THE VOLGA GERMANS IN PORTLAND
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People > Pioneers > Johann Friedrich and Katharina Maria Jörg

Johann Friedrich and Katharina Maria Jörg

Johann Friedrich Jörg was born in Norka, Russia on August 31, 1870, the son of Johann Friedrich and Christina Jörg.

In 1875, Johann Friedrich's parents and grandfather decided to immigrate to America and were among the first Volga Germans to arrive in the United States.

The Jörg family arrived in New York on June 28, 1875 aboard the steamship City of Brussels which sailed from Liverpool, England.
Steamship City of Brussels
Steamship "City of Brussels"
The Jörg family first settled in Sandusky, Ohio. Two and one-half years later they moved to Sutton and Franklin County, Nebraska.

Johann Friedrich's father became a member and missionary of the Seventh-day Adventist German Reformed Church in 1883 at the time 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 is listed as minister in Sutton, Nebraska that year. 

The entire Jörg family decided to move to Portland between September of 1888 and early 1889.
By June 1889, the senior Frederick was leading churches in Albina and West Union, Oregon. He was an active participant and led services in German at the North Pacific Conference held from May 12-21 in East Portland.

In 1891, the Jörg family was living in Albina at the southeast corner of the intersection of Vancouver Avenue and Cedar (now Failing Street). The Rev. F. Jorg is listed in the Albina City Directory as the Pastor of the Albina Seventh-day Adventist Church at the same location. This church was established in 1889, and was the first Volga German church organized in Albina.

Johann Friedrich (now known as John or John Frederick) married Katharina Maria (Katie) Krieger in 1893. She was born in Norka on September 13, 1867, the daughter of Nicholas Krieger and Katharine Maria Schneider. The Krieger family arrived in the United States in 1890.


John and Katharina Maria were blessed with six children: Alice Elizabeth (1893), Adam Lewis (1895), William John (1898), Roy Edward (1901), Theodore (1904) and Florence (1908). 

In 1900, John and Katie were living at 1022 Hendricks Street (now in the 8300 block on N. Hendricks). John was working as a day laborer.

During World War I, Adam Lewis joined the U.S. Army and served in France. At home, Adam raised pigeons as a hobby. During the war, he used this skill in the U.S. Army Signal Corps working with carrier pigeons.

In 1920, the family was living at 1489 Atlantic Street (now 7037 N. Atlantic). John was working for the City of Portland in the street cleaning bureau.

In 1930, the family lived at the same location and John continued his work for the city.

Katharina Maria died on November 7, 1933 and was buried at the River View Cemetery. 

John Frederick Jorg died in Portland on November 5, 1939 and was buried next to Katharina Maria on November 8th.
Jorg family
Johann Friedrich (John) Jorg is standing third from the left. One of his sisters stands second from the left. The other two people (far left and far right) are unknown, They are possibly other siblings. Courtesy of Mary Ann Kennedy.
Jorg family
Another photograph of the Jorg family courtesy of Mary Ann Kennedy.
Male members of the Jorg family
Male members of the Jorg family. Courtesy of Mary Ann Kennedy.
Jorg family
The sons, daughter-in-laws and grandchildren of Johann Friedrich (John) Jorg. Courtesy of Mary Ann Kennedy.

Sources

Kennedy, Mary Ann. Great-granddaughter of Johann Friedrich and Katharina Maria Jörg. Please contact Mary Ann if you have information about any of the people shown in the photos above.

Thomsen, Robert. Great-grandson of Johann Friedrich and Katharina Maria Jörg.

​History of Jorg family by Adam Lewis Jorg, Portland, Oregon. Contributed by Ruth Ann Plue.

Passenger lists, Portland City Directories, U.S. Censuses - 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>.
Last updated September 9, 2019.
Copyright © 1998-2023 Steven H. Schreiber
  • Home
    • About This Website
    • Reviews
  • History
    • Historical Timeline
    • Migration to Russia
    • Emigration from Russia
    • Settlement in America
    • Migration to Portland
    • Little Russia
    • A Short History of Albina
    • World War I
    • The Volga Relief Society >
      • Portland Volga Relief Society Subscribers 1921
    • World War II
    • Assimilation and Dispersion
  • Beliefs
    • Churches >
      • Albina Seventh-day Adventist Church
      • First United Mennonite Baptist Church
      • Ebenezer German Congregational Church
      • Free Evangelical Brethren Church >
        • German Evangelical Congregational Brethren Church
      • Second German Baptist Church
      • St. Pauls Evangelical and Reformed Church
      • Second German Congregational Church >
        • Evangelical Congregational Church
      • Zion German Congregational Church >
        • Rivercrest Community Church
    • Pastors
    • The Brethren
    • Denominations >
      • German Reformed Church
      • German Evangelical Synod of North America
      • Evangelical and Reformed Church
      • German Congregational Church
      • Seventh-day Adventists
      • United Church of Christ
  • People
    • Our People
    • Notables
    • Pioneers 1881-1892
    • Stories
    • Photographs
    • Help Identify These People
  • Community
    • Characteristics
    • Businesses >
      • Bakeries Retailers and Services
      • Garbage Haulers
      • Grocery and Meat Markets
      • Restaurants >
        • Helsers on Alberta
        • McCormick & Schmicks
        • Wildwood
      • Saloons and Taverns
      • Suppliers and Manufacturers
    • Employers
    • Education
    • Sports
    • Maps
    • Documentary
  • Traditions
    • Foods
    • Folk Medicine
    • Expressions
    • Weddings
    • Holidays
    • Folk Music
    • Funerals and Burial Sites
  • Resources
    • Family Research
    • Books and Video
    • Works Cited