Ralph Heiden, the author of this history, is a grandson (one of 38 grandchildren) of William Carl and Mary (Rambow) Heiden so this wing of the family will receive extra attention and detail in this website.

From the time I was born in 1948 until I went to college one year before Grandpa Heiden died in 1967, I lived on Dixon Road (in four different houses) within 2.5 miles of my grandparents' home farm. I knew them very well and interacted regularly with all of my aunts and uncles with the exception of Mildred Eipperle who died before I was born.

Although a large family, the members were quite close. Each year for decades, a family reunion was held on or around the Fourth of July. Some years over 100 people would be in attendance. Christmas Eve saw a gathering of relatives at the home farm house and nights through the year were spent playing cards at the dining room table with Ma and Pa. 

William Carl and Mary (Rambow) Heiden were married for a little over 66 years before Mary passed away in 1963 at the age of 85. During their time together, a huge part of their lives was devoted to raising the thirteen children. William and Mary's family started in the 19th century with the birth of their first child, Edna, in 1898 and continued on to their final child, Norma in 1927 when Mary was 49 years old.

The 13 children produced a total of 38 grandchildren ranging from Walter Berns born in 1919 to Gail (Heiden) Baker (right) in 1958.

Karen (Berns) Wheaton (left), born in 1942, was the oldest of their 89 great grandchildren while Raelyn Marie Stevens is the youngest having been born in 1984.

Wm Carl and Mary had 5 boys and 8 girls and all except the last child, Norma "Jeanie", were born at home as was the custom in those days. Another common custom was for young people to complete their formal education by attending school through the 8th grade. William Carl Heiden and all of his children attended nearby Bridge School but only the youngest two, Wilma (Heiden) Bicking (right) and Norma "Jeanie" Heiden, went on to graduate from Dundee High School.

All of the boys farmed either full or part-time for much of their working lives. They also all lived within a few miles of the family home on Dixon Road. The youngest son, William Frank, who eventually owned the homestead lived all but 8 years of his life in the house where he was born. Twelve of the thirteen children established lifelong homes in Monroe County. Hilda (Heiden) Fuller and her family lived in Battle Creek, Calhoun County, Michigan about 110 miles from the home farm of Wm Carl and Mary.

Married life took some of the daughters a little farther away from their birthplace. Edna (left) and Helma lived on farms just a few miles away. Mildred resided near Ida. Wilma lived in Detroit for a while before marrying and moving back to Monroe. Hilda was in Indiana for a few years before settling in Battle Creek, Michigan. Marie made her home in Milan on the northwest edge of Monroe County. Helen and Norma "Jeanie" stayed on at the family home for much of their early adult lives before moving to Monroe.

Pastor Don. F. Thomas dealt with all of the 13 children to one degree or another through his many years at St. Matthew, St Mark's and finally at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. In 1995, I interviewed Pastor Thomas to capture his memories of the Heidens. By reading this interview, I think you can get a good general feeling for this large, interesting, wonderful family.
 

For details about each of the children of Wm Carl and Mary Heiden, click on the links below the pictures.