VGI Updates

Volga German families settled in and around Luray, Kansas.

Marienthal, Kansas, was founded in 1892 by a group of Volga Germans who immigrated from the colony of Mariental in Russia. A post office was established there on 18 March 1902.

The town of Marion was incorporated in 1875, shortly before the first Volga German families began arriving. Many Volga German families settled in and around Marion, Kansas.

McCracken was founded in 1886 as the railroad extended westward. It was named for J. K. McCracken, an employee of the railroad.

Many Volga German families have moved to McCracken and the surrounding area.

The Medicine Lodge River received its name from a lodge-like structure erected by the Kiowa people in the summer of 1866. It was located in the valley of the Medicine Lodge River, several miles below the present town of Medicine Lodge, which is at the mouth of Elm Creek.

Volga German families settled in and arround Medicine Lodge.

Milberger is an unincorporated community located in southwest Russell County, Kansas. The community was almost entirely Volga German.

Volga German families from Russell, Barton, and Ellis Counties moved out to Gove County in search of more farm land.

The village of Munjor, Kansas, was founded in 1876. Munjor was first located along Big Creek, but after a couple of months was moved to its present location in Section 25 of Wheatland Township.       

The following are recorded by Fr. Laing as founders of Munjor (followed by the number of people in the household):

from Ober-Monjou

Nashville was founded in 1885 by settlers from Nashville, Tennessee, along the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad.

Volga German families settled in and around Nashville.

In search of additional farm land, Ellis County families began to move west. Ness County was one such destination and in 1913 the families of Carl Weibert and John Weibert were the first Volga Germans from Ellis County to move there, farming northeast of Ness City.