A Short History of the
Mennonite Immigration
to Kansas
Mennonite Immigration
to Kansas
Who were the Mennonites and why did they come to Kansas? |
nadenau was the largest of the Mennonite settlement villages. Above is a Leslie's newspaper
illustrator's impression of the Mennonite settlement village of Gnadenau. "Gnadenau" means "a place
illustrator's impression of the Mennonite settlement village of Gnadenau. "Gnadenau" means "a place
In 1870 Alexander II ( reign: 1855-1881) voided the charters that had granted Russian Mennonites religious
freedom and self-determination in their settlement areas. In 1873 the Mennonite leadership sent scouts to
find new lands to which to immigrate. William Ewert and Jacob Buller, looked at land in Kansas -- especially
Marion and McPherson Counties. They liked what they saw.
A large group of Russian Mennonites went to Canada. There, they asked the Queen's government for help
and land. The Canadian government was generous to the Mennonites and gave them large tracts of land.
Some of the Mennonite leaders appealed to the American government for assistance, as well. President
Ulysses S. Grant asked Congress to assist them in his December 1, 1873 State of the Union Address. But
Congress did nothing to help. The Mennonites settled in Kansas, Nebraska, the Dakota territories, and
Minnesota, anyway.
freedom and self-determination in their settlement areas. In 1873 the Mennonite leadership sent scouts to
find new lands to which to immigrate. William Ewert and Jacob Buller, looked at land in Kansas -- especially
Marion and McPherson Counties. They liked what they saw.
A large group of Russian Mennonites went to Canada. There, they asked the Queen's government for help
and land. The Canadian government was generous to the Mennonites and gave them large tracts of land.
Some of the Mennonite leaders appealed to the American government for assistance, as well. President
Ulysses S. Grant asked Congress to assist them in his December 1, 1873 State of the Union Address. But
Congress did nothing to help. The Mennonites settled in Kansas, Nebraska, the Dakota territories, and
Minnesota, anyway.
ennoites bought land from the Santa Fe
Railroad and traveled aboard the
Railroad and traveled aboard the
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ennonites left their homes in Russia to immigrate to North America. In 1873 Mennonite leaders in Russia made arrangements with the Santa Fe Railroad to purchase land in Marion and |
| McPherson Counties in central Kansas. A large group arrived in 1874. When the new immigrants got off the train in Peabody they were temporarily housed in long the communal structures depicted in the picture above. While the men negotiated land, located villages, and built temporary houses the women tended to domestic work as well as they could and school was held for the children. “The temporary home of the Russian Mennonites,” above, is one of eight steel-line engravings that were published in the March 20, 1875 issue of the national weekly newspaper, Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper. Many of the pictures on this page are from a copy of the newspaper in the collections of the Hillsboro Museums. Most of the engravings on this page will open as much larger in a new window. Click on the “expand to regular size” icon in your Windows Internet Explorer to see large, detailed pictures. Read the entire text of the 1875 newspaper article here. |
train from the eastern sea coast to south central
Kansas. The Mennonites brought with them the
culture and lifestyle that they had in Russia. In
Kansas, for about twenty five years, from 1874
to about 1900, they built houses, and laid out
and lived in villages just like the ones they had
formerly built in Russia. In all, there were
fourteen Russian Mennonite villages or
communities in Marion and McPherson
Counties.
When the Mennonites arrived in Kansas, they
found a land that closely resembled the Steppes
of Russia they had left behind.
Kansas. The Mennonites brought with them the
culture and lifestyle that they had in Russia. In
Kansas, for about twenty five years, from 1874
to about 1900, they built houses, and laid out
and lived in villages just like the ones they had
formerly built in Russia. In all, there were
fourteen Russian Mennonite villages or
communities in Marion and McPherson
Counties.
When the Mennonites arrived in Kansas, they
found a land that closely resembled the Steppes
of Russia they had left behind.
