Rotenbach im Emental is shown on a map dated 1664, north of Thuner see. [1]
1596 Christian Wenger was born about 1596 [2], perhaps at Röthenbach, Bern, Switzerland.
1620 Christian Wënger married Catrina Tschantz and Hanns Kummer married Margreth Tschantz in a double wedding on January 17, at Röthenbach, Bern, Switzerland. [3]
1620 Daughter Anna Wenger was baptized on October 22, at Shallenberg, Röthenbach with sponsors Peter Gerber, Christian Rott, and Ottilia Gerber. [4] [5]
1622 Christian Wenger lived in Shallenberg, Switzerland. [6]
1622 Barbli, daughter of Christian Wenger and Catrina Tschantz was baptized on October 27, at Ober Schallenberg with sponsors Jurg Steffan Schenk, Margreth Schenck, and Verena Saugg/Zauggimen. [7]
1624 Benedicht, son of Christian Wenger and Catrina Tschantz was baptized on June 4, with sponsors Hans Jost, Peter Ochfenbein and Anna Gärber. [8]
1626 Hans, son of Christian Wäng and Catrina Tschantz was baptized at Ober Schallenberg on December 17, with sponsors Hans Garber, Oswald Duner and Anna Agastin. [9]
1630 Christian, son of Christian Wäng and Catrina Tschantz was baptized at Ober Schallenberg on May 16. [10]
1639 Claus, son of Christian Weng and Cathrina Tschantz was baptized on January 13, with sponsors Claus Schenk and Margreth Bichsel. [11]
1642 Wällti, son of Christian Wäng and Catrini Tschanz, was baptized on March 6, with sponsors Jacob ?, Hans Gärber, and Madlena Gfeller. [12]
Christian Wenger lived at Schellenberg in the village of Röthenbach, Bern. All their children were baptized at Röthenbach church. He was later exiled. [13]
1672 Christian Wenger, age 75, widowed Swiss Anabaptist refugee, was listed on the 1 January, 1672 refugee list at Ibersheim, Hesse Germany. [14] His daughter Babe (age 52) was also listed. [15]
Shortly thereafter Christian Wenger moved to Wartenberg, Bayern where he was listed as age over 70 years with his daughter Babe, age 50 years. [16]
Research Notes:
1597 Niclaus Tschantz married Elsburg S? on February 6, at Röthenbach, Switzerland. [17]
The images at FamilySearch are viewable only at designated Family Search libraries. [18] The Bern Switzerland Archives has medium resolution images of the Rothenbach church books online. [19]
Several of the undocumented items reported above are from notes with limited documentation, which are no longer available online, at the Mennosearch website. [20] See also the Wenger Book. [21]
Schallenberg pass crosses over mountains on the road between Rothenbach im Emmental and Schangnau in Bern, Switzerland north of Thunersee.
[1] Gerhard Mercator (1512-1594), Das Wiflispvr-Gergow (1664, courtesy of Utrecht University Library, Special Collections), [OldMapsOnline], [OldMapsOnline].
[2] Richard Warren Davis, Mennosearch.com Family Notes, Wenger A, file 955563_5429882, [Website].
[3] Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche Rothenbach (Bern), Kirchenbuch, 1528-1875, Taufen Heirarten, 1613-1665, FHL film 2005941 item 5, DGS 4759040, image 505/573, entry 27-28, [FHLCatalog].
[4] Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche Rothenbach (Bern), Kirchenbuch, 1528-1875, Taufen Heirarten, 1613-1665, FHL film 2005941 item 5, DGS 4759040, image 457/573, entry 202, [FHLCatalog].
[5] Samuel S. Wenger, The Wenger Book, A Foundation Book of American Wengers (1997 reprint), 66, person B-1.
[6] Samuel S. Wenger, The Wenger Book, A Foundation Book of American Wengers (1997 reprint), 66, A-1, citing John E Fetzer, Ecclesiastical Parish of Röthenbach, Switzerland.
[7] Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche Rothenbach (Bern), Kirchenbuch, 1528-1875, Taufen Heirarten, 1613-1665, FHL film 2005941 item 5, DGS 4759040, image 461/573, entry 249, [FHLCatalog].
[8] Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche Rothenbach (Bern), Kirchenbuch, 1528-1875, Taufen Heirarten, 1613-1665, FHL film 2005941 item 5, DGS 4759040, image 465/573, entry 286, [FHLCatalog].
[9] Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche Rothenbach (Bern), Kirchenbuch, 1528-1875, Taufen Heirarten, 1613-1665, FHL film 2005941 item 5, DGS 4759040, image 473/573, entry 358, [FHLCatalog].
[10] Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche Rothenbach (Bern), Kirchenbuch, 1528-1875, Taufen Heirarten, 1613-1665, FHL film 2005941 item 5, DGS 4759040, image 481/573, page 94, entry 434, [FHLCatalog].
[11] Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche Rothenbach (Bern), Kirchenbuch, 1528-1875, Taufen Heirarten, 1613-1665, FHL film 2005941 item 5, DGS 4759040, image 503/573, page 138, entry 669, [FHLCatalog].
[12] Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche Rothenbach (Bern), Kirchenbuch, Taufen, 1639-1646, FHL film_2005941, image 8, page 346, item 764, [FHLCatalog].
[13] Richard Warren Davis, Mennosearch.com Family Notes, Wenger A, file 955563_5429882, [Website].
[14] Ernst Müller, Geschichte der bernischen täufer. Nach den urkunden dargestellt, 203, item 69, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks].
[15] Richard Warren Davis, Mennosearch.com Family Notes, Wenger A, file 955563_5429882, [Website].
[16] Richard Warren Davis, Mennosearch.com Family Notes, Wenger A, file 955563_5429882, [Website].
[17] Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche Rothenbach (Bern), Kirchenbuch, Heirarten, 1569-1630, FHL film_2005941, image 7, entry 30, [FHLCatalog].
[18] FamilySearch catalog entry for Rothenbach church books, [URL].
[19] Kirchenbüch 2, Bern, Röthenbach im Emmental, Evangelisch-Reformierte: Taufrodel (1613--1639) Heiraten (1614-1665), marriage, [BernStateArchivesImage], [BernStateArchivesCatalog].
[20] Richard Warren Davis, Mennosearch.com Family Notes, Wenger A, file 955563_5429882, [Website].
[21] Samuel S. Wenger, The Wenger Book, A Foundation Book of American Wengers (1997 reprint), 62, 66, A-1, and 159, citing John E Fetzer, Ecclesiastical Parish of Röthenbach, Switzerland.