Guide to the Church Books of Canton Bern, Switzerland Reformierte Kirche Blumenstein Kanton. Bern, WillYs Fotowerkstatt. Guide to the Church Books of Canton Bern, Switzerland Introduction This guide will help a researcher find records in the Church Books of Canton Bern, Switzerland. These records, purchased as part of the William C. E. and Bessie K. Becker collection, consist of 832 rolls of microfilm and 82 printed volumes. This guide is in its preliminary stages, and it may well include errors. Considering the volume of films and the number of individuals who worked on it, it is highly likely that there are errors. The History and Genealogy Staff apologizes for any such errors, and we will try to correct any that are brought to our attention in subsequent publications of this volume. The roll numbers, for the most part, are the numbers created by the Staatsarchiv Bern. Some of the films were not numbered and these were assigned numbers by the History and Genealogy Staff. In some cases, the numbers follow a logical pattern. In other cases, the roll numbers appear to be random. The FamilySearch DGS number for any records that they digitized has been added to the finidng aid immediately after the Roll number. It is our hope that this guide will facilitate access to the amazing records contained in this set. Each community is listed alphabetically in the guide. If it is part of a larger parish, that is indicated below its name. An example would be the community Mirchel on page 79. Beneath its name are instructions that read “See Grosshoechsetten.” This indicates that a researcher whose ancestors came from Mirchel should find Grosshoechsetten (on page 45) and look for their records in that community. Town names containing umlauts (ä, ö, and ü) were written with an e following the vowel. (ae, oe, and ue). This was done for convenience in typing on a US Style Keyboard. Most of these records from Canton Bern are from Reformed Churches. If the record only indicates the name of a town, the records are for a Reformed Church. If the records are from a Catholic Church, that will be indicated after the name of the town. If the records are from the civil register, that will be similarly noted. Canton Bern is a bilingual area of Switzerland (French and German Speaking). This means in some cases records will be in French and in other cases German. The descriptions of the records in this guide for each roll of film follow the language used by the congregation. Thus, if the records are in French, the description will be in French. If the records are in German, the description will be in German. For more information or to view the films, contact: History & Genealogy St. Louis County Library 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63131 314-994-3300 [email protected] History and Genealogy Page 1 St. Louis County Library Guide to the Church Books of Canton Bern, Switzerland Aarberg 1549–1875 Roll 1 [FHL DGS 4757435] Heiraten 1552-1634 Taufen 1549-1701 Tote 1662-1679 Heiraten 1637-1731 Taufen 1725-1733 Tote 1680-1733 Taufen 1701-1724 Chronik 1637-1677 Taufen 1733-1756 Roll 2 [FHL DGS 4757436] Taufen 1756-1775 Konfirmanden 1734-1782 Aufgestellte Heimatscheine 1819-1832 Taufen 1717-1775 (Auswärtige) Tote 1733-1753 Familienbuch 1549-1774 Taufen 1775-1864 Taufen 1831-1876 (Auswärtige) Taufen 1864-1875 Heiraten 1775-1836 Eheverkündigungen 1806-1831 Roll 3 [FHL DGS 