On the 16 November 1728, when Hans was 23, he married Veronica Schneebeli, born in 1709 in Ottenbach. Veronica Schneebeli was four years younger and they had 5 children. She died in 1746 when she was just 37 years old and a year later, on 22 August 1747, Hans married Elisabeth Schneebeli of Affoltern, a relative but not a sister to his first wife. They had one child in 1751. Hans was both a Seckelmeister and an Ehegaumer according to Billeter. Hans died 17 years after the birth of their last child in 1768. Elizabeth died 5 August 1765 at age 53 years old. Hans was alone for 3 years. (Temple Record Sidler and Hegetschweiler, by Julius Billeter, page 37)
Seckelmeister
Hans Kaspar Sidler lived from 1705 - 1768. Hans's occupation is listed as a treasurer or a Seckelmeister, or cashier. In Switzerland since the late Middle Ages it was a designation for "manager or managers of takings of public funds or goods", be it in the state administration or in an association or a political party. Julius Billeter says Hans is a former Sekelmeister, meaning he had a good live and retired.
What happened to their children?
Barbara Sidler 1729-1786 married Jakob Bär, 7 children, lived 56 years 6 months 28 days
Seckelmeister or Treasurer for the administration of the confessional financial budgets and treasure, both parties appointed a special Treasurer for a period of six years.. (Patrick A. Wild)
Tithing
In 1525 Zwingli and the municipal council in Zürich established the marriage court, which quickly became a model for other cities in southern Germany and Switzerland. The Reformed marriage court became a new discursive site characterized by a specific combination of circumstances: the municipal Reformed marriage courts represented the practical application of the new teachings on matrimony, but in many respects, they also adopted traditions from canon law....In Zurich, as in Basel or Augsburg, the activities of the marriage courts at first centered on clarifying the validity of promises of marriage and questions off divorce. The prosecution of illicit sexual behavior was initially delegated to special morals courts, as in Zürich, or to the Unzüchter (the municipal office responsible for maintaining public order and morals. as in Basel or Augsburg which mainly issued warnings and reprimands.... In Zürich the two courts were practically synonymous....(Social Control in Europe, 1500-1800 vol 1)
Seckelmeister
Hans Kaspar Sidler lived from 1705 - 1768. Hans's occupation is listed as a treasurer or a Seckelmeister, or cashier. In Switzerland since the late Middle Ages it was a designation for "manager or managers of takings of public funds or goods", be it in the state administration or in an association or a political party. Julius Billeter says Hans is a former Sekelmeister, meaning he had a good live and retired.
Ehegaumer
Gaumen is the Swiss German verb for watch, observe, take care of somebody (e.g. babies, small kids etc.).
The Ehegaumer was also called Stillständer or Kirchenpfleger. Every section or hamlet of a parish had such a senior man who watched the people (kind of espinonage) in order that they did not morally behave badly (mainly according to the Bible). This job in the community was not a paid position. (more on the role of Ehegaumer below)
The Ehegaumer was also called Stillständer or Kirchenpfleger. Every section or hamlet of a parish had such a senior man who watched the people (kind of espinonage) in order that they did not morally behave badly (mainly according to the Bible). This job in the community was not a paid position. (more on the role of Ehegaumer below)
What happened to their children?
Barbara Sidler 1729-1786 married Jakob Bär, 7 children, lived 56 years 6 months 28 days
Dorothea
Sidler 1732 died as an infant
Anna Sidler 1732-1770 married Mathias Meier, no known children, lived 35 years 10 months 0 days
Barbara Sidler 1736-1802 married Johannes Stehli of Maschwanden on 3 July 1756, died 24 June 1802 at 67, one child.
Anna Sidler 1732-1770 married Mathias Meier, no known children, lived 35 years 10 months 0 days
Barbara Sidler 1736-1802 married Johannes Stehli of Maschwanden on 3 July 1756, died 24 June 1802 at 67, one child.
Rudolf
Sidler 1742-1801 married Elisabetha Sidler, night watchman and Feldschreiber in Ottenbach, 15 children, lived 58 years 9 months 16 days
Elisabetha Schneebeli 1710-1765 second wife, born in Affoltern, had one son, Julius Billeter made a mistake and put this child with the first wife but Veronica Schneebeli passed away before Ulrich's birth
Elisabetha Schneebeli 1710-1765 second wife, born in Affoltern, had one son, Julius Billeter made a mistake and put this child with the first wife but Veronica Schneebeli passed away before Ulrich's birth
Ulrich Sidler 1751-1800 married Verena Häberling, had 2 children, one married, lived 48 years 9 months 28 days
Ehegaumer
After the sermon (church mess) in the church, the pastor held a meeting with these Ehegaumers in standing in the church (that is why they were also called still standers).
