Source: "Portrait and Biographical Record - Published 1894 by Excelsior Publishing Co., Chicago" Pages 600 - 601

Frederick Hasche is a self-made man, and a worthy pioneer of Herman Township, where he owns a farm on section 12. He was born in Harpstedt, Hanover, Germany, April 8, 1827, and is a son of Christopher and Maria (Miemann) Hasche. Both parents died in Germany, the father at the age of seventy-five years, and the mother when in her seventy-second year. The father operated a wagon-shop, and was an industrious man and good citizen. Of their family of eight sons and two daughters, all are deceased but our subject and his brother Christopher, who is still living on the old homestead in Germany.

Frederick Hasche received a common-school education in his native land, and after coming to the United States learned to speak and read English at Sunday-school. When fourteen years of age, he began learning the wagon-maker's trade with his father, and served an apprenticeship of four years. He then traveled, working for five years in Oldenburg, on the North Sea. For the two years of 1848 and 1849, he was in the German army, serving in the Third Company, Seventh Infantry. For six weeks he was stationed, under command of Gen. Hartman, at Hildesheim, and was ordered to fire at five o'clock p. M., but the town surrendered, thus saving much bloodshed. Afterward he went to Neanburg, and thence to Osnabruck, where he was stationed about a year. In 1852 he returned home and continued at his trade.

On the 1st of May, 1853, Mr. Hasche bade adieu to his native land, and sailed from Bremen to New York. He was on the Atlantic for fifty-seven days, and was on the Great Lakes for eight days, finally setting foot on dry land on the 4th of July, in Milwaukee. For three months he made railroad ties, but, as the company went into bankruptcy, he only received one month's pay. He decided to come to Sheboygan County, but, missing the boat at Milwaukee, walked to Port Washington. The boat had gone, however, when he reached there, and therefore he continued his journeys on foot to Herman Township. He was accompanied by his old friend and soldier comrade, Henry Theis, who had come to the United States with him. They bought eighty acres and divided it, making forty acres each, and they are still living on these original farms. Mr. Hasche has since added to his property, until he now has one hundred and twenty-two acres. By his own hard labor he has cleared one hundred acres, which were formerly covered with thick timber and inhabited by wild animals—deer, wolves, etc. On the place can be seen a number of modern improvements, and a fine artesian well furnishes abundance of water for the house and outdoor purposes.

In Sheboygan, Mr. Hasche was married in September, 1853, to Gesene Beneke, who was born in the same part of Germany as our subject, on the 14th of April, 1834. She is a daughter of Frederick Beneke, who died in 1864, at the home of our subject. His wife had passed away in their native land. Mrs. Hasche crossed the Atlantic in the same vessel as her future husband. She was called from this life June 20, 1880. They were the parents of seven children: Anna, now deceased, wife of Herman Schmidt, a farmer of Mosel Township; Marie, wife of Ernst Haarmann, who is a farmer of Herman Township; Diedrich, an agriculturist of Marathon County, Wis.; Henry, a farmer of Calumet County, Wis.; Helene, wife of Herman Ehrlich, who is also operating a farm in Calumet County; Sophia, who married Henry Poppe, of Marion, Wis.; and Fritz, who wedded Augusta Yopse, and now carries on the old homestead.

Mr. Hasche began life in the United States with a capital of only $100, and by his honest toil has made a competence and reared his children to useful lives. He is a man of intelligence, and is highly regarded by his fellow-townsmen. For some twenty years he has been Justice of the Peace, has also served as Supervisor, and for three terms was a member of the County Board. He is a stanch Republican, and, religiously, holds membership with the Presbyterian Church, to which his wife also belongs.

Return to the Sheboygan Page

Return to Bios page