Notes
Note N969
Index
Grandpa Hahn is said to have come to the US as an orphan. ----Susan Gardner Leebrick (great granddaughter). Farmed near Lakin, Kansas. Lived in a sod house. Susan also says he may have come to the US at the age of 17 with a brother.
Kearny County (KS) History reports in an article entitled "Pioneer Life In The Fairview Community": August Hahn, Sr, his wife Karaline and children August Jr ., Sammy and Lillie came to Kearny county in August 1905 from Sterling, Kansas. Mr. Hahn drove one team with a covered wagon; Mrs. Hahn the other with a cook shack.
They homesteaded the southwest quarter of section 3-21-37 in what became the Fairview community, with a school, church and cemetery. They lived in the cook shack while they dug a cellar; they slept in the cellar and cooked in the cook shack while they built a two-room sod house. Charlie and Billie Green and Mr. Hahn's brother, Karl Hahn, helped build the house. They had it finished and moved into it the last of September, 1905.
They hauled water from Breitkreutz's, a neighbor on the north, until in January 1906 when they had a well drilled so had their own water. The next summer,they bought two milk cows, so had their own milk and butter and occasionally some to sell. Later Mr. Hahn became a sizable farmer, also running a bunch of cattle. They raised a large garden and had a lot of vegetables for their own use and gave a lot to their neighbors.
In March 1908, a little blond girl was born. They named her Violet.
In the summer time, Mr Hahn, like many homesteaders, would go east, around LaCrosse, Kansas and work in the harvest fields to have some extra money for the coming winter. While he was away to harvest the summer of 1912, August Jr. and Sammy were hauling Russian thistles to stack up for cattle feed the next winter, when the team of horses ran away. They knocked Sammy down and he was killed.
A while after the Hahns came to Kearny County, they and their neighbors went together and built the Fairview school house where the Hahn children went to school. It also served for church and Sunday School. Reverend Thomas from Lakin was one of the ministers holding services at Fairview. For a number of years, Literary meetings in the Fairview schoolhouse were attended by neighbors for miles around. In later years, the Emmanuel Church was built where Mr. and Mrs. Hahn attended regularly.
Provided by Janice Ellis.
Age given as 63 in 1940 Census.
From book "Diggin' Up Bones" by Betty Barnes: From book Diggin' Up Bones by Betty Barnes:
August Hahn Sr., was born Dec. 21, 1876, in Adeenhart, Germany, and departed this life Dec. 28, 1955, at the age of 79 years and seven days. He left Germany at the age of 15 and settled near Peoria, Ill. While living in Illinois he was united in marriage to Caroline Catherine Lay, June 11, 1898. To this union four children were born. He later moved to Reno County, Kans., where he lived for several years. In September of 1905, Mr. Hahn, with his wife and three eldest children, came to Kearny County, Kans., where they settled on a homestead. The youngest daughter, Violet, was born on the homestead where Mr. Hahn resided until a few weeks before his death.
One son, Samuel, two brothers and one sister preceded him in death.
When a young man he was baptized in the Lutheran faith. He was always interested in Sunday School and church and attended regularly at Immanuel Lutheran Church until Mrs. Hahn's health failed.
Mr. Hahn was a quiet, unassuming man, devoted to his children and grandchildren. He was a good neighbor, ever ready to help when one was in need.
Mr. and Mrs. Hahn celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary June 11, 1948.
Mr. Hahn enjoyed fair health for his age until a few months ago when his health began to fail. His condition grew steadily worse until Wednesday afternoon when death came.
In the passing of Mr. Hahn, Fairview has lost one of its early pioneer settlers.
He leaves to mourn his passing, his invalid wife, who in her feeble condition, is not aware of her husbands death; one son, August, Jr., of Leoti; two daughters, Mrs. Lillie Burns of Nice, Calif., and Mrs. Violet Henry of Sacramento, Calif.; two sisters in Illinois; 23 grandchildren; 22 great grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends.
Services were held at the Fairview Church, Sunday afternoon, Jan. 1, Rev. Wilty was in charge. A quartet consisting of Mr. and Mrs. Duard Hill, Mrs. Horace Downs and Vern Miles with Mrs. Miles at the piano furnished the music. Pallbearers were A. E. and G. J. Anderson, G. H. Hylton, Tobe Koehn, Howard Clevenger and Alvin Bishop.
Interment was in the Fairview Cemetery.
"August Hahn LAKIN--August Hahn, pioneer resident of Kearny county, died yesterday while being driven from Leoti to Lakin to keep an appointment with a doctor. Mr. Hahn, 79, had been living with his son, August Hahn Jr. near Leoti the past few weeks. A retired farmer, he homesteaded in Kearny county 50 years ago. He was born in Germany Dec. 21, 1876.
Surviving other than the son are two daughters, Mrs. Lillie Burns of Nice, Calif., and Mrs. Violet Henry of Sacramento, Calif., and two sisters living in Illinois.
Funeral arrangements are incomplete. Garnand Funeral home is in charge. Burial will be in Fairview cemetery in Wichita county."--29 Dec 1955, Garden City (KS) Telegram
"August Hahn LAKIN--Funeral services for August Hahn of Lakin will be held at 2 p.m. (CST) Sunday at the Emanuel Presbyterian church at Fairview, 20 miles north and eight miles west of here.
