Our People

Please add to this collection of images and stories about Norka families! Click on the thumbnails see a larger image.

My grandfather, Konrad Miller in his World War 1 uniform. Grandfather served in the Russian army as an officer. Usually, non-Russian soldiers were placed in the front lines to be killed off first. This tragic misfortune happened to his brother Jacob. Grandfather, the oldest son, likely got some preferential treatment in that he attended Russian school as well as German school. Since he was literate in Russian (im wort und schrift) , he became an officer as most of the Russian solders were illiterate.

Grandfather returned to a Norka that was very different than the one he had left 3 or so years previously. The family endured the years up to December 1924 when they left for Kanada. Given what occurred during the following years in Russia; they did come to the promised land.

1921 is a year that most descendants of that area heard about. My grandfather vowed that never again would his family or he go hungry. To date, none of us have.

The photo above shows my father Johannes Miller and his brother Uncle Heinrich Miller. The photo was taken on a farm just north of Stony Plain, Alberta in January of 1925; just after the family’s arrival in Canada. They are wearing the traditional winter wear which included the “dulup” (dooloop) and “Filzstiefel” (felt socks).

Photo at left: Nicholas Pfenning, born 28 Sept 1844 in Norka, Russia with his second wife, Katherina Maria Hartum (Hartung?). Photo taken in Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada prior to 1925.

Photo at right: The Pfenning Brothers from Norka. Johannes (John) and Heinrich (Henry) Pfenning , seated. Amelia (Mollie) Schwartz) and Katherine Gerlach, standing. Picture taken probably in Lincoln, Nebraska after 1892. John and Mollie left Norka in 1892 and arrived in America in early 1893. They arrived with one son, Henry who was born in Norka. They had a son John and daughter, Elizabeth born in Nebraska. They moved for a short time to Mississippi and John died there. Family story is that his high chair was knocked over by visiting cousins and he died as a result of the fall.

By 1903 they had arrived in Portland Oregon where their other children, Pauline, Flora and Louis were born. Pauline and Flora survived. Louis died at birth. Another family tradition is that Louis was the first baby that Pearsons Mortuary took care of. His father took a taxi to Rose City
Cemetery and held the small casket in his lap to bury him. The house that John and Mollie built is still standing on NE Grand Avenue between Failing and Shaver . Henry and Katherine stayed in Nebraska and raised a large family. Another family story says they came for a visit to Portland and she didn't like it here and made them move back to Nebraska.

Photograph at left: This is Elizabeth Gerlach Schafer and her daughter Katie. Elizabeth was widowed from Johann George Schafer. She was born in Norka May 25, 1841, and died August 2, 1920 in Durham, Kansas. She immigrated to America on September 2, 1891 with 3 children, Philip, Katie and Jake. This picture was taken shortly after they immigrated. She immigrated for one reason and that was to marry another widow, George Hein, who was from Huck. They married in 1892. Katie was born in Norka July 15, 1877 and died June 20, 1944 in Hillsboro, Kansas. Katie married the youngest son of George Hein, Emanuel, from his first marriage. Katie Schafer Hein was my wife’s great grandmother.

Photograph at right: This is the Jacob Miller and Katie Miller Schnell family. These are my wife’s great grandparents. Jacob was born in Norka July 11,1862 and died July 4, 1923 in Durham Kansas. Katie Schnell was born in Norka Mar 14, 1871 and died May 7, 1937 in Durham, Kansas. Both are descended from original Miller (Muller) and Schnell families from Norka. They were married in 1891 in Herington, Kansas. The picture was taken about 1928 and evidently a somewhat earlier picture of Jacob was inserted in with the rest of the family. Top row left to right are John, Adam, father and mother, Jacob and Katie, Dan, and Sam, bottom left to right, Lillie, Elma, Sarah, Christina, Rachel, and Hannah. Hannah Miller (Ollenburger) is still alive (September 2005) and will be 99 on her next birthday.

