Topeka

HISTORY

A large group of Catholic emigrants from the Volga arrived in Baltimore, Maryland, on 23 November 1875 aboard the SS Ohio. They came from the colonies of Herzog, Katharinenstadt, Liebental, Beauregard, Ober-Monjou, Neu-Obermonjou, Mariental, Louis, Marienberg, and Graf.

The group arrived by train in Topeka on 28 November 1875. Some of them moved to Western Kansas and founded the town of Liebenthal in Rush County on 22 February 1876. Other members of the original group in Topeka left for Ellis County to found the town of Catharinein March and Herzog in April. Of this first group, only one family remained in Topeka.

In 1877, another group of Volga German immigrants arrived in Topeka and many of those settled permanently there.

VOLGA GERMAN PARISHES

Assumption Catholic Church

Sacred Heart Catholic Church

St. Joseph Catholic Church

VOLGA GERMAN FAMILIES

The following Volga German families are known to have settled in and around Topeka:

Andes
Appelhans / Appelhanz from Rothammel
Artzer
Bender
Bieker
Braun from Herzog
Burghart from Pfeifer
Dagen
Domme from Pfeifer
Eakes
Eberle
Häfner from Pfeifer
Ingenthrone
Kaberlein
Kipper
Lambrecht from Pfeifer
Luneberg
Schäfer
Schiffelbein from Streckerau
Schmidt
Schulmeister
Schwerdt from Kamenka
Spahn
Stattler
Suppes from Pfeifer