hegnauer.family
H2192 The study's number for this person. Cite it and it will always lead here, whatever the spelling.
· A life in the study

Peter Hirschi

Born at Reichenbach im Kandertal in 1779, emigrated to America in 1850, and died at Madison in 1851.

born before 6 Aug 1779 at Reichenbach im Kandertal, Bern died about 1851 at Madison, Illinois

Also written Peter Hirschy

Peter Hirschi was baptised on 6 August 1779 at Reichenbach, in the Kander valley of Canton Bern, Switzerland, very probably the son of Christen Hirschig and Maria Spring.1–2 He was the father of Christian Hirschi, who took his family to Highland, Illinois, in 1850, and the grandfather of Susanna Katharina Hirschi, who married Leonhard Hegnauer at Highland in 1866. At seventy-one Peter went to America with them.3–5

Childhood

His parents were citizens of Schangnau, the highest commune of the Emmental, where patrician owners leased the alpine pastures to Küher, herdsmen-dairymen.1, 6 They lived in the district of Thun and the Kander valley instead: an elder brother, Bendicht, was baptised at Spiez in 1776, where their father was then living, and a sister, Maria, at Reichenbach in 1777. When Peter was baptised two years later, "at the same place, of the same parents", his godfather was a Peter Neuenschwander of Amsoldingen.1 An older brother, Jacob, had been baptised at Kirchdorf in 1774, and more brothers and sisters followed at Reichenbach and, in 1790, at Reutigen.1, 7

Uebeschi and Amsoldingen

On 5 March 1803 Peter married Maria Stutzmann, of Uebeschi, in the church of Thierachern, and the marriage was entered in the register of his home parish, Schangnau, as well.8–9 Uebeschi, a commune of 274 people in 1764, belonged to the parish of Thierachern.10 Seven weeks after the wedding their first son, Peter, was baptised at Thierachern, and Johannes followed on New Year's Day 1805; Johannes died in December 1807, not yet three.11–13 Their son Christian was born on 18 August 1814 and baptised ten days later at Thierachern, with Peter's brother Jakob Hirschi and Maria's brother Christen Stutzmann as his godfathers; the family was then living at Uebeschi.14

Peter was a Küher, a dairyman and herdsman. The Küher way of life had its centre in the Emmental; Küher leased alpine pastures for the summer and wintered their cattle on farms in the valleys.15–16 By 1828 the family lived in the parish of Amsoldingen, and there, on 16 November 1828, Maria died of consumption, at forty-nine; the pastor entered her as "Maria Hirschi of Schangnau, born Stutzmann, the wife of Peter the Küher".15 Both surviving sons followed their father's trade. Peter married Magdalena Oesch at Reutigen in 1826, and Christian, "Peter's son, Küher, at Reutigen", married Magdalena Stocker at Thun on 26 October 1833, with his father's consent.17–18 In the years that followed, Christian's children were baptised at Amsoldingen, and in 1843 the younger Peter, then living in Thun, stood godfather to his nephew Rudolf.19–20

“Maria Hirschi of Schangnau, born Stutzmann, the wife of Peter the Küher”

To America

From the 1830s the Küher's trade declined quickly as village cheese dairies took its place,16 and the farming crisis of the 1840s helped to set off the first mass emigrations from Switzerland to America.21 In the summer of 1850 Peter, a widower of more than twenty years, sailed from Le Havre on the ship Belmont with Christian, his wife Magdalena and their ten children, and they landed at New York on 1 August 1850. The clerk wrote the two men's given names the wrong way round, so that Peter appears on the list as "Christian Hirschy", aged seventy-one.3 His elder son Peter stayed in Switzerland.22 Two weeks later the family reached Highland, in Madison County, Illinois.4 According to his descendants, Peter died there in the winter of 1851 and was buried on the family's farm along Sugar Creek; no record of his death has been found.22

What we know

Proven

  • Birth at Reichenbach im Kandertal, 1779
  • Baptism at Reichenbach im Kandertal, 1779
  • Marriage to Maria Stutzmann at Thierachern, 1803
  • Occupation at Amsoldingen, 1828
  • Immigration at New York, 1850
  • Death at Madison, 1851
  • and 1 more
  • 2 homes, from the census and other records

What's still open

  • Other children. The FamilySearch index returned only these three sons of a Hirschi father and a Stutzmann mother; the Thierachern baptism register has not yet been read page by page for 1803–1822, so a child baptised under a variant spelling could have been missed.
  • Birth and death. Find a Grave's "6 Aug 1779, Schangnau" is his baptism date and his place of citizenship.

Sources

Sources 1–2

1 Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern, 1776

Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern (StABE), K Schangnau 3, Taufrodel [baptism register] 1779–1796, p. 10, "Ausserhalb getauft" [baptised elsewhere] (online PDF image 6 of 131): home-parish copies, from the baptismal certificates, of three baptisms of legitimate children of Christen Hirschig of Schangnau and Maria Spring of Kirchdorf: Bendicht, at Spiez, 31 March 1776; Maria, at Reichenbach, 23 October 1777; and "1779. d. 6. Augst. wurde an gleichem Ort, gleichen Eltern getauft ein ehlicher Peter", godparents Peter Neuenschwander of Amsoldingen, David Rieder [?] of Faltschen [?] and Elsbeth Mürner née Müller of Scharnachtal [?]. query.sta.be.ch/detail.aspx?ID=423412 (register image read 27 September 2026).

