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A Brief and CondensedHistorical Sketch of the Old Pioneer,
John Hahn“A Brief and Condensed Historical Sketch of the Old Pioneer,
John Hahn, prepared by G. M. Yoder at the request of A.Q. Hahn, a great-grandson of John Hahn.”

In the writing of a historical sketch of those old pioneers who were born and
reared in the old country, and who came to America, it is a difficult
undertaking to get all the facts connected with their lives and characters.
All the writers have to resort to traditionary history for items and very often
that they are incorrect ideas have been advanced, which brings forth incorrect
statements, and they so appear in historical sketches in relating the true point
of the old pioneer life and character.

All we know about this old pioneer, John Hahn, is by the gathering of
fragmentary collections of traditionary history. First, we find a slip of paper,
written in the German language, in his large German Bible that was printed in
1733, twenty-one years after he was born, which reads in German, “John Hahn wahr
geboren 12 of Junie, 1712, in Germany Frankanfeld.” That is, John Hahn was born
June 12, 1712 in Frankanfeld, Germany, and he died in the year 1789 at the age
of seventy-seven years.

This old paper, as found, says he came to America n 1751, landing at the port of
Philadelphia. According to that slip of paper he was thirty-eight years in
America and, according to the date of his death, he was thirty-nine years of age
when he came to America. We cannot tell what the given names of his father and
mother were - that is a hidden mystery to his descendants of today.
It seems that he was a single man when he came to America from the following
traditionary, historical facts; that he was a man of moderate circumstances;
that, when he was carried away by the great tidal wave for immigration to
America, he came down the Rhyne River to Rotterdam to take shipping to America
and landed at the port of Philadelphia. Then, after taking the required oath of
allegiance to the crown of England, it was found that he did not have enough
money to pay his fare across the ocean. Then he was hired-out to raise the
remainder of the money.

After his time expired as a tenant, he went out into the country and worked as a
laborer until he had gathered enough money to purchase a small farm. After he
had accomplished this, he took to himself a help-mate for life and settled down
to hard labor - perhaps it was in Lancaster County hear where the old pioneer,
Henry Whitener, lived and he remained in the same vicinity for about fifteen
years. Then traditionary history says he came to the sunny Southland with his
wagons, teams, wife and the following children; Benedict (or Bennett), Joshua,
John, Peter, George, Elizabeth and Jacob, in the year 1766 when he was
fifty-four years of age.

He lived in the sunny Southland twenty-three years and died in 1789, age
seventy-seven years, according to the epitaph on his tombstone. During these
twenty-three years there were born the following children: Christian, Frederick,
Uttllla, Sarah and another daughter whose name we do not remember.
“When he came to the South he followed the old pioneer Whitener’s trail,
crossing the Catawba River at Sherrill’s Ford. Then he came upon the old
pioneer’s (Henry Whitener) road heading for Whitener’s home. But, before
reaching his hone, night overtook him and he went into camp in a beautiful oak
grove near the house of the old pioneer, Paul Anthony, now the farm of Charlie
Burris. During that night a son was born in the wagon and he named him
Christian. There is no doubt that the wife of Paul Anthony gave her all the
attention necessary while he remained in camp four weeks. While he remained
there, in camp, he explored the county to find a place to settle. It seems that
he first went to the old pioneer Whitener, as they had been intimate friends and
neighbors, and he wanted to live in the same vicinity. So he selected a large
place on the Whitener creek, adjoining the lands of Whitener,, which he either
bought or entered - but we are inclined to think that he had entered the same
and settled about one mile northeast of Whitener’s home.

During this four week’s encampment, his sons and himself went to work and put up
a temporary house, no doubt of round logs from the forest and covered in the
old-fashioned way with clapboards and perhaps a ground floor, for shelter
through the inclement weather; and, after this was done, put up other
necessary shacks. It was the law in Germany, at that day, that every young man
had to learn a trade of some kind and he chose the weaving trade, then the next
shack put up was for a loom house wherein he could do the weaving.
Then, after these things were completed, he moved to this place and settled down
for life, which was a space of about twenty-three years, in enjoyment of hard
labor and industry with the woodman’s axe opening lands and fields.
He was of the Lutheran faith and, when he dame to America, he brought that faith
with him. As there were no churches in the country the neighborhood, though
sparsely settled, resolved to build a house of worship. The place selected was
in the forks of rivers where Christian Nigh gave a site of ten acres. He was one
of the principal founders of the House and afterwards erected a log House and
completed they called it “Zion’s Church”, the name it bears today.

