John was a son of John and Eva (Kechter) Kister. He married Christine M. Becker in 1875. John was born in the village of Walter, Christine in the village of Kolb. Farmed property in Brunnental which is located in the Bergseite area, east of the Volga river in south Russia. Shortly after they were married, they immigrated to the United States as John was subject to military draft. They left Bremen, Germany on the S.S. Deutchland which was wrecked in a storm on Kentish Knock, off the Thames Estuary in the English Channel, with the loss of 157 lives. They survived the disaster by clinging to the ships masts. The story goes that they took turns sleeping, the awake person(s) watching the sleeper, making sure he/she didn't slip off. They were rescued a day and a half later and eventually taken to Southampton for another try, embarking on the steamer S.S. Salier. As they passed the site where the Deutchland sank, the masts could still be seen sticking out of the water. They arrived at the Bremen Dock at Hoboken, New Jersey on January 2, 1876.
The 1880 federal census lists John as a laborer, living in Ward 2, N. Polk Street, Topeka, Kansas. This is where their first three children, Anna Mary, Henry Theodore, and a male child (1880) were born. The unnamed boy apparently died early in life. The John Kister family only stayed in the U.S. for about four years. Family lore says Christine became ill, and her doctor recommended they return to Russia.
Returning sometime between 1880 and 1881, they farmed near Brunnental, the village where they originally lived. Here, two more daughters were born: Kathren (1881) and Emma (1883). They apparently decided America was the better place to live, and left in 1884. This time it is said, they had to bribe the border guards to get out of the country.
The ships name and port of entry are unknown but, the family made their way first to Topeka, then Hillsboro, Kansas where they lived for about five years before settling in Clackamas county, Oregon, living on a 123 acre farm on the East Side of Cramer road, just south of Eby School.
John and Christine were the parents of 14 children, but by 1900 only 8 were living. On Easter Sunday, April 3, 1892, a falling tree limb ("a widow maker") killed John Peter while he was working on the farm.
The 1880 federal census lists John as a laborer, living in Ward 2, N. Polk Street, Topeka, Kansas. This is where their first three children, Anna Mary, Henry Theodore, and a male child (1880) were born. The unnamed boy apparently died early in life. The John Kister family only stayed in the U.S. for about four years. Family lore says Christine became ill, and her doctor recommended they return to Russia.
Returning sometime between 1880 and 1881, they farmed near Brunnental, the village where they originally lived. Here, two more daughters were born: Kathren (1881) and Emma (1883). They apparently decided America was the better place to live, and left in 1884. This time it is said, they had to bribe the border guards to get out of the country.
The ships name and port of entry are unknown but, the family made their way first to Topeka, then Hillsboro, Kansas where they lived for about five years before settling in Clackamas county, Oregon, living on a 123 acre farm on the East Side of Cramer road, just south of Eby School.
John and Christine were the parents of 14 children, but by 1900 only 8 were living. On Easter Sunday, April 3, 1892, a falling tree limb ("a widow maker") killed John Peter while he was working on the farm.
John was a son of John and Eva (Kechter) Kister. He married Christine M. Becker in 1875. John was born in the village of Walter, Christine in the village of Kolb. Farmed property in Brunnental which is located in the Bergseite area, east of the Volga river in south Russia. Shortly after they were married, they immigrated to the United States as John was subject to military draft. They left Bremen, Germany on the S.S. Deutchland which was wrecked in a storm on Kentish Knock, off the Thames Estuary in the English Channel, with the loss of 157 lives. They survived the disaster by clinging to the ships masts. The story goes that they took turns sleeping, the awake person(s) watching the sleeper, making sure he/she didn't slip off. They were rescued a day and a half later and eventually taken to Southampton for another try, embarking on the steamer S.S. Salier. As they passed the site where the Deutchland sank, the masts could still be seen sticking out of the water. They arrived at the Bremen Dock at Hoboken, New Jersey on January 2, 1876.
The 1880 federal census lists John as a laborer, living in Ward 2, N. Polk Street, Topeka, Kansas. This is where their first three children, Anna Mary, Henry Theodore, and a male child (1880) were born. The unnamed boy apparently died early in life. The John Kister family only stayed in the U.S. for about four years. Family lore says Christine became ill, and her doctor recommended they return to Russia.
Returning sometime between 1880 and 1881, they farmed near Brunnental, the village where they originally lived. Here, two more daughters were born: Kathren (1881) and Emma (1883). They apparently decided America was the better place to live, and left in 1884. This time it is said, they had to bribe the border guards to get out of the country.
The ships name and port of entry are unknown but, the family made their way first to Topeka, then Hillsboro, Kansas where they lived for about five years before settling in Clackamas county, Oregon, living on a 123 acre farm on the East Side of Cramer road, just south of Eby School.
John and Christine were the parents of 14 children, but by 1900 only 8 were living. On Easter Sunday, April 3, 1892, a falling tree limb ("a widow maker") killed John Peter while he was working on the farm.
The 1880 federal census lists John as a laborer, living in Ward 2, N. Polk Street, Topeka, Kansas. This is where their first three children, Anna Mary, Henry Theodore, and a male child (1880) were born. The unnamed boy apparently died early in life. The John Kister family only stayed in the U.S. for about four years. Family lore says Christine became ill, and her doctor recommended they return to Russia.
Returning sometime between 1880 and 1881, they farmed near Brunnental, the village where they originally lived. Here, two more daughters were born: Kathren (1881) and Emma (1883). They apparently decided America was the better place to live, and left in 1884. This time it is said, they had to bribe the border guards to get out of the country.
The ships name and port of entry are unknown but, the family made their way first to Topeka, then Hillsboro, Kansas where they lived for about five years before settling in Clackamas county, Oregon, living on a 123 acre farm on the East Side of Cramer road, just south of Eby School.
John and Christine were the parents of 14 children, but by 1900 only 8 were living. On Easter Sunday, April 3, 1892, a falling tree limb ("a widow maker") killed John Peter while he was working on the farm.
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