Hentges, Theodore 1837-1921

HENTGES

Posted By: Duane A. Biever (email)
Date: 5/22/2008 at 16:03:53

Alton Democrat, Volume XXXX, No. 28, dated 11-19-1921.

Theodore Hentges, one of the county pioneers, died Wednesday morning at 3:00 A.M., at the home of his son in Alton, passing on quietly after an illness of many weeks from the effects of old age.

Mr. Hentges was born in 1837 in Bissen, Luxemburg. In 1866 he was married to Anna Kremer at Bissen. Of the eight children born four are living. They are John Hentges, Valley, Wash., Charles Hentges, Alton, Mrs. Mary Kellen, Lismore, Minn., and Mrs. Clemens Langenhorst, Hospers. The three older children: Mrs. Dominic Jungers, Mrs. Peter Robinet and Mrs. John Robinet and a son, Nicholas, have all passed on. In 1878 Mr. & Mrs. Hentges and their five children came to the United States, going first to LeMars and a few months later settling on a farm north of Alton, purchasing the land at a sheriff’s sale following the grasshopper days. Hard times followed for the family. In order to feed and clothe them during the severe winter, the head of the family shoveled snow on the railroad all day through the winter. These were the days when the snow was so deep in many places it was over the telephone poles. By his hard work and thrift, Mr. Hentges carried his family through the hard times and in his later years acquired an entire section of land in the county, which has since been divided among the children. He was a kind and devoted father, a respected and honored citizen.

Funeral service will be held at St. Anthony’s church, Hospers, with solemn high mass at 10:00 A.M. Saturday, Nov. 10th, and burial will be in the family lot in St. Anthony’s cemetery where the bodies of Mr. Hentges’ wife and son are laid to rest. --Duane Biever