Background on
Johannes Hahn 1712-1793
(To see three generations starting with Johannes' father and showing links to each of the children, click here.)
Johannes Hahn, Elizabeth Margaretha Forster Hahn and seven of
their children born in
Johannes was the son of Johan Jacob and Maria Otillia Eichenlaub
and is reputed to have had two brothers, Johann Jacob Jr. bp. 1727 and Conrad
b. before 1723. I haven't seen where anyone has delved into these brothers.
He settled in
During Johannes' time Catawba was not a county but was part of a
larger area that encompassed Rowan and Anson counties. By 1800 the areas to the
mountains were being settled and counties were
The primary source for this work is "German Speaking People
West of the
Family Tree Maker has made a number of errors in this family's
history.If this is your first foray into genealogy, be very careful about the
FTM information.
After arriving in
The following account is given by Col. George M. Yoder as
written to Walter Hahn: "Hahn came upon the old pioneer's (Henry Whitener)
road heading for Whitener's home. But before reaching his home, night overtook
him and he went into camp in a beautiful oak grove near the house of the
pioneer, Paul Anthony (Paulus Antoni) now the farm of Charlie Burris. During
that night, a son was born in the wagon and he named him Christian Hahn."
Walter Hahn's note: "Johannes Hahn took up camp at that
location for four weeks and within this period of time, in company with his
sons, set about to locate their home in the south. After a few days
prospecting, he located and selected a homesite on both sides of Henry's River,
now Burke and
house, for his loom, since
he was a weaver by trade. The location of the above homesite of Pioneer Hahn is
five miles east or southeast of the present city of
Living in the wide open spaces, families had to call on all their resources just to survive. For instance, the efforts of Johannes Hahn's daughters on one occasion are recounted in Dr. Gary Freeze's "The Catawbans," a historical perspective of the region.
"Tories rode up unexpectly on the farm of John Hahn one day. Hahn, who lived a mile south of Henry
Weidner, had stood with other Whigs in the pledge of loyalty under the famous oak. Hahn was in the weave shed and quickly hid a bag of money under the floor. When Hahn refused to reveal the location of the bag, the Tories found a rope, looped it around his neck and according to G. M. Yoder, "drew him up till he turned blue." Exasperated, the Tories left the gasping Hahn and went to his barn to steal his horse. Two daughters rushed from the house, stationed themselves at the stable door, armed with axes, and announced to the bandits that "they intended to make sausage" of the first man to enter the door. The bandits left. Since Hahn lived until 1791, the daughters must have then rushed to free his neck."
Col. Yoder continued in the Hahn document, "In North Carolina he reared a second family. In addition to Christian, there were Peter, Jacob, Frederick, Utilla, Sarah and possibly one named Othelia. The earlier accounts on this family lists one unnamed daughter as having married Andrew Marks. One account only lists her name as Othelia. Grandfather Hahn did not indicate her name in the will. Perhaps she was the same as Utilly and had two marriages."
Mrs. Eaker was unable to determine anything further by the
records in the N.C. State Dept. of Archives regarding the settlement of the
estate.
"Legal document: Lincoln County, N.C. Deedbook 16 pg. 301:
Oct. 12, 1790 Christian Neigh of Lincoln County, N.C. to Martin Speagle and
John Hawn, Trustees of the Lutheran Congregation on Jacobs River, the South
Fork of the Catawba River, for five pounds lawful money of the state of North
Carolina. Ten acres for the purpose of these Deutsch Lutheran
congregation for divine Worship and school to instruct
youth. Part of 20 acres of
land granted to Christian Neigh of the then
"The first church structure was a two story log affair
about 30 by 36 ft. and finished with neatness and considerable ornament for
that period. There was a balcony across the south end, but only those who sat
on the front row of the balcony could see the pastor, the beauty of the pulpit
and the chancel. A sounding board was placed over the pulpit.
(Mrs. Eaker's note: the foregoing description was found in the
N.C. State Dept. of Archives in the church records. A similar account was given
in "History of Catawba County" edited by Charles J. Preslar Jr. which
also gives the following record about our Hahn progenitor:
"The edifice of the church was completed during the latter
part of 1791. A granddaughter of Trustee (Johannes) Hahn, Saloma Weaver
(daughter of Conrad and Elizabeth Margaret Hahn Weaver, was born March 18, 1791
and the grandfather was especially anxious that the child be baptised in the
new church. The father, however, not being pleased with the idea of deferring
the baptismal, had the child
baptised at
(Mrs. Eaker's note: the dispute must have been no small one to
have been recorded in the county history. The
(Inscription on the tombstone in German, translated by Walter
Hahn, "The one on the cross is my love, My love
is Jesus Christ, Johannes Han, born June 12, 1712." He died April 21,
1793.)
