Stohler von Arboldswil BL

[Peter.D]

The "Postcheck- und Girodienst" was a method to transfer money, similar to bank checks. So the "Postcheckinhaber" will most likely have had such a counter in their shop. I feel it's less likely just a person holding an account - why should that be mentioned in the address book?

The term “Inhaber von Postcheckrechnungen” is somewhat misleading from today's perspective. In fact, the persons or companies designated as such in the address book had opened an account with the Swiss Post, which allowed cashless payment transactions starting in 1906. Special Swiss Post cheques had to be used for this purpose. However, only special post offices and banks were permitted to commercially accept or pay out cash on behalf of third parties. It was indicated in the address book later on so that customers and suppliers knew that cashless payments were possible, which was not available before 1906.

More likely an inn keeper ("Wirtshaus" beeing an inn / pub - where a few rooms might have existed for renting).

Yes, it was the public restaurant of the Warteck brewery.

He certainly had a lot of different jobs and addresses!

If the family still lived at Elsässerstrasse in 1908, Rudolf probably went to the Primarschulhaus St. Johann at first. Thereafter, he had to move to the Gundeldinger-Schulhaus when the family moved to Gempenstrasse and Pfeffingerstrasse in the new district south of the main railway station.

I also see on his university control sheet that he did not complete his high school graduation (Matura) at the Gymnasium Auf Burg, but in 1921 at the Obere Realschule, which later became the Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Gymnasium. It is therefore questionable whether he really started studying medicine as mentioned in the address book. In any case, he finally graduated in 1928 with a doctorate in zoology and left the Basel University thereafter.
On the control sheet, he also states his parents' place of residence as the municipality of Reinach in the canton of Baselland. It is possible that only the store was at the Aeschenvorstadt 57 at times. Later, however, the family certainly lived in Basel again (Wettsteinalle 85, shop at Aeschengraben 15).

Peter

[JaneAusten7]

I received an answer back from StABS today:
Sehr geehrte Frau Hake

Vielen Dank für Ihre Anfrage.
Leider gibt es in Basel kein Gymnasium mit diesem Namen.
Können Sie mir Hinweise geben wie Sie auf diesen Namen kommen, eventuell lässt sich ein anderer Name ableiten.
Freundliche Grüsse
Barbara Gut

What would be the best way to write her back?

If the family still lived at Elsässerstrasse in 1908, Rudolf probably went to the Primarschulhaus St. Johann at first. Thereafter, he had to move to the Gundeldinger-Schulhaus when the family moved to Gempenstrasse and Pfeffingerstrasse in the new district south of the main railway station.

I also see on his university control sheet that he did not complete his high school graduation (Matura) at the Gymnasium Auf Burg, but in 1921 at the Obere Realschule, which later became the Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Gymnasium. It is therefore questionable whether he really started studying medicine as mentioned in the address book. In any case, he finally graduated in 1928 with a doctorate in zoology and left the Basel University thereafter.
On the control sheet, he also states his parents' place of residence as the municipality of Reinach in the canton of Baselland. It is possible that only the store was at the Aeschenvorstadt 57 at times. Later, however, the family certainly lived in Basel again (Wettsteinalle 85, shop at Aeschengraben 15).

Peter

And that would explain why the Basel Address book listed the store address as though they lived there.

There must have been a convenient train from Reinach into Basel for work at the store?

[JaneAusten7]

My grandfather had spoken of the fact that every male in Switzerland was required to be in the military so I wrote for his military records. I'm attaching them and hope you can explain what they tell me and where I can find more information about military service in the 1920s. I really appreciate all your help.

[Wolf]

Leider gibt es in Basel kein Gymnasium mit diesem Namen.
Können Sie mir Hinweise geben wie Sie auf diesen Namen kommen, eventuell lässt sich ein anderer Name ableiten.

For which name did you ask?

