Descendants of Robert Hermann Staeheli

Sharon Staeheli Thompson informed me that her mother, Lillian, has photos of the Staeheli homestead in Addy and the Staeheli dairy in Colville.  She and her mother will prepare a list of all the descendants of Robert and Rose to be published on the website.  Tienne wants the names and dates for those descendants for the family tree she is developing of the Staeheli family.  I will put Sharon and Tienne in touch with each other so they can communicate directly.

Rapid Progress

Tienne has been very actively pursuing records and information about the Staeheli's and Riml's in Switzerland and Austria.  She has learned that Caspar Albert's parents were Caspar Staeheli and Waldburga Hermann who lived in the village of Kuegeliswinden (now Winden) and were citizens of the village of Egnach.  My plan to visit the Kanton Thurgau Staatsarchiv in Frauenfeld was to obtain this information.  Tienne has done that in just a few days on her own.  What progress! 

Patric Schnitzer provided Tienne with the marriage document of Caspar Albert and Maria Riml showing their marriage in Straubenzell on August 9, 1877.  Albert listed his occupation as embroiderer and Maria was a maid.  Albert's father was deceased at the time of his marriage to Maria.  Tienne explained that at the time of the marriage St. Gallen was a center for embroidery and lacemaking and the oldest Staeheli daughter, Maria, had been trained in embroidery. 

Maria was born in Tyrolia, Austria on June 2, 1856. Her father was Adam Riml and mother was Elisabeth Riml (born August 26, 1829).  They lived in the village of Schonwies.  Elisabeth's brother was Adam Riml who was a photographer in Schonwies and took photographs of the village.  The name Riml is spelled Rimml in some documents and Rimmel in the US.

Tienne suggests that when Kathy and I visit this summer we could see the antique embroidery machines and go to Schonwies to see the old photos taken by Adam.

More information from Tienne is that two Staeheli daughters born in Switzerland died in 1892 at ages 5 and 6.  Indications are that two other children were stillborn.  The girls, Johanna and Theresia, died of poisoning from berries eaten in the local woods (one daughter) and being frightened or possibly being kicked by a frightened horse (the other daughter).  More research is needed to verify these deaths and Tienne has asked Patric Schnitzer to look for death certificates in St. Gallen archives. 

More Good News

Tienne has effectively filled numerous gaps in my story of Albert and Maria.  She has identified the village where Albert lived as a young man and gotten a map from 1888 showing the houses there.  And Staeheli family records from Egnach and Arbon will become available to us once approval is given by local administrators.  Tienne is a dynamo of energy accelerating progress with research in Switzerland.

Today I was contacted by Sharon Staeheli Thompson, grandaughter of Robert Hermann Staeheli and daughter of Robert Carl Staeheli.  Her mother, age 93, lives in Spokane and has stories and photos to share.  Sharon and her daughter, Tina, were in Colville Tuesday and had lunch at Stephani's Oak Street Grill in the former Staeheli dairy.  Sharon has visited the Staeheli homestead numerous times so knows much about the site.  I will arrange to visit with Sharon and her family at their convenience.

A New Swiss Connection

Good fortune continues to find me with a message left on our home telephone recorder.  Tienne Staeheli called to tell me she had found my Staeheli Family website and had information to add.  I called her late Saturday (5/22) because Switzerland is 9 hours ahead of the west coast.  We spoke for what seemed like an hour and I learned a lot more about her family and the Staeheli's. 

Tienne is the grand daughter of Louis Staeheli who was conceived in Switzerland but born in Marshfield, Wisconsin after the family arrived in the United States in 1899.  Her father was Ron, a son of Louis.  Ron and his family lived in California.  Although born and raised in California, Tienne moved to Switzerland and has become a Swiss citizen.  She lives near Luzern with her husband and children. 

While doing her own family research Tienne found my website and enjoyed reading Theresa Staeheli's letters.  Tienne has added missing information and has corrected some factual errors on other parts of the website.  She continues family history research and is sharing her finds with me.  I believe we can collaborate to develop a much more complete and descriptive story of the Staeheli's. 

Kathy and I will be visiting Switzerland in July and while there will arrange to meet Tienne and possibly her family.  For certain Tienne will meet with us at the Kanton Thurgau Staatsarchiv to assist our research there.  Being multi-lingual, Tienne will be able to translate the German language documents and also to translate the genealogist's information into English for our understanding. 

Last year I obtained a history of the Staeheli family name in German.  Tienne has agreed to translate that document into English so I can post it on the website. 

My experience with family research is making me richer not only in learning our history but in communicating with and meeting the many relatives previously unknown.  This is another very happy day.

Return to Addy

Wednesday, May 19, I drove to Spokane to visit my dad.  We went out for two meals and a movie then made plans for driving to Addy the next day.  Thursday we drove to Addy and, referring to a photo from 1949, looked for a house which had been owned by Robert and Rose Staeheli.  Unable to find the house we spoke with a local who informed us Addy had suffered numerous fires over time so many old homes had been destroyed.  He suggested we check the post office for photos and more information.

The woman at the post office was very helpful.  Some old town photos were displayed there and copies from several publications.  One told a story about Robert Staeheli and his goat.  Another had a group school photo with Waldburga Staeheli.  We were referred to the Mission on Main street to speak to a woman who had knowledge of the Addy Cemetery.  The woman and her daughter who operated the mission did provide information about Russell Gusdal who maintains the cemetery.  Also, the woman lives in the home, outside of Addy, originally owned by Robert and Rose Staeheli.

