THE VOLGA GERMANS IN PORTLAND
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Our People


"At the time of grandfather's death, the words "our people" were constantly used by members of the family. The phrase had a double meaning. It referred not only to one's relatives, but also the Volga Germans as a whole. To a great extent the two meanings were interchangeable, because the only relative that a person was likely to have were Volga Germans." -- Emma Schwabenland Haynes
1901 photograph of twins Katy and Dora Schwabenland (front row) and their three friends.
Photograph taken in 1901 of twins Katy and Dora Schwabenland (front row) along with three friends.

The Volga Germans often referred to themselves as Unsere Leute (our people). This term provided a sense of community and belonging in both Russia and the early years of settlement in America when much of the world surrounding them was culturally distinct.

Below are links to short biographies of individuals and families that migrated from Russia and made Portland their new home. We are grateful to those who have shared their family stories.

​Please consider writing your own family story. Download a template in Microsoft Word format to help you get started. ​Simply replace the fictitious text with the real facts about your family, attach a few photos, and send it to us. That's all there is to it!

  • ​John and Elizabeth Arndt
  • Conrad and Katherine Bauer
  • George and Margaretha Bauer
  • John and Katharina Benner
  • Heinrich and Magdalena Bernhardt
  • Adam and Katherine Bihn
  • Nicholas and Katharina Elisabeth Block
  • Conrad and Mary Brill
  • Jacob and Christina Burback
  • Jack Burbank
  • Henry and Marie Danewolf
  • John Deering Family
  • Conrad and Elisabeth Derr Family
  • Derr Family
  • ​Georg Christian and Elisabeth Dick
  • Esther Deines Schnell Haggstrom
  • Peter and Rose Dietrich
  • Heinrich and Dorothea Döring
  • August Erdman
  • Amalie Erdman
  • Jacob and Amalie Erdman​
  • George and Christina Frueauf
  • John Henry Freauff and Helen May Appleman
  • Adam Heinrich and Christina Gabel
  • Paul and Caroline Gartner
  • John and Mary Geis
  • Heinrich and Sophia Giebelhaus
  • Johannes and Catharina Margareta Giebelhaus
  • Glanz Family
  • Henry and Elisabeth Green
  • George Heinrich Adam Hahn
  • Jacob and Anna Maria Hein
  • The Hamburg Family Story
  • Heinrich H. and Katherine Helser
  • Lukas and Christina Herder
  • David and Katherina Hildermann
  • George and Elisabeth Hinkel
  • George and Catharina Amalie Hohnstein
  • John and Emma Hohnstein
  • Henry and Alice Hohnstein
  • Adam and Jenny Hoelzer
  • Conrad and Louise Hölzer
  • Anna Maria Klaus Family
  • Georg Peter Klaus​
  • Heinrich and Katharina Koch
  • Margaretha Knippel
  • Carl Kramer
  • John and Magdalena Krieger
  • Melchior and Katharina Krieger
  • George Lehl
  • Anna Sophia Langmann
  • Adam and Catherine Leichner
  • Henry and Katherine Miller
  • John and Elisabeth Miller​
  • Ludwig and Katherine Miller
  • Peter and Amalia Müller
  • Catharina Elisabeth Nafts
  • John and Katie Pauli
  • John and Emilie Pauli
  • Johannes and Amalia Pfenning
  • Conrad and Marie Pfenning
  • Johann and Anna Margaretha Rau
  • John and Dorothy Reich
  • Carl and Catherine Reider
  • Earl George Repp
  • George and Anna Maria Rueck
  • Heinrich and Maria Katharina Scheidemann
  • Lorenz and Katherine Schleiger
  • Johannes and Anna Margaretha Schmidt
  • Heinrich Schmidt
  • Heinrich and Katherine Schmunk
  • George and Magdalena Schnell
  • Nicklous and Matilda Schnell
  • Peter and Elisabeth Schnell​
  • George and Elizabeth Schreiber
  • ​Schreiber, Schmeer and Brehm Family
  • Jacob and Anna Catharina Schreiner
  • Jacob and Maria Schwan
  • Heinrich and Elisabeth Schwartz
  • Johann Georg and Katharina Elisabeth Seder
  • Heinrich Peter and Catharina Sinner
  • John C. and Paulina Sinner
  • Conrad Jacob and Katharina Sittner Family
  • Eva Stricker Rau Fritzler​
  • Esther Trupp
  • Johann Georg and Margaretha Urbach
  • Adam and Anna Elisabeth Vogel
  • Henry and Mary Vogel
  • George and Magdalena Wacker
  • George Wagner
  • Henry Wagner
  • Conrad and Catharina Weber
  • Conrad and Christina Weber
  • John and Elizabeth Weber
  • Nicholas and Christina Weber
  • George and Maria Catharina Weitz
  • Peter and Amalia (Seder) Will
  • Henry "Dixie" Wunsch
  • Heinrich Peter and Elizabeth Yost
  • Peter and Katharina Zimmermann
  • Karl and Marie Zitzer​

Last updated January 26, 2022
Copyright © 1998-2022 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
    • 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