Biographies

Hesse Family Biographies

These pages contain the biographies for August and William Hesse, the sons of Carl and Maria Hesse. The current page contains the biography of August Hesse.

The biography of William Hesse

Generations One and Two

August and Ernestine Marie Hesse
50th Wedding Anniversary

August Hesse was born June 26th, 1872 in Uffhofen, Germany. He was the son of Carl and Maria Hesse. His father died while serving in the German Army. His mother Maria was born 14 May 1853 in Germany, and died 15 Sep 1908 in Ida County, IA. She is buried in Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, Grant Township, Ida County, IA.

He came to America on June 29th, 1888, arriving in New York with his widowed mother, Maria, and one brother, William. They made their home in New Braunfels, Texas. His mother was united in marriage to a long time friend Christof Trenkelbach. (See Below)

August made his home with them until he married Ernestine Marie Demuth on December 25th, 1894 in Brownsville, Texas. For the first 17 years they farmed in Texas. where seven children were born, Robert Fredrick, Hulda Amelie, Ella Catherina, Helen Agnes Thekla, Louise Anna, Ida Anna Maria Dora.

In November of 1911, they moved to Schleswig, Iowa, where he found employment in the community and later started farming for himself. He farmed in the area from 1918-1940 and then moved into the town of Schleswig, IA. August became a citizen on March 1st, 1941, at Denison, Iowa.

They were married for 57 years before he passed away on January 27th, 1952. He died at his home in Schleswig, IA. He was preceded in death by a child who died in infancy in Texas. Also his daughter, Helen, and his brother, William, preceded him in death. August is buried in Morgan Cemetery in Schleswig, Iowa.

Ernestine Marie Demuth was born January 22nd, 1874 in Saxler, Germany, the daughter of Karl and Sophia Demuth.

Karl and Sophia Demuth

Karl Demuth was born January 3rd, 1849 in Heilingen, Thueringen County, Germany. He was 24 years of age when he married Sophia Frances Hoppe, in February 1873.

This union produced seven children, Ernestine Marie, Emil, Fredericka, Anna, Bertha and Theodore, all born in Germany, with the exception of Ida Augusta who was born in the United States.

Ernestine Marie and her sister Fredericka came to America in 1891 with the help of Fritz Rudeloff. The girls worked off their passage on his farm. It was then that Mr. Rudeloff decided to send for the rest of the family in 1892.

On the trip over they encountered a very bad storm and lost most of their personal belongings. All of their trunks and papers were washed overboard.

Sophia Frances Hoppe was born March 15th, 1849 in Ballstaedt near Bad Langensalza, Thueringen County, Germany and passed away on May 9th, 1923 in Guadalupe County, Texas. She was 74 years old when she died and is buried at St. Geronima Cemetery, Geronima, Texas. Sophia and Karl had been married 50 years when she passed away.

Karl passed away at the age of 78 on June 3rd, 1927 in Guadalupe County, Texas. and is also buried at the St. Geronima Cemetery, Geronima, Texas.

Ernestine became a citizen on May 27th, 1944 at Denison, Iowa. She passed away on September 22nd, 1964, in Denison, Iowa, and is buried next to her husband at the Morgan Cemetery in Schleswig, Iowa.

Christof and Maria Hesse Trenkelbach Family

Christof Trenkelbach was born in Germany, August 28th, 1841, he arrived at the port of Galveston, Texas, on or about October 20th, 1891 and was living in Texas when Maria Hesse and her two sons arrived in New York on June 29th, 1888. They traveled to Texas by train to renew acquaintances with their long time friend, Christof Trenkelbach, whom Great Grandmother Hesse later married.

To this union, five daughters where born; Anna, Dora, Rose, Theresa and Alma. The family moved to Iowa and raised their family in the Crawford County, Iowa area.

Maria was born in Germany, May 14th, 1853 and passed away on September 15th, 1908. She is buried at the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Grant Township, Ida County, Iowa. Christof passed away July 21st, 1925 and is buried beside his wife, Maria.

