Anna Sidler was born to Susanna Jenta and Johannes Sidler on
14 February 1827 in the little village of Ottenbach, Zürich, Switzerland. She
was their second child and five years later she would welcome her little sister
Susanna. Her childhood included learning how to pray, memorizing the 10
commandments and passing off the small and large Confirmation books. Her pastor
Rudolf Tappolet eventually wrote a T and a C next to her name in the Ottenbach
church record. Her confirmation day was a big one. At 18 Anna qualified to
partake of the sacrament of our Lord's Supper and her God parents had a
celebration with the family. It was a big day. (See civil record below)
Father's Death
In 1834 when Anna was 7 years old her father Johannes died
leaving her care to her mother Susanna Jenta. What Susanna did for a living is
unknown but she very well may have worked in some of the textile shops or did
tailor work like her husband Johannes.
At the beginning of 1847 when she was 20 she was intimate
with one Jacob Hegetschweiler and 9 months later on 29 September 1847 she gave
birth to her daughter Anna Hegetschweiler. Anna never knew her father.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Two years before Anna’s mother died four members of their
family joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In the 19th
century converts of the Church in Ottenbach were baptized in the River Reuss
and this is the most likely place for their baptisms.:
Anna Sidler age 29 was baptized 1 January 1856 in Ottenbach
by D Bonnelli, confirmed H Bar. Shortly thereafter Anna’s daughter, sister
Susanna and niece also joined the church. (FamilySearch page 21 microfilm 128145, Emma
Scholl, History of Anna Hegetschweiler)
When Anna H. was twelve years old and Anna was 33 they emigrated
to America. It took about six weeks to cross the ocean on the ship Underwriter.
After arriving at Iowa City, they were fitted out with handcarts and traveled
the 1,300 miles to Salt Lake City on foot pulling their cart. Anna H. often
spoke of her bare feet bleeding and bruised from the rough roads. They arrived
in the Salt Lake area in 1860. (Emma Bachman Scholl)
Anna Sidler married Labrech Bar and
gave birth to a baby sister in 1861. The family joined a cult headed by Joseph
Morris who moved into Kingston Fort, now called South Weber. The sect numbered
five or six hundred. Some wanted out of the order but were captured by Morris
and imprisoned in Kingston Fort. A written message was sent into the fort
calling upon Morris to surrender the prisoners. Morris returned with a
"revelation" forbidding them to yield to the demands of the posse,
promising them not one of his faithful followers should be destroyed. The
members of the fort assembled, the "revelation" was read, but before
it could be discussed a cannon ball crashed into the fort, killing her mother,
Anna Sidler Bar and her new baby sister. Anna H. then fourteen years old had to
pick up the bones of her mother and half sister. (Emma Scholl, Anna's granddaughter)
Events during Anna's lifetime:
1830 Pastor Locher obtains the construction of the first
poorhouse in Ottenbach.
(Ottenbach Municipality Website)
1833 Separation of the school communities Ottenbach, Wolsen
and Lunnern from the church meinde Ottenbach.
I 835 Construction of the new schoolhouse next to the
church.
The poorhouse is abolished, the poor are moved to Kappel.
1836 The Ottenbacher Müiler builds the Kanai to make better
use of the water power.
1839 On July I, the district authorities move from Knonau to
Affoltern.
In September, a conservative turnaround in Zürich
("Zuriputsch").
1845 Liberal turnaround in Züirich.
1847 Separation of Obfelden and Ottenbach: the fiinf hamlets
are merged to form the political municipality of Obfelden, the Miihle
Rickenbach is annexed to Ottenbach.
1847-48 In the Sonderbund skrieg, the reformed liberal
states defeat the catholic conservatives. (Obfelden, Gedenkschrift zum
50-jährigen Bestand der Gemeinde, October 1897 )
Birth Date
There is some confusion on her birthday. Her baptismal
record says 4th of February 1827 and her family record below says 17 February 1827 and next to it says 14 March 1827 which is her christening date. A
search has been made in the Ottenbach Parish records for her exact birth
date but it was not located. The page where her birth should be listed is on FamilySearch film 8126955 page 951. I contacted the Zürich Archives the they found, as I did, it the entry was not on the page of births for 1826. However they did look in another book called the Baptismal Register where her birthdate and baptismal date were recorded with Johannes Sidler and Susanna Jenta's name clearly written. The 17th of February stands.
Baptismal record:
The baptismal record lists Johannes Sidler and Susanna Jenta on the left, Anna's name, the god parents Jacob Sidler from Ottenbach, Anna Sidler "g" (the g stands for the word geborene meaning birth name or maiden name) Schneebeli, and under village name on the right it says Maschwanden village and/or Parish. In the same column other villages are listed such as zu Langnau, Canton of Zürich, zu Höngg today Zurich, zu Horgen, Canton of Zurich, Bei St. Peter Zürich (church), zu Hütten, Canton of Zurich, zu Suhr Canton Aargau, zu Wollishofen today Zurich zu Dernau. Why these villages are listed is not completely understood. However Anna's younger sister Barbara was born in Maschwanden so it may be that she was born in Maschwanden and baptized in Ottenbach. This could be the reason she is not listed in the Ottenbach birth register for 1827.
Baptismal record:
The baptismal record lists Johannes Sidler and Susanna Jenta on the left, Anna's name, the god parents Jacob Sidler from Ottenbach, Anna Sidler "g" (the g stands for the word geborene meaning birth name or maiden name) Schneebeli, and under village name on the right it says Maschwanden village and/or Parish. In the same column other villages are listed such as zu Langnau, Canton of Zürich, zu Höngg today Zurich, zu Horgen, Canton of Zurich, Bei St. Peter Zürich (church), zu Hütten, Canton of Zurich, zu Suhr Canton Aargau, zu Wollishofen today Zurich zu Dernau. Why these villages are listed is not completely understood. However Anna's younger sister Barbara was born in Maschwanden so it may be that she was born in Maschwanden and baptized in Ottenbach. This could be the reason she is not listed in the Ottenbach birth register for 1827.
Anna Sidler's temple card says:
Born: 17 March 1827
Died: 13 June 1862
Married: Lebrick Bear
Baptized: 1856
Endowed: 16 Jan 1933
Work done by: Joseph Bachman
Controversy
There is a huge controversy over Anna's death. A page has been set aside for a discussion of that topic. Anna's Death
Documents relating to Anna Sidler
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| Anna Sidler birth and baptism 1827 from Baptismal Register E_III_88_6_Ottenbach_teil |
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| Anna Sidler birth and baptism 1827 from Baptismal Register E_III_88_6_Ottenbach_teil |
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| Anna Sidler birth and baptism 1827 from Baptismal Register E_III_88_6_Ottenbach_teil |
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| Johannes and Susanna Ottenbach Family Church Record: Zürich Archives E III 88. 19, S 434 |
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| Johannes Sidler 1777 civil entry which was written formally after viewing the Parish record. |
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| Johannes and Susanna Ottenbach Family Church Record: Zürich Archives E III 88. 19, S 434 |
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| Passport from the Zürich Archives collection Anna and company leave February 20, 1860 |
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| Underwriter NY Passenger List 14 April 1860 - 11 May 1860 page 298 |
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| Underwriter NY Passenger List 14 April 1860 - 11 May 1860page 298 |
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It is interesting that Lebrecht Bär was married to Susanna
(already married to Lebrecht in Switzerland) and
yet this author says he is getting married to his "intended."
His intended could be Anna Sidler.
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