This page was begun 24 and updated 28 June and 10 July 2001 and 28 May 2004 -- rak.
Laub, aka Tarlyk, a Lutheran colony, was founded by the private contractors LeRoy and Pictet on 12 July 1767. Its official population was 193 (in 1769), 219 (1773), 369 (1798), 3,821 (1912) and 1,968 (1926) {Mai, vol.I, p.20}.
For the exact location of Laub, click on the Saratov Area Map.
In 1798, the official census taker, Popov reported:
"This colony is located ... on the Wiesenseite, along the Tarlyk Brook. It is 60 versta [1 verst is slightly more than 1 km.] from Saratov, and from the neighboring colonies: Jost, 2; Dinkel 1; and 1.5 versta from the boat landing at the mouth of the Voloshka Creek as it flows into the Volga.... All inhabitants are of the Lutheran faith.... All inhabitants have melon patches and several have gardens. In the former they plant watermelons, melons, pumpkins, and cucumbers. In the latter they plant vegetables (Mai, vol.I, pp.143-44)."
160. Kaspar BELTZ (bef.1729?-15 Sept.1767)
161. Anna Elenora (mnu) BELTZ (1729-aft.1788?)
I am increasingly suspicious that the Johannes from whom I am descended was not the son of Kaspar and Anna Elenora and increasingly believe that "my" Johannes never lived in Laub. The Laub Beltz family was real and Pleve's research regarding their origins, arrival in Oranienbaum and subsequent journey to Leitsinger are all valid, but I am beginning to believe that the last remnants of this Beltz family perished in the 1774 Leitsinger massacre.
80. Johannes BELTZ (10 Aug.1753-23 Dec.1836)
According to Prof. Pleve, archive records say "Kasper Beltz, with wife Anna Eleanora, sons Johann, Philip Henrich, Gerog Philip and daughter Elizabeth Katharina, came to Orienanbaum via the Lubeks ship "Denew Freigeit" from Bremen, Germany."
As reported by Prof. Pleve in his BELTZ Family Chart (hereafter BFC), the Laub First Settlers' List says the family arrived there on 12 July 1767. Having survived the journey from Oranienbaum to Laub, though he must have been ill, Kaspar apparently died in Laub. The List (of which I have a copy of the typescript copy) at household #60 says: "Widow Anna Elenora, went to Leitsinger, 38, widowed by Kaspar BELTZ (PELTSA) who died 16 September 1767. Their children: Johann BELTZ (PELTS) 16, Georg Philipp 10, and daughter Elisabeta Katarina 8. Lutheran, from the village of Hergenbort in the Grand Duchy of Nasausenskogo [Nassau-??]." Then it details the horse, cow, wagon parts and 25 rubles which the couple received from the Kotora.
Prof. Pleve in the BFC says the widow went with her children to New Colony (Kustarova) in 1768, but this is a mistake -- Neu-Kolonie did not then exist and the Russian text says she went to Leitsinger. Click on it to pick up the story there.
To look at other Russian villages, click on them. To go to my Tree Index, click on it.