[Grandfather Peter Voth's letter written Jan 31, 1875 to his son Peter P. Voth in Russia. Grandfather's mother and stepfather are the once who lived later at Greenfield and were called “Miller Schmidt.” The letter is signed Peter & Katharina Voth.]
Other names mentioned in letter with GMOL numbers:
- Peter Voth (wrote the letter) 60458
- Katharina Unruh Voth (Peter Voth's Wife) 60320
- Peter P. Voth (recipient of letter) 88710
- Peter Schröder
- Jakob Schmitten
- Heinrich Schmitten
- Jakob Schmitten
- Jakob Frei
- Benjamin Frei
- Heinrich Frei von Steinfeld
- Jakob Schmidt
- Heinrich Görtz
- Johann Unru
- Johann Voth
- Jakob Unruh
- Heinrich Unruh
- Abramsche (Sister that stayed in Nebraska, not answering letters)
- Görtz (brother-in-law)
- Peter Schröder
- David (son?) 88831 ?? Warkentin (has mill in Halstead that David goes to- 2 day round trip) “Uncle” Buller (reserved land for a year. Can find no Buller uncle. Jakob Buller?)
- Peter Pankratz
- Steinfelders (still in Russia?)
- Klassens (in Elisabeththal)
- Wiensen (in Hamburg)
- Peter Schröder, my parents, and Jakob Schmittenz (send greetings)
January 31, 1875
Beloved children
First, I wish you God's peace, here temporarily, but even more so there eternally. Now, beloved children, I cannot refrain from looking at you with a little writing (?)
Now I sincerely hope that this little letter finds you in the best of health.
Dear son, in your letter of December 6th, which we received on January 26th, all in good health, you write that you were always looking for letters, but things weren't getting any better for us. We had been eagerly waiting for a letter. For a while, we drove to the town of Newton almost every other day to get wood, coal, and flour, because we want to build a house this summer. Then we went to the post office every time and asked for letters, but there were none. Finally, on January 26th, Jakob Frei arrived from the town, and the road passes quite close to our house. He brought us a letter. It brought us such great joy that many a tear fell from us. We also read the letters with great joy (the Letter says Befieds).
Peter Schröder, Jakob Schmitten, and Heinrich Schmitten also read it. We all live here together. On Wednesday, the 27th, we drove straight to the emigrant house with the letters. It's two versts from us.
My parents still live there, as do Jakob Schmitten and Jakob Frei, Benjamin Frei, and Heinrich Frei von Steinfeld. The letters were read there, too.
Jakob Schmidt, his parents, and the two Freis bought the school section, which is close to ours.
We, our friends, all live close to each other: Heinrich Görtz, Johann Unruh, and Johann Voth, who live three and a half versts from us. Jakob and Heinrich Unruh live three versts ahead. (1 verst = 0.66 miles)
Only my sister Abramsche is not here with us. We've sometimes been sad about her. She stayed in Nebraska. We haven't found out how she's doing there, or whether she's still alive.
My brother-in-law Görtz has already written three times, but hasn't received a reply yet. My siblings and I have fairly flat land, and when I go for walks after them, I really like it here. If the Lord would grant me his blessing that we can make bread, then it will probably work out. Now, tell us about our circumstances; I briefly described them in my last letter of November 10th, if you get it. We moved into the dormitory on November 22nd.
It was always said that there was no winter in Kansas, but it's been quite cold up here. Peter Schröder brought his thermometer with him from Russia. It's been as cold as 26 degrees here and there was still a pretty strong wind. It seemed much colder to me than in Russia. They say here that five Americans froze to death on the steppe. I don't know if that's true. It still sometimes freezes down to 16 degrees at night and there's always wind. We've all had to freeze pretty hard this winter because our new houses aren't finished yet, but we're hoping life will continue to get better. There's been a bit of dry frost here for a while now, so the ground is starting to crack. The road is pretty good for driving now. We still have to drive a lot. David has driven to Halstead twice to see the mill. He's always been away for two days. Warkentin lives there; he has a watermill. We got fodder for the horses and also flour there. Kuckuruz/corn flour costs 100 pounds, 1 dollar, 40 pence (? 40). The rye flour, 100 lb., costs $1.90. And the wheat flour, 100 lb., costs $2.90.
You write in your letter how it is that there is still hay to be made here. The grass was already all dried out and is no longer very strong, because I prefer good straw to this hay, but we still had fodder when we made it. There is enough grass here. There is no prospect of buying hay nearby, and no straw or chaff either, because we don't see any straw or chaff with the Americans, just small piles of hay, and they need that themselves. My neighbors are Peter Schröder on one side and an American on the other, who lives about 150 paces from me. He had a pile of wheat, but he didn't want to sell it. He has five horses of his own, four old horses, one yearling, and a cow.
Here in America, farmers have poor stables. My neighbor's cow and his hockling/large calf haven't been under cover this winter. They were still standing outside day and night. We chopped the hay for the horses and mixed in a little corn meal.
In your letter, you mention a president.Election. I haven't heard about it yet, but I've inquired; the election won't be for another year. You also write about freedom from military service—whether we're truly free—I can't tell you anything more about that than what I hear and see. Because people here always say we're free, and you don't see any soldiers, and I haven't heard anything about preparations for war. Apart from that, I can't report much about our circumstances. After we've been here for a few years, perhaps we'll know more, if we're alive.
Well, you write in your letter that you'd like to sow for another year. I can't tell you anything about that, and I don't want to, either. If you're supposed to be completely free there, then it's better. But I don't believe that, and if they then take your young men, that seems horrible to me.
Now I must also report that many Mennonites immigrated here from Poland this winter. All the nearby towns are full. I was in Newton before New Year's, when 700 souls arrived again, and many were already quartered in Newton. When I thought of the masses of people who immigrated here this fall to Kansas, and then the bad harvest that was supposed to have happened here in Kansas, as they say, it seemed to me that we wouldn't all have bread, but God's government is wonderful, and He is bringing it to fruition.
We still have enough bread and haven't gone hungry yet, because here in Newton, all the stores (lawkes) are still full of flour. Flour is a bit more expensive here in Newton, as I just said, than it is in Halstead. In Newton, 100 lb of wheat flour costs 2.75, 3.00, and 3.35.
Well, I also have to tell you that Uncle Buller has reserved some surplus land nearby for a year. About 30 (?) at the same price as ours. The Polish brothers were also interested in buying it, but he hasn't given it up. He told me that he'd like to extend his stay for another year, if possible. If you do want to come, don't stay too long so you can still buy something here among us. And who knows if it will still be possible to emigrate, but I'll give you complete freedom. I can't advise much. In your letter, you ask whether it's better: to emigrate in the spring or the fall. Spring will probably be better; the way we left is still okay, but the Polish brothers left in the fall. They had a lot to learn.
I just want to say a few words that Peter Pankratz from Steinfeld lost his chest of beds on the journey. He seems to have paid for everything from the railway company.
Now, I don't know much else to write other than that we may all strive for the imperishable crown, where joy and abundance and a lovely being will be forever and ever.
Now, finally, my warmest greetings to my entire family, to you and your entire family.
We are all still quite healthy, and we owe our Heavenly Father much praise and thanks, and we also hope that this brief letter will find you in the best of health. Greetings to all the Steinfelders who ask for us. Greetings to Klassens in Elisabeththal from us, and to Wiensen in Hamburg, and greetings to all the Landskroners from us, if the opportunity arises.
Peter Schröder, my parents, and Jakob Schmitten also send you their warmest greetings, and please write to us again as soon as possible. Finally, farewell. We remain your faithful, loving parents.
Peter and Katharina Voth
The following images are of a handwritten copy of the original letter.
