ID: 55923
Last Name: Kunz
First Name: William John
Age:
Gender: M
Cemetery: Bern, Idaho
Birth Date: 14 Mar 1865
Birth Place: Niederstocken, Bern, Switzerland
Date Died: 15 Mar 1952
Death Place: Montpelier, Idaho
Father: John Kunz III
Mother: Magdalena Straubhaar
Spouse: Anna Schmid
Sources: Cemetary Records.
Remarks:

William J. Kunz was born on March 14, 1865 at Niederstocken, Bern Canton, Switzerland to John Kunz III and Magdalena Straubhaar. In the Spring of 1866 the Family moved to the lower Blatten farm at Zwischenfluh. He was baptized in the Grundbach stream on June 4, 1873 by his Father and was confirmed by Henry Reiser a missionary. In July 1873, William J.Kunz and his parents from Basil, Switzerland sailed the Rhine River to Rotterdam, Holland. They boarded a boat to Liverpool, England. They embarked from Liverpool on the Steamship Nevada July 12, 1873 for an 11 day crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. They landed in New York in July 23, 1873. They took a train from New York to Ogden, Utah. They arrived in Utah at approx. July 23rd. They arrived in Logan at the home of Aunt Rosie K. Morrell. He and his parents came to the United States when he was eight years old as converts to the LDS Church. Wiliam J. Kunz married Anna Schmid in the Logan Temple on May 5, 1887.
Children of William J. Kunz and Anna Schmid include;
Benjamin William Kunz
Mabel Maryanne Kunz Thomas
Sylvia Magdalena Kunz Kunz
Sophie Olive Kunz Bateman
Anna Elizabeth Kunz Eschler
Myrtle Kunz Stecklerk
Willard Robert Kunz
Ivy Kunz Jensen
Joseph John Kunz
Leslie Amasa Kunz
Karl August Kunz
Anna Schmid Vigos lived with Anna and William J. for some time after her mother Conra Shumway Schmid died in a tragic car accident.

William J. Kunz was a member of the first Sunday School superintendency of the Bern Ward and at the time of his death was a high priest in the Montpelier Stake. He was a member of the Montpelier Fourth Ward for the past seven years. A rancher and dairyman most of his life his life, he had operated a dairy at Williamsburg, Idaho for many years. William J. had a severe back injury while riding a horse where his foot got caught in the stirrup and he was drug across the ground. He had a special hoist above his bed so he could sit up. After his injury William J. directed much of the work on the dairy. William J. was a self taught man. He was excellent with animals and practiced homeopathic medicine. He friends to the Native Americans in the area and would always give them cheese. He had a keen interest in music and instilled this love and talent for music in his children and grandchildren. He was resident of Bear Lake Valley for 79 years. William J. and Anna retired to there home in Bern in 1933. On May 13, 1937 William J. and Anna celebrated there 50th Wedding Anniversary. His wife Anna Schmid died at age 77 on May 23, 1944. William J. Kunz died 1 day past his 87th birthday on March 15, 1952. William J. Kunz was buried in the Bern Cemetery, Bear Lake County, Idaho.

Information courtesy of Diane Steckler Rasi-Koskinen in the The Comfort of being together in Pease & Plenty, The William J. & Annie Schmid Kunz Family Story.