Important Documentation for Lena (Ursula) Kunferman and Her Family

My father often mentioned that "Uncle John" Kunferman migrated to Canada. He was a logger and may have sought the solace of the backwoods to escape some of the tensions of family life in Eau Claire. I have found consular documents that provide us with a great deal of information about John and his sojourn in Canada.

These documents also confirm the origins of John's father, and by extension, mother in Switzerland. In fact, the documentation for John is supported by an affidavit on file with the US Consulate in Vancouver, B.C. from John Kunferman senior as to his date of birth and origins. So, we have signed and witnessed documentation as to the background of our ancestors in Switzerland.

[Due to copyright restrictions, I will not post the images obtained from Ancestry. Instead, I will transcribe the document in a later post. However, it would be good to get some other information out in this post that is now partially confirmed by this information.]

The documentation was lodged with the US Consulate in Vancouver, B.C. in 1918 after his marriage to Susie Louise Robertson (born Toronto) in St. Andrews in Vancouver on 17 September 1817. There were affidavits submitted including one from John senior that he had been born on 25 November 1852 in Graubun [sic], Grison, Switzerland. He arrived in the US in March of 1873. John J. junior was born 15 August 1885. He was not the first John in the family. Johann and Annie had a son, Johann, shortly after their arrival. He like many of the other children of the various Kunferman cousins seem to have perished in infancy.

From LDS data (various sources) obtained in 2006, we have the following information about John senior [treat as starting points for further investigations until established with documents]:

A John, Johann, Kunferman or Kumferman was born either 18 or 25 November (perhaps born one date and baptised the other) 1852 in Almens (Almen, Romansch) or Schied, Graubunden or Grandeour, Vaud, Switzerland. His father was Josua, Joshua or Johann Kunferman or Kumferman. (He could have been Josua Johann or Johann Josua.) His mother was Barbara Crestfall, Christophel, Christofel or Christoffel. 

He married Annie or Anna Kunferman or Kumferman on 7 April 1872 Schied, Graubunden, Switzerland.

Annie was born on 25 December 1849 in Bergen or Bergun, Graubunden, Switzerland. She was the daughter of Louis (perhaps Lutzi) Kunferman and Octavia Kunferman.

Something to bear in mind: the families seem to have been quite thick and their naming patterns does make it difficult to sort through. My great grandmother's baptismal certificate lists her as Ursula Kunfermann, Child of John Kunfermann and his wife Anna nee Kunfermann. Born at Eau Claire, Wis., July 1, 1882. Was baptized on the 23 of July In the year of our Lord 1882 in the Name of the Father, and the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Witnesses Josua & Ursula Kunfermann, Katherina Knoessfel. Pastor, George Recknagel, Evangelical Lutheran Church (St. John's). [BTW, the doubled-n is probably a Germanic influence of the congregation and pastor.]  

Here are the children of John and Annie Kunferman as I am aware:

Johann (m) 6 May 1873-20 August 1878(?)

Ottilie (f) 18 July 1875-?

Anna (f) 25 June 1877-19 April 1967 [m. Bruno Frederick Bleichrodt] 

Lutzi (Louis/Lewis) (m) 27 September 1879-?

Ursula (Lena) (f) 1 July 1882-22 June 1938

Johann (John) Jacob 15 August 1885-16 September 1950 

Joseph C. 29 March 1888-18 March 1962

Benjamin John 21 December 1891-27 September 1963 who often went by Kumferman 

Harry Jacob 13 January 1895-3 June 1972