[Peter.D]

My grandfather had spoken of the fact that every male in Switzerland was required to be in the military so I wrote for his military records. I'm attaching them and hope you can explain what they tell me and where I can find more information about military service in the 1920s. I really appreciate all your help.

We see that Rudolf had indeed studied medicine first and was therefore assigned to the medical troops, Battalion 63, in 1921. Presumably he first completed the medical recruit school in Basel, probably in this barracks, followed by annual refresher courses.
Many families have kept the service booklet (Dienstbüchlein) for generations.

Peter

[JaneAusten7]

Leider gibt es in Basel kein Gymnasium mit diesem Namen.
Können Sie mir Hinweise geben wie Sie auf diesen Namen kommen, eventuell lässt sich ein anderer Name ableiten.

For which name did you ask?

Gymnasium Auf Burg, because I didn't know at that time we had the real school's name from the University Basel card.

[JaneAusten7]

My grandfather had spoken of the fact that every male in Switzerland was required to be in the military so I wrote for his military records. I'm attaching them and hope you can explain what they tell me and where I can find more information about military service in the 1920s. I really appreciate all your help.

We see that Rudolf had indeed studied medicine first and was therefore assigned to the medical troops, Battalion 63, in 1921. Presumably he first completed the medical recruit school in Basel, probably in this barracks, followed by annual refresher courses.
Many families have kept the service booklet (Dienstbüchlein) for generations.

Peter

It would be great if I could find it. The daughter of Dr. R. Stohler was given those kinds of documents, but I recently discovered that she threw away old family photos and documents because she thought they were not important. I cried when I heard that. Hopefully, that particular document ended up in my mother's or Aunt A.'s possession and will be recovered. Until then, is there any other way to prove Dr. Stohler was at this specific place? I'm so thrilled to see the Medical Recruit school building! Thank you so much!

[JaneAusten7]

Today I have been tasked, by my beloved Aunt A. (Dr. Stohler's youngest daughter), to express to you all her very heartfelt thank you for all you've helped me find about her father. After my mother's passing away, Aunt A. became my new "genealogy partner." Every Tuesday I phone Aunt A. and share with her all the things I have found for the Family History book I am writing. Yesterday during our phone call, I was able to share with her all you have discovered, as well as, the photo of the Tobacco store. She was so thrilled she was nearly in tears! She expressed her great need for me to express to you her great joy of learning more about her father's childhood.

Vielen Dank to you all!!!!

[JaneAusten7]

My grandfather had spoken of the fact that every male in Switzerland was required to be in the military so I wrote for his military records. I'm attaching them and hope you can explain what they tell me and where I can find more information about military service in the 1920s. I really appreciate all your help.

I believe this is the information that is contained on his military record and where it was obtained:

Rudolf's military record:
 
Rudolf Stohler, born 1901:

Recruited in 1921

Equipped in Kanton and year: B’Land (Basel-Landschaft, no year given) this entry is crossed out.

Military Unit: medical service

Body of Troops: Batt. 63

Tax liability: 1924, unfit for service

Archival source: Militär P 16 (Nr. 1299)

Is this information correct and what does the Tax liability: 1924 mean? Does this mean that he would have been recruited 1921, then did his yearly refresher 1922-1924?

Is there information that I can obtain about what grandfather would have learned during his recruitment year and what refresher courses would have been like?

[JaneAusten7]

I found the return trip manifest of my grandparents (New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957; https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1 ... 1029995801

But the index only information I found on ancestry.com included this information:
NAME: Rudolph Stohler
GENDER:Male
ETHNICITY/ NATIONALITY:German (sic)
MARITAL STATUS: Married
AGE:31
BIRTH DATE:1901
BIRTH PLACE:Switzerland
OTHER BIRTH PLACE:Basle
LAST KNOWN RESIDENCE:Basle, Switzerland
DEPARTURE PORT:
ARRIVAL DATE:22 Jul 1932
ARRIVAL PORT:New York, New York, USA
RESIDENCE PLACE:Switzerland
FINAL DESTINATION:Oakland, California
HEIGHT:5 Feet, 5 Inches
HAIR COLOR:Brown
EYE COLOR:Gray
COMPLEXION:Fair
MONEY IN POSSESSION:$50.00
PERSON IN OLD COUNTRY: Rodolph (sic) Stohler
PERSON IN OLD COUNTRY RELATIONSHIP:Father
PERSON IN OLD COUNTRY RESIDENCE: 114 Basel St., Reinach 5. Switzerland
FATHER:Rodolph Stohler
SHIP NAME:Berengaria

