Near Goessel in Marion County, Kansas — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

The Mennonites in Kansas

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., November 12, 2011

1. The Mennonites in Kansas Marker

Inscription.

The Mennonites in Kansas. . , Beginning in 1874, hundreds of peace-loving Mennonite immigrants settled in central Kansas. They had left their former homes in Russia because a hundred-year-old immunity from established religious orthodoxy and military service was being threatened., The Alexanderwohl community, so named because of a solicitous visit by Czar Alexander I with Prussian Mennonites in 1821, had lived happily in southern Russia for more than 50 years before coming to America. Originating in the Netherlands in the 16th century, the community moved to Prussia in the 17th century and later to Russia, always seeking freedom from intolerance and persecution. Their decision to come to America and Kansas, where they chose lands in Marion, Harvey, McPherson and other nearby counties, was due largely to the efforts of the Santa Fe railroad's foreign immigration department. With them they brought the hard winter wheat which has since helped make Kansas the breadbasket of the world., The Alexanderwohl church is typical of many Mennonite congregations in this part of Kansas. Today these religious folk prosper in a modern world while retaining their original philosophy of freedom and manner of worship. , , , , , , , , , Immigrant Family Heads - 1874, Springfield , Heinrich Dahl . Peter Eitzen . Heinrich Franzen . Rev Heinrich Goertz . Jacob Pankrantz . Peter Pankrantz . David Unruh . Rev Cornelius Wedel . Rev Peter A. Wiebe, Hochfeld , Cornelius Richert . Jacob Schmidt . Peter Schmidt Sr . Peter H Schmidt . Peter Unruh . Cornelius Voth . David Voth, Blumenort , Rev Heinrich Banman . Johann Banman . Jacob Brandt . Heinrich Buller . Jacob Krause . Abraham Reimer . Andreas Schmidt . Mrs Heinrich Voth, Blumenfeld , Rev Peter Balzer . Franz Banman . Benjamin Boese . Heinrich Dirksen . Cornelius Franz . David Franz . Jacob Franz . Mrs Aaron Reimer . Rev Heinrich Richert . David Schmidt . Heinrich Schmidt . Jacob Schmidt Sr . Jacob E Schmidt . Johann Schmidt . Heinrich Schroeder . Johann Schroeder . Peter Unruh . Benjamin Wedel . Cornelius Wedel . Mrs-Rev Peter Wedel, Gnadenfeld , David Balzer . Mrs David Buller . Mrs David Goertz . Franz Goertz . Heinrich Goertz . Johann Klassen . Heinrich A Schmidt . Jacob Schmidt . Peter Schroeder . Jacob Schultz . Heinrich Somerfeld . Johann Thiessen . David Voth . Rev Peter Voth . Peter Wedel, Emmethal , Rev Jacob Buller . Johann Buller . Peter Buller . Peter Franz . Heinrich Ratzlaff . Peter Richert Sr . Peter Richert Jr . Jacob Schmidt . Peter H Schmidt, Gnadenthal , Abraham Boese . Johann Flaming . Heinrich Goertzen . Johann Janzen . Cornelius Koehn . Johann Koehn . Heinrich Koehn . David Lehrman . Heinrich Pankratz . David Schmidt . Heinrich Unruh . Johann Unruh . Johann Voth . Johann C Voth . Peter Warkentin, Gruenfeld , Peter Balzer . Benjamin Frey . Jacob Frey . Heinrich Goertz Sr . Heinrich Goertz Jr . Peter Hiebert Sr . Peter P Hiebert . Abraham Konrath . Andreas Schmidt . David Schmidt . Heinrich Schmidt . Jacob Schmidt . Jacob Schmidt . Jacob Thiessen . Heinrich Unruh . Jacob Unruh . Jacob Voth

Beginning in 1874, hundreds of peace-loving Mennonite immigrants settled in central Kansas. They had left their former homes in Russia because a hundred-year-old immunity from established religious orthodoxy and military service was being threatened.

The Alexanderwohl community, so named because of a solicitous visit by Czar Alexander I with Prussian Mennonites in 1821, had lived happily in southern Russia for more than 50 years before coming to America. Originating in the Netherlands in the 16th century, the community moved to Prussia in the 17th century and later to Russia, always seeking freedom from intolerance and persecution. Their decision to come to America and Kansas, where they chose lands in Marion, Harvey, McPherson and other nearby counties, was due largely to the efforts of the Santa Fe railroad's foreign immigration department. With them they brought the hard winter wheat which has since helped make Kansas the breadbasket of the world.

