Juda Litwinenco (born June 18, 1862) and Maria Nisterenko (born November 1867) immigrated to the United States from near Odessa, Russia, in 1890. With them came Mary (August 12, 1882)(Juda's daughter by his first marrriage), Samuel Cergus (September 23, 1886) and Irene Regina (July 18, 1888). The family lived in New York and Vermont for two years before moving on to homestead near Herreid, South Dakota. Ten additional children were born to Juda and Maria: Chrystine (October 21, 1890), Kathrene (November, 14, 1892), Elizabeth (December12, 1894), Phillip (December 5, 1895, died age 4 days), John Ivan (February 25, 1897), Lorraine (March 1989, died age 3 weeks), Olive Elvina (January 1900, died age 11 months), Elvina (February 10, 1902), Ludmilla (April 14, 1905), and Maybelle (January 14, 1908).
The Litwinencos converted to Seventh Day Adventism shortly after their move to South Dakota. Juda became a lay minister and helped to found a number of churches in the Dakotas. The Litwinencos were strong supporters of education. A number of the children were sent to a Seventh Day Adventist school in Redfield, South Dakota. John became a physician and the seven surviving daughters became school teachers.
