24. Aubonne, Switzerland to Le Havre, France

In August/September, 1883 the Treuthardt family left their home at Aubonne, Switzerland.  They would depart by steamship from the port of Le Havre, France, on an ocean voyage bound to America. 

From Aubonne to Le Havre, what route did they take?   A Google search for the shortest, straightest northwest route displays 44 separate directions for the trip of 696 kilometers (433 miles), through mountains and hills, bypassing the largest cities including Paris.  That route by car is a 7 hour drive.  The directions are complex, and one would need a navigator to give frequent instructions to the driver.    

Of this we may be sure, the Treuthardts did not take the "straight" route as directed by Google.   

Regardless of the route, by what modes of transportation did they travel to the coast of France?   The most likely answers are "diligence" and train.   

The means by which the Treuthardts left their home and made their way with their belongings to the nearest Swiss train station was likely the diligence, which we would call a stagecoach.  Below is a description, written in 1803, of a diligence.   
[Note the photograph of a diligence in Toulouse, France in 1899.]

The following information is from Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stagecoach

For a picture of a Postkutsche in Brig, Switzerland, see also 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Postkutsche_brig.jpg

A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods. It is strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers. The business of running stagecoaches or the act of journeying in them was known as staging.

The stagecoach traveled at an average speed of about five miles per hour, with the total daily mileage covered being around 60 or 70 miles.   

Stagecoaches in Continental Europe

Diligencia that was used between
Igualada and Barcelona, Catalonia.
A dedicated luggage deck is on the roof

A diligence surmounted with its impériale
 in Toulouse, 1899

The diligence, a solidly built coach with four or more horses, was the French analogue for public conveyance, especially in France, with minor varieties in Germany such as the Stellwagen and Eilwagen. The diligence from Le Havre to Paris was described by a fastidious English visitor of 1803 with a thoroughness that distinguished it from its English contemporary, the stage coach.

A more uncouth clumsy machine can scarcely be imagined. In the front is a cabriolet fixed to the body of the coach, for the accommodation of three passengers, who are protected from the rain above, by the projecting roof of the coach, and in front by two heavy curtains of leather, well oiled, and smelling somewhat offensively, fastened to the roof. The inside, which is capacious, and lofty, and will hold six people in great comfort is lined with leather padded, and surrounded with little pockets, in which travellers deposit their bread, snuff, night caps, and pocket handkerchiefs, which generally enjoy each others company, in the same delicate depository. From the roof depends a large net work which is generally crouded with hats, swords, and band boxes, the whole is convenient, and when all parties are seated and arranged, the accommodations are by no means unpleasant. Upon the roof, on the outside, is the imperial, which is generally filled with six or seven persons more, and a heap of luggage, which latter also occupies the basket, and generally presents a pile, half as high again as the coach, which is secured by ropes and chains, tightened by a large iron windlass, which also constitutes another appendage of this moving mass. The body of the carriage rests upon large thongs of leather, fastened to heavy blocks of wood, instead of springs, and the whole is drawn by seven horses.^[7]

The English visitor noted the small, sturdy Norman horses "running away with our cumbrous machine, at the rate of six or seven miles an hour." At this speed stagecoaches could compete with canal boats, but they were rendered obsolete in Europe wherever the rail network expanded in the 19th century. Where the rail network did not reach, the diligence was not fully superseded until the arrival of the autobus.

~from Wikipedia, the article on "Stagecoach"

23. Lausanne, Canton of Vaud, Switzerland, circa 1814

The Treuthardt family lived in the Canton of Vaud.    At the time of their immigration to the U.S., Friedrich's employment was near Aubonne.   That Lausanne was mentioned in Anna's obituaries means we should pay attention and try to visualize it.    Lausanne is "the principal place in the Canton of Vaud."    Below is a brief description of Lausanne.   The lake referred to herein is the Lake of Geneva. 

These remarks are taken directly from a book, A tour through some parts of France, Switzerland, Savoy, Germany and Belgium, written by The Hon. Richard Boyle Bernard, M.P. in 1814, and printed in London:  for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown.  Pater Noster-Row;  1815. 
[M.P. means "Member of Parliament."]  