In the archive: O06714

2 Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1779

"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of Peter Hirschy, 6 August 1779, Reichenbach im Kandertal, Bern; parents Christen Hirschy and Maria Spring. FamilySearch record 68V5-YQ1J

In the archive: O06789

Sources 3–5

3 New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists, 1850

"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 Belmont, Le Havre to New York, arrived 1 August 1850, lines 70–82, "Hirschy": Christian 71, Peter 36 [the two men's given names transposed], Madeline 36, Christian 10, Madeline 9, Johanna 8, Friedrich 7, Elizabeth 6, Rudolph 5, Rosine 4, Susanna 3, Gotfried 11 months, Jacob 6 months, Swiss; citing NARA M237; image NYM237_91-0216 (ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7488/images/NYM237_91-0216).

4 Find a Grave, memorial 52693825, 1814

Find a Grave, memorial 52693825, Christian Hirschi Sr., born 14 August 1814, Schangnau, Emmental, Bern; died 14 November 1885, Highland, Madison County, Illinois; Highland Cemetery, Block 4, Lot 14, #5; biography by the memorial's creator, R. Marti (a great-grandchild): came from Le Havre on the ship Belmont with his wife, ten children and his father, landing at New York on 1 August 1850 and arriving at Highland on 14 August 1850; son of Peter and Maria Stutzmann Hirschi (findagrave.com/memorial/52693825) (memorial read in the survey of his daughter's records, September 2026).

5 Illinois, County Marriages, 1866

"Illinois, County Marriages, 1810–1940," database with images, FamilySearch, Leonard Hagnauer and Susan K Hirschi, 4 July 1866, Madison County, Illinois, page 204. FamilySearch record QK9L-7HX2 Also indexed in "Illinois, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1800–1940," and "Illinois, U.S., Marriage Index, 1860–1920," Ancestry.com.

In the archive: O00196 , O06752

Source 6

6 Schangnau, 2009

Anne-Marie Dubler, "Schangnau," Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz (HLS), version of 2009 (updated 8 July 2011), hls-dhs-dss.ch/de/articles/000516/2011-07-08 (accessed 28 September 2026).

Source 7

7 Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1774

"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of Jacob Hirrschi, 10 July 1774, Kirchdorf, Bern; parents Christen Hirrschi and Maria Spring. FamilySearch record 68VL-R2J2

In the archive: O06799

Sources 8–9

8 StABE, K Thierachern 14, 1803

StABE, K Thierachern 14, Eherodel [marriage register] 1753–1833, p. 119, 1803 no. 2 (online PDF image 62 of 130): "Martzius d. 5t sind ehelich eingesegnet worden der Peter Hirschi aus dem Schangnau und Maria Stutzmann von Uebischi"; citizenship column Schangnau; no parents named. query.sta.be.ch/detail.aspx?ID=233190 (register image read 27 September 2026).

In the archive: O06715 , O06716

9 StABE, K Schangnau 12, 1803

StABE, K Schangnau 12, Eherodel 1753–1830, p. 67 (online PDF image 19 of 77): "Laut Schein ward zu Thierachern ehelich eingesegnet d. 5. Merz 1803 … Peter Hirschi aus dem Schangnau, Maria Stutzman von Uebischi." query.sta.be.ch/detail.aspx?ID=423421 (register image read 27 September 2026).

In the archive: O06717

Source 10

10 Uebeschi, 2011

Anne-Marie Dubler, "Uebeschi," Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz (HLS), version of 2011 (print-edition article, updated 15 February 2013), hls-dhs-dss.ch/de/articles/000542/2013-02-15 (accessed 28 September 2026).

Sources 11–13

11 Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1803

"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of Peter Hirschi, 24 April 1803, Thierachern, Bern; parents Peter Hirschi and Maria Stutzmann. FamilySearch record 66JX-K4C3

In the archive: O06790

12 Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1805

"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of Johannes Hirschi, 1 January 1805, Thierachern, Bern; parents Peter Hirschi and Maria Stutzmann. FamilySearch record 66JX-RDJB

In the archive: O06791

13 Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1807

"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, burial of Johannes Hirschi, 14 December 1807, Thierachern, Bern; died 11 December 1807, aged 3 years; father Peter Hirschi. FamilySearch record 66JJ-CDLV

In the archive: O06792

Source 14

14 StABE, K Thierachern 8, 1814

StABE, K Thierachern 8, Taufrodel 1800–1833, p. 170 (online PDF image 88 of 280): baptism of Christian, 28 August 1814, born the 18th, legitimate; parents Peter Hirschi and Maria Stutzmann, at Uebeschi; godparents Christen Stutzmann, the mother's brother, Jakob Hirschi, the father's brother, and Susanna Stutzmann née Keller [?] of Uebeschi; citizenship column: Schangnau. query.sta.be.ch/detail.aspx?ID=233184 (register image read 27 September 2026). Indexed by FamilySearch as FamilySearch record 66JX-LDB7

In the archive: O06091 , O05923

Sources 15–16

15 StABE, K Amsoldingen 12, 1828

StABE, K Amsoldingen 12, Totenrodel [burial register] 1808–1851, p. 41, 1828 no. 24 (online PDF image 22 of 105): "Maria Hirschi v. Schangnau, geb. Stutzmann, Peters des Kühers Ehefrau", died 16 and buried 19 November 1828, of consumption (Auszehrung), age "49. Jahr". query.sta.be.ch/detail.aspx?ID=241391 (register image read 27 September 2026).

In the archive: O06720

16 Küherwesen, 1998

Anne-Marie Dubler, "Küherwesen," Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz (HLS), version of 1998 (print-edition article, updated 4 December 2008), hls-dhs-dss.ch/de/articles/013867/2008-12-04 (accessed 28 September 2026).

