Obit: Hrach, Ferdinand Sr. (1857 - 1943)

Contact: Crystal Wendt
Email:  crystal@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Hrach, Pschiedl, Letsch, Aumann, Ackerman, Hansen, Mills, Biegler

----Sources: The Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) 18 March 1943

Hrach, Ferdinand Sr. (29 Jan. 1857 - 16 March 1943)

Ferdinand Hrach, Sr., passed away at 9:30 p.m. March 16th, 1943, at St. Joseph’s hospital, Marshfield, where he had been a patient since Feb. 4th. He was taken sick at his home here about Nov. 1, 1942.

Mr. Hrach was born Jan. 29th, 1857, near Hartmanitz, Bohemia, Austria. He grew to manhood in his native country and it was there that he was educated and learned the brewing business. After the required number of years in school and at his trade, the young man spent some time traveling to various parts of Europe.

In June of the year 1881, he came to the United States, and on May 20th the following year, he was married to Theresia Pschiedl at Marshfield, where Mr. Hrach was employed for a time in a brewery. The couple lived there and at Spencer for a short time before coming to Neillsville in 1883 to work at Eilert Brewery. In 1884 he purchased 80 acres of land in North Pine Valley, developing it into a beautiful and productive farm, which remained the family home until it was sold, in 1922, to Nicholas Letsch.

Mr. and Mrs. Hrach were the parents of four children, namely, Ferdinand Hrach, Jr., Pine Valley; John, who was born in Dec., 1884, and died in May of 1885; Mrs. Mary Aumann, Richmond, Wis., and Freda Theresa, at home. There also are eight grandchildren: Lawrence P. Hrach, Agnes M. Hrach, Celia Hrach Ackerman, Francis H. Hrach, Margaret Hrach Hansen, Viola Hrach Mills, Claude John Aumann and Walter Ferdinand Aumann, and six great-grandchildren: Donald Aumann, Marvin Charles Aumann, Walter DeVere Aumann, Mary Angeline Aumann, Dorothy Anne Ackerman and Mary Katherine Hansen. The grandson, Pfc. Francis H. Hrach, now serving his country with the Q. M. Trucking Co. in Topeka, Kan., visited his grandfather at the hospital two weeks ago.

After selling the home farm, Mr. and Mrs. Hrach took a much deserved rest and vacation after years of toil and close application to their family and farm, by spending a year in Oregon and a year in California. In 1925 they bought a home in Neillsville, which later was sold to their nephew, Walter Aumann. Mrs. Hrach passed way at St. Joseph’s hospital, Marshfield, April 13th, 1927. Since then, Mr. Hrach came and went as he desired, usually spending his winters in Southern California and the summer months in Neillsville, Wis. Since 1940, however, he had done little traveling. He built a new house just west of the former home where his daughter, Freda, kept house for him and cared for him when he was ill.

Mr. Hrach was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church. He was ideal citizen, contributing much toward the up building of the community. As a workman, he produced to the limit of his strength and talent and as a neighbor and friend he was kindly, fair and just at all times. In his home life he was warm hearted and generous.

The body will removed from the Schiller-Terhune Funeral Home to the family resident at 172 West 14th St., at noon today (Thursday), where a Rosary service will be held at 8 p.m. this evening.

Funeral services will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, March 20th, the Rev. Father J. A. Biegler officiating. Burial will be made in the Catholic Cemetery.

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----Sources: The Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) 25 March 1943

In attendance at the rites which were held for Ferdinand Hrach, Sr., at St. Mary’s Catholic Church Saturday morning, March 20, were the following children: Ferdinand Hrach, Jr., Mrs. Mary Aumann and Freda Theresa Hrach; the grandchildren, Lawrence Hrach, Agnes M. Hrach, Celia (Hrach) Ackerman, Margaret (Hrach) Hansen, Viola (Hrach) Mills, and the great- grandchildren, Donald A. Aumann, Marvin C. Aumann, Walter D. Aumann, Mary A. Aumann, Dorothy Ann Ackerman and Mary Kathryn Hansen.

This group includes all the descendants of the departed with the exception of one grandson, Francis Henry Hrach, who is in the army and who had visited his grandfather but a short time before his death.

The pallbearers were Claude and Walter Aumann, Lawrence Hrach, Henry Aumann, Glen Mills and Arthur Ackerman.