Kontak Family Genealogy

TO OUR KONTAK ANCESTORS

Who always sought out the
Church wherever
they sojourned
this book is gratefully
dedicated






God setteth the solitary in families.
Psalm 68:6

FORWORD
There comes a time in life when interest or plain curiosity overtakes one and he wants to learn more about his ancestors than what he already knows. This feeling seems to grow as human sources of information become scarcer. During the past few years the Kontaks began asking questions which should have had ready answers but there were none because we asked too late. Who are the Kontaks? Just where did the elder Kontaks come from? What nationality were they? Had their name always been spelled the same way? These were some of the questions which had no answers.
It is the purpose of this publication not only to try to answer these questions but also to attempt to give an accurate listing of the descendents of Frederic Kontak and his wife Eva nee Hoffman as well as to capture on the written page facts pertinent to the places where the Kontak ancestors spent their early years and some of the conditions under which their lives unfolded. It is not intended to be a work of literary merit.
To accomplish this purpose much European history had to be read carefully before we might progress with the story. Maps had to be studied. It was necessary to check records in various courthouses, the National Archives, churches, city halls, and cemeteries. Visits to homes of friends and acquaintances of the elder Kontaks had to be made to secure certain firsthand information.
An earnest effort has been made to make this work as nearly accurate as possible. In trying to open the doors to the past, we endeavored to tap any possible source of knowledge of our subject. We asked question after question, time and time again, in order that certain events and facts might be verified.
Undoubtedly errors will be found. There are several reasons why mistakes or omissions occur in a work of this nature. We encountered scanty records, incorrect records, and found that some are inaccessible or even non-existent. Our efforts to get statistics from Europe were in one case futile and in another case most discouraging. Then there is always the possibility of human error in the form of faulty memory, oversight, or incorrect information. Early lack of interest has caused perhaps the greatest deficiency. Then in some instances we were forced to use only reasonable conjecture. For the sins of commission and omissions, I beg your forgiveness.
In spite of all the tedious work, it has been an enlightening experience to gather facts, to sift them, to relate them to a bit of European history and finally to present a little history of our large friendly family. We quote from the National Archives General Information Leaflet No.1: “The records in the National Archives are kept not simply because they are old but because they have enduring value."


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

To prepare a work of this kind, one needs much cooperation and assistance. We are very grateful to the many individuals who submitted data, pictures, certificates, and any helpful information. However, there are some whom we would like to mention here for their special efforts.
MRS. EDWARD GEDA and MARVIN KONTAK for taking the initial steps in compiling the first lists of vital statistics. This was no small task.
COL. EMIL KONTAK for his research in the National Archives, Washington, D.C., for his checking of old and current maps in the Library of Congress, and for a copy of that portion of the passenger list of the S.S. Prussia which includes the names of Frederic and Eva Kontak and sons Julius and August. We also acknowledge Emil's wife ANNE for her gracious hospitality during our stay of search at the Archives.
ANNA DICKHOFF for her tireless interest and willingness to assist us in getting invaluable information from the records in Prince Edward County Courthouse, Farmville, Virginia, and for taking us to the site of the old plantation and the cemetery. Also for making records at St. John's Lutheran Church, Farmville, available to us and for the kind and warm southern hospitality shown us in their home by both Anna and her sister HELEN.
REVEREND WILLIAM BRUCKNER, St. John's Lutheran Church, Passaic, New Jersey, for allowing us to use the church records from which we received so very much information and many statistics. Also for allowing the custodian to show us the church and to relate to us some of the outstanding facts about this beautiful edifice and for the booklets made at the seventy-fifth anniversary of the founding of the church.
The REVEREND DONALD ORTNER, Pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church, Farmville, Virginia, for some historical information concerning the areas from which the Kontaks and Semrocks came.
MR. PETER DEVRIES, caretaker of Lodi Cemetery, Lodi, who engaged three men to plot out for us the unmarked resting places of Grandfather Frederic and of little Michael Kontak, age 5, who had passed away in Passaic, New Jersey.
MRS. MICHAEL MINTZ and daughter EMMA, Cleveland, Ohio, who so willingly answered questions about the elder Kontaks, clearing up some important questions of relationship, and gave us some firsthand information about the Hintz family and life in the old country where the Kontaks and Hintzes lived.
REYNOLD KONTAK for entrusting to our committee the use of the only certificate from the old country which helped us establish with certainty some very important facts.
MR. CHARLES FINNEGAN, United States Naval Architectural School, Webb Institute, Glen Cove, Long Island, New York, for information about the S.S. Prussia.
VANGUARD VOCATIONAL CENTER, Senior Graphic Communications Center, Fremont, Ohio, Class of 1972, for making composition of this book.
MRS. CHARLES HAGSIG, MRS. ELHER TAULKER, MRS. REYNOLD SEMROCK, MR.
CARL DEWALD and MRS. EUGENE KONTAK, members of the Family Tree Committee, whose desire to have a record of quality well done made it possible to accumulate material and check its accuracy.
MRS. EUGENE KONTAK for typing the final copy for publication. She is to be commended for her many hours of excellent workmanship.
And finally, my husband MR. GUSTAVE KONTAK for his willingness to drive wherever necessary to get any information or statistics. Without him, it would not have been possible for me to complete this rather involved project.


Alvina Kontak
March 1, 1972

The Kontaks did not wish to delve vainly into this genealogy in the hope of finding princes or patriarchs in their ancestry, but simply in the interest of collecting and preserving statistics and background history as well as human interest stories presently known only by a few of the older generation. We have come from dirt floors to kitchen carpeting, from dried pears to strawberries in January, from spring wagon to jet plane, from homespun to fabulous fabrics and from extreme temperatures to conditioned air. All these and many more in less than 100 years.
We have watched a small portion of the great human procession. For a time generations walk side by side. Then on passes on and another springs up to receive the love, the strength, and incentive to carry on. We can say with the Psalmist:

“The lines are fallen unto me
in pleasant places; Yea, I have
a Goodly Heritage”