During these twenty-three years he saw many trials and difficulties which he had
to pass through. Soon the seven year’s was with the Indians was upon him, as he
came about nine years before the Revolutionary war was opened, and he had to
pass through that scene. He was a warm supporter of the American freedom and
independence and stood side by side with Henry Whitener, Conrad Yoder, George
Wilfong, Michael Schell and other warm friends of that cause. He furnished two
of his sons in the American army, who were Benedict (or Bennett) and Joshua, and
they went through the campaign unhurt and returned safely home. Then these
patriot men entered into a covenant that was like the old Abraham covenant “to a
thousand generations” and stood together and voted the same old Jeffersonian
democratic ticket for one hundred and sixteen years, and never divided, so did
their descendants until about 1890. You know the cause of that.

After the Revolutionary war there was a gang of bandits, who was headed by one
Joe Brown, roving over the country plundering and robbing the people. So it
happened while this old pioneer, John Hahn, was in his loom house weaving he
spied this gang of plunderers come to his house. It is said that he threw his
money purse under the floor. They came to his loom house and demanded his money.
They told him if he did not tell where it was they would hang him. This had no
bearing and he still refused to tell where it was hidden. So, according to their
threatnings, they gathered a rope that was found in the loom house and fastened
it around his neck. They again demanded he tell them where his money was but,
true to his word, would not tell them. So they drew him up until he got, as it
was said, blue. Then at last they let him down and told him that if he would
not tell them where his money was they would take his fine steed, and two of his
daughters heard their remark. And it is said that they ran to the wood pile and
gathered the axes and ran to the stable and took their stand at the door; and,
when they came to the stable and demanded the door to be opened, they stood
there with drawn axes and said that the first one who attempted to open the door
they intended to make sausage of him. They were stout and robust young women and
possessed the courage of lions. They scared the bandits so bad that they left in
a big hurry and never got the fine steed.

Then he, John Hahn, died in 1789. He was buried at Zion’s church cemetery (near
Hickory, North Carolina now) where a headstone marks his grave and the epitaph
is engraved with English letters, though pronounced in German. His wife is also
buried there, and almost all of the family. Many of their descendants are
resting in this same cemetery. They, John Hahn, and wife, had the following
children: the first named were born in Pennsylvania, of which there were seven -
Benedict (or Bennett), Joshua, John, Peter, Elizabeth, George and Jacob. These
were born between 1751 and 1766, which was fifteen years. The other five were
born after they came to the sunny Southland-Christian, who was born in a wagon
while in camp, Frederick, Uttilla, Sarah and another daughter whose name we do
not have, as afore mentioned.

Benedict (or Bennett), the oldest, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war and,
after peace was declared, married a Miss Houk and bought the place where Jacob
Dellinger used to live. He sold this farm to Joe Hunsucker, after he had seven
grown children, and went to Ohio. His oldest son, David, had married Catharine
Whitener, the daughter of Benjamin Whitener, and had bought the Boldozzer place,
which was owned by the late Pink Deitz, and had settled on it. He, David,
remained in this county and died there and was buried in the cemetery at Zion’s
church. His wife, Catharine, is also buried there. (Benedict had other children
but they went to Ohio with him). David, son of Benedict, and Catharine W. Hahn’s
children were: John, who had married Margaret Miller; Daniel, who had married
Anna Seitz; Henry, who had married Lovina Seitz; David, who had married Sallie
Seitz; Jesse, who had married Anna Link; Betsey, who had married John Barger;
(the next line on the paper, from which this was copied, was almost illegible
but we are inclined to believe it was: “Anna, who had married Christian Hahn
II,” as you will note in the last paragraph of this page).

Joshua, the second son of John Hahn, had married Phillip Miller’s daughter and
also went to Ohio, and we cannot give any account of his children.
John, the third son of John Hahn, had married, but we do not know to whom, and
settled on Henry’s fork not far from the Henry Mills. This farm was owned by
David Link. Hahn sold it and went to Indiana.

