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]

1. Christian Gerber was born on 6 Nov 1855 in Langnau (im Emmental), Bern, Switzerland; died on 7 Aug 1935 in Gontenschwil, AG.
2. Anna Elisabeth Gerber was born on 15 Jun 1858; died on 12 Jan 1927.
3. Johannes Gerber was born on 19 Mar 1863 in Langnau (im Emmental), Bern, Switzerland; died on 17 Jul 1888.
4. Friedrich Gerber was born on 13 Nov 1865; and died.
5. Ulrich Gerber was born on 5 Jul 1868; died on 14 Feb 1919.
6. Emma Gerber was born on 13 May 1874; and died.

Other Events:

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

Notes:

Owner of Vorder Giebel

Niklaus also had a daughter. He died early, so there is no will outlining the separation of the estate.

Great grandson Ruedi said that a Baeregg-Fritz told him that Niklaus had a beard and used to give him nuts from a tree. Another person told him that he was rather frugal.

Niklaus was noted by Ruedi Gerber to be Armendirektor, or a bookkeeper responsible for looking after the poor in the village.

According to Ruedi Gerber of Vorder Giebel in "Usere Altvordern" document, father Christian passed down to this Niklaus in 1839 1 large farm house, 1 cow barn, 1 Speicher, 1 "Bauchehaus?", 1 house at Giebelkelle, 1 bee apieri, and "Moos" (could be a wetland area or Giebelmoos). he held back the Schwandgraben" portion of Lohngratalp for its timber.

Niklaus married Barbara Aeschlimann on 7 May 1819 in Luetzelflueh, Bern, Switzerland. Barbara (daughter of Johannes Aeschliman and Barbara Gerber) was born in 1797; was christened on 15 Oct 1797 in Langnau (im Emmental), Bern, Switzerland; died on 13 Nov 1861 in Langnau (im Emmental), Bern, Switzerland; was buried on 16 Nov 1861 in Langnau (im Emmental), Bern, Switzerland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Born in Canton Bern, Switzerland

Notes:

Married:
The marriage took place in Luetzelflueh, and was registered at Langnau.

Other Events:

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

Notes:

Very popular leader of the "new baptism movement" in Emmental called Froelichianer (or Neutäufer), which was established by Samuel Froelich. Christian's name is mentioned in Mennonite history regarding a large separation from the Mennonites. He was called "Christeli" to differentiate himself from his grandson.

The baptismbook of Geiser mentions regarding the breaking away from the Mennonites that the most talented of all Neutäufer (in Langnau) was undoubtedly Christian Gerber. In 1821 he was called to a Mennonite lectureship. In 1832, he had his first contact with Samuel Fröhlich, and in 1834 the first meeting of the Neutäufer was held in Langnau. At times, meetings were held at Vorder Giebel in the Stöckli. In May 1835, he was excommunicated from the Mennonite worship, whereby the community of Neutäufer proclaimed their beginning as mentioned on a letter from Samuel Fröhlich currently at Giebel. He is noted as the armendirektor (a person who oversees benevolence to the poor in the village) in Langnau and owner at Giebel who died in 1894.

There is a letter from Samuel Fröhlich at Giebel. You can find it as a media link on this website HERE.

Christian inherited a third of Vorder Giebel from his mother when she died. His brother, Michael, inherited another third. According to Ruedi Gerber of Vorder Giebel, the dual-ownership of Giebel ended in 1791 and Michael went to live with his father at Bäregg which his father had purchased from a Christian Gerber. Upon the death of their father, Michael inherited the Hinter Baeregg, but he did not appear at the division of the estate. Instead, he sent a representative, Niklaus Gerber of Ober Hapbach.

His will and testament showed that he had 10 children. It also showed he had assigned Giebel to his second oldest son, Niklaus. His youngest son was not capable of taking over the farm as he was possibly disabled. According to Ruedi Gerber of Vorder Giebel in "Usere Altvordern" document, Christian passed down to Niklaus in 1839 1 large farm house, 1 cow barn, 1 Speicher, 1 "Bauchehaus?", 1 house at Giebelkelle, 1 bee apieri, and "Moos" (could be a wetland area or Giebelmoos).

He was known as "Christeli" Gerber.

Christian married Katharina Burkhalter on 11 Jul 1783 in Lauperswil, Bern, Switzerland. Katharina (daughter of Christian Burkhalter and Elsbeth Roethlisberger) was born on 2 May 1766 in Langnau (im Emmental), Bern, Switzerland; was christened on 8 May 1766 in Langnau (im Emmental), Bern, Switzerland; died on 31 Dec 1845 in Langnau (im Emmental), Bern, Switzerland; was buried on 3 Jan 1846 in Langnau (im Emmental), Bern, Switzerland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Address: 1766, Mittler Langengegg

Notes:

According to Daughter Barbara's birth record, they lived in a farm near Langnau named Gool-grat

Johannes married Barbara Gerber in 1796. Barbara (daughter of Christian Gerber and Anna Grimm) was born in 1779; died in 1826. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Birth: 20 Nov 1735, Vorder Giebel, near Langnau in Emmental, Bern, Switzerland
• Address: 1754, Ober Lohngrat
• Address: 1782, Hinter Baeregg / Bäregg

Notes:

Owner of Vorder Giebel

Niklaus was a person who looks after the cows and makes cheese. He was farmer at Giebel and owner of the farm Lohngrat. Purchased a farm called "Hinter Bäregg" from his uncle, Christian in 1782.

