Langnau citizens who lived in the Bishopric of Basel. Bern’s Anabaptists fled into the Jura highlands after 1712, but kept their Emmental citizenship. In the 1790s David Baumgartner, an Anabaptist of Langnau living in the Jura, petitioned Bern to have his congregation’s children entered in Langnau’s citizenship roll — and so the Heimatrodel der Täuferfamilien von Langnau (K Langnau 36) was kept. It is the key record for both the Neuenschwander and the Lehman families.
Peter’s sons
The late Peter Neuenschwander (d. before 1791) of Langnau had at least four sons in the Jura:
%%{init: {"flowchart": {"useMaxWidth": true}}}%% flowchart TB P["Peter Neuenschwander (d. before 1791)"] --> C["Christian, at Münster (children 1767–88)"] P --> H["Hans, at Münster × Anna Gerber"] P --> M["Michael, at Münster × Barbara Steiner of Signau"] P --> B["Bendicht Neuenschwander (fl. 1766)"] M --> M2["Michael Neuenschwander (1778–1852)"] B --> J["Johannes Neuenschwander (1776–1838)"] B --> Mi["Michel Neuenschwander (1785–1859)"] J --> CA["Christen, b. 6 Sep 1812 (candidate A)"] class P,B,M2,J,Mi internal-link;
- Two brothers, two Fuhrimann wives. Johannes Neuenschwander (1776–1838) married Catharina Fuhrimann (1806); his brother Michel Neuenschwander (1785–1859) married Barbara Fuhrimann (1807). Anna Lehman’s mother was a third Fuhrimann, Anna of Oeschenbach.
- The Putnam County pioneer was a cousin. Michael Neuenschwander (1778–1852), son of Michael and Barbara Steiner, married Anna Ernst at Florimont and in 1833 became the first Swiss Mennonite settler near Bluffton, Ohio — which is why Christian and Anna went to Putnam County in 1845.
The puzzle: two Christens born in 1812 — solved
Christopher's ancestor was the son of Peter (resolved 2026-10-31)
Langnau’s marriage register for 1844 (no. 141) records the banns of “Christen Neuenschwander, Peter’s [son], born 23 Dec 1812” and “Anna Lehmann, Peter’s [daughter]” — both of the Anabaptist congregation — married 26 October 1844 by an Anabaptist preacher. The Täufer register (p. 18) gives his birth as 23 Nov 1812, son of Peter Neuenschwander (shoemaker, m. 1810), a shoemaker at Perrefitte, and Elisabeth Hutmacher (m. 1810). The “P.” in Christian P. stands for Peter.
So the Bendicht → Johannes branch drawn above (and the Fuhrimann connection on Christian’s side) is not his line. Peter of Perrefitte’s own parents are the next question — possibly Bendicht’s son Peter (born 1766), unproven. Anna Lehman’s mother is still the documented Anna Fuhrimann.
Anna Lehman’s family — documented
Page 32 of the same register documents Anna Maria Lehman (1825–1886): daughter of Peter Leeman (born 1782 at Corgémont, son of Ulrich and Maria Th[ü]ler) and Anna Fuhrimann (born 1788, Oeschenbach), married at Moutier in 1820.
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.