#52Ancestors-Valentine; Week 7

For the prompt, Valentine, I decided not to go with the obvious choice and am writing about my great-great-great grandfather, Valentine Hanauer.

Valentine Hanauer was born on the 20th of February in 1834 in Alsace, France.  He was the oldest son of the six known children born to Jean George and Marie Barbe Marzolf Hanauer. He was named after his grandfather.  Valentine arrived in the United States with his parents and family around 1847 at the age of 13.  The family settled in Canton, Ohio, later moving on to Indiana.

In the 1850 Census, Valentine is listed with his parents, two sisters and his brother in Canton, Ohio. His father is listed as a farmer.  His oldest sister, Saloma, is not found with the family. She would have been 23 years old when the family came to the United States, so perhaps she was married and either stayed in Alsace, or she is near the family, but her married name is unknown.

Valentine Hanauer married Elizabeth Swain on the 3rd of March in 1859 in Huntington County, Indiana.  Their first child, my great-great grandfather, (Edward C. Hanauer) was born on the 21st of June in 1859.  [a side note: In a letter written many years later by Edward's sister-in-law she stated that it was said that "Ed" was adopted, but she didn't know if that was true.]

Valentine and Elizabeth, along with their son Edward, were listed as living with Valentine's parents, and brother George, in the 1860 census for Whitley County, Indiana. Valentine's father was listed as a farmer, but there was no occupation listed for either Valentine or his brother George.

According to the 1870 Huntington County, Indiana census, Valentine and Elizabeth had 8 children: Edward, William Henry, George Washington, Valentine, John, Nancy Jane, Saloma, and Elizabeth Ann. Valentine was listed as a farmer with real estate worth $800. A daughter, Magdalena, was born in 1873, but died that same year.

The 1880 census for Huntington County, shows that Valentine and Elizabeth had three more children: Emmaline, Ira and Nora J. Valentine was still listed as a

farmer, with his older sons listed as working on the farm.  Their son, Edward, had married in 1879 and he was living with his wife in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Six of Valentine's children married between 1880-1890. Three married before 1900 and one married in 1904, so presumably, Valentine lived to see all of them married.  Sadly, he also saw three of his children die between 1890-1900. The picture to the left is of the family of Valentine and Elizabeth Swain Hanauer, with Valentine and Elizabeth in the center.

The 1900 census for Huntington County, Indiana listed Valentine and Elizabeth living by themselves.  Valentine was listed as sixty-four years old (he was actually sixty-six) and a farmer.

Valentine died on the 28th of February in 1904.  He was seventy years old. Elizabeth lived six more years.  They are buried together in Funk Cemetery.