Ohio History Journal

282 OHIO ARCHEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL SKETCH OF THE SWISS

MENNONITES OF ALLEN AND PUTNAM COUNTIES, OHIO

By DELBERT L. GRATZ

To write a precise history of any certain group of people, one must

know the individual history of each family which goes to make up the

group. This was especially true in the case of the Swiss Mennonites, since

their faith was chiefly a family religion, and in no way a matter of cults

and ceremonies. The church and home were to coincide and marriages were

consecrated to become the "holy cell" of the Holy Community. One of the

most devastating methods of persecution used by the Swiss authorities in

the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries was that of tearing apart Mennon-

ite family relationships and nullifying marriages whenever other methods

failed in destroying Mennonitism. Marriage of any member to someone

outside its own ranks was strictly forbidden and is even now looked upon

with some scorn.

Therefore, in order to write a correct and complete history of the

Swiss Mennonites, the first thing that must be done is to gather together all

the data and information possible concerning the family history and gene-

alogy of the individual families of which they are composed.

Mennonite family histories differ from most others in that they do not

record stories of princes and generals or of picturesque marches over battle-

fields or of ancient coats of arms. They rather present to the world a

record of the attempt to live a life of peace and simplicity as taught in the

Bible.

But before we look into individual family histories, let us give the

general background of the Swiss Mennonites a hurried glance.

In 1520 several of Zwingli's associates broke away from his reforma-

tion group when he allowed the state to enforce church decrees. Besides

opposing a church-state relationship they refused to bear arms, swear oaths

or baptize infants. Some years later they became affiliated with another

group of peaceful Anabaptists led by Menno Simons in Holland. For their

beliefs, many of them suffered martydom, others were sold as galley slaves

into the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, many were thrown into filthy prisons,

but the great majority were banished from their beloved Switzerland.

Those of the Emmenthal region of Canton Berne were never completely

annihilated but during the years 1671 to 1710 some 500 families were exiled.

They found a refuge in the Rhenish Palatinate, Alsace and Holland. From

1710 to 1760 a large number of these Swiss Palatinate Mennonites accepted

William Penn's invitation to settle in Pennsylvania. About the same time

a large group of the Emmenthal Mennonites found a refuge under severe

restrictions in the Jura Mountains located in the northern part of Canton

Berne. The largest group here was the Sonnenberg congregation. Each

OHIO HISTORY CONFERENCE: PROCEEDINGS 283

family was allowed to rent only a few acres of poor, stony upland soil.

They usually carried on a trade besides their farming. Since they weren't

allowed to worship openly, they held their meetings in the various homes of

members. A number of this same group of Emmenthalers were allowed to

settle just across the Swiss-French border in Canton Delle, Territory of

Belfort, Department of Haut Rhine, Southern Alsace, France.

A famine during the years 1816 and 1817 climaxed the severe hard-

ships for them which followed the Napoleonic wars. As a result the ma-

jority of the Sonnenberg congregation in the Jura Mountains and a large

number from southern Alsace migrated to Holmes and Wayne counties,

Ohio, during the years 1818 to 1837. As the Chippewa and Sonnenberg

settlements in Wayne County continued to grow, some looked for cheaper

lands farther west. In 1833, Michael Neuenschwander and his family, who

had come from Alsace, France, ten years before, bought some land in

Putnam County. Lured by Mr. Neuenschwander's good reports, several of

the brethren from Wayne and Holmes counties came to visit him, and be-

ing favorably impressed with the new territory, each purchased a tract of

land before returning. In the fall of 1834, Christian Bucher, Christian

Suter, John Moser and Ursus Amstutz and their families moved here. In

the following spring, the brothers, John and Ulrich Bosiger and their

father, Deacon Christian Bosiger and John Lugenbuhl followed. When

Rev. Christian Steiner and family arrived in the fall of 1835 the church

started to hold services in the various homes. Peter and John F. Steiner

who were sons of Christian Steiner came at the same time with their fam-

ilies. Peter and Christian Neuenschwander and John Schumacher also

came in the fall of 1835. During the following year together with their

respective families arrived: Christian Schumacher, Christian Bosiger (son

of Deacon Christian Bosiger who had arrived two years previous), John

C. Lugenbuhl, John Neuenschwander, Christian Bosiger (from Colum-

biana County, Ohio), John Steiner, John Diller, Christian Amstutz and

Simon Bosiger.

At the close of 1836, the Swiss Mennonite colony consisted of the

above twenty-five families. Nearly all of the Swiss members of the

several Mennonite churches in this vicinity today can rightfully claim direct

descent from one or several of these families.

During the years immediately following, many more friends and

relatives of these earlier settlers came from Alsatian France and the

Swiss Mennonite congregations by way of New York City, Wayne or

Holmes counties, Ohio, or by way of Alexandria, District of Columbia

(now Virginia), Rockingham County, Virginia, Holmes or Columbiana

counties, Ohio, and thence to Putnam and Allen counties, Ohio.

