Helenental - 1848 Village History (E. Wise). . . . . . . . .
Copyright 1996, DLW - 7370 Grevena Avenue NE,
Bremerton, WA 98311-4046, (360) 692-8052
HELENENTHAL
I. In the Spring of 1838, preparations were made to begin staking out lots for
the building of houses, in anticipation of the settlement of emigrants.
II. The colony was established near an area of country road centered between
Odessa and Nicolajoff on the steppe and river valley of Uroditschiee
Balaytschutzky, a distance of 70 werst to either village. It is bordered by
certain noble estates like: Natschel, Sarenke, Knies, Balay, Knjaschewitsch and
the colony Neufreudenthal. The land is almost level and the ground is covered
by fertile black earth with an occasional underlying of white to reddish clay
beneath. One finds good rock that is appropriate for building, but no woods.
III. The naming of the colony originated from His Excellency Weiland's
suggestion to the leader of the Welfare Committee for settlers in South Russia,
General von Insow, to name it Helenenthal.
IV. The families that had originally settled in Helenenthal were from (A) The
Liebenthal district: from Grossliebenthal 1 Family, from Petersthal 18, from
Freudenthal 2. (B) The Landauer district: from Worms 1 family, from Gueldendorf
1. (C) The Gluecksthaler area: From Bergdorf 2 families. Altogether 25
families, of these were 45 male and 44 female. Helenenthal totaled 89 on the
revisions list. Presently there are 161 people.
Name of Where born (in Russia) In foreign country Name of
Colonist District Colony Kingd./Prov capitol town Party leader Area Colony Funds
Johannes Laudermilch Baden Sensheim Kirchhardt single without Liebentahl Petersthal None
Jakob Zeeb Wuerttemberg Degerloch black forest
Jakob Koch Liebenthal Petersthal None
Nikolaus Roth Liebenthal Petersthal Liebenthal Petersthal None
Gerog Ziegler Liebenthal Petersthal Liebenthal Petersthal None
Anton Gimbel Baden Preissen Estringen Liebenthal Petersthal None
Johan Nathaun Liebenthal Petersthal Liebenthal Petersthal None
Gottlob Schmidt Liebenthal Petersthal Liebenthal Petersthal None
Daniel Schock Liebenthal Petersthal Liebenthal Petersthal None
Joseph Ade Wuerttemberg Marbach Erdmannhausen single without Liebenthal Grossliebental None
Jakob Becker Liebenthal Freudenthal Liebenthal Freudenthal None
Jakob Kast Wuerttemberg Marbach Beilstein Marbach
Christ.,Koch Liebenthal Petersthal None
Peter Fuchs Liebenthal Petersthal Liebenthal Petersthal None
Phillip Hust France Edenhofen Ismen single without Liebenthal Petersthal None
Adam Biedelheimer Hungary Batschmer Benat single without Liebenthal Petersthal None
Adam Sieler Liebenthal Freudenthal Liebenthal Freudenthal None
Peter Oberlaender Liebenthal Petersthal Liebenthal Petersthal None
Johann Bareth France Landau Spergelbach single without Landauer Worms None
Nikolaus Humann Liebenthal Petersthal Liebenthal Petersthal None
Philipp Geigle Bergdorf Gluecksthal Bergdorf None
Peter Leno Liebenthal Petersthal Liebenthal Petersthal None
Johann Schock France Truli Rauhweiher Marbach
Christ. Koch Liebenthal Petersthal None
Friedrich Wunder Liebenthal Petersthal Liebenthal Petersthal None
Kaspar Steiger Wuerttemberg Tuebingen Kramstetten Schwengwaelden
Jakob Koch Liebenthal Petersthal None
Johann Bauer Glueckstal Bergdorf Landauer Gueldendorf None
Samuel Grenz Landau Marbach
V. The produced and here attached name index gives information where the above
families may have originated from. (see table)
VI. The steppes on which the above were to settle, according to the Welfare
committee, was occupied by so-called Tschornohorejers. There were a total of
nineteens houses and semenlanken built from stone. There were nine wells in
this Uroditsche Balyschutzky prairie river valley measuring 2 1/2 to 3 Faden
deep. The wells were not from natural springs; instead they were constructed
by hand and contained good drinking water. Below the village in the river
valley, a dam was erected to contain water. For the entire settlement, the 25
families agreed to compensate the Tschornohorejers a sum of 857 rubel and 15
kopeks in silver.
VII. What little support the colonists acquired for the settlement came from
their ancestors in Petersthal and from their own property they brought with
them. No support came from the authorities.
VIII. The settlers were not subjected to special happenings nor misfortunes (
Thank God) except for cattle epidemics and bad crops. They lost a lot of
livestock due to a harsh winter and shortage of feed. The loss was 600 silver
rubel, not counting the expense for feed. It would take several good harvests
to heal the wounds and bring back decent living conditions.
IX. The community owes their favorable conditions and welfare to the mercy of
God. To the goodness of the emperor, His Majesty Nicoley Paulowitsch for
providing the land to grow crops and to graze cattle. To the efforts of the
local Welfare committee for foreigners in South Russia.
The above historical briefing is compiled and signed below by
Colony Helenenthal, 8 June 1848
Teacher Jakob Taxis.
As translated by Elli Wise 6/96
Coordinated with GRHS Village Research Clearing House
Coordinated with AHSGR/GRHS Translation Committee Chairman