The Hunziker family of Switzerland originates from the ...



The Hunziker family of Switzerland originates from the hamlet of Hunziken in the municipality of Geuensee in Sursee district. This is attested to as early as 1361 in the neighboring municipality of Sursee, where Ulrich was a chief magistrate (Schultheissen (1) ) in 1451. In the fourteenth century, the Hunziker family also lived in Etzelwil and Wetzwil, both in the municipality of Schlierbach. Later, they settled beyond the valley of the Suhr in the districts of Aargau (2) and Willisau as early as 1561 and in Lucerne as early as 1589. In the municipality of Aarau (3), Hans, the family patriarch, is mentioned in the early sixteenth century. Hans and his son Niklaus quickly rose in social status to the city's upper class. Niklaus was a member of the Tribunal (1547) and City Council (1566). Niklaus's brothers were successively City Recorders and his son, following his namesake, was the first chief magistrate of the family, in charge from 1600 to 1627. During the seventeenth century, the various branches of the family regularly provided chief magistates, counselors[attorneys], and pastors. Hartman Hunsaker born ca 1695 appears to be the first Hunsaker in America, arriving in Philadelphia PA in 1731 on the ship Pennsylvania Merchant with his wife, Anna and their six children. It is believed Hartman was from Aarau in the Canton of Aargau, Switzerland, and that he fled via the Palatinate, Netherlands and England, before arriving in PA.

Working in various professions, some Hunzikers distinguished themselves, most notably in industry and trade. Their numbers grew rapidly in the eighteenth century. The family played an important role in founding the textile industry of the region. Around 1780, Johann Jakob established a textile trade in Aarau where in 1821 he built the famous textile factory Stadtbach, which building still exists today. His grandson Guido Ulrich left the company in 1873. Branches of the family are present in many municipalities.

Notes:

1. A "Schultheissen" is a chief magistrate of a free imperial city or canton of Switzerland. In Switzerland, the Schultheiss was the head of a municipality (akin to today's office of mayor), a Vogt or an executive official of the ruler. As official (villicus) it was his duty to order his assigned village or county (villicatio) to pay the taxes and perform the services due to the ruler. The name "Schultheiß" originates from this function: "Schuld" (debt) and "heißen" (to order).

2. Aargau is one of the more northerly cantons of Switzerland. It comprises the lower course of the river Aare, which is why the canton is called Aargau (meaning Aare district).

3. Aarau is the capital of the northern Swiss canton of Aargau. The city is also the capital of the district of Aarau. It is German-speaking and predominantly Protestant. Aarau is situated on the Swiss plateau, in the valley of the Aar, on the river's right bank, and at the southern foot of the Jura mountains.

Sources:

1. W. Merz, Wappenbuch der Stadt Aarau, 1917, 131-134

2. Schweiz. Geschlechterbuch 7, 783-791

3. R.G. Oehler, Die H. von Aarau, 1962, (mit Stammtaf.)

4. Dominik Sauerländer,

Translated by Doran Wilde

5.

Hunzkiker Family Lineage: Descendancy chart of family patriarch Hans Hunziker

This story concerning Hartman HUNSAKER and his descendants and in possession of Robert HUNSAKER, a son of Samuel Y. HUNSAKER, and born in this Co. in 1855 (Adams Co. Ill) by Oscar C. HUNSAKER.

The Hunsaker family is well represented in Adams Co. They are of German origin, and probably came from Switzerland. In the year 1730* Hartman HUNSAKER came to America with his wife and one son, John, who was born in the old fatherland May 22, 1728. They settled down in Pennsylvania where the following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hartman Hunsaker:

Verena, wife of John RALPH

Elizabeth, wife of Jacob GATH or GUTH

Orschel (Ursula) married twice, first husband LANDIS, 2nd KOPF

Marie, wife of Casper ROLAND

Anna, wife of Louis MOHLER

half sisters were:

Catherine, wife of John BIRG

Eva, wife of John WELDY

Elizabeth, wife of Abraham BIRG

Hartman Hunsaker was married twice.

John HUNSAKER, who came to this country with his father in 1730* was maried to Miss Magdalena BIRG May 15 1750. She was the eldest daughte of Nikolaus BIRG and was born Jan 3 1732. The children of John and Magdalena Birg Hunsaker were: Abraham, John, Barbara, Nikolaus, Hartman, Jacob, Joseph, George, Catharien, Magdalena, Andrew and Samuel.

On July 27, 1788 occured the death of Barbara BIRG, nee MILLER, the mother of Magdalena HUNSAKER, nee BIRG, in the 81st year of her life, leaving 120 children, grandchildren and great grand children. The data given in this story concerning Hartman HUNSAKER and his descendants were gleaned from the old Bible, printed in Philadelphia in 1818 and in possession of Robert HUNSAKER, a son of Samuel Y. Hunsaker, and born in this Co. (Adams, Ill) in 1855.

While John HUNSAKER, the second son of the before mentioned John and Magdalena BIRG HUNSAKER, with his wife and child were traveling overland from Pennsylvania to Ill. they were killed by Indians. This occurred April 18 1792, while they were on their way to Union Co. Ill. The wife was Elizabeth, a daughter of Andrew HUBER.

Samuel HUNSAKER, the youngest son of John and Magdalena BIRG HUNSAKER, was born in Pennsylvania Nov 22, 1777 and was married to Hannah RHOADES who was born Jan 4, 1786. Their children were: John, Rachel, Andrew, Hiram, Margaret, Daniel, Susannah, Elizabeth, Katherine, Samuel Y. and Joseph, Samuel Y HUNSAKER being the father of the above mentioned Robert HUNSAKER.

John HUNSAKER, born in Pennsylvania Dec 17 1794 moved to Kentuckey where a son was born to him Oct. 16 1824, who was named Alexander. In the fall of 1829 the family came to Adams Co. (Ill.) where they settled in Liberty Township. Here Alexander grew up and in 1845 married Marly L. FREEMAN, a native of New York. At the age of sixteen Alexander HUNSAKER began learning the blacksmith’s trade at Liberty and worked at it until 1864, when owing to impaired health he abandoned this trade and engaged in general merccantile and milling business, conducting what was known as Havanna Mills in Melrose Township. While the subject of this sketch have departed this life, a number of descendants are still among the living.

Daniel Wilson HUNSAKER, born Sep 25 1820 in Union Co. Ill, at an early age with his parents moved to Jefferson Co. Missouri in 1830. In 1834 the family came to Adams Co. Ill where they located in the Fall Creek Township. July 3, 1850 he married Frances SHUART, a native of South Bend, Indiana. Mar 27 1904 Mr. Hunsaker died and April 18 1906, his wife followed him in death. Geo. HUNSAKER, the only son of Daniel Wilson and Frances SHUART HUNSAKER was born in Fall Creek Township Jan. 15, 1854 and for 16 years was a telegraph operator on the railroad between Quincy and Louisiana MO, serving at every station of the R. R. known as the Louisiana branch of the C. B. and Q. Road. He also worked in the same capacity on the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad in Colorado. In later years he was the town collector of Melrose.

*other sources have indicated that John (Hannes) Hunsaker son of Hartman, was 17 years old when he came to this country, so with his 1728 birthdate, that would be 1745. In my records I have found both dates, 1730 and 1745 referred to, so it's hard to know.

I have transcribed this as exactly as I could, leaving intact all spellings, etc. This document did not bear a date, but was obviously old.

Pat Alexander

[pic]Copyright ©2004-2008 DKWilde Engineering. All rights reserved.

Hartmann Hunsaker, our immigrant ancestor, arrived in Philadelphia, 10 September 1731, aboard the ship Pennsylvania Merchant; John Stedman was master of the vessel. The ship's record stated that it had sailed from Rotterdam, Holland; its passengers were German-speaking emigrants from the countries of Switzerland and Germany. The next day these immigrants were permitted to land, after having first signed a pledge of allegiance to Pennsylvania. A list of the ship’s passengers showed the following members of the Hunsaker family.2 Hartmann Hunsaker (spelled Hartman Huntseker); over 16 years of age-- Anna, Eliz. (Elizabeth), and Frena (called Verene in other records ); under 16 years-- Ursse (spelled Ursula, Orcel, and Orsula in other records), Meyer (called Mary in other records ), Anna, and Hannes (later referred to as Johannes or John). The first Anna is assumed to be Hartmann's wife, as there is a child Anna.

Some evidence was found by Aleen Hunsaker Hansen from historical research in Washington, D. C., to indicate that Hartmann Hunsaker was born in Weisbaden, East Laben, Germany and that his wife Anna's maiden name was Stirtz.

Hartmann must have been about 40 years old at the time of his arrival in America, since he was the parent of two daughters over 16 years of age; this would place the year of his birth about 1690.

In his record book Abraham Hunsaker lists Barbara Miller as Hartmann's wife; however, the record of Hartmann's landing in Philadelphia would indicate that his wife's name was Anna. An explanation of this inconsistency is found in an old Swiss Bible owned by Robert Hunsaker, who was a son of Samuel Y. Hunsaker, who was a son of Samuel, the youngest son of John Hunsaker, who came from Switzerland with his father Hartmann. This old Swiss Bible names Barbara Miller as the mother of John's wife, Magdalena Birg [Bieri], which would mean that Barbara was John's mother-in-law instead of his mother. This Bible names the daughters of Hartmann and their husbands, exactly as does Abraham's record; the second marriage of Hartmann is also mentioned in this Bible as are the names of the three daughters-- Catherine, Eva, and Elizabeth-- with their husbands.

Hartmann Hunsaker and his family first located at Germantown, Pennsylvania, a short distance from Philadelphia. But Germantown was not their ultimate destination; they pushed on through Pennsylvania forests until they reached an area in Lancaster County. There they found fertile farm lands and many neighbors who spoke their language and worshiped at the same church.

That Hartmann and his family came to America to find religious freedom seems certain since they were members of the Dunkard Society and they lived in Europe at a time when persecutions were heaped upon those men and women who forsook the established Church. That they were religious outcasts is also indicated by the fact that they settled in Pennsylvania, where William Penn had offered homes to religious dissenters who wanted to enjoy liberty in matters of religion.4

We have no record of Hartmann's death date. From the family records of some of John's sons, we learn that the Hunsaker family left Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and began to travel westward about 1789. Some descendants of Hartmann have speculated that inasmuch as families often scatter and drift apart after the death of the head of the family that Hartmann’s death may have occurred some time in the 1780s. His remains probably lie in some Dunkard burial ground, most likely in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Sources:

In "History of Abraham Hunsaker and His Family", second edition, Gwen Hunsaker Haws and Kenneth B. Hunsaker, editors.

Hartman was b 27 Jan 1690 in the small village of Katzbach, loctaed in the Emmen River Valley, in the Langnau District, Canton of Bern Switzerland, a strong hold of the Mennonites at that time. He was married to Anna Stirtz? (still not proven) in abt 1712. Both seem to have been from Mennonite families. It is documented in 1728 on a list of those Mennonites in the Island Castle dungeon at Bern, were Jacob, Rudolph and Hartman HONACRE. Hartman gave his home as Katzbach. It is reported that the Swiss government, which was the Rominish Church, confiscated all Mennonite land and jailed and deported all suspected Mennonites.

We believe this to be our Hartman, as his only son Hannes "John" was born 22 May 1728 in what is now Weisbaden, Germany after the date of his release and deportation.

The only other record of Hartman that we have found in Europe to date, is documented in the Amsterdam Archives (No.2274) on a list dated 23 June 1731. His name appears on a Palatine list of prospective Pennsylvania emigrants who require help from the Mennonite Relief Committee.

Of course as most of us know the next record is his listing on the original ships lists in the Pennsylvania Archives of the arrival of the ship "Pennsylvania Merchant" on 10 Sept 1731 commanded by John Stedman, from Rotterdam, but last from Dover.

There have been European researchers hired over the years, but nothing has really been found other than the Family Crest and possible origin of the HUNSAKER name.

by William Scott Hunsaker ( whunsaker @ )

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download