THE VOLGA GERMANS IN PORTLAND
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People > Our People > Henry and Alice Hohnstein​

Henry and Alice Hohnstein

Heinrich (Henry) Hohnstein was born on May 21, 1884 in Norka, Russia, the son of Conrad Hohnstein and Elisabeth Hinkel. Heinrich's father, Conrad Hohnstein, was born on October 24, 1850 in Norka and died there before 1913. Heinrich's mother Elisabeth (Lisbeth) Hinkel, was born on December 17, 1850 in Norka and died on January 7, 1914 in Portland, Oregon.

Catharina Margaretha (Alice) Söder (Seder) was born July 12, 1883 in Norka, Russia, the daughter of Wilhelm Seder who was born on August 23, 1838 in Norka, and Magdalena Köhler who was born in Norka on May 8, 1842.

Henry and Alice were married in Norka on January 21, 1903.
Portrait of Alice and Henry Hohnstein. Courtesy of Georgia Hohnstein Conway.
Portrait of Alice and Henry Hohnstein. Courtesy of Georgia Hohnstein Conway.
Henry and Alice said goodbye to their family and friends in Norka in early 1913. They were on their way to America.  The Hohnstein's traveled by train to Western Europe with their daughter Amalia, age 5; son Heinrich, age 3; son Johannes, age 1; and Heinrich's widowed mother, Lisbeth, age 58. The steamship Canada, departed from the port of Liverpool, England on March 8, 1913 and arrived in Portland, Maine on March 19, 1913. The family's stated destination was 842 E. 8th Portland, Oregon (now 3964 NE 8th Avenue). This was the home of Heinrich's sister, Anna Catharina Hohnstein, who was married to Jacob Schreiner.

Henry and Alice lived at various homes in Portland and Henry worked a variety of jobs: (1916) 758 NE 13th (now 3602 NE 13th Avenue) Henry worked as a car cleaner; (1917) 758 NE 13th Henry worked as a laborer; (1918-1820) 532 Beech (now 1136 NE Beech Street) Henry worked as a ship worker; (1929); 842 E 12th (now 3968 NE 12th Avenue) Henry worked as a scavenger; (1930) 3968 NE 12th, Henry worked as a scavenger and at this time established his own garbage collection business along with Christian George Dick who was married to Heinrich Hohnstein's other sister, Elisabeth Hohnstein. As “scavengers” they found items thrown away by richer folks that could be reused. It was called “skibby”. In their early days in Portland, Alice would sew quilts made from discarded men’s wool suits as well as clothing for her children.
Picture
Photograph of a new "Federal" garbage truck that was owned by Henry Hohnstein taken on NE 12th Street along Holladay Park. A family story recalls that Henry lifted the box of truck while he drove in a parade on Broadway Street and was subsequently unable to get it back down. The photo was taken by A.J. Baker, 929 Sandy Blvd. in Portland and was contributed courtesy of Georgia Hohnstein Conway.
Henry and Alice's children were: Amalia "Mollie" (1905-2004), Heinrich (1908-1913), Johannes (1910-1910), John Henry (1911-1977), George Jack (1913-1985), Lena Elizabeth "Marie", (1915-1984), Clarence Ray (1918-1998), Genevieve Laverne (1921-2000), and Kenneth Henry (1925-2012).

Henry and Alice were charter members of the Zion Congregational Church in Portland, Oregon established 1914 and all of their children received confirmation there.

​Henry is a descendant of Johann Adam Hohnstein and Anna Margaretha Kraft, original colonists who settled in Norka in the summer of 1767. Alice is the descendant of Heinrich Peter Söder and Fredericka Rothau who were also among the first settlers in Norka.

Henry died on September 18, 1956 and Aliced died on January 14, 1976. Both were buried at the Rose City Cemetery in Portland. 


Sources

This article and photograph were contributed by Georgia Hohnstein Conway.

​The Volga Germans website - Hohnstein Origin


Krieger, Joanne, et al., translators. Zion Congregational Church, Portland, Oregon, 1914-1967. 2001.

​Norka database.
Last updated September 22, 2022
Copyright © 1998-2023 Steven H. Schreiber
  • Home
    • About This Website
    • Reviews
  • History
    • Historical Timeline
    • Migration to Russia
    • Emigration from Russia
    • Settlement in America
    • Migration to Portland
    • Little Russia
    • A Short History of Albina
    • World War I
    • The Volga Relief Society >
      • Portland Volga Relief Society Subscribers 1921
    • World War II
    • Assimilation and Dispersion
  • Beliefs
    • Churches >
      • Albina Seventh-day Adventist Church
      • First United Mennonite Baptist Church
      • Ebenezer German Congregational Church
      • Free Evangelical Brethren Church >
        • German Evangelical Congregational Brethren Church
      • Second German Baptist Church
      • St. Pauls Evangelical and Reformed Church
      • Second German Congregational Church >
        • Evangelical Congregational Church
      • Zion German Congregational Church >
        • Rivercrest Community Church
    • Pastors
    • The Brethren
    • Denominations >
      • German Reformed Church
      • German Evangelical Synod of North America
      • Evangelical and Reformed Church
      • German Congregational Church
      • Seventh-day Adventists
      • United Church of Christ
  • People
    • Our People
    • Notables
    • Pioneers 1881-1892
    • Stories
    • Photographs
    • Help Identify These People
  • Community
    • Characteristics
    • Businesses >
      • Bakeries Retailers and Services
      • Garbage Haulers
      • Grocery and Meat Markets
      • Restaurants >
        • Helsers on Alberta
        • McCormick & Schmicks
        • Wildwood
      • Saloons and Taverns
      • Suppliers and Manufacturers
    • Employers
    • Education
    • Sports
    • Maps
    • Documentary
  • Traditions
    • Foods
    • Folk Medicine
    • Expressions
    • Weddings
    • Holidays
    • Folk Music
    • Funerals and Burial Sites
  • Resources
    • Family Research
    • Books and Video
    • Works Cited