Hochstatter and Huether Ancestral History

Courtesy of Herb Hochstatter, Bakersfield, California

The following is information I have researched about my ancestors/relatives which are shown in the Hochstatter & Huether photographs; it gives an insight in where and how they lived and what their life style was like

Johann Hochstatter and Friedricka Luithle

Johann was born in South Russia 10 Dec 1828, His birth information is based on his age as listed on his death certificate. He is listed on the 1858, 10th census, entry #73, Alexanderhilf, Liebental District, Odessa along with his son Gottlieb (Johann Gottlob). He is listed as age 28 in this census. He came to the US in April 1894; He arrived in New York and went to Java, Walworth County, South Dakota to live with his son Johannes (John). He lived with his son until his death on 21 July 1906. The Walworth County, SD 1900 census for Germans from Russia lists Johann as John, born 1830, immigrated to the U. S. in 1893 and was a widower. He was living with his son John at the time this census was taken.

According to his death record in South Dakota, he is buried in the Congregational Cemetery five miles north of Java, SD. This location would put his grave near the Walworth and Campbell County line.

He was married to Friedricka Luithle, her death registration lists him as her spouse. Date of marriage in unknown. She was born 10 June 1831 in Marienfeld, South Russia and died 22 January 1869 in Neusatz, South Russia. Her birth is based on age listed on the death register. She is listed in the 1858 census for Grossliebental and Alexanderhilf. Daughters Karolina and Dorothea (Entzy) are also listed in the Alexanderhilf census. Friedricka age is listed as 24.

I have been able to identify nine children born to this marriage. Johann (1850-1850), Johann Gottlob (1852-1918) [my line], Karoline (1855- xxxx), Dorothea (1857-xxxx), Katharine (1859-1860), Christian (1861- 1909), Jacob (1863-1863), Jacob (1864-1865), and Johannes [John] (1867- 1943).

Johann Hochstatter b. 10 Dec 1828, Grossliebental, m. abt. 1849. d. 21 Jul 1906, Walworth County SD. Friedricka Luithle b. 10 Jun 1831, Marienfeld. d. 22 Jan 1869, Nuesatz, Grossliebental.

Johann Hochstatter daughter, Dorthea & family Dorthea, b. 29 Jul 1857. Grossliebental. m. Christian Entzi 10 May 1876, Johannestal. Young girl believed to be daughter of Dorthea & Christian, name unknown.

Johann Gottlob Hochstatter and Maria Barbara Huether

Johann Gottlob was born in Alexanderhilf, South Russia 14 Aug 1852. He and his wife immigrated to the U. S. via Canada in the spring of 1902. He left South Russia with his wife and all their children, including two married daughters and one married son, traveling by train and boat to Liverpool, England. On April 1, 1902 they boarded the ship “Lake Ontario” and sailed to Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, arriving on April, 12. From Saint John they went by train to Winnipeg, Manitoba, then to Java and Kimball, South Dakota. They stayed in South Dakota with relatives during the summer of 1902 and left for the state of Washington in the latter part of October 1902.

The family arrived in Wilson Creek, WA on November 1, 1902, and they lived in a homestead shack during the winter of, 1902-03. Johann filed for homestead rights on March 14, 1903. The homestead was located 10 1/2 miles northeast of Moses Lake. The land description is as follows; Lot one, the south half of the northeast quarter, and the northwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section six in Township twenty north of Range twenty nine east of the Willamette Meridian, Washington, containing 170.35 acres. Patent Number 112198 was issued to him on 17 February 1910 for 170.35 acres of land, permanently giving him this land. You had to pay for any acreage over 160 acres. He paid $2.50 per acre for the excess 10.35 acres. This homestead land remained in the Hochstatter family until it was sold in October 1997. The owners at the time of sale were the three sons of George. None of these sons had any ambition to become farmers or to develop it into smaller farms and then sell them.

They received their mail at the Post Office in Wilson Creek. Later on a country store and post office by the name of Hicksville was started, and in 1910 the post office was moved to Wheeler. The first year they grubbed (removed) the sagebrush off of ten acres of their land and four acres off of John Hochstatter’s (Johann Gottlob oldest son) place just south of theirs. They borrowed Jacob Ottmar’s (Johann Gottlob’s son-in-law) plow and harrow. Johann broadcasted the seed by hand. They planted wheat, barley, oats, Russian red wheat, spults, hyssop, and some potatoes and watermelons in their garden. At harvest time Johann cut the grain with a scythe, and raked it by hand with a wooden rake. He shocked the grain in bundles and tied it with straw from the grain.

