Neu-Messer

Maria Kathryn Schmidt was born 2 August 1848 in Neu-Messer and died 2 August 1889.  Her parent may have been Heinrich Schmidt, born about 1866, and her mother Katrina Scheibel.

Maria had a known sister, Katherine Marie Schmidt born 2 April 1893 in Neu-Messer and died 1957 in Billings, Yellowstone, Montana. Katherine Schmidt married Jacob Lehr who was also from Neu-Messer, born 1885 and died 1971 in Billings, Yellowstone,Montana. Katherine and Jacob immigrated separately, approximately 1913-1914.

Maria K. Schmidt married Friedrich Benzel in Kolb, Russia. Fred was born 14 June 1885 in Kolb and died 3 November 1973 in Hardin, Big Horn, Montana. Maria and Fred immigrated in 1912 aboard the “Brundenburg.”  Fred and Maria are  buried in Fairview Cemetery, Hardin, Big Horn, Montana.

Family lore states that the Benzel-Schmidt family members were shot and killed at the local Kolb school among other local prominent citizens in about 1920. A Schmidt family owned and operated the local flour mill; perhaps our Schmidt’s were part of this family group.

Submitted by Dee Hert

Watermelon Syrup

One cup of sugar, two hours of boiling, and five small watermelons later, I am the very proud owner of one quart of watermelon syrup! It was a traditional food staple of our German Russian ancestors. I'll let you know how it tastes. (aka watermelon honey)

Research Help Needed

I am searching for more information on my ancestors from Alexanderdorf, Russia. Father: John George Weltz (also found under "Welz"). They left Alexanderdorf in about 1901 for Canada and then changed the surname to "Wells." I can provide more information. I hope to hear from you. Deanne dpwells4u@yahoo.com

Upcoming Meeting and Class

Our next chapter meeting will be Monday, October 14th, at the home of Sharon White, 3285 E. Ruskin Court, Sandy, Utah. The meeting will start at 12:00 noon.  Bring food to share. Bill and Karen Dellos will be back from the board meeting at Lincoln and will let us know the latest from AHSGR. Remember to bring your used ink cartridges so Shirley can recycle them.

Also, for your information there will be a German class at the FHL. You need to register for it because seating is limited:  801-240-4950. The name of the class is Reading German Church and Civil Records. The date of the class is Saturday, October 19th, at 11:15 A. M. in classroom B1.

Many Thanks

I just wanted to thank all of you for your concern and kindnesses during our family tragedy.  Losing our daughter is of course extremely difficult, but having your support has helped us.  Special thanks to Pat and Shirley Ansley who attended the funeral, and also to all of you who sent cards, and for the flowers sent by the Intermountain Chapter.  Most of you didn't know her, so I included this picture so you could see our beautiful girl. You are all an important part of my extended family. Thanks so much.

Resources Added

I purchased a few more resources at the Fort Collins Conventions this year that I am happy to share.  I can bring them out for you to look at when we meet next if you let me know you're interested.

German Migration to the Russian Volga (1764- 1767); Brent Alan Mai

The Volga Germans in Old Russia and in Western North America: Their Changing World View; Timothy Kloberdanz

The Story of the Volga Germans; George J. Walters

The Christmas Keeping Germans; Neita Oviatt Friend

Letters from Hell; Samuel D. Sinner

More of the Convention

Photos by Pat Ansley

Estes Park Convention Tour

Photos by Pat Ansley

Fort Collins Convention Opening Night

Photos by Pat Ansley

AHSGR Fort Collins Convention Opening Session

Photos by Pat Ansley

August Meeting

Our chapter meeting will be Saturday, August 17th, at noon.  It will be held at the home of Bill and Sharon

White, 3285 E. Ruskin Court, Sandy.  We are hoping a lot of you will be able to attend this meeting. Chapter

members who attended the AHGSR convention in July at Fort Collins will be telling about the convention.

Bring food to share. 

Found

So thankful that I finally was able to find the resting place of my great grandparents who came from Warenburg, Russia. They settled in Fort Collins, Colorado, after immigrating from Russia. They were fine and good people who raised a large family and worked hard. This is a beautiful area, so I can understand why they settled here.

Germans from Russia Wedding Customs

It was a tradition for the young couple to choose two men to be their representatives, who went into the Volga River Valley to invite guests to their marriage ceremony.  These men carried with them a cane that the bride-to-be had tied a ribbon on.  At each household, they recited a poem, which was really an invitation to the wedding.  If the family tied a ribbon on the cane, it meant they were accepting the invitation.  Weddings were looked forward to and eagerly attended.  The ceremony must be held in the wintertime, on a weekday, and not during Lent.  Farm work was at its slowest season and there was ample time to prepare for it.  A Dutch Hop was held after the wedding, and everyone loved dancing to the music played by a polka band. The groom would tuck a flower in his left lapel and pin a long, wide ribbon under it.  The light colored sash would drape down the entire length of the dark suit coat. The bride would place a fancy handkerchief on her wedding gown, and as a man would dance with the new bride they would pin money to the handkerchief. The dance would go on until midnight, then begin again the next morning, lasting for two days.

