4. Christopher¹ Nufer (Johannes^A)⁽²⁾ was born Riebensdorf, Russia November 1849. Christopher died 26 October 1920 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, at 70 years of age. His body was interred 30 October 1920 Wetaskawin, Alberta, Canada. He lies beside his wife, Anna, in an unmarked grave in the old cemetery west of Wetaskawin on Highway 29. The marker for their plot is number 74.

He married twice. He married Susanna Scharf. Susanna was born 10 December 1851. Susanna died 1889 at 37 years of age. He married Anna C. Boger Riebensdorf, Russia, 1 November 1890. Anna was born near Petigorsk, Bethamen, Russia 26 December 1851. Anna died 11 July 1919 Wetaskawin, Alberta, Canada, at 67 years of age. Her body was interred 11 July 1919 Wetaskawin, Alberta, Canada. She lies beside her husband, Christopher, in the old cemetary west of Wetaskawin on Highway 29. A simple white stone marker labeled "Geboren in Rusyland" (born in Russia) marks her final resting place. Their plot is number 74.

Christopher immigrated, 14 April 1892. Destination: Ellis Island, New York, USA. He was at 42 years of age. The following individuals are also linked to this event: Anna C. Boger (spouse); Frederick Nufer (relative); John Nufer (relative); Alexander Nufer (relative); William M. Nufer (relative); Katherine Boger (relative); Leah Nufer (relative); Amalia Boger (relative); Magdalena Boger (relative); Martin Nufer (relative); Wilhelmina Boger (relative). Christopher was listed as the head of a family on the 1900 Census Crawford County, Kansas. The following individuals are also linked to this event: Louisia Nufer (daughter); Frederick Nufer (son); John Nufer (son); Alexander Nufer (son); William M. Nufer (son); Wilhelmina Boger (step daughter); Anna C. Boger (wife). Currently, not much is known about the Nufer's lives in Russia. They are listed as some of the earliest settlers of Riebensdorf, Russia and they may be one of the original settling families. We do know they were an upper class family who lived in Riebensdorf. Wilhelmina Boger, daughter of Chris's second wife Anna, remembered the wealth of the Nufer household. They had servants to do the housework and cooking. She also recalled servants scrubbing the steps outside the family home. The family was driven to church in an open carriage. However, even with a seemingly good life, the political strife and souring attitudes towards the Volga Germans by the Russian government were enough to make Chris wish for a better life in America. His sister Susanna, and her husband Johannes Deutsch also shared his dream. As did Johannes's brother Frederich Deutsch. In March 1892 the three families left for America. Included in the group were Chris Nufer, his wife Anna Boger and their ten children. He was 42 years old and she 41. Johannes Deutsch, his wife Susanna and their one child Antoinette (Nettie). Susanna was about three months pregnant with Michael. Frederich Deutsch, his wife Louisa and their three children, Christina, Johnothon, and Antoinette. Chris's oldest daughter Katherina and Anna Boger's oldest daughter Christina were already married with their own families and they did not emigrate. Later in America, Chris's son Martin would marry Frederich's daughter Antoinette. On March 17, 1892 they left Marianstahl in southern Russia. On March 20, 1892 they crossed the border into Germany. They spent three more days traveling by train through Germany. They carried their own food and water. The train would stop, then everyone would get out and build fires to cook on. They slept on wooden benches, which were also their seats. They reached Bremen, Germany, the destination of the first leg of their journey on March 23, 1892. They were to sail for America on a passenger liner, but the ship was docked with engine problems. Johannes was concerned about their visas expiring so he booked the group on a freighter headed for New York City. They left for America on March 24, 1892. On their third day at sea the ship they originally were booked on passed them by. The rest of the trip was rough and slow, with Susanna sick all of the way. Their trip across the Atlantic Ocean took seventeen days. They sailed into New York Harbor, passed the Statue of Liberty to Ellis Island on April 10, 1892. Ellis Island had just open the first day of January 1892. The group immigrated through into the United States of America on April 14, 1892. Again, as a group, they all headed by train to Hoisington, Kansas. The trip took them three days of continuos travel. Here they met up with Victor Graff who had immegrated the year before. Victor must have been a family friend or relation. They stayed with him for three weeks while they looked