One Township's Yesterdays Chapter XXVII  

HOHAM

JOHN HOHAM was born over the ocean, in Alsace. He first saw the light of day in the city of Strasburg, June 17, 1820. "In September, 1831, he left home and began working on a farm," says A. C. THOMPSON, "and in 1840 came to the United States, landing in New York city after a voyage of fifty-six days.

From that city he went to Lyons, N. Y., near which place he found employment on a farm at $100 a year, and after remaining there one year he found similar employment near the city of Buffalo, where, in addition to farm work, he was also engaged in the lumber business.

He then came west, and in September, 1844, located in Marshall county, Indiana, purchasing a farm of eighty acres in the old Indian reserve at Lake Maxinkuckee, in Union township. He was the first one to purchase real estate in that part of the country, and for one year lived entirely alone in the little log cabin which he had erected upon his land.

In 1845 he was married to MARY MOLLER, a native of Germany, but living at that time in Fulton county, this state, where the marriage took place. He continued to reside on his farm for eight years, in which time he added to his original purchase becoming the possessor of 160 acres of land.

He disposed of his farm in 1852 and purchased a farm of 200 acres in West township, 125 acres of which he cleared and put in cultivation and resided upon the same for a period of about five years. During the year 1854-55, he was joined by his friends and relatives from the old country, his father and mother having died in Germany previous to that time.

In October, 1857, he purchased three acres of land one mile south-west of Plymouth, to which he at once removed and upon which he erected the first brewery in Marshall county." For many years he was one of the leading citizens of Plymouth, where he engaged in several different business enterprises. He became the owner of considerable property in that city, and bought and sold some valuable farms in the outlying country.

His first wife died in 1875, leaving nine children. He remarried in 1876.