Vitter-Weaver Genealogy
Anna Trachsel
1609 - 1680 (70 years)Person ID: I43604
1620 - 1667 (46 years)-
Name Anna Trachsel [1, 2, 3] Relationship 
with Jeffrey Scott Vitter Name Anna Trachsel Born 2 Sep 1609 Lenk im Simmental, Bern, Switzerland 
[1] Gender Female Died Aug 1680 Steffisburg, Bern, Switzerland Siblings 1. Christina Trachsel (ID:I47065), b. 7 Feb 1616/17, Lenk im Simmental, Bern, Switzerland , d. 1678, Switzerland (Age 60 years)2. Margaretha Trachsel (ID:I47067), b. 25 Oct 1618, Lenk im Simmental, Bern, Switzerland , d. 1626, Lenk im Simmental, Bern, Switzerland (Age 7 years)3. Elsy Trachsel (ID:I47066), b. 8 Jan 1619/20, Lenk im Simmental, Bern, Switzerland , d. 1667 (Age 46 years)4. Jakob Trachsel (ID:I47068), b. 15 Sep 1622, Lenk im Simmental, Bern, Switzerland , d. Bef May 1630, Lenk im Simmental, Bern, Switzerland (Age < 7 years)5. Margaretha Traschel (ID:I47075), b. 3 Sep 1626, Lenk im Simmental, Bern, Switzerland , d. 1627, Lenk im Simmental, Bern, Switzerland (Age 0 years)6. Gweer Trachsel (ID:I47073), b. 4 May 1628, Lenk im Simmental, Bern, Switzerland , d. 1631, Lenk im Simmental, Bern, Switzerland (Age 2 years)7. Peter Trachsel\Troxell (ID:I47063), b. 4 May 1628, Lenk im Simmental, Bern, Switzerland , d. 1691, Lenk im Simmental, Bern, Switzerland (Age 62 years)8. Jakob Trachsel (ID:I47074), b. 15 May 1630, Lenk im Simmental, Bern, Switzerland , d. 24 Dec 1721, Wölfersheim, Wetteraukreis, Hessen, Germany (Age 91 years)Parents
Father Hans Jakob Trachsel (ID:I43901), b. 8 Sep 1588, Lenk im Simmental, Bern, Switzerland , d. 1635, Lenk im Simmental, Bern, Switzerland (Age 46 years) Mother Anna Maria Berchten (ID:I43902), b. 28 Oct 1589, Lenk im Simmental, Bern, Switzerland , d. 6 Dec 1635, Lenk im Simmental, Bern, Switzerland (Age 46 years) Married 15 Jan 1615/16 Lenk im Simmental, Bern, Switzerland Family
Husband Nicolaus Hennig Yoder (Joder) (ID:I43603), b. Bef 25 Mar 1609, Steffisburg, Bern, Switzerland , d. Aft 1667, Ortbuhl Farm, Bern, Switzerland (Age > 59 years) Married 14 Oct 1642 Steffisburg, Bern, Switzerland [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] Children 1. Barbara Trachsel Yoder (Joder) (ID:I43694), b. Bef 8 Mar 1643/44, Steffisburg, Bern, Switzerland , d. Steffisburg, Bern, Switzerland 2. Anna Yoder (Joder) (ID:I47078), b. 13 Apr 1645 3. Caspar Yoder (Joder) (ID:I43618), b. 4 Jun 1648, Steffisburg, Bern, Switzerland , d. Abt 1712, Steffisburg, Bern, Switzerland (Age 63 years)4. Hans Yoder (Joder) (ID:I47095), b. 22 Jul 1650, d. Abt 1651 (Age 0 years) 5. Adam Trachsel Yoder (Joder) (ID:I43690), b. 22 Jul 1650, Steffisburg, Bern, Switzerland , d. 1716, Switzerland (Age 65 years)6. Magdalene Trachsel Yoder (Joder) (ID:I43692), b. 28 Feb 1651/52, Steffisburg, Bern, Switzerland , d. 28 May 1728, Steffisburg, Bern, Switzerland (Age 76 years)7. Annegret Yoder (Joder) (ID:I43695), b. 10 Apr 1653, Steffisburg, Bern, Switzerland , d. Bern, Switzerland 8. Jost Yoder (Joder) (ID:I43696), b. 13 Jan 1654/55, Steffisburg, Bern, Switzerland , d. 7 Sep 1731, Steffisburg, Bern, Switzerland (Age 76 years)9. Salome Trachsel Yoder (Joder) (ID:I43679), b. 13 Apr 1656, Steffisburg, Bern, Switzerland , d. 1687, Steffisburg, Bern, Switzerland (Age 30 years)10. Hans Yoder (Joder) (ID:I47080), b. 28 Feb 1657/58, Steffisburg, Bern, Switzerland , d. 4 Feb 1729/30 (Age 71 years)11. Stini Trachsel Yoder (Joder) (ID:I43693), b. 25 Aug 1661, Steffisburg, Bern, Switzerland , d. 1661, Steffisburg, Bern, Switzerland -
