John Hanneman was the son of John Hanneman. He was born in Danzig, West Prussia, (present day Gdansk, Poland). Per Danzig church records John was Roman Catholic. Nothing is known about his family in Germany. Before leaving Danzig in 1869 Church records showed the family spelled Hanneman with two nn at the end Hannemann. In America it was always Hanneman in spite of what is shown in various Detroit city directories and US census reports.

John married Anna Katherine Stellmacher in about 1858. A record of this has yet to be found. On September 1, 1869 after a 14 day journey the couple and their son Gustav from Bremen, Germany arrived in New York on the S.S. America.

The family then went on to Detroit, Michigan. This is proven by the 4 Apr 1870 birth record for their daughter Martha, 1870-1874. The 9 Jul 1870 census shows the family living at 568 Orleans on the lower East side of Detroit. Why John took the family to Detroit (who may have preceded them), is yet unknown.

While the couple had 12 children only 4 survived to adulthood, (Gustav, Helena, Theresa & John - these 4 are all buried in this cemetery). Four of their children died young in Danzig before the family came to America. The loss of 8 of their 12 children must have been extremely difficult for John & Anna.

After arriving in Detroit John at the age of 35 he worked a variety of basic jobs. John was still working when he was 76. Retirement apparently never came for John.

When they arrived the couple settled in the lower East side of Detroit. They lived in many rental homes all of which were very close to Gratiot and all within a 2 mile radius.

In later years John & Anna lived with their daughter Theresa. John is buried with his wife Anna and in between his son John and his daughter Theresa.

While there were other Hanneman families in Detroit, a John Baptist Hanneman who came in 1854 and Charles Hanneman, 1844-1914 who came in 1868, there is no known connection to either family or those that arrived later.

In 2005 the marker on this grave was provided by John's Great Grandson Roger Hanneman, (Grandson of John, Son of Raymond).