
Person Info
Louise Ida Hofer: Birth: 09 MAY 1887 in Vordemwald Switzerland. Death: 03 JUN 1973 in Hammond, Lake, Indiana, United States of America
Lydia Hofer: Birth: SEP 1888 in Vordemwald Switzerland.
| a. |
Note: History of Vordemwald, canton of Aargau http://www.eye.ch/swissgen/kant/agallg-e.htm The Aargau consists of four former regions (sub-districts in brackets): Freiamt (Muri, Bremgarten) Fricktal (Laufenburg, Rheinfelden), once part of Vorder�sterreich Grafschaft Baden (Baden, Zurzach) Unteraargau (Aarau, Brugg, Kulm, Lenzburg, Zofingen), formerly part of Bern The first three regions were predominantly Roman Catholic while the Unteraargau region was mostly Protestant. Parish which would be holding their records: Zofingen Aarburg, Attelwil, Bottenwil, Brittnau, Kirchleerau, K�lliken, Mooslerau, M�hlethal (P), Murgenthal (incl. Balzenwil, Riken), Oftringen (P), Reitnau, Rothrist, Safenwil, Staffelbach (incl. Wittwil), Strengelbach (P), Uerkheim, Vordemwald (P), Wiliberg, Zofingen (P) History Living in the present-day canton of Aargau during the last centuries BC were the Gallic Raurics and Helvetians. After conquest by Julius Caesar, this land became part of the province of Upper Germania. Important towns in Roman Aargau were Vindonissa (today Windisch) whose great amphitheater can still be seen today, Confluentes (Koblenz), Tenedo (Zurzach) und Aquae Helveticae (Baden). In 259 AD the region was penetrated by Germanic tribesmen called the Alemans who eventually came to settle the middle territory from Lake Constance to the Aare River. Their descendants were in turn overcome in 496 by Clovis and the Franks, who annexed the region. Following the division of the Frankish Carolingian empire in 843, this region was allotted to the eastern, German kingdom. In the disorderly times which followed, it became part of the kingdom of Burgundy and remained so for much of the Middle Ages. Burgundy was a part of the Holy Roman Empire, but due to its proximity to France and the Italian Peninsula, often a rather independent-minded member. The Aargau (Latin Argovia, also Araris pagus, Arguna, Argogia or Argoya) first received its name in 763, deriving it from the river Aare which flows through its heart. The first differentiation between Upper and Lower Aargau (Oberaargau and Unteraargau respectively) came in 861. With the expiration of its ruling houses, the Counts von Kiburg and von Lenzburg, the Aargau, partly in 1173 and fully in 1264, came into the control of the house of Habsburg. In 1415, the Swiss Confederation managed to conquer the Lower Aargau, which thenceforth went partly to Bern in the west and smaller parts to Lucerne and Zurich in the east. The rest was subordinated to the eight other cantons. Fricktal consisted of the bailiwicks of Rheinfelden (at that time consisting of the lands Fricktal (proper), Rheintal und M�hlinbach) and Laufenburg and remained under the Habsburgs until 1801. The Reformation arrived in the Bern area in 1528. In 1798 Switzerland was occupied by the forces of Napoleon's France and became a French protectorate. In the same year, the constitution of a new, unified Swiss Republic was proclaimed. This gave rise to cantons of Aargau and Baden. Napoleon in 1803 proclaimed the so-called Mediation Act including a new constitution by which Switzerland would be unified. The existing cantons were joined by a few new ones, including the Aargau, to which the Fricktal now belonged. It was in 1805 that the Aargau became a sovereign canton of the Swiss Confederation. In 1814 the young canton succeeded in defying the attempts of Bern to grab its territory. As in some of the other cantons, the constitutional revision of 1831 divested the aristocrats of their former powers in the Aargau. Louise Baer Moor Hofer, immigrated to the United States on Nov 28 1892 from Vordemwald Switzerland on the ship La Gascogne from La Havre, France. They arrived at Ellis Island for which there is an immigration record. According to the ship's manifest: Louise (age 44) came to the United States with 2nd Husband Gustav Hofer (34) - a blacksmith. Also traveling with them were: (children of Louise and Gustav) Ida age 4 Lydia age 3 and 3 of Louise's 6 other (older) children from prior marriage to Mr. Moor. Louise must have been widow Moor when she married Gustav (Ida) Maria Moor age 22 (age matches later census records for Ida. Emil Moor 10 Theodore Moor 9 Her other children Cornelius, Alfred and Jacob must have come over later. These boys were probably 19, 17, 15-16 and so were old enough to stay alone/with other family. The 1900 Census indicates that Gustav is 49 and Louisa is 52. So their ages are not corresponding with the ages recorded on the ship manifest. Gustav indicates that he was born on Nov 1850 while Louisa was born Feb of 1848. My Great Grandmother's handwritten tree confirms Louisa's date of birth. 1900 United States Federal Census about Gustaf Hofer Name: Gustaf Hofer Home in 1900: Hammond, Lake, Indiana Age: 49 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1851 Birthplace: Switzerland Relationship to head-of-house: Head Spouse's Name: Lovisa Race: White Occupation: Laborer Immigration Year: 1892 Neighbors: View others on page Household Members: Name Age Gustaf Hofer 49 Louisa Hofer 52 Louise Hofer 13 Lydia Hofer 11 Theodore Moore 18 By 1920, Gustav has died and Louise is living with her daughter Lydia and husband Jacob Fischer. 1920 United States Federal Census about Louise Hofer Name: Louise Hofer Home in 1920: Gary Ward 2, Lake, Indiana Age: 72 years Estimated Birth Year: abt 1848 Birthplace: Switzerland Relation to Head of House: Mother-in-law Father's Birth Place: Switzerland Mother's Birth Place: Switzerland Marital Status: Widow Race: White Sex: Female Year of Immigration: Un Able to read: Yes Able to Write: Yes Image: 316 Neighbors: View others on page Household Members: Name Age Jacob Fischer 36 Lydia Fischer 31 Ruth Fischer 3 Louise Hofer 72 I W Proker 33 C H Shafer 31 Per Bryan Murphy Email: [email protected]: URL title: Note:I think Louise married a man named Fruehling sometime later in life (I have not yet found his first name or any details of marriage date or place). My wife remembers her as "Grandma Fruehling" and there is a Louise Fruehling listed in the Social Security Death Index (SSN: 316-24-5944) with birth date 9 May 1887, matching our records for Louise (Hofer) Young. The Fruehling name is fascinating, because Louise Hofer's half-sister, Ida Moor, married an Ernest Fruehling. Louise (Baer-Moor) Hofer was living with Ernest & Ida Fruehling in the 1930 census (Cook county IL, Enumeration District 2349 Calumet City, sheet 21A).I suspect Louise (Hofer) Young's second husband is related to this Fruehling line.. About the La Gascogne: Built by Forges et Chantiers de la Mediterranee, La Seyne, France, 1887. 7,090 gross tons; 507 (bp) feet long; 51 feet wide. Compound engine, single screw. Service speed 17 knots. 1,055 passengers (390 first class, 65 second class, 600 third class). Built for French Line, French flag, in 1887 and named La Gascogne. Le Havre-New York service. Scrapped in 1920 |
RootsWeb.com is NOT responsible for the content of the GEDCOMs uploaded through the WorldConnect Program. The creator of each GEDCOM is solely responsible for its content.