hegnauer.family
hegnauer.family
H2190 The study's number for this person. Cite it and it will always lead here, whatever the spelling.
· A life in the study

Johannes Bernet

Probably baptised at Igis in 1768 and probably died there in 1858.

born before 5 Nov 1768 at Igis, Graubünden died 24 Nov 1858 at Igis, Graubünden

From Igis to the Pacific
Also written Johanes Berent

Igis from the air, 1 Sep 1947. Werner Friedli, ETH-Bibliothek Zürich, Bildarchiv / Stiftung Luftbild Schweiz, LBS_H1-010091, CC BY-SA 4.0

Johannes Bernet of Igis, in the Rhine valley of Graubünden, Switzerland, was the father of Anna Margreth Bernet, who married Luzius Hegnauer in 1840 and went with him and their five children to America in 1856.1–3 He and his wife, Dorothea Grest, had eleven children baptised at Igis between 1797 and 1824.1, 4

Marriage and family

Johannes and Dorothea were probably married at Igis in 1797; their first child, Christian, was baptised there on 18 December that year.4–5 Ten more followed between 1800 and 1824: Johannes, Dorothea, Barbara, a second Johannes, Jacob, Elisabeth, a second Elisabeth, Martin, Anna Margreth in February 1819, and a last son, Jacob, in August 1824.1, 4

Five of the eleven died as small children: the first Johannes in October 1801, at fifteen months; Jacob in December 1808, three weeks after his baptism; both of the girls named Elisabeth, in 1811 and 1814; and the youngest, Jacob, in September 1824, at seven weeks.6 Of the others, Dorothea married Johannes Michel in 1827, Johannes married Menga Tanner in 1831, Barbara married Christian Dönz in 1833 and Anna Margreth married Luzius Hegnauer in 1840, all at Igis; Christian, the eldest, married Anna Dolf in 1858, when he was sixty.2, 7

Later years

Dorothea died at Igis on 26 June 1830, aged fifty-five. The register of her burial names her as Dorothea Bernet Grest, the wife of Johannes Bernet.8

After the food shortages of 1848–50 many people in Graubünden decided to emigrate for good, and from the 1850s the United States was the country they chose most often.9 Two of Johannes's daughters went to America. In 1856 Anna Margreth sailed with Luzius and their five children,3 and by 1860 Barbara, her husband and their children were living in Madison County, Illinois, where the family was known as Tontz.10

Johannes very probably lived to be ninety: a Johannes Bernet died at Igis on 24 November 1858, aged ninety, and was buried two days later. The register of his burial names his parents, Johannes Bernet and Susanna Nuttli, whose son Johannes had been baptised at Igis on 5 November 1768.11–12

What we know

Probable

  • Birth at Igis, 1768
  • Baptism at Igis, 1768
  • Marriage to Dorothea Grest at Igis, 1797
  • Death at Igis, 1858
  • Burial at Igis, 1858

What's still open

  • Parents. Not yet identified.

Sources

Sources 1–3

1 Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1819
2 Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1840
3 New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists, 1856

Source 4

4 Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1797

Source 5

5 Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1797

Source 6

6 Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1801

Source 7

7 Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1827

Source 8

8 Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1830

Source 9

9 Bevölkerung und Siedlung, 2004

Source 10

10 Barbara Bernet, 1860

Sources 11–12

11 Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1858
12 Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1768

Life in time

with the history around it

before 5 Nov 1768

Birth, Igis, Graubünden, Switzerland

probable Sources 11, 12

How we know

  1. 1768 Birth before 5 Nov 1768 · Igis, Graubünden · probable

    Probable: if he is the Johannes baptised at Igis on 5 Nov 1768, son of Johannes Bernet and Susanna Nuttli (see Research Notes).

    No record names the parents or the birth date of the Johannes Bernet who married Dorothea Grest. He is taken to be the Johannes baptised at Igis on 5 Nov 1768, son of Johannes Bernet and Susanna Nuttli, who was buried at Igis in Nov 1858 aged 90 with the same parents named; the other adult Johannes Bernets of Igis are accounted for by other wives and other dates. The identification is probable, by elimination.

    Sources 11, 12

  2. 1768 Baptism 5 Nov 1768 · Igis, Graubünden · probable

    Probable identification. Parents Johannes Bernet and Susanna Nuttli (indexed "Mutler").

