Kienow Family History and Heritage

Our family belonged to Trinity Lutheran Church. The church also had a school where classes were taught in German and English. My first teacher was the Pastor Henry Schulz. As the church and school grew they were able to hire Martin Kirsch as a teacher for the one room school. We also received our confirmation instruction from Pastor Schulz and I was confirmed on Palm Sunday, March 22, 1891.

Even though I was only a teenager I was able to find odd jobs around town. We never got paid much but it kept me busy and helped provide some of the basic necessities for our family. By the time I was 18 I found a job at the Faribo Woolen Mill as a spinner. Many of the farmers raised sheep just like they did in Germany. Faribo Woolen Mills became famous for its fine woolen blankets and other products. If you had a reputation as a good, hard worker, it was much easier to find a job.

Faribault became an important center to the surrounding farmers. Two train lines came through Faribault, the Milwaukee Road and the Rock Island. Faribault also became the county seat for Rice County. Schools for the Deaf, Blind and the Handicapped were built as well as Shattuck, St. James and St. Mary’s private schools. The town was sometimes called the Athens of the West.

My grandmother Minnie died in the spring of 1901. She had been so important to our family for many years and we would miss her a lot.

Since Faribault was becoming so important to the surrounding area, it brought many young girls to town to find work. These young ladies could find work as domestics or workers in the hotels and schools. One of these girls came from the town of Montgomery. Her name was Mary Smetana. When I saw her, I took a liking to her and she for me. I was all German and she was full blooded Bohemian!