Döring
Johann Heinrich Döring was born on February 13, 1714, in Ibra, Schwalm-Eder-Kreis, Hessen, Germany, the eldest son of Johannes Döring (1682-1734) and Anna Cunigunda Siebert (Abt. 1690-1760). He was one of nine children. His father served as a dragoon and, in later life, became a farmer.
Johann Heinrich was confirmed at the Reformed faith church in Ibra in 1728.
Johann Heinrich was confirmed at the Reformed faith church in Ibra in 1728.
The Protestant church in Ibra. Source: Evangelische Kooperationsraum A5 website (accessed 19 March 2026 - https://www.kirche-a5-suedlicherknuell.de/unsere-kirchengemeinden).
On November 25, 1753, Johann Heinrich married Martha Elisabeth Fischer in Ibra. She was born on January 23, 1733, in Braunau, Waldeck-Frankenberg, Hessen, Germany, and was baptized there on January 25th, the daughter of Lorentz Fischer (1680-1737) and Anna Martha Becker (1693-1765). She was confirmed in Braunau in 1745. At the time of their marriage, Johann Heinrich worked as a shepherd in the area.
The Protestant church in Braunau (Bad Wildungen). Source: Deutsche Wikipedia website (accessed 19 March 2026 - https://de-academic.com/dic.nsf/dewiki/195660).
Johann Heinrich and Martha Elisabeth had three children:
1. Johann Michael was born on November 8, 1755, in Singlis and baptized there on November 15th.
2. Johann Eberhardt was born on August 2, 1758, in Singlis and baptized there on August 13th.
3. Anna Margaretha was born on September 2, 1763, in Hebel.
In 1766, the Dörings decided to accept the offers in Catherine II’s 1763 Manifesto and became Russian colonists.
The Dörings departed from the North German port of Lübeck aboard the barque “Fortitudo” commanded by Skipper John Scott. The “Fortitudo” carried about 700 colonists across the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, arriving at the island fortress of Kronstadt on July 19, 1766. All the colonists were transported by oared boats to the Russian mainland at Oranienbaum (now Lomonosov), near St. Petersburg, on the same day. Traveling with the Dörings was Johannes Hassenpflug, the young son of the deceased Johannes Hassenpflug. They were recorded as Household No. 3772 in the lists of arriving colonists (i.e., Kuhlberg Lists).
After more than an arduous year of travel to the lower Volga River, the entire Döring family, along with Johannes Hassenpflug, were among the founders of the colony of Norka on August 15, 1767. They were recorded in the 1767 Census of Norka in Household 150. Norka was primarily settled by people of the Reformed faith.
At least one, and likely two, children were born in Norka:
1. Nicolaus was born about 1768
2. Heinrich was born on January 13, 1773. He is probably the son of Johann Heinrich and Martha Elisabeth Döring, but this has not been proven beyond a doubt.
Johann Heinrich died sometime before the 1775 Census of Norka. Martha Elisabeth lived with her sons and her daughter at the time of the census. They were recorded in Household No. 141. Martha Elisabeth was listed incorrectly as Maria Elisabeth in the Kuhlberg List (1766) and the 1767 Census. However, in 1775, she is listed correctly as Martha Elisabeth. Her age is consistent with her birth year across all of the Russian records.
Martha Elisabeth died sometime before the 1798 Census.
All five of Johann Heinrich and Martha Elisabeth’s children were married and had families of their own.
Michael married Anna Catharina Müller on June 23, 1778, in Norka.
Eberhardt married Dorothea Bott (Batt) in Norka about 1783.
Anna Margaretha married Johann Conrad Dahmer about 1786 in the colony of Beideck.
Nicholas married Anna Margaretha Hohnstein on May 12, 1790, in Norka.
Heinrich married an unknown woman and had three sons. He died in Norka on November 11, 1836.
1. Johann Michael was born on November 8, 1755, in Singlis and baptized there on November 15th.
2. Johann Eberhardt was born on August 2, 1758, in Singlis and baptized there on August 13th.
3. Anna Margaretha was born on September 2, 1763, in Hebel.
In 1766, the Dörings decided to accept the offers in Catherine II’s 1763 Manifesto and became Russian colonists.
The Dörings departed from the North German port of Lübeck aboard the barque “Fortitudo” commanded by Skipper John Scott. The “Fortitudo” carried about 700 colonists across the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, arriving at the island fortress of Kronstadt on July 19, 1766. All the colonists were transported by oared boats to the Russian mainland at Oranienbaum (now Lomonosov), near St. Petersburg, on the same day. Traveling with the Dörings was Johannes Hassenpflug, the young son of the deceased Johannes Hassenpflug. They were recorded as Household No. 3772 in the lists of arriving colonists (i.e., Kuhlberg Lists).
