Russian Jews Help With Jewell's Sugar Beets

In 1905, violence exploded in Russia against the Jewish people, and Czar Nicholas II looked the other way.  It was nothing new because life had been hard for the Jewish people there for quite a long time.  They were kept to assigned settlements, limited on jobs they could hold and knew extreme prejudice from the other Russian citizens.  The way out was to emigrate to America, but Russia made it difficult and denied requests to leave.  So, desperate, many crept across the border to ports such as Amsterdam or Hamburg to make their escape.  
One source noted that between 1881 and 1914, over two million Russian Jews came to America to settle, looking for religious and economic freedom.  Although most went to the cities, some felt more comfortable in agricultural settings, so they worked as migrants in the fields, laboring toward a better life in America.

The Defiance Crescent-News - May 12, 1905

"JEWELL HAS MORE CITIZENS.

Russian Jews Arrive to Cultivate Sugar Beets.

The quiet, little, almost isolated, village of Jewell, down on the Wabash five miles east, is getting to be quite a place.  The population has greatly increased during the past two or more days, and if Defiance does not watch out, the next United States census will show that Jewell is all its name implies.

The village population has been increased by more than twenty souls, and there will be twice that many before the week is out.  This surplus influx is composed of Russian Jews who were dumped off at the little station five miles down the Wabash road last week.  They were sent to Jewell from Nebraska, and more from here are on the way.

The farmers in and around the village are entering into the culture of sugar beets for the company which has headquarters at Continental.  The Russian Jews are to work in the fields, cultivate the beets, and do other things connected with their growth, and what the engaging farmers might have on hand for them to do.  At least 200 acres are to be sown in beets by the farmers in that section.  Some of them have taken contracts to put in forty acres in beets.

The Russians are quiet, law abiding people, and nearly all are now located in the empty houses which were provided before their coming.  Reports today from Jewell are to the effect that the original settlers are well pleased with their new citizens and that they seem to be well satisfied with Defiance county conditions." 

A quick search of the census from Defiance County found only a few settlers from Russia who stayed in the area.  The numbers may be misleading, however, because of those who were in Poland, some calling it German and some Russian.  In 1900, in Mark Township, were Hugo Eichholz and Andrew Gecowets and in Defiance City, Joseph and Mary Freecom and their two daughters.  A third child was born in Ohio.  In 1910, Nette Behnfelt, born Russia and married to George, lived in Farmer Township, while Jacob and Elizabeth Keller and their two daughters, resided in Adams Township.