Niclaus (Claus) Stauffer, b. c1552. d. after 1611, Luchsmatt, Eggiwil. He was married to Cathrin (Trini) Leeman, probably the daughter of the Anabaptist Ulrich and Barbli Leeman of Kapf, Eggiwil. He was a sponsor with Wolfgang Tailor at the baptism of Hans son of Bernard Jost and Anna Schenk on 4 Mar 1571 at Röthenbach. He was a sponsor at a baptism at Röthenbach on 16 Dec 1579. He was of Luchsmatt when he was a sponsor at the baptism of Barbli, daughter of Peter Blouwer and Appolonia on 21 Mar 1591 at Signau. His wife Cathrin was a sponsor with Hans Blonier and Christina Neukommet at the baptism of Elsi, daughter of Tobias Neukommet and Maria Agerter on 22 Apr 1593 at Signau. Trini, wife of Claus Stauffer was a sponsor with Verena Stauffer, wife of Claus Schenk at the baptism of Elsbeth, daughter of Tobias Neukommet on 28 May 1595 at Signau. Cathrin Leeman was a sponsor at the baptism of Cathrin daughter of Andreas Stauffer at Röthenbach on 26 Oct 1584. In 1597 Niclaus Stauffer was listed as the owner of Luchsmatt farm. On 18 Mar 1599 he was of Luchsmatt when his wife Cathrin was a sponsor at the baptism of Verena daughter of Christian Liechti and Elsi Bichsel at Signau. On 22 Feb 1601,Claus Stouffer, Cathrin Leeman, Anni Leeman and Agatha Salzman were sponsors at the baptism of Daniel Lugenbul’s daughter Anni at Signau. On 30 Jan 1614, Catherina Leeman was a sponsor at the baptism of Tobias son of Tobias Neukommet and Maria Aegerter.

Children:

1. Peter Stauffer, b. c1579. Peter Stauffer was called “der jung in dem Luchsmatt” (the young of Luchsmatt) when he and Ulrich Stouffer “der jung” of Abnit were sponsors at the baptism of Ulrich, son of Christian Liechti and Elsi on 18 Dec 1597 at Signau. The same baptism was reported at Röthenbach and Peter was called son of Claus Stouffer in Luchsmatt and Uli Stouffer was called Hans’ son of Abnit. He married Aggli Salzman, daughter of Christian Salzman on 16 Dec 1599 at Signau. On 29 Dec 1599, Peter’s wife Aggli was a sponsor at a baptism at Signau. Peter was a sponsor with Anna wife of Claus Salzman at the baptism of Madlena daughter of Hans Witwer and Barbli Salzman on 2 Mar 1600 at Signau. Agatha was a sponsor with Claus Stouffer and Catherina Leeman and Anni Leeman at the baptism of Anni daughter of Daniel Lugenbul and Barbli Baderscher on 22 Feb 1601 at Signau. She was called Agata Saltzman in 1603 and 1613. Aggli daughter of Christian Salzman was a sponsor at the baptism of Hans son of Hans Schnyder and Barbli Stouffer on 5 Dec 1596 at Signau with Niclaus Schenk of Fischbach, Benedict Opliger of Fambach. Agatha was a sponsor at a baptism at Signau on 3 Feb 1605. Peter was a sponsor at Signau on 15 Sep 1605. Peter lived at Furen in Eggiwil in 1613 when he baptized his son Hans.

2. Christian Stauffer, b. c1581. d. after 1671, Dirmstein, Bayern, Germany. Christen Stauffer married Adelheit Opliger, daughter of Peter Opliger and Adelheit Blonier on 18 Jun 1610 at Signau and the marriage was reported at Röthenbach. He married secondly Asenath Friedrich. Adelheid his first wife died in May 1656 and then in July 1656, Christian lived together with Asenath Friedrich either at Glashütte or at Hinten in Eggiwil.1 Christian and Asenath were not married at the state church, which would probably indicate an Anabaptist marriage. He was called son of Claus Stouffer when he and Christian Stouffer, son of Wolfgang were sponsors at the baptism of Christian son of Daniel Buerki and Margret Rugsegger at Signau (reported at Röthenbach) in 1609. On 6 Nov 1611, Christian was called son of Claus of Luchsmatt farm when he baptized his daughter Madlena at Röthenbach. On 28 Apr 1622 he was called an “Offenthler toüffer” (publicly known Anabaptist) when his brother Uli Stouffer brought Christian’s son Peter to baptism. He was first mentioned at Glashütte in a document dated in May 1618.2 He was also mentioned there on 19 Apr 1649.3

3. Anna Stauffer, b. c1583. She married Mathias Hirschi on 8 Jan 1604 at Signau. They lived at Knubel in Eggiwil. She was called daughter of Claus Stauffer when she was a sponsor at the baptism of Barbli, daughter of Tobias Neukommet and Maria Aegerter on 27 Jan 1600 at Signau.

