An introduction: During his retirement years, Bluffton Swiss genealogist, the late Herb Probst, created a genealogical overview of the early Swiss settlers in the Bluffton and Pandora communities, which he shared during his lifetime with several area families, who he researched. Probst’s grandfather, Josef Probst, came from Germany in 1880 and married Elizabeth Suter of this community. On his mother’s side, her father was Solomon Welty and her mother was Barbara Amstutz. The first pioneer family in this series is Michael II and Anna (Ernst) Neuenschwander. This was the first Swiss family to arrive in what became rural Bluffton-Pandora. The family came to Putnam County in the spring of 1833. There is a monument at 9220 Bixel Road, which gives the location of their farm. At the time the Neuenschwanders settled here their farm was part of Putnam County. Then in 1848, the southern tier of Sections of Riley Township became the north tier of Richland Township, Allen County. Michael II Neuenschwander Born: March 9, 1778, Cme Boron France Died: March 10, 1854, 2 miles northwest of Bluffton Buried: Old Mennonite Cemetery, Bluffton Father: Michael N. Neuenschwander (1753-1801) Mother: Barbara Steiner (1753-1795) Married: July 16, 1809 Cme Florimont Moulin de IEcrevisse France Wife: Anna Ernst Born: 1779 Died: Feb. 13, 1846 Buried: Old Mennonite Cemetery, Bluffton Children: Johanne B. Neuenschwander Born: June 13, 1810, Faverois Territoire-de-Belfort, France Died: Jan. 22, 1899, Moniteau County, Missouri Wife: Anna Neuenschwander Daniel Neuenschwander Born: Aug. 31, 1812, Blumbergerwald Ober Elsaasz, France Died: Aug. 2, 1983, Putnam County, Ohio Wife: Marie Amstutz Barbara Neuenschwander Born: Feb. 19, 1816, Favorois Canton Dattried, France Died: Feb. 20, 1816, Favorois Canton Dattried, France Peter Neuenschwander Born: March 9, 1817, Faverois Territoire-de-Belfort, France Died: Sept. 16, 1823, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Michael Neuenschwander Born: June 11, 1823, Harbor of Havre, France Died: July 22, 1893, Richland Township, Allen County, Ohio Wife: Verena Fannie Geiger
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