USA > Kansas > Ellis County > German-Russian settlements in Ellis County, Kansas > Part 3
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(Jul.) Rev. Anastasius Mueller, O. M. Cap. (Aug.) Rev. Martin Muelders, O. M. Cap ...
(Aug.) Rev. Matthew Savelsberg, O. M. Cap.
(Aug.) Rev. Matthew Savelsberg. O. M. Cap.
(Mar.) Rev. Martin Muelders, O. M. Cap.
(Dec.) Rev. Chilian Lutz, O. M. Cap. (Aug.) Rev. Emmeram Kausler, O. M. Cap ..
(Aug.) Rev. Joseph Trageser, O. M. Cap.
(Aug.) Rev. Jerome Mueller, O. M. Cap.
(May) Rev. Peter Burkard.
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German-Russian Settlements in Ellis County.
Yr.
Schoenchen.
Liebenthal.
Rev. Adof Wibbert. Rev. Val. Sommereisen.
1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885
Rev. Val, Sommereisen. Rev. Anastasius Mueller, O. M. Cap
.. (Sep.) Rev. James Muench, O. M. Cap
(Apr.) Rev. Andrew Eisenhut, O. M. Cap. (Apr.) Rev. Joseph Hardes .. Rev. Ph. Brockard. (Nov.) Rev. W. Bitter.
Rev. Andrew Eisenhut, O. M. Cap. Rev. Joseph Hardes. Rev. Ph. Brockard. (Nov.) Rev. W. Bitter.
(Aug.) Rev. K. T. Withopf.
(Aug.) Rev. K. T. Withopf.
(Dec.) Rev. Jos. B. Disselkamp (Sep.) Rev. F. J. Hartmann
(Dec .* ) Rev. Jos. B. Disselkamp. (Sep .* ) Rev. F. J. Hartmann.
(Dec.) Rev. John M. Sklenar. (Nov.) Rev. A. J. Abel.
(Dec .* ) Rev. John M. Sklenar.
(Nov.) Rev. A. J. Abel.
(Aug.) Rev. B. Schroeder
(Aug.) Rev. B. Schroeder.
. .
(May*) Rev. Richard Dei, O. M. Cap.
(Sep .* ) Rev. Emmeram Kausler, O. M. Cap .. (Dec .* ) Rev. Richard Dei, O. M. Cap. (Feb .* ) Rev. Emmeram Kausler, O. M. Cap .. (Jul.) Rev. Michael Neff, O. M. Cap.
(Aug.) Rev. Rudolf Stollenwerk.
Rev. Rudolf Stollenwerk.
(Aug.) Rev. Theodose Mullan, O. M. Cap. (Aug.) Rev. Michael Neff, O. M. Cap ..
(May) Rev. Chas. Menig.
Father Anthony Schuermann collected in England and Westphalia on occa- sion of a visit to Rome, 1884. The plans for the church now building were completed as early as December, 1905, by John T. Comes, of Pittsburg, Pa. In 1908 these were revised and modified by Jos. Marshall, of Topeka. Building operations began November, 1908, the corner stone was laid Octo- ber. 4, 1909, by Rt. Rev. J. F. Cunningham, and the structure should be completed December, 1910. The total length of the building is 220 feet, the breadth 73 feet, in the transept 107 feet. The towers will be 141 feet high.
The first frame church in Munjor was begun in the fall of 1877 and com- pleted in February of the following year. 96 It measured 41x20 feet. In 1883, 16 feet were added by Rev. Andrew Eisenhut, O. M. Cap. 97 The cor- ner stone of the present stone church was laid Passion Sunday, 1889, and dedicated Trinity Sunday, 1890, by V. Rev. Francis Wolf, O. M. Cap. The tower was completed in the spring of 1906. The building measures 105 x 49 x 60 feet. 98 In Catharine divine service was held in the school built in 1879, till the completion of the present church, which was begun May 19, 1890, 99 and dedicated October 6, 1892, by Rt. Rev. John J. Hennessy, of Wichita. 100 Rev. Jos. C. Mayershofer, O. M. Cap., erected a church measuring 28x26 feet in Pfeifer in 1879. This was supplanted by the present structure in 1889-'90. It measures 65x40 feet and cost $2700.101 A stone church was
NOTE 96 .- Munjor Chronicle, p. 3.
