A living history tour of St. Peter's Cemetery. Learn about some of the church's more notable members as they tell their stories. Click the photo above to view the video.
The Life of Henry Friedrich Niemann Civil War Veteran Henry Friedrich Niemann was born in Schleswig-Holstein in the Province of Hanover, Germany, March 21, 1839. During the 1850s, life in Germany was in turmoil, due to economic hardship and political unrest. At the young age of 17, Heinrich Niemann decided to seek his fortune in America and arrived in Castle Garden, Ellis Island, New York, on 16 September, 1857, on the ship, Harmonia. He was listed as being a farmer.During the winter of 1860-1861, he went down to Mississippi, about 20 miles below Vicksburg, and worked cutting cord wood for the use on steam-powered river boats. In 1861, the rumblings of dissident were heard across the nation, and Henry was concerned as to which side he would support, the Northern Union, or the Southern secessionists. His obituary noted that, “Mr. Nieman having received a good education in his native country was able to read and judge for himself between right and wrong in the matter.” His Southern employer asked him if the South seceded, which side would he choose? Henry had been watching the events unfold as had everyone in the South, and not wanting to jeopardize his employment, gave an evasive answer to the question.When he learned that the crisis was indeed critical, he quickly took a boat up the Mississippi River to Davenport, Iowa, where he learned that President Lincoln had called for 75,000 troops to help put down the insurrection. Twenty-two-year-old Henry Niemann headed the call and on 25 April 1861, he enlisted as a Private in the Iowa 1st Infantry Regiment, Company G, for three months. It was assumed at that time, that the war would not last any longer. He was officially mustered into the Union Army on 14 May 1861. Private Niemann was sent to fight in the Battle of Springfield, Missouri. However, he arrived too late to see any the action. After serving for 3 months and 6 days and having completed his three-month enlistment on August 20, 1861, he was mustered out [released from the army]. He returned to Iowa and immediately reenlisted as a private, this time in the 12th Missouri Infantry, Company I, on September 23, 1861, for a period of three years. He was involved in several skirmishes, and at Vicksburg, in 1863 he received a wound in his ankle, which left him incapacitated for the duration of his enlistment. It is ironic that he ended up at Vicksburg during the war—the place near where he had worked before he joined the Union Army in 1861. He was discharged on September 23, 1864, at St. Louis, MO, after having served his three-year enlistment. He remained there until 1867, when he moved to Sauk County a year later. At that point in his life, he had not yet applied for his American citizenship. So, shortly after being discharged, he applied for his Naturalization papers, and was soon welcomed as a citizen of the United States. When Henry was 32 years old, he married Anna Margaretha Hasz (1847-1912), daughter of Peter Hasz and Rebecca Karstens at the “Lutheran Church in Loganville, WI,” on November 24, 1871. They raised three daughters and two sons. Henry Niemann, assisted in the organization of St. Peters Lutheran Church, Loganville, on 29 March, 1876, and was elected as a trustee. By March of 1889, Henry was church secretary, a position he held until 1896.In the 1877 Federal Census, he and his family were listed as living in Sauk County, Westfield Township, WI. On the 1877 Sauk County, Westfield Township map, he was farming 26 acres in the NE quarter of Section 17, just outside of Loganville. St. Peters cemetery was not yet shown on his property at the time the map was published. Since some of the first burials (beginning in 1873) in the cemetery preceded it being officially donated to and accepted as St. Peters official cemetery, we must assume that Henry Niemann had set aside that portion of his land to accommodate those burials. After St. Peters congregation was officially organized in 1877, Henry Niemann’s land containing the cemetery was transferred to the church.The 1880 Federal Census listed Henry as being 41 years old, and a farmer still living with his family in Westfield Township, Sauk County, Wisconsin. The 1885 State of Wisconsin Census listed him as still living in Westfield Township.The 1900 Federal Census, noted that Henry Niemann was 61, a farmer, and owned his own house free and clear.On 11 March 1901, at the age of 61 years, Henry Friedrich Niemann passed away. He was buried in St. Peters Cemetery, Loganville, WI. The cemetery which was once part of his farm. During his lifetime, he held the office of Accessor for Westfield Township for three terms, was Justice of the Peace for about 20 years and was holding the office of Justice and Notary Public at the time of his death. His obituary noted that, “He was highly respected by all who knew him.” Henry Niemann is the only Civil War soldier buried in St. Peters Cemetery.
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Henry Fredrich Niemann’s gravestone reads “VATER” (FATHER). The star beside the marker is a GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) Civil War medallion/flag holder. Henry’s wife, Anna, is also buried on this grave site.