Volhynia
I. When/Where did Eva Penner Re-Marry? Poland? or Volhynia?
II. 3 Generations in Volhynia:
a. Evidence for Leonard Ewert's Birthplace
b. Locating Leonard Ewert's Birthplace
c. Leonard leaves home
III. About the Region & Evidence of West Prussian families through WWII
Eva Penner-Voth oo Franz Ewert |
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_______________________________|___________________________
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Johan Ewert |
Emelia ___ |
Maria Ewert |
___ Goertz |
Jacobina Ewert |
____ Wolf |
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| Leonard Ewert | oo Mary Stuckle | ||||||
I. When/Where did Eva Penner Re-Marry? Poland? or Volhynia?
In 1866 or 1868, the Benjamin Penner family moved from the Deutsch Wymyschle area on the Vistula River near Warsaw to Volhynia, in what is now northwest Ukraine.
From The David Karber Family History:
This source has much that is valuable and informative. But it is incorrect regarding the marriages and children of Eva Penner:
"2. Eva Penner
first husband: John Evert
children: Leonard
second husband: Henry Foote
children: Henry, Pauline, Albert, Manuel" [p.6]Corrected, this would be:
first husband: Heinrich Voth
children: Heinrich Voth (Henry Foote)
second husband: Franz Ewert
children: Johann, Maria, Jacobina
children of Johann: Leonard"In 1868, when Henrietta was 10 or 11 years old, the family moved 250 miles east to the province of Volhynia in Russian Poland, apparently settling in the village of Kutuzovka, 25 miles northwest of the town of Zhitomir." [p.8]
From 1. August 1951 Zionsbote, p. 13-14, Todesanzeigen [Death Notice] for Henry Foote:
Unser lieber Vater Henry Foote, wurde den 4. Dezember 1863 in Polen geboren. Es war ein Sohn von Heinrich Voth und Eva Penner. Sein Vater starb, ehe unser Vater geboren wurde. Weil die Mutter und die Großeltern arm waren, ließ die Mutter das Kindlein bei ihren Eltern und diente bei anderen Leuten. Sie verheiratete sich später, aber ihr Sohn blieb bei seinen Großeltern. Als er etwa fünf Jahre alt war, zogen sie nach Russland und nahmen den Sohn mit. Sie wohnten dort nur einige Jahre. In 1874 befanden sie sich unter den Auswanderern, die von Russland nach den Vereinigten Staaten zogen.
Our dear father Henry Foote, was born 4th December, 1863 in Poland. He was a son of Heinrich Voth and Eva Penner. His father died, before our father was born. Because the mother and the grandparents were poor, the mother left the little child with her parents and worked with other people. She married later, but her son remained with his grandparents. When he was about five years old, the grandparents went to Russia and took the grandson along. They lived there only several years. In 1874 they were among the emigrants who went from Russia to the United States.
From Foote, Lydia, "Foote, Henry," Wagon Tracks:
When father was three years old he moved with his mother and grandparents a short distance into Russia.
It is thus certain that the Penner family, along with Eva and her son Henry, moved a short ways into Russia around 1866 or 1868.
The David Karber Family History and myself both came to the conclusion that they lived in or near a town called Kutuzovka in Volhynia.
The evidence for this conclusion can be found in the pages for David Karber and Henrietta Penner and for Heinrich Voth/Henry Foote.
II. 3 Generations in Volhynia:
There is seperate evidence, only recently found, that Eva Penner and her second husband, Franz Ewert, remained in this general area long enough to raise three children and have at least one grandchild born here.
a. Evidence for Leonard Ewert's Birthplace
This grandchild was Leonard Ewert. His obituary says:
Mr. Ewert was born March 9 1893, in Alexandrofka, Poland, the only son of Amalia and John Ewert. He came to the United States in 1913[...]
But there are many villages with such a name, some in Volhynia near Kutuzovka, some a bit further away. The situation is slightly clarified by immigration documents recorded when Leonard Ewert moved to Canada with his wife and daughter:
1925, CANADIAN IMMIGRATION SERVICE, Report of Admissions and Rejections at the Port of _North Portal_ for the Month ending _June 30th_ 19_25_
This form gives:
Last Residence, with Birthplace below Nationality Race If in Canada previously, when and where Language Religion Occupation, previous and expected
Destination Contact from
Previous CountryBad Health Money Entry via Admitted/Rejected
and:
b. Locating Leonard Ewert's Birthplace
Now we have "Barashi" or "Barashie" in Russia or Ukraine. The answer for where this town is located is found among the pages of the Society for German Genealogy in Eastern Europe website. There was a prominent Lutheran parish in Volhynia, based in a place called Heimtal. Among the congregations that were part of the Heimtal Parish were:
- Alexandrowka,
- Baraschi (Baraschow, Barasze),
- and Kutusowka (Kutazowka).