Leaving Addy, dad and I drove to Blue Creek to meet Russell Gusdal.  Russell gave us a map with dimensions of the cemetery so we could precisely locate the gravesite of Albert Staeheli.  At the cemetery dad and I did find the unmarked graves of Albert and his relative, Peter Staeheli.  Russell told us we could place gravestones ourselves when we were ready to do that.

From the cemetery we drove along Swiss Valley Road to the Staeheli Homestead near the intersection with Marble Valley Road.  The property is divided and part is for sale in two lots totalling 116 acres.  Logging is being done, too.  We drove a primitive road onto the property and located the remains of two structures.  One looked like it had been a home with a foundation made of large stones.  The foundation was collapsed on two sides with timbers lying around.  Some of the timbers were charred indicating there had been a fire.  A short distance away was a chicken coop made entirely of wood.  The design and condition of this building were consistent with having been built 100 years ago.  A stream ran through the property and large fruit trees and other non-native trees were growing on the property.  Ground near the home had been cleared and five large piles of stones were spaced along the fence line at intervals.  Dad and I believe this was likely the Staeheli family farm but must verify that. 

Chicken coop on Staeheli Homestead

From the homestead we drove to Colville to locate the Staeheli Dairy.  First we went to the museum where we spoke with two people who said the Staeheli Dairy had been in what is now Stephani's Oak Street Grill at 157 Oak street.  Ruth Ray kindly put us in phone contact with Gladys Staeheli who had been married to Lester Staeheli, a son of Robert and Rose.  She lives in Colville but had no information for us.  She recommend we contact Lillian Staeheli who had been married to Robert Staeheli, another son of Robert and Rose.  Lillian lives in Spokane and has a daughter, Sharon Thompson.

We located the former dairy on Oak street and I spoke with two workers inside who did not know much about the building's history.  We had been told the dairy was built and began operation in 1947.  Leaving the dairy site we drove a few blocks to the local newspaper, The Statesman-Examiner.  After explaining we were looking for news from 1912 we were directed the an area behind the counter.  From an enormous wall storage area a bound volume of newpapers from 1911/1912 was placed in front of us.  It took only a few minutes to find an article from The Colville Examiner dated Saturday, June 15, 1912 titled Stachli Commits Suicide.  It began, "Alfred Stachli, farmer, aged about 65 years, native of Switzerland, and resident of Stevens county for the past fifteen years, committed suicide...".  This article confirms family lore about Albert's death and relates details explaining the loss of the home to fire the day before.  I will publish the entire article on my website.

Dad and I returned to have dinner at Stephani's Oak Street Grill.

The Colville newspaper is a new valuable resource and when we return there I will research Peter, Robert, Rose, Lester and Ernest Staeheli.  I will look for information about the Staeheli Dairy.  I want to contact the realtor selling the homestead to help verify that the structures are truly the Staeheli farm.  There may be relevant information in the Chewelah museum where we will look next time.  Dad and I will go back in August or September.  In time I will have markers made for Albert and Peter to place on their graves.

The former Staeheli Creamery now a restaurant

Continuing Research - Return to Switzerland

Since my meeting with Staeheli's in January I bought a new computer to enable more data storage and better processing of photos and video.  That, unfortunately, led to a series of technical issues which stalled my progress but provided opportunities to learn more about managing my new computer.  With the purchase and connection of a new photo scanner I am back to the capabilities I need to keep working. 

Several months ago I learned my Google website had run out of memory and I would no longer be able to add photos or documents.  My mentor, Arlis, advised me to subscribe to Siteground and create a new website.  This has been done.  I have much to learn to make the best use of the new website but am committed to making a complete story of our family presenting all photos and documents available.  For now I will retain the Google website while I transfer information to the new site. 

Kathy and I will vacation in Europe again this summer and while in Switzerland will do research at the St.Gallen Staatsarchiv as well as the Kanton Thurgau Staatsarchiv in Frauenfeld.  Today I made contact with a Swiss genealogist who will meet us in Frauenfeld to advance our research.  My plan is to trace our roots back another generation and with what we learned last summer this should be possible.

I look forward to again seeing Marcel Muller and Patric Schnitzer in St. Gallen.  They were extremely helpful uncovering documents about our family last August.

More help from St. Gallen Staatsarchiv in Switzerland

Recently I have received several emails from Marcel Mueller, archivist at the St. Gallen Staatsarchiv.  Marcel and his associates have been researching the era of interest to me and have found records of considerable interest to the Staeheli's.  They have located meeting minutes of the SAK board of directors dated July 9, 1898 listing Albert Staheli as having been paid 28,000 Swiss Francs for his property in Guebsenmoos.  SAK is the power plant company which purchased the properties in Guebsenmoos and the nearby area to develop the reservoir.  On June 7, 1898 SAK representatives and evaluators visited Guebsenmoos and settled deals with the residents whose properties were being purchased.  Marcel sent a copy of the original handwrittern document.
Also, Marcel has located photographs of the Guebsenmoos area from before the reservoir construction.  It is my hope to find photos of the Staheli property showing the house and barn.  Kathy and I will see those photos during our visit to Switzerland this summer.  We are planning a day in St. Gallen to continue research at the Staatsarchiv with assistance from Marcel and Patric Schnitzer.
Marcel checked the Ellis Island website and noted that the hometown for all of the Staheli family members has been changed to Guebsenmoos.  I had initiated this change months ago and it has been done.  I must also check the Swiss Roots website to see if the change has been made there.  Progress comes in small steps but I am pleased to be helping to improve the records for those who value historical accuracy. 
My gratitude to Marcel and Patric for their continued support.