Ratsprotokolle Document of 18 Apr 1736

This document from the Protokolle des Kleinen Rats of 18 Apr 1736 was believed to be the key to the question but alas, not so. This is the document cited by Faust to assert that Balthasar Strauman the butcher from Waldenburg was the 1735 emigrant Balthasar (see below and Page RP389). While the document does concern prospective emigrants who want to go to Pennsylvania or Carolina, the parts concerning Balthasar appear to be a different matter. There is nothing in this document that says that Balthasar Strauman, butcher from Waldenburg, was or was not the 1735 emigrant Balthasar. The question remains, "Who was Balthasar Strauman?"

Many thanks to Ulrich Stroux who provided the transcription and translation of this document.

Page 409a - Image File

Pensylvania und Carolina ûnd dahin reisen wollende betr[effend].

Schreiben von Waldenburg übersteicht die lasthaftenheit
der mitlen einiger ûnderthanen, die in Carolinam
oder Pensylvanian reisen Wollen, ûnd fongt an, ob wilen
vor einem jahr von Baltzar Strohman der Metzger
von Waldenbûrg mitlen 100 gûlden wegen beförchteten
alten Vonsetzungen (?) Zuruckbehalten werden, selbige nun
nicht dessen commissionario verabfolgt werden könnten.

Die Herrn Deputierten, welche die eingesannte Ver,,
Zeichnussen durchgangen, referieren, daß es fünf Fa,,
milien aus dem Waldenburger amt angehe :

1. Hans Heggendorn der Leinenweber von Langenbruck, der
mit seiner Frauw und Sieben kindern fort wolle, behalte
nach bezahlten Schulden. 905 # 10 ß.

2. Hans Schitthaber (?) von Bennwil, samt Frauw und funf
kindern, habe noch ein Vermögen 203 # 7 ß 8 d.

3. Hans Joggi Bidert (?) von Bärenwil, frau und Vier
kinder, besitzen noch 302 #.

4. Christen Schäublin von Oberdorf der Schmidt mit
frau und Sieben Kindern behalte noch 2238 # 11 ß 8 d.

5. Urs (?) Thommen von Niederdorf samt frauw, fünf kin,,
dern, der Sohns frau und ihrem Kind habe 3497 # 1 ß.

Überdies habe sich angemeldet Jacob Handschi von
                Riggenbach

Page 409a

Concerning Pennsylvania and Carolina and wanting to travel there.

A letter from Waldenburg states the debts caused by
fees exceed the property of some subjects who want
to go to Carolina or Pennsylvania, and asks if from
Baltzar Strohman's money, butcher from Waldenburg,
100 gulden could be kept back for a year in fear of
former trouble, means not to hand over this sum to his
commission agent.

The Deputies, who went through the attached?
lists, report that they concern five families
from the Waldenburger office:

1. Hans Heggendorn the linen weaver from Langenbruck, who
with his wife and seven children want to away, keep
to pay debts. 905 # 10 ß.

2. Hans Schitthaber (?) from Bennwil, along with wife and five
children, have still a property 203 # 7 ß 8 d.

3. Hans Joggi Bidert (?) from Bärenwil, wife and four
kchildren, still have 302 #.

4. Christen Schäublin from Oberdorf the Smith with
wife and seven children still keep 2238 # 11 ß 8 d.

5. Urs (?) Thommen of Niederdorf his wife, five child-
ren, the son's wife and their child have 3497 # 1 ß.

Besides they have announced Jacob Handschi of
                Riggenbach

Notes for Page 409a:

The Baltzer Strohman situation may or may not have anything to do with emigrants. It is a separate issue and could apply to an emigrant or to a subject still in Waldenburg. One could make a reasoned argument for either case.

Page 409b - Image File

Den 18 Aprilis 1736.

Riggenbach, der mit seiner frauw, vier kindern und
einer ledigen Schwester, Maria Handschi dahin reisen
wollen, aber keinen etat über sein Vermögen vorlegen
können: Samtlichen seye alles nöhtige vorgestellt
worden, um sie von dieser reis abzuhalten, sie bleiben
aber auf ihrem vorsatz und betten nur ihnen die
manumissionsgebühren und abzug nachzusehen oder
zu mindern: indessen seye doch angebracht worden,
daß der amtspfleger von Bögten wegen einer gant
3 # über die gebühr eingezogen habe :

Urs Thommen von Niederdorf für sich
und seine mithaften, die in Pensylvaniam und
Carolinam reisen wollen, betten, ihnen wegen den
abzügen und der Manumissionsgebühren einige
milterung Zu erweisen :

//Sollen den abzug von semtlichen mitlen und
die manumissions-gebühren von den Haüb,,
tern der familien, Vatter und Mutter bezogen,
die manumissionsgebühren aber den Kindern
nachgesehen, auch die hundert gulden für
den Balthaser Strohman von Walden,,
burg verabfolgt, doch vorderst die
von dem UnderVogt in der Clus (?) daran
gemachte anforderung vom H. Landvogt
undersuchet und das, so (?) rechtmäßig
schuldig erkannt wird, abgezogen, übri,,
gens das wider den Amtspfleger von
Bögten angebrachte von den Herrn De,,
putierten näher untersuchet, er deß,,
wegen vernommen und die beschaffenheit,
seint einem Banbruder (?) hinterbracht
werden.

Page 409b

18 April 1736.

Riggenbach who wanted to travel with his wife, four
children and an unmarried sister, Maria Handschi,
could not present the status of his property. All were
confronted to all arguments to hold back them from the
journey. But they remain on their plan and ask to waive
or to reduce them the manumission fees. It was argued
the head of Bögten had collected for a lease
3 # (pounds) more than the fee.
 
 

Urs Thommen from Niederdorf ask for himself and his
family who want to go to Pennsylvania and Carolina,
to reduce them the emigration and manumission fees.
 
 

// The heads of families, father and mother, to collect
all emigration fees and manumission fees. Children to
be free from manumission fees, also the hundred
gulden for Balthaser Strohman from Waldenburg to
hand over, but at first the Landvogt to investigate the
vice Vogts in the Clus (?) request and to reduce for
legitimate declared claim. Furthermore the deputies to
investigate the accusations against the head of Bögten,
the head to be examined, the result to forward to a
"Bannbruder".

Notes for Page 409b:

A "Bannbruder" was a local official charged with enforcing local customs and practices.

References:

A. B. Faust and G. M. Brumbaugh, Lists of Swiss immigrants in the Eighteenth Century to the American Colonies, Vol. II, pp 92:

"Balthasar Strauman, butcher.
Owing to the loss of- KB nothing can be said about his wife and the number of his children. He seems to have safely arrived in Carolina, because in the following year the release of some property of his, which he had left behind, came up in Council (RP 107, Apr. 18, 1736)."

[The Waldenburg church book was apparently found sometime between 1925 (Faust) and 1955 (Zwickey).]