4757437] Heiraten 1837-1875 Tote 1748-1876 Tote 1865-1875 (Auswärtige) Aarmuehle Renamed Interlaken in 1891. See Gsteig bei Interlaken. Aarwangen 1571–1875 The Aarwangen Parish includes three communities, Aarwangen, Bannwil, and Schwarzhaeusern. Roll 3 [FHL DGS 4757437] (Beginning after the Aarberg records.) Taufen 1571-1613 (Aarwangen) Heiraten 1571-1615 Tote 1571-1575 Heiraten 1615-1620 Taufen 1571-1620 (Bannwyl) Taufen 1613-1620 (Aarwangen) Heiraten 1571-1619 (Bannwyl) Chronik 1592-1610 Taufen 1627-1662 (Aarwangen, Bannwyl) Roll 4 [FHL DGS 4757438] Taufen 1662-1666 (Aarwangen, Bannwyl) Heiraten 1627-1683 Taufen 1666-1729 Heiraten 1683-1751 Kirchbauchronik 1576-1577 Taufen 1729-1751 Taufen 1699-1751 (Auswärtige) Taufen 1752-1798 (Aarwangen, Bannwyl) Roll 5 [FHL DGS 4757439] Taufen 1799-1822 Taufen 1749-1867 (Auswärtige) Taufen 1823-1855 (Aarwangen, Bannwyl) Roll 6 [FHL DGS 4757440] Taufen 1856-1876 Taufen 1867-1875 (Auswärtige) Heiraten, Eheverkündigungen 1751-1870 (Aarwangen, Bannwyl) Roll 7 [FHL DGS 4757441] Heiraten, Eheverkündigungen 1871-1875 Tote 1752-1855 Tote 1752-1761 (Auswärtige) Tote 1856-1875 (Aarwangen, Bannwyl) History and Genealogy Page 2 St. Louis County Library Guide to the Church Books of Canton Bern, Switzerland Ablaendschen 1674-1875 Roll 713 [FHL DGS 479708] (Beginning after the Ursenbach records.) Pfarrerliste 1571-1727 Taufen 1674-1752 Pfarrerliste 1704-1758 Konfirmanden 1728-1751 Heiraten 1677-1751 Tote 1704-1752 Stipendia 1704-1712 Taufen 1752-1875 Heiraten 1753- 1875 Tote 1752-1875 Adelboden 1555–1875 Roll 402 [FHL DGS 4758395] (Beginning after the Reichenbach im Kandertal records.) Taufen 1555-1587 Heiraten 1556-1561 Roll 403 [FHL DGS 4758396] Heiraten 1561-1587 Taufen 1587-1611, 1597 Heiraten 1587-1615 Taufen 1611-1614 Tote 1608-1612 Pfarrerliste 1528?-1766 Taufen 1615-1630 Heiraten 1615-1630 Taufen 1630 Tote 1615-1630 Chronik 1628-1660 Taufen 1630 -1653 Heiraten 1647-1652 Tote 1648-1652 Heiraten 1631-1646 Tote 1631-1648 Taufen 1652-1669 Heiraten 1653-1668 Tote1669-1699 Roll 404 [FHL DGS 4758397] Tote 1699-1706, 1721, 1654-1661 Taufen, Heiraten 1669-1689 Taufen 1691-1718 (Nachträge) Konfirmanden 1707-1710 Taufen 1690-1713 Heiraten 1695-1712 Taufen 1714-1749 Taufen 1705-1738 (Auswärtige) Heiraten 1714-1742 Pfarrerliste 1528-1857 Taufen 1749-1788 Roll 405 [FHL DGS 4758398] Taufen 1788-1871 Roll 406 [FHL DGS 4758399] Taufen 1871-1875 Taufen 1724-1825 (Auswärtige) Heiraten 1743-1752 Taufen 1774-1875 (Auswärtige) Heiraten 1753-1819 Heirats-Index 1750-1819 A-M Roll 407 [FHL DGS 4758400] Heirats-Index 1750-1819 N-Z Ehescheine 1759-1777 Heiraten 1794-1819 (Auswärtige) Heiraten, Eheverkündigungen 1820-1875 Tote 1728-1766 (alphabetisch eingeteilt) Tote 1767- 1819 Tote 1782-1814 (Nachträge) Toten-Index 1767-1819 A-G (1. Teil) Roll 408 [FHL DGS 4758401] Toten-Index 1767-1819 H-Z (1. Teil) Toten-Index 1767-1819 A-Z (2. Teil) Tote 1820-1875 Aefligen See Kirchberg Aegerten See Buerglen History and Genealogy Page 3 St. Louis County Library Guide to the Church Books of Canton Bern, Switzerland Aeschi bei Spiez 1556–1875 The Aeschi bei Spiez Parish includes two communities, Aeschi bei Spiez and Krattigen. Marriages 1778-1875 are lost. (Note: these records can be found in printed volumes at call no. R 949.45415 K58) Band 1 Taufen 1556-1578 Heiraten 1556-1576 Band 2 Taufen 1579-1598 Heiraten 1579-1605 Taufen 1598-1602 Band 3 Taufen 1610-1649 Heiraten 