Peter Berger and Maria Dorothea Biehn

Citing this biography: Boyd, Michelle, "Peter Berger and Maria Dorothea Biehn," article, Olive and Eliza, last accessed [current date]."

Peter Berger was said to have been born about 1761 and may have been the son of Joseph Berger and Katharina --, originally of Bühlertann, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. He is not found in the First Settlers List in any family, so the possibility exists that he was either inadvertently missed when the list was made or his age in later records was inaccurate. Joseph's family was the only Berger family settling in Leichtling, so they are the most likely candidates for Joseph's parents. A search of other Berger/Burger/Borger/Burghardt families in the German colonies in the First Settlers List did not uncover Peter recorded in any other family.

Peter married Maria Dorothea Biehn. Dorothea was born about 1775, almost certainly to Johannes Biehn and Katharina Säger. Note that, besides this couple, there is also a widow Katharina Biehn (deceased husband: Johannes Biehn) in the 1798 Leichtling census. However, clues can be found in the fact that a Joannes Bin and a Eva Elisab. Bin show up as godparents in baptismal records for children of Peter and Dorothea. There are no known members of the widow's family named Johannes or Eva Elisabetha but Johannes and Katherina (Säger) have a son named Johannes and another son married an Eva Elisabetha.

Peter died in 1818. Dorothea was not listed in the 1834 census, so she had likely died by that time.

Peter and Dorothea’s children are:

1 Anna Maria Berger, born about Jul 1798 in Leichting, Saratov, Russia, died 10 Feb 1807 in Leichtling, Saratov, Russia (listed in her death record as age 7 but probably a year older, based on the fact that she was a few months old in the 1798 census).
2 Elisabetha Berger, born 24 Oct 1803 in Leichtling, Saratov, Russia, baptized 25 Oct 1803 in Semenovka, Saratov, Russia, died 7 Mar 1807 (age 3 1/2), buried in Leichtling, Saratov, Russia.
3 Johannes Nepom. Berger, born 5 Apr 1806 in Leichtling, Saratov, Russia, baptized 15 Apr 1806 in Semenovka, Saratov, Russia, married 1) Elisabetha Wisner and 2) Elisabetha Müller by 1850.

Wife 1: Elisabetha Wiesner, b. abt. 1806 to Michael Wiesner and Maria Elisabetha Rekowski, probable sister of Catharina Wisner below.

Wife 2: Elisabetha Müller, b. abt. 1821.
4 Nikolaus Berger, born 11 Nov 1808 in Leichtling, Saratov, Russia, baptized 13 Nov 1808 in Semenovka, Saratov, Russia, married 1) Catharina Wiesner 30 Jan 1828 in Semenovka, Saratov, Russia and 2) Anna Margaretha Simon by 1845.

Wife 1: Catharina Wiesner, b. abt. 1814, dau. of Michael Wiesner and Maria Elisabetha Rekowski, probable sister of Elisabetha Wisner above.

Wife 2: Anna Margaretha Simon, b. abt. 1804.
5 Eva Elisabetha Berger, born 9 Mar 1812 in Leichtling, Saratov, Russia, baptized the same day in Semenovka, Saratov, Russia.
6 Balthasar Berger, born 21 Mar 1815 in Leichtling, Saratov, Russia, baptized 22 Mar 1815 in Semenovka, Saratov, Russia, married Catharina Schachtel 10 Feb 1835 in Semenovka, Saratov, Russia.

Wife: Catharina Schachtel, b. abt. 1813, of 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). Further investigation revealed that they were the daughters of his son Johannes instead.


Summary of Sources

  1. Boyd, Darryl et al. (trans.), Köhler Parish Records, 1803-1895, Concord, CA, 2021.
  2. 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.
  3. Boyd, Darryl (compiler) & Gartner, Angela (translator), Leichtling, Russia 1834 Census, Concord, CA, 2006.
  4. Boyd, Darryl (compiler) & Gartner, Angela (translator), Leichtling, Russia 1850 Census, Concord, CA, 2006.
  5. Eichmann, Wadim (translator), Leichtling, Russia 1857 Census, Concord, CA, 2019.
  6. Church records of Semenovka parish from Saratov Province State Archive. Retrieved by Wadim Eichmann and extracted by Michelle Boyd.


