Husband Rev. Dr. Nicholas Philip Hacke, D.D. 1 2
Born: Sep 1800 - Baltimore, MD 3
Christened:
Died: 26 Aug 1878 4
Buried: - Greensburg, Westmoreland Co, PA
Father: Nicholas Hacke ( - ) 5 6 7
Mother: Sophia Smith ( - ) 3
Marriage: 1821 - Greensburg, Westmoreland Co, PA 8
Wife Susan Drum Hugus 1 8
Born: - Greensburg, Westmoreland Co, PA
Christened:
Died: Bef 1880
Buried:
Father: Jacob Hugus ( - ) 1 8
Mother: Catherine Flickinger ( - ) 8
Children
1 F Sophia M. Hacke 8
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: Did Not Marry
2 M William Herman Hacke 8
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: Lavina L. Steck ( - ) 8
3 M Nicholas Henry Hacke 8
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: Rebecca McLaughlin ( - ) 8
4 M Jacob Hugus Hacke 8
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: Did Not Marry
5 F Catherine Elizabeth Hacke 8
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
6 M John L. Hacke 9
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: Catherine Truxell ( - ) 8
7 F Sarah L. Hacke 8
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: Did Not Marry
8 M Paul Hugus Hacke 4
Born:
Christened:
Died: Bef 1918
Buried:
Spouse: Did Not Marry
9 M Edward Hacke 4
Born:
Christened:
Died: Bef 1918
Buried:
Spouse: Did Not Marry
General Notes: Husband - Rev. Dr. Nicholas Philip Hacke, D.D.
When he was six years old his grandparents in Bremen, Germany, begged his father to send the boy to live with them, assuring him that they would give him every advantage which their position and wealth could obtain for him. It was with great reluctance that his mother consented to this arrangement, but finally he sailed from Baltimore with his uncle, William Hacke, on a ship of which his uncle was the owner. Early in the voyage William Hacke was for several days almost fatally ill, during which time "little Nicholas had to fight his homesickness alone." On his arrival in Bremen the boy was met by his grandparents, who did all in their power to render his life a happy one. He made good progress in his studies, and was taught in the old bank presided over by his grandfather. His father's younger sister, who was a woman of superior attainments and an earnest Christian, became his devoted companion, assisting him with his studies, and it was doubtless owing, in part at least, to her influence that the lad decided to devote his life to the ministry.
When Nicholas P. Hacke was thirteen years old his mother felt that she could no longer endure the separation, and accordingly, in 1813, his father sailed for Bremen, intending to bring his son home with him. The War of 1812 was in progress, and the father and son were not allowed to return to the United States. They remained in Germany until 1816, and during their enforced sojourn there the boy's grandmother passed away. On their return to Baltimore, Mr. Hacke placed Nicholas P. in his bank in that city, but soon discovered that his son was not adapted to the business. On one occasion, when he was sent to collect some money due the bank, he returned without it and told his father that he could not ask people for money. Mr. Hacke asked his son what he intended to do, and was told that he had decided to become a minister of the Gospel. Great as was the disappointment to find that this, his eldest son, would not succeed him in the business which had for generations been hereditary in the family, the father was too wise a man to oppose what he saw was a fixed determination, and therefore he consented that his son should at once enter Professor Baker's theological institution on the Baker farm near Baltimore.
It soon became evident that Nicholas P. Hacke, young as he was, had made no mistake in his choice of a calling, but that he was exceptionally endowed with the qualities which fitted him for it and insured his success in it. Mental ability, innate dignity and an intense spiritual earnestness, were from the beginning conspicuously manifested by this man. His graduation and ordination at the early age of nineteen were immediately followed by a call to the Reformed church at Greensburg, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. At that time, the surrounding country was little better than a wilderness, but as the population increased he founded churches at Brush Creek, Manor, Harrold and Hills, near Greensburg. He ministered to all the branch churches while pastor of the First Reformed Church at Greensburg, riding from church to church on horseback. By birth, education, and sympathies, Mr. Hacke was peculiarly fitted to be their guide, and he also possessed the clarity of vision and breadth of mind needed in one whose duty it was not only to consider their spiritual welfare but to point the way to them in the new land which was to be the abiding place of generations of their posterity. This he did with a wisdom and enlightment which entitled him to the perpetual gratitude of the State of Pennsylvania and the country-at-large. Especially did he labor long and earnestly to supplant the German language with the English tongue, assuring his people that this change must eventually take place in all communities, and pointing out to them the long train of advantages which would follow in its wake.
