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The Germans from Russia began coming to Kit Carson County in 1890, and settled in an area about 20 miles north west of Burlington and 10 miles north of Bethune,, and started what became known as the "Russian Settlement". A name that stuck for many years. These people were true Germans-as they never accepted the Russian way of life during the years they lived in Russia. Their ancestors had gone to Russia in the early 1900's.

They chose this part of the county to settle in on account of the sandy soil which would produce some crop every year even with a shortage of rainfall, where as the black. soil farther east would require more rainfall to produce crops.

They were all farmers and wanted to have land of their own. Many German families had settled in Scotland, South Dak. when they first came to America as there was a colony of Germans living there. When they learned that Eastern Colorado was opened to homesteaders in 1886, several families from Scotland South Dakota decided to come to Colorado. They were the August Adolfs, the Andreas Baltzers, Andrew Bauders, the John Wahls, Jacob Strobel, Christian Dobler and the three Schaal Brothers, John, Sam and Matt.

These people came with all their belongings in their wagons, to settle on the treeless prairies. There were no homes to move into, so temporary quarters were set up. Some had tents to live in. They had to find a water hole near a creek for water until a well could be dug. The ones that did not dig a well would have to haul water, sometimes for several miles.

Some of these people came with money so were able to buy some lumber and build a house or shack. Others came with little or, no money, so they made a dugout in the side of a hill to live in. Then they would use planks for a roof with clods of dirt placed on top. Many times the rain would run into them and they would have to pile up their few things to keep them dry.

Some cut sod blocks from the prairie grass and piled them up to make a sod house, the walls usually were 13-20 inches thick. Then they would white wash the inside with the native lime. Planks would be used for the roof covered with the sod blocks. Some of the sod houses had wooden floors. The rough lumber could be bought for $1.00 per thousand. Others had dirt floors for a long time. A little later they learned how to make dobey blocks. These blocks were made by mixing mud and straw and letting them dry before piling them up. These sod and dobey houses were warn in the winter and cool in the summer. And with a little care would last a long time. You can still see a few of them scattered around that haven't been torn down or fallen down.

The lack of fuel was one of the many hardships the homesteaders had to face and over come. They were too far from town to haul coal and had little or no money to buy with even though it would have been closer. Cow chips were used, called buffalo coal or prairie coal. Whey would make a quick hot fire, but it took plenty of them. One bucket of chips seemed to make two buckets of ashes, to carry out. Soap weeds made a good fire also but it took more labor to get them. During World War I some could get an allotment for coal, but this was usually given to the older ones and the rest used what the prairie had to offer.

At first there was only one gun in the Settlement and it belonged to Gottlieb Bauder. It was used by any one wanting to hunt. There were many antelope roaming over the prairies. They furnished good meat. There were also many rabbits that were shot or caught in traps

There were five ox teams in the community. They belonged Fred Stutz, Mr. Hefner, Mr. Knodel, Matt Schaal, and Sam Schaal. The reason they were used was because they were easy to feed when you worked them, using no grain. They were fed corn and corn fodder. Also they were tame and wouldn't stray like horses. Most people didn't have money to build fences for a few years. Later they all used horses and let the oxen go for beef. There were wild horses an the prairies that were caught up and broke to ride and drive. This was done by driving them into a deep gulley or ravine where they could be roped. Some turned out real good and others were good for nothing.

The buffalo were all gone from the prairies by the time the homesteaders arrived but there were many bones scattered over the prairies and near the water holes. There was a trail down by the Launchman Creek that was used by the people picking up the bones, which they would sell to make a little ready cash. This trail became known as the "Bone Picker's Trail". The bones were heavy and could be sold for $4.00 a ton. Later when they became scarce they were sold for $14.00 a ton. The buyer would then sell them to a fertilizer company.

They planted their first corn by following the plowed furrow and by using a hoe to make a hole to drop the corn in, Corn and feed was about all that was raised at first.
Later they were able to get a little machinery. It didn't take much to raise corn, a walking plow, a walking lister, a walking cultivator and a little seed. They could plant 10-12 acres from a bushel of seed. Much of it would be hand shelled. The cobs made good fuel for the cook stoves and In the fall the stocks made good pasture when the ground was covered with snow.

