Johann Christoph Liphardt was born in Epterode on December 12, 1733, and was baptized in the parish church there on December 16. His parents were Johann Adam Liphardt from Wickenrode and Elisabeth Trebing.
Christoph married Gertrude Müller on July 26, 1758, in Birstein. She is the daughter of Nicolaus Müller from the nearby village of Wettges.
Christoph and Gertrude became parents to several children who were born and baptized in Birstein: Johann Georg Wilhelm Ernst, born on November 19, 1759; Wilhelm Ernst, born on September 25, 1761; and Johann Caspar, born on November 4, 1763.
Christoph, Gertrude, their three sons, and a daughter, Catharina (age 1.5 years), sailed from Lübeck and arrived in Oranienbaum, Russia, on July 19, 1766, aboard the ship "Fortitudo" commanded by John Scott. The family was recorded in Russian ship arrival lists (Kulberg Lists) in household 3694.
After more than a year of travel, Christoph and Gertrude arrived in Norka on August 15, 1767. They are listed in the 1767 Census of Norka (also known as the First Settlers List) in household 190. Only one child, Wilhelm Ernst, is listed in the census.
The 1775 Census of Norka (household 39) lists Christoph, his wife Gertrude, and sons Wilhelm Ernst, age 14, and Johann Jakob, age 4. Daughters listed are Gertrude, age 8, Anna Margareta, age 3, and Anna Katharina, 3 months old.
Parish records of Epterode accessed on Archion.de
Parish records of Birstein accessed on Archion.de
Idt, Andreas und Rauschenbach, Georg, Deutsche Kolonisten im Jahr 1766 in Oranienbaum und in den Siedlungsorten: Die Kuhlberg-Listen, 2. Auflage. Moskau: 2024; p. 473. no. 3694.
Idt, Andreas und Rauschenbach, Georg. Auswanderung deutscher Kolonisten nach Russland im Jahre 1766, 2. Auflage. Moskau: 2019; p. 32.
Pleve, Igor. Einwanderung in das Wolgagebiet, 1764-1767, Band 3. Göttingen: Göttinger Arbeitskreis, 2005, p. 280, household 190.
Rye, Richard. The 1775 and 1798 Censuses of the German Colony on the Volga, Norka: Also Known as Weigand. (Lincoln, Neb.: American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, 1995): 1775, p. 8, household 39.