John, known as Johnny, was born in Alma, Wisconsin on January 5, 1878. As a child of 10 he came with his parents, George Hovel and Elizabeth Mahlmann Hovel to Griggs County (either Willow or Tyrol Township). They did not stay here long as George went to Sumas, Washington where (Percy, George, Mortimer, Leonard, Rose, George, Mary, Harvey, Harley, Elmer, Josephine, and Anna) all of the family with the exception of Math and Johnny lived. Math was left with the Buiheit family in Willow Township, and later moved to Nelson County near Pekin where he was married to Minnie Rickford - they had two children George and Stella. Johnny was left at the Herb Church Farm in Clearfield, where he spent his teens. Later, he and Math farmed together for a few years, and then Johnny, who had had a taste of carpentering with Church, went to school for a while to learn how to use the square. He must have learned it well, because many of the homes, barns, a few of the Jessie stores, and the old Catholic Church were among Johnny Hovel's creations. One of the first things I ever heard about Johnny in Jessie was, "When Johnny Hovel built them, they were built to last."
In 1905, he built a home for Frank J. Pfeifer. In 1909, he was married to Ida Pfeifer, eldest daughter of Frank J. and Mary Kuntz Pfeifer.
The Hovels had two children. Reynold, known as Punch, and Violet. They lost Violet in infancy, and during the flu epidemic in 1918 Ida died. Punch was sent to his Grandparents to live, and Johnny continued with work. He stayed with the E. B. Ressler's much of the time. About 1930 Jacob and Mary Pella moved into the Hovel home in Jessie, and from then until his death in 1940 he lived with them.
Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 456