the Christian Hochstetter Pennsylvania connection

In the last post, you many have noted that several Hons had the middle name Hoffstetter. This is a variation of Hofstetter Hochstetter or Hochstetler and similar surnames. They are common surnames of Anabaptists such as the Amish and Mennonites.

Matthew M. Hon had two brothers with that middle name. He and his family all are directly descended from a very famous man of Anabaptist faith named Christian Hochstetter. Christian, his brother Joseph, their sister, their father, Jacob, his wife, and other relatives sailed to America in 1836 from England, but were originally probably German and spoke Swiss. This makes sense because there were a lot of Anabaptists in Germany, Switzerland, and that area of Europe.

By 1757 they had a farm in Berks County, PA. One summer day they noticed Indians in their orchard. The boys wanted to shoot them, but the father, obeying Anabaptist belief in the literal interpretation of Thou shalt not kill, refused to allow them to defend themselves. The Indians set fire to their house. The family hid in the basement and survived the fire. While trying to get out of the basement, the mom got stuck in a window or opening, which attracted the Indians' attention. They then killed Mrs. J H, her daughter, and a niece who was visiting. The Indians took Jacob, Joseph and Christian captives. Other relatives and neighbors saw what happened but could not help as they were not sufficiently armed or had enough men to defend themselves. Later, the boys were split from their father and lived for a number of years with different groups of Indians. The father made it back to Berks County first, then Joseph, then, finally Christian, who had a more difficult time re-entering the white world than his brother. Both brothers and I believe the father later re/married and had families.

Grandpa Carl F. Hon was a direct descendant of Christian Hochstetter. The Anabaptists are very big on genealogy and document it well. In the late 1970s, following a Hon reunion in Indiana in the earlier 1970s, during which mom's cousin Francis Johnson told us all about our Hochstetter connections, my Mom ordered a huge fat book about the descendant of Jacob Hochstetter through inter-library loan. It was at least 6 inches thick. It told the story of their faith and how they were attacked as well as EXTENSIVE genealogical listings of descendants. At the time, without scanning, it was too much to copy. The book is probably online now at Hathitrust. Grandpa was listed as a young, unmarried man so the book was definitely published prior to 1914. There are at least 100s of 1000s of living descendants of these Hochstters now. Many are still of the Amish or Mennonite faith.

This is a very, very famous story which really happened. It is well known in Pennsylvania, especially Berks County, and in Anabaptist communities. There are a number of online sites and books which document the story as well as some which provide transcriptions of later, related copies of deeds and other information about the family. The Berks Co Historical Association has a nice abridged version of the early part of the story online at http://www.berkshistory.org/multimedia/articles/hochstetler-massacre/  Please remember that this story is a product of the period in which it was written so it has certain comments about the Indians, who when you think about it were just defending their turf which our ancestors did not comprehend. The Hochstetters just wanted religious freedom and cheap land to live on.

Some of the descendants who married into the Hons or Honns traveled from Pennsylvania into Kentucky with Daniel Boone. Boone made many trips west into Kentucky. They did not go on the first trips, but rather on later trips westward into Kentucky with Boone. From Kentucky some Hons, including a group who preached on the weekends, headed to Indiana, and that is where Grandpa Carl F. Hon was born and where his immediate family were living by 1850.

I'm not going into more detail about this branch of the family now.  I hope that you will take the time and effort to look it up and be amazed about it. So, in this one branch of our family we have been in the US since 1736. Part of our family predates the American Revolution! Think about that. Is that cool or what? They came to the US seeking freedom to worship as they wished, even though that cost them dearly.

In the next blog, I will begin with the children of Carl F. and Rosalia Mannheim Hon.

Preacher Hons or Honns

In 1918 the Christian Standard of Cincinnati ( a publication of the Churches of Christ) published an article called Restoration Pioneers-The Honn Family. I do not know who wrote this article, but obviously this person knew a lot about the Hons or Honns, perhaps it was one of the later Hons or Honns?

The article reported on preaching careers of the following Hons or Honns:

Peter "Uncle Peter" Daniel Hon (b. in Pennsylvania near the start of the Revolutionary War. Some of his neighbors followed Daniel Boone in Kentucky. As a child he and his parents moved to KY. The Bible was his refuge. He pastored congregations in KY for over 50 years without a salary. He traveled by horseback.

Peter D. Hon. Check out those mutton chops!

