From the Diary of Tobias Unruh's return to America - 1874 Mennonite Delegate from Russia .... January 28, 1875. We finally reached our destination In Philadelphia. We were met by many American brethren ministers, teachers. People had come from a long distance-20 miles, to welcome our arrival; it was indeed a warm, friendly, charitable reception that we received. Soon upon our arrival preparations were made for a meal at the station. It was free of charge for the poor and only a very small charge for those who were able to pay. Everything was arranged well for the arrival of immigrants. We all had nice warm rooms and enjoyed the rest after a rough stormy voyage. We remained here till the next day then the whole party was taken to the station by a young teacher named Funk. January 30. All families were distributed and given temporary homes. March 19. 1 conducted services at the Lancaster Church, I visited and conducted services in 22 different congregations in 23 days, I was taken from one congregation to another by the brethren. They drove from 6 to 21 miles taking me to the different congregations. It was a kind act of love. April 19. 1 left for Ohio. Tobias Unruh. The largest part of the passengers of these ships spent their first winter in empty store buildings and emigrant sheds in Florence, Newton, and Great Bend, Kansas. They arrived in Kansas on a cold winter day when the thermometer registered 12 degrees below zero. The next spring they settled on small farms in McPherson, Marion, and Harvey counties and about 35 families near Pawnee Rock Kansas. A part of them settled In South Dakota, mostly in Turner county. From W.H. Stoddard's Turner County Pioneer History In the fall of 1875 two large wagon loads of sturdy men, women and children drove into Finlay (36 miles southeast of Parker, SD in Turner county). The men clad in sheep skin coats and the women with pretty oriental kerchiefs over their heads. It was learned that they were a band of Christian people called Mennonites who had met religious persecution and had come to America to establish homes. These people had located north of Finlay, wished to patronize the post office and store. Mrs. McIntire could speak the German language but found communication difficult (their language, called Plautdietsch, combined traces of three centuries old Dutch ancestry with Low German). However, after serving the company to a liberal supply of watermelons they seemed to understand each other better. There were among these people Tobias and Henry Kunkel (section 34,35 Brothersfield Township) John Engbrecht (sec 32), Tobias Unruh (sec 33,34), John Beier (sec 32), Henry Koop (sec 29,32), Mr. Durksen (sec 17) and others.