NOTE 97 .- Kinderfreund, vol. VII, p. 98.
NOTE 98 .- Munjor Chronicle, pp. 6, 7, 79. NOTE 99 .- J. Schmidt, p. 11.
NOTE 100 .- A. Walter; Seraphic Child, vol. VII, p. 63. NOTE 101 .- Rev. P. Burkard.
1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899
1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 909
Rev. Anastasius Mueller, O. M. Cap. .. Rev. James Muench, O. M. Cap.
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Kansas State Historical Society.
REV. ANTHONY SCHUERMANN, O. M. Cap. The best beloved of the pastors of Herzog. He excelled as priest, orator, physician.
REV. JEROME MUELLER, O. M. Cap. Pastor of St. Fidelis church, at Herzog, Kansas.
begun in Schoenchen in 1879. It was designed to be 30x18x 15 feet, and the walls were completed, when, in the spring of 1880, a heavy rain caused the wall to split. The structure was abandoned, and in its stead a frame build- ing 30x18x9 feet was erected in the fall of 1881. In 1885 Rev. Jos. Hardes had stone hauled and his successor built the foundation for another church to the water table. A heavy rain so weakened the wall of the cellar that the undertaking progressed no further. The present church was begun in the spring of 1900. The corner stone was laid April 18, the building dedi- cated June 13, 1901. The designer and builder was Rev. Emmeram Kaus- ler, O. M. Cap., who had been a stonemason in his youth. Liebenthal's first church, which still stands, and is used as a school, was begun April, 1877, and completed October, 1878. The corner stone of the present im- posing structure was laid Thanksgiving day, 1902. Its dedication, by Rt. Rev. J. J. Hennessy, took place May 28, 1905. Rev. R. Stollenwerk di- rected the building operations. The architect was V. Klutho, of St. Louis.
The attendance at divine service on the part of the settlers may be said to be exemplary. In the early days those from Pfeifer and Catharine came to Herzog to attend mass. Many attend several or all masses on Sunday, and those who can the afternoon services, vespers and benediction. Candle- mas day (February 2), St. Blasius ( February 3), and Holy Week services are well attended. On St. Mark (April 25), Rogation days ( the three days before the feast of the Ascension), and Corpus Christi, every man, woman and child takes part in the procession, which even now in favorable weather makes a circuit of more than a mile. In early days the procession from
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German-Russian Settlements in Ellis County.
Now being erected at Herzog ; will be completed 1911. Estimated cost, $125,000. To succeed the church built in 1880, and dis- mantled in 1909.
Interior view of St. Fidelis church, Herzog ; built 1880, dismantled 1909.
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Kansas State Historical Society.
Catharine terminated in Herzog (a distance of eight miles), as did that from Munjor (eight miles), and Pfeifer (10 miles). The Munjor procession went once (1881) to Pfei- fer (nine miles), 102 May 26, 1892, to. Catharine; 103 the Herzog procession went to Munjor.104 To the present day one may see the people praying with outstretched arms in church and hear the greeting exchanged when one enters his pew: "Gelobt sei Jesus Christus." Children are brought to baptism for the most part on the day of birth. At wakes it is customary to pray the rosary each hour. In Catharine it is the custom when one dies to ring the church bell at evening, when all the villagers as- semble in church to pray a rosary for the departed one. This is repeated each evening till the funeral. 105
REV. MATHEW SAVELSBERG, O. M. Cap. His name is a household word in the three large colonies in which he has labored. A word remains to be said anent the monasteries, towards the erec- tion of which the settlers contrib- uted by hauling building material free of charge, and in some instances by money. The first residence of the Capuchins in Herzog was the dwelling of A. Dreiling. In September, 1878, Rev. Jos. C. Mayershofer, O. M. Cap., built an annex to the church on sec- tion 1. It ran south at right angles to the church, and was completed in the spring of 1879.106 In April, 1880, a building, 69x36 feet, two stories, was built on section 7, joining the east end of the church, running south, completed 1882. Towards this the "Ludwig Missionsverein" of Bavaria gave 4000 marks. 107 In the summer of 1892 an additional two-story building, 43x27 feet, was erected east of the old building, and still stands.108 The structure of 1880 was removed to make room for the present monastery, for which stone was hauled by the settlers, beginning October 16, 1901. September 11, 1902, the walls were completed, and the edifice dedicated May 27, 1903.109 The build- ing is two stories, 145 feet long, with two wings, 90 and 100 feet, and is a study house (philosophy) for the younger members of the order.
