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VGI Updates

Zimmermann (Unknown)*

Andreas Zimmermann, a farmer, and his wife Anna arrived from Lübeck at the port of Oranienbaum on 12 September 1766 aboard an English frigate under the command of Skipper Adam Beerfeier.

Andreas Zimermann [sic] and his wife Anna Maria are recorded on the list of colonists being transported from Oranienbaum to Saratov in 1767.

It is not known in which colony they settled.

The Oranienbaum passenger list records that Andreas Zimmermann came from the German region of Bamberg.

Reichinger (Did Not Arrive)*

Johann Rechin [sic], a farmer, and his wife Susanna arrived from Lübeck at the port of Oranienbaum on 12 September 1766 aboard an English frigate under the command of Skipper Adam Beerfeier.

[Johann] Stephan Reichinger and his wife Susanna are recorded on the list of colonists being transported from Oranienbaum to Saratov in 1767 along with a note that both of them died in route.

The Oranienbaum passenger list records that Johann Rechin came from the German region of Bayreuth.

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

Kaiser (Luzern)*

Kaspar Kaiser, a carpenter, his wife Walpurgia, son Franz (age 20), and [step-children] Johann [Hartung] (age 11) and Magdalena [Hartung] (age 7) arrived from Lübeck at the port of Oranienbaum on 12 September 1766 aboard an English frigate under the command of Skipper Adam Beerfeier.

Casper Kayser [sic], his wife Walburgis [sic], son Frantz Kejser, and [step-children] Conrad [Hartung] (age 11) and Magdalena [Hartung] (age 7) are recorded on a list of colonists being transported from Oranienbaum to Saratov in 1767.

Meier (Luzern-2)*

Gottfridt [sic] Meyer [sic], his wife Barbara, and children (Wilhelm, age 12; Johann, age 7; Georg, age 1½) are recorded on a list of colonists being transported from Oranienbaum to Saratov in 1767 along with a note that both parents died in route.

Orphan Wilhelm Meier (age 13) is recorded on a list of Beauregard recruits appended to the 1767 census. He is recorded in the Household (No. 45) along with Philipp & Anna Griesbach. The 1767 census does not record a relationship between the Meier and Griesbach families.

Orenburg, Orenburg Oblast, Russia

Volga German settled in the city of Orenburg, both before and after the 1941 Deportation.

From 1938-1957, Orenburg was known as Chkalov (named after prominent test pilot Valery Chkalov).

Of importance to Volga German history, Orenburg was a major center of the Pugachev Rebellion (1773-1774), the largest pesant revolt in Russian history.  After fleeing Orenbaum, Pugachev's forces led incursions into the region of the Volga German colonies during August of 1774.

Weimann (Luzern)

Joseph Weimann, a farmer, and his wife Dorothea arrived from Lübeck at the port of Oranienbaum on 8 August 1766 aboard the galliot Anna Katharina under the command of Skipper Johann Joachim Janson.

Joseph Weymann [sic], his wife Dorothea, and newborn son Anthon [sic] are recorded on the list of colonists being transported from St. Petersburg to Saratov in 1767.

Joseph Weimann, a miller (Müller), and his wife Maria [sic] are recorded on a list of Beauregard recruits appended to the 1767 census.

Lea*

Anton Lea, a miller (Müller), his wife Ottilie, and daughter Maria (age 9-months) are recorded on a list of Beauregard recruits appended to the 1767 census. It is not known in which colony they settled.

The 1767 census records that Anton Lea came from the German village of Stein.

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

Knoll (Unknown)*

Johannes Adam Noll, son of Johannes Heinrich Noll (born 13 December 1697) & Maria Anna Hofacker (26 November 1700 - 17 February 1731), was baptized 18 September 1722 in St. Martin's Catholic Church in Orb. He married in St. Martin's on 3 February 1750 to Eva Brasch, daughter of Johannes Adam Brasch & Maria Barbara Eckert. Eva Brasch had also been baptized at St. Martin's on 15 November 1723.