Fast - Teichroeb Ancestry

264. Gottfried Wolf ³⁵⁹ was born in 1714 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died on 20 Oct 1794 in Krebsfeld, Elbing Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

This relationship is noted as a possibility in the Grandma Database but I can not support it with autosomal DNA evidence. Grandma points out that the mother of Jacob would be the first wife of Gottfried. She is not identified.

132 i. Jacob Wolf ²¹⁴ (born in 1753 in Heubuden, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth - died in 1790 in Schoenhorst, Chortitza, Ukraine). Jacob married Justina Harder ²¹⁵

266. Johann Harder ³⁶² was born in 1723 in Heubuden, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died on 8 Dec 1800 in Heubuden, Marienburg Region, Prussia.

This is probably the father of Justina Harder. He appears in the 1776 census in Willenbruchs Huben, Heubuden Gemeinde, the same village as his presumed son in law Jacob Wolf. H. Schapansky says the same thing. He was a Flemish Mennonite. In 1776 he is listed with a wife and 2 sons, and his financial condition is given as 'schlecht' meaning neither well off nor poor. He is also mentioned in the both the 1772 and 1789 Census, also in Heubuden.

He may be listed in the Grandma Database twice as #476542 and #805535.

133 i. Justina Harder ²¹⁵ (born on 11 Nov 1758 in Neuteich, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth - died in 1840 in Chortitza Colony, Ukraine). Justina married Jacob Wolf.²¹⁴ Justina next married David Giesbrecht.³⁶³ Justina next married Johann Epp ³⁶⁴

270. Heinrich Bergen ³⁷⁰ was born before 1720 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

I have seen this named written as von Bargen. Names such as this (using 'De', 'Von' and 'Van') generally originated in the Southern and Spanish Netherlands according to H. Schapansky. His son Heinrich was born in Leske, Gross Werder, between 1745 and 1748. Therefore Heinrich, the father, was born around 1728 or earlier. There is a Heinrich listed in the 1776 Census with an annotation indicating this is the son. There is a Heinrich listed in the both the 1772 and the 1789 Census in Leske. It isn't clear whether these refer to the father or the son but it might be that the 1772 census refers to the father and the 1789 census to the son. The Heinrich in the 1789 census is listed as a leaseholder.

I found information about his son Jacob and I quote it here. I do not have a source reference for this material.

"He was a member of the Heubuden Gemeinde and later became a member of the Orlofferfeld Gemeinde. He applied for immigration to Russia on 11 Nov 1803 but did not leave until the summer of 1805. He migrated from Neuteichsdorf, Prussia to South Russia in 1805 with his second wife and children (P. Rempel, p. 96; B. H. Unruh, p. 347). While B. H. Unruh, p. 347 states that he immigrated to the Molotschna Colony, it appears that he never actually went there and instead settled immediately in Kronsgarten. In the 1806 Chortitza Colony Census he is listed in Kronsgarten (P. Rempel, p. 19). In the 1816 Census his family is listed at Kronsgarten #12 but he is stated to have died in 1812 (Stumpp's book The Emigration from Germany to Russia, p. 873). The ages of his family members as given in that census are as of about 1812. His age is given as 64 in his 1805 emigration records suggesting that he may have been born ca 1741 (P. Rempel, p. 96). According to the Orlofferfelde church records he transferred from the Heubuden (Flemish) to the Orlofferfelde (Frisian) church in 1783. This was due to his marriage to Catharina Spenst, who was a member of the Orlofferfelde church.

According to the 1772 census of West Prussia he was a farmer living in Leske with his wife and one son under the age of 12. He owned 2.5 Morgen of land at the time. According to the 1776 census of Mennonites in West Prussia he was living in Leske with his wife, one son and 2 daughters. According to the 1789 census of Mennonite landowners in West Prussia he was living in Leske and possessed 3.5 Morgen of land as an Erbpachter (hereditary lease).

According to an inheritance document dated 8 Aug 1805 found in the Berlin archives (Berlin Archives I Ha Rep7 file B4177) when Jacob Bergen (#18813) applied to leave for Russia on 11 Nov 1803 the estate of his first wife had not been settled and inheritance was due to those children who went to Russia with their father. The administrators of the estate are listed as Wilhelm Bergen of NeuMuensterberg (#659965) and Johann Bergen of Tiegerweide (#17323). Arrangements were made for the money to be taken to Russia by Heinrich Bergen (#43827) and given to the guardians of the minor children, Jacob Braun (#53146) and Hermann Dyck (#18811). There is good reason to believe that these 4 Bergen men were brothers. If not, it is very likely that they were closely related. Jacob's father is known from the 1835 Molotschna colony census to be Heinrich. Heinrich apparently didn't leave for Russia until the summer of 1805."

i. Hans Bergen was born in 1740 in Leske, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

135 iii. Maria Bergen ²²¹ (born on 3 Feb 1753 in Leske, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth - died about 1804 in Schoenhorst, Chortitza, Ukraine). Maria married Johann Peters ²²⁰

iv. Jacob Bergen ⁵¹⁴ was born on 14 Feb 1758 in Leske, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died on 29 Oct 1833 in Schoenau, Marienburg Region, Prussia.

304. Hiebert ³⁷⁶ was born before 1728 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

312. Johann Penner ²⁵² was born about 1685 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

313. Maria Loewen ²⁵² was born about 1685 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

His parents were Matthias Schapansky and Catharina Jantzen according to records published by Erwin Wittenberg and Manuel Janz. He is listed as a landowner in the village of Jedwilleiten in Lithuanian between 1720 and 1722. He farmed the land there jointly with Gerhardt Eckert. Wittenberg and Janz published a map that shows where the farm was. Gottfried was part of the expelled group of Mennonites. He moved to the Elbing region around 1724-1726. Later in 1741 he lived in the Friedrichsgraben area. This move was in response to a program by the Prussian crown to attract Mennonites to the Memel lowlands to reclaim the swampy land and boost the economy. The project was doomed to failure because of extensive flood damage to the land prior to the resettlement. I believe the settlement was eventually abandoned. By 1749 Gottfried had left (Wittenberg and Janz published a list of settlers remaining in 1749 and Gottfried was not on the list.)

I speculate that Gottfried is the father of David Schapansky (1731) based on the research completed by Alfons Sczepanski as outlined below.

Synopsis: Alfons Sczepanski Thiensdorf Nachfahrenliste

A Sczepanski son born in the 1690s lived in Lithuania for a period of time before relocating sometime before 1730 to Thiensdorf to farm there. His wife is unknown, but he had a son named David, born around 1731 in the Thiensdorf area. [This corresponds to Gottfried Schapansky who was born in Thiensdorf in 1696, farmed in the Memel lowlands after the settlement was established in 1714, was expelled in 1724, and headed back to the Elbing area. Thiensdorf is south of Elbing and east of Marienburg.]

David Schapansky married Anna Pauls (born 1736). The marriage produced two children. Herman was born around 1754. Cornelius was born in 1765. [Henry Schapansky has written that there was also a son, David, born in 1751. It seems likely that David was a son of the elder David. Wes Reimer has written that there was a daughter, Anna. There is no information to support this assertion.]

Cornelius was born in Hohenwalde. He was baptized in 1781 in the Thiensdorf church [this is also recorded in the church records where he is listed as the surviving son of David]. He was married to Maria Phillipsen (born 1782 in Campenau) in 1800. They had one son, Cornelius, born in 1802. The son and his offspring never left Prussia. Maria died of "childbed fever" in 1803. Cornelius did not remarry. He died in Campenau in 1831.

Herman was born in Thiensdorf. He farmed in Kerbshorst and was also a carpenter according to an 1811 reference [this was probably the 1811 Elbing census]. Herman died in Schwansdorf in 1824 at the age of 70. He was married twice. His first wife was Maria Klassen, born in 1764, whom he married in March 1785. Maria died of typhus in 1800 at the age of 36. This marriage produced three sons: Herman (1785); Heinrich (1792); and Johann (1794). His second wife was Anna Heinrichs, born in Kerbshorst in 1781. They were married in 1800. She died in Ellerwald in 1857. This marriage produced eleven children: Cornelius (1801); Anna (1804); Cornelius (1806); another daughter who died as in infant (1809); Heinrich (1811); Maria (1812); Anna (1816); Cornelia (1817); Johann (1819); David (1821); and Catharina (1824).

Herman (1785) was baptised in the Markushof church in 1802 and lived in Kerbshorst. Heinrich (1792) died of typhus in 1801. Johann (1794) died of whooping cough in 1794. Cornelius (1801) died as in infant in 1801. Anna (1804) died in 1807 of "lazy fiber". Cornelius (1806) died in Ellerwald in 1861 at the age of 55. Heinrich (1811) and his offspring remained in Prussia. Maria (1812) died of typhus in 1825 at the age of 13. Anna (1816) married and had children (all unknown) and she and her offspring appear to have remained in Prussia. Cornelia (1817) died young. Johann (1819) died young. David (1821) died at the age of 10 in 1831. Catharina (1824) died in 1825 of typhus.

[Herman (1785) migrated to Chortitza in 1818. Henry Schapansky writes that the family were Lithuanian Mennonites, but it is clear that the family lived in the Thiensdorf-Markushof congregational area during the latter half of the 18^th century. The confusion may stem from the repeated relocations of Gottfried. He moved to Lithuania, then returned to Elbing. Later he went back to Lithuania in 1741 for a few years, before the Friedrichsgraben settlement was abandoned. It seems that the family returned to the Thiensdorf area around 1750.]

368. Jacob Dyck ³⁸⁷ was born before 1742 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died before 1793 in Neustadterwald, Elbing Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

He is listed as the father of Jacob Dyck in the Rosenort Gemeinde baptism records in 1785. The family was living in the village of Neustadterwald at this time. He is listed in association with five children baptized between 1785 and 1794. The two children baptized in 1793 and 1794 are referred to as surviving children of Jacob, giving us approximate dates of birth and death. Henry Schapansky identifies him as the farm owner in Neustadterwald in the 1776 census with two sons and two daughters.

