Johann Kornelius Dircks had, in 1819, immigrated to Alexanderthal in Ukraine's Molotschna Colony. His eldest son Johann Johann became known as "Oel Ohm", a title of respect earned by his age and reputation as a maker of oil from the Hederich weed. Johann Lornelius died about 1855 then his son Johann "Oel Ohm" died about 1870. In Molotschna the youngest sons inherited farms so the oldest sons tended to emigrate. Oel Ohm's eldest son Heinrich Johann , 46 years old and married with seven children, left for America in 1874 on the ship SS Teutonia.
Also aboard the ship was Heinrich's Alexanderthal neighbor, and cousin, Cornelius W. Duerksen , 48 years old and married with eight children. Cornelius left this Emigration Diary
To be continued. Nov 10, 2017