Wenger and Beck Families of Ottawa County, Ohio Home Page:Information about Peter Wenger
Peter Wenger (b. April 03, 1698)
Notes for Peter Wenger:FROM:
Fredric Z. Saunders
5186 S. Cobble Creek Rd. #6K
Salt Lake City, UT 84117-6723
801-273-1476
fzsaund@ix.netcom.com
2 September 2000
TO:
Margaret W. Gayle
3018 Meadow Circle
San Antonio TX 78231
mhgayle@satx.rr.com
GAYLE REPORT 1
Client requested 10 hours research (13 hours used) to be done on the family of Joseph WENGER of Blumenstein, Canton Bern, Switzerland.He was married to Anna ERISMANN, believed to have been born 20 June 1784 at Blumpliz.Known children included:
Maria born 10 Mar. 1805
Joseph born 5 July 1807
Peter born 10 Nov. 1809
Samuel born 4 Oct. 1818
The son Peter WENGER married Elisabetha WIDMER about 1836 and had one known son Ulssee/Ulysses born 25 Feb. 1848.
The son Samuel WENGER was married to Nanetta BECK in 1847, and immediately left for America.
Client desired to learn:
1. Parents of Joseph WENGER, and if he had additional children.
2. Parents and origin of Anna ERISMANN.
3. Identity of Nanetta BECK.
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
Joseph WENGER was the son of a Christian WENGER, and grandson of Peter WENGER.Anna ERISMANN was from Bümpliz, daughter of a Christian ERISMANN.Bümpliz records have not been examined to further establish her identity. Samuel WENGER’s wife Maria Anna Josepha BECK was the daughter of Franciscus BECK and wife Barbara RÄBER of Sursee, Canton Luzern.
JULIUS BILLETER RESEARCH
Between 1896 and 1950 Julius Billeter did research on many Swiss surnames in numerous localities.Much of this research was done for LDS clients living in the United States.It is likely his research that was used by a “relative” for whom he did the research on WENGER of Blumenstein that appears on the International Genealogical Index (IGI).The accuracy of his research varies. There are limitations on using his research, in that in some families he made numerous errors in placing correct family groups of where a person appears as parent, together with the correct family group where they appear as a child.For a more detailed discussion of the accuracy of his work see the following two sites:
http://www.eye.ch/swissgen/billet-e.htm
http://feefhs.org/ch/tsc/billeter.html
Errors in placing individual family groups together aside, his notes do provide an easy index to the original church records for those localities and surnames he researched.
Family History Library (FHL) microfilm 193487 contains his notes on the WENGER family at Blumenstein.The first 17 pages of those notes were copied. (Document 1)
On page11, Joseph WENGER is listed as bap. 10 Feb. 1781, son of Christian WENGER.
Page 9a, Joseph is listed with his parents, Christian WENGER bap. 15 Oct. 1758 and Elsbeth SIEGENTHALER
Page 7, Christian is listed as the son of Christian WENGER bap. 30 Mar. 1725 and Anna WINKLER.
Pages 5,6 Christian is listed as the son of Christian WENGER of Guggisberg and Magdalena WENGER bap. 29 Aug. 1697 of Blumenstein.
Page 4, Magdalena is listed as the daughter ofHans WENGER bap. 5 Feb. 1660 and Stini SCHÜTZ
Page 2 Hans is listed as the son of Hans WENGER born about 1632 and Barbara ZUTER.
Page 2 Hans is listed as the son of Hans born about 1606 and Elsbeth ZEHRY.
Page 1 Hans is listed as the son Hans born about 1568 and Elsbeth GRAF.
Page 1, Hans is listed as the son of LIENHARD born about 1540.
Note that although Billeter listed client’s Joseph on pages 9a and 11 (as indicated by the check mark, indicating the person appears as a child/parent elsewhere in his notes) as baptized on 10 Feb. 1781, son of Christian WENGER and Elsbeth SIEGENTHALER, that on page 8 he also he listed a Louis Joseph baptized the same day 10 Feb. 1781 in Lothringen, son of a Christopher WENGER and ElsbethCHRIES.No further information was given by Billeter on Louis Joseph WENGER.
