Fürchtegott and Christina would migrate to Kansas sometime before 1895. They settled on a portion of the property owned by their daughter, Hulda, and her husband, Herman Walther. Note: an image from the 1901 Lyon County, Kansas landownership map showing the property parcels is below in the section on Hulda. The approximate coordinates for Fürchtegott and Christina's home are 38.264956, -96.100936.

The last record I have found for Fürchtegott is the 1900 U.S. Census. His name is removed from all real estate transactions after that date, indicating he most likely died in late 1900 or early 1901. The last records I have found for Christina are real estate transactions in late 1903 for property at 32 Sylvan Street in Emporia. I believe this parcel is now part of Quaker Park at the intersection of Sylvan and East 1st Avenue. Since she does not appear on the 1905 Kansas Census, she most likely died between late 1903 and early 1905. Both Fürchtegott and Christina are believed buried in an unmarked grave in Lyon County, Kansas.

Upon her arrival she would have been five month pregnant with Lena and the best guess for her destination is Wadsworth in Medina County. On various documents, Lena indicates that location as her birthplace. A search of the Medina County archives does not show a birth recorded under Bertha or for a Lena, however, that is not uncommon for the era before state certificates were issued. At the time, births and deaths were managed by each county under their own processes. In the state of Ohio this ranged from a mandate that the doctor report the birth to a casual annual survey of households for births or deaths in the previous year.

Bertha most likely was sent to live with her sister Hulda - who, with her husband, Herman Walther - immigrated to America in February 1882 and initially settled in Ohio. There are two best guesses for a destination of Medina County. The first is a connection to the Rettig family from Reichenbach, Saxony that settled in the Wadsworth area in the 1840s. The second is a relationship with the Mennonite Church, which established a college in Medina County in the 1860s with professors from Germany. While Bertha appears to have been a member of the Catholic Church, other relatives - including her parents, siblings and children - were involved with families having a Mennonite background.

After Lena's birth on March 1, 1883 the next record related to Bertha is her marriage to John Karrenbauer on February 11, 1884 in Stark County. John had immigrated to America in 1880 with his two daughters, Anna and Barbara, after the death of his first wife, Barbara Sonnhalter. He was a coal miner that had originally settled in Pennsylvania, but moved to Stark County - near his brother Michael - around 1883. Under what circumstances Bertha and John met, or had their marriage arranged, is unknown.

John and Bertha settled in West Brookfield, Ohio - which was later incorporated into the city of Massillon. In addition to the five children they had before their marriage, John and Bertha would have six children together - Albinus, Aloysius, Mary, Ellen, Esther and John - born between 1885 and 1891. Aloysius, who was stillborn, and Albinus, who died at age one, were twins as were Ellen and Esther.

The story passed down by family states that John and Bertha had an agreement to arrange for the immigration of Bertha's parents and other two children when they could afford to do so. On June 27, 1890, the following members of Bertha's family arrived in New York City onboard the ship Karlsruhe: her parents Fürchtegott and Christina; her children Ewald and Elsa; and her brothers Richard, Paul and Ernst. The passenger list also provides the surname of the father of Ewald and Elsa: Hüttel.

John Karrenbauer died on January 17, 1908 and Bertha died on July 29, 1924. Both are buried in St. Barbara's Cemetery located on Lincoln Way NW in Massillon, Ohio.

In 1884, they took advantage of the Homestead Acts and purchased property in Elmendaro Township in Kansas - near a small Mennonite community west of Hartford that had been founded by German immigrants from Pennsylvania and Ohio. Their land was located in the southeastern quadrant of Section 32 for Township 20 South, Range XII East. I have yet to confirm if they were part of the initial group of pioneers for the community.

When Hulda's parents, Fürchtegott and Christina, moved to Kansas they settled on a portion of Hulda and Herman's property. The 1901 Lyon County land ownership map shows their house, by then owned by sons Richard and Paul, in the northeast quarter-quarter (40 acres) of the property near a small pond.

Hulda and Herman would have one daughter, Lillian, who was born May 26, 1888 in Lyon County, Kansas. The picture below may be of Hulda, Herman and Lillian taken around 1895. It is very similar to the picture I have of Bertha and her children posted above. This picture was part of a collection passed down by Lillian and her last husband Emile Dietry. You may view them here. Any assistance in identification would be greatly appreciated!

Immigration records and newspaper articles of the time indicate that Hulda Rödig and Herman Edward Walther traveled extensively after their arrival in America in 1882. There are several records for Hulda traveling alone, but the entire family - including Lillian - traveled to Germany and back at least twice: in 1898 and 1907. The return in 1898 was on the Saale, from Bremen to New York, arriving on August 25th. The return in 1907 was on the Kaiser Wilhelm II, from Bremen to New York, arriving on October 23rd. Herman and Hulda's daughter, Lillian, would also travel extensively - with several visits to family in Ohio.

