A Historical Account of the early days
Chapter 2 - Jann Baptist Pasqual (Basgall)
Leaves Europe
Chapter 3 - Jann Baptist Pasqual (Basgall)
Stepanida Ivanova and Family
Chapter 4 - Jann Baptist Pasqual (Basgall)
100 years in Russia
Chapter 1 Jann Baptist Pasqual (Basgall)
A Historical Account of the early days
Following is a story of how Jann Baptist Basgall would have lived his life based on Historical Accounts and small clues left behind by Jann and others that settled in the Volga River Region of Russia. Jann Baptist Basgall was a Frenchmen before going to
Cardinal de Fleury from Wikipedia |
Jann Baptist Pasqual was born
around 1733. At the time King Louis XV
1710-1774 was on the throne of France. Power was in the hands of Cardinal de Fleury 1726-1743. The rule of Cardinal de Fleury generated a
relative peace and calm in the region. Jann
Pasqual was a young child during the last stage of the “Thirty Years of Peace”
1713-1744 for France . By some, it was considered a time of “Recovery”
for France . During Jann’s childhood King Louis XV was
referred to as “The Beloved”. France was laying claim to regions around the
world like North America and India .
Stories of travel to places like the Americas were being told by
returning service men around quiet fireplaces.
One of the story tellers could have been his father. The French Navy’s power was at a peak and as
a country France
was considered the strongest global power of the world, a claim that would not
last much longer.
French Peasants from Wikipedia |
As a child
Jann would have been a peasant likely raised by his mother. His father could
have been working as a forced laborer on a farm, rebuilding roads or called to
serve his country in distant lands. Times
would be difficult as a peasant child.
He would have lived in a small one room dwelling that may have been home
to other families as well. He would play
in clothes that were tattered and torn and ran without shoes whenever possible. Basics like food, shelter and warmth were not
always available. Plagues were common and
education among peasants was nonexistent.
Play time would have been short, at around 12 he would start to
work in the fields with other peasants as forced labor. The events that would later direct Jann
Baptist Pasqual’s life were starting to develop. He managed to avoid the affects of war as a
child but they were about to takeover his life.
War of Austrian Succession from Wikipedia |
King Louis XV from Wikipedia |
The “War of
the Austrian Succession” 1740-1748 would set the stage that guided Jann
Pasqual’s destiny. Austria and Prussia
went to war when Prussia
claimed that Maria Theresa of Austria
could not succeed the Habsburg Throne as a woman. A little region called Silesia
in what today is the south of Poland
would become the center of his world.
King Louis XV of France
did not follow Cardinal de Fleury’s recommendation to stay neutral and
supported Prussia against
the forces of Austria backed
by Great Britain .
This was in part to shift Austria ’s threat from the French border to the
border of Prussia . At this King Louis XV was successful but in
the end it set the stage for a future dominating power developing in the way of
Prussia .
The war concluded with the Treaty of
Aix-la-Chapella (1748). France gained
little to nothing from the war. Prussia maintained the small region of Silesia , the area that
would later become a battle ground and for a short time home to Jann Baptist Pasqual. Great Britain
started to emerge as a threat to France . The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapella would have
protected the teenage Jann for now but would not stand for long as another war
was quickly brewing over Silesia .
We don’t
know exactly when Jann Baptist Pasqual would have been called for service in
the French Military, but the “The Seven Years’ War” (1756-1763) would have
surely caused it to happen. Even though
war in Europe was quieted by the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapella ,
France and Great Britain had
conflicts starting across the globe: India
(1748), America ’s (1755) and
the Mediterranean (1756). In 1756 Great
Britain declares war on France
and builds alliances with Prussia . Word got out that Austria
was negotiating with Russia
to take back the small region of Silesia from Prussia .
Frederick II of Prussia puts
into motion a plan to counteract Austria ’s
move and Jann Baptist Pasqual is called to war in the central region of Europe
around Silesia . In 1756 Prussian soldiers march into Saxony and “The Seven Years’ War” is underway. Saxony is totally unprepared and falls
quickly to Prussia .
Austria is also ill-prepared and
must gear up for war. With Prussia marching across Europe toward France they find themselves working with Austria
to push back the very country they helped empower only 8 years earlier. With the French Military spread thinly across
the globe a young peasant of only 23 years like Jann Baptist Pasqual would find
himself quickly engulfed in the conflicts of war.
