Johann Friedrich and Christina Jörg
Johann Friedrich Jörg was born December 3, 1838 in Norka, Russia, the son of Johannes Jorg (born 1817) Katharina Reuscher (born 1817).
Friedrich married Christina Bauer on February 5, 1857 in Norka. Christina was born in Norka on March 28, 1837, the daughter of Philipp Bauer (born 1802) and Katharina Nolde (born 1807).
A daughter, Anna Elizabeth (Alice), was born on April 15, 1858, in Norka. A second daughter, Louisa, was born in 1862, and Christina about 1866. Three sons followed: Henry (born in 1868), John Frederick (1870), and Peter (1871).
Freidrich's mother, Katharina, died in 1875, and he and his father decided to immigrate to America.
The Jörg (also George) family arrived in the United States on June 28, 1875, on the steamship City of Brussels, which departed from Liverpool, England. Also aboard this ship was the Heinrich and Elizabeth Schreiber family. They were among the first Volga Germans to arrive in the United States.
Friedrich married Christina Bauer on February 5, 1857 in Norka. Christina was born in Norka on March 28, 1837, the daughter of Philipp Bauer (born 1802) and Katharina Nolde (born 1807).
A daughter, Anna Elizabeth (Alice), was born on April 15, 1858, in Norka. A second daughter, Louisa, was born in 1862, and Christina about 1866. Three sons followed: Henry (born in 1868), John Frederick (1870), and Peter (1871).
Freidrich's mother, Katharina, died in 1875, and he and his father decided to immigrate to America.
The Jörg (also George) family arrived in the United States on June 28, 1875, on the steamship City of Brussels, which departed from Liverpool, England. Also aboard this ship was the Heinrich and Elizabeth Schreiber family. They were among the first Volga Germans to arrive in the United States.
Steamship "City of Brussels"
The Jörg family first went to Sandusky, Ohio. Two and one-half years later, they moved to Sutton and Franklin County, Nebraska.
Friedrich (now Frederick) and Christina had three more sons: Emanuel (July 1875 in Ohio), Joseph (September 1877 in Ohio), and Frederick (January 1880 in Nebraska).
Daughter Alice married Ludwig Spady on January 8, 1879, in Franklin, Nebraska. The Jorg family is shown living next to Ludwig Spady in the 1880 U.S. Census of Franklin, Nebraska.
Frederick became a member and missionary of the Seventh-day Adventist German Reformed Church in 1883 when the German movement within the church was in its infancy. In April 1886, he was leading a congregation in Culbertson, Nebraska. Frederick visited the Portland area in 1887 and began to organize congregations in Albina and West Union. He participated in the Nebraska Conference in September 1888 and was listed as a minister in Sutton, Nebraska, that year.
The entire Jörg family decided to move to Portland between September 1888 and early 1889.
In May of 1889, Frederick wrote a short article that was published in the Advent Review and Sabbath Herald:
Friedrich (now Frederick) and Christina had three more sons: Emanuel (July 1875 in Ohio), Joseph (September 1877 in Ohio), and Frederick (January 1880 in Nebraska).
Daughter Alice married Ludwig Spady on January 8, 1879, in Franklin, Nebraska. The Jorg family is shown living next to Ludwig Spady in the 1880 U.S. Census of Franklin, Nebraska.
Frederick became a member and missionary of the Seventh-day Adventist German Reformed Church in 1883 when the German movement within the church was in its infancy. In April 1886, he was leading a congregation in Culbertson, Nebraska. Frederick visited the Portland area in 1887 and began to organize congregations in Albina and West Union. He participated in the Nebraska Conference in September 1888 and was listed as a minister in Sutton, Nebraska, that year.
The entire Jörg family decided to move to Portland between September 1888 and early 1889.
In May of 1889, Frederick wrote a short article that was published in the Advent Review and Sabbath Herald:
I thought perhaps it would interest the brethren to hear something from this State. I have been here for some time, and tried to labor for the Lord. A short time ago I organized a German church in West Union. This little company consists now of ten persons. When I was here on a visit two years ago, some began to keep the Sabbath. As I could not stay then, I organized a Sabbath-school, and they kept it up till Bro. Sheiper came. I have also organized a Sabbath-school in Albina, with a membership of thirty-one, consisting mostly of brethren immigrating from Kansas and Nebraska. May the Lord bless the German work here.
F. Joerg
By June 1889, Frederick led churches in Albina and West Union, Oregon. He was an active participant and conducted services in German at the North Pacific Conference held from May 12-21 in East Portland. Frederick's colleague, Gottfried F. Haffner (born June 27, 1867, in Shcherbakovka, Russia), established German Adventist churches in Walla Walla, Washington, and in the Palouse colony of Volga Germans near Endicott, Washington in 1893.
In 1891, Frederick, his family, and his father lived in Albina at 852 Vancouver (now 4004 N Vancouver Avenue). The Rev. F. Jorg is listed in the Albina City Directory as the Pastor of the Albina Seventh-day Adventist Church on the southwest corner of Vancouver and Cedar (now Failing). Established in 1889, this church was the first Volga German church organized in Albina. Haffner died in Walla Walla in October 1920.