184 i. Jacob Dyck ²⁸² (born about 1763 in Neustadterwald, Elbing Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth - died on 7 May 1838 in Chortitza Colony, Ukraine). Jacob married Anna Dyck.²⁸³ Jacob next married Anganetha Hamm ³⁹⁰

ii. Lehnert Dyck ⁵¹⁷ was born about 1770 in Neustadterwald, Elbing Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was baptized in 1790 in Rosenort, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

iii. Sara Dyck ⁵¹⁷ was born about 1770 in Neustadterwald, Elbing Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was baptized in 1790 in Rosenort, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

iv. Maria Dyck ⁵¹⁸ was born about 1773 in Neustadterwald, Elbing Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was baptized in 1793 in Rosenort, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

v. Katarina Dyck ⁵¹⁹ was born about 1774 in Neustadterwald, Elbing Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was baptized in 1794 in Rosenort, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

370. Jacob Dyck ³⁹¹ was born in 1727 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died in 1792 in Prussia.

Henry Schapansky provides his name. He lived in Neustadterwald in 1776. In the 1776 census Schapansky identifies him as the person with three sons and four daughters. He was a farm owner. The comment by this census entry says he lived from 1727 to 1792. I cannot locate his death in the Tragheimerweide Church Book and therefore cannot substantiate these dates.

185 i. Anna Dyck ²⁸³ (born about 1760 in Stobbendorf, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth - died on 15 Sep 1813 in Chortitza, Chortitza, Ukraine). Anna married Jacob Dyck ²⁸²

374. Michael Peters ³⁹² was born in 1722 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died before 1806.

According to Henry Schapansky he was a farmer in Neuteich in 1776. Michael came to the Chortitza area with his daughter, Katharina, and her family in 1805. He was not with the family at the time of the 1806 census for Kronsgarten.

376. Benjamin DeVeer,³⁹⁵ son of DeVeer, was born in 1733 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died in 1822 in Neu-Osterwick, Chortitza, Ukraine.

He was a Flemish Mennonite.

Different sources give a range of dates for his year of birth. Relying on the Chortitza census data available in Unruh it is quite clear that he was born around 1733. The 1808 census was taken on 20 September and he was 75; the 1814 census was taken on 4 October and he was 81; therefore he must have been born after 4 October 1732 and before 20 September 1733. Genealogy work by Verna Fehr provides his year of death. I can't substantiate this.

The often cited relationship of Benjamin to parents Benjamin and Elizabeth is hypothetical, based on speculation by Herman Thiessen. There are no genealogical records to substantiate this. Benjamin would have been about eight years old when his mother died and ten when his father died. Since his father didn't remarry either of these events would normally result in Benjamin being placed with another family. It is apparent that he didn't live in the Danzig area when he was baptized or married because there is no trace of him in the Danzig Church Book. However, he also does not appear in the 1776 Census and this indicates he was in Danzig, outside the census zone at that time (although I understand that this census is known to be less than comprehensive so no concrete conclusion can be made). In 1785 he appears in the 1782-1795 Baptism Record for the Rosenort Gemeinde, living in Klein Mausdorf; his children Anna and Isaac were baptized in that year.

He was residing in Neuendorf in the Chortitza Colony as early as 1793 and remained there until Nieder-Chortitza was established in 1803, and he appears in the census there in 1803. By 1808 he had moved back to Neuendorf to live with his son Jacob and later he moved with his son to Neu-Osterwick. Stump lists his son Jacob in Neuenberg in 1795, coming from Krebsfelde but Benjamin is not listed. Peter Rempel lists a Benjamin Defehr who arrived in Chortitza in 1789 and settled in Nieder-Chortitza. Glenn Penner's work on the first settlers in Chortitza indicates he actually settled in Neuendorf in 1789.

Unruh also published census data saying his son Jacob came from Krebsfelde. Klein Mausdorf and Krebsfelde are adjacent villages. In his Rosenthal article H. Schapansky says he may have lived in Nehrung or Scharpau in 1776. Scharpau (district of Marienburg) is a village adjacent to the Nehrung area (district of Danzig). Schapansky also finds him in Klein Mausdorf, Marienburg at some point around the time of the 1776 census.

His son Isaak is listed in the 1814 census in Nieder-Chortitza with his family. He is likely the same as Isaac de Veer who exchanged his house in Rosenthal with Johann Schellenberg of Chortitza.

The Grandma Database has additional information stating that he was a watch maker in an 1801 census and a teacher in the village of Ruckenau in Prussia. He does appear in the 1772 Prussian Census, living in Ruckenau. His occupation is given as School Master. This census indicates a wife, two sons and two daughters. These children would be Isaak, Anna, Heinrich, and Helena. People living in Ruckenau, Klein Mausdorf and Krebsfelde all were members of the Rosenort Gemeinde.

The Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online (GAMEO) has a detailed entry explaining the De Veer lineage. The first ancestor listed is Gysbert Jansz de Veer, born 14 May 1556, at Schiedam, South Holland. One of his sons, Gysbert de Veer (born in Amsterdam in 1600 and died in Danzig in 1646) was married first to Anna van Buygen (Bergen), then to Maria van Dijck. Gysbert and Maria's son Gysbert (born in 1640 and died in 1693) is the ancestor of the Mennonite branch in Prussia. Based on the information available Benjamin De Veer (born 1733) is the grandson of this Gysbert. However, there exists an hypothesis that Gysbert (1640-1693) had a son named Cornelius who is Benjamin's grandfather. I am aware of no evidence this Cornelius existed.

Based on a comprehensive review of the Mennonite migration information available it appears that in addition to Benjamin and his children there were two sons of Cornelius de Veer (Johann and Cornelius) who also moved to Ukraine. Cornelius was probably younger than Benjamin.

In notes related to Jan de Veere I discuss the DNA evidence that links the family back to the early 1500s.

The parents of Benjamin are going to be found in the Marienburg Region (Gross Werder). Here are the salient geographic facts:

1. Horst Penner has placed Philipp van Dijck in Gross Werder in 1592;
2. Ulrich Dyck has placed Maria Grauwert in Gross Werder at her birth in 1568;
3. Logically their daughter Maria (1606) was born in Gross Werder;
4. Gybert de Veer (1600), who was located in Amsterdam and Danzig might have also been in the Gross Werder area, although this is speculation. However:
5. Arlene Kauwenhoven has place son Philipp (1629) in Gross Werder (Klein Mausdorf specifically) and it is reported that he was a broker there;
6. Calmeyer states that son Gysbert (1640) lived in Gross Werder;
7. Stumpp and Unruh place Cornelius de Veer's (1749) sons in Gross Werder (Czattkau);
8. The 1776 Census places Cornelius de Veer (1749) in Gross Werder (Neumuensterberg);
9. The 1772 Census places Benjamin in Gross Werder (Ruckenau);
10. The Rosenort Baptism records place Benjamin in Gross Werder (Klein Mausdorf) after 1782;
11. Unruh places Benjamin's son Jacob in Gross Werder (Krebsfeld) before migrating to Chortitza.

Cornelius (1749) and Benjamin (1733) may have been brothers, cousins or second cousins. Calmeyer asserts that Gysbert was the patriarch of the Russian de Veer branches and consequently Cornelius and Benjamin must be his descendants. Records for children of Gysbert born in Gross Werder may not have been maintained at the Danzig Flemish Church, leading to the current gap in information. There are one or two generations of male descendants unaccounted for.

i. Maria DeVeer ³⁹⁷ was born on 25 Jul 1762 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died on 5 Sep 1762 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

ii. Isaak DeVeer ⁵²⁰ was born on 27 Apr 1763 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, was baptized in 1785 in Klein Mausdorf, Marienburg Region, Prussia, and died in Sep 1857 in Chortitza Colony, Ukraine.

iii. Anna DeVeer ⁵²¹ was born on 14 Jan 1765 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was baptized in 1785 in Klein Mausdorf, Marienburg Region, Prussia. Anna married Johann Siemens ⁵²²

iv. Heinrich DeVeer ³⁹⁷ was born on 9 Oct 1767 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died before 1795.

v. Helena DeVeer ³⁹⁷ was born on 14 Feb 1769 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died before 1795.

vi. Maria DeVeer ³⁹⁷ was born on 12 Feb 1771 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died in 1771 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

vii. Benjamin DeVeer ³⁹⁷ was born on 22 Jul 1774 in Prussia and died before 1795.

viii. Maria DeVeer ⁵²³ was born in 1777 in Klein Mausdorf, Marienburg Region, Prussia.

x. Cornelius DeVeer ³⁹⁷ was born in 1784 in Prussia and died in Ukraine.

377. Anna Habenstein ³⁹⁶ was born in 1736 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died after 1816 in Neu-Osterwick, Chortitza, Ukraine.

H. Schapansky believes Anna and Benjamin were married in 1761. The Grandma Database gives her year of birth as 1736. Schapansky uses 1740. According to Hermann Thiessen her maiden name was Waberstein. This is based on a chart in Folder 411 among his papers. There is confusion about Helena Bergen and Anna Waberstein (for example, her maiden name was reportedly either Waberstein or Bergen per Hannah Rempel's 30 June 1989 letter to Tim Janzen) and some researchers feel there was only one woman, named Anna Bergen. Ruth Friesen believes her name was Waberstein or Haberstein, in accordance with Bud Veer. Conrad Stoesz confirms the name to be Waberstein, as does James Fehr. Other sources on the Internet give more weight to Haberstein on the basis that Bud Veer has apparently done extensive research on this and purportedly leans that way. Note in the 1727 Brandregister land census there is a mention of a Hans Habenstein in Einlage, an Isaac Habenstein in Klein Mausdorf, and an Abraham Habenstein in Krebsfelde, all adjacent villages in the area of the Rosenort Gemeinde. Therefore Haberstein could be correct. On the other hand, none of the von Bergens and von Bargens in that census lived in the area of the Rosenort Gemeinde. Based on these facts and in the absence of other good sources, I am taking Habenstein as the most correct name.

One interesting observation is that Isaac Habenstein lived in Klein Mausdorf, the location associated with Benjamin de Veer. I sense that if records were to emerge they would point to a connection between Isaac Habenstein and the wife of de Veer.

378. Johann Peters ²²⁰ was born on 24 Apr 1754 in Ladekopp, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died on 9 Jan 1826 in Schoenhorst, Chortitza, Ukraine.
(Duplicate. See Below)

379. Maria Bergen,²²¹ daughter of Heinrich Bergen, was born on 3 Feb 1753 in Leske, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died about 1804 in Schoenhorst, Chortitza, Ukraine.
(Duplicate. See Below)

380. David Falk ³⁹⁹ was born before 1739 in Lithuania and died in 1776.

H. Schapansky says he was a Lithuanian Mennonite and may have been living in Memelland in 1776. The Grandma Database says he was born in the Memelniederung area of Lithuania and died in 1776. I standardized his surname from the source that showed it as Falcke.

ii. Trincke Falk ⁵²⁴ was born about 1760 in Plauschwarren, Lithuania and was baptized in 1780 in Plauschwarren, Lithuania.

iii. Efcke Falk ⁵²⁵ was born about 1763 in Plauschwarren, Lithuania and was baptized in 1783 in Plauschwarren, Lithuania.

iv. Jacob Falk ⁵²⁶ was born about 1765 in Plauschwarren, Lithuania and was baptized in 1785 in Plauschwarren, Lithuania.

