Notes:

Julius Billeter Research Notes

Katharina married Peter Hiltbrunner on 30 Nov 1821 in Langnau (im Emmental), Bern, Switzerland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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

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.

Other Events:

• Address: 1731, Vorder Giebel, near Langnau in Emmental, Bern, Switzerland

Notes:

Owner of Vorder Giebel

Inscription at the Spycher of Vorder Giebel: "Michel Grber und Anna Röthlisparger syn Husfrau haben dar Spycher lassen bauen im 1735 Jahr." Translated into English, this says, "Michael Gärber and Anna Röthlisberger, his wife, built this Spiecher in year 1735."

IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT MOST FAMILY TREES FOLLOW THE RESEARCH DONE BY JULIUS BILLETER. HOWEVER, JULIUS'S RESEARCH SHOULD BE NOT BE TRUSTED AS MANY ERRORS HAVE BEEN FOUND, PARTICULARLY BETWEEN GENERATIONS (LINKING THE CORRECT PARENTS TO INDIVIDUALS).

Purportedly, his ancestors came from the farm called Baumgarten.

Eventually co-owner of Lohngrat in Gohl.

The speicher there has an inscription on it with the names of Michael's boys: Niklaus, Michael, and Johannes. It reads "Hans Gärber und Nyklaus Gärber, beyd zu Gibel, Mychel Gärber der Senn, ym 1767 Yahr. Petter Bärger der Zymmermeyster.", translated into English "Hans Gerber and Niklaus Gerber, both of Gibel, Michael Gerber the Senn ?, year 1767. Peter Bärger the carpenter." It is dated 1767, the year the speicher was built.

The oldest document at Giebel is an exchange agreement between Michael Gerber (4) and Daniel Grimm of Giebelfeld dated 1742. It had to do with the exchange of land due to preferences for crop growing vs. shepherding in relation to the quality of the soil due to proximity of a river.

Michel married Anna Roethlisberger on 17 Mar 1724. Anna (daughter of Hans Roethlisberger and Anna Gerber) was born on 9 Dec 1698 in Langnau (im Emmental), Bern, Switzerland; was christened on 9 Dec 1698 in Langnau (im Emmental), Bern, Switzerland; died on 19 Aug 1743 in Langnau (im Emmental), Bern, Switzerland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

His surname was later spelled "Kipfer."

Michel married Magdalena Wuethrich on 5 Dec 1721 in Trub, Bern, Switzerland. Magdalena (daughter of Ulrich Wuethrich and Magdalena Roethlisberger) was christened on 11 Apr 1697 in Langnau (im Emmental), Bern, Switzerland; died on 17 Apr 1765. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Name: Madlen Wuethrich

Notes:

Lived on Dürs Rüti in 1736.

Other Events:

• Name: Ueli

Notes:

Owners of Langenegg, both Mittel and Unter Langenegg. Mittel Langenegg was transferred too his son, Christian. Unter Langenegg was transferred to his son, Peter.

Ulrich married Magdalena Roethlisberger on 4 Dec 1716 in Langnau (im Emmental), Bern, Switzerland. Magdalena (daughter of Konrad Roethlisberger and Barbara Blaser) was born in 1686; was christened on 17 Dec 1686 in Langnau (im Emmental), Bern, Switzerland; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Name: Madle
• Name: Madlena, Madle