GatheringGardiners: Elisabetha Sidler 1779

Storks roost on the Ottenbach Kirche

Elisabetha is the second wife of Heinrich Berli. Heinrich had two children with his first wife Catharina Hegetschweiler who died in 1811, two years after the birth of her second and last child. Their first child was Verena Berli b 9 Feb 1808 and the second was Melchior Berli b 5 Nov 1809. Elisabetha was stepmother and wife to Heinrich from 1818 to 1828 or 10 years. She died 7 March 1828. Heinrich married Elisabetha Emmisberger 20 April 1818 who as the final stepmother finished raising the two children.

Elisabetha and her brother Johannes and his wife Susanne Jenta must have spent time together and I'm sure their families knew each other well. Johannes Sidler's children were quite a bit older but his illegitimate son Jakob who was born in 1812 was only 3 years older than Melchior, Elisabetha's oldest stepchild.

Elisabetha Sidler lived to be 49 years old both dying in 1828. Her death record written by Ottenbach Pastor Jakob Locher says: "Elizabeth Sidler legitimate surviving daughter of Rudolf Sidler, 49 years 10 days." No reason is given for her death.

During their lifetime:

1799 Construction of the political community of Ottenbach, which also includes the five Obfelder hamlets. The quartering of French troops leads to a debt of the community. Ottenbach counts at that time many unemployed textile homeworkers. (Ottenbach Municipality website, Ottenbach Told by Bernard Schnider and Salomon Schneider and Erika Schmid)

1798 French army under the command of Napoleon invaded Switzerland. Switzerland was completely overrun by the French and was renamed the Helvetic Republic. The Helvetic Republic encountered severe economic and political problems. In 1798 the country became a battlefield of the Revolutionary Wars, culminating in the Battles of Zürich in 1799. The Second Battle of Zurich (25–26 September 1799) was a key victory by the Republican French army in Switzerland led by André Masséna over an Austrian and Russian force commanded by Alexander Korsakov near Zürich. (Wikipedia)

1801 The Helvetic Government grants Ottenbach the license to carry out any transport with the Reuss ferry. Previously, the ferry was only approved for its own use.

1802 Swiss revolt forced French army to leave Switzerland. (Ottenbach Municipality Website)

During the French Revolutionary Wars, the French army invaded Switzerland and turned it into an ally known as the "Helvetic Republic" (1798–1803). It had a central government with little role for cantons. The interference with localism and traditional liberties was deeply resented, although some modernizing reforms took place. (Wikipedia.)

Napoleon and his enemies fought numerous campaigns in Switzerland that ruined many localities. It proclaimed the equality of citizens before the law, equality of languages, freedom of thought and faith; it created a Swiss citizenship, basis of our modern nationality, and the separation of powers, of which the old regime had no conception; it suppressed internal tariffs and other economic restraints; it unified weights and measures, reformed civil and penal law, authorized mixed marriages (between Catholics and Protestants), suppressed torture and improved justice; it developed education and public works. (William Martin)

1830 Pastor Locher obtains the construction of the first poorhouse in Ottenbach. (Ottenbach Municipality Website)

Documents related to Elisabetha Sidler: