GENEAL-FORUM

Hello. I do not speak any German but I so speak French and English. I see that you have the name Engler in your post. I am a descendant of Englar(er)s who came to America in the 1740s. I am trying to do some research on our Swiss family. Do you have any information in French or English? Jeff Englar, Washington, DC

Hello - allow me an organisational comment first: we try to stick to discussions in any one thread to a single family (name & place of citizenship) - which is why I have split this off.

Engler habe been since before 1800 citizens of
- Herisau AR
- St.Gallen SG
Both families have been researched by Billeter.

Keep in mind, however, that the spelling Engeler is much more widespread:
- Hundwil AR
- Stein AR
- Trogen AR
- Urnäsch AR
- Wald AR
- Binningen BL
- Brienz / Brinzauls GR
- Zizers GR
- Bernhardzell SG
- Frümsen SG
- Haag SG
- Sevelen SG
- St.Gallen SG
- Vasön SG
- Wittenbach SG
- Frauenfeld TG
- Guntershausen bei Aadorf TG
- Kaltenhausen TG
- Wagenhausen TG
- Ellikon an der Thur ZH
- Truttikon ZH

Conclusion: unless you have additional info, this is going to be very difficult.

Have a look at swiss.genealogy.net for some basic advice (also in English).

Thank you. The limited information that I have is that the family is from Appenzell. My direct ancestor was a Philip Englar who was born in 1736 and come to the US via Philadelphia in 1748. He came with his older brother Jacob. They were accompanied by their uncle, Adam, who was a sea captain. This is about all of the information that I have on their life in Switzerland. Jacob seems to have stayed in the Philadelphia area while Philip moved to Maryland and founded the Church of the Brethern there. Adam was lost at sea. Does this help at all? I am not sure how to access the Billeter information. I very much appreciate what you have provided so far.

Hi Jeff - if from Appenzell, your ancestors will have been citizens of Herisau - which means Appenzell-Ausserrhoden and reformed: correct?

Re Billeter: you'd have to contact the society and order copies of the notes. Have a look at the following explanation and examples of Billeter's notes.

Furthermore I would recommend you contact the State Archive: the head of the archive has published on emigration to America and will know which sources to check.

If you get any further, please, inform people here on the forum.