Generation Three

Robert Fredrick Hesse

Robert and Mabel Hesse
September 15, 1920

Robert Fredrick was born March 5th, 1895 in Seguin, TX. He was the son of August and Ernestine Marie Demuth Hesse. Robert moved to Crawford County, IA. with his family in 1911.

On September 15th, 1920 he married Mabel Minnie Petersen in Hayes Township, Ida County, IA. They had no children, but enjoyed their nieces and nephews. Many of the older nieces and nephews remember staying at their home, of whom I was one. My favorite lunch was homemade bread with peanut butter, lettuce and banana on it.

They continued making their home in Crawford County, IA. farming, until they moved to Denison, IA. Later they both moved into the Denison Care Center, in Denison, IA. where Robert passed away on December 5th, 1979.

Mabel Minnie was born January 15th, 1900 in Hayes Township, Ida County, IA. She continued to live at the Denison Care Center, Denison, IA. until her death on July 27th, 1986. They are both buried at the Morgan Cemetery in Schleswig, IA.

Hulda Amelie Hesse

The Hottendorf Family

Back Row; Clara, Margaret, Lucille, Milroy, Mabel and Rosa Lien
Front-Seated; Oscar and Hulda
(Leonard, Raymond and Robert Not Pictured)

Hulda Amelie Hesse was born in Seguin, TX. on March 12th, 1897. She was the daughter of August and Ernestine Demuth Hesse. The family moved to IA. in 1911 and made their home in the Crawford County, IA. area.

Hulda met and married Oscar Harry Hottendorf in Charter Oak, IA. on January 28th, 1918. They made their first home in Monona County, IA. and later made their home on farms in the Vail, Manila and Stockholm Township, IA. area before moving to Denison, IA. Their children were born in and around that area. They are Clara Augusta, Leonard Marvin, Margaret Louise, Lucille Ella, Milroy John, Raymond A., Robert Walter, Mabel and Rosa Lien.

Oscar Harry Hottendorf was born in Charter Oak, IA. on July 2nd, 1886 and he died November 30th, 1963 in Denison, IA. He is buried in the Morgan Cemetery in Schleswig, IA.

Hulda continued making her home in Denison, IA. until her death on July 15th, 1981 at the Clarkson Hospital in Omaha, NE. and is buried beside Oscar.

Ella Catharina Hesse

Ella and Wilhelm Neubauer
October 3, 1917

Ella Catherina Hesse was born February 20th, 1899 in Seguin, TX. The daughter of August and Ernestine Demuth Hesse. The family moved to IA. in 1911 and made their home in Crawford County, IA. area.

Ella met and married Wilhelm Henry Christopher Neubauer on October 3rd, 1917 in Ida Grove, IA. To their union they had four children. Viola Marie, Esther Margaret, Edwin Robert and Clarence Carl. They resided on farms near Schleswig and Denison, IA. Wilhelm and Ella retired to Denison, IA. in 1944.

Wilhelm was born November 5th, 1893 on a farm in Grant Township near Ida Grove, IA. The son of Carl and Marie Gehrts Neubauer. He died August 3rd, 1947 at the Crawford County Hospital, Denison, IA. after a long illness. He is buried at the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, in Grant Township, Ida County, IA.

Ella and Charles Woodford
October 30, 1961

Ella continued to live in Denison, IA. where she married Charles Woodford on October 30th, 1961 and they made their home in Denison, IA.

Charles was born on April 19th, 1892 in Rochester, MN. Charles passed away on May 15th, 1972 at the Crawford County Hospital, Denison, IA. He is buried at Oakland Cemetery, Denison, IA.

Ella passed away on May 23rd, 1973 at the Crawford County Hospital, Denison, IA. after a lingering illness and is buried beside Wilhelm at the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Grant Township, Ida County, IA.

I lived with Aunt Ella and Uncle Bill when I was going to Lutheran School and taking confirmation.

