Herman John Heiden and his fraternal twin, Bertha Dorothea, were born on Monday, July 31, 1876. Bertha passed away six months later in January, 1877.

They were the fourth and fifth children of August and Fredericka (Knaack) Heiden and the second and third to be born in America. The family was living on West 9th Street in Monroe, Michigan at the time of the births according to the 1880 U.S. Census, .

Herman married Friedarecka "Reka" Johanna Christine Rambow on Thursday, February 22, 1900 at St Matthew Lutheran Church in Raisinville Township. Reka, who was 19, was born on Wednesday, December 22, 1880. She was the younger sister of Mary Hannah Rambow who had married Herman's brother, William Carl Heiden, in 1897.

Herman and Reka lived on a farm on Cass Street on east edge of Dundee. In 1915, they took a train from Dundee north to Isabella County to the town of Shepherd. They bought a farm there and Herman became the only child of August Heiden to live outside of Monroe County.

The family lived on various farms including the 110 acre Cook farm on U.S. 27 a few miles from Shepherd and the Miser farm. In 1951, after celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary on the farm,  they moved to 210 Hall Street in Shepherd. (See below)

Herman was 81 years old at his death on Wednesday, December 11, 1957. He was living in Lansing, Michigan with his son, Lewis, when he passed away at Sparrow Hospital. Herman is buried in the Salt River Cemetery in Shepherd, Michigan.

Reka died on Friday, October 8, 1964 at the age of 73 in Shepherd, Michigan and is also buried at Salt River Cemetery.

During their 54 year marriage, they had two sons and two daughters. At the time of Herman's death in 1957, they had 16 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.

Articles in The Dundee Reporter in 1911 and 1915 made reference to Herman and his move.
 

According to information from Herman and Reka's daughter, Bertha Drake, the family lived in five places in Isabella County. We do not have full addresses for most of them, just the following descriptions:

  1. 1915 rented the Meyers farm on Millbrook Road

  2. 1918 moved to the Viegenberg farm

  3. 1926 living at the Zagameirer farm aka the Ruckel place

  4. 1946 living at the Cook farm on Old US 27

  5. 1950 living at 210 Hall Street in Shepherd
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The August (42) and Rika (39) Heiden family were living on West 9th Street in the City of Monroe, Michigan. Three children, Ernst (12), Willie (6) and Herman (4) were listed as living at home. Heinrich (14) was not included and may have been working and living somewhere else already. August was a carpenter, Rika was a day laborer and Ernst was at school according to the report.

Note: Included on the same pages of the census were several other families who had originated in Mecklenburg, Germany too.
Herman (24) and Fredareka (20) were living on Cass Street in Dundee, Michigan with a border named Jacob Gies (40)
They were still living in Dundee with their children, Lewis (9) and Nellie (3).

Note: Herman and his wife moved to Isabella County in 1915.
Herman and Fredareka Heiden are living on their home farm in Chippewa Township, Isabella County, Michigan. Their children, Lewis (18), Nellie (12) and Bertha (18 months) lived there also.
They are still living on their home farm in Chippewa Township, Isabella County, Michigan with their children, Bertha (12) and Richard Lee (4).
Herman and Fredareka Heiden are living in Coe Township, Isabella County with 13 year old Richard Lee.
Living in Lincoln Township, Isabella County, Michigan. Herman is 74 and Reka is 70. Richard Lee (23) is listed as a farmer.
 

There are two Herman Heidens in the early generations. Herman John Heiden (left), son of August and Rika (Knaack) Heiden and Herman D. Heiden, son of Lewis Heiden and grandson of Herman John.

There are two Richard Heidens in the early generations. Richard Lee was the son of Herman John Heiden. Richard Carl is the son of William Frank Heiden.

The two Richards are first cousins, once removed.