In the United States during the course of World War I, citizens of foreign countries ("resident aliens") - especially Germans - were required to register as part of the draft process. Hulda Rödig Walther completed her interview in June of 1918. On the affidavit the name of her father was listed as "Christopher" - which is not a surprise, since his name appears inconsistently on American records due to the fact that there is no simple English translation available for his name - and his birthplace is shown as Eibenstock, Germany. The maiden name of her mother, Christina, is shown as Schmidtdorf. Both are indicated as "deceased". Section 6m lists Hulda's brothers and sisters, along with their estimated birth years and locations of residence.

By 1919, Hulda and Herman had moved back to Ohio. They may have been one of many early settlers that found traditional farming methods very difficult, if not impossible, in Kansas. As of the 1920 U.S. Census, they lived at 414 Mulberry Street (present day 14th Street Northwest) in Barberton in Summit County. Their daughter, Lillian, married Emile Dietry on May 15, 1919 and they lived nearby at 607 West Hopocan Avenue. Herman died on December 31, 1923 in Barberton and is buried in Chestnut Hill Cemetery near Doylestown in Wayne County, Ohio.

On June 10, 1926 Hulda remarried to Abraham Lincoln Boyer. As of the 1930 U.S. Census, they lived on his farm of about 32 acres just outside of Doylestown, in Chipewa Township, on present day Calaboone Road. This parcel was southwest of the intersection with Jackson Street. Their home was less than a half mile south of Lillian and Emile Dietry, who were living near his parent's farm on Portage Street. This property is east of the intersection with Calaboone Road and, as of 2015, the Dietry family still owns this property.

Hulda died on March 25, 1937 in Doylestown and Abraham died on March 14, 1939 in Barberton. Both are also are buried in Chestnut Hill Cemetery near Doylestown in Wayne County.

Edward married Mary Wiskofski on February 20, 1894 in Stark County, Ohio. Mary was born January 6, 1875 in Berlin, Germany to Anthony Wiskofski and Anna Mitchell.

Edward and Mary would have three children: Mollie, Charles and Ellen. As of the 1900 U.S. Census, the family lived in Perry Township in Stark County.

Edward and Mary divorced sometime between 1900 and 1910 and she remarried to Thomas Hoag on March 22, 1910 in Summit County. As of the 1910 U.S. Census, Mary and Thomas Hoag resided in Norton Township in Summit County with Charles and Ellen. The children would use a common variation of the name - "Radick". Mary Wiskofski died on July 5, 1928 in Chippewa Township in Wayne County and was buried in Massillon City Cemetery in Massillon, Ohio.

To date, no conclusive record of Edward has been found after the 1900 U.S. Census, other than his sister Hulda's WWI resident alien affidavit, which indicates that as of June 1918 Edward resided in Rome, Georgia. When Mary remarried to Thomas she indicated that she was divorced - not widowed. However, when her daughter, Ellen Rödig - who was still a minor - married Charles Lawver in 1914, Mary provided the following very abrupt statement as part of her consent: "I further certify that the father of said minor is dead". While this would appear to contradict his living in Georgia, it may have simply been the easiest testimony to provide regarding his absence. It is also possible that he did indeed die sometime before 1914 and that his sister was unaware of this fact, but that is very unlikely. In Hulda's obituary from 1937, it indicates that she leaves "one sister and four brothers". That should have been: Selma, Herman, Edward, Richard and Paul.

Albert married Catherine Limbach on October 17, 1893 in Stark County, Ohio. Catherine was born in January 1858 to Martin Limbach and Charlotte Lamb.

Albert and Catherine would have three children: Charlotte, Helen and William Clyde. In the 1895 Massillon City directory the family is listed as living at 270 Wooster and Albert's occupation is shown as a coal miner. As of the 1899 Massillon City directory the family moved to their final location at 39 Bucher (present day 15th Street Southwest).

Catherine died on October 13, 1900. A newspaper article at the time indicates she had been ill for about a month and includes a mention that she had been injured by a bicyclist. Soon after, Albert would move to Emporia, Kansas to live with his parents and there is at least one story that indicates he took the children with him.

However, within a week of Catherine's death, a probate case would be opened to place the children into guardianship: #3214-G. The children were then removed from Albert's care - or otherwise returned to Ohio - to live with Catherine's parents. The house would be rented and then sold by the lawyers handling the case.

The three children would live with various members of the Limbach family and eventually would assume that surname. William appears to have spent the most time with his uncle Jacob Limbach, while Charlotte and Helen first lived with their grandfather Martin Limbach and then with various other cousins after his death in 1911. Note: Catherine's brother, William "Pat" Limbach, would serve as mayor of Massillon in the 1930s.