I'm wondering if this is where they moved to in 1914? Is there a way to discover more about this address?

The other mystery I have not yet been able to find is what the name of the ship was that took the couple over to Switzerland sometime after 31 August 1930.

[JaneAusten7]

Dort wird auch auf ein Buch (in Deutsch) von Walter Stohler verwiesen:

I have ordered this book. When it arrives I will share information I find.

[Peter.D]

Tax liability: 1924, unfit for service

I don't see this reference in the picture you posted above. But it would mean that Rudolf was unfit for service in 1924 and therefore had to pay the substitute tax (Militärsteuer) - because military service was and still is compulsory for all Swiss men.
There should also be much more information on this sheet (Stammkontrolle), e.g. notice of departure abroad, etc.

114 Basel St., Reinach 5. Switzerland

I don't understand this address: Reinach wasn't a large village at the time and therefore didn't keep an address structure like Paris or London, for example. In any case, the Stohler-Kiefer parents lived in Reinach in the 1920s. If the addresses are of interest to you, it's best to ask at the residents' registration office. Hopefully they still keep the registers from that era.

There must have been a convenient train from Reinach into Basel for work at the store?

Here, you can see the convenient train ...

Peter

[Walter]

Hier noch eine interessante Webseite (Zeitreise) vom Bundesamt für Landestopografie.
Peter war etwas schneller ...

Rechts oben kannst du die Sprache auswählen.
Weiter dann zu "Zeitreise Kartenwerke" (the journey through time - maps) -schon gemacht-, Ort eingeben (z.B. Reinach BL) -auch schon gemacht-, schon kann die Reise durch die Zeit starten.

Auf der Skala oben kann man nun die gewünschte Jahreszahl auswählen, ab 1907 sieht man dann auch die Linienführung des Strassenbahn bis Reinach (schwarz-weiss), später die Erweiterung bis Aesch.

Weiss man denn, wann und wo diese Familie Stohler in Reinach ihren Wohnsitz hatte?
Vielleicht wurde das ja schon mal erwähnt und ich habe es übersehen

[JaneAusten7]

Dort wird auch auf ein Buch (in Deutsch) von Walter Stohler verwiesen:

I have ordered this book. When it arrives I will share information I find.

Unfortunately, I received a notice from the sellers that they canceled my order. I asked why and they responded a mistake in their software. Bummer!

[JaneAusten7]

Tax liability: 1924, unfit for service

I don't see this reference in the picture you posted above. But it would mean that Rudolf was unfit for service in 1924 and therefore had to pay the substitute tax (Militärsteuer) - because military service was and still is compulsory for all Swiss men.
There should also be much more information on this sheet (Stammkontrolle), e.g. notice of departure abroad, etc.

Hmmmm, this is puzzling. My aunt A paid for a researcher to obtain the military service records of my grandfather. At first he only sent us the summary. Then I asked him if he had a copy of the original and he sent me the snippet view of the page. I, erroneously, assumed that first part was the translation of the photo.

How and where would I find out all of the military record of my grandfather?

114 Basel St., Reinach 5. Switzerland

I don't understand this address: Reinach wasn't a large village at the time and therefore didn't keep an address structure like Paris or London, for example. In any case, the Stohler-Kiefer parents lived in Reinach in the 1920s.

https://www.ancestry.com/search/collect ... cessSource
transcribed the document like this:

PERSON IN OLD COUNTRY: Rodolph Stohler
PERSON IN OLD COUNTRY RELATIONSHIP:Father
PERSON IN OLD COUNTRY RESIDENCE: 114 Bastik St., Reinach 5. Switzerland
FATHER:Rodolph Stohler
SHIP NAME:Berengaria

*should read Basle

I've attached the documents.