NOTE 102 .- Rev. J. Becker, O. M. Cap. NOTE 103 .- Munjor Chronicle. p. 10.
NOTE 104 .- Messrs. Dreiling. Rome.
NOTE 105 .- October 7, 1894, the Herzog congregation vowed to keep the feast of St. Joseph (March 19) as holiday of obligation (Victoria Chronicle, p. 44) to implore a blessing on the crops. A like vow was made in Munjor and Catharine.
NOTE 106 .- Kinderfreund, vol. VII, p. 73.
NOTE 107. - Victoria Chronicle, p. 9; an interesting letter of Rev. Hyacinth Epp, O. M. Cap. to the Most Rev. Archbishop of Muenchen-Freising, dated May 27. 1879, asking for aid of the society, is given in "Annalen der Verbreitung des Glaubens," vol. XLIX (Munich, 1881), p. 87-94; p. 424 of the same volume the disbursement is recorded: "To build Capuchin monastery in Her- zog, 4000 M."
NOTE 108. - Victoria Chronicle, p. 37.
NOTE 109 .- Victoria Chronicle, pp. 69, 77, 80.
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German-Russian Settlements in Ellis County.
From the monastery in Herzog as center all congregations were cared for till 1893, in which year a frame building was bought in Hays and ar- ranged as hospice. A stone building superseded this in 1898,110 from which point Schoenchen was cared for while in charge of the Capuchins, as also Munjor till August, 1902, when the hospice at Munjor was completed at a cost of over $5000, which was borne by the congregation. 111 Catharine was attached to Hays in 1903-'08, since which year the pastor resides in the hospice there.
A parish house, 32x30 feet, was built in Pfeifer, 1886, at a cost of about $1500; the present building, completed 1907, cost nearly $6000. 112 The parochial residence in Schoenchen was built in 1905-'06. ' At present a large parish house is building in Liebenthal to replace the present frame structure, built in 1889. 113
The successive dwellings of the Sisters of St. Agnes in Herzog are re- corded below. In 1885 a two-story stone dwelling, 26 x 36 feet, was built for the Sisters in Munjor. 114 In 1907-'08 a two-story frame dwelling was erected in Catharine. Before that time the Sisters had occupied the annex built to the church. A convent was built in Pfeifer in 1905, and at Schoen- chen the same year. In Liebenthal part of the old church has served as convent since 1905. The Sisters of St. Agnes have charge of the parish schools in Herzog, Munjor and Catharine; while the Sisters of St. Joseph, of Concordia, Kan., teach in Pfeifer and Schoenchen, and the Dominican Sisters of Great Bend in Liebenthal.
Educational progress in the colonies has kept pace with the general de- velopment. The beginnings were humble. In .Herzog, e. g., school was first taught in the home of John Sander, and later, of Alois Dreiling, 115 by P. Linnenberger, who had studied in the seminar at Saratow. August 29, 1879, Sisters Agatha and Aurea 116 of the Congregation of St. Agnes, from Fond du Lac, Wis., came to Herzog. 117 The church built by Hon. W. C. Max- well served the double purpose of church and school, a movable partition dividing off the sanctuary. The school-benches of the period are still pre- served in the present school. These benches were removed each Friday and stacked up outside by the school-children (the church had neither pews nor benches); on Monday they were returned. The Sisters dwelt for a time in A. Dreiling's house; later they removed to the annex built to the church in 1878. 118 Rev. Anselm Bayerau, O. M. Cap., in 1888 built a school (at present the Sisters' convent), north of the new church on section 7. This, 66 x 30 x 23 feet, had four large rooms. A home for the Sisters was built northeast of the school on section 6, 36 x 26 x 18 feet. 119 The present commodious school, with eight large rooms, was built by Rev. Gabriel Spaeth, O. M. Cap., December 10, 1897-July 9, 1898. 120
In Munjor the first church also served as school. The present parish school was designed by Justus Bissing. It is a stone structure, 74 x 36 x 37
NOTE 110 .- Kinderfreund, vol. VII, pp. 87-88. NOTE 112 .- Rev. P. Burkard.
