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Fridolin (Frederick) ZWICKEY (b 1820)

A gravestone for Fridolin Zwicki (spelled Friedolin Zwicki on the gravestone) found in the Swiss United Church of Christ Cemetery in New Glarus, Green County, Wisconsin, gives Friedolin's date of birth as 11 May 1820. Family trees posted on Ancestry.com frequently identify his place of birth as Mollis (Canton Glarus) Switzerland. That location seems plausible but I know of no source record that supports it. There is no question, however, that Fridolin was born in Switzerland.

Again, the gravestone marking Fridolin's grave identifies him as the husband of Rosina Winteler. The couple were obviously married in Switzerland, probably about 1838. Again, Ancestry family trees seem to cite a date of 23 Jun 1840 in Mollis.

A naturalization record from the Green County, Wisconsin circuit court shows that Fridolin came to the United States via the Port of New York, NY in August 1847. I cannot find a passenger manifest on Ancestry that lists Fridolin but there is a reference on Ancestry to an 1847 passenger list for either the [SS] New Hampshire or the [SS] Ellen Brooks from Havre that names Jacob Zwicke, age 10 months. My guess is this passenger list would also contain the names of Jacob's parents and his elder siblings, Barbara, Rosina and Susanna.

Fridolin and Rosina were found in the 1850 US Census of Washington Township in Green County, Wisconsin on 21 Aug 1850. Fridolin gave his occupation as farmer. The enumerator recorded his name as Fredrick Chwika. Rosina was simply Rosa. Fridolin gave his age as 30, Rosa's as 27. There were four children in the household, all born in Switzerland, Rosina (age 8), Susannah (age 6), Jacob (age 4) and Randolph [sic] (age 3). The youngest child's name was actually Rudolph.

The family was still in Washington Township in June 1860. The enumerator did a better job of recording names that year. Fridolin was Frederick Sweckey, his wife, Rosanna. Daughter Barbara was no longer in the household, having married Werner Blum (or Bloom) before 1860, but the next two eldest daughters, Rosina (age 18) and Susanna (age 16), were still at home. Jacob did not appear in the household, having apparently died towards the middle of the previous decade. There were, however, four new additions to the household, all born in Wisconsin, Frederick (age 9), Henry (age 7), Margaret (age 6), and Eli (age 3).

Fridolin's wife Rosina apparently died during the decade 1860-1870, and Fridolin married a second time. When Fridolin's wife was named in the 1870 US Census, both name and age were inconsistent with Rosina's name and age. His wife in 1870 was named Fanny and she gave her age as 52 years, two years older than Fridolin. Again, I believe the gravestone identies Fridolin's second wife as Verena Durst. My impression is that Verena (whom I suspect went by the name Fanna) was Verena Luchsinger, the widow of Mathias Duerst, a tinker, born in Switzerland. Verena appeared with Mathias in the 1850 US Census of New Glarus, Wisconsin.

In the summer of 1870, Fridolin was still farming. Only two sons were still living at home, Henry (age 18) and Eli (age 13). I have been unable to find son Rudolph who would have been age 23 in 1870 in the census that year. Son Frederick may have been apprentice or partner to a shoemaker named Jack Stranberg in Mt Pleasant. The three oldest girls were all married and living with their families. Margaretha, who would be age 16 in 1870 is not at home and I am unable to find her in Green County. She would marry Jacob Disch before 1875.

Fridolin and his wife Verena appear one last time in the US Census records. In 1880, Fridolin, now age 60, reported that he was still a farmer. Two sons, Rudolph (age 32) and Eli (age 22) were with their father and both reported their occupation as farm laborers.

According to the stone marking his grave, Fridolin died on 20 Apr 1883. He was buried in the Swiss United Church of Christ Cemetery in New Glarus, Green County, Wisconsin. His second wife, Verena died two years later on 07 Oct 1885 and was buried beneath the same stone.

Sources:

A note about Ancestry family tree information: There are more than 40 Ancestry Family Tree references to Fridolin Zwicki on Ancestry.com. All but a handful lack any source information other than other Ancestry Family Trees. Someone, however, seems to have primary source data, perhaps a family Bible, that includes the birth dates (and some dates of death) of all of Fridolin's children. On the face of them, these dates look reliable, but I have chosen to stay with more general dates that can be inferred or gathered from official records.

1850 US Census, Household of Frederick Chwika [Zwickey] (b c1820): Citation: Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Year: 1850; Census Place: Washington, Green, Wisconsin; Roll: 999; Page: 292b. Content: The 1850 US Census of the town of Washington (Green) Wiscsonsin on 21 Aug 1850 shows dwelling 33 with a household composed of (1) Frederick Chwika [Zwikey], age 30, male, farmer, real estate valued at $100, born Switzerland, (2) Rosa Chwika, age 27, female, born Switzerland, (3) Barbara Chwika, age 10, female, born Switzerland, (4) Rosina Chwika, age 8, female, born Switzerland, (5) Susannah Chwika, age 6, female, born Switzerland, (6) Jacob Chwika, age 4, male, born Switzerland, and (7) Randolph Chwika, age 3, male, born Switzerland.

