Lucille married Rueben Preszler on 23 Nov 1941 in South Dakota, USA. Rueben (son of Adam A. Preszler and Magdalena Doerr) was born on 3 Feb 1918 in Eureka, McPherson County, South Dakota, USA; died on 12 Dec 1993 in San Joaquin County, California, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

William married Magdalena Bender on 11 Nov 1919 in South Dakota, USA. Magdalena (daughter of Jakob Bender and Christina Martell) was born on 23 May 1900 in South Dakota, USA; died on 13 Apr 2002 in Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Johannes married Augustine Wäsch. Augustine was born in 1867 in Odessa, Ukrayina; died in 1932; was buried in Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Eureka, McPherson County, South Dakota, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Jakob married Christina Martell on 24 Feb 1881 in Odessa, Ukrayina. Christina (daughter of Georg Peter Martell and Barbara Weber) was born on 12 Sep 1861 in Kassel, Odessa, Ukrayina; died in 0Aug 1944 in Eureka, Hutchinson County, South Dakota, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

http://www.genealogy.com/users/c/h/r/David-Alan-Christianson/FILE/0003text.txt

MRS. CHRISTINA BENDER GROSS

The following is the personal story of a courageous pioneer woman who came to
Dakota Territory with her husband to find a home for themselves and their
children. The story, appearing in the first person, was related by Mrs.
Christina Bender Gross who was born in Kassel, Russia, in 1861.

"My husband and I came to America from Russia in 1884. We came directly to
Menno, South Dakota, arriving there on the 8th of October. There we remained
for the winter. Deciding to go to the northern part of the state, we purchased
live stock, chickens, and household supplies. On the 1st of April we took the
train to Ipswich, shipping our two oxen, two cows, a few chickens, 500 pounds of
flour, two hams, a small amount of sugar, and furniture, made by my husband.
The articles of furniture possessed were one bed, one trunk, and perhaps the
greatest necessity of all, a cradle.

"At Ipswich, we hitched our oxen to a newly purchased wagon, and after loading
our other property, started northward to McPherson County. We drove five miles
the first day and spent the night with an American farmer who treated us very
nicely. Our only difficulty remained in the fact that we did not speak the same
language. They spoke no German, and we knew no English. They lived in a
two-story house, and upon retiring, asked us to sleep in an upstairs room, but
we were too frightened, having never even heard of sleeping upstairs, much
less having the experience. Our kindly hosts, noting our consternation, allowed
us to sleep in the downstairs bedroom.

"The next morning we asked for the privilege of cooking our own breakfast,
having some eggs from our chickens with us. However, the lady insisted upon our
eating with them, and served us with pancakes and coffee. That was a real treat
for we had never tasted pancakes before. The following summer we ate more
pancakes than at any other time in our lives.

"The second day we went as far as Long Lake. At nightfall we stopped at the
home of Fred Bitner. Mr. Bitner was a German and Mrs. Bitner an English woman.
They were disinclined to be bothered with us, but finally gave us a pile of hay
to make a bed on the kitchen floor. We asked to make our own breakfasts in the
morning, but they would not allow us to use their stove, so we were forced to go
on our way with empty stomachs.

"The third day we went only ten miles. This took us to the home of Jacob
Meidinger. We stayed here until we found a homestead for ourselves which was
located ten miles southeast of Eureka, on the Northwest Quarter of Section 24,
Township 126, Range 72.

"At that time we had only two children, John, who was three years of age, and
Christina, who was eight months old.

"After going to our homestead, our first task was to build a house. This house
was 14 feet by 16 feet and was built in teepee style, requiring only half a
day's work. It was built with a few boards, covered with sod. There we lived
for six months. During those six months, we broke up about thirty acres of sod
and seeded flax. We had a good crop, reaping 125 bushels of flax. This we
hauled to Ipswich and received 70 cents per bushel. We thought ourselves very
fortunate, and built a new sod house. It was 42 feet by 16 feet in dimensions,
and had three rooms. This new house had windows in it, which were lacking in
the old one. We lived in this home for nine years. At that time we built a
house 26 feet by 28 feet in dimensions, having eight rooms. This house is still
on the homestead today, and is owned by my son, August.

"When we came to this country, we had $400 with which we had bought our farm
and household equipment and paid our pre-emption claim. After taking up the
homestead and timber quarter, we made good headway. We raised a large number of
cattle, planted big crops and were successful.

"We lived on our farm until 1914. My husband died in 1906, and I stayed on the
farm with my children for the next eight years. Then, on May 2, 1914, I
married Henry Gross, who lived seven miles southwest of Hillsview. There I
lived four years, and in 1917 we moved to Eureka where we now reside. I am
seventy-five years of age, and my husband is eighty-one. I have lived through
many pleasant, and many unpleasant experiences. The times have changed greatly
from pioneer days until the present, but I think these times are the most
difficult. Yet, we can thank God that we have a home in which to live and
enough to eat."

The twelve children of Mrs. Gross's by her first marriage are: Emil, Eureka;
August, Eureka; Mrs. Hertha Werre, Eureka; Albert, Eureka; John, Elgin, N.
Dak.; Mrs. Kathrina Dittus, Elgin, N. Dak.; Mrs. Rosa Windmiller, Bentley, N.
Dak.; Mrs. Lydia Mehlhaff, Hillsview, S. Dak.; Mrs. Emma Lapp, Eureka; Mrs.
Magdalena Lapp, Eureka; Julius, Eureka; Mrs. Christina Preszler (deceased).

Johannes married Elisabeth Klootz on 23 Nov 1837 in Odessa, Ukrayina. Elisabeth was born in 1820 in Kassel, Odessa, Ukrayina; died in in Menno, Hutchinson County, South Dakota, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Georg married Barbara Weber on 11 Nov 1858 in Kassel, Odessa, Ukrayina. Barbara was born in 1837 in Kassel, Odessa, Ukrayina. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]