(Below are two copies of the same biography--the first is a corrected version submitted by a descendant, and the second is as it originally appears in the history book)
"History of Cottonwood and Watonwan Counties of Minnesota, 1916"
Jacob Hengtgen, a well-known and prosperous farmer of Cottonwood County, proprietor of a fine farm of two hundred and thirty-three acres lying in sections 22 and 27 of Storden township, and actively identified with the general affairs of that community, is a native of Iowa, born on a pioneer farm in Jackson County, that state January 22 1861, son of Bernard (Barney) and Anna (Reisdorffer on the marker but actually Reistroffer) Hintgen, natives of Luxembourg and early settlers in that part of Iowa.
Bernard (Barney) Hintgen was born April 23 1830 the seventh of eight children to Peter and Susanna (Simon) Hintgen in Hostert, Luxembourg. He left Hostert, Luxembourg and came to the United States when a young man with his father Peter and youngest sister Anna. They located in Tete Des Morts township, Jackson County, Iowa, Purchasing his first 40 acres with a log cabin and appurtenances on October 23rd 1855, thus having been among the early pioneers of that county. He later purchased an additional 144 acres. He married Anna Reistroffer December 21 1858, to that union four children were born: Anna, the subject Jacob born January 27 1861, Nicholas and Margaret. Anna (Reistroffer) Hintgen passed away February 3 1870 and is buried to the left of Bernard in St. Nicholas Spruce Creek Catholic Cemetery (see picture of this family's graves in Spruce Creek Cemetery). Bernard married Catherine Theisen November 23 1870. Maria Catharina Theisen as she was baptized in Mamer, Luxembourg was born December 25 1847 and arrived in the USA in 1865. To this union seven more children were born: Elizabeth, Mary, Anna, Theodore, Susan, Michael and Peter B. Bernard (Barney) Hintgen remained a farmer all his life, his death occurring at his farm home in Tete Des Morts township, Jackson Co. Iowa, September 1 1910 and is buried in front of the old Marker in St. Nicholas Spuce Creek Catholic Cemetery. Catherine passed away November 17 1936 and is buried to Bernard=s right in St. Nicholas Spruce Creek Catholic Cemetery. The family placed a new marker on her grave after 67 years in May of 2003. Bernard and his family were reared in the Catholic faith.
Jacob Hintgen (Hengtgen) was reared on his father=s farm in Iowa and received his schooling in the country school about a quarter mile north of the farm. There was an apparent disagreement between himself and his stepmother who was only 14 years older than himself and in 1885 Jacob left for western Iowa with his aunt and cousins along with a large group of other second generation pioneers. Upon arriving in Sioux City, Iowa Jacob got a job at the Chicago Hotel as a watchman in early 1886 to 1887. It is there he met and married his wife Wilhelmine (Minnie) Walters. They were married in 1886. Jacob and Minnie had apparently left Sioux City by September 21 1887 when their first child Edward was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Sometime after that they rented a farm near Merrill, Plymouth County, Iowa and farmed there for 22 years. Twelve more children were born there: Mary, Frank, Elizabeth, Anne, Johnnie, Leo, Clara, Lena, Margaret, Walter, Florence and Roy, Johnnie and Walter passed away young. Mrs Hengtgen had been a member of the Lutheran Church in Merrill and the children were reared in that faith, however both Jacob and Wilhelmine later attended the M. E Church in Jeffers and were later buried from there, as per the Storden Times.
The later part of 1909 they purchased the Swensen farm in Storden township, Cottonwood County, Minnesota. Jacob Hengtgen, Family and four carloads of livestock and machinery arrived March 4 1910 as per the March 10 1910 Jeffers Review Page 5. The Storden farm consisted of two hundred and thirty three acres and Jacob and family have ever since made their home there. Mr. Hengtgen has his farm well improved and has been quite successful in his operations giving considerable attention to the raising of livestock and has done very well. The Hengtgen=s have a pleasant home on their well kept farm and are very comfortably situated, the family ever giving proper attention to local movements having to do with the advancement of the best interests of the community in which they live. Mr. Hengtgen is a Democrat, but has not been a seeker of office.
The foregoing biography of Jacob (Hintgen) Hengtgen, my great grandfathers son was corrected January 29 2005 by Gerald B. Hingtgen Sr. Of Bellevue, Iowa.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "History of Cottonwood and Watonwan Counties of Minnesota, 1916"
Jacob Hengtgen, a well-known and prosperous farmer of Cottonwood county, proprietor of a fine farm of two hundred and thirty-three acres lying in sections 22 and 27 of Storden township, and actively identified with the general affairs of that community, is a native of Iowa, born on a pioneer farm in Jackson county, that state, January 22, 1852, son of Barney and Anna (Rystoffer) Hengtgen, natives of Germany and early settlers in that part of Iowa.
Barney Hengtgen left his native land and came to the United States when a young man, locating in Jackson county, Iowa, in 1847, thus having been among the pioneers of that county, and there, some years later married Anna Rystoffer, who came to this country with her parents from Germany in 1849, the family locating in Jackson county, Iowa. To that union four children were born, of whom the subject of this sketch was the first-born the others being Anna, Nicholas and Maggie. Following the death of the mother of these children, Barney Hengtgen married Mary Thyson and to that union six children were born, Theodore, Michael. Peter, Elizabeth. Margaret and Katherine. Barney Hengtgen remained a farmer all his life, his death occurring on his home farm in Iowa in 1911. He was a member of the Catholic church and his children were reared in that faith.
Jacob Hengtgen was reared on his father's homestead farm in Iowa and received his schooling in the primitive school in the neighborhood of his home. As a young man he started farming on his own account in Plymouth county, Iowa, and there he remained until 1909, in which year he disposed of his holdings there and came to Minnesota, settling in Cottonwood county, where he bought his present farm of two hundred and thirty-three acres in Storden township and has ever since made his home there. [transcribed for Cottonwood Co. AHGP] Mr. Hengtgen has his farm well improved and has been quite successful in his operations. In addition to his general farming, he has given considerable attention to the raising of live-stock and has done very well.
In 1886, in Plymouth county, Iowa, Jacob Hengtgen was united in marriage to Minnie Walters and to this union eleven children have been born, Edward, Mary, Frank, Elizabeth, Anna, Leo, Clara, Lena, Margaret, Florence and Roy. The Hengtgens have a pleasant home on their well-kept farm and are very comfortably situated. Mrs. Hengtgen is a member of the Lutheran church and the children have been reared in that faith, the family ever giving proper attention to local movements having to do with the advancement of the best interests of the community in which they live. Mr. Hengtgen is a Democrat, but has not been a seeker after office.