father ~ __ Mittelstaedt
mother ~ __
married ~ Dora (Schultz) Mittelstaedt - 1841 - born 1827 in Zenden-on-the-Odor Brandenburg (Prussia) (pre-Germany) ~ died 1849
siblings ~
children ~
Fred Mittelstaedt ~ born 1842 in Zenden-on-the-Oder Brandenburg (Prussia) - to USA before 1867 - homestead in Nebraska
Ernst Mittelstaedt ~ born 1844 in Zenden-on-the-Oder Brandenburg (Prussia) - to USA before 1867 - homestead in Nebraska
Yetta Mittelstaedt ~ born 1846 in Zenden-on-the-Oder Brandenburg (Prussia)
Dora Mittelstaedt ~ born 1848 in Zenden-on-the-Oder Brandenburg (Prussia)
Otto Jarjus Mittelstaedt ~ born 1849 in Zenden-on-the-Oder Brandenburg (Prussia) - to USA before 1867 homestead in northeast Nebraska, USA
Martin Mittelstaedt was the pater familias whose male children emigrated to USA, mostly settling in Northeastern Nebraska and farming on homesteads.
This period of history was very unsettled in the various principalites which were to become Germany. Otto von Bismark was attempting German unification. That was, to form the German confederation in to a nation which became Germany as we know it in the 20th Century.
The hostilities of the Franco Prussian war 1870 - 1871 were significant and the lead-up was certinly a factor in their decision to leave home. In USA one could more easily own land. It was much more difficult to do so anywhere in Europe.
It should be noted that Zenden-on-the-Oddr Brandenburg (Prussia) is, since the end of WWII, 1946, most certinly in Poland.
The whole of the (Odor) Oder River (in Polish spelled Odra ) is in Poland. The river ultimately flows into the Szczecin Lagoon north of Szczecin (German spelling Stettin). The whole part of the area which borders the Baltic Sea is also known as Pomerania. When Arthur Mittelstaedt, USAF was stationed in W. Germany in 1955 some of the locals took one look at his name and declared him a Pomerdeutscher.
Each of the brothers who emigrated had a trade as well as being a farmer. Blacksmith, whiskey distiller, basket weaver and fur matcher were among their trades. Otto Jarjus Mittelstaedt was a fur matcher, meaning he took furs and sewed them into garments, a skilled trade and very useful in the cold climates where they lived.
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