H2251
The study's number for this person. Cite it and it will always lead here, whatever the spelling.Margaritha Rosalia Hirschi
Born at Amsoldingen in 1844, emigrated to America in 1850, and died at Alhambra in 1924.
born 12 Sep 1844 at Amsoldingen, Bern died 31 May 1924 at Alhambra, Madison
and 2 more
Rosina Tontz, Rosina Margaret TontzLife story
Margaritha Rosalia Hirschi, known in America as Rosina, was born on 12 September 1844 at Amsoldingen, in Canton Bern, Switzerland, a daughter of Christian Hirschi and Magdalena Stocker. She went to Illinois with her family in 1850 and married Christian Tontz, a first cousin of Leonhard Hegnauer, in 1863.1–5
Amsoldingen
Her parents lived at Lilachen, a hamlet in the parish of Amsoldingen, and she was baptised in the Amsoldingen church on Sunday, 13 October 1844, as Margaritha Rosalie. Her godparents were Ludwig Buchhofer, a butcher of Thun, and two godmothers, Rosina Messerli and Anna Margaritha Zuber, whose names echo in her own.2 Her sister Susanna Katharina was born at Lilachen nineteen months later.6 Her eldest sister was Magdalena.
Illinois
In the summer of 1850 the family sailed from Le Havre on the ship Belmont and landed at New York on 1 August; the clerk entered her as "Rosine", aged four.3 They settled at Highland, in Madison County, Illinois. On 25 October 1863 Rosina married Christian Tontz, the son of Christian Tontz and Barbara Bernet, of Igis in Graubünden, whose sister Anna Margreth was Leonhard Hegnauer's mother; her sister Elisabeth had married his brother Jones three years before.4–5, 7 When her father's estate was divided in 1889, "Rosina Tontz" received a seventh share.8 She outlived Susanna, whose obituary in 1918 named a surviving sister.9
She died at Alhambra, in Madison County, on 31 May 1924, aged seventy-nine, and was buried in the Grantfork UCC Cemetery on 2 June. Her death record still named her father, Christian Hirschi, and her birthplace, Amsoldingen.1, 10
What we know
Proven
- Birth at Amsoldingen, 1844
- Baptism at Amsoldingen, 1844
- Immigration at New York, 1850
- Death at Alhambra, 1924
- Burial at Grantfork, 1924
What's still open
- Sources. Her baptism and godparents rest on the Amsoldingen baptism register, read on the image that the Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern publishes online (27 Sep 2026).
Sources
Sources 1–5
1 Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths, 1924
"Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916–1948," database, FamilySearch, Rosina Tontz, died 31 May 1924, Alhambra, Madison County, Illinois; born 12 September 1844, Amsoldingen, Switzerland; father Christian Hirsche; spouse Christian Tontz; burial 2 June 1924, Grantfork, Illinois. FamilySearch record NQFG-2L4
2 Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern, 1844
Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern (StABE), K Amsoldingen 5, Taufrodel [baptism register] 1832–1862, p. 151, no. 46 of 1844 (online PDF image 77 of 187): baptism of Margaritha Rosalie [or Rosalia], Sunday 13 October 1844, born 1[2 or 8] September 1844 [the second figure unclear; her 1924 death record gives 12 September]; parents Christian Hirschi, [son] of Peter, of Schangnau, at Lilachen, and Magdalena Stocker, [daughter] of Johannes, of Boltigen, married at Thun 26 October 1833; godparents Ludwig Buchhofer, butcher, of Thun, Rosina Messerli, of the Rütimättli, and Anna Margaritha Zuber [?], of Wattenwil. query.sta.be.ch/detail.aspx?ID=241384 (register image read 27 September 2026).
In the archive: O06088
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 Illinois, County Marriages, 1863
"Illinois, County Marriages, 1810–1940," database, FamilySearch, Christian Tontz and Rosina Hirsche, 25 October 1863, Madison County, Illinois. FamilySearch record QK9L-7WDQ
5 Barbara Bernet, 1860
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 [born about 1839] 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).
Source 6
6 StABE, K Amsoldingen 5, 1846
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
Source 7
7 Illinois, County Marriages, 1860
"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).
Source 8
8 Madison County, Illinois, 1874
Madison County, Illinois, Probate Court, estate of Christian Hirschi [Sr.] of Highland, deceased, case file (box 152): will of 3 June 1874 (a share to his daughter Rosina); affidavit of the executor Fridrich Hirschi, 4 December 1885, naming the surviving children "Magdalena Kamm, Frederick, Rosina Tontz, Susanna Hegnauer, Gottlieb"; final account and distribution, 13 March 1889 ("Rosina Tontz 1/7"), approved 11 April 1889; in "Illinois, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1772–1999," database with images, Ancestry.com, images 007658310_01384–01411.