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

[October 1803]
Birthdate: 24.
Baptismal date: 25.
Name of infant: Elisabetha
Parents: Petrus Berger et Dorothea Pihnin
Godfather: Elisabeth Gölden
Baptized by: idem [Joannes Mayer]
Colony: Ilavla [Leichtling]
Year collection: 1803
Image: 3 [left side]

[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]

[February 1807]
Death date: 10
Name of deceased: Anna Maria Berger
Age: 7 years
Buried by: P. Joannes Meyer
Colony: Ilavla [Leichtling]
Year collection: 1806-07
Image: 5 [right side]

[March 1807]
Death date: 7
Name of deceased: Elisabetha Berger
Age: 3 years 6 months
Buried by: qui Supra P. Joannes Meyer
Colony: Ilavla [Ludi Magister]
Year collection: 1806-07
Image: 5 [right side]

[November 1808]
Birthdate: 11
Baptismal date: 13
Name of infant: Nicolaus
Parents: Peter Berger
               Dorothea Bininn
Godfather: Nicholaus Käm[m]erer
Baptized by: qui Supra [Ignatius Zacharewicz]
Colony: Ilavla [Leichtling]
Year collection: 1808-09
Image: 1

[March 1812]
Colony: Ilavla [Leichtling]
Anno 1812 die 9. Ego qui Sup: baptis Inf: Nne Evam Elisab. natam eadem die. CCLL Peter Berger et Doroth. Bininn Ilavla habit. Matrini fuit Eva Elisab. Bininn ex eadem Col
Translation: Year 1812, 9th day. I, the abovenamed [Ignatius Zacharewicz] baptized the infant named Eva Elisabetha, born the same day. Legitimate spouses Peter Berger and Dorothea Bin residing in Ilavla [Leichtling]. Godmother was Eva Elisabetha Bin from the same colony.
Name: Eva Elis. Berger
Year collection: 1811-12
Image: 3

Colony: Ilavla [Leichtling]
Anno 1815 die Vigesima Secunda Martij. Ego qui Supra baptizari Infantem Nne Balthasarum natum Vigesima prima. CCLL Petri Berger et Dorothea Binn Ilavla habit. Patrinus fuit Balthasar Holzmann ex eadem Colonia.
Translation: 1815, 22nd of March. I, the abovenamed [Ignatius Zacharewicz] baptized the infant named Balthasar, born the 21st. Legitimate spouses Peter Berger and Dorothea Binn residing in Ilavla [Leichtling]. Godfather was Balthasar Holzmann from the same colony.
Name: Balthasar Berger
Year collection: 1814-15
Image: 7

[Jan 1828]
Colony: Ilavla [Leichtling]
Die 30. Ego qui Sup: Pramiss: 3bus bannis facto pravio examine nulloq detecto impedimento benedicti Matrimonium contractum inter Sposum Juvenam Nicolaum Berger et Catharinum Wisnerin Testes: Petrus Dieser et Petrus Schneider.
Translation: 30th day. I the aforenamed [V. Schwartz] having read banns 3 times found no impediments blessed the marriage contract between young [unmarried] man Nicolaus Berger and Catharina Wisner. Witnesses: Peter Dieser and Peter Schneider.
Name: Nicolaus Berger
             Catharina Wisnerin
Year collection: 1828
Image: 4
 
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

10                     1803    Oct 24    Oct 25       Elisabetha                   Peter Berger               Maria Dorothea Binn         Leichtling    Semenovka

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

6                       1808    Nov 11    Nov 13       Nicolaus                     Peter Berger               Maria Dorothea Binn          Leichtling    Semenovka

25                     1812    Mar 9      Mar 9         Eva Elis:                       Peter Berger               Maria Dorothea Binn          Leichtling    Semenovka

2                       1815    Mar 21    Mar 22       Balthasar                    Peter Berger               Maria Dorothea Binn          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

8                       1829    Nov 7      Nov 7          Anna Maria               Nicolaus Berger         Catharina Wiesner              Leichtling    Semenovka

7                       1831    Oct 20    Oct 20         Anna Margaretha    Nicolaus Berger         Catharina Wiesner              Leichtling    Semenovka

4                       1833    Sep 9      Sep 9           Elisabetha                  Nicolaus Berger         Catharina Wiesner              Leichtling    Semenovka

284                   1836    Dec 20   Dec 20        Anna Maria                Nicolaus Berger         Catharina Wiesner              Leichtling    Semenovka

210                   1838    Sep 31    Sep 31        Marianna                    Nicolaus Berger         Catharina Wiesner              Leichtling    Semenovka

95                     1840    Mar 28    Mar 28        Eva                              Nicolaus Berger         Catharina Wiesner              Leichtling    Köhler

61                     1842    Mar 25    Mar 26        Nicolaus                      Nicolaus Berger         Catharina Wiesner              Leichtling    Köhler

