Sunday Obituary-Jacob Hamman

In a previous post entitled My First Naturalization Papers-Jacob Hamman written in April 2017 I wrote about what I knew at the time about my maternal 2x great grandfather Jacob Hamman.  I had some vague information about the family but I had Jacob’s naturalization papers.  Later in 2017 I would write about Jacob’s wife Kate in posts entitled What’s the Correct Information? and Amanuensis Monday-A Will but…Whose Signature is That?.  Even after all this information…I still had questions.  I still had missing pieces about Jacob.  I wasn’t sure of his birthdate or when he married Kate or even when he died.  That was until I finally found his obituary in the Remsen Enterprise newspaper on page 5 which was published in Remsen, Iowa on Friday, November 23rd, 1900.  Will this have some answers for me?



Transcription:                                                             "Death of Jacob Hamman
Jacob Hammon died at this home in Fredonia township, very suddenly Sunday evening, November 18, 1900 of asthma after an illness of but a few hours.
Deceased was sixty-four years old and was born at Hesper, Granduchy, Luxembourg on the 25th day of August 1836. He came to America when a young man thirty six years ago.  He lived at first in Dubuque county where he engaged in farming. He was married thirty-one years ago to Katerina Hein, who still survives as his widow.
He came to Plymouth county twenty-one years ago, and after some time bought the place he owned by him until his death,
He leaves a family consisting of his widow and nine children: Nicolas, Lena Mauer, of Minn., Henry, Peter, Mike, John, Joe, Maggie and Francis all living at home or hear Remsen except Mrs. Mauer.
The funeral took place at ten o’clock on Wednesday morning, Rev. Father Schulte officiating.
The deceased was an honorable and upright man and was much respected by all the citizens of the community where he has lived so long, and who sincerely mourn his loss, and extend sympathy to his bereaved family."

What I’ve learned from his obituary:

I knew from Jacob’s Naturalization records that he was from Luxembourg but now I have a location: Hesper.  ‘Hesper’ in Luxembourgish and ‘Hesperingen’ in German.  Hesper is located southeast of Luxembourg City.

I now know that Jacob, according to his obituary was born on August 25th, 1836.

I now know that Jacob came to America about 1864.

I now know that Jacob and Kate were married about 1869.  Although in 1908 in Kate’s obituary it says she had been married for 40 years to Jacob.  So they may have been married 1860-1869?  Hmm, were they married in Luxembourg or America? 

I now know that Kate was about 6-7 years younger than her husband.

I believe Jacob and Kate had 12 children.  I now know there were 9 children living when Jacob died and 7 children living when Kate died 8 years later.

I now know that Jacob owned land when he died so I can search for land records.

I now know a death date, place and cause of death for Jacob: November 18th, 1900 Fredonia, Plymouth County Iowa and he died of asthma.

I now also know that Jacob was an “honorable and upright man and was much respected by all the citizens of the community where he has lived so long, and who sincerely mourn his loss”.  This is information I definitely cherish!  

By finding this obituary there was so much new information that I now have.  This was a GREAT find!

If you have any corrections or additions or stories to share I look forward to hearing them.
Enjoy the journey,
Debby