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Heidorn Family
August Heidorn was a shepherd in the fields of Klein-Heidorn, a small village near Hanover, Germany. Upon moving to the Proviso area in 1846, he and his wife, Sophie, started and operated a farm in the area bounded by what is now Mannheim, Canterbury, Cermak and Wolf Roads. In 1855 they finally purchased their farm. Their historic 12-room homestead (1917 South Wolf Road), built in 1853, was constructed of stone quarry rock.
When August Heidorn died in 1884, his farm was divided between his two children, Henry and Edward. (August and his wife, Sophie, are buried in Immanuel's cemetery.) A street immediately east of Wolf Road from Cermak to Roosevelt Road honors the memory of this pioneer.
The Heidorn home weathered many storms, including a devastating tornado in 1933, which destroyed many trees, even uprooting in the front yard the tallest pine in the surrounding countryside. One tree landed in the dining room of the house. This landmark, along with the home of Henry's oldest son, Martin, located south of the homestead was razed in 1969 to be replaced by the Oak Meadows apartment complex.
This photograph is of the surviving children of Henry and Sophie Heidorn. The exact date is unknown but it was taken sometime in the 1920s. Shown from left to right are Edward W Heidorn, Mathilda Puscheck, Ernest Heidorn, Amanda Puscheck, Martin Heidorn, Melinda Meier and Walter Heidorn.
Henry's son Edward W. and his wife,
Lydia, lived in the homestead for 57 years. They had four children ---
Irene, Ruth, Muriel and Alvin. Henry and Edward also
were active in civic affairs. Edward W. was elected a Public School Director of
District No. 93 in 1933 and 1936. Henry served as Village of Hillside Trustee
from 1909 to 1923.
The third Heidorn Home, built in 1912, faced 22nd Street (Cermak
Road) between Mannheim and Wolf Roads, a little west of Henry's brother's home.
In 1925 it was moved across the prairies by hoisting the house onto rolling logs
and pulling it with tractors to its new location at 1815 South Wolf Road.
Henry's son Ernest and his wife, Emeline, and their seven children --
Erna, Leona, Arthur, Marion, Norbert, and twins
Alice and Florence -- occupied this home. The aforementioned
tornado demolished half the roof and 27 windows of this house. It was razed in
1979 to be replaced by the Nardi office complex.
Edward's son Harry was almost a lifelong resident of Hillside and lived at 212
South Forest Avenue.
The Heidorn and Puscheck Family are closely intertwined. Over the years four of the Puschcck women married Heidorns.
Mathilde Heidorn Puscheck, wife of Clemens Puscheck, was born June 27, 1892 and died January 20, 1976 at the age of 84 years.
Mary Heidorn Puscheck, wife of Henry Otto Puscheck, was born in 1863 and died in 1948.
Amanda Heidorn Puscheck, wife of Edwin Puscheck, was born in 1881 and died in 1957.
Adele Heidorn Puscheck, wife of Martin Puscheck, was born in 1884 and died in 1926.
Other Heidorn entries can be found at:
Sources used in the compilation of this entry include but are not limited to:
Last Modified: 05/28/2006
Edward Heidorn, LaGrange Citizen, Jan 23 1930