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 Willaim Hesse.
The biography of August Hesse 
Generations One and Two
William and Matilda Hesse
William Robert Hesse was born on June 10th, 1877 in Uffhofen, Germany. He is 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.
William came to America with his widowed mother and his brother August, arriving in New York on June 29th, 1888. They traveled by train to Texas to renew a friendship with a long time friend of the family, Christof Trenkelbach, who Maria Hesse later married and they had five daughters. They were Theresa Sophia, Rose Emma, Alma, Dora and Anna.
Matilda Christina Engelke Hesse was born September 19th, 1880 in Seguin, Texas, and died December 5th, 1933 of acute Leukemia. She was the sixth child of ten, born to Ferdinand Engelke and Johanne, nee Glenewinkle.
Ferdinand Engelke was born July 21st, 1843 in Graunschweig, Germany. His wife Johanne was born December 23rd, 1843 in Braunschweig, Germany. It is presumed they married in the mid 1860's. In the 1870's they migrated to America and settled as farmers just north of Geronimo, Texas.
William and Matilda were married on September 21st, 1898 in Seguin, Texas. To this union twelve children were born: Emma Henrietta, Johanna Augusta, Carl August, William Walter, Emil Robert, August Fredrick, Anna Julia, Alma Rose, Thekla Dora Emma, Elsie Frieda Elizabeth, Robert and Raymond Hesse.
The family moved to Iowa in 1904 and made their home near the Schleswig, Ida Grove, Battle Creek and Mapleton, Iowa areas until 1922. Then they moved to Mapleton, Iowa, where William worked for different Lumber Companies. He was accidentally killed on a pavement dip while riding on the rear of a flatbed truck. William passed away on October 19th, 1930. They are both buried at the Mount Hope Cemetery in Mapleton.
Generation Three
Emma Henrietta Hesse
Carl and Emma Kluver
June 10, 1920
Emma Henrietta Hesse was born March 8th, 1899 in Seguin, Texas. She was the daughter of William Robert and Matilda Christina Engleke Hesse. The family moved to Schleswig, Iowa, in 1904.
Emma married Carl Jacob Kluver on June 10th, 1920 at Schleswig, Iowa. To this union three children were born. They were Gilbert, Pearl and Carl Jr.
They lived for a year in Ricketts, Iowa, and then moved to a farm six miles east of Mapleton, Iowa. Later they retired from farming and moved to Mapleton, Iowa, in 1964.
Emma died in Denison, Iowa, December 1st, 1987, at the age of 88.
Carl was born February 18th, 1895 to Carl and Magdalena (Stodt) Kluver at Bannesdorf of Fehmern, West Germany. At the age of eight, he came with his parents to the United States, settling in Schleswig, Iowa, where he grew up.
The couple were members of St. Peters United Church of Christ in Mapleton, Iowa. Carl died in Sioux City, Iowa. on May 7th, 1988, at the age of 93. They both are buried in the Morgan Cemetery in Schleswig, Iosa.
Johanna Augusta Hesse
Robert and Johanna Schmidt
June 21, 1920
Johanna Augusta Hesse was born December 29th, 1900 in Seguin, Texas. She was the daughter of William Robert and Matilda Christina Engelke Hesse. She moved with her family to the Schleswig, Iowa, area in 1904.
Johanna married Robert Henry Schmidt on June 21st, 1920 at her parent's home near Mapleton, Iowa. Johanna died October 15th, 1958 in Denison, Iowa.
Robert was born on a farm near Denison on January 31st, 1897 and the couple lived on the farm all their married life. Robert died April 4th, 1966 near Ida Grove, Iowa.
They had no children of their own, but every summer one of their brothers or sisters would spend the summers with them. Later, nieces and nephews would spend their summers with them also, which left us with loving memories. Johanna and Robert are buried at the Morgan Cemetery in Schleswig, Iowa.
William Walter "Bill" Hesse
William and Ethel Hesse
October 7, 1925
William Walter "Bill" Hesse was born on November 29th, 1904 in Garfield Township, Ida County, Iowa. He was the son of William Robert and Matilda Christina Engelke Hesse.