Johann Bartsch was one of the deputies, along with Jacob Hoeppner, appointed to assess colonization opportunities offered in the Ukraine during the reign of Catherine the Great. The pair went on their investigative mission in 1786 and toured the land along the Dnieper River, choosing an area of richly fertile land near the town of Berislav. Agreements were signed and upon their return to Danzig arrangements were made for settlers to begin their journeys to the so called New Russia.

Grigory Potemkin was the governor of New Russia and he held vast lands encompassing the entire Chortitza Colony region. When the settlers arrived they were astounded to learn that their agreement was broken and they would be granted land in Chortitza. The Chortitza area, north of Berislav, was more deeply wooded, less easy to clear, and further from a substantial trading port to move agricultural produce. It was hardly ideal but there were no options.

It seems clear that Potemkin had in mind the settlement of his own land from the beginning. He died unexpectedly in 1791 and knowledge of his ulterior motives are lost with him. It is relevant to note that the Russian Empire at the time was still a feudal economy, and much more absolutely feudal than the English system of medieval times. Peasants in Ukraine were hardly more than slaves, indentured servants at best, and could be bought and sold with the land they worked. Whether Potemkin had in mind this model when he invited the Mennonite settlers is unknown. Fortunately his death meant that the Mennonites could operate the typical democratic, capitalistic colony they preferred.

Johann Bartsch was a Frisian Mennonite at the time of his deputation. He later joined the Flemish congregation. He was an original settler in Chortitza in 1789 and remained one of the leaders of the colony for much of its early existence. There is a marble monument dedicated to Johann in Steinbach, Manitoba, that originally was located in Rosenthal, Chortitza.

Johann's first wife was Susanna Lammerts. She died in 1790 and Johann married her sister Magdalena. H. Schapansky indicates a different second wife, Helena Klassen, but the census information published by Unruh is clear that the second wife was Magdalena. That said, some census information gives her name as Helena, an alternate form used for Magdalena. But the dates of birth and death cited in Schapansky agree with the dates for Magdalena Lammerts. Johann was in Rosenthal from 1789 through at least 1814.

He had a son but there is no information about him except that he existed. He is referenced in two letters Johann wrote to Susanna during his trip to Ukraine. I have read the letters and two quotations stand out. In the first letter he writes: "Do not forget what I mentioned to you regarding my only little son, shortly before our departure." In the second letter he writes: "Keep in mind that the good you do to the smallest (one) I regard as something done to me personally." I find these statements puzzling. It seems that he feels beholden to Susanna for taking care of the boy, whom he singles out in both letters. I wonder if the implication is that his son was born to a different woman and Johann was forced to disclose this to his wife because of his trip to Ukraine.

Whatever the situation was with this young son, the records for the migration in 1789 tell us that Johann and his wife arrived with four adults and three children in their family unit. The three children must be their daughters Susanna, Maria and Sara. Their son did not live to reach the new settlement. It is unclear who the other two adults were. The next census, in 1795, shows his family with his new wife, Helena, and two new daughters. The Rempel information tells us the family unit was comprised of one man, three women and three female children. There is a vital statistics recored for Rosenthal showing that a Johann Bartsch had a son who died in 1801. This is likely to be Johann whose mother was Magdalena.

i. Susanna Bartsch ⁵²⁸ was born on 10 Feb 1782 in Danzig and died on 22 Dec 1809 in Rosenthal, Chortitza, Ukraine. Susanna married Heinrich Epp.⁴⁴⁶ Susanna next married Jacob Isaac

iii. Sara Bartsch ⁵²⁸ was born on 10 Jan 1785 in Rosenthal, Chortitza, Ukraine.

ii. Margaretha Bartsch ⁵²⁸ was born on 15 Jan 1794 and died on 15 May 1852.

iii. Aganetha Bartsch ⁵²⁸ was born on 3 Nov 1795 and died on 24 Nov 1795.

v. Johann Bartsch ⁵³¹ was born on 23 Oct 1800 in Rosenthal, Chortitza, Ukraine and died on 21 Jan 1801 in Rosenthal, Chortitza, Ukraine.

vi. Johann Bartsch ⁵³² was born on 25 Apr 1802 in Rosenthal, Chortitza, Ukraine and died on 24 May 1802 in Rosenthal, Chortitza, Ukraine.

vii. Katharina Bartsch ⁵²⁸ was born on 1 Dec 1804 and died on 30 Dec 1804.

viii. Anton Bartsch ⁵³³ was born on 19 May 1807 in Rosenthal, Chortitza, Ukraine and died on 15 Jun 1807 in Rosenthal, Chortitza, Ukraine.

ix. Katharina Bartsch ⁵³³ was born on 19 May 1807 in Rosenthal, Chortitza, Ukraine and died on 20 Jun 1807 in Rosenthal, Chortitza, Ukraine.

383. Susanna Lammert,⁴⁰⁷ daughter of Jacob Lammert ⁵³⁴ and Susanna Von Niessen,⁵³⁵ was born about 1757 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, was baptized in 1773 in Tiegenhagen, Marienburg Region, Prussia, and died on 15 Nov 1790 in Rosenthal, Chortitza, Ukraine.

Susanna is listed in the Orlofferfelde Frisian Church Baptism records as the daughter of Jacob, and she was baptised in 1773.

384. Cornelius Fast ⁴⁰⁸ was born about 1722 in Krebsfeld, Elbing Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died on 6 Sep 1807 in Broeskerfeld, Marienburg Region, Prussia.

H. Schapansky speculates that he may have been from Krebsfeld, but not listed in the 1776 Census. There is a Cornelius Fast listed in Krebsfeld in the 1789 Land Census but it is difficult to demonstrate this is the same individual.

I note that the Grandma Database merged two records for Kornelius, the remaining record including the names of two wives and a large array of children. This is the data I have used.

192 i. Cornelius Fast ²⁹¹ (born about 1765 in Wernersdorf, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth - died in 1825 in Tiegenhagen, Molotschna, Ukraine). Cornelius married Maria Toews ²⁹²

385. Catharina Warkentin ⁴⁰⁹ was born about 1725 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died on 28 May 1778 in Broeskerfeld, Marienburg Region, Prussia.

Catharina's identity is revealed in the Malbork State Archives records listing land holdings. She is listed in conjunction with her husband, Cornelius Fast, in Broeske.

386. Johann Toews,⁴¹⁴ son of Martin Toews ⁴¹⁵ and Judith Suckau,⁵³⁶ was born on 28 Oct 1743 in Warnau, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died on 9 Dec 1811 in Warnau, Marienburg Region, Prussia.

The Martin Toews genealogy says he was a farmer in Warnau who married Anna Stoesz, the widow of a Cornelius Andres. Anna was born on 22 June 1730 in Gross Mausdorf. She died on 12 February 1783 in Warnau. She was the daughter of a Stoesz who lived in Elbing and her mother was Anna Penner, the widow of a Froese.

Johann Toews is listed in the 1776 Census.

387. Anna Stoesz,⁴¹⁵ daughter of Stoesz ⁴¹⁵ and Anna Penner,⁴¹⁵ was born on 22 Jun 1730 in Krebsfeld, Elbing Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died on 12 Feb 1783 in Warnau, Marienburg Region, Prussia.

388. Johann Toews,⁴¹⁴ son of Martin Toews ⁴¹⁵ and Judith Suckau,⁵³⁶ was born on 28 Oct 1743 in Warnau, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died on 9 Dec 1811 in Warnau, Marienburg Region, Prussia.
(Duplicate. See Below)

389. Anna Stoesz,⁴¹⁵ daughter of Stoesz ⁴¹⁵ and Anna Penner,⁴¹⁵ was born on 22 Jun 1730 in Krebsfeld, Elbing Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died on 12 Feb 1783 in Warnau, Marienburg Region, Prussia.
(Duplicate. See Below)

390. Heinrich Epp,⁴¹⁹ son of David Epp, was born in 1745 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died in 1817 in Halbstadt, Molotschna, Ukraine.

The Grandma Database says that Heinrich Epp and Margaretha Dyck are the parents of Aganetha Epp and there is no way to verify this.

According to Molotschna census records he was a linen weaver. His year of birth is estimated to be 1745 based on Molotschna census records.

The 1776 Census lists a Heinrich Epp in Marienburg who was a Weaver. He was a reasonably well off landowner. He had a wife but no children at the time of the census. He was a member of the Heubuden church congregation. It is not clear if he was listed in the 1789 census. There is a Heinrich listed in Palschau. Residents would have attended the Ladekop church.

His first four children were baptised in the Ladekop church and the family was registered as living in Stadtfeld at the time. This is curious because GAMEO says residents of Stadtfeld went to the Heubuden church. It is possible that the family moved from Palschau to Stadtfeld but returned to the Ladekop church for the baptisms.

He established his farm in Halbstadt and appears there as the head of the household from 1805 through 1810. His wife, Margaretha, is with him throughout this period. In 1811 His son son Heinrich has taken over as head of the household but Heinrich continues to live on the farm. Margaretha has died during 1811.

i. Christina Epp ⁵³⁹ was born in 1776 in Prussia and was baptized in 1794 in Ladekopp, Marienburg Region, Prussia.

ii. Heinrich Epp ⁵³⁹ was born in 1778 in Neuteicherhinterfeld, Marienburg Region, Prussia and was baptized in 1798 in Ladekopp, Marienburg Region, Prussia.

iii. Margaretha Epp ⁵³⁹ was born in 1780 in Prussia and was baptized in 1798 in Ladekopp, Marienburg Region, Prussia.

iv. Anna Epp ⁵³⁹ was born in 1781 in Prussia and was baptized in 1802 in Ladekopp, Marienburg Region, Prussia.

391. Margaretha Dyck ⁴²⁰ was born in 1746 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died in 1811 in Halbstadt, Molotschna, Ukraine.

The Grandma Database says that Heinrich Epp and Margaretha Dyck are the parents of Aganetha Epp and there is no way to verify this.

Her year of birth is estimated to be 1746 based on Molotschna census records.

She and Heinrich established their farm in Halbstadt and appear there from 1805 thrugh 1810. In 1811 their son Heinrich has taken over as head of the household but Heinrich continues to live on the farm. Margaretha has died during 1811.

