Gerhard Suderman – Emily's Snippets

Gerhard W. Suderman, was born 23 Nov 1874 in Pordenau, Molotschna Colony in South Russia. He was the son of Jacob and Aganetha Wiens Suderman. Gerhard died from a stroke the day after their golden wedding anniversary, 16 March 1950. He married Anna Loewen 8 Mar 1900 in Ebenfeld M.B. Church.Gerhard came to America on the S.S. Switzerland, arriving at Philadelphia on 24 June 1879, just over 4 years old, with his parents and eight brothers and sisters. He grew up in the midst of great privations, as there was only enough money to buy tickets for the trip.George worked for two uncles in his youth. He hauled manure in a wagon all day for $8 a month. During threshing season he earned $1 per day and saved whenever he could. When he was married he owned two horses, a wagon, a top-buggy and a sulky. Father-in-law, Loewen, gave his daughter, Anna, a cow, which he continued to do for his other children.”,”October of 1900 Gerhard and Anna moved to a farm that they later purchased for $1,600 for 80 acres and $2,900 for the second 80, bought from his brother, Henry. In 1912 they sold the farm to Father-in-law, Loewen and purchased on a quarter mile south of the Ebenfeld school and church. The depression and dust bowl in the thirties made farming a difficult experience. However, in 1940, the harvest was the best ever. A year later they retired. When Father-in-law Loewen died in June of 1941, George and Anna bought the parent place and took care of Justina Leppke Loewen until her death six years later.Gerhard was baptized on 4 Oct 1896, and remained a faithful member of the Ebenfeld M.B. Church until 1943 when they moved to Hillsboro. He served as a Sunday School teacher for 12 years, served as choir director for 28 years (after his father relinguished it in 1906). He praised his Lord with song in church and in family circles.Tragedies that tested his faith were the loss of four children and a serious accident. Daniel Suderman (b. 1 Feb 1901 died 20 Mar 1907 when a horse dragged him under its feet), Gerhard Suderman (b. 27 Jan 1904, d. 16 Apr 1904), Hilda Suderman (b. 24 Jan 1911 and d. 3 Nov 1912 from an intestinal infection) and Paul Gerhard Suderman (b. 24 Apr 1914, died 27 Apr 1916 after drowning in a stock water tank).On 3 May 1911, when Gerhard stumbled and fell into a running circular saw blade. His left hand and arm were so severely cut that the doctor wanted to amputate. The family did not choose to allow the amputation, and after many weeks of slow recovery he regained use of his arm and hand.Gerhard purchased 126 acres from the Reiswigs on April 1, 1912 for the price of $11,000, and on February 4, 1915, he purchased 34 acres for $2,520 from the Nikkel family. This was a total of 160 acres, although it was not a square quarter. I was interested to note the boundaries of the Reiswig land:” “…to the top of the west bank of the creek to a hedge row, thence northwardly along said hedge row and top of said creek bank to the north line of said southwest quarter….” The Nikkel land cost exactly $80 per acre and the Reiswig land cost $87 and some cents per acre. I was also interested to note that Mrs. Reiswig signed the deed with a mark.History: In the mid to late 1500’s, Dutch Anabaptists, who were followers of Menno Simons, had gone from the lowlands of Holland, where they had suffered great persecutions, to the delta region of Poland. Here they experienced more or less religious toleration, depending upon who was king or feudal landlord, and whether the leaders of the area happened to be Catholic or Lutheran. Using the experience they had gained in Holland, the Mennonites created prosperous farms in swampy deltas. This provoked governmental orders for restrictions on trade and land acquisition by the Mennonites for the payment of heavy taxes. After Frederick the great annexted Poland to Prussia, the Mennonites fared well for a time. Later Prussian generals were concerned by the large group of people having military exemptions,. A new decree prevented the Mennonites from purchasing additional land, required new taxes and placed certain restriction on the right of military exemption. Frederick William II both enforced and strengthened the original order in 1789. An additional order was given December 17, 1801 by Frederick William III.Five years previously, Catherine, the Empress of Russia, issued an invitation to all oppressed peoples of Europe to colonize her newly acquired agricultural lands promising free land, transportation, limited tax exemptions, military exemptions, religious freedom and considerable local autonomy in the establishment of schools and political institutions. Queen Catherine died in 1799 and her son Paul I repeated his mother’s offer. He was assassinated in two years. The Mennonites had confidence that Alexander I (Paul I’s son) would continue the offer.Information from: A Mennonite Heritage: A Genealogy of the Suderman and Wiens Families 1800-1975 by Carolyn L. Zeisset