They reported all the bad things that happened in their local communities. Minutes were taken on such reporting which are called Stillständer-Protokolle. Many of them were archived and are transcribed now and publicly available on the internet. So you can find out what "misdeeds" your ancestors committed.
Only serious (legal cases) were brought up to the marital court in the City of Zurich (reported by the local pastor) e.g. illegitimate children etc. Often the decisions were pragmatic and ended up in a money fine. (Sources: Kaspar's death certificate, Peter Bertschinger)
Stillstand Protokolle Example:
There are some Stillstand Protokolle of Ottenbach parish preserved in the Staatsarchiv Zürich, but not yet transcribed and not on-line yet (this is done by volunteer work): However, neighboring Maschwanden has one transcribed to give you an idea what happened in the year 1670 there:
Stillstand Protokolle Example:
January:
saufen: too much alcohol drinking on Sundays
liecht stubeten: private (wild) parties of young people
ehrrüeriges reden: libel (one of the main subjects at local courts)
February:
kartind, büetzind, anckind, bachind: preaching against card playing, mending, butter making, baking on Sundays
Some people were imprisoned in the Ottenbach prison in the City of Zurich for major offenses ... this used to be a female monastery near Niederdorf South of the Limmat river, but 1525 made into a prison by the Zwingli protestant reformation, today the Zurich police station!
What
does a Sackelmeister do?
The
titles of each tithe had to be measured first. Ktifer Heinrich Berli,
Sackelmeister (cashier) Melchior Leutert and Hans Ulrich Hegetschweiler were
entrusted with this task. Afterwards, a commission of one person was set up to
calculate the payments of the individual farmers. It was not until 1835 that
all the farmers had completely repaid their redemption debt. In 1822, the
capitalization of the tithes took place at Martini. Thus, from the second
quarter of the 19th century Ottenbach was largely free of tithes. (Ottenbach's
population In the course of time by Bernhard Schneider)
Seckelmeister or Treasurer for the administration of the confessional financial budgets and treasure, both parties appointed a special Treasurer for a period of six years.. (Patrick A. Wild)
Kaspar
may have been involved in Tithing and the collection of taxes.
“The
payment of tithing always requires a parish church as the recipient. The land
prescribed for a church had, as far as it was worked on, including the meadows
to deliver the tenth part of the gross profit to it. Just as the Church was
supposed to be unchangeable, the tithing, according to its original purpose,
was not for sale. However, it was not uncommon for tithing-free goods to exist.
"(Dr. Strickler.) Spiritual foundations (monasteries) often received their
tithing income from a distance. Hofkirche) in Lucerne. How can we have such a
relationshipto explain ? Noble gentlemen, who lived closer to the Lucerne
Abbey, may have acquired goods from our area by marrying a local noble heiress
and then turned to the abbey by exchange or gift. Or also: In Bickwil, a free
farmer who was not burdened with tithing advertised his farm estate. A younger
brother had entered the Lucerne canons' school. There he was brought up to a
fellow monastery. The farm farmer in Bickwil remained childless. Before his
death, he prescribed tithe from his property to the monastery in the courtyard
in Lucerne. For this purpose, a soul mass was read every year on the day of the
testator's death to increase his happiness. When the church in Ottenbach
already existed in 1234, it fellher tithing in the community from the country
not yet polluted. A distinction was made between big and small tithing. The
latter concerned the grain, the winter crop in the field, this the hay in the
meadow, summer crops, fruit, root crops, also hemp and flax from fields and
punctures. In contrast to the aforementioned dry one, the wine tenth was also
called the wet one. The Lucerne Abbey did not have its own tithe barn as a
collection point in Ottenbach; therefore it had to be tithing in money
Respectively. Every year before the harvest - the reference to an open increase
was leased to a recipient. He paid the pen he had offered to the pen and
collected the tithing for his own account. The pastor in Ottenbach received his
share in kind; The barn and basement were at his disposal. The fact that
tithing was subject to many difficulties proves a lot of decency that was noted
in old writings.
Collecting
Money
While
the following is later in time, it may help to give perspective to what Hans
Kaspar may have done in his job as Seckelmeister.
