Hi Robert, You asked about researching pre-1555 records. Pre-1555 generally excludes church records. When you write to a Staatsarchiv and are given the names of one or two "researchers" with whom you can "make arrangements", very often this means only records within the Staatsarchiv facility itself get searched, especially in winter. Yet almost all pre-1555 records consist of: land records marriage contracts wills inventories mortgages etc. And these are generally filed at the local or district courthouse rather than inside the Staatsarchiv. Not every "researcher" is willing to exit the Staatsarchiv and search courthouse records. Yet this is exactly where there is the best chance of finding pre-1555 records. Sometimes indexed, sometimes not. ALWAYS MAKE SURE THE LOCAL LIBRARY IN THE HEIMATORT (HOMETOWN) HAS BEEN SEARCHED FOR AN ALREADY COMPLETED GENEALOGY OF YOUR SIPPE (CLAN). If it can be arranged within your personal time and expense resources, it is always best to conduct these early searches yourself, on site, with a bi-lingual archivist supplied by the Staatsarchiv or Zivilstandsamt (civil registrar) accompanying you. Usually such an arrangement can be made for a three-day search at a rate of $175 per day, plus 21¢ a mile if transportation is furnished (and you pay all traffic fines). Again, for records earlier than 1600 it is often productive to specifically insure that the search has included (not skipped) all land and notarial-type records. If the search is not personally observed, and thereby assured, records located external to the main archival record bank will often be skipped. This is especially true if they are located in the local or district courthouse, and possibly not yet indexed. I. LAND RECORDS, WILLS, NOTARIAL RECORDS. WILLS (Testamente) The location of wills is a good illustration of the problems in a federated state. Because of the autonomous situation of the cantons, each has developed its own systems and ideas over the years. The earliest wills date back to the twelfth century and they can be found in state or city archives, or in local or district courthouses. Until 1912 the probating (proving) of wills was entirely the responsibility of the cantons. But in that year the law was changed and the responsibility devolved on the federal government. In the case of death, the will has to be submitted to a judge or other federal authority who deals with matters of succession for proof of probate, regardless of whether the will has been retained in private hands, or lodged in the office of a notary. Searching for wills, therefore, involves making contact with both courts and notaries. However, persistence pays off, and I know of several instances where wills have been eventually found as far back as 1400. NOTARIAL RECORDS (Notariatsregister) These date from the fourteenth century and include: 1) land records (Katasterbücher) which list the inheritors of land for several generations, together with details of their addresses, ages and occupations. 2) marriage contracts (Eheverträge) which were always drawn up whenever property was involved and which give the full names of the couple, their ages, the names of their parents, places of birth, and current residence. 3) inventories (Bestandsaufnahmen) which list all property and possessions left by a deceased, together with the name and age, the address, occupation and the same for surviving family members. 4) mortgages (Hypotheken) which list not only mortgages but also loans against property, contract for real estate sales, and the full names and addresses of the parties involved. The more recent of the above records are in the local courthouse (Kantonal- und Amtsgericht). Older records are in the canton and state archives. Many of them have been indexed." Unquote II. Land records: They are kept districtwise (a district is a couple of communities together), on the so called Notariat- und Grundbuchamt, an official government office. Old documents always show the Assekuranz-Nummer (the number of the fire insurance), and therefore the Katasterbücher der Brandassekuranz (books of the official fire insurance) are most usefull for family research. These books are kept in the Staatsarchiv (State archives). Every Kanton has one Staatsarchiv. Nowdays every property has an Assekuranz-Nummer and a Kataster-Nummer. The Kataster is a division (classification) of the land, the Assekuranz belongs to the building. So if someone buys a house, he always has the above mentionned 2 numbers (one for the building and one for the land it stands on). The government registers all transfers of property, with grantee and grantor. That has always been that way. Nowadays ( I think since 1996) transfers are are to be published monthly in the Amtsblatt, the official newspaper of the government of each Kanton. Every person can buy it. Before that year it was not easy to find out about transfers of property; it was more or less secret! I think now there is one standard for the whole confederation ( I will find out). For family research it is not advisable to contact the Notariat-and Grundbuchamt (very expensive to get a Grundbuchauszug =extract from the land register).It's better to contact the the State Archives. Some people who do family research also use the Steuerregister (register of income taxes), the Haushaltungsrodel (not in use anymore, an old register of the households) and the Bevölkerungsverzeichnis (a register of the inhabitans). All these books are also kept at the State Archives, as well as the old church records (where, before 1876, birth, death, marriage, babtism was written down, before the State took over these duties). Street addresses: Most Swiss cities and towns have City Directories, with a map of the city and the streets indicated on it. Besides the streets are listed alphabetically. These Directories may be ordered in cities at the Verkehrsverein (tourist information), in small communities at the Gemeindeverwaltung (office of the community council). Old street directories are also available in the libraries. Pete Mattli [email protected] [3-ggg's] ========================================= Subj: Re: [SWITZ] Cemetery & Researching before 1555 Date: 9/20/2002 10:08:28 PM Eastern Daylight Time From: <A HREF="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</A> To: <A HREF="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</A> Sent from the Internet (Details) Hi, I only received one response on the researching before 1555 question and it really did not tell me anything. robert

Thanks to Pete Mattli for his wonderful article! >ALWAYS MAKE SURE THE LOCAL LIBRARY IN THE HEIMATORT (HOMETOWN) HAS BEEN SEARCHED FOR AN >ALREADY COMPLETED GENEALOGY OF YOUR SIPPE (CLAN). > The term 'sippe' is new to me. Can you explain it? Kjell O Hattrem