1850 US Census, Household of Mathias Durst (b c1813): Citation: Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Year: 1850; Census Place: New Glarus, Green, Wisconsin; Roll: 999; Page: 305b. Content: The 1850 US Census of New Glarus, Green County, Wisconsin on 20 Sep 1850 shows dwelling (64/64) with a household composed of (1) Mathias Durst, age 37, male, tinker, born Switzerland, (2) Ferenna Durst, age 35, female, born Switzerland, (3) Sebastian Durst, age 13, male, born Switzerland, and (4) Ferenna Durst, age 11, female, born Switzerland.

1856 Naturalization Index Record for Fridolin Zwickey (b 1820): Citation: Ancestry.com. U.S., Naturalization Record Indexes, 1791-1992 (Indexed in World Archives Project) [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Soundex Index to Naturalization Petitions for the United States District and Circuit Courts, Northern District of Illinois and Immigration and Naturalization Service District 9, 1840-1950 (M1285); Microfilm Serial: M1285; Microfilm Roll: 181. Content: A naturalization index record from Monroe (Green County) Wisconsin circuit court shows that Fridolin Zwickey was naturalized on 03 Mar 1856. A note on the back of the index record states that he was born in 1820 and landed at the Port of New York, NY in the month of August 1847.

1860 US Census, Household of Frederick Zwickey (b c1821): Citation: Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Year: 1860; Census Place: Washington, Green, Wisconsin; Page: 489; Family History Library Film: 805411. Content: The 1860 US Census of Town of Washington [Monticello Post Office] (Green) Wisconsin on 25 Jun 1860 shows dwelling (434/424) with a household composed of (1) Frederick Sweckey, age 39, male, white, farmer, (1100/500), born Switzerland, attended school within the year, (2) Rosanna Sweckey, age 37, female, white, born Switzerland, (3) Susanna Sweckey, age 16, female, white, born Switzerland, (4) Randolf Sweckey, age 13, male, white, born Switzerland, (5) Frederick Sweckey, age 9, male, white, born WI, (6) Heny Sweckey, age 7, born WI, (7) Margaret Sweckey, age 6, female, white, born WI, (8) Eli Sweckey, age 3, male, born WI. [Note: The numbering of families on the census page suggests that the Heftys and the Sweckeys were one family, but I presume this was nothing more than an enumerator error.]

1870 US Census, Household of Frederick Zwickey (b c1821): Citation: Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Year: 1870; Census Place: Washington, Green, Wisconsin; Roll: M593_1715; Page: 280A. Content: The 1870 US Census of Washington, Green County, Wisconsin (Albany Post Office) on 07 Jul 1870 shows dwelling (21/21) with a household composed of (1) Freeben Swickey [sic], age 50, male, farmer, (real: $6000, pers: $1140) born Switzerland, parents of foreign birth, (2) Fanny Swickey, age 52, female, keeping house, born Switzerland, parents of foreign birth, (3) Henry Swickey, age 18, male, born Wisconsin, (4) Eli Swickey, age 13, male, born Wisconsin.

1880 US Census, HH of Frederick Zwickey (b c1821): Citation: Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA. Year: 1880; Census Place: Washington, Green, Wisconsin; Roll: 1428; Page: 221A; Enumeration District: 146. Content: The 1880 US Census of Washington, Green County, Wisconsin on 17 Jun 1880 shows dwelling (74/77) with a household composed of (1) Frederick Zwickey, male, age 60, [Head], farmer, born Switzerland, parents born Switzerland, (2) Fanny Zwickey, female, age 64, wife, married, keeping house, born Switzerland, parents born Switzerland, (3) Randolph Zwickey, male, age 32, son, single, farm laborer, cannot read or write, born Wisconsin, parents born Switzerland, (4) Eli Zwickey, male, age 22, son, single, farm laborer, cannot read or write, born Wisconsin, parents born Switzerland.

1883 Probate record for the estate of Fredolin Zwickey (d 1883): Citation: Ancestry.com. Wisconsin, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1800-1987 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2015. Author: Wisconsin. County Court (Green County); Probate Place: Green, Wisconsin. Notes: Estate Files, Case, No 1962-2038, 1883-1885. Content: The document filed in Green County Court on 30 Jun 1883 reports that real estate within "the estate of Fredolin..." is valued at $5,300. It is judged that it cannot be divided. Fredolin Zwicky Jr has purchased the whole. The return is to be divided among (1) Fredolin Zwicky, (2) Henry Zwicky, (3) Rudolf Zwicky, (4) Hilarius Zwicky, (5) Rosena Jordan, (6) Margaret Holdrick, (7) Susan Staufacher, (8) the heirs of Barbara Blum, (8a) Rosena Blankert, (8b) Werner Blum, (8c) Fredolin Blum, (8d) Ursula Blum, (8e) Jacob Blum, (8f) Verona Blum. A description of the bounds of the property are also given.

Find a Grave Memorial 148737822 for Friedolin Zwicki (b 1820) . Note: The gravestone pictured in this memoral is very difficult to read, but I believe it does name both of Fridolin's wives, Rosina Winteler and Verena Durst. My impression is that Fridolin's dates of birth and death are also engraved on the stone.

Find a Grave Memorial 190433473 for Verena Luchsinger Zwicki (b 1815). Note: The memorial reports not only her maiden name but also her marriage to Mathias Durst and Fridolin Zwicki. No date of marriage is given.

Find a Grave Memorial 203514135 for Mathias Durst (b 1813).

Find a Grave Memorial 113424218 for Margaret Zwicky Holdrich (b c1855).