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Dave and I trekked to Mennonite territory yesterday. Robert Collins and I had a book-signing event at Threshing Days in Goessel at the Mennonite Heritage Museum.
North of Goessel a ways, on K-15 near the Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church is this state marker.
My father’s people (and likely yours) came to this country as immigrants. Here’s a list of the area communities and the Immigrant Family Heads in 1874.
Plenty of Unruhs landed here. And we’re all likely related in some distant way. My particular batch of Unruhs settled in Barton County, near Dundee and Pawnee Rock.
As far as first names go, there were no shortage of men named Jacob and Peter, Johann, Heinrich and Cornelius. Yesterday, I signed a book for a man named “Cornie,” short for Cornelius.
Understanding the roots anchors all people.