Welcome to the
Iowa Wends!
The Iowa Wendish Heritage
Study Group is focused on the Genealogical Research of the Wends
who created and lived in the Iowa Community of Wends from 1847
to present. This includes collecting their family histories,
photos, and items of historical interest in order to preserve
the memories of Wendish culture and continue to celebrate their
unique history.
The collection of Iowa
Wendish genealogical data began in about 1980. Members are
mainly, but not exclusively, the descendents of the
Lower-Wendish emigrants from and near the town of Drachhausen in
the south-eastern part of Germany.
In 1847, Christian
Wilhelm Stempel from Drachhausen (today Federal State
Brandenburg in Germany), began a chain
migration to the newly formed state of Iowa in the USA. As more
people joined him, a community of Wends was formed.
By 1925, over 200 Wendish
individuals had immigrated to Ford Madison and later the State
Center area of Iowa, living near one another, marrying and
raising large families. Over 12,000 descendents of these
original Wends have been found living throughout the United
States.
Please click
here to see the list of Wendish emigrants to Iowa.
The chairperson of the
Iowa Wends is Cathy Petersen.
Please feel free to contact her with questions about the group,
obtaining copies of existing family histories, contributing your
family data or participating in group activities at
paradisesd@cox.net
The group has celebrated
their Wendish heritage with several "Wenden Fests".
Read more.
The Wendish cook book,
with many original Wendish recipes.
Read
more.
There are other
Wendish genealogical societies.
Read more.
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