VGI Updates

Anna Elisabetha Mertz, daughter of Johann Nicolaus Mertz & Anna Katharina Kraft, was born 31 March 1738 and baptized 3 April 1738 in Lißberg.

Anna Elisabetha had an illegitimate son Johann Conrad who was born in Lißberg 22 February 1761 and baptized 25 February 1761. The baptism record states that Daniel Friedrich Bautz was the child's father. Anna Elisabetha and Daniel Friedrich married in Lißberg in June 1761.

Daniel Friedrich Bautz, son of Andreas and Maria Catharina Bautz, had been baptized 19 November 1738 in Rudersberg, Oberamt Schorndorf, Württemberg.

Michael Müller, a single man, arrived from Lübeck at the port of Oranienbaum on 28 August 1766 aboard the ship Der Junge Heinrich under the command of Skipper Heinrich Niemann.

Michael Müller, a single farmer, is recorded on an appendix to the 1767 census of Katharinenstadt in Household No. 47.

It is not known in which colony he settled.

The 1767 census records that Michael Müller came from the German village of Bärwalde.

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

Heinrich Weissberger, a single man, arrived from Lübeck at the port of Oranienbaum on 28 August 1766 aboard the ship Der Junge Heinrich under the command of Skipper Heinrich Niemann.

Johann Heinrich Weissberg [sic], a single carpenter (Tischler), is recorded on an appendix to the 1767 census of Katharinenstadt in Household No. 41.

It is not known in which colony this Weissberg family settled.

The 1767 census records that Johann Heinrich Weissberg came from the German village of Khutor [farmstead] Jum.

Jacob Anton Figongue, a locksmith (Schlosser), and his wife Maria are recorded on an appendix to the 1767 census of Katharinenstadt in Household No. 31.

It is not known in which colony the Figongue family settled.

The 1767 census records that Jacob Anton Figongue came from the German region of Kampe.

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

Andreas Dresenitz, a single man, arrived from Lübeck at the port of Oranienbaum on 28 August 1766 aboard the ship Der Junge Heinrich under the command of Skipper Heinrich Niemann.

Andreas Dresenitz, a tailor (Schneider), his [new] wife Julianna, and daughter Johanna Katharina (2-months) are recorded on an appendix to the 1767 census of Katharinenstadt in Household No. 32.

It is not known in which colony this family settled.

The 1767 census records that Andreas Dresenitz came from the German region of Frankfurt am Main.

Michael Riller, a physician (Arzt), his wife Maria, and son Christoph (age 4) are recorded on an appendix to the 1767 census of Katharinenstadt in Household No. 33.

It is not known in which colony they settled.

The 1767 census records that Michael Riller came from the German region of Isenburg.

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

Barbara Meier (age 9) is recorded on an appendix to the 1767 census of Katharinenstadt in Household No. 34 along with Viet Spiess and his family. The 1767 census does not record a relationship between the Meier and Spiess families.

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

Georg Wolffanger, a farmer, his wife Anna, and son Jakob (6-weeks) arrived from Lübeck at the port of Oranienbaum on 16 August 1766 aboard a snow-brig named Neptunus (Neptune) under the command of Skipper Johann Graap.

Georg Wolffanger, his wife Anna, and son Jacob (age ½) are recorded on a list of colonists being transported from St. Petersburg to Saratov in 1767 along with a note that all of them died in route.

The Oranienbaum passenger list records that Georg Wolffanger came from the German region of Nassau.

Viet Spiess, a single farmer, arrived from Lübeck at the port of Oranienbaum on 24 July 1766 aboard a barque named Georg under the command of Skipper Adam Bairnsfair.

Weith Spiess is recorded on a list of colonists being transported from St. Petersburg to Saratov in 1767.

Viet Spiess, a farmer, and his [new] wife Rosina are recorded on an appendix to the 1767 census of Katharinenstadt in Household No. 34 along with orphan Barbara Meier (age 9). The 1767 census does not record a relationship between the Spiess and Meier families.

Wilhelm Surgang, a farmer, his wife Magdalena, and daughters (Elisabeth, age 12; Helena, age 10¼; Anna, age 5¼; Gertruda, age 1½) arrived from Lübeck at the port of Oranienbaum on 2 August 1766 aboard an English frigate named Love & Unity under the command of Skipper Thomas Fairfax.

Wilhelm Surgang, his wife Magdalena, and daughters (Eisabeth, age 12; Helena, age 11; Marta, age 6) are recorded on a list of colonists being transported from St. Petersburg to Saratov in 1767.