- but also Alt-Krausendorf [Staraja Alexandrowka], Neu-Krausendorf [Nowo-Alexandrowka], and Werendorf [Alexandrowka])
Here are the locations for Baraschi, Heimtal, and the possible "Alexandrowka"s.
c. Leonard leaves home
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Johann and Amelia Ewert, and Leonard Ewert [From Stan Ewert] [Click Image for Full Size] |
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Leonard Ewert, shortly before 1914 [From Stan Ewert] [Click Image for Full Size] |
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ПАСПОРТ |
Passport In case of illiteracy of the bearer indicate his description: Issued: Barashevskim local court, settlement/village reference #134 [seal] FREE. For a period not exceeding one year. Seal: Seal of BARASHEVSK Volost court. |
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III. About the Region & Evidence of West Prussian families through WWII
From "Heimtal Parish History" [1]:
The Parish of Heimtal (Staraja Buda) (1869)
The influx of Germans from Poland and Prussia into eastern Volhynia during the 1860s caused the second division of the Zhitomir Parish in 1869. Already in 1864, Heinrich Wasem, who had played a similar role as vicar in forming the Roshischtsche Parish, took up residence as vicar in Staraja Buda, with the intention of forming a new parish there. The parish lay in the counties of Zhitomir and Nowograd-Wolynsk and in 1869 had about 6000 parishioners in 20 communities. A stone church, called the "Jesus Church", was completed in 1878, soon followed by a stone manse. At first there was a rapid turnover of pastors until stability was attained with the arrival of Pastor Johannsen in 1886. The need to educate sexton/teachers (cantors) led in 1897 to efforts to establish a school for that purpose. The school became a reality in 1904 and received a building of its own in 1908. It served the Provinces of Volhynia, Podolia, Kiev and Chernigov. By 1896 the number of parishioners had grown to about 20,000, located in nearly 100 colonies. This created a need for creating a new parish (or "permanent adjunct" of Heimtal) centered in Emiltschin in that year.
Evangelical Congregations in Heimtal Parish
Alexanderdorf (Granidub)+ Jakowka (Pisarowka) Nowo-Alexandrowka (Neu-Krausendorf) Alexandria+ Janowka I*+ and II*~ Olgenburg (Oljchowka)~ Alexandrowka+(chapel only?) Jelissawetpole*~ Ossipowka-Konan (Josephstadt-Konan) Alt-Krausendorf (Staraja Alexandrowka)+ Josephstadt-Konan (or Kunan)(Ossipowka-Konan)+ Ostronj (Ostroni) Alt-Viktorowka+ Karolinowka+ Ostrowka*+ Amalien (Amalinowka)* Kirkewitsch* Pawlinowka Andrejewka Kisselowka (Kiseljawka)* Pulin+ Annapole*+ Kremianka*+ Pulinskaja Huta*+ Antonowka (near Maidan)+ Kurgany (Kurhany, Grünfeld)* Raditsch*+ Baraschi (Baraschow, Barasze) Kutusowka (Kutazowka)*+ Rogowka*+ Beresowka (Rohrbach)*+ Liski*+ Rudokop*+ Beresowo-Hat*+ Ludwikowka* Sabarski-Schljach* Bogoschewka Lugowaja (Wiesental) Schadura*+ Emiliewka Maidan (Majdan)+ Sinimoch Helenow+ (near Zapust) Marianowka Sinjawka Helenowka-Sokul+ Marianowka(*+?) (near Wolodarsk) Skolobow* Evental (Jewgeniewka)* Maximowka (Maksimowka)+ Solodyri*+ Fedorowka*+ Michalindorf (Michailowka) Sorotschin* Friedental-Dombrowo (Friedenstal, Mirnaja Dombrowo, Szczyrczyn)*+ Mikulinez* Staraja Alexandrowka (Alt-Krausendorf) Gnadental (Bobritzkaja Buda, Bobeszkaja Buda)*+ Mirnaja Dombrowo (Friedental-Dombrowo)* Stebnize* Gonorin (Honorin)+ Mlynok (Mlynek)*+ Ussitschno* Granidub (Alexanderdorf) Nedbajewka*+ Viktorinka Grünfeld (Kurgany, Kurhany)*+ Neu-Grüntal (Nowo-Selenj) Werendorf (Alexandrowka)*+ Grüntal (Jaswinka, Zaswiska)*+ Neu-Krausendorf (Nowo-Alexandrowka) Wiesental (Lugowaja)+ Gruschek* Neu-Viktorowka+ Wischnjakowka*+ Heimtal (Staraja Buda)*+ Neudorf-Tomar (Bratschki-Romara)*~ Wjasowez* Honorin (Gonorin)+ Neumanowka*+ Wozlawpole-Widerno (Waclawpol and Wederna)* Hotisch Nowin (Nowiny)*+ Wulka+ Wyrub (Wyruby)*+
+ village with a school which was usually also used as a chapel (Betsaal)
~ village with a separate chapel (Kapelle or more commonly, Betshaus)
* villages where land was owned by the farmer (in contrast to those where it was leased from a nobleman) (The 1909 source distinguishes between Kolonien and Pachtdörfer in this parish. Since the latter denotes rented land, the former (marked "*") may denote ownership.)