for farms to purchase. Together the group bought land to farm but the German broker who sold them the land cheated them and they lost everything. He sold them land he didn't own or the titles weren't clear or the like. Chris finally settled three miles northeast of Hoisington. Here his twins Elizabeth and Louisa were born. When the babies were nine months old they caught pneumonia. Elizabeth, the larger and stronger twin died and she is buried somewhere on that farm. After three years of failed crops and losing the farm, the family was forced to move. The Nufer, John Deutsch, and Graff families packed their belongings in "Hooligan" wagons and in 1895 left the Hoisington area for Missouri. Victor Graff and his family settled in Lawrence County, Kansas while the rest continued on. After six weeks of travel they reached their destination of Hickory County, Missouri. Here, in August of 1895, they took up farming again. Their first crop was flooded out so they planted again. This second crop was to late and was killed by an early frost. After two years of failed crops they moved to the Walker farm in Arcadia, Kansas. This farm was in Crawford County on the Kansas/Missouri border. The families stayed there for one year and in 1898 returned to Kansas and rented the Schilling farm near Mulberry, Crawford County, Kansas. It must have been at this time when Chris's family was polled for the 1900 Census. In December of 1898 they moved to a widow's farmhouse and lodged with her until spring. In March of 1899 the group moved westward and took up farming on the Winschen farm near Brazelton. Here the group joined up with John Ochs. John had married Anna Boger's daughter Katherine the year before. Here the families had a large orchard. In 1900, Chris, John Deutsch, and John Ochs went on an expedition to Oklahoma to find land to homestead. They found good land and returned to take their families to Oklahoma. In 1901 they arrived in Guthry. They spent three weeks resting on the banks of the Cimmaron River. Eventually they took up farming near Baker, Oklahoma. John Deutsch described the house they lived in as "…forsaken by God and men and the environments were a kingdom of snakes and reptiles." In January of 1902 the group leased a quarter section of Indian land in the Indian Territory five miles northeast of Avery. There, the families worked for three years in the cotton fields trying to establish themselves. Finally, discouraged and low on funds, the families sold everything by auction and made plans to immigrate to Canada. They left Avery, Oklahoma in March of 1905 and arrived by train in Calgary, Alberta four days later. They rested in Calgary for three days and then went to the immigration point in Canada, which is Innisfail. Here the group finally parted ways. John Deutsch and family stayed in Innisfail and rented a large house overlooking a lake. John Deutsch and John Ochs wanted to try homesteading again. Chris Nufer and family went to Wetaskawin. Later that fall, John and Katherine Ochs joined them. It's at this point where our data for Chris and Anna stops. They had been in the United States for thirteen years. Their travels had led them by covered wagon through Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma as they tried to establish themselves. This was discouraging and they spoke many times of returning to Russia. Though they never did. Chris had brought his inheritance with him to America but lost much of it in various land purchases. They lived the remaining days of their lives in Canada until Anna died in 1919 and Chris in 1920.

Written by Jackie DeVore. With additions by Rex Nufer.

Christopher Nufer and Susanna Scharf had the following children:

12 i. Katherine² Nufer was born Russia 1876. She did not emmigrate with her family from Russia.

+ 13 ii. Leah Nufer was born 29 November 1877.

+ 14 iii. Martin Nufer was born 30 July 1881. Details: twin.

+ 15 iv. William M. Nufer was born 30 July 1881. Details: twin.

+ 16 v. Frederick Nufer was born 12 August 1883.

+ 17 vi. Alexander Nufer was born 26 March 1885.

Christopher Nufer and Anna C. Boger had the following children:

18 vii. John Nufer was born Russia 9-1891. Jack died 1965 Tacoma, Washington, at 74 years of age. He married Laura.

19 viii. Louisia Nufer was born Hoisington, Kansas 5 April 1894. Details: twin.

20 ix. Elizabeth Nufer was born Hoisington, Kansas 5 April 1894. Details: twin. Elizabeth died 1-1895? of pneumonia on the family farm three miles northeast of Hoisington, Kansas, at 1 year of age. Her body was interred 1-1895? Hoisington, Kansas, on the family farm.

Send email to preparer: nuferfam@bellsouth.net

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