Swiss American Historical Society
Encyclopedia
The Swiss American Historical Society (SAHS) was first founded in 1927 in Chicago
and reactivated in 1964 by Lukas F. Burckhardt and Heinz K. Meier. The SAHS unites people interested in the involvement of Swiss and their descendants in American life, in aspects of Swiss American
relations, and in Swiss history. The purpose of the organization is to promote Swiss-American history and to the further the research of history and genealogy
of Swiss immigrants to the United States.
In 1979 the organization published Swiss Genealogical Research: An Introductory Guide by Paul Anthon Nielson, which was a tool for researching family history
. SAHS also distributes Swiss Festivals in North America (1995 & 1999), prepared by Donald Tritt. SAHS interests also reach well beyond historical topics and pertain mostly to the ties between the United States and Switzerland. Issues of the SAHS Review and papers presented at the society's meetings explore a variety of topics related to the history of Swiss-American immigrants.
With members primarily in the United States, Canada, and Switzerland, the SAHS fosters contacts with both sides of the Atlantic and serves as a link between Swiss-Americans, Swiss, and Americans in an effort to promote cultural awareness and mutual understanding.
Jacob Burckhardt and America : Lecture by Guggisberg, Hans R. (Hans Rudolf), 1966.
The Mind of Albert Gallatin <1761-1849>. by Schelbert, Leo, 1967.
The Von Gunten Family History by Van Gunten, Collins S., 1992.
Swiss Festivals in North America. by Tritt, Donald G. 1995, 1999.
By Wonders and by War : a Novel by Williams, Carol, published 1999.
The 1710 von Graffenried Settlement of New Bern, North Carolina 2003.
Index of volumes 1-33 [of Swiss-American Historical Society review] : Tables of Contents, Index of Authors, Personal Names, and Book Reviews by Schelbert, Urspeter and Schmocker, Erdmann, 1997.
Three Hundred Years New Bern, North Carolina by Schelbert, Leo.; Graffenried, Christine de., 2009.
Westward : Encounters with Swiss American Women by Bosshard-Kälin, Susann, 2010.
New Bern 1710-2010 : a Tricentennial Retrospective. 2010.
Swiss Center of North America partners
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and reactivated in 1964 by Lukas F. Burckhardt and Heinz K. Meier. The SAHS unites people interested in the involvement of Swiss and their descendants in American life, in aspects of Swiss American
Swiss American
Swiss Americans are Americans of Swiss descent.There are several ethno-linguistic subgroups among Swiss Americans, including Swiss German-speaking, Swiss French-speaking, and Swiss Italian-speaking....
relations, and in Swiss history. The purpose of the organization is to promote Swiss-American history and to the further the research of history and genealogy
Genealogy
Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
of Swiss immigrants to the United States.
In 1979 the organization published Swiss Genealogical Research: An Introductory Guide by Paul Anthon Nielson, which was a tool for researching family history
Family history
Family history is the systematic narrative and research of past events relating to a specific family, or specific families.- Introduction :...
. SAHS also distributes Swiss Festivals in North America (1995 & 1999), prepared by Donald Tritt. SAHS interests also reach well beyond historical topics and pertain mostly to the ties between the United States and Switzerland. Issues of the SAHS Review and papers presented at the society's meetings explore a variety of topics related to the history of Swiss-American immigrants.
With members primarily in the United States, Canada, and Switzerland, the SAHS fosters contacts with both sides of the Atlantic and serves as a link between Swiss-Americans, Swiss, and Americans in an effort to promote cultural awareness and mutual understanding.
Publications
The Swiss in the United States, a Compilation Prepared for the Swiss-American Historical Society as the Second Volume of its Publications by Grueningen, John Paul von, 1940.Jacob Burckhardt and America : Lecture by Guggisberg, Hans R. (Hans Rudolf), 1966.
The Mind of Albert Gallatin <1761-1849>. by Schelbert, Leo, 1967.
The Von Gunten Family History by Van Gunten, Collins S., 1992.
Swiss Festivals in North America. by Tritt, Donald G. 1995, 1999.
By Wonders and by War : a Novel by Williams, Carol, published 1999.
The 1710 von Graffenried Settlement of New Bern, North Carolina 2003.
Index of volumes 1-33 [of Swiss-American Historical Society review] : Tables of Contents, Index of Authors, Personal Names, and Book Reviews by Schelbert, Urspeter and Schmocker, Erdmann, 1997.
Three Hundred Years New Bern, North Carolina by Schelbert, Leo.; Graffenried, Christine de., 2009.
Westward : Encounters with Swiss American Women by Bosshard-Kälin, Susann, 2010.
New Bern 1710-2010 : a Tricentennial Retrospective. 2010.
Swiss American Clubs in the United States
An extensive list of Swiss Clubs can be found on the Swiss Center of North America's website:Swiss Center of North America partners
Other Swiss Historical Societies
- Beech Island Historical Society Historical Society in South Carolina dedicated to the preservation of Historic Beech Island, including the early Swiss settlement led by John Tobler.