NOTE 114. - Munjor Chronicle, p. 5.
NOTE 116 .- Kinderfreund, vol. VII, p. 73.
NOTE 118 .- A. Dreiling.
NOTE 120 .- Victoria Chronicle. p. 53-4.
NOTE 111 .- Munjor Chronicle, pp. 40, 41.
NOTE 113 .- J. E. Herrmann.
NOTE 115 .- A. Dreiling.
NOTE 117. - Victoria Chronicle, p. 8.
NOTE 119. - Victoria Chronicle, p. 18.
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Kansas State Historical Society.
JUSTUS BISSING AND WIFE, One of the three families that first settled at Catharine.
feet, with four large rooms. The first stones were hauled November 30, 1891; the building completed September 28, 1893, at a cost of $3,516.76.121 As mentioned before, a school was built in Catharine in 1879. This was superseded in 1902 by a stone building with four large rooms.122 The large parochial school in Pfeifer (65 x 40, two stories) was built in 1897-'98, at a cost of $2,000.123 All these buildings are of native stone. In Herzog eight grades are taught, in Munjor and Pfeifer seven, in Catharine six.
In 1893 Rev. Laurence Becker, O. M. Cap., opened an advanced course for boys in Hays, but because of poor harvests the course was discontinued May 14, 1895.124 In 1906 the project was revived, and in 1907-'08 the present Hays Catholic College was erected by the Capuchin Fathers.
Of recent years children of the colonies have attended various institu- tions: St. Mary's College, St. Marys; St. Benedict's College, Atchison; St. Francis Solanus' College, Quincy, Ill .; St. Fidelis' College, Herman, Pa .; Nazareth Academy, Concordia, etc. Quite a number have been profes- sional school teachers.
NOTE 121 .- Munjor Chronicle, p. 8, 9, 13.
- NOTE 123 .- Rev. P. Burkard.
NOTE 122 .- Rev. J. Mueller. O. M. Cap.
NOTE 124 .- Rev. E. Heyl, O. M. Cap.
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German-Russian Settlements in Ellis County.
FRED KARLIN AND MARIA KARLIN, One of the three families that first settled in Catharine, 1875.
Catharine II had allowed the colonies to choose their own form of gov- ernment, exempting them from the jurisdiction of the Russian officials, requiring, however, submission to the prevailing civil law.125 Each colony was ruled by a vorsteher (mayor) assisted by two or four beisitzer (council- men), and a schreiber (secretary), the legislative body being made up of the heads of families. Since 1798 several colonies formed a kreis (circuit), the highest official of which was called obervorsteher. 126 These in turn were sub- ject to the comptoir in Saratow, whose personnel were an oberrichter (supreme judge) and two mitglieder (members), a secretary a bookkeeper, a trans- lator, two physicians and a surveyor. The comptoir was erected March 17, 1766, and subject to the tutel-kanzlei (protective chancery) in St. Petersburg, instituted in 1763.127 The land of the colonies remained the property of the government, and was divided periodically (one to six or more years) by lot,
NOTE 125 .- Manifest, art. 6, sec. 5.
NOTE 126 .- Schaab, l. c. n. 43.
NOTE 127 .- Schaab, l. c. n. 41. In 1782 the comptoir ceased to exist, but was revived June 30, 1797. ( Keller, Die Deutschen Kolonien in Sued-Russland, p. 44.) Since 1827 the Aufseher (overseer) was intermediary between circuit and comptoir with certain specified jurisdiction over several colonies which formed a Distanz (district.) Since 1871 the comptoir was restricted, especially to affairs of school and church. 1876 the comptoir was disolved (Bauer, pp. 83, 84, 137.)
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Kansas State Historical Society.
each one receiving an area in keeping with the number of male members in his family. One result of this arrangement was that several families formed one household, children marrying at an early age, but without establishing a home. The latter step required, in addition to a permit of the father, a ' ratification of the gemeinde (legislative body).128 One other effect was a limitation of activity, which allowed elder but still robust men to leave over all work to the younger members of the family.
