Hoefer, John 1861-1939 & Mary Thole Family

HOEFER, SCHWICKERF, THOLE, MAJERUS

Posted By: Wilma J. VandeBerg (email)
Date: 2/4/2024 at 20:20:33

Hoefer, John 1861- 1939 & Mary Thole Family

This family story was taken from the Alton St. Mary’s Catholic Church book of 1883-1983 page 160. The story was transcribed for this BIOS by Wilma J. Vande Berg of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society. Some research notes have been added. Spellings were left as in the noted source.

John Hoefer was born May 6, 1861 at New Vienna, Dubuque Co., Iowa. On Nov 25, 1890 he married Mary Thole of Sinsinawa Mounds Wisconsin. They settled in Dubuque County but several years later they came to Sioux County and settled on a farm four miles east of Alton. In 1928 they retired from the farm and moved into Alton. John Hoefer passed away on Jun 1, 1939 at the age of 74.

John and Mary Hoefer were the parents of four children: Loretta, Mary, Henry and Bernard.
Loretta was born April 3, 1893. She married Joseph Brandenburg Nov. 25, 1915 at Alton. She died at Sheldon on Aug 8, 1969. Mary was born October 7, 1896 Alton Iowa . She married Ernest Kokenge Nov 25, 1918. She died at Sioux City on December 21, 1970. Henry was born on April 2, 1899. He died at Alton on December 3, 1977.
Bernard was born March 21, 1904. He married Jelen Frerichs on Feb 25, 1930. He died at Alton on Feb 16. 1975.
(end of church book family story)

REASEARCH Notes: Taken from local obituaries on the web page and from family reports on ancestry.com submitted by other than this submitter.

John N. Hoefer III born 6 May 1861 New Vienna, Dubuque, Iowa died 1 Jul 1939 Alton, Sioux, Iowa. He was the son of Johann Christian Hoefer 1813-1896 and Sophia Schwickerf 1821-1889. He married Mary Thole 25 Nov 1890 in Grant County Wisconsin

Mary Thole born 11 Mar 1865 Sinsinawa, Grant County, Wisconsin and died 2 Sep 1939 Alton Sioux County IA.
In search of Mary’s parents noted that in the 1870 census of Grant, Hazel Green Wisconsin, John Thole was 45 yrs born about 1825 in Oldenburg, wife Mary (Josephine) age 32 born abt 1838 in Oldenburg, children Jno H. 8, Katie 7, Mary 5, Rosaline 2, and Frank 4 mo. 1880 census of Hazel Green Grant County Wisconsin, Josephine Thole (Majerus) born about 1840 Germany, widowed, mother Gertrude Mayson (Majerus) , she was a farmer, children were Henry 18, Kate 17, Mary 14, Rosa 12, Frank 10, John 8, living with them Gertrude Mayson (Majerus), mother.

The report on ancestry.com lists John Henry Thole born 31 Dec 1823 Oldenburg Niedersachsen, Germany. He died 25 Nov 1873 Grant County Wisconsin. He married about 1861 Grant County Wisconsin to Mary Josephine Majerus 1838-1902. Mary Josephine Thole Hoefer born 1865 and died 1939 was their daughter.

CHILDREN: of John Hoefer and Mary Thole:

1 Loretta Hoefer was born April 3, 1893 Dubuque IA. She married Joseph Brandenburg Nov. 25, 1915 at Alton. She died at Sheldon on Aug 8, 1969. He was born 17 Mar 1888 Hospers IA died 27 May 1858 Sheldon IA. Two children named were Vernon J. Brandenburg 1917-1995 and Virginia Marie Brandenburg 1919 – 1999.

2 Mary Hoefer was born October 7, 1896 Alton Iowa . She married Ernest Kokenge Nov 25, 1918. She died at Sioux City on December 21, 1970. From a family history in the St. Mary’s church book. Ernest Kokenge and Mary Hoefer were married at Alton Nov 25, 1918. Ernest Kokenge was born Dec 1 1886 and passed away Jul 7, 1964 Mary Hoefer was born Oct 7, 1896 and passed away December 21, 1970. They made their home at Alton until 1944, after which they resided in Sioux City IA, until their deaths. Their children included two sons, Arthur and Robert who both reside in Sioux City, IA.

3 Henry Hoefer was born on April 2, 1899. He died at Alton on December 3, 1977 buried in St Mary’s cemetery Alton IA. He died near Granville in an auto accident.

