Pandora's Schutz, Geiger and Cherry families

The Schutz family, with several Pandora connections today, was among many of our Swiss pioneers who came to America from the Emmenthal or Canton Bern. This family came in three different waves, with the parents arriving after their children. Here is their story.

Parents Jakob and Anna Gruber Schutz

Jakob Schutz was born in April 1820 in Canton Bern. His father, also named Jakob, and his mother, Elizabeth, died at a young age and we have no further information about the parents.

Jakob married Anna Gruber in 1840. He was a farmer and cheese maker. The couple had eight children who grew to adulthood.

Jakob and Anna’s children, Jacob II and Albert, came to America in 1879, followed by sisters Mary and Elizabeth and a brother, Johannes, in 1883.

Jakob and Anna then came here in 1884 with daughters Louise and Emil. The youngest daughter, Anna, remained in Switzerland as did her brother Gottfried. Anna married a man with the last name of Zumbach. We have no additional information on these two Schutz children.

Jakob and Anna did not settle in the Bluffton-Pandora area. Upon arriving in America, they moved to the Lafayette, Indiana, area and Jakob died in Tippecanoe County in 1895. Anna, as a widow, relocated to Putnam County where she died on Oct. 3, 1904.

Three of the eight Schutz children remained in the Pandora-Bluffton area where they raised their families. Two of the Schutz brothers married sisters: Johannes Andreas married Marie Bichsel. Albert married Sarah Bichsel.

Jakob Schutz, Jr.

Born: April 1820, Canton Bern, Switzerland

Died: 1895, Tippecanoe County, Indiana

Married: 1840

Jakob and Anna came to America in 1884

Anna Gruber

Born: April 7, 1827, Canton Bern, Switzerland

Died: Oct. 3, 1904, Pandora

Buried: St. John Mennonite Church cemetery

Jakob and Anna’s Gruber Schutz's children

Mary Elizabeth Schutz

Born: 1852, Canton Bern, Switzerland

Died: Information not available

Jacob Schutz II

Born: 1855, Canton Bern, Switzerland

Died: Information not available

Albert Schutz

Born: Jan. 18, 1859, Canton Bern

Died: Nov. 9, 1933, Riley Township

Spouse: Elizabeth Geiger

Spouse: Sarah Bichsel (sister of Marie Bichsel)

Johannes Andreas Schutz

Born: Nov. 30, 1861, Canton Bern

Died: Oct. 12, 1937, Mountain Lake, Minnesota

Spouse: Marie Bichsel (sister of Sarah Bichsel)

The couple had 6 children

Louise Esther Schutz

Born: July 18, 1865, Canton Neuchatel, Switzerland

Died: Oct. 7, 1930

Spouse: Daniel C. Sutter

Gottfried Schutz

No information on birth and death dates

Anna Schutz

No information on birth and death dates.

Emil Schutz

No information on birth and death dates

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The following information is about Jakob and Anna's son, Albert.

Albert’s first wife: Elizabeth Geiger

Elizabeth was born April 19, 1860, in Richland Township, and died July 24, 1887, in Riley Township. She is was buried in Ebenezer Mennonite cemetery. Her father was Christian Geiger (1835-1905) and her mother was Anna Thut (1833-1886). Albert and Elizabeth were married Jan. 17, 1884.

Child of Albert and Elizabeth Geiger Schutz

Mary M. Schutz

Born: Oct. 22, 1884, Riley Township

Died: Dec. 20, 1963, Riley Township

Spouse: Reuben Schumacher – son of Christian P. and Regina Steiner Schumacher

Albert’s second wife: Sarah Bichsel (sister to Marie Bichsel)

Sarah was born Sept. 29, 1862, in Riley Township. She and Albert were married Nov. 12, 1889. Elizabeth died Oct. 26, 1928, in Riley Township. She was buried in Pleasant Ridge Cemetery, Pandora. Her father was Jacob Bichsel (1831-1886) and her mother was Barbara Welty (1832-1912).

Children of Albert and Sarah Bichsel Schutz

Professor Jakob Raymond Schutz

Born: Aug. 3, 1890, Pandora

Died: March 29, 1945, North Manchester, Indiana

Spouse: Salena Schumacher

The couple had 6 children

Elisabeth Schutz

Born: Dec. 18, 1891, Pandora

Died: Nov. 29, 1963, Pandora

Rev. Walter Schutz

Born: Aug. 9, 1893, Pandora

Died: Jan. 28, 1961, Dayton, Ohio

Spouse: Edna Hooper

The couple had 2 children: Stanley and Roy

Bertha Schutz

Born: Jan. 21, 1896, Pandora

Died: Jan. 26, 1934, Pandora

Edward E. Schutz

Born; May 26, 1898, Pandora

Died: Oct. 24, 1962, Riley Township

Spouse: Estella Marie Hilty

The couple had 7 children

John Paul Schutz

Born: Sept. 12, 1900, Pandora

Died: June 26, 1945, Riley Township

Spouse: Virginia Wolfe

The couple had 2 children: Barbara and Howard

Albert Schutz, Jr.

Born: Nov. 22, 1902, Pandora

Died: Oct. 9, 1959, Lima, Ohio, Memorial Hospital

Spouse: Irene Agnes Cherry

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The following information is about Jakob and Anna's son, Johannes Andreas Schulz

Spouse: Marie Bichsel (sister of Sarah Bichsel)

Marie was born June 22, 1860, in Riley Township. She and Johannes Andreas were married May 24, 1887. Marie died May 26, 1934, in Pandora. She was buried in Pleasant Ridge Cemetery, Pandora. Her father was Jacob Bichsel (1831-1886) and her mother was Barbara Welty (1832-1912).

Children of Johannes Andreas and Marie Bichsel Schutz

Martha Schutz

Born and died: July 6, 1888, Riley Township

Lavina Schutz

Born: Aug. 2, 1889, Riley Township

Died: June 9, 1969, Pandora

Spouse: Walter Geiger

The couple had 2 children

Hiram R. Schutz

Born: Oct. 23, 1891, Riley Township

Died: Bluffton Hospital, Jan. 13, 1979

Spouse: Lucille Weida

The couple had 5 children

Dr. Elmer E. Schutz

Born: Feb. 16, 1897, Riley Township

Died: Oct. 9, 1961, Mountain Lake, Minnesota

Spouse: Rhoda Estella Basinger

The couple had 2 children

Hulda E. Schutz

Born: June 4, 1899, Riley Township

Died: May, 1980, Darfur, Minnesota

Spouse: Arthur Jaeger

The couple had 3 children, Matilda, the youngest died a 1 month.

Schutz baby

Born: Jan. 8, 1901, Riley Township Feb. 9, 1901, Riley Township

The Schutz cousins, Hiram, Albert and Edward owned farms along State Route 12, at the time known as the Ridge Road, east of Pandora.

They raised potatoes in the sandy soil there. The Schutz family continues to own these farms and continue to grow potatoes and other vegetable crops there.