Event Map
Married - 14 Oct 1642 - Steffisburg, Bern, Switzerland 
Died - Aug 1680 - Steffisburg, Bern, Switzerland = Link to Google Earth -
Source Citations
- [S1248] WikiTree.com, Anna Trachsel.
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Trachsel-63 - [S837] Switzerland, Select Marriages, 1532-1910, Ancestry.com, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2014;).
- [S1199] Yoder Newsletter, (Location: Goshen, Indiana, USA;), "Caspar Yoder Married to Verena Stauffer, Is Redefined!", Issue No. 55, April 2010.
https://www.yodernewsletter.org/YNL/YNL55_files/image005.jpg
In the last YNL, we provided information that established that Jacob Amman, founder of the “Amish”, had attended a religious meeting in a Joder home in Steffisburg, and that it appeared certain that this home was that of Caspar Joder, son of Jost Joder who married Anna Trachsel. This Caspar left Steffisburg and moved to Alsace, where he and his wife, along with nine children lived at Weiler in 1708 and were referred to as “well to do”. Descendants of his are shown in Weissenburg (Wissembourg in French) and Sankt-Germanshof and later on in Salzwoogerhof. He is identified as the ancestor of 1825 immigrant Michel Yoder (YRC8), who shares the “Amish Yoder” DNA mutation of the YR1 and YR2 Yoder immigrants of 1742.
For years this Caspar has been identified as being the same Caspar Joder who married Verena Stauffer (see YNL2 article by Lois Ann Mast based on the work of German researcher Karl Joder and his partner Otmar Jotter). From Steffisburg death and contract data, it is now clear that Caspar and Verena Stauffer lived and died in the ancestral village, and that Caspar was the son of Hans Joder who married Verena Reusser! I’ll attempt to spell this out for our readers in a logical order.
In the earlier listings by Karl/Otmar, the birth/baptismal year for the Caspar, son of Jost Joder and Anna Trachsel, was given as 1660, with no day provided. A review of the actual church record shows the baptismal date was actually 5/22/1664. Infants were normally baptized soon after birth, so it can be assumed he was born shortly before that date. Had this Caspar been the fellow who married Verena Stauffer on Jan. 21, 1681, it would have meant that he would have been married at the age of 16. In 1686, at the birth of Caspar and Verena Stauffer's son Hans, the father is noted as the "Kirchmeier,” i.e., the person who looks after the church property, collects rents, sells harvests etc. This would have been an unlikely role for an Anabaptist firebrand. But had this been true, and were he Jost’s son, he would have only been 22 at the time, very young for such a position of responsibility. Bruce Stahly pointed out this age issue and started us on the hunt for another, older, Caspar.
Among the new information identified in a review of the Steffisburg Church Records is the fact that a Casper DID exist in the community who had not previously been included in the Karl Joder listings. He was the son of Hans Joder who married Verena Reusser.
