ramsei

Christian P. Neuenschwander (1812–1884)

Christian P. “Crist” Neuenschwander

23 Nov 1812 – 5 Nov 1884, died at Berne (Indiana)

Christopher’s 3rd great-grandfather · ancestor no. 56 · generation 6
Evidence: identity documented · link to parents documented

Family

Life and evidence

(Habegger, Swiss of Adams and Wells, M72)

Born 23 Nov 1812 at La Tanne, Moutier (matching the Langnau register’s “Christen, geb. 23. Nov. 1812”). Married Anna Lehman 26 Oct 1844 at La Tanne; reached Wayne County, Ohio 13 May 1845, Putnam County, Ohio 17 Jul 1845, Polk County, Iowa 24 Apr 1849, and Adams County, Indiana 4 Apr 1856. Net worth 1860: $3,100. Eleven-plus children; two sons married two of Christian Stauffer’s daughters (Jacob C. × Elisabeth 1872; Christian C. × Marianna 1876), and daughter Rachel married their half-brother David Stauffer.

Natives of Switzerland; came to Ohio 1845; about four years in Putnam County (Jacob C. born there 1848); then Iowa; then Monroe Township near Berne (Snow 1907). 13–14 children: Jacob C. (1848–1921), Rachel Stauffer (1849–1877), Adelina Liechty (1851–1909), Christian C. (1853–1937), Abraham C. (1855–1887), David C. (1857–1935), Anna (1859–1864), Verena “Fannie” Schneck (1860–1934), Joel (1862), Maria (1863–1864), Elizabeth Lehman (1863–1950), Lea Franz (1865–1934, wife of Dr. Franz of Berne), Lydia (1868–1878).

Which Christen? Resolved 2026-10-31 — the son of Peter

  • 1844 marriage: Langnau marriage register (K Langnau 27), no. 141: banns 29 Sept, 6 and 13 Oct 1844 for “Christen Neuenschwander, Peter’s [son], born 23 Dec 1812” and “Anna Lehmann, Peter’s [daughter], born 25 Feb 1825 — both of the Anabaptist congregation”; married 26 Oct 1844 by an Anabaptist preacher.
  • Birth: Langnau Täufer register p. 18: “Christen, geb. 23. Nov. 1812”, son of Peter Neuenschwander, shoemaker at Perrefitte, and Elisabeth Hutmacher — the exact headstone date.
  • The middle initial “P.” is a patronymic: Christian, son of Peter.

The compiled tree’s parents (Johannes Neuenschwander and Catharina Fuhrimann) belong to a different Christen, born 6 Sep 1812 (p. 16). They are no longer linked as his parents.

Not to be confused with Christian Neuenschwander (1812–1905) of Pandora, Ohio (a different family, 1958 book), or the Christian who died in Putnam County in 1839.

Where they lived

In their lifetime

Pedigree

%%{init: {"flowchart": {"useMaxWidth": true}}}%%
flowchart RL
  n62560931["Peter Neuenschwander (d. before 1791)"]
  n25529237["Bendicht Neuenschwander (fl. 1766)"]
  n43760171["Catharina Fuhrimann (1782–1853)"]
  n98663123["Elisabeth Leeman (fl. 1766)"]
  n65348362["Christian P. Neuenschwander (1812–1884)"]
  n36423068["Johannes Neuenschwander (1776–1838)"]
  n65348362 --> n36423068
  n36423068 --> n25529237
  n25529237 --> n62560931
  n36423068 --> n98663123
  n65348362 --> n43760171
  class n62560931,n25529237,n43760171,n98663123,n65348362,n36423068 internal-link;

Conflicts

  • WHICH CHRISTEN? Headstone birth 23 Nov 1812 matches Christen son of PETER (Langnau 36 p. 18); compiled parents Johannes + Catharina Fuhrimann match Christen born 6 Sep 1812 (p. 16)
  • Death 1884 (headstone) vs 1887 (Snow 1907) — prefer headstone
  • Marriage 26 Oct 1844 Tramelan (compiled tree) not found in Tramelan Reformed marriage register
  • Birthplace ‘Bern’ = canton; Geneanet lead ‘Höfen, 1811’ unconfirmed