Between Vevay and Lausanne is the vineyard of Vaud, which bears a great reputation.   We passed through the villages of Cully and Lutri, both situated on the lake, and after mounting a considerable hill arrived at Lausanne, which is the capital of the Canton of Vaud.  It stands on three hills, and on the intervening valleys, which being very steep, render its situation more picturesque than convenient.   It is situated about 400 feet above the level of the lake, from which it is distant about half a league;  the village of Ouchy serves as its port, and carries on a good deal of trade.   Lausanne contains several remains which prove its antiquity, and several Roman inscriptions are preserved in the townhouse, which is a handsome building.

Here are three churches, one on each of the hills.  Of these the cathedral is well worthy of attention.   It is said to have been founded by one of the ancient kings of Burgundy, and is certainly superior to any church I had hitherto seen in Switzerland.   Its architecture exhibits various specimens of Gothic:  there are many windows of painted glass in good preservation, and also several handsome monuments.  The choir is handsome, and its pillars are of black marble.  Its spire rises to a great height, and from the church-yard there is a fine prospect of the lake, and the surrounding country...

The population of Lausanne is computed at 8,000, and they are very industrious; there are manufactories of hats and cottons, and the printing business is carried on to a greater extent than in any other town in Switzerland.   There are also several jewellers' shops and watchmakers' warehouses.

Of all the Swiss towns this is considered as the most remarkable for the adoption of French fashions, and there is much more dissipation here than at Geneva, as it is the constant residence of many wealthy families;  but, with few exceptions, the houses are neither large nor well built.   Near the church is shewn the residence of Gibbon, the historian, and his library is now the property of a gentleman of this town, who purchased it in England.  

Lausanne was formerly subject to its bishops, who were princes of the German Empire.   A council was held here in 1448, when Pope Felix V., to restore peace to the Romish church, and extinguish the schisms to which it was then a prey, resigned the tiara and retired to the Abbey of Ripaille, in Savoy, a second time.   This prince is distinguished by some of the historians of his century by the title of the Solomon of the age...  His restless disposition having induced him to seek the papal dignity, he, soon after obtaining it, became a second time a recluse... This remarkable character died in 1451, age 69, at Geneva; he was buried with a Bible under his head...

The reformation was established in the Pays de Vaud, in 1536 after a public controversy had been held between the Protestant and Romish ecclesiastics.   The environs of Lausanne present as cheerful and animated a sight as is to be seen in any part of Switzerland, and the view from the public walk, in particular, is enlivened by the bays and promontories, which diversify the sides of the lake.   


From Annamarie the following Note:
Since this is a Kindle book, no page numbers are available.  The above remarks come from Chapter IX.

In his preface in 1815, The Hon. Richard Bernard did not recommend his pages "to the perusal of the critical reader; as in fact, they contain merely the hasty observations suggested by the scenes he visited in the course of his Tour, together with a few occasional remarks, which he thought might be acceptable to the generality of readers;  since notwithstanding the late increase of travellers, the numbers are still very great, who, being prevented by business, or deterred by the inconveniences of travelling, from visiting the Continent, might be disposed to pardon some inaccuracies, should they meet with a small portion either of amusement of information."   

22. Separation of Treuthardt grandchildren

Indeed, it was during the 1930’s and 1940’s that Will’s, Ida’s and Arnold’s families became separated.   After Ida died in 1939, the various siblings and cousins through the Treuthardts lived in different cities and had their own families.   The cousins never forgot each other – my father thought of them, I know.   But after the cousins’ deaths (approximately the 1980's-1990's), as in all families, the distant relatives naturally drew apart and were unknown to each other.   In the next 50 years, there was only one connection (about 1960?) that I am aware of, until the late 1990’s when God brought us together again, through Margaret, her sisters LaVerne, Mary Lou and me.    That is a future blog which is percolating.   

You’ve noticed, this is not a chronological history.   We are going in all directions at once.   Beginning with Friedrich’s death and continuing with his birth of his grandchild Anna, and a photograph of the Swiss community – and finding out Friedrich was married twice -- we still aren’t finding out much about HIM.   