The Alexanderwohl church is typical of many Mennonite congregations in this part of Kansas. Today these religious folk prosper in a modern world while retaining their original philosophy of freedom and manner of worship.
———————
Immigrant Family Heads - 1874

Springfield
Heinrich Dahl • Peter

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Eitzen • Heinrich Franzen • Rev Heinrich Goertz • Jacob Pankrantz • Peter Pankrantz • David Unruh • Rev Cornelius Wedel • Rev Peter A. Wiebe

Hochfeld
Cornelius Richert • Jacob Schmidt • Peter Schmidt Sr • Peter H Schmidt • Peter Unruh • Cornelius Voth • David Voth

Blumenort
Rev Heinrich Banman • Johann Banman • Jacob Brandt • Heinrich Buller • Jacob Krause • Abraham Reimer • Andreas Schmidt • Mrs Heinrich Voth

Blumenfeld
Rev Peter Balzer • Franz Banman • Benjamin Boese • Heinrich Dirksen • Cornelius Franz • David Franz • Jacob Franz • Mrs Aaron Reimer • Rev Heinrich Richert • David Schmidt • Heinrich Schmidt • Jacob Schmidt Sr • Jacob E Schmidt • Johann Schmidt • Heinrich Schroeder • Johann Schroeder • Peter Unruh • Benjamin Wedel • Cornelius Wedel • Mrs-Rev Peter Wedel

Gnadenfeld
David Balzer • Mrs David Buller • Mrs David Goertz • Franz Goertz • Heinrich Goertz • Johann Klassen • Heinrich A Schmidt • Jacob Schmidt • Peter Schroeder • Jacob Schultz • Heinrich Somerfeld • Johann Thiessen • David Voth • Rev Peter Voth • Peter Wedel

Emmethal
Rev Jacob Buller • Johann Buller • Peter Buller • Peter Franz • Heinrich Ratzlaff • Peter Richert Sr • Peter Richert Jr • Jacob Schmidt • Peter H Schmidt

Gnadenthal
Abraham Boese • Johann Flaming • Heinrich Goertzen •

Immigrant Family Heads - 1874 Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., November 12, 2011

2. Immigrant Family Heads - 1874 Marker

Johann Janzen • Cornelius Koehn • Johann Koehn • Heinrich Koehn • David Lehrman • Heinrich Pankratz • David Schmidt • Heinrich Unruh • Johann Unruh • Johann Voth • Johann C Voth • Peter Warkentin

Gruenfeld
Peter Balzer • Benjamin Frey • Jacob Frey • Heinrich Goertz Sr • Heinrich Goertz Jr • Peter Hiebert Sr • Peter P Hiebert • Abraham Konrath • Andreas Schmidt • David Schmidt • Heinrich Schmidt • Jacob Schmidt • Jacob Schmidt • Jacob Thiessen • Heinrich Unruh • Jacob Unruh • Jacob Voth

Erected by Kansas Historical Society & State Highway Commission. (Marker Number 31.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Civil Rights • Peace • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Kansas Historical Society series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1874.

Location. 38° 15.672′ N, 97° 20.073′ W. Marker is near Goessel, Kansas, in Marion County. Marker is at the intersection of Bison Road (State Highway 15) and 130th Street on Bison Road. Marker is at a roadside pullout just south of Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1304 North Kansas Highway 15, Goessel KS 67053, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 9 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies.

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., November 12, 2011

3. The Mennonites in Kansas Marker

Looking north, with Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church in distance

Banman Wheat Threshing Stone (a few steps from this marker); Chisholm Trail (approx. 6½ miles away); Alexanderfeld Village (approx. 7.8 miles away); Frantz L. Groening (approx. 7.9 miles away); Santa Fe and Chisholm Trails (approx. 8.3 miles away); Hillsboro Airport (approx. 8.8 miles away); A Place of Meditation (approx. 9 miles away); Veterans Memorial (approx. 9 miles away).

Also see . . . Kansas (USA) in Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. (Submitted on November 13, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)

Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church image. Click for full size.

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., November 12, 2011

4. Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church

Credits. This page was last revised on November 26, 2019. It was originally submitted on November 13, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 3,983 times since then and 143 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on November 13, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.