Many last names in this story

It’s likely that any reader of this column might find an ancestor listed in this story.

That’s because this family story includes many last names of Bluffton and Pandora, Ohio, Swiss, and Berne, Indiana, Swiss.

These names include Steiner, Luginbuhl, Lugibuhl, Habegger, Neuenschwander, Gratz, Schifferly, Schaublin, Hilty, Balmer, Herr, Fett, Stettler, Matter and Frantz.

Two David Stauffer families – David, senior, and David, junior – settled in the Bluffton-Pandora area, arriving from Switzerland.

Both men were married twice and David, Jr., had a son, David, plus two wives who were cousins (they had the same grandparents).

And, Mary Marie Steiner who first married David, Sr’s., son, John, later married John’s half-brother, Christian.

David Stauffer, senior

David, senior, was born Nov. 3, 1769, in Florimont, France. His first wife, Barbara Steiner, was born in Florimont in 1772. She died on May 25, 1798.

David and Barbara had three children who we are aware of: John, Elizabeth and Verena. These three may have come to America with their father, although it is uncertain.

• John, married Mary Marie Steiner. Following John’s death, Mary Marie married John’s half-brother, Christian.

• Elizabeth married Johannes Steiner.

• Verena married Daniel D. Steiner.

Following the death of David, senior’s, first wife, he married Anna Berner on Dec. 1, 1801.

Anna was born Dec. 3, 1778, in Schafisheim, Canton Aargau, Switzerland. This village was close to the village of Kollikon, where the Suter family originated.

David, Sr., and wife, Anna, arrived in America with their children. But, before coming to Richland Township David, for a time, was a hotel manager in New York.

David and Anna had four children, Christian, Barbara, David, Jr., and Katharina.

• Christian married Mary Marie Steiner following her husband, John Stauffer’s death. Christian later married Verena Habegger, following Mary Marie’s death.

• Barbara married Peter Lorah.

• David, Jr., married Elisabeth Neuenschwander. Following her death, he married her cousin, Catherine Neuenschwander. Catherine and Elisabeth shared the same great-grandparents, Peter (1696-1764) and Anna Aeschliman (1704-1760) Neuenschwander.

• Katharina married Christian Luginbuhl.

David, senior, and Barbara Steiner Stauffer’s children

David’s father: Johannes Stauffer (1744-?)

David’s mother: Catherine Luginbuhl (1744-1808)

David’s birth: Nov. 3, 1769, Cme Florimont Moulin de IEcrevisse, France

Died: Nov. 15, 1853, Richland Township

Buried: Swiss Mennonite Cemetery, Bluffton

Barbara Steiner Stauffer information

Born: 1772, La Charme Cme Florimont, France

Died: May 25, 1798, Ferme Norappe Cme Rechsey, France

Barbara’s father: Hans Johannes Steiner (1746-1806)

Barbara’s mother: Elisabeth Leeman (1750-1814)

John Stauffer

Born: 1787, Alsace Lorraine, France

Died: April 23, 1827, Chippewa, Wayne County, Ohio

Spouse: Mary Marie Steiner

Married: March 19, 1816

Elizabeth Marie Stauffer

Born: Jan. 5, 1793, Magny-en Vexin, France

Died: Aug. 10, 1847, Bluffton

Spouse: Johannes Steiner

Married: Nov. 8, 1814

Verena Fannie Stauffer

Born: Dec. 30, 1794

Spouse: Daniel D. Steiner

Married: Jan. 22, 1817, Alsace Lorraine, France

David, Sr., and Anna Berner Stauffer’s children

Anna Berner Stauffer’s information

Born: Dec. 3, 1778, Schafisheim, Canton Aargau, Switzerland

Died: Feb. 26, 1853, Richland Township

Buried: Old Mennonite Cemetery, Bluffton

Christian Stauffer

Born: Sept. 15, 1802, Obehaus Alsace Lorraine, France

Died: Jan. 20, 1892, Adams County (Berne), Indiana

Spouse: Mary Marie Steiner

Married: May 1832, Wayne County

Spouse: Verena Habegger

Married March 23, 1854, Adams County (Berne), Indiana

Barbara Stauffer

Born: 1810c, France

Died: Aug. 24, 1833, Wayne County

Spouse: Peter Lorah

Married: July 2, 1831, Wayne County

Katharina Stauffer

Born: 1819

Died: 1872

Spouse: Christian Lugibuhl

Married: 1837

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David Stauffer, Jr.

Born: March 5, 1814, Cme Florimont Moulin de IEcrevisse, France

Died: Dec. 23, 1880, Richland Township

Elisabeth Neuenschwander’s information

Born: Dec. 29, 1816, Canton Bern, Switzerland

Married David, Jr.: June 1, 1837

Died: Jan. 27, 1845, Putnam County

Her father: Peter Neuenschwander (1778-1850)

Her mother: Elisabeth Hutmacher (1785-1818)

David, Jr., and Elisabeth Neuenschwander Stauffer’s children

Christina Stauffer

Born: Dec. 28, 1837, Putnam County

Spouse: Henry Stull

Regina Stauffer

Born: Aug. 15, 1840, Putnam County

Died: June 26, 1911

Spouse: Christian Matter

Married: 1860c

Peter Stauffer

Born: May 13, 1843, Putnam County

Died: Date not certain, but after 1906

Spouse: Sarah F. Frantz

Married: 1863c

David Stauffer

Born: Jan. 17, 1845, Putnam County

Died: June 24, 1906, Bluffton

Spouse: Elisabeth Gratz

Married: Feb. 27, 1867

David, Jr., and Catherine Neuenschwander Stauffer’s children:

Catherine’s father: Peter Neuenschwander (1790-1846)

Catherine’s mother: Anne Marie Kammeter (1790-??)

Catherine’s birth: Jan. 4, 1826, Virginia

Catherine’s death: Aug. 27, 1905, Bluffton

Buried: Ebenezer Mennonite Cemetery, Bluffton

Mary Stauffer

Born: Jan. 1, 1846, Putnam County

Died: Aug. 22, 1930

Spouse: Samuel Schifferly

Married: Jan. 1, 1872

Elizabeth Stauffer

Born: Nov. 18, 1847, Putnam County

Died: Nov. 28, 1937

Spouse: Frederick Gratz

Married: 1870c

Spouse: James Coon

Verena Stauffer

Born: March 16, 1851

Died: Aug. 31, 1926

Spouse: Emil Schaublin

Married: 1875c

Barbara Stauffer

Born: Dec. 25, 1852

Died: Jan. 28, 1914

Spouse: David D. Hilty

Married: 1872c

Katharine Stauffer

Born: May 15, 1855, Richland Township

Died: Jan. 5, 1941, Bluffton

Spouse: David Balmer

Married: 1875c

Isaac Stauffer

Born: Dec. 9, 1858, Richland Township

Died: Dec. 4, 1943, Bluffton Community Hospital

Spouse: Catherine Herr

Married: 1885c

Henry Stauffer

Born: March 7, 1861, Richland Township

Died: Feb. 16, 1918, Bluffton

Spouse: Emma Fett

Married: 1884

John Stauffer

Born: Jan. 25, 1863, Richland Township

Died: Jan. 10, 1935, Nevada City, California

Spouse: Lydia Frantz

Married: 1885c

Lydia Stauffer

Born: Jan. 11, 1866, Allen County

Died: June 25, 1943, Bluffton

Spouse: William Stettler

Married: 1885