Jakob Sidler was born in 1608. He married
Vronegg Urmi born about 1608 from Rifferswil, six miles southeast of
Ottenbach. They had 7 children. He was a "Wagner" or a carter or
cartwright. A cartwright, or wainwright, is a tradesperson skilled in the
making and repairing of carts or wagons. They lived in a time of great
religious persecution of the Mennonite Church. Some members of the church were
imprisoned or died in the Ottenbach Prison. Vronegg died at 49 years old and
Jakob lived to be 85.5 years old in 1693, which is a record in the Sidler
family. He was alone for 36 years.
(Temple Record Sidler and Hegetschweiler, by Julius Billeter, page 11)
What happened to their children?
Katharina Sidler 1631 married Jakob Kleiner, no known children, no death date
What happened to their children?
Katharina Sidler 1631 married Jakob Kleiner, no known children, no death date
Melchior
Sidler 1633-1706 had five children with Margaretha Bicklin, was
a Wagner, five children, one married and three lived to be adults, lived 72
years 11 months 22 days
Hans Rudolf
Sidler 1635-1710 married Margaretha Grob, 11 children, Margaretha died at 46, he remarried 4 years later to Margaretha Jlli, they had one child Marx who died, she died in 1692 and 18 years later he died, lived to be 75, Margaretha Jlli had a scripture read at her funeral and was buried in traditional Swiss dress
Hans Sidler 1637 infant death
Verena Sidler 1639 infant death
Jakob Sidler 1642-1683 lived with his father his whole life, never married, died at 40
Anna Sidler 1644-1699 married Jakob Häberling, no known children, lived 55 years 0 months 1 day
Hans Sidler 1637 infant death
Verena Sidler 1639 infant death
Jakob Sidler 1642-1683 lived with his father his whole life, never married, died at 40
Anna Sidler 1644-1699 married Jakob Häberling, no known children, lived 55 years 0 months 1 day
Marriage information from the Zürich Archives:
Sidler; Jakob; Ottenbach;
Urmi; Veronika;
Baregg;1629.02.03;
"Frau: ""Vronegk"";
""u§ der Baregk""";
Ottenbach;E III 88.2
Wagner
A Wagner is a wagon-maker, wainwright, or cartwright. They made the four wheels and the bridge out of wood. One or more horses or oxen had do draw the wagon. My grandfather was smith (Dorfschmied) and he made the iron profiles around these wheels. So virtually every community had a Wagner and a Schmied, also to make iron horseshoes. The same applies for Küfer or Küpfer, they made wooden barrels e.g. for washing or wine. In Germany these professionals have other names such as Boettcher.
A Wagner was not a transporter, the one who transported goods on a wagon (Fuhrwerk). Such a guy was named Fuhrmann here in Switzerland, plural Fuhrleute. They had the bad reputation that they fluchten like crazy all the time (they were cursing and swearing like Berserkers ....... a case for our Ehegaumer / Stillständer. (Citizens that helped the Pastor uphold the moral standards of the community.)
During their lives:
1639 Hans Muller was a powerful factor in the
Mennonite Church and so zealous were the officers to find him, that like
ravening wolves they ran through his neighbors' houses to find him. He had
escaped from his house and when they came to it and broke it open and found he
was gone, they broke open chests and drawers and took all the property they
could get. They threatened his little children with bare swords that "they
would kill them if they did not reveal his whereabouts." They took his
wife and put her bound in the loathsome Ottenbach prison. Then a proclamation
was announced in the Reformed churches of Zurich, that no one would be allowed
to lodge or give food or drink to Hans Muller, from the Groeningen Bailiwick
under severe penalty. Then they deceived
him and sent abroad a proclamation that he would be allowed a three weeks' safe conduct to
argue with him, if he came forth. He trusted this and went to the convent
specified to discuss the matter but as he was about to leave he was arrested in
breach of faith and taken to Ottenbach; imprisoned 60 weeks, of which he spent
16 weeks in chains. (Mirror, p. 1053)
1640 In Ottenbach there are 52 adults, 42
single, 319 inhabitants, 6.1 per household or 52 homes in the community. (Ottenbach
Told by Bernard Schnider and Salomon Schneider and Erika Schmid)
1689 - 1694 Hunger crisis leads to large
population losses
1661
Construction of the first Ottenbach schoolhouse
1645 - 1647 Construction of a mill wheel on the
Reuss river
1638 Construction
of the Ottenbach rectory. (Ottenbach Municipality Website)
"Charitable farmers of Ottenbach provide
for the beggar children (1692) with a crust of bread….." (Schweizer Bauer
imj Zeitalter des Fruhkapitalismus, Berne 1932 page 80 and page 174 )
Jacob Baumgartner an old man of 70 years had been imprisoned for his faith 5
times and each time escaped, but was now
again apprehended and thrown into
Ottenbach prison. He was fastened to
chains, deprived of his clothes and clad
in a gray coat, fed on bread and water,
put in irons and hand-cuffed and his
property sold for 500 gilders and the
money taken by the government. (Mirror
1064)
1620 Kleinhanserchtold von Wasterkingen showed
scant respect for the authorities, wanting them to be struck by lightning. Jorg Haupt from Steinmauer was even more
explicit in 1650. He swore that lighting should strike the authorities, and
"by a thousand sacraments and the sacrament of blood, he wanted thunder
and hail to strike the Ottenbach (the local prison). Unsurprisingly, this insubordinate subject
found himself in court. (Dealings with God: From Blasphemers in Early Modern
Zurich to a Cultural History of Religiousness By Prof Dr Francisca Loetz)
1639 The same year Jacob Egle, a Mennonite, of
Gruningen district near Zurich, was arrested and after a short trial at Zurich
was imprisoned in the Ottenbach dungeon,
during a year and a half. He was so miserably treated that he died in
prison, rather than give up his faith. (Mirror 1054)
1637 - Hans Meyli (Meili) was imprisoned as an
old man in 1637 with sons, Hans (Jr.) and Martin, for about 3 years for their
religious beliefs. Two women named Barbara and Elizabeth, probably the wives of
Hans and Martin, were imprisoned in 1639 and escaped the prison (Ottenbach
prison). Hans Martin's property was confiscated, and they were all held in
chains and handcuffs; his sons' children were put out among strangers. Hans was
a Swiss. (Mirror p.1052)
Ottenbach Pastors during Jakob's lifetime:
1604. Beatus Eggstein. He drowned while bathing
in the Reuss in 1609.
1609. Joshua Kessler, Dean of the Chapter since
1618. Died 1636.
1636. Hans Kaspar Müller. Dean since 1642. A new
rectory was built under him. (This is shown in the first part of our parish
register. According to Wiesendanger soil
Reverend Muller, the priest embezzled the property of the parish and left it to
his heirs to pay for the damage. Pastor Muller also came into conflict with the
Ottenbach innkeeper when he set up a wine tavern in the vicarage)
1656. Hans Jakob Heiz. But he died before he
started in Ottenbach.
1656. Hans Ulrich Wiesendanger. Dean since 1668.
Died 1677.
1677. Hans Kaspar Huber. Dean 1684. When he was
employed in Kappel, he suffered a stroke, the consequences of which he soon
died.
1647
Ottenbach Census Jacob Sydler and Veronica Urmi page 732 film 8126305
All their children as of 1747 are listed with information on their progress
toward confirmation when they are 15 years old.
Census
The "T"means Testimonial (Zeugnusse,
Zeugnisse) and the “C” Communicantes
(those after the communicaton with 15 years can go to the Lords's supper
(Abendmahl) and and partake of the sacrament. Decal. refers to the 10
commandments Kirche curriculum. (Dr Ziegler Latin terms)
From this census we learn their family was very
religious. Each child's progress towards confirmation was noted:
Katharina Sidler 1631- Decal. k.f. (student knows 10
commandments by heart, preparing for confirmation)
Melchior Sidler 1633 C.T lernt ___(preparing for
confirmation at 13)
Hans Rudolf Sidler 1635 C.T. (has learned the major catechism to the
end)
Hans Sidler 1637 Cat min (knows the small
catechism to the end)
Verena Sidler 1639 Decal. (student knows 10 commandments by heart)
Jakob Sidler 1642-1683
Anna Sidler 1644-1699
Notes on the 1647 census:
Pastor Hans Ulrich Wiesendanger. (Made Pastor in
Ottenbach in 1656 and Dean since 1668. Died 1677.) did us a great service in
providing a legend for what the Latin abbreviations in the 1670 Kirche Census
mean.
These Bevölkerungsverzeichnisse (religious
census reports, short BVs) are very good. Dr. Pfister said we are in a unique
position in the Canton Zurich to have these ...
Jagli is the short form for Jakob, mostly for a
young Jakob (diminiutive), -li means little here (in southern Germany they use
-le, in Germany usually Jakoblein). Other forms for the little Jakob are
Joggeli, Jacobli etc.
You are very good in recognizing the wife's name
Veronica Urmin.
She there shows up as Vronegk (Vronegg, Froneck
etc. = standardized by Dr. Pfister to Veronika). She is "uss der
Baregk", which is at the border between the Canton of Zurich and Aargau (direction
Baden). Today there is a famous car tunnel. The Urmi family has been citizens
of Maschwanden, Knonauer Amt. - in as usual ist the old form standing for a
female Urmi (woman).
Nicely on the right hand side our famous
abbreviations what the kids learnt (by heart ?) The protestant pastors always
slightly change these abbreviations of the texts they learned such as - Decal.
k. f., C. T: lernet (is about to learn) Zeug-nussen cat. minorum, Symb. etc, If
you move down to household nurmber 18, little Hans, 6 years old has the terma
orat. = he can pray (he learnt a little prayer).
Melcher = Melchior seems very young with 13 to
get the wine already ...(Source: Peter Bertschinger)
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| Jakob birth record: Film 2060954 Baptisms, marriages, deaths,1540-1738, 1740-1780 |
Jakob Sidler born 1608 as a child:
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| Sidler and Hegetschweiler Temple Record Book by Julius Billeter page 7 |
Jakob Sidler as a father:
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| Silder and Hegetschweiler Temple Record Book by Julius Billeter pages 11 and 12 |
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| 1634 Census Ottenbach Rudolf Sidler Veronegg Urmi page 293 film 8126308 |
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| 1640 Church Census, Jakob Sidler Veronegg Urmi film 8014135 page 368 |
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| 1643 Church Census Jakob Sidler Vronegg Urmi film 8126307 page 348 |
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| 1647 Ottenbach Census Jacob Sydler and Veronica Urmin page 732 film 8126305 |
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| 1649 Jakob Sidler and Vronegg Urmi 1649 Church Census film 8126304 page 140 first entry, Note: After Jakob's name it mentions Wagner, meaning wagon builder. |
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| 1678 Jacob Sidler 1608 and Rudolph Sidler 1635 in 1678 Census film 8126303 page 467 |
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| 1678 Ludwig b 1610, Hans b 1606, Jakob b1608 and Rudolf b 1635 in the 1678 Ottenbach Church Census film 8126303 page 467 |
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1682 Church Census Rudolph Sidler b 1635 family film 8126301 page 735
It is interesting that Jakob is mentioned with his son Jacob. Vronegg has
died 5 years previous to this census. This may also say something about
Jakob Jr who is still living at home even though he is 40 years old, he will die i
in the next year. After Jakob’s name it says “Mag.”
which could mean
Magister = Lehrer, Schulmeister = teacher, or. Schoolmaster. For more on church censuses |
The 1682 Church Census for Rudolph Sidler b 1635 is very revealing. It lists Rudolf as a widower but he is still the head of the household. The members of the household include his son Rudolf Silder, Rudolf’s wife Margaretha Grob and their 7 children or Rudolf’s grandchildren.
This census also shows Jakob's. It also has Jakob living at home when he is 40. After Jakob’s name it says “Mag.” which could mean Magister = Lehrer, Schulmeister = teacher, or. Schoolmaster. He will die in the next year.
The census also has a Hans Sidler with a son named Heinrich whose birthday is October 20 1671. Who is this? It could be Melchior's youngest son Heinrich, the year matches but the month and date do not.
Jakob's death record also refers to him as a Wagner, maker and
fixer of wagons.