Family of Hans Rudolph Hunziker

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Hans Rudolph Hunziker "Hegi" (Hans Jakob, Sebastian, Hans Jacob) was born 16 Nov 1815 in Gontenschwil, Aargau, Switzerland. Hegi married Maria Weber, daughter of Hans Rudolph Weber, on 30 Sep 1842 in Reinach, Aargau. Maria was born on 21 Nov 1814 in Menziken, Aargau. Gontenschwil, Reinach, and Menziken are all in the Wynental (the Wyne River valley) or Canton Aargau, Switzerland. The mid 1800's were a time of turmoil in Aargau. A severe economical crisis started in 1845 followed by a potato blight which struck all of Europe. In 1847, in part because Argovites closed the old Hapsburg monastaries, a civil war (between the largely Catholic Sonderbund and largely Protestant Radicals) affected the Wynental, including some action near Menziken. The constitution of 1848 transformed Switzerland from a loose confederation into a unitary federal state. Maria Weber died on 28 Mar 1861 in Menziken. According to the Gemeindeversammlungsprotokoll (record of the assembly of citizens) Gontenschwil, vol. 3, p. 145, in July 1863, Hans Rudolph Hunziker and Heinrich Steiner asked the local authority for a financial contribution to emigrate with their families. On July 15, the assembly gave 30 Swiss francs to each person in the two families. Thereafter, the Hunzikers and Steiners emigrated together from Gontenschwil, Switzerland to the U.S. Hans Rudolph brought 5 children on the ship Quesnel. The Hunzikers arrived at Castle Garden and moved to Highland, Madison County, Illinois. Highland was also referred to as New Switzerland as it was the informal headquarters for Swiss trade along the upper Mississippi River. Unfortunately, on 22 Sep 1864, Hans Rudolph died of pneumonia soon after arriving in Highland, Madison County, Illinois.

The children of Hans Rudolph Hunziker and Maria Weber who emigrated to Highland with their father are as follows:

i. Maria Hunziker was born 12 Mar 1843 in Leimbach, Aargau, Switzerland. Maria married Samuel Merz, son of Johannes Merz and Verena Hauri, on 16 Dec 1864 in Madison County, Illinois. Samuel was born 4 Mar 1842 in Menziken, Aargau, Switzerland. He died 10 Jul 1937 in Madison County, Illinois. At page 542 of the 1882 History of Madison County, Samuel Merz is listed as a wagonmaker in Worden, Omph-Ghent Township, Madison County, Illinois. Maria died in 1872 in Madison County, Illinois.

ii. Maria Anna Hunziker was born 25 Jun 1844 in Leimbach, Aargau, Switzerland. Maria first married Johann Hediger. Johann was born in Rupperswil, Aargau, Switzerland. In 1895, when she was living in Central City, Illinois, Maria married Caemus Kalkbrenner, son of Gatel Kalkbrenner and Mary Cossen, on 26 Feb 1895 in Clinton County, IL. Caemus was born about 1832 in Baden, Germany and was a stone mason.

iii. Rudolph Hunziker was born 10 Jan 1846 in Leimbach, Aargau, Switzerland. Rudolph married Mary Ann Krebs, daughter of Ulrich Krebs and Elizabeth Spangler, on 21 Oct 1867 in Madison County, IL. Mary was born 14 Jun 1848 in Bern, Switzerland. Her family immigrated in 1854. Rudolph was a wagon maker in Illinois. Rudolph and Mary Ann lived in Illinois until 1884 when they moved to Bollinger County , Missouri with 6 children. Rudolph died 13 Aug 1927 and Mary Ann died 6 Dec 1927, both in Marble Hill, Bollinger County, Missouri. Rudolph, Mary Ann and 5 of their children as well as 4 of Elizabeth's brothers in law are also buried in Ebenezer Cemetery, 5 miles east of Marble Hill.

iv. Elisabeth Hunziker was born 5 May 1848 in Menziken, Aargau, Switzerland. Elisabeth married Joseph Schwartz on 25 Mar 1867 in Madison County, IL. Joseph was born about 1842 in Wurttemberg, Germany.

v. Adolf Hunziker was born 16 Aug 1851 in Leimbach, Aargau, Switzerland.

This web site is dedicated to information regarding this family and related families. This is NOT my personal web site. I have performed much of the research. However, much of the research has been provided by others. The sole reason why I maintain this site is to assist others researching this Hunziker line, related families and potentially related families. If you wish to provide information to me, thank you! However, please note that I integrate all information into the Rootsweb database. (I do use the PAF and Rootsweb filters to try to filter any potentially living persons.) Please do NOT send information to me if you do not wish to have it integrated into the Rootsweb database. The data contained on this web site and in the Rootsweb database is NOT mine. Even that which I have researched was entered at one time by somebody else.


Family of Hans Rudolph Hunziker Rootsweb page. Linda Baker provided a lot of Merz information and now Judith Reigner has added more. Thank you Linda and Judy! I have added that to the Rootsweb data. If you have any additional Merz information, please contact me or

Sites useful to those researching family of Hans Rudolph Hunziker.

My Aunt Pat's research. Good thing it looks similar!

Merz St. Louis Post Dispatch Obituaries

Merz Madison County Marriages

Miscellaneous Online Merz References

Hunziker Obituaries.

Lines from Adams County, PA, York County, PA, and Frederick County, MD

Hunziker Coat of Arms discussion.

Why did the Hunzikers leave the Wynetal?

Photographs My other research: