story's about him yet.  Neither Carl or Otto had any children. 
Of the last two brothers, a little more is known.  Frank was the brother no one remembered until being told about him.  He was the youngest and in the background in the wedding picture below.  As an adult he married and moved to Wisconsin.  Family tales, once reminded of his existence, stated that he sold the big blue Harvestore silos, and that one of his nephews almost got one of the first ones from him. 

The remaining brother was Paul, my hubby's grandfather, here show with his wife Mamie at their wedding.  A farmer whose farm is only a couple miles from where we live today, "Gramps" lived a long life in his new land.  His five sons raised large families, many living nearby.

The stone for Paul and Mamie is also located in the same Muskegon county cemetery. Near his parents, brothers, and other family, near the land he loved. 
Rest In Peace.

Obituary--Carl Hagen

This obituary is from my husband’s family and with the accompanying article is an example of both period obituaries and the neighborhood column death notices. One of the main barn builders in the Holton area, Carl built the barns on the Hagen home farm and others in the area. (according to a grandson of one of Carl's brothers.)

Obituary from 7 June 1928 Fremont Times Indicator:
Carl Hagen
Carl Hagen was born August 22 1873 and died June 2 1928 at the age of 54 years. He came to America at the age of 13 years and has made his home in the vicinity of Holton. He is survived by three brothers, Paul and Otto of Fremont, and two sisters and an aged aunt, Mrs. Frederick Ruprecht of Manistique, Mrs. Julius Schwarzberg of Muskegon and Mrs. Martha Kemp of Manistique.
The Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon from the Holton M. E. church and were conducted by Rev. F. J. Schueter of Fremont. Interment was in Holton cemetery

Direct and to the point—just the facts. But this, from another column of same paper is much more fun and really tells more about the family. Each type of notice has its place. I must say, I enjoy this second one better.

The neighbors and friends of Carl Hagen were shocked to hear of his sudden death Saturday noon. Mr. Hagen was leading a cow along the highway and dropped dead only a short distance from his farm home. A neighbor saw him fall and quickly notified his brothers but he was dead before anybody got to him. Mr. Hagen and his brother Otto lived alone on a farm just south and east of Brunswick. Funeral services will be held Tuesday afternoon from his home. The sorrowing relatives have the sympathy of his many friends.

What I find funny is that I life down the road from where this happened. This road now is in no way a highway, just a paved country road. And yes, although the obituary on top states there are three brothers, they do not list the third brother who had moved to Wisconsin—Frank.

Intro to Me

I’m Linda, the quiet and shy snow-loving member of our twosome. I’m married to a farmer who has never lived more than half a mile from where we now live. I have two grown sons, both farmers through and through. While I have moved around some, I have stayed in the West Michigan area all my life. My love of family history began with my grandmother telling me stories of how we were related to Ethan Allen (un-proven as yet) and how Gerald Ford used to attend our Ford family reunions as a child. Much work had been done on my father’s family history, so my first breakthrough came when I discovered my first Civil War ancestor on my mother’s side. It has been an exciting quest to dig into the Allen, Ford, Cross, Samis, Gilbert, Cunningham, Wells, Stiver, Hagen, and Walsworth lines. (Just to name a few.)
One of my biggest college regrets was that I decided not to pursue a history minor. Digging into the family history as well as the area history has been never-ending and rewarding adventure.