Louise Hohn

Came to US in 1874

"Louise Radtke was born in Hinter, Pommern, Germany. In the old father land she fell in love with Frederick Michael Hohn and was married in 1858 and settled in the village of Kratzen. They were married more than fifty lucky years. She had beautiful red hair.

They had four sons, William, Gustav, Herman and Frederick Frank, who were twins. They had four daughters, Agusta, Mary and two died at infancy. Agusta and Mary each married August Schmidt. Agusta died after complications from child birth and Auguast later married the younger sister, Mary.

Louise Radtke was one of the elder ladiies of the Town of Herman and was well kwown. She helped her husband make a home out of the wilderness. Her greatest happiness was working.

In her day, food was sold in bulk form. Crackers were sold from a barrell in Mr. Ikes store in Lyndhurst, Wisconsin and his cat slept beside it and was once seen sneaking out of the barrell. Cookies were on a large rack with a glass door, one could buy a pound or two an Mr. Ike would put them in a brown paper bag. She also spun and knit wool for clothing and sold eggs for groceries. She made soap for washing clothes out of lard and lye. It was cooked in a black kettle outside on an open fire, stirring constantly, and when it was honey colored it was poured into lined boxes and left to set. When it was solid it was cut into large bars. Clothes were washed on a wash board, and thats how this home made soap was made.

Coffee was sold in beans and was ground for every day use, she needed it in a coffee mill. If she didn't have this luxury, barley was browned in the oven and chicory was added and it was cooked. This was their coffee.

She passed away February 11, 1908 in the Town of Herman, Shawano Co., Wisconsin and is buried at the Elias Lutheran Church Cemetary. She had 22 grandchildren and one great grandchild at the time of her death."

Written by Victoria Sabatke Hohn, 1981

Copied by David Charles Moede 2 April 2000

Here her birth date is listed as June 10, 1835 and death as February 11, 1908