Borgdorf
Johann Heinrich Borgdorf was one of Napoleon's soldiers who was captured by the Russians and resettled to the Volga German colonies following the War of 1812. He was born on 24 October 1786 in Preisstadt, Westfalen (Westphalia). This location has not been confirmed because such a place (Preisstadt) does not exist, but records to indicate that he was from Westphalia.
He is recorded on the 1834 Census of Stahl am Tarlyk in Household No. 82. Records in Stahl am Tarlyk indicate that he died there on 19 November 1854.
Through the years, descendants of this family have adopted various spellings of the surname including Borgdorf, Burgdorf, and Burgdorff.
- Letter from Igor & Ludmila Plehve dated 6 November 2001.
- 1834 Census of Stahl am Tarlyk.
- Belousov, S.V. "Prisoners of war of Napoleon's army in the Volga region: the arrangement, content, relationships with the local population." Bulletin of the Samara State University, No. 1 (Samara, Russia: Samara State University, 2006): 48-55.
Ted Burgdorff