392. Isbrand Rempel,⁴²¹ son of Rempel, was born in 1737 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died in 1803 in Einlage, Chortitza, Ukraine.

Isbrand died between January and April 1803 in Einlage. His death at the age of 66 is listed in the Chortitza Vital Records. H. Schapansky believes he lived in Konigsberg for some time but that he might also have lived in the Danzig area and the Marienburg area. This seems to be all over the map, so to speak. Schapansky says his son Wilhelm was born in Konigsberg. I do not have a source reference for this but it might explain the absence of other records (he does not seem to be in either the 1772 or the 1776 census). Unruh's Immigration List says he came from Stobbendorf. His son Wilhelm also is listed there and also came from Stobbendorf. Wilhelm also has a record in Unruh indicating he was from Konigsberg. I suspect the difference between the locations has to do with where the individual was born and where they lived before immigrating. If this is the case then the origin is Konigsberg but the family moved to Stobbendorf in the Tiegenhagen Gemeinde. There are entries in the Tiegenhagen records for the baptisms of Dietrich and Katherina, both of whom lived in Stobbendorf.

Isbrand was an original settler in the first group of 228 households to establish themselves in Eastern Ukraine. Sons Wilhelm and Dietrich accompanied him. Although I have not researched this I think some of his other children also were with the family.

In the 1795 census for Chortitza (Einlage #29) his first wife, Anna, is listed. In 1801 his second wife, Katharina, is listed. H. Schapansky indicates that there might have been a wife before Anna but there is no information about her. Isbrand's sister Agatha was living with him and his family in that census.

There is a possibility that his parents were Gerhard Rempel (1705) and Dorothea Schule (1709), based on old Grandma Database information that has been removed as of 2024 because records are lacking.

i. Maria Rempel ⁵⁴⁰ was born in 1760 in Konigsberg, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

ii. Wilhelm Rempel ⁵⁴¹ was born in 1761 in Konigsberg, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died in 1824.

196 iii. Dietrich Rempel ²⁹⁶ (born in 1763 in Konigsberg, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth - died in Jul 1845 in Chortitza Colony, Ukraine). Dietrich married Judith Loewen.⁴²³ Dietrich next married Helena Wiebe ²⁹⁷

iv. Katherina Rempel ⁵⁴² was born about 1764 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was baptized in 1784 in Stobbendorf, Marienburg Region, Prussia.

v. Heinrich Rempel ⁵⁴³ was born in 1766 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died before 1802 in Ukraine.

393. Anna ⁴²² was born in 1737 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died before 1801 in Einlage, Chortitza, Ukraine.

394. Heinrich Wiebe ⁴²⁹ was born in 1744 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

Heinrich Wiebe was among the first householders to settle in Chortitza, listed among the original 228 settler families. He appears in the 1776 Prussian Census at Altendorf in the Tiegenhagen Gemeinde. H. Schapansky also says that he might have lived at Stobbendorf and Pietzkendorf.

Unruh lists him in the 1808 census for Rosenthal. Here it says Heinrich Wiebe emigrated from Pietzkendorf in the Marienburg Region. His son, Heinrich, and his family is living with them. He had a large farm for that time: seven horses; fifteen cows; nine pigs; and two sheep. In the 1788 Chortitza immigrant list found in Unruh's book it says he came from Stobbendorf. I think he emigrated from Stobbendorf and was born in Pietzkendorf. This rationale is consistent with my comments about Dietrich Rempel.

In the 1811 census he is at Rosenthal #17 and working as a tailor. He was still in Rosenthal in 1816 but by then his wife had died. It looks like his son Heinrich was managing the farm.

395. Helena Goossen,⁴³⁰ daughter of Heinrich Goossen, was born in 1744 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died in 1815 in Rosenthal, Chortitza, Ukraine.

Helena died after the the October 1814 census and before the November 1815 census.

396. Peter Nickel ⁴³¹ was born before 1720 in Treul, Schwetz, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

H. schapansky says he was from Tryl. He may be the Peter Nickel listed in the 1776 Prussian Census, although it is more likely this is his son.

i. Peter Nickel ⁴³¹ was born in 1740 in Treul, Schwetz, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was baptized in 1755 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

198 ii. Johann Nickel ²⁹⁹ (born in 1746 in Treul, Schwetz, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth - died before 1806 in Kronsgarten, Chortitza Colony, Ukraine). Johann married Anna Nickel ³⁰⁰

398. Jacob Nickel ⁴³² was born before 1729 in Fleutenau, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

H. Schapansky says he may have been from Fleutenau in the Montau Gemeinde. I don't see him in the 1776 Prussian Census but this is a census known to have some gaps.

400. Johann Krahn ²²⁹ was born before 1736 in Neustadterwald, Elbing Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died before 1784 in Neustadterwald, Elbing Region, Prussia.
(Duplicate. See Below)

402. Jakob Andres ⁴³⁴ was born in 1739 in Powunden, Elbing Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died on 17 Sep 1809 in Rosenthal, Chortitza, Ukraine.

There are pubic trees suggesting his father is Cornelius Andres #4619 and his mother is Catharina Klassen #4632. There is no evidence.

201 i. Anna Andres ³⁰² (born in 1764 in Walldorf, Elbing Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth - died on 6 Mar 1831 in Rosenthal, Chortitza, Ukraine). Anna married Johann Krahn.³⁰¹ Anna next married Isaac Penner

ii. Kornelius Andres ⁵⁴⁷ was born on 31 Oct 1766 and died on 12 Oct 1839 in Neuenburg, Chortitza, Ukraine.

iv. Katharina Andres ²³⁰ was born in 1771 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died in Nov 1800 in Neuenburg, Chortitza, Ukraine. Katharina married Bernard Krahn ¹⁰⁹

403. Anna Klassen,⁴³⁵ daughter of Johann Klassen, was born before 1744 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died before 1801.

408. David Redekop ⁴³⁶ was born in 1717 in Lakendorf, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died in 1798 in Lakendorf, Marienburg Region, Prussia.

David's year of birth and year of death are taken from the Grandma Database and there is no evidence to prove this information. Apparently he died at the age of 81 years, 3 weeks and 5 days. According to the Grandma Database the source of information about David and his wife have been lost but the details that have been captured include the location of Lackendorf. This is a good circumstantial linkage to son Wilhelm, who migrated from Lackendorf to Chortitza.

ii. David Redekop was born about 1748 in Petershagen, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died about 1803 in Schoenhorst, Chortitza, Ukraine.

204 iii. Wilhelm Redekop ³⁰³ (born in 1754 in Lakendorf, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth - died on 4 Feb 1818 in Rosenthal, Chortitza, Ukraine). Wilhelm married Maria Rempel ³⁰⁴

409. Anna Berg ⁴³⁷ was born in 1720 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died after 1776.

I wonder if she might be related to Wilhelm Baerg who purportedly lived in Lackendorf at the same time as Anna's husband David Redekop. Anna and Wilhelm could conceivably have been siblings. The Grandma database gives a year of death of 1757 but also says she may have moved to Chortitza in the 1790s. There is no trace of her in early census records for Chortitza. She may have had a daughter, Justina, born in 1758, which would contradict the 1757 date. The 1776 Census indicates David had a wife at the time of the census. Whether this is Anna or a second wife is impossible to know from the data available.

412. Heinrich Wieler,⁴⁴¹ son of Wieler, was born before 1741 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

Heinrich lived in Haberhorst at the time of the 1776 Prussian census. He was part of the Tiegenhagen Flemish Gemeinde (later he joined the Orlofferfelde Frisian Gemeinde), and had one son counted in the 1776 census. Other information provided by H. Schapansky indicates that there may have been other sons and they may have been living with another family in 1776.

There is a Heinrich Wieler from Tiegenhof married to an Elisabeth Berends (#17327) listed in the Danzig Family Book. According to that information they would have been in Petershagen in 1761 when a daughter, Margaretha, was born. They would have been members of the Tiegenhagen Gemeinde. However, the Danzig Church Book does not mention son Nicholas, and this is a concern. However, if the family lived in a different Gemeinde, and particularly if they left the Flemish congregation to join the Frisian congregation, perhaps the recorded information was fragmentary.

There are two Heinrich Wiehlers in the Grandma Database that could refer to the same individual (#17326 and #266168). We know that Heinrich was in Haberhorst at the time of the 1776 census. This village was within the Tiegenhagen Flemish Gemeinde. The other Heinrich was in Tiegenhof at some point in his life according to the Grandma Database. Tiegenhof residents would have belonged to the Tiegenhagen Flemish Gemeinde. Furthermore, Haberhorst is only 25 km north and 14 km east of the village of Tiegenhof. This geographic concurrence and the Gemeinde match support the hypothesis they are the same person and in turn support the possibility Elisabeth is the correct spouse.

There is a possibility that he had a brother Bernhard, as explained more fully in the notes for Heinrich's son Nicholas. Bernhard appeared in the 1776 Prussian census in Spitalskampe.

I have standardized the spelling of his surname, which I have seen in some records spelled "Wiehler".

206 i. Nicholas Wieler ³⁰⁸ (born in 1760 in Rehwalde, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth - died on 23 Jan 1810 in Rosenthal, Chortitza, Ukraine). Nicholas married Anna Janzen ³⁰⁹

413. Elisabeth Berends ⁴⁴² was born about 1741 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

There is a possibility this woman is Heinrich's wife. Certainly there is a couple with these names referenced in the Danzig Family Books. However this has to be proven and I have retained her name here as a reference point for further research.

There is data on ancestry.ca in public family trees indicating she was born in Nijkerk, Gelderland, Netherlands on 4 November 1743. I haven't seen any convincing evidence this is the same woman and I suspect it is circumstantial data being treated as authentic. I have researched the Gelderland Archives quite thoroughly and mapped out much of her ancestry but I have not discovered her relationship to Heinrich Wiehler. She was the child of Berent Franzen Lassere and Anna Cleeve. Berent was the son of Frans Berentsen and Marijke Jansz Berentsen; Marijke was the daughter of Jan Berentsen and Stijneke Jans. Anna Cleeve may possibly have been the daughter of Dirk van Kleef and a woman named Mechtel (no last name found). This last family relationship is completely unproven.

I have standardized the spelling of her surname from sources I have seen that spelled it "Berentz".

414. Cornelius Janzen ⁴⁴⁵ was born before 1737 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died before 1781 in Klein Holstein, Prussia.

Cornelius appears in the Prussian census with one son and three daughters, living in Rosenort, Gross Werder. He belonged to the Rosenort Gemeinde, a Flemish congregation. He is referenced in the Elbing-Ellerwald church records where three of his children are listed on their weddings. In all cases he is referred to as the late Kornelius Jantzen. We know from these records that the family was living in Klein Holstein during this period of time.