Sources 17–18

17 StABE, K Schangnau 12, 1826

StABE, K Schangnau 12, Eherodel 1753–1830, p. 161 (online PDF image 42 of 77): banns 10, 17 and 24 September, married at Reutigen 6 October 1826: "Peter Hirschi, Peters, v. hier, auf Günzenenberg [?] b. Reutigen, gtft zu Thierachern d. 24. Apr. 1803" and Magdalena Oesch, Johannes's daughter, of Amsoldingen, baptised at Reutigen [5?] January 1806. query.sta.be.ch/detail.aspx?ID=423421 (register image read 27 September 2026).

In the archive: O06723

18 StABE, K Schangnau 13, 1833

StABE, K Schangnau 13, Eherodel 1831–1857, p. 13, first entry (online PDF image 8 of 146): banns 29 September, 6 and 13 October, married at Thun 26 October [1833]: "Christian Hirschi, Peters, Küher, zu Reutigen … get[auft] Thierachern 28 Augst 1814 – adm[ittiert] Amsoldingen 1831, mit Einwillig[ung] d. Vaters", and Magdalena Stocker, Hansen, of Boltigen. query.sta.be.ch/detail.aspx?ID=423422 (register image read 27 September 2026).

In the archive: O06721

Sources 19–20

19 StABE, K Amsoldingen 5, 1836

StABE, K Amsoldingen 5, Taufrodel 1832–1862, p. 52, no. 11 of 1836 (online PDF image 27 of 187): baptism of Magdalena, 21 February 1836, born 4 February; parents Christian Hirschi, son of Peter, of Schangnau, at Amsoldingen, and Magdalena Stocker, [daughter] of the late Johannes, of Boltigen, married at Thun 26 October 1833; godparents Johannes Stocker, the child's mother's brother, Susanna Stutzmann née Simon, of Uebeschi, and Magdalena Hirschi née Oesch, the child's aunt. query.sta.be.ch/detail.aspx?ID=241384 (register image read 27 September 2026).

In the archive: O06089

20 StABE, K Amsoldingen 5, 1843

StABE, K Amsoldingen 5, Taufrodel 1832–1862, p. 130, no. 5 of 1843 (online PDF image 67 of 187): baptism of Rudolf, 12 February 1843, born 8 January; parents Christian Hirschi, Peter's son, of Schangnau, in Amsoldingen, and Magdalena Stocker, of Boltigen; godparents Peter Hirschi, "des Vaters Bruder, in Thun", David Moser, Rechtsagent in Thun, and Margaritha Indermühle née Wittwer [?]. query.sta.be.ch/detail.aspx?ID=241384 (register image read 27 September 2026).

In the archive: O06728

Source 21

21 Auswanderung, 1997

Anne-Lise Head-König, "Auswanderung," Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz (HLS), version of 1997 (print-edition article, updated 15 October 2007), hls-dhs-dss.ch/de/articles/007988/2007-10-15 (accessed 27 September 2026).

Source 22

22 Find a Grave, memorial 156890155, 1779

Find a Grave, memorial 156890155, Peter Hirschi, born 6 August 1779, Schangnau, Emmental, Bern; died 1851, Madison County, Illinois; burial "Cremated, Other"; created by R. Marti, 9 January 2016, with a biography: he married Marie Stutzmann in Canton Bern, who died in Switzerland; he came to America with his son, his son's wife and their children, leaving Le Havre on the ship Belmont and landing at New York on 1 August 1850; his eldest son, Peter Hirschi Jr., born 24 April 1803, remained in Switzerland; he died in the winter of 1851 and was buried at the farm along Sugar Creek (findagrave.com/memorial/156890155) (read 27 September 2026).

Life in time

before 6 Aug 1779

Birth , Reichenbach im Kandertal, Bern, Switzerland

proven Sources 1, 2, 3, 22

How we know

Baptised at Reichenbach, in the Kander valley, on 6 Aug 1779; his parents lived in that parish from 1777 to 1787. Find a Grave's "born 6 Aug 1779, Schangnau" gives the baptism date and his place of citizenship.

The home-parish copy of his baptism (Staatsarchiv Bern, K Schangnau 3, p. 10; image read) and the FamilySearch index of the Reichenbach register give his baptism at Reichenbach on 6 Aug 1779, so he was born on or shortly before that day, probably in Reichenbach parish, where the family had children baptised in 1777, 1779, 1781, 1782, 1784 and 1787. His age on the passenger list of 1 Aug 1850 (71) fits. Schangnau, on Find a Grave, was the family's place of citizenship.

  1. 1779 Birth before 6 Aug 1779 · Reichenbach im Kandertal, Bern · proven

    Baptised at Reichenbach, in the Kander valley, on 6 Aug 1779; his parents lived in that parish from 1777 to 1787. Find a Grave's "born 6 Aug 1779, Schangnau" gives the baptism date and his place of citizenship.

    The home-parish copy of his baptism (Staatsarchiv Bern, K Schangnau 3, p. 10; image read) and the FamilySearch index of the Reichenbach register give his baptism at Reichenbach on 6 Aug 1779, so he was born on or shortly before that day, probably in Reichenbach parish, where the family had children baptised in 1777, 1779, 1781, 1782, 1784 and 1787. His age on the passenger list of 1 Aug 1850 (71) fits. Schangnau, on Find a Grave, was the family's place of citizenship.

    Sources 1, 2, 3, 22

  2. 1779 Baptism 6 Aug 1779 · Reichenbach im Kandertal, Bern · proven

    Legitimate son of Christen Hirschig of Schangnau and Maria Spring of Kirchdorf; godparents Peter Neuenschwander of Amsoldingen, David Rieder [?] of Faltschen [?] and Elsbeth Mürner née Müller of Scharnachtal [?]. The identification with the husband of Maria Stutzmann is probable.

