Jacob Nagel Family
Jacob Nagel was born in Birstein, Main-Kinzig-Kreis, Hessen, Germany, on February 25, 1711, the son of Johannes Nagel and his wife, Catharina Hergert.
Jacob married Dorothea Elisabeth (surname and place of birth unknown) about 1741. Their marriage record has not been found in the Birstein or surrounding parishes.
Jacob and Dorothea Elisabeth became parents to at least six children who were baptized at the Reformed parish church in Birstein:
Dorothea Elisabeth died on December 29, 1755, in Birstein and was buried on January 1, 1756.
Jacob married again to Eva Catharina, the widow of Georg Henckel, on August 12, 1761, in Birstein.
Jacob, Eva Catharina, and his three surviving sons from his first marriage arrived as colonists in Oranienbaum, Russia, on July 19, 1766, aboard the barque "Fortituda" commanded by John Scott. They are recorded in the transport list of colonists departing from St. Petersburg and arriving in Saratov.
Jacob, a widower, and his three sons are recorded in the 1767 Census of Norka in Household No. 182. Eva Catharina apparently died beforehand.
Jacob and his sons Sebastian and Melchior are listed as Household No. 105 in the 1775 Census of Norka. Johannes and his family are listed in Household No. 72.
Jacob married Dorothea Elisabeth (surname and place of birth unknown) about 1741. Their marriage record has not been found in the Birstein or surrounding parishes.
Jacob and Dorothea Elisabeth became parents to at least six children who were baptized at the Reformed parish church in Birstein:
- Johann Melchior, baptized on August 13, 1742, died as a child
- Anna Gertraud, baptized on August 19, 1744, died in September 1744
- Catharina Christina, baptized on August 1, 1746, died Oct 1748
- Johann Melchior, baptized on December 4, 1748
- Johannes, baptized on March 18, 1751
- Sebastian, baptized on November 12, 1753
Dorothea Elisabeth died on December 29, 1755, in Birstein and was buried on January 1, 1756.
Jacob married again to Eva Catharina, the widow of Georg Henckel, on August 12, 1761, in Birstein.
Jacob, Eva Catharina, and his three surviving sons from his first marriage arrived as colonists in Oranienbaum, Russia, on July 19, 1766, aboard the barque "Fortituda" commanded by John Scott. They are recorded in the transport list of colonists departing from St. Petersburg and arriving in Saratov.
Jacob, a widower, and his three sons are recorded in the 1767 Census of Norka in Household No. 182. Eva Catharina apparently died beforehand.
Jacob and his sons Sebastian and Melchior are listed as Household No. 105 in the 1775 Census of Norka. Johannes and his family are listed in Household No. 72.
Sources
Research by Roger Burbank and Danny was posted on Conrad Burbach's Volga German Facebook page on March 12, 2026.
Parish records of Birstein accessed on Archion.de.
Parish records of Unterreichenbach on Archion.de.
Idt, Andreas and Rauschenbach, Georg. Auswanderung deutscher Kolonisten nach Russland im Jahre 1766 (Second edition). Moscow: 2019: p. 32.
Idt, Andreas and Rauschenbach, Georg. Deutsche Kolonisten auf dem Weg von St. Petersburg nach Saratow: Transportlisten von 1766–1767. Moscow: 2025: p. 139. Nos. 2409-2413.
Idt, Andreas and Rauschenbach, Georg. Deutsche Kolonisten im Jahr 1766 in Oranienbaum und in den Siedlungsorten – Die Kuhlberg-Listen. Moscow 2024: p. 467. Household No. 3648.
Pleve, Igor. Einwanderung in das Wolgagebiet, 1764–1767, Band 3. Göttingen: Nordost-Institut: 2005: p. 278.
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.
Parish records of Birstein accessed on Archion.de.
Parish records of Unterreichenbach on Archion.de.
Idt, Andreas and Rauschenbach, Georg. Auswanderung deutscher Kolonisten nach Russland im Jahre 1766 (Second edition). Moscow: 2019: p. 32.
Idt, Andreas and Rauschenbach, Georg. Deutsche Kolonisten auf dem Weg von St. Petersburg nach Saratow: Transportlisten von 1766–1767. Moscow: 2025: p. 139. Nos. 2409-2413.
Idt, Andreas and Rauschenbach, Georg. Deutsche Kolonisten im Jahr 1766 in Oranienbaum und in den Siedlungsorten – Die Kuhlberg-Listen. Moscow 2024: p. 467. Household No. 3648.
Pleve, Igor. Einwanderung in das Wolgagebiet, 1764–1767, Band 3. Göttingen: Nordost-Institut: 2005: p. 278.
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.
Last updated March 16, 2026