VGI Updates

Father Schuster served St. Joseph Catholic Church in Hays, Kansas.

Father Schönheiter, son of Anton Schönheiter, was born 22 November 1873 in Neu-Kolonie. He attended the Catholic Seminary in Saratov and was ordained on 3 July 1897 and began serving the parish in Hildmann. From 1910-1928, he jointly served the parishes in Köhler and Göbel.

Dr. Russell Schnell, whose ancestors immigrated to North America from Norka, was born and raised in Castor, Alberta and graduated from Gus Wetter School in 1963. He holds first class honors degrees in Biology from the University of Alberta, and Chemistry from Memorial University, Newfoundland. He earned his M.S. and then Ph.D. from the University of Wyoming in Atmospheric Science.

Father Schneider, son of Johannes Schneider (1770-1814) & Maria Katharina Hildt, was born in Mariental on 26 March 1798. He was orphaned at the age of 15 when both parents and his only sister died. He was a teacher for 25 years in Mariental. He is the author of many early accounts of Volga German settlement among the colonies. He died in Mariental on 13 August 1867.

Father Schellhase served St. Joseph Catholic Church in Hays, Kansas, from 1966-1969.

Franz Wilhelm Scheibel was born 7 February 1816 in the Volga German colony of Messer. He served as the schoolmaster in the neighboring colony of Kolb. He was one of the scouts selected to come to North America in 1874 to investigate opportunities for the Volga Germans to immigrate to the United States. He and the other scouts traveled by train to Hamburg, Germany, where they boarded the SS Schiller. They arrived at Castle Garden in New York City on 15 July 1874.

Father Savelsberg served the Catholic parishes in Victoria, Munjor, and Catharine, Kansas, in the 1890s. He was a member of the Capuchin Order.

Father Still, son of Michael Still, was born in 1893 in the Ekaterinoslav Province of Russia. He became a church organist before joining the Russian army. He served in the military from 1914-1917. He returned to a career as a parish organist serving several parishes in the Crimea.

Father Emanuel Stang was born in Volmer. He served in Kamenka and from 1 August 1898 to 27 July 1901 he served in Graf. He then served as deacon of the Cathedral Church in Saratov from 18 July 1901 to 15 October 1901. He returned to the Saratov church on 28 April 1903 and served there until 1914.

Father Speckert served St. Joseph Catholic Church in Hays, Kansas.