From "SGGEE location according to guideline" [2]:
German village name (Polish village, Ukrainian village or direction to next existing village) North East Ukrain village Cyrillic Baraschow (Barasze/Barashi), Yemilchyne, Zhytomyr, Russian Empire (Ukraine) 504300 280200 Барашi Aleksandrowka (N of Lisky), Volodarsk-Volynskyi, Zhytomyr, Russian Empire (Ukraine) 503645 282125 N of Ліски Aleksandrowka (Oleksandrivka), Novohrad-Volynskyi, Zhytomyr, Russian Empire (Ukraine) 503725 273539 Олександрівка Aleksandrowka (S of Tupaltsi), Novohrad-Volynskyi, Zhytomyr, Russian Empire (Ukraine) 503325 275120 S of Тупальцi Aleksandrowka (W of Novooleksandrivka), Yemilchyne, Zhytomyr, Russian Empire (Ukraine) 503700 280350 W of Новоолександрівка Aleksandrowka Kol. (SW of Chyzhivka), Novohrad-Volynskyi, Zhytomyr, Russian Empire (Ukraine) 503925 273626 SW of Чижiвка Kutozowka (Kutuzowka/NW of Nartsyzivka), Chervonoarmiisk, Zhytomyr, Russian Empire (Ukraine) 503605 281100 NW of Нарцизівка Neumanowka (Nejmanowka/SE of Stavky), Chervonoarmiisk, Zhytomyr, Russian Empire (Ukraine) 503720 281150 SE of Ставки Lindental (Lipowka/Lypivka), Chervonoarmiisk, Zhytomyr, Russian Empire (Ukraine) 502524 281653 Липівка
From "German Russian Village List" [3]:
Village Reg Other Identification Parish rl remarks Alexandrowka VlhU Baraschi Heimthal e Barashi VlhU see Baraschi English Transcription Lindental VlhU Pulin Shitomir e aka Lipowka
Reg = Region or Province (Gubernia)
VlhU...Volhynia Ukraine
Other Identification = District, Rayon, Kreis, Okrug, etc (District may also be nearby larger city or this field may be the "see" reference.)
Parish = church center for the village listed
rl = Religion of colony/village
e = Evangelical
From "Kirchspiele in den Gouvernements Wolhynien, Podolien und Kiew 1909," [4]:
Name Kirchspiel [parish] Art
[Type of town]Einw. evang. [pop. of Lutherans] Kirche
[type of meetingplace]
BH=Bethaus (chapel)
BS=Betsaal (Prayer Hall, usually in the school)Schule [school] Anzahl Schüler [# of students] Pastor pro Jahr [visits per year by Parish Pastor] Alexandrowka Heimtal Pachtkolonie 303 BH 2x Baraschi Heimtal Flecken 38 Kutusowka Heimtal Eigentümer 160 BS 1 34 Lindental / Lipowka Shitomir dt. Eigentümer 198 BS 1 35 1x Neumanowka Heimtal Eigentümer 433 BS 1 60
Pachtkolonie= complete colony under lease; Flecken= town centrally located, thus, usually market-town; Eigentümer=private owners
Extracted from village lists at http://www.schuk.ru/ [5]:
Barashi p.85 Weitere Ortsnamen Baraschi Beckersdorf Gebietsbezeichnung Wolhynien Admin. Zuordnung Landfläche/-nutzung Gründungsjahr Einwohnerzahl 38 (1904) Kolonietyp Konfession Topografische Lage Zusatzinformationen Die Kolonie ist geographisch nicht mehr eindeutig nachweisbar.
