Husband: Jakob Treuthardt (I, first Jakob)
Wife: Barbara Hutzli
They were Friedrich's grandparents.
They are my great-great-great-grandparents.
In 1800 Jakob Treuthardt and Barbara Hutzli were married at the Zweisimmen church. There is to this day an old church standing in Zweisimmen. Surely this was the Kirchmeyer's workplace and the site of the wedding. Barbara's father Jakob Hutzli was the town scribe. Most likely the marriage record of the Treuthardts was handwritten by Barbara's father.
Following the civil and church rules, there would have been "banns" announcing the couple's intention to marry. The banns would have been read in church on three Sundays three months before the wedding. If someone objected to the wedding, he would speak up. [This reading out of banns is still a custom today in the Church of England.]
We can imagine that the wedding between the children of the Kirchmeyer and the town scribe was an event to which many Zweisimmen villagers (and beyond!) gave their blessings and gifts. But no gift cards; rather, a wooden carved butter mold or a hand-woven cup towel, maybe embroidery work on linen, or a utensil for the kitchen.
Other gift suggestions: a cow, a goat, chickens, horseshoes, vegetable seeds, a quilt handmade by the ladies of the village for weeks before. Since this was Switzerland, it is very likely that some of the men who were skilled in woodworking made furniture for the couple's new home.
Can you think of other gifts a couple might have received in 1800? Did the guests celebrate the wedding, banquet and dance for a day? three days? a week?
Above are two gifts for an American bride in 2011 -- a garter knitted by a friend, and a handkerchief crocheted around the edges by Swiss friend, Verena.
It’s interesting the similarities in the announcements for weddings in 1800 and today. There still is an announcement months in advance, and gifts, traditional or new. I think a cow or a goat would be a great idea, as long as it’s kept for milk or cheese. I guess they didn’t have a need for guest registers, since they could pass along gift ideas by word of mouth. If anyone were a sheepherder, I hope that great sheepdogs were given as wedding gifts. I still love the idea of giving embroidery or handwork, and kitchen utensils and appliances in the newest colors are always a great idea.. I would have loved to see the gifts they received.
ReplyDeleteTo this day in the U.K. the banns for upcoming weddings are read out in the Anglican church. Anybody wanting a church ceremony abides by this rule. These are partly for the purpose of giving the public (like parents, relatives and friends) a say-so about the couples getting married. If there is an objection to one party or the other, these conditions are addressed before the ceremony. Among other things, the public banns allow a person time to review his or her decision regarding the future spouse.
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