Source 9
9 Appleton City Journal, 1918
"Mrs. L. Hegnauer Dead," Appleton City Journal (Appleton City, Missouri), 21 February 1918, p. 5: her sister Susanna Hegnauer was survived by "a brother and a sister"; image, Newspapers.com (newspapers.com/image/863299249).
Source 10
10 Find a Grave, memorial 56818842, 1844
Find a Grave, memorial 56818842, Rosina Margaret Hirschi Tontz, born 12 September 1844, Amsoldingen, Bern; died 31 May 1924, Alhambra, Madison County, Illinois, aged 79; Grantfork UCC Cemetery, Grantfork, gravesite H227; "Married on 25 Oct 1863 in Madison Co. IL. Mother of thirteen children."; linked to her husband Christian Tontz Jr. (1839–1918) and thirteen children; created by R. Marti, 8 August 2010 (findagrave.com/memorial/56818842) (read 27 September 2026).
More sources are in the evidence below.
Life in time
12 Sep 1844
Birth , Amsoldingen, Bern, Switzerland
How we know
At Lilachen (today Lilache), a hamlet of Amsoldingen, where her parents were living; baptised at Amsoldingen on 13 Oct 1844 as "Margaritha Rosalie". The baptism register's day reads 12 or 18 (the second figure is unclear); her 1924 death record gives 12 Sep 1844.
Her Illinois death record (1924) gives her birth as 12 Sep 1844 at Amsoldingen, Switzerland, and her father as Christian Hirsche. The Amsoldingen baptism register (Staatsarchiv Bern, K Amsoldingen 5, p. 151, no. 46; original, image read) records Margaritha Rosalie, born 1[2 or 8] Sep 1844 (the second figure is unclear, and was first read as 18) and baptised 13 Oct 1844, daughter of Christian Hirschi, Peter's son, of Schangnau, living at Lilachen, and Magdalena Stocker, Johannes's daughter, of Boltigen. The death record's 12 Sep fits one reading of the register and is kept; Find a Grave agrees. That she is the Margaritha Rosalie of the register is very probable (see Research Notes).
13 Oct 1844
Baptism , Amsoldingen, Bern, Switzerland
How we know
Baptised "Margaritha Rosalie" on a Sunday at Amsoldingen; godparents Ludwig Buchhofer, butcher, of Thun, Rosina Messerli, of the Rütimättli, and Anna Margaritha Zuber [?], of Wattenwil.
The Amsoldingen baptism register, 1844, no. 46 (original, image read). The identification with Rosina Tontz is very probable: see the birth.
1 Aug 1850
Immigration , New York, New York, United States
How we know
Arrived at New York on the ship Belmont from Le Havre with her parents, her grandfather and her brothers and sisters; listed as "Rosine" Hirschy, 4 (she was five).
The manifest lists thirteen "Hirschy" passengers in the birth order of Christian and Magdalena Hirschi's family; "Rosine, 4" stands between Rudolph (born 1843) and Susanna (born 1846).
31 May 1924
Death , Alhambra, Madison, Illinois, United States
How we know
Illinois death record of Rosina Tontz, wife of Christian Tontz: died at Alhambra, Madison County; born 12 Sep 1844 at Amsoldingen; father Christian Hirsche. The certificate image has not been viewed.
The Illinois index of deaths (FamilySearch, "Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916–1948") gives Rosina Tontz, died 31 May 1924 at Alhambra, born 12 Sep 1844 at Amsoldingen, father Christian Hirsche, spouse Christian Tontz, buried 2 Jun 1924 at Grantfork. Find a Grave memorial 56818842 agrees.
2 Jun 1924
Burial , Grantfork, Madison, Illinois, United States
How we know
Grantfork UCC Cemetery, grave H227 (Find a Grave).
Her death record gives burial on 2 Jun 1924 at Grantfork; Find a Grave memorial 56818842 gives the Grantfork UCC Cemetery, gravesite H227.
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1844 Birth
At Lilachen (today Lilache), a hamlet of Amsoldingen, where her parents were living; baptised at Amsoldingen on 13 Oct 1844 as "Margaritha Rosalie". The baptism register's day reads 12 or 18 (the second figure is unclear); her 1924 death record gives 12 Sep 1844.
Her Illinois death record (1924) gives her birth as 12 Sep 1844 at Amsoldingen, Switzerland, and her father as Christian Hirsche. The Amsoldingen baptism register (Staatsarchiv Bern, K Amsoldingen 5, p. 151, no. 46; original, image read) records Margaritha Rosalie, born 1[2 or 8] Sep 1844 (the second figure is unclear, and was first read as 18) and baptised 13 Oct 1844, daughter of Christian Hirschi, Peter's son, of Schangnau, living at Lilachen, and Magdalena Stocker, Johannes's daughter, of Boltigen. The death record's 12 Sep fits one reading of the register and is kept; Find a Grave agrees. That she is the Margaritha Rosalie of the register is very probable (see Research Notes).