George Huffstutter Hon, Ulrich Huffstutter Hon and Matthew Morgan Hon (Matthew M. Hon was Benton J. Hon's father) were the three preacher sons of John Hon of Bourbon County, KY, moved to Bradford IN about 1816.  Huffstutter is a derivation of Hochstetter, which is a Hon family ancestral name about which I'll blog more later.

George H. Hon preached in IN for more than 40 years, known as a magnetic speaker, died at Orleans, IN 1874.

Brothers George and Ulrich. They look alike.

Ulrich H. Hon preached in IN around Bradford, later retired from ministry to "keep store." Known as "Squire Hon", a man of great energy and honesty. Died at Bradford IN 1875.

Matthew M. Hon was a tent-maker. He farmed during week and preached on Sundays. A remarkable Bible student,  he committed it all to memory. His phrase was "I have always believed in the Lord."  See prior post for more about Matthew and his immediate family.

Brothers George and Matthew look even more alike. Matthew looks old and gaunt in this image.  If he was born about 1815 and he was dead before this article was published in 1918.  If you are reading this have you noticed that all these men have  achieved very high foreheads?

Peter Keathly Honn, about Bourbon County, KY Hon b. 1814. At 22 moved to Hilesvile, Ill where he worked as a blacksmith and preacher to churches in Clark, Edgar and Coles counties without salary.
Died in 1893.

In 1918 there were three Honn preachers among the disciples of Christ.

Daniel W. Honn was the eldest, reared neared Kansas, IL. His father practically founded Old Prairie Union Church. At age 17 dedicated his life to Christ and the ministry. He entered Eureka College. He ministered to churches in Tuscola, Mt. Sterling, Eldora, New Harford INIL, Morocco and West Lebanon IN IN, and Modesto, Visalia, Sawtello, Brea and West Side, LA CA.  He spent a lot of time in evangelistic field, a gifted gospel singer and preacher. In 1918 he resided in LA.

W. Percy Honn specialized in serving abandoned churches in villages of his boyhood. He revived two congregation by 1918. At the start of 1915 he too work at Farmer City, IL and increased the church membership.

Robert Arthur Honn served churches in Johnson City, IL, Maryville, Tenn, and California, PA. He firmly believed in gospel preaching. He was called to chaplaincy during WWI. In 1918 he was in service. [There is no portrait of Roert.]

[Note: coming from a strong Catholic family I find it fascinating that a whole group of Hons or Honns were strong protestant non-denominational preachers. It sounds like they were pretty fundamental in their faith back then.]

Matthew M. and Malinda Trowbridge Hon -my grandpa Hon's grandparents

Dr. Benton J. Hon was the son of Matthew M. and Malinda Trowbridge Hon. Here are their photographs which are properly called carte de visites:

Malinda Trowbridge Hon

Matthew M. Hon

Carte de visites were developed in France in 1854. Photography began in 1845. The fashion then was to have a name card for when you visited or paid a call to your social set friends. The richer you were the more decorative, seasonal or fancier your card. When photography appeared it was immediately popular. Instead of a card, it became fashionable to trade your likeness on similar sized, small cards. Thus the portraits were named after the visits or visiting cards carte de visities. There's your photography lesson for the day.

Back to the Hons.
These cannot be marriage images as they were already married, but they might date to about 1854 or 1860, when they had been married 5-10 years or so.

Malinda has a very tiny corseted waist, lots of rickrack on her sleeves and is pretty with lots of braided hair.

Matthew has a watch chain and to me he reminds me in his eyes and facial bone structure of some of my Hon male relatives- you know who you are! Is it just me or does he look like you do not want to mess with him???

According to the federal census for Indiana in 1850: Matthew (age 35 so born in in 1815) and Malinda (age 28 so born in in 1822) were both born in Kentucky. Matthew is identified as a merchant with 600 acres, which is a lot of land in this time period.  They had the following children all born in KY.
George W. (probably Washington)  age 10 so b. 1840
Benton J. age 6 so b. 1844  (this is our Benton-the future father of Carl F. Hon)
Nancy L. age 4 so b. 1846
and Sarah J.  age 1 so b. 1849

In 1850 the Matthew Hons were living with another family and enumerated in the census with them:
Thomas Lone (age 35), his wife, Susannah (age 42) ,their children: John (14), Jeremiah (12) Wm. H. (9), George W. (8), Anna M. (6), Christopher (2) and David P.M. (less than a year).  It is unclear what the relationship of the Hons and Lones were, but they were probably friends if not relatives.

