Hermann Kilian 1891 - 1930

Birth:   20th September 1891 at Lake Elmo, Washington, Minnesota, USA
Death:  22th September 1939 at Neah Bay, Clallam, Washington, USA, washed overboard
Married to Katie Marie Ranft December 8th 1928
Children: Bernice Jean Kilian West born August 9th 1930

                               

In the late summer of 1930 Hermann was employed as the engineer on the fishing vessel Agnes. On 22 September there were only two employees on the ship and they were working in heavy swells in Neah Bay which is the most western point of Washington State. While the other employee tended the wheel, Hermann went aft (meaning to the back of the ship) to look after the pumps. No one witnessed what happened, but he was never seen again so it is assumed that he was washed overboard and drowned.

Tragically, Hermann had just recently married his German-born love, Katie Marie Ranft. Their wedding date was 8 Dec 1928 as is printed neatly on their wedding photo below.

 Wedded to Katie Marie Ranft (born August 20th 1903) from Jena, Germany

Although Hermann was the eldest of the Kilian children, he was one of the last to get married. He was 37 and already an uncle when he married.

The next two photos date from around the same time, perhaps the engagement party the summer before the wedding or a family get-together the spring/summer after the wedding.

The photo below of Katie and Hermann was taken with 

the Kilian home on Queen Anne Hill in the background.

Katie and Hermann

This second photo captured three generations of the Kilian family.  

The children in the front are Hermann’s nephews:  Donald Kilian (Martin’s son), Herbert Otto and Carl Otto (Gudrun’s sons). 

The adults in the back are two of Hermann’s brothers, their wives,  two  of his sisters, and his mother. 

From left to right they are:

Martin, Ida (Martin’s wife, holding her son’s hand), Gudrun, Dora (mother and grandmother of the

 clan with her hands on Carl Otto), Art,  Nelda , Katie (Hermann’s wife), Hans Otto (Gudrun’s husband) and Hermann (farthest right).

perhaps the engagement party

Doubly tragic, Hermann’s first (and only) child had been born just 6 weeks before his drowning. His daughter, Bernice Kilian, was born in August 1930.  She currently lives in the State of Washington.

This story was told at the time in this newspaper article: 

The newspaper article inaccurately listed the name of Hermann’s mother;

the name should have been Mrs. Dora Kilian (or Mrs. Heinrich F.W. Kilian).

The person mentioned in the article is a well-known (unrelated) Kilian in

the Seattle area at the time. All other information is correct.

Hermann made this ivory ship and left it to his wife Katie

Ivory Ship