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1844 Baptism
Baptised "Margaritha Rosalie" on a Sunday at Amsoldingen; godparents Ludwig Buchhofer, butcher, of Thun, Rosina Messerli, of the Rütimättli, and Anna Margaritha Zuber [?], of Wattenwil.
The Amsoldingen baptism register, 1844, no. 46 (original, image read). The identification with Rosina Tontz is very probable: see the birth.
Source 2
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1850 Immigration
Arrived at New York on the ship Belmont from Le Havre with her parents, her grandfather and her brothers and sisters; listed as "Rosine" Hirschy, 4 (she was five).
The manifest lists thirteen "Hirschy" passengers in the birth order of Christian and Magdalena Hirschi's family; "Rosine, 4" stands between Rudolph (born 1843) and Susanna (born 1846).
Source 3
-
1924 Death
Illinois death record of Rosina Tontz, wife of Christian Tontz: died at Alhambra, Madison County; born 12 Sep 1844 at Amsoldingen; father Christian Hirsche. The certificate image has not been viewed.
The Illinois index of deaths (FamilySearch, "Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916–1948") gives Rosina Tontz, died 31 May 1924 at Alhambra, born 12 Sep 1844 at Amsoldingen, father Christian Hirsche, spouse Christian Tontz, buried 2 Jun 1924 at Grantfork. Find a Grave memorial 56818842 agrees.
- proven
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Places in this life
4 places, in order- 1 Amsoldingen, Bern Birth 12 Sep 1844 · Baptism 13 Oct 1844
- 2 New York City, New York Immigration 1 Aug 1850
- 3 Alhambra, Madison County Death 31 May 1924
- 4 Grantfork, Madison County Burial 2 Jun 1924
Family
Records
Search the archive →Births and baptisms
Marriages
- 25 Oct 1863 probable Marriage “Rosina Hirsche”, bride Madison County, Illinois FamilySearch · O06764
Deaths and burials
Newspapers
- 26 Oct 1916 probable Social item (visit) “C. (Mrs.) Tontz”, sister (visitor) Appleton City, St. Clair County Newspapers.com · O06644
Also cited as evidence: 1 record filed under relatives
The evidence 5 facts with their grades, 10 sources, and the research notes
Facts
| Fact | Date | Place | Grade | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth | 12 Sep 1844 | Amsoldingen, Bern, Switzerland | proven | 1 , 2 , 10 |
| Baptism | 13 Oct 1844 | Amsoldingen, Bern, Switzerland | proven | 2 |
| Immigration | 1 Aug 1850 | New York, New York, United States | proven | 3 |
| Death | 31 May 1924 | Alhambra, Madison, Illinois, United States | proven | 1 , 10 |
| Burial | 2 Jun 1924 | Grantfork, Madison, Illinois, United States | proven | 1 , 10 |
Research notes
- Sources: Her baptism and godparents rest on the Amsoldingen baptism register, read on the image that the Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern publishes online (27 Sep 2026).2 Her marriage and death are known from FamilySearch's indexes (the images have not been viewed), with Find a Grave (derivative).4, 1, 10
- Identification (very probable): The baptism of 1844 records Margaritha Rosalie, daughter of Christian Hirschi and Magdalena Stocker, married at Thun in 1833, the parents of Susanna Katharina.2, 6 The American records know no Margaritha, but a daughter Rosina: "Rosine, 4" on the Belmont list, between Rudolph (born 1843) and Susanna (1846); "Rosina" in her father's will of 1874 and "Rosina Tontz" in the 1885 affidavit and the 1889 distribution; and Rosina Tontz in her Illinois death record of 1924, born 12 Sep 1844 at Amsoldingen, daughter of Christian Hirsche.3, 8, 1 The death record's birthplace, month, year and father all agree with the baptism, and no other daughter of the couple born in 1844 is known, so the two are taken to be one woman who used Rosina, a form close to her second name, and kept Margaret, her first. No record yet found names her by both forms.
- Birth date: The register's day of birth was first read as 18 Sep 1844; on a closer look the second figure could be a 2 or an 8 (compare the 2s of "20. October" and "27. October" and the 8 of "1844" on the same page).2 Her 1924 death record gives 12 Sep 1844, and Find a Grave and the FamilySearch tree agree.1, 10 12 Sep is adopted as the reading consistent with an independent record.