Helen Agnes Thekla Hesse

Helen and Bernhard Schlie
March 25, 1921

Helen Agnes Thekla Hesse was born December 7th, 1901 in Seguin, TX. She was the daughter of August and Ernestine Demuth Hesse. The family moved to IA. in 1911 and made their home in the Crawford County, IA. area.

Helen met and married Bernhard Frederick Schlie on March 25th, 1921 in Marshall County, MN. where three of their six children were born, Lucille Agnes Ella, Wilbert John and Melvin Robert.

The family moved back to IA. in the spring of 1924 when Grandma Dorthea Margaret Boehm Schlie Krueger passed away. She was Bernhard's mother.

Helen and Bernhard continued to live in IA. and had three more children there, Bernhard Edward, Milfred John and Leroy August.

They farmed near Ricketts, Schleswig and Mapleton, IA. Bernhard also drove a stock truck. In the late 1930's, or early 1940's, they moved to Ute, IA. The family ran a grocery store there.

In 1944, Helen moved back and forth from Iowa to California and died at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Oakland, CA. on March 26th, 1945. She is buried at St. Clair Cemetery, in Ute, IA.

Bernhard Frederick Schlie was born January 26th, 1898 in Denison, IA. He was the son of Henry Heinhich and Dorthea Margaret Boehm Schlie. Bernhard passed away April 19th, 1982 in Gardena, CA. and is buried in Ute, IA. next to his wife, Helen.

Louise Emma Anna Hesse

Walter and Louise Krüger
March 19, 1925

Louise was born October 24th, 1905 in Seguin, TX. She was the daughter of August and Ernestine Marie Demuth Hesse. They came to Crawford County, IA. in 1911 where they made their home.

Walter Frederick Krüger was born on February 20th, 1904 in Hanover Township, Crawford County, IA. He was the son of John Ernest Martin and Dorthea Margaret Boehm Schlie Krüger. At the age of 21 he married Louise Anna Hesse on March 19th, 1925 at the Lutheran Church in Denison, IA.

The couple made their living farming in the Crawford County, IA. area and continued to farm until Walter contracted Polio and 3 days later passed away on August 9th, 1952 in Council Bluffs, IA. at the age of 48.

Their children were, Leslie John August, Elizabeth Ella, Wayne Walter, Robert William and Dorothy Jane. She continued to raise the younger children in the Lutheran faith, attending churches in Buck Grove, Arcadia and Denison, IA.

After Walter passed away, Louise continued to live on the farm, raising her family there near Vail, IA. In 1958, she moved to Denison, IA. where she lived a full life working, visiting family and friends and enjoying playing cards and traveling.

Louise moved to Twilight Acres Nursing Home in Wall Lake, IA. on August 21st, 1995. She passed away at Twilight Acres Nursing Home on October 12th, 1998 at the age of 92. Walter and Louise are both buried at the Morgan Cemetery in Schleswig, IA.

Ida Anna Maria Dora Hesse

Henry and Ida Kollbaum
September 19, 1926

Ida Anna Maria Dora Hesse was born in Seguin, TX. on August 20th, 1908 and was the youngest child of August and Ernestine Marie Demuth Hesse. She moved to IA. with her family when she was just three years of age.

Ida was united in marriage to Henry Matthaus Kollbaum on September 19th, 1926 in Denison, IA. The couple farmed in the Ida Grove, IA. community until 1943 when they moved to Woodbury County, IA. They then farmed in the Anthon, IA. area until Henry died on May 20th, 1981.

Henry was born on September 28th, 1904 in Schleswig, IA. He is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Anthon, IA.

To this union eight children were born, Ruth Mae, Darlene Joyce, Delores Ann, Leona Ida, Roberta Ann, LaJune Mae, Henry August Joe and Eugene Lee.

Ida Anna Maria Dora was named after her mother's sister, Ida Koepp, and two of her father's sister's, Anna and Dora, and also after her father's mother, Maria.

She died on December 22nd, 1996 at the age of 88 at the Correctionville Nursing Home in Correctionville, IA. She is buried at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Anthon, IA next to her husband, Henry.

Submitted by Betty Pollock