    The Schangnau register of citizens baptised elsewhere copies the Reichenbach baptismal certificate: "1779. d. 6. Augst. wurde an gleichem Ort, gleichen Eltern getauft ein ehlicher Peter" (original, image read); FamilySearch indexes the Reichenbach entry itself (Peter Hirschy, parents Christen Hirschy and Maria Spring). That he is the Peter Hirschi of Schangnau who married Maria Stutzmann in 1803 is probable (see Research Notes).

    Sources 1, 2

  3. 1803 Residence between 5 Mar 1803 and 28 Aug 1814 · Thierachern, Bern · proven

    Married at Thierachern in 1803 and had three sons baptised there: Peter (1803), Johannes (1805) and Christian (1814). In 1814 the family lived at Uebeschi, a village of Thierachern parish; their place of citizenship was Schangnau.

    The Thierachern marriage register (1803) and baptism registers (1803, 1805, 1814) name Peter Hirschi and Maria Stutzmann; the register image of the 1814 baptism places the family at Uebeschi and gives their citizenship as Schangnau.

    Sources 8, 11, 12, 14

  4. 1803 Marriage, with Maria Stutzmann 5 Mar 1803 · Thierachern, Bern · proven

    Peter Hirschi "aus dem Schangnau" and Maria Stutzmann "von Uebischi" were married ("ehelich eingesegnet") at Thierachern on Saturday, 5 March 1803; the entry was copied into the register of Schangnau, his home parish. Neither entry names their parents. The marriage ended with her death at Amsoldingen in 1828.

    The Thierachern marriage register, 1803 no. 2 (original, image read), and the copy entered "laut Schein" (from the certificate) in the Schangnau marriage register (image read) both give 5 Mar 1803 at Thierachern. Their son Peter was baptised there seven weeks later, on 24 Apr 1803. The FamilySearch tree's "5 March 1803, Thierachern" is correct.

    Sources 8, 9, 15

  5. 1803 Son born: Peter Hirschi family event

    Their page →

  6. 1805 Son born: Johannes Hirschi family event

    Their page →

  7. 1814 Son born: Christian Hirschi Sr. family event

    Their page →

  8. 1828 Occupation 16 Nov 1828 · Amsoldingen, Bern · proven

    Küher (dairyman and herdsman), in the burial entry of his wife: "Peters des Kühers Ehefrau".

    The Amsoldingen burial register, 1828 no. 24 (original, image read), describes Maria Hirschi née Stutzmann as the wife of Peter the Küher.

    Sources 15, 16

  9. 1828 Residence 16 Nov 1828 · Amsoldingen, Bern · proven

    Living in the parish of Amsoldingen when his wife died there; his sons Peter (1826) and Christian (1833) were also Küher in the neighbouring parish of Reutigen.

    His wife was buried at Amsoldingen on 19 Nov 1828 (original register, image read).

    Sources 15, 17, 18

  10. 1850 Immigration 1 Aug 1850 · New York, New York · proven

    Arrived at New York on the ship Belmont from Le Havre with his son Christian's family: thirteen "Hirschy" passengers (lines 70–82). The clerk entered him as "Christian Hirschy", 71, and his son as "Peter", 36.

    The thirteen Hirschy passengers match Christian Hirschi's family in number, names and order. The man of 71 is taken to be his father Peter: four Bernese registers name Christian's father as Peter, and Christian's Find a Grave biography, written by a great-grandchild, says that he came with his father.

    Sources 3, 4

  11. 1851 Death about 1851 · Madison, Illinois · proven

    His Find a Grave memorial, created by a descendant, says that he died in the winter of 1851; no death record has been seen. He was alive at the family's arrival at New York on 1 Aug 1850. The FamilySearch tree gave 11 May 1850 at Madison, Illinois, a date before the family landed; it was corrected to about 1851 on 27 Sep 2026.

    The last record of him alive is the passenger list of the Belmont, which arrived at New York on 1 Aug 1850. His Find a Grave memorial (derivative, by a descendant) gives his death in the winter of 1851 in Madison County, Illinois, where the family had settled at Highland; no record of the death has been found.

    Sources 3, 22, 30

  • proven
  • family event

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Places in this life

5 places, in order
1 2 3 4 5
  1. 1 Reichenbach im Kandertal, Bern Birth before 6 Aug 1779 · Baptism 6 Aug 1779
  2. 2 Thierachern, Bern Residence between 5 Mar 1803 and 28 Aug 1814 · Marriage 5 Mar 1803
  3. 3 Amsoldingen, Bern Occupation 16 Nov 1828 · Residence 16 Nov 1828
  4. 4 New York City, New York Immigration 1 Aug 1850
  5. 5 Madison County, Illinois Death about 1851 · Burial

Hollow markers are placed approximately, at the town, county or region.

Family

Father Christen Hirschi bef. 1756–aft. 1790 Mother Maria Spring bef. 1760–aft. 1790
This page Peter Hirschi 1779–c. 1851
Wife · m. 5 Mar 1803 Maria Stutzmann 1779–1828
Son Peter Hirschi 1803–aft. 1843 Son Johannes Hirschi 1805–1807 Son Christian Hirschi Sr. 1814–1885
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Records

Search the archive →
Births and baptisms 3 records · 1779–1814
  • 6 Aug 1779 probable Baptism “Peter Hirschig” Reichenbach im Kandertal, Bern Staatsarchiv Bern · O06714
  • 6 Aug 1779 probable Baptism “Peter Hirschy” Reichenbach im Kandertal, Bern FamilySearch · O06789
  • 28 Aug 1814 confirmed Baptism “Peter Hirschi”, father Staatsarchiv Bern · O06846
Marriages 2 records · 1803
  • 5 Mar 1803 confirmed Marriage “Peter Hirschi”, groom Thierachern, Bern Staatsarchiv Bern · O06715
  • 5 Mar 1803 confirmed Marriage “Peter Hirschi”, groom Schangnau, Bern Staatsarchiv Bern · O06717
Deaths and burials 1 record · 1851
  • 1851 probable Burial “Peter Hirschi” Find a Grave · O06847
Also cited as evidence: 19 records filed under relatives
The evidence 9 facts with their grades, 31 sources, and the research notes

