Steinhoff Farm

Hwy 59
Eagle, WI

Around 1869, four Steinhoff brothers left Udorf, Germany and came to America to avoid conscription into the Prussian army. They were Johann Anton (known as Anton)  born in 1835, Heinrich (Henry) born in 1844, Joseph born in 1849, and John born in 1854.

Anton was a half-brother to the other three. The brothers initially settled in Eagle on the land known for many years as the Steinhoff farm, but is now the site of the Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, run by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR).

Eventually, Henry moved to Norwalk, Wisconsin. We are uncertain about Joseph but there are Steinhoffs in the Platteville area, and that may be where he moved.  John moved to Burlington.  Anton stayed in Eagle and began our branch of the family.

Steinhoffs beginning with Anton, who first settled in Eagle, and moving through the generations are;

1  Anton – b. 1835

 

      2 Christian – b. 1874

      2  John – b. 1865

              3  Anton John – b. 1894

                     4  Mary Ellen – b. 1921

                     4  Caroline – b. 1924

                     4  Catherine Therese – b. 1931

                     4  John Anthony – b. 1927

                                 5  Steven John – b. 1955

                                 5  Bonnie Elizabeth – b. 1951

                                 5  Susan Kaye – b. 1956

            3  Paul A – b.  1897

Anton and Therese Steinhoff owned this 600-acre dairy farm, before they retired and sold it to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) in the 1970’s. The farm no longer exists and the WDNR offices, along with a museum for the Southern Kettle Morraine area, now occupy the site. During the time that he owned the farm, Anton Steinhoff had found some arrowheads and a stone ax. They are now in the possession of his grandson, Steve Steinhoff.

**information obtained by Carolyn Rosprim from informant Steve Steinhoff and Bonnie Steinhoff Schaefer.

9 Comments to “Steinhoff Farm”

  1. Daniel J Steinhoff

    I am planning a visit to the Steinhoff farm site late next week. My Great Grandfather, Joseph, was a son of Heinrich and Theresia Steinhoff. Would this farm be this family’s farm?

    We live in Knoxville,Tn and will visit my mother in law at Cassville, Jane Bernhardt. The stop in Eagle is scheduled for July 6 or 7, 2017.

    Dan

  2. September 04, 2020
    My name is Bill Kroeger. I was born in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, Wisconsin. My place of birth is
    close to Norwalk, Wisconsin.The house I was born in was a
    former church rectory of St John the Baptist Catholic Church on Summit Ridge, Ridgeville, Wisconsin. The church cemetery is located behind the house and church and many of the descendants of Heinrich Steinhoff are buried there. including his wife Theresia Winter/Steinhoff.
    Heinrich apparently died in Eagle, Wisconsin, before the
    family moved to Monroe County, Wisconsin.
    My maternal grandmother was Rose Steinhoff, daughter of Henry Steinhoff(Jr) and grand daughter of Heinrich (Henry Sr)Steinhoff, one of the four brothers/half brothers to emigrate to the United States.
    I am in the process of completing a Steinhoff family history. The history is 105 pages long and starts with the first Steinhoff generation in the mid 1650’s and ends with modern day descendants. There are some conflicts in the information I found for some of the ancestors and would welcome information to verify the information I have compiled. The information I have concerning Anton Steinhoff, born in 1835 and his descendants agree totally
    with that contained in this article. The information concerning the Steinhoff brothers and half brothers (my research shows two half brothers) that immigrated to the US is a bit different. If anyone is interested, I would be willing to share the information I have found and would welcome any additional information anyone might have concerning Steinhoff ancestors.

  3. James Steinhoff

    I am the great grandson of John Steinhoff who was Henry’s brother. John moved from Eagle to Norwalk area in Monroe County in 1864 with his mother Theresa who had remarried to Joseph Bellerman after her husband died in 1853. Bellerman gave 80 acres to Henry in Ridgeville Township in Monroe County.

