The Rich family English-descent tradition (1907)
The 1907 Ramseyer-Rich Reunion booklet says of Joseph Rich of Lutter, Alsace, who married Peter Ramseyer’s sister Barbara in 1823:
“Joseph Rich was of far distant English descent. According to tradition there lived in England about A.D. 1200 two brothers by the name Rich … the one and his family left England, going into other parts of Europe (Holland, Germany and Switzerland) and the spelling of the name was changed from Rich to Riech, Reich and back to Rich again.” — Liechty 1907, pp. 35–36
- Joseph Rich is not a direct ancestor (he married Daniel Ramseyer’s aunt).
- But Daniel’s mother was Barbara Reich (1826–1894), whose family has not been traced. If her Reich family was kin to Joseph’s, this tradition belongs to Christopher’s direct line.
- A medieval (about 1200) tradition — separate from the Miller-side English ancestor recollection (Miller side).
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.