GENEAL-FORUM

Hello I am sorry I dont speak German.My family came from Rutenen Kanton Solothurn Stefan Frei my 4th great grandfather was born in 1820 -1880 and was married to Emma? Verna Kuifer his son also born in Rutenen Johann Ludwig Frei 1840-1900 married to Maria Ursula Phluger and their son Ludwig Johann Frei born in Basel 1866 emigrated to America in 1895.i would like to know how I can get farther than Stefan on the family tree and find out more on my Swiss heratage any info would be helpful I do have some old documents mannsperformen for Johann Ludwig dated 1862 but I am not sure what this document is and the language barrier huge. And i dont know where to begin being new at this. Thank you Stephen Frey

Hello - let's first make sure we understand your info correctly:
Stefan Frei was born in 1820 and died 1880;
Johann Ludwig Frei was born in 1840 and died 1900;
Ludwig Johann Frei born in Basel 1866 and emigrated to America in 1895.

On the wifes' names - neither Kuifer nor Phluger are Swiss names - likely Kiefer [no - Küpfer - see below] and Pfluger are correct spellings, at least these families have held citizenships in canton Solothurn for a long time.

You mention some old documents in your posession: these will definitely be the best starting point for any further research! I recommend you scan them, and publish them on the forum, to get some help reading/interpreting them.

Hello you are corect with the dates from what I was told by my grandfather. Thank for the correct spelling of the wifes name. and for the advise.

This is the document I am refering to I have no Idea what it is but it mentions my family and has the place names. Thank you Stephen Frey

Hi Stephen,

The document is called 'Heimat-Schein für verheiratete Mannspersonen zum Aufenthalt ausser dem Kanton', in English: Document of Burghership for married male persons leaving the canton.

With this document, the community of Rüttenen confirms that Johann Ludwig Frei, son of Stefan Frei and Verena Küpfer, 22 years old, and his wife Maria Ursula Pfluger as well as their children are recognized as burghers or citizens of Rüttenen and may return to this community at any time.
The document was signed by the mayor of the community and the president of the district on November 9, 1862.

Peter

OK - so we know now the correct spelling of the wifes' names ... what next?

The earliest info you mention is that Stefan Frei of Rüttenen was born in 1820 and died 1880, i.e. lived after 1876, when the modern civil registry system was set up. I recommend you contact the Civil Registry Office Solothurn, which today keeps the Rüttenen records, and ask
- if Stefan Frei can be identified in their register (should be!), and - if yes
- what you are expected to do (and pay) to get a "Familienschein".
This usually should give you one additional generation. In some areas these offices have access to earlier registers - but I am not familiar with the situation in Solothurn.

From then on church records would be the next major source - in Rüttenen they date back to 1665 and have been filmed by the Mormons.

In addition, Stephen should also ask for copies of the family entries in the old cantonal Family Registers (Ortsbürgerregister) which were started after 1830 in Solothurn. The Civil Registry usually keeps these records in this canton.
The offices in Solothurn are quite strict and request a proof of descendancy.

Peter

I would like to thank you gentelmen for your time and help and giving me such good advice on where to go for more help and the bonus of what this document is that no one in my family knew about.From what I understand my father still has his grandfathers Swiss army papers and his old passport and some other documents from that era, in adition Ludwig Johann Frei eldest son Edward Frei was born in 1892 in Oesingen.Ludwig had a brother named Oscar Frei born in 1871 in the kanton of Solothurn and came to America in 1895 the same year Ludwig arrived.From the U.S census I gathered they were both piano makers and worked for the NewYork Piano-Forte key co until it burned down in 1911.Again thank you for your help in helping me find my Swiss roots. Stephen Frey