They hauled their water from a well near Black Rock. They watered their garden and filled their cistern with alkali tasting water. Johann had a well drilled in 1907 at a cost of $1,000. When the drillers hit water they lost their tools and spend two weeks trying to fish them out of the well. They weren’t successful in retrieving their tools and had to drill another well. The well supplied all of the water they needed and other homesteaders hauled water from it as it was sweeter than the Black Rock water.

After the first year they cleared 80 acres by burning the sagebrush. They bought a John Deere 12 inch gang plow. George’s sister Caroline plowed with a four horse team. Sometimes the sagebrush roots were so strong that they would break the plow blade. In the spring of 1904 they borrowed Ottmar’s seeder to plant the 80 acres. In the fall, John and Jacob Ottmar harvested Johann’s crop using their header, they put the grain in stacks. Jake Schmauder (another son-in-law of Johann) had a horse driven threshing machine that they used to thrash the grain. Johann Hochstatter got the Schmauders to agree to do the whole harvest for $50. After they arrived for the harvest they tried to talk Johann into paying them seven cents per bushel instead. But he held them to their previous agreement and soothed them with all of the watermelon that they could eat. Fred Schmauder, the youngest one tended the separator. Christian Hochstatter, George’s brother and Phillip Gottschalk sewed the sacks after they were filled with the grain.

Johann G. declared his intention to become a Citizen of the United States on 29 September 1902 in Circuit Court, Campbell County, South Dakota. He was naturalized on 13 July 1908 in U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Washington, Spokane. Certification of Naturalization No. 72954 includes the following family members: wife, Barbara; children; Pauline, age 19, Catherine, age 16, and Gotthold, age 10, all of Hicksville, WA.

Johann Gottlob’s daughters attended the Keller school, which was built in 1904. They stayed with their oldest sister Barbara, who lived across the road from the school and was married to Jacob Ottmar. The School was located seven miles from the Hochstatter homestead on the northeast corner of where the county roads of 8-N. E. and P-N. E. now intersect.

Most of the above information about Johann Gottlob is from an audio tape by his youngest son Gotthold (George) Hochstatter( my father). The following item appeared in the Dakota Freie Presse on November 11, 1909 and reprinted in the Germans from Russia Heritage Review, No. 20, April 1978.

“Washington State
Hicksville
When my wife and I emigrated from South Russia to Washington, disembarking at the station of Wilson Creek, I had no idea where to turn. Since I knew there were already several families from the colony of Neusatz residing here, I inquired and found they lived 16 miles south of the station. but no one could tell me the exact place since everything here was a virgin land. There were as yet no roads and only occasionally would one find a clapboard shanty on the prairie. However, we finally succeeded in finding our friends Johann and Jakob Ottmar. How awful the landscape looked without grass or vegetation! Often you had to travel four or six miles to get to a well or a low spot for water. Today, however, it looks entirely different. Johann and Jakob Ottmar each have their own houses, large barns and other buildings, a windmill, and orchards and grape vines. Johann Wilging, Jakob and Johann Schmauder, and Ludwig and Johann Flood immigrated into the area from Bessarabia. The latter arrived in 1901. All of them have established themselves beautifully. In the second and third years, schools were built and church services have been conducted in them. Various preachers served the community. Even now we still do not have churches. About 20 miles from us is a Congregational Church and some 14 miles east of Hicksville is another Protestant church which is served by Pastor Stier. Two years ago in Wilson Creek a church was built.
With best regards.”
Gottlob Hochstatter

Johann died 27 Jun 1918 at his homestead. He is buried in the Rocky Coulee, Ottmar Cemetery near Wheeler, WA. The local residence refer to this cemetery as the “Old” Keller Cemetery. The location of this cemetery is Township 20 North, Range 29 East, Section 26. Note: His death certificate shows his name as Gotthold, which is incorrect.

