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Konstantinovka, Turkestan Region, Kazakhstan

In 1891, a group of Volga German families moved to Kazakhstan and founded the settlement of Konstantinovka about 30 miles north of Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The name was later changed to Tobolino, and today the settlement is known as Derbisek. In 2018, the name of the area in which Konstantinovka is located was changed from South Kazakhstan to Turkestan.

Bertram Schmidt had a mill in Konstantinovka.

Valley Lutheran Church - Denver

The first worship service of what would eventually become Valley Lutheran Church was held in the Westminster Elementary School on 6 October 1957.  The congregation was officially organized on 5 January 1958 with 117 attending the worship service and 45 founding members. It was affiliated wih the American Lutheran Church (ALC).

The new church building was dedicated on 15 February 1959.  This building evenually became the fellowship hall when a new sanctuary was dedicated on 24 January 1965.

Baltimore Metropolitan Area, Maryland

Volga German families settled in the Baltimore Metropolitian Area.

Lotus Point

Most Volga German immigrants who disembarked from their trans-Atlantic voyage in Baltimore remained there only a short while before moving to other areas of North America. However, several families remained there and settled in the Locust Point Neighborhood southeast of downtown Baltimore.  Most lived along Richardson Street.  The Haspert and Sch(a)echtel families from Köhler are believed to be the first to settle there in 1906.

Wills, Ted C., Sr.

Theodore "Ted" C. Wills, Sr., was born 28 November 1911 in Fresno, California, to Alexander Wills and Katherine Andreas.  He worked as a labor leader with the Fresno Chapter of the Creamery Employees Association before being appointed to the Fresno City Council in 1954. He won the following election and served several terms. He was named mayor in 1969 when the incumbent resigned, and went on to win the following election and served two terms. He lost his third bid for reelection in 1977 and was later re-elected to the City Council where he served until 1987.

Wills, Ted C. (Jr.)

Theodore "Ted" C. Wills, Jr., was born 9 February 1934 in Fresno, California, to Ted C. Wills, Sr., and Bertha Metzler. He is an professional American Major League baseball pitcher having been signed by the Boston Red Sox 1955.  He played all or part of five seasons with the Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, and Chicago White Sox between 1959 and 1965. He also pitched for the Cleveland Indians and St. Louis Cardinals before the end of the 1965 season.  He married Carol Smith.

Kraus (Messer)

Johann Heinrich Kraus, son of Stoffel Kraus, was born 27 June 1734 in Spielberg. Johann Heinrich married there to Maria Barbara Bartholomeus, daughter of Johannes Bartholomeus, on 6 March 1755. Maria Barbara was born on 12 October 1732, also in Spielberg. Their son Georg Friedrich was also born in Spielberg on 24 August 1755.

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