THE KONTAK STORY
Who are the KONTAKS? From what country did they come? What is their nationality? What their number? A desire to know these things as well as what kind of folk they were a few generations ago has prompted action into a search of the records of the past so that those living in the present and in the future may know. But simple questions are not always answered easily.
In attempting to trace the Kontak identity one runs into a larger problem; namely, that of tracing A country’s identity. The history of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in Eastern Europe indicates struggles to preserve national identity. Upheavals were not unusual and brought about so-called "Floating Borders".
Names of cities and towns' frequently mentioned when the older Kontaks spoke of the "old country" were Warsawa (Warsaw), Posen" (Poznan), Ploks (Plock), and Lipnau (Lipno). They also spoke of living near the Wisla (Vistula) River. This area is in Central Poland. Frederic Kontak, oldest known ancestor at this time, is listed in the St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church records (Passaic, New Jersey) as being from Bromberg, Germany'. However, when the sons of Frederic became naturalized citizens of the U.S.A., they had to renounce allegiance to a Russian czar.
We are now involved in a search into history to trace the boundary lines of the three countries in the latter half of the nineteenth century. We include a reasonable facsimile of a map which will enable the reader to note the above mentioned places and any others which may follow. This is rather important in establishing, or understanding, the background of the Kontak nationality.
The Kontaks have always maintained that they were of German descent. We have found that Grandfather Frederic was from Germany. Now let us note the towns and countries mentioned on the following Petitions for Naturalization. Edward Kontak, oldest son of Frederic and his wife, Eva, gave his birthplace as Iasamza, Russia, 1867. This Declaration of Intention to become a citizen of the United Slates of America was made in 1911, when he "renounced forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, and particularly to Nicholas II, Emperor of all the Russias. He became n citizen on May 16, 1918, in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York.
Edward had married Amalie Lange in 1890. Four children - Emma, Michael, Pauline and Julius had been born before they came to this country in 1897.
Pauline, oldest daughter and second oldest child of Frederic and Eva, married Andrea Ged or Geda in the old country. No records of their' arrival have been found. Andrea came first and later Pauline came. This couple had one child, Julius, when the mother arrived. Their second child, John, was born in Perth Amboy in May of 1896.
Adolf, next oldest son, made his Declaration of Intention in 1918, giving his birthplace as Ruscovia, Polotz, Russian Poland, 1874. He took the same oath of allegiance and received his Certificate of Naturalization in 1922, while living in Elmore, Ohio. Records in the U.S. District Court in Toledo show that he sailed from Bremen, Germany, in 1892 but the vessel on which he sailed is unknown. He married Pauline Semrock in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, November 8, 1896. A record of this marriage has been found in the quaint city hall, built in 1766-67 in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. In 1900 Pauline returned to her homeland to visit relatives. On February 9, 1901, a daughter, Martha, was born there. Both mother and child returned to this country on September 24. 1901, sailing from Rotterdam on the S.S. Maasdom; the latter information was found in the Archives Building. Washington, D.C.
Julius made his Declaration of Intention in 1918. giving his birthplace as Dobsen (Dobrzyn), Russian Poland, 1877. He renounced allegiance to the Republic of Poland when his citizenship was granted in 1920. He was then living at Curtice, Ohio, on a farm which many of the Kontaks used to refer to as "Section 2", located on Yondota Road. Actually "Section 2" was the name of a small settlement of Yondota. The Julius Kontak farm was really in Section 1.
It is fortunate indeed that one document, or certified statement, from the old country has survived all the moves which the Kontaks made. It is comparable to what we know as a Confirmation Certificate. It states that Julius Kontak had satisfactorily completed the Instruction in the Catechism and would then be eligible to partake of Holy Communion. Of course, this is written in German. This is the only written document of any kind which any of the Kontaks have in their possession that came from the old country. This important paper is valuable in that it establishes three facts: First. The spelling of the name is KONTAK. Second, their home was Dobrzyn, Russian Poland. Third, a church was in existence there since there is a church seal on the paper, although the name is not legible. It may be possible at some future time to make a definite identification of this church; however, it is unlikely unless one would be able to visit the area.
August, the youngest son, filed his Declaration of Intention in 1914. He gave his birthplace also as Dobrzyn in 1879. Taking the same oath, he became a citizen in 1918 while living in Elliston. Ohio.
At this point it seems necessary to introduce, or review, some German, Polish and Russian history. Since it is now clear that the Kontaks lived in almost the center of present-day Poland, we will consider this country first.
At one time Poland dominated Eastern Europe. Because of internal difficulties and attacks by outside neighboring countries, it gradually weakened and was reduced in area. It was partitioned three times, the latter partitioning taking it off the map of Europe. It was divided between Russia, Prussia and Austria at the end of the eighteenth century. In 1814-15 at the Congress of Vienna, Poland was recreated. The small area in the south became Little Poland; the western portion, Great Poland, ruled by Germany; the central portion or Central Poland became Russian Poland. This latter area was declared a Kingdom of Poland--a kingdom in permanent union with Russia whose king was to be the Russian Czar. This explains the term "Russian Poland" and the reason for renouncing allegiance to a Russian czar who, at this time, was Nicholas II.
In the meantime, Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck, "Chancellor of the German Empire", was carrying out his program of Germanization in German Poland. German people began occupying the moderately fertile land in western Poland. German influence in this area is still quite visible in the architecture of the buildings. But in the East, a program of Russification was going on. Naturally the Poles resented pressure on both sides. There were insurrections, revolts, and even wars. The suppressed people kept their strong feelings of nationalism. Their innate talents in many fields and their pride made them resentful. Strangely enough, as individuals, the Polish were very gifted and successful, but when they united their efforts on a national scale, even their seeming successes turned out to be failures.
It was at this time about the middle of the nineteenth century, that Frederic Kontak, a German youth, was growing up near or amidst Polish people who were striving desperately to maintain their national identity. He had been born September 10, 1837, in Bromberg, Germany. Frederic married Eva Hoffman, the "Grossmutter" (Grandmother) many of the third-generation Kontaks remember. Having previously noted that the oldest son had been born in Russia and the younger sons in Russian Poland, we might conclude that the family had moved, crossing a national boundary. However, because of the "Floating Borders", it was possible to remain in one place and become sub¬jects of a different country. However, according to records, we think that the family did move a short distance, always staying in the general area of the Vistula River, from Bromberg (now called Bydgoszez) southeast toward Warsaw. We know the Kontaks often spoke of Warsaw, but we do not know whether they ever went there. Adolph Kontak was confirmed at G1ovien. Even in recent years August Kontak continued to correspond with relatives on his mother's side in the city of Wloclawek. We now feel quite certain that the area of residence in Europe before coming to America is established.
Now what can be said concerning their nationality? There have been instances of their being called Polish. Feelings approaching anger surged through their hearts and minds at this misnomer. They were German! At some past time their forebears must have come to this area for a better life. Isn't this always the dream which leads man to leave one home and seek a hopefully better one? Then there were even some who thought the Kontaks were of Russian extraction. We answer this with a question.
Why did Frederic and Eva name their oldest son Edward Frederick Leopold when the great German statesman Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck was the Iron Chancellor of Germany? Think of some of the other names the Kontaks used: namely, Otto, August, Frederic, Wilhelm. The selection of names indicates a nationality.
The Certificates of Naturalization of Edward, Adolph and August definitely state for each one that he was a "subject", not a citizen of Russia. Julius's Certificate indicates the word "citizen"; however, in actuality he must also have been a "subject".
As far as can be determined at this time, the boundary line between the German Empire and the old Russian Poland in the 1890's ran south across the Vistula River slightly southeast of Torun and continued in a somewhat southwesterly direction. (See Map) Towns previously mentioned, with exception of Bromberg, fall into the area ruled by Russia.
Now comes the question - Since the Kontaks so strongly maintained that they were German, why were they living in this area? The only answer we have is an account made by one of the uncles. He said that at some past time a Kontak ancestor left Germany when it was very thickly populated and land no longer available and traveled to western Poland where other Germans had obtained land. However, when he reached the area, all of the land available for colonization had already been claimed. Not having enough money to return to Germany, he remained with other Germans and worked at whatever occupation he could find. It is likely that in time he married a German girl. Then too there has been some conjecture that at some time the Kontaks might have been "displaced" persons and sent to this area. But this idea is not more than just conjecture.
In trying to verify the account about the German people going to western Poland to get land, we learned that a portion of western Poland called Poznan Province in the buffer state under the King of Saxony was given by the Congress of Vienna to Prussia in I9I4. The land was moderately fertile and attracted many German people who were hungering for their own little plot of land. As more people came, they would have to go farther east. Consequently, those coming later had to go as far as Central or Russian Poland. It may well have been the dream to own land and to better one's self and family that led a Kontak to this area. Expert advice from State Department personnel contacted recently in Washington, D.C., indicates that there is very little chance of finding a specific name in records. It was suggested that one source' of finding a specific name is always the church.

