Message
from International Services
By Elder
Terry Koberstein, Zone Leader
My last name is Koberstein, a
clearly Germanic name. It has been a very interesting issue in my life, coming
to learn about my last name. Of course I knew it was my father’s and
grandfather’s last name, but my father died of polio when I was less than three
years old so we didn’t have lots of father/son discussions about who we were.
My mother and stepfather didn’t provide insights, either.
At a fairly young age I became involved
in searching out my ancestors, first finding my link to my Grandmother Koberstein’ French
Canadian ancestry (La Fleur) and then over the years working out the history of
my state-side Koberstein family.
My first job after college took my wife
and me to Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. The full load of work, church and family
enveloped us and nurtured our fledgling family. Life was good to us and we
loved it.
However, the rumblings of “who am I?”
became even stronger. After a while we left Wisconsin and
moved to California, working for a new company. Part of my assignment
was traveling back to Wisconsin. Since I had continued my family history
research, I had discovered the connection with Great-great-grandfather
Ludwig Koberstein in Newton Township, Marquette County,
Wisconsin, just two counties above the county where
we had lived. I was greatly interested to find where he came from in
Europe and thought maybe Wisconsin held the key.
I needed to know the key! I had to
find the locality, even down to the very city or village to find
the Koberstein’. The records I could find state-side were vague about that
locality. Census, immigration passenger lists, emigration from Hamburg all gave
the general location as Prussia. The Kingdom of Prussia, as I came to
learn, was a very large place with frequent border changes based on the last
war to envelope it.
On one of my business trips back to
Oconomowoc I added a side vacation trip to Marquette County. I searched the
courthouse, library, cemeteries etc. to no avail. However, I did
stay over on Sunday and attended the ward in the nearest larger town,
Westfield. At church I asked around for the most knowledgeable
genealogist in the ward. That was Sister Ingraham, they all
said. I caught her after church and explained my interest. She said
she may have something that might interest me. She and her husband invited me
to dinner that night. I was anxious to find out what she
had.
That evening after dinner she explained
that she had been given permission to extract records from the nearby old
German church in Lawrence, Wisconsin, and went into an adjoining room
to bring back the church record for William Koberstein. It
clearly stated he was born in Colonie Brinsk, West Prussia. Miracle
of miracles, I knew the key! Later I found out through the experts at the Salt
Lake City Family History Library where Colonie Brinsk was. Once
I knew that, I found the records of hundreds of my ancestors who had waited
almost 200 years for this grand event.
Elijah had paved the way, probably with
the help of my deceased ancestors guiding my steps.
Here is the buffalo all dressed up.
I wonder if it is a better place to visit in the spring when there is more water, not to many birds to watch this time of year.
THOUGHT FOR YOU
This is Grandpa Hale's missionary card from his mission to the Southern States. Grandpa left Salt Lake City 4 January 1900. He labored in the Ozark Mountains. The following poem was found in Grandpa and Grandma Hale's poem collection. I enjoyed reading it. It tells a lot about missionary life at that time. The author is unknown.
Missionary Work in Arkansas
Thru sunshine and rain
Thru pleasure and pain,
Striving to bring souls unto God,
To do the folks good,
We did all we could
Showing them the path Jesus trod.
We walked up and down
From farmhouse to town,
Calling on the high and the low
Kind and polite we treat everyone
Disseminating truth as we go.
Thou some at us scorn
We try to all warn
Of judgement, destruction and woe,
Soon to be sent
Unless they repent
Of their sins so debasing and low.
They will get very mad
And say all that's bad
And turn us away from their door
But with a light heart
We'd always depart
And go on our way as before.
There are others again
Who would bid us remain
Their food and shelter to share
Saying that we would welcome be
If we could put up with the fare.
By the fire at night
We'd the gospel recite
And rest them by singing a song
We'd talk of the news
And show them some views
Which we always carried along.
Our tracts were as free
As the sands by the sea
To all who desired them to read
Our books we did lend
The truth to defend
And the people with literature feed.
We had books for sale
But if we should fail
To get them out in this way
For the people in need
Who desired them to read
We'd offer one without pay.
We were always in search
For schoolhouse or church
In which we might gospel discuss
It was hard to get these
So many to please
And someone would kick up a fuss.
So we have spoke
Under some spreading oak
To the people gathered around
In the domicile too
We preached to a few
Whenever the privilege we found.
We found it was best
To go neatly dressed
And a gentlemanly bearing to show
So that every sect
Would show us respect
Among whom 'twas our duty to go.
Without purse or script
Along with our grip
We found was the best way to go
Fir if we confide
The Lord will Provide
We've tried it and found it is so.
When we did commence
To carry a few cents
Upon which we might safely rely
But twice at night
We were left in a plight
And in the woods had to lie.
Last conference we agreed
Without purse to succeed
And have quit sleeping out in the cold
Our washing get done
And our stamps always come
And we're bringing more sheep to the fold.
We haven't been last
To observe every fast
Appointed by God's holy men
Besides other few
We enter into
For strength we desire to obtain.
We always have stiven
To observe all that was given
By way of command or advice.
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