The Journey To America L ike most immigrants, the Warkentines (German Russians) were lured to America for all of its opportunities and to escape new tyrannies being imposed upon them. This included the forced induction into Russia s military. As Mennonites, it was against their belief to bear arms. So from America, the land of opportunity came the invitations... Aaron M. Warkentin (grandfather of Ben Warkentine) was 15 years old when he arrived in America. He made the journey with his family (step-father Jacob Graewe (whose name was later changed to Graves), step-mother Elisabeth (Quaring) (Warkentin) Graewe, brother Gerhard Warkentin (11), sister Elisabeth Warkentine (13), half-brother Jacob (1) and half-sister Catherina (1). Because the name of the family he traveled with was Graewe, Aron s surname was (incorrectly) listed on the ship s register as Graewe. Not only was this incorrect (because his surname was still Warkentin) but the name Graewe was misspelled as Grave. As a family, they journeyed to America from Friedensdorf, Moloschna, South Russia. They traveled first by train, to Antwerp, Holland and from there, they sailed to America on the SS Switzerland in 1879. The trip across the Atlantic, took about two weeks and on June 24 th 1879, they arrived in Philadelphia, PA. It was shortly after that when they continued their journey along with other German Russian Mennonite families, across the United States, and settle in the town of Henderson, Nebraska. Henderson is located in York County, Nebraska and it would become Aaron M. s first home in America. In August of 1884 Aaron M. married Helena Mackelburger and had their first Child, Detrich (Dick) in 1887. In 1890, they would have their second child Frank M. and then relocate to Colorado sometime before 1993 (since they had their third child Heinrich (Henry) on October of 1993 in Colorado). While living in Colorado, Aaron M. and Helena would have two more children, Maria in 1896 and Jacob in 1901. Then before their next child, Bernhard, was born in 1903, Aaron and Helena would relocate once again; this time to Kansas. Kansas would be their last stop before settling in Oklahoma in 1904. Their last child, Johann (John) was born on August 16 of that year, in Medford, OK. Agnes (Thiessen) Warkentine was Ben Warkentine s mother. Ironically, her parents had traveled on the same ship with the Aron M and his family. Her parents were Jacob (31) and Susanna (Klaassen) Thiessen (28). Agnes wouldn t be born for another 6 years after her parents arrived in America. After their arrival, they would travel to and settle in Hillsboro, Kansas and in 1889, they would become part of American history with the opening of the Oklahoma territory to homesteaders (Ben s mother Agnes was 4 years old at the time having been born on May 22 nd 1885. In the years to come, Agnes Thiessen and Aaron M. Warkentine s son Frank M. Warkentine, would meet and marry in Fairview, Oklahoma. And on April 13, 1926 they would become the parents of Ben Warkentine. 7-2
The following is an excerpt from the American Historical Society of Germans From Russia (AHSGR) web site (http://www.ahsgr.org/surname/slsur-w.htm) from: "Centennial History of Hamilton County 1867-1967" by Bertha G. Bremer York County, NE In the fall of 1874, about 200 German-speaking Russians arrived in Lincoln and took up temporary quarters in an emigrant house, set up by the Burlington & Missouri Railroad while land-seeking expeditions were sent out. On October 14, 1874, they moved to the west part of York County and the southeast part of Hamilton County. There they founded the first Russian Mennonite settlement in the United States. The move was made to the new country to escape the tyrannies imposed upon them. It was not persecution or poverty that faced them, but something far more important to them -- the giving up of one of the most important principles in their religious belief. They or their sons would have to go into military service, which was against their beliefs to bear arms. A delegation of 12 ministers had come to America in the spring of 1873, intent upon finding religious liberty. They traveled through Canada, Minnesota, the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, and further south. Their return to Russia, Alexanderwohl, was five months later, and they gave a very favorable report of this country. A corporation was formed and each family head contributed as he was able and more than $8700 was raised, and shared with the less-fortunate in making the trip. After 18 days on the ocean the party landed in New York, September 2, 1874. The settlement that was to be called Henderson, was made through the influence of John Grosshans of Sutton who located there the year before. A large group went to adjoining states but 35 families banded together to form the Henderson community. Most lived for a time in an emigrant house, 24X80 feet, others occupied homesteads not now occupied by their owners. The emigrant house was a mile east of the present town of Henderson. While this town is located in York County, many of the group, have always resided in Hamilton County. 7-3