Quite a bit of corn was raised in 1892 as it was a good year. There was no market in Burlington so it was hauled to Goodland, Kansas, with ox teams. It would take 2 days and part of a night for a one way trip. It was sold for 5¢ a bushel. Flour was 10¢ a sack cheaper in Goodland than in Burlington.

In 1894 the first of the drouths started. Some grew discouraged and pulled up and left never to return. The ones that remained were later able to buy these deserted homesteads. Some of the men would leave the family on the homestead and go to Denver for a few weeks or months to find work to earn a few dollars to keep the family going. There was work in the smelter and on ranches north of Denver.

The Weisshaar family had settled near Idalia, but when they the colony of Germans living to the south of them down to be near their kind of people.

The Yale Post Office was established at the Yale home east of the settlement with the mail being brought up from Burlington, making a 52 mile trip with horse and buggy. Later they put in store and it saved many a long trip to Burlington for supplies. In 1909 they had their first mail route out of Bethune.

In the spring 1895 the County Commissioners shipped in a car of spring wheat and gave every homesteader 6 bushels to sow. No one had a drill so it was sawed an the ground by hand, then plowed under and harrowed. After they had raised a crop they were required to return the six bushel so it could be passed on to other homesteaders.

Pioneer life was not easy as there were so many things to contend with. First there was the learning of a new language for many of them, and new customs, and it was a slow process. The children learned faster when they attended school. Other people looked down or them and called them "Russians" and made fun of their broken speech and the manner of dress, that they wore as in the old country. It took many years to break down the barrier and be accepted as an American Citizen.

There were many rattlesnakes here in the early days and were a constant fear to the people. Cattle, horses, besides the people would be bitter by them. They would suffer great agonies of pain. Some lost their lives from the bites because they could not reach a doctor soon enough. Many fathers and mothers learned that they just had to slash the wounds of the children to got rid of the poison. Many a life was saved this way. A remedy for snake bite on cattle was the using of lard and turpentine. They would rub the swelling several times a day and apply the lard and turpentine. Then they world usually recover.
The prairie fires that were usually caused by flashes of ass were a great hazard. A plow, a barrel of water and gunny sacks were their fighting equipment. When ever a fire was spotted all the men would come to help. Some times they would have to work all night to turn the fire so it wouldn't destroy some ones home. Fortunately no one lost a home but many world lose some cattle feed that had been put up on the prairie.

Some summers they be plagued by swarms of grasshoppers moving in and devouring every thing in sight.

Terrible storms and blizzards would come during winters and it was always a worry to the women folk when the husbands and children were out on the prairie for fear of a storm coming up suddenly and causing them to lose their way home. It was easy to get lost as there were no trails, no fences and no land marks to follow. Several early day homesteaders lost their lives that way but none in the Settlement area. These storms would be hard on the cattle, as they had little and no protection and would drift with the storm for miles. They would have to be located and brought home after the storm was over. Most of the people were getting more cattle to run on the open range. In order to do this they would have to have their cattle branded so they could be identified. The Burlington Republican Paper published in the 1900's published lists of the people with cattle brands and gave the area where lived. The following Settlement people were listed in the brand lists. Schaal Bros., August Adolf, John Wahl and sons, Fred Bauder, Dobler Bros., Gottlieb Amman, August Fanselau, Andreas Adolf, Herman Amman, John Stahlecker and Andreas Baltzer.

These German people were very thrifty and managed to keep going in spite of all the draw backs. In time they could see the results of all their hard labor.

There was no place in Burlington or near by where the ranchers could market their cattle and hogs. Henry Gobel who lived east of the Settlement became n cattle and hog buyer for a Denver Commission Firm. He would buy a head or two here and there and keep them until ha had enough to make a shipment to Denver. This was a big service for the ones that raised a few cattle. In those days very little feed was raised for livestock. They would graze on the wild hay which would be cut and stacked during the summer. Many times during a long hard winter they would run out of teed and by spring the cattle would be poor and weak and probably die.

Many Settlement people would trade in the little town of Stratton, to the west. The storekeeper there would pay 1-2¢ more for a dozen eggs and would sell a sack of flour 5¢ cheaper. In this way he built up quite a trade with the Germans.