Picture from Wikipedia |
“The Seven Years’ War” went poorly
for France . Jann Baptist Pasqual would find himself in
bloody hand to hand combat. The battles
would have started with follies of cannon rounds fired into the ranks of Jann
Pasqual and his comrades. Regiments of
foot solders would have fired onto each other as they stood in rigid formation. Comrades would have fallen at his side
as the smoke and smell of war filled the air. Horsemen like the British Dragoons would have
been riding through the ranks of foot solders like Jann Pasqual slashing away
at everything as they went by. The final
round of conflict would have been foot solder’s fighting with bayonets in close
hand to hand combat. Lost limbs would be
common and medical treatment was sparse.
Living conditions during the winter months were unbearable and Jann
Pasqual buried many of his fellow comrades.
If he was one of the unfortunate captured during the conflict things
were even worse for Jann. Many of the
captured would have been placed into the Persian Military and moved to the
Russian front and forced to continue fighting.
By the end of the war Jann Baptist Pasqual
was around 29 years old, aged beyond his years by war. The Battle of Wilhelmstahl 24 June 1762 ended
major conflict and the Treaty of Paris 10 February 1763 officially ended “The
Seven Years War”. France was
beaten and no longer consider the dominate world power. As a country it was broke with its military
in a shambles around the globe and especially in the region of Central Europe . Jann
Baptist Pasqual found himself abandoned by his mother country and left stranded
in Central Europe . Without a wife in France there
was no reason for this broken young man to follow the defeated, wounded, and
dying ranks of French solders as they journeyed home.
Chapter 2 - Jann Baptist Pasqual (Basgall)
Leaves Europe
After the war Jann Baptist Pasqual was a broken solder without property or country in Central Europe along the boarder of Silesia. A few French Comrades left behind from war and other German Peasants still standing are the only people in his life. Most of his time is spent healing from both physical and mental wounds of war. To survive he took on a simple trade like “Hat Maker”. His heart shattered from years of war would yearn to be awakened again. Jann Pasqual dreamed of a quiet peaceful place like the hillsides ofFrance where he
grew up. However, those hills were
beginning to boil over by the bad morale of returning solders. The talk of treason was abounding and going
back to France was not the choice he was going to take since another war “The French
Revolution” was about to begin.
France
would have in common with the Eastern Orthodox faith of this region of Russia . Jann Baptist Basgall would also talk of the
French
Stepanida Ivanova and Family
In the Spring of 1766 the couple with infant would begin their trip across Russia to their new home in
Franzosen. They would travel by ship
inland as far as possible and then would travel with wagons. For Stephanida at only 19 years old with a
newborn to care for the trip would have been exhausting. For most of the land journey the men would
have walked along side the wagons keeping a close eye on there loved ones. Even with the long weary days these would be
very good times for Stephanida and Jann as the dream of a new life, a baby and
someone to share it with would give them the energy to continue. Their excitement would peak when they could
see the golden dome of the Old Cathedral in Saratov
on the Volga River , for now they were very close to
their destination.
Chapter 4 - Jann Baptist Pasqual (Basgall)
100 Years in Russia
So would come 100 years in Russia. After 3 generations another journey would lead this group to the United States to avoid loosing their young men to war. Come back has we add the Immigration Years to Jann Baptist Pasqual (Basgall) Legacy.
If you have information that helps write this story or other Basgall stories please contact us with a comment, or just comment to tell us what you think of the John Baptist Pasqual Basgall Legacy.
Chapter 2 - Jann Baptist Pasqual (Basgall)
Leaves Europe
After the war Jann Baptist Pasqual was a broken solder without property or country in Central Europe along the boarder of Silesia. A few French Comrades left behind from war and other German Peasants still standing are the only people in his life. Most of his time is spent healing from both physical and mental wounds of war. To survive he took on a simple trade like “Hat Maker”. His heart shattered from years of war would yearn to be awakened again. Jann Pasqual dreamed of a quiet peaceful place like the hillsides of
Russian Horsemen From Wikipedia |
In the fog of the morning Russian
horsemen wearing traditional black knee high boots, long gray coats and tall Black
Cossack fur hats came to a small village Jann Baptist Pasqual had settled in
near Silesia (Mielec , Poland ). With his tall white stallion prancing around
the horsemen reads a manifesto issued by the Empress Catherine the Great of
Russia. On July 22, 1763 she issued this
second manifesto inviting foreigners to settle in Russia . This manifesto was different from the first manifesto
in that it not only offered property, freedom of religion, relocation and
provisions it stated the emigrants and their children would not be obligated to
serve in the military for 100 years. No
other promise would have been more important to Jann Baptist Pasqual. Protecting himself and his future family from
war would be a dream come true. The word
of this manifesto would not have gotten to Jann Baptist Pasqual until sometime
in 1764 or 1765. With his heart
awakening again by the opportunity to live a peaceful life, own some property
and begin a family Jann Baptist Pasqual started the greatest journey of his
young life.