However, since the Kontaks were German Lutherans, a small minority in a Polish Catholic environment, it is not likely that there were more than a few Lutheran churches. In fact, one of our living Kontaks recalls having been told that a Lutheran minister would come to the church several times a year. Mrs. Michael Mintz, Cleveland, Ohio, presently a very clear-minded person, verified this information last February. She attended the church in Dobrzyn. She also told us that many people did not know their own ages. Perhaps these people felt so unimportant that they kept no record of any vital statistics. If this was the case, it would even be less likely that any records exist in this area which is now quite remote from us in more ways than one.
Emil Kontak recalls from conversations with his father while working on the farm that there were long walks to church in the old country. He recalls that the distance would be comparable to the distance he had to walk home from school in Oak Harbor after football practice to their home in Elliston. We also have information that Adolph's wife was confirmed in Lipnau. Several of our committee members recall hearing the parents talk about long walks to attend church and about itinerant ministers who came to the homes at certain intervals, or to a specific place, to conduct worship services, give Holy Communion, perform baptismal rites, marriages and other ministerial duties. Whether there are any records in the old country is very difficult to say.
The desire for more thorough verification of places led one of our Kontaks to the Map Annex of the Library of Congress. On an old city map of Bromberg he found a district, or area, labeled "Klein Lahnof". According to St. John's early church records, this is where Julius and August had lived. There is slight variation in spelling, but then, how could Americans know how to spell these foreign names? When Frederic was born in 1837, the area of Bromberg belonged to Germany.
We will attempt to bring you now a g1impse into the lives of our people as we have been privileged to hear these reminiscences by various Kontaks who recalled these stories told them by their elders.
To begin with, we must bear in mind that "Grosmutter's" children came in contact with the Polish youth even though they did not really associate with them. The language spoken in the Kontak home was a dialect of Low German, but when company came the High German was usually spoken. Gradually, the German became loaded with Polish words and expressions. Even the elders picked up Polish vocabulary. Adolph could speak some Polish, some Russian, German and English. Some of the Kontaks of today remember some Polish words. It is understandable that they may have been called Polish. However, great emphasis was put on the learning of German because they wished to retain their identity as German people. Many of the Kontaks living today were confirmed "in German". Incidentally, the Polish language has absorbed many German words.
Their formal education was limited. It is not known exactly just how long each child in the family attended school. Nevertheless, the grandfather and grandmother accepted the responsibility of bringing up their children in "the nurture and admonition of the Lord". Each one had to study the Bible and the Catechism. And that they did. Each also learned to write the German well enough so that even in their later years they carried on a correspondence with German relatives and friends.
Now let us take a look into their living quarters in Russian Poland.
Their houses had only a very few rooms. The floors were good old hard dirt. Stables where the pigs and a cow were kept adjoined the kitchen. The children's sleeping room was in the loft, reached by a vertical ladder. Emil remembers the latter because of a vivid description by his father, who at one time, when descending the ladder, most inadvertently and regrettably stepped into a large kettle of hot potato soup just taken off the fire. Since he was barefoot, he suffered severe burn, but he would not dare scream for fear of getting a whipping for his carelessness. The furniture was very primitive. The tops of the crude wooden tables were scoured with sand until they were light in color. The women cooked in one pot over the fireplace.
The basic foods consisted of potatoes, dry peas and beans, sauerkraut, milk and black bread. White bread was made only at Christmas time and Easter. That was a real treat. They never baked anything except bread and "Kuchen". Soups made with potatoes and milk or soup with riffles was frequently served. Riffles were made with flour and water, a type of noodle which was rolled between the hands and allowed to fall into the soup to cook until done. This was called "scherka". It is a known fact that "Grosmutter" made this dish for herself as long as she lived. Another type of food was "peroga". This was a tasty dish made by filling pieces of a kind of dough with a cottage cheese mixture, containing eggs. They were first cooked, and then fried. They might be served with sugar over them and cream. Another dish "klitska" was made with flour and grated raw potato and eggs. A stiff batter was formed into a type of dumpling and boiled in salted water. They could then be served with sauerkraut or with cream or simply fried. We note an absence of meat, but the eggs would indicate that they had chickens. Their coffee was made from roasted barley or wheat.
It is said that the Vistula River teemed with oysters or clams, but the people did not know they were edible. They dipped them up by bucketfuls, cooked them, and fed them to the pigs.
The women took their laundry down to the Vistula River and washed their clothes in the clear running water. It is doubtful that this could be done in the winter and we have no further knowledge of this household chore.
Grandfather Kontak was a Weaver by trade although he listed his occupation as laborer on the customs list of passengers. He had three looms. He wove silk cloth as well as heavy cloth for men's clothing. No doubt he taught his sons this art. Uncles Edward and Adolph often had to walk many miles to deliver the finished cloth. Weaving was a rather important skill or trade. Some weavers wove wool with designs. The cloth was usually linen, having been made of flax. If a whiter shade was desired, the cloth was made wet and laid out on the grass to bleach. Grandmother Kontak kept house, cared for the children and took care of their plot of land. She made sauerkraut in a large crock. The younger sons, Julius and August, helped the family by watching flocks of geese and cattle for the Polish landowners. While at this work, they would whittle on pieces of wood, fashioning objects for their use or pleasure.
Pauline, oldest daughter, worked very hard at gathering wheat in the fields. She also stripped feathers from the geese which they took care of. Her youth was not too happy a one. It is said that she herself told the following about her courtship. When her boyfriend, Andreas Geda came to call on her, he would greet her and then spend the evening visiting with her parents. Then upon leaving, he would bid her goodbye and leave without any more conversation. Of course, there must have been a little communication sometime. Anyway, after their marriage, they spent their honeymoon at home sharing sleeping quarters with her parents.
At certain busy times the family rose at three o'clock in the morning in order to be in the fields by dawn. One of these field jobs was digging potatoes. Another was harvesting grain. Quite a bit of animosity existed between the owners and the workers; consequently, these were not very pleasant occupations. The overseer would often tell them to hurry. On these long days the family ate five times. Meals were brought to the fields either by the landowner or by the Kontak women. It is not known just what type of or how much remuneration they received for their labor. It is thought that the landowner allowed the worker a small portion of ground for his own use. They must have had permission to keep a cow and a pig or two, since milk and cottage cheese were ingredients in the various recipes the women used so often. Adolph's daughter, Martha, recalls that her mother used to say that the Czar was a Christian man and Mrs. Mintz stated that in 1904, when Nicholas's son was born, he gave his people land but they had to "work it off". By 1904, however, the Kontaks were already in America.
Added to the hardships of their lives was the stress of the country in which they lived. A military draft had been designed. With so many failures on the national level, should the Kontak young men be conscripted and possibly sacrificed in the futile Polish struggle against their several oppressors? The oldest son was exempted from this obligation, but the other sons would soon be reaching the age of compulsory enrollment in the governmental service. We note that Adolph, second oldest son, came to this country about March of 1892 when he was seventeen years of age. There is no doubt that the elder Kontaks were thinking of preserving their youth. It is no small wonder then that they turned their backs on the old country and looked to America. Little did they know what a marvelous life they themselves would see here, not to mention the luxury and the great abundance which our present living Kontaks are enjoying.
As to the preparation for that great venture to sail to America we know nothing. How carefully plans were made, or how long it took to save the money necessary for just the "over-land" trip to the port of embarkation, and for the greater Trans-Atlantic voyage we can but leave to the imagination. At any rate, thoughts of getting here superseded any ideas of notation of dates of their sailing or their arrival here. Perhaps a feeling of insignificance prevailed and no records were made of any kind until many years later when they were confronted with questions concerning their former places of residence, their arrival here, and present addresses. Then only their memory could be referred to and that is why some records are inaccurate.
Several committee members visited The National Archives in Washington, D.C., to search for Kontak names on the immigration passenger lists. Most of these are on microfilm. It was in the search for the name of Edward Kontak, who had said he had come on the S.S. Prussia in 1897, that a committee member came across the names of grandfather Frederic and family. Frederic, age 57 and wife Eva (Anna on the record), age 56. Julius, age 17, and August, age 15, arrived in New York on April 8, 1896. They are listed in the Steerage Class in the "Aft" of the ship. Frederic gave his occupation as laborer. His sons had none. Their destination was Perth Amboy, New Jersey. The S.S. Prussia, a vessel of the Hamburg-¬American Line, sailed from Hamburg, Germany. The family name is misspelled Kuntak on this record. The arrival date of the Edward Kontak Family has not been found and just may have been in the few months of which the data is missing. Our National Archives Building was not completed until 1937. Previous to its completion, records were fairly well kept, but yet many which were stored in attics, cellars, warehouses, and other unsuitable places, were subject to dampness, fire and water damage and unauthorized access. Hours of searching by four other Kontaks yielded no success in the search for either the Edward Kontak Family, the Geda Family or Adolph Kontak. It is still possible that there is some record of these since it would take weeks to view all possible microfilm which might list them.
As for luggage, if we discern the dim copy correctly, they had no more than one piece per person. Imagine going to a far country with only that much worldly goods! And can we imagine their discomforts as they braved the rough Atlantic in the latter part of March and early April? Did sea sickness plague them? Was there fear in their hearts as some of the passengers died at sea? Certainly many a prayer was sent up to the Throne of Grace for a safe passage. And how did they react when the New York skyline came into view in the distance? As they passed that great symbol of freedom, Liberty Enlightening the World, could they have thought that they were some of the very ones mentioned in the sonnet. "The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus, inscribed upon the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty, a portion of which read:

“Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”

