Daughter of Joseph Selbach & Helena (Ford) Selbach.

Obituary for Katherine (Selbach) Haug

She was one of the oldest Settlers -- Mrs. August Haug dies at her Home in Baileyville, when death came to Mrs. Haug at her home at 11:00 p.m. on January 18, this county lost one of its earliest settlers. She was 84 years old last August 7. She came here from her birthplace in Concord, Illinois when she was 9.

Katherine Haug was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Selbach, who settled on Clear Creek. After she was married to August Haug, October 21, 1972, their home was on the Turkey Creed until 1881 when they moved to the Cleveland school district; the school has been known as the "Haug school." About twelve years ago (1928), Mr. and Mrs. Haug moved to Baileyville where Mr. Haug died a few years later.

Mrs. Haug's contribution to the good of mankind can in no way be estimated. It is far reaching. Married at 15, she became the mother of 15 children, 12 of which survive. They are John, Edward, Anthony, Joseph and William of Seneca; Mrs. Rosa McCaffery who had been caring in for her mother in Baileyville; Charles, Bernard and Fred of Baileyville; August of Emmett; Mrs. Joe Grothjan of Wamego; and Miss Kathie at home. Mrs. Ida McQuaid and Monroe deceased; and the first born (Joseph) died at birth. She had 82 grandchildren, and 42 great-grandchildren.

She leaves three brothers: John Selbach of Topeka; Barney Selbach, Beggs, Oklahoma; and Joseph Selbach, Glendale, Arizona. There are several half-brothers and half-sisters.

Mrs. Haug had been ill for about a week. Death was due to the grip of the Influenza and a weak heart. Prior to her death, she attended the 40th Wedding Anniversary of her son John and Philomina Haug.

She was a devout member of the Sacred Heart Church in Baileyville and of the Ladies Society. In that church this morning, Rev Grosdidier gave the requiem for the repose of her soul. Internment was in Sts. Peter & Paul Cemetery, Seneca. Her home church for many years was St. Mary's, St. Benedict.

From the January 22, 1940 - Courier-Tribune, Seneca, Kansas:

More Info. on Katherine (Selbach) Haug:

Sister Melita McQuaid OSB, she wrote the following regarding the Selbach family: Katherine (Selbach) Haug her "Grandma" told her that she had been married a short time to August Haug, "Grandpa" when her mother (Helena Selbach) died. About a month later, my father married Elizabeth Lamping with a little girl. We were very sad because we had loved our mother and father very much. It wasn't long, we found our new step-mother didn't want us, so it was necessary for my brothers and sister to go elsewhere.

The letter was shown to Fred Haug and be commented that's the way it was and probably was the reason our family didn't visit with them very often. He thought that John (15) went and worked out as a farmhand; Joseph (10) and Bernard (4) went to live with his folks and Mary around (9) went to live with Charles Byrnes family. (Katherine was 15 years old when she married August Haug, he was 22 years old.) (Katherine had been doing housework for others since she was twelve years old.)

Note: From Family Tree - Haug and Sebach Tree:

Fred Haug reported to the writer that his mother (Katherine Selbach Haug) told him that when she was a small girl she heard President Lincoln speak when he ran for president. Concord, Illinois is only about 20 miles from where Lincoln lived.