As Imperial Russia expanded, a great need developed for capable and industrious workers, especially farmers, to settle these new and often unsafe lands. Many Germans, eager to improve their positions in life, began to colonize in Russia.

 

In 1762, Catherine the Great issued the first manifesto inviting foreigners to settle in Russia with no response so in 1763 she issues a second manifesto and this time it attracts thousands of colonists, largely because of the following incentives:

• Free transportation to Russia

• Large tracts of free land, plenty of water, free timber

• The free exercise of religion

• Interest-free loans for purchasing equipment

• Freedom from taxes for ten to thirty years, depending on the area of settlement

• Exemption from military service for themselves and their descendants

• Local self-government in colonies.

 

Christian Goetten reached Semenowka reached in 1768, a year after its founding, from Prussia, without specifying any particular location .  Only in later years to 1850 the name begins to take Goette / Götte / Gette way, for unknown reasons. 

 

The family comes from Heddinghausen, a small town in those years belonged to Prussia and today is a district of the city of Marsberg in North Rhine-Westphalia.  Heddinghausen is a village and also a district of Marsberg inHochsauerlandkreis, North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany).  Heddinghausen within Westphalia in the eastern part of the Sauerland region10 km (crow) southeast of Marsberger core city. It is located in the mostly treeless hills of the Red Lands on a 400 meter high hill.

 

Heddinghausens has been inhabited for a long time, since the reign Canstein. The foundation of the town dates back to the year 782, when Charlemagne was here and  built a chapel for his army. The foundations of the chapel still remain. Mentioned in a document was the place in 1250, as well of the Knight of Aspe.

 

The village center forms since the High Middle Ages the parish church "St. Hubertus" with its unique Randebrock -Orgel that was restored from scratch 1998thFrom the previous building around 1230 already mentioned the unadorned Romanesque west tower is obtained. The church is Patronatskirche and grave laythe family of Canstein.

 

On March 30, 1945, the first US troops reached Heddinghausen.  The day before had been occupied the area. To correct occupation of the village by 120 soldiers took place on 31 March. Most houses had hoisted white flags. The village was searched, with valuables and alcohol was stolen. On April 8, the last US soldiers marched off.

In World War II, fell 15 men from Heddinghausen as soldiers, including 14 on the Eastern Front. [3]

On 1 January 1975. Heddinghausen was incorporated into the new city Marsberg. [4]

 

Heddinghausen still exists, including St. Hubertus church where he was baptized and married.   Johann Theodorus Goetten and their children were also baptized.  So far, Heddinghausen is located in an agricultural area, which seems to suggest that this family was dedicated to such tasks. It should also clarify that the name Goetten / Goedden is common in Westphalia, in the case overwhelmingly Catholic families.

 

No details about how they traveled to Russia nor when and how traveled to Semenowka. Over time, the Goëtte / GETTE / gotte / Goetten family became one of the largest of Semenowka.   But during this time the family migrated  from the Germanic areas of Western Europe in the 1760's, these colonists settled along the Volga River near the city of Saratov and established colonies on the vast unsettled steppes of Russia. 

The colonists built stable communities, established farms, churches, schools and businesses in their new homeland in Russia.

In the later part of the 19th century, these ethnic Germans looked to find new opportunities, escape political repression and preserve their way of life. Many Germans living in Russia's lower Volga River region came to the United States and Canada during this time period - settling first in the Midwestern regions.

 

 

We also know that the family was flourishing and owned an oil mill and a flour in Semenowka, passing from one to another generation. The oil mill consisted stones system drivable by horses. The seeds were ground and processed in these rocks for oil extraction

 

The original form of this name, as recorded in the parish records and censuses Semenowka 1798, 1816 and 1834 is Goetten according to Christoph Schaab in his "Zur Geschichte der deutschen und Samaraschen Saratowschen Kolonisten im Gouvernement 1764-1915".

 

But in 1874, the Imperial Russian government amended the 1871 decree and instituted compulsory military conscription of German colonists immediately.  From 1874 until 1914 (when the World War I began), thousands of German colonists emigrated from  Russia to North and South America.

 

NOTE 3: We had a chance to see the Russian passport of a member of the gotte family settled in Argentina and have found that: The data appear in a headline written in Russian, with Cyrillic sheet; on a separate sheet showing the same details in German; there is literally gotte surname; in a third website contains the same data in French and name are registered as GETTE. 
NOTE 4: Given the variability of the name, we have chosen arbitrarily by the gotte form. 
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Johann Theodorus gotte (Goetten)