"Agnes Langlin Hahn is buried by his side with only a crude
stone
marker indicating her
grave."
Sources:
*Hahn family history compiled by G. M. Yoder at the request of
A.Q. Hahn, a great-grandson of John (Johannes) Hahn born 1712. Additional information by Allie Hawn Glenn in April 1949.
**Papers of Walter Hahn,
copied by Mary Hahn
Abernethy. The papers are in the archives of
**Birth records of the
**L.D. (Joe) Laughridge,
**Milly Hunt, 4111 Chambers
**Gladys Edwards, 1712 147 Ave. SE,
**Neil Bost Glenn,
**Phyllis Ferguson,
**Donna Bartholow, [email protected]
**Vickey Hahn, [email protected]
**Socrates Augustus Hahn, who found an old picture of an
unidentified couple with a framed article typed and pasted on the back. The
words have been blurred by silverfish eating into the paper so some of the
article is difficult to decipher. There is no indication of the author or when
it was written.
(Thanks to Vickey Hahn, [email protected] for information on
this
line.)
===============================================
Last Will and Testament of Johannes Hawn (Records of Family Tree
Maker) Provided by Mickey Woods and Betty Ramsey:
In the Name of God Amen. The nineteenth Day of April and in the year of our Lord one
Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety Three. I John Hawn (senior) of the
State of North Carolina, and County of Lincoln--Weaver, Being very sick and
weak in body, but of perfect mind and memory, Thanks be given unto God,
Therefore comming into mind the mortality of my body, and knowing that it is
appointed for all man once to die, do make and dain this Last Will and
Testament that is to say principally and first of all I give and recommand my
soul into the Hands of Almighty God that gave it, and my body I recommend to
the Earth to be buried in decent Christian burial at the descretion of my
Executors; Nothing doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive the
same again by the Mighty Power of God and as touching such worldly estate
wherewith it Hath Please God to Bless me in this live (life) I give demise and
dispose of the same in the following manner and form. I give and bequeth unto
my two beloved sons Christian Hawn and Fredrick Hawn my Plantation where I now
live on, containing three hundred acres farming land of Jacob and Abraham
Mayers granted to me by the aforesaid bearing date the 11th day of October one
thousand seven hundred and eighty three to have free and clear to them and
their Heirs for ever Nevertheless, my Dear beloved wife Angenis shall have her
decent Mantainance out of the aforesaid premises during her life time from my
two sons aforesaid, or if not performed by them to her asforesaid then she
shall have the priveledge to rent the plantation out so that she may be
maintained therefrom. And to my beloved son Jacob Hawn I give and bequeth
forever, on survey where he now lives on forming the plantation where I now
live on, the uper end thereof containing one hundred and fifty acres of level
land to my beloved daughter ___tily Hawn one Entry of land forming my bottometh
Land for which there is not yet any warrent come to hand. so
that the quantity may be known what there is of it, but let it be less or more
she shall enjoy the same forever. And to my daughter Sahra Hawn I give and
bequeth forever one survey forming my own lines and Fishers and Alexander
Martins land granted by States Patton Bearing date the eight day of May 1789.
And all my movable Estate I will and ordain to be sold by way of public venue
by my Executors hereafter Mentioneth Except my wifes bed and bed---- to be left
to her use during her live (life) time and to be equally divided amongst my
wife and all my children, except what some of My children have received from me
formerly there shall be so much of ---------divided part deducted, except this
last mentioneth children. There shall not any deduction be made of there
(their) share of the moveable estate. I constitute and ordain my well beloved
son Joshua Hawn and my trusty friend John Willfong (?) my sole executors of
this my last will and testament and I do hereby utterly disallow revoke and
dis--- all and every other former testament wills and bequests and executors by
me in any wise before named willeth and bequethed ratifying this and confirming
this and no other to be my last will and testament In witness-------Of I have
herunto set my hand and seal the day and year at first-----------other
side---------
(signed) John Hawn his marke
�
Signed sealed Published Pronounced and declared by the said John
Hawn as his last will and testament in the Presence of us the Subscribers.
Abraham Mayers his marke
Henry Wh------
Johannes Hahn: