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Felber or Heitz Switzerland

Felber or Heitz Switzerland

Posted: 13 Feb 2012 4:43PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 21 Feb 2012 4:23PM GMT
Surnames: Heitz, Felber
Looking for any information on:
Jacob Felber DOB: May 21, 1821 in Boezberg, Aargau, Switzerland
married to
Verena Heitz DOB: Feb 1818 in Birchberg, Aargau, Switzerland

I believe they had 4 sons two of which died in infancy. One stayed in Switzerland while the other (Jacob B Felber) came to America in 1878, and then later (1879 or 1880) sent for his parents (Jacob and Verena) and wife (Anna Maria Ott) and children.

Any info on localities, surname, etc appreciated.

Re: Felber or Heitz Switzerland

Posted: 13 Feb 2012 7:25PM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Felber
The normal procedure would be to check for microfilmed church records for these places in the Family History Library catalogue (FamilySearch.org). When such records are available, they are by far the most convenient and least expensive alternative -- they are also the very same microfilms you would use if you visited the cantonal archives! Unfortunately, the church records you need have not found their way into the library's collections. That leaves you with a few options, none of them very easy.

First, the geography: the old commune of Bözberg was split in 1872 to form Oberbözberg and Unterbözberg. The spelling you have, Boezberg or possibly Boetzberg, is exactly equivalent to the current spelling. In German, the combination "oe" is exactly equivalent to "ö", and you will find both spellings, especially in older records. There is a hamlet in Bözberg called Birch (I think it may have ended up in Underbözberg after the division). I have a feeling this is the "Birchberg" that you find in your records, because there doesn't seem to be any other place known as Birchberg.

Some of the options you might explore: You can probably find official web sites for Oberbözberg and Unterbözberg, with some way to contact the town councils. Since the name Felber is apparently still recognized in that area, there's a good chance that your query would be forwarded to someone in the community. It is entirely possible that someone still remembers the branch of the family that left for America.

The church records themselves are likely to be located today in the cantonal archives of Aargau. You might be able to find a researcher there. A query to the cantonal archives might be a way to get that process started.

As a descendant, you might be able to get some help from the local "civil registration" office, which would normally handle requests for records protected under the strict Swiss privacy laws (generally, any personal records after 1875).

For any Swiss research, read as much as you can about local geography and history, in the original languages if at all possible. Almost all Swiss records are local; there are very few indexes at the cantonal level, and even fewer at the federal level.

Good luck with your search!

John McCoy
(RealMac@aol.com)

Re: Felber or Heitz Switzerland

Posted: 29 Jun 2015 2:18AM GMT
Classification: Query
My Grandmother was Emma Felber Field who was the daughter of Jacob and Anna Maria Felber... Here is info about the US family

Jacob Felber married Anna Maria Ott 11/17/1874 Bozberg, Aargau, Switzerland
Jacob born: 07/01/1851 Bozberg, Aargau, Switzerland
died: 11/26/1927 Laurel, Cedar County, Nebraska

Anna Maria Ott: born 04/27/1851 Bozberg, Aargau, Switzerland
died: 09/24/1922 Laurel, Cedar County, Nebraska

Children: Anna Mary Felber, Elsie Felber, H Jacob Felber, Emma Felber

Emma Felber married Lewis Field and had four children: Margaret, Paul, Jean and Lois (my mother)

I can tell you more about our family lineage in the US...
Jacob was a cabinet maker and my grandmother Emma learned sewing by stitching the linings for caskets on the frontier. She made the most amazing clothes for her daughter by just looking at photos in Vogue! She and her husband were both pharmacists!

Funny you should inquire about this because I lived in Switzerland from 1978 to 1987 and my two children were born in Geneva. We lived in Geneva, Lucerne and Lausanne. I visited Bozberg and the church (new one as old one was destroyed at some point) and saw my great grandparents baptismal records...But when we tried to contact family there, they said they were not interested in contact with the US side of the family. So it is refreshing that you are looking for members of the family....my email is janet@tlcvintagecollection.com and US telephone is 515-276-1577.
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