16. The Mennonite Settlements Flourish

Many things changed in the Mennonite settlement of Molotschna during the lifetime of Peter Julius Friesen.  By the 1830s wheat became the dominant crop and as wheat farming expanded, the demand for mills and farm equipment grew.  The first large foundry was established in 1860 and farm equipment manufacturing grew with the demand.  Milling and its supporting industries grew to dominate the industrial economy of the colonies.  Every settlement had several flour mills and flour was exported to Europe and America.  Many entrepeneurs built large businesses and employed many workers.  By the end of the century many wealthy Mennonites were living on luxurious estates.
The biggest problem facing the people of Molotschna was the need for land for their growing families.  Since the land could not be divided, only the oldest son received the family farm.  By 1860 the great majority of the population was landless.  The landless obtained some land to build little cottages at the end of the village and worked as laborers or artisans. This is probably what happened to our ancestor Peter, since he was son number six in the family.  
Finally in 1866 the Russian government was persuaded  to distribute the community surplus and reserve land, which had been rented out mostly to the well-to-do farmers.  Each landless family received about 40 acres of land and by 1869 all this land had been distributed among 1,563 families.  Daughter colonies were the next solution and soon there were a dozen new settlements all over southern Russia.

The Mennonites developed many ways to improve their farming practices.

Wheat Fanning Mill invented in 1840 in Molotschna for separating wheat from chaff.

Photo courtesy of Heritage Remembered p. 90

A Flour Mill

 Photo courtesy of Heritage Remembered p. 54

Plow and Seeder

Photo courtesy of Heritage Remembered p. 90  

A plow and seeder all in one vehicle invented in Altonau in the 1850's when our ancestor Peter Friesen lived in that village.  These inventions and many more were manufactured in a number of factories belonging to Mennonite entrepreneurs. 

Farm Equipment Manufacturing Company

                                     Photo courtesy of Heritage Remembered p. 54