Ludwig and Emma Yost
Ludwig Jost (Yost) was born on December 1, 1854, in Norka, Russia, the son of Heinrich Jost (born 1813 in Norka) and Katharina Bott (born 1815 in Norka).
Ludwig arrived in New York as a single male on December 6, 1875, aboard the steamship Berlin, which had sailed from Liverpool, England. He first settled in Ohio.
Ludwig married Emma Christina Pauly about 1879, probably in Ohio or Nebraska. Emma Christina was born on October 19, 1852, in Norka.
The 1880 U.S. Census shows the Yost family living in Lynn Township in Clay County, Nebraska. A daughter, Emma, born about 1875 in Russia, a son, John, born on January 23, 1877, in Ohio, and a daughter, Christina, born in November 1879 in Nebraska. The 1900 U.S. Census states that Ludwig and Emma were married in 1879, which raises the question of whether Emma was previously married and, if so, who the father of her daughter, Emma, and son, John, is.
Ludwig and Emma became parents to a son, Wilhelm (William), born on February 11, 1881, in Hastings, Nebraska.
By 1882, the Yosts were among the first Volga German families to settle in Albina, Oregon. A daughter, Katharina (Kate), was born there on February 12, 1883. A son, Heinrich (Henry), was born on May 25, 1886.
Ludwig Yost is one of the first Volga Germans listed in the Albina City Directory in 1883 (listed as Louis Ust). Ludwig and Emma resided on the corner of Woods Street and Page Street (now approximately N. Albina Avenue and N. Page Street), and he worked as a laborer. Their neighbors were John and Anna Maria Schnell, who had also migrated from Nebraska to Oregon at the same time.
In 1897, the Yosts lived at 505 Gantenbein Avenue (now 2413 N Gantenbein Avenue).
In 1900, the Yost family lived at 480 Union Avenue (now 2242 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard), and Ludwig worked as a farmer.
During the 1910 and 1920 U.S. censuses, Ludwig and Emma lived near Midvale, Idaho, where they were farming. Their son William was living with them in 1920.
Emma died on February 15, 1928, in Malheur County, Oregon. She was buried at the Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery in Portland.
Ludwig Yost died on November 4, 1928, and was buried beside Emma.
Ludwig arrived in New York as a single male on December 6, 1875, aboard the steamship Berlin, which had sailed from Liverpool, England. He first settled in Ohio.
Ludwig married Emma Christina Pauly about 1879, probably in Ohio or Nebraska. Emma Christina was born on October 19, 1852, in Norka.
The 1880 U.S. Census shows the Yost family living in Lynn Township in Clay County, Nebraska. A daughter, Emma, born about 1875 in Russia, a son, John, born on January 23, 1877, in Ohio, and a daughter, Christina, born in November 1879 in Nebraska. The 1900 U.S. Census states that Ludwig and Emma were married in 1879, which raises the question of whether Emma was previously married and, if so, who the father of her daughter, Emma, and son, John, is.
Ludwig and Emma became parents to a son, Wilhelm (William), born on February 11, 1881, in Hastings, Nebraska.
By 1882, the Yosts were among the first Volga German families to settle in Albina, Oregon. A daughter, Katharina (Kate), was born there on February 12, 1883. A son, Heinrich (Henry), was born on May 25, 1886.
Ludwig Yost is one of the first Volga Germans listed in the Albina City Directory in 1883 (listed as Louis Ust). Ludwig and Emma resided on the corner of Woods Street and Page Street (now approximately N. Albina Avenue and N. Page Street), and he worked as a laborer. Their neighbors were John and Anna Maria Schnell, who had also migrated from Nebraska to Oregon at the same time.
In 1897, the Yosts lived at 505 Gantenbein Avenue (now 2413 N Gantenbein Avenue).
In 1900, the Yost family lived at 480 Union Avenue (now 2242 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard), and Ludwig worked as a farmer.
During the 1910 and 1920 U.S. censuses, Ludwig and Emma lived near Midvale, Idaho, where they were farming. Their son William was living with them in 1920.
Emma died on February 15, 1928, in Malheur County, Oregon. She was buried at the Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery in Portland.
Ludwig Yost died on November 4, 1928, and was buried beside Emma.
Emma and Ludwig Yost headstones. Courtesy of Find-A-Grave.com.
Sources
Passenger ship manifest, Albina City Directories, U.S. Censuses, death records - Ancestry.com
Norka, Russia database.
Norka, Russia database.
Last updated October 6, 2025