John Niedens

John Niedens was born on October 15, 1859 in Messer, Russia (a small German-Lutheran community on the Bergselte (mountain) side of the Volga River) to John Adams Niedens and Marie Katherine Keil. In September 1880 John married Katherine Elizabeth Diehl. He called her "Betta" which was short for "Beth" in German. While married they lived with John's family but conditions were politically and domestically poor. John and Katherine left Russia and came to America with two or three children in 1887-1888. Another source states they left Russia with their three children: John Jr, Katherine, and Molly. Katherine also took two of her sisters, Katie and Molly. They traveled by freighter that hauled cattle. Their trip to America was long and hard which took at least three to six weeks before arriving at the port of New York known as Castle Gardens. From New York they went to Olmitz, Kansas where John found work on the railroad. He saved enough money to buy a farm in Barton County, Kansas. The Niedens family farm is located today between Susank and Galatia in Barton County, Kansas. John and his son John Jr. fenced in the land with stone posts. John and Katherine had ten children:

1. John Niedens, Jr. born April 11, 1881 in Russia

2. Katherine Niedens born September 10, 1883 in Russia

3. Molly Niedens born Feb 4, 1886 in Russia

4. Fred Niedens born June 30, 1888 in Kansas

5. Mary Niedens born September 28, 1890 in Kansas

6. Henry G. Niedens born March 25, 1889 in Kansas

7. Lydia Niedens born November 1, 1903 in Kansas

8. Jacob Niedens born March 25, 1899 in Kansas

9. Pauline Niedens born September 4, 1901 in Kansas

10. Alexander "Alex" Niedens born on October 11, 1904 on the family farm near Hoisington, Kansas

John remained on the family farm until 1937 where he and Katherine bought a small home in Barton County, KS. It was at this home where John died on April 10, 1940 at 5pm from a cerebral hemorrhage and a bowel obstruction. He is buried at the Bazine Cemetery in Barton Co., KS.

Source for birth, parents, immigration, children, and death from a loose page found in the book "Niedens" by Donna Frances Rejman-Borre, great-granddaughter of John Niedens.

Ship Lists: 1887 Jan 3 SS Saale NY port

    • Johan NIEDIENS 28 farmer, Elisabeth 26; Johann 5; Catherina 4; Maly 6 months
    • More information from Merlyn Niedens: This Johan Niediens (Niedens) is my grandfather, Henry Niedens' brother. John's obituary indicated that he immigrated to America in 1887 and settled in Russell Co, KS. The 1900 federal census found him farming in Wheatland township, Barton Co, KS. His brother, Fred, was also living in this township at this time. Later, he moved to and farmed in Rush Co, KS. About 1930, he retired and lived in Bazine, KS until the time of his death 16 Apr 1940. My sister recalls that our grandfather who also lived in Bazine would frequently visit John. Henry, Fred and John Niedens left Russia at about the same time. Henry and Fred arrived a few days before Christmas, 1886, and settled in Marion Co, KS. The oldest brother, George, the mother Marie Katherine Niedens, nee Keil and sister Anna Niedens Schneider arrived lated in 1891 and settled in Marion Co, KS. Henry, John and Fred Niedens were sons of John Adam and Marie Katherine Neidens nee Keil. Merlyn knew very little about his grandmother's family, Marie Nieden nee Pinnecker. She had at least one sister married a Philbert and lived in Bazine, KS. John Adam Niedens , the father of Henry, apparently died and was buried in Russia. His wife, Marie Katherine, came to America and lived in Marion Co KS. It is thought that she died 1896. John never did live in Marion Co and was living in Barton Co in 1900. Merlyn has found the gravesite of Maria Katherine Niedens nee Kiel. This great grandmother had been listed as a witness to Merlyn's father's baptism at the Zion Lutheran Church at Hillsboro, KS. She died on April 28, 1898 at age 68 yrs, 3 mos, 6 days. Probably born 22 Jan 1830. Merlyn's grandmothers (Maria Niedens nee Pinnecker)Elizabeth Pinnecker Filbert was born Gnadenfeld, Russia on 23 Feb 1868 and died Larned KS on 2 Mar 1944. In 1889 the family immigrated to Mexico and after enduring extreme hardship for several months moved to a farm 4 miles south of Russell KS. On 3 Oct 1891 she married August Filbert. In the obit the following children were listed: Marie Clark of Denver CO, Anna Hartman of Kighton KS, Martha Foos of Kighton, August Filbert of Bazine KS, Pauline Kleveno of Bazine KS, Bertha Kuehn of Englewood CO, Jacob Filbert of BAziine KS, Dorothy Ely of Bazine KS. The obit did not mention that her parents were Karl and Katherine Pinecker or a sister who might have lived in OHurray. --From http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~jeruslannachrichten/shipslists.htm

