GENEAL-FORUM

Hello,

My name is Joann and I live in the USA. My mother's grandmother was named Anna Maria Peter. She was born in Gontenschwil and came to the USA in 1874.

I am searching for Anna Maria's birth record, and for birth, death and marriage information for her father, mother, brothers and sisters. I have Anna Maria's original Heimatschein document that says she was born in 1836 and her father's name was Kaspar. I also know her mother's name was Elisabeth Weiss.

Since the records I need for Canton Aargau are not online, can someone please give me advice about how I can get information on this family?

Thank you!

Joann

Joann,

welcome in the forum!

Wahrscheinlich überflüssig zu übersetzen, aber trotzdem: Die (nebenbei, sehr engagierte) Familienforscherin sucht Angaben zur Familie von Kaspar und Elisabeth (Weiss) Peter in/von Gontenschwil, bzw. allgemeine Tipps für diesbezügliche Recherchen

Hi Joann,

welcome to the forum from me as well .

Unfortunately research on canton Aargau is a bit complicated if you cannot visit offices or archives there, as very little has been filmed by the Mormons, let alone is online.

Canton Aargau started "Bürgerregister" (citizens' registers) in 1818, so Anna Maria's parents and siblings should be listed there. Contact the Civil Registry Office in Menziken, which is responsible for Gontenschwil as well, and ask for a copy (there likely will be a fee, so ask how much this will be as well).

They may have info on one generation further back - otherwise it's going to be church records. Gontenschwil records are amongst the few filmed by the Mormons - unless I'm mistaken unfortunately only before 1761, however, so a couple of generations are missing. The more recent records can only be viewed (on film) at the State Archive.

General and legal principles for genealogical research in the Canton of Aargau describes some general rules and what the State Archive can offer.

Thank you, Wolf.

Joann