Amanuensis Monday, 2012 January 30th: Centennial History of the Town of Springdale, Dane County, Wisconsin -1848-1948: Henry Lohff Family

Over the past few months, I have been posting articles from the Centennial History of the Town of Springdale,  Dane County, Wisconsin, 1848-1948.  Sometimes these articles are about my McPherson family, but many times not.  Even when the stories are not about my McPherson family, the people of Springdale  were the friends of my great-great grandparents, James P. and Mary Burns McPherson.  I continue to  hope that these stories will bring forth more contacts, family, friends and history of my McPhersons and the town of Springdale,  and to, perhaps, provide a link for those who had family in Springdale during those early years in Springdale.

The following is about the Henry Lohff family.  They emigrated from Mecklenburg-Schwerin.  According to Ancestry.com Henry was a naturalized citizen in 1859 and previously had lived in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa before moving to Wisconsin.   In the 1860 Census, the family was listed in the Springdale township and consisted of Henry, 60; Frederikke, 40; Charles,.18; Fred, 15; Mina, 13; Betsy, 9; Henry, 3; and Emma, under one year.  By the 1870 Census, one more daughter, Eliz, was reported.

The information for the Centennial History was given by Otelia Chech (Check).  In the 1910 Census, Otelia Check and her husband are reported living with Otelia's mother Wilhemina Elver (Elsea, Elner were given as alternate spellings) and her husband Charles and their family.  It is likely that Wilhemina is "Mina"  who was Henry and Fredereca's daughter. It is also therefore likely that Otelia Chech was the granddaughter who provided the history for her grandparents, Henry and Fredereca Lohff.

History of the Henry Lohff Family

as presented on page 135,

Centennial History of the Town of Springdale

Dane County, Wisconsin, 1848-1948

 

Henry and Frederica Lohff emigrated to America with their seven children in 1850 and settled in the town of Blooming Grove [Dane County, Wisconsin]  where they resided for about ten years.  Here their son Henry J. was born.  In the spring of 1860 they moved to Springdale township and bought what has since been known as the Lohff homestead.  Part of this farm was purchased from the Government and part from Mrs. Betsy Peterson's father. (The exact name of the man is unknown.)  Henry Lohff senior died on this homestead July 31,  1870.  His wife Fredereca also died here March 28, 1890.  The Lohff family emigrated from Mechlenburg Schnrurin in Germany.  The son Henry J.  bought the homestead in 1878 and resided there until his death in April 1938.  This information was obtained from Otelia Chech.

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© Joan Hill, Roots'n'Leaves Publications