Peter, the fourth son, had also married and settled on Henry’s river, adjoining
the lands of John. He too sold this farm and went to Indiana.

George, the fifth son, married and settled in the section of the lands of Peter.
He had built a mill on the Little Mountain creek. He told these lands to a Mr.
Davenport and too went to Indiana. Consequently, we cannot give any account of
them.

Jacob, the sixth son, had married a Miss Burns and settled on the Whitener or
Robinson creek. They begat David, Jacob and a daughter who married John Miller,
son of Henry Miller. There were several other children whom we never learned. He
committed suicide by hanging himself in the back room after night.
Elizabeth, the first daughter of John Hahn, had married Conrad Weaver, who was a
member of Zion’s church. They begat Jacob, John, Absalom, David, Sarah, Saloma
and Elizabeth. Jacob had married Christena Yoder; John never married; Absalom
had married Catharine Deitz; David had married a Miss Lowman and went to
Georgia; Sarah had married John B. Whitener; Saloma had married Joe Fisher;
Elizabeth died single; these are all buried at Zion’s church grave-yard, except
David.

Christian, the first born in the South, as before said in camp when his father
was fifty-four years old, had married Magdalena Schell and settled on the old
homestead. They begat David, Simpson, Samuel and Christian. David married
Phillip Miller’s daughter and went to Bullinger county, Missouri; Simpson
married Hannah Whitener, a daughter of Benjamin Whitener and also went to
Missouri; Samuel had married Barbara Dellinger and went to St. Francis county,
Missouri; Christian married Anna Hahn, daughter of David Hahn, and settled
first on the old home place, then sold this farm to F. L. Herman and went to
Mississippi but, in a few years, returned to North Carolina where he died and
was buried at Zion’s church, where his wife was also buried. They, Christian II
and Anna Hahn, begat Noah, Prof. G. W., Elijah, Christian III, James, Sampson
and six daughters. The first daughter, Gertrude, married David Barger; the
second, Catharine, had married David Whitener; the third daughter, Rachel, had
married Peter Yoder and went to St. Francis County, Missouri; the fourth,
Mollle, had married Emanuel Deitz and went to Mississippi; the fifth, Sallie,
had married Solomon Bowman; the sixth, Amy, died single.

Frederick, the second son of John Hahn born in the South, had married Caroline
Fisher and settled on the old farm. They begat Moses, John, Abner, Stephen and
four daughters. Moses never married; John married Betsey Deitz; Abner married
Mary Catharine Rink, George Rink’s daughter; Stephen died single; Hannah had
married George Settlemeyer; Sarah married Jonas Fye, who died in the late War
Between the States; the other two, Dinah and Barbara, never married,
Uttilla, the second daughter of John Hahn, had married Elias Yoder and went to
Indiana.

Sarah, the third daughter of John Hahn, married Henry Reep and went to Indiana.
They had several children. He was drowned in a few years while attempting to
cross a swollen stream.

The last daughter, whose name we do not know, of the old pioneer, John Hahn,
married a Mr. Marks and also went to Indiana.
John Hahn, the old pioneer, was the father and progenitor of the “Hahns” in
Catawba County.

(Somewhere and sometime, along the line, the spelling of “Hahn” was changed to
H-a-w-n by certain members of the family. Today it is spelled both ways.)
This part completed by Allie Hawn Glenn and her son, Neil Bost Glenn about 1949:
“The following pages concern the children, grand-children and great
grand-children of Abner and Mary Catharine Rink Hawn. Abner Hawn was the son of
Frederick and Caroline Fisher Hawn and the grand-son of the old pioneer, John
Hahn.”

Abner Hawn, born October 28, 1821, was married to Mary Catharine Rink, who was
born July 21, 1835, and settled in Catawba county, North Carolina. They begat
the following children:Lovina Lucinda, born August 15, 1857; Camila Emoline,
born March 25, 1860; Emanuel Silvenes, born August 31, 1862; Lydia Caroline,
born April 13, 1866; Perry Pinkney, born July 16, 1870; Able Quincey, born
October 21, 1873; and Oliver Darius, born August 15, 1878. One died in infancy.

1. Lovina Lucinda Hawn never married. She died on November 29, 1929 and was
buried in Old St. Paul’s cemetery, near Newton, North Carolina.
2. Camila Emoline Hawn was married to Max Emanuel Huffman in 1883 and to this
union were born the following children: Charles A., Thomas, Macon Abner, Jennie
C., Mary, Jacob M., Myrtle, Ora Lee and Essie Mae:

Charles A. Huffman was married to Mary Reece on June 7, 1903, and to
them were born the following children: Luther, Lillie Mae, Elizabeth, Vernon,
Anderson, Augustus, Calvin, Ellen and two who died in infancy.

Thomas Huffman married Lula Ellis and they were parents of three
children: Clarence, Geneva and Albert.

Rev. Macon A. Huffman and Sadie Beck were married April 13, 1914. To
this union were born five children: M. A., Jr., Fred, Gilbert, John and Ruth.

Jennie C. Huffman was married to Abel P. Whitener on December 18,
1904. To them were born five children: William H., Andrew M., Oliver P., Forrest
B., and Thelma C.

Mary Huffman and Lonnie Whitener were married in the year 1907 and
they were the parents of six children: Monroe, Claude, Eugene, Thomas, J. C, and
Annie.

Jacob M. Huffman was married to Sudie Sizemore and to this union were
born four children: Macon, Edgar, Marvin and Oscar.

Myrtle Huffman and Otis H. Hunt, married September 4, 1910, were
parents of eight children: Estelle, Paul, Roy Lee, Nevin, Inez, Willard, Billie
and LaMarr.

Ora Lee Huffman married Dan Lefone on August 11, 1912. They had no
children.

Essie Mae Huffman married Hubert Frye in 1920 and to then were born
seven children: James, Harvey, Lucille, Helen, Betty, Nancy and Doris.

3. Emanuel Silvenes Hawn and Frances Annie Lee Bollinger (born December 19,
1869) were married December 1, 1889 and to then were born the following
children: Daisy Pearl, born September 4, 1890; Bessie Myrtle, born December 7,
1892; Blakie Genell, born November 15, 1895; Annie Lee, born December 13, 1897;
Minnie Mae, born February 2, 1901; Fred Franklin, born May 1, 1904; Roy Eugene,
born July 15,1910.

Daisy Pearl Hawn married John H. Drum and to them were born the
following children: Lois, Clinton, Thelma, Edith and Pauline.

Bessie Myrtle Hawn was married to Edgar T. Barker and they were
parents of the following children: Carl L., Pearl, J. E., Margie and Billie
Catharine.

Blakie Genell Hawn was married to Hoyle Setzer and to them were born
the following children: Rhyne, Ned, George, Mary Nell, Fannie Mae, Catharine,
Dorthea and two died in infancy.

Annie Lee Hawn married Glossie Drum and had. The following children:
Ted, Veary, Josephine, Clifford, Coleen, Boyd and one who died in infancy.

Minnie Mae Hawn married Arthur Campbell and they were parents of the
following children: Glenn, Ben Neal and Gay.

Fred Franklin Hawn was married to Theo Edwards and they had two sons:
Billy and Charlie.

Roy Eugene Hawn and Cleo Huffman were married and their two daughters
are Joyce and Sylvia Ann.

4. Lydia Caroline Hawn and Leander Denford Lutz Witherspoon were married
December 13,1887 and to them the following children were born: Sarah Essie,
Ivey Aderholdt, Herbert Eugene, Annie Gertrude, Clarence Bryan, Mary Pearl, Fred
Leander, Marvin Howard and Loy Hawn:

Sarah Essie Witherspoon was married to John Henry Hewitt August 30,
1911 and they were parents of the following children: Irene, J. H. Jr., Annie
Pearl, Coyt, Frances, Ray, Grover, Carlton and Nancy.

Ivey Aderholdt Witherspoon married Esther Hewitt and had no children.

Herbert Eugene Witherspoon married Neta Hewitt. Their children were
James Denford, Nancy Eugenia and John William.

Annie Gertrude Witherspoon was married to John Troutman and their
children were Jaenette, Frances Scott and one died in infancy.

Clarence Byran Witherspoon first married Bertie Mundy. They had three
children: Osborne Denford, Inez and Frances Lee. His second wife was Cora
McMlllian. His third wife was Willie Hoke.

Mary Pearl Witherspoon was never married.

Fred Leander Witherspoon died in infancy, October 5, 1901.

Marvin Howard Witherspoon was married to Pauline Hollar and their
children were: Martha and Harold,

Loy Hawn Witherspoon was married to Catharine Wilson and they were
parents of three sons: Loy Hawn, Jr., Joe and Beverly. At this writing Loy Hawn
Witherspoon, Sr., and his wife, Catharine W. Witherspoon, are deceased - Loy on
December 8, 1935 and Catharine in March, 1941.

5. Perry Pinkney Hawn was married to Candace Hawn and to them were born the
following children: William, Katie, Pearl, Virgie, Moses and two who died in
infancy:

William Hawn married Marie Byers, of South Carolina, and their
children were: Frances, and Kelsie.

Katie Hawn married Wilburn Sipe, of Hickory, North Carolina, and to
them were born the following children; Allie, Gracie, Melvin, Gwynn, Bernice and
Nadine (deceased).

Pearl Hawn never married.

Virgie Hawn was married to Henry Marion Beal and they were parents of
the following children: Earl Rowe, Mary Leona, Clyde Pinkney, Tom Martie and
two deceased.

Moses Hawn married Ruth Grindstaff, of Newton, North Carolina, and
they had one son -Wayne.

6. Able Quincey Hawn and Mary Claudia (Mamie) Bost were married November 17,
1895 and were parents of the following; children: Claude Henderson Hawn, born
January 20,1897; Zelda Pearl Hawn, born December13, 1898; Guy Summey Hawn,
born February5, 1902; Nettie Lee Hawn, born February 7, 1904; Nannie Elizabeth
Hawn, born December 7, 1907;Mary Sue Hawn, born June 19, 1913; Alice Blanche
Hawn, born July 18, 1917; one, Herman, died in infancy:

Claude Henderson Hawn was married to Nell Green and to this union no
children were born.

Zelda Pearl Hawn was married to Loy F. Miller and to them were born
the following children: Harold, Helen, Evelyn, Dorothy Nell, Mary Frances, Joe
Ervin, John Alvin, Ravonda Pearl, Barbara Jean and Charles.

Guy Summey Hawn was married to Vesta Cline and to them was born one
daughter, Marcelle.

Nettie Lee Hawn was married to Thomas J. Hall and to them three
children were born: Graham, Nina Jean and Mary Lou.

Nannie Elizabeth Hawn was married to Luther Sipe and they had two sons
- Joe and Ned.

Mary Sue Hawn was married to Fred Clement and to them was born one
son, Raeford.

Alice Blanche Hawn was married to Lewis Green and they had no
children.

7. Oliver Darius Hawn and Lela Pearl Bost were married on November 25, 1903 and
to this union were born the following children: Clyde McCoy, born October 17,
1905;Alice Edna Ganelle (Allie), born August 2, 1908; Mary Lou, born March 1,
1913; Oliver Darius II, born January 10, 1915;Phillip Neal, born September 1,
1918:

Clyde McCoy Hawn was married to Juanita Smith of Whiteville, North
Carolina, and to them were born two sons; Heinrich Von, January 1, 1940 and Hoke
Baird, July 31, 1941.

Allie Hawn was married to Ross William Glenn, of Burlington, North
Carolina, on April 20, 1930and to them was born one son, Neil Bost Glenn, on
September 8, 1931.

Mary Lou Hawn died at the age of thirteen months and is buried in Old
St. Paul’s cemetery near Newton, North Carolina.

Oliver Darius Hawn II and Christine Ellen Coleman were married
December 24, 1936 and to them were born two sons: Oliver D. Ill, who died in
infancy, and Darius Coleman, June 9, 1946.

Phillip Neal Hawn and Hazel Jeanette Smith were married on September
12, 1936 and to this union were born two Children: Linda Lee, January 5, 1939
and Phillip Neal, Jr., November 18, 1944.

-end-

This page was compiled by Linda H. Setzer,. You may write her at Linda Setzer (lhsetzer@embarqmail.com.) Please return to Johannes Hahn Home Page where you may sign the guestbook.