The Westhoven Family

Albert Westhoven was born March 11, 1830. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Westhoven, were born in Rheinbreitbach, Prussia, on the River Rhein, Germany. His parents were well-to-do and received a good education. Albert served three years in the German Army. In 1857 at age 27 years he came to America because he chose the more freedom here and he heard of young America, and he could see a better life here of more freedom. He worked two years at different jobs, accumulated a little money, married Mary Magdelen Konzan, also of Rheinbreitbach, who came over here at the same time.

He bought 160 acres after being here two years. It was located five miles north of Napoleon on Route 108, known for a long time as the Kretz Bro.'s farm. They were married in St. Augustine's Catholic Church in Napoleon. There was no marriage celebration. They lived in a log cabin, furnished with a stove, two chairs, and a trunk which served as a table. Their tools were a borrowed grub hoe and their own two hands. They accumulated about 400 acres by hard work.

The children attended school at a country school. They had ten children. They attended church at St. Augustine's Catholic Church. All ten children were born here in Henry County: Frank born Feb. 17, 1860; Margaret born Mar. 9, 1861; Mary born Aug. 18, 1862; Clara born Dec. 9, 1863; Albert born Aug. 9, 1865; Elizabeth born Jan. 14, 1868; Joseph born June 29, 1869; John born Apr. 12, 1871; Anna born Feb. 12, 1873; Adda was born Sept. 14, 1874.

In 1876 they went to Europe to visit relatives. It was a two and one-half month trip by boat, speedier than the one made in 1857 when they came here. When they returned to America, they bought each of the ten children wearing apparel from Germany. In 1890 they again sailed with their youngest daughter, Adda, on steamship Friesland. They landed at Antwerp. They spent three months in Germany visiting his brother, John, at Bonn and Joseph at Rheinbreitbach.

In 1892 he suffered an attack of la grippe which he never recovered. On August 15th he passed away. He was buried from St. Augustine's Catholic Church. The cortege of horse-drawn vehicles at the funeral was over a mile long, showing the esteem with which he was held by his neighbors and friends. His honesty, business ability, and untiring physical energy were known to all. He was especially known for his charity and deeply religious convictions.

An incident which to this day has never been explained happened at the exact hour of his burial. A noise like an explosion was heard in the house by the women who were there cooking the dinner for the family and mourners. Upon returning from the cemetery his wife, Mary, noticed that the safe door was open but the bolts were still locked. She opened it with anxious moments but nothing was disturbed. It remains a mystery why this happened. Mary died at age 88, July 5th, 1922. She received a Medal of Honor from the Red Cross for the many dozens of socks knitted during the First World War for the men at war. She loved to read both English and German papers in her advanced years. She received a very good education while still in Germany. They are buried on a family plot in the Napoleon Catholic Cemetery.

Their son, Joseph Westhoven, married Elizabeth Connolly, daughter of Paul and Hannah Connolly, who resided on a farm east of Liberty Center of whom three sons and three daughters were born. Joseph passed away in 1937; Elizabeth in 1954. Son, Bernard, also farmed at the same location, passed away in 1958. Surviving him are his wife, Mary, and her family - Jane (Mrs. Thomas Noyes), Vincent, Carl, George, Susan (Mrs. Robert Steffie), Rose (Mrs. Dale Dunlap), Bernard, Peter, Janis, and Joann.

Another son, Francis, still resides on the same farm east of Liberty Center, Washington Township.

Lawrence Westhoven, Joseph's second oldest son, taught in the Ireland School in Washington Township for two years before he became a priest of the Passionist Missionary Society located in Detroit. He was sent to Chinkiang, Hunan Province, in interior China in 1921. He was there for 29 years, helping to build hospitals and schools and caring for their spiritual needs. When the Communists took over China in 1951, he was imprisoned for eighteen months on trumped-up charges of spying for the U.S. Government. He was tortured in many ways and put on trial during that time. He was freed but many other priests were killed. He was chosen to accompany his Bishop who was dying to the U.S. An act of God and an answer to prayers. He is now retired at St. Paul's Monastery in Detroit.

Bernard's son is Dr. Joseph Westhoven, a kidney specialist in Toledo, Ohio. Another son is Fr. Thomas Westhoven, located at Dehon Seminary in Massachusetts. Also John and Lawrence Westhoven are continuing farming in Washington Twp. Sister Mary Ann Westhoven, a Dominican, a daughter of Francis and Alta Westhoven, is doing pastoral work at Good Samaritan Hospital in Dayton. William, James, and Gerald, sons of Francis and Alta Westhoven are continuing farming in the county. Donald Westhoven is a realtor in Napoleon. Paul Westhoven, surveyor. Anthony, working with the employment services and Eugene in the lumber business - all in Henry County.

Two other daughters reside in Henry County. Mrs. Joseph Schuster, Virginia, and her family live on U.S. Route 24 near Texas, Ohio. Mrs. William Hoeffel, Norrine, and her family live in Anthony Wayne Acres in Napoleon. Another daughter, Mrs. James Thompson, Catherine, and her family are living in Leicestershire, England, temporarily.

Albert, another son of Albert and Mary Westhoven, was a prominent butcher in Napoleon for years. He had five children. The only living of that family is Gresence Westhoven who resides in Napoleon.

John had no children and Frank's children are all deceased.