    The Igis baptism register (FamilySearch index) records Johannes, son of Johannes Bernet and Susanna "Mutler" [Nuttli], on 5 Nov 1768. The Igis burial of 1858, aged 90, names the same parents as Johannes Bernet and Susanna Nuttli.

    Source 12

  3. 1797 Marriage, with Dorothea Grest Igis, Graubünden · probable

    Probable: the Igis marriage of "Johanes Berent" and "Maria Torether" [Maria Dorothea], 1797; no day or month is indexed, and the bride's surname is not given. Their first child was baptised at Igis on 18 Dec 1797.

    Johannes Bernet and (Maria) Dorothea Grest are named together as parents at the Igis baptisms of eleven children, 1797–1824. The only Bernet-like groom among the Igis marriages indexed for 1796–1797 is "Johanes Berent", 1797, whose bride is indexed "Maria Torether", a reading of Maria Dorothea; she is Maria Dorothea Grest at three of the baptisms. The entry is very probably theirs; the image (DGS 8014188, folder 002, image 348) has not been seen.

    Sources 4, 5

  4. 1797 Residence between 18 Dec 1797 and 8 Aug 1824 · Igis, Graubünden · proven

    The baptisms of his eleven children with Dorothea Grest, from Christian (1797) to Jacob (1824).

    The Igis baptism register names Johannes Bernet and (Maria) Dorothea Grest as the parents at eleven baptisms from 18 Dec 1797 to 8 Aug 1824.

    Sources 1, 4

  5. 1819 Daughter born: Anna Margreth Bernet family event

    Their page →

  6. Hunger years in Graubünden, 1848–50
  7. 1858 Death 24 Nov 1858 · Igis, Graubünden · probable

    Probable: the Johannes Bernet, son of Johannes Bernet and Susanna Nuttli, who died on 24 Nov 1858 aged 90 (see Research Notes).

    The Igis burial index (three entries) records Johannes Bernet, died 24 Nov 1858, buried 26 Nov 1858, aged 90, parents Johannes Bernet and Susanna Nuttli; no spouse is indexed. That he is the husband of Dorothea Grest is probable, by elimination of the other Johannes Bernets of Igis.

    Source 11

  8. 1858 Burial 26 Nov 1858 · Igis, Graubünden · probable

    Probable identification (see the death).

    The Igis burial index, as for the death; probable identification.

    Source 11

  • proven
  • probable
  • family event
  • history around the life

Hover or drag along the line, or select a point and use the arrow keys.

Places in this life

one place
1
  1. 1 Igis, Graubünden Birth before 5 Nov 1768 · Baptism 5 Nov 1768 · Marriage 1797 · 3 more

Family

This page Johannes Bernet 1768–1858
Wife · m. 1797 Dorothea Grest 1775–1830
Daughter Anna Margreth Bernet 1819–aft. 1884
Compare with… Pan, zoom and follow the family through the whole study, or see how Johannes Bernet is related to anyone else in it.
Family tree

A card's left edge: man woman not known

Open this person's page

Loading the tree…

Records

Search the archive →
Births and baptisms 1 record · 1768
  • 5 Nov 1768 probable Baptism “Johannes Bernet” Igis, Graubünden FamilySearch · O05911
Marriages 1 record · 1797
  • 1797 probable Marriage “Johanes Berent”, groom Igis, Graubünden FamilySearch · O05915
Deaths and burials 2 records · 1830–1858
Also cited as evidence: 8 records filed under relatives
The evidence 6 facts with their grades, 15 sources, and the research notes

Facts

Fact Date Place Grade Sources
Birth before 5 Nov 1768 Igis, Graubünden, Switzerland probable 11 , 12
Baptism 5 Nov 1768 Igis, Graubünden, Switzerland probable 12
Marriage with Dorothea Grest 1797 Igis, Graubünden, Switzerland probable 4 , 5
Residence between 18 Dec 1797 and 8 Aug 1824 Igis, Graubünden, Switzerland proven 1 , 4
Death 24 Nov 1858 Igis, Graubünden, Switzerland probable 11
Burial 26 Nov 1858 Igis, Graubünden, Switzerland probable 11

