Our Family Story
How the Liebaus came to America according to John Christian Liebau Sr., John Christian Liebau Jr. and his wife Caroline Dorothy Ritter Liebau:
We left Immenrode, Schwarzburg, Rudolstadt, Germany and arrived in Bremen on March 30, 1867 where we stayed for three days.
On April 3rd, we continued our journey in a cart (shlepkahn) to Bremerhaven. Note: A cart drawn by man power and usually used only for baggage, etc.
On April 5th we went on board a tug or riverboat (Dampfer) and went out to our ship. The ship was anchored for 3 days due to unfavorable winds.
On April 7th they rang the bells and Divine Services were conducted. Several hymns were sung, and then the Captain preached a nice sermon, and prayed God for favorable winds that we might launch our ship into the deep, wild ocean and begin our journey.
On April 8th the sails were set, we had good winds and we began our journey.
On April 11th we had a storm and everything was thrown about the ship. We had traveled about 150 miles a day while the winds were favorable. The winds continued to be unfavorable.
On April 14th the storm blew the ship back more than it was able to forge ahead.
On April 17th we had a very severe storm and we were in grave danger. Our ship was anchored in the English Channel, and was about to sink, when the cook took an axe and cut the anchor rope.
On April 18th we were in danger again due to a heavy fog. Another ship struck and hooked onto ours, and tore off two of its mast beams. Our ship was not damaged, as it was a new boat.
On the second Easter Day, we had another heavy storm. We proceeded fairly well until the 29th, when we had another heavy storm. The waves came up over the deck. Nobody was able to stand or walk. In fact it was difficult even to be able to remain seated. That evening some people were serving tea. We were in our Cabin, when suddenly the ship received a terrific jolt. The water rolled up over the deck, and the people became panicky and screamed. Everybody thought the ship was wrecked and we were lost. As we opened our door, the people were standing in water, knee deep, in front of the kitchen. Some people were lying in water. The ship, however, was not damaged. No one was injured.
On May 1st we had another heavy storm. We were fortunate though as we were able to travel 10 to 15 miles an hour part of the time.
May 3rd and 4th we had favorable winds and we were able to travel about as fast as a railroad train.
May 5th the ocean was quiet and we traveled slowly. Divine Services were conducted. That evening the wind began to blow and blew such a gale the sails were all drawn together. The waves beating up against the ship sounded like cannons. No one was able to sit or stand unless they were holding onto something. The storm continued until Wednesday noon. Then we had good winds until May 9th, at noon the winds ceased to blow, and our ship could not travel.
May 10th we had good winds and sailed right along.
May 11th we traveled very slowly.
May 12th we had a heavy fog, which lasted 1½ days. The foghorns blew continuously, day and night and we traveled very slowly.
May 17th a large number of sea hogs or porpoises (Schweinfische) came up in the water. After that we had a heavy storm, which lasted two days. During this storm a sailor was thrown against the mast and was killed.
May 20th we traveled slowly.
May 21st a large number of sea hogs appeared again, and that night, the wind began to blow. The next day the wind blew such a gale that the ocean was so rough, the ropes, which weren’t very strong, which held the chests and trunks, broke. Chests, dishes, and people were thrown about. The storm continued until evening.
May 22nd it was quiet.
May 23rd we traveled along fairly well. In the afternoon our hearts became a little lighter as they raised the anchor chains.
May 24th a pilot boat (lodzin) came out to meet us from America.
May 25th we had our first nice day, but the ship moved slowly.
May 26th we arrived in New York.
May 27th we arrived in Castlegarden.
May 28th we continued our journey by boat.
May 30th we arrived in Pittsburgh.
May 31st we arrived in Chicago and boarded the steamboat.
June 2nd we arrived in St. Paul.
June 3rd, 1867 we arrived in Minneapolis.
It took the Liebaus 1,256 hours of travel time from Bremen, Germany to New York, and another 192 hours from New York to Minneapolis via Pittsburg, Chicago, and St Paul with a total of 1,448 hours.
The Liebaus had eight children. Three of them: Frederica, John Christian, and Theodore died in infancy in Germany of Diphtheria. Two of them: Emelia and Karl came to America with their parents. Three boys: Fritz, Herman and Ferdinand were born after they arrived in America. Ferdinand was 10 years old when their mother died.
When they arrived in Minneapolis, John Christian Sr. was 55 years old. John Christian Jr. was 35 years old and his wife Caroline Dorothy Ritter Liebau was also 35 years old. John Christian Sr. died in 1880 and is buried at Greenwood Cemetery, now known as Greenfield, Minnesota.
They stayed with the Von Ende family who owned and operated a hotel near the Great Northern Train Depot (Grandmother Liebau and Mrs. Ende were sisters). John Christian Liebau Jr. bought 60 acres of land in Hanover, MN. He cleared some land, built a log cabin and moved his family into their new home in America. The cabin consisted of two rooms, one room downstairs and one room upstairs. Later he built another cabin with three rooms downstairs and two rooms and a hallway upstairs.
When the Liebaus moved into their new home it was wilderness and deep forest all around them. The deer and other wild animals used to come up to the house and in the garden. In fact, years later they used to hear the timber wolves howl on a cold winter night. Part of the land had virgin timber and thick woods for many years, a haven for the wild animals.
Game and fish was the mainstay of the settlers’ diet and this was no exception with the Liebau family. The nearest grocery store was at St Michaels, which was about seven miles from the farm.
Once all the girls were grown up, they married and moved off of the farm. The one son, John, died in a car accident at 26 years old. The land was left to Fritz Von Ende. On the land he produced corn and hay until 1977 when he died of emphysema. His son, John, was 18 when he took over the farm. He married Kelly and together they rasied five children while owning the farm. John was 39 when he died in an ATV accident in 1998. His wife rented out the land, remarried and sold the property in 2001.