Alexandrowka p.48 Weitere Ortsnamen Baraschi Beckersdorf Gebietsbezeichnung Wolhynien Admin. Zuordnung Rayon Nowograd-Wolynsk Landfläche/-nutzung Gründungsjahr Einwohnerzahl 365 (1904) Kolonietyp Konfession evangelisch Topografische Lage Karte 10; C-4 Zusatzinformationen Die Kolonie lag etwa 8 km im NNW von Zwichel. (HB 1962, S. 148)
Kutozowka p.528 Weitere Ortsnamen Kutosowka Gebietsbezeichnung Wolhynien Admin. Zuordnung Rayon Pulin Landfläche/-nutzung Gründungsjahr 1861 Einwohnerzahl 160 (1904) Kolonietyp Konfession evangelisch Topografische Lage Karte 10; D-4 Zusatzinformationen Die Kolonie lag etwa 15 km im SO von Baraschow. Die Gemeinde gehörte zum
Kirchspiel Heimthal. (HB 1962, S: 152)
From "Brief History of Germans in Volhynia" (J. Frank) [6]:
Volhynia is the northwestern most province of modern day Ukraine. Poland
is on its western border with Belarus to the north.For centuries Volhynia had belonged to the Lithuanian Commonwealth. It
was later acquisitioned by Poland, through a marriage of royalty. In the
first partition of Poland in 1772, the region was annexed by Russia. It
stayed part of Russia until after World War I.There were Germans scattered throughout Volhynia, primarily in the Zhitomir
and Berdichev regions. Mennonites attempted an early farming settlement
there but did not stay long. The first major and more permanent migration
of Germans into Volhynia did not occur until the mid 1830s. These were
primarily of the Lutheran faith. By 1860, the German population was still
only estimated to be 4-6000.After the 1863 rebellion in Poland, Germans began to flood into Volhynia.
Most of them settled in a broad band extending from Wladimir Wolhynsk in
the west to half way between Zhitomir and Kiew in the east.
Areas of Settlement of Swiss Russian Mennonites [7]:
Kotosufka-Neumanufka
As the Mennonite settlers became fruitful and multiplied the available land became more scarce around the early settlement of Edwardsdorf. At the same time Czar Alexander the II began a program of the modernization of Russia which included the abolition of serfdom and making land available for private ownership. This was a two-edged sword for the Mennonites, for the available land allowed some of them to move and afforded the possibility of economic advancement while at the same time some of the privileges such as exemption from military service and the allowance for the people to worship in their services and the organization of their own schools were being withdrawn. The settlement in Kotosufka would last only thirteen years.
"The move from Edwardsdorf came in 1861 when Prince Kutsuf's land was freed and opened for settlement. A historical account notes that this action became controversial inasmuch as the recently freed servs fully expected to have the opportunity to own and farm this land themselves. Rather, it became the property of the [Mennonite] congregation and was distributed to its members." (Orpha Schrag, p. 104)
In addition to the family names at Edwardsdorf the names of Dirks, David, Ortman, and Friedrich were added at Kotosufka.
Histories of the Kutuzovka/Kotosufka Congregation seem to include the Penners, Ewerts, and Goertzes as part of the congregation. They say that most of the congregation migrated, and that a certain few stayed in Volhynia. As much detail as the historians of the Swiss Volhynians include, they do not specify that the migrating congregation was accompanied by families who were NOT associated with the congregation, much less by families they were not acquainted with. This strongly suggests some type of connection between the Swiss Volhynians and the Dutch/West Prussians who traveled with them.
Migrations of the Swiss Volhynian Mennonites [7]:
Kotosufka and Neumanufka 1861 - 1874. 25 miles northwest of Zhitomir. Post Office Horoschak. Names added: Dirks and Ortman. Congregation owned the land. Villages were separated by a forest.
City of Chester August 24, 1874
Leaders -- Elder Peter Kaufman, Christian Kaufman, and Christian Schrag
Albrecht -- 2 families
Baer - 1
Block - 1
Ewert - 1
Gering - 1
Graber - 9
Goertz - 3
Kilme - 1
Kliever - 1
Krehbiel - 2
Kaufman - 3
Preheim - 1
Reis - 1
Schroeder - 1
City of Richmond August 31, 1874
Leader -- Elders Joseph Stucky and Jacob Goering.
Albrecht -- 5 families
Dirks -- 1
Flickner -- 1
Gering -- 7 (Gehring, Goering)
Graber - 3
Kaufman - 7
Krehbiel - 5
Kressel - 2
Lohrenz - 1
Nachtigal - 1
Penner - 1
Reis - 2
Voran - 2
But monument placed by the descendents of these Swiss Volhynians do not include the Penner, Ewert, or Goertz family name as part of the congregation:
Stone Marker in Southern McPherson County [8]:
IN MEMORY
OF THE
SWISS MENNONITE
CONGREGATIONOF KOTOSUFKA, VOLHYNIA, RUSSIA WHOSE MEMBERS LEFT RUSSIA IN SEARCH OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY. SIXTY-TWO FAMILIES SAILING ON THE "CITY OF RICHMOND",
[...]