The story of these early settlers' hardships and pleasures in carving

a home of religious freedom from the swamp and primeval forest, is full

of joys and sorrows. Plagues of sickness, high infant mortality, great dif-

284 OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

284 OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

ficulty in traveling to the distant mills and stores, and the difficulties in

draining the swamp lands, were but a few of their pioneer hardships which

they were forced to meet. Only because of their sturdy and rugged nature

together with their great faith and hope was it possible for them to carry on.

Now let us look into the family history and genealogy of the above-

named twenty-five settlers' households.

It is interesting to note that twenty of the twenty-five families named

are descended from the Steiner family, as will be brought out in the various

sketches below.

Michael Neuenschwander, the first settler, was the grandson of one,

Peter Neuenschwander, who was a school and singing teacher in the church

in Langnau, Canton Berne, Switzerland. While engaged in this work he

became convinced that the members of his church were too worldly-minded.

They also practiced infant baptism and believed in wielding the sword.

"Those things," he said, "hinder rather than help one to lead a righteous

life." He therefore severed his connections with the state church and to-

gether with his wife and two children, Peter and John Ulrich, moved to

Friebergen, Alsace, France, in 1732, where they joined the Mennonite

church. Besides the above-named two sons, they were the parents of six

more sons and two daughters. The youngest son, Michael, became the

father of the first settler in this community. When Michael was twenty-

two years old he married Barbara Steiner. She was the daughter of John

and Verena (Habegger) Steiner who lived near Florimont, Canton Delle,

Alsace, France. Michael and Barbara (Steiner) Neuenschwander had a

family of ten children; eight sons and two daughters. The mother and

father together with four children died before the migration to America

started. Four sons and another son's wife and children came to settle in

the Swiss Mennonite settlement between Bluffton and Pandora, Ohio. Now

let us look into the story of Michael, the first settler.

Michael, the second child, was born in 1778 at Florimont, Canton Delle,

Alsace, France. With the exception of three years' time, which he spent

in Switzerland, he lived in this same region before migrating to America.

In 1809 he married Anna Ernst in a small town near-by. Here they lived

for fourteen years, and at this place four children were born to them: John,

Daniel, Barbara and Peter. Barbara died in infancy. Unsettled conditions

in Europe and favorable reports from America induced them to emigrate

to the New World. On May 15, 1823 they left their home for America.

After fifteen days of traveling they arrived in Paris where they remained

overnight. On May 31 they started for Havre-de-Grace, arriving there on

June 5. While waiting on their ship to sail, Michael, their fifth child, was

born on board the Eolus, on June 11. The next day they set sail and after

forty-three days' voyage in a sailing vessel they arrived safely at New Lon-

don, Connecticut. The next day they left, and passed New York, reaching

Amboy, New Jersey, on July 29. Here they stayed for about a week. They

OHIO HISTORY CONFERENCE: PROCEEDINGS 285

then resumed their westward journey, first going to Easton, Pennsylvania

and then to Bethlehem, Reading, Harrisburg, Shippensburg, Bedford, Greens-

burg and Pittsburgh. This route is now U. S. 22 to Harrisburg and 30 on

to Pittsburgh. When they arrived at Pittsburgh their four children were

very sick. Their son Peter died. A week later they started to travel again.

First to Beavertown then to Canton they finally arrived at their destination

on the Little Chippewa Creek in Green Township, Wayne County, Ohio, on

October 4, 1823. Their entire journey had taken them nearly six months.

The following spring they bought seventy-four acres of land which

they built into a good farm. Here they lived for nearly ten years. Upon

hearing reports of good land farther west, Michael and his son, John,

started westward through the forests for the purpose of finding a new

home. They found a suitable location in Putnam County, Ohio, and entered

a half section of land at the land office at Wapakoneta on May 6, 1833.

They returned to Wayne County and made preparations to move to their new

home. They loaded a large covered wagon with implements and other

necessary things. After a journey of eleven days through dense forests,

Neuenschwander, his wife, and sons, John, Daniel and Michael, arrived

safely at their new home. It was very dry when they reached their

destination and, not having any water on their land, they looked around

and found some land near Riley Creek on which there was a good spring

of running water. They entered a forty-acre strip of land on which the

spring was found together with another quarter section, at this time. At

once they began to clear a space on which to erect a log cabin, in the mean

time living in the wagon and under the protecting arms of an oak tree.

After much hard labor they erected a log cabin a month later. This was

the first Swiss Mennonite home in this territory. The sons, Michael and

Daniel, farmed their father's lands the rest of their lives. John, the oldest

son, moved to Iowa in 1849 and later to Missouri.

The rather detailed family history of the Michael Neuenschwander

family has been given here as an example of that of a typical Swiss Men-

nonite family who came to settle here in the earlier years.

John Neuenschwander, the older brother of the first settler, became

the twentieth to settle here. He came two years after his brother. To-

gether with his wife, the former Catherine Furriman, and his three sons,

John, Christian and Isaac, and two daughters, Elizabeth and Catherine,

he made the same long journey that his brother did several years before.

A son, David, stayed in Wayne County. The father died only a year

after arriving here.

Peter Neuenschwander, the second youngest of the first settler's

brothers, became the fourteenth to settle here. He, together with his wife,

whose maiden name was Maria Kammeter, and several small children came

to this community by way of Virginia and Holmes County.

