raising cattle and producing fodder necessary to feed them.  There were few trees and they were difficult to grow in the area.

          There were never a lack of hardships.  In 1832, a cattle disease caused the loss of much of the livestock.  In 1833 and 1834, there was a total crop failure.  In 1844, the village livestock was again devastated by a cattle disease.  The reports from the village also mentioned strong earthquakes, but they thanked the Lord, that there was not any severe damage.

          The colonists felt blessed that they were so close to the commercial seaport of Odessa, for it was there that they could sell their products, and so were then able to buy needed supplies from neighboring colonies.  Over the years the mouth of the river to the west often dried up completely during the summer leaving a huge area from which salt would eventually be collected and sold as a commercial enterprise.  The villagers also raised vegetables and sold them in the city of Odessa markets.  Eventually a paved (cobblestone) road was built between the village and the city.

          Being of the Lutheran faith, it is interesting to note that the 3 children of Samuel Grenz (the older one) that were born in Friedrichstal, were confirmed in Rohrbach in the years 1833, 1838, 1840, and 1842.  This could be because, since Gueldendorf did not have a regular pastor, they went to the larger colony of Rohrbach to be confirmed.

           Samuel's wife died in 1847, and he remarried in 1851 to the widow Salomea Braun.  The 1858 census of Gueldendorf lists Samuel Grenz age 57 living with his second wife Salomea (from the colony of Worms), age 55 and sons Adam and family, Christoph and family, and Gottfried and family.  When looking at the census it is necessary to remember that ages were approximate and often children were called by their middle names.  Both Samuel Grenz and his 2nd wife died in Gueldendorf within months of each other.  Salomea died in August of 1858 and he died soon thereafter in December of 1858.  Both were only in their 50's.

          Samuel's oldest child and our ancestor, Georg Adam Christian Grenz, was born in Rohrbach, as already mentioned.  As a young toddler, he moved with his parents to Friedrichsthal.  Then at the age of 11, he and his parents settled in Gueldendorf.  In 1837, at the age of 18, Georg Adam Christian Grenz, married Catharina Elisabetha Dengler also 18 years of age in Gueldendorf.  Her parents had emigrated to the colony of Waterloo in South Russia in 1817 from the city of Wildberg in Wuerttemberg.  They were probably part of one of the groups that floated down the Danube River from Ulm.  Catharina was born in Waterloo.  As far as we know, this couple had 13 children between the years 1838 and 1862.

            The oldest child, Samuel, the younger, who eventually came to America, was born in Gueldendorf on Oct. 5, 1838.  His full name was Johann Samuel Grenz.  He married Christina Lutz in 1861.  Both were about 23 years of age.  Christina's parents had come to South Russia from Plochingen in Wuerttemberg.  She was born in the German Russian colony of Hoffnungstal.  Christina and Samuel had 13 known children who were born between the years of 1862 and 1884.  In 1882, their 12th child was born.  His name was Friedrich and is known by many of you cousins as grandpa Grenz.  It appears that the Grenzes moved away from Gueldendorf because their children were born mostly in Gnadenfeld and Lichtenfeld.  In fact, the Immigration record indicates they were living in Lichtenfeld at the time they left Russia.

          Over the years, the courageous German colonists continued to experience hardships.  They were often the object of hatred by the upper classes, who did not want to admit that this group had helped to build up the country of Russia.  They despised these colonists especially because they clung to their German ways and language and did not become Russian in religion