Melchior' first wife Barbara Frey presented him with 8 children. Only one child married. Barbara died 10 days after delivering her last child. Barbara was from Zwillikon which is a mile and a half east of Ottenbach. Zwillikon (Swiss German: Zwilike) is a village in the municipality of Affoltern am Albis in the canton of Zurich in Switzerland.
Melchior then married Elsbeth Stierli 15 January 1715 or four years after the death of his first wife. Most men who lost wives during this time in Switzerland remarried within a year or two. They had jobs requiring them to be out of the home and they needed someone to take care of the home front. In this case all children but Verena had passed when Elsbeth came into the home so she was the stepmother to one child. The marriage lasted until Elsbeth's death in 1724 or 9 years. No death date or death record has been found for Melchior.
Melchior then married Elsbeth Stierli 15 January 1715 or four years after the death of his first wife. Most men who lost wives during this time in Switzerland remarried within a year or two. They had jobs requiring them to be out of the home and they needed someone to take care of the home front. In this case all children but Verena had passed when Elsbeth came into the home so she was the stepmother to one child. The marriage lasted until Elsbeth's death in 1724 or 9 years. No death date or death record has been found for Melchior.
Most people from early times until 1850 married someone within walking distance. This marriage was definitely within walking distance.
During Melchior's lifetime:
1689 - 1694 Hunger crisis leads to large population losses
1689 - 1694 Hunger crisis leads to large population losses
1600 - 1800 Switzerland is a loose confederacy of 13 cities and small valley communities dominating the rest of the country. A few families control state affairs. The country is proud of its tradition of democracy. (Ottenbach Municipality website)
Wolf:
132-2-3-5) Melchior Sidler ooI Barbara Frei, ooII Elsbeth Stierli
Melchior Sidler, ≈ Ottenbach 26.03.1670, son of Hans Rudolf, + after 1724.
ooI Ottenbach 11.02.1696
Barbara Frei of Zwillikon, + Ottenbach 14.05.1711
Children:
14.03.1697 Margaretha, + 02.10.1706
29.05.1698 Verena
22.10.1699 Verena, [according to Billeter oo 29.05.1731 whom?] possibly oo 23.01.1731 Hans Jakob Grob von Wolsen (?)
13.02.1701 Anna, + 08.07.1704
25.02.1703 Heinrich, + 27.09.1706
29.06.1704 Verena, + 04.09.1706
22.11.1705 Hans Jakob
04.05.1711 Daughter, + 04.05.1711
Melchior Sidler (1670-?)
ooII Ottenbach 15.01.1715
Elsbeth Stierli,
+ Ottenbach 04.05.1724
Children: none known
 |
| Melchior birth 26 March 1670 film 8014328 page 206 |
den 25. t(en) Augusti [1670]
Kind: Melcher.
Elter(en): Hannß Ruodj Sÿdler Wagners Sohn hir / Margareth Grobin.
Zeügen: Melcher Schneewelj allhir / Veroneck Häberlig Küffers Tochter.
Thode says Kuffer means Cooper. My ggrandfather James Gardiner was a Cooper in Dundee, Scotland.
Allhir= in this place. This is an often used term in these records meaning Ottenbach. Thanks, KG
Wolf:
d(en) 11. Febr(uarii) [1696]
Melcher Sÿdler von Ottenbach
Barbara Frejin von Zwilliken
Wolf:
Melchior Sÿdler v(nd) Elßbeth Stierlj zu Ott(en)b(a)ch eod(em) [= same day = 15 Jan 1715]
Barbel Freÿ, oben dieses Melcher Sÿdlers g(e)l(iebtes) Eheweib zu Ottenbach.
"oben dieses Melcher" refers to the previous entry:
Den 4. Maÿ dem Melcher Sÿdler zu Ottenbach ein frühgebohrenes ehel(iches) Töchterlj.
On 04.05.1711 a prematurely born daughter of Melcher Sidler died - no name (likely not baptised). Likely the mother died from complications a few days later.
Barbel Freÿ, above this Melcher Sÿdlers g(e)l(iebtes) Eheweibes zu Ottenbach.
“oben dieses Melcher” refers to the previous entry:
Den 4. Maÿ dem Melcher Sÿdler zu Ottenbach ein frühgebohrenes ehel(iches) Töchterlj.
On 04.05.1711 a prematurely born daughter of Melcher Sidler died - no name (likely not baptized). Likely the mother died from complications a few days later.
Wolf:
Elsbeth Stierlj, Melcher Sÿdlers Eheweib zu Otenb(a)ch.
den 4. Maji [1724]
Allhir= in this place. This is an often used term in these records meaning Ottenbach. Thanks, KG
 |
| 1696 Melchior Sidler marriage to Barbara Frey Ottenbach page 357 |
d(en) 11. Febr(uarii) [1696]
Melcher Sÿdler von Ottenbach
Barbara Frejin von Zwilliken
 |
| 1715 Melchior Sidler marriage Elsbeth Stierlj 15 January Ottenbach page 362 |
Melchior Sÿdler v(nd) Elßbeth Stierlj zu Ott(en)b(a)ch eod(em) [= same day = 15 Jan 1715]
 |
| 1711 Barbara Frey burial 14 May Ottenbach pge 396 |
Wolf:
Den 14. d(it)o [14.05.1711]Barbel Freÿ, oben dieses Melcher Sÿdlers g(e)l(iebtes) Eheweib zu Ottenbach.
"oben dieses Melcher" refers to the previous entry:
Den 4. Maÿ dem Melcher Sÿdler zu Ottenbach ein frühgebohrenes ehel(iches) Töchterlj.
On 04.05.1711 a prematurely born daughter of Melcher Sidler died - no name (likely not baptised). Likely the mother died from complications a few days later.
Translation from deepl
Den 14. d(it)o [14.05.1711]Barbel Freÿ, above this Melcher Sÿdlers g(e)l(iebtes) Eheweibes zu Ottenbach.
“oben dieses Melcher” refers to the previous entry:
Den 4. Maÿ dem Melcher Sÿdler zu Ottenbach ein frühgebohrenes ehel(iches) Töchterlj.
On 04.05.1711 a prematurely born daughter of Melcher Sidler died - no name (likely not baptized). Likely the mother died from complications a few days later.
 |
| 1724 Elsbeth Stierli 4 Mar burial page 399 |
Elsbeth Stierlj, Melcher Sÿdlers Eheweib zu Otenb(a)ch.
den 4. Maji [1724]
 |
| Sidler and Hegetschweiler Temple Record Book by Julius Billeter page 18 |
 |
| Sidler Hegetschweiler Temple Record by Julius Billeter page 26 |
 |
| Sidler Hegetschweiler Temple Record by Julius Billeter page 35 Verena, the only child of Melchior to marry. |