Cornelius Unruh (1839-1885) is the only Russian Mennonite Immigrant known to have died in Turner County in 1885, but he didn't arrive in America until 1875 and he did not have a son named Cornelius! Improbable that Stoddard would have called him Cornelius Unruh Sr.

Cornelius Unruh (1857-1944) turned 16 on Sep 19, 1873, one month after he and his father, part of the first Russian Mennonite group in Dakota Territory, arrived in New York on August 15, 1873. The most influential among them was Daniel Unruh (1820-1893) who, with a few other men, left the group in Elkhart, Indiana while they surveyed land prospects in "...most of the middle west states, including Dakota Territory." Young Cornelius may have been with them and decided to stake an early claim to free land on the Vermillion River in Brothersfield. After a few months of travel, "He (Daniel Unruh) went back and brought his family and party to Yankton, where they spent the winter." - W. H. Stoddard. In the Spring of 1874 they loaded wagons with provisions Daniel had sent by rail from Sioux Falls, Iowa and left for Childstown.

"1874 Tobias (B) Unruh arrived (Section 27) on April 16. Andrew Ellstrom arrived (section 18) in June. Then in the same year followed Henry Adrian (section 29), Peter Engbrecht (section 28), John Boese (section 30 - He lived in Parker Township to the south), Deitrich Loewen (section 20), the Flints (section 18) and Charles Millard (Minnehaha County). "

"1875 Henry (Kunkel) and Tobias Kunkel (section 34) and the Brandts (Peter Brandt's parents?) (section 35) arrived. "

"1876 Jacob (Loewen) and Isaac Loewen (section 21 and 22), John Penner (section 4 Parker township), Tobias Smith (section 35), Peter Brandt (section 35), Henry Adrian (section 29), Cornelius Guenther (section 17) and the Mays arrived (but did not settle in Brotherfield). "

"1877 Martin (Kroeker) and Jacob Kroeker (section 24), Abraham (Beier) and John Beier (section 26 and 32), Henry (Kunkel) (section 34) and Fred Kunkel (section 26), John Bones (Home township sec 31) and James Bovee (section 12) arrived. "

"1878 Milton Bromley (section 24), Charles Kramer (section 24), Rube Dawson (section 24), Mrs. Koop (Widow Susanna Kroeker with 6 children, lived with her brothers on section 24), George Peters (section 24 - son of Aron peters on section 29), Simon Wagner (section 24), James Wells (section 10), Richard and Robert West (section 15) arrived. "

"About this time" John Boese (section 19 and 30, he lived in Parker Township to the south), Henry Schmidt (Marion Township), Aron Peters (section 22 and 29), Benjamin Dirks(en) (section 8), Henry Buller (section 25), the Johnsons (section 10 and 11) and Cornelius Voth Sr. and Jr (section 23) arrived". (Possibly GRANDMA #6649 - Father and son Cornelius Voths, but only if they sold early to Tobias Voth and left for Kansas)

Additional notes:

"First school was in the Henry Loewen house near Leonard Friesen home (section 20). "

"Peter Unruh was the first Postmaster, his home the post office. "

"The first church (MB) was built on the John John's quarter (SE Quarter section 20) Cornelius Guenther the first pastor. "

"Cornelius Unruh(section 28) had the first frame house, and was the first to die (1885) in Brotherfield. " He did not die until 1944 (?)

"In 1878 horses were owned by Dawson, Koop, Wagner, Wells and West.."