117                   1845    Sep 3      Sep 6           Matthias                     Nicolaus Berger         Anna Margaretha Simon    Leichtling    Köhler

212                   1846    Dec 28   Dec 28        Barbara                       Nicolaus Berger        Anna Margaretha Simon    Leichtling    Köhler

24                     1849    Feb 14    Feb 14         Johannes                    Nicolaus Berger        Anna Margarethe Simon    Leichtling    Köhler

25                     1849    Feb 14    Feb 14         Peter                           Nicolaus Berger        Anna Margarethe Simon    Leichtling    Köhler

42                     1836    Feb 15    Feb 16         Sophia                        Baltasar Berger         Catharina Schechtel           Leichtling    Semenovka

24                     1838    Jan 24    Jan 24         Andreas                      Baltasar Berger         Catharina Schechtel           Leichtling    Semenovka

125                   1840    May 15   May 16       Catharina                   Baltasar Berger         Catharina Schachtel           Leichtling    Köhler

123                   1840    May 15   May 16       Josephus                     Baltasar Berger         Catharina Schachtel           Leichtling    Köhler

124                   1840    May 15   May 16       Margaretha                Baltasar Berger         Catharina Schachtel           Leichtling    Köhler

81                     1841    Jun 20    Jun 21         Anna Maria                 Baltasar Berger         Catharina Schachtel           Leichtling    Köhler

122                   1845    Sep 7      Sep 8          Elisabetha                   Baltasar Berger         Catharina Schechtel            Leichtling    Köhler

2                       1848    Jan 1      Jan 3          Baltasarus                    Baltasar Berger         Catharina Schechtel            Leichtling    Köhler

150                   1850    Aug 13    Aug 13      Catharina                    Baltasar Berger         Catharina Schachtel            Leichtling    Köhler

148                   1852    Nov 12    Nov 13       Philipp                          Baltasar Berger         Catharina Schachtel            Leichtling    Köhler

143                   1854    Sep 17     Sep 18       Peter                            Baltasar Berger         Catharina Schachtel            Leichtling    Köhler

25                     1857    Feb 11     Feb 12      Anna Maria                  Baltasar Berger         Catharina Schachtel            Leichtling    Köhler

22                     1859    Jan 25     Jan 26       Johannes                     Baltasar Berger         Catharina Schachtel            Leichtling    Köhler

 

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

34                     1835    Feb 10          Balthasar Berger   Leichtling                         Catharina Schechtel    Köhler                         Semenovka
5                       1828    Jan 30          Nicolaus Berger                                              Catharina Wisnerin       Leichtling                    Semenovka


Line number    Age            Death date       Name                          Village

37                      7                1807    Feb 10    Anna Maria Berger    Leichtling

49                      3.5             1807    Mar 7      Elisabetha Berger       Leichtling


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


1798

Leichtling, Russia

Lg15     Peter Berger                  h        37
             Dorothea Biehn            sp       23
             Anna Maria                   d        1/4

Workers: 1
Horses: 7
Cows: 10
Sheep: 13
Swine: 10
Chickens: 20
Planted - 1796/1797
Rye: 1 chetvert 4 chetverik
Wheat: 3 chetvert 6 chetverik
Barley: 1 chetvert 2 chetverik
Oats: 2 chetvert 4 chetverik
Millet: 2 chetverik
Potatoes: 2 chetvert 2 chetverik
Harvested - 1797
Rye: 6 chetvert 2 chetverik
Wheat: 7 chetvert 4 chetverik
Barley: 3 chetvert 6 chetverik
Oats: 10 chetvert 7 chetverik
Millet: 7 chetvert 4 chetverik
Potatoes: 6 chetvert 4 chetverik

Source: 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.
Note: The Leichtling census was dated 7 October 1798.



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)
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
36 2. Baltazar Berger 36
20 (see #35) (lived with #35 in 1834)

wife: Katerina
 37


son:



a. Andreas Berger
 12


daughters:



a. Sophia Berger
 14


b. Anna Maria Berger
 7


c. Elisabeta Berger
 5


d. Katerina Berger
 2 month

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
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
36 67 Balthasar Berger 36
43


Balthasar's wife Katharina
 -
44


Balthasar's sons:




1. Andreas Berger
 12
19


2. Philipp Berger
 -
5


3. Peter Berger
 -
3


Balthasar's daughters:




1. Anna Maria Berger
 -
14


2. Elisabetha Berger
 -
12


3. Katharina Berger
 -
7


4. Anna Maria Berger
 -
2

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




Return: Home > Ancestry of Florence Rose Mahler > Berger Family Tree

Author: Michelle A. Boyd
Email

Last updated 13 January 2022