In the 1772 Census he is listed in Rosenort, Gross Werder, with a wife, 2 sons over 10 years of age, 2 daughters under 10 and 1 daughter over 10.

This Kornelius has been confused with another Kornelius who lived around the same time, was married to Catherine De Veer of the well documented De Veer extended family, and who died in 1763. It seems to me extremely unlikely these are the same individual because there are records of the second Kornelius and his offspring throughout the available genealogical reference material and no points of commonality that would lead me to conclude they are one and the same. The second Kornelius was probably the son of Dirk Jantzen and Anna Buhler. Catharine was the daughter of Jacob De Veer and Maria Berentz. Jacob, in turn, was the great grandson of Jacob De Veer who appears elsewhere in my ancestry.

i. Cornelius Janzen ⁵⁵¹ was born about 1757 and died in Apr 1801 in Neuenburg, Chortitza, Ukraine. Cornelius married Katarina Doerksen ⁵⁵²

iii. Maria Janzen ⁵⁵³ was born about 1767 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Maria married Andreas Koop ⁵⁵³

416. Heinrich Epp,⁴⁴⁶ son of Peter Epp ⁵⁵⁴ and Katharina Wiens,⁵⁵⁵ was born on 9 Jan 1757 in Neunhuben, Danzig Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, was baptized on 25 Jun 1775 in Danzig, and died on 25 Nov 1805 in Rosenthal, Chortitza, Ukraine.

He was variously documented as Hendrich or Heinrich. He was one of the settlers in the second part of the first wave of immigrants who came from the Danzig area to Ukraine. Penner has documented him as arriving in 1795. The Danzig Family Book confirms they emigrated to Ukraine in 1795. Peter Rempel says he settled in Rosenthal. In 1806 this homestead is in the hands of his widow Susanna. Stumpp has a Jacob Heinrich Epp coming in 1795 from Hochzeit, Danzig; his birthdate here is given as 9 January 1757, a match with Heinrich. I think Stumpp must have made an error. Unruh shows similar information but with the correct name. Unruh says he first came to the village of Chortitza and then settled in Rosenthal. Since Penner's First Settlers list doesn't mention a village I interpret this to mean that he passed through Chortitza before securing a homestead in Rosenthal. The 1797 Chortitza Census acknowledges his presence in the colony but doesn't have him located in any village. He is at Neuenburg #20 in the 1801 Chortitza Census. Schapansky indicates he settled in Neuenburg (in 1802) before eventually putting down roots in Rosenthal.

The Grandma Database indicates he died in Neuenburg but he may have already moved to Rosenthal prior to his death. That is my impression from Rempel who states he was an original settler in Rosenthal.

Heinrich's brother, Peter, married Maria Penner, sister of Anna Penner. Anna was Heinrich's wife.

Heinrich's second wife, Margaretha Epp, was the daughter of David Epp. David Epp was the Elder in the Chortitza Mennonite Church who was likely guilty of all kinds of malfeasence and who excommunicated the Deputies Bartsch and Hoeppner in revenge for the charges they brought against him. I am unaware of any relationship between the David Epp family and the Heinrich Epp family.

208 i. Peter Epp ³¹⁰ (born on 6 Feb 1777 in Hochzeit, Danzig Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth - died on 23 Oct 1844 in Rosenthal, Chortitza, Ukraine). Peter married Katharina Ens ³¹¹

ii. Christina Epp ⁵⁵⁶ was born in Dec 1778 in Prussia and died on 16 Oct 1779 in Prussia.

iii. Gerhard Epp ⁵⁵⁶ was born on 6 Nov 1780 in Prussia and died on 11 Apr 1851 in Ukraine.

iv. Cornelius Epp ⁵⁵⁶ was born on 18 Nov 1782 in Prussia and died on 7 Jan 1787 in Prussia.

vi. Anna Epp ⁵⁵⁷ was born on 23 Dec 1787 in Prussia and died on 13 Jan 1788 in Prussia.

vii. Katharina Epp ⁵⁵⁶ was born on 15 May 1793 in Prussia and died on 18 Feb 1818 in Ukraine.

viii. Cornelius Epp ⁵⁵⁸ was born on 4 Feb 1796 in Ukraine and died on 15 Aug 1872 in Ukraine.

i. Margaretha Epp ⁵⁵⁸ was born on 20 Sep 1799 in Neuenburg, Chortitza, Ukraine and died on 25 Jul 1873 in Ukraine.

ii. Jacob Epp ⁵⁵⁸ was born in 1800 in Neuenburg, Chortitza, Ukraine and died in 1800 in Neuenburg, Chortitza, Ukraine.

i. Johann Epp ⁵⁵⁸ was born in Mar 1802 in Neuenburg, Chortitza, Ukraine and died on 27 May 1802 in Neuenburg, Chortitza, Ukraine.

ii. Johann Epp ⁵⁵⁸ was born on 17 Oct 1804 in Neuenburg, Chortitza, Ukraine and died on 31 Mar 1880 in Ukraine.

iii. Jacob Epp ⁵⁵⁸ was born in 1805 in Neuenburg, Chortitza, Ukraine and died on 18 Mar 1806 in Neuenburg, Chortitza, Ukraine.

417. Anna Penner,⁴⁴⁷ daughter of Gerhard Penner ⁵⁵⁹ and Elscke Woelke,⁴⁸⁵ was born on 19 Mar 1757 in Tiege, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, was baptized on 25 Jun 1775 in Danzig, and died on 23 Jul 1798 in Chortitza Colony, Ukraine.

Although the Grandma Database says she died in Rosenthal I am not sure she was there in 1798. As recently as 1797 the census gave no indication of where the family lived and in 1801 Heinrich was in Neuenburg.

It appears that he was an original settler in Chortitza, coming in 1795 as part of the second group of the first wave. In the 1797 Chortitza Census he is listed without a village. In 1802 Unruh lists him as having died in Rosenthal and his homestead going to son in law Peter Epp. He is listed in the 1772 census, living in Schoensee and this gives us records of his children up to 1772. His age in that record makes it clear that the association with a son named Franz born in 1750 is incorrect as is the idea that Martin had a wife before Gertruda. This contradicts the information in the Grandma Database.

He was still living in Schoensee in 1790 when Deutsches Auslands-Institut records say he sold land to Johann Janzen and Maria Bergmann.

This is how I have pieced together the family in relation to the census material. Martin and Gertruda arrived in Chortitza in 1795 with a household of six. These would be the parents, son Gerhard (who died in 1801), daughters Catharina and Susanna, and one unexplained person. Already out of the household are older daughters Gertruda, Helena and Maria who were married previously, son Martin who died in 1777 and an unnamed daughter who died in 1789. This does not explain the 1776 census where the household is recorded as having one son and one daughter. In 1801 Martin has died, the farm has passed to daughter Catharina and her husband Peter Epp, and Gertruda is living with her daughter Catharina. The youngest daughter, Susanna, has moved to Chortitza to live with her sister Helena.

I note that his daughter Maria was married in Ladekop. Whether this was the village where her family lived at the time, or the village of her husband, is unknown. This data originates in an ancestry.ca reference related to Maria's marriage to Peter Penner on 8 February 1785.

i. Gertruda Ens ⁵⁶² was born on 12 Dec 1760 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

ii. Maria Ens ⁵⁶² was born in 1765 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died on 16 Mar 1789 in Prussia.

iii. Helena Ens ⁵⁶² was born in 1768 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, was baptized in 1785 in Prussia, and died in 1816 in Chortitza Colony, Ukraine.

v. Martin Ens ⁵⁶² was born in 1771 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died on 4 Oct 1777 in Prussia.

vi. NN Ens ⁴⁵¹ was born in 1774 in Prussia and died on 20 Oct 1789 in Prussia.

vii. Gerhard Ens ⁵⁶² was born in 1779 in Prussia and died in Apr 1801 in Rosenthal, Chortitza, Ukraine.

viii. Susanna Ens was born on 27 Apr 1787 in Prussia and died on 13 Aug 1822 in Ukraine.

419. Gertruda Penner ⁴⁵¹ was born in 1741 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died on 21 Aug 1807 in Neuendorf, Chortitza, Ukraine.

424. Jacob Dyck ⁴⁶¹ was born in 1730 in Ellerwald 1 Trift, Elbing Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died on 21 Jun 1780 in Ellerwald 1 Trift, Elbing Region, Pussia.

H. Schapansky says he is the father of Peter Dyck and the person recorded at Ellerwald Trift 1 in the 1776 Prussian Census. That census indicates he was born in 1730 and died in 1780.

425. Barbara Kroecker ⁴⁶² was born in 1752 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

426. Isaac Klassen ⁴⁶⁵ was born about 1745 in Mielentz, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died on 22 Feb 1780 in Mielentz, Marienburg Region, Prussia.

Isaac is listed in Mielentz in the 1772 Prussian Census. He is the only Klassen listed there. In 1776 in the census of that year he is again listed in Mielentz.

The Heubuden Church records have numerous references to this Klassen family in Mielentz. The children listed here are from the baptism book. There are other children who could belong to this family in the births and deaths book but it is not certain based on available documents.

The estimated date for their marriage is based on the birth date shown in the Heubuden Church Book for daughter Helena (1768).

i. Helena Klassen ⁵⁶³ was born on 16 Sep 1768 in Mielentz, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was baptized in 1786 in Mielentz, Marienburg Region, Prussia.

ii. Isaac Klassen ⁵⁶⁴ was born on 11 Jun 1776 in Mielentz, Marienburg Region, Prussia and was baptized in 1795 in Mielentz, Marienburg Region, Prussia.

213 iii. Margaretha Klassen ³¹⁶ (born on 18 Aug 1779 in Mielentz, Marienburg Region, Prussia - died in 1814 in Neu-Osterwick, Chortitza, Ukraine). Margaretha married Peter Dyck.³¹⁵ Margaretha next married Heinrich Funk ⁴⁶⁷

427. Margaretha Conrad ⁴⁶⁶ was born about 1743 in Mielentz, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died on 18 Apr 1813 in Prussia.

Her approximate year of birth comes from Richard Thiessen family records and is based on her age at death of about 70 or 71. She died in 1813 and this is entered in the Heubuden Church Book.

Her second husband was Jacob Isaac. The Church record appears to say he was 39 years old when he died.

There is uncertainty in the Grandma Database about Johann Regehr.

