Conrad Müller (abt. 1719)

Born about 8 Jul 1719 in Ilbeshausen, Vogelsberg, Hessen, Germany

Descendants

Died [date unknown] in Grimm, Saratov, Russia

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Biography

Conrad Müller was a Volga German.

Conrad Müller has German Roots.

Family #5194 in the Kulberg Reports.
Family #14 in the 1775 Grimm census.
Family #117 in the 1798 Grimm census.

Conrad/Konrad Müller was born in 08 July 1719 in Ilbeshausen, Volgersberg, Hessen, Germany. ^[1]

Many Germans had a difficult time supporting their families due to multiple social and economic pressures of that time. When Catherine the Great invited Germans to immigrate to Russia, Conrad Müller decided that Catherine's offer provided the best opportunity for supporting his family and offering his children a brighter future.

According to the Kulberg Reports, Conrad was a Lutheran farmer from Darmstadt. ^[2] He immigrated to Russia with his wife, Catharina, and eight children:

• Johann Heinrich, age 20
• Johann Peter, age 18
• Johann Peter, age 14
• Anna Elizabeth, age 10
• Anna Maria, age 8
• Maria Elisabeth, age 6
• Anna Maria, age 3
• Eva Catharina, age 1

They departed from Luebeck, Germany, and arrived in St. Petersburg on 29 August 1766.^[2] They traveled on the ship Apollo which was under the command of Detlov Merberg.^[2]

After the family registered in St. Petersburg and took their oath of allegiance to Russia, they and other colonists were transported to Oranienbaum to special barracks-type housing. They spent about 9 months in Oranienbaum before they were transported to the Volga region of Russia. Their final destination was Grimm, also known by its Russian name as Lesnoi Karamysch, which was officially established on July 1, 1767. ^[3]

Whether or not all eight children survived the journey to Grimm is questionable.

Conrad/Konrad and his family are listed in the first Grimm, Russia, census, taken about one year later after the colonists had settled in their new village.

1767 Grimm Census ^[4]

Family #: 43

Head of the Household: Konrad Müller, 48, Lutheran craftsman from Darmstadt

Wife: Katharina, 45

Child #1 Johann Heinrich, 20

Child #2 Peter, 18

Child #3 Johannes, age 14

Child #4 Anna Maria, 8

Child #5 Maria Elisabeth, 6

Eight years later, he appears in the 1775 census.

1775 Grimm Census ^[5]

Family #: 14

Head of the Household: Konrad Müller, age 55

Wife: Katharina, age 52

Child #1: Johannes, age 22

Child #2: Anna Maria, 16

Child #3: Maria Elisabeth, 14

Child #4: Peter Müller, age 24

Wife of Child#4: Maria Agnes, age 20

Child of Child #4 Anna Maria, age 6 months

Things to note:

• Eldest son Johann Heinrich is not included with his family in the 1775 census. By that time, however, he would have been 26 and he could have be out of the house, married, and living with his own family.

• Eldest daughter Anna Elisabeth is missing, but she would have been 18 and could have been married by the time of the census.

• The two youngest children, Anna Maria (3) and Eva Catharina (1) are missing. Had they lived, they would have been 11 and 9 in 1775. Because of their young ages, it is not likely that they were married or accidentally omitted from the census. It is most likely those two girls did not survive the journey to Grimm.

1798 Grimm Census ^[6]

Family # 117

Head of the Household Konrad Müller, widower, age 79

Child #1 Peter, age 44

Wife of Child #1 Maria Agnesa Busch, age 44

Grandchild #1 Johann Heinrich, age 19

Wife of Grandchild #1 Anna Margaretha Evels, age 20, from Krestovoy Buerak (Müller)

Great Grandchild #1 Johann Peter, age 3 months

Grandchild #2 Johann Valentin, age 16, unmarried

Grandchild #3 Johannes Peter, age 13, unmarried

Conrad/Konrad does not appear in the 1834 census and he likely passed away before than year. ^[7] Had he survived, he would have been 114 years old.

Research Notes

Note: Conrad Mueller traveled on the same ship from Germany to Russia as these Grimm residents:

• Valentin Prester/Brester, a stocking maker from Isenburg
• Conrad Leonard, a stocking maker from Isenburg
• Johann Happel, a stocking maker from Hessen
• Jacob Maus, a tailor from Darmstadt
• Adam Kraft, a farmer from Friedeburg
• Wilhelm Brungardt, a farmer from Friedeburg
• Johann Felde, a farmer from Darmstadt
• Johann Peter Walter, a farmer from Darmstadt
• Andreas Albrand, a farmer from Darmstadt
• Johann Valentin Kaiser, a farmer from Darmstadt
• Conrad Mueller, a farmer from Darmstadt
• Georg Waag [Wag], a farmer from Isenburg

It is an established fact that these families intermarried with each other throughout the generations in Russia. Most probably knew each other from their time in Germany.

Sources

1. ↑ The Volga Germans website, Johann Conrad Müller, born 08 July 1719 in Ilbeshausen, Volgelsberg, Hessen, Germany; accessed 09 December 2023, https://www.volgagermans.org/who-are-volga-germans/origins/surnames/muller-johann-conrad.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Pleve, Igor, Lists of Colonists to Russia in 1766, "Reports by Ivan Kulberg," Ministry of Education and Science of Russian Federation, Saratov State Technical University; Published in Saratov, Russia, 2010, pages 329, 330.
3. ↑ VolgaGermans.org, research from Concordia University Center for Volga German Studies, Who Are Volga Germans, Settlements, Original, Grimm, see: https://www.volgagermans.org/who-are-volga-germans/settlements/original/grimm.
4. ↑ Pleve, Igor. Einwanderung in das Wolgagebiet 1764-1767, Herausgegeben von Alfred Eisfeld under Mitarbeit von Sabine Eichwald, Published by the Nordost-Instsitut - 38085 Göttingen, 2005; page 78.
5. ↑ The 1775 and 1798 Census of the German Colony on the Volga, Lesnoy Karamysh, also known as Grimm; Published by the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, Lincoln, NE, USA; Published 1995; family #14 in the 1775 census.
6. ↑ The 1775 and 1798 Census of the German Colony on the Volga, Lesnoy Karamysh, also known as Grimm; Published by the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, Lincoln, NE, USA; Published 1995; family #117.
7. ↑ 1834 Census of Grimm in the District of Saratov, Russia, dated 2 February 1835; Translated by Brent Mai, Concordia University, Portland, Oregon; Published by Dynasty Publishing, Beaverton, OR, USA; Published 2011.