One of the greatest handicaps of pioneering life was the shortage of reading material. Books and papers were always welcome and they would be passed around so all could read then.

Schools were few and far between in the early days after the Germans came, but some how they managed to get the children to school. Here they learned the English language which they used at school. As German was spoken in the homes for many years, the older ones didn't try to learn the English. Even today many families speak the German when they are alone, so it won't be forgotten.

These early days schools were usually held in sod buildings with home made desks. Some just used a big plank for the desk with planks for seats. They would have a few books and use pencils and slates. The teacher would be some one who had enough education to teach the youngsters. These early schools would just be in session three to four months a year.

As the children of the first pioneers grew older they took up homesteads for themselves. They found life so much easier then when their parents first came.

Social life among these pioneers was very limited. The church was the center of their lives. They met in homes until they could get their little rock church built in 1893.
The task of providing for the family and gaining financial independence were the next most important things in their lives at this time.

The people were very happy when they could call a piece of land their own and they sang this little song.

"I got some land from Uncle
And I am as happy as a clam.
When I came here to get my start
My neighbors were miles apart
But now there is one on every claim
And sometimes they all want the same,
O sweet Colorado land
On my dugout roof I stand
And wonder if it ever rains.
And turn around and weed my corn
And think I'll never sell my farm."

Many Indian arrows and Indian relics could be found on the prairies, especially after a hard wind storm. Hunting them became a favorite past time for the children and some older ones also. Some folks had quite a large collection of them.

By, 1908 the Russian Settlement consisted of around 25 families in one township. They were the August Adolfs, the John Wahls, John Stahleckers, John Schaals, Christian Doblers, Jacob Strobels, August Fanselaus, John Zieglers, Gottlieb Gramms, John Weisshaars, William Adolf's, Gottfried Weiss, Frank Kramers, Gottlleb Ammans, Herman Ammns, Chris Stahlecker, John Meyers, Fred Stutz, Andrew Bauers, Gottlieb Bauders, John Jacobers, Andrew Bauders, Andreas Bauders, Sam Schaals, Matt Schaals and the Schlichenmayers.

These people were getting more cattle and horses and making better improvements and better and more machinery, as they became more prosperous as the years went by.
The following is an excerpt taken from the January 17.1918 issue of the Kit Carson County Record, published in Burlington, Colo: 

All German Enemies in Colorado to sign register on Feb 4th. Rules governing the registration of all German alien enemies are being sent out this week to Chief of Police and past masters by Samuel J. Burris, United States marshal of Denver. The registration will be made Monday Feb. Miss Rhoda Yersin, postmistress of Burlington has been designated as registrant for this territory.

Imagine the feeling these German people had when they had been trying to become goad American Citizens. Even some of their sons had been called upon to go and do their duty in World War I.

During the "Dirty Thirty's" when the depression was on, the people in the settlement were not as hard hit as they had been conservative in the past and were able to get along. Several Burlington merchants remarked that if it had not been for the thrifty Germans in the Settlement the business in the towns of both Burlington and Stratton would have suffered much more.

Some of the early pioneers grow discouraged and moved away and their land was bought up by the ones who had saved over the years and thus were able to branch out and enlarge their holdings.

The John Schritter Family moved into the Settlement in the 1930's. They came over from the St. Frances area.

The Settlement was a very close knit clan of people and there was much inter marriage in the first years until every one was practically related to every one else. Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, or in-laws. The next generations began spreading put and mingling with other nationalities as they became more Americanized.

Today we find the first descendents of the original settlers still living in the Settlement, attending the same church that their ancestors started back in their become good prosperous American Citizens and have been a great of help in the building up of their community as well as the towns of Burlington and Stratton.

The barrier that once was felt is completely broken and almost forgotten. But the area where they lived will always be known as the "Settlement".

Nearly all the Settlement people came from Bessarabia, a part of Romania that was completely taken over by Russia. As life there was becoming unbearable they migrated to America. The first one to come had already made other homes in the United States. But the later ones came directly from Bessarabia to Colorado to live near their former relatives and friends.