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The following is the obituary of my great-great-grandfather, Philip Hodapp.
Click here to skip to two exciting stories about his experiences with the Sioux Indians near New Ulm, Minnesota, 1862.

Frank Hodapp's Father Called to His Reward

The sincere sympathy of this community goes out to Mr. Frank Hodapp, whose father, Mr. Philip Hodapp, passed away Tuesday night at St. Joseph's hospital in Mankato. From Wednesday's Mankato Free Press we take the following:

Philip Hodapp, aged ninety-two years, and one of the early pioneers of this county died last night from the effects of a stroke of paralysis he suffered about two weeks ago.

Mr. Hodapp was born in Hasloch, Baden, Germany, April 23, 1833, and came to this country, with his parents when he was three years old and settled at St. Charles, Missouri. At the age of twenty-one and soon after his marriage to Miss Elizabeth Borgmeier, Mr. Hodapp came to Blue Earth county and settled on a claim where Mankato golf links are now situated. This was in 1854. He lived there up to 1886 when he moved into this city, where he resided up to the time of his death.

During his residence here in pioneer days Mr. Hodapp had many thrilling adventures with the Sioux Indians, who were plentiful around Mankato in those days.

The Sioux Indian Outbreak

At the time of the Sioux Indian outbreak in 1862 when Little Crow and hordes of savages attacked New Ulm and massacred a great many white settlers, Mr. Hodapp was operating a horse-powered threshing machine in the vicinity of Madelia. The government being short of horses for mounted men to be sent immediately to the front in pursuit of the Sioux, confiscated all of Mr. Hodapp's horses and he was compelled to return to Mankato, where he stood guard with many other men in this city to ward off the expected attack of the redmen.

Encounter With Indian

At another time Mr. Hodapp was returning to his claim with an ox team from Mankato when he was attacked by a stalwart Indian. He happened to have a vinegar jug in the wagon box which the savage spied and thought it was "fire water." He asked Mr. Hodapp to stop and give it to him, but the sturdy pioneer, who was a powerful man, was not inclined to be bluffed. The Indian drew a tomahawk and advanced toward the settler who met the Sioux with a right arm jolt that Jack Dempsey would envy. The result was that Mr. Hodapp brought home the vinegar, but the Indian lay several hours on the ground before he came to.

His sterling honesty, and jovial disposition made Mr. Hodapp a host of lifelong friends, who will be grieved to learn of his death.

At the time of his death, deceased was a member of St. Peter and St. Paul Catholic men's sodality.

The surviving children are: Henry of St. Clair; George of Mankato; Phil of Portland, Oregon; Mrs. Elizabeth Bruels, St. Paul; Frank of Madelia; and Mrs. Gertrude Keber, Mount Angel, Oregon. He is also survived by forty-seven grand children and sixty-five great grand children.

The funeral will be held from St. [missing information due to misprint] Friday morning, and the remains will be laid to rest in Calvary cemetery.