From Russia with Love - Part 3

Part 3 - Becoming American

Here is the last part of the Steinbrecher trilogy -
They started in Russia:  http://whatsmylineage.blogspot.com/2011/09/from-russia-with-love-part-1.html
They sailed across the atlantic ocean:  http://whatsmylineage.blogspot.com/2011/09/from-russia-with-love-part-2.html

Finally, they settled in Fulton County, Ohio.

This is the Lutheran Church in Pettisville where they worshiped (as it looked in 2010)

They settled near Pettisville, a town with a large population of other German speakers.  My great-grandmother never really learned to speak English.  My great-grandfather could speak enough to "get by".  This is understandable, considering the family lived in Russia for over 100 years and still spoke primarily German.

They did become citizens of the United States on 3 October 1910.

My great-grandparents were:

John William Steinbrecher, born 14 August 1859 in Doenhoff, Russia, son of Johann Wilhelm and Catherine Elizabeth Steinbrecher.
He married (1) Catherine Baus on 27 December 1881.  They had:
1. William Steinbrecher, born 13 August 1882 in Russia
2. Katharine S. Steinbrecher, born 30 May 1884 in Russia
3. Eva Elizabeth Steinbrecher, born 31 May 1886 in Russia
4. Marie Elizabeth Steinbrecher, born 5 July 1888 in Russia
Catherine died on 25 August 1888 and John married (2) Eva Elizabeth Hettinger on 4 June 1889 in Doenhoff.  She was the daughter of Jacob & Eva (Schlegel) Hettinger and was born 30 August 1866 in Doenhoff.
They had:
5. Henry Steinbrecher, born 10 September 1890 in Russia
6. Rosa Steinbrecher, born 13 June 1892 in Nebraska
7. John Steinbrecher, born 22 June 1894 in Fulton Co., OH.
8. Clara Steinbrecher, born 24 August 1895 in Fulton Co., OH
9. Lorenz Louis Steinbrecher, born 18 September 1898 in Fulton Co., OH
10. Arthur E. Steinbrecher, born 25 May 1906 in Fulton Co., OH.

This family photo was taken in late 1894.  

Back: children William, Eva and Katherine Steinbrecher

Front: children Henry and Rosa Steinbrecher, parents Johann Wilhelm and Eva Elizabeth (Hettinger) Steinbrecher, children John and Marie Steinbrecher.

They are buried at Pettisville Lutheran Cemetery, Pettisville, Fulton Co., Ohio with William's parents and some of their children and grandchildren.

From Russia With Love - Part 2

Part 2 - The Journey -

My great-great-grandparents, along with some of their children made the trip from Doenhoff, Russia to Ohio in 1892.  The first step then, as it is today, is to obtain a passport -

This is a page from their passport - it is predominantly in Russian, however there are some sections in German and in French.  Note that I said "their" passport - the family shared this document.
Listed on this page are Wilhelm Steinbrecher, his wife Catherine, their children Catherine, Elisabeth and Wilhelm, along with Wilhelm's wife Eva and their children Wilhelm, Heinrich, Catherine, Eva Elisabeth and Maria.  Basically, eleven people in three generations planned to travel.

They boarded the steamship "Oldenburg" in Bremen, Germany for their journey across the atlantic.

Their ship arrived in Baltimore, MD on 14 April 1892.  The passenger list gives the following details about the family:

Wilhelm Steinbrecher, age 57 year old male traveling in a family of 11.  Their nativity is Russian, last residence is "Ternhoff".  Their destination was Iowa and his occupation is farmer.  Their religion is protestant and all are in good health.  Wilhelm is the only family member with money and has $15 cash for the voyage.

Other family members are listed:

Catherine 55y female, Wilhelm 32y male, Elizabeth 27y female, Wilhelm 7y male, Catherine 5y female, Eva 3y female, Elizabeth 2y female, Heinrich 1y male, Catherine Elizabeth 20y single female, Elizabeth 5y female.

Within 2 years, the family was established in Fulton County, Ohio.

From Russia, With Love - Part 1

Part 1 - Historical Background -

My maternal Grandfather's parents and grandparents were natives of Russia who immigrated to the United States in 1892.  They were part of the ethnic group of Germans living in Russia. 

Historically, in 1762-3, Catherine the Great of Russia issued an invitation to Western Europeans to travel to Russia to settle and farm the land.  They were promised religious autonomy, the ability to maintain their own culture, and freedom from the military draft.  Between 1764 and the early 1800's, hundreds of thousands of Germans settled in Russia.

My Steinbrecher ancestors settled in Donhoff (German) or Gololobovka (Russian), a town southwest of Saratov, east of the Volga river. 

(adapted from http://www.webbitt.com/volga/map-berg.html)

In 1872, Alexander II revoked the previously granted privileges.  Germans began to be drafted into the Russian army, and were discouraged from practicing their own culture, language and religion.  For this reason, many Germans from Russia began to leave.  They traveled to the United States, especially the midwest and great plains.  Many also traveled to Canada, Brazil and Argentina.

My ancestors were Lutheran.  This is the Lutheran Church in Saratov, the nearby city.  If there was a church in their town, it is no longer there.

My great-grandparents were:

Johann Wilhelm Steinbrecher, born 5 March 1834 at Doenhoff, Russia.  He was the son of David and Catherine (Krauss) Steinbrecher. 

and

Catherine Elizabeth Steinbrecher, born 30 June 1839 in Russia.

They were married in Russia and had 11 children:

1. John William Steinbrecher (see next post)

2. Henry Steinbrecher, born 11 April 1864

3. Katherine Steinbrecher

4. Marie Steinbrecher

5. John Steinbrecher

6. Marie Elizabeth Steinbrecher

7. Catherine Steinbrecher, born ca 1870

8. Elizabeth Steinbrecher

9. Elizabeth Steinbrecher, born 21 February 1885

10. Eva Steinbrecher

11. Jacob Steinbrecher

For more information about the Germans from Russia, visit http://www.ahsgr.org/.