4 Bernard Hoefer was born March 21, 1904. He married Helen Frerichs on Feb 25, 1930. He died at Alton on Feb 16. 1975. Mr. Hoefer, a retired farmer, was born March 21, 1904, in Alton and lived in that area all his life. He was married February 25, 1930 to Helen Frerichs at Alton. She died in 1962. Survivors are a daughter, Mrs. Peter (Betty) Stoll of Alton; three grandchildren and a brother, Henry, of Alton.

OBITUARY of John Hoefer 1861-1939
Source: Sioux County Capital (6-8-1939) Born: May 6, 1861 Died: June 2, 1939 Fri-day, June 2 John Hoefer died very suddenly. Mr. Hoefer had been up town. Upon his return home he stepped into the house and dropped down and died instantly to be found by Mrs. Hoefer who was in some other part of the house. Death was caused by a blood clot in the heart. Mr. Hoefer was born in Dubuque County, Iowa, May 6, 1861 and was seventy eight years and twenty seven days old at the time of his death. On November 25, 1890, he married Mary Thole. They moved to Sioux County about forty-five years ago. To this union four children were born, Mrs. Joe Brandenburg, Mrs. Ernest Kokenge and Henry and Bernard. All four children live in the Alton vicinity. Eleven years ago Mr. and Mrs. Hoefer built a beautiful home in the second block west of Main Street where they were living at the time of his death. Besides Mrs. Hoefer, two sons and two daughters, there are four grandchildren and Mr. Hoefer’s aged brother in Uniontown, Washington to mourn his death. The latter because of ill health was unable to attend the funeral. Funeral services were held Monday morning in St. Mary’s Church with Reverend Father Neppel officiating.

OBITUARY of Mary Mrs. John Hoefer 1865-1939
Source: Alton Democrat (9-3-1939) Born: March 11, 1865 Died: September 1, 1939 MRS. HOEFER DIES AT THE AGE OF 74--HAD MADE HER HOME IN ALTON FOR 11 YEARS This community was greatly shocked when word was passed around of the death of Mrs. John Hoefer, one of Alton’s loved and respected citizens, Saturday morning, September 1, at the home of her son, Bernard, living four miles east of Alton. She passed away exactly three months after the death of her husband, Mr. John Hoefer. She was 74 years old at the time of her death. Funeral services were held Tuesday morning at St. Mary’s Church and interment made in St. Mary’s Cemetery. Mary Thole was born at Sinsinawa Mound, Illinois, (WI) March 11, 1865, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Thole of that place. On November 25, 1890 she was married to Mr. John Hoefer of New Vienna, Iowa. They settled in Dubuque County but came to Sioux County several years later and began farming four miles east of Alton. The couple retired eleven years ago and moved into a new home they built in Alton. Since the death of her husband in June of this year, Mrs. Hoefer had made her home with her son on the old homestead. She is survived by four children, Mrs. Joe Brandenburg, Mrs. Ernest Kokenge, Henry and Bernard Hoefer of Alton, and four grandchildren. She leaves two sisters living in Cuba City, Wisconsin. Pallbearers were Otto Kettler, Oscar Henrich, Mike Herrig, Peter Eulberg, Peter Rindner and Will Keilen. Relatives and friends who came to pay their last respects to the departed were: Mrs. Kate Grimm, Mrs. Rosee Salwolke, Mrs. L. Vosberg and Joe Thole of Cuba City, Wisconsin; Mrs. Frances Thole and daughter Evelyn of St. Cloud, Minnesota; Mr. Joe Koenig, Henry Salemen, Herman Salemen, Joe and Will Koenig, all of Fairfax, South Dakota; Mr. and Mrs. Joe Bruggeman, Sioux City; Mrs. Ertnin Nothein, Remsen; Mr. and Mrs. Ed Frerichs, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Frerichs, Mr. and Mrs. Emil Frerichs, Mrs. Bertha Rogers, Mr. and Mrs. George Brandenburg and Florence Keilen, all of Le Mars; Mr. and Mrs. G.N. Null, Brunsville; Mr. and Mrs. John Brandenburg, Sheldon; Mr. and Tom Galligan, Lismore, Minnesota; Mr. and Mrs. Barney Koob, Mr. and Mrs. Nic Barlage, Mr. and Mrs. Barney Moefer, Henry Schilmoeller, Mr. and Mrs. John Kokenge and Anna Goebel, all of Granville; Tony Thies and Mr. and Mrs. Dominic Jungers of Hospers and many other relatives and friends from neighboring towns.

This picture of the John Hoefer family was in the St. Mary’s church book page 160.

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