Aged 77y 1m 16d

Barbara Sterchi was born in Aarmuhle (Interlaken) Switzerland to Johannes Sterchi and Margreth Wyder and christened on April 2, 1797, at Gsteig Parish.

She wed Kaspar Kuster at Gsteig Parish on June 5, 1818, and they had ten children:

1) Margaritha (Margaret) on Nov 7, 1818

2) Johannes (John) on Nov 20, 1820

3) David on Jul 27, 1822 (died 3/21/1830)

4) Johann Kaspar (Casper) on Jun 5, 1824

5) Barbara on Aug 4, 1826

6) Friedrich on Aug 31, 1828 (died 5/10/1830)

7) David (#2) on Apr 20, 1830

8) Elizabeth on Oct 2, 1832

In 1833, they traveled to Le Havre, France with six children, as David #1 and Friedrich had died. While in Le Havre, their baby daughter Elizabeth died.

They sailed to New York then up the Hudson River to the Erie Canal and west to Buffalo, New York.

From there they took a ship to Cleveland, Ohio then a canal barge south to Canton then on to Minerva, Stark County.

There, they had:

9) Frederick (named after son Friedrich) in 1835

They then moved near Malvern in Brown Township, Carroll County, OH, where daughter Margaret wed Adam Bushong on May 2, 1837.

There Kaspar and Barbara had:

10) A daughter (name not known) in 1838

Husband Kaspar died in October, 1939, and son John took responsibility for the family.

In 1841, the family moved to Stringtown, in German Township of Richland County, Illinois.

In 1843, Barbara's five year old daughter died.

John wed Mary Peebles on September 16, 1846, and in 1847, bought 80 acres in Preston Township for him and 80 acres for his mother.

Daughter Barbara wed John Crehan in 1849;

son David wed Malinda (Trobaugh) Allen on October 22, 1849;

son Casper wed Melissa Allen on May 16, 1852.

In 1854, son Frederick moved to Ellis County, Texas, where he wed Rebecca Clark on June 17, 1856.

The Civil War began in 1861, and son David fought for the Union in the 98th Illinois while son Frederick fought for the South in the 18th Texas.

Son Casper wed, second, Christina (Bohnstedt) Dehner on June 22, 1862.

Son Frederick died in the Civil War and his wife Rebecca and three children moved to Preston Township in Richland County, Illinois to live close to his mother Barbara.

Rebecca wed Henry Stoltz on April 10, 1873.

Barbara was a long time member of the German Reformed Church but later switched to the German Evangelical Church and it was there, at the Albright Church, that her funeral service was held. This church no longer exists.

Barbara's ancestry in Switzerland is known to early 1700's:

1) Father: Johannes born 1751, Aarmuhle, wed Margreth Wyder 1779.

2) Grandfather: Christian born 1711, Aarmuhle, wed Barbara Eggler 1748.