Maria Nett is known from the records of her daughter Christina, who married Jakob Hegnauer of Igis, in the Rhine valley of Graubünden, Switzerland, in 1808; through her she was the grandmother of Luzius Hegnauer, who took his family to America in 1856.1, 2, 3 When Christina was buried at Igis in September 1862, the register named her parents as Leonhard Pleisch and Maria Nett.4 Christina was very probably their daughter baptised at Luzein, in the Prättigau, on 3 December 1791, and the baptism again names her mother as Maria Nett.5
Christina was a citizen of Luzein, a citizenship that would have come from her father.6, 7 Where Maria herself came from is not known, although the Netts were an old citizen family of Luzein, and of Klosters.8 Christina's baptism suggests that Maria was born before about 1770; that is an estimate, not a recorded date. Her own baptism, her marriage and her death have not been identified (see Research Notes).
Life in time
before 1770
Birth
How we know
Estimated from the birth of her daughter Christina, probably baptised at Luzein on 3 Dec 1791. Her own baptism and birthplace are not known (for the possible candidates see Research Notes).
No record of her age has been found. Her daughter Christina was probably baptised at Luzein on 3 Dec 1791 (her burial computes 1792 from her age at death). Maria was therefore probably born before about 1770, although a birth up to about 1775 cannot be ruled out; one possible identification, discussed in the Research Notes, was born in 1770. This is an estimate, not a recorded date.
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Family
Records
Search the archive →Births and baptisms 2
Deaths and burials 1
Also cited as evidence: 7 records filed under relatives
- 18 Oct 1808 Marriage “Jacob Hegnauer”, filed under Jakob Hegnauer FamilySearch
- 18 Oct 1808 Marriage “Jacob Hegnauer”, filed under Jakob Hegnauer FamilySearch
- 8 Dec 1819 Baptism “Luzius Hegnauer”, filed under Luzius Hegnauer FamilySearch
- 20 Sep 1862 Burial “Christian Hegnauer”, filed under Christina Pleisch FamilySearch
- 20 Sep 1862 Burial “Christina Hegnauer”, filed under Christina Pleisch FamilySearch
- 21 Sep 1862 Burial “Christina Hegnauer”, filed under Christina Pleisch FamilySearch
- undated Church record “Leonhard Hegnauer”, filed under Leonhard Pleisch FamilySearch
The evidence 2 facts with their grades, 10 sources, and the research notes
Facts
| Fact | Date | Place | Grade | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth | before 1770 | proven | 4 , 5 | |
| Marriage with Leonhard Pleisch | proven | 4 , 5 |
Research notes
- Evidence: Index only. The three FamilySearch index entries of her daughter Christina's death in 1862 (two in the Igis burial register, one in the Luzein register) name her as Maria Nett; no register image has been viewed.4 Christina's probable baptism at Luzein on 3 Dec 1791 also names the mother as Maria Nett (the father is indexed "Bernhard" Pleisch, probably for Lienhard).5 The notes on citizenship are from the Familiennamenbuch der Schweiz and the Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz.
- Which Maria Nett (possible only): The record search of 27 Sep 2026 found no proof of her identity, only candidates. (1) Maria Nett, baptised at Luzein on 5 Sep 1770, daughter of Luzi Nett and "Tschina" (Christina) Flütsch.9 If she was Christina's mother, she was 21 at the baptism of 1791, and Christina (Tschina) was named after her maternal grandmother. A Maria Nett married Mattli Kaspar on 18 Apr 1799, which would fit a widow's remarriage although the index does not say she was a widow, and a Maria Nett was buried on 23 Jul 1802, aged 32, so born about 1770.9 Nothing yet shows that these three entries are one woman, or that she was Leonhard Pleisch's wife: possible only. (2) Maria Nett, baptised 22 Jul 1748, daughter of Flury Nett and Nesa Täscher, who died in 1839 aged 91, was the wife of a Heinrich Pleisch.10 She would be the mother only if Christina was Heinrich's daughter, which conflicts with both records of Christina's death, which name her father Leonhard; that reading is not adopted (see Leonhard Pleisch). The image of the 1791 baptism, and perhaps the Luzein Familienregister, may decide.
- Origin: Her daughter's citizenship of Luzein very probably came from the father, since a child takes its parents' communal citizenship and, under the old customary law, a woman who married a man from another commune lost her own;6, 7 it therefore says nothing about Maria's own family. Nett is one of the family names of the Luzein register, and both candidates above are Luzein women; the Familiennamenbuch der Schweiz lists the Netts as citizens of Luzein, and of Klosters, before 1800.8
- Marriage: Not found. The Luzein marriage index stops at 1 Dec 1790 and has no entries for 1791–1792; no marriage of a Leonhard (Lienhard) Pleisch and a Maria Nett is indexed anywhere in the collection.
