Person:Gottlieb Axt (1)

Gottlieb and his family had to leave Russia because of the persecution brought on by the bolsheviks (not yet in full power). Many of the people in German colonies were put to death and forced to dig their own grave, because they wouldn't renounce Christianity. They had no choice but to leave the horrors behind them and flee to the freedom of America.

He is listed in GERMAN'S FROM RUSSIA (a 1920 U.S. Federal Census)

Gottlieb Axt Male age 49 Born in Samara

Immigrated to the US around 1900

Census Taken in Seventh Judicial Twp, Fresno, California, USA

22:31, 7 September 2007 (EDT)~

Gottlieb and his family were very poor, and lived on someone's land as fruit picking workers. One day (I think in August, although I could be mistaken) the whole family was picking grapes in the fields and it was around 107 degrees fahrenheit. It was very hot and the children were collapsing from exaustion, they were sweating so much. Finally the heat and sweat became too much to bare! Gottlieb shouted: "damn the grapes, let 'em rot." It was too much to take, the family retreated to the shade of the house.