SPRING, 1891, ANTON AND ANNA KINDERKNECHT LEAVE RUSSIA FOR THE UNITED STATES

Kinderknecht Family Reunion, August 31, 2014 in Ellis Kansas

Here is an excerpt from "Unsere Familie, Einst und Jetzt, Kinderknechts", 1982, by Eileen Kinderknecht Doherty. Descendants of Jacob and Otilia Kinderknecht will gather in Ellis, on August 31, to celebrate the family's emigration and settling in Kansas.

     "In the Spring of 1891, Anton and Ann decided to leave Mariental, Russia, for the United States. One of the primary factors leading to this decision was the probability that Nick would be signed up as a recruit in the Russian army in 1893. Under the Reform of January 1, 1874, the Russian government required universal military service from all male citizens in the country. en aged 20 served a term of six years, after which they were registered as reserves for nine years and remained assigned to the militia until age forty.

     "Preparation for the trip to the United States included distribution of personal belongings, finding someone to manage the four mill, and sale of equipment and other items. Belongings which could be carried

Left, Mariental, Russia, 1875. Kinderknechts were probably in this picture.

were brought along and the rest was given to friends and relatives. Jacob (Eileen's grandfather) was responsible for the coffee pot and Catherine was responsible for the goose-down pillows according to family memories.

     "To leave Russia, Anton and his family began by boarding a boat at Mariental on the Karmann River which flows into the Volga River. Once across the Volga

Left, Nick Kinderknecht, age 17. Picture taken in Mariental.

River, they had to walk across the Russian Steppes to the Russia-Poland border. Travel was done in a very secretive and discreet manner because, as Jacob reported, "One word and we would have been shipped to Siberia."
     "Since many of the Russian citizens were migrating to other countries on foot, the government had positioned guards to patrol the border. Some of the guards, however, could be persuaded to allow the emigrants to cross the border.
     "Upon locating a Russian guard who spoke German and was willing to work with Anton, the family waited in the forest until the guard came on duty in the evening.
     "After paying the guard approximately $5 per person for a total of $45 (US$) the guard and his sons assisted the family across a small river near the border. The small children were carried by the guard's sons and the adults walked. Although the river was  not very deep, ten year old Jacob remembered the water as being waist high on himself.
     "Once in Poland, the family was free. However, an item was forgotten (it is not known today what it was) and seemingly, it was significant enough that Nick was sent back across the river to retrieve it. In order to enter Poland for a second time, it was necessary for him to wait until the same guard who had helped the
family earlier was on patrol and pay him the fee. It seems Anna became very worried that Nick would never be allowed to cross the river again, as  it took several days for him to return. But Nick made it and the trip continued.
     "Now the family was ready to cross Poland. This was done by purchasing tickets and boarding the train for Hamburg, Germany.

Left, Anton and Anna Gerber Kinderknecht

     "On November 27, 1891, the family set sail on the ship Bismark from Hamburg, arriving in New York City December 8, 1891. It is reported that life was very difficult as people were seasick, homesick, and in some cases, hungry. For the children, the new diet consisting of white wheat bread was quite different from the black rye bread they were accustomed to in Russia.
     "The family arrived in New York without any money. Through the assistance of an immigration program sponsored by the Catholic Church, Anton sent a telegram to Nicholas and Barbara Hansen for money. When the money arrived, the family once again boarded the train to join their relatives in St. Marys, Kansas." 

     After paying off their debt to the Hansens, the Kinderknecht family eventually homesteaded in Ellis County and we now credit them with a vast family of  descendants.
                                                                                                                   Eileen Kinderknecht Doherty

North Morrow and Gilliam Counties - TURN OF THE CENTURY SHEEP RANCHING

I recently obtained a copy of "Settlers of Cecil, North Morrow and Gilliam Counties", by Audrey Ellen Wilson, Watermelon Memories, Portland Oregon, 1993, a collection of newspaper clippings from 1900 through 1904. Following are some of the late 1900 and early 1901 entries about sheep raising. It  would seem as though everyone in the industry was either a "sheep king" or the most prominent or finest something or other:
     W. W. Wilson, of Castle Rock, twenty miles up the Columbia River from Arlington, reports that Ed Bartholomew moved his band of sheep into that country for range and he has increased from one band to two bands. Mr Wilson thinks the expansion is due to the McKinley administration. 2 November 1900.
     William Penland, the Sheep King of Morrow County has sold to Arthur Minor, F. F. Hynd and Oscar Minor his big Blue Mountain stock ranch, consisting of 40,000 acres of deeded land and 20,000 head of sheep the land is located south of Heppner, and the total consideration is $120,000. It has all been accumulated from a small start 20 years ago. Mr. Penland retains a one-fourth interest in the property in the property and has bought Arthur Minor's ranch of 3000 acres at the head of Butter Creek, with its 4,000 head of sheep. 9 November 1900.