Ellis Island may not have seemed much like a "golden door", but there was no choice about going there. Then on to Perth Amboy to their friends by the name of Lippke. Records in St. John's Lutheran Church, Passaic, New Jersey, list a Karl Lippke, born 1865, Russian Poland, and his wife, Wilhelmine Semrock, born 1872, Russian Poland. Perhaps these folks encouraged the Kontaks to come to this country. Could this also be the reason for the multiple Kontak-Semrock marriages? It is thought that the Kontaks stayed with the Lippkes until they found their place of residence. We know that they chose St. John's for their place of worship. Records show that Julius Kontak and Pauline Semrock, later Mrs. Dickhoff, were sponsors for the Lippke's son, Edward, born in April, 1903. It may be that the older Kontaks and the Semrocks were already well acquainted in the old country.
And now the Kontaks move to Passaic, New Jersey. We can readily see what drew them there. Various textile mills such as Botany Worsted, Garfield Worsted and Forstmann had been erected by German concerns because of the high protective tariffs of the administrations of President Harrison and successors. The Kontaks were weavers. Weaving meant their livelihood. About 4000 Germans were living in or near Passaic in 1891. It is also noted that "to a large extent Germans working in such plants established our congregation and were its strength for many years". The foregoing information was taken from The Story of St. John's which was published when the seventy-fifth anniversary of the organization of the congregation was observed.
Since the Kontaks did not arrive until in 1896, they were not charter members; however, we have found their names frequently on the communion records beginning with September, 1897, through December, 1903 and later. Names of the Kontaks listed include the following: Frederic Kontak and wife, Julius, August, Adolph and wife, Edward and wife, Andrea Gede and wife (Pauline Kontak) and after the marriages of August and Julius, their wives are also listed. The name of Pauline Semrock (Mrs. Dickhoff) makes its appearance on the September, 1899 list.
Marriages performed were those of August Kontak and Emilie Semrock on New Year's Eve. 1899. and that of Julius and Florentine Semrock on April 16. 1902. Both marriages were performed in church. The record of baptisms includes the following: Gustave Kontak. 1898; Olga Kontak, 1900; Bertha Kontak (sister of Gustave), 1901; Edward Gede, 1901; Rosalie Kontak, 1902; Reinhold Kontak, 1903; and Daniel Kontak, 1903. Many of these children were born on Jefferson Street, not too far from the church.
But all was not health and happiness here. After only a month or so after their arrival, the Edward Kontak family lost their oldest son, Michael, age 5, on October 2R, l897. Church records state that his death was caused by diphtheria and City Hall records say croup. He was buried in Lodi Cemetery. Then Grandfather Frederic became ill with dropsy and after two years, he passed away at his home at 39 Jefferson Street on May 24, 1900, at the age of sixty-two. He was buried in Lodi Cemetery, which is several miles from the church, on May 26. The grave site is Lot 1162, Grave 5, Section A. At present the grave has no headstone, but the Kontaks have taken action to purchase a marker in the near future.
Since the Kontaks were a church-going people, a few words about St. John's Evangelical Church should be included in this story. It is a cathedral-like edifice. The nave rises to a height of eighty feet and the lofty spire with belfry rises another one hundred feet into the sky. Plans for this impressive house of worship were drawn by a member of the congregation from Mainz, Germany. The stained glass windows, twenty-five feet high and nine feet wide, were designed by the studio of George Boos of Munich, Germany. Almost all of the building material, except the outside bricks, was imported from Germany. Wall tiles, terra cotta columns, spires; exterior trim, baptismal font, altar and pulpit, all of these, along with much iron work, were imported. The baptismal font is so large that it lakes two men to remove the ornate cover and to replace it. Our vocabulary does not find words adequate to describe the holy beauty inside of the church as the late afternoon sun filters its rays through the many large colorful windows which depict familiar Biblical scenes in rich shades and tints of many hues. One wonders about the inner feelings of the elder Kontaks as they worshipped in such a grand church. They had sought out a beautiful church home indeed.
The Kontak brothers served this church in a rather outstanding way. They were the bell ringers. There were several huge bells of varying size in that belfry. It took two or three men to ring these bells from the church "attic" at the very top of the spiral stairs going up from the choir 10ft. To get an idea of the steps they had to climb--first there were twenty steps outside in front, then twenty-two up to the choir 10ft, then thirty-five up to ring the bells. If one wished to climb up to the belfry, he would have to use two ladders, totaling thirty-one rungs. At the present time the bells are rung electrically and only on very limited occasions because of the weakening effect of the vibration on the ageing edifice. Speaking of bell ringing, many of us recall the excellent and faithful service Uncle Adolph rendered for Trinity Lutheran Church in Elmore. Ohio.
The congregation takes great pride in preserving the original construction of St. John's. Even though electric lights replace the old gas ones, the old wrought-iron fixtures hold the new light bulbs. Their Christ¬mas tree usually towers thirty to thirty-five feet, requiring six men to set it up. Then forty or more poinsettias and tall candles make the church simply resplendent. It is at this festive time that many couples choose to be married and why not? When you are in the East, look up old St. John's. You'll find it most interesting.
As previously stated, Julius and August were married here. They married sisters of Adolph's wife, Pauline Semrock. These girls had come over to America from Russian Poland. It was in 1902 that Adolph and Pauline Kontak moved to Passaic. Martha recollects her first school days in the St. John's Parochial School which was held on the first floor of the church. Emilie Semrock, before her marriage to August, did not like housework because of the language barrier. This may have helped her in deciding whether to marry or not to marry. At any rate, the three couples became very "close" and always remained so.
As we all know, there are times when all is not well. Sometimes a change seems advisable. And things that happen lead to this change. It is recalled that in 1903 August quit the weaving occupation at the textile mills. He started a small chicken farm. Then a flood came because a dam had broken. Quickly the chickens were moved upstairs into the house. The water kept rising and finally all had to be rescued by boat, family as well as chickens. Another nearly fatal accident occurred when Adolph thought he would take a shortcut to work one morning and decided to cross the river on the ice. The ice broke and he was caught under a huge block. If a passerby had not come along, he would have drowned. Then Pauline Geda's husband contracted tuberculosis, so-called "consumption" in those days. He was advised to move to a warmer climate.
It was at this time that 'the families learned about some land for sale in Virginia. Was this their opportunity for improvement? Their families were growing and city flats or apartments leave much to be desired in the rearing of children. It is a matter of record that the August and Julius Kontak families are not listed in St. John's, Passaic, New Jersey, after December, 1903. Adolph's and Pauline's names appear through 1905, and the Edward Kontaks continue on the records until 1907.
It is interesting to note that the names of Julius and wife, Florentine, August and wife, Emilie, Pauline and Andrea Cede, Grandmother Eva and also Adolph and wife are on the Communion Record in St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, Farmville, Virginia, for March, June and October, 1904. Apparently Adolph and wife visited their relatives here before actually moving away from Passaic. These four families together purchased a 401-acre plantation with an old plantation house on it. Talk about undaunted spirit. The Adolph's and Pauline's names appear through 1905, and the Edward Kontaks continue on the records until 1907.
It is interesting to note that the names of Julius and wife, Florentine, August and wife, Emilie, Pauline and Andrea Cede, Grandmother Eva and also Adolph and wife are on the Communion Record in St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, Farmville, Virginia, for March, June and October, 1904. Apparently Adolph and wife visited their relatives here before actually moving away from Passaic. These four families together purchased a 40l-acre plantation with an old plantation house on it. Talk about undaunted spirit. They lived in the two-story rectangular house with two large chimneys, one on each end. These provided four fire¬places for heating and cooking: However, it is recalled that Adolph's wife and Julius's wife cooked on one stove in one of the upstairs rooms. There was an icehouse built into a hillside where former rich owners had kept ice. There was a spring to keep butter and milk cool. Several acres of large trees, namely cedars, locusts, maples, and oaks surrounded this old home.
It is not known just when the land was divided into certain plots as shown on the sketch. A similar sketch may be found in the Prince Edward County Courthouse, Farmville, Virginia.
Here in Virginia the Kontaks again sought the church for a place of worship. At this time other Lutheran families were moving into the area, and in 1904 a congregation was organized. The signatures of J. Kontak, A. Gede and Adolph Kontak were recorded as given here on the original constitution of the church. A house of worship was planned and building actually was begun in the fall of 1905. The materials were furnished by members, who also helped construct the small white edifice which was dedicated in November, 1905. During the week it served as a Christian Day School. This white frame church stands undisturbed today in its original simple beauty. Present membership numbers about 68.
However, Andrew Gede did not live to see this church. He passed away on November 14, 1904, and was buried in the one-acre cemetery shown on the plantation sketch. This left his wife Pauline with six children to support. Sometime later she returned to Passaic where she was able to find work. She took in washings, working many long hours into the night to finish the ironing and to sew and mend for her children. A few words about life in Virginia may be interesting to some of the Kontak offspring. There was a large pecan tree in the yard. When the nuts ripened and fell, the first youngster out in the morning got the nuts. Sometimes a little discord accompanied the acquisition of these choice morsels. The mothers really "had their hands full". Families were still growing and much babysitting was required, some of it not being too gentle. When the roads were too bad to travel the distance to church, or the weather inclement, the fathers would conduct services at home. Sermons were read out of a big "sermon book" and hymns were sung. Sometimes when these services became boring, some of the children who had assumed positions under the table would sneak out of the house unnoticed. However, they were usually found out later. Other pranks like skimming the cream off the milk and eating it and getting sick from it, cutting up valuable dress goods While Mother wasn't looking or falling into a watery manure when all cleaned up for church took place.