I understand about rural/countryside addresses. I live in Oregon, USA and there are many places that still do not have a "large city" address structure. Thank you for explaining Reinach. I love the map URL!!!

If the addresses are of interest to you, it's best to ask at the residents' registration office. Hopefully they still keep the registers from that era.

Wonderful! I will contact them.

There must have been a convenient train from Reinach into Basel for work at the store?

Here, you can see the convenient train ...

Peter

Thank you!

[JaneAusten7]

Hier noch eine interessante Webseite (Zeitreise) vom Bundesamt für Landestopografie.
Peter war etwas schneller ...

Rechts oben kannst du die Sprache auswählen.
Weiter dann zu "Zeitreise Kartenwerke" (the journey through time - maps) -schon gemacht-, Ort eingeben (z.B. Reinach BL) -auch schon gemacht-, schon kann die Reise durch die Zeit starten.

Auf der Skala oben kann man nun die gewünschte Jahreszahl auswählen, ab 1907 sieht man dann auch die Linienführung des Strassenbahn bis Reinach (schwarz-weiss), später die Erweiterung bis Aesch.

Thank you Peter and Walter. I love the time travel feature you pointed out to me!

Weiss man denn, wann und wo diese Familie Stohler in Reinach ihren Wohnsitz hatte?
Vielleicht wurde das ja schon mal erwähnt und ich habe es übersehen

My best educated guess is the following:
The Basel Directories change in the the 1914-1937 book to only include 57 Aeschenvorst. But some of my grandfather's documents state during this timeframe that his father lives in Reinach. For example, In the 1921 Military paperwork it states that his parents lived in Reinach, BL. Again in October 1922 his University of Basel Card mentions his parents live in Reinach. It is speculation on my part that the change of Directory entries might show that they were living in Reinach while working in Basel? My Aunt A were wondering if they felt during WWI that it was safer to live in Reinach, but work in Basel? Please share what you think.

My Aunt and I were also wondering about the fact that the entry for:
1938 (Die Postcheckinhaber)(telephone) Stohler-Kiefer Rud., Zigarrenhdlr.,42 Aeschenvorstadt. (Dom.)
*This seems odd? Maybe that they would have the store at 57 Aeschenvorst. and live a few streets down?

Basel Directory 1939-46:
1939-46 (Die Postcheckinhaber)(telephone) Stohler-Kiefer Rud., Zigarrenhdlr.,15 Aeschengraben. (Dom.)
*Again, according to google maps, this is just one street from the business.

Basel Directory 1947-1948:
1947-1948 (Die Postcheckinhaber)(telephone) Stohler-Kiefer Rud., Zigarrenhdlr., 85 Wettsteinallee. (telephone Geschäft: 15 Aeschengraben.)
* Doesn't this point to the store itself had moved.

All of this puzzles me. Is there a better way to understand all these changes? If the family moved to Reinach, BL, would my grandfather have to change high schools? If so, perhaps the family wanted to keep the Basel store address in the book so that grandfather could stay at the same school? I hope you all will be able to help me understand better.

My aunts were under the impression that great-grandfather owned the store property. How would we be able to verify if it was owned or rented?

Again, thank you so much for all your very informative help!

[Walter]

My Aunt A were wondering if they felt during WWI that it was safer to live in Reinach, but work in Basel?

My guess is that they could afford their own house.
In Reinach this was still possible around 1920, the small village began to grow (see "Zeitreise"), new affordable building areas were created, and there was already a rail connection to Basel.
But unfortunately that is only a guess.
I don't think it had anything to do with WWI.