Facts

Fact Date Place Grade Sources
Birth before 6 Aug 1779 Reichenbach im Kandertal, Bern, Switzerland proven 1 , 2 , 3 , 22
Baptism 6 Aug 1779 Reichenbach im Kandertal, Bern, Switzerland proven 1 , 2
Residence between 5 Mar 1803 and 28 Aug 1814 Thierachern, Bern, Switzerland proven 8 , 11 , 12 , 14
Marriage with Maria Stutzmann 5 Mar 1803 Thierachern, Bern, Switzerland proven 8 , 9 , 15
Occupation 16 Nov 1828 Amsoldingen, Bern, Switzerland proven 15 , 16
Residence 16 Nov 1828 Amsoldingen, Bern, Switzerland proven 15 , 17 , 18
Immigration 1 Aug 1850 New York, New York, United States proven 3 , 4
Death about 1851 Madison, Illinois, United States proven 3 , 22 , 30
Burial Madison, Illinois, United States proven 22

Research notes

  • Sources: The original registers of Reichenbach (the home-parish copy at Schangnau), Thierachern, Schangnau, Reutigen and Amsoldingen, read on the images that the Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern publishes online (27 Sep 2026), with FamilySearch's index of the Reichenbach, Kirchdorf, Thierachern and Reutigen registers; the Belmont passenger list, read on the image; and the Find a Grave biographies of Peter and his son, written by a descendant (derivative). The context is from the Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz.
  • Parents (probable): The Schangnau register of citizens baptised elsewhere copies the Reichenbach certificate of the baptism of Peter, legitimate son of Christen Hirschig of Schangnau and Maria Spring of Kirchdorf, on 6 Aug 1779; the Reichenbach entry itself is indexed by FamilySearch with the same parents.1, 2 He is taken to be the Peter Hirschi of Schangnau who married Maria Stutzmann in 1803 because (1) FamilySearch's index has only three Peter Hirschi or Hirschy baptisms in Switzerland from 1774 to 1786 (this one; Oberdiessbach 1784, son of Peter and Maria Kämpf; Trub 1786, son of Christen and Anna Zollner), and only this one fits his age of 71 in Aug 1850;3 (2) Find a Grave's date, 6 Aug 1779, is this baptism's, and Schangnau is the citizenship of both;22 (3) the family were Schangnau citizens living in the district of Thun (Spiez 1776, Reichenbach 1777–1787, Reutigen 1790), as Peter did later (Thierachern, Amsoldingen); (4) Christian's godfather in 1814 was "Jakob Hirschi, des Vaters Bruder",14 and Christen Hirschi and Maria Spring had a son Jacob baptised at Kirchdorf on 10 Jul 1774;7 a Jakob Hirschi, son of Christian, died at Reutigen, next to Thierachern and Amsoldingen, on 30 May 1845, aged 71.23 It falls short of proof because neither entry of the 1803 marriage names Peter's father,8, 9 and no record yet found calls him "Christen's son". The family register of Schangnau, or Julius Billeter's genealogy compiled from it (FamilySearch film 599705, images restricted), would settle it.24
  • Marriage (proven): 5 Mar 1803 at Thierachern, in the Thierachern register and in Schangnau's copy; neither names the couple's parents.8, 9
  • Son Christian (proven): The Schangnau marriage register gives the groom of 26 Oct 1833 as "Christian Hirschi, Peters, Küher, zu Reutigen", baptised at Thierachern on 28 Aug 1814 and married with his father's consent. That is the Thierachern baptism of Christian, son of Peter Hirschi and Maria Stutzmann, so one record joins Christian to his baptism, his father and his wife.18, 14 Four other registers of 1833–1846 call Christian "Peter's son, of Schangnau".25, 19, 26
  • Son Peter (proven): Schangnau's copy of his marriage at Reutigen on 6 Oct 1826 gives the groom as "Peter Hirschi, Peters, v. hier", baptised at Thierachern on 24 Apr 1803; the Amsoldingen register of the banns calls him a Küher, Peter's son.17, 27, 11 He is the "Peter Hirschi, des Vaters Bruder, in Thun" of 1843.20
  • Son Johannes: baptised at Thierachern on 1 Jan 1805;12 a Johannes Hirschi, son of Peter Hirschi, aged 3, died on 11 Dec and was buried at Thierachern on 14 Dec 1807 (index), very probably he.13 The two Johannes Hirschis who married at Amsoldingen in 1831 and 1832 were sons of Abraham and of Ulrich, so neither was his.
  • Other children: The FamilySearch index returned only these three sons of a Hirschi father and a Stutzmann mother;11, 12, 28 the Thierachern baptism register has not yet been read page by page for 1803–1822, so a child baptised under a variant spelling could have been missed.
  • His wife's death (proven): Maria died at Amsoldingen on 16 Nov 1828, 22 years before the emigration, which is why she is not on the passenger list.15
  • Passenger list: The Belmont list gives "Christian 71" and "Peter 36" at the head of the thirteen Hirschy passengers. The study reads the man of 71 as Peter and the man of 36 as his son Christian, whose wife and children follow; the clerk transposed their given names. Christian's Find a Grave biography says he came with his father.3, 4
  • Birth and death: Find a Grave's "6 Aug 1779, Schangnau" is his baptism date and his place of citizenship.22, 29 His memorial, created in 2016 by a descendant (R. Marti), gives his death as 1851 in Madison County, Illinois, in the winter, with burial at the farm along Sugar Creek.22 The FamilySearch tree's death of 11 May 1850 was impossible (he landed on 1 Aug 1850, and 11 May is the death day of his daughter-in-law Magdalena Stocker in 1881); the study changed it to about 1851, with that reason, on 27 Sep 2026.30, 3 No record of his death or burial has been found. The first land the family owned in Illinois, 160 acres in Township 4 North, Range 5 West, was bought in Christian's name on 18 Nov 1850, so the farm where Peter was buried was probably on it; that is still to be checked on a plat.31
  • Negative searches (27 Sep 2026): Schangnau's baptism register of 1797–1836 (K Schangnau 4), index of "Auswärts getauft": no Peter or Christian of this family, so Peter's Thierachern-born sons were not entered there. Schangnau's burial register of 1827–1860 (K Schangnau 16): no Maria née Stutzmann and no Peter of this family (the Peter Hirschi, Peter's son, who died at Eggibühl in 1833, aged 47, belonged to another family). The Staatsarchiv catalogue has no emigration or passport file for the family. Illinois: no record of Peter was found in the 1850–1880 censuses, the 1855 and 1865 state censuses, the marriage, land and death indexes, or the county records searched for Christian's family.
  • FamilySearch tree: It gives his parents as Christen Hirschi (KCPW-QTS, born 26 Feb 1730, died 2 Jan 1793) and Maria Spring (M2MZ-7KL, baptised 23 May 1754, died 2 Feb 1815), with ten children from Jakob (1774) to Niklaus (1790), including a David (1781) and a Rudolf (1789) that the study has not examined.30 The earlier WikiTree biography named his parents as Christian Hirschi, born 25 Feb 1730 at Schangnau, and Maria, born 1748 at Kirchdorf; Maria Spring was indeed of Kirchdorf, but the birth dates are unchecked.
  • WikiTree: Hirschi-20 (unmanaged).
  • This profile is part of the Hegnauer one-name study.

