Schäfer (Walter-1)*

Wigand Schäfer, son of Johannes & Martha Elisabetha Schäfer, was born 19 March 1714 and baptized 21 March 1714 in Langenschwarz. Wigand married Anna Margaretha Dörfling, daughter of Simon Dörfling, on 3 January 1737. This couple had three children, all born and baptized in Langenschwarz: (1) Anna Catharina, born 13 September 1737, baptized 15 September 1737; (2) Eva Elisabeth, born 2 July 1739, baptized 4 July 1739; and (4) Johann Andreas, born 16 Jan 1741, baptized and died the same day. Anna Margaretha Dörfling died on 29 January 1741. Wigand remarried on 25 April 1741 to Anna Margaretha Hämelmann, daughter of Johannes Hämelmann from Wehrda. This couple had two children, both born and baptized in Langenschwarz: (1) Anna Margaretha, born 5 March 1742, baptized 7 March 1742; and (2) Johann Adam, born 7 May 1744, baptized 8 May 1744, died 9 May 1744.

Daughter Anna Margaretha Schäfer and Johann Georg Peter from Burghuhn were married in Büdingen on 12 June 1766.

Weigand Schäfer, a baker (Bäcker), and his wife Anna [Margaretha Hämelmann] arrived from Lübeck at the port of Oranienbaum aboard a ship under the command of Skipper Reders along with daughter Anna Margaretha and her husband Johann Georg Peter.

They all settled in the Volga German colony of Walter on 25 August 1767.

Weigand is recorded there on the 1767 census in Household No. 40 along with his [new] wife Eleonore and her daughter Elisabeth (age 16) [surname not recorded].

The Oranienbaum passenger list records that Weigand Schäfer came from the German region of Treisbach. The 1767 census records that he came from the German village of Rimbach which is the neighboring village west of Langenschwartz.

There are no known surviving male lines of this Schäfer family among the Volga German colonies.