| Johann Christian Kettwig (1875-1951) oo Anna M. Luken (1889-1981) |
Brother of Emme (Emil) Jürgens Kettwig (1877-?) and Jürgen Harminus Kettwig (1894-1920).
John C. Kettwig was born Oct. 31, 1875 at Hesel, Ostfriesland, Germany. At the age of 15 he came to the United States as an immigrant whose passage was paid by an uncle who already lived in Iowa. In turn, John worked as a farm laborer for him for five years to repay this passage. After farming in Iowa, he came to South Dakota in 1905. He and his brother Emil rented land just on the southern edge of Codington County, South Dakota, three miles north of Hazel. By 1907 he had built a house and farm buildings four miles north and one west of Hazel, presently owned by Earl Paulsen.
On Feb. 22, 1909, he married Anna M. Luken, who was also born in Germany at Langholt in Ostfriesland on Oct. 26, 1890. She is the daughter of Herman and Flora Luken, who also traveled to America, settling at Clarian, Iowa. The Luken family moved to South Dakota in 1907, living on farms in the Hazel vicinity.
John and Anna had farmed only one year when they sold out and purchased the McCormick Deering Implement in Hazel from Lantenschlager. The lived in the house presently owned by Clara Fuerstenau now chosen as the historical site in Hazel.
The first child, Lena, was born on Sept. 1910. They continued in business until the fall of 1913 when they moved to the Herman Abraham farm in Brantford Township. It was here that their second child, Johnny, was born on Nov. 15, 1914. They continued to farm on the Abraham location until the fall of 1918 when they moved onto one quarter section purchased land on which they built a new house and farm buildings. This was also located in Brantford Township, School district 3.On March 29, 1919, a third child, Harwey, was born. He lived only 16 months, dying of a mastoid infection. On May 1, 1929, a fourth child, Doris, was born. All the children attended Brantford 3 grade school, where John was a member of the school board for 25 years.
The family were members of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church for many years. The family continued farming on the same location through the depression and dry years on through World War II days, each family members was married. On Jan. 23, 1951, John C. passed away. Anna remained on the farm for another 10 years. She moved to her present location, the former Cottrell house in Hazel. She is a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Henry.
At this writing the family includes Anna, the three living children and their spouses, 12 living grandchildren and their spouses, 18 great-grandchildren, one of whom it married, and two great-great-grandchildren.”
Source: Geschichte von Hamlin County, South Dakota – 1878-1979. provided by Hans-Georg Boyken