Peter was the oldest child of Nicholas and Anna Katrina Schaeffer Schwindt, in a family of six boys and one girl. He was born on November 1, 1841, in the Colony of Norka, Russia, and passed away on December 5, 1921, at the age of 81, and laid to rest in the Cherokee Municipal Cemetery, Cherokee, Oklahoma. (Some relatives feel that his mother's maiden name was not Schaeffer, but that is listed on the death certificate of Peter Schwindt and the American Historical Society of Germans from Russian genealogy research)
In Russia, Peter had been a farmer, so after coming to this country he naturally took to farming. His younger brother, Nick, had come to this country earlier, about 1876. Through the influence and help of brother Nick, Peter brought his family of four girls and one son to this country in 1891. After a year in Rush County, Kansas, working for his brother Nick, Peter took part in the Cherokee Land Rush of 1893, and both he and two of the oldest daughters each acquired a homestead.
His brother Nick offered Peter some advice on how to proceed in the free-for-all rush. He told him to run his horse as hard as he could, until the horse he was riding fell dead, if necessary, in order to get as far to the south as possible where the land was best. When night overtook Peter he had not yet found a place. He met some men, but not being able to understand English, he did not trust them. He did not like their attitude and did not trust them, so he spent the entire night awake holding his horse. On the following morning he turned back north and selected a quarter section near the present town of Driftwood, Oklahoma; about four and a half miles south of Burlington, Oklahoma.
The land was poor, but it was a new start. In time he erected two large sod houses, plowed most of the land and planted two orchards. The living quarters were crude, and the first few years were difficult. But in 1900 a better house was built; a four-room box-type house was erected. He farmed this land until he was well over 70 years old, and raised his family. In 1913, at the age of 72, he suffered a broken hip from which he never fully recovered.
Peter Schwindt was born in Norka, Volga River Saratov region, Russia; His wife Christina Leihl (Schwindt) was born in Norka Russia. They were married in 1862 prior to coming to the USA. This union was blessed with two sons and four daughters. A son, John, was born in 1891 in Norka Russia and died in 1891 in Russia.
In Russia, Peter had been a farmer, so after coming to this country he naturally took to farming. His younger brother, Nick, had come to this country earlier, about 1876. Through the influence and help of brother Nick, Peter brought his family of four girls and one son to this country in 1891. After a year in Rush County, Kansas, working for his brother Nick, Peter took part in the Cherokee Land Rush of 1893, and both he and two of the oldest daughters each acquired a homestead.
His brother Nick offered Peter some advice on how to proceed in the free-for-all rush. He told him to run his horse as hard as he could, until the horse he was riding fell dead, if necessary, in order to get as far to the south as possible where the land was best. When night overtook Peter he had not yet found a place. He met some men, but not being able to understand English, he did not trust them. He did not like their attitude and did not trust them, so he spent the entire night awake holding his horse. On the following morning he turned back north and selected a quarter section near the present town of Driftwood, Oklahoma; about four and a half miles south of Burlington, Oklahoma.
The land was poor, but it was a new start. In time he erected two large sod houses, plowed most of the land and planted two orchards. The living quarters were crude, and the first few years were difficult. But in 1900 a better house was built; a four-room box-type house was erected. He farmed this land until he was well over 70 years old, and raised his family. In 1913, at the age of 72, he suffered a broken hip from which he never fully recovered.
Peter Schwindt was born in Norka, Volga River Saratov region, Russia; His wife Christina Leihl (Schwindt) was born in Norka Russia. They were married in 1862 prior to coming to the USA. This union was blessed with two sons and four daughters. A son, John, was born in 1891 in Norka Russia and died in 1891 in Russia.
Peter was the oldest child of Nicholas and Anna Katrina Schaeffer Schwindt, in a family of six boys and one girl. He was born on November 1, 1841, in the Colony of Norka, Russia, and passed away on December 5, 1921, at the age of 81, and laid to rest in the Cherokee Municipal Cemetery, Cherokee, Oklahoma. (Some relatives feel that his mother's maiden name was not Schaeffer, but that is listed on the death certificate of Peter Schwindt and the American Historical Society of Germans from Russian genealogy research)
In Russia, Peter had been a farmer, so after coming to this country he naturally took to farming. His younger brother, Nick, had come to this country earlier, about 1876. Through the influence and help of brother Nick, Peter brought his family of four girls and one son to this country in 1891. After a year in Rush County, Kansas, working for his brother Nick, Peter took part in the Cherokee Land Rush of 1893, and both he and two of the oldest daughters each acquired a homestead.
His brother Nick offered Peter some advice on how to proceed in the free-for-all rush. He told him to run his horse as hard as he could, until the horse he was riding fell dead, if necessary, in order to get as far to the south as possible where the land was best. When night overtook Peter he had not yet found a place. He met some men, but not being able to understand English, he did not trust them. He did not like their attitude and did not trust them, so he spent the entire night awake holding his horse. On the following morning he turned back north and selected a quarter section near the present town of Driftwood, Oklahoma; about four and a half miles south of Burlington, Oklahoma.
The land was poor, but it was a new start. In time he erected two large sod houses, plowed most of the land and planted two orchards. The living quarters were crude, and the first few years were difficult. But in 1900 a better house was built; a four-room box-type house was erected. He farmed this land until he was well over 70 years old, and raised his family. In 1913, at the age of 72, he suffered a broken hip from which he never fully recovered.
Peter Schwindt was born in Norka, Volga River Saratov region, Russia; His wife Christina Leihl (Schwindt) was born in Norka Russia. They were married in 1862 prior to coming to the USA. This union was blessed with two sons and four daughters. A son, John, was born in 1891 in Norka Russia and died in 1891 in Russia.
In Russia, Peter had been a farmer, so after coming to this country he naturally took to farming. His younger brother, Nick, had come to this country earlier, about 1876. Through the influence and help of brother Nick, Peter brought his family of four girls and one son to this country in 1891. After a year in Rush County, Kansas, working for his brother Nick, Peter took part in the Cherokee Land Rush of 1893, and both he and two of the oldest daughters each acquired a homestead.
His brother Nick offered Peter some advice on how to proceed in the free-for-all rush. He told him to run his horse as hard as he could, until the horse he was riding fell dead, if necessary, in order to get as far to the south as possible where the land was best. When night overtook Peter he had not yet found a place. He met some men, but not being able to understand English, he did not trust them. He did not like their attitude and did not trust them, so he spent the entire night awake holding his horse. On the following morning he turned back north and selected a quarter section near the present town of Driftwood, Oklahoma; about four and a half miles south of Burlington, Oklahoma.
The land was poor, but it was a new start. In time he erected two large sod houses, plowed most of the land and planted two orchards. The living quarters were crude, and the first few years were difficult. But in 1900 a better house was built; a four-room box-type house was erected. He farmed this land until he was well over 70 years old, and raised his family. In 1913, at the age of 72, he suffered a broken hip from which he never fully recovered.
Peter Schwindt was born in Norka, Volga River Saratov region, Russia; His wife Christina Leihl (Schwindt) was born in Norka Russia. They were married in 1862 prior to coming to the USA. This union was blessed with two sons and four daughters. A son, John, was born in 1891 in Norka Russia and died in 1891 in Russia.
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I HAVE FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT, I HAVE FINISHED MY COURSE, I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH.
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