As detailed in the above two referenced articles, caution should be used in accepting any of the above as fact, especially as in regard to the earlier generations where their baptisms are apparently not found in the parish register.In cases as this, Billeter has been known to have taken many “liberties” in “assigning” them parents.Attention also needs to be given to the listing and possible errors by Billeter of the Joseph and Louis Joseph baptized on the same day to different parents.
On page 16, Billeter identified Samuel WENGER, son of Joseph WENGER, as having married in 1849 to Marianna Josepha BECK of Sursee, baptized 20 Dec. 1820.
BLUMENSTEIN CHURCH RECORDS
Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche Blumenstein, Canton Bern, Switzerland baptismal register 1800-1824, FHL microfilm 2041473.
page 49
10 Mar. 1805 baptized Maria
parentsJoseph WENGER
Anna ERISMANN of Bümpliz
sponsors: Hans ERISMANN of Bümpliz
Maria WENGER the child’s aunt
Magdalena MEYER, born WINKLER
page 71
baptized the same day (5 July 1807) Joseph
parents: Joseph WENGER
Anna ERISMAN of Bümpliz
sponsors: Antoni HEGER
Joseph MEYER the tailor
Elisabeth WINKLER the chorrichter’s daughter [Note a Chorrichter was a
member of a special court concerning family and morals, the name coming
from the usage to hold these courts in the church choir.]
page 95
born 10 Nov. 1809, bap. 19 9ber (Nov.) 1809 Peter
parents: Joseph WENGER
Anna ERISMAN of Bümpliz
sponsors: Joseph RUFENER Chorrichter
Daniel BÄHLER the son
Elisabeth WENGER, the child’s aunt
page 125 born 27 Nov. 1812, bap. 6 Dec. 1812 Anna
(note this date is incorrectly given in Billeter’s notes as 10 Aug)
parents: Joseph WENGER
Anna ERISMAN of Bümpliz
sponsors: Jakob WENGER the Chorrichter’s son
Maria KISLIG the Chorrichter’s wife
Anna WENGER, the father’s sister
page 147
born 31 July 1815, baptized 6 Aug. 1815 Christian
parents: Joseph WENGER
Anna ERISMAN of Bümpliz
sponsors: Johannes ZIMMERMAN (of) im Boden
Christian RUFENER, “Rüdeler”
Christina SALZMAN from Bümpliz
page 168
baptized 4 Oct. 1818 Samuel
parents: Joseph WENGER
Anna ERISMAN
sponsors: Samuel STUBI
Jakob HEGER
Magdalena RUFENER Mülib: im Rudeli:
page 192
born 21 Apr. 1821, baptized 29 Apr. 1821 Susanna
parents: Joseph WENGER, the deceased Christian’s son of Blumenstein in Hinter
Aeschli
Anna ERISMANN, the deceased Christian’s daughter of Bümpliz
married 13 Dec. 1804
sponsors: Susanna RUFENER of the Bühl [Bühl]
Susanna HEDINGER, born KISLIG the tavern keeper’s wife
Christian WINKLER, the grocer’s/shopkeeper’s son
1825-1848 baptismal register
p. 3
born 7 July 1825, baptized 17 July 1825 David
parents: Joseph WENGER, the deceased Christian’s son of Blumenstein in Hinter
Eschli
Anne ERISMANN, Christian’s daughter of Bümpliz
sponsors: Daniel ROTHLISBERGER FROM LANGNAU
David WINKLER of Blumenstein
Elisabeth RUFENER, the deceased Christian’s daughter of Blumenstein im
Bühl [Büel]
p. 22
born 5 June 1828, baptized 22 June 1828 Catharina
parents: Joseph WENGER, the deceased Christian’s son of Blumenstein in Hinter Eschli
Anne ERISMANN, the deceased Christian’s daughter of Bümpliz
sponsors: Joseph RUFENER of Blumenstein
Susanna HEGER of Blumenstein
Catharina, born ROTHLISBERGER of Thun, the pastor’s wife
Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche Blumenstein, Canton Bern, Switzerland marriage register 1757-1823, FHL microfilm 2041474.
p. 48
13 December 1804 at Bümpliz were married Joseph WENGER from here and Anna ERISMAN of Bümpliz
Marriage register 1824-1875
p. 73
Samuel WENGER, Joseph’s (son) of here baptized 4 Oct 1818; announcement 4, 11, 18 Mar. 1849 (marriage date not listed) with Maria Anna Josepha BECK, of Sursee, Canton Luzern, baptized 20 Dec. 1820.
FHL 953406 Katholische Kirche Sursee, Kanton Luzern, Switzerland, baptismal register 1814-1833 (book starts with page 439)
p. 512
baptized 20 Dec. 1820 Maria Anna Josepha, daughter of Franciscus BECK and wife Barbara RÄBER
As the Blumenstein register stated that Joseph WENGER and Anna ERISMANN were married at Bümpliz, that register was examined to see if it contained additional information regarding the marriage.
Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche Bümpliz, Canton Bern, Switzerland, 1783-1831 marriage register, p. 123
13 Dec. 1804 Joseph WENGER of Blumenstein and Anna ERISMANN of Bümpliz
(not photocopied)
ANALYSIS OF RECORDS TO THIS POINT
Billeter’s research identified client’s Joseph WENGER as baptized 10 Feb. 1781, son of Christian WENGER.He did not list a death date for this Christian, but it was apparently before 20 March 1792 when his widow married Hans KISLIG.His records also showed a Joseph WENGER, baptized 27 Feb. 1785, son of a Christian WENGER.This Christian WENGER he listed as died 26 Mar. 1840.A third Joseph, son of a Christian, was baptized 12 May 1790, and too young to be client’s ancestor. The death records for the first two men named Joseph WENGER, both sons of a Christian, were examined.
Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche Blumenstein, Canton Bern, Switzerland death register 1821-1872, FHL microfilm 2041475.
p. 33
Joseph WENGER, Joseph’s (son) of Blumenstein in Hinter Eschli, single, died 6 April 1834, buried 9 April 1834, age 26 years, 9 months. (not photocopied)
p. 43
Joseph WENGER of Blumenstein, married man in Hinter Eschli, died 10 December 1839, buried 13 Dec. 1839, age 59 years, 2 months
p. 47
Joseph WENGER of Blumenstein in Ebbennis? died 26 June 1841, buried the 29th, age 56.
(not photocopied)
p. 126
Christian WENGER from here, in Hinter Eschli, born 31 July 1815, died 19 Dec. 1871, (burial date blank),age 56 years, 4 months (not photocopied)
1. The baptismal records of his last three children list Joseph as residing at Hinter Eschli.
2. Thedeaths (as confirmed by their ages at death) of his children Joseph (in 1839) and Christian (in 1871) gave their residence as Hinter Eschli.
3. The conclusion is that the Joseph WENGER who died in 1839 residing at Hinter Eschli is client’s ancestor.
Joseph’s age at death would place his birth as about October 1780.Billeter listed the Joseph that died in 1839 as having been baptized 10 Feb. 1781, son of Christian WENGER and Elsbeth SIEGENTHALER. Each entry in the Blumenstein parish register was searched beginning in 1775 through 1787, the date that an additional child of that couple was baptized.The baptism for a son Joseph born to that couple as given by Billeter was not found.The register also contained an index.Every entry for a Joseph WENGER was examined in case the entry was recorded out of sequence years later.Again, no record of a Joseph WENGER baptized on that date to that couple was found.
Records of the two additional children baptized for Christian WENGER and Elsbeth SIEGENTHALER:
Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche Blumenstein, Canton Bern, Switzerland baptismal register 1757-1800, FHL microfilm 2041473.
p. 132
baptized 4 Apr. 1787 Christen
parents:Christen WENGERin the “Hoffstatd”
Elsbeth SIGENTHALER from Tschangnau [note present day spelling is
Schangnau]
sponsors: Ulrich SIGENTHALER
Ulrich BLASER of Tschangnau
Elsbeth KRÜSEN the innkeeper PULTERs wife
p.151
baptized 21 May 1789 Elsbeth
parents: Christen WENGER in the Hofstatd
Elsbeth SIEGENTHALER from Tschangnau
sponsors: Hans WENGER the father’s brother
Magdelena SIEGENTHALER the mother’s sister
Elsbeth ZAUGG, Peter SIEGENTHALER’s wife
After the death of Christen WENGER, his widow married Hans KISLIG
Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche Blumenstein, Canton Bern, Switzerland marriage register 1757-1823, FHL microfilm 2041474.
p. 8
marriage license from ------GRAF at Bolligen the 30 June 1780 at that place married Christen WENGER in the Hofstatt
Elsbeth SIGENTHALER from Tschaugnau
p. 24
20 March 1792 at Gurzelen were married
Hans KISLIG
Elsbeth WENGER, born SIEGENTHALER, widow from here
Hans KISLIG and Elsbeth SIEGENTHALER had children:
Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche Blumenstein, Canton Bern, Switzerland baptismal register 1757-1800, FHL microfilm 2041473.
p. 181
baptized 29 Apr. 1792 Elsbeth
parents: Hans KISLIG
Elsbeth SIGENTHALER
sponsors: Christen HEGER from Wäsemli
Maria KISLIG born Bähler
Elsbeth SIGENTHALER born ZAUGG
p. 216
baptized 22 March 1795 Magdalena
parents: Hans KISLIG
Elsbeth SIGENTHALER
sponsors: Isaak SIGENTHALER from Tschangnau
Magdalena DUBACH
Maria BULFER born KRÜSEN from Riggisberg
p. 250
baptized 5 Feb. 1797 Susanna
parents: Hans KISLIG
Elsbeth SIEGENTHALER
sponsors: Johannes RUFENER im Bühl
Catharina DÜRIG born RUFENER
Susanna WENGER born RUFENER
p. 283
baptized 3 Feb. 1799 Susanna Catharina
parents: Johannes KISLIG
Elsbeth SIEGENTHALER
sponsors: Johannes RUFENER im Bühl [Büel]
Catharina DURIG
Susanna WENGER sisters [brackets stating Catharina and Susanna are]
As the baptism listed by Billeter is not found in the Blumenstein baptismal register, additional evidence was sought that client’s ancestor Joseph WENGER was correctly identified by Billeter as the son of Christian WENGER and Elsbeth SIEGENTHALER.Another suspicious fact was that client’s ancestor Joseph was known to have had a sister Elizabeth WENGER living in 1809. If correctly identified by Billeter, that would mean his mother also named a daughter Elizabeth in 1792 by her second husband Hans KISLIG.While not unheard of to give two surviving children by different husbands the same name, it was not common.Each entry of the parish register has at present been searched through 1803 to locate times when a Joseph WENGER was a sponsor.
Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche Blumenstein, Canton Bern, Switzerland baptismal register 1800-1824, FHL microfilm 2041473.
p. 10
16 Oct. 1801 baptized Josef
parent:Anna WINKLERWENGER the foreigner Christen’s daughter
sponsors: Hans WINKLER the schoolmaker
Josef WENGER the mother’s brother
Maria WENGER the mother’s sister
Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche Blumenstein, Canton Bern, Switzerland death register 1753-1820, FHL microfilm 2041474
p. 97
25 Dec. 1808 was buried the foreign Christen WENGER age 74 years.
Billeter lists this man on page 8a of his notes.
The baptisms of 6 children of this Christian WENGER by wife Barbara GRIESEN occurred at de Sorneville, Metz, and were all recorded at Blumenstein in 1777.
Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche Blumenstein, Canton Bern, Switzerland baptismal register 1757-1800, FHL microfilm 2041473.
p. 69
parents:Christian WENGER, Peter’s son at Moucel baptized 2 Sep 1734
Barbara GRIESEN from Frutigen
children: Elisabeth baptized 13 Xber (Dec.) 1764
Pierre Christophe baptized 19 April 1766
Marguerite baptized 10 9ber (Nov.) 1767
Francois baptized 10 8ber (Oct.) 1770
Anne Marguerite baptized 1 July 1775
Marie Magdelaine baptized 21 May 1777
(note sponsors are listed, but omitted for this summary)
p. 111
at Sorneville parish Metz baptized 10 February 1781 Louis Joseph
parents: Christophe WENGER
Elisabeth CHRIES
sponsors: Joseph GRANDIDIER
Francoise DUPLEISE
Baptisms of children of client’s Joseph WENGER shows the names of three sisters, Maria, Elizabeth, and Anna. The 1801 baptism of a child of Anna WENGER shows Joseph WENGER as the brother to Anna WENGER and Maria WENGER, the three being children of the “foreigner” Christian WENGER.
The conclusion is that the Christophe WENGER of Sorneville, father of Louis Joseph baptized in 1781 is identical to Christian WENGER of Sorneville, father of six children from 1764 to 1777, including daughters named Elizabeth, Anna, and Maria.Between 1777 and ca. 1780 Christian apparently secondly married Elisabeth CHRIES.
The conclusion is also that this Christian WENGER is the Christian, father of client’s ancestor Joseph WENGER based on the following:
1. Client’s ancestor Joseph WENGER was born about October 1780, calculated from his burial record.The Blumenstein records show Joseph was the son of a Christian WENGER, and that he had sisters named Elizabeth, Anna, and Maria.
2. The baptismal date of 10 February 1781 for Louis Joseph closely matches the about October 1780 calculated birth date of client’s Joseph WENGER from his burial record.
3. The 1801 baptism for a child of Anna WENGER shows that the “foreign” Christian WENGER had a son Joseph, believed to be the same as Louis Joseph of the 1781 baptism.The 1801 record also shows Joseph had sisters named Anna and Maria.
4. No other Christian with a son Joseph of the approximate right age with sisters, Elizabeth, Anna and Maria is found in the Blumenstein parish records.
ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS ENCLOSED
The 1798 Bürgerverzeichnisse of Canton Bern was to list all men between the ages of 20 and 70.Joseph’s father Christian was born in 1734, but does not appear in this listing.At this time he was probably still living at Sorneville (present day France) before he returned to his home community of citizenship of Blumenstein by the time of the 1801 record.This would also account for him being “nicknamed” the"foreign" Christian WENGER, to distinguish him in records from numerous other men named Christian WENGER in the Blumenstein records.
Pages from an 1838 Canton Bern gazetteer show all the place names and smaller locations that belong to the home community of Blumenstein.
A map of scale 1:50,000 (one inch equals about .79 miles) is enclosed with locations mentioned in the records highlighted.
FUTURE RESEARCH
Billeter lists a Peter WENGER baptized 3 April 1698 and 3 September 1693.Parish records should be examined to establish whether he correctly identified the former as the father of client’s Christian WENGER.
Bümpliz records are available on microfilm, and could be searched for information on the identity and ancestry of Anna ERISMANN’s father Christian.
Sursee, Canton Luzern records are also available on microfilm, and can be searched for additional information regarding the BECK family.
Children of Peter Wenger and Maria Jaggi are:
- Peter Wenger, b. January 24, 1725/26, d. May 04, 1779.
- Hans Wenger, b. March 03, 1726/27, Blumenstein, Kanton Bern, Switzerland.
- Jakob Wenger, b. January 01, 1728/29, Blumenstein, Kanton Bern, Switzerland.
- Maria Wenger, b. February 18, 1729/30, Blumenstein, Kanton Bern, Switzerland.
- Magdalena Wenger, b. October 28, 1731, Blumenstein, Kanton Bern, Switzerland, d. March 25, 1760.
- +Christian (Christophe) Wenger, b. September 02, 1734, Moucel, Lothringen, France, d. Abt. December 25, 180866.
- Elsbeth Wenger, b. September 02, 1734, Blumenstein, Kanton Bern, Switzerland.
- Barbara Wenger, b. December 30, 1736.
- Maria Wenger, b. April 04, 1738.
- Joseph Wenger, b. February 09, 1740/41.