Hand Tinted Beieler Family Portrait (abt 1890)Emma Jane Beyeler was born on 24 Jan 1878 in Wahlern, Bern, Switzerland to parents Johannes Beyeler and Magdalena Krenger.1
While her father arrived in 1881, Emma arrived at the age of 5 with her mother in 1883, two years after her father.1 It was very common for married men to arrive by themselves and work to establish a new life prior to the arrival of their wife and children. The Beieler family had officially settled in Wayne county, Ohio by 1888 when father John was naturalized.2
Emma grew up in Wayne county, Ohio and again, her amount of schooling isn’t exactly known but she was able to read and write and is noted as being able to speak French & English.
Winkler Family in front of old Winkler Cabin (1907)Emma married Thomas E. Winkler on 27 Jul 1895 in Wayne County, Ohio by E.M. Beck.3
Thomas and Emma started out their lives together living in Smithville Village in Green, Wayne, Ohio where they rented a home and Thomas worked as a Day Laborer.4 Emma gave birth to two sons, Welker & Glenford, while they were living in Smithville.
By 25 Apr 1910 the Winkler family had moved to Congress, Wayne, Ohio. Here Tom rented a farm in Congress Township and took up farming as his occupation.5
Emma in Wooster (abt 1920)By 15 Jan 1920, Tom & Emma were living at 658 Belmont Ave. in Wooster, OH with their children Welker & Glenford. Tom was no longer farming and was back to work as a machinist in the machine manufacturing industry.6
Emma wrote in her day book that on the 16 Nov 1924 Tom suffered a stroke in Wooster, Wayne, Ohio. He would recover, however Tom and Emma spent the next few years moving between relative’s houses while nursing Tom back to health.7
By 03 Apr 1930, Tom and Emma were living at 646 Nold Ave. in Wooster with his mother Catharine, who he’s charging $15 rent. Tom has recovered by this time and lists that he is working as a farmer and machinist for own business while Emma is working as Servant for a private residence.8
Emma, Tom & great-grandson Gerald (1944)Tom passed away on 9 Dec 1944 in Wooster at the age of 73 years old after 2 weeks of heart trouble. He had been diagnosed with coronary artery disease just over two years prior and that was determined to be the official cause of death.9 He was buried on 12 Dec 1944 at the Overton Church of God Cemetery (5575 Mechanicsburg Road) in Wooster, OH.10
Emma died on 19 Sep 1955 in Wooster Township, Wayne, Ohio from a Heart Attack.1 She was buried next to her husband Tom and son Glenn on 22 Sep 1955 in Overton Church of God Cemetery in Chester Township, Wayne, Ohio.10 The Wooster Daily Record newspaper notes that Emma was a member of the Methodist Church and Eastern Star Lodge.1
FATHER:
Johannes Beyeler, 03 Sep 1854 - 10 Feb 1925
MOTHER:
Magdalena Krenger, 24 Jun 1853 - 11 Aug 1924
SPOUSE:
Thomas E. Winkler, 19 Apr 1871 - 09 Dec 1944
CHILDREN:
- Welker John Winkler, 25 Feb 1896 – 26 Feb 1976
- Glenford Leroy Winkler, 17 Jul 1898 – 18 Nov 1932
A Switzerland civil records are locked for 1875 and beyond, so access to Emma's birth and her parent's marriage records are out of the question at this time.
B I've made an assumption that Emma was of Schwarzenburg, Switzerland. There are currently no accessible records that I have uncovered to prove or disprove this. Emma's father was of Schwarzenburg, Wahlern, Bern, Switzerland and the records I've found of Emma list her as being of Wahlern (which I take as a generalization). Emma's mother was from outside of the Wahlern area in Thun, so I rule that possibility out entirely.
