HUHHKi History of the Bettschen Family ^AND ITS CONNECTIONS^ G ENEALOGICAI. BIOGRAPHIC AL AND PTCTORIAI. BY GOTTLIEB BETTSCHEN 1910 MornHvoncraBuciawMr Genealogical, Biographical and Pictorial HISTORY ofthe BETTSCHEN FAMILY '^^ ^ ^ AND ITS CONNECTIONS ^'' ^'' ^ ^'^^" 3 BV OOTTLIEB BETTSCHEN Pr^feiee Little did I think fifteen years ago, when of which could be obtained reliable mtorma- first I conceived the idea of writing a gen- tion. Many kinsfolk were found both in eology of the Bettschen relationship; what it Europe and America who gladly assisted in meant to find, gather, look up, arrange and the promotion of the gigantic undertaking. put into proper shape all the particulars in To all of them I wish to render my heartfelt connection with a family so old, numerous thanks and wish to make especial mention of and widely scattered. Although, seemingly a my dear friends David Bettschen of Klien, long time has passed since the first efforts to Samuel Bettschen of Reutigan, Christian gather data, yet during that time a contin- Bettschen of Thun, Alfred Bettschen Mon- ual correspondence has been carried on. Let- treaux and Mr. Bettschen the banker of Inter- ters of inq^uiry were sent and trips were made lacken, all in Canton Bern, Switzerland. I and both time and money freely spent for the also wish to render thanks to all who assist- purpose of ascertaining and securing the ne- ed in this work living in the United States cessary knowledge for this work. Several and Canada. Especially do I appreciate the trips were taken to the United States and in help rendered by my beloved cousin David 1909 a trip was made to Europe, going from Bettschen, Vohlethill, Ontario, Will. F. place to place searching church books, ar- Bettschen, New Richland, Minnisota, chives, old documents, tomb stones and aged and the affectionate friends in Hajnil- people, making use of every available source ton, Ont. Great credit is due to my niece. Mrs. Isabella Becker of Olean, X. V., who As vears roll around and time passes, has done much toward completing this work. changes take place, tradition ceases, genera- This most estimable lady besides attending tion after generation come and go, the won- to her household duties and doing other der increases with regard to things of form- work, devoted both time and talent to get er times; it will be then that people, yet un- this work ready for the press. No financial known will read with profound interest the advantage has been in view, but a desire to, previous record of that branch of the human relationship, familv belong to. May this work there- if possible, bring about a closer thev prove to be a benefit to all those inter- greater svmpathy and a better social feeling fore ested; a blessing to evervone who reads it. among the entire family. Some of those who No one unacquainted with the details of will read this geneology will be pleasingly such an effort can fullv appreciate the labor surprised when they learn the extent of their and time involved in the undertaking. The spread over a large relation; how thej^ are compiler hopes that this volume will promote area both in Europe and in America, when our family associations and bring those kin- they find out how that some of their hither- dreds who are far apart into closer touch, as to unknown ancesters were in high social well as those living near each other and not great care has been ex- standing, holding responsible offices and mov- acquainted. Although ercised to prevent errors, in a work so multi- ing in honorable society, as well as persons furious, it can hardly be expected that slight who left behind records of pious Christian errors have not crept in. On the whole, how- lives and charitable acts, the now dorment ever its authenticity may be relied upon. sympathy l\-ing in the human heart will be Respectfully, The Compiler, awakened and a warm feeling of love created toward many of whom they had never heard. A. D. 1910. New Dundee, Ont. :soiiixas of Inronncifion 1st. —Archieves and church records. bach, Sagerei and Holzhandel; Mr. J. Bettsch- en, Interlacken, Banker; Christian Bettschen, 2nd. —Graveyard tombstone inscriptions. Thun, Real Estate Dealer; Albert Bettschen, 3rd. Old document papers and writings. — Grier, Canton Freiburg, Tourist Hotel; Will- 4th. —Paintings, pictures and family iam Bettschen, Watenwille, Contractor Road Bibles. Improvement; Gritly Bettschen, Frutigan, Re- tired Lady; Victor Egger, Kandersteg, Hotel, 5th.—Engraved names, dates and verses on old buildings. for Tourists; Fritz Traxel, Frutigan, Garden- er and Overseer of Timber; Gottlieb Traxel, 6th. —Old people, what they knew. Frutigan, Zivil Schreiber, (Registrar); Zivil- 7th. —Traditional information. stand Klossner, Reichenbach, Gemeinde sch- Aares, Retired Lady; 8th.