Ken J. Hochban (Year 2000)
| I never met my grandfather nor knew much about him since I was born
before his death. Grandpa Peter was mauled by a bull (1934), in a
Winnipeg slaughterhouse where he worked after his brief farm stay in Saskatchewan.
Peter's family moved to north end Winnipeg in 1925, living first at 542
College Ave, then at 571 Boyd ave.
Wife Magdalena was pregnant at the time, having conceived about August 1924, three months after arrival in Canada. She gave birth to Josef Hochban, 1 March, 1925, at 542 College. Unfortunately, Josef died three months later, 1 June, 1925, from infectious diarhia. He is buried at St. Marys cemetery in Winnipeg. After Peter's accident, he was taken to St. Joseph's hospital for an operation, but died next day, Jan 14, 1934, of thrombosis of viens and intestinal obstructions. No autopsy was required and his son John Hochban (1910) was present to sign off the certificate. Peter was waked at Barkers funneral chapel and buried in Winnipeg's St. Mary's cemetery Jan 17, 1934. (death certificate below) Grandpa Peter was born in 1879, Zichydorf (Mariolana), Banat, Austria/Hungary.
His parents were Johann (1856) and Katherine Amon-Hochban (1858) of Zichydorf.
His brother was Johann (1881) and sisters Annamaria (1884) and Katharina
(1887)
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 When he was about twenty, he served for a few years with the Military stationed near the Croatian border at Wirowititz(Virovitica). He returned home to marry Magdalena Nieszner (1885) whose parents are Jacob and Magdalena Nieszner of Zichydorf. The earlier Hochban ancsestor, Adam (1750), migrated with brothers from Obernheim, Germany to Kozma, Austria-Hungary 1775). Adam Hochban later migrated to Zichydorf in the Banat around 1787. This land was opened for German settlement by Emperor Josef II of Austria-Hungary. |
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Family daughter was born Aug 25-1907; baptized Magdalena, Aug 28, by
Father Michael Muller in Zickydorf. Shortly after this birth, Peter
moved his family to Elemer, Banat, a few miles north of GrossBetchkerek
(Zrenjanin), to seek a better farming opportunity. It was in Elemer that
my father John Hochban was born 10 Oct 1910.
There is evidence that 2 other children died quit young in Zichydorf. Elisabeth (1904-1908) and Peter (1909-1909) The stay in Elemer did not last as Peter took his family back to Zichydorf until their decision to emigrate to Canada in 1924. |
| Peter described his destination as Rouleau, Sask., to farm work for
a cousin John Hochban but his stay was short as he moved to Winnipeg.
Peter (age 44) sailed May 15-1924, aboard the White line ship "Zeeland"
(Northland) from London to Halifax. His family of wife Magdalena(38), daughter
Lena(16), and son John(13), arrived in Halifax May 22-1924. I'm probably
correct that they stayed at the quarantine station at Gross Ile, Que.,
until their medical immigration clearance on June 23-1924.
From here Ive lost tract of any further knowledge of Peter except for two factors. A very poor quality photo shows a 1926 picture of Peter in a city I cant recognize. Either Winnipeg, Regina or Chicago. Second, Peter and Magdalena visited Chicago 1933, to see his married daughter Lena Birg, husband Matt, and three grandchildren, Annie, Katherine and Joseph. Peters son John, my father, was living in Winnipeg where he was preparing marriage to his fiancé Katherine Yauk on April 28-1934. |
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| G.G. Grandpa Johann Hochban (1821) came from a family of 6 siblings,
5 of which died in childhood. However, through earlier ancestors, (Adam
1779, & brother Peter 1777) the families remained in close contact
through the years since they were referred to as "Cousins" by G. Grandfather
Johann (1858). In fact one of these relatives, John Hochban, had immigrated
to Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, in 1901.
It was this move that also prompted Peter to take his family to Canada where he initially located on Johann's farm until his move to Winnipeg in 1925. My father also received a photo from Jesuit Priest, John Hochban, at the time of his first vows 1943, whose father and mother are John Hochban and Mary Molter, from Regina Sask. (the Tree's give the timelines). |
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