Peter & Luisa Haas, St. Paul UCC Cemetery, Liberty Twp, Mercer County, Ohio. (2024 photo by Karen)
This is the tombstone of Peter and Luisa Haas, located in row 6 of St. Paul UCC Cemetery, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:
HAAS
PETER HAAS
1832-1888
LUISA HAAS
1841-1903
Peter and Luisa Haas were both born in Germany, married there, and had several children there, before immigrating to America in 1883. Peter Haas, 51, and Louisa Haas, 43, arrived in New York 30 June 1883, aboard the ship Rhynland, with their four sons, Peter, 22, Carl, 14, Jacob, 11, and Ludwig, 6. [1]
The senior Peter Haas missed being enumerated in any U.S. census. The family arrived in America three years after the 1880 census was taken and he died well before the 1900 census. Peter got to enjoy life in the new country for only five years. As a result, there is very little information about Peter Haas Sr. It appears his death was not recorded in Mercer County either.
Peter Haas, St. Paul UCC Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2024 photo by Karen)
His widow Luisa lived long enough to be enumerated in the 1900 census, residing in Liberty Township with her son Carl, aka Charley Haas. At that time Charley and his wife had a family of six children. Charley’s younger brother Jacob also lived with them. The Charley Hass family in 1900: Charley, 31, head; Elizabeth, 32, wife; Adolph J, 6, son; Charley P, 5, son; Olga J, 4, daughter; Ida M, 3, daughter; Willis D, 2, son; Lizzie L, 9 months, daughter; Jacob Haas, 29, brother; and Louisa Haas, 60, mother. Charley had at least two more children, born between 1900 and 1910, Julius T and John A Haas.
Luisa Haas, St. Paul UCC Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio (2024 photo by Karen)
That 1900 census enumeration indicates that the mother Luisa Hass was born in Germany in November 1839, was a widow, and that two of her four children were living. Those two children were Charley and Jacob. Luisa could not write or speak English. It was not known when she immigrated. However, Charley, reportedly immigrated in 1883, was naturalized, and was farmer. [2] Luisa’s birth date in the 1900 census disagrees with her year of birth on her tombstone.
Luisa’s other two sons, Peter and Ludwig, apparently died sometime between 1883 and 1900. Their deaths are not recorded in Mercer County probate.
According to Mercer County Death records, “Louisa” Hass died in Liberty Township, on 4 October 1902, aged 63 years, 11 months, and 23 days. Cause of death was dropsy of the chest, her residence was Scudder, and she was born in Germany. The death date on her death record disagrees with the date on her tombstone. [3] Luisa’s date of birth was 12 October 1838, as calculated from her death record.
Per Find a Grave.com, Luisa’s maiden name was Schug. [4]
Although two of Peter and Luisa’s sons apparently died before 1900, their other two sons, Carl and Jacob, lived to marry and have children.
Carl Haas (22 Aug 1868-21 Jan 1947), aka Charley Haas, was fourteen years old when the family immigrated. Charley married Elizabeth (Gravins) and they had at least eight children. They lived in Liberty Township in 1900, moved to Oklahoma by 1910, and to New York by 1930. Charley and Elizabeth are both buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Canastota, Madison County, New York. [5]
Jacob Haas (20 Dec 1870-4 Nov 1963), was eleven years old when the family immigrated and remained in Mercer County the rest of his life. He married Philippina “Phebe” (Schaadt) Alt and they had at least six children. Jacob and his wife Phebe are buried in St. Paul UCC Cemetery. [6] Jacob and Phebe spoke German in 1910. [7]
[1] Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897, M237, U.S. Customs Service, RG 36, National Archives, Washington DC, Peter Hass & family, 30 Jun 1883, ship Rhynland; Ancestry.com.
[2] 1900 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty Twp, ED 85, p.8, dwelling 143, family 148, Charley Haas; Ancestry.com.
[3] “Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001, Mercer, Vol. 2, no page number, Louise Haas, 4 Oct 1902; FamilySearch.org.
[4] Find a Grave.com, Luisa (Schug) Haas (1841-1903), Memorial no.27656150.
[5] Find a Grave.com, Charles Haas (1868-1947), Memorial no.52163397.
[6] Find a Grave.com, Jacob Haas (1870-1963), Memorial no.27656046.
[7] 1910 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, Twp, ED 119, p.10A, dwelling 172, family 175, Jacob Haas; Ancestry.com.
