Leonhard(t) (Frank & Grimm)

There are several Leonhard families from Sprendlingen who immigrated to Russia. Their relationship to each other, if any, needs further research.

(1) Johann Conrad Leonhard, son of Johannes Leonhard & Elisabetha Schäffer, was born 22 February 1729 and baptized on 25 February 1729 in the Evangelical Church of Sprendlingen.

He married to Rahel Arnould, a daughter of Friedrich Arnould, on 29 July 1755 in the same church. They had four known children, each baptized in Sprendlingen: (1) Johann Friedrich, born 13 May 1756 and baptized 16 May 1756; (2) Conrad, born 19 October 1759 and baptized 21 October 1759; (3) Cyriack, born 8 February 1762 and baptized on 10 February 1762; and (4) Johann Philipp, born 18 December 1764, and baptized 21 December 1764.

Johann Conrad Leonhard and his family emigrated to Russia, departing from Lübeck by the ship Apollo with the Skipper Friedrich Detloff Mörenberg. On 29 August 1766 the family arrived at the port in Oranienbaum, Russia.

The Leonhards settled in the Volga German colony of Grimm on 1 July 1767. They are recorded there on the 1767 census in Household No. 80, along with the orphan Maria Katharina Schicketantz, a daughter of Johann Georg Schicketantz, who had been born on 29 June 1760 in Sprendlingen.

Konrad Leonhard and his family are recorded on the 1775 census of Grimm in Household No. 155.

At the time of 1798 Grimm census, Philipp is recorded in Household No. Gm178 and son Jacob is in Household No. Gm179.

(2) Johann Andreas Leonhardt, son of Johann Heinrich Leonhardt (born 2 February 1700) & Maria Elisabeth Pfaff (18 March 1697 - 22 March 1759), was born 13 March 1723 in Sprendlingen, Isenburg.

Andreas and his wife Anna Gertrude, and their children arrived from Lübeck on 13 September 1766 aboard the hooker Die Jungfer Dietrika under the command of Skipper Christian Korsholm.

Andreas Leonhardt, his wife Gertrude, and children (Johann Willhelm, age 18; Conrad, age 16; Heinrich, age 14; Johannes, age 12; Anna Maria, age 8) are recorded on the list of colonists being transported from St. Petersburg to Saratov in 1767 along with a note that daughter Anna Maria died en route.

They settled in the Volga German colony of Frank in 1767 and are recorded there on the 1767 Census in Household No. 40.

(3) Johann Heinrich Leonhard, a single farmer, son of the aforementioned Johann Andreas Leonhard, also arrived from Lübeck on 13 September 1766 aboard the hooker Die Jungfer Dietrika under the command of Skipper Christian Korsholm.

Heinrich Leonhard, a single farmer, is recorded on the 1767 census of Frank in Household No. 29.

(4) Widow Anna Maria Leonhardt moved from Frank to Hussenbach before 1798.

(5) Dorothea Leonhard from Sprenglingen & Georg Frantz Wittwänger, a cabinetmaker (Schreiner) from Auerach [Auerbach?], were married on 13 May 1766 in the Lutheran Church of Büdingen. She had been born 31 May 1737 in Sprendlingen.

Franz Wittwänger, a joiner, and his wife Anna Dorothea arrived from Lübeck on 13 September 1766 aboard the hooker Die Jungfer Dietrika under the command of Skipper Christian Korsholm.

Georg Franz Wittwänger, a craftsman (Handwerker), his wife Anna Dorothea, and daughter Anna Maria (age 1) settled in the Volga German colony of Frank in 1767 and are recorded there on the 1767 census in Household No. 58.

(6) Anna Sybilla Leonhardt & Valentin Proester from Neuhoff near Philips Eich were married on 10 June 1766 in the Lutheran Church of Büdingen. She had been born 23 June 1736 in Sprendlingen.

Valentin Prester and his wife Sibilla arrived from Lübeck at the port of Oranienbaum on 29 July 1766 aboard the ship Apollo under the command of Skipper Friedrich Detloff Mörenberg.

They settled in the Volga German colony of Norka on 15 August 1767 where they are recorded on the 1767 census of Norka in Household No. 111. [See Prester Family.]

The Leonhardt family has been traced back to Johann Wilhelm Leonhardt who was born about 1605 and died in 1681 in Sprendlingen.