Johannes Nepomuccenus Berger and Elisabetha Wiesner

Citing this biography: Boyd, Michelle, "Johannes Nepomuccenus Berger and Elisabetha Wiesner," article, Olive and Eliza, last accessed [current date]."

Johannes Nepom. Berger was born 5 April 1806 in Leichtling, Saratov, Russia to Peter Berger and Maria Dorothea Biehn and baptized 15 April 1806 in Semenovka, Saratov, Russia. His unusual name requires a little explanation. From 18 March to 22 April 1806, five of the eleven baby boys baptized in parish were named Johannes Nepom. They were likely named after St. John of Nepomuck (or St. John Nepomucene), as examples from old German manuscripts from the late 1700s and early 1800s show men named Johann Nepomuck (or Nepomuccenus) abbreviating their names as Johann Nepom. This Catholic saint was the patron saint of protection against flooding and drowning. Considering the fact that the parish had the Ilavla River, a tributary of the Volga flowing through it and the babies were baptized in early spring, flooding was possibly particularly bad that spring and the parishioners may have prayed to this saint for aid.

Johannes married first Elisabetha Wiesner. Elisabetha was born about 1806 and was most likely the daughter of Michael Wiesner and Maria Elisabetha Rekowski.

Johannes married second Elisabeth Müller by 1850. Elisabeta was born about 1821.

Identifying Elisabetha Wisner's Parents

The only household in Leichtling in 1834 with a name similar to Wisner/Wiesner is that of Michael Wazner, his wife Barbara, and son Peter. Michael was 35 at that time, meaning he was born about 1799, far too young to be Elisabetha's father but of the right age to be a brother. There is no family by that name in the 1798 census or First Settlers List for Leichtling.

In the 1834 Volmer, a Michael, son of Michael Wazner/Wiesner, is listed as having "Moved to Leichtling in 1823." It is possible that Elisabetha was the younger Michael's sister and that she came with him to Leichtling. One of Elisabetha's sisters-in-law was a Catharina Wiesner, who married Nikolaus Berger, and it is possible that Catharina was another sister.

If this was so, who was their mother? Michael Wiesner had two wives, first Maria Elisabetha Rekowski (named in the 1798 census) and second Elizabeta Lang (mentioned by her first name in the 1834 census with last name given in the 1850 census). A clue is provided by Cathy Hawinkels, village coordinator of Volmer, "If so, she would have been born to Elisabetha Rekowski, as Michael Wiesner (1758) married Elisabetha Lang April 13, 1808. Page 1, #15. Elisabetha Rekowski was confirmed as married to Michael in 1798, when son Johann Michael was born. Page 2, #22." Based on ages, assuming that Elisabetha was indeed the elder Michael's daughter, Elisabetha would be the daughter of Maria Elisabetha Rekowski. Identifying a mother for Catharina is a little trickier. If she was the age reported on the 1834 census, then she would be the daughter of Elizabeta Lang (however, note that it would have also made her about age 14 at her marriage, which is possible but unusual).

Johannes and his first wife Elisabetha (Wiesner)’s children are:

1	Barbara Berger, born about 1824 in Leichting, Saratov, Russia.
2	Elisabetha Berger, born 25 Aug 1827 in Leichtling, Saratov, Russia, christening 28 Aug 1827 in Semenovka, Saratov, Russia, married Johannes Müller 15 November 1849 in Leichtling, Saratov, Russia. Husband: Johannes Müller, b. abt. 1825 in Leichtling, Saratov, Russia to Johannes Müller and Barbara Herman.
3	Catharina Berger, born 10 Jan 1830 in Leichtling, Saratov, Russia (twin of Theresia), baptized the same day in Semenovka, Saratov, Russia.
4	Theresia Berger, born 10 Jan 1830 in Leichtling, Saratov, Russia (twin of Catharina), baptized the same day in Semenovka, Saratov, Russia.
5	Elisabetha Berger, born 14 Nov 1832 in Leichtling, Saratov, Russia, baptized the same day in Semenovka, Saratov, Russia, died 20 Nov 1842 in Leichtling, Saratov, Russia.
6	Elisabetha Berger, born 15 Oct 1837 in Leichtling, Saratov, Russia, baptized the same day in Semenovka, Saratov, Russia, died 11 Feb 1838 in Leichtling, Saratov, Russia.
7	Johannes Berger, born 26 Oct 1840 in Leichtling, Saratov, Russia, baptized the same day in Köhler, Saratov, Russia, married Catharina Lick by 1860. Wife: Catharina Lick.