Hans Joder who married Verena Reusser could be considered “the other Joder.” He is referred to in some of the Steffisburg record as Hans Joder “in der Au.” He was about the same age as the brothers Nicolas and Jost Joder, each married to cousins named Anna Trachsel, who have been the focus of researchers looking for American Joder ancestors. These three were in fact, one generation off, see the relationship chart on page 1. The Amish and Amish Mennonite Genealogies (AAMG) by Gingerich and Kreider, refers to him by the code “YB.” The updated AAMG version correctly identifies his son Jakob as the fellow who married Margareth Stähli, but still lists only four of his seven children. The actual family is shown below (b=baptismal dates, children not in AAMG but identified in the Steffisburg Church records are underscored).
YB- Hans Joder m. 6/13/1656 Verena Reuesser
YB1- Margaret b 10/25/1657
YB2- Caspar b 1/2/1659 m. Verena Stauffer
YB3- Jakob b 10/7/1660 m. 1684 Margreth Stähli
YB4- Niclaus b 8/24/1662
YB5- Barbli b 10/13/1664
YB6- Hansli b 3/3/1666
YB7- Madlena b 12/16/1669
Caspar (YB2) who was born/bapt. in 1659 would have been 22 when married, and 27 when a “Kirchmeier”, much more reasonable ages to match with this identification. Birth data alone calls into question the Caspar son of Jost to Verena Stauffer marriage. Death records raise further doubt about this fellow:
From the Steffisburg death records:
8 April 1735 - Caspar Joder the old of Glockenthal "biz 70 years old". Glockenthal (Bell Valley)
7 Jun 1735- Froni Joder, born Stauffer in Glockenthal “uber 70 years old"
This information seemed to match to the Caspar/Verena Stauffer couple. But they were supposed to be in Alsace, breeding a large progeny! Furthermore the age of the Caspar here matches exactly to that of the son of Hans (YB2). Stähli family researcher Bruce W. Stahly shared his experience and contacts to arrange for the services of professional Swiss researcher, Therese Metzger. Estate settlements for Steffisburg are kept in the contract records at the cantonal archive in the city of Bern -- i.e. Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern. Based on the death information we had discovered on the Steffisburg church CDs, we focused her efforts on Caspar and Verena and several other Joders of the same generation. The records relevant to Caspar and Verena Stauffer are as follows, by file number:
Steffisburg Contract Records:
241 Obligation. Primary guarantor is Caspar Joder in the Gloggenthal. 1716. (YB2)
248-249 Debt Contract. Debtor is Hans Joder in the Au. Guarantor Caspar Joder in the Gloggenthal his son. 1716 (YB and YB2)
79 Promisory Contract. Caspar Joder the old Kirchmeir of Gloggenthal. He is satisfied with with the adjoining land. (YB2)
97 Receipt. Caspar Joder in Gloggenthal. (YB2)
179 Obligation. 1000 pounds. From 1707. Chief guarantors were Hans Joder in the Au; the old Kirchmeier in the Gloggenthal; and Jakob Joder in the Pfaffenhalter, sons. The surety was the mill in the Au, belonging to the chief gurarntor. Cancelled 1719. [Three pages of text, not all read.] (YB and YB2 and YB3)
A284 (Hans Joder/Verena Reusser family- YB)
12-13 Estate Settlement. The late Hans Joder in the Au of Steffisburg. His sons and grandsons: Caspar the elder son in the Gloggenthal and his sons Christen and Caspar, Jakob the younger son of Pfaffenhalten and his sons Hans and Caspar Joder. 1719/1721. (YB family)
A285
91 Debt contract. Caspar Joder the old Kirchmeier and as guarantors his son Hans Joder and son-in-law Christian Reusser both of Erlen. 1723. (YB2)
111 Obligation. Caspar Joder acknowledges to his mother Verena Stauffer, who acknowleded it with the hand of her husband Caspar Joder the old Kirchmeier. 1722. (YB2 and YB26)