—What I heard from my grandfather, rieber; Susanna Nurner, my father and mother. Samuel Stotler, Kandergrund, Amts schrieb- er; Kobi Bruegger, Kandergrund, Bauer, 9th. — Correspondence with all concerned. (Farmer); Johanna Bettschen, Montreaux, loth.—Three trips to the United States. Tourist Hotel; Samuel Pieren, Adelboden, nth.—One trip to Europe. Baker. The following friends assisted In Europe. Those from America.—David Bettschen, —Samuel Bettschen, of Reutigan, Oberschwells Voilet HOI, Ont., Farmer; John Bettschen, Master; David Bettschen of Kien, bei Reichen- Dashwood, Huron Co., Ont., Mason; David Bettschen, Minnesota, Farmer; William F. Schroeder, Hamilton, Ont., Retired Lady; Bettschen, Dentist, Minnesota; John Bettsch- Mrs. Isabella Becker, Olean, N. Y., Command- en, West Cairo, Allen Co., Ohio, Nurseryman; er L. O. T. M. of the world and Sen. Vice- Joseph Bettschen of Regina; Ferdinand Bet- Treas. of the M. R. C. of Olean, N. Y.; Ed- tschen, Vancouver, B. C, Store keeper and win Miller, Belleville, Kans., Alderman and Office Furniture; Charles Von Gunten, Jewel- Shoestore; Alexander Von Gunten, Jeweler, er, Blenheim, Ont.; Meda Von Gunten, Ham- Chatham, Ont. ilton, Out., Retired Lady; Mrs Louisa KANbER - u. ENQSTLIGEMTHAL ..jsa.lL J i'anoramic Bird's Eye View of the Fmetig Thaal and its surroundings, C'anton Bern, Switzerland, seen from a mountain near Interlaken, East of the Thaal. EXPLAXATION OF THE MAP OF FRUTIG 8. KANDER FLUSS (stream.) THAAL, KANDER GRUND, ENGST- 9. ENGSTLICHBACH, running down LICHGRUND, and THE MOUNTAINS through Adelboden. IN THE BACKGROUND, WEST- WARD. 10. KIENA BACH, running down Kien Thaal in a northerly direction. Fig. I. LOETCHBERG range, along the S. E. side of the Thaal. 11. THUN, a small city at the north end of the See of the same name, 30 miles 2. MORGENBERG range along the east- S. E. from the City of Bern. erly end of the Thaal. 12. SPIETZ, a town at the S.W. ani;le of 3. NIESEN nange along the N. westerly the junction of the Rern, side, dividing Frutig from Simmen Thaal, the Thuner See, at with the Niesen point at the easterly end. Interlaken and Frutig R. R. 4. LOHNER range, dividing Engstlich- 13. MUEI/ENEN, from where the electric grund from Kandergrund. bergban starts and ascends the eastern slope of the Niesen to its top; just being construct- 5. THUNER SEE, northerly from the ed in east end of the Thaal. 1909. town. (S. AESCHINEN SEE, up on the Loetch- 14. REICHENBACH berg range near Kandersteg dorf, 5302 feet 15. AESHI, upon a plateau of the Mor- high. genberg, a town. 7. BLAU SEE, in Kandergrund on the 1 6. KlEN dorf, at the entrance of the right side of the Kander, in the I^ohner range Kien Thaal. i;. FRUTIGEN dorf. 28. MiTHOIvTZ, the old home of the Bruegger family where David Bettschen's wife i8. KANDERSTEG dorf, at the uj per was born in 1770. end of the Kander griind, 4,000 feet high. 29. CHURCH im Kandergrund. 19. ADELBODEN dorf, at the upper eu'l of Engstlich grund, the highest town in the 30. WATERWORKS for power purposes. State, 4,520 feet high. 31. OEY, the old Klopfenstein home, where Abraham lived. 20. MAIN ROAD from Frutigen to Kan- dersteg. 32. SCHWAENDLY, the home of Adu- dant Bettschen. 20)/. TELLENFEI.D, between Frutigen and Reybruegg. 33. AARIS, the old David Bettschen home for centuries, where D. Bettschen the 21. KANDERBRUEGG dorf. pioneer, was born 1782. 22. REYBRUEGG. 34. DAVID BETTSCHEN, the sawmiU- 23. SCHLOSS TELLENBURG (cast'.e . er's home. the 24. GALGE HUEBEL (execution hill.) 35. NIEDERFELD, where barn stands, built bv Statthalter Reyter in 1800. 25. WIDDI feld— flats. 36. NIESEN summit, the terminus of the 26. BOERTLI, Kobi Bruegger's house. Bergban (electric.) 27. LOETCHBERG tunnel. 37. BERN, Thun and Frutig R. R. 38. LOETCHBERG tunnel temporary 49. DEXSE ORIGIXAL Thanen wald. R. R. 50. EXGSTLICH FALL. 39. HIGHWAY from Reichenbach to 51. FOOTPATH up the perpendicular pre- Frutigen and from there to Adelboden (new.) cipice to the Engstlich Alp. 40. OLD ROAD from Reichenbach to 52. DISMAL THAXEN WALD, at the Kien and Kandersteg. end of Kander grund. 41. ROAD from Reichenbach back up the 53. ROAD rising up, leading to the Gem- Kien Thaal. mi pass. 42. HIGHWAY from Trutigen to Kan- 54. RL^GGED unpopulated mountain dersteg. regions. 43. COLLECTIOX of stone, ground and -ALPHABETICAL EXPLAXATIOX. trees, caused by a mountain hail storm. 44. KLEIX THOXER mountain. a. ALTELS GLACIER 12,120 feet high. 45. GROSS THOXER mauntain 10,181 b. GEMMI PASS 7,740 feet high. feet high. c. DAUBEX SEE. 46. HASIJ GAESLI. d. SCHWARMBACH ALP, where 3 sehn 47. GASTERX THAAL and stream. huetten, 6 men and 146 cattle perished in a detached piece of glacier. 48. BERG HOTEL and road leading moment by a a district. from Adelboden to the Lenk e. STEG HORX 10,502 feet high. f. TSCHINGBLOCHTIG HORN, 9,132 ft s.