Research notes

  • Sources: Every record of him is from FamilySearch's index of the Igis Reformed church books (DGS 8014188 to 1813; DGS 8195990 for the 19th century). The images can be viewed only at a FamilySearch Center or affiliate library and have not been seen. The context on emigration is from the Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz.
  • Father of Anna Margreth (proven): Her baptism (1819) and the bride's entry of her marriage (1840) both name her parents as Johannes Bernet and Dorothea Grest.1, 2
  • Marriage (probable): The only Bernet-like groom among the Igis marriages indexed for 1796–1797 is "Johanes Berent", 1797, with no day or month; his bride is indexed "Maria Torether", a reading of Maria Dorothea, and the bride's surname is not given.5 The mother is Maria Doroth or Maria Dorothea Grest at the baptisms of 1810, 1812 and 1815, and the first child was baptised on 18 Dec 1797.4 The image (DGS 8014188, folder 002, image 348) should show her surname and whether the date is complete.
  • Baptism and burial (probable, by elimination): No record names the parents of Dorothea's husband, and Igis had several men called Johannes Bernet. (1) A Johannes Bernet died on 24 Nov 1858 and was buried on 26 Nov, aged 90; the index names his parents, Johannes Bernet and Susanna Nuttli, and no spouse.11 That couple had a son Johannes baptised on 5 Nov 1768; an elder Johannes of theirs, baptised on 28 Jul 1767, presumably died, although no burial is indexed.12, 13 (2) Another Johannes Bernet, married to Elsbeth Baumann, had children at Igis from 1788 to 1807 (Hans Michel 1788, Magdalena 1790 and 1807, Elssbeth 1792, Anna Maria 1795 and 1798, Anna Margreth 1802 and 1804), about nine years before Dorothea's husband. He is best matched with the Johannes Bernet buried on 30 Nov 1824, aged 62,14 and the names Hans Michel and Anna Maria follow those of Hans Michel Bernet (buried 1804, born about 1730) and Anna Maria Wittwer, who had children in 1758–1764. (3) A still older Johannes (Bernatt), married to Dorothea Boner, had children in 1775 and 1777. (4) The Johannes Bernet who married Ursina Grässli at Igis on 13 Jun 1824 cannot be Dorothea's husband, who was still married to her; he was probably a younger man.14 That leaves the man born in 1768 as Dorothea's husband. He was about seven years older than her, and their second son was named Johannes. The image of the 1858 burial (DGS 8195990) may say whether he was the widower of Dorothea Grest, which would prove it.
  • His parents (possible, not entered): Johannes Bernet and Susanna Nuttli (the index reads her surname Mutler, Nutlener, Nudlner and Ruttlen). Their other children were Maria (1764), Margaritha (1765) and Maria (1770, buried 1772). A "Susanna Bertten Nuttlen" was buried on 3 May 1771, aged about 43, and a Johannes Bernet "born 1734" on 16 Feb 1785; their marriage, about 1763, is not indexed.13
  • Children: Christian (bapt. 18 Dec 1797; married Anna Dolf on 11 Apr 1858, "born 1797", probably his second marriage); Johannes (28 Jul 1800; buried 23 Oct 1801); Dorothea (24 Jul 1802; married Johannes, or Johann Jakob, Michel on 15 Jul 1827; died 25 Jan 1843); Barbara (15 Sep 1804; married Christian Dönz on 10 Mar 1833; see below); Johannes (18 Feb 1807; married Menga Tanner on 20 Feb 1831); Jacob (14 Nov 1808; buried 6 Dec 1808); Elisabeth (23 Apr 1810); Elisabeth (25 Jan 1812; buried 30 Apr 1814); Martin (24 Feb 1815; nothing further found); Anna Margreth (27 Feb 1819; married Luzius Hegnauer on 14 Jun 1840); Jacob (8 Aug 1824; buried 24 Sep 1824).4, 1, 6, 7 The infant Elisabeth buried on 28 Jul 1811, with the father indexed as Joh. Bernet, is taken to be the child of 1810, since a second Elisabeth was baptised in Jan 1812.6
  • Barbara (Tontz): In 1860 Barbara, Christian Dönz and their children were in Township 4 North, Range 5 West, Madison County, Illinois, as Tontz, and Barbara Bernett Tontz died at Highland on 26 Aug 1881; the Find a Grave index gives her birth as 6 Nov 1804, which conflicts with her baptism of 15 Sep 1804.10 In 1860 and 1863 three of her children married brothers and sisters of Susanna Katharina Hirschi, who married Anna Margreth's son Leonhard Hegnauer at Highland in 1866.15
  • Name: Bernet; the index also reads Berent (1797) and Beret (1808).
  • This profile is part of the Hegnauer one-name study.