He married Maria Barbara Huether on 7 Nov 1874 in Johannesthal, So. Russia. Thirteen children were born to this marriage, ten survived to adulthood. The children are: Johann (1875-1875); Barbara [Ottmar] (1876-1968); Sophia [Arnold] (1877-1956); John D. (1879-1950); Caroline [Greenwalt] (1881- 1956); Karl (1882-xxxx); Christian (1887-1970); Margerethe (1884-1885)l Rosina [Rose] [Dormaier] (1886-before 1941); Elizabeth [Huether] (1887- 1949); Pauline [Schaal] (1889-1928); Katherine [Trautman] (1891-1971); and Gotthold [George] (1898-1983) [my father].

Maria was born 12 Sep 1854, Peterstal, South Russia. She died 10 Oct 1947 in Colfax, WA. She is buried in the same Cemetery as her husband Gottlob. Throughout her life she was known as Barbara. It wasn’t until I saw her birth record did I realize her name was Maria. She married Frederick Dormaier in 1919 after Johann’s death. They had no children. Maria and Frederick had a prenuptial marriage agreement. Maria’s father, Paul Huether, Sr., lived to be 100 years old.

Johann Gottlob Hochstatter b. 14 Aug 1852, Alexanderhilf, m. 7 Nov 1874, Johannesthal. d. 27 Jun 1918, on Homestead 12 miles N.E. of Moses Lake, Grant County WA. Marie Barbara Huether b. 12 Sep 1854, Peterstal, d. 10 Oct 1947, Colfax WA.

Johann Gottlob Hochstatter Homestead, Photo taken about 1918-1919. Homestead located 12 miles N. E. of Moses Lake WA. It remained in the family from 1902 until 1997.

Gotthold (George) Hochstatter and Alice M. Joyner

George was the 13th child born to Johann Gottlob and Barbara Huether, ten of the children lived to adulthood. George was born 20 Jul 1898 in Neusatz, South Russia, he died 14 Nov 1983 in Othello, WA. On December 18, 1931 George married Alice Macon Joyner, she was born September 11, 1905 in Steven’s County, near Deer Park, WA. Her parents were Samuel Madison Joyner and Core Charlotte Fields. George and Alice raised three sons Herbert George, (me) born at Ritzville, WA, Samuel Francis, born at Ritzville, WA. and the youngest Ellis William, born at Wenatchee, WA. They also have eight grandchildren, two boys and six girls. At the time of George’s death there were two great grand sons. They celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary on 18 Dec 1981.

George met Alice when she came to work at the Moses Lake Inn for Loren Harris. After they were married, they lived in a house on the west side of the Moses Lake Hardware store on the southeast corner of Broadway and Division street. In 1939, they purchased a house from Amos Hull, a brother-in-law, and moved in after it had been renovated and updated. When purchased, it had no indoor plumbing. It was located at 314 Germania St., later to be renamed Division St. They lived there until George’s death in 1983. Alice moved out in 1984 and sold the place. She moved into an apartment and lived there until her death in 1991.

George started school in the fall of 1908 at the Black Rock School. The Black Rock School was located at the southwest corner of Section 6, Township 20N, Range 29E at present intersection of roads 11 NE and M NE. George’s brother John donated the land for the Black Rock school. John D. Hochstatter, Jr. was only five years old but still attended at the same time. The school teachers name was Michaelson. The first school term was for six months and the subsequent terms for eight months. George read the primer in twenty days with his sister's tutoring. Later, more homesteaders came and a school house was built by Charlie Scott, he was from Wilson Creek. The Black Rock School was eventually merged with the Gloyd School. George attended school through part of the 6th grade; the school had no higher grades.