In 1900, Frederick, Christina, and children Emanuel, Joseph, and Frederick continue to live at 852 Vancouver, and Frederick is listed as a preacher at the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
In 1891, Frederick, his family, and his father lived in Albina at 852 Vancouver (now 4004 N Vancouver Avenue). The Rev. F. Jorg is listed in the Albina City Directory as the Pastor of the Albina Seventh-day Adventist Church on the southwest corner of Vancouver and Cedar (now Failing). Established in 1889, this church was the first Volga German church organized in Albina. Haffner died in Walla Walla in October 1920.
In 1900, Frederick, Christina, and children Emanuel, Joseph, and Frederick continue to live at 852 Vancouver, and Frederick is listed as a preacher at the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
At left, Christina Jörg (née Bauer) with daughter Alice in Portland. Courtesy of Karen Gilbert.
The 1901 Portland City Directory lists Rev. Frederick Jorg as pastor of the Albina Seventh-day Adventist Church (German) at 585 Union Avenue (now 2801 MLK Blvd.). Henry C. Dittrich is listed as the architect of the church.
In 1910, the family lived at the same location, and son Emanuel was listed as a bartender at a saloon. Frederick continues to be listed in the Portland City Directory as the pastor of the Seventh Day Adventist Church until 1911.
Frederick Jörg died September 29, 1912, in Vancouver, Washington. Elder H.W. Cottrell of the Western Conference of the Seventh-Day Adventist Churches spoke at his well-attended funeral. Frederick was buried at the Rose City Cemetery in Portland.
Christina Jörg died August 3, 1917, in Portland and is also buried at the Rose City Cemetery.
In 1910, the family lived at the same location, and son Emanuel was listed as a bartender at a saloon. Frederick continues to be listed in the Portland City Directory as the pastor of the Seventh Day Adventist Church until 1911.
Frederick Jörg died September 29, 1912, in Vancouver, Washington. Elder H.W. Cottrell of the Western Conference of the Seventh-Day Adventist Churches spoke at his well-attended funeral. Frederick was buried at the Rose City Cemetery in Portland.
Christina Jörg died August 3, 1917, in Portland and is also buried at the Rose City Cemetery.
Sources
Passenger lists, 1891 Albina City Directory, Portland City Directories, 1880, 1900 and 1910 U.S. Census - Ancestry.com
Obituary for Fred George from The Adventist Review and Sabbath Herald, a Seventh-day Adventist publication dated November 7, 1912 - Ancestry.com
"Nebraska." The Advent and Sabbath Review Herald 63.15 (1886): 236. Seventh-day Adventist Church Online Archives. Web. 7 Sept. 2015. <http://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/RH/RH18860413-V63-15.pdf>.
"Pacific Coast Camp Meetings." The Signs of the Times, 15.23 (1889): 360. Seventh-day Adventist Church Online Archives. Web. 7 Sept. 2015. <http://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/ST/ST18890617-V15-23.pdf>.
"North Pacific Conference Proceedings." The Advent and Sabbath Review Herald 67.26 (1890): 413. Seventh-day Adventist Church Online Archives. Web. 3 Sept. 2015. <http://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/RH/RH18900701-V67-26.pdf>.
Johnson, Doug. "German and Scandinavian Influences." North Pacific Union Conference Gleaner 86.13 (1991): 6. Seventh-day Adventist Online Archives. Web. 3 Sept. 2015. <http://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/NPG/NPG19910715-V86-13.pdf>.
Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook 1889. Battle Creek: Review & Herald, 1889. 6. Seventh-day Adventist Online Archives. Web. 3 Sept. 2015. <http://documents.adventistarchives.org/Yearbooks/YB1889.pdf>.
Obituary for Fred George from The Adventist Review and Sabbath Herald, a Seventh-day Adventist publication dated November 7, 1912 - Ancestry.com
"Nebraska." The Advent and Sabbath Review Herald 63.15 (1886): 236. Seventh-day Adventist Church Online Archives. Web. 7 Sept. 2015. <http://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/RH/RH18860413-V63-15.pdf>.
"Pacific Coast Camp Meetings." The Signs of the Times, 15.23 (1889): 360. Seventh-day Adventist Church Online Archives. Web. 7 Sept. 2015. <http://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/ST/ST18890617-V15-23.pdf>.
"North Pacific Conference Proceedings." The Advent and Sabbath Review Herald 67.26 (1890): 413. Seventh-day Adventist Church Online Archives. Web. 3 Sept. 2015. <http://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/RH/RH18900701-V67-26.pdf>.
Johnson, Doug. "German and Scandinavian Influences." North Pacific Union Conference Gleaner 86.13 (1991): 6. Seventh-day Adventist Online Archives. Web. 3 Sept. 2015. <http://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/NPG/NPG19910715-V86-13.pdf>.
Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook 1889. Battle Creek: Review & Herald, 1889. 6. Seventh-day Adventist Online Archives. Web. 3 Sept. 2015. <http://documents.adventistarchives.org/Yearbooks/YB1889.pdf>.
Last updated October 24, 2023