Death notice, Christlicher Bundesbote (1884)

“Neuenschwander. Am 5. November in der Nähe von Berne, Ind., C. P. Neuenschwander, im Alter von 71 Jahren, 8 Monaten und 5 Tagen.” (On 5 November, near Berne, Indiana, C. P. Neuenschwander, aged 71 years, 8 months and 5 days.) The funeral sermon was preached by [S]uderman. No parents are named. The stated age points to a birth around 28 Feb – 1 Mar 1813, not 23 Nov 1812: a conflict, probably a reckoning error by the correspondent.

Research tasks

  • Tramelan banns 1844 checked (2026-11-01): not there; the marriage is in Langnau 27 only
  • Bundesbote 1884 death notice found (2026-11-01): no parents named
  • 1887 Biographical and Historical Record checked (2026-11-01): only his daughter Elizabeth (b. 1864, m. 1883) mentioned
  • Tyndall & Lesh, Standard History of Adams and Wells Counties (1918), for children’s biographies naming him and his parents (2026-11-01: nothing on his parents; parents already documented from the Swiss registers)
  • Look for Catharina Fuhrimann Neuenschwander and candidate A’s siblings in Putnam County, Ohio task/ai

Sources

Narratives and research

Open questions

  • Age at death: Bundesbote 1884 says 71 y 8 m 5 d (implying birth c. 28 Feb – 1 Mar 1813), not 71 y 11 m 13 d as 23 Nov 1812 would give
  • Death 1884 (headstone) vs 1887 (Snow 1907) — prefer headstone
  • The Amish periodical The Diary (Adams County list) has ‘Mrs. Christian P. Neuenschwander, Berne R2’ on 13 Nov 1885 and ‘Christian P. Neuenschwander, Berne R2’ on 5 Jul 1889; probably a different (Amish) couple of the same name, unverified
  • Birth 23 Nov 1812 (Täufer register, headstone) vs 23 Dec 1812 (1844 Langnau marriage entry)
  • Marriage place: Tramelan in compiled tree — the 1844 entry gives an Anabaptist preacher; place still to read
  • Birthplace ‘Bern’ = canton; Geneanet lead ‘Höfen, 1811’ unconfirmed

Research log

  • 2026-11-01: Tyndall & Lesh, Standard History of Adams and Wells Counties (1918), both scans searched: no sketch of Christian P. or naming his parents; only his son Jacob Neuenschwander, ‘a native of Iowa’, m. Elizabeth Stauffer, father-in-law of Mr. Habegger (m. 1894 Anna Neuenschwander)
  • 2026-11-01: K Tramelan 18 (banns 1840–1861), entries 25–37 (Jul – Dec 1844, images 41–43) read: no Neuenschwander or Lehman. The 1844 marriage is recorded only in the Langnau register (K Langnau 27, no. 141), not in Tramelan
  • 2026-11-01: Christlicher Bundesbote 1882–87 (archive.org christlicherbund00unse) searched: death notice ‘Am 5. November in der Nähe von Berne, Ind., C. P. Neuenschwander, im Alter von 71 Jahren, 8 Monaten und 5 Tagen’; funeral sermon by [S]uderman; parents not named
  • 2026-11-01: Biographical and Historical Record of Adams and Wells Counties (1887; Berne Public Library reprint, archive.org biographicalhist0000vari_i4c7) searched: only mention is his daughter Elizabeth (b. 20 Aug 1864, Monroe Twp.), m. 7 Feb 1883 (husband’s sketch, Hoosier Roller Milling Co.); no biography of C. P. himself. Snow’s History of Adams County (1907): text not downloadable

Record compiled 31 October 2026.

About this research

Supporting documentation is linked throughout. This project is an exercise in AI-assisted research and development, and I haven’t manually verified every link or conclusion. All transcriptions and translations of Swiss parish records were made with AI, and their accuracy should be treated accordingly.

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