Johannes and his second wife Elisabeth (Müller)’s children are:

8	Peter Berger, born 21 Dec 1851 in Leichtling, Saratov, Russia, baptized 22 Dec 1851 in Köhler, Saratov, Russia.
9	Peter Berger, born 11 Jan 1853 in Leichtling, Saratov, Russia, baptized the same day in Köhler, Saratov, Russia.

Note: At first glance, it appears that the five daughters listed in the 1834 census were the daughters of Peter Berger. However, Peter died in 1818, well before the eldest of these sisters was born (Barbara, age 10). So, whose daughters are they? Peter has three sons listed but Nikolaus (age 23) and Baltizar (age 20) were too young to have been the father of a ten-year-old. Johannes (age 28) and his wife Elizabeta (age 29) was just old enough, however. A look at the 1850 confirms the idea that Johannes was the father of the five sisters - Johannes is listed in 1850 with two daughters in his household, both of which match the names and ages of two of the younger sisters in the 1834 census.

Also note that there were three daughters with the same name (Elisabetha) in the family. While it was common in the past to have multiple children with the same name in one family, usually it was a case of the elder child of that name dying, then a younger child being born and given the same name. In this case, after analyzing the records, it appears that the reverse is true in this case. All three of Johannes and Elisabetha's daughters named Elisabetha were, for a few months in the winter of 1837-8, alive at the same time. How their parents distinguished between them is unknown (possibly nicknames or additional given names not recorded in the church records?). The youngest is recorded dying as an infant. The elder two were later both enumerated in the 1834 census but the second eldest Elisabetha subsequently died in 1842 at the age of nine. This left only the eldest Elisabetha, who is recorded marrying Johannes Müller in 1849.

Summary of Sources

Boyd, Darryl et al. (trans.), Köhler Parish Records, 1803-1895, Concord, CA, 2021.
Boyd, Darryl (compiler) & Gartner, Angela (translator), Leichtling, Russia 1834 Census, Concord, CA, 2006.
Boyd, Darryl (compiler) & Gartner, Angela (translator), Leichtling, Russia 1850 Census, Concord, CA, 2006.
Eichmann, Wadim (translator), Leichtling, Russia 1857 Census, Concord, CA, 2019.
Church records of Semenovka parish from Saratov Province State Archive. Retrieved by Wadim Eichmann and extracted by Michelle Boyd.
Forwarded information from Cathy Hawinkels, quoted in: Boyd, Darryl, "Fwd: Wiesner," email to Michelle Boyd, 15 Jan 2020.
Gartner, Angela (trans.), The 1834 Description of Kopenka (Volmer, 13 Dec 1834), 2006.
Mai, Brent Alan, 1798 Census of the German Colonies along the Volga: Economy, Population, and Agriculture, Volumes 1 and 2, Lincoln, NE: American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, 1999.
Gartner, Angela (trans.), The 1850 Description of Kopenka (Volmer, 9 Oct 1850), 2009.

Source Materials

Click on each category below to expand and see the copies of sources used to create the biography above (copyrighted and other restricted items are listed in the summary of sources above but not included below). Click again to close.

Church records of Semenovka parish from Saratov Province State Archive

[April 1806]
Birthdate: 5
Baptismal date: 15
Name of infant: Johan[n]es Nepom.
Parents: Petrus Berger et Ma. Dorothea Bin
Godfather: Joannes Bin.
Baptized by: id. [J. Mayer]
Colony: Ilavla [Leichtling]
Year collection: 1805-06
Image: 2 [left side]

[Jan 1830]
Colony: Ilavla
Die 10. Ego qui sup: bap: Inf: Nne Theresiam nat: ead: CCLL Joannes Berger et Elisabetha Wisnerin LW: Joannes Altmeÿer cum Theresia uxore sua
Translation: The 10th. I, the abovenamed [V. Snarsky] baptized the infant named Theresia, born the same day. Legitimate spouses Johannes Berger and Elisabetha Wisner. Godparents: Johannes Altmeÿer with Theresia his wife.
Name: Theresia Bergerin
Year collection: 1830 Births
Image: 2