Working notes

  • Probable father of Christian Hirschi H0169 (1833 Reutigen marriage index names the groom's father Peter; Thierachern baptism 28 Aug 1814, 66JX-LDB7, parents Peter Hirschi x Maria Stutzmann - probable); sons bapt. Thierachern 1803, 1805; the man of 71 on the Belmont list, New York 1 Aug 1850 (entered as 'Christian'); death not found
  • Now very probable father of Christian H0169: the Amsoldingen baptisms of 1836 and 1846 (StABE K Amsoldingen 5, pp. 52, 167) call Christian 'Peter's son, of Schangnau', and the 1814 Thierachern entry (StABE K Thierachern 8, p. 170) gives Schangnau and Uebeschi ; birth 6 Aug 1779 and death 1851 (buried on the farm on Sugar Creek, Madison Co., Ill.) from Find a Grave 156890155, by a descendant (place of birth uncertain: Schangnau was the place of citizenship); eldest son Peter b. 24 Apr 1803 stayed in Switzerland
  • Brother Jakob Hirschi godfather at Christian's baptism 1814; son Peter (probably bapt. 1803) m. Magdalena Oesch, Amsoldingen 6 Oct 1826 (K Amsoldingen 10 p. 75 no. 509)
  • M1 (28 Sep 2026): bapt. Reichenbach im Kandertal 6 Aug 1779, son of Christen Hirschig of Schangnau and Maria Spring of Kirchdorf (K Schangnau 3 p. 10, O06714; index 68V5-YQ1J) - parents probable; m. Maria Stutzmann of Uebeschi, Thierachern 5 Mar 1803 (K Thierachern 14 p. 119, O06715; Schangnau copy K Schangnau 12 p. 67, O06717) - proven; widower from 16 Nov 1828 (O06720); Kueher, in Amsoldingen parish 1828; sons Peter H2404 (proven), Johannes H2405 (1805-1807), Christian H0169 (proven); no Illinois record of him found (the 1850 land was bought by Christian)

Sources

  1. 1

    Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern (StABE), K Schangnau 3, Taufrodel [baptism register] 1779–1796, p. 10, "Ausserhalb getauft" [baptised elsewhere] (online PDF image 6 of 131): home-parish copies, from the baptismal certificates, of three baptisms of legitimate children of Christen Hirschig of Schangnau and Maria Spring of Kirchdorf: Bendicht, at Spiez, 31 March 1776; Maria, at Reichenbach, 23 October 1777; and "1779. d. 6. Augst. wurde an gleichem Ort, gleichen Eltern getauft ein ehlicher Peter", godparents Peter Neuenschwander of Amsoldingen, David Rieder [?] of Faltschen [?] and Elsbeth Mürner née Müller of Scharnachtal [?]. query.sta.be.ch/detail.aspx?ID=423412 (register image read 27 September 2026).

    In the archive: O06714

  2. 2

    "Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of Peter Hirschy, 6 August 1779, Reichenbach im Kandertal, Bern; parents Christen Hirschy and Maria Spring. FamilySearch record 68V5-YQ1J

    In the archive: O06789

  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 Belmont, Le Havre to New York, arrived 1 August 1850, lines 70–82, "Hirschy": Christian 71, Peter 36 [the two men's given names transposed], Madeline 36, Christian 10, Madeline 9, Johanna 8, Friedrich 7, Elizabeth 6, Rudolph 5, Rosine 4, Susanna 3, Gotfried 11 months, Jacob 6 months, Swiss; citing NARA M237; image NYM237_91-0216 (ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7488/images/NYM237_91-0216).