4. Ulrich Stauffer, b. c1585. He was married to Barbli Aegerter on 3 Jun 1605 at Signau. He was called son of Claus Stouffer of Luchsmatt when he, Anni, wife of Daniel Stauffer of Eggiwil, Claus Schenk of Fischbach, Peter Walck and Anni, Peter Widmer’s wife were sponsors at a baptism of Johannes Rudolph’s child at Signau on 29 Jan 1609, which was reported at Röthenbach. He was called of Luchsmatt when he was a sponsor at the baptism of Niclaus son of Hans Aegerter and Margret Schenk of Fischbach, Röthenbach with Daniel Stouffer of Eggiwil and Adelheit Opliger on 7 Aug 1614. His wife Barbli Aegerter was a sponsor at the baptism of Christian son of Christian Stouffer and Adelheit Opliger. He was apparently the Ulrich Stauffer who lived at Luchsmatt on 11 Nov 1615 when a mortgage letter was made by him for 1500 Pfund against Stephan Moser, with the bondsman being Andreas Stauffer of Burg and witnesses being Niclaus Schenk of Fischbach, Tobias Neukommet of Zilmatt, the miller Hans Rytz, Peter Widmer at the Muehle and Uli Stauffer at Dieboldswil.1 His wife Barbli Aegerter was a sponsor with Peter Stouffer at the baptism of a child of Jörg Burger at Signau which was reported at Röthenbach on 7 Dec 1628

5. [?] Catherina Stauffer, b. c1587. She was a sponsor at the baptism of Madlena daughter of Ulrich Krähenbuehl and Madlena Stauffer on 19 Oct 1623 at Grosshöchstetten.

6. Elsbeth Stauffer, b. 30 Mar 1589, Signau. Two of her sponsors at her baptism were Peter Bloüwer and Margret Hirschi. She was called Claus Stauffer’s daughter when she and Anni, Daniel Stauffer’s wife were sponsors at Signau at the baptism of Daniel Stram’s twins of Eggiwil on 25 Jun 1607. Stram’s twins baptisms were reported at Röthenbach. She may be the Elsbeth Stauffer who married Hans Risser on 8 Apr 1622 at Signau.

7. Barbli Stauffer, b. 18 Apr 1591, Signau and reported at Röthenbach. d. by 1594, Luchsmatt, Eggiwil. Two of the sponsors at her baptism were Peter Luginbuhl of Oberhofen and Trini Leichti. She was born in Signau Parish but was baptized at Röthenbach.

8. Hans Stauffer, b. 5 Nov 1592, born in Eggiwil and baptized at Signau and reported at Röthenbach. Two of the sponsors at his baptism were Hans Risser and Benedict Zinck according to Signau records and according to Röthenbach records the sponsors were Hans Hebysen, Christen Lichti and Catherina Salzman, Wolfgang Stouffer’s wife in Eggiwil. He was probably the Hans Stouffer who was a witness with Daniel Stouffer and Verena Moser (probable wife of Peter Stouffer) on 28 Apr 1622 at the baptism of Peter son of Christian Stouffer and Adelheit Opliger at Signau. He may be the Hans Stauffer who married Anna Hebysen on 24 Feb 1617 at Signau. Anna Heybsen was a witness to the baptism of Anna daughter of Cunrad Aeschbacher and Barbli Stauffer on 27 Feb 1659 at Eggiwl.

9. Barbli Stauffer, b. 28 Apr 1594, Signau. She married Daniel Schwartz, possibly the son of Daniel Schwartz and Elsi Büelhofer on 9 Nov 1615 at Grosshöchstetten. The sponsors at her baptism were Wolfgang Stouffer’s “jungfrau Anni Steiner”, Bernhart Agerter, der jung and Uli Leeman’s wife Elsi of Kapf. She was called daughter of Claus Stouffer of Luchsmatt when she was a sponsor at the baptism of Barbli, daughter of Peter Nüman on 13 Dec 1612 at Röthenbach. She was called daughter of Claus when she and Christen Stouffer, Wolfgang’s son were sponsors at a baptism at Röthenbach on 27 Dec 1612. She was a sponsor at the baptism of twins, Hans and Uli sons of Ulrich Schwartz and Anna Blaser. Her husband Daniel was the sponsor at the baptism of Katrin daughter of Uli Krähenbuehl and Madlena Stouffer on 14 Mar 1619 at Grosshöchstetten. She was a sponsor at the baptism of Vereni daughter of Peter Blaser and Catherina Schwartz on 25 Nov 1626 at Grosshöchstetten. She was of Aberswyl when she was a sponsor at the baptism of Catherina daughter of Ulrich Stettler and Barbli Schwartz in December 1628 at Grosshöchstetten.

10. Madlena Stauffer, b. 16 Jan 1596, Signau. She married Ulrich Krähenbühl of Grosshöchstetten on 21 Apr 1616 at Signau. The sponsors at her baptism were Ulrich Aegerter of Heupel (Heidbühl), Barbli wife of Peter Rytz, Pauli Saltzman’s (deceased) daughter Madlena, young wife of Wolfgang Stauffer. Her baptism was reported at Röthenbach as “Hans”, child of Niclaus Stouffer of Eggiwil and Madlena at Signau.

11. Lucia Stauffer, b. 8 May 1597, Signau. She married Michael Röthlisberger (b. 5 Nov 1598), son of Hans and Barbli (Rotenbüler) Röthlisberger of Langnau on 12 Oct 1621 at Signau. The sponsors at her baptism were Con Wÿs, Christian Liechti’s wife Elsi and Tobias Neukommet’s unnamed wife.

12. Margret Stauffer, b. 24 Feb 1600, Signau. d. 1600, Luchsmatt, Eggiwil. The sponsors at her baptism were Peter Rytz of Müli, Hans Signethaler’s wife Ursula and Peter Widmer’s wife Anna.

13. Margret Stauffer, b. 22 Jan 1601, Signau. She was called Claus’ daughter on 17 Nov 1611 when she was a witness at the baptism of Verena daughter of Benedict Opliger and Margret Henni at Signau. She was probably the Margret Stouffer who married Niclaus Stram on 11 Feb 1625 at Grosshöchstetten. They lived at Steiman in Signau in 1629. They lived at Sunenägerter in Signau in 1631. She was a sponsor at the baptism of Barbli daughter of Adelrich Meyer and Anna Schnider on 8 Jul 1632 at Signau and it was reported in the Grosshöchstetten.

research by Richard W. Davis