Albert's next marriage was to Frances Hotzel on October 20, 1903 in Lyon County, Kansas. An article in the Emporia Gazette from February 6, 1907 references the completion of their divorce. On December 25, 1907 he next married Dola Alexander in nearby Allen County, Kansas. At this time, according to the U.S. 1910 Census, they are living in the small enclave of Bassett, south of Iola, on Bassett Street. On the Census form, there is a "3" next to his marital status - aligning with the fact that this was his third marriage. Also, on the same Census, his sister Selma and her husband Henry Krugel, are living about a mile away in Iola proper at 626 South Third Street. A newspaper article in the Iola Register from September 16, 1910 references the finalization of their divorce and the resolution of alimony.

According to Hulda's WWI resident alien affidavit, as of June 1918, Albert was living in Virgil, Kansas. On the 1920 U.S. Census, there is a record for him living in Lane Township in Greenwood County - the town of Virgil is located inside the borders of Lane Township. Albert's last marriage was then to Effie Holstin on April 20, 1925 in Lyon County, Kansas.

Albert was admitted to the Massillon State Hospital on October 7, 1926 and he died on December 26, 1926. His death certificate indicates his normal residency as Emporia, Kansas and that he had been in Ohio for 2 months and 27 days - which would mean he returned to the state around October 1st. On the certificate he is listed as married and his wife's name is shown as "Effie". A small obituary in the Massillon Independent from December 27th indicates that he was "of Doylestown" - which is where his sister Hulda was living at the time. He was buried on December 29th in Barberton.

Selma and Henry, along with their children, would arrive in the United States on January 27, 1900 onboard the ship Hannover through the port of Philadelphia. Their stated destination is Emporia, Kansas and the reference given for that location is Herman Walther - Selma's brother-in-law.

As of the 1900 U.S. Census, taken on June 5th, the family lives in a rented home, in Elmendaro Township, not far from Selma's sister Hulda. It shows that Selma has had seven children and that all of them are still living. As of the 1910 U.S. Census the family had moved to 626 South Third Street in Iola, Kansas in Allen County. At that time they were living about a mile away from Selma's brother Albert. On this Census, Selma indicates she has had ten children and that nine of them are still living. The child that most likely died before 1910 was Maximilian, as he does not appear on the 1910 U.S. Census and all of their other children at that point are accounted for.

At some point after 1910, Selma, Henry and most of their children moved to northeast Ohio. The best indication of when this occurred is the late summer of 1911. Their daughter Emma's marriage record in Summit County, Ohio contains a consent received on June 23, 1911 from her father via the Allen County, Kansas Probate Court. Henry then placed a classified ad in the Iola Register that ran between July 7 - 12, 1911 advertising the sale of chickens and a goat that was probably in preparation for the move to Ohio.

As of the 1920 U.S. Census, Selma and Henry are renting a duplex at 458 South Walnut Street in Ravenna, Ohio. Living with them are their children Henry, Lena and Charles. Henry died on January 26, 1929 and is buried in Maple Grove Cemetery in Ravenna, Ohio. Selma would then live with her daughter Martha, and her husband Jacob Jacobs, until her death on February 9, 1943. Selma is also buried in Maple Grove Cemetery in Ravenna, Ohio.

Note: Charles would flip the last two letters of the name, making it Krugle, around 1930.

Richard married Catherine Rosetta Sielert on September 25, 1901 in Lyon County, Kansas. Catherine was born on August 13, 1875 in Salina, Kansas to John Sielert and Florence Leaf. Richard and Catherine would have three children: John, Theodore and Wilhelma. Richard became a naturalized American citizen on May 5, 1942 in Lyon County, Kansas.

Catherine Rosetta Sielert Radig died on September 4, 1931 and Richard Alvin Rödig died on December 9, 1954. Both are buried in Hartford Cemetery near Hartford, Kansas.

Paul married Susie Jane Toms on May 24, 1909 in Lyon County, Kansas. Susie was born on June 21, 1885 in Emporia, Kansas to Jacob Toms and Mary Alice Toms. Paul and Susie would have three children: William Earl, Mary Alice and Ida May.

An article on page 5 in the June 30, 1922 issue of the Emporia Gazette describes a recent rainfall and the impact to local farms and crops. The last paragraph is regarding Paul's farm and states: "There was considerable rain but no wind on the Paul Radig farm 2 1/2 miles east of Emporia on Logan Avenue last night. Little damage was done to the wheat. The rain helped the young corn, some of which is waist high."

Paul Robert Rödig died on November 27, 1959 and Susie Jane Toms Radig died on October 14, 1975. Both are buried in Haworth Cemetery in Emporia, Kansas.