Harens, Michael 1882-1963 & Christine Molitor Family

HARENS, MOLITOR, KOOB, WOLLES, KREBER

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - Volunteer (email)
Date: 12/31/2025 at 14:05:13

Harens, Michael 1882-1963 and Christine Molitor Family

This biography of the Michael Harens family was taken from a family story in the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church book of Granville Iowa page 106 . It was further researched and composed by Wilma J. Vande Berg of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society.

The full narrative including additions to the church book story were made from various sources including records from the web site www.iagenweb.org/sioux; family reports and vitals collected from ancestry.com records and ancestry’s public member trees, Find A Grave index, internet searches and various local archives.

Disclaimer: Names, dates and places may vary from one source to another, but have been stated in this biography as presented in the source. Family data taken from ancestry.com public member trees is subject to the submitter of data to ancestry.com and was not fully verified by this submitter. Information was cross checked from other sources when possible.

The Michael Harens Family story from the St. Joseph’s church book page 106.

Michael Harens was born March 7, 1882 at Hospers, Iowa. He died on February 2, 1963. He married Christine Molitor on January 21, 1918 at St. Mary’s church in Alton, Iowa. Christine was born on February 11, 1894 at Pratz, Luxembourg. They had one chld, Hilda Ann Harens Kreber, who was born On November 27, 1918 at Alton, Iowa. They became part of St. Josephs Parish about 1930.
Michael Harens spent most of his life farming. They moved in the Mike Fisch home in the northwest part of Granville. He worked for Luken Lumber Yard before retiring. Christine’s hobby was knitting, quilting and crocheting. Christine is a resident of a nursing home.
(end of the Michael Harens family story in the church book.)

RESEARCH notes:

Michael Paul Harens was born 7 Mar 1882 Hospers IA died 2 Feb 1963 Orange City IA, buried Granville IA. Parents were Matthew Harens 1839-1927 and Marguareth Koob 1849-1903. Michael Harens family history had been previously addressed in his parents biography. See the BIOS on this web page for Michael’s parents family story, Harens, Mathias 1839-1927 and Margaret Koob Family.

Christine Molitor was born 11 Feb 1894 Pratz, Preizerdaul, Redange, Diekirch, Die, Luxembourg and died April 1987 Granville IA. Her parents were Nicolas M. Molitor 1849-1908 Luxembourg Belgium and Margaretha Anna Wolles 1850-1898 Pratz, Redange, Diekirch, Luxembourg. Michael Harens and Christine Molitor were married 21 Jan 1918 at Ashton, Osceola, IA.

CHILD: One child Hilda Mrs. Clarence Kreber was born to Michael and Christine Harens. Her obituary is included as follows:

Hilda Anna Harens born 27 Nov 1918 Alton, Sioux, Iowa died 14 September 1994 Granville IA.
Hilda’s obit was carried in the Sioux County Capital (9-22-1994) Mrs. Clarence L. (Hilda A.) Kreber, 75, of Granville died Wednesday, September 14, 1994 at a Sioux City Hospital after a lengthy illness. Services were held at 10:30 A.M. Saturday, September 17, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Granville. The Reverend Clem Currans officiated. Burial was in the parish cemetery under the direction of the Fisch Funeral Home, Remsen. Hilda was born November 27, 1918 in rural Alton, the daughter of Michael and Christine (Molitor) Harens. She moved as a child with her family to the Granville-Hospers area where she was raised. She graduated from St. Mary’s Academy in Alton in 1937. On January 23, 1939 she married Clarence Kreber in Granville. The couple farmed in the Granville area before moving to the family farm near Granville in 1946. They retired in 1972 and moved into Granville in 1987. Mrs. Kreber was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Catholic Daughters of America, Christian Mothers, Catholic Order of Foresters and Senior Citizens. She had participated in Cub Scouts as a den leader.
Survivors include her husband, Clarence; four daughters, Marianne and her husband Bill Jochum, Marge Jarnell, and Kathy and her husband Bruce Grimberg, all of Sioux City, and Eileen and her husband Jim Snodgrass of Des Moines; three sons and their wives, Don and Marci of Paullina, Ken and Barb of Sioux City, and Alan and Donna of Granville; and 20 grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents.

OBITUARY of Michael Harens 1882-1963

Source: Alton Democrat (2-7-1963) Born: March 7, 1882 Died: 1963
Funeral services for Michael Harens, 80, were held at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Granville, Tuesday morning at 10:00 o’clock. Reverend N.J. Becker officiating. Mr. Harens died Saturday evening at 9:10 at the Orange City Hospital where he was a patient for two weeks, following an illness of six months. He was born March 7, 1882, son of Mr. and Mrs. Matt Harens on a farm 4 miles north of Granville. January 21, 1918, he was married to Christine Molitor, at St. Mary’s Church in Alton, and began farming. Later they retired and resided in Granville ever since.
Surviving are the widow; one daughter (Hilda) Mrs. Clarence Kreber of Granville; three grandsons, four granddaughters; one sister, Anna Harens of Le Mars. He was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers, John, Frank, Charles and Nick; three sisters, (Justine) Mrs. Frank Heim, (Mary) Mrs. Pete Wiltgen, (Margaret) Mrs. F. Rothenbuhler. Rosary was held at Spalding Hall, Monday evening. Burial was in St. Joseph Cemetery.

OBITUARY of Christine Molitor Mrs. Michael Harens 1894-1987
Sioux County Capital April 23, 1987
Christine Harens Mrs. Michael (Christine) Harens, 93, of Granville, died Thursday at the Heritage House Nursing Home in Orange City after a long illness. Services were held at 10:30 a.m. Monday at St. Joseph's Catholic Church at Granville. Rev. Robert Gralapp officiated. Burial was in the parish cemetery under direction of Fisch Funeral Home of Remsen.
Mrs. Harens, the former Christine Molitor, was born Feb. 11, 1894 in Pratz, Luxemburg, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Nick (Anna Walles) Molitor. She came to the United States and the Alton area at the age of 18. She married Michael Harens on Jan. 21, 1918 in Alton. The couple farmed near Alton for two years and then farmed in the Hospers-Granville area. They retired and moved into Granville in 1932. Mr. Harens died Feb. 2, 1963. She entered Heritage House Nursing Home on Sept. 7, 1984. She was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church, its Church Guild and Christian Mothers.
Survivors include one daughter, Mrs. Clarence (Hilda) Kreber of Granville; seven grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and one step great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by her parents, four brothers and two sisters.

Picture of Michael and Christine Harens and daughter Hilda as found on page 106 of the St. Joseph’s church book.

Sioux Biographies maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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