Notes for Nicklaus Kauffman and Elsbeth Blank

1585 Map with Steffisburg, north of Thun, Switzerland.
1585 Mercator, Das Wiflispvrgergov [Henricus Hondius, Amsterdam: 1630] [1]

1578 Map with Steffisburg, north of Thun (below Thun, on this map), Switzerland.
Note: North is down on this map, so (mentally) rotate it 180 degrees. That is how they made it.
Note the rendering of the church tower at Steffisburg is accurate (photo below).
1578 Inclitae Bernatum urbis, cum omni ditionis suae agro et provinciis delineatio chorographica, 9/10 [Adelberg Sauracker, Basel: 1578] [2]

1591 Elsbeth Blank, daughter of Jost Blanck and Elsi Hebÿsen was baptized on February 21 at Steffisburg. [3] [4]

[21 Februarÿ] O? ander ist Jost Blancken und Elsi Hebÿsen, heist Elsbeth, Züge Görg Stutz, Elsi Meyer, Anni Joders.

1593 Niklaus Kauffman, son of Jacob and Anni Kauffman, was born in Steffisburg, Bern, Switzerland. [5] [6]

10 Decembris Niclaus:| Jagi Kauffman Anni Bürcki | Zügen Nicklaus Frÿ, Caspar Joder Verena Fallkÿsen

1617 Niklaus Kauffman and Elsi Blank were married on January 17 in Steffisburg, Bern, Switzerland. They had a family of 4 children. [7] [8]

Steffisburg church (photo by Roland Zumbuehl, 2014)
License: CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The town's parish church was first built in the late 7th or early 8th century. It was replaced with a new building in the 9th or 10th century. It was first mentioned in 1224 as the Church of St. Stephan … The bell tower was added between 1320 and 1500. In 1528, Bern adopted the new faith of the Protestant Reformation and the church at Steffisburg converted. … In 1681 the current church building was built in Steffisburg, incorporating elements from the 9th or 10th century building. [9]

1617 Johanes, son of Niclaus Kauffman and Elsbeth Blank was baptized in June at Steffisburg, Switzerland. [10]

Niclaus Kauffman und Elsbeth Blank ein eelich kind taufft heißt Johannes zügen ? Niclaus Spring Hans Gleding? und Verena Joder. p?a Juny

1619 Barbli, daughter of Niclaus Kauffman and Elsi Blank was baptized on March 26 at Steffisburg, Switzerland. [11]

[28 Mart] Eodem Niclaus Kauffmann und Elsi Blank ein eelich kind taufft heißt Barbli zügen Michel Hebÿsen Anna Frÿ und Maria Troler?.

1620 Michael, son of Niclaus Kauffman and Elsi Blank was baptized on October 1(?) at Steffisburg, Switzerland. [12]

Niclaus Kauffmann und Elsi Blank ein ehelich kind taufft heißt Michael zügen Hans Spöti Hans R?acht und Margar? Elbräle(?) 1(or 7) Octobr

1624 Niclaus, son of Niclaus Kauffman and Elsbeth Blank was baptized on July 18 at Steffisburg, Switzerland. [13]

Niclaus Kauffmann und Elsi' Blank ein ehelich kind taufft heißt Niclaus zügen Niclaus ?ing Hans Razor und Dorothea pur 18 Julÿ

Research Notes:

These marriage records would be at a young age for the children of Nicklaus Kauffman and Elsbeth Blank so they might be for children of a different family:

1633 Barbara Kaufman and Hanß (?) were married on August 16 at Steffisburg, Switzerland. [14]

1636 Michael Kaufman and Margaret Blank were married on January 27 (eodem) at Steffisburg, Switzerland. [15]

"Niklaus Kaufmann, the seventh child of Jacob (fifth child of Anni), was born 10 December 1593 in Steffisburg, Switzerland. At the age of 23 (on 17 January 1617), Niklaus married Elsi Blank. Niklaus and Elsi had a family of 4 children: Johannes, Barbara, Michael, and Nicholas. It is not known when Niklaus and Elsi Kaufmann died, but they are likely buried in Steffisburg, Switzerland—based on church records of their children continuing in this parish." [16]

"Nicholas Kaufmann, born 10 Dec 1593, Steffisburg, Bern, Switzerland. He was married to Elsi Blank on 17 Jan 1617 at Steffisburg. His children were baptized at Steffisburg. [17]

The State Archives of Bern, Switzerland show Crests for Kauffman and Blank. [18] [19]

Footnotes:

[1] Old Maps Online, [URL].

[2] Old Maps Online, [URL].

[3] Staatsarchivs des Kantons Bern, Steffisburg, Kirchenbuch 1, Taufrodel (1557-1599), Eherodel (1551-1605), 229, left, second from top, [BernStateArchivesImage], [BernStateArchivesCatalog].

[4] Richard Warren Davis, Mennosearch.com Family Notes, Blank A13, [Website].

[5] Staatsarchivs des Kantons Bern, Steffisburg, Kirchenbuch 1, Taufrodel (1557-1599), Eherodel (1551-1605), 245, left, third from bottom, [BernStateArchivesImage], [BernStateArchivesCatalog].

[6] Charles Fahs Kauffman, A genealogy and history of the Kauffman-Coffman families of North America, 1584 to 1937 (1940), xiii, [HathiTrust].

[7] Staatsarchivs des Kantons Bern, Steffisburg, Kirchenbuch 2, Taufrodel (1606-1644), Eherodel (1607-1639), 347, [BernStateArchivesImage], [BernStateArchivesCatalog].

[8] Charles Fahs Kauffman, A genealogy and history of the Kauffman-Coffman families of North America, 1584 to 1937 (1940), xiii, [HathiTrust].

[9] Wikipedia article about Steffisburg, content subject to change, [Wikipedia].

[10] Staatsarchivs des Kantons Bern, Steffisburg, Kirchenbuch 2, Taufrodel (1606-1644), Eherodel (1607-1639), 98, Left, [BernStateArchivesImage], [BernStateArchivesCatalog].

[11] Staatsarchivs des Kantons Bern, Steffisburg, Kirchenbuch 2, Taufrodel (1606-1644), Eherodel (1607-1639), 115, right, bottom, [BernStateArchivesImage], [BernStateArchivesCatalog].

[12] Staatsarchivs des Kantons Bern, Steffisburg, Kirchenbuch 2, Taufrodel (1606-1644), Eherodel (1607-1639), 129, right, 3rd from top, [BernStateArchivesImage], [BernStateArchivesCatalog].

[13] Staatsarchivs des Kantons Bern, Steffisburg, Kirchenbuch 2, Taufrodel (1606-1644), Eherodel (1607-1639), 161, top right, [BernStateArchivesImage], [BernStateArchivesCatalog].

[14] Staatsarchivs des Kantons Bern, Steffisburg, Kirchenbuch 2, Taufrodel (1606-1644), Eherodel (1607-1639), 166, right, 2 from top, [BernStateArchivesImage], [BernStateArchivesCatalog].

[15] Staatsarchivs des Kantons Bern, Steffisburg, Kirchenbuch 2, Taufrodel (1606-1644), Eherodel (1607-1639), 168, right, 3 from top, [BernStateArchivesImage], [BernStateArchivesCatalog].

[16] Stephen Harold Smith, Barshingers in America (Baltimore: Gateway Press, Inc, 2001), 553-554, [GoogleBooks].

[17] Richard Warren Davis, Mennosearch.com Family Notes, Kauffman A1, [Website].

[18] Crest for Kauffman of Steffisburg, [URL].

[19] Crest for Blank of Steffisburg, [URL].