Videos: German Immigrant Life Here in the mid-1800s

Early German Settlers

In the 1850s & 60s, the first house of most immigrant settlers was a one-room log cabin. German Immigrant Joachim Goth lived with his wife, mother and 8 children in a small cabin here on this land.

Farming, A Family Affair

Life for the new settlers wasn’t easy. It was often dominated by work and required learning new skills and farming practices. Boys helped their fathers in the field while girls helped their mothers in the house and in the garden.

Schools

Until 1878, German immigrant children in the Town of Middleton had only minimal formal schooling. There was no school building, the school year was fragmented, and it was hard to find qualified teachers. At first, many of the children of the Mecklenburg, Germany families went to church schools where pastors taught bible verses, catechism, and hymns.

Church

Immigrants from Mecklenburg, Germany who settled in the Pope Farm Conservancy neighborhood tried to preserve their culture as much as possible. The first immigrant community building was often a church. In 1852, immigrants from Mecklenburg who lived in the area around the Pope Farm Conservancy founded the first German Evangelical Lutheran Congregation.

Social Life and Language

For many German Immigrant families in the town of Middleton, church was the center of social life. Special celebrations, church holidays, picnics, choir meetings, and other occasions brought the congregation together. In conversation, they spoke English, German, or the Mecklenburg dialect.