Janet and Robert Wolfe Genealogy --- Go to Genealogy Page for Sebastian Meyer --- Go to Genealogy Page for Ottila Müller

Notes for Sebastian Meyer and Ottila Müller

1592 Baschi, son of Caspar and Vreni Meÿer, was baptized on January 20 at the Katholische Kirche in Ettiswil, Luzern, Switzerland with sponsors Wilhelm and Barbali Müller. [1]

Baschi Meyer born 1592 (note above) was, perhaps, the same person as Sebastian Meyer who moved from Luzerne to Stallikon, Switzerland (notes below).

1633 Baschi [Sebastian] Meyer was listed as an Anabaptist cabinetmaker, born in Canton of Luzerne, who had settled with his wife in Stallikon, Canton of Zürich, without permission, and who owned no property. [2]

1634, 1637, and 1640 census of Stallikon lists Baschi Meyer's wife as Tylli Muller, probably the Otilla Muller [Müller] imprisoned in Oethenbach in Zürich in 1639 with Barbara Meylin, Elizabeth Meylin, sisters of the Anabaptist minister, and Barbara Kolb. [3] [4]

1637 Their son Hans Meyer, seventeen years old, may be the one recorded in 1685 as an Anabaptist at Rudelsheim, now Ludwigshohe, north of Guntersblum, Germany, with his wife Anna Baumann and nine children, two of whom are married." [5] [6]

1639 Ottila Müller was imprisoned in Oethenbach, Zürich, Switzerland along with Barbara Meylin and Elizabeth Meylin, who were sisters of the Anabaptist minister, and Barbara Kolb. [7] [8]

The imprisonment has been described in some detail [9]

The persecution did not cease with the foregoing; but they continued and laid their hands also upon four pious sisters, Barbara Meylin, Ottila Mulerin, Barbara Kolbin, and Elizabeth Meylin, who also had to drink out of the bitter cup of the dreadful Zürich prison; however, the Lord preserved them, so that they, unharmed in their faith, unknown to the authorities, unexpectedly also escaped from imprisonment and bonds. See the last mentioned tract, fol. 10, A.

Note.-We made mention, for the year 1635, of one Hans Muller, who, being imprisoned in the council house at Zürich, with two of his fellow brethren, was released for a month upon condition and then again imprisoned, and released the second time upon the same condition.

He was subsequently (about the year 1639, as the circumstances show) again cruelly persecuted; insomuch that even his neighbors and their houses were not spared, through which the thief catchers ran like ravening wolves on the track of a sheep; but when they came into his house, from which he had already escaped, they, with pincers and other instruments, broke open chests and drawers, in the hope that they might there find the property of the church or the poor.

These thief catchers, that night, threatened his little children, with bare swords, that they would kill them, if they did not show them where their father was.

When they could not get him, they took along his wife, whom they bound and imprisoned in Othenbach. Thereupon, it was proclaimed in church, that no one was allowed to lodge, or give food or drink to Hans Muller from the Groeningen bailiwick, on pain of severe penalty and the disfavor of the authorities.

Now when his life was made exceedingly hard to him, the bailiff in the convent of Ruti, in the name of the burgomasters and councilors of Zürich, sent to him a letter of this import, namely, that he should have a safe conduct for three weeks, to go and remain wherever he would; also that he might freely come to him in the convent, and, after they should have finished their conference, leave free and unmolested.

Thereupon he voluntarily, with sure confidence in the aforesaid promise, went into the convent; but when he could not consent to the bailiff's demand about his having to go to church, he was confined there, guarded day and night, and then taken to Zürich, imprisoned for a time in the council house, and then in Othenbach (that being the place where also his wife was imprisoned), where he was stripped, and kept a prisoner about sixty weeks; in which time he was in irons sixteen weeks, till he with the other prisoners finally, one Friday before Easter, unexpectedly made his escape.

Afterwards he was again hunted with mad fury, even as before, and driven from one place to another, so that he did not dare to live in his house with his wife.

In the meantime it happened, that his wife, having been delivered of twins, and lain in but eleven days, was surprised by ten thief catchers, who, having surrounded the house by night, entered it with this threat: that if she would not indicate her husband's hiding place, she should not leave the house for six weeks, or else she would have to go to church herself. But when she would not comply with this, two of the ten remained, and guarded her day and night.

This filled the woman with such terror that, seeing their design, she, on a certain very cold night, broke away with her two infants, and went a long unbeaten way, over hill and dale, and thus escaped the enemies' hands, forsaking all that she had, which the authorities rented to strangers, realizing thereby a thousand guilders annually. See ler. Mang. Tract, fol. 13, A.

1640 Ottila Müller died sometime after 1640 in Ettiswil, Luzerne, Switzerland. [10]

Research Notes:

Richard Warren Davis reports a different birth: before 1605 Baschi Mayer was born in Stallikon, Zurich, Switzerland. [11] Jane Evans Best does not report parents for Baschi Meyer [MC]. [12]

c 1629 Baschi Meyer and Ottilia Muller were reported married in Zurich Canton, Switzerland. (FHL AFN XKRS-3B, also reports christening 20 JAN 1591/92 Ettiswil, Luzern, Switzerland)

We seek further documentation about the parents of Baschi Meyer. To our knowledge, only concidence of time, place, and name link Sebastian Meyer, spouse of Ottila Müller, as being the same person as Baschi Meyer, son of Casper and Vreni Meyer.


Footnotes:

[1] Katholische Kirche, Ettiswil, Luzern, Switzerland, Taufen 1585-1649 Heiraten 1589-1650 Tote, Kommunikanten 1590-1650, page 59, [FamilySearchImage], [FSCatalog].

[2] Jane Evans Best, "Meyer Families Update," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 21 (April, 1998), 31-36, at 32.

[3] Jane Evans Best, "Meyer Families Update," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 21 (April, 1998), 31-36, at 32.

[4] Richard Warren Davis, Mennosearch.com Family Notes, Meyer D0, [Website].

[5] Jane Evans Best, "Meyer Families Update," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 21 (April, 1998), 31-36, at 32.

[6] Richard Warren Davis, Mennosearch.com Family Notes, Meyer D0, [Website].

[7] Jane Evans Best, "Meyer Families Update," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 21 (April, 1998), 31-36, at 32.

[8] Richard Warren Davis, Mennosearch.com Family Notes, Meyer D0, [Website].

[9] J. van Braught Thieleman, The Bloody Theater or Martyrs Mirror of the Defenseless Christians (1660), 1112, [InternetArchive].

[10] Jane Evans Best, "Meyer Families Update," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 21 (April, 1998), 31-36, at 32.

[11] Richard Warren Davis, Mennosearch.com Family Notes, Meyer D0 reports birthdate c 1605, [Website].

[12] Jane Evans Best, "Meyer Families Update," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 21 (April, 1998), 31-36, at 32, person MC, reports birthdate c 1595.