• This is the 30th installment in this series. 
Click here for the previous installment.
• An index to this series is at the bottom of this column.

Abraham Steiner was the sixth child of John (or Johann) and Elizabeth Stauffer Steiner, a Mennonite couple both born in Alsace, France.

John, as a young non-combatant, was drafted into Napoleon’s army. During training in 1815, he and another Mennonite, John Bösiger, deserted twice, but were caught both times. The third time they escaped to Switzerland. From there John and Elizabeth emigrated to Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. 

In 1822 John and Elizabeth moved to Wayne County, Ohio. Later they moved to rural Bluffton, when in 1834, the couple purchased 240 acres on what is today Columbus Grove Road.

John Bosiger also eventually emigrated to rural Bluffton.

John and Elizabeth’s son, Abraham, was first married to Katharina Hübscher. Katharina died three months after they were married of black typhoid fever, leaving no children.

Circa 1853 Abraham married Mary Ann Kohler Hochstettler, a young widow with an 8-month-old daughter, Susan. Mary Anne Kohler emigrated from Switzerland to America, and her father died during the voyage and was buried at sea. Mary Ann Kohler Hochstettler’s first husband, Jonathan, died May 10, 1853.

More on John Steiner
Following the death of his first wife, Elizabeth, John married Anna Burkholder on Dec. 7, 1848. She was born Dec. 23, 1823. John and Anna died in rural Bluffton three days apart, one on March 3, 1865.

Jonathan and Mary Ann Kohler Hochstetler's children

Susan Hochstettler Diller
Born: Sept. 18, 1852
Died: Jan. 24, 1924

Spouse: David D. Diller
Born: Aug. 28, 1843
Died: Oct. 23, 1907
The couple had 10 children

Abraham and Mary Ann Kohler Hochstetler Steiner’s children

Jonathan Steiner
Born: Oct. 26, 1855
Died: Sept. 11, 1890

Spouse: Salome Holdeman
Born: July 24, 1859
Died: June 20, 1947

The family settled in Kansas
The couple had 9 children

Catharine Steiner
Born: March 28, 1857
Died: 1867

Jacob H. Steiner
Born: Dec. 15, 1858
Died: Oct. 16, 1930

Spouse: Anna Diller
Born: July 23, 1858
March 4, 1904
The couple had 5 children

Sarah Ann Steiner
Born: March 15, 1860
Died: In infancy

Samuel W. Steiner
Born: May 28, 1861
Died: Dec. 20, 1939

Spouse: Sarah Neuenschwander
Born: Dec. 20, 1866
Died: Nov. 15, 1950
The couple had 6 children

Mary Ann Steiner Lugibill
Born: Jan. 3, 1863
Died: May 15, 1954

Spouse: David P. Lugibill
Born: May 11, 1862
Died: April 15, 1896
The couple had 8 children

Lydia Steiner Rupp
Born: July 10, 1865
Died: April 1, 1950

Spouse: Benjamin Rupp
Born: Aug. 19, 1862
Died: 1934
The family settled near Flanagan, Illinois
The couple had 6 children

Paul Abraham Steiner
Born: Dec. 10, 1867
Died: June 12, 1939

Spouse: Magdalene Gerig (sister of Susan Gerig Steiner)
Born: April 17, 1870
Died: Jan. 19, 1906
The family settled near Woodburn, Indiana
The couple had 6 children

Spouse: Hannah B. Gerig
Born: Aug. 24, 1865
Died: Nov. 27, 1950
The couple had no children

Elizabeth Steiner Zimmerman
Born: Oct. 23, 1870
Died: Jan. 25, 1906

Spouse: Menno Zimmerman
Born: June 6, 1870
Died: June 10, 1944
The couple had 6 children

David Steiner
Born: Date unknown
Died: In infancy

Noah Franklin Steiner
Born: Jan. 18, 1873
Died Aug. 15, 1948

Spouse: Susan Gerig (sister of Magdalene Gerig Steiner)
Born: Oct. 11, 1895
Died: Dec. 29, 1951
The couple had 11 children

Background on the series
During his retirement years, Bluffton Swiss genealogist, the late Herb Probst, created a genealogical overview of the early Swiss settlers in the Bluffton and Pandora communities, which he shared during his lifetime with several area families, who he researched. 

One of those families, featured in this column, includes the Icon editor, Fred Steiner. The paternal grandparents of Fred Steiner are Noah F. and Susan Gerig Steiner. Probst provided copies of each of these genealogies to Steiner. With the renewed local interest in local history, the Icon posts these on a weekly basis.

Probst’s grandfather, Josef Probst, came from Germany in 1880 and married Elizabeth Suter of this community. On his mother’s side, her father was Solomon Welty and her mother was Barbara Amstutz.

•• Index to this series
1 – Michael and Anna Ernst Neuenschwander
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2020/11/12/introducing-new-icon-column-...

2 – Christian and Barbara Luginbuhl Schumacher
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2020/11/19/our-swiss-connection-part-2

3 – Christian and Kristina Bucher
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2020/11/25/our-swiss-connection-part-3

4 – Christian and Katharina; and John and Katherina Lugibuhl
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2020/12/03/lugibuhl-and-its-many-blufft...

5 – John Bösiger (Basinger)
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2020/12/10/suter-cider-press-was-starte...

6 – Durs and Elizabeth Neuenschwander Amstutz
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2020/12/17/durs-and-elizabeth-neuenschw...

7 – Christian and Katharine Luginbuhl Steiner
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2020/12/24/christian-and-katharina-lugi...

8 – Johannes Geiger and Barbara Walti Geiger
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2020/12/31/johannes-and-barbara-walti-g...

9 – Abraham and Anna Locher Lugibihl
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2021/01/14/abraham-and-anna-locher-lugi...

10 – Peter and Anna Aeschlimann Badertscher
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2021/01/20/peter-and-anna-aeschlimann-b...

11 – Abraham and Marianna Ramseier Zurflug
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2021/01/28/abraham-and-marianna-ramseie...

12 – Christian and Regina Neuenschwander Matter
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2021/02/04/christian-and-regina-neuensc...

13 – Two Diller families
John and Elizabeth Zimmerly Diller; Peter and Barbara Suter Diller
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2021/02/11/two-diller-families

14 – Christian, Sr., and Anna Burkhalter Amstutz
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2021/02/17/christian-sr-and-anna-burkha...

15 – Bishop Christian and Elizabeth Steiner Bösiger
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2021/02/24/bishop-christian-and-elizabe...

16 – Jacob and Barbara Wahli Moser
With special focus on Rev. John and Anna Lehmann Moser
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2021/03/04/jacob-and-barbara-wahli-moser

17 – John Ulrich and Katharina Amstutz
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2021/03/11/john-ulrich-amstutz-and-kath...

18 – John Ulrich Amstutz – from 1988 Mennonite Life
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2021/03/17/john-ulrich-amstutz-early-en...

19 – John F. and Barbara Habegger Steiner
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2021/03/24/john-f-and-barbara-habegger-...

20 – Peter and Verena Luginbuhl Hilty
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2021/03/31/peter-and-verena-luginbuhl-h...

21 – Christian, Sr., and Magdalena Steiner Suter, and Christian, Jr., and Anna Basinger Suter
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2021/04/08/christian-sr-and-magdalena-s...

22 – Peter and Barbara Schumacher Steiner      
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2021/04/14/peter-and-barbara-schumacher...

23 – Amstutz, Neuenschwander, Suter, Luginbuhl connection
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2021/04/22/amstutz-neuenschwander-suter...

24 – Three children of Johannes and Magdalena Amstutz Sommer
• (Part 1 of a 2-part series)
This column’s focus is Abraham and Anna Gerber Sommer
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2021/04/28/three-children-johannes-and-...

25 – Three children of Johannes and Magdalena Amstutz Sommer
• (Part 2 of a 2-part series)
This column’s focus is on Jacob and Marianna Amstutz, and Jacob’s second wife, Lydia Amstutz. It is also focused on Marianna Sommer and her husband, Benedicht Leichty.              
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2021/05/05/three-children-johannes-and-...

26 -  Karl and Anna Weber Badertscher
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2021/05/12/karl-and-anna-weber-badertscher

27 – Dr. J.J. and Susan Lugibuhl Sutter
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2021/05/26/dr-jj-and-susan-lugibihl-sutter

28 – John D. and Elizabeth Moser Bösiger
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2021/06/02/john-d-and-elizabeth-moser-b...

29 – Rudolf, Gotthard and Henry Althaus
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2021/06/09/rudolf-gotthard-and-henry-al...

30 – Abraham and Mary Ann Kohler Steiner
http://www.blufftonicon.com/news/2021/06/16/abraham-and-mary-ann-kohler-...