Augusta & Carl lived in Jannewitz, Hinterpommern, and Carl worked on the estate of Herr von Zitzewitz. They attended the Lutheran church at Suckow, where their children Herman and Minnie were baptized.
They immigrated to the United States with their two children and Augusta's parents, landing on April 12, 1883. They came to Eldora and farmed West of there the first years. They purchased a farm Southwest of Eldora along the Beaver Creek, just West and North of the present Eldora airport. This farm had a very large brick house at that time. In the early years of the town of Eldora, the train stopped just to the East of this farm and passengers would be brought down to stay at the house.The purchased a farm about a mile east and then south of Eldora, the first place south of the "S" curve, and had just moved in when Augusta died. She left a family of Bill, 16 years, Martha, 13 years, and Herb, not quite five. Martha had to assume all the household tasks and look after her little brother. She was used to this because her mother had been sick for a time and in the hospital. She also had to care for their Grandma Kruger, who was bedfast and who died ten months before her mother. Martha remembers her Uncle John L. Lettow, with a nice, long white beard coming to visit her grandmother and staying for several days.
Carl Balvanz moved into Eldora in 1919 and purchased a home on River Street, the house presently known as the Rook's place of business. He developed a blood clot in his leg and had to have it amputated in 1928. He then stayed with his daughters Anna and Minnie, but wanted to return to the home where Augusta had died, so his last years were spent with his son Bill and wife. he died there in February of 1930. Children: Herman, Minnie, Charlie, Anna, Frank, Jenny, Adeline, William, Martha, and Herbert
Source: The Lettows, written and edited by Beth Lettow Brusius and John M. Littschwager, copyright 1984, page 312