Living nearby and recorded nearby on the census are more Hons!!!!, at least 3 of whom for sure are relatives I will post more about them in my next blog. They were probably moving west for more land and opportunities, and may have moved also to preach as a number were identified as preachers. These Hons are:
John Hon, farmer, age 69, b. NC, and wife Ruth
Peter D. Hon, laborer, 26 b. Indiana, and wife Elizabeth
George H. Hon, Preacher, b. KY, age 37, and wife Elizabeth Hon, age 38 b. NC
Ulrich H. Hon, age 44, merchant, b. KY and wife Mary l, age 43 b. KY

Dr. Benton J. and (Elizabeth) Frances Hardman Hon and their children

My Grandpa Carl Francis Hon was the son of Dr. Benton J. and (Elizabeth) Frances Hardman Hon.

Dr. Benton J. Hon (Feb. 22, 1844-Oct. 6, 1894) married (Elizabeth) Frances Hardman (Nov. 27 or 29, 1853-April 29, 1938) on Nov. 26, 1868 in Orlean, IN, at Peter Hardman's by Elder George H. Hon with witnesses Dr. E. D. Laughlin and John Hardman (probably her brother).

I do not have images of Benton or Frances. But I do have their original wedding certificate. The colors are still brilliant and it is very decorative. It is in excellent condition. It's amazing to have.

I think Dr. Benton Hon was a physician but I'm not sure. He practiced in Orleans, IN.

Benton and Frances together had five children:
Edmund L. Hon (June 22, 1870-) He married Lulu M. Heeistan on Sept. 22, 1891. Lulu's father was the head of Stedson's University in Deland, Florida. They had four children: Ruth, Gladys, Rod, and Lois.

Charley M. Hon  (March 26, 1872- May 30, 1879. His is the only documented death in the family Bible pages.

Ethel Agnes. (Dec. 3, 1874--Feb. 16, 1956) married Elmer U. Johnson (1863-1902) on May 21, 1902. They had Francis, Margaret, Ethela, Elma, Edward, and Wayne. All of the Johnson children married except Elma, and most of them had children. I met a number of the very senior Johnsons in the late 1970s at a Hon reunion in IN. They were lovely people: Francis and his wife Sally, who taught us how to play Uno, Edward and his wife Katherine, and Wayne and his wife Myrtle. They showed us all the sights of Bedford. It was a delight to meet and interact with them. Francis was a very knowledgeable family historian and shared a lot of family information with me. Since then, they have all gone to their well earned reward.

Clyde M. Hon (Jan. 31, 1877-Feb. 1971) married Mary Martin on Nov. 5, 1902 (this re: family bible)
He also married Belle (last name unknown, possibly the same woman?) and had a daughter Margery.

[then there is a gap of 12 years -bad health -change of life-lost babies? we will never know]

Carl F. Hon (Jan. 30, 1891-1950) who married Rosalia J. Mannheim (see prior post)

Some of this information is from Francis Johnson who told me about the Christian Hostettler link which I will explore in another blog soon. Most of these vital record dates are from  copies of  three pages, births, marriages, deaths that were at some point ripped out of a Hon family Bible. Here's one. They all look alike.

More about Carl F. Hon's life before marriage in another blog soon. Regrettably I have no images of him in this time period.

Carl F. and Rosalia Jane Mannheim Hon

Grandma and Grandpa very young with a puppy? in the snow, maybe on a sidewalk, by a road or a creek? next to telephone or telegraph poles and maybe a train track. I Love that hat and feather Grandma! undated no caption

My Grandma, Rosalia J. Mannheim, married my Grandpa, Carl Francis Hon, on June 8, 1914 in Duluth, MN. She was 22 and he was 23 years old. So young! There are no extant wedding photos.  Grandpa Hon was not Catholic. He was a First Christian and a practicing Methodist. Because he was not Catholic and did not covert, Mom told me that they were married in the coat room of the Catholic Church and he had signed papers first that he would not interfere with Grandma practicing her religion and that the children would be raised as good Catholics, which they were. He has an interesting family history related to the development of the U.S., which I will discuss, and Grandpa, in the next blog entries. 

Grandma on the deck of the Lotus. the caption reads Crosby [MN] 7/26-1914 Baseball trip lost 14 - 10 Oh! You kid.

For those of us not in MN, the distance between Duluth and Crosby are about 100 miles apart.

