From Schwichtenberg to Iowa

**From Schwichtenberg to Iowa**
The family I am researching is RHODE. John and Sophia RHODEare my ggggrandparents. She died 1887 in, Monona Co., Cooper Township, Iowa. Their children are: 1. Frederick RHODE, b. 26 Mar 1829, Schwichtenberg, Pommern Province, Pommerania. d. 13 Nov 1912, Melvin, Osceola Co., Iowa. The village of Schwichtenberg was on Pommerania Bay and most of the kin was born in and around there. He married Mary BERNDT (BAERITT) daughter of William and Sophia BERNDT (BAERITT). She was born 07 Mar 1836 in Pommerania, and died 12 Feb 1912 in Melvin, Osceola Co., Iowa. They came from Germany to New York in 1861. 2. SOPHIA RHODE, m. NICHOLAS MILLER, 1860. Both Fritz and Mary grew up in Germany and attended school there. The RHODEs and BERNDTs were of the Lutheran faith. Their exact occupation is not known, but they were all very poor. Some of them farmed. They knew they could never get ahead of their present status in Germany; so planned to go to America which offered many more opportunities. To get to America they had to pool their money. The first family of RHODE kin to come to America was a sister of Fritz, Sophia, who had married Nicholas MILLER 1860, and other members of the family gave them money so that they could come to America, and they were to send money back to Germany so that more of them could come. Fritz and Mary married after the birth of their first child, Frederika, or shortly before her birth in 1858. They had another daughter, Wilhemina, born March 2, 1860. When the baby Minnie was a year old, the RHODEs received $100 from Nick MILLER, which was to pay their passage on a ship to the United States, and also railroad fare to Clinton County, Iowa where the Nick MILLERs had settled. Fritz and Mary secured work with Tom Bowers and the older women and older children cared for all babies, made gardens and did the housework. Fred and Mary saved enough to start farming on their own and then rented land so that they could farm for themselves. Fritz also sent money back to Germany for Mary?s parents, her married sister Carlena and family and her unmarried brother and half sister to come across. They farmed near Lyons, Iowa. Schwichtentenberg is in Germany today. Actually there are 2, but I think the one that is mine is near Friedland, where the other is just south of Demmin. They are both in Kreis Mecklenburg-Strelitz, which is seldom ever mentioned on the list. Is this because it is in present day Germany? This is where I get confused. Thanks for you interest. If you can shed any light on my confusion, please email me back. Sue Cook Iowa, USA