The following is the obituary of Henry Hillesheim, my grandfather's maternal grandfather. Click here to skip to an account of his part in the defense of New Ulm during the Sioux Indian outbreak in 1862.
Henry Hillesheim, pioneer resident of Minnesota and defender of New Ulm, was laid to rest in Calvary cemetery at Mankato Friday morning, following funeral obsequies held at St. Peter and St. Paul's Catholic church. Deceased died early Wednesday morning of last week, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Fred Busch at Mankato, from the effects of ailments common to the aged.
Mr. Hillesheim Defends New Ulm against Little Crow
Mr. Hillesheim was born in Manderfeld, Germany, October 21st, 1833, and came to America with his parents and settled for a short time during the year 1856 at Chicago. The next year the family moved to New Ulm. It was there that Mr. Hillesheim had the most thrilling time of his life during the Indian outbreak of 1862. When Little Crow's tribe attacked the city, braving the dangers of the savages, Mr. Hillesheim volunteered to ride out on horseback and warn people living near New Ulm of the approach of the Indians. On the way out he found a family lying about where they had been butchered by the savages. In the midst of this scene of horror was a little ten year old girl crying. The brave man picked her up and galloped away with her to safety. He also accompanied his parents to St. Peter, just previous to the attack, and then returned to the defense of New Ulm, where he luckily escaped the bullets of the Indians, but two of his brothers were wounded in the battle.
Mr. Hillesheim was married to Miss Anna Keber in Racine, Wis., July 7, 1864. She passed away in Mankato January 20, 1923.
During the late Mayor A. Pfau's administration in Mankato and one to two succeeding terms, Mr. Hillesheim was alderman of the second ward, and took an active part in the installation of the waterworks system. Just fifty years ago, he acted as chairman of the building committee which had to do with the erection of St. Peter and St. Paul's Catholic church.
The surviving children are: Mrs. Fred Busch, Mrs. Frank Hodapp, and Mrs. Frances Hillesheim of Mankato, and Henry Hillesheim of Madelia. Two brothers, Hubert and Joseph Hillesheim of Sleepy Eye, seventeen grand children and two great grandchildren survive. A.J. Hillesheim of this city, manager of the Red Owl store, a grandson of the deceased, Mrs. A.J. Hillesheim and Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Boettger, Mrs. Albert Boettger, Mr. and Mrs. Hubert Hillesheim, Anton H. Hillesheim and William Berg attended the funeral obsequies.