These institutions have had to some extent their counterpart in America. From April till the fall of 1876 Herzog had its vorsteher and gemeindever- sammlung ; homesteads were sought with a view of distributing them by lot. The original village plat (section 1, township 14 south, range 17 west) was at request divided by the land commissioner in Salina into strips of forty acres, running east and west through the whole section ; one or several individuals together purchased one or more such strips. 129
The settlers in Munjor in 1876 bought section 25, and organized the Mun- jor Land Company. This having no legal status, the Munjor Land and Grazing Company was organized and incorporated October 11, 1882, at the suggestion of John Schlyer.130 Part of the section was surveyed by G. R. Wolf for the town site, each holder of a lot being a member of the com- pany. The remainder served as grazing land for the use of all members. 131 The charter (printed at Hays in 1882) requires that the company shall con- tinue fifty years, that five directors be its officers (president, secretary and treasurer of their number), that the capitalization be $10,000, divided into 200 shares of $50 each, that no interest in the land holdings of the company be burdened, sold or transferred without consent of two-thirds of the mem- bers. The by-laws require quarterly meetings (art. 6) and annual election of directors (art. 2). August 15, 1888, the southern half of the section was sold. 132 In 1897 an effort to disrupt the company failed, the court, February 20, upholding the conservative party.133 In January, 1899, deeds were given for the town lots only. 134 The company still exists, numbering at present 108 members. The last election took place in 1907.135
The section on which Catharine is built was school land. At three dol- lars ¿per acre the northwest quarter was bought by Frederic Karlin, the southwest quarter by Frederic Walter, the northeast quarter by Frederic Koerner, the southeast quarter by Jacob Walter. Each head of a family (Hauswirt) contributed towards the purchase, and, in keeping with the amount contributed, received one or several shares, ranging from six to thirty-eight acres. 136 Five acres of the meadow entitled to one lot in
NOTE 128 .- Katholische Missionen, vol. 34, p. 130. NOTE 129 .- B. Brungardt.
NOTE 130 .- Because of his many kindnesses to the settlers Mr. Schlyer has been called "Russenvater."
NOTE 131 .- J. Schlyer.
NOTE 132 .- Minutes of the company, p. 66. These minutes were kindly lent by the officers. Cattle charge per month for tax was 10 cents in 1888; 15 cents in 1895; 10 cents in 1898. (Minutes, pp. 61, 73, 98.)
NOTE 133 .- Munjor Chronicle, pp. 18-20. NOTE 134 .- Minutes, pp. 82, 83.
NOTE 135 .- Rev. J. Becker, O. M. Cap. The northwest quarter of section 30, on which part of Munjor now stands, was preempted by A. Schneider and divided into shares of 134 acres, each villager taking a share for garden purposes. Some built their homes thereon. Each received a deed of Mr. Schneider. ( J. Schlyer, A. Befort.)
NOTE 136 .- There was one share of 6 acres, four of 7, one of 8, eleven of 10, one of 11, four of 12, two of 14, eight of 15, two of 17, four of 20, one of 24, three of 25, one of 30, one of 38. These details are given in Ellis County Deeds and Contracts, E, pp. 246-248.
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German-Russian Settlements in Ellis County.
town. The four men transferred their holdings to the shareholders as a body, February 18, 1880. It is expressly stipulated in the contract that the land other than that on which the village stands should not be plowed, but used only for grazing purposes. 137 The township officers transacted all business of the company till 1893. The charter of the St. Catharine Town and Grazing Company is dated April 12, 1893. The company was to exist fifty years (art. 4); its officers were five directors (art. 5), who elected of their number president, secretary and treasurer (art. 8). Its capital stock was $7040, divided into 128 shares of $55 each (art. 6). Article 7 pro- vided that no property could be purchased, sold or transferred except upon a two-thirds vote of the stockholders. 138 In 1897 the directors of the com- pany gave deeds for the town lots. By-laws were drawn up and adopted February 13, 1897. Paragraph 3 to article 1 of charter limits the holdings of any individual to ten shares. Paragraph 3 to article 3 provides that tax dues for the land are to be covered by a charge for pasture. 139 Paragraph 4 to article 8 forbade chopping timber on the banks of the creek; dry wood was removed by the directors and sold to the highest bidder. An addition to article 2, adopted May 29, 1899, allowed any shareholder to sell or rent his share, but made dwelling in the village dependent upon a two-thirds vote of the shareholders. A proposal to divide the meadow was defeated by thirty-one against twenty-five votes. 140 In 1908 a petition to the direc- tors, signed by two-thirds of the shareholders, and asking that the meadow be divided, resulted in apportioning the land by casting of lots, February 2.141 The present division is shown in the Ellis county plat book, p. 48. It was recorded March 25, 1908.