These are two photos of George Hein, born in Huck Nov 25, 1842 and died September 26, 1930 in Durham, Kansas and Elizabeth Gerlach Schafer born in Norka May 25, 1841 and died August 2, 1920 in Durham, Kansas. George Hein is my wife’s great-great grandfather. The first picture with her standing was taken between 1895-1900 and the second picture around 1905-1910.

Photographs contributed by Glen A. Frederick

This is my great grandfather Henry (Heinrich) Lehl. He was born on October 28, 1880, in Norka, Russia, to Peter Lehl and Katharina Sedar. (Reportedly Peter Lehl was married three times and had 21 children by his three wives. Only 16 children have been proven.) Henry married Pauline Ione Sutton. They were the parents of: Jacob Earl; Goldie (she had red hair); Elsie; Dorothy Iris; and Richard Lester. Henry died on March 27, 1966, in Aurora, Colorado.

Peter and Katharina Lehl and family arrived in the U.S. on 04 June 1890 Port of Baltimore Maryland on the SS America. They embarked in Bremen, Germany, with final destination Illinois. They came into Kearney, Buffalo County, Nebraska between 1890-1900. They were in the Denver area by the 1900 Colorado Federal census.

Page 12 Passenger #8 through #17 SS America
Name Age Calling Country - Destination
Peter Lehl age 48 - laborer - Russia - Illinois -
Katharina age 36 Russia - Illinois
Margarette age 42 Russia - Illinois
Elizabeth age 18 Russia - Illinois
Johannes age 11 Russia - Illinois
Lorenz age 10 Russia - Illinois
Heinrich age 9 (Grandpa) Russia - Illinois
Jacob age 7 Russia - Illinois
Harry Chris age 5 Russia - Illinois
Alexander age 4 Russia - Illinois
Adam age 2 Russia - Illinois
Note: steerage A - 2 pieces of baggage
Margarette is possibly a sister to Peter

Barbara Hale Reynolds

Henry Lehl's youngest son was Robert E. Lehl Sr. He was born in Denver Colorado August 1921 to Henry and Ione. He had five children, Robert Jr., Jerry, Arthur Sr., Patty and Gary 1st .

The Lehl children in the late 1800s in Lincoln, NE. Christine Lehl (center) with brothers Conrad and Louis.

My great grandparents, Peter and Christine (Brehm) Firestone in the late 1800s.

The photograph shows the family of my great-grandfather, Conrad William Miller (Mueller).

From left to right they are Eugene Henry Miller (my grandfather), Priscilla Mary Miller, Uriah Conrad Miller, Conrad William Miller (my great-grandfather), Senora Josephine Miller, Cicero Thompson Jeter (husband of Dorothea Emma), Mary Katherine (Lorenz) Miller, Dorothea Emma (Miller) Jeter, Alonzo Richard Miller and Palmer John Miller.

The picture was taken about 1908, probably in either Keene, Texas, or Waurika, Oklahoma.

Conrad William Miller was born in Norka. The Pleve Chart says his date of birth was June 19, 1867, but he believed that his birth date was May 27, 1866. He immigrated to the United States in 1876 with his parents and eight brothers and sisters.

His father, Johannes Mueller (John "R" Miller) was a descendent of original Norka colonist Ernst Mueller.

Conrad lived in Illinois, Nebraska and Kansas before settling in Oklahoma after participating in the 1892 Land Run for the Cheyenne and Arapaho territory.

Conrad's wife, Mary Katherine Lorenz, was also a Volga German, born in the Alt-Messer colony. They were married in Ramona, Kansas in 1888.

Contributed by Rick Miller

This is a picture of my Grandfather Miller's (Mueller) family taken in about 1895 in Herington, KS. Left to right: Heinrich Peter holding baby daughter Marie, Homer, Lydia (My Mother) and Katharina Peter Muller. Heinrich Peter Miller was a descendent of Ernst Mueller, one of the original settlers of Norka. The family emigrated to Herington, Kansas from Norka in June of 1887.

Contributed by Gary Friesen

Anna Maria Wetzel (nee Treber) and her husband Henry Wetzel. They came from Norka to America in 1900.

The Hohnstein family from Norka

Back row left to right is Emma Harder, Henry, Lena Yeck, Johnny and Maggie Sterkel

The photograph on the left is of Alexander Traudt taken about 1900 just after his arrival in the USA at the age of 18 or 19. The photograph on the right shows the Nikolaus and Anna Marie Sauer Family. The children standing in the front row from left to right are: Elizabeth, Katie, Lena, Marie and Emelia. The back row left to right are: Conrad, John, Adam and George.

Yakel family photograph taken in a Saratov studio. Names of mother and children unknown.

Jacob Derring and his wife, Margaretha Schwint along with their children Margaret, Christina, Elizabeth, Jakob George, Katherine, Frieda and Maria.

Left Photo - John and Margaret (nee Ross) Giebelhaus with children Emma and George

Center Photo - Front Row: John and Margaretha (nee Kaiser) Giebelhaus
Back Row: The children of John and Margaretha Giebelhaus from left to right - Elizabeth Loos, Molly Burnhardt, Gertrude Kildow, John Giebelhaus, Katherine Burbach, Emma Brill.

This is a wedding picture of my grandparents, Peter Henry Bauer (b. Feb. 20, 1891, Norka; d. August 28, 1969, Portland) and Catharina Maria Wacker, (b. Feb. 15, 1894; d. Oct. 18, 1915, Portland). They were married on May 23, 1913 in Portland. Catharina Maria Wacker was Henry Wacker's sister.

Contributed by Tricia Evans

The Conrad Glantz and Amelia Hahn Family and The Heinrick "Henry" (Jager) J. Yeager and Elizabeth Glantz Family

by Janet "Jan" (Yeager) Boespflug

August 2003

The Conrad and Amelia Glantz Family. Back row: Elizabeth and Carrie. Front row: Daniel, Amelia (mom),
Lydia, Conrad (father), and Rose Glantz.

Conrad Glantz [b. 1860, d. 1921] and Amelia Hahn [b. 1856, d. 1946 & m. 1882] Immigrated from Norka Russia to the United States in 1892 settling in Culbertson, Nebraska where his brother John Glantz had immigrated years before in 1876 at the age of 18 (according to John's great grand daughter Louise Christina (Glantz) England). Another of the brother's William (Wilhelm) Glantz came to the United States about 1900.

Conrad was the son to Conrad (Konrad) Glantz [b. 1822, d. 1878] and Margaret (Margaretha) Yost (Jost) [ b. 1823, d. 1871 & m. 1840]. Conrad (Konrad) Glantz was the son to Heinrick Peter Glantz [b. 1786, d. 1843] who was married to Elisabeth Eckert [b 1792, d. 1852 & m. 1821]. Heinrick Peter Glantz was the son to Johannes Glantz [b. 1746/47 d. 1809] and Christina Vogler (Volcker) [b. bet 1745/1750]. Johannes Glantz was the son of Ernst Glantz and Ester Jacoby as shown on the Pleve Chart from Russia.

Conrad and Amelia had the following children before leaving Norka: Catherine (Catharina) Elizabeth Glantz [b. 1883, d. 1968]; Margaret "Carrie" Glantz [b. 1885, d. 1979]; Catharina Magdalena Glantz [b. 1887, d. 1888] and Christina Magdelena Glantz [b. 1889, d. 1891]. After arriving in America they had the following children: Lydia "Lillian" Glantz [b. 1894, d. 1972]; Daniel "Dan" Glantz [b. 1897, d. 1952] and Rosa "Rose" B. Glantz [b. 1900, d. 1989]

Conrad and Amelia journeyed from Culbertson Nebraska to Loveland Colorado around 1901 following the growing sugar beet industry and the opportunities provided for farmers. Around 1919 they moved to Berthoud, Colorado.

Their children mostly stayed in the same general area (Loveland, Berthoud, Longmont) except Rose who moved to California. One daughter, Lydia lost her eye sight and eventually lived in Denver, Colorado.

Henry and Elizabeth Yeager (nee Glantz)

Elizabeth Glantz married HENRY YEAGER [m. 1903] who was also from Norka Russia and Immigrated in 1900 coming in to the U.S. through Texas. Henry had two brothers who also came to America, they were Martin and William.

According to recent papers found [Memorial Service conducted by Rev. David L. Evans, Dec 10, 1954] on Henry Yeager, Henry was in Colorado before the 1900 immigration I found shown on the Census. The Memorial given by Rev. Evans states: "In 1897 he settled near Loveland where he was active as a stockman and farmer, and raised the first sugar beets to be processed at the Loveland Sugar Beet Factory, which was built a few years later. In 1909 he moved to a farm near Berthoud to continue in agriculture until moving to a farm northwest of Longmont in 1930, where illness forced his retirement, and where he resided until a few months before his death."

Henry Yeager [b.1877, d. 1954] was the son of Heinrick Peter Jager [b. 1829] and Catharine Hausher, NeeHahn [b. 1836, d. 1894 & m. 1866]. Heinrick Peter Jager was the son of Johann Wilhelm Jager [b. 1804, d. 1882] and Anna Maria Schneider [b. 1803, d. 1877 & m. 1823]. Johann Jager was the son of Johannes Jager [b. 1784] and Anna Maria Filg [b. 1790, d. 1838, & m. 1816]. Johannes Jager was the son of Wilhelm Jager [b. 1761] and married to Anna Margaretha Frick [b. 1764, d. 1839]. Wilhelm Jager was the son of Fredrick Jager and Anna Elizabeth as shown on the Pleve chart.

Henry and Elizabeth had eight children with one dying at birth:

Herman William Yeager b. 1904 d. 1965 he was not married

Carrie Ann Yeager b. 1906 d. 1999 married Henry Wagner. They had three daughters

Harold Yeager b. 1908 d. 2000 married Glendora Baller. They had two daughters and a son.

Albert Yeager b. 1912 d. 2001 married Merl Bragg. They had a daughter and a son.

Child Yeager died at birth

Alma Yeager b. 1916 Married Richard West. They had two sons.

Victor Yeager b. 1919 d. 1994 married Nancy Loker. They had two daughters and two sons.

Edna Yeager b. 1923 d. 2000 married Kenneth Thomas. They had three sons.

I am the grand daughter of Elizabeth Glantz and Henry Yeager and have been working on the family genealogy for a good number of years. A few years ago I began working with six of Dan Glantz's daughters who had also been working on genealogy and our project grew. I began this journey and my goal was to have everyone's data. However my journey grew in to a longing for more than names and dates. As I began getting acquainted with those who came before me, met new family members or became reacquainted with others my longing turned my heart to much more. I discovered roots which ran deep and built the foundation of a family. A family blessed by our ancestors who gifted us so much by coming to the United States.

Peter Sauer and Johann George Sauer

This photograph was taken in February 1945 in Stony Plain, Alberta at the home (log cabin) my grandfather made after he arrived in Canada. Stony Plain was a settlement for many German Russians from Norka. From left to right: Peter Sauer aka "Ray Steele" and Johann George Sauer (b. 5 Oct 1873 in Norka). Ray Steele was a professional wrestler and Johann George Sauer was a farmer and former troika chauffeur for Rev. Wilhelm Stärkel in Norka.

Katherina Elizabeth Sauer, Peter Sauer and Johann George Sauer

From left to right: My Grandfather, Johann George Sauer (b. 5 Oct 1873 in Norka), Peter Sauer aka "Ray Steele" and my Grandmother Katherine Elizabeth Sauer (nee Brill) born in Norka 24 Dec 1886. Grandpa was 35 when he married Grandma (age 21) in 1909. Grandpa was never beardless. Grandpa immigrated to Canada 13 Nov 1912 on the ship SS Ausonia. He went to farm under the sponsorship of a Mr. Spady. Later he earned enough money to bring Grandma and their combined four children late in 1912 or 1913.