On Saturday nights there was hymn singing, and on other festivals. On Christmas Eve carols were sung all the way home from church. Then came the exciting moment when a few candles on the Christmas tree were lit. More singing, always in the German language, would follow. Then the children were permitted to pick a few nuts and cookies off the tree which had been given them by "Krist Kindt", the German words for Christ Child. No one knew about Santa Claus. On Easter morning the uncles would begin singing Easter songs and the rest would gradually join in. Then the exciting Egg Hunt before breakfast. This meant looking in the nest which each youngster had built somewhere outdoors the day before. The eggs were theirs to keep. Seems as though these few simple, sincere observances of our greatest religious holy days were much more blessed than the many involved activities which are not really observances or celebrations at all in our society today.
There were some other serious episodes which at that time made an indelible mark upon some of the youngsters, presently the "oldsters". One day all the children were ordered into the house and the window shades were drawn down. Curiosity which could not be resisted caused one girl to peek out. Now most of us are familiar with the meaning of the term "dog days" but we are not unduly frightened. Early in the century, however, these days were most dreaded, because if one were bit by one of these dogs, that person would contract the often fatal hydrophobia. Seeing this black dog was like seeing "death". On another occasion a rabid dog bit the horse which was drawing the spring wagon carrying the family home from church on a Sunday. The family returned safely, but the horse became ill and had to be killed.
Another cause of fear or fright was the abundance of snakes. Sometimes a youngster would step on one when barefooted. It is said that green snakes traveled through the tall grasses common in Virginia. When playing hide-and-seek, one might be confronted with one of them in the grass, or you might meet a snake on the side of the tree behind which you intended to hide. Many types of mushrooms grew there. Several of the Kontaks happened to indulge in some poisonous variety, but "lived to tell the tale" after almost deathly illness.
The plantation had a lot of woods and waste land. There were small tillable plots where crops were grown. It was hard to make a living on the soil which was not nearly as rich as they had expected it to be. Their struggle for a livelihood demanded hard work even from the children. The cash crop was tobacco. Caring for it involved every member who could possibly perform any task whatever and even if it was just holding a bunch of tobacco leaves to be tied for drying in the "tobacco bar". Helen, oldest daughter of Andrea Geda and wife, Pauline, remembers having to pick big fat green worms off the tobacco plants. Others remember picking off these worms which were a big threat to the crop. In those days no spraying controlled these pests. The ground was prepared with a one-horse plow. Then the rest was done mostly by hand. Plants which did not thrive had to be replaced. All harvesting had to be done by hand. Other crops were potatoes and corn. The latter yielded very poor returns. The potato crop fared better. The children had to help with the potato crop too, and yet Helen's grandmother told her that she had an easy life compared to what she had experienced in the old country. When Helen was twelve years old, she had an opportunity to work in the beautiful home of the Newman family in Farmville, caring for their children and doing housework. Later she worked in Mr. Newman's office. She was confirmed and married in the Farmville' Church. She had been born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, 1897.
It was on August 17, 1907, that Pauline Kontak Geda married Carl Semrock in Passaic, New Jersey. They evidently moved to Virginia soon after because the Farmville Church records list them in April, 1908. The four Semrock children, Rose, Reynold, Millie and Carl were born in Virginia.
Carl Semrock was the one who did the hunting in the Kontak family. None of the Kontak brothers ever did any hunting in Virginia although there was game there. This was because of an incident that happened to Adolph back in the old country. He had picked up a gun, accidentally triggered it and the shot ricocheted around the room, hitting each wall, finally going out the window. This frightened him so much that he, nor any of the other brothers, ever did any hunting with guns.
Not all of the Kontaks moved to Virginia. In 1907, Edward Kontak and family moved to an area in about the middle of Long Island, fifty miles east of New York City. Although son Michael had died, there were now five living children: Emma, Pauline, Julius, Gustave and Bertha, the latter two having been born in Passaic. They purchased a ten-acre plot of wooded land and built their new home while living in a makeshift house which was there. For a while Edward commuted to Passaic while working in the silk mills. For some time he stayed with his sister, Pauline, and then went to Long Island over the weekend.
After a while Edward found employment working for Mayor Gaynor of New York City on his country estate about two miles away in St. James. He walked to work until he could afford a bicycle. He earned $40.00 a month. Cost of living in this area was quite high and Mother Amalie had to take in washings to assist in rearing the family. Father would some¬times bring home discarded clothing, shoes, books and other things from the Gaynor estate. Gustave vividly recalls his embarrassment when he had to wear shoes which had been discarded by the Mayor's daughter. He also has clear recollections of often seeing this well-known mayor walking his red English setter and wirehaired terrier past the Kontak home.
In the summer the children picked huckleberries and sold them for twenty cents a quart. It took forever and a day to get a quart. They also had to take the cows out to a grassy plot some distance away and stake them out. When they were untethered at evening, it was the thirsty cow who led the children home. Sometimes the homeward way became almost a flight.
Another son, Frederic, had been born to the Edward Kontak family here in 1905, although he was born prematurely at seven months, he lived to be eight years old. The family was again grieved when he passed away in July, 1913, because of a weak heart.
The Edward Kontak family did not forget the church even though the nearest Lutheran church was about fifteen miles away in Huntington. Later on, Edward helped build a church at St. James. The original small structure has been enlarged beautifully and presently serves a large con¬gregation.
When the United States entered World War 1, Julius served our country in the army. He was trained for overseas duty at Camp Upton about sixteen miles away from home. One day he heard that his company was not being granted any leaves to go home. Surmising that he would soon be shipped overseas, Julius ran all the way home one night to say good-bye to his family. He had to avoid meeting anyone so he ran through woods, any¬where so that he would not be caught. He made it back safely. He was soon shipped to France and was about to be sent to the front lines when the Armistice was signed. He returned to the United States on the great ship The Leviathan, in April, 1919. All of these troops marched up Broadway in New York City. Emma and Gustave, Julius's sister and brother, went to New York to see his arrival but were unable to spot their brother in the huge parade. On the day the Armistice was signed, Gustave had to report for military duty, but the men were all returned to their homes since the war was over.
Let us now go back in time and see what the other Kontak families have been doing. We find that August has built his family a new home on his part of the plantation. A note of interest should be inserted here. In September, 1971, several Kontaks visited this area and found this house still standing near the large white oak as seen on the Plantation Plot in Lot Number 2. They learned that the house was for sale. They also saw new ranch-type homes where the old plantation house formerly stood in Lot Number 1. New roads have been constructed through this lot. The old home had been destroyed by a tornado in the 1930's. The Julius Kontak Family had moved into a house which had been built previously on the land. This left the Adolph Kontak Family and the Pauline Kontak Geda Semrock Family in the large house.
The land in the Farmville area did not prove fertile enough to produce sufficient returns for sustaining the needs of the four growing families. Having heard of good farming land in northern Ohio, August deemed it advisable to sell his portion of land and move to Perrysburg, Ohio, in October, 1908. He was able to procure work in Toledo during the winter, but in the spring, the rural area lured him to Elmore. Here he became a farm hand on the Boggs-Nieman Farm on South River Road east of town. Proof of the closeness of these families is shown in the fact that Julius soon followed in the move to the North, joining his family with that of his brother in Perrysburg, February, 1909. The following spring he too moved to the Elmore area, on which is presently known as the Dromgold-Dolph farm which is a short distance east of the Boggs-Nieman
Farm. He was employed by a Walter Miller. They lived on this farm; however, the house in which they resided is no longer standing.
When the August Kontak Family moved to Elmore, there were five children: Olga, Rose, Dan, Bertha and Emilie. Daughter Lucy was the first one to be born in Ohio. The house in which they were living at that time is still standing - the first one west of the large Hanneman home. The rest of the family, Edward, Carl and Emil were born in Ohio also. When the Julius Kontak Family made the move northward, children Reynold, William and twins, Otto and Ottilie, made up the young set in that household. The rest of the children - Henry, Elsie, Arthur, Lillian and Alice were born in Ohio.
Early in 1910, Adolph decided to join his brothers in Ohio. He too secured work as a farmhand on the Boggs-Nieman Farm. They lived in a small house which was located just east of the present Hanneman home on South River Road. This house is no longer in existence. There were just two children, Martha and Frederic, although his wife had had a stillborn child.
We can not go into the details of the sale of the three portions of the plantation in Virginia. Committee members found that the transactions are recorded in the Prince Edward County Courthouse in Farmville, and anyone wishing to learn more about the purchase and the sale of this property can find this information there.
We learned that the families traveled north by train just as they had also come from Passaic to Farmville. They crated the most necessary household goods which also came by train. This was rather sad as many cherished pieces had to be left behind.
Let us now briefly trace the various moves made by these families. The reason for so much changing of residence was usually that the employer's sons became old enough to assist their father. In 1911 Julius moved three miles eastward, settling on the Anna Fulkert Farm on South River Road, presently the Albert Giesler Farm. They stayed here four years. They then moved to the Henry Pafenbach Farm on Ryer Road, now known as Route 590. After three years he purchased a ninety-acre farm near Curtice on Yondota Road. This was to be their home for about twenty-seven years. The house was spacious and could provide adequate room for the large family. In 1945, Julius and wife, Florentine, moved to their home in Elmore on East Rice Street, where they lived the rest of their lives. Florentine passed away very suddenly on Sunday morning, June 12 1949, while attending worship services at Trinity Lutheran Church in Elmore. It was while Reverend Thober was delivering the sermon that she quietly slumped over. A doctor was summoned, but it was too late. She was 62 years old. Julius reached the age of 89 years when he passed away on February 22. 1966. Both are buried in the Elmore Cemetery.
After leaving the Boggs-Nieman Farm, Adolph moved to the John Langerman Farm on Route 51. However, they resided in a house on the Opfer-Lentz Road directly opposite the Langerman Farm. This meant quite a long walk for Adolph when he did the chores. The house where they lived is still standing. From there they moved to the Blank Farm on the Anderson Road not far from the Hyers Farm where August lived near Gibsonburg. After one year, they moved to the William Bruns Farm along the Sugar Creek on Route 20. None of these buildings are there anymore.
It was there that Adolph's wife, Pauline, gave birth to a still¬born boy on December 4, 1913. After this she became critically ill. Her case was referred to a specialist in Toledo. Three weeks later on December 24, an emergency operation was performed in the presence of three additional doctors and two nurses. Many instruments were sterilized in the large wash boiler on the cook stove. An operating room was prepared by lining the walls with bed sheets. The only light was that from a kerosene lamp. Before beginning the surgery, the doctor looked at the children, Martha and Frederic, huddled in the corner and scared to death and asked them whether they could pray. They nodded their heads in the affirmative. Then he asked them to pray the Lord's Prayer with him. This they did. Then he said "Pray all the time during the operation." Pauline was not expected to live, but she survived the operation. Special nurses cared for her for three weeks. She was ill about six months. With humble thanks to God, she recovered and lived in fairly good health for forty more years.
From this farm they moved to Elmore again, residing for a while on Lincoln Street. Then they bought the John Helm's house beside the "basket factory". Here they lived a number of years. At this time Adolph was employed at the foundry. He was also using his talent of bell ringing again as he served as custodian of Trinity Lutheran Church. One more move brought them to their home on Fremont Street. Their last years were spent with their daughter, Martha. Pauline passed away in 1954 at the age of 79 and Adolph died in 1955 at the age of 81. Both are buried in the Elliston Cemetery.
The August Kontak Family also left the South River Road location and moved to the present Harmon Milbrodt Farm on Deno Road. The house in which they lived has been used as a tool shed, and if you should happen to pass this way, you may readily identify the lines of this white structure as being that of a former dwelling. Memories bring to mind that one day as wife Emilie had just taken several loaves of bread out of the oven, some gypsies came and boldly entered the house. In order to satisfy them, she gave them two loaves of bread and they left. Children of school age walked to Elmore and attended parochial school conducted by Trinity Lutheran Church in Elmore. After three years the family changed residence again and moved to the Myers Farm along the Sugar Creek near Gibsonburg in 1913 for one year. Then they located on the Dischinger Farm southeast of Elmore on Route 51 for one year. Their next move was to the Trault Farm on the Elliston Road near Elliston. This was about 1915.
Since the farmers' work of preparing the ground and planting was often more than he could do himself, the hired hands were needed in the spring of the year. Hence, as a general rule, those who were the farm hands moved in the spring of the year. This made it very difficult for the children in the family who were of school age. Some of them lost a year of school or more because of their frequent change of school. This may well have been the reason why many of them did not finish high school but chose rather to go to find employment for themselves.
After leaving the Trault Farm, they moved only a short distance on Elliston Road south to the Marquardt Farm which August purchased. Here they settled down and lived for about twelve or thirteen years. It was here that Emilie's health failed and she passed away March 1, 1927 of complications at the age of 44. She was buried in the Elliston Cemetery.
In March of 1929, August married Nettie Wickey. They sold the Marquardt Farm and purchased the Trault Farm near Elliston where he had lived before. In 1937 Nettie passed away. She was buried in Princeton, Illinois.
Two subsequent marriages were unsuccessful and of short duration. August continued to live on the Trault Farm for some time. Having some skill at carpenter work, he was frequently in demand by his relatives when work of this nature was desired. When he was no longer able to work, he stayed with his daughter Emilie, who had moved to Elmore. He also spent some time with several other children. During his later years he suffered from emphysema. He passed away at his daughter Rose's home in Gibsonburg in January, 1968, at the age of 88. He was buried beside his first wife, Emilie, in Elliston Cemetery. One of his daughters, Bertha Gerbich, preceded him in death in 1958.
Again now we return in time to trace the lives of the Pauline Kontak Semrock Family whom we left in Virginia. Carl Semrock liked to hunt and after he came to Virginia, wild turkey, quail and other kinds of game lent variety to the menu. The Kontak brothers had no interest in handling guns because of the stray bullet episode that was related before. Adolph was unhurt in the incident, but was a thoroughly frightened youngster.
An interesting statement supposedly made by Carl Semrock to his grandson was that in the old country, he had served in three different armies without even moving. If this is true, he must certainly have lived near the "Floating Borders". The armies may have been Polish, German and Russian.
The last time the names of the Semrock Family appear on the Farmville Church records is May. 1917. All of the Geda children, except Fred, who had been born in Farmville, had been confirmed in the St. John's Lutheran Church in Farmville. All of the four Semrock children were born while the parents were living on the old plantation.
In May, 1917, the Semrocks moved to a farm near Twining. Michigan. In 1920 they moved to Munger near Bay City. One week before moving, their youngest child. Karl was playing with a neighbor boy who was handling his father's gun. The gun discharged and the bullet hit Karl. He died the same day. The family lived near Munger until 1926 when
they moved to Ohio to the farm on Elliston Road. On May 13, 1934, tragedy struck again. Mother Pauline died. She and her husband and son, Reynold and their neighbor, Mr. Hinke, were on their way home from Sunday Morning Worship Service at Trinity Lutheran Church, Elmore, when they were involved in a car accident at the intersection of Elliston Road and Route 163. Pauline lived a few hours but died the same day. She was 63 years old. She was buried in Elliston Cemetery.
We fondly recall a gift which she had presented to her godchild, Gustave Kontak and his wife when they began housekeeping. It was during the depression. Banks had closed. Many men were out of work and had no money. At this time Aunt Pauline came with fourteen chickens. What a welcome and thoughtful gift! These hens laid eggs which could be traded in for staple foods at the grocery store.
After his wife's death, Carl Semrock stayed on the farm about a year. Julius Geda came by to help him. Then Carl rented his farm out. Both he and Julius then lived with son Reynold and Emilie who had married and lived across the road. After three years, Reynold moved to the Semrock Farm. Carl stayed with them, but Julius went to Virginia. Sometimes during the winter months, Carl visited his daughters, Rose and Milly. In 1959, he suffered a stroke and about a month later, on December 4, he passed away. He was buried in Elliston Cemetery.
We must relate some interesting facts about Grandmother Eva. She may have spent most of her time with her daughter Pauline. However, in December of 1913 when her son Adolph's wife was critically ill, she came north to do the housework for the family for several months. She helped out wherever she could. For her size and age she had remarkable strength. She never wore glasses. It is known that she helped top sugar beets here in Ohio. She used a small stool to sit on as she worked. Another type of work she did was called stripping goose feathers. This consisted of pulling the feathery part off the heavy hard quills. These feathers had first been washed and laid out to dry on newspapers in an upstairs room perhaps a month or more previous. Feathers were valuable for pillows and featherbeds, especially goose feathers. After they were dry, they were sorted, the down being the better because of its softness. "Grosmutter" also sewed carpet rags and pieced quilt tops. She even travelled to New York to spend time with her son Edward. She would walk from the railroad station to their home about a mile and a half or more away. Then she helped with whatever tasks there were to be performed. Edward used to gather leaves in the fall for use later as bedding for the livestock. Grandmother was not to be outdone by her son. She also packed huge bags of leaves in the woods and carried them to the barn. She remained in good health during the rest of, her days. Since she could not read or write, her son August would read portions of the Bible to her. She was a widow for thirty-one years. On October 15, 1931, she passed away peacefully in her sleep during the night. She had reached the age of 92 years. It happened that her son Edward was in Ohio when she died. She was buried in Elliston Cemetery.

