VGI Updates

Heinrich Schlinder (age 21) is recorded on an appendix to the 1775 census of the Volga German colony of Schilling in Household No. 14.

Single Peter Schellhorn (age 50) is recorded on an appendix to the 1775 census of the Volga German colony of Schilling in Household No. 11.

Notes accompanying the 1775 census record that Schellhorn came from the town of Gdansk. He lives in an adobe house and makes cheese from the milk of his two cows.

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

Johann Götz (age 19) and his sister, Margaretha (age 13), are recorded on an appendix to the 1775 census of the Volga German colony of Schilling in Household No. 8. Notes accompanying the 1775 census record that Götz has no legs and has been assigned to day-labor with his hands; he is a good worker. The house belongs to his sister who earns a living in the colony. They currently (1775) reside in the colony of Beideck, but upon his return he can continue to remain as head of the household and not be considered handicapped.

Jacob Brandt and his family settled in the Volga German colony of Merkel on 28 August 1766. They are recorded there on the 1767 census in Household No. 33.

Son Jacob Brandt moved to Meinhard where he is recorded on the 1798 census as residing in Schönchen.

There do not appear to be any surviving male descendants of this family among the Volga German colonies.

The 1767 census records that the Brandt family came from Denmark.

Aegenius Mertz and his family settled in the Volga German colony of Merkel on 28 August 1766. They are recorded there on the 1767 census in Household No. 34.

In 1793, Johannes Mertz moved from Merkel to Kratzke.

Johann Georg & Anna Margaretha Merkel immigrated to Russia.  They settled on 28 August 1766 in the Volga German colony of Merkel, where Johann Georg, after whom the colony was named, served as its first mayor (Vorsteher). Widow Anna Margaretha is recorded on the 1767 census of Merkel in Household No. 47.

The 1767 census records that the Merkels came from the German region of Hamburg.

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

Nikolaus Flohr, a farmer, his wife Katharina Sophia, and children (Jürgen Christian, age 8; Elisabeth, age 5; Johann Ludwig, age 1) settled in the Volga German colony of Merkel on 28 August 1766.  They are recorded there on the 1767 census in Household No. 29.

In 1790, Mattias Michael Flohr moved from Merkel to Kutter. Michael Flohr and his family are recorded on the 1798 census of Kutter in Household No. Kt70.

In 1797, Johann Ludwig Flohr moved from Merkel to Galka. Johann Ludwig Flohr and his family are recorded on the 1798 census of Galka in Household No. Gk14.

Johann Gieske and his wife settled in the Volga German colony of Merkel on 28 August 1766.  They are recorded there, along with stepson Johann Dietrich (surname not recorded), on the 1767 census in Household No. 21.

In 1795, Georg Gieske and his wife moved from Merkel to Kratzke.

Georg Heinrich Gieske from Merkel and his family are recorded on the 1857 census of Ährenfeld.

The 1767 census records that Johann Gieske was from Hildboltsweier.