In the 1772 Census Johann is listed with his wife Catharina, and they both were born around 1716. The children listed in this census include:
Johann (1748);
Helena (1747);
Peter (1745);
Michael (1752);
Arendt (1754);
Catharina (1756);
Anna (1767); and
Maria (newborn).

It seems clear these are the children of Johann and Catharina, notwithstanding she was fairly old for having a new baby. Peter's year of birth is not consistent with census records after he immigrated to Chortitza. That said, it is quite certain the Peter in the 1772 Census is the same person as the settler in Chortitza; see the notes for Peter, which elaborate on this.

The Ladekop Church Book lists the birth of a number of children after the 1772 census. Among these are:
Heinrich (1775);
Martin (1778), with the caveat that I can not make out his name on the record but this is the interpretation given in the Grandma Database;
Abraham (1779);
Maria (1780); and
Heinrich (1781).

Not included in this list is Jacob, who is associated with a second wife of his father Johann. She was also named Catharina. The evidence for a second wife, other than the extreme age of the first wife when the latter children were born, is Rempel's immigration records, where Jacob appears accompanied in 1804 by his mother, Catharina, born around 1747, and his brother Abraham, age 24. Jacob was born around 1774, placing the second marriage around 1773. Obviously this is a different Catharina from the person in the 1772 Census. Unruh later reports Abraham living in Molotschna with his own family. With Abraham is his brother Martin. The same record shows that Catharina, Jacob's mother, is still living with Jacob, and her age is given as 65, indicating she was born around 1740. Later in 1810 the Molotschna Census indicates here year of birth was 1743. She had died before the 1811 census was taken.

The only child I can not reconcile is Aron (1767) as listed in the Grandma Database. Arendt (1754) is associated with the first wife of Johann, and Aron (1767) is associated with the second wife. These are variations of the same name and I think Aron belongs to a different family. I note that in Unruh, Aron does not emigrate from Schoensee, whereas his brothers all do.

Maria, the new-born at the time of the 1772 census, must have died in childhood, as evidenced by another child given the name Maria. Judging by the 1776 Census, which lists Johann and his wife with five sons and two daughters, it seems probably that Heinrich (1775) was not in the census. Nor was Aron, whom I have already eliminated from the family. It is unclear which daughters were included.

I note that the death record for a son named Heinrich in the Ladekop Church in 1793 has listed Heinrich as the son of Johan Regersche. This not only means that Heinrich's father predeceased him, it also means Heinrich's mother is still alive and a widow. Son Jacob was baptised in 1793 and this baptism record also indicates his father had predeceased him.

It is not clear whether or not he is in the 1789 Land Census. There are many Johann Regehrs listed. There are no widow Regehrs listed. One would think that with her large family of younger children she would be there.

i. Johann Regehr ⁴⁶⁹ was born in 1745 in Schoensee, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

ii. Helena Regehr ⁴⁶⁹ was born in 1747 in Schoensee, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

214 iii. Peter Regehr ³²² (born in 1751 in Schoensee, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth - died in Chortitza Colony, Ukraine). Peter married Susanna.⁴⁷⁰ Peter next married Maria ³²³

iv. Michael Regehr ⁴⁶⁹ was born in 1752 in Schoensee, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

v. Arendt Regehr ⁴⁶⁹ was born in 1754 in Schoensee, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

vi. Catharina Regehr ⁴⁶⁹ was born in 1756 in Schoensee, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

vii. Anna Regehr ⁴⁶⁹ was born in 1767 in Schoensee, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

viii. Maria Regehr ⁴⁶⁹ was born in 1772 in Schoensee, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died before 1780 in Schoensee, Marienburg Region, Prussia.

i. Jacob Regehr ⁵⁷⁰ was born in 1774 in Schoensee, Marienburg Region, Prussia.

ii. Heinrich Regehr ⁵⁷¹ was born in 1775 in Schoensee, Marienburg Region, Prussia and died before 1781 in Schoensee, Marienburg Region, Prussia.

iii. Martin Regehr ⁵⁷² was born in 1778 in Schoensee, Marienburg Region, Prussia.

iv. Abraham Regehr ⁵⁷³ was born in 1779 in Schoensee, Marienburg Region, Prussia.

v. Maria Regehr ⁵⁷⁴ was born in 1780 in Schoensee, Marienburg Region, Prussia.

vi. Heinrich Regehr ⁵⁷⁵ was born in 1781 in Schoensee, Marienburg Region, Prussia.

429. Katharina ⁴⁶⁹ was born in 1716 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died about 1772 in Schoensee, Marienburg Region, Prussia.

432. Peter Rempel ⁴⁷³ was born on 6 Jul 1735 in Petershagen, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died on 12 Jan 1788 in Stobbendorf, Marienburg Region, Prussia.

Peter Rempel appears in the 1776 census in Petershagen, Tiegenhagen Gemeinde, although the name is spelled Rompel. He is listed with a wife and two sons. His financial situation is 'schlecht' meaning somewhere between poor and not very well off. According to H. Schapansky he was later of Stobbendorf, Gross Werder. I found a Peter Rempel in Stobbendorf in the 1772 census. It is difficult to know if this is the same person.

I'm relying on Nikolai Rempel's Rempel Family Book to establish the names of his children.

The estimated year of death of his son Cornelius is based entries in the November 1815, May 1816 and October 1816 Chortitza Census records showing that he was alive in November 1815, had died by May 1816 and by October 1816 his third wife had remarried and her younger children were living with the new married couple in Neu-Osterwick.

It is possible his father was Johann Rempel and his mother a Christina von Ley but I have not been able to find a concrete source to confirm this.

He was a Flemish Mennonite. The surname originates in Southern Germany and Switzerland.

216 i. Peter Rempel ³²⁴ (born on 29 Dec 1759 in Petershagen, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth - died on 3 May 1821 in Chortitza Colony, Ukraine). Peter married Kornelia Loewen.⁴⁷⁵ Peter next married Margaretha Teichroeb ³²⁵

ii. Bernhard Rempel ⁴⁷⁶ was born on 3 Feb 1763 in Petershagen, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died in 1854 in Schoenhorst, Chortitza, Ukraine.

iii. Wilhelm Rempel ⁴⁷⁶ was born about 1765 in Petershagen, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died on 4 Oct 1850 in Bergthal Colony, Ukraine.

433. Christina Von Dyck ⁴⁷⁴ was born on 30 May 1731 in Krebsfeld, Elbing Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died on 12 Jan 1786 in Petershagen, Marienburg Region, Prussia.

She was a Flemish Mennonite. Cristina's death is recorded in the Dirck Tiessen - Petershagen Church Book (1782). The entry is "Peter Rempel - Petershagen - seiner Frau - 54 - Potatkrankheit". Potatkrankheit is spotted fever or Typhus.

According to online genealogy material published by T.W. Olfert Cristina's parents were Peter von Dyck and Barbara Neufeld. This has not been substantiated. However, there is no indication that Cristina was baptized or married in the Danzig congregation. She was born in Krebsfeld and this indicates her family was located in the Elbing region rather than Danzig.

434. Johann Teichroeb,³⁵⁵ son of Michael Teichroeb, was born in 1744 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died in Nov 1801 in Schoenhorst, Chortitza, Ukraine.

Johann Theichgraf was a Flemish Mennonite. He appears in the 1772 census records and the 1776 census records in Krebsfeld. In the 1772 records he is noted as a Mennonite. In the 1776 census he is listed as a weaver. Their financial situation is schlecht, which Henry Schapansky interprets as not well off (a major portion of their income committed to food and shelter), but not poor. Further, he is listed as an eigentumer, meaning an owner or proprietor. Johann is listed with a wife, a son and a daughter. These would be his wife Margaretha and his children Margareta and Heinrich. He moved from Prussia, likely Kalthof, Marienburg, in 1789. He lived in Schoenhorst, Chortitza until his death in 1801. In 1802 his widow Katharina (his second wife) was living with her new husband, Peter Huebert, on the homestead formerly belonging to Johann and Katharina. His daughter Margareta does not appear in the census, indicating that she was married by the time of the census. The Grandma Database gave the approximate marriage date that I have used for Johann and Margaretha.

It appears that his first wife, Margaretha, died before the family emigrated. It seems that Johann emigrated with his second wife, Katharina.

His son Heinrich has a computed birth year of 1777 in some records but he must have been born in 1776 because he appears to be in the Prussian Census of that year.

Johann had a grandson named Peter who had an interesting story. This information is pieced together from Peter Goertzen's genealogy work, as noted in the source references, and comments from Marcy Bryon in correspondence with me. Although the title of Goertzen's work implies that Peter Teichroeb's father was a Johann, this seems unlikely because there are no Johann Teichroebs in the records for this time and place. My hypothesis is that he was the son of Jacob, who in turn was a son of Johann Teichroeb (1744). I don't know if this can be proven but he named his first son Jacob, a fairly standard protocol when the norm was to name the first son after the grandfather. In any case, Peter did exist and he married a woman by the name of Justina Wolf, who purportedly was actually a Niebuhr. Her mother was supposedly Johann Wolf's second wife Helena Niebuhr. Whether Justina was the child of Helena's first marriage or born out of wedlock is unknown. Peter lived in Georgstal before his death. There is a map in the Peter Teichroeb genealogy book showing where he lived in that village. This map also shows where my great grandfather Peter Teichroeb lived in Olgafeld and where my great great grandfather Daniel Teichroeb lived in Georgstal. Marcy told me Peter went a little bit crazy when Justina died. He gave up the children and "walked the streets" for a period of time. Eventually he remarried. Something may be wrong with this story. Goertzen's book says Justina lived until 1915. Perhaps this is the year Peter's second wife died. I am going along with Marcy's story for now and assuming Justina died when the children were young.

Johann is related to Michael Teichroeb according to DNA evidence produced in the Mennonite DNA project. They could be brothers or cousins or more distantly related. I have standardized the spelling of his name.

ii. Heinrich Teichroeb ⁵⁷⁸ was born in 1776 in Prussia and died on 1 Mar 1851. Heinrich married Katarina Dyck.⁵⁷⁹ Heinrich next married Helena Olfert

iii. Peter Teichroeb ⁵⁷⁹ was born in 1794 in Schoenhorst, Chortitza, Ukraine.

iv. Jacob Teichroeb ⁵⁷⁹ was born on 25 Apr 1797 in Schoenhorst, Chortitza, Ukraine. Jacob married Katharina Neudorf

435. Margaretha Wiebe ³⁵⁶ was born in 1736 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died on 17 Dec 1781 in Krebsfeld, Elbing Region, Prussia.