Ethel Belle Carlson was born on October 7th, 1906 in Charter Oak, Iowa. She married William Walter Hesse on October 7th, 1925 at her parent's home near Charter Oak. During her lifetime she managed a childcare center. She died March 25th, 1967 in Sioux City, Iowa.
William and Ethel lived at Anthon, Iowa. where he operated a welding and repair business. They moved to Orange City, California, for two years but then moved back to Sioux City, Iowa, and his welding business.
The couple had two daughters, Arlene and Donna, and four sons, Alvie, William Jr., Dwayne and Gerald.
Bill was a talented musician and won many awards for playing the accordion. He passed his talents to his sons and grandson.
William died suddenly of a heart attack at the home of his sister, Emma, in Mapleton, Iowa, on February 17th, 1972. They were members of the Matthew Lutheran Church there. They both are buried at the Mount Hope Cemetery in Mapleton.
Emil Robert Hesse
Emil and Viola Hesse
February 4,1928
Emil Robert Hesse was born July 12th, 1906 in Battle Creek, Iowa. As a small child, he came with his parents, William Robert and Matilda Christina Engelke Hesse, to Mapleton, Iowa, where he grew up and remained there until his death on December 28th, 1966.
Viola Frederica Jochims was born March 25th, 1911 in Schleswig, Iowa. She grew up in the Mapleton, Iowa, area and married Emil Robert Hesse on February 4th, 1928 in Mapleton. They had three children, two sons, Darrell, and Donald, and a daughter, Donna. Viola died on March 28th, 1971 at Council Bluffs, Iowa.
The Haubrich Construction Company employed Emil in Mapleton, Iowa. for more than twenty-five years. He remodeled their home beautifully during that time.
Emil died of a heart attack while scooping snow in Mapleton, IA. on December 28th, 1966. They were members of St. Peter's United Church of Christ and both are buried at Memorial Park Cemetery in Sioux City, Iowa.
August "Jake" Fredrick Hesse
August and Katie Hesse Family
August "Jake" Fredrick Hesse was born April 8th, 1908 in Crawford County, Iowa. He was the son of William Robert and Matilda Christina Engelke Hesse. He was employed by the Green Bay Construction Company. Later, Jake operated his own trucking business. He also was employed for the Haubrick Construction Company. For the last sixteen years, he was top salesman for the Barry Motor Company in Danbury, Iowa.
Katie Emma Henning Hesse was born July 31st, 1909 in Charter Oak, Iowa. She was the daughter of Frank and Somphina Schneider Henning. She married August "Jake" Fredrick Hesse on February 23rd, 1928 in Denison, Iowa.
They had four children, Marjorie, Leila, Elvera and Fred. For ten years they lived in Charter Oak, but then moved to Mapleton, Iowa, where they lived their remaining years.
Katie was a member of St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Mapleton. She died on April 21st, 1999 in Sioux City, Iowa, and is remembered as a devoted mother, grandmother and great grandmother.
Jake was a member of the Matthew Lutheran Church in Mapleton, and a member of the International Lutheran Layman's League.
He died on September 1st, 1978 in Mapleton. Katie and Jake devoted their lives and their love to their family and their church. They are both buried at the Mount Hope Cemetery in Mapleton, Iowa.
Anna Julia Hesse
Edward and Anna Reitz
1952
Roseanne, Anna, Elmer, Ervin and Edward
Anna Julia Hesse was born July 5th, 1910 in Crawford County, Iowa. She was the daughter of William Robert and Matilda Christina Engelke Hesse and lived with her family in the Mapleton, Iowa, area until her marriage to Edward Hans Reitz on December 25th, 1926 in Mapleton
The couple lived and farmed in the Battle Creek, Iowa, area where they raised three children, Roseanne, Ervin and Elmer.
Anna loved to play the piano and played quite well. She and her brothers formed a dance band for people in the community. Later, she married and moved away. Anna died on April 15th, in Omaha, Nebraska.
Edward Hans Reitz was born May 14th, 1900 in Mapleton and lived most of his life in the Battle Creek area. It was always a pleasure to spent time in Anna and Edward's home.