Like getting acquainted with a stranger, if we met a person and started asking about his early life and worked our way systematically through his life, it would not be as interesting.    We would be asleep before we got very far in his boring chronological revelations.  

Rather, this account is discovery-oriented.    Discoveries are uncoordinated.    We are putting together a puzzle and don’t know if all or most of the pieces are there.    A puzzle isn't recognizable until you get close to finishing.  
     
For my readership, the people you need to recognize are Friedrich, his wife Anna, his daughter Ida (the oldest child in that marriage), his son Arnold, and his oldest son Will, by Friedrich’s first marriage.   
 
Anna’s obituary mentioned the immigration of the family to the U.S. in 1883.   In the next few blogs we will track them on their travels from Switzerland to Texas 130 years ago.   I hope you are as excited as I am!    I am always ready to go back to Switzerland!  

21. Friedrich's two marriages

We are not proceeding rapidly in this Treuthardt history, but we are progressed enough that one item needs to be addressed before we go further.   I haven’t given you a family tree (a diagram of which would be rather hard to put on this blog), so you may not be familiar with these names and people, unless you are advanced in years (like me).   Actually, it isn’t that important to have the diagram;  my objective is to get you interested in family history so you keep reading.   The obituary of Anna Geiser Treuthardt needs some explanation, with a brief introduction to Friedrich’s past.   It must be talked about, or you might not pick up on these details, which are not minor. 

When the obituary says that Friedrich and Anna had three children, that makes sense at first, when you learn that the children who immigrated to Texas were Will, Arnold and Ida.   It also makes sense when it says, only one survives, for Arnold died in 1921 and Will in 1930.   But what does it mean, when it says Anna had only 12 grandchildren?   Ida had 8 children, Arnold had 4, and Will had  8.    The children are not named, and the grandchildren don’t add up.    

You may not be old enough to know this additional fact, but you need it in order to interpret the rest.   Friedrich was previously married.   At this point, it is all right if the first marriage is a mystery to us.   It remained to me a mystery for many years.   That mystery too will be revealed, but it’s too soon in this blog to dwell on it.   By Friedrich’s first wife, who died at a young age, Friedrich had three children.   

With Anna, Friedrich had three more children.  So in her obituary, Anna’s children were named.  It was a precise accounting.   According to blood line Ida and Arnold were her children, but Will was not.    This is the way it was done then.    

My father said that Will was “half-brother” to Ida.   Most of the older cousins know that Friedrich was Will’s father, but Anna was not his mother.    Rarely did they call him “step-brother.”   He was “half-brother.”    And yet, all Will’s grandchildren did not know this.   Having become good friends in the past sixteen years with Will’s eldest grandchild Margaret (who was very little in the 1930’s), I found out from her that she never knew that her great-grandmother was not Will’s mother.   

Among my Krieg uncles and aunt, it was a side note that Friedrich had been married, but it was always spoken of as if it were a mystery or a secret.  

20. Death and Obituary -- Anna Geiser Treuthardt

March 11, 1936, Wednesday

On this day in 1936 Great-grandmother Anna Johanna Geiser Treuthardt died.   The funeral was on Thursday March the 12th.   Two short obituaries exist, from the collection of Katherine & Reinhold.   Neither obituary has a citation, though the first one was surely published in the Georgetown, Texas Williamson County Sun and the information would have been supplied by Anna’s daughter Ida Krieg and a grandchild or two.   This obituary must have been printed a day or two after the funeral.   
I have numbered the obituaries and added some comments at the end. 

1)

"Pioneer Resident of Georgetown Dies Wednesday
"Heart Ailment Fatal to Mrs. Anna Treuthardt

"Early Wednesday morning a heart ailment from which she had been suffering for some time was fatal to Mrs. Anna Treuthardt, pioneer resident of this city, and native of Switzerland.   Death came swiftly to this beloved woman, and carried her into the great beyond, where her spirit went to convene with that of her maker.

"Funeral services, which were held Thursday morning at 10 o'clock at the Friedrich Funeral Home, were conducted by the Rev. Robert F. Jones, pastor of the First Presbyterian church.  Interment was in the Odd Fellows Cemetery immediately following the services at the chapel.