George was more interested in machinery and wheels than class room learning. He bought some books on gas, steam and marine engines and studied them to become a mechanic and operator. He knew that horses were going to be replaced by machines. In 1916 he worked part time for his brother-in-law Christ Dormaier at the Ford garage in Ruff, WA. George worked on the farm and the steam stationary threshing machine. In 1909, George’s brother Christ bought a threshing machine. The engine was a thirty-six inch Case, model 2530-25 horsepower engine and a 30 horsepower boiler, with 36 inch drivers on it. In 1919 Christ sold the outfit during harvest and George stayed close to the separator man and learned all he could about the separator and the engine. In 1922 and 1923 George operated the separator and steam traction engine for the new owner and a Holt-Caterpillar for someone else. He took time off from the Minnewash Fish Company to do so. In 1917 George helped a farmer put up hay and cultivate vegetables in Section 14 just east of the town of Nepple. He worked on a gravel crushing crew connecting the Nepple-Ritzville highway. Putting on the first gravel in the summer of 1920. He worked for those contractors for 22 months in eastern Washington. They were laying gravel on highway 2 between Wilson Creek and Marlin in October, 1921. He helped install machinery for the work on the first part of the road fill across Moses Lake. George donated labor on the first fair building that was located in Nepple where the S. E. corner of 5th Ave, and Chestnut Streets are now located. During 1923-24 he operated a launch for the Minnewash Fish Company, while they seined for carp in Moses Lake and shipped, by railroad, forty-six box car loads to the fish market on the east coast. In the fall of 1925 he worked for the Western Cold storage in Nepple, loading apples into box cars. Some years they averaged three thousand car loads of apples. Fresh produce was not available in the stores, so on some weekends during harvest the people from the surrounding counties would drive to Moses Lake to buy fresh vegetables and fruit.

On December 2, 1925, George, his brother John D. and nephew John D., Jr. purchased property from Ed Dry. They were partners in operating the Moses Lake Hardware and M and L Garage for many years until they split the operation in 1944. George operated the hardware store until he sold it in 1955. His nephew operated the garage. His brother John retired from the business. George was a Marshall Wells hardware dealer. The store had a coal burning stove with several chairs around it, and during the winter the old timers would gather around to swap stories.

George was very active in the Moses Lake civic arena: He was a member of the fair board for three years, 1926-1928; a charter member of the Grant County Historical Society, you can still see some of his donations at the Museum in Ephrata, WA. George also helped organize the Grant County Sportsman Club. Since Moses Lake did not have any game fish in it, in 1927 the state game commission shipped in five and ten gallon cans of bass and they were planted in the lake. Later they planted spiny ray fish that had been seined on the Pend Oreille river. In the 1930’s, Frank Bell of Moses Lake and Ephrata became state fish commissioner. He shipped several rail car loads of spiny fish to Moses Lake in care of George. George would then organize other men to pick up the fish and direct them where to plant them in Moses Lake. George liked to fish and enjoyed the shade as he planted a lot of trees along the lake shore. Later the Chamber of Commerce would sponsor a bass fishing contest. He also helped organized the first commercial club of Moses Lake, it was known as the Isaac Walton League and was the fore runner to the chamber of commerce. George and Ed Hull organized the first Boy Scout Troop in Moses Lake in 1931. It was Troop 46, and all three of George’s sons were eventual members of this troop.

He was an active member of the Odd Fellows and Rebekah Lodges. While with the Odd Fellows he was active in improvements at Pioneer Memorial Gardens Cemetery, where both he and Alice are buried. In the early to mid 1950’s George was active in the Eagles Lodge, cooking for the Saturday night dances and supplying gallons of homemade dill pickles to go with the hamburgers. The cucumbers used in the pickles were from his own garden.

After Neppel was incorporated as Moses Lake in 1938, George was selected the first fire chief, and served for four years. In 1958 he was honored for 20 years of service with the fire department. He was a volunteer fireman until retiring in 1965 at age 67, he then became an honorary firemen for life. Before there was a fire department, George’s hardware store was about the only place in town that had fire extinguishers. When there was a fire, someone would stop at the hardware store and take the fire extinguishers to fight the fire. Most people did not want to spend the money for a fire extinguisher.

When Moses Lake was incorporated, it did not have any fire fighting equipment. Funds were found and George sold Moses Lake six extinguishers at his cost. They were placed throughout town at various businesses. In 1942 when the water mains were installed, the city purchased fire hoses. The volunteer fireman built a hose cart to carry the hose and fire extinguishers. The first fireman to arrive at the station would sound the siren and the first one there with a trailer hitch on their vehicle would hook up the cart and the other men would pile on and off they went to fight the fire. Sometimes the only thing left was the lot where the structure had been standing. Later the first fire truck was purchased with government funds and the generous donations of local merchants who purchased tickets to the annual fireman’s ball. At the fireman’s ball George was always busy in the kitchen acting as the cook.