    Ancestry

  4. 4

    Find a Grave, memorial 52693825, Christian Hirschi Sr., born 14 August 1814, Schangnau, Emmental, Bern; died 14 November 1885, Highland, Madison County, Illinois; Highland Cemetery, Block 4, Lot 14, #5; biography by the memorial's creator, R. Marti (a great-grandchild): came from Le Havre on the ship Belmont with his wife, ten children and his father, landing at New York on 1 August 1850 and arriving at Highland on 14 August 1850; son of Peter and Maria Stutzmann Hirschi (findagrave.com/memorial/52693825) (memorial read in the survey of his daughter's records, September 2026).

  5. 5

    "Illinois, County Marriages, 1810–1940," database with images, FamilySearch, Leonard Hagnauer and Susan K Hirschi, 4 July 1866, Madison County, Illinois, page 204. FamilySearch record QK9L-7HX2 Also indexed in "Illinois, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1800–1940," and "Illinois, U.S., Marriage Index, 1860–1920," Ancestry.com.

    In the archive: O00196 , O06752 Ancestry

  6. 6

    Anne-Marie Dubler, "Schangnau," Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz (HLS), version of 2009 (updated 8 July 2011), hls-dhs-dss.ch/de/articles/000516/2011-07-08 (accessed 28 September 2026).

  7. 7

    "Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of Jacob Hirrschi, 10 July 1774, Kirchdorf, Bern; parents Christen Hirrschi and Maria Spring. FamilySearch record 68VL-R2J2

    In the archive: O06799

  8. 8

    StABE, K Thierachern 14, Eherodel [marriage register] 1753–1833, p. 119, 1803 no. 2 (online PDF image 62 of 130): "Martzius d. 5t sind ehelich eingesegnet worden der Peter Hirschi aus dem Schangnau und Maria Stutzmann von Uebischi"; citizenship column Schangnau; no parents named. query.sta.be.ch/detail.aspx?ID=233190 (register image read 27 September 2026).

    In the archive: O06715 , O06716

  9. 9

    StABE, K Schangnau 12, Eherodel 1753–1830, p. 67 (online PDF image 19 of 77): "Laut Schein ward zu Thierachern ehelich eingesegnet d. 5. Merz 1803 … Peter Hirschi aus dem Schangnau, Maria Stutzman von Uebischi." query.sta.be.ch/detail.aspx?ID=423421 (register image read 27 September 2026).

    In the archive: O06717

  10. 10

    Anne-Marie Dubler, "Uebeschi," Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz (HLS), version of 2011 (print-edition article, updated 15 February 2013), hls-dhs-dss.ch/de/articles/000542/2013-02-15 (accessed 28 September 2026).

  11. 11

    "Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of Peter Hirschi, 24 April 1803, Thierachern, Bern; parents Peter Hirschi and Maria Stutzmann. FamilySearch record 66JX-K4C3

    In the archive: O06790

  12. 12

    "Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of Johannes Hirschi, 1 January 1805, Thierachern, Bern; parents Peter Hirschi and Maria Stutzmann. FamilySearch record 66JX-RDJB

    In the archive: O06791

  13. 13

    "Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, burial of Johannes Hirschi, 14 December 1807, Thierachern, Bern; died 11 December 1807, aged 3 years; father Peter Hirschi. FamilySearch record 66JJ-CDLV

    In the archive: O06792

  14. 14

    StABE, K Thierachern 8, Taufrodel 1800–1833, p. 170 (online PDF image 88 of 280): baptism of Christian, 28 August 1814, born the 18th, legitimate; parents Peter Hirschi and Maria Stutzmann, at Uebeschi; godparents Christen Stutzmann, the mother's brother, Jakob Hirschi, the father's brother, and Susanna Stutzmann née Keller [?] of Uebeschi; citizenship column: Schangnau. query.sta.be.ch/detail.aspx?ID=233184 (register image read 27 September 2026). Indexed by FamilySearch as FamilySearch record 66JX-LDB7

    In the archive: O06091 , O05923

  15. 15

    StABE, K Amsoldingen 12, Totenrodel [burial register] 1808–1851, p. 41, 1828 no. 24 (online PDF image 22 of 105): "Maria Hirschi v. Schangnau, geb. Stutzmann, Peters des Kühers Ehefrau", died 16 and buried 19 November 1828, of consumption (Auszehrung), age "49. Jahr". query.sta.be.ch/detail.aspx?ID=241391 (register image read 27 September 2026).

    In the archive: O06720

  16. 16

    Anne-Marie Dubler, "Küherwesen," Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz (HLS), version of 1998 (print-edition article, updated 4 December 2008), hls-dhs-dss.ch/de/articles/013867/2008-12-04 (accessed 28 September 2026).

  17. 17

    StABE, K Schangnau 12, Eherodel 1753–1830, p. 161 (online PDF image 42 of 77): banns 10, 17 and 24 September, married at Reutigen 6 October 1826: "Peter Hirschi, Peters, v. hier, auf Günzenenberg [?] b. Reutigen, gtft zu Thierachern d. 24. Apr. 1803" and Magdalena Oesch, Johannes's daughter, of Amsoldingen, baptised at Reutigen [5?] January 1806. query.sta.be.ch/detail.aspx?ID=423421 (register image read 27 September 2026).

    In the archive: O06723

  18. 18

    StABE, K Schangnau 13, Eherodel 1831–1857, p. 13, first entry (online PDF image 8 of 146): banns 29 September, 6 and 13 October, married at Thun 26 October [1833]: "Christian Hirschi, Peters, Küher, zu Reutigen … get[auft] Thierachern 28 Augst 1814 – adm[ittiert] Amsoldingen 1831, mit Einwillig[ung] d. Vaters", and Magdalena Stocker, Hansen, of Boltigen. query.sta.be.ch/detail.aspx?ID=423422 (register image read 27 September 2026).