[Walter]

Hier noch ein Link zur Geschichte der Gemeinde Reinach, mit einem interessanten Zitat zur Entwicklung dieser Gemeinde nach 1907:

Den Beginn der stürmischen Reinacher Bevölkerungsentwicklung brachte eigentlich das Jahr 1907, das der abseits der damaligen Jurabahn liegenden Gemeinde mit der Eröffnung der Tramlinie Basel - Aesch erstmals Schienenanschluss an die nahegelegene Rheinstadt verschaffte. Reinachs Einwohnern boten sich jetzt einerseits die grossen Vorteile der näher gerückten Stadt mit ihren vielfältigen Erwerbsmöglichkeiten und dem reichen kulturellen Angebot, andererseits lockten aber auch ländliche Wohnruhe und grosse Baulandreserven immer mehr Neuzuzüger ins Birsecker Dorf. Und so begann sich Reinach - vor dem Zweiten Weltkrieg zunächst langsam, nach 1950 mit zunehmender Motorisierung von Jahrzehnt zu Jahrzehnt beschleunigt - vom Bauerndorf zur Pendler- und Agglomerationsortschaft zu wandeln, die Ende 1988 18'063 Einwohner zählte und damit, zusammen mit Allschwil, an der Spitze der 73 Baselbieter Gemeinden steht.

[Peter.D]

How and where would I find out all of the military record of my grandfather?

We should have the whole page or even subsequent page from "Militär P 16, 1901 Stammnummer 1299". If your aunt doesn't keep this, you would have to order it from the StABS. However, this huge collection is stored externally, 2 folio volumes per year of birth. You may have to pay them for this service.

My aunts were under the impression that great-grandfather owned the store property. How would we be able to verify if it was owned or rented?

From 1925, the address books contain a special second section (Häuserverzeichns) with all the houses. The proprietor is always listed first; *: he lives in the house, dagger: he lives away. The Stohler family was obviously never the proprietor of Aeschenvorstadt 57, nor of Aeschengraben 15 (see e.g. here for 1927 or here for 1940). Unfortunately, it is not always clear whether an entry refers to a person's home or only to the domicile of a business with the same name.

Peter

[Walter]

Der Rudolf Stohler (Vater) lässt sich im Adressbuch von Basel (siehe Peters Link) gut verfolgen.
Ich denke er erscheint erstmals:

1898 als >Rud., Posam., (Posamenter) 11 Farnsburgerstr.
1899 - 1901 >Posam. mit wechselnder Adresse
1902 + 1903 >Stohler-Kiefer Rud., Wirt, 60 Grenzacherstr.
1904 - 1908 >Cig.-Dét. u. Geschäftsf., 20 Elsässerstr.
1909 - 1911 >Reisdr., 71 Pfeffingerstr. (Reisdr. was kann das sein?)
1912 + 1913 >Zigarrenhdlr., (Zigarrenhändler) 71 Pfeffingerstr. (Gesch.: 57 Aeschenvorst.)
danach (bis ?) nur noch >Zigarrenhdlr. 57 Aeschenvorst.

[JaneAusten7]

Hier noch ein Link zur Geschichte der Gemeinde Reinach, mit einem interessanten Zitat zur Entwicklung dieser Gemeinde nach 1907:

Den Beginn der stürmischen Reinacher Bevölkerungsentwicklung brachte eigentlich das Jahr 1907, ...

A wonderful explanation. Thank you, Walter.

[JaneAusten7]

We should have the whole page or even subsequent page from "Militär P 16, 1901 Stammnummer 1299". If your aunt doesn't keep this, you would have to order it from the StABS. However, this huge collection is stored externally, 2 folio volumes per year of birth. You may have to pay them for this service.

Unfortunately, the person she paid to get the information sent her only what we have and no more. I wonder why that happened? I will have to contact the StABS again for the rest of the information. What would be the proper wording to make sure I get everything this time?