     Charles McAllister of Croy just returned from the Antelope country where he went searching for sheep. He reports that it is difficult to find any sheep for sale. He made an offer of $3.25 per head for yearling wethers to a prominent sheep man and was turned down. He has a band of 650 head on his ranch at Rock Creek which he considers the finest in the state, some of them weighing as much as 135 pounds. It is his intention to take these lambs to Montana for spring range, preparatory to putting them up for sale. He was offered early in the fall $12 per head for the pick of them. 14 December 1900.
     Mr. Schoolcroft of Willows, was in Arlington last week in pursuit of hobos who helped themselves to what they could find in his sheep camp. 11January 1901.
     It Would Take All the Dogs of the Country to Herd One Band of Cotswold and Shropshire Sheep. D. W. Ralston returned from Portland Wednesday where he delivered sheep purchased in Yamhill county. The sheep raised there are a different variety from those which are ranged in Eastern Oregon and for mutton they are unexcelled. "Eastern Oregon sheep are the best wool producers, they do not have have mutton quality the coarse-wooled sheep do." The Cotswold and Shropshire are coarse wool sheep, and are the principal sheep raised in the valley. This class of sheep is not run in Eastern Oregon because of the fact that they are great travelers and could not be handled in large bands as are run in this country. It would take more dogs than we could get. 11 January 1901.
     George Earhart, of Lone Rock, a  prominent sheep man says the he has not yet sold last year's clip of wool, and it is his opinion that at this time he will not be able to dispose of it before the next clip comes. Condition of sheep, he says, is very good. They returned from the mountains in the pink of it. 22 February 1901.
     Multiple Entries: R. F. Hynds and Ed Dam, two prominent sheepment of Heppner, attended the wool growers convention in Pendleton.....Sheep shearers are coming into the country preparatory to taking up their labors which will soon be on hand. It is probable that in a week or two a good many of the sheep men will be fleecing their flocks.....D. W. Ralston shipped a band of sheep Sunday to Portland.....Charles McAllister went up to Pendleton Monday to be in attendance at the Woolgrowers convention.....R. M. Johnson Finds Scab. Stock inspector for Gilliam county was in the Ferry Canyon country last week inspecting sheep reported to be in a scabby condition. One band was found in which a small number were affected.....A. Smythe & Son, Gilliam County's most prominent sheep men are reported as having sold 500 head of yearling sheep at $4.75 per head. The sale was made at the Chicago stock yards. 3 March 1901.
     Wm. Smith of Hay Creek, owner of one of the finest sheep ranches in Gilliam county, has begun lambing. 22 March, 1901.
     Charles McAllister of Croy is expecting a visit from a Umatilla sheep man to look at his fine bunch of yearling rams and if all goes well he will sell a band of 600. The deal should accommodate from $6000 to $8000.  22 March 1901.
     Charles Cunningham of Pilot Rock accompanied Mr. McAllister to his Rock Creek ranch to see sheep. 12 April, 1901.
     A shipment of 1800 head of yearling sheep left Arlington Tuesday for the Seattle market, being bought of A. Smythe by Frye and Bruhn Monday. Men who know say it is the finest band of mutton sheep ever put on the market in this section. They brought $2.25 a head. 9 April 1901.
     The first wool clip of the season was that of Thomas Seigel of Willow Creek to The Dalles Scouring Mills which brought 8 1/2 cents. The clip consisted of forty-five sacks of slightly inferior quality. Mr. Smith got an offer of 9 1/2 cents for the big clip of A. Smythe and Son but declined. 19 April 1901.
                                                                                                                                          Roger Doherty

THE BATTLE OF MOBILE BAY AND CHARLES CUNNINGHAM

THE BATTLE OF MOBILE BAY AND CHARLES CUNNINGHAM - AUGUST 5, 1864

One Hundred and Fifty Years Ago

Following some earlier preparations and a landing on Dauphin Island to deal with Fort Gaines, early in the morning of August 5, 1864, Admiral David Farragut's Union fleet steamed into Mobile Bay. The fleet was lead by the Tecumseh and other monitors, and followed by a line of wooden steamers, lashed together in pairs. Of the line of fifteen steamers, the last two were the Oneida and the Galena. The Galena was a 738 ton ten gun ship which was once iron clad. At this time the iron had been removed and it was lashed to the larger 1,032 ton nine gun ship Oneida. The fleet was moving in a narrow channel between a field of mines on its port (west) side and the guns of Fort Morgan on the starboard (east) side.

There was a furious exchange of cannon between the fleet and Fort Morgan, with the forward ironclads and steamers engaging the smaller Confederate fleet of one ironclad and three wooden gunboats.The cannon exchange had not let up as the Oneida and the Galena passed through the channel. The Oneida, lashed to the Galena and exposed to Fort Morgan cannon took heavy damage. Her boilers were hit and exploded, her steering gear damaged, and she was on fire.She was saved by the Galena, which pulled her through the channel. The Galena was also hit, suffering two gaping holes from ten inch guns. Two sailors were wounded and a third died.

Galena, after removal of iron plates.

Charles Cunningham was born in 1846, probably in Tuam, County Galway. Orphaned about age 12, Cunningham arrived in New York City in April, 1864, a raw youth of 18. With no relatives or contacts in America, Cunningham soon enlisted in the Union Navy and served as a messenger boy on the Galena in the Battle of Mobile Bay. As luck would have it, he was wounded on this last ship to run the gauntlet, and spent two months recovering on a hospital ship - a baptism by fire in his new adopted country. What happened afterward, however, made Charles Cunningham a legendary figure in the Doherty (Blackhorse) family in Oregon.

Discharged from the Navy after his hospital stay, Cunningham made his way to Alameda County in California, where he stayed for four years, and in 1869 relocated to Umatilla County, Oregon. In partnership with Jacob Frazer he went into the sheep business, later continuing on his own. In May, 1883, he married Sarah Doherty of Iskaheen, County Donegal. Shortly thereafter, he assisted his wife's two brothers, sister, and mother to immigrate to America. Sarah's brothers were employed by Cunningham until they got on their feet and went into the farming and cattle business. One brother, James G. married Catherine Doherty of Ballylosky, County Donegal and the sister, Mary married Mike Kenny. Between them they started great tribes of Dohertys and Kennys in Oregon. Cunningham went on to be known as the Sheep King of Eastern Oregon. In his later years, he built and operated the Hotel Cunningham in Pasco, Washington.

Charles Cunningham, about age 30.

To the Dohertys and Kennys, Cunningham is a legend. No significant biography has been written about him, but generations of these families remember that they owe this orphan and sheepman their fortune in this country!
                                                                                                                                        Roger Doherty