QUERIES
BY JIM AND KAREN HANSEN
Queries can produce all kinds of fun, mix-ups, family information, misinformation and answers to multiple questions. The Bauer family name was in the Walnut, Iowa area for over 100 years, but has disappeared from here. The Jochim and Christina Paustian Bauer family moved into Shelby County, Iowa, just north of Walnut, in 1873. They lived there until their passing in 1904 and 1915 respectively.
Barb Butcher received a query from Janet Crum regarding the birth date verification of her great-grandfather John Bauer who is buried in Graceland Cemetery in Avoca, Iowa. The birth year of 1869 is on the grave monument. The FindaGrave memorial for John gives a birth date of 12 October 1867. Another twist found the birth date for John’s twin sister as 10 October 1867. Since Barb knows I have a Bauer family connection, she sent the query request to me.
There happens to be a double connection between the Bauer and Hansen families. Both John and his twin sister, Caroline Bauer, married into my family. Caroline Bauer married my great grand uncle Julius Hansen and John (Johann) Bauer married my 1st cousin 2x removed, Anna Maassen.
Back to the dates; The birth date 1869 on John Bauer’s monument appears to be in error. It should read 1867. The death record of John Bauer found in the First Lutheran Church of Avoca, Iowa gives his birth date as 12 October 1867. We are still trying to verify that is also the birth date of Caroline.
Rick Blum gave us a query from Bob Multhaup of Cincinnati, Ohio. He plans to visit the area in mid-March and wonders if there are any relatives living here. His great-grandfather, Johannes Heinrich Hansen, and 8 siblings came to America with their grandmother, Elsabe Ronna after the death of their parents in Germany. Johannes (John) was married to Nellie Walker, daughter of James and Anna Okell Walker. Obituaries were found for John and Nellie Hansen, who both died in 1902, leaving four small children. Bob Multhaup’s grandfather was one of these Hansen children, adopted by Multhaups, so he became Bruce Multhaup. Bruce and Elsie Multhaup, John and Nellie Hansen, and James and Anna Walker are buried at Oakwood Cemetery at Lewis, Iowa. These are 3 generations of Bob Multhaup’s family. Bob’s great-great-great grandmother Elsabe Ronna is buried in the Layton Township Cemetery here. We shared obituaries of Elsabe and her son Jurgen and daughter Margaretha Ronna Reimer, also buried here. Elsabe was living with Margaretha when she died on 18 January 1897 “from old age and the natural relaxation of the vital forces of life.” “The remains were followed to the grave by more than a hundred relatives and friends who had known her in life . . . as mother, grandmother, friend and neighbor.” (Walnut Bureau, 22 Jan. 1897, p. 5)
We sent James Walker’s bio from the 1884 history of Cass County, his obituaries and a short obit for Anna Walker. Bob would like to find the farm James Walker owned. In 1875 he purchased 400 Acres in Sec. 35 & 36, Washington Township, Cass County. Thanks to Mary Hoegh from the Cass County Genealogical Society for helping to find James Walker’s name on a 1900 map.
JH