During World War II, George and Alice put in 18 hour days in the store. They were busy supplying the needs of the contractors and workers at the Moses Lake Air Base, later it was renamed Larson Air Force Base. They also were supplying the needs of the local farmers and other people in the area. Tools and supplies were scarce and sometimes unavailable because of the war effort.

After George sold the hardware business and moved out in 1955, he worked three summers for the Grant County Housing Authority at the project that was located where McCosh park is now located in Moses Lake. He also kept busy in the summers working in his garden that was located on the N. E. corner of Seventh and Division streets. He always raised more than he and Alice could use and gave away or sold lots of his vegetables, flowers, trees, and shrubs. His vegetables won several blue ribbons at the Grant County Fair. His nursery supplied a lot of the non-fruit trees to Charles Brown, who started the town of George Washington, located southeast of Quincy. As you drive between Moses Lake and Ellensburg on Interstate 90 you can see the size of some of the trees to the south. George was an active bee man, keeping several dozen colonies of bees from which he extracted the honey and sold it. In the winter, George continued repairing oil stoves and furnaces. Marshall Wells had trained him for this in 1927 and had yearly training sessions that he attended. He finally retired for good in 1978 when he was approaching the age of 80.

In 1957, when his son Sam graduated from Southern California Bible College, George and Alice took their first vacation since being married and attended the ceremony in Costa Mesa, CA. George did not like being idle for long so he helped out by trimming some of the shrubs on the campus.

George was instrumental in organizing the first Hochstatter/Dormaier picnic/reunion in Moses Lake in 1963. In 2003 this gathering celebrated the 40th anniversary of the event. Over the years it has been held in Moses Lake or the Yakima area.

During all these years George leased the Hochstatter homestead, which he had inherited from his mother at the time of her death.

Gotthold (George) Hochstatter with two horses on the homestead, taken before 1919. George, b. 20 Jul 1898, Nuesatz, Grossliebental. m. Alice Macon Joyner of Deer Park WA, 18 Dec 1931, He. 14 Nov 1983, Othello WA, buried at Moses Lake WA.

George with four horse team. On the homestead. Taken before 1919.

George and a team of horses. Plowing on the homestead, taken before 1919.

George, feeding the chickens. On the homestead, taken before 1919.

Christ Hochstatter's threshing crew. Crew posing with cook crew and thrashing machine. Taken before 1919.

Christ Hochstatter's threshing crew. Hanging around the cook shack, waiting for lunch. Christ is George’s older brother. George is on the far right. Taken before 1919.

Moses Lake Hardware store. Purchased by George, his oldest brother, John, and nephew John Jr. George is standing in front of the store and John Jr. is infront of garage, near the car. George and John Sr. operated the store and John Jr. the garage. George was involved with the store for over 30 years.

Abandoned Hochstatter homestead. Taken sometime in the early 1950’s.

Paul Huether, Sr. and Maria (Anna) Margaretha Christmann

Paul Sr. was the sixth child of Johann Ludwig Jacob Huether and Barbara Margareth Zechmeister. He was born 6 Feb 1830 in Peterstal and died on 13 Mar in Eugene OR. He married Maria (Anna ) Margaretha Christmann on 25 May 1852 in Freudental. Paul was a shoe maker in Russia.

Paul is listed two places in the Peterstal Liebental District Odessa 1858 census. He is listed in house #23 as a member of Widow Barbara (Zechmeister) Huether's household and his own house #26 with his wife Margaretha and three children. Paul is also listed twice in the Peterstal Liebental District Odessa 1841-1860 Church Family Book. He is listed on page 73 with his wife and five children and page 85 as a member of his mother’s family.

Paul and two of his brothers, Ludwig and Simon, immigrated to the United States. Paul and his wife left Neusats, South Russia, where they had moved in 1858 and immigrated to Menno, SD in 1889 before going to Mound City, SD where he homesteaded, they filed claims in Blessing Township, Campbell County, SD.

Paul and his wife, Maria, had 14 children. My grandmother, Maria Barbara, was their second child. Paul was married twice; there were no children by the second wife. Paul was one of the people instrumental in organizing the Odessa Reformed Church in Sutley, Campbell County, SD. Paul is listed on the South Dakota 1900 Federal Census as living in Campbell County, Blessing Township.

