FIRST GENERATION
John Adams Hoen was born in 1849 and raised on a farm in Feisburg Germany.
In 1882, at the age of 33, he immigrated to the United States.
John settled in Maumee, Ohio and ran a saloon. After six years in the saloon business, John married Barbara Zihr from Staffalbach, Germany. A few years later he sold the saloon and bought 40 acres of farm ground at an auction for $1800. At the corner of the farm, John operated a gas station along with a fruit stand.
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SECOND GENERATION
In 1926 John retired and one of his sons Frank, along with his wife Josephine ran the farm. After John’s death, Frank bought his brother Frederick’s share of the farm.
Frank and Josephine had three sons and a daughter: Francis (Fritz), William (Bill), Leonard (Lee), and Leola. In 1941, Fritz and Bill were drafted into the army leaving their father and Lee to care for the farm. In 1945 Bill and Fritz returned home from the war. Fritz moved to North Carolina and Bill returned to the farm to help his father and brother, Lee. In 1951 Bill and Lee bought 100 acres. A new barn was built. In 1956 my dad, Bill, started building a house on the farm. We moved in after the completion in 1961. The original farm John Hoen bought was split 4 ways by the turnpike and I-475 and was sold to development. |
THIRD GENERATION
Over the years the business grew. Another building was put up along with greenhouses to raise plants. The produce raised was sold wholesale in Toledo and from a wagon on Airport Highway. When Airport Hwy was widened to four lanes, we began to sell produce at the barn and house. The plant business grew and more greenhouses were built. A machinery building was also built. We were called Hoen’s Greenhouse and Farm at the time.
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FOURTH GENERATION
I graduated from college in 1971 and became a full time partner in the business. It was decided in 1976 to put up a market. Our name now changed to Hoen’s Produce. We extended the family garage 36 feet for the market. At this time we were raising bedding plants, vegetables, and fruit. In 1980, my dad and I bought a farm 78.5 acres north of Delta, Ohio. My dad, Bill, died in 1981 from heart problems. The 100 acre farm bought in 1951 was split into two businesses. Lee, along with his sons formed Hoen’s Greenhouse, Inc and ran the plant business. I continued raising fruit and vegetables, running the farm market now called Hoen’s Orchard and Farm.
In 1992 a new house was built on the Delta farm. This is where my family and I now live. Currently our orchard and produce business is located north of Delta, Ohio in Fulton County. |
-Michael W. Hoen
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