KATHERINA UNRUH VOTH

Our grandmother Katherina Unruh Voth was born in Prussia in the year 1819, shortly before the emigration. That was an age of rapid changes in all Europe. After the close of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars, many social, economic and political reforms were enacted. A strong spirit of nationalism sprang up everywhere. In Prussia universal military training was established. All of Germany was fast being unified into a strongly nationalistic and militaristic state under the leadership of Prussia. The liberal concessions for religious freedom once granted the Mennonites by Frederick the Great had largely been withdrawn. No longer were they permitted to purchase homes in Prussia. And those holding land acquired from the Lutheran State Church were forced to pay taxes to this church. Children of mixed marriages were to be brought up in the faith of the non-Mennonite parent. It was evident now that both the State and the State Church were determined to stop the further growth of Mennonitism. Into this atmosphere Katharina was born. However, her parents, believing that the way of love and good will is the way of the Prince of Peace, were not willing to surrender their religion but rather emigrated to Russia in 1821.

In Nicolaidorf, a typical Russian village of about twenty houses on each side of a wide street, a school house on one side, a church on the other side in the middle of the village, Katharina spent her girlhood years. She was permitted to visit freely with the other children of the village and at home she enjoyed a wholesome spiritual influence of father and mother who were a constant example of the way to eternal happiness. Nine months out of the year she attended school. Her studies were Bible stories, catechism instruction, church hymns, geography, arithmetic, reading and writing. The Bible stories were dictated by the teacher to the children who then memorized them from their own manuscripts. This course was at that time considered by far the most important in school.

On Sunday there was no Sunday school class for her to attend; no childrens sermon was preached, and no Christian Endeavor organization existed. Often young children did not attend church on Sunday because there seems to have been a tendency to consider church services mostly for adults. But her course in Bible stories during the school year gave her a better knowledge of the Scriptures than many of us acquire today. At the age of fifteen her mother died, and being the oldest of five children she was left with the responsibility of the care of the house. She had been industrious, eager to learn, and capable; hence she was well prepared for these duties. Soon her father married Helena Schroeder who was only two years older than she herself. Katharina was probably between five and one-half to six feet tall, had an erect posture, abundant black hair, brown eyes, and a dark complexion. She often wore a congenial smile on her face and had developed a brisk gait in walking.

At the age of eighteen she married Peter Voth from Alexanderwohl and the two made their home in Landskrone. At first they had only a dugout as their home, but after some years of hard work and thrifty saving they built a better house, a wooden structure in which they lived until

1814, the time of the emigration to America.

During these years in Russia Grandmother toiled almost unceasingly to care adequately for her family and to accomplish something worthwhile for this life and for the life to come. Her twelve children were dear to her but six of them passed away in infancy. It was her supreme ambition to rear these, her loved ones, in the fear of the Lord and to provide them with food, clothing and other daily needs. Every spring she planted a large garden to raise the necessary vegetables. In this she was very successful because through her extreme care her garden often produced more than the gardens of her neighbors. Her winter evenings were to a large extent spent in spinning, knitting and sewing to clothe her family properly. And in order to earn a little cash she engaged to some extent in the silkworm industry. Her time was used thoughtfully leaving her but few leisure moments. She had the ability to analyze circumstances and was willing to live within them. During lean years when income was small and food became scarce she knew how to get along with the available means. Then she would sometimes take whole grain, especially wheat, and cook it to prepare a cheap and yet wholesome meal. But her efficient planning and saving nature did not derive her of a generous attitude toward others. When her children and grandchildren came home she would rarely let them leave without a small gift of some kind such as a bit of food, some wearing apparel, etc. She was also deeply concerned about the welfare of the poor. When beggars called she would not turn them away without a handout. Before she left for church on Sunday morning she usually prepared a little flour and a little meat which the children who stayed at home were to hand out in case a beggar should call. She had seen some people send the dog after beggars instead of helping them. To her this was sinful.

In 1848 Grandfather was elected minister in the Alexanderwohl Church. In connection with his work as church leader many people called at his home. After church, business meetings were held in his home and as the time of emigrating to America drew near, many discussion meetings were held there. On all these and many other occasions Grandmother willingly served meals and offered night lodging to everyone. I think of her hospitality it can be said that she deserved the gratitude expressed by Jesus in Matthew 25:36: "For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in.

When Russia was no longer willing to grant exemption from military service, and the question of emigrating to America became pressing, Grandmother was greatly concerned about the future of her children. She wanted them to be free to live a life as exemplified by the Lord and Master in his relation to his fellow men and his love to enemies. She undoubtedly appreciated what her parents had done for her when they emigrated out of Prussia for religious freedom, and she was deeply urged to do the same for her children.

Grandmother and Grandfather sold their estate to a Mr. Schmidt. But Grandmother loved Russia. She had built a home in Landskrone, and the environment there was dear to her. Six of her little loved ones were laid to rest in Russias earth. They were yet her own. Three of her children were married and two would not yet emigrate. Numerous people from Landskrone did not believe it necessary to emigrate and Grandmother herself really wanted to stay in Russia. Upon her request the estate was bought back but for five hundred rubles more than they had sold it for. After some time her son-in-law, Peter Schroeder, in whom she had much confidence, was able to sell his estate and with unwavering determination prepared to emigrate to America. Grandmother again decided to leave. The estate was sold again to Peter Regier for five hundred rubles less than before. But this financial loss of a thousand rubles was considered quite negligible by both Grandfather and Grandmother in view of the importance of the situation. Almost immediately--even while Grandfather and Grandmother were still in Russia--the Regiers partly took possession of the estate and began to remodel the house. The brick wall heating stove was removed. Next the brick oven was to be taken out but Grandmother resented these changes in this house she had learned to love. She asked permission to use the brick oven to her last day in Russia. In it she baked zwiebak and bread and toasted these to take with her for food on their long road to America. They were to travel as second class passengers and as such were responsible for at least a part of their own food.

After eighteen weeks they reached America. Here both Grandmother and Grandfather went to work to build a new home. Before them lay the open plains of Kansas and an unknown future. Within them was that hope that springs eternal within the human breast. Courageously and heroically they toiled on. Although they had many difficulties they never regretted making the change to America for the sake of their convictions. Grandmother's supreme desire now as before was first the spiritual welfare and second the material welfare of her children. To that effect she has openly expressed her deep desire that the soul of none of her children should be lost. And we believe that her desire, if she could talk to us today, would be that all her 618 descendants might be saved for eternity. To us all, as her children, she is a mother who had the faith to follow the words of Jesus sincerely: "Seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you." Luke 12:31.

Cornelius Voth Jr.