From the Pioneer Biography Files by the WPA (1936-1940) - ordered from NDSU: Old Settler Questionnaire
1. Name: Israel Hildebrandt Date of Birth: Oct 25, 1862 Birthplace: Borodino, Russia
Nationality: German-Russian Location: Friedenvelt Russia Occupation: Farmer
How did he get to America: boat Name of boat: Victoria Capt.: (blank)
Sailing point: Odessa to Hamburg, waited 8 days at Hamburg for a boat to America
Length of passage: 10 days
Cost: 150 ruble for man & wife
Port of entry in America? New York How did he get from that port of entry to his destination (rail, boat, or team?) Remained in New York 5 days, came to Eureka, S. Dak. by rail, arriving there May 28, 1889
2. Wife's Name: Susanna Moser Date of Birth: May 3, 1863 Birthplace: So. Russia
Nationality: German-Russian Location: (blank) Occupation (blank)
How did she get to America: boat Name of Boat: Victoria Capt.: (blank)
Sailing point: Hamburg, Germ. Length of passage: 10 days Cost (blank)
Port of entry in America? New York How did she get from that port of entry to her destination (rail, boat or team?) Rail
3. Mother's name: Barbara Wittmier Date of birth (blank) Birthplace (blank)
Nationality (blank) Location (blank) Occupation (blank)
How did she get to America? (blank) Name of boat (blank) Capt.: (blank)
Sailing point; (blank) Length of passage: (blank) Cost (blank)
Port of entry to America (blank) How did she get from that port of entry to her destination (rail, boat or team?) (blank)
4. Father's name: John Hildebrandt Date of birth (blank) Birthplace (blank)
Nationality (blank) Location (blank) Occupation (blank)
How did he get to America? (blank) Name of boat (blank) Capt.: (blank)
Sailing point; (blank) Length of passage: (blank) Cost (blank)
Port of entry to America (blank) How did he get from that port of entry to her destination (rail, boat or team?) (blank)
(note from transcriber: it is noted on the side of this questionnaire that Israel's parents did not come to America. John Hildebrandt died in Russia in 1877, but Barbara Wittmier Hildebrandt did come to America. She arrived in 1895 on the ship Havel with her son's Fred and Karl and daughter Barbara who was with her husband Jakob Faszer and 3 children. Barbara lived in Lehr, McIntosh County and was married to Christoph Koepplin in Dec. 1906 - I have a copy of their marriage record)
5. Describe your early home and home life: Information furnished on attached sheet
6. Describe the early schools and churches: (note from transcriber - just the letter "T" on the line, nothing more as if they were interrupted when answering?)
7. When did you leave home? (blank) Where did you go? (blank) Why? (blank)
What relative in your family induced you to go? (blank) What neighbor? (blank)
8. Where did you make your first permanent home? (twp) 133 range (77) (sec) 22 - in ( )'s above this it is handwritten "homestead"
When were you married? Dec 29, 1883 (above the date in handwriting it says Zehrico, Russia) What are the names of your children (give married names of the girls) (present residence) Information given on attached sheet
9. Where was your next home (blank) How did you travel to it? (blank)
Were there any later homes? (blank) Place (blank) Date (blank)
10. What business or occupation did you engage in: Farming
Where? (blank) When? (blank)
11. What offices have you held? (town, county, or state, and the date of each) None
Office Length of term Dates Under Whom Where*
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
(*Fort or town. If at any fort, tell about building of the fort, who commanded it there, and the names of the buildings, and the dates they were built)
12. Were you ever in the army? No Date of enlistment: (blank) enlistment papers (blank)
13. Have you made any long trips or voyages? No When? (blank)
Under what circumstances? (blank)
Give story of the same (blank)
Did you keep a diary? (blank)
Children of Mr. and Mrs. Israel Hildebrandt
Name Address Date of birth
Mrs. (Elizabeth) John Fode Bismarck May 9, 1886 (born in Russia)
Mrs. (Barbara) George Weible Bismarck May 29, 1888 (born in Russia)
Jacob (died at age 4) Nov. 1, 1884 (born in Russia)
Mrs. (Susan) Nels Hanson Adrin Aug. 3, 1890
Mrs. (Rosie) Andrew Weixel Bismarck Feb. 29, 1892
Carrie (feeble minded) Nov. 25, 1893
John Wishek Oct. 18, 1896
2 children died in early infancy
Charlie Burnstad Apr. 1, 1901
Mrs. (Emma) Edward Bender Lehr July 7, 1903
Mrs. (Ida) Paul Stephen Bismarck Nov 20, 1902
Early life in America:
Mr. Hildebrandt filed his homestead in Ashley, June 14, 1889.
Mr. Hildebrandt purchased a complete outfit for $400 in Eureka from a man named Piefer. For this he received a yoke of oxen, plow, wagon, food, supplies and other farm equipment. He purchased 3 hens and a rooster from a Mr. Weist (no. of Eureka) which gave him a start in chickens. He bought his first pig a year later from Mr. John Root (so. of Lehr)
Mr. Hildebrandt said he broke 20 A. of land in August, 1889, but it was not planted until the next spring. The second year he planted flax but harvested a poor crop, receiving only 50 bu. which he sold in Eureka of $1.50 per bu. Mr. Hildebrandt informed me that not until 1891 did he have a really good crop.
During the first summer, Mr. Hildebrandt stated he went to Eureka 14 times. The trip to Eureka could be made with oxen in one day. He bought his first team of horses and set of harnessing in 1891, for which he gave in return, 2 oxen and $200.
A house made of sandstone (about 18' by 20') which was built in 1892 is still standing and is used by the family as a summer kitchen. The sandstone used in building this house was obtained about 1/2 mi. distant from the farm buildings. The house is still in excellent condition.