(from Marilyn Butgereit Deal)  The Jessweins (and Spitzers) probably left Germany to go to  Russia in the late 17000's during the reign of Catherine the Great, a German princess, who married the czar and ultimately became the Empress of Imperial Russia.  Since there were vast unpopulated territories, she had invited any Europeans to settle in Russia and as an incentive promised they would be given tax and draft exemptions as well as a plot of land to farm.  As a result, there were about 90 German villages that sprang up along the Volga river, but which were quite isolated from the general Russian population.  The Jessweins and Spitzers settles near Kiev.  However, when Catherine the Great died, her promises died with her.  The Christoph Jessweins were not allowed to buy land and one of the seven sons (Gottlieb) was drafted, so the rest of the family, with many other disenchanted Germans, immigrated to the U.S.  They landed in Baltimore in 1886 where an "agent" met and took them to a German community, Ottenheim, near Crab Orchard, Kentucky.  About 1900, the Julius Jesswein family (by then consisting of him, his wife and two children), along with a couple of other Jesswein brothers, moved to St. Joseph, Michigan were Elsa Bertha Lydia Jesswein was born.

Christoph Gesswein married Carolina Rathke

Their children:

Christoph Gesswein (January 1, 1842 - September 24, 1897)
Eleanora Florentina (Roesler)
Eva
Anna
Helena
Auguste
Susanna
Johann Friedrich
Michael

Caroline Reiser (03/17/1844 - 03/05/1934) married Christoph "Christian" Jesswein ( 01/01/1843 - 09/24/1897) from Faustindorf, Volhynia, Russia and passed away in Ottenheim, Kentucky.  They immigrated from Karlsruhe, Germany to Baltimore, Maryland March 19, 1892.

Their children:  

Friedrich Jesswein              (11/26/1864 - 11/04/1952)  Romansdorf, Kiev, Russia and passed away                                                                                                              in Niles, Berrien, Michigan
Johan Wilhelm Jesswein  (02/16/1867)  Romansdorf, Kiev, Russia
Gottlieb Albert Jesswein  (02/27/1869 - 1898) Romansdoft, Kiev, Russia and passed away                                                                                                                              in Gillett, Arizona
Jacob Jesswein                     (07/30/1871)  Ramansdorf, Kiev, Russia
Julius Jesswein              (09/07/1873 - 07/03/1944)  from Wolinyen, Russia (Ukraine)                                                                                                                                Romansdorf, Kiev, Russia and passed away in Benton Harbor,  Michigan

Julius Jesswein (09/07/1873 - 07/03/1944) married Wilhelmine Spitzer (01/22/1877 - 11/14/1943)  from Wolinyen, Russia (Ukraine) near Kiev and passed away in Benton Harbor, Michigan.  Wilhelmine and Julius were first cousins; their mothers were sisters. (see Caroline and Julianne Reiser above.  See Reiser Heritage.)

Their children:

Auguste Caroline Jesswein              03/03/1898  Ottenheim, Kentucky
Max Jacob Jesswein                           05/12/1899 or 12/05/1899 - 12/03/1969 from  Crab                                                                                                                                                    Orchard,  Ottenheim, Kentucky and passed away in Benton Harbor, Michigan
Elsa Bertha Lydia Jesswein  10/19/1901 - 01/18/1999 from St. Joseph, Michigan and                                                                        passed away in Ellenton, Florida
Adaline Louise May Jesswein         10/21/1911 from St. Joseph, Michigan
Hulbert Julius Jesswein      
Delvern Ray Jesswein

Elsa Bertha Lydia Jesswein (10/19/01 - 01/18/1999) from St. Joseph, Michigan married Walter Ernst Butgereit (10/22/1903 - 03/13/1976) from Racine, Wisconsin.