John (Johannes) Hoff Sr.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Emigration, Spring 1892, United States Of America. ⁶⁵¹ In early spring 1892 the family left Frank, Russia which had been their home since the time of the births of three of their surviving children. John was age 12, Martha 8, and Conrad 2. They left Henry age 10 and Katie age 4 with their paternal grandparents.

The paternal grandparents were very much opposed to their onl son and family leaving their home for this new venture. They kept Henry and Katie in hopes that the family would return because the children were in their care.

However, that year Grandmother was injured while helping with spring planting. A two wheel wooden cart such as was part of their farming equipment collapsed causing the load to over-turn on her, fracturing her spine. Lack of professional care available, suffered through the heat of that summer and claiming her life at age 52.

In a matter of months grandfather remarried, decided to come to the home of his son, bringing with them Henry and Katie. Arriving July 3, 1893. In a short time his wife persuaded him to return to their old home in Rusia where they had left her family.

The German immigrants traveled in crowded wagons a distance of 65 miles to Saratov. From Saratov they traveled by train which took them through Tambow, Koslow and Grjasi. In Grjasi they saw their first coal. They continued on through Smolensk, Witebsk (a polish city), Duensburg and Wersbolow. At Wersbolow they crossed the border into Germany.

The first stopEydtksuknen and then on to Berlin as they were enroute to the city of Bremen. In Bremen they were amazed and amused by the sight of dog-drawn baggage carts. They had a three day lay over in Bremen which was their first chance to bath and launder their clothing. They borded a ship in Bremerhafen. They sailed toward the English Channel to the shores of England where the ship docked for several hours before starting the two weeks voyage across the Atlantic.

There was some rough sailing and many became ill causing them to regret leaving their homes. The last few days were calm. The sight of land was a welcome sight to behold. It would take another day or two before they would dock i New York Harbor. While the ship was off shore, doctors came aboard to immunize the immigrants. After docking, they remained on board for one more night. The immigrants marveled at the many bright lights of New York City.

After inspection of baggage and tickets, they were taken by small boats to the nearest railroad station where they boarded the train which took them across the country to St. Louis. The strangest sight for them in St. Louis, was seeing black people. The next day they traveled on to Geneve Nebraska. Johannes and Katarina arrived in Geneva, Nebraska on April 2, 1892.

Early life in america were happy days of freedom. However, overwhelming odds existed, with limited education and the ever presant language barrier.

With no serve yourself markets in those times this problem was solved by reserving small samples of items needed, these were taken to the market. This system worked very well.

• Occupation: laborer at Pete Younger's Nursery. ⁶⁵¹ John and his sons John jr. and Henry were employed by the Pete Younger Nursery. Katharine worked as a cleaning woman in stores and in homes. Martha at age 8 served as the baby sitter at home. Martha later worked at hotels and restaurants. The job of babysitting passed on to Katie.

• Occupation: farmer. ⁶⁵¹ Farming became their main source of income. The first few years as tenants.

• Property: 160 acres, 2 Sep 1902, Fillmore County, Between Geneva And Grafton, Nebraska. ⁶⁵¹ They bought this land for $5800.00 ($36.25 per acre). They received the landlord's share of the crop by paying the taxes. This farm was sold to Jacob C. wolford on October 23, 1906 for 9,200.00 at $57.50 per acre. The buyer assumed the 1500.00 mortgage. This sale was made when they decided to make Colorado their home.

• Property: 400 acres, 1906, Fort Collins, Larimer County, Colorado. ⁶⁵¹ He purchased 400 acres located five miles north of fort Collins which was a part of section 13.. This land consisted of 260 acres of farming land, some pasture and #10 reservoir rights. He also leased land near Barnett beet station located approximately three miles east of the purchased property.

• Property: 80 acres, 1911. ⁶⁵¹ John acquired 80 acres from his sister Anna Margaret and her husband Conrad Greenwalt.

• Property: 155 acres, 1912. ⁶⁵¹ John purchased 155 acres from Frank Madden. This land was mostly pasture land. After all these purchases, John owned all of section thirteen.

• Misc: had a fire break out in their home, winter 1897. ⁶⁵¹ It was in the winter of 1897, while all were at work a fire destroyed the home and all contents (exept mothers precious sewing machine and a feather-bed). Mother managed to retrieve her sewing machine and feather bed through the window. They also lost all the new stock of materials that they had just purchased to be made up during the winter months. They lost all their winter supplies of meats and vegetables.

The fire was started when bedding was ignited by a overheated exposed stove pipe on the second floor where the children were playing. Somehow they managed to escape. Katie age nine and Conrad seven took the three younger ones to a neighbor. The neighbor wasn't home so they sought comfort in a straw pile nearby, where they were found by tracts left in the snow-covered ground. They were cold but safe. Thankful no lives were lost, the family moved into an old vacant store building in Geneva, Nebraska for the winter.

• Moved, 8 Mar 1907, Fort Collins, Larimer County, Colorado. The family arrived in fort Collins. The lived on the leased farm but farmed both properties. Henry though married remained on with the family. John and his family rented a farm which he farmed for one year and then decided to return to Nebraska.

• Moved, 1910. ⁶⁵¹ John built a home on the land that he owned, which was completed in 1910. John continued to farm both frms through 1912. Henry stayed at the leased property until 1913, when his family moved to the new house as well.

John married Katarina (Katharina, Katarine) Reider (Reiter)(Roether), daughter of Jacob Reider (Reiter) and Katharina Margaretha Wagner, in 1879 in Frank, Saratov, Russia. (Katarina (Katharina, Katarine) Reider (Reiter)(Roether) was born on 20 Dec 1859 in Frank, Saratov, Russia and died on 22 Dec 1931 in Fort Collins, Larimer County, Colorado ⁶⁵¹.)