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(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.
Anna Rosina Schmidt married (unknown name) Sptizer Their children: Andreas Spitzer 1763 - ? Torun, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Poland Andreas Spitzer (1763 - ? ) married Anna Justine Mandelski (1772 - 08/13/1855) Czabunnika, Nuwz-Girbetz, Russia and passed away in Romansdorf, Kiev, Russia Their children: Michael Spitzer (1809 - ? ) Schamanika, Cujanstisch Brehisch, Poland Michael Spitzer (1809 - ?) married Anna Justina Will (1813 - ?) Their children: Gottfried Spitzer 01/06/1846 - 07/24/1916 from Faustindorf, Volhynia, Russia and passed away in Kenosha, Wisconsin Gottfried Spitzer (01/06/1846 - 07/24/1916) married Julianne Reiser (04/23/1848 - 11/27/1895 from Faustindorf, Volhynia, Russia and passed away in Ottenheim, Kentucky Their children: Wilhelmine Spitzer (01/22/1877 - 11/14/1940) from Wolinyen, Russia (Ukraine) near Kiev and passed away in Benton Harbor, Michigan Wilhelmine Spitzer married Julius Jesswein (09/17/1943 - 07/03/1944) from Wolinyen, Russia (Ukraine) Romansdorf, Kiev, Russia |