Note: The men are holding glasses of beer in celebration of them all making it to America!

They came from Hinterpommern, Prussia -- They made their way to America one by one.

The first to come to America was Albert Ziesow (sometimes spelled Zieso or Ziezo) and his wife Adeline Fredericka (Topel) Ziesow.

Carl Ludwig Topel (later changed to the English version as Charles Lewis Topel) came with his sister Johanna Topel. They traveled across country from Hinterpommern to Hamburg, Germany where they boarded the ship SS Wieland in 1875, and landed at Castle Gardens, New York. From here they traveled to New Orleans where they boarded a flatboat heading up the Mississippi River to Iowa where they settled. Naturalization Record of Charles L. Topel

The last to make the trip was August Topel and his wife Henrietta (Waskow) Topel who came to America in 1881.
Finally they all were in America, but it wasn’t until 1885 that they all were finally together again.

Johanna Topel married Charles Griffen in January 1877 and had five children: Clara Caroline Griffen, b. 1877, Henry Lewis Griffen, b. abt 1879, Mary Griffen, b. 1880, Charles Lewis Griffen, b. 1882, and William Albert Griffen, b. 1884.

Charles Topel married Mathilda Augusta Schlueter (latter due to pronunciation became Schlitter) in December 1887 and had eight children: Charles Lewis Topel jr., b. 1888, Clarence Adolph Fritz Topel, b. 1889, Albert August Topel, b. 1891, Theodore Arthur Topel, b. 1895, Wilhelmina Clara Topel, b. 1897, Herman William Topel, b. 1900, Elmer Marten Topel, b. 1904, and George Emil Topel, b. 1906.

August Topel married Henrietta Waskow in 1879 in Hinterpommern and had eight children: Clara Mathilda Topel, b. 1882, and Charles August Topel, b. 1883, both in Hinterpommern, Louis Albert Topel, b. 1885, William Albert Topel, b. 1887, Mabel Mathilda Topel, b. 1889, Emil F. Topel, b. 1891, Ester Johanna Fredericka Topel, b. 1893, and Amanda Bertha Fredericka Topel, b. 1897.

Obituaries for some of the Topel and allied families have been posted to the Obituary Board. Check the index to easily find them. Additionally, there is other Topel data scattered about this website - births, school records, marriage records and others. Use the search box on the main home page.