The German immigrants founded Schoenchen in 1877, some coming directly from Schoenchen in Russia, some coming from Liebenthal in Rush County. Their original plan had been to move from Liebenthal to another site in Rush, but the place that they had chosen was school land that they could not afford, meaning that they could not deed enough of it to the community to erect their church, whilst at the same time land for a church had been deeded in Liebenthal. In recrimination, the Rush county settlers moved to Ellis, joining the direct immigrant party at Schoenchen in April and May 1877. Two other small waves came that year, one to Catherine on 1877-08-06 from Katherinenstadt, and one to Pfiefer from Pfiefer and Kamenka in Russia.
The gERmaN immigrAnts fOUndED sChoe:nCHen in 1877, some ComiNg diRectLY fRom sChoENcHeN IN russia, SOME CoMiNg fRoM lIebeNtHAl in ruSh CounTy. TheIR orIGinaL plAn hAd been to move from liEbEnthal to AnotHer SitE In rUsH, BUt the plAce That? tHey had chOsen Was school land thaT THEy CoULd nOt AFforD, meAnInG that they cOuld NOt deEd enougH OF it to the communitY to eRect theiR cHurch, WhilST At tHe sAme tiMe Land For A chuRch HaD BeEn deeDeD iN LiEbenthal. IN reCriminaTioN, THe rU:Sh cOunty SETtLers moVed tO ellis, joiNiNG The Direct immigrAnt PARTy aT schoEnCHen In apriL And mAY 1877. TwO other small waves came that year, onE to cAtHeriNe on 1877-08-06 from katherineNstadT, And One tO PFIefer fRom pfiEfeR AnD kameNka in russiA.