From the first marriage with his wife (maiden name "Kipfer"), there were two sons: Michael and Christian. It has been noted that when the mother died, a relative, Niklaus Gerber of Ober Hapbach, was designated as an overseer of her estate until the children became of age or when the father died. However, this makes little sense because Niklaus, the eventual owner of Hapbach, would have been a very young child when the mother died. It is possible that Niklaus of Ober Hapbach was made the executor of her Muttersgut (inheritance to the children from her dowery) only when her husband Niklaus died later. By that time, Niklaus would have been old enough to be an executor and would have owned Ober Hapbach.

From the second marriage in approximately 1770-1771, there was one son, Niklaus, and three daughters, Barbara, Elizabeth, and Magdalena.

In 1754 he was banned from his land by the State church as many Anabaptists (Mennonites) were. Later, he lived in Baeregg when in 1784 he sold/transferred Giebel to both of his sons, Michael and Christian. After their mother, Magdalena Kipfer died, Christian paid Michael for his portion of Giebel and became the single owner of Giebel.

In the 1791 Mutterguts-Abrechnung, a document that divides the inheritance from the mother, the two sons from Niklaus' first marriage received 2/3 ownership of Giebel. The remaining third was retained by Niklaus and appears later in his division of assets. His will was dated March 1, 1801. There is some conflicting information here as it was also reported that he sold Giebel to his sons earlier in 1784. This Muttersgut-Abrechnung may simply be outlining a transaction that had previously occurred. This seems logical considering Ruedi Gerber's understanding.

Niklaus purchased another farm in 1783 called "Unter Hapbach" for his son, Niklaus, of his second marriage. The book "Zähjs Holz" says that Unter Hapbach was purchased by a brother of Giebel-Glais. Giebel-Glais was the son of Johannes Gerber, Niklaus' brother. The book may be slightly off, or it is possible that one of Johannes' sons purchased it later, possibly Michael (which would lend credibility to the idea that he could be the famed Deacon Michael Gerber of Hapbach).

Niklaus' will is dated March 1801.

The estate transferred in 1774 consisted of: 1 house, 1 cow barn, 1 bee apiary, 1 speicher, 1 hog/sheep barn, 1 hog barn, one house on the Kellen (presumably, Giebelkelle). Held back was some land or right to use land for 7 cows in the summer and 19 cows in the winter, and some forest. Mittler Giebel was owned by Hans Gerber (son of Michael Gerber and brother to Niklaus?), and Giebelmoos was owned by the Grimm family. Ruedi Gerber indicated that Niklaus purchased Hinter Baeregg from his brother Christian in 1782, not 1783. Brothers Christian and Michael separated ownership of Giebel completely in 1791. Niklaus died in 1807.

It was this Niklaus Gerber who sold the portion of Lohngratalp but held back a portion of the forest (Schwandgraben) because there was not a lot of timber at Giebel.

Birth:
There are some that claim Niklaus' christening was on 3 Jul 1735. There is no record of it in the States Archive of Canton Bern (page 90). The information that Niklaus was the son of Matthys Gerber is incorrect. It came from Julius Billeter who made many errors. Family records confirm that Niklaus was the son of Michael Gerber, owner of Giebel, and whose inscription remains there.

Niklaus married Magdalena Kipfer on 2 May 1760. Magdalena (daughter of Michel Kuepfer and Magdalena Wuethrich) was christened on 18 Mar 1736 in Langnau (im Emmental), Bern, Switzerland; died on 29 Nov 1765 in Langnau (im Emmental), Bern, Switzerland; was buried on 1 Dec 1765 in Langnau (im Emmental), Bern, Switzerland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Name: Magdalena Kuepfer

Notes:

K8Langnau191 #22

The spelling of the surname Kuefper has evolved to Kipfer.

She died at 30 years of age.

Other Events:

• Name: Christen Burkhalter

Notes:

Owned Mittel Langenegg. Transferred to his son, Christian.

Christian married Elsbeth Roethlisberger on 15 Nov 1765 in Sigriswil, Bern, Switzerland. Elsbeth was born about 1744; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

From David Diana:
Perhaps she was from Sigriswil, Bern, Switzerland. This is where she and Christian Burkhalter were married.

Notes:

Married:
This marriage took place in Sigriswil, Bern, Switzerland, according to the marriage entry, not in Langnau,
as previously submitted by someone else.

Johannes married Unknown. was born WFT est 1710-1732; died WFT est 1753-1819. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Christian married Anna Grimm in 1778. Anna was born in 1755; died in 1821. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]