I looked up the Lotus in the Great Lakes vessels database of Bowling Green State Univ and there are 4 Lotus listed and two that could be this boat:  a propeller from 1893 and a steam yacht from 1892.

These are pictures from their first year or so of marriage sans children.

Grandpa on a wooden sidewalk by a baby chair. The caption reads, Aug. 1, 1914 Rosalia has the child in her arms, Jobbers Credit trip to Lake Nabigamon.

Aunty Frances was born in 1915 so whose child is in Grandma's arms? They were either members of the Credit union or he was their accountant.

Again for those of us not in MN, Lake Nagibamon is both a lake and a village with the same name by the lake in Wisconsin. The village is  located 42 miles from Duluth.

The caption reads, Hear the Partridge? Grandpa did shoot partridges.

One of their wedding gifts from close family members was this beautiful statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary which is now mine. It was always in Grandma's bedroom and I really treasure it. So this is now at least 102 years old and still lovely.

Rosalia Jane Mannheim Hon as a young woman

Grandma Hon looking very young, with an interesting hat, eating, by Hastings Creek?, undated

Today I'm featuring Grandma Hon (Rosalia Jane Mannheim Hon) as a young woman likely before or perhaps around the time of her marriage in 1914.  She was born in Duluth MN on Oct. 8, 1892. She went through 11th grade at St. Scholastica's.  I do not know why she did not graduate. The photo of Rosalia and her sister, Mary Gertrude Mannheim, as little girls have appeared in two prior postings.

Here are some undated photos of Grandma as a young woman. I'm not sure which of these predate or postdate her marriage. She is outside enjoying nature and that was a great place to take photos in a era without flashbulbs.

Where are those partridges? I don't know if she actually ever shot a gun or if she is just posing with Grandpa's gun. He did shoot partridges. This could be shortly after they married.

Sporting a Princess Lei style hairdo with a picnic basket on a ship or a veranda over the water somewhere? what is the stuff piled near her? Tourist stuff, gifts from friends, yard sale purchases? wedding gifts? baby gifts?

Another awesome hat and eating again on a rough wooden bridge somewhere. Hats and eating fluffy skirts-I'm like Grandma.

That is some collar and bow. She has sort of a Mona Lisa smile. I think she has a headache.

Previously unknown tintype of Great Grandma Elizabeth McKinnon Mannheim

Closeup of full length tintype. Two acorn earrings and two gold chains linked together.

Here's the full length tintype. The photographer did not clean up the props lying all over the floor. She appears to have large hands. I wonder if this is from shortly after her marriage or before? She is really thin and young looking.

So not only did I inherit photos from Mom and Grandma Hon, but Mom had scrapbooks of Aunty Phyllis' stuff and in the back of one I found a tintype of a woman. It was not identified, but looking through a magnifying glass she has acorn earrings! Just like in the charcoal drawing. So this is a previously unidentified tintype of my great grandma Elizabeth McKinnon Mannheim. I just found it today. How cool!

Charcoal portrait, earring visible

Here's a picture of the one surviving earring today. I had it made into a pendant. I really treasure it and wear it occasionally.

Sr Gregory Mannheim

Today I'm going to feature some photos of my Grandma Hon's sister, Mary Gertrude Mannheim, who became Sr. Gregory.

Mary Gertrude was born in Duluth, MN on Dec. 13, 1894.

Mary Gertrude on rt w her sister Rosalia Jane Mannheim about 1900?

Here's another photo a little later of Mary Gertrude

This is a frame with two photos of Sr. Gregory my grandma kept on her dresser. The smaller one is of Mary Gertrude as a girl, maybe a teen. I love her hat and smart coat! The larger one is of Sr. Gregory late in life in full habit.

Both Rosalia and Mary Gertrude attended the Girls Cathedral High School (St. Scholastica) in Duluth. Rosalia attended through her junior year. Mary Gertrude graduated from the high school. (this information is from a letter to me from Sr. Aelred Roehl, the Archives of St. Scholastica Monastery Duluth Nov. 28, 2000.)

According to her obituary, on Aug. 15, 1913 at the age of 19 Mary Gertrude entered the Benedictine community in Duluth. She received the Benedictine habit on July 10, 1914, pronounced triennial vows July 11, 1915 and final vows on July 11, 1918. She celebrated her Silver Jubilee (Aug. 1940) Golden Jubilee (1965) and was in the Consecration of Virgins Ceremony July 22, 1956.

