In 1866 both of the Dürksen-Funk couples (Jacob and Elizabeth, Abraham and Sarah) had their first children. Both daughters were named after their mothers. Two years later Sarah had her second child, Peter. It is probable, although not confirmed, that during these years Abraham received Russian medical training that allowed him to begin practice as a physician.

In 1869 mother Katharina died leaving 60 year-old Father Heinrich Johann widowed on the farm with his children and grandchildren. The next year Abraham and Sarah Funk's little children Sarah and Peter died. Sudden outbreaks of disease were not uncommon, and may have been the cause of death. On October 27, 1870 they had a new son, whom they named Heinrich (later called Henry). He would survive.

About January of 1871, Sarah's mother Julianna Florentine Fenske Funk died. She may have been about 56 years old. Then in 1872 her husband's father Heinrich Johann Dürksen died. His children now shared the farm. It is possible that all but Johann and Elizabeth remained on the farm for another four years. We do not know why Johann had moved to Kherson and then to Kharkov prior to his emigration in 1885. It is said that Elizabeth Dürksen Heinrich lived with the Regeir family during her husband's illness. Also in 1871, Jacob's wife Elizabeth and Abraham's wife Sarah again had new babies. Jacob and Elizabeth's new daughter was named Anna while Abraham and Sarah, for the second time, named their new daughter Sarah. She probably survived the coming years during which her sisters Mary, Lizzie and Katie were born.

On Sept 19, 1874, Abraham and Sarah's fifth child Maria was born. By now Sarah had endured the death of her husband's parents, her own mother, her first two children and was the mother of three. She was 27 years old.

EMIGRATION

The decade of the 1860s was a season of growing anxiety in the village. Russian unrest was threatening Mennonite privileges. Particularly disturbing was the rumored withdrawal of freedom from military conscription. Adding to other growing concerns was the dwindling amount of land available for children of the original settlers. The rapidly expanding Mennonite population was creating serious crowding issues with little promise of finding more land for the new families.

Russian law provided that heirs could inherit equal portions of a farm, but only one could own it. When a son inherited the farm, he would have to compensate his brothers and sisters for them to receive their share. But even if that was done, there were few opportunities to buy another farm of their own. These and other religious and political issues were making emigration increasingly attractive.