Joan Heinrich Kohues was born in Ostbevern, Westfalen, Prussia on 2 May 1838. He was the son of Georg Henricus Kohues and Anna Maria Gertrud Piegelbrock. They lived just outside of the town on Dorfbauerschaft 62. Next to the Kohues farm and sharing a common property line was that of the Piegelbrock Family where his mother grew up and where his grandparents Georg Heinrich Piegelbrock and Anna Maria Ovelgonne lived. Henry learned the tailoring trade in Ostbevern before immigrating to America in 1865.He was the last of 3 brothers to relocate to Cincinnati, Ohio. His brothers Joan Hermann Kohues (John Kohus) had gone in 1850, and Hermann Heinrich (Herman Kohus) in 1852. In America, Joan Heinrich Kohues Americanized his name also and became known as Henry Kohus.
On 14 Nov 1865 there was a child born in Ostbevern named Bernard Heinrich to the mother Anna Gertrud Fromme. On the child's birth record from St. Ambrosius Church in Ostbevern. The record states that Henry's brother Bernard as the godfather, no father's name was given. I believe this child was the son of Henry Kohus. The reason I believe this is because Anna Gertrude Fromme and son Bernard Heinrich immigrated to Cincinnati, Ohio in 1867 and she married Henry Kohus that same year at St. Paul Church, in Cincinnati, Ohio. The child was born Bernard Heinrich but is known on all American records as Henry B. Kohus.
Henry Sr. ran a merchant tailoring business in Cincinnati. He was in partnership with a man named George Drees for several years About 1890 Henry went into partnership with his son, Henry B. Kohus. Their business was named Kohus & Son and they were in business as Kohus & Son until 1906 when Henry B. apparently took over the business, because the name was then changed to H. B. Kohus and Company.
This is a brass button from clothing sold by Kohus & Son 1990-1906
His father Henry was still working at the business location at 431 Main Street but he was now listed in the city directory as an office worker. Henry and his son worked in those capacities until 5 Apr 1913 when Henry Sr. died. His son Henry B. Kohus left the business some time before 1916 when he became manager of the Price Hill Branch of the Provident Savings Bank and Trust Company. He worked for that company until his death on 11 Apr 1921. Henry Kohus (Joan Heinrich Kohues) is buried in Calvary Cemetery, Cincinnati, Ohio. in his family section along with other family members.
Family plot in Calvary Cemetery, Cincinnati, Ohio
Henry Kohus obituary from the Cincinnati Freie Press. With such a large German population, this was one of several German language newspapers published in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The Last Will and Testament of Henry Kohus Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6