During his later years, Edward was employed at a private institution, Wynnwood School, about a mile and a half from his home. In 1932, a daughter, Pauline, age 38, died after an extended illness of anemia. In late summer of 1939; Edward came to Ohio for an extended visit, helping his brother in the tomato fields and doing other work. He then stayed with his son Gustave in Elmore, for whom he did some carpenter work. It was here that he suffered a fatal heart attack on December 4, 1939. He was 72. He was buried beside his mother in Elliston Cemetery. The following year on October 24, 1940, his wife' Amalie suffered a fatal heart attack and died while staying with her daughter Emma. She was 69. She was buried near her little son Frederic and her daughter Pauline in Smithtown Cemetery.
The Committee made some attempts to find statistical evidence that there was a younger son of Frederic and Eva named William. Several older Kontaks recall hearing about him. It was recalled that he came to America 'but was riot heard from later. Other information states that he died in Newark, New Jersey in 1902, at the age of 21. Inquiry was made by mail to the Vital Statistics Bureau, City of Newark. The reply stated that there was no information in their files on a William Kontak. Following another lead, we communicated with the Kontaks on Long Island, whom we do not know, asking whether there was a William in their line of ancestry. There was not. A Ronald Kontak Family in Cleveland has no record of a William. His father was Andrew, whose father was Stephen, whose father was Martin. This Ronald's grandfather Stephen was born in Lublin, Poland (part of Russia) in 1875. Stephen was a chauffeur for a landowner in Russia. He came to America in 1907 through Hamburg and settled in West Virginia. It is possible that his father Andrew was a brother to Grandfather Frederic.
Recently a visitor to East Germany stated that he had seen several places in the Lubeck vicinity which had the name KONTAK on them. This is unusual since the government usually owns the places of business and even the farms. Consequently there are few names on buildings.
During the years of their membership at Trinity Lutheran Church, Elmore, the older Kontak brothers and their sister, Pauline, as well as their spouses, were very much interested in the work of the church. At first they worshipped in the old Trinity on Congress Street. In April, 1925, it was decided to erect a new edifice on Fremont Street, its present site. The brick Gothic-type structure was a very costly undertaking for the small congregation. Local people thought that the great indebtedness would never be paid, but it was. The Kontaks who helped in this obligation later also donated three very beautiful stained glass windows.
Following is a bit of information concerning the S. S. Prussia, the ship on which some of the Kontaks sailed to America. It was completed in 1894 when it made its maiden voyage from Hamburg to New York. Therefore it was quite new in 1896. It belonged to the Hamburg-American Line, had one stack or funnel and measured 448 feet in length with a 5O-foot beam. Its capacity was 60 First Class passengers, 1800 Third Class, (no information on Second Class or Steerage). Its sister ship was the Persia. In 1897, the S. S. Prussia was sold to the Dominion Line and renamed the Dominion. It then made voyages from Liverpool to Montreal and Quebec. In 1919 it was used for cargo and in 1921 it made its last voyage. It was scrapped in 1922,
A question frequently asked is “Who is my second cousin?” This question was recently answered in Zip Line, a column in The Blade, a Toledo newspaper. It seems proper and fitting to include this explanation in a “Family” book. This matter was taken all the way up to the United States District Court, Don J. Young, presiding. Here is the legal rule under Ohio law as interpreted by Judge Young and we quote: (Using A. B. as an example) The relationship of A.B. to her first cousin’s daughter is that of first cousin once removed, not second cousin. A.B. child would be a second cousin to her first cousin’s daughter, A.B. grandchild would be a third cousin to A.B. cousin’s grandchild and her great-grandchild would be a fourth cousin to her first cousin’s great-grandchild. A.B.’s relationship to her cousin’s grandchild would be first cousin twice removed, and to her cousin’s great-grandchild would be first cousin three times removed, A.B.’s child would be a second cousin once removed to A.B.’s cousin’s grandchild and a second cousin twice removed to A.B.’s cousin’s great-grandchild, and so on. In genealogical research and for legal purposes, relationships are expressed in this way, ant not in the popular manner that one’s cousin’s child is one’s second cousin. (End of quote) And now we all know!