212 Lease contract. The same people listed above in item 91.
A296
p. 63- Brothers Hans and Christen Joder exchanged for themselves, and their mother Verena Stauffer with the consent and permission of Caspar Joder (YB2) her husband and their father, with Caspar Joder, a son, and Christen Spring and Hans Zaugg their sons-in-law and their mother, property in Gloggenthal. two houses, a barn, an oven house, a granary, in return for an Alp (pasture) in the area of Röthenbach for pasturing about 10 cows in the summer. No date, it must have been 1733. Written in 1737 , the transaction was cancelled because the signatories were dead and no promise had been carried through.
p.224 - Verena Stauffer with the consent of her husband Caspar Joder (YB2) old Kirchmeier of Steffisburg sold the rights to pasture two cows in the Alps, 29 May 1734.
https://www.yodernewsletter.org/YNL/YNL55_files/image007.jpg
APRIL 2010 STEFFISBURG CHART UPDATE
A298
p. 132-144 Estate settlement- Estate settlement of the late Caspar Joder old Kirchmeier married to the late Verena Stauffer; parents of Hans; Christen; Caspar ; Anna married 1st Christen Reusser; 2nd Christen Spring; Barbara married 1st Christen Gasser; 2nd Hans Zaugg; [Description of the estate and property. 3 pages. 11 August 1736.]
These records clearly show that Caspar Joder and his wife Verena Stauffer remained in Steffisburg and died there in 1735. The Amish Alsatian Caspar (at Langenberg by 1712 and still there in 1735) seems certain to be the son of Jost Joder and Anna Trachsel, and his wife may have been named “Verena” (an Anabaptist Caspar Joder and his wife Verena Hoffin (Hoffer) had a male child born at Durrenentzen 3/20/1695. The child died unbaptized 5/31/1695.) But this Caspar WAS NOT the Caspar who married Verena Stauffer. The research by Karl Joder and Otmar Jotter that created a matching family in Alsace must have made assumptions based on similar naming patterns among the next generation. From the baptismal and contract records, the following family can be constructed for the Steffisburg couple;
YB2- Caspar Joder (in the Au) m 1/21/1681 Verena Stauffer, both died in Steffisburg in 1735 (b. represents baptismal dates)
YB21- Anna b 4/16/1682
YB22- Anna b 5/20/1683 –m 1st 6/8/1708 Christen Reusser; 2nd Christen Spring
YB23- Barbara Joder b. 1/4/1685
YB24- Hans b 10/24/1686 - baptism refers to father Caspar as “the Kirchmeier,” pos m. Barbara Berger
YB25- Christian b 2/15/1691 , pos. m.1715 Rosina Schwendimann
YB26- Caspar b 9/1/1695
YB27- Peter b 2/18/1700
YB28- Barbara b 10/29/1703 Barbara married 1st Christen Gasser; m2. 3/7/1731 Hans Zaugg
(Barbara had children by Christen Gasser starting 3/4/1725
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NOTE: Stähli researcher Bruce Stahly contacted us about a reference that had been found which told of Jakob Joder buying a piece of land from his brother-in-law Caspar Stähli, who was brother to Margareth Stähli, Jakob Joder's wife. Being himself a Yoder descendant as well as a Stähli one, that got his attention and jogged his memory of having seen an unresolved issue regarding a Joder/Stähli marriage in Steffisburg. And, ironically, he found this Stähli family, from Oberhofen, is not at all related to his own Stähli family. This contact led to a re-look at the Steffisburg CDs, and the contract research which, as Bruce describes this, is “a good example of the strange twists and turns genealogical research can take.” We now know that Jakob who married Margareth Stähli is the brother of Caspar Joder who married Verena Stauffer.
https://www.yodernewsletter.org/YNL/YNL55.htm - [S1248] WikiTree.com, Jost Joder.
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Joder-13 - [S1248] WikiTree.com, Nicolaus Joder.
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Joder-46
- [S1248] WikiTree.com, Anna Trachsel.