Mr. Hahn, 79, died Wednesday. Surviving other than the one son and two daughters are two sisters, Mary Rittaller and Pauline Lehman, both of Peoria, Ill.; 23 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren. Burial will be in Fairview cemetery."--30 Dec 1955, Garden City (KS) Telegram
"August Hahn, Sr., was born December 21, 1876, at Odernheart, Germany. He came to the United States in May of 1892, but went back to Germany in 1897, returning again to the United States that same year. He settled in Peoria, Illinois, at that time.
June 11, 1898, August Hahn, Sr., and Caroline Kathrine Lay were married in Tremont, Illinois. A son, August Hahn, Jr., was born January 6, 1899, while they lived at Tremont. The family moved to Sterling, Kansas, and on Wednesday, September 26, 1900, a little brother, Samuel was born. On March 8, 1902, a little sister was born. She was named Lillie.
In the fall of 1905, August Hahn, Sr., and his family, moved from Sterling to Kearny County, Kansas, just south of the Wichita County line. They moved to the Fairview community and built a sod house. They came to western Kansas in covered wagons. Mrs. Hahn drove one team and Mr. Hahn drove another team. Although the lived on the edge of Kearny County, Leoti was always as their hometown and they did all their trading there.
In March 198, a little blond-haired baby, named Violet Miriam, was born at their home near Lydia, Kansas. Mr. Hahn would go east around LaCrosse, Kansas,, in the summer to harvest to get money to live on. They always raised a big garden and had cattle, chickens and turkeys to help make a living.
While Mr. Hahn was away harvesting one summer, Mrs. Hahn, August Jr. and Sam were unhitching the horses, and when partly unhitched, the horses became frightened and started to run. They ran over Samuel. His death occurred only a few hours later. He died July 22, 1912 and was laid to rest in Fairview Cemetery, later called Emmanuel.
Mrs. Hahn could not speak English when they moved to western Kansas. Maude whitaker, a young neighbor lady, came one time to take the school census. She couldn't speak German and Mrs. Hahn couldn't speak English, so they had a little trouble. Mrs. Hahn soon learned to speak English after the children went to school and spoke English at home.
Lille was married to Elmer Burns on October 22, 1919, at Lakin Kansas. They lived in Grant County for a time, then moved back to Fairview neighborhood and worked for Henry Biehn. August Jr., married Laura Downs on March 22, 1922 at Lakin. The lived on the Al Wilson homestead for five years, then on the Page place for two years. From there they moved to the old Brewer place and lived there for twenty years. The next move was to their own home in Wichita County on Sand Creek which they bought from J.W. McRae. Laura and August had four children--Orval LeRoy, who married Lucille Farnsworth, Dorothy Maxine, who married Merle Bishop, Lois Elene who married Merlin Gardner and Dallas Duane, who married Janice Smith. They all live around Leoti except Dallas and Janice Hahn. They have a motel at Grand Lake, Colorado. Lillie and Elmer Burns moved to Texas and lived there until the dust storms drove them out and they went to Nice, California, where they raised a family of seven children and have continued to make their home there. Elmer Burns passed away January 10, 1967.
Violet married Cecil Henry on December 2, 1925. They lived in Colorado for a number of years, then moved to Oregon for a few years and on to Sacramento, California, where they have made their home since. They raised a family of twelve children.
August and Caroline Hahn lived on their homestead until the fall of 1955 when they moved to a little house at the August Hahn Jr., home where August Sr. passed away December 28, 1955. He was buried in Emmanuel Cemetery New Year's Day 1956. Grandma Hahn spent several months at the August Jr. home, while they cared for her. She died in Garden City, Kansas June 22, 1959 and was buried in Emmanuel Cemetery."--History of Wichita County Kansas Vol 1, Written by August Hahn Jr.
"Notice for Publication. Department of the Interior, United States Land Office, Dodge City, Kansas, Feb. 5, 1912.
Notice is hereby given that August Hahn,, of Lydia, Kansas, who, on May 26th, 1905, made homestead entry No. 23563, Serial No. 03131, for sw qr section 3, township 21s, range 37w, 6th p m, has filed notice of intention to make final five years proof to establish claim to the land above described, before the probate judge of Kearny county, Kansas, at Lakin, Kas.,, on the 18th day of March, 1912.
Claimant names as witnesses: Richard J. Breitkreutz, Ernest G. Breitkreutz, of Lydia, Kas,; George C. Whitaker, John M. Whitaker, of Kearny, Kas. Not coal land. H. F. Millikan, Register."--8 Mar 1912, The (Lakin, KS) Advocate.
1920 Federal census gives immigration year as 1892 and naturalization year as 1898. 1910 census confirms that immigration year. Gives 1896 and 1895, respectively, for immigration years for Carlina. August arrived 5 May 1892 at port of Philadelphia, on ship Illinois, from Antwerp April 20, 1892. 699 total passengers
August Hahn Sr's name then appears on the manifest of the ship Switzerland, arriving in Philadelphia, having departed Antwerp on September 9, 1897.That manifest contains several names
Ludwig Hahn - age 24, single, farmer, German nationality, Last address Morton, Ill, passage paid by self, had been in US 7 years prior, going to see brother Karl in Morton, Ill. Morton is a town in Tazewell County. Same comments for August Hahn. But then, there are three other gentlemen listed adjacent to the Hahns from their old hometown of Odernhardt. Those men are Karl Kull, age 15, farmer; Karl Philipp, age 15, butcher and August Shaad, age 16, farmer, and all were headed to Morton, Ill. as well.