The Story of Hans George Bommeli Hans George Bommeli Was Born April 22, 1798 in Muren Berg, Thurgau, Switzerland and When He Wa
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The Story of Hans George Bommeli Hans George Bommeli was born April 22, 1798 in Muren Berg, Thurgau, Switzerland and when he was a young man he married Anna Barbara Amman, who was born May 31, 1795 in Affeltrangen, Thurgau, Switzerland. Of the seven children born to them at their “home in the woods” in Weingarten, Thurgau, Switzerland only two lived past infancy; one son Johann Georg Bommeli, born 25 May 1827, and one daughter Maria Bommeli, born 20 March 1831. On December 8, 1834 only 14 days after her seventh child, a daughter, was born, Anna Barbara Amman Bommeli died. Grieving the loss of his wife and infant daughter and heavy with the care of two young children at home, in a short time Hans George felt it necessary to marry again and so he married his first wife’s younger sister, Anna Maria Amman on the 4th of August 1835. They lived in the house, “Bommelisegg” which Hans George built about 1835 and moved into just after the death of his first wife. According to historian, Paul S. Nielson, “The Bommelisegg house is not directly in the village of Bussnang, but is part of the village of Friltschen, which does form part of the ecclesiastical parish of Bussnang.” One son and three daughters were born to Hans George and Maria in Weingarten, Thurgau, Switzerland, and they all lived to adulthood. Johann Daniel born 25 February 1836, Susanna born 18 May 1838, Elizabeth born 13 September 1840 and Louisa born 29 October 1843. Prior to their conversion to Mormonism, the Bommelis attended the Swiss Reformed Church in the village of Bussnang. Hans Georg married both of his wives in the Swiss Reformed Church is Bussnang and all of the Bommeli children were christened there. Hans Georg’s first wife, Anna Barbara Amman Bommeli was also buried there. Early in 1854, his sons, Johann George and Johann Daniel, received the Mormon missionaries’ teachings of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and were baptized members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Johann George was baptized 26 March 1854. Daniel was baptized 19 August 1854. In an excerpt from the mission journal of Elder George Mayer, we read about Johann Georg’s baptism and later priesthood ordination. “Went to Brother Heinrich Baers on Sunday night. There came from twenty to 30 brethren and sisters to see me and 7 to be baptized. The brothers and sisters seem much concerned for my stay. I promised to remain with them, at the risk of my life, if necessary. I baptized in the evening, in the Sihl River, at the bath house that is in the care of Brother Baer, March the 26th 1854 . George Bommeli, born May 25, 1827.” (pp. 170-171) “On the 7th of May 1854, we met at the house of Brother Baers in Zurich. President Thomas B. H. Stenhouse and Elder Jacob F. Secrist were present and also a brother from Canton Berne, Peter Brawand, a Dane, who is a Priest on a visit from Copenhagen, Denmark. We proceeded to organize a Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints. We then ordained Brothers Heinrich Baer as Elder, Heinrich Gmunder Preist, and George Bommeli Priest.” (pp. 183-184) Father Hans George was a weaver by trade, and also did considerable coppering making tubs and barrels. He, too, received the message of the restoration and was baptized on Christmas Eve, 24 December 1854. Missionary George Mayer records the circumstances of Hans Georg’s baptism: “I left on the 22 of December 1854 for Winefelden in Canton Thurgau and it rained on me the whole way. I came to the Bommelis on the 23rd and found them all well and full of good works and faith. On the 24th I baptized Daniel Bommeli’s father, mother and 3 sisters, and ordained Daniel Bommeli to the Office of Priest and gave him charge over the Saints there, 9 in number. I remained 2 weeks then left for Canton St. Gallen.” (p. 222) Hans George was a very good and honest man and lived and loved his new religion. He was called on two separate missions while living in Switzerland. One of the missions was to Germany and the other to France. Hans George kept a diary of his travels and experiences while there. While he was away, his son, Johann George, attended to his father’s trade and took care of the family. He was educated in Swiss Schools, studying French and German. By all his records it appears that he had a very good education. His penmanship is remarkable. He also studied speech and pharmacy. A good many of his records are written in French and German. After completing school, Johann George was sent on a Mission to Germany and France, like his father. It was very much to his advantage to be able to read and write and speak the German and French languages. It was while he labored in France that he was arrested and placed in jail because some of his diary notes and books of travel were not liked by the French Officials. His books were taken away and inspected. When the books were returned, the parts they did not like were underlined in red crayon. (Olla Bonelli Hiss records, “These old records in my possession show how many baptisms he had made in Canton, St. Gallen, Appengall, and Thurgau between the dates of March 28, 1856 and June 1856. It also records the unjust treatment of the Mormons in Switzerland.” Johann George treasured the old records and “took such care of them that today, they are in excellent condition. They were all placed in a chest, together with wallets and other personal belongings. I think two of his most beloved books were the Book of Mormon and the Bible, both of which were printed in German. I hope always to keep these rare relics that he treasured for so many years, together with the chest and several books containing poems written by him.”) The Swiss Mission Records mention that “at home (in Switzerland) the two Bommelis very successfully engaged themselves with the expansion of the Church. In four years Hans George converted 155 Thurgaurs, St. Gallers, and Appenzellers to the teachings of Joseph Smith and baptized them in the Landschlacht on Lake Constance. Conrad Nageli granted the use of his dock at night for these baptisms. Among the converts from Thurgau, were Daniel’s father Hans Georg, his second wife (Maria) and their three daughters, Maria, Susanna, and Louisa (They were all baptized 24 December 1854) as well as many others. “The younger brother, Daniel Bommeli, converted 86 citizens before he went to England for two years (as a missionary). Both brothers changed their names to Bonelli, with the approval of the Church authorities, as they re-appeared from under the river water during their baptisms – to symbolize that they had become “different persons.” By 1857 the Bonellis were forbidden to practice all missionary activities in the Cantons of Zurich, Thurgau, Appenzell and St. Gallen. Accordingly, the dominant opinion of the time was that all members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were encouraged to “Come to Zion” in Utah. When the Bonellis learned of this counsel, the entire family decided to emigrate to the Promised Land. On March 28th 1857 Hans George, 50, his wife Maria also 50, together with their three daughters, Susanna 18 (who later married Adolph Joseph Bohn), Elizabeth 16, and Louisa 13 (who later married Jacob Vernon Hamblin), boarded the ship “George Washington” and sailed from Liverpool to Boston. Olla Bonelli Hiss records “I have in my relics the passenger contract ticket for them, giving me the information about their travel information, and also the ticket for Johann George Bonelli, who came over two years later. The cost was so much that they were not able to come at the same time, so the three eldest children remained to earn enough money to come later.” Hans George and his family joined the Israel Evans Handcart Company and on the 22 May 1857 they departed Iowa City, Iowa with 149 individuals and 28 handcarts in the company. They arrived in Salt Lake City on the 12th of September. Of the journey, his daughter, Louisa, recorded "We stopped in Iowa City for three weeks waiting for the handcart company to form. When the handcarts were built, they were loaded with necessities. This was the sixth handcart company. Our captain was Israel Evans, and our sub-captain was named Huntington. It was spring and the weather was lovely. I walked the whole 1,300 miles to Salt Lake City, helping to pull a handcart most of the way. In the company was a crippled girl about eight years of age. Some of the time I took my turn and carried her on my back. She had to be carried all the way." Johann George (who later married Johanna Clark Harrison) and his sister Maria (who later married Henry Eyring) came to America in 1859 on the ship “Emerald Isle.” They landed in New York and stayed there for some time; his records showing that he had considerable money when he landed in New York, so he bought supplies to bring across the plains. The record of Johann Georg’s immigration from Switzerland to Utah is taken from the Diary that he kept while traveling. According to his journal, in October 1859 they left Williamsburg near Cincinnati and traveled to Florence, Nebraska. He told of the weather every day; some days were cool and then some days were hot.