Joseph Baechler b. 7 Sep 1810 FR d. 7 May 1878 IL: The Schrock-Birkey Connection

Joseph Baechler

Male 1810 - 1878  (67 years)


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    Event Map    |    All

  • Name Joseph Baechler  [1
    Birth 7 Sep 1810  FR Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Immigration 1836  New Orleans, LA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Residence Aft 1836  Butler Co., OH Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Residence Aft 1852  IL Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Central Illinois
    USR1 gastric hemorrage 
    Death 7 May 1878  IL Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Burial Flanagan, Livingston Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Waldo Cemetery
    Person ID I6501  Schrock-Birkey Connection
    Last Modified 8 Mar 2021 

    Father Christian Baechler,   b. SW Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1830 
    Mother Elizabeth,   b. SW Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1843, New Orleans, LA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F10336  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Catharina Sommer,   b. 21 Feb 1806, FR Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 28 Jan 1892, IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 85 years) 
    Marriage 2 Feb 1834  Bisping, Moselle, Lorraine, FR Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Children 
     1. Mary Catharina Sommer Baechler,   b. 4 Apr 1829, Bisping, Moselle, Lorraine, FR Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 25 May 1920, Pontiac, Livingston Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 91 years)
     2. Joseph S. Beckler,   b. 30 Sep 1836, Butler Co., OH Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 4 Jul 1882, Milford, Seward Co., NE Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 45 years)
    Family ID F4522  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 8 Mar 2021 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 2 Feb 1834 - Bisping, Moselle, Lorraine, FR Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsImmigration - 1836 - New Orleans, LA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Aft 1836 - Butler Co., OH Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - - Flanagan, Livingston Co., IL Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Notes 
    • Obit: Gospel Herald Obituary:

      "BAECHLER.-May 7th, in Livingston Co., Ill., Bro. JOSEPH BAECHLER, aged 67 years, and 8 months. Buried the 9th in the presence of many relatives and friends, at which time J. P. Smith and Jacob Naffziger spake words of comfort to the living, from 1 Cor. 15. He was a faithful brother of the Amish church, and he leaves a widow and 4 children to mourn their loss."
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      “According to a note on her French birth registry, she (Katharina’s illigitimate daughter, Mary) was adopted by Joseph Baechler after he married Catharina Sommer in Bisping, France on 2/2/1834 and Maria became Maria Catharina Sommer Baechler.

      Joseph Baechler's family, including his mother, Elizabeth and his brothers and sisters, all emigrated to America. They arrived in New Orleans in 1836. Joseph's mother contracted malaria and died in New Orleans. Joseph and Catharina Baechler and Maria traveled up the Mississippi and Ohio River to Butler County, Ohio, where Maria was raised.

      On June 24, 1852, she married Christian King in Butler County (becoming Maria Catharina Sommer Baechler King). Shortly after their marriage, they moved to central Illinois where Maria spent the rest of her life.”

      —————————————

      Surname also spelled "Bechler" and "Beckler." Joseph was the oldest child of Elizabeth Bechler of Bisping, France. His birth certificate listed no father, and the suggestion is that he was illegitimate. One family tradition says he was the illegitimate son of a French soldier who was killed before he could marry Joseph's mother.

      The following information was found in a biography of Joseph's brother, Christian, written in 1891:
      "Mr. Bechler is one of a family of three sons born to Christian and Elizabeth (Bechler) Bechler, both of whom were born in Switzerland, and emigrated to France, where the father died in 1830, the mother's death occurring in New Orleans, La., in 1843. Their children are: Joseph (now deceased), Peter (a resident of Iowa) and Christian." Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Eastern Arkansas, Goodspeed Publishers, 1891 PERSONAL SKETCHES, page 685 (found at http://www.couchgenweb.com/arkansas/prairie/biog-pra.htm)

      Joseph grew up in Bisping where he learned the trade of weaving and became a master weaver. When he was 24 years old, he married Catherina Sommer at the home of Christian Kemp at Bisping, Moselle, France. She had a daughter from a previous relationship. Joseph adopted Catharina's daughter, Maria, when the couple married and it is so noted on Maria's birth certificate.

      Two years later following the death of their infant son, Peter, Joseph, Catherina and Maria emigrated to America, arriving in New York from Le Havre on the ship "Francis DePau" on July, 22, 1836. ( New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 > 1836 > July > 22 > Francis Depau Ship's List, page 1)

      Those on the ship included Joseph Backler 26, Catherina 27, Marie 5 and Peter Backler (Joseph's brother), and Joseph Sommer 74 and Barbe Sommer 75 (Catherina's parents).

      [Also in the traveling party were Christian Sommer 32 and his wife, Marie Sommer 23, Salome Sommer 17 (Christian's sister) and Barbe Sommer 55 (Christian's mother and probably the daughter-in-law of Joseph Sommer and Elisabeth Barbe Gerber Sommer). Also on the ship, but not listed in order with the family, was Andre Sommer - 18 - probable brother of Christian Sommer. The Christian Sommer family settled initially in St. Louis, Missouri (1840 US Census, Missouri, St. Louis, District 166, p. 192) This family moved north to Woodford County around 1845. By 1850 the family included children Joseph -14, Mary-11, Christian- 8, and Elizabeth -6 ...all born in Missouri .... Peter -3, and Magdalene - 6 months .... both born in Illinois) 1850 US Census, Illinois, Woodford County, Family #674 ]

      Joseph, Catherina and Maria Bechler and Catherina's parents traveled up the Mississippi and Ohio River arriving in Butler County Ohio where son Joseph Jr. was born in September, 1836. In the 1840 Census they were located in Milford, Butler County Ohio. Though not specifically enumerated, the household included Joseph, Katharina, Maria Sommer Bechler, Joseph Bechler Jr., Barbara Bechler, and an elderly female - presumably, Elizabeth Barbe Gerber (Catherina's mother).

      1850 Census they were still in Milford, Butler County Ohio (as Joseph Beeker): Joseph (39), Catherine (41), Mary (18), Joseph (12), Barbary (10), Christian (7). Sometime after 1850, the family relocated to central Illinois.

      In the 1860 Census, they were located in Montgomery Twsp., Woodford County: Joseph (49), Catherine (51) and son, Joseph, Jr. (23). Daughter, Barbara had married Jonas Troyer in January of 1860.

      By 1870 Census, he was in Waldo Township of Livingston County with his wife, Catherine.

      Joseph passed away on May 7, 1878 as the result of a gastric hemorrage (according to his death certificate) [2, 3]

  • Sources 
    1. [S460] Donald Roth, Rediger Family.

    2. [S614] Gary L. Yordy, Maria Sommer Baechler King.

    3. [S1060] Find-A-Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32221530/joseph-baechler.


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