  4. James Steinhoff

    The Steinhoff’s left Germany in 1852. Henrich married Theresa Winter on January 19, 1843 in Udorf, Westphalia. She was born in Scherfede, Westphalia Nov 20, 1818. Henrich was born Aug 27, 1811 in Udorf, Westphalia. Their youngest son John was born in Eagle, WI. Their son Henry fought in the Civil War from Dec 10, 1861 to July 14, 1865. He was in Company B, 17th Wis Veteran Infantry and his name is on the Wisconsin Memorial in Vicksburg, MS. He fought many battles including Sherman’s March to the Sea. He married Elizabeth Von Ruden in June 1873.

  5. Thanks to all for the information you share here.

  6. I would love to learn more about the Steinhoff family. My great grandfather was John Henry Berendes. My 2x great grandmother is Ida Franzisca Ann (Frances) Steinhoff. My 3x great grandfather was Heinrich Steinhoff (one of the 4 brothers). I have some confusion with all their names. Johann seems to precede their given name. I am also at a loss to locate where Heinrich (Henry) is buried in Eagle, WI. Was he buried on the family farm? Which is now state property.

  7. Hi and thanks for your comments. We love to hear of the many family connections with Eagle, Wisconsin. The records we currently have of the Steinhoff family in Eagle are of the Anton Steinhoff family. They are buried in St. Theresa’s Oak Knoll Cemetery here in Eagle. Sorry, but we have no burial records for Heinrich (Henry) Steinhoff (1811-1854).

  8. Hi, my name isCharles Lind son of Ronald (Ronnie) Lind. My grandmother was Hazel Steinhoff married to RobertLind. My father (Ron) told my brother and myself that he went to his uncle’s farm in Belmont for the summer. I remember going to the farm at a young age and remember the farm but names forgot. I’m just looking for any information of any relatives. Ronald was married. To Alyce Lind. I know that my grandparents Bob and Hazel moved to Bull Shoals Arkansas. Thank you for any help. Chuck Lind

  9. Thanks for your comment and interest in your family history. I didn’t find anything in our museum about Robert Lind and Hazel Steinhoff, but find a lot of information about them on Ancestry.com.
    Robert Earl Lind
    1912–1985
    BIRTH 4 APR 1912 • Defiance, Defiance, Ohio
    DEATH 21 JAN 1985 • Bull Shoals, Marion, Arkansas
    LifeStory Facts Gallery
    Summary
    When Robert Earl Lind was born on April 4, 1912, in Defiance, Ohio, his father, James, was 32 and his mother, Gertrude, was 30. He married Hazel Rose Steinhoff on August 2, 1930. They had one child during their marriage. He died on January 21, 1985, in Bull Shoals, Arkansas, at the age of 72, and was buried there.
    Robert’s family
    Children
    Ronald Paul Lind I

    Birth of brother
    His brother William Edwin was born on January 12, 1915, in Miller, Indiana, when Robert Earl was 2 years old.
    William Edwin Lind
    1915–2007
    Birth of brother
    His brother Charles was born on June 21, 1921, in Gary, Indiana, when Robert Earl was 9 years old.
    Charles Lind
    1921–

    AGE 10

    Birth of brother
    His brother Howard was born in 1922 in Indiana when Robert Earl was 10 years old.
    Howard Lind
    1922–2011

    Death of father
    His father James Arthur passed away on January 10, 1925, in Gary, Indiana, at the age of 44.

    James Arthur Lind
    1880–1925

    Marriage
    Robert Earl Lind married Hazel Rose Steinhoff on August 2, 1930, when he was 18 years old.

    Hazel Rose Steinhoff
    1900–1984

    His son Ronald Paul was born on May 21, 1931, in Chicago, Illinois.

    Ronald Paul Lind I
    1931–2014
    Any information about living relatives is listed as private. I hope this gets you started.

    Eagle Historical Society
    Eagle, Wisconsin

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