- Grundy County Swiss Historical Society Historical society in Grundy County Tennessee, site of former Swiss colony of Gruetli.
- Highland Historical Society a historical society centered in Highland, IL, site of one of the oldest Swiss settlements in the United States. It was founded in 1831 by Swiss pioneers from Sursee, Switzerland.
- Orangeburgh German-Swiss Genealogical Society A Genealogical society focused on the early Swiss and German settlers of Orangeburgh, South Carolina.
- Santa Clara Utah Historical Society Historical Society dedicated to the preservation of an early Swiss Settlement in Utah.
- Swiss Heritage Village & Museum The Swiss Heritage Village & Museum was begun in 1985, and is currently the largest outdoor museum in northern Indiana. It is located in Berne, Indiana.
- Swiss Mennonite Cultural and Historical Association The Swiss Mennonite Cultural and Historical Association consists of descendants of the Mennonites who immigrated to the USA from Ukraine in the 1870s.
Articles about Swiss in the United States
- The History of New Schwanden Swiss community Hennepin County, Minnesota is the story of a former Swiss colony in Minnesota written by By Wayne C. Blesi.
- The Swiss In Utah from the Utah History Encyclopedia written by Brigham Young University emeritus professor Douglas F. Tobler.
- Swiss Americans Article by University of Illinois - Chicago emeritus professor Dr. Leo Schelbert about Swiss Americans.
- Settling Berne Article by Harold Miller about Berne, NY.
Information about Switzerland
- The Local: Switzerland's news in English Daily review of Swiss news stories in English.
- [www.swissinfo.ch Swissinfo] is an English language website maintained by the Swiss government to inform people of news and events in Switzerland.
Research Links
- Keith Zollinger Collection of Swiss Manuscripts Brigham Young University-Idaho Special Collections at the David O. McKay Library.
- The Archives of Le Temps Archival collection of every Journal de Geneve, Gazette de Lausanne and Nouveau Quotidien.
- The Swiss American Historical Society Records 1927-1985, including correspondence, reports, minutes and other materials, are available for research use at the Historical Society of PennsylvaniaHistorical Society of PennsylvaniaThe Historical Society of Pennsylvania is a historical society founded in 1824 and based in Philadelphia. The Society's building, designed by Addison Hutton and listed on Philadelphia's Register of Historical Places, houses some 600,000 printed items and over 19 million manuscript and graphic items...
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- Swiss Colonies in Tennessee and Kentucky Collection, 1830-1938 University of Tennessee Special Collections Library, Knoxville, TN.
- Swiss Posters Collection The Swiss Poster Collection at Carnegie Mellon University.
- Swiss Benevolent Society of Chicago Housed at the University of Illinois at Chicago in the Richard J. Daley Library's Special Collections Department.
- Swiss Society of New Orleans records, 1855-2010 Housed at Tulane University as part of the Louisiana Research Collection, at the Howard-Tilton Memorial Library.
- Swiss Singing Society of Chicago Housed at the University of Illinois at Chicago in the Richard J. Daley Library's Special Collections Department.
- Swiss Prints Collection Graphic Arts Collection in the Department of Rare Books and Special Collections at Princeton University Library.
- Holden Rightmyer/American Swiss Company Papers 1933-1946 The Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections at The University of Toledo.
- Richard Bird missionary notebook from the Swiss/Austrian mission Housed at the Harold B. Lee Library at Brigham Young University.
- Swiss and German Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Housed at the Harold B. Lee Library at Brigham Young University.
- Walter Kiener, Papers Housed in the Archives & Special Collections at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries.
- Bluntschli (Johann Casper) 1808-1881 Collection 1750-1884 Housed at the Special Collections of the Milton S. Eisenhower Library at The Johns Hopkins University.
- Eddie Rickenbacker Papers Housed at Auburn University Special Collections and Archives.
- The Papers of J. Warren White Housed at the Patricia W. and J. Douglas Perry Library, Old Dominion University.
- Herbert Matter Papers Housed in Special Collections Green Library Stanford University.
- The Rièse collection Housed at The Victoria University Library of the University of Toronto.
- Swiss imprints in French Housed in University of Cambridge.
- The John Lyman Ballif Papers Housed at the J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah.
- Robert Billigmeier Collection Hosted by University of California, Santa Barbara.
- Hoehn and Müller families papers, 1828-1980s Housed at Tulane University as part of the Louisiana Research Collection, at the Howard-Tilton Memorial Library.
- German and Swiss Colonization in Morgan County, Tennessee, 1925 Housed at University of Tennessee Libraries, Knoxville, Special Collections.
- Mennonite Historical Collections Very extensive Collection of Swiss and Swiss-American Mennonite information hosted in the Archives and Special Collections Librarian at Musselman Library, Bluffton University.