 Here's Sr. Gregory with a wreath (crown) on her head after taking her vows

Here she is at the same time with another sister, probably her mentor or the Mother Superior ,and two women and a man, all unidentified, but I'm thinking older siblings and their spouses. I think it is likely my grandma was the one who took the photos because she is not in any of them.

(this information is from her obituary) Sr. Gregory taught elementary grades at Our Lay of the Sacred Heart School, Cloquet, MN for 3 years. She taught at Marquette School in Virginia and at McGolrick Institute in Hibbing, MN. She taught intermediate grades at St. Bridget's Minneapolis for 5 yeas and 4 years at St. Timothy's  in Chicago.

She earned a B.A. from the College of St. Scholastica with majors in education and psychology and a minor in sociology. (She was a smart well educated lady!) She was appointed principal of St. Rose School, Proctor MN in 1932. She was also superior at the convent and taught in the junior high grades. From 1936-1937 she was postulant mistress of her Benedictine community. In 1937 she was appointed superior and principal at St. James School Duluth and also taught junior high. In 1944 she returned to St. Bridget's to serve as principal for 13 years. Her last appointment was to Our Lady of Sorrows School, Cincinnati, where she taught junior high. Sister had hoped to resume teaching in fall 1966.

She spent some summers working at the information desk at St. Mary's Hospital. She was hospitalized July 14, 1966 and had her bunions removed (Clearly this is a genetic thing because Grandma Hon had bunions and I have one)  On July 26 while preparing to leave the hospital she collapsed. She died about 11 a.m. of arrhythmia with severe coronary arteriosclerosis.

Requiem high mass was offered for her on July 30 in Our lady Queen of Peace Chapel. Bishop Francis J. Schenk and 12 priests (that's right 12!) participated in her mass. My mom and Aunty Phyllis, Rosalia Jane Hon Matyn and Sr. Rosalia Marie Hon O.P., with many friends and parishioners from St. James West Duluth attended.

What an amazing lady. I was not old enough to remember her. We have some photos of her visiting with Grandma and my mom in the 1950s. We have a film of me as a baby with her holding me, then Grandma, with mom and dad in the backyard in East Detroit in spring 1964. She was tiny. The top of her head (in full habit of course) did not come up to my dad's shoulder (he is 6 foot tall).

Here is a photo of her from 1946 or 1947. 

Rosalia Jane Mannheim Hon and Mary Gertrude Mannheim as young girls

Here is  a conserved image of my Grandma Hon, Rosalia Jane Mannheim Hon, and her younger sister, Mary Gertrude Mannheim, as little girls. They are both in nice dark dresses and Grandma is wearing what might be a cameo necklace. Originally this image, in an oval frame, was in my Grandma's bedroom (she lived with us) and awhile after she died in 1973 I moved into her room. I still have the image. Unfortunately one day the wire split holding the frame up on the wall and the image, which had adhered to the glass, was damaged. I hired a professional photographer to remove crack lines caused by broken glass from my great aunt's face. It turned out very nicely. The color tones in the original are creamy browns and it is a very high quality photograph done by a high quality photographer. Here is the best reproduction we could get in shades of gray. You can see every strand of hair. It looks like Mary Gertrude was a redhead.

Under the age of 18 when their father died, the girls were considered orphans even though their mom lived. Grandma told my mom that both girls and their mother lived for awhile with a maternal aunt and later with one of their older brothers, I do not know which one, who was a very strict disciplinarian. She did not offer more detail. They were very unhappy living with him. Grandma did not like to recall that period of her life.

Update: According to the 1910 federal census for MN, Mary McKinnon McKay (the aunt) and her daughter, Margaret McKay, had living with them: her brother Edward Mannheim (age 27) and nieces Rosalia (16) and (Mary) Gertrude (14). Edward, Rosalia and Mary Gertrude mother, Elizabeth McKinnon Mannheim had died in 1907, their father died in 1899. Can you imagine losing your parents both within 8 years by the age 14, 16? or even 27? That's rough.

Before my great grandpa Joseph Mannheim died, his family employed a cook. I was not surprised to find that out as my mom, Grandma Hon, and I assume her mother were not good cooks. I do not know if they were bad cooks because great grandma had a cook and therefore never learned or because they were just bad cooks.  Good thing I learned to cook in the coops at college and broke that tradition.

More about Grandma and my great aunt next.