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Wanted: The Descendants of Albrecht Dell

 In 1994 the AHSGR Research Director wrote to ask our help in locating the descendants of Albrecht DELL (DOELL), son of Alexander and Maria DELL.  It is believed Albrecht lived in the Kansas City area in 1931.  His nephew was searching for his family.  The following is an obituary of Alexander DOELL, believed to be Albrecht's father.]
Preacher Alexander DOELL was born on 27 June 1871 in Markstadt (Katharinenstadt), Russia, to parents Jakob and Elisabeth, nee LOOS, DOELL.  He died on 27 October 1931 after eight months of suffering in prison in Atkarsk, Russia.  The deceased was confirmed by Pastor Theophil KELLER on 31 May 1886.  In 1891 he married his now mourning wife Maria, nee SABLEFELD, with whom he lived in faithful untion until his end.

Ten children were born to this marriage, five sons and five daughter.  Four sons predeceased the father.  Surviving him are his wife and four [sic] daughters in Russia, one son in America, living in the vicinity of Kansas City, and fifteen grandchildren as well as the whole community of Wiesenmuller, which he faithfully served until his arrest.

The days of his life were few and hard.  In his tenth year his mother died.  Her father, a clerk by profession, worked in the colony Paulskoye.  His salary was small so that from his childhood on he was dependent upon the help of others.  The teachers of the Central School in Marxstadt took him in as a gifted but pennyless student.  They helped him be educated at their own costs.  He graduated at age 17 and was installed by Pastor Theophil KELLER as a school teacher in Philipsfeld, where he received only 25 rubles a month, which he gave to his father for the care of his siblings and grandparents.

After working four years in Philipstadt, he received a call from the Bethany and Nazareth Institute in Beideck through Pastor Hugo GUENTHER.  Responding to this call he worked in the institute and it was his joy to provide 100 to 140 souls daily with the bread of life.  He often sang the song with his charges, "Bethany, you place of peace, you house loved by the Lord."  He could work only seven years in the institute, then the war with Japan called him to the military.  The pastors were able to free him from military service under the condition that he would function as a school teacher.  He took over the colony Strassburg, which he served three years.

Then he followed the call to Wiesenmuller, where he stood in service to the Lord for 26 years.  During this time he earned the respect not only of the youth but also of the adults thought his demeanor.  He consoled many through the word of God.  For fourteen years he served as school master.  Then came the time when the congregation was not in a position to pay a pastor and a school master.  Then he was ordained as preacher by Pastor FRITZLER.  He made no demands as to salary.  He took with thanks whatever was given to him.  Often he went to the pulpit to bring the word of life and had eaten nothing himself for two days.  Unafraid, he preached about Jesus the Crucified until he thrown into the dirty prison as a criminal.  Here he calmly met his fate until the Lord took him from his enemies.

He could have escaped this suffering if he has renounced being a preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  But he preferred to suffer for Christ's sake rather than enjoy the pleasures of life.  During his suffering in prison, his daughters visited him, which also brought him comfort.  His wife never saw him again after he was taken from her side because she could not go to him because of illness.  They were allowed to place the father in the coffin and bring him to rest.

When the message of the home journey of the deceased came, the bells were tolled softly and on Sunday, Octoberer 30, after church service, Brother G.H. LOHMANN called for meditation.  All present bowed their heads and cried for their departed consoler whom they loved.  May the God the Lord richly console the mourning and suffering wife with her children and grant us all a reunion in heaven.

Signed by the Church Council of the church in Windsor, Colorado:  G.H. LOHMANN, F.G. BUXMANN, F.H. VOOS, F.J. SPENGLER, H. WEBER