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David Hildebrand was born about 1720 in Unterweissach, Marbach, Neckarkreis, Württemberg. He married Anna Maria Sanzenbacher, also of Unterweissach. They had a son, Johannes Hildebrand, who was born March 31, 1747, in Heutensbach, just a few miles south of Unterweissach. He married Elisabetha Barbara Grübele in Heutensbach in 1777. They had 9 children, 4 of which reached adulthood: David, Johannes, Jakob and Samuel.

 In April 2004, we met with the town historian of Allmersbach & Heutensbach area, Erich Bauer. He told an interesting story about a Hildebrand, possibly a brother of our Johannes Hildebrand. Napoleon promised the Duke of Württemberg that he would make him a king if he would donate 13,000 men to his army. This was done and included a Hildebrand from Heutensbach (unknown which one in 2004). He went with Napoleon’s army to Moscow. Only 300 of the original 13,000 came back from this campaign, with this Hildebrand being one of them. He did not really get over the hardships that he endured, and had a difficult life. He died with no property and few belongings.

This is the small church in Heutensbach, Baden-Wurttemburg where many of our Hildebrands were married and baptised.

Allmersbach- the old part of town

The towns of Allemersbach and Heutensbach, where the Hildebrands were living, were part of the district of Backnang, Württemberg, a few miles from Allmersbach. We drove through Backnang in April 2004, and were surprised at the large size of this town. This town is much larger than Unterwiessach, Allmersbach, or Heutensbach. All four towns are within about 5 miles of each other.

Recent picture of the old part of Backnang, Baden-Wurttemburg, Germany

Backnang, Baden-Wurttemburg, Germany

Picture taken in April 2004 by William Hildebrand, Jr

The Hildebrands travel to the United States- 1830

The family left the Heutensbach area in April 1830 for the United States. according to Erich Bauer, they probably traveled to Heilbronn, a port on the Neckar River to Heidelberg, then to the Rhine, and finally into Rotterdam in Holland. This was a common way to travel at that  time, and is only a guess at this point (2004).

John and Christine and the family sailed for America by the way of sail ship, encountering heavy storms and the trip lasting for a period of between three and four months. The family finally landed in New York, and the family at once started westward by way of stage and foot; stopping for a while to recuperate in Pennsylvania. They settled down in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania.

After several years, the family again set out on their journey westward and finally settled in Crawford County, Ohio. It was here that they entered a government tract and built a suitable home for the time, and in the near future, they built a more substantial dwelling house, which is standing to this day (1925), in Brokensword, Liberty Township, near St Paul's Lutheran Church.

             John had  9 children: John Frederick, Cora Catherine, Dorada, Doradah B. (who died young), Doradonna, (also died young), Barbara, Jacob D., Gotlib,  and John George Hildebrand.

(Ref: 1. Obituary of Barbara (Hildebrand) Guiss;  2. Chronology of the John Hildebrand Family- August 1, 1925)

            John Frederick Hildebrand, and his wife, Margaret Rapp, had 10 children, and lived in the Crawford County, Ohio area. Apparently most of his children remained in the Ohio area, except for one of his sons, Solomon Hildebrand, who settled in New Castle, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania.

            Lawrence Hildebrand became an attorney. He married Margaret Olive Studebaker in 1911. He served as the Lawrence County, Pa district attorney from1922 to 1925. He then was elected Judge of Lawrence County, Pa from 1926 to 1936, he then went back to practicing law. One of his sons, Merle Harold Hildebrand, also became a practicing attorney.

Lawrence Hildebrand

All three Hildebrand brothers attended the New Castle High School and had a keen interest in football. The school team played so well that they played and defeated many colleges. Herman was the captain of the team.

After high school, he attended Washington and Jefferson College. Later, he did surveying, designing, and building of bridges and trestles in Pennsylvania and Virginia. Some of his work brought him to the Clinch Mountain in Virginia, where he met Juanita Aston in Honaker. They were married in Honaker on Oct 9, 1912.

According to Herman’s son, William Hildebrand,  “Around 1917 or 1919 he joined William G. Baldwin and Janie (Dinwiddie) Baldwin as owners of the Martha Washington Candy Co. They had 28 stores throughout New Jersey, Virginia, and Maryland. My father operated the factory on Sussex Avenue in Newark, New Jersey until 1934. He also had one store in Asbury Park, NJ and three stores in Newark to sell their candy. The Newark stores were located at 19 Central Ave, another on Broad St, and later opened a large tea-room on Halsey St. in the Prudential Building. Many of his customers were friends of mine who worked for the Prudential Insurance Co. around 1930 to 1934. It was during the "Great" Depression of 1929, and "everyone" went to the "Pru". They paid well at the time-- $16 a week and it was a steady job.”

            “This same depression also led to the collapse of many businesses in the country. Since candy was a luxury, our business was hard hit. Stores were closed, leaving only the Halsey St. tea room open. The N.R.A. (National Recovery Act), a brain storm of Franklin D. Roosevelt, forced companies to pay their employees more at a time when they were not making a profit.  The result was foreclosures and failures all over the country. In 1932,  a "Bank Holiday" was called for by the government to keep people from drawing all of their savings from the banks. Also in 1932, the rights to the Martha Washington Candy Co. were sold to the Southern Candy Company. They continued to operate the Martha Washington stores until they were closed on July 1, 1940.

            My father came from a very close-knit family. Years after leaving New Castle, they still got together as a family. Reunions were very popular in those days, and people took pride in keeping exact records of the family history. I have a picture of the Rapp Reunion with over a hundred people attending.

            My dad also attended his New Castle High School "Alley Rat" reunions. He went for many years and told some funny stories. They would chase and attempt to catch pigs between their legs. Of course, the winner, dad, won two years in a row. He was rewarded with a glass of beer. This, he had to consume in 30-45 seconds, while the "losers" counted. He said he never knew who the real loser was. The "Rats" also had track and field events and a baseball game. These games were played until the Alley Rats were over sixty years of age."

(Ref: William Hildebrand, 1988)

Many Hildebrands served their country in war time. Two of Herman Hildebrand's sons, Robert George Hildebrand and William Baldwin Hildebrand served in the Army during World War II. Bob served in the Army Air Corps as a bombadiere instructor on bombers such as the B-17 and later the B-24. Bill did a short time in the Army Air Corps in the pilot program, but was later transferred to the Army Infantry. He saw service in Europe in the 3rd Army, 4th Armored Division, 53rd Armored Inf. Batt., Co. C.,  and was part of the Battle of the Bulge, Germany's unsuccessful last big push to win the war. Marjorie Mae Hildebrand's husband, Charles Bruce Headland, served in Europe also, but was killed at Anzio, Italy in Jan 1944.

Bob Hildebrand about 1946

Reunions

            The First Annual Hildebrand Reunion was held Friday Aug 11, 1932. Descendents of John Hildebrand. It was held at the Crawford County Fairgrounds in Ohio, with 175 people attending. Officers elected were:

William Hildebrand of Bucyrus, Ohio, Pres; Harvey Hildebrand of Crestline, Vice Pres; Tony Tupps of Bucyrus, Sec; and Otto Hildebrand of Bucyrus, Treas.

3-7-2004 WBH;  Updated 5-16-2005