Schneider (Kraft-2)

Nicholas Schneider appears in the records of Steinbach, identified as the son of Jacob Schneider of Lich.  In 1758, Nicholas married in Lich to Anna Maria Becker, daughter of Johann Conrad Becker & Anna Catharina Reuschling.  Anna Maria had been baptized 22 June 1735 in Steinbach.  They had two children born in Steinbach, both of whom died as infants.

Nicholas is recorded in Steinbach as fleeing to Russia in 1766 "mit einer Dirne" - with a whore. 

Nikolaus Schneider, his wife Elisabeth, and son Johann Wilhelm (age 6) arrived from Lübeck at the port of Oranienbaum on 13 September 1766 aboard the hooker Die Jungfer Dietrika under the command of Skipper Christian Korsholm.

Nicolas Schneider, his wife Elisabeth, and son Johann Wilhelm (age 7) are recorded on the list of colonists being transported from St. Petersburg to Saratov in 1767.

They settled in the Volga German colony of Kraft on 18 August 1767 and are recorded there on the 1767 census in Household No. 61 along with Johann Heinrich [Eckhardt], Elisabeth's brother.

Nicholas is recorded on the 1798 Census of Kraft (Household No. Kf56) stating that he has left Elisabeth Eckhardt, and while serving as the school teacher in Biberstein he married Maria Helzer from Norka, and they and their son are now living in Urbach.

The Oranienbaum passenger list records that Nikolaus Schneider was a button maker from the German region of Solms. The 1767 census records that he was a farmer from the German village of Lich in the Solms region.