Obituary: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin: Louise HILGEN

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Submitted by Mary Saggio, <sagg123@sbcglobal.net> September 2007

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The Cedarburg Weekly News
June 10, 1885
Cedarburg, Ozaukee, Wisconsin

OBITUARY -- Died in this city on Friday, June 4, 1885 at 4 o'clock in the
morning, Louise, relict of the last Frederick HILGEN, after a long and
painful sickness. The deceased was born at Hatten in the Grand Dukedom of
Oldenburg, Germany, on the 6th day of February 1814, and consequently had
reached the age of 71 years and four months lacking a few days. She had
with her husband 13 children of whom eight are yet alive, the rest dying
young at Charleston, South Carolina, where the parents resided first from
the year 1837 until 1843, when they removed to Milwaukee with the one
surviving child the present Mrs. D. WITTENBERG. It was chiefly on account
of the loss of the children, that a change of residence was thought by them
desirable. The late Frederick HILGEN had been in the United States several
years before his marriage, but returned from Charleston, S.C. to Germany
for the purpose of getting married to the deceased in the year 1837, and
their nuptials took place at Hatten on the 11th day of August 1837, after
which event the couple immediately returned to Charleston. In the year 1845
the family removed to Cedarburg where the deceased with her husband have
resided ever since. If it had not been on account of a local incurable
disease, the subject of this sketch might have lived many years longer as
she had a strong and robust constitution, enjoying life most heartily until
some time last fall when the fatal disease of which she died made her first
appearance. The deceased was of a most amiable and kind disposition and her
loss is heavily felt in the whole community. At all social gatherings she
was to be found and had a kind word to say to each on such occasions. As a
wife and mother she had few equals and no superiors, being busy all her
lifetime to secure the comfort of her husband and children. At every
birthday in the family extending to the many grand children, she was the
first to call on those who did not live with her but had a home of their
own, congratulating them, assisting in celebrating the event and making
appropriate birthday presents, which custom she kept up religiously until
she was taken ill. For the poor and needy she always had a good word and
assistance at hand.

The very large attendance at her funeral, which took place last Sunday at 2
o'clock P.M., was a sign of the love and respect she enjoyed in the
community in which she had resided for the last forty years. Weber's music
corps, aided by four musicians from Bach's Milwaukee Band, played funeral
pieces of music, preceding the hearse from the family mansion to the
cemetery. The funeral oration at the grave was delivered by Mr. Chas. WILKE
in a very impressive manner. The Cedarburg Maenner Choir sang a few verses
on the occasion and all that was mortal of her was then consigned to its
last resting place. Peace to her ashes.