Ernst Carl Fritz "Ernest" Heiden was born in Mamerow, Germany on Wednesday, June 10, 1868 as the second child of August and Fredericka (Knaack) Heiden. He turned five years old just six days after his family arrived in America in 1873 aboard the S.S. Saxonia.

On Wednesday, April 17, 1895, he married Anna Sophia Knack. At the time of their marriage, Ernest was 26 and Anna was 18. Her birth date was Saturday, July 15, 1876, also in Germany and she came to America with her family in 1883 when she was 7 years old.

During their 55 years together, they had ten children, 5 sons and 5 daughters (two daughters died in infancy according to their 50th anniversary article).

Ernst and Anna lived on the farm at 8925 South Custer Road which was next door to the west of August Heiden who lived at 8700 South Custer Road. Ernest's home was later the site of Hovizi’s Greenhouse and then the Flower Market. The house was torn down decades ago.

The children would have attended the one-room Fonia School. It was located about a mile or so away at 11411 Trost Road. One of Heinrich Heiden's daughters, Dorothy (Heiden) Strzesinski lived there in the 1950s when it had been converted into a residence after the school district was consolidated into Dundee Community Schools.

In 1944, Ernst and Anna moved to Ida to live with their daughter, Ada (Heiden) Robbins and her family at 8004 Mill Street in Ida, Michigan.

Ernest and Anna both lived to the age of 82. He died on New Year’s Eve, Sunday, December 31, 1950 while residing at the Robbin's home and Anna passed away on Tuesday, June 30, 1959 while living at 8055 Ida East Road according to her obituary..

The couple had 19 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren at the time of Anna's death.

 

Ernest (Ernst) was living in the City of Monroe with his parents, August and Rika Heiden and brothers William Carl and Herman.
Ernest (31) and Anna (23) were living in Raisinville Township with their children Frank (2), Edwin (10/12).
Ernest (41) and Anna (32) were living in Raisinville Township with their children Frank (12), Edwin (10), Walter (6), Ada (3), Elmer (1).

Ernest (51) and Anna (42) were living at at 8920 Custer Stone Road i.e. South Custer Road with their children Frank (22), Edwin (20), Walter (16), Ada (12), Elmer (11), Florence (8), Ervin (6) and Alfred "Dave" (4)

He was listed as being married at the age of 18 and had gone through the 7th grade in school.
Ernest (61) and Anna (53) were living at 8925 S. Custer Road with their children Walter (26), Ada (22), Elmer (21), Florence (18), Ervin (16) and Alfred "Dave" (14).
Ernest (72) and Anna (64) were living at 8925 S. Custer Road with unmarried children, Elmer (31) and Ervin (27). Their son Walter (37), his wife Edith (23) and their children Gerald (4) and Wayne, Sr. (1) lived there too. Walter was listed as a truck driver making about $1,092 per year. Elmer and Ervin were each earning about $360 annually while Ernest was taking in about $900.
Ernest (82) and Anna (74) were living at 8004 Prairie Street in Ida, Michigan.

Knaack - Knack - Kanak - Knaak - Rika (Mrs August) Heiden and her daughter-in-law, Anna (Mrs Ernst) Heiden had similar maiden names. Both have been recorded in different documents as having one of the four spellings above for their maiden name.

In researching Rika's background, the old German church records most frequently spell it Knaack. In America, we find the occasional Knaak or Kanack. Since Knaack appears to be the accepted German spelling, that is what we will use...for now.

Anna in her newspaper obituary is listed as Knaack also. However, tracing her back into Germany finds her father's name is Knack and her Social Security application has her maiden name as Knack. Also, relatives who attended her funeral service all wrote their names as Knack. Anna originated from a different part of Germany than Rika, too. So, it would appear that Knack is the proper spelling.