Ancestry's Journey
Susan Davis

Next Meeting

The next chapter meeting will be on Saturday, June 8th.  It will begin at noon at the home of Bill and Sharon White, 3285 E. Ruskin Ct., Sandy.  Bring food to share, and also any empty ink cartridges.  If you have any donations for the Road Home or Utah Food Bank, bring them to any meeting. We will be collecting all year long.

Additional Resources: Dee Hert

This post replaces an earlier one from 2009.  Dee has added several new books, maps, and census to the previous ones.  Also,  remember to look back in April of 2009 to see a list of resources from other chapter members as well as a list of family names and villages.  It is really important to be able to link up with others who are working on the same names and villages as we are.  


BOOKS 
Naturalization Records of Immigrants from Russia in
Colorado; Denver Metro Chapter

Germans from Russia in the Yakima Valley Prior to 1940; Central WA Chapter

Index to Kirchenbote Obituaries 1956-1963; Mclean, Frank

The Czar’s Germans; Williams-Plum, Hattie

German Migration to the Russian Volga (1764-1767); Mai, Brent & Marquard, Dona

Russian-German Settlements in the U.S.; Rippley, Lavern; Bauer, Armand

Index for the German Colonies on the Lower Volga, Their
Origin & Early Development; Beratz, Gottlieb

Genealogies of Barbadoes Families; Brandow, James

How to Write Your Own Life Story; Daniel, Lois

Lookin Back, Again; Big Horn Co, Montana Historical Society

Treasure County

Descriptive Inventory of the English Collection; Eakle, Arlene

Tales of Treasure County, Historical Essays of Residents of Treasure County, Montana; Treasure County

Rosebud – Treasure County Brand Book – Montana

The Way We Were, Miles City, Montana; Allison, A

Index, Letters from Hell. Volga-German Famine; Sinner, Samual

Transport of the Volga Germans from Oranienbaum to the
Colonies on the Volga (1766-1767); Mai. Brent

Preliminary Survey of the German Collection. Finding
Aids to the Microfilmed manuscript Collections of the
Genealogical Society of Utah;

Dorf Buch, Landes-und Kulturgeschchte; Karl Schmerbach; In German

Index to Stumpp Map; Dr. Karl Stumpp; German colony locations

History of the Volga German Colonists; Jacob Dietz

The German Research Companion; S Riemer/J Anderson

Lists of Colonists to Russia in 1766; Igor Pleve; Surnames, ships, location

The Emigration from Germany to Russia in the Years 1763
to 1862; Stumpp; Surnames, location

CENSUS
Alexanderdorf, Russia; 1941

1798 Census of the German Colonies Along the Volga,
Vol. 1 and Vol. 2; Mai, Brent

1850 Census of Alexanderdorf; Mai, Brent
1857 Census of Alexanderdorf; Mai, Brent

1834 Census of Anton; Mai, Brent
1857 Census of Anton; Mai, Brent

1834 Census of Diete; Mai, Brentl
1850 Census of Dietel; Mai, Brent

1834 Census of Dobrinka; Mai, Brent

1857 Census of Eckheim; Mai, Brent

1862 (57) Census of Gnadendorf; Mai, Brent

1857 Census of Kautz; Mai, Brent

1834 Census of Muller; Mai, Brent
1850 Census of Muller; Mai, Brent
1857 Census of Muller; Mai, Brent

1862 Census of Meu-Laub; Mai, Brent

1850 Census of Nieder-Monjou; Mai, Brent

1857 Census of Rosenberg; Mai, Brent

1857 Census of Rosenheim; Mai, Brent; Herdt, Katharina 1827

1834 Census of Schwab; Mai, Brent
1850 Census of Schwab; Mai, Brent
1857 Census of Schwab; Mai, Brent

1857 Census of Stahl am Karaman; Mai, Brent; Herdt, Anna Katharina 1837, m Prager;
Herdt, Maria Katharina 1814, m Knoll

1857 Census of Stahl am Tarlyk; Mai, Brent

1857 Census of Unterdorf; Mai, Brent

MAPS
Karte der ASSR der Wolgadeutsche; Russia

Brunnental ,(#2); 1940

Kolb, (#4)

Frank (#55)

Walter, (#51)

Alexanderdorf (#224)

Eighteenth & Nineteenth Century Primary German Villages of the Volga Region (#3) Copy

A complete set of maps from AHSGR, (other than the colored maps) ; purchases at the SLC convention

CD
German Russian Villages in the Volga Region; Postiethwaite, Hart

LDS Emigrant Roster and Voyage History, 1840-1869

Kautz, Our People; Frank, Michael