After the death of his second wife, Louisa (Rosa) Christmann Hettich, in 1905, he moved to the state of Washington to live with family members. Paul’s two brothers also homesteaded in SD and remained there until they died.

Maria was born 12 Oct 1832 in Freudental. It is believed that she died in about 1891 in Campbell County, SD. She may be buried in an unmarked grave in the Odessa Reformed Church Cemetery, Sutley, SD. Although according to the Java, SD Centennial Memories, 1900-2000, page 155, Maria and daughter Louise died in 1889 and were buried in Menno, SD.

Paul Huether Jr. and Katherina Riedlinger/Katherine T. Becker
Paul Jr. was born 19 Jan 1853 in Peterstal and died 8 Sep 1918 near Moses Lake, WA. He is buried in the Rocky Coulee, Ottmar Cemetery near Wheeler, WA. The local residents refer to this cemetery as the “Old” Keller Cemetery. Paul married twice, he married Katherina Elisabeth Riedlinger on 27 Dec 1977 in Johannesthal. They had six children.

Katharine was born 18 Dec 1854 in Grossliebental and died in Campbell County, SD on 4 Feb 1892. She left him with six motherless children. Her obituary is listed in “A Collection of Obituaries from Campbell County, SD and southwestern Emmons County, ND,” by Bob Dale.

He married Katherine T. Becker 12 Mar 1892 in Campbell County, SD. She was born 23 Sep 1868 in Kassel and died 18 Sep 1948 at Walla Walla, WA. She is buried in the same Cemetery as Paul Jr. They had 10 children.

Paul immigrated to the United States in March 1889 and homesteaded in Campbell County, SD in 1893. He homesteaded Section 14, Township N, Range 75 W. Paul and his family are on the SD 1900 Federal Census and living in Campbell County, SD.

In 1908 Paul and his family moved to Washington state, near Moses Lake. The 1920 Federal Census for Grant County, WA lists the family name as Hertether.

Paul Huether Sr. b. 6 Feb 1830, Peterstal, m. (1st.) Maria (Anna) Margaretha Christmann, 25 May 1852, Freudental; (2nd.) Louisa (Rosa) Christmann Hettich, about 1891, South Dakota. He died 31 Mar 1930, Eugene OR.

Four generations Back row right-Paul Sr.; left-Paul Jr.; front row right-Christian, son of Paul Jr.; left-Reinhold, son of Christian. Picture taken about 1915.

Paul Jr. with second wife, Katherine T. Becker and family. Back row, L-R; Henry, Chris, John, Magdalene, Katherine, and Rose. Front row, L-R; Caroline, mother Katherine holding Margaret, and Paul Jr. holding Barbara. Paul. b. 19 Jan 1853, Peterstal, d. 8 Sep 1918, near Moses lake WA. Paul married (1st) Katherine Riedlinger, b. 18 Dec 1854, Grossliebental, d. 4 Feb 1892, Campbell County SD, They had 6 children. Married (2nd) Katherine T. Becker, 12 Mar 1892. Campbell County SD, b. 23 Sep 1868, Kassel, d. 18 Sep 1948 Walla Walla WA. They had 10 children.

Maria Barbara Celebrating 90th birthday, 12 Sep 1944. b. 12 Sep 1854, Peterstal, m. Johann Gottlob Hochstatter 7 Nov 1874, Johannestal, d. 10 Oct 1947, Colfax WA.

Christian Huether

Christian, was born 26 Jan 1885; Nuesatz and died 15 Nov 1956, Walla Walla, WA. He married Elizabeth Hochstatter (my aunt) 5 Jan 1907 at Rathdrum ID. She was born 7 Nov 1887, South Russia and died 10 Jan 1949, Whitman County, WA. They had five children. Both Christian and Elizabeth are buried in the IOOF Evergreen Cemetery, Rosalia, WA.

Christian immigrated to the United States in 1890 and received his naturalization in 1912.

Reinhold (Rheinhart) Christian Huether

Rhienhold was born in 1909 in Washington state and died 19 Sep 1954, Spokane, Spokane County, WA , buried in Holy Rosary Cemetery, Whitman County, WA. He married Patricia Dowling, and they had five children.