VGI Updates
Buchhammer
Johannes Buchhammer, son of Heinrich Buchhammer & Anna Catharina Decher, was baptized 24 June 1698 in Rainrod. He married 6 November 1727 in Rainrod to Anna Maria Wahl, daughter of Johann Heinrich & Eulalia Wahl. She was born 7 May 1707 in nearby Hergersdorf.
Lissmann
Conrad Lissmann, a farmer, and his family came from the German village of Fischborn. The church there is part of the Unterreichenbach parish where the baptisms of several of his children are recorded. By his first wife, the baptisms of the following children are recorded: (1) Anna Elisabeth, 18 July 1745; (2) Johann Georg, 22 December 1749; and (3) J. Heinrich, 14 August 1756. His first wife died, and on 16 November 1761, Conrad remarried to Anna Maria (maiden name unknown) and their son Johann Heinrich was born on 10 September 1761 and baptized on 12 September 1761.
Dietz (Huck)
The following baptisms for the children of Balthasar & Anna Dietz from Oberreichenbach are recorded in the parish records of nearby Unterreichenbach: (1) Anna Eva, baptized 9 October 1750; (2) Anna Catharina, baptized 16 December 1751; (3) Jacob, baptized 23 January 1754; and (4) Lorenz, baptized 22 May 1759.
The family immigrated to Russia, arriving at the port of Oranienbaum from Lübeck on 19 July 1766 aboard the snow-brig named Christina under the command of Skipper Jacob Stappenberg.
Oberreichenbach, Kr. Main-Kinzig, Hessen
Today, Oberreichenbach is administratively part of the municipality of Birstein. Historically, the Protestants of Oberreichenbach were part of the parish located in neighboring Unterreichenbach.
Rutt (Kolb)
Christian Ruth, son of Conrad Ruth, and Anna Barbara Adler, daughter of Johannes Adler, were married on 22 November 1758 in Rückingen, northeast of Hanau. They had three children baptized in Rückingen: (1) Anna Margaretha on 26 January 1760; (2) Johann Jacob on 21 October 1761; and (3) Johann Michael on 21 December 1763.
The Ruth family immigrated to Russia, arriving at the port of Oranienbaum on 18 June 1766 [the name is misspelled “Roth” in the Kulberg book] from Lübeck aboard the Die Perle under the command of Skipper Thomson.
Rückingen, Kr. Main-Kinzig, Hessen
The towns of Rückingen and Langendiebach were administratively joined with the town of Erlensee in 1970. This is about 4 miles northeast of Hanau.
Eichhorn (Dönhof)
Jacob Eichhorn, son of Johannes Eichhorn, and Anna Catharina Stoll were married in April 1762.
The Eichhorns immigrated first to Neuborm in Schleswig-Holstein (Denmark), and then joined the waves of immigrants moving to Russia.
They settled in the Volga German colony of Dönhof on 21 July 1766 and are recorded there on the 1767 census in Household No. 21.
At some point, the family moved to Schilling, but in 1788, Jakob Eichhorn and his family moved back to Dönhof.
The Rev. Jacob Eichhorn was born in Bauer.
Besler, Matt
Matt Besler was born 11 February 1987 in Overland Park, Kansas. He is the son of Greg and Diane Besler. He is an American soccer player with the Sporting Kansas City team. He is the brother of professional soccer player, Nick Besler.
Matt's Volga German ancestors come from the colonies of Hölzel, Marienberg, and Streckerau.