John Hunke(1), born ------ --, 1850? in the German kingdom of Prussia. Nothing is known of his parentage and little is known of his life, nor is it even certain that his first name was John, as the tradition preserving it is of uncertain provenance. He left his native country and immigrated to America at an unknown date prior to 1875. In that year he had married and was living in Indiana.

He married, ------ --, 18-- in ------, Augusta ------. Her maiden name may have been Kruger (she was living with a nephew of that name in 1920; he could, however, have been the son of a sister as easily as of a brother). She was born January --, 1848 in Prussia to parents who were also born in Prussia. She came to America in 1874, whether before or after her marriage is not known. If after, she may have made the journey in her husband’s company. In America Augusta learned and became literate in the English language.

Children:

  1. Helena R----- Hunke, born February 17, 1875 or April --, 1876 in ------, Indiana.
  2. Heinrich W----- Hunke (Henry), born February 9, 1877 in Logansport, Cass County, Indiana.
Mr. Hunke died in 1877 of a gunshot wound sustained while cleaning a muzzle-loading firearm. Presumably soon afterwards Augusta and the two children moved to Mound City on Lake Minnetonka, Hennepin County, Minnesota, where the children are said to have been raised. In 1880 the three were living some three miles away with the family of Captain Francis Carman in Minnetrista in the same county. Augusta was employed by the Carmans as a domestic servant at the time.

Augusta married (second), about 1882 in ------, August Zodrow. He was born February --, 1848 in one of the many independent states which then made up Germany, to parents who were also born in Germany. He immigrated to America in 1872; probably he was the 24-year old farmer "August Zodwon" recorded as arriving on the Cimbria in New York from Hamburg and Le Havre on October 10, 1872. He learned and became literate in English, and became a naturalized citizen.

August and Augusta had no children together, though August served as stepfather to Augusta's children from her first marriage.

In 1900 the Zodrows were living on a mortgaged farm in Rockwood Township, Wadena County, Minnesota. August's occupation was given as farmer. Both children married and left home in that year, but their parents were not left alone, for they still had with them Augusta's five year-old grandson William O----- Hunke , natural son of Helena by a man born in Wisconsin.

Augusta Zodrow became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1908.

Little is known of the Zodrows' subsequent history. They were not living in Wadena County in 1910, having likely moved to North Dakota in 1902 with their grandson and made their home in Bonetraill Township, Williams County.

August Zodrow died before 1920. In that year his widow Augusta was living on the farm of her nephew Ernest Kruger in Blacktail Township, Williams County, North Dakota.

In 1924 Augusta was living with her daughter Helena Kunde (by then also widowed) at 200 Wilbur Avenue, Yuba City, in Sutter County, California. There, on March 6, 1924, Augusta died at the age of 76, following a lingering illness. Her funeral was held on March 8, with her Kunde grandchildren acting as pallbearers. She was buried in the family plot in Yuba City. Her grave, the third in the plot that also contains those of her daughter and son-in-law, bears a footstone with the following inscription, erroneous as to both the birth and death years:

GRANDMOTHER
AUGUSTA ZODROW
1852 - 1925

From Apr. 11, 2005 revision.
Posted Sep. 5, 2003.
Updated Aug. 17, 19, Sep. 10, 17, Oct. 11, 21, 2004, Jan. 17, Apr. 11, 2005.