Susanna Jenta, Susanna's mother was 27 years younger than her husband Johannes. They married 23 December 1824 and had their first child, Barbara, 3 months 5 days later.
The district doctor in Ottenbach, at the time, was Jakob Hegetschweiler a relative of the Sidler family. He was born in Ottenbach 1792 and died in 1845 at 53 which was a common age to live at the time. Most likely Dr Hegetschweiler delivered Johannes' three girls namely: Barbara 1825, Anna 1827, and Susanna in 1832. Susanna was delivered in Maschwanden, which is 3.7 miles south of Ottenbach. Susanna Jenta's mother's maiden name was Frei and many in the Frei family are found in Maschwanden so she most likely was visiting a relative when she gave birth. Susanna birth place was found on microfilm 008126955 page 307) (Note: Maschwanden definition: Schwanden means the land was gained by pealing the trees so they would dry out and can be burned. Mano is a German first name, so it was an Allemanic guy that conquered that land (forest) in about 700 to 800 after Christ.)
Susanna was born on on 15 December 1832 and christened on 9 December 1832. In 1850 she was confirmed in 1850 into the Reformed Church of Ottenbach at the age of 18. The confirmation procedure happened in the church with all members and parents, godparents present. This allowed Susanna to join the Abendmahl for the first time (symbol of the evening meal of Jesus Christ with his followers, or Last Supper), and become full member of the church. When she become 16 she probably went to Kinederlehre (Sunday lecture), which was after the normal sermon when the adults left the church. This was compulsory. She may have gone to Sonntagsschule (Sunday school) on Sunday mornings. (The Zürich Household Ottenbach record says she was born 3 December 1832, her baptismal record says 15 December 1832, her birth record entered by the Parish Priest says 3 December 1832.)
When Susanna Sidler was 23, she was converted and baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 6 July 1856 in the Sihl River, by H. Hug, confirmed by H. Bar, (page 22 film 128145)
Sometime after Susanna was baptized she meets Lebrecht Bar (Bear) of Affoltern. Affoltern is 3 miles from Ottenbach where Susanna was living with her two sisters, and niece. Lebrecht proposes and they make an announcement January 8th 1860. From then on things get hazy. While still in Switzerland Susanna, her sister Anna and Ann's daughter Anna Hegetschweiler get passports. They emigrate on the ship Underwriter but Anna doesn't take on Lebrecht's name and while on the ship Lebrecht marries again to his "beloved." Lebrecht keeps a detailed journal which is available today but never mentions who his "beloved" is or Susanna's name in any of his writing. (Swiss passports from Zurich Archives and Page 208 New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1891 )
1862 After arriving in Utah they joined the Morrisites in Weber County. According to Anna Sidler's granddaughter, Emma Scholl, Anna Sidler and her baby are killed in the Morrisite War by a canon ball. Anna's daughter Anna Hegetschweiler who is 12 watches as her mother and stepsister are buried. (Anna Hegetschweiler's daughter, Emma Scholl hand wrote a handwritten 100 page legal size history of her mother and herself which includes details of Anna Sidler's death.
The big question is what happened to Susanna. Because Emma spoke with her mother Anna Hegetschweiler who was a 15 year old witness to the Morrisite death we must assume it was Anna Sidler and her daughter who died. Certainly more information may bring clarity to what exactly happened to Susanna. Emma says she went back to Switzerland but we have no evidence of that happening. More research needed.
What we know:
1. The Morrisite membership records show an Anne Bar and Labracht Bar.
2. Emma Bachman records the memories of her mother Anna Hegetschweiler, who was 15 at the time, and was a witness to the Morrisite War and Anna's mother’s death.
3. The following book lists the Bar’s and their child as those killed in the Morrisite War. Lebrecht's wife's name is not included.
4. Labracht Bar is listed as having proposed marriage.
4. Labracht Bar is listed as having proposed marriage.
5. Labracht Bar is listed as married to Susanna Sidler in their passport documents from the Zurich Archives.
6. Labracht Bar wrote an autobiography which vividly describes the death of his wife and 16 month old child. (page 28 and 29) He states that his wife paid tithing and was the "number one dress maker.” His wife and child were buried by the Swiss brethren at midnight about June 15, probably in the confines of the Kingston Fort seeing as they were still under siege.
7. Lebrecht says that in 1859 he prayed for a wife and found her in the branch. As far as we can tell he never mentions her name in his autobiography.
Documents relating to Susanna Sidler
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| Susanna Sidler birth 3 Dec 1832 FamilySearch Ottenbach microfilm 008126955 page 307 |
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| Page 864 film 8126955 Lebrecht:Susanna marriage announcement Jan 8 1860 |
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| 1860 Swiss Passports, Zürich Archives, top entry |
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| Lebrecht Bear's marriage aboard the Underwriter Ship |
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| Johannes Sidler Zürich Archives, Household Record, E_III_88.19_S_434 |
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| Ottenbach Reformed Church as it might have looked in the 1800s when graves were the church grounds were still used for graves. Today there are no graves next to the church building but some are further away from the main building. |
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| Where Susanna Sidler was confirmed and first partook of the Sacrament. |