[Jan 1830]
Colony: Ilavla
Die 10. Ego qui sup: bap: Inf: Nne Catharinam nat: ead: CCLL Joannes Berger et Elisabetha Wisnerin LW: Christophorus Senger cum Catharina uxore sua
Translation: The 10th. I, the abovenamed [V. Snarsky] baptized the infant named Catharina, born the same day. Legitimate spouses Johannes Berger and Elisabetha Wisner. Godparents: Christopher Senger with Catharina his wife.
Name: Catharina Bergerin
Year collection: 1830 Births
Image: 2

[Nov 1832]
Colony: Ilavla
Die 14 Ego qui sup: bap: Inf Nne Elisabetham natam ead: CCLL Joannes Berger et Elisabetha Wisnerin LW: Joannes H[ol]zman cum Elisabetha uxore sua
Translation: The 14th, I, the abovenamed [V. Snarsky] baptized the infant named Elisabetha, born the same day. Legitimate spouses Johannes Berger and Elisabetha Wisner. Godparents: Johannes Holzman with Elisabetha his wife.
Name: Elisabetha Bergerin
Year collection: 1832 Births
Image: 21

Source: Church records of Semenovka parish from Saratov Province State Archive. Retrieved by Wadim Eichmann and extracted by Michelle Boyd.

Line number Year Birth Baptism Given name Father Mother Colony Parish

11 1806 Apr 5 Apr 15 Joannes Nepom Peter Berger Maria Dorothea Bin Leichtling Semenovka

10 1827 Aug 25 Aug 28 Elisabetha Joannes Berger Elisabetha Wiesner Leichtling Semenovka

9 1830 Jan 10 Jan 10 Catharina Joannes Berger Elisabetha Wiesner Leichtling Semenovka

8 1830 Jan 10 Jan 10 Theresia Joannes Berger Elisabetha Wiesner Leichtling Semenovka

8 1832 Nov 14 Nov 14 Elisabetha Joannes Berger Elisabetha Wiesner Leichtling Semenovka

246 1837 Oct 15 Oct 15 Elisabetha Joannes Berger Elisabetha Wiesner Leichtling Semenovka

16 1839 Oct 26 Oct 26 Joannes Joannes Berger Elisabetha Wiesner Leichtling Köhler

163 1851 Dec 21 Dec 22 Peter Johannes Berger Elisabeth Müller Leichtling Köhler

12 1854 Jan 11 Jan 11 Peter Johannes Berger Elisabeth Müller Leichtling Köhler

30 1860 Feb 3 Feb 4 Agnes Johannes Berger Catharina Lick Leichtling Köhler

30 1862 Feb 18 Feb 18 Peter Johannes Berger Catharina Lick Leichtling Köhler

337 1872 Dec 24 Dec 24 Franz Johann Berger Catharina Lick Leichtling Köhler

174 1875 Jun 9 Jun 9 A. Maria Johann Berger Katharina Lick Hildmann? Köhler

Line number Marriage date Groom Groom's village Bride Bride's village Colony where married
Groom's parents Bride's parents

28 1849 Nov 15 Johannes Müller Leichtling Elisabeth Berger Leichtling Leichtling
Johannes Müller Barbara Herrmann Johannes Berger Elisabeth Wießner

Line number Age Death date Name Village

21 5 months 1838 Feb 11 Elisabetha Berger Leichtling

151 9 1842 Nov 20 Elisabetha Berger Leichtling

Source: Boyd, Darryl et al. (trans.), Köhler Parish Records, 1803-1895, Concord, CA, 2021.

1834

Leichtling, Russia

No.	Names	Age (1834)	Moved or died	Age at last census (1815)
33	Peter Berger	--	Died 1818	55
	wife: not listed
	sons:
	1. Johannes Berger	28		9
	wife: Elizabeta	29
	sons:
	2. Nikolaus Berger	23		4
	wife: Katerina	20
	daughters:
	a. Anna Margarita Berger	3
	b. Elizabeta Berger	1
	3. Baltizar Berger	20		1
	daughters:
	1. Barbara Berger	10
	2. Elizabeta Berger	7
	3. Teresia Berger (twins)	4
	4. Katerina Berger (twins)	4
	5. Elisabeta Berger	1 ¾

Source: Boyd, Darryl (compiler) & Gartner, Angela (translator), Leichtling, Russia 1834 Census, Concord, CA, 2006.