On an evening in the late spring or
early summer of 1765 Jann Baptist Pasqual an a few French Comrades would be
scrambling to pack their few belongings as they prepared for their long journey
north through Europe. They said their
good byes to a few German Peasants that gave them a home and helped them
rebuild their souls after a long fought war.
The night would have been restless as he dreaming of his future home and
most of all, a Russian maiden he would meet at the end of his journey. In the morning those that were leaving walked
or rode to a central meeting place assigned to them. There they meet the Russian Recruiters and
others that were headed to a new world.
After a short time the group would start their ground trip north to a
port on the Baltic Sea .
The trip to Russia was long
and hard with many perils along the way.
Shelter was sparse and the Recruiters would have provided minimal rations. The German families leaving their homeland
would have it even more difficult, they were pulling belongings in carts,
carrying children, helping older parents and traveling as a family. Some of the very young and very old perished
along the way. Jann Baptist Pasqual was
traveling alone with only the belongings that would fit into a backpack. Once at the Baltic Port
they would again wait for other groups as they prepared to board a sailing ship
to carry them on.
The Baltic Sea
can be very rough and would have tossed the small sailing
vessel as they traveled
from side to side. Sea sickness as well
as home sickness and the fear of what was to come would make it a somber time. Young and old would have sat and dreamed on
the ships decks of the new home they were bound for. The ship would sail for over a week before
entering the Gulf of Finland . It would have seemed like an endless
journey. Once there they would have seen
the light house on the shores of Kotlin
Island and the mighty
“Fortress of Kronstadt” with large Russian Navy fighting ships floating around
the harbor as well as many merchant ships.
During the warmer months this would be one of the busiest harbors in Russia as it protects and supplies the gates of St. Petersburg , the summer home of Catherine the Great and
the mighty country of Russia
itself.
Kotlin Island From Wikipedia |
Jann’s stay at “The Fortress of
Kronstadt” would have been short. From
here immigrants would travel in large groups to Oranienbaum just outside of St. Petersburg . They
would see the summer Palace
of Catherine the
Great. They would travel through the
giant front gate of the Royal Palace Grounds where the new colonists would be
greeted by Catherine herself. As she was
actually of German Heritage she would greet them in her native German language
which would have been very reassuring to the new German Colonists. They swore an oath of their allegiance to
their new mother land
of Russia . Officially they arrived to Russia but the
journey was far from over.
Palace at Oranienbaum From Wikipedia |
It would be here in Oranienbaum
that the Basgal family tree would start.
For it was here that Jann Baptist Pasqual registered to become a Russian
citizen and his name after a confusing translation between French, German and
Russian was documented as Jann Baptist Basgal, Hat Maker from Mielec. Once his documentation was complete Jann
would be giving provisions and assigned temporary quarters with Russian
Peasants. His assignment to the French
Colony of Franzosen in the Volga River Region of Russia would soon be
made. He and the few other French
Comrades that made the trip would rest, recover and wait for the trip
ahead. It was here that Jann Basgall’s
heart would truly be awakened again.
With his French Comrades he would continue as Jann Baptist Pasqual but
officially he would have became Jann Baptist Basgall. The name his children would all carry.
Jann Baptist Basgall would arrive at
his temporary quarters in the Fall of 1765.
He would spend the winter in his assigned quarters with Russian
Peasants. During his stay there would be
time to tell stories, reminisce of better times, make friends and start a
romance. He would sit and listen to the
Russian Folklore from the elders as their daughters would serve and care for
the group around a peaceful fireplace.
