Notizen zu dieser Person
Emigrated with his father, 1842, along with several other families. Settled as a colony by Watertown, WI. The group left Prussia, because the King (Frederick William III) had decided to force a unionof the Reformed (Calvinist) & Lutheran Churches in his realm & punished with fines & imprisonment those who opposed the unionist services of the state. As those families, true to the Augsburg Confession were determined to attend only Lutheran services, to commune at Lutheran alters & to send their children to Lutheran instructions, they decided to emigrate to USA. As Ferdinand was 13, he had to finish his education before he left Prussia. In 1844 he left home & spent 3 years in Milwaukee. He then went to Cleveland for several months, then returned to Watertown & worked as a collector for C. F.Cady (general store) for 4 years. 1852 he went to CA. & spent 4 years in the gold mines, returned to Watertown, in1856. Ferdinand & Johanna bought 70 acre farm North of Watertown, Twp. Emmet, Sec. 16. They cleared the farm rebuilt the house, built a large basement barn. Ferdinand also held various Twp. offices, ie. Treasurer, Supervisor, Assessor. 1885 he moved to Marathon Co. Bought a farm for $2800.00. The former farm owned by Mrs. Cady had foreclosed on the mortgage. By this time the farm had a log house, 2 log barns, a horse barn (later used for pigs) a granary, 40 acres cleared north ofthe buildings. Ferdinand's health problems; Hernia, probably from clearing the land, stomach disorders, rheumatism. Ferdinand enlisted in the Civil War 10-8-1864, served with the 1st Wis. Heavy Artillery, stationed in Brazos City, LA. discharged 8-18-1865, paid $11.00 per month. His military records; 5' 6", 125#, hazel eyes, dark hair, dark complexion, 2 toes grown together on left foot. His service record spelled his name 'Kukhan'. His sons, William & Leonard used this spelling.
Kai J.
