John (Johann) Johannes Flaig, Sr.

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Oct 26 2017, 20:58:59 UTC

Black Sea German Resource Source: https://blackseagr.org/blksea-db/getperson.php?personID=I00595&tree...

Lifestory as recorded from Velma "Sally" Flaig (Forsman) daughter of John and Elsie Flaig and granddaughter of John and Catharine Flaig (Sr.).

Lifestory as recorded from Velma "Sally" Flaig (Forsman) daughter of John and Elsie Flaig and granddaughter of John and Catharine Flaig (Sr.). John and Catharine Flaig Sr. were from Postal, Russia. John Flaig Sr. was the son of Christian and Justina Flaig and was born on September 12, 1858 at Jud Ankerman County, Bessarabia, Romania. John Flaig Sr. was educated in his native homeland which included religion and learning the Russian language. The south Russian language is a version of German that also contain Russian, Romanian, and Turkish words. From the age of 20 - 27, John Flaig Sr. served in the Russian army. When John Flaig Sr. was in the Russian army, his parents sent him a family photo including a hired servant named Catharine Krause born on November 24, 1866 in which when John saw her picture, he was then intent upon marrying her when he got out of military service. Catharina Krause was born to Michael and Louisia Krause of Klolzbucker, Russia. John and Catharina were married on October 25, 1885 at Tarutino, Akkerman, Bessarabia, Russia and they were blessed with 15 children total. Their first child a girl was named Natalie, but she died at 15 years of age and is buried at Postal, South Russia. After many years of hard work and planning, the Flaig family decided to come to America when John Flaig, Sr. was 44 and Catharina was 35 years of age. On February 20, 1902, the Flaig family emigrated to the United States of America and sailed on board the Royarie from Hamburg, Germany. John and Catharina Flaig, Sr. brought 9 children (Dan age 15, Emilia age 14, Ida age 12, John age 10, Otto age 9, Mathilda age 7, Oscar age 4, and Olga age 3). The arrived in New York , U.S.A. in teh early spring of 1902. From New York, they traveled to Kulm, LaMoure County, North Dakota by train. The Flaig family lived in Kulm for a while and later moved to Alfred, North Dakota where Huilda was born on August 20, 1903 as the first baby born in the United States of America. On January 13, 1908, John and Catharina homesteaded north of Alfred in Alexander Township and were faithful members fo the Congregational church of Alfred. The Flaig family started a farm, built a sod house and a few outside buildings. The Flaig family farmed by the homestead Act of 1862 at $1.25 per acre. Nathalie was born on July 27, 1906, but passed away on May 8, 1908 and was buried at the farm, but was later moved to the cemetary at Alfred. In 1911, the Flaig family built a wooden house to keep warm from cold winters of forty below zero with heavy snow and high winds. Stutsman county records show that John Flaig Sr. age 49, became a citizen of the United States of America on March 27, 1907. On August 16, 1915 Catharine Flaig (Krause) passed away at the age of 48 and is buried at Alfred cemetary. John Flair Sr. at the age of 64 made plans to go back to Postal, Russia for a one year visit on December 27, 1922, but due to delays, he did not leave until December 21, 1924 for New York from Alfred by train, and got his passport extended an additional 4 months until April 1, 1925. However, John Flaig Sr. due to a lack of funds never was able to return home to the United States of America and his family due to a lack of sufficient funds. On December 29, 1938, John Flaig Sr. passed away and was buried at Postal, Russia on January 1, 1939 along side his daughter Natalie.

Alternate Lifestory

When Johannes Flaig was born on September 12, 1858, his father, Erhard, was 36 and his mother, Christina, was 28. He died on December 29, 1939, at the age of 81, and was buried in Odessa, Ukraine.

Johann Johannes FLAIG born 30 August 1858 at Alt Posttal, Akkerman, Bessarabia, South Russia was the son of Erhard FLAIG and Christina ENSSLEN.

Johann married Katharina KRAUSE on the 25th of October 1885 at Tarutino, Akkerman, Bessarabia, South Russia. This union was blessed with 15 children; Nathalie, Daniel, Emilia, Ida, John, Otto, Mathilda, Alfred Oscar, Olga, Ralph Emmanuel, Hulda, Albert, Nathalie, Lydia and Anna.

Johann at the age of 43 with his wife, Katharina and their children; Daniel, Emilia, Ida, Johann, Otto, Mathilda, Alfred Oscar, Olga and Ralph Rudolph, immigrated to America via the Port of Hamburg, Germany aboard the SS "Palatia" on the 30th of March 1902 and arrived at the Port of New York, New York on the 13th of April 1902.Their final destination was recorded as Kulm, North Dakota to join Johann's brother, Joseph FLAIG.

Seven plus years after Johann FLAIG's wife died on the 11th of January 1923 he booked passage to return to South Russia for a visit for a year. Since he couldn't get the proper papers to return to the U.S., his visa ran out and he lost his U.S. citizenship. Hence with no money and no work he lived the remainder of his life in south Russia.Johann FLAIG at age 81, died in December 1939 at Alt Posttal and was buried beside his daughter, Nathalie.Sources:Odessa 3 — Bessarabian Collection & St. Petersburg Archives; and the 5 volumes of,Tarutino — Ancestors and Family History with Family Relations in Bessarabia, 1814-1940, by Heinrich WAHLERS