Much of the Folklore would come from the Didache (Teachings of the 12
Apostles) and can be found in later stories written by Leo Tolstoy. The “Teachings of the 12 Apostles” would be
something that a Roman Catholic from
Countryside, the war and his long travels. He would be at peace in these simple but welcome quarters during the long cold St. Petersburg winter.
Chapter 3 - Jann Baptist Pasqual (Basgall)Stepanida Ivanova and Family
Jann Baptist Basgall’s romantic
French accent would have caught the ear of a young Russian maiden. She was only 18 years old when Jann Basgall 32
years of age came to them. Stephanida
Ivanova would have listened intently as the older, well traveled Jann Baptist Basgall told his stories. She would have dreamed
of traveling with Jann Basgall to a new home and starting a family. She would have waiting on him hand and foot
just to get the opportunity to be around him.
Jann Basgall’s heart would have finally found what he had been longing
for. With only a gentle touch between
them their Love would bond them together for the journey to come. It would be here, near Oranienbaum, close to
the Palace of Catherine the Great that Jann Baptist
Basgall and Stephanida Ivanova would form their union. From this union came their first child, a boy
they named Didache in honor of the “Teachings of the 12 Apostles” that brought
them together around a peaceful fireplace that sparked their romance.
Volga River - Russia From Wikipedia |
Franzosen Colony was established on
July 28, 1765 by Baron Deboffe as a French Colony. It is on the hilly side of the Volga River
Valley and higher up than
most of the other colonies. It would
remind the French Settlers of their homeland.
Jann Baptist Basgall and Stepanida Ivanova would not arrive until August
26, 1766. Romancing a new bride and caring
for their infant son Didache born in 1766 would slow them down. Jann and Stepanida would have it better than
the first settlers arriving at Franzosen since when they arrived they had to
live in dug outs and start without anything.
Jann and Stepanida would come to a community of 30 families and may even
have been invited to stay with an old French acquaintance or war comrade until
their home was constructed. Shortly
after they arriving Jann and Stepanida’s first born son Didache died. It was very common for infants to die but the
experience would be heartbreaking for the young couple.
Settling in at Franzosen would be
very difficult for the young couple. The
land was rocky and considered some of the poorest farmland in the area. Many of the things they would need were not
present and even wood for building and fires would be difficult to find. A lot of the winter heat would come from the
dud of livestock. Most of what they
survived on came from small gardens along the Rossoshi Brook and the little
livestock they had. The livestock would
include chickens, ducks, geese, goats and maybe a couple of cows, if they were
lucky. What farm land they had was
worked by plow to raise rye and oats that would be sold in Saratov or stored in local bins and processed
in a colony mill. Jann and other colony
men would have long discussions on the price of grain in Saratov and how to dispose of the gophers
that ravaged their crops. Flooding the
holes seemed to be the only solution to the gopher problem.
Once settled in Franzosen it didn't take long for the couple to restart the family.
They would have been heart broken from the loss of their first son Didache,
but Peter was born in 1768 and they would be on their way. Stepanida would have their only daughter Anna
in 1771. There is no doubt, being the
only girl in a family with 4 boys would bring her very close to mom. The two would prepare meals, clean the house
and care for the vegetable gardens as the young men would grow and help dad in
the fields and tend the larger livestock.
You can bet there was more than one family argument around who does what
chores. After Anna another son Johannes
was born in 1773. These three kids would
consume their lives for the next 10 years. They
would bring lasting joy to Stepanida and Jann with their playful energy as they
grew up. Anna being the only girl and so
close to mom would definitely win dad over to her side leaving her brothers
complaining on the way out the door. It also would be the first opportunity
for education for the family as the kids would go off to a schoolmaster’s house
to learn reading, writing and religion under the supervision of a local priest.
Lorenz was born in 1782 and the
last son Anton was born in 1783, kind of like starting a second family. However, what the census data records don't show are the
difficult times before Lorenz was born.
During this period there most likely would have been 2 to 4 additional children lost
during infancy between 1774 and 1781. In
those days it was common to have a child every 2 years, but most families lost
multiple infants. Lorenz and Anton would
have been very special having come after the disappointing years when the
family would suffer the loss of so many infant children. They also would have caused the family to add
a ramshackle wooden extension onto the small stone structure they call
home. You can just imagine how much
trouble the two little ones would get into with the work falling onto their
older siblings. The Rossoshi Brook going
through the colony would have been their favorite place for adventure. Their adventures would come from the stories Jann
told at the end of a hard day around a quiet fireplace of his childhood days in
France, war in Germany & Poland, travels to Russia on the Baltic Sea, Catherine
the Great’s Summer Palace near St Petersburg and natural how he won Stephanida's heart.
