Thursday, February 16, 2012

A Discovery Far Back in My Genealogy

       Two areas of interest to me are local history and my family tree. I read a tremendous amount of local and western Canadian history. I have done little genealogy research but others have and I find their discoveries fascinating.


     The relatives on my father's side were German  Lutherans who went to the Ukraine and Russia at the end of the 1700's. They were invited by Catherine the Great to come and farm so that more food could be produced in the area to feed the people. They were also used to teach the Russian and Ukrainian people agricultural methods that would be more productive. The Germans were promised  three  things: keep  the German language, practice their Lutheran faith and not serve in the army. These people were very devout and so their religious faith was most important to them. Language is what helps a  culture to survive. These Lutherans were pacifists and did not want to participate in any war. 


     Over the years gradual changes took place. Finally, it was required that the Germans would have to join  the Russian army. My Grandfather was in the Russian army. In the late 1800's many of the German people began looking for some other place to live. Land was available in the United States and free land was available in the Canadian west. My family, the Kleins, sent some of the men over to investigate the opportunities. They liked what they saw and sent back information for the this large family to come to Canada. From about 1898  to 1910 my family came to Canada. My Great Grandfather brought all seven of his adult children and their families. 


     I was never able to find anybody beyond my Great Grandfather. I wanted to know if he had brothers or sisters. I wanted to know who his parents were. All records were kept by the Lutheran church. 


     The other day I stumbled upon a website that had what I was looking for and more. One section of my family had done the research and got back as far as my Great, great, great,great Grandfather! How about that? Was I excited to find this information. George who as the greatest was born and died in the 1700s and no dates were found for his birth or death. Gotlieb  was my Great, Great, Great Grandfather and was born in 1791 and died in 1856. To me this was amazing information.


     Now a friend read this and wanted to know what they did. Were they rich, horse thieves, swindlers or drunks? I had to tell him that I really didn't know but my suspicion was that they were hard working peasants.  So I didn't find any surprising things in the closet but it was super just to find their names. 

10 comments:

  1. That is really exciting news, Red. I too wonder about my ancestors but they are scattered everywhere. I wouldn't know where to start, but fortunately my brother learned a great deal and shared it. No royalty in my family, that's for sure. I did learn that I am related to Edgar Rice Burroughs.

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  2. Edgar Rice Burroughs impresses me! In this day we have scattered but there is a much bigger trail because there are many more records.

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  3. I love to do family research...even did the dna thing. Still am not sure how my Doyle's made it to America and from what country they came from or my Thomas line either. BUT I have made way on many other lines.


    Linda
    http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
    http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com

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  4. I haven't been successful in any of my feeble research but I've been able to find research that's been done.

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  5. That's great! I wish I knew more about my own family tree.

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  6. It takes more effort and talent than I have to find these things. have been lucky that somebody else could do it.

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  7. Well done "Bluey".
    Most interesting indeed.
    My parents when they retired had a "fit" for awhile in this field, but they seemed to have then lost interest, but they did find out who and when our family came by force on one side and by escaping religious prosecution on the Irish and German side to Australia. So I am a descendant of what was considered a shame and now is an honour - "A First Fleeter"! Times change, eh?

    You have done well - congratulations.
    Colin

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    1. Your background made for strong people. Many of the "forced" were completely innocent people because of the injustice of the legal system. Don't get me started on religious persecution. It's still going on.

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  8. That is amazing to know your family roots, how they came to be in the place where you live. It must have been exciting to move to a new country back then.

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  9. It was exciting to move but also had a very serious side. They had to be good. It's similar to Asian people who come here now. There is always racism.

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