Other Events:

• Name: Fred
• Name: Fritz

Notes:

The following information was abstracted from Book 1 of the Declaration of Intentions which begins in October 1906. This book contains 100 records of which 50 are given here. These records are located in the office of the Clerk of District Court, Nemaha County Courthouse, Seneca, KS:

"Fred GERBER, farmer, aged 22, of Oneida, Kansas, was born on 11 Aug 1885 in Laungua, Switzerland. Fred immigrated from Laungua, Switzerland aboard the Sampaen. He arrived in New York on 22 Jan 1902. Fred Gerber filed a declaration of intention to become a citizen of the United States on 23 Dec 1907 with the district court of Nemaha County. (page 8)"

Note: immigration information does not match exactly. However, phoenetically, Sampaen and Champagne are very similar. The birth dates match, and dates of arrival in the US are within 5 days.

Fritz married Emma Heinen on 9 Mar 1910 in Seneca, Nemaha County, Kansas, USA. Emma (daughter of John Heinen and Rosa Heck) was born about 1883 in Illinois, USA; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

From Oneida, KS

Other Events:

• Address: Giebelkelle or Giebelchelle
• Address: Reinach, Switzerland
• Address: 6 Nov 1855, Vorder Giebel, near Langnau in Emmental, Bern, Switzerland

Notes:

Purchased Giebelkelle from his father in 1885. It also appears from a chart at a Gerber Reunion he may have lived in "Weg" at Trubschachen prior to moving to Reinach.

Later moved to Reinach - letter from Heinrich Gerber to Paul Gerber on 2 July 1993.

According to Ruedi of Vorder Giebel, Christian didn't make large payments (or increased in payments) as he leased Giebelkelle.

Christian married Anna Fankhauser on 9 Nov 1878 in Langnau (im Emmental), Bern, Switzerland. Anna (daughter of Niklaus Fankhauser and Elisabeth Neuenschwander) was born on 14 Nov 1851 in Trub, Bern, Switzerland; died on 5 May 1901 in Trub, Bern, Switzerland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

FANKHAUSER: TRUB. Fankhaus is the place name of a farm. The German verb fangen means to catch. This house is catched, that is to say surrounded by hills and forest, enclosed territory. - By Delbert Gratz



ORIGIN OF NAME - VERSION 2

Heinz Fankhauser from Burgdorf...

When fall comes, the farmers have to drive their animals down from the high pastures for the winter. There must have been some sort of stockade (or corrall) in Fankhaus Graben which pinned the cows and/or sheep and/or goats in until the various owners could sort out which belonged to whom. There must have been a house there for the fellow who maintained it.



ORIGIN OF NAME - VERSION 3

Contributed by Frieda Funkhouser Wilson - FUNKHOUSER A SWISS-AMERICAN GENEALOGY (1364-1978) Copyright 1978

...at the turn of the century the circulated story was that one of the Fankhauser ancestors "was an inspector of a prison or guard of prisoners. This story has been refuted. Cousin Hans Fankhauser says there are no jails or prisons in Trub for the one thing. Instead the name Fankhauser comes from the verb 'fangen' meaning 'to catch' (the bears). A 'fang' was a large pit for trapping the bears and other wild animals that threatened the crops and livestock of the families who lived in this valley in the Middle Ages. The trap tender lived in a 'Fanghus.' As a small community grew there, it took the name and the families there became Fankhausers."

John married Rosa Heck. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Address: Vorder Giebel, near Langnau in Emmental, Bern, Switzerland

Notes:

Owner of Vorder Giebel

He sold his farm to Ulrich for $60,000, which was worth 250,000 Swiss Francs at the time of his death. Adjusted for inflation, that is worth more than $2 million USD. He loaned out much money as there were many debt letters found at the time of his death. His wealth may have partially be due to him being an only child.

Built the Stöckli at Giebel with meeting room for the church. He held the title of "steward of the poor" at the church.

His wife, a Gerber from the original Gerber house (Baumgarten), was known for her beauty and work ethic.

According to Ernst and Clara's travel log (8 Sept 1929), Christian was mentioned as the person who built the church.

Ruedi said he felt his father, Ulrich, was too interested in cattle trading, but he admired his grandfather Christian who promoted the reunions of the Neutäufer in the Versammlungshaus, or meeting house. This is known as the Stöckli which he built where the Küherhaus/Hüsli used to be. A "küher" was a high-level farm hand who was responsible for caring for the cattle. Apparently, the existing Stöckli has "NG 1862" inscribed on it, referring to Niklaus Gerber.

Anna Elisabeth was said to be from Alteneischeuer or Alteneischürli. Her ancestors, came from Baumgarten. Her parents lived at Baumgarget at her birth.

Christian married Anna Barbara Gerber on 19 May 1854 in Thun, Switzerland. Anna (daughter of Ulrich Gerber and Barbara Gerber) was born on 9 Jun 1835; was christened on 21 Jun 1835; died on 27 Feb 1892. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Address: 9 Jun 1835, Baumgarten; Parents lived at Baumgarten at the time of Anna Barbara's birth. Baumgarten has been thought to be an ancestral farm for the Vorder Giebel Gerber line.
• Address: 19 May 1854, Alteneischürli; Lived at Alteneischürli at the time of Anna Barbara's marriage

Notes:

She came from the original farm of the early Gerbers, called Baumgarten - Marianne Gerber, 28 Oct 2001.

According to a chart assembled by John Gerber of Giebel, Anna Barbara came out of the farm called Altenel and was the daughter of Ulrich and Barbara Gerber.

Descendent Ruedi Gerber mentioned in a letter that Anna Barbara was very well respected and beautiful. She was said to be a very hard worker, and she did not care about doing even the farm work that was usually done by men.

Other Events:

• Address: 17 Jun 1836, Mühlebach or Muehlebach

Notes:

Lived at Mühlebach

Niklaus married Elisabeth Neuenschwander on 17 Jun 1836. Elisabeth (daughter of Johannes Neuenschwander and Barbara Gerber) was born on 18 Jun 1814 in Langnau (im Emmental), Bern, Switzerland; died on 20 Apr 1893. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]