I surmise that she died in Krebsfelde because they lived there around 1776, according to the census of that year. It seems unlikely that she lived to emigrate.

I believe that Shirley Wadham provided information to the Grandma Database from a genealogy published in 1998. In this document Margaretha's surname is given as Wiebe. Her year of birth is said to be 1736 and she died 17 December 1781. She was buried in Gross Mausdorf. Gross Mausdorf is a little less than 4 km from Krebsfelde. Residents of both villages would have been members of the Rosenort Church. Scott Sheppard substantiated this information in a submission to the Grandma Database in 2024 based on primary records he found in his research.

452. Gerhard Wiens ⁴⁷⁷ was born before 1748 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died before 1789 in Prussia.

In the 1776 West Prussia Census he is listed in Ellerwald, Trift 1, with 3 sons and 1 daughter. He was a member of the Ellerwald Gemeinde. According to the marriage records maintained by Altester Gerhard Wiebe he had died by the time his daughter Maria was married in 1789.

Gerhard's son Heinrich was residing in Ellerwald, 4 Trift, Prussia at the time of his baptism in 1785. His daughter Maria was residing in Ellerwald, Prussia at the time of her baptism in 1788. In the October 1814 Chortitza Colony Census her age is given as 54, suggesting that she may have been born around 1762. She emigrated to Shoenhorst, Chortitza in 1795.

The Grandma Database lists an additional son Jacob, but Schapansky believes this person is actually the son of Nicholas Wiens. I have scrutinized the available church records for Elbing-Ellerwald and I can't find a son of Gerhard named Jacob.

i. Heinrich Wiens ⁵⁸⁰ was born about 1768 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, was baptized in 1785 in Elbing, Prussia, and died in 1822.

ii. Maria Wiens ⁵⁸¹ was born about 1769 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and was baptized in 1788 in Elbing, Prussia.

454. Phillip Dyck ⁴⁷⁹ was born before 1741 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died before 1776 in Lakendorf, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

His son Phillip is from Lakendorf, so the father must have been there at some point. There are four Phillips in the 1776 census, none in Lakendorf. However, H. Schapansky does say Phillips senior was in Lakendorf. There are three widow Dycks listed there in the 1776 Census. H. Schapansky says one of these is the widow of Phillip. Two entries refer to families that own their land and one refers to a family that rents. We know that Phillip had died before the baptism of Phillip in 1783 from the information in the Elbing baptism records. H. Schapansky says that he is the father of Aganetha, wife of Gerhard Wiens. The Elbing baptism record confirms this. The relationship to daughter Anna is not yet confirmed.

Phillip's father may also be named Phillip, based on Internet references. These sources also say his mother was Maria Regehr. Further, I have seen references to a wife named Maria Schroeder. This also is not evidenced. Henry Schapansky indicates that none of these relationships are correct in an article published in Preservings in June 2000.

His son Phillip migrated from Lackendorf, Prussia to Neuendorf, Chortitza in 1796. He is recorded at Neuendorf in the census lists of 1801, 1802, 1808 and 1814.

227 ii. Aganetha Dyck ³³¹ (born about 1761 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth - died on 9 Apr 1810 in Burwalde, Chortitza, Ukraine). Aganetha married Jacob Warkentin.⁴⁸⁰ Aganetha next married Gerhard Wiens.³³⁰ Aganetha next married Cornelius Funk ⁴⁸¹

iii. Phillip Dyck ⁵⁸² was born about 1763 in Lakendorf, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, was baptized in 1783 in Lakendorf, Marienburg Region, Prussia, and died in Chortitza Colony, Ukraine.

iv. Michael Dyck ⁵⁸³ was born about 1766 and was baptized in 1786 in Tiegenhagen, Marienburg Region, Prussia.

460. Peter Dyck ⁴⁸² was born before 1750 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

His son is listed in the 1835 Molotschna Census as Peter Peter. Son Peter was from Reimerswald in the Tiegenhagen Gemeinde. There is a Peter Dyck listed in the 1776 census who lived in Reimerswald with a wife and no children. This probably is not the same person.

i. Peter Dyck ⁵⁸⁴ was born in 1770 in Reimerswald, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

Elizabeth Woelke married a Peter Penner after her first husband, Gerhard Penner, died. This is detailed in the Danzig Church Book.

I note that the Grandma Database lists him twice as #1142083 and #101549.

Peter must have remarried after Elizabeth Woelke died. There is a long gap between Agatha's birth in 1764 and the next child, Elizabeth, in 1773. The Grandma Database has provided the information about the four children Agatha, Elisabeth, Cornelius and Helena, linking them to a second occurrence of Peter Penner. However, Agatha was born the same year that Peter's wife Elizabeth died. This coincidence leads me to believe Agatha is Elizabeth's child. The other three children must belong to the second wife. Unfortunately there are no sources available to verify this.

Although his death is recorded in the Danzig Church Book he seems to have been a member of the Rosenort Gemeinde, where his daughter Agatha was baptized in 1783.

It is interesting that the three children associated with the second wife all migrated to Ukraine together in 1803.

ii. Cornelius Penner ⁵⁸⁷ was born about 1776 in Prussia and died about 1828.

Elscke Woelke is the daughter of Cornelius according to the Danzig Church Book baptism records. This is how I made the connection to Elscke's parents. Elscke Woelke married a Peter Penner after her first husband, Gerhard Penner, died. This is made clear in the Danzig Marriage Book where both marriages are recorded. Agatha's father was a Peter Penner. I hypothesize that the mother of Agatha Penner is Elizabeth Woelke.

417 i. Anna Penner ⁴⁴⁷ (born on 19 Mar 1757 in Tiege, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth - died on 23 Jul 1798 in Chortitza Colony, Ukraine). Anna married Heinrich Epp ⁴⁴⁶

ii. Maria Penner ⁵⁹⁰ was born on 10 May 1759 in Tiege, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, was baptized on 12 Jul 1778 in Danzig, and died before 1801 in Rosenthal, Chortitza, Ukraine. Maria married Peter Epp ⁵⁹¹

464. Wilhelm Giesbrecht ⁴⁸⁹ was born before 1728 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

He was probably a Flemish Mennonite. According to Horst Penner, the name originates in the Netherlands in the areas of Flanders and Brabant. The oldest Giesbrecht found by Penner was a Cornelius, baptized as a Mennonite on 1 July 1535, and later burned at the stake. 65 years later there are Giesbrechts mentioned in the records of the Danzig Flemish Mennonite Church.

Unruh documented the relationship between sons Jacob and Wilhelm as brothers. Henry Schapansky hypothesized relationships between Wilhelm and his sons David, Jacob and Wilhelm. There is some doubt that they were sons of the elder Wilhelm and that David was a brother. Y DNA evidence indicates rather clearly that David is not a brother. However, the DNA data indicates a very close relationship between Gerhard Wilhelm Giesbrecht and Jacob and his brother Wilhelm. The DNA matches exactly. Therefore I hypothesize that Gerhard is a brother. His middle name as given in the Molotschna Census, Wilhelm, gives us the name of the father.

There are some genealogists who claim that Wilhelm was born in 1701 and married Anna Janzen, who was born in 1711. This seems unlikely because of the ages both parents would be in relation to the known children.

i. Gerhard Giesbrecht ⁵⁹² was born about 1748 in Lakendorf, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died about 1827 in Muntau, Molotschna, Ukraine.

ii. David Giesbrecht ²¹⁷ was born in 1750, was baptized in 1771, and died before 1802.

466. Franz Klassen ⁴⁹² was born in 1744 in Petershagen, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died on 12 Jan 1812 in Neuendorf, Chortitza, Ukraine.

He was a Flemish Mennonite. Stumpp lists him as originating in Petershagen. This agrees with Unruh, where he is listed as coming from Petershagen, a town near Tiegenhagen. Schapansky says he is in the 1776 census in Tiegenhagen. He is listed there with 1 son and 2 daughters. This son is unknkown and only later sons are in the genealogical record. The Mennonite Baptism records for Tiegenhagen list him in reference to the baptism in 1785 of his daughter Maria. According to this baptism record he is from Petershagen. He is on the list of original settlers who came to Ukraine in 1789. He appears in Neuendorf in 1793, 1795, 1801, 1802 and 1803. He appears in the 1801 census, living in Neuendorf #49 with his wife Susanna. In 1812 he is living with his son, Franz, at Neuendorf #38. In the 1806 census the farm has transferred to the ownership of son Franz. This is soon after the death of Susanna.

Some sources indicate Franz had a son Jacob, but Henry Schapansky does not list him and I have not been able to find confirmation.

iii. Helena Klassen ⁵⁹⁴ was born in 1778 in Tiegenhagen, Marienburg Region, Prussia.

467. Susanna Klassen ⁴⁹³ was born in 1744 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died on 25 Apr 1805 in Neuendorf, Chortitza, Ukraine.

Eduard Tag provided the death date I have used. It was in the familysearch.org database. This corresponds to other information I have seen estimating her year of death to be 1805.

The Grandma Database confirms here family name is Klassen, the same as her husband.

472. David Doerksen ⁴⁹⁵ was born in 1740 in Tiegenhagen, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died about 1797 in Neuendorf, Chortitza, Ukraine.

He was a Flemish Mennonite. Stumpp and Unruh both list him coming to Ukraine from Tiegenhagen. He may have been originally from the Ellerwald Gemeinde in Prussia (Ellerwald 3 Trift), in 1772 and 1776. There are four David Doerksens listed in the 1776 census and only this one has a household with enough children to match this particular David. He immigrated to Neuendorf in the Chortitza Colony, where he is found in 1788, 1793, 1795 and 1797. His widow appears in Glenn Penner's list of the original 228 settlers and it indicates he died before 1793; this is contrary to the 1795 revision list that demonstrates he was still alive. Both David and Maria are in the 1797 Census but neither are in the 1801 Census. The Bergthal Gemeinde Buch says he died before 1802 and this is confirmed by the 1802 homestead list showing his property passed to son Peter on his death. According to the Chortitza Colony Vital Statistics for 1801 recording her death his wife was a widow. This calls into question a supposed fact found on various genealogy web sites. There are claims David remarried in 1801 to a Susanna. This is not correct.

David and his family appear on a list of Mennonites passing through Konigsberg in August 1788 on their way to Chortitza.

His daughter Anna doesn't appear in H. Schapanksy's work but she is listed in the Grandma Database.

His daughter Katarina married Cornelius Janzen. He migrated from Prussia to Neuendorf, Chortitza in 1789. In the 1795 Chortitza Colony Census he is listed at Neuendorf.

Surnames such as this, based on first names, originate typically in Friesland in the Netherlands.

