Jacob Hoeppner (or Jakob Höppner) (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 Empress Catherine II the Great to settle on territory recently won from the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire.
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.
[1]: 251 The following year, the 228 of the poorest families from the Mennonite community of Danzig made the long harrowing trip from Prussia to the promised tract of land in Russia under the leadership of Hoeppner and Bartsch.
The difficulty of pioneering on the steppe was compounded the disappearance of personal property and government building materials en route to the settlement.