Ruedigers Genealogy Website

Barnes and farm houses of the emigrants

Barn of Johann Jacob Walker

After a longer break I can continue my postings on the website. Today I will invite you to a little journey through my photo archive showing the barns and houses of emigrants, the first essentials they needed to make a living . In the second part I have added some pictures about the dramatic revolution in the agricultural environment. 

The barns

I will start with the barn of the ancestor of Gena Schantz, Johann Jacob Walker. Gena has written a great essay on the barn of her great-grandfather.

Johann Jakob Walker, born  Feb 4, 1859 in Wankheim emigrated in October 1874 to  America and settled together with his brother, Johann Friedrich Walker in Hartford City, Blackford County, IN.

 
Barn of Johann Jacob Walker
Barn of Johann Jacob Walker
Barn of Johannes Schwartzkopf
Barn of Johannes Schwartzkopf

We remain in the neighborhood and have a look on the barn of   Johannes Schwartzkopf

He was born on July  29,  1833 in Wankheim  and emigrated in  1853 to the U.S.  His later wife,   Barbara Maier, born  Sep 20, 1830 in Maehringen followed him in 1854. 

Via Bucyrus, OH they moved on westward to finally settle in  Montpellier, Blackford Co., IN.

Johann Adam Riehle. born Oct 30, 1864 in Maehringen emigrated in 1881 and settled in  Edgerton, Williams Co., OH in the neighborhood of  Christoph Walz. More pictures about the Riehle farm you will find in the post about the visit of Renate Riehle in Edgerton for the Riehle family reunion.

 The Riehle farm was incorporated in the Ohio Centinental farms as the farm exists more than 100 years.
Ernest Riehle, son of Johann Adam Riehle, in front of his barn in Edgerton
Ernest Riehle, son of Johann Adam Riehle, in front of his barn in Edgerton

Houses

House of Christoph Walz
House of Christoph Walz

Christoph Walz, born  24.9.1839 in Jettenburg emigrated with his wife  Barbara Henes, born Feb  16, 1841 and the six children to the U.S. in 1884 and settled in Edon, Williams Co. OH.

Via Bucyrus, OH they moved on westward to finally settle in  Montpellier, Blackford Co., IN.

Anna Maria Grauer, born Feb 6, 1829 in Jettenburg emigrated to the U.S. before 1855 as she married Valentin Raeder in 1855 in Wisconsin.  The couple settled in Newton, Jasper Co., IA. The picture shall display the farm house in 1868.

House of Anna Maria Grauer
House of Anna Maria Grauer
House of Johann Jakob Grauer
House of Johann Jakob Grauer

Johann Jakob Grauer, born Jan 31, 1856 emigrated in  1866 together with his parents Johann Jakob Grauer and Maria Katharina Grauer and his siblings. They settled in Oxford. Johnson Co., IA.  In   1882 he married Rosina Gutbrod, born Sep 1, 1862 in Jettenburg as well. The new family moved further west and settled in  Sheridan, Yamhill Co. OR.

Johann Adam Gutbrod, born Feb 28, 1838 in Jettenburg emigrated in 1883 with his wife  Christine Knapp, born Jun 11, 1840 in Degerschlacht and the four children to the U.S. and settled in Sheridan, Yamhill Co. in Oregon.

Farm house of Johann Adam Gutbrod around 1902
Farm house of Johann Adam Gutbrod around 1902

The industrial revolution in agriculture

In the second part I have put together some pictures illustrating the tremendous development in the agricultural environment during the last century.

Haying, ca. 1915 John Trant and Lewis William Walker on hay wagon Jacob Walker driving tractor
Haying, ca. 1915 John Trant and Lewis William Walker on hay wagon Jacob Walker driving tractor

Johann Jacob Walker on his fields in Hartford City, IN harvesting hey. He was one of the first farmers with a tractor in the area.

Jacob Walker was one of the most progressive farmers in Blackford, He was one of the first one’s having a tractor.

An impressive horse setup to draw the combine harvester on the fields of Johann Georg Riehle, born Feb 5, 1879 in Jettenburg who emigrated as one of the last ones in 1902 and settled in  Harrington,  Lincoln Co., WA.

Combine harvester of Johann Georg Riehle drawn from horsess - around 1912
Combine harvester of Johann Georg Riehle drawn from horsess - around 1912
Two unloading stops are sufficient to fill up the truck!
Two unloading stops are sufficient to fill up the truck!

In 2003 we could see this big harvester on the soja fields of the descendants of Johann Friedrich Walker in Hartford City, IN

The trucks carry the soja beans or the corn direct to the grain elevator in Montpellier, Blackford County, IN. 

In 2003 the elevator had a total capacity of  204 Mio. m3, die inbound capacity was 881 m3 per hour and could fill about 150 train waggons.

Grain elevator in Montpelier, IN
Grain elevator in Montpelier, IN
Emil and John in front of a corn harvester
Emil and John in front of a corn harvester

This picture was made in 2003 on a farm fair in Illinois. Where Charles Walker and John Kearns tooks us during our visit.

 My father , Emil Kemmler and John Kearns, the husband of my cousin  Brenda (Walker) Kearns are standing in front of a huge corn harvester.

The visit of the farm fair was an absolute highlight for my father. He enjoyed so much seeing all these devices in the maxi format.

In Germany I think none of them would be able to drive on regular streets without police helping to block two lanes of the street.

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