    In the archive: O06721

  19. 19

    StABE, K Amsoldingen 5, Taufrodel 1832–1862, p. 52, no. 11 of 1836 (online PDF image 27 of 187): baptism of Magdalena, 21 February 1836, born 4 February; parents Christian Hirschi, son of Peter, of Schangnau, at Amsoldingen, and Magdalena Stocker, [daughter] of the late Johannes, of Boltigen, married at Thun 26 October 1833; godparents Johannes Stocker, the child's mother's brother, Susanna Stutzmann née Simon, of Uebeschi, and Magdalena Hirschi née Oesch, the child's aunt. query.sta.be.ch/detail.aspx?ID=241384 (register image read 27 September 2026).

    In the archive: O06089

  20. 20

    StABE, K Amsoldingen 5, Taufrodel 1832–1862, p. 130, no. 5 of 1843 (online PDF image 67 of 187): baptism of Rudolf, 12 February 1843, born 8 January; parents Christian Hirschi, Peter's son, of Schangnau, in Amsoldingen, and Magdalena Stocker, of Boltigen; godparents Peter Hirschi, "des Vaters Bruder, in Thun", David Moser, Rechtsagent in Thun, and Margaritha Indermühle née Wittwer [?]. query.sta.be.ch/detail.aspx?ID=241384 (register image read 27 September 2026).

    In the archive: O06728

  21. 21

    Anne-Lise Head-König, "Auswanderung," Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz (HLS), version of 1997 (print-edition article, updated 15 October 2007), hls-dhs-dss.ch/de/articles/007988/2007-10-15 (accessed 27 September 2026).

  22. 22

    Find a Grave, memorial 156890155, Peter Hirschi, born 6 August 1779, Schangnau, Emmental, Bern; died 1851, Madison County, Illinois; burial "Cremated, Other"; created by R. Marti, 9 January 2016, with a biography: he married Marie Stutzmann in Canton Bern, who died in Switzerland; he came to America with his son, his son's wife and their children, leaving Le Havre on the ship Belmont and landing at New York on 1 August 1850; his eldest son, Peter Hirschi Jr., born 24 April 1803, remained in Switzerland; he died in the winter of 1851 and was buried at the farm along Sugar Creek (findagrave.com/memorial/156890155) (read 27 September 2026).

  23. 23

    "Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, burial of Jakob Hirschi, 2 June 1845, Reutigen, Bern; died 30 May 1845, aged 71 years; father Christian. FamilySearch record 68VY-21RZ

    In the archive: O06800

  24. 24

    Julius Billeter, "Genealogy of the Hirschi family of Schangnau, Kt. Bern, Switzerland, abt. 1650–1910" (typescript, 1919, 86 pp.), Family History Library microfilm 599705, DGS 8129866; images restricted (not viewable online); not viewed.

  25. 25

    StABE, K Reutigen 7, Eherodel 1827–1875, p. 19, no. 15 of 1833 (online PDF image 12 of 102): banns of Christian Hirschi, [son] of Peter, of Schangnau, Küher [dairyman], and Magdalena Stocker, [daughter] of Johannis, of Boltigen, read on 29 September and 6 and 13 October 1833; the wedding column is blank. query.sta.be.ch/detail.aspx?ID=230825 (register image read 27 September 2026).

    In the archive: O06090

  26. 26

    StABE, K Amsoldingen 5, Taufrodel 1832–1862, p. 167, no. 16 of 1846 (online PDF image 85 of 187): baptism of Susanna Catharina, 5 June 1846, born 15 May 1846; parents Christian Hirschi, [son] of Peter, of Schangnau, at Lilachen, and Magdalena Stocker, [daughter] of Johannes, of Boltigen, married at Thun 26 October 1833. query.sta.be.ch/detail.aspx?ID=241384 (register image read 27 September 2026).

    In the archive: O06087

  27. 27

    StABE, K Amsoldingen 10, Eherodel 1807–1837, p. 75, no. 509 (online PDF image 39 of 120): banns (10, 17 and 24 September 1826) of Peter Hirschi of Schangnau, Küher, son of Peter, then living at the Günzenenberg [?] in Reutigen parish, and Magdalena Oesch of Amsoldingen, daughter of Johannes, the former lieutenant; "Schein Reutigen", 6 October 1826. query.sta.be.ch/detail.aspx?ID=241389 (register image read 27 September 2026).

    In the archive: O06092

  28. 28

    "Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of Christian Hirschi, 28 August 1814, Thierachern, Bern; born 18 August 1814; parents Peter Hirschi and Maria Stutzmann. FamilySearch record 66JX-LDB7

    In the archive: O05923

  29. 29

    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).

  30. 30

    FamilySearch Family Tree, Peter Hirschi Sr. (1779–1851), LR4Y-6HR, son of Christen Hirschi (KCPW-QTS, "26 February 1730 – 2 January 1793") and Maria Spring (M2MZ-7KL, "before 23 August 1754 – 2 February 1815"); wife Maria Stutzmann (1779–1857), LCTS-TSG, married 5 March 1803 at Thierachern; children Peter Jr. (K8N6-MZ2), Johannes (GM8S-PYG) and Christian (LCRV-7DW) (viewed read-only, 27–28 September 2026; compiled data, not checked against the records except where cited here).

  31. 31

    Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales database (Illinois State Archives), purchaser "Hirsch, Christian", 18 November 1850, 3rd Principal Meridian, Township 4 North, Range 5 West: E½NE¼ and NW¼NE¼ of section 14 and NW¼NW¼ of section 13, 160 acres, paid by military warrant; vol. 351, p. 62 (apps.ilsos.gov/isa/landsrch.jsp, searched 27 September 2026).

    In the archive: O06773