1605-1656 Band 4 Heiraten 1693-1703 Heiraten 1672-1692 Taufen 1649-1703 Heiraten 1662-1672 Band 5 Pfarrer Verzeichnis 1704-1765 Taufen 1703-1761 Heiraten 1704-1755 Heirats-Index 1704-1755 Band 6 Pfarrer Verzeichnis 1743-1763 Taufen 1762-1789 Band 7 Vorliegende Buecher 1796 Taufen 1790-1819 Pfarrer Verzeichnis 1519-1796 Tauf-Index 1790- 1819 Band 8 Taufen 1820-1838 Taufen 1816-1837 (Auswärtige) Tauf-Index 1820-1838 Tauf-Index 1816- 1837 (Auswärtige) Band 9 Taufen 1838-1863 Tauf-Index 1838-1863 Anzahl Kinder 1855 Band 10 Taufen 1863-1875 Heiraten 1930-1932 Tauf und Heirats-Index Band 11 Taufen 1802-1856 (Auswärtige) Tauf-Index 1802-1856 (Auswärtige) Band 12 Taufen 1842-1875 (Auswärtige) Tauf-Index 1842-1875 (Auswärtige) Band 13 Buecher fuer Admittierte Admissionen 1725-1827 Auswander 1734-1762 Admissionen-Index 1725-1827 Heiraten 1756-1827 Hirats-Index 1756-1827 Band 14 Heiraten und Eheverkündigungen 1828-1855 Index Band 14 History and Genealogy Page 4 St. Louis County Library Guide to the Church Books of Canton Bern, Switzerland Aeschi bei Spiez 1556–1875 (continued) Band 15 Heiraten und Eheverkündigungen 1856-1875 Index Band 15 Band 16 Tote 1728-1827 Index Band 16 Band 17 Tote 1828-1875 Index Band 17 Aeschlen See Oberdiessbach. Affoltern im Emmental 1567–1875; Roll 7 [FHL DGS 4757441] (Beginning after the Aarwangen records.) Taufen, Heiraten 1567-1596 Kirchengüter 1596-1601 Taufen 1596-1613 Roll 8 [FHL DGS 4757442] Taufen 1613-1655 Heiraten 1600-1655 Taufen 1661-1721 Heiraten 1655-1721 Taufen 1722- 1752 Konfirmanden 1740-1752 Heiraten 1722-1752 Tote 1728-1752 Taufen 1752-1761 Taufen 1753-1761 (Auswärtige) Taufen 1753-1761 Heiraten 1752-1761 Roll 9 [FHL DGS 4757443] Tote 1752-1762 Taufen 1762-1853 Roll 10 [FHL DGS 4757444] Taufen 1853-1875 Taufen 1807-1875 (Auswärtige) Heiraten 1762-1844 Roll 11 [FHL DGS 4757445] Heiraten, Eheverkündigungen 1844-1875 Tote 1762-1864 Affoltern bei Aarberg Renamed Grossaffoltern in 1860. See Grossaffoltern. History and Genealogy Page 5 St. Louis County Library Guide to the Church Books of Canton Bern, Switzerland Albligen 1603–1875; Roll 11 [FHL DGS 4757445] (Beginning after the Affoltern records.) Taufen 1603-1663 Heiraten 1602-1663 Anwesenheit 1603-1641 Taufen, Heiraten 1659-1726 Taufen 1662-1725 (Uneheliche) Taufen 1727-1773 Heiraten 1727-1780 Roll 12 [FHL DGS 4757446] Taufen 1773-1875 (mit Auswärtigen) Taufen 1836-1875 (Bürger aus Kt. Freiburg) Heiraten 1774-1870 Roll 13 [FHL DGS 4757447] Heiraten 1870-1875 Tote 1728-1875 (mit Auswärtigen) Tote 1846-1875 (aus Kt. Freiburg) Alchenstorf See Koppigen. Allmendingen See Muensingen. Amsoldingen 1640–1875 The Amsoldingen Parish includes five communities, Amsoldingen, Forst, Höfen, Längenbühl, and Zwieselberg. Roll 806 Taufen 1662-1750 Heiraten 1661-1736 Konfirmanden 1735-1835 (mit Index) Heiraten 1752-1811 (mit Index) Tote 1728-1807 (mit Index) Taufen 1740-1755 Taufen 1740-1780 (Auswärtige) (mit Index) Taufen 1782-1812 (mit Index) Tote 1808-1851 (mit Index) Roll 807 Taufen 1812-1831 (Includes Auswärtige) (mit Index) Taufen 1832-1862 (Auswärtige) (mit Index)Taufen 1830-1862 (mit Index) Roll 808 Taufen 1868-1875 (mit Index) Taufen 1868-1875 (Auswärtige) (mit Index) Roll 809 Heiraten 1807-1836 (mit Index) Heiraten 1837-1875 (mit Index)Tote 1852-1875 (mit Index) Roll 810 Burger Rodel 1823 Burger Rodel 1856 Register No II Roll 811 Burger Rodel III History and Genealogy Page 6 St.