Contributed by Donna Baxmeyer

This is the family of Schulmeister (teacher) and church organist Carl Leonhardt. Carl came to Norka with his wife, three children and his widowed mother in 1904 or 1905. While in Norka, Widow Leonhardt married Mr. Weber, who was Katherine Rudolph's great-uncle. Two of the older Leonhardt children, Bertha and Victor, are not in this picture. The girl at the top is Eda (Edith). She is resting her arm on Amalia's shoulder. The boy in front of Eda is Carl. The names of the other three children are unknown.

Carl and his mother were from Grimm; his wife, Katharine Bäcker, was from Messer. Their daughter Eda (Edith) was a good friend of Mrs. Rudolph's. Carl Leonhardt was an excellent musician, "the best you can find," skilled in playing the organ and the violin. All the Leonhardt children except Eda were also musically talented. When he had to leave Norka for the army in 1916, his assistant, Julius Schott, had to do everything-but he was not a musician. Carl's other assistant, Alexander "Sasha" Leonhardt (no relation), took over the musical duties. After the war, Carl returned to Norka but left abruptly in about six months. No one knew why. He went first to Messer, then to Hussenbach, where he died. His widow was still alive when the Weber family left Norka in 1925. She had remarried after the Leonhardt children were grown and had gone with her husband über die Wolga (across the Volga River).

Elisabeth Pauly Miller is the grandmother of David J. Miller, one of the founders of AHSGR and a great grandmother of Lydia Miller Ruyle. This photo was taken in Norka prior to World War II and was the inspiration for Lydia Ruyle's lithograph titled "Babushka" which was sold as fund raiser for AHSGR in the early 1980's. Lydia vividly remembers attending prayer meetings as a young girl and listening to the older women, heads wrapped in babushkas, sing their favorite hymns with all their hearts and souls.

Back row, left to right - Sarah (Schreiber) Matschiner, Helena (Schreiber), Matschiner, Christina (Schreiber) Gaillard.Middle row, left to right - George Schreiber, Elizabeth (Dick) Schreiber, John Schreiber.

Front row, left to right - Joseph Schreiber, Martha (Schreiber) Jones, Mary (Schreiber) O'Farrell, George Schreiber.

George and Elizabeth Schreiber were married in 1873 and emigrated from Norka in 1875. By 1885 they were in the Portland area. The photo was taken around 1920. By 1925 George Sr., Helena (known as Lena), and Christina had died.

The Giebelhaus Siblings (Photo from Marie Krieger files. Photo contributed by Judy Wittke

From left to right: John Giebelhaus, Henry Giebelhaus, Emma Giebelhaus Krieger Klaus, and Anna Elizabeth Giebelhaus Miller, the only other sibling Catharina Giebelhaus Weigandt Klaus remained in Norka.

Left to right standing: Wilhelm, Lawrence (Lorenz), Alexander, Amelia?

Left to right seated: Conrad, Johannes, Christina Katherina (nee Sinner) Schreiber

Back row from left to right: Anna Marie b. 25 May 1891 in Denver, Colorado; Christina Grace b. 2 April 1889 in Norka, Russia; George Conrad b. 4 May 1887 in Norka, Russia; Katherine b. 3 Sep 1894 in Nebraska.

Front row from left to right: Henry Scheidemann b. 8 Jan 1861 in Norka, Russia; Maria Katherine Scheidemann (nee Fahrenbruch) b. 28 Aug 1858 in Frank, Russia.

Seated from left to right: Dorothea (nee Maul) Döring holding Lydia Gräb, the daughter of Magdalena Döring and her first husband, Gottfried Gräb; Heinrich Döring (Henry Derring) holding Elisabeth Derring.

Standing from left to right: Magdalena (nee Döring) Gräb and Katharine Döring.

A family photo of the Johannes and Christine (Schnell) Wacker family. This photo was made in front of an American flag shortly after they were all reunited in Portland, Oregon.