VGI Updates

Johann Reinhard Brueckmann, son of Johann Peter Brueckmann, married Maria Catharina Merl (or Moerler), daughter of Johannes Moerler, on 22 January 1750 in the Evangelical (Lutheran) Church of Florstadt, about 26 kilometers northeast of Frankfurt am Main.

Johann Reinhard & Maria Catharina had two boys, both in born and baptized in Florstadt: (1) Johann Heinrich, born on 16 March 1752 and baptized on 18 March 1752; and (2) Johannes, born on 10 April 1758 and baptized on 11 April 1758.

Two Busch families from the village of Roßdorf bei Darmstadt migrated to the Volga German colonies. Their relationship to each other, if any, needs further research.

(1) Johann Georg Busch of Zeilhard married on 25 December 1712 in Georgenhausen to Susanna Kämmerer.

Johannes Brucher was born 26 February 1710 in Rimhorn, near Höchst im Odenwald. He, his wife Eva Maria, and their son Johann Jacob arrived in Russia on 11 August 1766. Both Johannes and Eva Maria died during the journey.

Johann Brücher, a farmer, his wife Eva Maria, and son Johann Jakob (age 11½) arrived from Lübeck at the port of Oranienbaum on 18 August 1766 aboard the galliot named Die Perle under the command of Skipper Gerhardt Hermann Thomsen.

Hanss Balthasar Brenckmann, son of Hanss Georg & Barbara Brenckmann, was born in Kleingartach on 14 October 1720. He married there on 5 August 1760 to Rosina Barbara Oppenländer, daughter of Johann Michael Oppenländer & Rosina Goldner. She was born 9 December 1732 in Kleingartach.

The family moved to Denmark (now Schleswig-Holstein). Two daughters were born there: Rosina Barbara (baptized 28 September 1762) & Magdalena (baptized 7 April 1764). The family settled on the Bunter Hof farmstead in the colony of Friedrichsanbau on 9 November 1764.

Johannes Bretzer, son of Johann Philipp Bretzer, was born 18 October 1729 in Crumstadt. He married Anna Katharina Leonhard, daughter of Johann Jakob Leonhard & Katharina Margaretha Massallin, on 29 May 1759 in the Reichenbach Evangelical Church. Anna Katharina had been born 2 March 1736 and baptized on 3 March 1736 in the Neunkirchen, Starkenburg, Evangelical Church. They had a daughter, Maria Katharina Bretzer, who was born 10 January 1760 in Lautern, and baptized on 13 January 1760 in Reichenbach; this girl died before April 1760.

Adam Braun, son of Adam Braun & Anna Margaretha Theiss, was born on 15 March 1707 in Gondelsheim, a village northeast Karlsruhe, in what today is Baden-Württemberg.

He married on 26 February 1737 in Fehingen to Margaretha Meier, daughter of Heinrich Meier. They had two children born and baptized in Gondelsheim: (1) Georg Friedrich, born 2 April 1742; baptized 3 April 1742; and (2) Dorothea Charlotta, born 30 August 1750; baptized 31 August 1750.

Christof Helfried Bott was born in Grünberg, Hessen, on 29 January 1729. His parents were Johann Daniel Bott (born 14 January 1696; died 1742) and Catharina Amalia [surname unknown].

Helfried, a weaver, his wife Christina and sons (Konrad, age 7; Johann Georg, age 5; Johann Konrad, age 2) arrived from Lübeck at the port of Oranienbaum on 7 May 1766 aboard the galliot named Anna Katharina under the command of Skipper Daniel Heyer.

Johann Bernhard Posserth, son of Heinrich & Susanna Margaretha Posserth, was born and baptized on 20 November 1733 in Graben, north of Karlsruhe. He married Anna Maria Wacker on 3 March 1761 in the Graben Evangelical Church.

Johann Bernhard & Anna Maria immigrated to Denmark (Schleswig-Holstein), departing from Altona, Duchy of Holstein, on 5 May 1761 under the leadership of Andreas Kirchhof. They arrived in the city of Schleswig, Duchy of Schleswig, on 9 May 1761.

Johann Wendel Boßler, son of Johann Leonhard Boßler & Anna Elisabetha Kallenberg, was born 14 May 1705 in Lichtenberg and died there on 10 June 1748. He married in Groß-Bieberau on 25 November 1738 to Maria Christina Hofmann, daughter Georg Nicolaus Hofmann from Umstadt. She later married Johann August Reininger and died in Lichtenberg on 25 December 1781.

Johann Heinrich Burgdorff was one of Napoleon's soldiers who was captured by the Russians and resettled to the Volga German colonies following the War of 1812. He was born on 24 October 1786 in Broistedt.

He is recorded on the 1834 census of Stahl am Tarlyk in Household No. 82. The parish register in Stahl am Tarlyk records that he died there on 19 November 1854.

Through the years, descendants of this family have adopted various spellings of the surname including Borgdorf, Burgdorf, and Burgdorff.