Original family patriarch of the family

Born: February 21, 1717, Heddinghausen, North Rhine-Westphalia 
Parents: Henricus Goetten and Gertrude HILLEBRANDT 
Wife: Anna Katharina ASSHAUER, November 15, 1717 
Parents: Philippus ASSHAUER and Elisabetha WILLNIK 
Marriage: October 20, 1750, Heddinghausen 
Children: 
1 F: Anna Clara (Elisabetha) gotte 
Birth: 29 Sep 1751, Heddinghausen 
Husband: Wilhelm Kühne, 1735 
***** 
2 F: Maria Theresia gotte 
Birth: 15 May 1753, Heddinghausen 
Husband: Andreas KLOSTER, 1751 
***** 
3 M: Johann Christian gotte 
Birth: 18 Aug 1754, Heddinghausen 
Died: 1829, Semenowka 
Wife: Maria Eva BREIT, 1760 
***** 
4 M: Kaspar gotte 
Birth: 1756, Heddinghausen 
Wife: Katharina ROTH, 1761 
***** 
5 F: Anna Maria gotte 
Birth 12 September 1760 Heddinghausen 
Death: Before 1798 
***** 
6 M: Friedrich Philipp gotte 
Born: November 24, 1762, Heddinghausen 
Wife Elisabetha HILGERT, 1763 
***** 
7 M: Johann Adam Götte 
Birth: 31 Jan 1765, Heddinghausen 
Died: 1822, Semenowka 
Wife: Anna Maria Edelmann, 1770 
***** 
8 M: Valentin gotte 
Birth: 1768 ?, Semenowka route? 
Wife: Anna SCHAAB, 1776 
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Johannes gotte

Birth: 1844, Semenowka 
Death: November 8, 1913, Semenowka

Father Valentin gotte, 1810-14 February 1868 
Mother: Eleonora SCHAAB, 1808 
Wife, Theresia (Eleonora) PHARGER, 1845 
Marriage 30 January 1862, Semenowka 
Children: 
1 M: Philipp gotte 
Birth: 22 May 1863, Semenowka 
Wife Eleonora Katharina KLOSTER, 1862 
Marriage: February 2, 1882, Semenowka 
***** 
2 M: Valentin gotte 
Birth: 1865, Semenowka 
Wife: (Katharina) Elisabetha KLOSTER, 20 Mar 1870 
Marriage: November 19, 1889, Semenowka 
***** 
3 M: Anton gotte 
Birth: 5 May 1868, Semenowka 
Wife Elisabetha Wilberger, 1867 
Marriage 5 May 1891, Semenowka 
***** 
4 M: Johannes gotte 
Born: July 29, 1870, Semenowka

***** 
5 F: Barbara gotte

Birth 3 January 1873, Semenowka

Died: November 15, 1875, Semenowka

*****

6 M: Andreas Götte 
Birth: June 1, 1876, Semenowka 
Death: February 15, 1943, Munich, North Dakota, USA 
Wife 1: Elisabetha Konig, 25 December 1883-23 December 1928 
Marriage: February 4, 1902, Semenowka 
Wife 2: Katharina keehn / KÜHNE, October 3, 1891, Semenowka.5 November 1971, Julesburg, Colorado, USA 
Marriage: July 6, 1930, Munich, North Dakota, USA 
***** 
7 M: Georg Götte 
Birth: 1879, Semenowka 
Wife 1: Margaretha Dittler, 1885-1907 
Parents: Konrad Dittler and Sophia DA ...? 
Marriage: October 28, 1902, Semenowka 
Wife 2: Barbara BUSS, 1889 
Marriage: February 5, 1909, Semenowka 
***** 
8 M: Heinrich Götte Birthdate: April 13, 1881, Semenowka 
Death: February 12, 1883, Semenowka

*****

9 M: Ignatheus gotte

Birth: February 6, 1886, Semenowka

Death 6 January 1972, Munich, North Dakota, USA

Wife Elisabetha BUSS, Feb. 1895-1970

 

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Andreas (Andrew) gotte (GETTE)

Birth: June 1, 1876, Semenowka 
Death: February 15, 1943, Munich, North Dakota, USA 
Father: Johannes Götte, 1844 
Mother: Theresia PHARGER, 1845 
NOTE: It is in USA before 1922. The rest of his family arrives in 1922. 
Wife 1: Elisabetha Konig, December 25, 1883, Semenowka-December 23, 1928, USA 
Marriage: February 4, 1802, Semenowka 
Wife 2: Katharina KÜHNE, October 3, 1891, Semenowka.5 November 1971, Julesburg, Colorado, USA 
Marriage: July 6, 1930, Munich, North Dakota, USA 
Children: (Spouse 1) 
1 F: Maria gotte 
Born: November 7, 1902, Semenowka 
Death: starvation, between 1920 and 1922, Semenowka 
***** 
2 F: Anna gotte 
Birth: Date unknown Semenowka 
Death: starvation, between 1920 and 1922, Semenowka 
***** 
3 F: Katharina gotte 
Born: July 18, 1904, Semenowka 
Death: starvation, between 1920 and 1922, Semenowka 
***** 
4 M: Franz Götte 
Birth: 01 Sep 1906, Semenowka 
Death: starvation, between 1920 and 1922, Semenowka 
***** 
5 M: Johannes gotte 
Birth 1 September 1906, Semenowka 
Death: Date unknown, USA 
***** 
6 F: Barbara gotte 
Birth: 13 Sep 1908, Semenowka 
Death: Date unknown, USA 
***** 
7 F: Elisabetha gotte 
Born: June 30, 1913, Semenowka 
Death: Date unknown, USA 
***** 
8 M: Joseph Eugene gotte 
Born: July 11, 1925, USA 
 

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