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Continuation of Sommerfeld - Eichler
eMail message thread

© copyright 1997 FEEFHS, all rights reserved

Latest Update: 2 April 1997

Grant, I apologize for taking so long to answer your inquiry. I was out of country last week on business.

As you deduced from the web site, the earliest WALDNER (WALDER) recorded is Peter Walder (1490) from the Stockenboi district. Unfortunately, I do not have contiguity of descent from Peter to your ancestor Georg Waldner (1712-1768), although I am confident that he traces direct descent from Peter. Georg Waldner was the son of Thomas Waldner who inherited the ErtlGuet in 1743.

In 1655, Michael Waldner from am Egg moved to Unteramlach and acquired the farm of Georg MULLNER who had died at a relatively young age of undetermined causes. The name of the farm was called the ErtlGuet (named after the first family which originally homesteaded it probably in the 15 century).

Michael Waldner died in the year 1683. He had two sons: Michael Waldner Jr. who inherited the farm and Jacob Waldner who received a cash settlement from Michael in lieu of the farm inheritance. Michael Waldner farmed the ErtlGuet until 1743, when due to his old age he decided to pass the farm onto to his children. Because of Michael Waldner's considerable age, most of his children had already established themselves on other farms.

The history of the ErtlGuet lists three of his children: Thomas the eldest son, Christina and Hansel (Johannes), the youngest son. (Thomas (born 1680's) was married 13 January 1713 in Unteramlach to Barbara Weinmann a daughter of Georg Weinmann and his wife Maria, both farmers of Sankt Peter). Instead of Thomas inheriting the farm, his son Georg Waldner (1712-1768) assumed the "baumannsgerechtigkeit") and compensated his uncle, aunt, and father financially for the right to farm this land.

I searched through some of the names you sent me and their descent from Hester Waldner. Are your specific ancestors Johann WIPF (aka Vetela HANS) (1819-1853) and Kathrina KNELS (born 1818). Johann Wipf was a grandson of Ester Waldner and Samuel Wipf. If so, you are also descended from the KUHR family.

I also noted that you also carried the REMPEL family as one of your surnames, (this is of Mennonite descent). When did your ancestors separate from the Hutterites? Did one of Johann Wipf's daughters marry a Mennonite? In my records, Kathrina Knels married a second time to a Jeremias Waldner (a relative of mine).

The Knels-Waldner familiy remained in Russia for some time after the main immigration to America. One of their daughters married a Mennonite by the name of GOOSEN. Probably, the best way for me to help fill in some of the gaps in your family tree is to send me a pedigree chart detailing what information you already have. I can try to fill in any additional information I might have. I haven't gotten around to publishing any of the information I have yet. I am hoping that the web will serve eventually the same purpose.

If you are interested in contributing to the FEEFHS HUTRL, you might want to prepare lists of some of the immigrant Hutterite famlies which originally settled in the states. I think that there are only 152 famlies in total of which I am sure yours are found which immigrated to the U.S. between the years 1874-1879 aboard such ships as: These lists can be found in a variety of sources (including several publications on the German immigrants from Russia). Such information would be incredibly useful in bridging the gap from Russia to NorthAmerica. If interested, I can try to dig up some of the references, which could be ordered through interlibrary loan. Is Saskatoon or Regina more accessible to you?

Hope this helps out somewhat. If you would like to send me a pedigree chart by mail to me. Regards, Evan


Hello again Dr. Eichler. I have spent a considerable amount of time pouring over the material you contributed to the FEEFHS web site. The information I have is an exact match to your material, although it doesn't go as far back in time. (i.e. Waldner's dating back to the 1490's) My own research has led me to Hester Waldner (born 22 May 1762), daughter of Georg Waldner.

I suppose the next two questions are inevitable. First, would you be willing to share more of your genealogical findings with me? Second, you have researched a lot of fascinating historical material.
Do you plan to publish any of this? I know I am asking for a lot but I hope you will indulge me. You are one of two people I have come across researching Hutterite genealogy. If there is anything I do to help you or the FEEFHS Hutterite research I would be more than pleased to help. I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks again!!


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