1850

Leichtling, Russia

No.	Names	Age (1850)	Moved or died	Age at last census (1834)
17	Johannes Müller	68		52
	wife: Barbara	66
	sons:
	1. Jakob Müller	46		30
	wife: Katerina	28
	sons:
	a. Johannes Müller	16 ½		½
	b. Jakob Müller	14
	c. Peter Müller	12
	d. Franz Müller	2
	daughters:
	a. Elisabetha Müller	7
	b. Elisabetha Müller	5
	2. Andreas Müller	34		18
	wife Margarita	38
	sons:
	a. Anton Müller	14
	b. Kaspar Müller	7
	daughters:
	a. Elisabeta Müller	¼
	3. Nikolaus Müller	31		15
	wife: Elisabeta	26
	sons:
	a. Jakob Müller	6
	a. Heirich Müller	1
	daughter:
	a. Susanna Müller	4
	4. Johannes Müller	25		9
	wife Elisabeta	23
35	Johannes Berger	44		28
	wife: Elisabeta (2nd wife)	29
	son:
	1. Johannes Berger	10
	daughters:
	1. Katerina Berger	20
	2. Elisabeta Berger	17
	----------------------------------------
	brothers: (to Johannes above)
	1. Nikolaus Berger	39		23
	wife: Margarita	46
	son:
	a. Johannes Berger	1
	daughters:
	a. Anna Margaretha Berger	18 ½
	b. Anna Maria Berger	13
	2. Baltazar Berger	--	See #36 (same)	20

Source: Boyd, Darryl (compiler) & Gartner, Angela (translator), Leichtling, Russia 1850 Census, Concord, CA, 2006.

1857

Leichtling, Russia

No. in 1850	No. in 1857	Names	Age in 1850	Moved or died	Age in 1857
17	78	Johannes Müller	68	Died 1852	-
		Johannes' sons:
		1. Jakob Müller	46	Moved to Streckerau in 1866	53
		Jakob's wife Katharina	-		35
		Jakob's sons:
		1) Jakob Müller	16 ½		23 ½
		Jakob's wife Katharina	-		23
		Jakob's daughter:
		i. Katharina Müller	-		2 ½
		2) Johannes Müller	14	Died 1852	-
		3) Peter Müller	12	Died 1852	-
		4) Franz Müller	2	Died 1852	-
		Jakob's daughters:
		1) Elisabetha Müller	-		13
		2) Barbara Müller	-		1 ½
		2. Andreas Müller	34		41
		Andreas' wife Anna Margaretha	-		45
		Andreas' sons:
		1) Anton Müller	14		21
		Anton's wife Elisabetha	-		21
		Anton's daughter:
		i. Katharina Müller	-		¼
		2) Kaspar Müller	7		14
		Andreas' daughters:
		1) Elisabetha Müller	-		7
		2) Katharina Müller	-		2
		3. Nikolaus Müller	31	Died 1853	-
		Nikolaus' sons:			4
		1) Jakob Müller	-
		2) Heinrich Müller	1	Died 1853	-
		3) Gottfried Müller	-		1 ½
		Nikolaus' daughter:
		1) Susanna Müller	-		11
		4. Johannes Müller	25		32
		Johannes' wife Elisabetha	-		30
		Johannes' son:
		1) Jakob Müller	-		1 ½
35	32	Johannes Berger	44		51
		Johannes' wife Elisabetha
		Johannes' sons:
		1. Johannes Berger	10		17
		2. Peter Berger	-		4
		Johannes' brother Nikolaus	39		46
		Nikolaus' wife Anna Margaretha	-		53
		Nikolaus' son:
		1. Johannes Berger	1		8
		Nikolaus' daughter:
		1. Anna Maria Berger	-		20

Source: Eichmann, Wadim (translator), Leichtling, Russia 1857 Census, Concord, CA, 2019.