CONCLUSION

A few statistics not apparent from the story or the genealogical charts may prove interesting. These pertain only to those of direct lineage of Frederic Kontak and not of their spouses.
There is one living descendant who was born in Russian Poland--Martha Magsig. Records indicate that she was American-born, but this is really not true. Sometimes when information was incorrectly given, as also on the ages on the passenger list, it may have been done so out of fear or dread of something, real or imaginary.
There have been more than 350 direct offspring of Frederic Kontak. Of these more than 310 are now living.
Over twenty-five young men have served in branches of the United States Armed Forces in World War I, World War II, the Korean War and in Vietnam. We proudly salute every single one of them.
There are many who have earned college or university degrees and are presently using their knowledge in areas of business, education, engineering medicine" social services and others.
We have two ordained ministers of God's Word as well as those who serve the Church in many ways by performing specific duties as laymen.
Then there are those who prepared themselves for the many vocations at which they are successfully employed. Members of this family may not be able to boast of royalty or bear the hallmark quality of excellency, yet they have proved their capabilities when given a change in our country of free enterprise.








The Semrocks and the Dickhoffs

Just as there are close ties within the Kontak Family, so there exists within the older generations a kindred feeling toward the Semrocks and the Dickhoffs. As previously stated, the multiple marriages brought the Semrocks quite close to the Kontaks. Three Semrock sisters had married three Kontak brothers. The sisters' father's name was Michael. After being left a widow for three years, Pauline Kontak Geda married Carl Semrock, their cousin, in 1907. The preceding year his sister Pauline had married Carl William Dickhoff, October 4, 1906. Carl and Pauline had a sister Amelia who married a Krampitz. Their father's name was Adolf. In the forepart of the Kontak Story we mentioned a Wilhelmine Semrock and her husband Karl Lippke Who were mentioned as members of St. John's in Passaic. Wilhelmine may have been another sister.
Pauline Semrock Dickhoff had been born in Ploks, Russia, or Russian Poland. After she immigrated to America, she lived for a time in Passaic, New Jersey. Then she also moved to Virginia to the Farmville area Where the Kontaks lived. She is remembered as one who had time to give to the Kontak youngsters. She told them stories and even helped them make mud pies. It was here that she met the handsome bachelor whom she married. Carl Dickhoff had come to Virginia from Minneapolis, Minnesota, because of a great effort being made by land agents to sell real estate near Farmville. After their marriage they lived for a few months on a farm near High Bridge outside of Farmville. Then they moved to the present Dickhoff homestead which he had purchased. All of their seven children were born here. They are as follows:
Wllhemine (Minnie, as she has always been called) A baby girl who lived only a few months Anna Pauline Helen Rose Carl William, Jr. Ella Virginia John Henry
Father Dickhoff was a farmer and his wife was a real help meet in all things. She was dedicated to her husband, children, neighbors, and the church. The older children helped with the farm work too. They milked cows, made butter, fed the pigs, and helped cut wood for sale. Mother Dickhoff sold milk, cream, butter, eggs and chickens. Father delivered these products to regular customers in Farmville. Their main crops were wheat, corn, and hay to be fed to the livestock. For a few years tobacco was one of the crops.
From the pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church, Farmville, we learned a few facts which corroborate previous information as well as some background history. He stated that the Semrocks seem to have come from Ploks in the Pign District in Russian Poland, and that the Kontaks came from the District of Kleine Lenge (also spelled Lehne or Lengie). Since this is a German name, we can almost safely assume that it was a section of Eastern Poland which frequently came under Russian control. It was to this area that a large number of Suabian (Latin spelling derived from Schwaben, the Protestant part of Bavaria, Germany) Germans migrated during the rule of Catharine the Great, German-born Empress of Russia, 1762--1796. She had promised them good farm land and freedom to use the German language in church and school in order to attract good German farmers. Some years later, conditions worsened and many of these German people migrated to the Unites States and to Saskatchewan in Western Canada. This statement, in a way, gives some credence to a former statement made by one of the uncles that a Kontak ancestor came to this area for land. Since Catherine the Great's rule ended in 1796, and since Grandfather Frederic was born in 1837, it could have been his grandfather or great-grandfather who made the initial move for land.
Father Dickhoff passed away on March 27, 1946, at his home. He had been a man who likes to talk to people. Mother continued living on the homestead with daughters Anna and Helen. Then in 1970, on June 15, Pauline Dickhoff passed away at her home.
The Dickhoff homestead where Anna and Helen now continue to reside is situated in the rolling countryside. It is about five miles from the old plantation site. Brothers Carl William, Jr. and John Henry do the farming at home and also farm many more acres near by. Their interest lies in their large herd of dairy cattle. Anna has retired from her secretarial duties at Hampden-Sydney College where she served many years. Having proved herself a very capable person, she is active in many women's organizations. Helen is employed in Richmond.
One can understand why people love "Ole Virginny". Just as the mockingbirds and the whippoorwills sang to the older Dickhoffs a generation or so ago, so they still make music for any who will pause long enough to listen.







The Mintz Family

How is this family related to the Kontaks? All descendants of Eva Kontak and August Mintz have a common ancestor in Amelia Hoffman, their mother. Sometime after Eva's birth, Amelia became a widow. Later she married a Mr. Mintz. One of their children was a son August. He married a Pauline Klein (it is thought) and they became the parents of six children ¬John, Michael, Fred, Julia, Olga, and Annie. They were living in Russian Poland in the same general area as the Kontaks. Towns and cities of Dobrzyn, Lipnow, Glovien, Plotz or Ploks, and Warsaw, as well as the Vistula River, were known by them also.
Michael Mintz was born in 1886, the latter part of March. He was confirmed in a Lutheran church. His Confirmation Certificate bears a seal no longer legible. It seems that the churches were controlled by the government and that this seal was either a State Seal or a combination of State and Church Seal. This is not definitely known. A minister came to the church about twice a year. The teacher generally conducted the services. Mrs. Michael Mintz, whose maiden name was Ernestine Frede, recalls the church at Dobrzyn because she attended it. She also remembers a school at Glovien. She often went to a big town called Scherfs, as she pronounced it. This may very well be the present city of Sierpc, located a short distance north of Plock, as it is now spelled.
Michael's parents had a farm in Russian Poland, as well as Ernestine's parents. His father had done some weaving, but her father hated weaving. Her grandfather was a skilled weaver, being able to make various designs in linen or wool. He wove for Polish people to "work off" some land. As previously stated, Czar Nicholas II gave his people land when his son was born because he was so happy, but they had to perform some labor to keep it. Ernestine’s father preferred working for Polish landowners, even though his status was almost like that of a slave.
An unusual story which she told follows. Her great-grandfather was once involved in a fight with his superior. His position was no higher than that of perhaps a serf, and fearing that he might have critically injured the man, he fled into the forest. He spent one entire winter among the trees, hiding from the wolves. The following year they (we do not know who was with him) hollowed out a room underground. They had to have a chimney, of course. The story goes that sometimes wolves that were attracted to the chimney for some reason would perform natural processes or duties over the chimney and put out their fire.
The August Mintz Family came to America and lived for a time also in Passaic, New Jersey, where there were a large number of German immigrants, many of whom were employed in the textile mills. Later Michael moved to Cleveland, Ohio. Here he married Ernestine Frede who had come to the United States in 1912 at the age of 18. Her friends in the old country had told her that her ship would sink just as the Titanic, which had recently gone down and that the fish would eat her up. But her courage remained undaunted and she crossed the Atlantic safety. She came with her brother Martin, but she does not recall the name of the ship.
Ernestine's older sister Bertha married John Mintz, Michaels' older brother. They had four children - Tinie, Helen, John and Fred. The latter lives in Connecticut on the land purchased by his father John after he sold his share of the plantation in Virginia. A parcel of eighty-acres of the plantation had been in Michael Mintz's name (see map), but John was really the owner. He later sold it and bought land in Connecticut. After Bertha's husband passed away, she married Julius Geda, oldest son of Pauline Kontak Geda. Bertha passed away in 1949 and Julius in 1961.
Michael and Ernestine had seven children. Their oldest, Helen, who was born in 1915, died at the age of 14. The names and birthdays of the others follow:
William •••••••••••••••••••• January 13. 1916 Emma ••••••••••••••••••••• January 30. 1920 Martha •••••••••••••••••••• March 24. 1922 Edward •••••••••••••••••••• August 29.1923 Elsie ••••••••••••••••••••••• August 28. 1925 Albert •••••••••••••••••••••• July 20, 1927

When some of the members of the Kontak Genealogy Committee visited the home of Ernestine Mintz in Cleveland in March, 1971, they found her enjoying fairly good health in a very comfortable home. She was able to recall some pertinent facts concerning the. Kontak-Mintz relationship. More recent communication with her daughter Emma has filled in more details.
Emma lives at home with her mother. She wrote that her father had always been interested in fabrics, especially the unusual. Whenever Emma would purchase material for her own use, he noticed it. He had saved some spools of metal thread from his weaving days in the East. Emma sews dresses and recently made draperies for their home. Her mother does the cooking and accompanies her son Al to the supermarket once a week to shop for her groceries. They are an active family and vitally interested in the world about them. We are glad that we have learned more about them and are happy to have them as "half-second cousins" or whatever degree of relationship they may be. If the Amelia Hoffman Family Tree were drawn up, what a tree it would be!

Sources of Information
Historical References Colliers Encyclopedia Life World Library Columbia Viking Desk Encyclopedia World Scope Encyclopedia
Maps Library of Congress -- Map Annex Map of Poland 1865 The Rand-McNally Imperial Atlas of the World Atlas Samochodowy Polski 1969 (a book of road maps)
Toledo Library Historical Atlas – Shepherd Stieler's Atlas of Modern Geography, Vol. 1 Times Atlas of the World, Northern Europe, Vol. III
National Geographic Central Europe - September 1939 and September 1951 Europe and the Near East - April 1949 Northern Europe - June 1954 Poland and Czechoslovakia - September 1958
Church Records
St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Passaic, New Jersey St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, Farmville, Virginia Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Elmore, Ohio Our Savior Evangelical Lutheran Church, formerly of Perth Amboy, New Jersey (records here bear no Kontak names)
Church Anniversary Booklets
St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Passaic, New Jersey, 75th Anniversary, 1891-1966
St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, Farmville, Virginia Golden Anniversary, 1904-1954





Courthouses Suffolk County Courthouse, Riverhead, Long Island, New York Prince Edward County Courthouse, Farmville, Virginia Lucas County Courthouse, Toledo, Ohio Ottawa County Courthouse, Port Clinton, Ohio United States District Court, Toledo, Ohio
City Halls Smithtown, New York Perth Amboy, New Jersey Passaic, New Jersey
The National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Certificates of Naturalization of Four Kontak Brothers

Certificate of Confirmation of Julius Kontak









The Kontak Story
Reprinted in January 2009 by Richard H. Hughes
Corrections and additions should be sent to:
Richard Hughes 4743 NW 77th Road Gainesville, FL 32653 hughesgenealogy@cox.net