Mennonite customs and traditions COMING SOON
he very first buildings constructed by the Russian Mennonites were temporary shelters called "burdei" or
“zemlianka” in Russian. They were partially dug into the ground with an "A" frame roof constructed
“zemlianka” in Russian. They were partially dug into the ground with an "A" frame roof constructed
As soon a it was possible Mennonite
settlers built permanent houses. The
Houses they built were like those they
had built in Russia, Prussia and the
Netherlands in former times.
The typical Russian Mennonite house
was a house-barn combination. In both
Russia and Kansas it was convenient to
have the barn and house attached --
especially in the winter. Villages were
laid out with all of the houses
perpendicular to a main street.
settlers built permanent houses. The
Houses they built were like those they
had built in Russia, Prussia and the
Netherlands in former times.
The typical Russian Mennonite house
was a house-barn combination. In both
Russia and Kansas it was convenient to
have the barn and house attached --
especially in the winter. Villages were
laid out with all of the houses
perpendicular to a main street.
A photo of a surviving Mennonite house-barn near Hillsboro
Kansas, taken in 1911. More about the house-barn tradition.
Kansas, taken in 1911. More about the house-barn tradition.
Below is a list of the Russian Mennonite settlement villages or communities in Marion and McPherson
Counties:
The Alexanderwohl Mennonite villages:
Blumenfeld
Blumenort
Emmenthal
Gnadenfeld
Gnadenthal
Gruenfeld
Hochfeld
Springfield
Schoenthal
Steinbach
Counties:
The Alexanderwohl Mennonite villages:
Blumenfeld
Blumenort
Emmenthal
Gnadenfeld
Gnadenthal
Gruenfeld
Hochfeld
Springfield
Schoenthal
Steinbach
at ground level. They sheltered newly arrived immigrant families, and sometimes their livestock, for periods
ranging from several months to several years. Mennonites knew this kind of a shelter as a "saraj" (a Low
German spelling for a Russian word meaning "shed"). These temporary shelters were also built in Canada by
Ukrainian settlers there. More about burdei.
ranging from several months to several years. Mennonites knew this kind of a shelter as a "saraj" (a Low
German spelling for a Russian word meaning "shed"). These temporary shelters were also built in Canada by
Ukrainian settlers there. More about burdei.
The Krimmer Mennonite villages:
Alexanderfeld
Gnadenau
Hoffnungsthal
Weidefeld
Alexanderfeld
Gnadenau
Hoffnungsthal
Weidefeld
The name of the village of Gnadenfeld was later changed to Goessel. Goessel is the only surviving town
located today where a Mennonite village was originally built in Marion County.
located today where a Mennonite village was originally built in Marion County.
of grace" in German.
The bleak appearance of the village depicted above was short lived. Mennonites wasted no time in planting
gardens, orchards and flower beds with the seeds, bulbs, and cuttings they brought with them from Russia.
The Marion County Record, August 11, 1876, stated that "Their yards are immense bouquets. Every other
town in the county might well imitate Gnadenau in this matter."
For nearly a hundred years Mennonites had cultivated the steppes of South Russia, turning it into the
breadbasket of that region. They had planted orchards and gardens, built villages and industry. In America,
the German-Russian Mennonites started again. In Kansas the Mennonites were instrumental in turning
Kansas into the breadbasket of North America.
The bleak appearance of the village depicted above was short lived. Mennonites wasted no time in planting
gardens, orchards and flower beds with the seeds, bulbs, and cuttings they brought with them from Russia.
The Marion County Record, August 11, 1876, stated that "Their yards are immense bouquets. Every other
town in the county might well imitate Gnadenau in this matter."
For nearly a hundred years Mennonites had cultivated the steppes of South Russia, turning it into the
breadbasket of that region. They had planted orchards and gardens, built villages and industry. In America,
the German-Russian Mennonites started again. In Kansas the Mennonites were instrumental in turning
Kansas into the breadbasket of North America.
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