Working notes

  • Father of Anna Margreth Bernet H0036 (her 1819 Igis baptism and 1840 marriage entry) - direct ancestor of the owner; m. Dorothea Grest, Igis 1797 (probable: 66VW-FKZ7, 'Johanes Berent' x 'Maria Torether'); eleven children bapt. Igis 1797-1824; probably bapt. Igis 5 Nov 1768 (66VM-66NB), son of Johannes Bernet x Susanna Nuttli, and bur. Igis 26 Nov 1858 aged 90 (6F8D-9QDF) - probable, by elimination of the other Igis Johannes Bernets ; index only, images not seen

Sources

  1. 1

    "Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of Anna Margreth Bernet, 27 February 1819, Igis, Graubünden; parents Johannes Bernet and Dorothea Grest. FamilySearch record 6F8C-15HN; also FamilySearch record 6F8C-RJDT

    In the archive: O05920 , O05921

  2. 2

    "Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, marriage of Luzius Hegnauer and Anna Margreth Bernet, 14 June 1840, Igis, Graubünden; bride's parents Johannes Bernet and Dorothea Grest; groom's parents Jakob Hegnauer and Christina Pleisch. FamilySearch record 6F84-C4C5; also FamilySearch record 6F84-C4CV

    In the archive: O05922 , O01367 , O01376 , O01442

  3. 3

    "New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820–1957," database with images, Ancestry.com, manifest of the ship Chase [Chace], Le Havre to New York, list dated 30 September 1856 (the ship arrived 29 September), lines 155–161, "Hegemann" family: Lucie 36, Marguerite 37, Johann 15, Leonhard 13, Christian[e] 10, Martin 8, Christian 5, Swiss (her line is indexed "Margarite Hegemann", 39); citing NARA M237, roll 167; image NYM237_167-0280 (ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7488/images/NYM237_167-0280).

    Ancestry

  4. 4

    "Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, Igis (Graubünden) baptisms of the children of Johannes Bernet and (Maria) Dorothea Grest: Christian, 18 December 1797 (FamilySearch record 66VM-L9YZ); Johannes, 28 July 1800 (FamilySearch record 66VM-JFWL); Dorothea, 24 July 1802 (FamilySearch record 6F8C-KMVB); Barbara, 15 September 1804 (FamilySearch record 6F8C-TNWR); Johannes, 18 February 1807 (FamilySearch record 66VM-ND2R); Jacob, 14 November 1808 (FamilySearch record 6F8C-L4YZ); Elisabeth, 23 April 1810 (FamilySearch record 6F8C-PDJB); Elisabeth, 25 January 1812 (FamilySearch record 6F8C-GQVG); Martin, 24 February 1815 (FamilySearch record 6F8C-B8ZC); Jacob, 8 August 1824 (FamilySearch record 6F8C-GQBZ). The mother is indexed Maria Doroth or Maria Dorothea Grest in 1810, 1812 and 1815.

  5. 5

    "Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, marriage of "Johanes Berent" [Johannes Bernet] and "Maria Torether" [Maria Dorothea (Grest)], 1797 (no day or month indexed), Igis, Graubünden (DGS 8014188, folder 002, image 348). FamilySearch record 66VW-FKZ7

    In the archive: O05915

  6. 6

    "Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, Igis (Graubünden) burials of children of Johannes Bernet: Johannes, 23 October 1801, born 1800 (FamilySearch record 66V7-NJ9R); Jacob, 6 December 1808 (FamilySearch record 66V7-XYGC); Elisabeth, an infant, 28 July 1811 (FamilySearch record 66V7-FHML); Elisabeth, 30 April 1814, born 1812 (FamilySearch record 6F8D-3LJV); Jacob, 24 September 1824 (FamilySearch record 6F8D-MG5V).

