When Andreas returned home to Leeleva in very early 1895, he promptly married to Susanna Wedel on February 17, 1895. Susanna was born May 14, 1873, in Karolswalde to Peter Jacob and Katarina (Nickel) Wedel. Susanna was the eldest child of Peter and Katarina who had been married in Karolswalde on March 24, 1864, and must have moved to Leeleva by the 1880s.
Peter Jacob Wedel was born March 21, 1848, in Karolswalde to Jacob Wedel (b.1818) and Maria (Buller) Wedel (b. c1820). Jacob’s father and mother were Benjamin and Maria Wedel. Peter’s baptism can be found on Tobias Unruh’s baptism records from 1866. Peter was baptized in Karolswalde, but it looks like he lived in Pelagin-Gruenthal (Gruental) at the time of his baptism. Note: the Susanna (Heinrich) Ratzlaff at the end of the list is probably Jacob Ratzlaff’s younger sister:
Taeuflinge die ich Tobias Unruh getauft habe
1. Abraham Samuel Schulz von Karolsberge aus
2. Andreas Cornelius Nickel von Pelagin-Gruentha
3. Benjamin Peter Becker von Karlsberge
4. Benjamin Jacob Wedel von Pelagin-Gruentha
5. Benjamin Peter Janz aus Karlswalde
6. Carl Friedrich Schartner aus Karlswalde
7. Cornelius Johann Schulz aus Karlswalde
8. David Benjamin Schulz aus Karlswalde
9. George Peter Unruh aus Karlswalde
10. Heinrich George Unruh aus Karlswalde
11. Heinrich Jacob Siebert aus Karlswalde
12. Johann Benjamin Janz von Karlsberge
13. Johann Karl Decker von Karlsberge
14. Peter George Unruh aus Karlswalde
15. Peter Jacob Wedel von Pelagin-Gruentha1
16. Tobias Carl Decker von Pelagin-Gruentha
Taeuflinge die ich Tobias Unruh getauft habe.
1. Agnetha Andreas Unruh aus Karlswalde
2. Anna Carl Dircks von Jadwininnen
3. Anna Peter Schmidt von Jadwininnen
4. Else Abraham Janz von Pelagin-Gruentha
5. Else Peter Penner aus Karlswalde
6. Eva Heinrich Buller aus Karlswalde
7. Eva Jacob Siebert aus Karlswalde
8. Helena
9. Helena Johann Schluz aus Karlswalde
10. Helena Peter Unruh aus Karlswalde
11. Maria Peter Richert von Jadwininnen, aus dem Kirchspie
12. Susanna Carl Deckert von Pelagin-Gruentha
13. Helena David Ruediger aus Karlswalde
14. Susanna Heinrich Eck
15. Susanna Heinrich Ratzlaf
Diese 16 Juenglige und 15 Jungfrauen sind in dem Bethause zu Carlswalde getauft worden den 25.ten Mai neuen Stils 1866 am Palmsonntage.
According to GRANDMA, Peter Jacob Wedel was the third of six children who were all born in Volhynia; in Karolswalde, Gruental, and Karolsberge. Peter’s younger brothers, Benjamin and Andreas, both immigrated to America at some point and both lived near Galva , KS U.S.A.
Katarina (Nickel) Wedel was born November 13, 1846, in Karolswalde to Johann Nickel and Susanna (Litke) Nickel. Katarina’s baptism can also be found on Tobias Unruh’s baptism records from 1864. Unruh doesn’t specify where the baptism took place, but it looks like Katarina (Catharina) lived in Karolsberge. Note: I do not know the identity of Elisabeth Ratzlaff, #4 on the list below. Her father’s name was Heinrich, so could this be another sibling of our Jacob Ratzlaff about whom we didn’t know previously?
Aufschreibung von Diejenigen welche durch die heilige Wassertaufe in unsere Gemeine zu Karolswalde, Karolsberge, Jadweninne und Anotonwke als Brueder und Schwestern auf- und angenommen worden sind.
Nun folgen die Jungfrauen.
1. Susanna Heinrichs Tochter Vothen in Karolsberge
2. Helena Cornelius Tochter Unruhen in Karolswalde
3. Helena Carls Tochter Baiern in Karolswalde
4. Elisabeth Heinrichs Tochter Ratzlaffen in Karolswalde
5. Elske Andreas Tochter Unruhen in Jadweninne
6. Karolina Cornelius Tochter Vothen in Karolsberge
7. Eva Davids Tochter Bullern in Karolsberge
8. Catharina Johanns Tochter Nickeln in Karolsberge
9. (blank)
10. Elske Tobias Tochter Janzen in Karolswalde oder auf Jadweninne
11. Elisabeth Peters Tochter Vothen in Jadweninne
Diese hier aufgeschriebene… 10 weibliche Seelen sind auf ihrem Verlangen durch dem heiligen Worte Gottes und dem Befehle Jesu Christi im Beisein vieler Zeugen getaufet und durch eine Handaufnehmung als Glieder in der mennoniten Gemeine in dem Bethause allhier zu Karolswalde am 24. Maerz neuen Stils 1864 an unserm Gruendonnerstage auf- und angenommen worden.
GRANDMA gives no further information regarding Katarina’s family. However, the Tobias Unruh baptism record does list an Elske Nickel, daughter of Johann Nickel, of Karlsberge, baptized in 1865. This Elske’s father’s name is the same as our Katarina’s. Also, this Elska was from the same village and baptized at a similar date to our Katarina. Could it be that this Elska was a sister to Katarina?
According to GRANDMA, Peter Jacob and Katarina (Nickel) Wedel had the following children after they were married in 1864:
1) Susanna, (05/14/1873 – 1958)
2) Henry, (03/16/1875 – 04/21/1875)
3) Eva, (05/29/1878 – 09/10/1879)
4) Maria, (03/05/1881 – 03/20/1935)
5) Carolina
6) Anna, (09/26/1885 – 1895)
7) Elisabeth, (11/11/1887 – 01/28/1963)
8) Agnetha, (03/29/1890 – 10/14/1972)
As stated earlier, the Peter Jacob and Katarina Wedel family must have moved to Leeleva at some point by the 1880s. Their house can be seen on the hand-drawn map of Leeleva, second from the right on the front row.
