As you know, we have found out where Carl Schochenmaier (1798) wanted to go! This place was called "Caucasia" (English version of German "Caucasien" or "Kaukasien").
First of all where is it? You're right if you think that Caucasia has to do with Caucasus. Let's open Wiki:
The Caucasus, or Caucasia, is an area situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea and mainly occupied by Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Russia. It is home to the Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus mountain range, which has historically been considered a natural barrier between Eastern Europe and Western Asia.What is the most important here? It's the area beginning from the Black Sea and is occupied by Russia among others. It may be considered as proof of the fact that Carl Schochenmaier would like to reach Caucasus.
BUT WHY? It's pretty far away from his sweet home Germany. At first sight, it seems to be very unlogic. But I stumbled upon a very interesting movement among the Pietists-separatists migrated from Württemberg (Germany). The German Pietists were Christians who studied the Bible and searched for deeper spiritual experiences. This holiness movement was held in tension by the prophecy of Jung-Stilling about the second coming of Christ in 1836. One of the reasons for migration to the Caucasus was to be closer to the Orient, where, according to his teaching, the believers would meet with Christ. There was an unsuccessful religious pilgrimage of German colonists to Jerusalem through Caucasian Mountains, led by a woman who "knew the whole Bible by heart, from beginning to end" and who "exercised a kind of magical influence on all around her. The coming and passing of 1836 brought spiritual depression. In 1840s Eduard Wüst came to the Blac Sea area. He was a revivalist preacher and evangelist. People strarted to renew their lives. The revival spread to other German colonies.
Lots of Germans stayed in the Caucasus region and founded their settlements. Their houses are still standing there inhabited (see the picture).
Wow))) Even the years fit with our story.
1. Carl Schochenmaier left Germany in 1820s.
2. August Schochenmaier was born in Poland (about 1825);
3. Gottlieb Schochenmaier was born in Poland (about 1827);
4. Ludwig Schochenmaier was born in Poland (about 1829);
5. Katharina Schochenmaier was born in Poland (in 1831);
after that no info, if there was a gap but then
6. Christian Schochenmaier was born on Sep 1837... possibly already in the South Russia. It's like they waited for something or somebody... they got no children... I thought that Carl's first wife from Poland passed away... Either they joined the movement together and began the way to the Caucasus or Carl left alone after his wife died and he decided to meet with his God. He took all his children and was very close to the Mountains but in 1836 Jesus hadn't come, as we all know today)))
By the way, September is the 9th month after year 1836! if you understand what I mean)))
7. Christian Schochenmaier was baptized in 1844... it's like after depression had gone away people started to renew their lives.
Additionally, it could be the answer why the part of the Schochenmaiers switched from more or less neutral Lutheran faith to active and passionate Baptists.
Well, today, I think I got a whole and a full vision of the emigration story of our ancestors. I am sure that Michael Schochenmaier, born in 1859, and Jacob Schochenmaier, born in 1861, were aware and heard thousand times the story how their grandfather Carl moved from Germany to Russia. That is why, I suppose, they did the same in 1887/8 when they came over to the New World to start a new life.
