When we visited Ottenbach in 2019 we walked around the Ottenbach Reformed Protestant church and noticed the cranes roosting on the top of the roof. On the side of the building were three markers. Here is a photo of one of the markers. It is the marker of Jakob Hegetschweiler, district doctor.
Jakob most likely was the doctor that delivered Barbara b 1825, Anna Sidler b 1827 and Susanna b 1832. Anna is the mother of Anna Hegetschweiler our ancestor.
I have included this page on Jakob’s family from
FamilySearch ID: LCZR-S87
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| Ottenbach Kirche |
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| Jakob Hegetschweiler plaque |
Translation of marker:
RUHESTÆTTE - which means grave, burial place, possibly place of rest(?) - but not "retirement home".
by
district doctor
born 8 January 1792
died 14 October 1845
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| 1792 Jakob Hegetschweiler baptism 8 January Ottenbach film 008126955 page 1038 |
Marriage to a German girl, Jakobine Louise Memminger in Germany:
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| 1814 Jakob Hegetschweiler marriage 12 June in Tübingen, Württemberg, Deutschland , page 192 |
Transcript of the above:
I am not sure who is getting married in Zürich St. Peter.
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| Zürcherisches Wochenblatt, Number 36, 5 May 1823 Jakob Hegetschweiler FS ID": LCGX-PNR He was born 1794 and died 1857 |
From the Grossmünster parish. David Bachmann from Dießcnhoftn, Jgfr. A. Regula Poop from Zwevbrückeri, both ftßh. here.
From the St. Peters parish. Mr Philipp Heinrich Füßli, Igfr. Sufanna Füßli, both from hur. Jakob Binder von Außersihl, Igfr. Verena Locher von Drettkon. Johannes Reif von Wanken, Igfr. Barbara Knüsli von Aus?er, ihl. Mr. Philipp Schwab von Blodeltshcim, district of Colmar in Alsace, seßh. m Winterthur, " r . Igfr. A. Regula Schellhaas von Außer-sihl. v Hs. Jakob Hegetschweiler von Ottenbach, seßh. in Wiedikon, Elisabetha Zollinger from Hirzel. [Zürcherisches Wochenblatt, Number 36, 5 May 1823
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| 1845 Jakob Hegetschweiler 14 Oct burial film 008126955 page 778 |
[1845] 14.X. / 17.X.
H(an)s Jakob Hegetschweiler, Bezirksarzt v(on) Ott(enbach)
(age) 59 / 9 / 9
Note: In your blog you show an image of his gravestone, enscribed RUHESTÆTTE - which means grave, burial place, possibly place of rest(?) - but not "retirement home".
Note: Bezirksarzt means district doctor.
Jakob Hegetschweiler's daughter marries a Doctor
Friedrich August Gampert oo 1838 Luisa Amalia Hegetschweiler
Post by Wolf “ Tue 25. Feb 2025, 14:23
Gampert, Friedrich August, ≈/* 01/02/08/1812, son of Philipp Friedrich Gampert, pastor in Regensburg and royal Bavarian consistorial councillor, and Catharina Margaretha Börer, Med. Dr., + 21/09/1875.
oo Affoltern am Albis 10.07.1838
Hegetschweiler Luisa Amalia, ≈/* 04.09.10.1814, daughter of the doctor Hans Jakob Hegetschweiler and Jakobine Louise Memminger, + 03.12.1867.
Children:
20/26/05/1839 Theodor Gustav, + 23/01/1860.
26/27.11.1842 Otto, oo 02.09.1869 Pauline Wegmann; according to Bürger-Familienregister (page 110 / pdf 113) he is also Med. Dr., + 08.03.1924.
Sources: Citizen family register (page 138 / pdf 142) / Family register (page 568 / pdf 289)
The Totenrodel Ottenbach often lists doctors who may have cared for the deceased or issued the death certificate, with and without Dr. title, often abbreviated (sometimes only with the first letter). In the case of Melchior Sidler (+1843) this was Dr. Gampert.
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| Zürcherisches Wochenblatt, Number 57, 18 July 1842 |
Extraordinary infantry. Second lieutenants: former cadets I. Klaffe. - Herr Heinrich Strehler von Hittnau. " Hs. Konrad von Esther von Zürich. "Johann Konrad Esther von Zurich. " Friedrich Abegg of Zurich. " Adolf Rieder von Höngg, in Zurich. " Johannes Hegetschweiler von Ottenbach. "Jakob Schurter von Egliöau. "Joh. Konrad. Schnorf von Uetikon. " Eduard OchSner von Zürich. "Jakob Hegetschweiler von Ottenbach. " Daniel Mettler von Seen, in Winterthur. "Jakob Weidestn von Oberhofen, Canton Thurgau, in Zurich. " Heinrich Laubi von Höngg. " Joh. Jakob Schenk von Uhwiesen. " Johannes Brunner von Wald, in Zurich. " Herrmann Werdmülker of Zurich. " Joh. Ulrich Landolt von Klein-Andelfingen. "Jakob Gugolz von Mettmenstetten, in Zurich. "Kaspar Nagest of Zurich. "Heinrich Widmer von Uerikon, Stafa parish. "Joh. Heinrich Götschi von Horgen.
Regierungsetat des eidgenössischen Standes Zürich
Government budget of the federal state of Zurich
Excerpt from the minutes of the 72nd meeting of the medical chururgical society of the Canton of Zurich, in Kusnacht, 11 May 1846
Swiss Journal of Medicine, Surgery and Aids at Birth: 11 May 1846
Translation:
The members who have passed away at the autumn meeting, namely Messrs Rudolf Salzmann in Wiedikon and Jakob Hegetschweiler in Ottenbach, will follow; the information about Herra Diener sel. in Meilen is reserved for the next meeting.State Handbook of the Swiss Confederation for the year 1837
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| Men of the institution Kappel on the way to work under the supervision of the administrator. |
In the summer of 1834, the state of Zurich auctioned off the abbey domain Kappel. Founded in 1825, Knonau District Charitable Corporation (GGA) has seized the opportunity to purchase the monastery property with the farm, so that the parishes could set up a poor and orphanage there. Between 1836 and 1853, the orphanage temporarily housed more than 100 children, supervised by a teacher couple.
On this occasion Dr. Sebastian Brändli, historian, on Friday, 23 October 2009, 19.30 clock in the monastery Kappel a lecture on the subject of "Pauperism, poor legislation and philanthropy: The history of the purchase of the monastery domain by the GGA and founding of the institution Kappel». He describes the unspeakably great poverty in the Zurich landscape at this time and the attempts of the Zurich state with its poor legislation to alleviate the misery.
The "reduction of poverty" was, in addition to the "youth education" and the "improvement of the industrial heritage" one of the three goals, which established the GGA founded in 1825 in their statutes. The initiators were the chief official Melchior Hirzel in Knonau Castle and the Rifferswil (6 miles south east of Ottenbach) physician Jakob Hegetschweiler. The establishment of a poor home in Kappel had already been proposed in 1829 to district physician Schweizer. The municipalities, however, believed that community farm houses would be cheaper than a "central institution".
Following the introduction of the new Zurich constitution of 1831, the Grand Council decided that all plots of land unnecessary for public administration should be divested. The GGA first discussed on May 5, 1834, the question of whether they wanted to buy the abbey domain Kappel for a district poorhouse. The general assembly decided on 12 May, a week later, to offer at the Gant. On the first day of May 27, there was still no surcharge, but on July 19, the GGA was awarded the contract for 47,500 guilders, which the Government Council, chaired by Melchior Hirzel in August, with the condition that approved in the former monastery Poor institution must be established.
At a meeting in November, the GGA asked the parishes to take over the purchase. On January 7, 1835, a congregation of community representatives elected a "senior commission" chaired by governor Jakob Hegetschweiler, which was to prepare the asylum, the statutes, and the necessary rebuilding in Kappel. In 1836 the institute was opened.
The talk describes the situation of the many poor people in the district. He discusses the not always successful response of the state with its poor legislation and describes the courageous action of the charitable society, which within a very short time decided to venture the establishment of a district poor. What was possible in the spirit of optimism of the 1830s, we would hardly be able to do today. With the memory of this founding 175 years ago, we combine our respect for the men and women who have supported this institution. It is also thanks to them that the medieval monastery complex has been preserved to this day.
The non-profit society of the district Affoltern, the association Kappelerhof and the seminar and education house Kloster Kappel invite to the lecture. In the afternoon there will be a conference for experts and interested people on the subject of "Historical Aspects of Swiss Home Education in the 20th Century". For further information see www.klosterkappel.ch
Andreas Müller
Andreas Müller