The village of Pfeifer, 142 as noted above, was originally located on the part of section 25, township 15 south, range 17 west, south of the Smoky Hill river. The whole section, railroad land, was taken up in 1876 by the settlers, as a body represented by Gottlieb Jacobs, Jacob Schoenfeld, John Schlieter and Matthias Vogel, to be paid in eleven years, and divided into shares. Difficulties arose because some had not made their payments; oth- ers disliked the site, so that in 1884 the village was moved to the present location, the northwest quarter of section 36. This quarter had been taken by John Schlieter in 1879, as a homestead; in 1884 all villagers contributed money toward its purchase. Mr. Schlieter's patent is dated November 12, 1884; he in turn gave a deed to each shareholder, a single share being a strip of land forty-four feet wide running east and west through the quar- ter section.
Frank Waldschmidt had taken up the south half of the southwest quarter of section 28 as a homestead. On this the village of Schoenchen was built. The patent for the land was issued August 30, 1882, but not filed till May
NOTE 137 .- Deeds and Contracts, E, p. 248.
NOTE 138 .- Charter was kindly lent by A. Karlin.
NOTE 139 .- The charge in 1897 was 51/2 cents, 1898 6 cents, 1900 6 cents for each head more than eight months old. ( Minutes, pp. 159, 164, 171.)
NOTE 140 .- Minutes, pp. 175, 176.
NOTE 141 .- Minutes, p. 187. By-laws and minutes of the company were kindly lent by A. Karlin.
NOTE 142 .- These and other data regarding Pfeifer were given by John J. Basgall, Peter Breit, George Jacobs, Kaspar Kissner, Jos. Stremel, George Urban. In the early years there was some litigation as to the name of the village, Pfeifer, Kamenka and Holy Cross being suggested (J. Breit).
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11, 1885.143 Meanwhile Mr. Waldschmidt had presented the land to the community. The plot of the village was recorded April 18, 1885, and five men, Konrad Dreher, Joseph Hardinger, Frederic Werth, John Peter Werth and August Wolf, appointed trustees of the town company, who still con- tinue in office. This is but nominal, as the transfer deed was lost without being recorded, so that all deeds must be signed by the heir of Frank Wald- schmidt.
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Parochial School House at Herzog, Ellis County ; 375 pupils.
In Liebenthal the town site (twenty-seven acres in northwest quarter and thirteen acres in northeast quarter of section 21) was purchased by Jacob Herrmann, John Schaefer and Nicholas Bieker as representatives of the settlers, who received deeds for their individual property of Jacob Herr- mann.
The different colonies in Ellis county were united by no legal bond, as the colonies in Russia had been. On the contrary, a degree of rivalry ex- isted which the years have served to mollify. Allegiance to the home vil- lage continues, however, so that a map showing the land holdings with home and village allegiance of the settlers would suggest an extreme case of gerrymander. The communistic character of the villages has served to unite the inhabitants more closely in social life, so as to give it the appear- ance of family life on a large scale. At the same time local antipathies did and do exist. A result of the seclusion has been the slow, and for that reason more healthful, development which allows the settlers to retain the good they have inherited while adopting the advantages of their new coun- try, thereby giving quality to their citizenship. 144 On the other hand, it
NOTE 143 .- Ellis County Deeds, book I, p. 30.
NOTE 144 .- Politically nearly all the settlers are Democrats, and for more than a decade have decided elections. The present incumbents of the office of county treasurer, (B. M. Dreiling), superintendent of public instruction (A. Kuhn), and of register of deeds (A. Schueler), are from
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German-Russian Settlements in Ellis County.
has retarded the development of public spirit, and to the present day the villages remain under township law, and can boast of neither paved streets nor water or lighting system, or public utility other than churches and schools.
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