THEIR DESCENDANTS
ERECTED THIS MONUMENTOCTOBER 1943
ALBRECHT
DIRKS
FLICKNER
GOERING
GRABER
KAUFMAN
KREHBIEL
NACHTIGAL
SCHRAG
SCHROEDER
SCHWARTZ
STRAUSZ
STUCKY
SUTTER
VORAN
WALTNER
WEDEL
ZERGERThe back of the marker, engraved with the names of the original families
From "The Karlswalde Web Pages: Chronology of Karlswalde" [9]:
It is possible that, with the opening of considerable land for ownership in eastern Volhynia, some people moved to the Zhitomir area in the 1860s. The living standards of the Germans generally were far above their Russan neighbors. This superiority together with their exemption from military service caused their neighbors to envy them. As early as 1868, skirmishes were felt from their native neighbors; saying: "The day is coming when we will all be on equal basis." It is thought that complaints reached the Czar regarding the liberal privileges granted to the Mennonites and he was finally persuaded to recall the edict. In 1871 rumors reached the villages that the privileges granted the Mennonites in 1786 were being recalled, placing the Mennonites into the military ranks of Russia. At first little attention was paid to these. But soon, new and conflicting reports kept coming which made the colonists feel uneasy. Opposition to war was a fundamental principle of faith with them, so it was decided to send a delegation to St. Petersburg to ascertain the facts. [...] Disappointed, they started back home to their villages. Upon nearing the city Ostrog, they met a small group of government officials. From these they learned that a new decree was in effect since 1870, which recalled all former privileges, but gave the Mennonites a 10 year period to leave the country if they were not willing to submit to this new ruling. If they failed to leave within the 10 year period, they waived all rights to immigrate. It appeared the purpose to keep this a secret was to let the 10 years pass by, thus automatically making them full subjects of Russia. Meetings were held. Losing these privileges was intolerable for the Mennonites. It meant to them that all their young men would be drawn into the Russian army. Further the new decree did not only abolish the exemption from military service, it included complete control of their school system by the Russian government and also the introduction of the Russian language in their schools.
[...] After the Czar saw that the Mennonites were in earnest and would rather immigrate then defile their conscience, the laws were quickly modified, giving the Mennonites the privilege to do hospital work and plant trees under a civilian work program. In order to curb the immigration movement, which in most villages was already well under way by this time, the Czar commissioned Count Eduard Ivanovich Totleben, a close friend to the Mennonites to tour the Mennonite colonies thru the spring months of 1874, and try to persuade them to remain in Russia under the latest modifications of the new edict. For the Czar hated very much to see the Mennonites leave his domain.
Emigration
[...] Although the great majority of Volhynian Mennonites emigrated to America in 1874, a few stayed on. Seven families, in part or whole of the Swiss Volhynian Mennonites, are known to have remained in Volhynia. Some of these came to America within ten years after the main groups had left. Before World War I there still were 15 families (Prussian Mennonites) living in Lindenthal, two near Ostrog, eight near Luck, and seven in the Minsk area.
Sources
[1]. Heimtal Parish History, Society for German Genealogy in Eastern Europe, http://www.sggee.org/research/parishes/parish_histories/VolhyniaDiocese/HeimtalParish/HeimtalHist.html
[2]. Volhynia Gazetteer, http://www.sggee.org/research/Gazetteer%20Volhynia.pdf
[3]. German Russian Village List, http://www.grhs.org/vr/vc-other.htm
[4]. Kirchspiele in den Gouvernements Wolhynien, Podolien und Kiew 1909, http://www.wolhynien.de/pdf/1909Pingoud_Tab_a.pdf
[5]. http://www.schuk.ru/1/orte/
[6]. Frank, J. "Brief History of Germans in Volhynia", Published by the Odessa Digital Library - 28 Jan 1998. http://www.odessa3.org
[7]. "Migrations of the Swiss Volhynian Mennonites,"The History of the Swiss-Volhynian Mennonite, Vorans and Kaufmans. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~jvoran/voran/migration.htm
[8]. Stone Marker in Southern McPherson County, http://skyways.lib.ks.us/history/swiss.html
[9]. The Karlswalde Web Pages: Chronology of Karlswalde, http://home.arcor.de/pulin/karlswalde/history/chronology.htm
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