When
a family sold their house and the justice of their "own benefit and good
or similar causes", they lost their rights in Ottenbach. When she
returned, she had to pay for her move in - like every accuser - and acquire
house and justice again. Ausdriicklich was recorded that the sale of property
to strangers was a burden to "a community Ottenbach farm".
In
1836 16 voile and four half of the fees were listed. Then in 1836 a collection
fee of 15 gulden was paid. The ordinary petty cash amounted to 4 shillings,
which brought in 4 shillings of petty cash 20 gulden. The highest revenue item
was 273 gulden and 30 shillings of an extraordinary tax. Altogether the civil
community of Ottenbach collected a good 350 Guldens in 1835 and 1836.
The
highest item of expenditure of the civil community was the contribution to the
schoolmasters' salary of 68 gulden. The village guard received a total of 40
Guldens for 1835 and 1836, the farmhand 25 Guldens for 1836. 43 Guldens
interest had to be paid and a loss carried forward of 74 Guldens had to be
compensated. Finally, all expenses for the fire brigade were also the
responsibility of the civil community.
(Ottenbach's population In the course of time by Bernhard Schneider)
In 1525 Zwingli and the municipal council in Zürich established the marriage court, which quickly became a model for other cities in southern Germany and Switzerland. The Reformed marriage court became a new discursive site characterized by a specific combination of circumstances: the municipal Reformed marriage courts represented the practical application of the new teachings on matrimony, but in many respects, they also adopted traditions from canon law....In Zurich, as in Basel or Augsburg, the activities of the marriage courts at first centered on clarifying the validity of promises of marriage and questions off divorce. The prosecution of illicit sexual behavior was initially delegated to special morals courts, as in Zürich, or to the Unzüchter (the municipal office responsible for maintaining public order and morals. as in Basel or Augsburg which mainly issued warnings and reprimands.... In Zürich the two courts were practically synonymous....(Social Control in Europe, 1500-1800 vol 1)
Blasphemy as related to Ehegaumer
The church viewed swearing, cursing and blasphemy as ungodly
acts which both spoiled the ground for true religion and would bring divine
retribution. A critical plank in the campaign to make men and women better
Christians was to root out foul language in all its forms, and Bullinger
expected the magistrates to play their part. In 1563 a rural dean in Freiamt
reported to the synod on the ubiquity of swearing, commenting: 'see how in the
parishes swearing rapidly increases, so that young and old swear, and also that
a disruptive, evil Anabaptist bumpkin called Andreas Guot from Ottenbach causes
much trouble'. The Zurich council, however, seems at best to have paid only
lip-service to the mandates governing blasphemy. Only occasionally were those
found guilty fined. Much more serious in the eyes of the magistrates was offensive
language directed against the council or its representatives in the rural
areas. Most of the swearing was directed against the parish officials, such as
the Vogt (bailiff) or Ehegaumer (church
warden), though ministers frequently found themselves caught in the verbal
crossfire. (The Protestant Clergy
of Early Modern Europe, edited by C. Dixon, Luise Schorn-Schütte)
During
their lives:
1742
In Ottenbach there are 543 people, 122 are adults and are 4.5 people per home
meaning there were 120 homes in the community.
(Ottenbach Told by Bernard Schnider and Salomon Schneider and Erika
Schmid)
1710
- 1772 On the occasion of the famine,
Zurich enforces potato cultivation in all rural communities
1600
- 1800 Switzerland is a loose confederacy of 13 cities and small valley
communities dominating the rest of the country. A few families control state
affairs. The country is proud of its tradition of democracy. (Ottenbach
Municipality website)
1712.
For the sake of the war, the following is determined: The tithe, who belongs to
the church there on Merisch wander Boden from Otten bacher goods, is readily
available; Lucerne again receives a travel certificate for moving the tenth to
Ottenbach.
1769.
(Dr. Strickler.) If tithing fields were converted into meadows, it was no
longer the small or the hayned that had to be done, but the previous large,
namely a quarter of the seeds, the Juchart; In 1769, however, the creation of
such meadows was formally prohibited. To encourage the planting of potatoes,
however from 1750 for each household per Vs Juchart arable land, provided that
it was ordered with potatoes, tithing-free.
1770.
(Ludwig Meier von Knonau.) From 1770-1780, the estate value of 140 to 160 (on
average 150 guilders = 700 Fr.) capital values were posted on inheritance or
sales of Mütt. Raffle buying was set considerably lower in the 1830s.
1761
- 1774. The authorities of Zug, on the one hand, and the church of St. Wolfgang
in relation to Pastor Hamberger in Ottenbach, quarreled over tithing to Wolsen
and Bickwil. In this case there was a brand adjustment. Zurich paid the costs,
Zug thanked for the friendly neighborly settlement. (Obfelden, Gedenkschrift
zum 50-jährigen Bestand der Gemeinde, Oktober 1897)
Pastors
in Ottenbach Kasper knew
1701.
Johann Heinrich Zwingli.Died in 1707 from a stroke.
1707.
Hans Konrad Rahn. Deposed in 1737 for offense. Died 1744.
1737.
Balthasar Zwingli, son of Hans Heinrich Zwingli. The greatest, most handsome
man among all his brothers in office. In 1753 almost all of Ottenbach burned
down. The pastor fell ill, had epilepsy (apoplectic) coincidences, never went
to the pulpit again, died in 1757.
1639
Tithe The municipality of Ottenbach uses its influence with the authorities in
Zurich to ensure that the tithe receipt for Lucerne Abbey is no longer awarded
"out of country", i.e. to a tenant in Jonen and at an increase there.
1757.
Rudolf Hamberger. He died in 1776. (Ottenbach's population In the course of
time by Bernhard Schneider)
1737
Pastor Rahn and Veronika Gut Adultery
Born
in 1664 and ordained in 1688, Hans Konrad Rahn became vicar in Niederweningen
in 1690 and parish priest in Wigoltingen TG in 1692. In 1707 he took over the
parish office in Ottenbach; in 1737 he was dismissed for adultery at the age of
73. Afterwards he moved to Horgen, where he died in 1744.
Document
related to Hans Kaspar Sidler
Hans Rudolf Sidler marriage to Veronica Schneebeli 11 November 1728 film 8014328 page 364 item 16 |
Hans Kaspar Sidler b 1705 in the 1749 Church Census film 8014124 page 91 |
1747 Hans Kaspar Sidler marriage to Elsbeth Schneebeli 22 August 1747 film 8014328 page 579 |
Hans Kaspar Sidler death February 22, 1768 film 8014328 page 670 |
Kent Notes:
Hans lived 62 years 10 months 24 days (online age calculator) His second wife passed in 1765 or three years previous so he was a widower. He was buried in the same Ottenbach church cemetery as his 2 wives. He lived 62 years, 10 months less than 6 days. The bottom line says Bethliegerig (in bed) 20 wochen (weeks). Kaspar's cause of death was Hyrope or Hydrops which is a condition where too much fluid is collected in the inner ear. From other entries it appears to be a common cause of death. The Ottenbach Pastor who made this entry, and conducted the services was Pastor Rudolf Hamberger. Pastor Rudolf, himself, died 8 years later and must have been buried in the same cemetery.
Translation 1:
Alt
Ehegaumer Hs. Caspar Sydler von Ottenbach, aet. 62. Jahr u. 10 monath weniger
6. Tag, bettlägerig gegen die 20 Wochen (Bethliegerig (in bed
20 weeks). Hydrope.
Translation 2:
Old Ehegaumer Hs. Caspar Sydler (spouse) von Ottenbach, aet.
62. year and 10 months less 6. day, bedridden against 20 weeks. Hydrope.
Hans lived 62 years 10 months 24 days. Kaspar's cause of
death was Hyrope or Hydrops which is a condition where too much fluid is
collected in the inner ear. From other entries it appears to be a common cause
of death. The Ottenbach Pastor who made this entry, and conducted the services
was Rudolf Hamberger. Rudolf, himself, died 8 years later and must have been
buried in the same Ottenbach church cemetery.
Endolymphatic hydrops may be either primary or secondary.
Primary idiopathic endolymphatic hydrops (known as Ménière’s disease) occurs
for no known reason. Secondary endolymphatic hydrops appears to occur in
response to an event or underlying condition. For example, it can follow head
trauma or ear surgery, and it can occur with other inner ear disorders,
allergies, or systemic disorders (such as diabetes or autoimmune disorders).
Symptoms typical of hydrops include pressure or fullness in
the ears (aural fullness), tinnitus (ringing or other noise in the ears),
hearing loss, dizziness, and imbalance. (VEDA website)
Sidler and Hegetschweiler Temple Record by Julius Billeter, page 37 |
Katharina's parents: Sidler Hegetschweiler Temple Record by Julius Billeter page 25 |