A brother named Daniel married Barbara Schumacher. He died

286 OHIO ARCHEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

several years before the migration of his brothers to America started. How-

ever, his wife, son, Christian, and daughters, Catherine and Della, came

to this settlement with her brother, John Schumacher and his wife. So it

was that these two families became the fifteenth and sixteenth families to

settle here.

The youngest brother of the first settler whose name was Ulrich

came several years later.

Christian Suter, the second settler, came in 1834. He had married

Magdalena Steiner who was the daughter of John and Elizabeth (Leeman)

Steiner, of Florimont, Alsace, France. They, together with their six

children, emigrated from Alsace, France, to this place in 1834.

Christian Bucher, the third settler, was born near Langnau, Canton

Berne, Switzerland, in 1778. Here he married Christina Brechbuhl. They

together with their five children came to America and settled here in 1834.

In 1835 his wife died, hers being the first death in the settlement. As there

was no church or public cemetery, she was buried under an apple tree in

their orchard. He lived to be over 100 years old.

John Moser and his wife, who was the former Elizabeth Muller,

came from Langnau. They brought along their three children, John, Eliza-

beth and Magdalena. A few years after settling here, the parents and two

children moved to Lucas County, Ohio, where there came to be a Men-

nonite settlement. Elizabeth married John D. Bosiger. They lived near

Pandora, Ohio.

The fifth family to settle here was that of Ursus Amstutz, his wife,

whose maiden name was Elizabeth Neuenschwander, and two infant sons.

Christian, a younger brother of Ursus Amstutz, became the twenty-

fourth settler. He married Anna Burkholder.

Deacon Christian Bosiger came to this place from a settlement of

Mennonites in Ontario. He arrived in the United States from Alsace

with his wife and children in 1824. His wife, who was the former Elisa-

beth Steiner, died shortly after. He became the sixth settler here. His

sons, John and Ulrich, were the seventh and eighth and his son Christian

was the eighteenth.

John Lugenbuhl, whose mother's maiden name was Anna Steiner,

was the ninth settler. He married Catherine Stauffer soon after arriving

here.

The tenth settler was Christian Steiner who organized the church here

and became its first bishop. His sons, John F. and Peter, became the

eleventh and twelfth heads of families to settle here.

John Schumacher's wife, whose maiden name was Maria Steiner, was

a sister of Christian Steiner. Their parents were John and Elizabeth

(Leeman) Steiner. Catherine Steiner, the wife of Christian Lugenbuhl and

mother of John C. Lugenbuhl, who was the nineteenth settler, was also

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OHIO HISTORY CONFERENCE: PROCEEDINGS 287

a sister. Another sister was Verena who married Simon Bosiger. They

were the twenty-fifth family.

John Geiger, whose parents were David and Verena (Steiner) Geiger,

was the thirteenth to settle in this community. He married Barbara Welty.

The seventeenth, Christian Schumacher, was a brother to the afore-

mentioned John Schumacher. He married Barbara Lugenbuhl. A sister

Verena, married Christian Bosiger who had come here from Virginia and

Columbiana County, Ohio.

John Steiner, who had been compelled to join Napoleon's army, was

the twenty-second to settle here. He had a family of twenty-one children.

His first wife was Elizabeth Stauffer and his second was Anna Burkholder.

The twenty-third family to settle in this Swiss Mennonite community

was that of John Diller. He had married Elizabeth Zimmerly, the daughter

of Peter and Elizabeth (Steiner) Zimmerly, in Holmes County shortly be-

fore coming to this place.

For the first five years they held their worship services in the various

homes, barns, or even under some large tree, if the weather would permit.

The complete organization of the church took place in 1837, two years

after Rev. Christian Steiner had started to conduct services here. Christian

Bosiger was elected as deacon and Christian Suter was chosen as minister

to assist Christian Steiner who was getting quite old. Since the congre-

gation was rapidly increasing, a church was built of hewn logs on the

farm of Daniel Neuenschwander who came here with his father, the first

settler. Services usually lasted for about two hours and consisted of the

singing of psalms, the reading of the Scriptures and prayers, besides a ser-

mon of an hour or more in length by one of the ministers. The ministers

were chosen by lot from the brethren and received no remuneration for

their services. A strict church discipline was maintained by the elders and

differences arising between members were settled by the ministers, as it

was contrary to their beliefs to go to court. Holding public office was also

forbidden. In general, these settlers were sober, Godfearing, industrious,

frugal and peaceloving people, as their forefathers were before them. They

lived simply and dressed plainly.

The Swiss Mennonite settlement has grown until now there are ap-

proximately 1800 members of the six Mennonite churches in this commun-

ity. Services no longer last two hours, ministers are no longer chosen by

lot, nor are they unpaid for their services. They no longer dress plainly nor

are they forbidden to have part in the civil government. In outward ap-

pearances they are similar to those of other creeds. There is one group,

however, which does adhere to most all of the strict discipline of the early

church. They are the small Reformed Mennonite group.

Their peculiar Swiss dialect which they have kept is now slowly dying

out.

In education, too, they have progressed. Several years after Rev.