Herman Henry Hovendick died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Fred Grabbe, near Spiker, last Friday morning at 2 o’clock, from cancer of the stomach and liver trouble. He had been ailing since last January but was seriously ill only about a week. The body was brought to this city and the funeral held at the German Lutheran church at 2 o’clock Sunday afternoon, Rev. A. W. Lambrecht officiating. There was a large attendance of relatives and friends, which shows something of the high esteem in which he was held. The G. A. R., of which he was a member, had charge of the services at the grave. Mr. Hovendick was born is Westphalia, Germany, July 25th, 1837, and came to this country when a lad of thirteen years, settling at Quincy, Ill. He enlisted in the 43rd Ill. Vol. Inf. and served during the war. He was married at Quincy and nine children were born to them, all of whom are living. They are: Henry, who lives on a farm near Herman; Mrs. Mac (Carrie) Rosenbalm, who lives south of Blair; Will lives near Herman also; Mrs. Sam (Amelia) VanHuss lives at Hydro, Okla.; Ed lives at Atlantic, Ia.; Frank on the old place south of Blair; Louis lives with his sister, Mrs. John Skinner, Jr., in this city and Mrs. Fred (Mary Anna) Grabbe, of Spiker. Mr. Hovendick came to this county in May, 1869 and settled on a farm eight miles south of town, where he lived until he moved to this city in June 1903. About six months after they moved here his wife died. He also leaves one brother, John, who lives near Herman, and two sister, Mrs. Henrietta Linden, of this city, and Mrs. Rachael Meyer, of St. Louis, Mo. It is an interesting fact that Mr. Hovendick’s death occurred in the same house and just ten years to the day of the oldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Grabbe.

#2-Published in the Tribune May 16, 1917

Herman H. Hovendick, one of the early settlers of this county, passed away at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Fred Grabbe, of near Spiker, on last Friday, May 11.

Mr. Hovendick was born in Westphalia, Germany, July 25, 1837 and came to America when about thirteen years of age, living in Quincy, Ill., until he was grown to manhood.

He was married Feb. 21, 1858 to Miss Marie Voth of Quincy, and the first three children were born there.

When the war broke out he joined the 43rd Illinois Infantry and served until the close of the war. On My 26, 1869 he came to Nebraska where he purchased a relinquishment in this county just eight miles south of Blair where he resided until he moved to Blair in 1903.

The fall following the move to Blair the wife died and since that time Mr. Hovendick has reside mostly in this city with his daughter, now Mrs. John Skinner.

To those who knew Mr. Hovendick it is useless to extoll his virtues. His friends were as many as his large acquaintanceship and no one ever spoke anything but kindly of him. He was of a quiet cheerful disposition and his life was an exemplification of a type of character well worth emulating.

The children, nine in number, are all living and were present at the funeral services which were held at the German Lutheran Church in this city on last Sunday at 2 p.m. in the presence of a host of old acquaintances and friends. The children left to mourn him are as follows: Henry, Will, Frank, Louis, Mrs. Mac Rosenbalm, Mrs. Fred Grabbe, and Mrs. John Skinner all of this county and Ed of Atlantic, Iowa, and Mrs. Sam Van Huss of Oklahoma.

#3-Published in the Blair Democrat May 19, 1917

H.H. Hovendick Funeral One Of Largest Held In County

The funeral of H. H. Hovendick Sunday afternoon was one of the largest ever held in Washington County, the procession of autos filled with sorrowing friends being over a mile long.

Henry Hovendick was a pioneer resident of Nebraska coming to Washington County in 1869, and has lived here continuously up to the time of his death at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Fred Grabbe, on May 11, 1917, of infirmities due to old age. Mr. Hovendick was a veteran of the Civil War, having enlisted in the 43rd Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and fought till the close of the war, being honorably discharged on Nov. 30, 1865.

Henry Herman Hovendick was born in West Phalia, Germany, July 25, 1837, and died near Blair on May 11, 1917, aged 79 years, 9 months and 16 days. He came to America when thirteen years of age and settled at Quincy, Ill., where he was married February 21, 1858, to Miss Marie Voth. In 1869 he came to Nebraska settling on his home farm in the Maney School District eight miles south of Blair on May 25, 1869, where he continued to live until June 1903, when he retired and moved to Blair. His wife died Nov. 24, 1903. Mr. Hovendick was the father of nine children all of whom are living. They are Henry, Will, Ed, Frank, Louie, Mrs. Mac Rosenbaum, Mrs. S. V. Van Huss, Mrs. Fred Grabbe and Mrs. John Skinner, Jr. He is survived by one brother, John Hovendick, and two sister, Mrs. Henriette Linden, and Mrs. Rachel Meyer, of St. Louis and twenty-nine grandchildren.

The funeral services were conducted by Rev. A. W. Lambrecht from the German Lutheran Church at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 13, 1917, and interment made in Blair Cemetery by the side of his deceased wife.

Obituaries courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clipping on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.