- Marriage: Madison County marriage index, Christian Tontz and Rosina "Hirsche", 25 Oct 1863.4 Her husband was the son of Christian Dönz (Tontz) and Barbara Bernet, who had married at Igis in 1833 and were in Madison County by 1860; Barbara was the sister of Leonhard Hegnauer's mother, Anna Margreth Bernet (see her profile). Her sister Elisabeth married Jones Tontz on 4 Jul 1860, and her brother Johannes married Elizabeth Tontz on 14 Oct 1860.7
- Children: Find a Grave says "Mother of thirteen children" and links thirteen, from Magdalena Barbara (1864–1958, Mrs. Schrumpf) to Clara Margaretha (1882–1939, Mrs. Mindrup), six of whom died in infancy.10 They have not been researched by the study.
- WikiTree: Hirschi-93 was created in 2020 as Rosina Margaret (Hirschi) Tontz from her Find a Grave memorial.
- This profile is part of the Hegnauer one-name study, as a sister of Susanna Katharina Hirschi, wife of Leonhard Hegnauer.
Working notes
- Sister of Susanna Katharina Hirschi H0038; born 18 Sep, bapt. Amsoldingen 13 Oct 1844 as 'Margaritha Rosalie' (StABE K Amsoldingen 5 p. 151 no. 46); probably the Rosina ('Rosine, 4' on the Belmont list 1850; 'Rosina Tontz' in her father's probate) who m. Christian Tontz, Madison Co., Ill., 25 Oct 1863 (QK9L-7WDQ) and d. 31 May 1924 (Find a Grave 56818842, 'Rosina Margaret Hirschi Tontz', born 12 Sep 1844 Amsoldingen) - identification probable
- M1 (28 Sep 2026): Schangnau copy of her baptism gives 'geb. d. 12. Septemb.' (K Schangnau 9 p. 23 no. 91, O06735), settling the day; m. Christian Tontz 25 Oct 1863 (O06764); death certificate read (O06765): b. 12 Sep 1844 Amsoldingen, father Christian Hirsche, in the U.S. 74 years, d. Alhambra 31 May 1924, bur. Grantfork 2 Jun 1924
Sources
- 1
"Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916–1948," database, FamilySearch, Rosina Tontz, died 31 May 1924, Alhambra, Madison County, Illinois; born 12 September 1844, Amsoldingen, Switzerland; father Christian Hirsche; spouse Christian Tontz; burial 2 June 1924, Grantfork, Illinois. FamilySearch record NQFG-2L4
- 2
Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern (StABE), K Amsoldingen 5, Taufrodel [baptism register] 1832–1862, p. 151, no. 46 of 1844 (online PDF image 77 of 187): baptism of Margaritha Rosalie [or Rosalia], Sunday 13 October 1844, born 1[2 or 8] September 1844 [the second figure unclear; her 1924 death record gives 12 September]; parents Christian Hirschi, [son] of Peter, of Schangnau, at Lilachen, and Magdalena Stocker, [daughter] of Johannes, of Boltigen, married at Thun 26 October 1833; godparents Ludwig Buchhofer, butcher, of Thun, Rosina Messerli, of the Rütimättli, and Anna Margaritha Zuber [?], of Wattenwil. query.sta.be.ch/detail.aspx?ID=241384 (register image read 27 September 2026).
In the archive: O06088
- 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).
- 4
"Illinois, County Marriages, 1810–1940," database, FamilySearch, Christian Tontz and Rosina Hirsche, 25 October 1863, Madison County, Illinois. FamilySearch record QK9L-7WDQ
- 5
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 [born about 1839] 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).
- 6
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
- 7
"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).
- 8
Madison County, Illinois, Probate Court, estate of Christian Hirschi [Sr.] of Highland, deceased, case file (box 152): will of 3 June 1874 (a share to his daughter Rosina); affidavit of the executor Fridrich Hirschi, 4 December 1885, naming the surviving children "Magdalena Kamm, Frederick, Rosina Tontz, Susanna Hegnauer, Gottlieb"; final account and distribution, 13 March 1889 ("Rosina Tontz 1/7"), approved 11 April 1889; in "Illinois, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1772–1999," database with images, Ancestry.com, images 007658310_01384–01411.
- 9
"Mrs. L. Hegnauer Dead," Appleton City Journal (Appleton City, Missouri), 21 February 1918, p. 5: her sister Susanna Hegnauer was survived by "a brother and a sister"; image, Newspapers.com (newspapers.com/image/863299249).
- 10
Find a Grave, memorial 56818842, Rosina Margaret Hirschi Tontz, born 12 September 1844, Amsoldingen, Bern; died 31 May 1924, Alhambra, Madison County, Illinois, aged 79; Grantfork UCC Cemetery, Grantfork, gravesite H227; "Married on 25 Oct 1863 in Madison Co. IL. Mother of thirteen children."; linked to her husband Christian Tontz Jr. (1839–1918) and thirteen children; created by R. Marti, 8 August 2010 (findagrave.com/memorial/56818842) (read 27 September 2026).