"Mrs. Anna Treuthardt, 89, was born in Roggwyl, Switzerland on Feb. 7, 1847.   From an early age, she was taught to love her God, and at the age of 16 she was confirmed into the church at Roggwyl.    In 1871, she was married to Frederick Christian Treuthardt, of Georgetown, in Lausanne, Switzerland.   In 1883, some 53 years ago, they came to Georgetown to make their home.

"Three children were born to this union, one of whom survives Mrs. Treuthardt.  She is Mrs. Ida Krieg of Thrall.   Twelve grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren also survive.

"Pallbearers, who were grandsons of the deceased were Oscar Krieg, Julius Krieg, Will Krieg, Arnold Krieg, Ed Krieg, all of Thrall, and John Treuthardt of Georgetown."

2)

“Georgetown, March 12.-- Funeral services were held here Thursday at 10 a.m. for Mrs. Anna Truehardt, 89, who died near Georgetown early Wednesday after an illness of six weeks.

“Mrs. Truehardt was born Feb. 7, 1847, at Roggwyl, Switzerland.  She was married in 1871 to Frederick C. Truehardt at Lausonne (sic), Switzerland.   With her husband and children she came to the United States in 1883 and settled near Georgetown.   She is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Ida Krieg of Thrall;  12 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.

“The Rev. Robert Jones conducted the funeral services.   The eight grandsons of Mrs. Truehardt acted as pallbearers:  They are John Truehardt of Georgetown, Siegfred Krieg of Eola, Oscar, Werner, Ed, Will, Julius and Arnold Krieg, all of Thrall." 


Spellings of surnames
In 1, the name Krieg was misspelled and I have corrected it.   [Nobody would object to that.]    This was a misprint by the newspaper.

In 2, the surname is consistently spelled Truehardt.   This is inaccurate for the Swiss immigrants and for the Arnold Treuthardt family.  John, descendant of Arnold, is listed first in the pallbearers list;  but he too exclusively used the original Swiss spelling.   The Americanized form of the surname was adopted by the Will Treuthardt family.  Will, who died in 1930, six years earlier than his step-mother Anna, used the original spelling as well, as shown by the name Treuthardt engraved on his tombstone.   This is why I believe the second citation was written or amended by the Will Treuthardt family; and I don’t know where this second obituary was published.   

Pallbearers
Obituary 2  states that Anna's eight grandsons were pallbearers.   In 1, two grandsons’ names are omitted – Werner and Sigfrid.    In neither copy are the Krieg grandsons listed in birth order.   The youngest Sigfrid (with misspelled name) is listed first, and the others are "mixed."        
   
Survivors
Only one daughter, Ida, 12 grandchildren (8 of Ida’s and 4 of Arnold’s children), and 17 great-grandchildren are listed as survivors.   Not listed are those who predeceased Anna.     This caused me confusion at first.  I’ll explain more in the next blog.    It is all clear now, and it was clear to the people in 1936 who read the newspaper.    Incidentally, several more great-grandchildren were born to Anna after her death, including me.     

The funeral home
I have never heard of Friedrich Funeral Home of Georgetown.   Maybe others familiar with that time know where it was located.       


Georgetown
So what was it?  In the city (1) or near it (2)?   It depends on how you define the city limits of Georgetown.   It is not hard to reckon how somebody could interpret it either way.   Since Ida herself was writing the information for obituary 1 (I’m 99% sure of that), it means something to me that Ida considered Georgetown her familiar hometown.          

The Switzerland clues
Now we are getting someplace, with evidence.   We know Anna’s birthdate and place in Switzerland.  We learn that she came from a God-fearing family and that she was confirmed at the age of 16 in the church where she was brought up.   We learn her husband’s full name, and their marriage year and place. 

I knew that my father and uncles had said their grandparents’ marriage place was Lausanne.   For years I did not know more than that.   But the place of marriage is not exactly right.   The Treuthardts were not married at Lausanne but at Lavigny.   Lausanne is the closest big city to Lavigny, a small town even today.    This too confused me, as to why the exact place was not named;  until I noted that Americans don’t know where Switzerland is, and much less do they know where the towns are.   Especially in those times it would have been true.   

Year of immigration
And we have a reliable year of immigration, 1883!