Franz Carl Hage lived and worked in the Foster’s Meadow area. He was born in Zwatzau (perhaps spelt Zwatzen), Saxen Weimar, Prussia, Germany in March, 1831. This is a little town near Weimar in the modern day section of Thuringia. The main occupation there was largely agriculture with some stock being raised. In coming to the United States in 1850, he gave his occupation as “farmer” and on the 1870 and 1880 census as “Farm laborer” and “Farm Hand”. He boarded and worked on the Hoffman farm in Fosters Meadow, both before the Civil War and afterwards.

According to the Civil War Service Records, he enlisted in the army as a private at the age of 29 and was wounded at Malvern Hill, VA on the first of July, 1862. Promoted to full Corporal on the 29 Nov 1862, he returned to the battlefield and was again wounded, this time at Fredericksburg, VA. After mustering out on the 8 May 1863, he returned to work on the Hoffman farm in Fosters Meadow and married Helene Fleischmann, a servant on the farm. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. Joseph Huber at the Hoffman farm on 29th of Sept, 1863 as written in the records of St. Boniface Church, Fosters Meadow, NY

In the 1870 Census, Franz and Helene lived at 2160 Hempstead. No street name is given. Their names are misspelled as Francis and Ellen Hought but children Johanna, Rose and Christopher are listed correctly as well as Helene’s mother Barbara Fleischmann. In the 1880 Census, they lived in Franklin Square. No house number nor street name is recorded. Their names are again misspelled, this time as Franz and Helen Hoche. Helene’s mother Barbara Fleischmann still lived with them.

They had nine children, most baptized in St. Boniface RC Church but eventually the family moved to Flushing Avenue, still in Queens and then to Benedict Ave., Woodhaven, Queens.

Franz died on the 16th of Feb, 1902. Helene continued to live in Woodhaven until her death 8th March 1932. They are both buried in St. John’s RC Cemetery, in Middle Village, Queens County, NY

Submitted by their great‐ granddaughter, Dorothy M. Kramer

Email: doromak@bellsouth.net