From 1925, the address books contain a special second section (Häuserverzeichns) with all the houses. The proprietor is always listed first; *: he lives in the house, dagger: he lives away. The Stohler family was obviously never the proprietor of Aeschenvorstadt 57, nor of Aeschengraben 15 (see e.g. here for 1927 or here for 1940). Unfortunately, it is not always clear whether an entry refers to a person's home or only to the domicile of a business with the same name.

Oh this is wonderful!!! That answers my aunts' question! Thank you.

[JaneAusten7]

Der Rudolf Stohler (Vater) lässt sich im Adressbuch von Basel (siehe Peters Link) gut verfolgen. [...]

Oh I see, ok, so he left BL home in 1898. I wonder how I can find out where in BL he was living before Basel.

[Walter]

Oh I see, ok, so he left BL home in 1898. I wonder how I can find out where in BL he was living before Basel.

Dieser Rudolf Stohler ist laut deinen Angaben 1876 in Arboldswil BL geboren. Sein Vater Jakob Stohler (*1835) soll 1889 in Philadelphia verstorben sein, weisst du mehr dazu? Wann ist dieser Jakob nach Philadelphia gereist?

Der Sohn Rudolf (*1876) kann schon vor 1898 in Basel gelebt haben, nur ohne eigene Wohnadresse. Er könnte aber auch noch in Arboldswil gelebt haben, dem Ort seiner Jugend (wenn das richtig ist). Aber wo lebten zu dieser Zeit Mutter und Geschwister?

[Walter]

My GF Rudolf Stohler’s Parents:
Rudolf Stohler Born February 19, 1876 - Arboldswil, Baselland, Switzerland

Ich habe eben im Familienregister gesehen, dass dieser Rudolf Stohler am 19.02.1876 in Birsfelden BL geboren wurde, das direkt neben Basel liegt. Ab 1897 gab es eine Strassenbahnverbindung von Basel nach Birsfelden.

[Peter.D]

Oh I see, ok, so he left BL home in 1898. I wonder how I can find out where in BL he was living before Basel.

Only adults (without married women) were listed in the address book. Rudolf Stohler-Kiefer was born in Birsfelden in 1876 (as already reported by Walter), the youngest child of the Stohler-Tschan family. The family moved from Arboldswil to Birsfelden around 1861. Only the first child, Charlotte, was still baptized in Arboldswil in 1860. Rudolf's father Jakob Stohler-Tschan must have left the family after 1876 and died in Philadelphia in 1882.

Between 1878 and 1883, Mother Charlotte Stohler-Tschan joined her son-in-law Alfred Wiesner-Stohler, who ran a restaurant at Farnsburgerstrasse 34 and later at various other locations in Basel, together with her son Rudolf. Mother Charlotte stayed with her son-in-law and died in Basel in 1914.

1909 - 1911 >Reisdr., 71 Pfeffingerstr. (Reisdr. was kann das sein?)

Reisdr. means Reisender, i.e. traveling salesman.

Peter

[JaneAusten7]

Dieser Rudolf Stohler ist laut deinen Angaben 1876 in Arboldswil BL geboren. Sein Vater Jakob Stohler (*1835) soll 1889 in Philadelphia verstorben sein, weisst du mehr dazu? Wann ist dieser Jakob nach Philadelphia gereist?

Yes, I have more information about my great-great-grandfather Jakob Stohler. My grandfather always said that he was the first Stohler to come to America (Since Jakob died in 1882 it is possible he just never knew about it). I found out much to my surprise, 2 years later, during research, that Jakob was the first! Something that I missed because of so many different name variations in "search" tool.