  7. 7

    "Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, Igis (Graubünden) marriages of children of Johannes Bernet and Dorothea Grest: Dorothea Bernet and Johannes (Johann Jakob) Michel, 15 July 1827 (FamilySearch record 6F84-ZWHC); Johannes Bernet and Menga Tanner, 20 February 1831 (FamilySearch record 6F84-H6PW); Barbara Bernet and Christian Dönz, 10 March 1833 (FamilySearch record 6F84-C5YQ); Christian Bernet, "born 1797", son of Johannes Bernet and Dorothea Grest, and Anna Dolf, 11 April 1858 (FamilySearch record 6F84-XHPM).

  8. 8

    "Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, burial of Dorothea Bernet Grest, 29 June 1830, Igis, Graubünden; died 26 June 1830; aged 55; spouse Joh. Bernet. FamilySearch record 6F8D-974X; also FamilySearch record 6F8D-32GN; husband's entry FamilySearch record 6F8D-974F

    In the archive: O05918 , O05919 , O05916

  9. 9

    Peter Bollier, "Bevölkerung und Siedlung: Von der Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts bis zum Zweiten Weltkrieg," section of Florian Hitz et al., "Graubünden," Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz (HLS), version of 2004 (print-edition article, updated 29 August 2023), hls-dhs-dss.ch/de/articles/007391/2023-08-29 (accessed 27 September 2026).

  10. 10

    Barbara Bernet (Mrs. Christian Dönz) in Illinois: "United States Census, 1860," database, FamilySearch, Township 4 North Range 5 West, Madison County, Illinois, Barbara Tontz, born about 1805, in the household of Christian Tontz, born about 1802, with John, Christian and Elizabeth (FamilySearch record MXCC-ZTG); and "Find a Grave Index," database, FamilySearch, Barbara Bernett Tontz, born 6 November 1804, died 26 August 1881, Highland Cemetery, Highland, Madison County, Illinois (FamilySearch record QVKY-B5BL).

  11. 11

    "Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, burial of Johannes Bernet, 26 November 1858, Igis, Graubünden; died 24 November 1858; aged 90; parents Johannes Bernet and Susanna Nuttli; no spouse indexed. FamilySearch record 6F8D-9QDF; also FamilySearch record 6F8D-41DJ and FamilySearch record 6F88-1GRG

    In the archive: O05912 , O05913 , O05914

  12. 12

    "Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of Johannes Bernet, 5 November 1768, Igis, Graubünden; parents Johannes Bernet and Susanna "Mutler" [Nuttli]. FamilySearch record 66VM-66NB; father's entry FamilySearch record 66VM-66JM

    In the archive: O05911

  13. 13

    "Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, Igis (Graubünden): baptism of an elder Johannes, 28 July 1767, mother's entry "Zusanna Bernat Nutlener" (FamilySearch record 66VM-XYDB); burial of "Susanna Bertten Nuttlen", 3 May 1771, aged about 43 (FamilySearch record 66V7-V7HC); burial of Johannes Bernet, 16 February 1785, "born 1734" (FamilySearch record 66V7-RGQQ).

  14. 14

    "Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, Igis (Graubünden): burial of Johannes Bernet, 30 November 1824, aged 62, no kin indexed (FamilySearch record 6F88-N5KH); marriage of Johannes Bernet and Ursina Grässli ("Gres"), 13 June 1824 (FamilySearch record 6F84-CR4F).

  15. 15

    "Illinois, County Marriages, 1810–1940," database, FamilySearch, Madison County, Illinois: Jones Tontz and Elizabeth Hirschi, 4 July 1860 (FamilySearch record QK9L-7MLD); Elizabeth Tontz and John Hirsche, 14 October 1860 (FamilySearch record QK9L-QV97); Christian Tontz and Rosina Hirsche, 25 October 1863 (FamilySearch record QK9L-7WDQ); Leonard Hagnauer and Susan K Hirschi, 4 July 1866, page 204 (FamilySearch record QK9L-7HX2).

Cite this page H2190

Evidence Explained

Hegnauer One-Name Study, “Johannes Bernet (H2190, 1768–1858),” hegnauer.family (https://hegnauer.family/people/h2190-johannes-bernet/ : accessed 28 September 2026).

Chicago (notes)

“Johannes Bernet (H2190, 1768–1858),” hegnauer.family, Hegnauer One-Name Study, accessed September 28, 2026, https://hegnauer.family/people/h2190-johannes-bernet/.

H2190 is this person's permanent number in the study. Names get respelled; the number never changes, so the link and the citation keep working.

Something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction