John D. and Elizabeth Moser Bösiger
This is the 28th installment in this series. Click here for the previous installment.
This column's focus is John D. and Elizabeth Moser Bösiger.
Elizabeth's parents were Johannes and Elisabeth Müller Moser were both born in Switzerland.
Johannes Moser was born in the late 1700s. He is not to be confused with Rev. John Moser (1826-1908), who was a minister in the community.
Elisabeth Müller was from Langnau, Switzerland. In 1834, Johannes and Elisabeth brought along their three children, John, Elizabeth and Magdalena and settled in Putnam County.
John D. Bösiger's father was Ulrich “Strubli” Bösiger (1775-1832). His mother was Verena Fannie Stauffer (1776-1851). John D. first came to Wayne County in 1835 and then to Putnam County.
In 1838, John D. and Elizabeth Bösiger and two of their children and relocated from Putnam County to near Whitehouse, in Lucas County, Ohio, where there soon came to be another Mennonite settlement.
Later, other Putnam County Swiss Mennonites including family names of Geiger, Bösiger, Neuenschwander and Bucher moved to this same community where they became affiliated with Reformed Mennonite.
A Mennonite cemetery is located on the east edge of Whitehouse.
Here is the family of John D. and Elizabeth Moser Bösiger.
John D. Bösiger
Born: May 20, 1817, Prunnentrut, Bern, Switzerland
Died: March 26, 1885
Buried: Old Mennonite Cemetery
John D.’s father: Ulrich “Strubli” Bösiger (1775-1832)
John D.’s mother: Verena Fannie Stauffer (1776-1851)
Elizabeth Moser Bösiger
Born: Nov. 3, 1820, Langnau, Emmental, Bern, Switzerland
Died: Jan. 11, 1899
Buried: Old Mennonite Cemetery
Elizabeth’s father: Johannes Moser
Elizabeth’s mother: Elisabeth Müller
John D. and Elizabeth Moser Bösiger's children
John D. Bösiger (named after his father)
Born: June 22, 1840, Riley Township
Died: Sept. 4, 1926, Lafayette, Indiana
Spouse: Magdalena Luginbuhl
Magdalena Bösiger
Born: June 22, 1842
Died: Dec. 22, 1865
Christian D. Bösiger
Born: March 12, 1846, Riley Township
Died: May 31, 1925
Spouse: Regina Luginbuhl
Spouse: Barbara Bucher
Spouse: Nancy E. Stull
Elizabeth Bösiger
Born: May 20, 1849
Died: Feb. 27, 1918
Peter Bösiger
Born: Oct. 3, 1860
Died Jan. 21, 1861
Mary Bösiger
Born: Aug. 25, 1862
Died: Sept. 20, 1945
Stories Posted This Week
Tuesday, October 13, 2026
- Ada Icon headlines, October 13
- Bluffton area Women in Business meeting October 15
- Leo club glasses collection
- Night at the (Swiss Historical) Museum, October 24
- Woodcarving ornament workshop at Swiss Heritage Center
- Barefoot nature walks at the Nature Preserve
- Pirate volleyball seeded 4th
- Beavers sports roundup, October 6-11
- Bluffton leaf pickup scheduled for last week of October
- Pirate boys soccer shuts out Bellefontaine
- Watch an after school movie at the Bluffton Public Library
- Dunlap awarded OSBA humanitarian award
Monday, October 12, 2026
Sunday, October 11, 2026
Saturday, October 10, 2026
Friday, October 9, 2026
- Ada Icon headlines, October 9
- Pirate girls soccer loss vs. St. Marys
- Pirate volleyball sweeps Carey
- “The Trumpet Player” sculpture at Bluffton University receives conservation grant
- October 13 Bluffton Schools athletics lineup, streaming
- Plenty of action at Oct 10 Dillinger robbery reenactment and motorcycle show
- Caitlyn Couch junior piano recital, October 16
- Bluffton community survey opens for Active Transportation Plan