Jakob Stohler:
Migration • United States Germans to America Index, 1850-1897
Jacques Stholer, Age:43
Occupation: Farmer
Event Type: Immigration
Event Date: 14 Feb 1879
Event Place: New York, New York,
Birthplace: Switzerland
Ship Name: Canada
Departure Port: Havre
Literacy: Unknown
Destination Place: New York
Transit or Travel Compartment: Staying in the USA [Transit]; Steerage [Travel]

Jacques Stholer, "United States Germans to America Index, 1850-1897" • FamilySearch:
New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1891; https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1 ... A165861001

1882 Jacob Stoler
DEATH: 1882 (aged 45–46)
BURIAL: Glenwood Memorial Gardens
Broomall, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, USA
MEMORIAL ID: 230414806 
Jacob Stoler (1836-1882) - Find a Grave Memorial: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/230 ... cob-stoler

1882 Death • Pennsylvania, Philadelphia City Death Certificates, 1803-1915
Death Register of Jakob Stohler. Died of typhoid fever.
Age: 46
Marital Status: Married
Event Type: Death
Event Date: 10 Apr 1882
Event Place: Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Address: 191 Westmorland, Ward 28
Birthplace: Switzerland
Burial Date: 11 Apr 1882
Cemetery: Glenwood
Record Number
122
Pennsylvania, Philadelphia City Death Certificates, 1803-1915; https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1 ... 1073324302

1882 Philadelphia City Death Certificates

Jacob Stoter, age 46 years
Birthplace: Switzerland
Residence Date: 1882
Residence Place: Philadelphia, Pa.
Address: 19th & Westmorland St.
Burial Date: 11 April 1882
Burial Place: Philadelphia, Pa.
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: Silk Weaver
Event Type: Death
Event Date: 1882

Jacob Stoter, "Pennsylvania, Philadelphia City Death Certificates, 1803-1915" • FamilySearch
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JK3B-R8W

I wonder why he went to the USA. Was 1879 in BL a bad year for crops or something?

[JaneAusten7]

Der Sohn Rudolf (*1876) kann schon vor 1898 in Basel gelebt haben, nur ohne eigene Wohnadresse. Er könnte aber auch noch in Arboldswil gelebt haben, dem Ort seiner Jugend (wenn das richtig ist). Aber wo lebten zu dieser Zeit Mutter und Geschwister?

This I'm not sure about. Also, if Jakob (1835) was a farmer, was his family living on a farm I can locate on a map?

I've been told that obituaries in Switzerland are not like the "biographical remembrance" of a person in US newspapers. Is this information correct? Also that funeral and cemetery records are not available because they do not get buried? Is there a different way that Swiss remember their dead, that I am not familiar with?

As always, thank you so much for your help!

[JaneAusten7]

Ich habe eben im Familienregister gesehen, dass dieser Rudolf Stohler am 19.02.1876 in Birsfelden BL geboren wurde, das direkt neben Basel liegt.

I am embarrassed that I never noticed this before. I am very grateful that you all are looking over the paperwork with "new eyes." Birsfelden, am I correct that is part of BS not BL?

Ok, so the "rule" is that if there is no other place listed with the birth date then the person was born in the place of their Citizenship?

Thank you! Kristine

[JaneAusten7]

The family moved from Arboldswil to Birsfelden around 1861. Only the first child, Charlotte, was still baptized in Arboldswil in 1860. Rudolf's father Jakob Stohler-Tschan must have left the family after 1876 and died in Philadelphia in 1882.

My mind is greatly surprised! I had no idea all that information was available on that sheet!

Between 1878 and 1883, Mother Charlotte Stohler-Tschan joined her son-in-law Alfred Wiesner-Stohler, who ran a restaurant

I had no clue! Wow!

and later at various other locations in Basel, together with her son Rudolf. Mother Charlotte stayed with her son-in-law and died in Basel in 1914.

Wow! I'm amazed! Thank you!!! Wonderful information. We had never heard that Mother Charlotte lived with her son Rudolf. In fact, that is odd. My grandfather never mentioned her and would have been living with his parents at this same time too? Or maybe this is the time that Rudolf (Sr.) was living in Reinach? Hmmmm. so much information to sort out... ah but she died while living with her son-in-law

My aunt A is going to be so thrilled with what I share with her this coming Tuesday! You've all given me so much to share! Thank you all!