The following is all recorded on Rootsweb World Connect page http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=wiesenmueller&id=I1216

Name: John Niedens

Death: 16 Apr 1940 in Bazine, Ness County, Kansas, USA

!INFO: Donna F. Borre, great granddaughter, 1993

!SHIP: Johan age 28, wife Elisabeth age 26, Johann 5, Catherine 4, and Maly 6/12, aboard the ship Saale which arrived NY 3 Jan 1887 along with several other families, from Wiesenmueller confirmed by Merlyn Niedens after being published in, JERUSLAN NACHRICHTEN Sep. 1998

1900 US Census of Wheatland, Barton co., KS lists John Nedens 41, wife Kate 39, children: John Jr. 19, Kate 16, Mollie 14, Fred 11, Mary 9, Henry 5 and Jacob 1. The couple plus John Jr., Kate and Mollie are Russian born and entered the US in 1886. The remainder of the children are KS born . The couple have been married 19 yrs and have had 8 children of which 7 survive. John owns a mortgaged farm and is a farmer.

1910 US Census of Wheatland, Barton co., KS lists John Niedens 51, wife Kathrina 49, children: Mollie 24, Fred 21, Mary 19, Henry 15, Jacob 10, Paulina 8, Alexander 5 and a grandson Ruben Miller 5. The couple plus Mollie and Fred are Russian born and entered the US in 1886. John owns a farm and is a general home farm farmer. Daughter Mollie does dairy work in the home dairy. Fred works at farming on the home farm. John and Kathrina have been married 29 yrs and have had 10 children of which 8 survive. Mollie is a widow and has had 1 child.

1920 US Census of Wheatland, Barton co., KS lists John Niedens 60, wife Katie 58, children: Henry 25, Jacob 20, Pauline 18, Alexander 15 and Reuben 15. The parents are Russian born and entered the US in 1886. The children are Kansas born. John owns a mortgaged farm and is a wheat farmer. Henry and Jacob are laborers on their father's farm.

Father: Johannes Adam Niedens b: Abt 1829 in Müller, , Russia

Mother: Maria Katherine Keil b: 22 Jan 1830 in Mueller, , Russia

Marriage 1 Katherine Elisabeth Diehl b: 2 Oct 1861 in Wiesenmueller, , Russia

Sources:

    1. Abbrev: Margheim Family Tree, Title: Margheim Family Tree
    2. Media: Census/Tax, Abbrev: 1920 United States Census, Title: 1920 United States Census, Author: US Government Census Bureau, Page: John
    3. Quality: 3, Date: 12 Sep 2007
    4. Abbrev: Igor Pleve to Betty Ashley, Title: Igor Pleve to Betty Ashley
    5. Abbrev: Ancestry.com World Tree, Title: Ancestry.com World Tree
    6. Abbrev: Lower Volga Village Project, Title: Lower Volga Village Project
    7. Abbrev: 1910 US Census, Title: 1910 US Census
    8. Abbrev: 1900 United States Census, Title: 1900 United States Census
    9. Media: Census/Tax, Abbrev: 1920 United States Census, Title: 1920 United States Census, Author: US Government Census Burea
    10. Page: age 60, Russia, Quality: 3, Date: 12 Sep 2007
    11. Abbrev: 1910 US Census, Title: 1910 US Census, Page: age 51, Russia, Quality: 3, Date: 30 Oct 2007
    12. Abbrev: 1900 United States Census, Title: 1900 United States Census, Page: age 41, Russia, Quality: 3, Date: 15 Feb 2009
    13. Media: Census/Tax, Abbrev: 1920 United States Census, Title: 1920 United States Census, Author: US Government Census Bureau