On 29 May 1875, the marriage banns took place for Barbara Sperl and George März. Her father, Josef Spörl, a peasant in Grössgorschin, gave his consent to the forthcoming marriage with his signature. Although Barbara was 22 years old, she was considered underage. She was from Grössgorschin, house #8. The marriage banns, (announcement in church) were also given on May 30, June 6 and 13th. On Tuesday, 15 June 1875 the couple were married in the Mutenin Catholic Parish by Father Krim with the witnesses listed as Josef Warta, a tailor foreman from Putz-buhl #2 and Andreas Grau, a cottager. George was 29 years old and a shoemaker from Unterhütte #12 Bischofteinitz county in Pilsner region of Bohemia, were the couple made their home. Although they eventually had 9 children, they lost two sons, both named Josef. Their first child, Josef März, was born on 8 February 1876 and baptized on the 9th by Father Theodor Puchta. His godparents were Josef and Katharina Lindner. (Both George and Barbara had a sister named Katharina so this may have been one of them and her husband.) The baby was probably born prematurely, as there was no midwife in attendance. He died three days later on 11 February. Their 7th child, Josef März, was born 22 February 1890. The midwife in attendance was Anna Hagner from Unterhütten #7. He was baptized the same day by Father Sev. Zeleny. His godparent was Johann Distner, a cottager in Klein Görschin #8. Little Josef died two years later on 29 February 1892. For years George and Barbara watched friends and family leave their homes and emigrate to America. The stories of why and where they were going must have been encouraging to everyone. They even allowed their first born daughter, Mary, to move there at the age of 13 and five years later, their next eldest daughter, Barbara followed at the age of 17. In 1903, the family had made the hard decision to leave their native homeland for a life in a new world. The letters from Mary and Barbara and the others had convinced them that the risks were rewarded with the promise of a better life in the new German-Bohemian communities in Brown County, Minnesota. They were at the tail end of the immigrants to brave the journey and uncertainty, leaving all behind for this land of opportunity so far away. But Johann, their 21 year old son, had his own plans for his future. He was not going to join his family in their move to the United States. The regrets of his decision lasted for the rest of their lives for the entire family. They never saw him again, but his letters told them of the hardships and struggles of two World Wars, poverty and life under the communist rule in East Germany. George, Barbara, and their four youngest children left the port at Bremen, Germany on Wednesday July 15, 1903 on the ship, "Chemnitz". (It was misspelled "Kamnitz" on their immigration records.) Chemnitz is a large town in Germany, somewhere on the way between Prague and Berlin. In the past it was in East Germany and the name of the town was changed to Karl-Marx-Stadt. After 1989 it was change back to Chemnitz. So, the name of the ship was taken from the name of the town. They docked at the port in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States of America on Friday July 31, 1903. The trip took over two weeks. The ship manifest listed only 41 passengers on the Chemnitz. Once they were at the port of arrival in Baltimore, the passengers were examined by a physician giving them a report of health and stating they were free from any illness or contagious disease. The manifest stated that George and Barbara März and their children had $160 and their destination was Franklin, Minnesota, to join their daughter (and sister), Mary Mack and her family. They hadn't seen Mary for over thirteen years. Her age had doubled since they last parted. She was no longer a young adolescent, but now a grown married woman and mother of three. Barbara was also married and pregnant with her third child. The train ride from Maryland to Minnesota was so exciting for the family. Katharina was 18, Franz,15, Anna,10 and Margaretha, 5. When they arrived on Tuesday, August 4th, there were tears of joy and happiness as they were reunited with family and friends. It had been an exciting three weeks of travel not counting their farewells and trip to Bremen. They didn't stay long, in Renville County. On 3 November 1904 George declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States. He listed his wife as Barbara März, born in Grosgorschin, Austria and the names and birth dates of their seven children. He stated that he had lived in Minnesota since the 4th day of August, 1903 and all of his children, except for Mary and Johann, lived in Springfield. Mary is listed as living in North Dakota and Johann in Germany. On the 1905 Minnesota Census for Brown Co, Springfield, the family is living next door to the Ubl's (spelled Ubel on census and Uble on other documents) and Anton and Barbara Rummel. Misinformation on the ages of George and Barbara were listed as: George Martz is 58, Barbara, 50, Franz, 18, Anna, 12 and Margaretha was 8. On 20 August 1908 George März signed a Petition For Naturalization in the District Court of Brown County, Minnesota. He listed his place of residence as the city of Springfield and his occupation as Laborer. He said his birth date was 8th of March 1846 at Unterhütten, Austria. He was 57 years old when he stepped foot on the shores of North America. His wife was 51. For the rest of his life in the United States, it seems that George did not work at his former occupation as a shoemaker. Other than his death certificate, his occupation on the census' is listed as a laborer and doing odd jobs. The 1910 Minnesota Census, Springfield Village, Burristown twp., 29 April: George Maertz, 64 yrs old; married 30 yrs; b. Austria Bohemia; parents b. Austria Bohemia; yr of immigration, 1903; language spoken, German; occupation, odd jobs. Wife, Barbara, 57 yrs old; number of living children, 7; at home, Anna, 16; Maggie, 12. Living on Jackson Street. The 1920 census was similar with George, 74, not employed; Barbara, 66; and only their youngest child, Margaret, 22. Although the family continued to speak their native language to one another for the rest of their lives, some of the children eventually took on the English version of their first names. Maria became Mary, Katharina became Katherine or "Kate", Franz became Frank, Anna was Ann and Margaretha became Margaret, with the nick-name of "Maggie". Even Johann, who remained in Germany, became known to the younger generations as John. As was the trend for most of the immigrants in the German-Bohemian settlements of Brown County, all of the children of George and Barbara März, with the exception of their daughters, Ann and Margaret, married others who had immigrated to the same area. Margaret's life took a different path. It lead her north to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul and a life style unlike her other family members who remained in the rural farming communities of Springfield, New Ulm and Sleepy Eye. She became more "modern or Americanized", and eventually could barely speak her native language, although she could understand it when it was spoken to her. In 1906 Mary März Mack, her husband, Andrew Mack and their family moved to North Dakota to farm the land in Kidder County. In 1926, George and Barbara moved to Sykeston, North Dakota, where they would live out the remainder of their lives. Living with Mary, a widow, and her children, George and Barbara were able to make up the years they had lost with their eldest daughter leaving home so young. Their destiny had been completed. The decisions of these two people, George Adam März and his wife, Barbara (Sperl) März, to send their two eldest daughters ahead of them to the United States, and their eventual emigration with the rest of their children, changed the course of the future for them and their descendants. Barbara passed away 8 years before her husband, at the age of 75. The Death Certificate for Barbara März: Kidder County, Petersville twp. Barbara Merz, housewife, b. 1 Nov 1852, Austria, died, July 1, 1928 at her home of influenza and old age without having had a doctor. She had been sick for 2 years; parents where Joseph and Barbara Sperl. Informant, George Merz. The Death Certificate for George März: George März of Sykeston, Wells Co., ND, retired shoemaker, b. 8 March 1845, Austria; died of influenza at age 90 after being sick for 15 days; parents were Joseph and Margaret März of Austria. Informant, Mrs. Mack of Carrington, ND. Longevity in the März family runs very high. With the exception of Anna, who took her own life at the age of 45, Barbara Sperl März lived to be 75 years old and George März, 90 years old. Mary died at the age of 90, Barbara was 82, Johann was 95, Kate, 86, Frank, 93, and Margaret was just a few days short of being 81. As of this writing there are over 669 known descendants of George and Barbara in 5 generations.