Frederick August Hausner

Early Life

August was born about 1829 in the Kingdom of Saxony.  Little is known about August's early life or his parents.  His death certificate gives his father's name as Henry Adolph Hausner.  August sailed on the Erie from Bremen, Germany and arrived in New York in early September, 1850.  From there, he made his way to Taylors Falls, Minnesota.  August worked around Taylors Falls for about three years, probably as a lumberman or running logs on the St. Croix River.  In 1853, he moved to Stillwater.

Minna Bollmann

Minna was born in Germany about 1836.  I have very little information on Minna's family.  There are no references to other Bollmanns in Washington County around this time.

Marriage and Children

On October 5th, 1856, August and Minna were married in Stillwater by the Justice of the Peace, Arial Eldridge. They had 3 children that lived to adulthood and there is evidence of a fourth child who died when very young.  

Military Service

In August of 1862, August volunteered for the 8th Minnesota Infantry.  He signed up for three years and received a bounty of $25.00.  He was a Private in Captain Folsom's Company which was designated Company 'C'.  His unit was sent to Fort Ridgely to help guard the settlers from Indian attacks.  Records from the National Archives indicate that August was mustered in on August 15th, and was present at Fort Ridgely through October 31st, 1862.  The muster rolls then show he was sick in the hospital at Fort Snelling for the months of November and December and was discharged on January 17th, 1863.  His discharge certificate states he was 5' 7 1/4" tall, had a slight complexion, blue eyes, brown hair and listed his occupation as a carpenter.

The surgeon's statement recommending his discharge is as follows:

"An injury to the 'Spinal Column' received in the service from which in my opinion he will not recover sufficiently to enable him to discharge his duties as a soldier.
                                                                                                A. Whartin"

The amount of his disability is listed as one-third.

The discharge certificate is signed by Colonel William Crooks, Commanding Officer of the 6th Regiment, Minnesota Volunteers.

Public Service
In April of 1874, August ran as a Republican for the Stillwater City Council and was elected to a two year term, representing the 3rd Ward.  Near the end of his term in 1876, the following article appeared in the April 2nd edition of The Messenger:
 

Alderman Haussner, whose term as member of the Council from the Third Ward is about to expire, positively declines to be a candidate for re-election on the ground that a faithful discharge of the duties of the office will involve a greater sacrifice of time than he can spare from his business.  While Mr. Haussner has rendered this city valuable services in the Council the past two years, the wisdom of his determination to retire is manifest to all who know how much time is required for the faithful performance of an Alderman's duties, and the almost innumerable and usually uncalled for complaints against public servants.  While not the most brilliant rhetorician in the Council, Mr. Haussner has been one of the most able, shrewd and far seeing members of the "conscript fathers." Always quick to discover objectionable features in a proposed ordinance, resolution or motion or any attempt at chicanery, Mr. Haussner has been one of the most efficient members of the Council, and though he may have enemies not a few, he is entitled to this disinterested commendation.  May his successor, whoever he shall be, prove as honest, fearless and judicious as Mr. Haussner has been.

However, the following article appeared in the April 9th edition of The Messenger:
 

Our encomium did it.  Mr. Haussner "declaring he would ne'er consent, consented."  We doubt not he firmly intended to retire from the Council, but when his constituents against his wishes insisted on his being a candidate for re-election, he could not refuse them.  While our words of commendation last week were not written with any expectation that Mr. Haussner could be induced to re-enter the Council, we are glad if they had aught to do in persuading the Republicans of the Third Ward that Mr. Haussner had proved a faithful and efficient Alderman, and that in honoring him by a re-election, they would honor themselves.

And so August was elected to a second term.

Property

By the time of August's death in 1881, he had acquired several pieces of property.  In his estate papers, his property was described as follows:
 

The burial plot in Fairview Cemetery - 1 Burial Lot #10 in Block #6, Value $35.00

White Bear Lake Land - this is the penninsula  on the east side of White Bear Lake Lot 2 in 19 & 4 in 18, Township 30, Range 2 West, 40 43/100 acres.  Value: $6000.00 Additionally, listed in the September 22nd, 1881 issue of The Sun was the following real estate transaction: August Hausner to Christopher Hubman e 1/2 sw qr and nw qr sw qr and lot 1 section 17 Grant Township............$1900 This land is also on the east side of  White Bear Lake near the penninsula.

Activities

Hausner Boat Shop
Although I have only found one reference so far, August apparently owned his own boat repair shop in Stillwater.

N.W.B.A.
August was a member of the North West Benefit Association.  This was some sort of fraternal organization.   

Stillwater Maennerchor August was a member of the Stillwater Mannerchor.  This was a small choir comprised of about a dozen German men.  It may have existed as early as the 1860s and was still in existence when August died in 1881.  There is a photo of the Maennerchor which shows ten members.  The only positively identified member is William Schermuly.  August Haussner is probably among the group.  Can you pick him out?

Minna's Death Minna died on August 18th, 1873.  The doctor stated her cause of death as 'disease of the brain.'  She is buried in Fairview Cemetery. August's Death On September 21st, 1881, August died after a long illness.  The doctor stated his cause of death as 'Congestion of the Brain and Spine.'  Two days later, he was buried in Fairview Cemetery next to Minna.

The Haussner monument in Fairview Cemetery

This page last modified on July 09, 2001.