Johann Diedrich Hagens was born in Hollwege, Germany. Anna Sophie Siefken was born June 13, 1846 and died March 3, 1891. She was born in Westerstede. Dirk Oltmanns went to the "Staatsarchiv Oldenburg" where he found the death record for Anna Sophie Hagens born Siefken, died 3.3.1891. The reason is given with "Lungenleiden". So translated, this means disease/suffering/ill/sickness of the lungs. She was 44.
J.D. Hagens had at least 8 children. He had married Anna Sophie Siefken in 1876 but she died in 1891. So of the children listed below, the first five are the children of J. D. Hagens and wife Anna. He married for the second time in 1893 so the last four children are by that wife. I do not have the name of the second wife.
The J. D. Hagens family lived at #7 Ebkostrasse in Hollwege. The home was across the street from the Siefke Willers home which was at #6.
This photo is identified as one of Helene's brothers. I hope someone can identify him. |
This image is identified as Helene's sister, Mrs. August Müller. Is this Anna? |
This is Helene Hagens and J. D. Willers about 1965 at Bronaugh, Missouri. |
This is Wilhelm "Willi" Hagens |
Helene Hagens was apparently the first of the Hagens family to immigrate to the United States. J. D. Willers had immigrated to the United States in 1888. He worked hard for ten years and in 1898 he returned to Germany to marry. J. D.'s sister, Anna, had introduced him to Helene Hagens. Dirk Oltmanns tells that the entire town of Hollwege attended the marriage celebration for the bride and groom at the Hagens home. J. D. and his bride, Helene, then left soon for their home in Nebraska.
Much later, two of Helene's half brothers, Willi and Gerd Hagens, also emigrated. Willi lived with his nephew, Georg Oltmanns, in Chicago at one time. He worked as janitor / groundskeeper. He made enough money, so he could return and build a house in Westerstede.
Gerd Hagens left the port of Bremen when he was 45 years old in 1925. His destination was Milford, Illinois, but he arrived at the port in New York on the ship Nordd. Lloyd, Bremen. His German home was listed as Neu England, Germany.
Willi Hagens record tells that Wilhelm left Neuengland Deutsch Oldenburg at the age of 21. His destination was Princeton Nebraska. Wilhelm Hagens travelled 26 September 1925 on the ship 'Berlin' from Bremen to New York.
This image is identified as the wedding of Willi Hagens. We do not have identifications for most of them.
These four images were taken in
2011 when I visited Hollwege and was fortunate to get to
visit the house that was the Hagens home at one time. Notice
the reed roof which is very typical of older style homes in
that area. The barn is adjacent to the house.
Dirk Oltmanns has a wonderful Hollwege web site.
Go back to my main Genealogy page.
This Webpage is designed and maintained by Lyndon Irwin of Bois D'Arc, Missouri, USA (a great grandson of Helene Hagens Willers).