Family History in Germany

I have been asked many times in the last 3 months if I am enjoying my job, and my answer is always “yes!”  And when people ask me what I actually do, I say “well…..”  There are many things that make the days fly by and one of my favorites is learning about the history of the Hormel family.  As it is large group I sometimes have trouble remembering who arrived when and where first and how long they stayed.  In order for me to learn it better I have decided to start from as far back as our records go and share what I learn with you.  We are fortunate to possess a variety of historical resources regarding the family so researching the Hormel history will be easier than searching for my own (also primarily German)…

Let’s start in Germany with George’s Grandparents, Christroph Christian and Elizabeth Heiser Hormel.  Christian was born in Schwalbach, Hesse, Germany in 1794 followed by Elizabeth in 1805.  From In Quest of Quality, 1966 “Both the Hormel’s and the Heiser families attended the German Reformed Church in Schwalbach.  Undoubtedly the members knew each other well, so well that Christian Hormel and Elizabeth Heiser fell in love and married.  The ceremony took place in the town’s little stone church now more than 200 years old.”  William Henry Hormel writes, “The Hormel’s in America descended from the French Protestants, commonly known as Huguenots. The Huguenots were a group of Protestants who became the center of political and religious quarrels in France in the 1500’s and 1600’s.  Many of the Hormels’ took refuge in Germany (as well as Holland), but wherever these refugees from France went they became some of the most valuable and prosperous citizens in their countries.”. 

“Our grandparents lived in a time when the hearts of men in Germany and in large measure in all of Europe, were longing for the privilege of civil liberty. Men’s minds and hearts, especially in Germany, were thinking in terms of democracy”, William Henry continues.  It seems apparent that George A. inherited the traits of his ancestors in building his business in Austin.

Weddings at the HHH

Weddings, weddings, weddings!  Seems to be the hot topic around here.  The Hormel Historic Home is in the final planning stages for the 4^th Annual Austin Wedding Showcase to be held here on Sunday, January 27^th from 12-3 p.m.  I have vague memories of planning my own wedding nearly 15 years ago in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and I guess I have forgotten about all those little decisions that often cause quite a bit of stress.  Or maybe there are just more options now.  Whatever the case, it is definitely a lot of work to organize a wedding event and the HHH looks forward to helping many brides on the 27th.

Although we currently host many weddings at the HHH the tradition of getting married or having a reception here goes way back.  Ann Dixon, a treasured and valuable volunteer and staff person, had her wedding reception here on November 1, 1947.  Much of the décor has changed since then but the warm and inviting atmosphere is still the same.  The food was served on the dining room table we still have and some of the artwork at the time hangs on our walls now.  The pictures she shared of her special day show a happy young couple starting their life together in the HHH.  Current wedding parties often share the same kinds of photos with us.

February 24th will be George and Lillian’s 121^st Wedding Anniversary.  The following was printed in the Austin Herald on February 25th, 1892: “The marriage of Miss Lillian Belle Gleason and Mr. Geo. A. Hormel took place last evening at 8:30, and was a very quiet and elegant affair.  The guests consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Gleason, Mr. Ben Hormel, Rev. and Mrs. C. E. Wright, Mrs. Geo. Burnham, S.D. Catherwood, and George and Miss Laura Brainerd of Blooming Prairie.  The bride wore a beautiful dress of pure white without ornaments, and the groom was dressed in the conventional black.  Mr. and Mrs. Hormel received many beautiful gifts of silverware and pictures, and also a lovely marble clock from the “Bachelor’s Association,” who have just lost a member in Mr. Hormel.  After the ceremony and a delicious supper the happy couple were driven to their new home on St. Paul Street, which was in readiness.”

Weddings of today seem to be much more elaborate than George and Lillian’s but the significance remains the same.  No matter how complex or simple we are glad the Home continues to be a place where couples can begin their marriage journey together

Opportunities

Like many of you I was fortunate to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with family.  And like many of you we began our meal with sharing what we are most thankful for.  Many of the thoughts included things like faith, family, health and mashed potatoes and gravy (from my 12 yr. old son).  What came to my mind when the fork passed to me was Opportunities.  Not only am I thankful for my new opportunity at the HHH but I am also grateful for the freedom to pursue paths that interest me.

In his unpublished autobiography George Hormel describes an opportunity he was given in 1879 when we was just 19 years old.  After being told there were no jobs available at a Kansas City hide and wool company, the business owner had a change of heart and told him “Go to the office and see McDonald; he’ll equip you for the road and give you a routing.  Good Luck.”

