Michael HAUSER

•  Born: September 11, 1811, Germany

•  Died: October, 23, 1873, Reading, Pennsylvania

Marriage Information:

Michael married Barbara Anna CHRIST, daughter of Thomas CHRIST and Mary REES.

General Notes:

See Map  showing general area, where Michael's nearly one hundred acres were and a picture of the hospital he helped to finance.

Immigration: 13 APR 1832 To port of New York from Krozingen,Schlatt,Baden,Germany

Obituaries:   MICHAEL HAUSER

Title: DEATH OF A RESPECTED CITIZEN: from the Reading Eagle

Yesterday, Michael Hauser, florist and gardener, died at his residence on Centre Avenue, opposite the Charles Evans Cemetery, after a few weeks illness from congestion of the lungs and heart disease. Mr. Hauser was a native of Baden, Germany and served an apprenticeship  as a florist and gardener the Rhine. After coming to America, he traveled through a number of the States, after which he located permanently in charge of a garden then the property of the late General George M. Kelm. The garden covered a tract of land at present occupied by the Henry Clay Furnaces of the Messrs. Eckerts in the southern section of the city. Here it was that Mr. Hauser laid the foundation of his success and established a good reputation among his leading families of that day. Subsequently, Mr. Hauser purchased a small property on North Ninth Street near the junction with Eighth and started there a truck garden of his own.  By energy and close attention to business, he secured a handsome competency and in 1861 he purchased nearly a hundred acres on Centre Avenue., opposite Charles Evans Cemetery and established there an extensive nursery, which he carried on until the day of his death. The cultivation and sale of flowers was commenced by him about the year 1840 and each succeeding year witnessed a marked increase in the demand.  He was the oldest florist in the county and one of the best practical botanists in the States.  He was a well known citizen, had a generous disposition and was a man of the strictest honesty. Some time ago, Mr. Hauser presented several acres of ground to the Catholic Church on which to erect a Cathedral, it being his earnest desire to have Reading made the See of a Bishop.   Last winter, he sold several acres of his valuable premises upon very liberal terms to the management of the Reading Dispensary, for the purpose of building a hospital.  He was a devoted husband and father, and leaves a wife and five children:  two sons and three daughters. One of his daughters is the wife of Chief Cullen, of the Reading Police Force.

HAUSER, MICHAEL, p. 1044

Michael Hauser was a native of Baden, Germany, and he served an apprenticeship as a florist and gardener in the old country. After coming to America he traveled through a number of States, in 1834 locating in Reading, where he took charge of a large garden belonging to the late Gen. George M. Keim. Here he laid the foundation of his success, winning a good reputation among the leading people of the day. Later he purchased a small property on North Ninth street and started a truck garden of his own, and by energy and close attention to business secured a competency. In 1861 he purchased nearly one hundred acres on Centre avenue, and established there a large nursery, which he carried on as long as he lived. He began the cultivation and sale of flowers as early as 1840, and each year brought increasing demands in this branch of the business. He became one of the best practical botanists in the State. He was a prominent member of St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, and was exceedingly generous in his contributions to religious and charitable causes. He was very anxious that Reading should be made a See city, and he presented several acres of ground to the church on which to erect a cathedral. He sold on very liberal terms some of his valuable land to the management of the Reading Dispensary, for hospital purposes. He married Barbara Christ, and their children were: Barbara married Matthias Mayer; Francis (deceased) married Mary Vogel; Mary married Peter Cullen; Theresa married David H. Steckler; Theodore resides at South Bethlehem, PA. Mr. Hauser died Oct. 23, 1873, and was laid to rest in the Catholic cemetery.