Amsler in Mulhouse until 1798

Introduction

The city of Mulhouse looks back on an eventful history. It was first mentioned in 803. The construction of a mill gave the village its name. A mill wheel therefore also adorns the city coat of arms. Due to its status as a Free Imperial City in the Holy Roman Empire and an alliance with the Swiss cantons and the French Kingdom, Mulhouse remained almost independent. The city officially introduced the Reformation in 1529, following the Zwinglian model.

Council room Mulhouse City Hall Swiss Cantons Ratssaal Mülhausen Ratshaus Schweizer Kantone
painting in Mulhouse city hall

A few years earlier in 1515, Mulhouse had become a close ally of Switzerland, or rather the 13 cantons that formed the confederacy. Their flags adorn the great council room in the splendid city hall to this day.

On account of its close connection to Switzerland, Mulhouse remained Protestant, the only city in the increasingly Lutheran Alsace. After revolutionary unrest and under pressure, Mulhouse asked for integration into the French Republic, which took place in January 1798.

 

Immigration

During the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) Alsace was devastated. Half of the population died as a result of the war, and some areas were depopulated. In the process of the new settlement numerous Swiss also participated. In this post we examine how two Swiss emigrated from Canton Aargau and thrived in their new home.

In the State Archives of Aarau we find the Effingen and Boezen court records for the period from 1668 to 1797, a collection of about 15 volumes documenting sales contracts, loans, auctions, appeals etc. (source: documents #1350-1362 Gericht Effingen I – XV 1668-1785, and #1363-1364 Gericht Boezen and Effingen 1785-1797). In the first volume, I happened to come across a property sale in Effingen, dated 1673. The extensive property list comprises 2 pages, only the first paragraph is shown here.

Sales Contract - Kaufvertrag in Effingen 1673
Sales Contract from 1673

Vertig(ung): Uli Amsler dismal zu Muehlhaussen sich ufhaltend, verkaufft Heinrich Spengler dem Maurer zu Effingen. Ein Haus und Baumgarten darhinder ein halb vierling gross, stosst fürhin an die Landstras hindern an Jogli Amssler, zwüschend Daniel Nägeli und Heinrich Bracken garten…

The above is a Sales Contract between Uli Amsler and Heinrich Spengler. Amsler sells his house and land in Effingen.

Ulrich Amsler from Boezen

Marriage Record - Heirat Uli Amsler & Anni Trinckler 1642
KI02, 1604-1685, Page 227 (*1)

The origin of Ulrich Amsler is well documented. He was baptized 1643 in Boezen. His parents, Uli Amsler and Klyn Anni Trinckler marry (Image to the left) on October 3rd, 1642.

 

Baptism records Taufen 1643
KI02 1604-1685, Page 101 (*1)

At the bottom of page 101 of the 2nd baptism registry for 1643, we find the baptism of Ulrich Amsler, on February 12th, 1643, his parents were Uli Amsler and Anni Trinckler, witnesses were Uli Mueller and Catri Zimmerman. Uli Amsler and Anni Trinckler baptized 8 children from 1640 to 1655. Ulrich Amsler, who emigrated to Mulhouse, is the eldest son.

On November 13th, 1668 the father Uli Amsler died in Effingen of the plague, together with about 40 other villagers from the parish Elfingen, Boezen and Effingen.

Five years after the death of his father, Ulrich Amsler, who has now settled in Mulhouse, decided to sell the family home in Effingen. What happened to his other siblings remains unclear, however the plague claimed many victims in 1668. Also the origin of his father Uli Amsler cannot be clarified, his birth is not recorded in the baptism records of Boezen.

The Amsler in Mulhouse

On the occasion of the GHGRB annual event in Mulhouse on September 1, 2019, we were warmly received by members of the Cercle Généalogique de Mulhouse for a reception and guided tour. Among their publications are three volumes with the transcribed baptism entries of Mulhouse from 1578 to 1798. These are the work of the Swiss genealogist Sébastien Langlois-Berthelot. The transcription of the marriage entries is also complete and will soon be published.

After a short browse in search of “Amsler” I found what I was looking for in the index. The numbers behind the names lead us to the baptismal entries, Ulrich Amsler is listed several times as a father.

Birth record of Hans Jacob Amsler Mulhouse 1667
Hans Jacob Amsler, born in 1674

This is the first of 3 baptism entries for the couple Ulrich Amsler and Barbara Kingler.

Thanks to this transcription, it is now much easier to explore the families of Mulhouse.

Of interest are the diverging indications of Ulrich Amsler’s origin. Together with Barbara Kingler he had three children baptized. At first his origin is „von Effingen bei Bruckh. Bernergeb.“ then „von Boetzen bey Bruckh“ and finally „von Bruck, ein Hindersaess“.

The explanation for the different origins of Ulrich Amsler from the Bernese Aargau for these 3 baptisms is simply geographical. Ulrich Amsler had been recorded in the parish records of Boezen. However, his parents home and the property which he sold in 1673, was in Effingen, the neighbouring village of Boezen. These two villages, together with Elfingen, belong to the same parish.  And all three villages, Boezen, Effingen and Elfingen belong to the district of Brugg (Bruckh).

After his first wife Barbara Kingler had passed away, Ulrich married Margreth Grossclaus, and together with his second wife baptized four more children.

 

Upon request, I received from Mr Sébastien Langlois-Berthelot a detailed list of the Amslers in Mulhouse (until 1798), which is reproduced here. Besides Ulrich Amsler from Boezen, there is another Amsler immigrant from Densbueren, Canton Aargau, also documented.

Descendants list Ulrich Amsler from Boezen

1. Amsler, Ulrich, * 12.2.1643 Boezen, + 16.1.1721 Mulhouse

oo I. 18.06.1666 Mulhouse Kingler, Barbara, * Berngebiet, + 1675

oo II. 3.7.1676 Mulhouse Grossclaus, Margreth, * 6.2.1653 Burgdorf

 

7 children of No. 1

2. Amsler, Hans-Jacob, * 20.3.1667 Mulhouse

3. Amsler, Catharina, * 13.2.1670 Mulhouse, + 15.5.1704

oo 21.11.1698 Johannes, Weiss, * Suberg Bern

4. Amsler, Elisabeth, * 18.1.1674 Mulhouse

oo 14.05.1708 Jacob, Fiechter, * Mulhouse

5. Amsler, Josua, * 17.2.1678 Mulhouse, + 9.5.1756

oo I. 11.1700 Kappeler, Anna, * 12.4.1679, + 1.7.1712

oo II. 12.12.1712 Rubli, Margreth, * 11.1.1685, + 18.10.1761

6. Amsler, Philipp, * 15.10.1682 Mulhouse, + 24.6.1743

oo 1.12.1704 Maria, Peter

7. Amsler, Anna, * 02.08.1685 Mulhouse, + 18.03.1689

8. Amsler, Heinrich, carpenter, * 29.4.1688 Mulhouse, + 19.11.1756

oo 25.11.1715 Rubli, Catharina, * 14.4.1689, + 22.4.1758

 

4 children of No. 5

9. Amsler, Elisabeth, * 25.9.1701 Mulhouse, + 28.12.1701

10. Amsler, Hans-Ulrich, * 4.6.1705 Mulhouse, + 27.1.1707

11. Amsler, Hans-Ulrich, * 12.7.1708 Mulhouse, + 21.5.1786

oo I. 13.2.1730 Salome, Wild

oo II. Scheidecker, Anna Magdalena, * 24.10.1723, + 3.5.1795

12. Amsler, Margreth, * 10.6.1714 Mulhouse, + 8.5.1794 Mulhouse

oo 08.05.1794 Peter, Steinbach, * Illzach

 

3 children of No. 8

13. Amsler, Anna-Magdalena, * 14.01.1717 Mulhouse, + 11.10.1723

14. Amsler, Anna-Catharina, * 25.12.1724 Mulhouse, + 9.12.1742

15. Amsler, Heinrich, * 24.08.1727 Mulhouse, + 27.3.1795

2 children of No. 11

16. Amsler, Hans Ulrich, * 27.5.1753, + 13.10.1761

17. Amsler, Hans Jacob, Indienne Printer, * 1.5.1757, + 18.4.1800

oo 19.7.1775 Junghaen, Rosina, * 20.11.1755, + 16.11.1817

 

9 children of No. 17

18. Amsler, Hans Ulrich, Model Engraver, * 14.4.1776, + 11.3.1829

oo 09.04.1799 Kuntz, Elisabeth

19. Amsler, Adam, * 26.4.1778, + 30.6.1778

20. Amsler, Salome, * 12.8.1779, + 10.9.1779

21. Amsler, Maria Magdalena, * 21.11.1780, + 16.12.1846

oo 19.10.1801 Steinbach, Conrad

22. Amsler, Rosina, * 16.11.1782, + 26.1.1832

oo 25.03.1805 Mathis, Peter, Model Engraver

23. Amsler, Jacob, Tischler, * 9.6.1785, + 4.6.1867 Paris (11th A.)

oo I. 28.06.1813 Zippelius, Maria Salome, * Neustadt D

oo II. 18.10.1821 Struebin, Anna Barbara, * Liestal

24. Amsler, Josua, Screen Maker, * 4.11.1787, + 4.12.1849

oo 23.10.1809 Fasnacht, Elisabeth, * 01.07.1779 Alpirsbach D

25. Amsler, Peter, * 26.1.1792

26. Amsler, Adam, Carpenter, * 7.4.1796, + 22.12.1873 Paris (12th A.)

oo I. 05.03.1823 Kuebler, Anna Catharina, * Colmar

oo II. 2.7.1834 Layer, Charlotte Catherine, * Colmar

 

Descendants list Jacob Amsler from Densbueren

1. Amsler, Jacob, “Gross Jacob”, * Densbueren, + 9.3.1776

oo 1.2.1740 Redmond, Catharina, * 8.1.1713, + 16.8.1775

 

6 children of No. 1

2. Amsler, Johannes, * 27.11.1740 Mulhouse, + 11.10.1778

oo 2.3.1761 Jelensperger, Elisabeth, * 6.10.1743

3. Amsler, Jacob, Factory Worker, * 16.09.1742 Mulhouse, + 1816

oo I. 25.11.1765 Jenner, Anna Catharina, * 12.1.1744, + 5.10.1767

oo II. 17.2.1768 Stumm, Elisabeth, * 24.11.1743, + 6.4.1816

4. Amsler, Elisabeth, * 07.06.1744 Mulhouse, + 22.2.1788

5. Amsler, Peter, Factory Worker, * 30.01.1746 Mulhouse

oo Huber, Anna Barbara, * 3.8.1738, + 6.10.1819

6. Amsler, Hans Heinrich, * 25.12.1750 Mulhouse

7. Amsler, Hans Ulrich, * 24.8.1752 Mulhouse, + 26.8.1752

 

7 children of No. 2

8. Amsler, Johannes, * 30.8.1761 Mulhouse, + 22.4.1765

9. Amsler, Anna Elisabeth, * 11.12.1763

oo 22.11.1784 Abdorf, Hans Ulrich, * Mulhouse

10. Amsler, Daniel, * 31.5.1768, + 7.7.1768

11. Amsler, Anna Catharina, * 14.3.1771, + 8.3.1787

12. Amsler, Philipp Jacob, * 1.5.1774, + 21.6.1774

13. Amsler, Peter, * 1.5.1774, + 11.7.1774

14. Amsler, Rosina, * 8.2.1778

oo 13.11.1797 Goetz, Johannes

 

6 children of No. 3

15. Amsler, Hans Jacob, * 2.4.1767, + 1.9.1768

16. Amsler, Hans Georg, * 27.11.1768

17. Amsler, Jacob, Model Engraver, * 14.8.1770 Mulhouse

oo 1.10.1792 Jelensperger, Maria Magdalena, * 15.7.1770, + 20.8.1793

18. Amsler, Johannes, * 2.3.1773, + 14.11.1775

19. Amsler, Peter, * 8.9.1776, + 2.1.1777

20. Amsler, Elisabeth, * 24.2.1778

 

3 children of No. 5

21. Amsler, Jacob, Indienne Printer, * 24.9.1767 Mulhouse, + 7.12.1834

oo I. 11.06.1792 Keller, Elisabeth, * 1765, + 14.7.1793

oo II. 15.07.1798 Weber, Elisabeth, * 1761 Gossau ZH, + 16.12.1834

22. Amsler, Anna Barbara, * 4.3.1770, + 13.10.1770

23. Amsler, Barbara, * 27.2.1776, + 11.5.1777

 

1 child of No. 17

24. Amsler, Magdalena, * 30.4.1793, + 6.8.1794

 

1 child of No. 21

25. Amsler, Hans Jacob, * 11.12.1792, + 31.12.1796

 

Quotations for the sources of the baptism and marriage records in the parish of Boezen follow to convention used in “Archivverzeichnis der Kirchen- und Jahrzeitbuecher des Kantons Aargau 1200-1900” where Boezen KI01=1562-1602, Boezen KI02=1604-1685, Boezen KI03=1675-1757 etc. 

 

 

 

 

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