After more than an arduous year of travel to the lower Volga River, the entire Döring family, along with Johannes Hassenpflug, were among the founders of the colony of Norka on August 15, 1767. They were recorded in the 1767 Census of Norka in Household 150. Norka was primarily settled by people of the Reformed faith.
At least one, and likely two, children were born in Norka:
1. Nicolaus was born about 1768
2. Heinrich was born on January 13, 1773. He is probably the son of Johann Heinrich and Martha Elisabeth Döring, but this has not been proven beyond a doubt.
Johann Heinrich died sometime before the 1775 Census of Norka. Martha Elisabeth lived with her sons and her daughter at the time of the census. They were recorded in Household No. 141. Martha Elisabeth was listed incorrectly as Maria Elisabeth in the Kuhlberg List (1766) and the 1767 Census. However, in 1775, she is listed correctly as Martha Elisabeth. Her age is consistent with her birth year across all of the Russian records.
Martha Elisabeth died sometime before the 1798 Census.
All five of Johann Heinrich and Martha Elisabeth’s children were married and had families of their own.
Michael married Anna Catharina Müller on June 23, 1778, in Norka.
Eberhardt married Dorothea Bott (Batt) in Norka about 1783.
Anna Margaretha married Johann Conrad Dahmer about 1786 in the colony of Beideck.
Nicholas married Anna Margaretha Hohnstein on May 12, 1790, in Norka.
Heinrich married an unknown woman and had three sons. He died in Norka on November 11, 1836.
Researchers
This article is based upon research by Döring descendants Rock Hinkle, Roger Burbank, and Steve Schreiber.
If you reference this information, please provide credit to these researchers and link to this page as your source.
If you reference this information, please provide credit to these researchers and link to this page as your source.
Sources
Church books for Ibra, Singlis, Hebel, and Braunau accessed on Archion.de
Idt, Andreas and Rauschenbach, Georg. Deutsche Kolonisten im Jahr 1766 in Oranienbaum und in den Siedlungsorten – Die Kuhlberg-Listen. Moscow 2024: p. 482. Household No. 3772.
Mai, Brent Alan. 1798 Census of the German Colonies along the Volga: Economy, Population, and Agriculture. Lincoln, Neb.: American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, 1999. Vol. 1, p. 301, Household Bd46.
Mai, Brent Alan. 1834 Census of Norka in the District of Saratov, Russia, Dated 20 December 1834. Beaverton, OR: Dynasty Pub., 2007. Pgs. 74-75, Household No. 236.
Pleve, Igor. Einwanderung in das Wolgagebiet, 1764–1767, Band 3. Göttingen: Nordost-Institut: 2005: p. 269. Household No. 150.
Rye, Rick, translator. The 1775 and 1798 Censuses of the German Colony on the Volga, Norka: Also Known as Weigand. American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, 1995. 1775: p. 23. Household No. 141. 1798: p. 39, Household No. 6; p. 39; Household No. Household No. 7; p. 42, Household No. 25.
Ibra – Meyers Gazetteer Online
Braunau – Meyers Gazetteer Online
Singlis – Meyers Gazetteer Online
Hebel – Meyers Gazetteer Online
Idt, Andreas and Rauschenbach, Georg. Deutsche Kolonisten im Jahr 1766 in Oranienbaum und in den Siedlungsorten – Die Kuhlberg-Listen. Moscow 2024: p. 482. Household No. 3772.
Mai, Brent Alan. 1798 Census of the German Colonies along the Volga: Economy, Population, and Agriculture. Lincoln, Neb.: American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, 1999. Vol. 1, p. 301, Household Bd46.
Mai, Brent Alan. 1834 Census of Norka in the District of Saratov, Russia, Dated 20 December 1834. Beaverton, OR: Dynasty Pub., 2007. Pgs. 74-75, Household No. 236.
Pleve, Igor. Einwanderung in das Wolgagebiet, 1764–1767, Band 3. Göttingen: Nordost-Institut: 2005: p. 269. Household No. 150.
Rye, Rick, translator. The 1775 and 1798 Censuses of the German Colony on the Volga, Norka: Also Known as Weigand. American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, 1995. 1775: p. 23. Household No. 141. 1798: p. 39, Household No. 6; p. 39; Household No. Household No. 7; p. 42, Household No. 25.
Ibra – Meyers Gazetteer Online
Braunau – Meyers Gazetteer Online
Singlis – Meyers Gazetteer Online
Hebel – Meyers Gazetteer Online
Last updated March 22, 2026