There are genealogical sites that associate him with a Gerhard Doerksen and Sara Klassen who could potentially be his parents. I have not been able to establish concrete links. However, the 1727 Brandt Register lists a Gerhard Doerksen in Tiegenhagen, putting him in the same place as David may have originated.

There are other incorrect relationships online that list David Doerksen as a grandchild of of a Gerhard who married Constantia Gilles. Her family has been traced back to the 14th century in France. In fact one of her great uncles was a pioneer to New France, enlisting in the army and moving to Canada in the 1600s. He later married one of the women shipped to New France to become brides for the settlers (the "King's Daughters") and started a family. One day when returning home with a hunting party the group was attacked by Iroquois warriors and he was hit with an arrow. He succumbed to his injury.

While this is an interesting story it has been demonstrated as false. In fact the original publication that contains the correct genealogical work was published in 1905 and shows that the Doerksen family associated with Constantia Gilles is a different family. That said, the Danzig Church Book has entries for a number of people in that family, meaning they were members of the Danzig congregation in those years. The 1905 publication, entitled "Geschichte der familie Dirksen" can be found at https://www.rambow.de/geschichte-der-familie-dirksen.html

There is Y-DNA evidence from a descendant of Julius Doerksen (1746), who is a son of a Gerhard Doerksen, and this Y-DNA is an exact 37-marker match with a sample from a descendant of David Dircks (1699) of Przechowka. David Dircks had a son named Gerht, but his wife is different from the wife of Julius' father. This leads me to think Gerhard Doerksen and David Dircks potentially are nephew and uncle. There is a Y-DNA test for David Doerksen (1740) and it has one mutation in comparison with the other two DNA samples. This leads me to think his grandfather could be a brother of David Dircks. It is very unlikely that a single mutation would extend beyond a generational distance of 10 generations from the sample providers to the common ancestor. In this case 10 generations takes us to the grandfather of David Doerksen (1740).

ii. Katarina Doerksen ⁵⁵² was born in 1767. Katarina married Cornelius Janzen ⁵⁵¹

236 iii. Jacob Doerksen ³⁴⁸ (born on 21 Dec 1767 in Ellerwald 3 Trift, Elbing Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth - died on 20 Feb 1806 in Neuendorf, Chortitza, Ukraine). Jacob married Susanna Klassen ³⁴⁹

v. Anna Doerksen ⁵⁹⁶ was born in 1771. Anna married Abraham Von Riesen.

x. Judith Doerksen ⁵⁵² was born in 1781. Judith married Franz Klassen

473. Maria Janzen ⁴⁹⁶ was born about 1736 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died on 8 Aug 1801 in Neuendorf, Chortitza, Ukraine.

Her month and year of death are taken from H. Schapansky and the day is from a Wikitree source. The Chortitza Vital Records for June 1801 say she was a widow when she died.

According to the Deutsches Auslands-Institut record cited in the reference notes, she was the widow of a Rempel at the time she married David Doerksen.

474. Franz Klassen ⁴⁹² was born in 1744 in Petershagen, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died on 12 Jan 1812 in Neuendorf, Chortitza, Ukraine.
(Duplicate. See Below)

475. Susanna Klassen ⁴⁹³ was born in 1744 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died on 25 Apr 1805 in Neuendorf, Chortitza, Ukraine.
(Duplicate. See Below)

He was a Flemish Mennonite. He belonged to the Danzig Gemeinde. He and his wife moved from Danzig to Rosenthal in the Chortitza Colony in 1788. He was in Rosenthal in 1793, 1795, 1801, 1802 and 1803 and in Einlage in 1808. He moved to Einlage to live with his daughter Susanna and her family. Stumpp lists him and his wife. The 1801 census in Rosenthal indicates that he was a cooper. H. Schapansky indicates that he was among the earliest immigrants to Ukraine.

Johann's son Jacob lived in Einlage between 1793 and 1808 (Schapansky, 1992, p.118). Johann Rempel (1921, p. 16) indicates that Jacob married Helena in 1791. He married a Penner and a Rempel.

Johann's daughter Margaretha married a Breuil and a Mandtler.

i. Johann Sawatzky ⁵⁹⁹ was born in 1767 and died on 18 Jan 1852. Johann married Anna Willms.⁶⁰⁰

iv. Margaretha Sawatzky ⁵⁹⁹ was born about 1772 in Prussia and died on 21 May 1849.

v. Katharina Sawatzky ⁵⁹⁹ was born on 24 Feb 1775 in Prussia and died on 13 Aug 1859 in Ukraine. Katharina married Abraham Leikij.⁵⁹⁹

vi. Susanna Sawatzky ⁶⁰¹ was born on 28 May 1779 in Prussia and died on 18 May 1823. Susanna married Johann Neufeld ⁶⁰¹

vii. Gerhard Sawatzky ⁶⁰² was born on 12 Jun 1781 and died on 30 Apr 1842. Gerhard married Agatha Friesen.⁶⁰²

viii. Helena Sawatzky ⁵⁹⁹ was born in 1784 in Prussia and died on 1 Dec 1847.

477. Susanna Ens,⁵⁰² daughter of Johann Ens, was born on 6 Apr 1742 in Scharpau, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, was baptized on 19 Jun 1764 in Danzig, and died on 2 Mar 1803 in Rosenthal, Chortitza, Ukraine.

She came from Danzig to Rosenthal in 1788 with her husband. She is also listed in Stumpp's entry relating to her husband; this is quite rare because in Stumpp's Mennonite records very few women are listed and wives are seldom referenced. H. Schapansky says she was from Scharpau. She appears in the Danzig Mennonite Church Book where it says she was baptized 1 July 1764 and was the daughter of Hans Entz. Her name in the Danzig Church book is spelled Sannke.

According to the Grandma Database, one family record suggests that she may have been born in 1741. The Helga Enns submission says she was born in 1741 and died on 2 March 1803. Irene Puttkammer (1996, written comments) indicates Susanna was born in 1749 and died on 2 March 1825, while Schapansky indicates that Susanna was born 6 April 1742 (as does Unruh in the census data) and was from Scharpau. Adolf Ens, via Margaret Ewert, shows her birth date as 2 March 1741. Her death occurs between January and April 1803 in Rosenthal according to Chortitza Colony Vital Records, suggesting her date of death is 2 Mar 1803 rather than 2 May 1803. She died at age 62, suggesting that she was born in 1741.

478. Martin Klassen ⁵⁰⁶ was born in 1739 in Klein Montau, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died in Chortitza Colony, Ukraine.

He was a Flemish Mennonite. Stumpp lists him as coming from Klein Montau, Grosswerder in the Heubuden Gemeinde in 1788. He appears in the 1776 census with his four sons and two daughters and a wife. The 1776 census lists his living condition as 'schlecht', which means simple, but not poor. He was an original settler in Neuendorf, arriving with the 1789-1790 wave of immigrants. In later years he lived with his son Abraham in Neuendorf, where he is listed in 1795 and 1802. He was married to a woman named Helena Wieler, according to the Grandma Database. I have been unable to substantiate this but she doesn't appear in the 1795 census so she died prior to that date, possibly in Neuendorf.

I have been unable to reconcile the First Settlers count of household members. That document says 5 adults and 2 children comprised the household. I count Martin and Helena, adult son Martin, and younger sons Abram and Isaac. The three elder children were all married and all are accounted for as separate households in the First Settlers list.

He appears in the 1772 census with 2 Hufen and 9 Morgen of land. (about 92 acres). In that census the household is composed of 4 males over age 10, 3 under 10, 4 females over age 10 and 2 under. This total of 13 people does not match the 1776 census.

The birth of Martin's sons Isaac and Abraham appear in the Heubuden Church Records in Wernersdorf/Klein Montau. There are other Klassen births but no indication of whose children these are.

According to H. Schapansky Martin Klassen's son, Martin, came to Chortitza in 1788/89 with his father. He appears in Neuendorf in 1795. I assume some of the other younger children also came with the parents.

i. Jacob Klassen ⁶⁰⁴ was born in 1764 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died before 1802 in Rosenthal, Chortitza, Ukraine. Jacob married an unknown person.

iv. Martin Klassen ⁶⁰⁰ was born in 1771 and died about 1803 in Chortitza, Chortitza, Ukraine.

v. Isaac Klassen ⁶⁰⁵ was born on 31 Aug 1774 in Prussia and died in 1805 in Neuenburg, Chortitza, Ukraine. Isaac married Helena Willms.⁶⁰⁰

vi. Abram Klassen ⁶⁰⁶ was born on 8 Sep 1776 in Klein Montau, Marienburg Region, Prussia and died in 1803.

479. Helena Wieler ⁵⁰⁷ was born before 1744 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died before 1795 in Schoenhorst, Chortitza, Ukraine.

Her year of birth must have been around 1744 or earlier based on the ages of her children. Martin Klassen was a widower in 1795 and 1802 when he was listed in the Neuendorf census materials. Since Helena was not listed she must have died before 1795, possibly in Neuendorf where they originally settled in 1789-1790. The Grandma Database says her name was Helena Wieler but I have been unable to verify this.

480. Heinrich Dyck ⁵¹⁰ was born before 1739 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died before 1788 in Krebsfeld, Elbing Region, Prussia.

In the 1776 West Prussia Census he is listed in Krebsfeld with 1 son and 1 daughter. He was a member of the Rosenort Gemeinde. There is no record thus far that he moved to Ukraine. His son Heinrich is listed in Peter Rempel's book as an immigrant in 1803. Judith is listed there as accompanying her son Heinrich.

He is listed in connection with the baptism in 1788 of his surviving son Abraham. This record also says the family came from Krebsfeld.

There is speculation that his parents are Phillip Dyck and Katarina Goossen, who appear in the Danzig Family Book Volume 1 with one child, a daughter born in 1723. There is no evidence that these are the true parents.

i. Heinrich Dyck ⁶⁰⁷ was born about 1759 in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Heinrich married Margaretha Driedger ⁶⁰⁸

481. Judith Preuss ⁵¹¹ was born about 1730 in Lakendorf, Marienburg Region, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and died on 20 Mar 1810 in Neuendorf, Chortitza, Ukraine.

Her age is given as 70 in the 1803 migration list in Peter Rempel's book and as 73 in the 1803 migration list in B. H. Unruh's book. These ages suggest that she may have been born any time between 1730 and1733. Unruh records her as born in Lakendorf and living in Molotschna in 1803. Unruh also gives us her maiden name of Preuss. It appears that she came to Ukraine with her son Abraham and later moved in with her son Heinrich.

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