Henry Hesse, Sr. (1824-1902) was born in Germany. He married Mary Nageschmidt
(1826-1883) just before they immigrated to Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1854. He worked
in the local grocery business for almost fifty years. He was a member of the
Milwaukee Music Society and Turnverein Milwaukee. Henry Sr. and Mary had three
children, Mary (1857-1924), Pauline (1859-circa 1925/6) and Henry Jr.
(1861-1927).
Henry Jr. graduated Milwaukee Normal school in 1880 and by 1882 he was employed as a
principal at a new primary school in the Sixth District of Milwaukee. He worked as
principal at several schools throughout his career and eventually ending up at
Center Street School, staying for twenty years. He retired while there in 1926.
Henry Jr. married Lena Dehm (1869-1945) circa 1899. She graduated from Milwaukee’s
Second District School in 1883. In the 1890s she taught at various Milwaukee public
schools but resigned 1899 when she married. Henry Jr. was a long standing member of
the Milwaukee Musical Society like his father, joining when he was 8 yrs old. He was
also a member of the Schoolmasters Club, Turnverein Milwaukee and the Steuben
Society.
