Jacob Hoeppner
Jacob Hoeppner (1748–1826) was one of two delegates selected by the Mennonite community in Danzig, Prussia, to travel to South Russia and evaluate land along the Dnieper River near Chortitza as a possible settlement. The Mennonites were recruited by Queen Catherine II the Great to settle on territory recently won from the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. The entire Ukraine had a population of three million at most. In order to settle this empty territory, colonists from western Europe were invited to come to Russia.

Russian colonization agents advertised the availability of crown lands to people throughout Europe. One of these was Georg von Trappe, who visited the Mennonites of Danzig in 1786. The Mennonite congregations elected to send Hoeppner and Johann Bartsch, who von Trappe arranged to send to Russia at government expense. They departed in the fall of 1786, sailing first to Riga, then travelling cross country, arriving at the Dnieper in late November. From here they sailed down the river looking for a suitable site. They met Potemkin at Kremenchuk and were presented to Catherine in May, as she was inspecting her new territories. They found a suitable settlement location, then returned home by way of Saint Petersburg, where they met with Crown Prince Paul, who confirmed the promises made by von Trappe. Their return to Danzig was delayed for several months because Hoeppner broke his leg.
Q7936504
Mennonite
UNK
Q1792
Danzig
LOC
Q38872
Prussia
LOC
Q40855
Dnieper River
LOC
Q991155
Chortitza
LOC
Q36450
Catherine II the Great
PER
Q123227
won
MEDIA
Q199484
Sultan
PER
Q12560
Ottoman Empire
LOC
Q212
Ukraine
LOC
Q5473816
crown land
Concept
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Riga
LOC
Q40855
Dnieper
LOC
Q243201
Potemkin
Concept
Q156724
Kremenchuk
LOC
Q656
Saint Petersburg
LOC
Q15189
Crown Prince Paul
PER
Q95467
Jacob Hoeppner
PER
1786-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1786
DATE
1786-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1786
DATE
+1748^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
1748
NUMBER
+1826^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
1826
NUMBER
country of citizenship