Person:Christopher Hirzel (1)

From the essay written by Otto and Emil Hirzel for the Alexander Hirzel-Studer Family Reunion around 1958:

"Benedict was for three successive generations the honored name of the ancestor and it was Benedict III who anent his marriage with Barbara Bigler, Sept. 29, 1769, conformed to the family name as is used to the present day. Benedict Hirzel III was also the first member of the clan to seek his fortune outside the County and Canton. He lived at different times in Muri, Worb and Bolligen, Canton Bern, and later in LeLocle, present Canton of Neueuburg, where his youngest son Christopher, destined to be the grandsire of the present senior generation of the Hirzel family in Toledo, Ohio, U. S. A., was born in the year 1785 on the first of May.

"The parents of Christopher, however, died at their home town of Rapperswyl, Bern. Christopher Hirzel, the age of 24 married Miss Elisabeth Scholl of Diessbach blBuren Bern, Nov. 18, 1809, and here he stayed till the day of his death, Dec. 19,1853. Besides being engaged in his trade as Costume Tailor, he conducted there a general store, supplying the wants of a farming community, also traded in other commodities. He prospered and was well known and universally well liked, but what we know of him and his character is more specifically expressed by one of his contemporaries to Christopher's oldest son, Alexander, in later years as follows as related to the writer by his father: Hard experiences as a youth and a hard school of life made him a man who ever kept the course of his life to a straight material purpose. Criticism and remarks left him unperturbed and he cherished no vague dreams. His disposition was serene and calm. Life, despite the trials, had not embittered him. The hand of fate had struck hard. His first wife died young, at the age of 31, to be followed by the death of her son Johann, age 15 years, in the years 1822 and 1823. A second marriage lasting 20 years ended by death also, and there were no children.

"April 27, 1848, Christopher Hirzel married Josepha Katharina Freudiger of Nieder-Bipp, Canton Bern, 20 years his junior. Twin sons, were born to the couple February 18, 1849, but only the one named Alexander survived. A son baptized Christian was born June 5,1851. Six days after the birth of the later Josepha Katharina died, June 11, 1851. This was too hard a blow for the husband, now in his 60's. His former robust health declined. Two years after the death of Josepha K.—on Dec. 18, 1853, Christopher died also, leaving the two sons, at the age of 5 and 2 1/2 years as orphans and they became wards of the community of Dieterswyl, where their father possessed the Burgher rights. The estate of their father proved to be well ordered and ample funds provided for their upbringing and education."

1.   Essay written by Otto and Emil Hirzel for the Alexander Hirzel-Studer Family Reunion around 1958.