Parents of Franklin Hesse, Part 2

Last week, I posed the question

Who are the parents of Franklin Hesse
(Dakota territorial homesteader)?

The headline¹Winnebago County Press (Menasha, WI), March 4, 1871, page 2, column 3. announced the shocking truth.

This was my family

Here is a quick synopsis of the story:

According to newspaper and other official documents, John and his brothers made trouble in Neenah, Wisconsin. They were drinkers, fighters, fast drivers (of horses) and were scornfully called the Hesse Boys. Apparently, John’s abuse of alcohol continued and accelerated after he married Magdalena Frees in 1860.

In December 1870, Magdalena filed for a divorce on the grounds of physical abuse, lack of provision and habitual drunkenness. John admitted that all of her allegations were true. The judge granted the divorce and included an order that John was not allowed on her property. In fact, the property belonged to her before the divorce.

Less than a week after the divorce, he returned to the farm. John threatened Magdalena’s life and was consequently locked up in the county jail because he could not make bail.

On Friday, February 24, 1871, John Hesse broke out of jail and took shelter at the house of his brother, Julius Hesse. The next day, Julius purchased a gun and gave it to John.

Saturday evening, John went to a local bar. After a few drinks, he traveled to Magdalena’s house where he raped and murdered her.

Sunday morning, John Hesse, walked into his other brother’s (William Hesse’s) hotel, stepped up to the bar and brazenly announced that he had killed his wife and wished that he had killed his brother-in-law, Henry Wildfang, too.

Earlier that Sunday morning, Franklin Hesse, the 9-year-old son of the pair, discovered his mother slain on the kitchen floor. He waited until there was more daylight and then sought help from a neighbor.

Back in town, a group of men, including local law enforcement officers, arrived at the Hesse Hotel. John Hesse hid in an upper garret (small attic room). When John was cornered, he killed himself.

Franklin Hesse was the oldest of five, orphaned siblings.

The Winnebago County Press of March 4, 1871 features several articles

Page two contains more than three, full-length columns:

• an editorial calling for more rigid enforcement of liquor laws
• a reprimand of another newspaper for misstatements
• details of the murder [labeled From the Press Extra of Feb. 28]²The Press Extra edition is not included in the microfilm collection of the Wisconsin State Historical Society.
• the Funeral of Mrs. Hesse
• details of a public meeting
• a list of resolutions adopted by the citizen group

Page three contains another three, full-length columns:

• an obituary of Magdalena Hesse
• a Card of Thanks from Henry Wildfang [brother-in-law] on behalf of the family
• a notice of the arrest of Julius Hesse [brother]
• a Temperance Meeting announcement
• Inquest on Magdalena Frieze
• Inquest on John Hesse, including personal testimonies
• a description of John Hesse

The news of this horrific series of events spread from Wisconsin to other states.³The Opelousas (LA) Courier, June 10, 1871, page 2. ⁴The York (PA) Daily, March 22, 1871, page 3. ⁵Memphis (TN) Daily Appeal, February 28, 1871, page 1. The Burlington (VT) Free Press claimed receipt of the news via telegram.⁶“A Murder and an Indignation Meeting in Wisconsin,” Burlington (VT) Free Press, March 24, 1871, page 1.

Read all the graphic details for yourself. CLICK HERE for March 4, 1871 Newspaper Transcriptions

This was my family

According to the newspaper articles:

Magdalena Frieze was born in Hanover. In 1860, she married John Hesse. She had one husband before Hesse. Magdalena died February 25, 1871. Next week, we’ll take a closer look at her life and corroborate the facts.

John Hesse was born in Crivitz, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, the son of Henry Hesse. John died February 26, 1871. In Part 4 of this series, we’ll explore John’s life.

The original question was

Who are the parents of Franklin Hesse
(Dakota territorial homesteader)?

The answer is in Franklin’s own words, from his testimony:

I am a son of John and Magdalena Hesse

This is my family

There are SO many questions:

Where was Magdalena born?
Who are Magdalena’s parents?
What happened to the five children?
Was the Hesse family forced to leave Neenah, Wisconsin after the murder-suicide?

SOURCES

• 1
  Winnebago County Press (Menasha, WI), March 4, 1871, page 2, column 3.
• 2
  The Press Extra edition is not included in the microfilm collection of the Wisconsin State Historical Society.
• 3
  The Opelousas (LA) Courier, June 10, 1871, page 2.
• 4
  The York (PA) Daily, March 22, 1871, page 3.
• 5
  Memphis (TN) Daily Appeal, February 28, 1871, page 1.
• 6
  “A Murder and an Indignation Meeting in Wisconsin,” Burlington (VT) Free Press, March 24, 1871, page 1.