The following is an extract from the Kansas State Historical Society s web site. Although the pictures are not of Warkentine family members, they accurately depict their lifestyle... From Far Away Russia German Russians in Kansas Kansas State Historical Society They looked as forlorn as possible for a strange people in a strange land to appear. They had come from far away Russia.... Topeka Capital, March 20, 1890 Thousands of people left Russia for Kansas in the 1870s. Actually, these emigrants had closer ties to Germany than to Russia. Just a century earlier they had left war-torn Germany for Russia's unsettled agricultural provinces. In these isolated lands they clustered in close-knit villages removed from their neighbors, preserving many of their German customs. As a group the German Russians they were highly religious. Many were Mennonites, a Protestant sect. Others were Catholics or Lutherans living along Russia's Volga River; they were known as the Volga Germans. The two main concentrations of German Russian settlements in Kansas were the Mennonites in Marion, Harvey, and McPherson counties (highlighted in blue on Kansas map at right) and the Volga Germans in Ellis, Russell, and Rush counties (highlighted in red). Jacob and Suzanna Thiessen (grandparents of Ben Warkentine) settled here in the town of Hillsboro, KS in 1879. Agnes (Thiessen) Warkentine (Ben s mother) was born here on December 4 th, 1885. 7-4
Lured to Kansas The Journey To America The czars attracted German settlers to Russia in the mid-1700s by promising exemption from military service, freedom from taxation, and free land. After nearly a century of independence, the Germans in Russia began to lose these privileges. The loss of military exemption especially disturbed the Mennonites, who objected to military service on religious grounds. Meanwhile, railroads, newspapers, and businesses began a major campaign to recruit new settlers to Kansas. There is German text at the bottom of this handbill (right) referring to C. B. Schmidt. As a representative of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, Schmidt traveled to Russia to recruit emigrants among the German Russians. In 1872 two railroads mounted huge advertising campaigns to sell land they owned along their railways. The Kansas Pacific and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe printed circulars in the German language and sent agents to Russia. Kansas railroads were anxious to sell land to farmers who would soon ship grain on their lines. Railroads lured emigrants by offering free sleeping cars on express trains leaving Kansas City. They also granted land for churches and schools, and supplied some farmers with seed wheat for their first crop in Kansas. 7-5
Many German Russians responded to the railroads' campaign. They sought good farm land with convenient access to markets via the rails. An added attraction in Kansas was a state law granting exemption from military service on religious grounds. One-third of all German Russians left Russia; many of them settling in Kansas. By 1879 about 12,000 Russian-Germans lived in the state. Before long we will be obliged to class them as among our best citizens. Encourage them to come. Hays City Sentinel, April 5, 1876 Railroads sometimes provided temporary housing until German Russians could purchase land. A communal house shelters Mennonites in this illustration (left) from Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, March 20, 1875. Temporary dwellings (right) at the Mennonite colony north of Newton, pictured in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, March 20, 1875. 7-6
Early German Russian structures in Kansas often echoed European styles. Within a few years, however, most families moved into standard frame houses made by local builders. The earlier structures were abandoned or used as farm buildings. The Werth family in front of their house near Schoenchen, Kansas (left). Wheat Kansas will be to America what the country of the Black Sea... is now to Europe -- her wheat field. Topeka Commonwealth, October 15, 1874 The Russian-Germans arrived at a critical time in Kansas history. They brought new dollars to the state following a period of severe drought, grasshopper infestation, and depression. In 1874 alone they added an estimated one million dollars to the Kansas economy. At left, a prosperous Harvey County Mennonite colony pictured in The Western Magazine, 1881. Russian- German farmers preferred to group their homes in villages (center) and commute to the fields. They refute the statement so often heard in Kansas that a farmer cannot make money growing wheat alone. They have grown nothing except wheat for twenty-five years and are prosperous. Kansas City Star, June 26, 1901 7-7
German Russian farmers helped turn Kansas into the nation's breadbasket. Unlike most other farmers new to Kansas, they were experienced at prairie-style agriculture. Mennonites often are credited with introducing Turkey red wheat to Kansas. (See story of Bernhard Warkentine in an Appendix of this chapter.) This hardy winter variety flourished on the Plains. At right, Alex Schumacher and his brothers (Volga Germans) harvest wheat near Munjor, Kansas. Whereas 200 years in Russia left them unchanged from what their fathers were--less than ten years in the great state of Kansas... finds them with landed estates, herds of cattle and horses and finer houses than they or any of their fathers ever hoped to occupy in Russia. - Topeka Daily Capital, March 20, 1890 At left, the home and store of the Klassens (Mennonites) near Goessel, Kansas, 1893. German With a Russian Flavor They were all Germans, but having lived all their lives in Russia, their German has a curious Russian flavor. Topeka Commonwealth, September 10, 1874 Russian-Germans in Kansas did not quickly adopt American customs and manners. As in Russia, they settled in close-knit rural communities and remained somewhat isolated from other residents. They preserved their language and traditions for decades, entering mainstream American life only gradually. 7-8