George writes “Speechless with surprise and relief and also fright at this sudden turn of fortune, I stumbled into the office to be supplied with report sheets of various kinds, a telegraph code book, and a book of drafts to use in payment for the hides, wool, and furs I was to purchase.  On the assumption that I already knew what these things were for, I received a few brief directions on the firm’s methods of handling the various transactions, but I remembered nothing of what I heard when I left the office beyond the indisputable fact that I had been hired as a buyer by Major J.N. Dubois, late of the Confederate Forces.  I shouldn’t even have believed this if it were not for the code and draft books clutched in my perspiring hands.”

George was thrilled with this opportunity at a time when jobs were scarce and he was in desperate need.  Throughout his writing he mentions several times in his life and career when the freedom to attempt something, however risky or scary, often led to his greatest successes. 

Working in the space that was once George and Lillian’s porch reminds me that opportunities often come along when we are least expecting them.  They can bring challenges and hurdles but will always provide a time of learning and growth in an individual.   And so, I am thankful for opportunities!

Music, A Family Passion

After one month in my new role I am quickly learning that the mission and tradition of the Hormel Historic Home covers many areas but most specifically hospitality, music, and education.  Last Saturday I was fortunate to be a part of that mission by helping to host the first annual Harris Piano Competition.  This event was made possible by a financial gift from MarySue Hormel Harris who is the granddaughter of Ben Hormel, George’s youngest brother. 

I have gleaned from the little research I have been able to do that the Hormels were an incredibly musical family.  This interest in music was passed through the generations and MarySue is an accomplished pianist herself.  She generously supports the musical endeavors that the HHH sponsors and was thrilled that the Home would be sponsoring this contest. 

35 youth from Austin and the surrounding area shared their talent, and I was amazed by them all.  So much poise and composure was shown and I know that George and Lillian would have also been impressed.  The gorgeous grand piano that stands in the Hormel’s living room sounded glorious when played by such motivated and confident performers.  St. Olaf Lutheran Church and The Paramount shared their space and pianos with us as well so that we could have so many kids compete at the same time and I know those sites were also blessed with great performances.

Music was also a popular feature in the HHH during the time of the YWCA.  A February 9, 1928, article reports the festivities from a Membership Party held at the Y…

“In the afternoon Lorna Bluhm favored the company with two vocal solos, “Where Dreams Are Made” by Johnson, and “The Wind “ by Spross.   She was accompanied on the piano by Constance Becker.  William Alderson played two piano selections, “A Nocturne” by Slater and “To the Rising Sun” by Torjussen, and Mrs. Ray Pooler sang a vocal solo, “ Mignon”-d’Hardelo, accompanied by Mrs. Fred Rayman at the piano.  An evening program is also described in the article as was the social half hour following the program where the tables were decorated with “pink tapers in green candle holders with pink roses in a green glass bowl as a centerpiece”.

Although we didn’t adorn the House or the Paramount with candles and flowers we were entertained with wonderful music.  So the music mission is still very much alive at the HHH and will be continued for years to come.

Introduction of Holly Johnson

I know this article is meant to be a look into the past of our Austin, and I plan to hold to that pattern in the coming weeks.  However, for my first column I have decided to give you a little history on me-Holly Stover Johnson.

Although born in San Antonio, TX, I have been fortunate to live in several parts of the country.  At age 3 my parents moved my brother and I north and we settled in a small town called Neodesha, Kansas-go ahead, Google it.  I didn’t really appreciate life in the middle of “no where”, but I now look on small town life as an opportunity to really know people, to recognize the gifts in every individual, and to lift others up in true community.

My parents were small business owners in a place filled with many entrepreneurial-minded people.  I saw them work together to help a town in the middle of a wheat field thrive.  I saw a group of faithful energetic people work to offer arts programs, musical endeavors, and educational opportunities that have influenced my life greatly.

From Kansas I went to college in Boston and then in Indiana, and after graduating from Purdue I moved to another small town but this one was surrounded by corn fields-Austin, Minnesota.  After nearly 2 years I moved to Minneapolis to work for Hormel in a sales position.  I met my husband there and in 1998 we moved to Kansas City and then to Charlotte, NC.  We have now been back in Austin for 5 ½ years, and after all that moving, when people ask me where I am from, I am proud to say Austin, MN, Spamtown, USA.

So my journey has brought me here, to oversee the historic home of a small town business family.  Being surrounded by pictures of such an influential and giving family is humbling.  They started a business to benefit their family and ended up helping a whole town grow.  This beautiful facility has served many purposes during its 141 years of existence and all of them have benefitted Austin. And now I hope I can be a benefit to the organization by continuing the home’s tradition of hospitality, outreach and education while preserving and restoring the historical past.

Now that you know a little (ok, a lot) about me I hope you will stop by for a tour, or to introduce yourselves and share some of your memories