VGI Updates

Christian Scharf, a single farmer, arrived from Lübeck at the port of Oranienbaum on 10 August 1766 aboard a ship under the command of Skipper Nikolaus Peter Pink.

Christian Scharf are recorded on the list of colonists being transported from St. Petersburg to Saratov in 1767.

He settled in the Volga German colony of Boisroux on 3 August 1767 and is recorded there on the 1767 census in Household No. 51.

The death of Christian Scharf in 1820 is recorded on the 1834 census of Boisroux in Household No. 109.

Christian Raabe, a carpenter (Zimmermann), and his family arrived from Lübeck at the port of Oranienbaum on 10 August 1766 aboard a ship under the command of Skipper Nikolaus Peter Pink.

Christian Rabbe [sic] and his wife Christiana are recorded on the list of colonists being transported from St. Petersburg to Saratov in 1767.

They settled in the Volga German colony of Boisroux on 3 August 1767 and are recorded there on the 1767 census in Household No. 55.

The 1767 census records that Christian Raabe came from the German region of Gera.

An article by Hermann Wäschke records the following going to Russia:

Andreas Reinefeld, a carpenter's assistant (Zimmerbursche) from Oranienbaum, left secretly with his wife and three children on 3 March 1766. His house had a debt of 34 Thlr. 14 Gr. and was sold for 68 Thlr (p.85 & p. 86).

He settled in Schwed, Russia, and wrote a letter back to Oranienbaum from there, dated 3 July 1788. This letter appears on pages 98-99 of the Wäschke article, and is signed "Andreas Rennefeld."

Johann Gottlieb Leopold Martinus [sic], a carpenter (Zimmermann), his wife Maria, and daughter [sic] Louisa (age 12) arrived from Lübeck at the port of Oranienbaum on 4 July 1766 aboard the English frigate Love & Unity under the command of Skipper Thomas Fairfax.

Leopold Martinus [sic], his wife Johanna Maria, and his wife's sister Louisa [surname not recorded] are recorded on the list of colonists being transported from St. Petersburg to Saratov in 1767.

Gottfried Mai, a stonemason (Maurer), his wife Maria, and children (Gottfried, age 16; Johanna, age 12; Henrietta, age 9; Gertruda, age 6) arrived from Lübeck at the port of Oranienbaum on 4 July 1766 aboard the English frigate Love & Unity under the command of Skipper Thomas Fairfax.

Gottfried May [sic], his wife Magdalena, and children (Gottfr. Leopold, age 16; Johanna Louisa, age 12; Johanna Henrietta, age 9; Johanna Gertraute, age 6) are recorded on the list of colonists being transported from St. Petersburg to Saratov in 1767.

Johann Jakob Heith and his family immigrated from the Margrave (Markgrafschaft) Baden-Durlach in 1761 to Denmark (Schleswig-Holstein).

His oldest son, Johann, is last recorded in Denmark on 22 April 1765.  He joined the migration to Russia and settled in the Volga German colony of Dreispitz on 16 September 1766. They are recorded there on the 1767 census in Household No. 21.

The 1767 census records that Johann Heith came from the German village of Kritz near Dadrlof.

Burkhard Genze [not Geist], a farmer, and his family settled in the Volga German colony of Rosenheim on 15 March 1766. They are recorded there on the 1767 census in Household No. 54.

Peter Gentz [sic], presumed son of Burkhard Genze, and his family (including son Christian, age 21) are recorded on the 1798 census of Rosenheim in Household No. Rm51.

Christian Genze and his family are recorded on the 1834 census of Rosenheim in Household No. 63.

Johann Peter Heist, son of Johann Henrich Heist (4 December 1686 - 28 February 1743) & Anna Catharina Dietmann (28 November 1688 - 14 March 1724), was born 26 January 1718 in Reichelsheim. He married Anna Elisabetha Dyroff. She had been born approximately 1718 and died 22 September 1763 in Reichelsheim. Johann Peter Heist remarried 22 May 1764 in Reichelsheim to Elisabetha Fischer, daughter of Johann Michael Fischer (10 December 1681 - 30 August 1749) & Elisabetha Vollrath (died 26 February 1738).