Lists of Swiss Emigrants in the Eighteenth Century to the American Colonies
Lists of Swiss Emigrants in the Eighteenth Century to the American Colonies; Hardback (while they last - the books is technically out-of-print in hardback); 377 pp.; Published: 1920 and 1925, Reprinted: 2007; ISBN: 9780806301099; Item # GPC1780.
Lists of Swiss Emigrants in the Eighteenth Century to the American Colonies is a two volume set printed in one binding, and represents an authoritative work on Swiss emigration to the Carolinas and Pennsylvania in the 18th century. Volume I identifies approximately 2,000 emigrants from the Canton of Zurich during the period 1734-1744, most references comprising such useful data as age, date of birth or baptism, trade, name of wife, names of children, and place of origin and destination. Volume II extends the scope of investigation to Bern (1706-1795) and Basel (1734-1794) and surpasses Volume I in the quantity and variety of assembled data.
Volume I was actually discovered by the editor, and author of the introduction, Albert Bernhard Faust, while he researched at the State Archives in Zürich. Faust describes the listings as, "the most valuable single document relating to America contained in the Swiss archives, being quite as important for its historical as for its genealogical and statistical materials. The whole history of Swiss emigration in the eighteenth century is epitomized in this valuable document." In addition, Faust wrote a 25 page introduction providing a significant insight into the history of Swiss emigration to America.
Volume II was the result of the success of volume I. Coming at the request of many researchers who found volume I so appetizing in their research, Faust returned with co-editor Gaius Marcus Brumbaugh to painstakingly extract a similar manuscript on emigrants from Bern and Basel. Under the direction of the state archivist, the team hired assistants and spent 12 months extracting, verifying, and organizing the contents of this second volume. This second volume also includes significant additional writings and history contributed by the state archivist G. Kruz. There is also an Introduction to the State Archives of Basel section by A. Gerber, Ph.D.