Chapter 4 - Jann Baptist Pasqual (Basgall)
100 Years in Russia
It is difficult to write the final
chapter for Stepanida and Jann because there is so little to work with. However, the census of 1798 gives us a little
insight of their final years. In 1798
Jann 65 and Stepanida 49 are in their small home with sons Lorenz age 16 and
Anton age 15. The boys are able to
provide the much needed help for their father in the fields and with the
livestock while dreaming of their own journeys to come. Anna their daughter married Johann Peter
Weingard when she was only 18, just as her mother married Jann. She was the first to leave the household but
stayed close to home in Franzosen. They
have 4 children in 1798 one of which would be the first grandchildren to Stepanida
and Jann. Since Johann and Anna stayed
in Franzosen they would be frequent guests in Jann and Stepanida’s home. The oldest is granddaughter Maria Eva 8 and grandson
Johann Peter 7. The younger kids are granddaughter
Katharina 3 and infant grandson Johann just 6 months old. It appears that the grandson’s full name is
Johann Baptist Weingard but it is difficult to interpret the old census
document. The grand old storyteller
would have a full house of grand-kids as he repeated his stories that once
caught the ear of a young Russian Maiden.
Stepanida would reminisce with daughter Anna in the background of how
Jann came to her home as a broken soldier and shared the same stories with her
family when she was only 18. By now the
grand palace of Catherine the Great would have doubled
in size as the grandkids intently listened to the old bearded storyteller
himself. How wonderful it would be to
hear Jann Baptist Pasqual tell his amazing life story around the old fireplace
in this Volga River Valley .
At bedtime Stepanida and Jann would
talk about the older boys that moved onto other colonies. Son Peter is in Husaren with wife Maria Ditt
/ Dietz and the two granddaughters Cunigunde 4 and Elizabeth 1. He traveled to Husaren about the time he
married Maria in 1793. Husaren is just
south of Franzosen about 3 miles along the creek bed. It would be an easy walk for the family to
get back for Sunday visits and family gatherings. Johannes moved to Rothammel in about 1795
when he married Christina Storck. In
1798 they had two boys Johann 3 and Heinrich 1.
This would be the start of what would grow into a very big Basgall
presence in this small colony of Rothammel.
Rothammel is about 10 miles to the east and north of Franzosen. The path between would take you over the top
of the plains to a point that overlooked the Franzosen valley that and the
adjacent valley where Rothammel was located.
Unlike Peter, Johannes would have a much longer trip to bring the family
back to Franzosen. Family gatherings at
holidays would be quiet the ordeal when Stepanida and Jann would have the three
families together with the 3 adult children their spouses, 2 younger children
and 8 grandchildren included the 2 infants.
No doubt these would be the best of times for Jann and Stepanida.
There are about 20 grandkids listed
in the family tree for Stepanida and Jann. I suspect we are missing about 10 to
20 more based on the small size Maria’s and Peter’s family. In those days everyone had 8 to 12 kids. We don’t know which grandkids actually had the
opportunity to sit on the knee of the old bearded storyteller Jann Baptist
Pasqual but it would have been a real treat.
Hopefully, some day we can complete the last chapter of his grand life. We also need to complete the families of Anna,
Peter, and Anton. Determine what
happened to Lorenz and most of all when and where did Stepanida and Jann pass
away? You would think with her younger
age Stepanida would of eventually moved in with one of the kids, but which
one. Most of all, did the old bearded
story teller get a chance to share his tale with any of the great grand-kids? We will be looking for early
church records and census documents for Franzosen, Rothammel, Brabander,
Husaren, Seelmann and other colonies. So would come 100 years in Russia. After 3 generations another journey would lead this group to the United States to avoid loosing their young men to war. Come back has we add the Immigration Years to Jann Baptist Pasqual (Basgall) Legacy.
If you have information that helps write this story or other Basgall stories please contact us with a comment, or just comment to tell us what you think of the John Baptist Pasqual Basgall Legacy.
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