or culture.  Many privileges granted by the previous Russian rulers, Catherine and Alexander, were taken away in 1871.  The colonists now had to perform military service and the young men were drafted into the army beginning in 1874.  With the large families (the average number of children was 8), the villages were getting over populated and land was getting scarce. 

          The colonists began to hear reports of opportunities and new freedoms in America, often from families who already had relatives in America.  They heard of freedom from military service, the opportunities to get land cheaply, homesteads and so on.  The exodus from south Russia began in about 1872.  In 1885, Samuel and Christina Grenz, now in their 40's, and their 11 children ages under one year to 23 years of age, embarked on their voyage to America.  This was 72 years after Samuel's grandfather, also named Samuel, first stepped onto Russian soil.

          It was impossible at that time to get an emigration passport, so in preparation for leaving, the German Russians attempted to get a traveling passport.  These documents were obtained with great difficulty, probably in Odessa, the county seat.  It was a drawn-out and expensive process and many times it was necessary to bribe the corrupt officials.  The trip from Russia was long and difficult.  Some took the train from Odessa to Germany, a three day's journey.  In Germany, it was often necessary to wait for several days before the ship left for America.  About 1 in 4 settlers left Russia.  The ones who stayed later experienced great suffering, starvation and often death.  It is not known exactly how many of Samuels's siblings came to America.  Several did die in Russia.  His brother Friedrich, however, did emigrate in 1875 and was living in the Menno, South Dakota area in 1885.  His brother Gottlieb G. A. Grenz, Sr. came in June of 1886 and settled in the Eureka, South Dakota area, and his brother Georg Adam Grenz arrived in May 1887.  He filed his intention to become a citizen in Oct. 1887 in Yankton County, South Dakota.

          Coming to America was a major turning point for the immigrants, and the decision to do so must have been difficult.  For some it was a joyous, others adventurous and for many a heart-wrenching experience.  It meant leaving ones homeland, friends and all to often family, knowing that often they would never see each other again.  One life was ending and a new one was beginning.  At the time of leaving Russia, Samuel's mother had died the year before and his father had passed away, but her father would live another 3 years.  They were, of course, also leaving behind some siblings, many friends and probably most of their worldly goods.

          Samuel and Christina and their children are listed among the steerage passengers on the SS Suevia that arrived  in New York on June 1, 1885.  The SS Suevia, an iron hulled steamship with two masts and a funnel, was built in Scotland and launched in 1874.  The ship had room for 100 1st class passengers, 70 2nd class passengers, and 600 3rd class passengers.  The Suevia departed from Hamburg, Germany and Le Havre, France taking on passengers at both places before crossing the ocean.  It may very well be that the Grenzes departed from France because up to now, I have not been able to find them on the Hamburg lists of departing passengers.  I have not found any lists for passengers leaving from Le Havre.  In those days, the trip to New York lasted about 10 days depending on the weather.  First class passengers often paid $60-$70, while 3rd class cost about $20.  A lot of money back in those days.  Steerage tickets were sold without space reservations.  The shipping lines had agencies in the United States whose ticket agents traveled throughout Europe, in towns and villages selling tickets. A passport was not required to enter the United States until 1900.