Rev. Dr. Hacke impressed the people of Greensburg, Pittsburgh and vicinity, with his learning, earnestness, firmness and refined Christian personality, and the Reformed members of that section were very proud of their pastor and of his influence for good. Many were admitted to the membership of the church, many marriages were performed by him, many funerals were attended by him. He brought comfort and cheer to the bereaved ones, and wrote many obituary notices. In fact, his time was all taken up in ministering to the wants and needs of his people. In this work he was ably assisted by his wife, who was truly a helpmate to her husband, she being active in all the work of the church. They earned the highest respect and admiration of all with whom they were brought in contact. Rev. Dr. Hacke was not only the earnest theologian and Christian worker, but he was a peace maker, an adviser, and an altruist in the best meaning of the word. He was consulted on many matters outside of the theological field. He adjusted difficulties in business, and often avoided litigation for his friends and parishioners.
He passed away, "full of years and of honor." It has been said of him that "intellectually he was far above the average minister, and was the friend and companion of bright men, not only in his church, but in all ranks of life. He was more than a preacher; he was a Christian philosopher and a great advocate of great subjects." Judge A. D. McConnell, of Greensburg, writes "Rev. Nicholas P. Hacke was the most distinguished Reformed minister of Western Pennsylvania; he was a man of great ability, possessed a clear analytical mind, devoted to his Master. He was a great and good man, and his and his wife's influence was most beneficial to the community. Dr. Hacke was an excellent scholar, absolutely free from presumption or egotism; he and his wife devoted their lives to the people of their congregation\emdash and earned a place attained by few in any country or community."
He was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and in childhood was sent to Germany for his education. After completing his studies in that country, however, he returned to the United States and began to study for the ministry, under a Reformed minister in Baltimore. After being admitted to the ministry, Mr. Hacke came to Greensburg, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, in the year 1819 and took charge of the German Reformed churches at Greensburg, Harrold and Brush Creek. His first sermons in Greensburg were preached in the Court House, but at that time the church on South Main street was under construction and when finished it was used at once as a church and as a temple of justice. Almost at once Mr. Hacke began to make his great influence felt in the community, and not only in the places already mentioned, but also in the settlements of Ridge, Ligonier, Youngstown, Hills, Seanor and Manor, having had charge of the congregation of all of these places at various times. Most of these charges continued only for a year or two at most, during periods when the churches were without regular pastors, but were of sufficient length to give Mr. Hacke a position in the community scarcely equalled by any other clergyman of the time, and made him one of the most conspicuous figures not only in Westmoreland county, but in the whole western part of the state. A man of extraordinarily vivid personality, who was famed equally for his wit, piety and comprehensive judgment of human nature, he formed the center of a group which included such men as Judge Burrell, Dr. King and Senator Cowan, the most brilliant men of that region, who were drawn to him purely through his personal influence, although none of them were actually members of his church. At the time that Mr. Hacke came to Greensburg, the country about was practically a wilderness and he began his preaching under many physical difficulties and hardships. He continued it, however, with the utmost enthusiasm and with an indefatigable zeal up to the time of his death and few men have exerted so potent an influence for good in Westmoreland county as did he. He was certainly one of the greatest men associated with the Reformed church in that region and at that period, and indeed the adjective great is one which is most appropriately applied to him. This was the more true because added to his great power as a preacher and the influence which his force of character exerted upon all who came in contact with him, he was also the possessor of an unusually trenchant and original mind and most unquestionably deserves the name of a philosopher. For fifty-eight years he remained in Greensburg, and during that time came to be acknowledged as one of the most moving and convincing preachers in that part of the state. One of the most difficult tasks which it fell to Mr. Hacke to accomplish was that in connection with the change of language from German to English in his congregation. This was extremely difficult of accomplishment and required infinite tact as well as strength of mind. The settlement, of course, had originally been well-nigh uniformally German and naturally that language had been spoken. As time went on, however, the coming in of English-speaking people as well as the establishment of relations with outside English-speaking communities gradually brought about a condition where most of the older members of his congregation spoke the old tongue and understood very little of the new, while the reverse was true among the members of the younger generation. The situation thus developed was a difficult one, as both sides naturally desired the services and sermons to be given in the tongue with which they were familiar and which they could understand. As for Mr. Hacke, he would speak and write equally well in both languages, so that personally it made little difference to him. But with his usual clear judgment he perceived that in a great English-speaking community it would be impossible to continue a small settlement such as Greensburg in any other language without completely isolating them from the affairs of the surrounding world. Although himself of pure German blood, he readily perceived that the best thing for all concerned was that the transition should be made, and this he acommplished in so practical a manner that there was never a question of disrupting the church, although very naturally considerable opposition was developed. His work in accomplishing this reform is a sample of what he did in numberless other cases, so that even although he often had opposed to himself large and influential classes of the community, he never forfeited the friendship, confidence or admiration of any, and after his death, he was missed most deeply by the community as a whole. On the day of his funeral all the places of business in Greensburg were closed out of respect to his memory. He is buried in the old cemetery at Greensburg.