- Dates: Birth estimated (before about 1770) from her daughter's probable baptism in 1791; a birth up to about 1775 cannot be ruled out. Her death is not known.
- This profile is part of the Hegnauer one-name study.
Working notes
- switzerland mapping 27 Sep 2026, key CH-IGIS-087;
- mother of Christina Pleisch H0156 (her 1862 burial) - direct ancestor of the owner
Sources
- 1
"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, marriage of Jacob Hegnauer and Christina Pleisch, 18 October 1808, Igis, Graubünden. FamilySearch record 6F84-F9CG; also indexed with the bride as Christina Flaisch, FamilySearch record 66VW-PY6Q
- 2
"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of Luzius Hegnauer, 8 December 1819, Igis; parents Jakob Hegnauer and Christina Pleisch. FamilySearch record 6F8C-1QQT
In the archive: O01533
- 3
"New York, Passenger Lists, 1820–1957," database with images, Ancestry, ship Chase from Havre, arrived New York 30 September 1856 (NARA M237, roll 167), lines 155–161, family of Luzius Hegnauer indexed as "Hegemann". ancestry.com/search/collections/7488/records/1377441
- 4
"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, burial of Christina Hegnauer, 20 September 1862, Igis, Graubünden; died 17 September 1862; aged 70 [the index computes born 1792]; parents Leonhard Pleisch and Maria Nett. FamilySearch record 6F8D-93LL (indexed "Christian"); a second Igis entry gives the burial as 21 September 1862, with the same death date, birth year and parents but the father indexed as "Leonhard Hegnauer", FamilySearch record 6F8D-3PBK; father's entry in it FamilySearch record 6F8D-3PB2; the same death, with burial 20 September 1862, aged 70, parents Leonhard Pleisch and Maria Nett, was also entered in the register of Luzein, her home parish (index place "Schweiz"; Luzein church book, FamilySearch DGS 8126170, folder 004), FamilySearch record 6FZ1-Y5LQ
- 5
"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of "Tschina" [Christina] Pleisch, 3 December 1791, Luzein, Graubünden (index place "Schweiz"; Luzein church book, FamilySearch DGS 8126170, folder 003); parents "Bernhard" [Lienhard?] Pleisch and Maria Nett; no birth date indexed. FamilySearch record 6FZB-ZQCF; father's entry FamilySearch record 6FZB-ZQCN; mother's entry FamilySearch record 6FZB-ZQCV
- 6
Bürgergemeinde Landquart, "Die Igiser Bürgergeschlechter," entry Hegnauer (online, viewed 26 September 2026): "Stammeltern 1 nach BR: Jakob Hegnauer (gest. 1858) u. Christine, geb. Pleisch von Luzein (gest. 1862)", i.e. according to the Igis Bürgerregister (register of citizen families). A secondary abstract of that register; the register itself not yet seen. bglandquart.ch/die-igiser-buergergeschlechter.html
- 7
Rainer J. Schweizer and Christina Müller, "Bürgerrecht," Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz (HLS), version of 2000 (print-edition article, updated 11 January 2021), hls-dhs-dss.ch/de/articles/008969/2021-01-11 (accessed 27 September 2026).
- 8
Familiennamenbuch der Schweiz (Répertoire des noms de famille suisses), 3rd edition (Zürich: Schulthess, 1989), online edition of the Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz, entry "Nett": citizenships acquired before 1800 at Luzein and Klosters GR; the book lists the families that held a Swiss communal citizenship in 1962. familiennamenbuch.ch (accessed 27 September 2026).
- 9
"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, Luzein church book (FamilySearch DGS 8126170): baptism of Maria Nett, 5 September 1770, Luzein, Graubünden; parents Luzi Nett and "Tschina Flütschin" [Christina Flütsch] (FamilySearch record 6FZB-TBF2); marriage of Mattli Kaspar and Maria Nett, 18 April 1799, Luzein (FamilySearch record 6FZR-ZWHW); burial of Maria Nett, 23 July 1802, Luzein; aged 32 (FamilySearch record 6F8M-3X3W). Whether the three entries are one woman is not proven.
- 10
"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, Luzein church book (FamilySearch DGS 8126170): baptism of Maria Nett, 22 July 1748, Luzein, Graubünden; parents Flury Nett and Nesa Täscher (FamilySearch record 6FZB-PNLW); burial of Maria Nett, 20 September 1839, Luzein; died 18 September 1839, aged 91; spouse Heinrich Pleisch; same parents (FamilySearch record 6F8M-M63V).