There are still mysteries surrounding Crétien ( Christian ) Weller. We know he settled in the Swiss colony of Gumbinnen - East Prussia. The settlement consisted of immigrants of French-Swiss and German-Swiss parts of Switzerland, but also colonists arriving from the Palatinate, Hesse - Nassau, and the Ukermark.
Crétien ( Christian ) Weller could be of French or German origin or both.
The plague of 1709 - 1710 cause a devastating amount of death. The entire region was bare, and over 8000 farming homesteads were left abandoned. It prompted King Friedrich I. to seek new settlers. He offered land and religious freedom as incentives, and it attracted Calvinists, the believers of the Evangelical Reformed faith. Some were Huguenots leaving France to avoid prosecution and settling in other places before choosing Gumbinnen as their final destination. Please use the following links to read about the history of the Swiss- Colony.
Judtschen - Crétien ( Christian ) Weller cantor & school master
The history of Gumbinnen
Huguenots in Prussia
The history of Judtschen
Crétien ( Christian ) Weller was born around 1723. He married Maria Margareta Scheffler. They settled in Judtschen where he was a cantor and school master from 1754 to 1765 at the french - ev. reformed Church. In 1767 Crétien ( Christian ) Weller became the cantor at french ev. reformed church in Gumbinnen.
Crétien and Maria Margareta had 12 children:
1. Maria Margaretha Lyas, née Weller born Feb. 4, 1754 in Judtschen, East Prussia, died July 13, 1817 (63) in Vilnius, Lithuania
Godparents: Preacher Daniel Andersch and his wife Gertrud Margaretha, School Master Jacob Challet and Sara Perrenoud
married Samuel Lyas on Feb. 20, 1798 in Vilnius. He was a Beltmaker master ( Gürtelmeister) by trade. No known children.
2. Christian ( Christoph ) Weller born June 14, 1755 in Judtschen, East Prussia, died November 19, 1829 (74) in Vilnius, Lithuania
Godparents: Christoph Scheffler, Gerhard Weller, Louisa Müller, Anna Barbara Cahallet
Christian Weller was a master saddle maker ( Sattelmachermeister ) by trade.
He married Rosina Bukschin.
children:
1. Johann Daniel Weller born June 29, 1795 in Vilnius, Lithuania, died January 19, 1813 (17) in Vilnius
2. Karl Alexander Weller born May 12, 1808 Vilnius, Lithuania, died September 05, 1811 (3) in Vilnius
3. Karl Wilhelm Weller born ? , died April 05, 1807 in Vilnius, Lithuania
3. Christina ( Johanna ) Gerhardt, née Weller born July 13, 1757 in Judtschen, East Prussia, died July 10, 1820 (62) in Vilnius,
Lithuania. Godparents: Christian Sack, Joseph Croncziesky, Benedict Nojeon, Johannes Schiffler, Margaretha Courvoisier
married to Johann Daniel Gerhardt, cantor, organist, docent, teacher at the ev. reformed church in Vilnius
Please click on this link to be directed to Anna Christina Berggrün, née Gerhardt’s page where the ten children of Christina and
Johann Daniel Gerhardt are listed.
4. David Weller born Aug. 28, 1759 in Judtschen, East Prussia
Godparents: School Master Jean Pierre Courvoisier and his wife Susanna from Stobrigken, Ludwig Grosjean and his wife Susanna
from Wingeningken
5. Daniel Weller born March 17, 1761 in Judtschen, East Prussia
Godparents: Inspector Mr. Andersch and his wife Gertraud Margaretha, Pierr Dumon, Schoolmaster in Stobricken
6. Joseph Weller born March 3, 1763 in Judtschen, East Prussia
Godparents: Cantor Jacob Challet and his wife Anna Barbara
married Anne Madelein on Oct. 15, 1789 in Gumbinnen, East Prussia
7. Conrad Weller born March 1, 1765 in Judtschen, East Prussia
Godparents: Christian Raschke from Schilleningken, Johannes Jannert and his wife Susanna from Girnehlen, Anna Sophia
Schadwitz from Judtschen
8. Pierre Weller born April 27, 1767 in Gumbinnen, East Prussia
Godparents: Pierre Chrétien Rocholl, Jacob Courvoisier, David Andrié, Dorothée von Löhöfelin, Madelaine Sagne, Marie Louise
Cronozewski, Anna Margaretha Scheffler
9. Louise Weller born Feb. 7, 1770 in Gumbinnen, East Prussia
Godparents: Ulr. Wily, Jaques Sagne, Joseph Cronozewski, Anne Marie Schultz, Louise Rocholl, Marie Huftel
10. Frederic Weller born March 3, 1773 in Gumbinnen, East Prussia, died before 1778
Godparents: David Ganguin ancien, David Perlet ancien, Cramer (Cantor), Cath. Ganguin, Marg. Droz, Louise Ganguin
11. Charles Weller born Oct. 16, 1775 in Gumbinnen, East Prussia
Godparents: Johann Kesting and Maria Kesting
12. Frederic Weller born Nov. 16, 1778 in Gumbinnen, East Prussia
Godparents: Lorenz Hüftlein and wife, Joseph Cronozewsky and wife, Michael Lehmann and wife, Alexandre Borquin and wife
Three of the Weller children, Maria Margaretha, Christian and Christina moved to live in Vilnius, Lithuania. We are still researching the lives of the remaining Weller children and the ancestores of Crétien ( Christian ) Weller and his wife Maria Margaretha Weller, née Scheffler.
Crétien ( Christian ) Weller died on February 18, 1789 (66) in Gumbinnen, East Prussia.
