Photograph of a woman speculated to be Augusta Hunke or Augusta Kunde, taken in Warsaw, probably in the 1870s. Photo from collection of Brian Kunde.

He married, — –, 18– in —, Augusta —. Her maiden name may have been Kruger (she was living with a nephew of that name in 1920; he could, however, have been the son of a sister as easily as of a brother). She was born January –, 1848 in Prussia to parents who were also born in Prussia. She came to America in 1874, whether before or after her marriage is not known. If after, she may have made the journey in her husband’s company. In America Augusta learned and became literate in the English language.

Children:

1. Helena R— Hunke, born February 17, 1875 or April –, 1876 in —, Indiana.
2. Heinrich Wilhelm Hunke (Henry William), born February 9, 1877 in Logansport, Cass County, Indiana.

About June 1879 the Hunkes moved to Hennepin County, Minnesota, possibly to Mound City on Lake Minnetonka, where the children are said to have been raised. In 1880 the family was living some three miles away in Minnetrista in the same county. William was working as a laborer at that time.

William died in May 1880 of an accidental gunshot wound sustained while cleaning a muzzle-loading firearm. In the wake of his death his widow Augusta and the two children lived with the family of Captain Francis Carman in Minnetrista. Whether or not they lived there prior to William's death is unknown. Augusta was employed by the Carmans as a domestic servant at the time.

Augusta married (second), July 30, 1881 in —, Hennepin County, Minnesota, August Zodrow. He was born February 29, 1848 in one of the many independent states which then made up Germany, to parents who were also born in Germany. He immigrated to America in 1872; probably he was the 24-year old farmer "August Zodwon" recorded as arriving on the Cimbria in New York from Hamburg and Le Havre on October 10, 1872. He learned and became literate in English, and became a naturalized citizen.

August and Augusta had no children together, though August served as stepfather to Augusta's children from her first marriage.

In June 1895 the Zodrows were living with in Rockwood Township, Wadena County, Minnesota. August's occupation was given as carpenter. In addition to Augusta's children Helene and Henry Hunke, the household also included her one month old grandson William Hunke, natural son of Helene by a man born in Wisconsin (per the 1900 census) or Minnesota (per the 1910 census).

In 1900 the Zodrows were living on a mortgaged farm in Rockwood Township, Wadena County, Minnesota. August's occupation was given as farmer. Both children married and left home in that year, but their parents were not left alone, for they still had with them Augusta's five year-old grandson, whose name was now given as William O. Hunke.

In 1902 the Zodrows moved with their grandson to North Dakota, where reportedly they made their initial home in Bonetraill Township, Williams County. They subsequently moved to Blacktail Township.

Augusta Zodrow became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1908.

In 1910 August, Augusta and William (now bearing his grandparents’ surname) were living on a farm owned free of mortgage in Blacktail Township, Williams County, North Dakota. August was described as a farmer. Annie Moutash, the widowed mother-in-law of Augusta’s son Henry, was living nearby. The Zodrows were living in Williams County in 1912.

August Zodrow died July 3, 1912, aged 64, in —, Williams County, North Dakota. In 1920 his widow Augusta was living on the farm of her nephew Ernest Kruger in Blacktail Township, Williams County, North Dakota.

In 1924 Augusta was living with her daughter Helene Kunde (by then also widowed) at 200 Wilbur Avenue, Yuba City, in Sutter County, California. There, on March 6, 1924, Augusta died at the age of 76, following a lingering illness. Her funeral was held on March 8, with her Kunde grandchildren acting as pallbearers. She was buried in the family plot in Yuba City. Her grave, the third in the plot that also contains those of her daughter and son-in-law, bears a footstone with the following inscription, erroneous as to both the birth and death years: