Eliza Studer b. 25 Jul 1867 Bern, Canton Bern, SW d. 25 Feb 1963 Washington, Tazewell Co., IL: The Schrock-Birkey Connection

Eliza Studer

Female 1867 - 1963  (95 years)


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    Event Map    |    All

  • Name Eliza Studer  [1, 2
    Birth 25 Jul 1867  Bern, Canton Bern, SW Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Tenth child of her mother (according to Urbana Free Library index)
    Gender Female 
    USR1 Amish/Mennonite 
    Death 25 Feb 1963  Washington, Tazewell Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location  [3, 4
    Burial Fisher, Champaign Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • East Bend Mennonite Cemetery
    Person ID I499  Schrock-Birkey Connection
    Last Modified 12 Sep 2022 

    Father Gilgian (Anton) Studer,   b. Dec 1827   d. 29 Nov 1899 (Age ~ 71 years) 
    Mother Katherine Youngen,   b. 1835   d. 27 Dec 1889 (Age 54 years) 
    Family ID F4503  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Andrew F. (Lame) Birky,   b. 19 Jun 1864, Morton, Tazewell Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 31 May 1928, Fisher, Champaign Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 63 years) 
    Marriage 23 Jan 1888  Morton, Tazewell Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location  [5
    Children 
     1. Levi E. Birky,   b. 11 Jan 1889, Morton, Tazewell Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 11 Oct 1934, St. Johns, MI Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 45 years)
     2. Katie E. Birky,   b. 13 Mar 1890, Morton, Tazewell Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 26 Oct 1914, Fisher, Champaign Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 24 years)
     3. Fannie E. Birky,   b. 29 Aug 1891, Morton, Tazewell Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 2 Aug 1971, Fisher, Champaign Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 79 years)
     4. Edwin C. Birky,   b. 22 Sep 1893   d. 1948 (Age 54 years)
     5. Lillian E. Birky,   b. 30 Jan 1894   d. 11 Jan 1982, IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 87 years)
     6. Emma Rachel Birky,   b. 22 Aug 1895   d. 2 Dec 1986 (Age 91 years)
     7. Gilgian A. (Gip) Birky,   b. 22 Oct 1898, Fisher, Champaign Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1 Jun 1975, South Bend, St. Joseph Co., IN Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 76 years)
     8. Mary Birky,   b. 2 Apr 1901   d. 1979, Ontario, San Bernardino, CA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 77 years)
     9. Carl W. Birky,   b. 27 Aug 1903
     10. Bessie May Birky,   b. 14 Oct 1908, Brown Twp., Champaign Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 22 Feb 2005 (Age 96 years)
    Family ID F218  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 16 Feb 2018 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 25 Jul 1867 - Bern, Canton Bern, SW Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 23 Jan 1888 - Morton, Tazewell Co., IL Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 25 Feb 1963 - Washington, Tazewell Co., IL Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - - Fisher, Champaign Co., IL Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Notes 
    • Obit: Gospel Herald - Volume LVI, Number 11 - March 19, 1963 ­ pages 246, 247, 248.

      Birky, Elisa, daughter of Gilgian and Katherine Studer, was born in Bern, Switzerland, July 25, 1867; died at Washington, Ill., Feb. 25, 1963; aged 95 y. 7 m. In Feb. 1888, she was married to Andrew Birky, who died May 28, 1928. Surviving are 5 daughters and 2 sons (Fannie-Mrs. A. F. Birkey, Lillie-Mrs. J. C. Birkey, Emma-Mrs. Joe Springer, Mary-Mrs. Arthur Asper, Mrs. Ervin Kennel, Gilgian, and Carl), 30 grandchildren, 66 great-grandchildren, and 11 great-great-grandchildren. She was a member of the East Bend Church, where funeral services were held Feb. 28, in charge of J. Alton Horst and J. A. Heiser.
      -----
      Elisa was born to Gilgian and Katherine Youngen Studer in Switzerland. Their’s was a large family, something like a dozen children. What schooling Elisa got was in Berne. In the spring of 1885, when Elisa was almost 18 years old, the Gilgian Studer family minus several of their children, boarded the French steamboat LaBriton and sailed to New York harbor. Their first permanent home in the new land was in Morton,IL. Here the family joined the Pleasant Grove Mennonite Church and Elisa met her boy friend, Andrew Birky. After being married about four years, Andrew and Elisa moved to Fisher.

      Elisa raised ten children: Levi, Katie, Fannie (who married yet another Andrew Birky and lived just two houses from the Orval Schrock family in Fisher), Edwin, Gilgian, Carl, Lillie, Emma, Mary, and Bessie! In addition, "Sister Birky" always opened her home for visitors or strangers in the community, and taught a Sunday school class for many years. The Studer family was a singing family. When the brothers and sisters got together they would sing and yodel their Swiss songs together. --Taken from an East Bend Trumpet article by Margaret and Verle Oyer.

  • Sources 
    1. [S22] Margaret and Verle Oyer, Swiss Miss Becomes a Pioneer Mother at East Bend.

    2. [S1060] Find-A-Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28759307/elisa-birky.

    3. [S2] Ruth Berkey Reichly, The Berkey Book, (Arlington, VA).

    4. [S11] Obituaries of Individuals.

    5. [S1058] Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900, Vol 1, Page 212, Lix. No. 2798 - Marriage Record of Andrus Birkey, Jr. and Elisa Studer.


Translate »