Edward died on February 24th, 1957 in Battle Creek. They were members of St. Peter's Evangelical Church in Mapleton and are both buried at Mount Hope Cemetery, Mapleton.
Alma Rose Louise Hesse
Walter and Alma Rohde Family
Alma Rose Louise Hesse was born June 3rd, 1913 in Grant Township, Ida County, Iowa. She was the daughter of William Robert and Matilda Christina Engelke Hesse. As a young girl, she moved with her parents to Monona County, Iowa.
Alma was baptized in the Lutheran church and confirmed on April 4th, 1926. Since 1932, she was a member of St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Mapleton, Iowa, and a long time member of the Lutheran Church Women.
She married Walter Henry Rohde on October 31st, 1932 in Mapleton. They had three children, Richard, who preceded them in death, Leonard and Phyllis, twelve grandchildren, twenty great grandchildren and one great great grandson. Alma died on July 16th, 1981 in Sioux City, Iowa.
Walter Henry "Bud" Rohde was born July 22nd, 1905 in Mapleton. He was the son of Claus and Maggie Ragis Rohde. As an infant, he was baptized at the Soldier Township Immanuel Lutheran Church and, in 1919, he also was confirmed there.
He lived his entire in the Mapleton area, with the exception of a year and a half when the couple moved to Sioux City and Storm Lake, Iowa, area. From 1937 to 1943, he worked for the Golden Rule stores and later they bought McVicker Produce, renaming it Bud's Produce, operating it until 1964.
Walter died on January 31st, 2000 in Mapleton. Alma and Walter are both buried at Memorial Park Cemetery in Sioux City, Iowa.
Thekla Dora Emma Hesse
Ervin and Thekla Schmidt
June 21, 1936
Thekla Dora Emma Hesse was born September 12th, 1915 in Ida County, Iowa. She is the daughter of William Robert and Matilda Christina Engelke Hesse of Ida Grove, Iowa, and grew up in Battle Creek and Mapleton, Iowa. She died Died Sep 27, 2003. On June 21st, 1936, Thekla married Ervin William Schmidt of Galva, Iowa, at St. John's Lutheran Church in Alta, Iowa.
Ervin William Schmidt was born February 4th, 1909 in Galva, Iowa, where he grew up and graduated from Galva High School in 1926 and then from American College of Business in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1936. He died Dec 17, 2005.
They lived in Schaller, Iowa, for five years where he was Assistant Postmaster. In 1941 he accepted an appointment to the United States Government Procurement Agency in Washington, D.C. During WWII he joined OSS which later became the CIA from which he retired in 1969.
In 1963 they moved to Warrenton, Virginia, where Ervin was Deputy CO of WTC, a Communications Training Center. In February of 1969 they built a home at Manor Club View in Rockville, Maryland.
Thekla attended George Washington university and became a Clothing Construction Specialist and Design Consultant for Montgomery County Board of Education. She retired in 1980 and they both became volunteer director/ developers of a "church owned" 250 acre Raven Rock Lutheran Camp in the Catoctin Mountains near Thurmont, Maryland. They are proud parents of two daughters, Karen and Barbara.
Elsie Frieda Elizabeth Hesse
Edward and Elsie Baak
June 31, 1934
Elsie Frieda Elizabeth Hesse was born October 22nd, 1917 in Ida County, Iowa. She was the daughter of William Robert and Matilda Christina Engelke Hesse.
She married Edward Ernest Martin Baak on July 31st, 1934 in Charter Oak, Iowa. The bridesmaids were her sister, Thelka Hesse and Edward's sister, Esther Baak.
They lived on Edward's farm near Charter Oak, IA. To this union four children were born. They were Maureen, Kathleen and a daughter and son who died in infancy.
Elsie loved the outdoors and enjoyed taking her daughters to activities everywhere. After a long illness she died at the early age of thirty-eight on February 27th, 1956 at the Denison, Iowa, Hospital.
Edward Ernest Martin was born on September 7th, 1913 in Charter Oak. Edward was a farmer and also a very good mechanic. He had a car repair business on his farm in Charter Oak. He died on October 28th, 1998 at the Eventide Nursing Home in Denison. They are both buried at Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery, Soldier Township, Iowa
Submitted by Betty Pollock