John Adam Huhn (1832-1906)

HUHN, HOFNAGLE, SHALLEY, REED

Posted By: Sandra Huhn Mayrose (email)
Date: 6/19/2005 at 12:50:38

JOHN ADAM HUHN

I was called to Nevada, Iowa, to preach the funeral sermon for our beloved and aged brother, John A. Huhn. He was born in Baden, Germany on the 28th day of September 1832, and came to this country when a young man, and was adopted as a citizen at once. He proved one of the right kind too, for he had not been here long when Father Lincoln called for brave men to defend our rights and our liberties. Then Bro. Huhn was ready to prove his loyalty to his country, and enlisted in the Fourth Regiment of Maryland, Company G, where he served for three years, three months and nine days. He then came home with an honorable discharge, and was an honorable and respected member of the G.A.R. when he died. The Commander of the Post at Nevada told me on the day of the funeral that Comrade Huhn was one of the finest and best men in town. On March 1, 1870 he was married to Miss Anna Hofnagle in Baltimore, Maryland. To them were born ten children. Of these, eight are still living to mourn the loss of a kind and loving father. I never met a family in which the children were more attached to their father and a father more devoted to his children than were Bro. Huhn and his children. He was noted for piety from his early manhood, and when he came to Nevada he joined the Christian (Campbellite) church, and was counted one of their best members and I believe he held an office. He lived up to the best light he had or could get in that church; but when Bro. Reist and the writer set the tent up in Nevada in July 1905, Bro. Huhn soon loved to go there, and he would drink in the gospel like the parched earth the rain, but as he could not understand all that was said in English, he would have me go to his daughter's where he staid (his wife having preceded him to the spirit land several years) and there explain to him the Bible more fully in German. When I would read to him in English and then translate it to him, his eyes would brighten up and he would say, "Yaugh, dos is wore, dos kloube ich, fere sk lests es in mine diche Bebel, yough dos skloube ich." And it was not long till he saw that the Christian church, of which he had been a member for seven years, was far from having the whole truth as taught in the Bible, and he was soon ready to join the true church of Jesus Christ. So I baptized him July 23, 1905, and he lived a true saint life to his death which occurred on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 25, 1906). Notwithstanding that he made his home with his daughter, Mrs. Ed Shalley, he would go from one of the children to the other to visit and pass the time, for they all seemed to vie with each other as to who should have Grandpa at their house. He was visiting his daughter, Abbie Reed, at Philo, Illinois when he died. They brought him to Nevada, Iowa to place him by the side of his beloved wife. His friends at Philo sent a beautiful and costly wreath of flowers along with him. The funeral was held in the Christian's new church in Nevada, where he used to be a member. The house was full to overflowing, and many who wanted to could not get inside the door. Notwithstanding the crowded condiditon of the congregation, they paid the best of attention. The Good Spirit was present to a large degree and the sermon will do good.

And so another one has gone to the roll call beyond, of whom we can say the world is better because he has lived in it. May our lives be like his was, so that we may died the death of the righeous. (Glad Tidings Newsletter, Grinnell, Iowa---12 Dec 1906. J. S. Roth, Author)