Momenteller Family

originally Mumenthaler
from Switzerland

The head of this family, (Jacob or Felix or Ira) MUMENTHALER/ MOMENTELLER was born about 1780 probably in Switzerland. [He had sons named Felix and Jacob. His daughter, Rosian named a son Jacob. And his son Jacob used all 3 names for his sons: Jacob, Felix & Ira. His grandson, Jeremiah Lindesmith named his first son, John Ira--possibly for Jeremiah's 2 grandfathers.] 
[A Momument to the Lindesmith family in the Dungannon, Columbiana Co, Ohio cemetery, erected in the 1800's shows John Lindesmith married to Lucetta "Mumenthaler", so this shows the orginal family name.]  There were Mumenthalers in Bern county, Switzerland.

He married Barbary Ann ? who was born in Germany in 1785.  It was common for Swiss immigrants to go to Germany for a few years before they moved on to America, so perhaps this is how he met Barbary.  However, Rosian was born in 1807 in Switzerland, so maybe Barbary's family moved to Switzerland from Germany and they met there.

In 1819 they were on a sea voyage to America.  On the 1920 census, their grandson, Alonzo, said his father, Jacob, was born "at sea." They probably landed at Phildelphia and settled there first.  The only close entry on passenger lists at that time that I can find is for:
Jacob Mergenthalen, age 29, arrived in Philadelphia, Oct. 1, 1819,  from Amsterdam on ship Susquehanna.
This guy was born abt 1790 (maybe a little young to be the father of Rosian), however it doesn't show that anyone was traveling with him.

Daughter, Lucetta was born in Philadelphia in Dec. 1822 and daughters Louisa & Mary Ann were born there 1829-1830.  So it was evidently after 1830 that the family moved to Ohio.  The father died before 1840.  It's possible that the he died in Pennsylvania.

In 1820 Philadelphia was the largest city in the US.
In searching the 1820 Pennsylvania census, so far I have not found this family in Philadelphia county in:
GERMANTOWN [very difficult to read]

In searching the 1830 Pennsylvania census, so far I have not found this family in Philadelphia county in:
1-WD NORTHERN LIBERTIES
2-WD NORTHERN LIBERTIES
CEDAR-WD PHILADELPHIA
CHESNUT-WD PHILADELPHIA
DOCK-WD PHILADELPHIA

There was a Felix Momenteller in 1840 in Union twp, Carroll Co., Ohio, p 288. [township map of Carroll county on right]
1840 Ohio, Carroll County, Union Twp:
1 male - 30-39 yrs (b1801-1810) - Felix (son, prob b 1810)
1 male - 20-29 yrs (b 1811-1820) - Jacob (b 1819)
1 female - 10-14 yrs (b 1826-1830) - should be 3: Mary Ann, Louisa (b 1829-30) & Barbary (b abt 1826, m 1848)
1 female - 50-59 yrs (b 1781-1790) - Barbary (mother, b 1785)

(Carroll Co. was formed in 1832; Lucetta married in 1839 there)
In 1840 there were 18,108 people in Carroll County: 889 in Union twp. and 265 in Brown twp. (Read more on early Carroll County.)

Daughter, Barbary Morledge was in Brown twp, Carroll Co, Ohio in 1850 (p2).  Rosian Momenteller Etnier (p2) and Mary Ann Downs (p1) were also living in Carroll Co. in 1850.  (Felix should be there, but I can't find him--at least not in Brown twp.). [I did a transcription of Brown twp, Carroll Co, OH] Mary Ann had living with her Louisa's little daughter Ellen. [Carroll County, Ohio is just southeast of Canton. It is just south of Columbiana County where the Lindesmiths lived. At right is a map of Carroll County townships.]

Children:

1.   ROSIAN MOMENTELLER (may be a daughter; she was born so much earlier than the other children, however Barbary was old enough to be her mother. Her mother had 2 children after Rosian had her first child)
Rosian was born Nov. 19, 1807 in Switzerland and must have come with her parents to Phildelphia in 1819-20.  Sometime before 1828 she was married in Lancaster Co, PA to Jacob Etnier/Eitniear (b1791 Pa--d1877 Paulding Co, Oh); [Her mother, Barbary had 2 babies, Louisa in 1829 and Mary Ann in 1830, in Philadelphia.]
Rosian in 1824 was living in Shirley Twp. [Huntington Co, Pennsylvania?] They moved back to Lancaster Co. Pa. abt 1827 and started a family, producing 8 children. [These dates don't make sense!]
      They were in Carroll  Co, OH (NE Ohio) in 1850 near several of her family [however son Abraham married in 1853 in Lancaster Co, Pa.]
      After 1853 they moved to NW Ohio. Jacob settled his family on 80 acres in Auglaize Twp, Paulding Co., while son, Abraham settled just north of them in Highland Twp. Defiance Co., Ohio  [In 1860 Rosian's sister, Louisa's husband, David K. Lindesmith & family were also in the next county of Putnam Co, Ohio.]
      She died in Oct. 18, 1874 and Jacob in 1877 in Auglaize Twp, Paulding Co, Ohio. Buried in Ice Cemetery. Children:
.......1.1    Abraham Etnier, b Mar 8, 1828; grew up in Lancaster Co, PA where he met and married his first wife, Elizabeth Robbins (1834-1865) (5 ch) they married in 1853 in Carroll Co, Ohio. After their marriage they moved to Defiance Co, Oh with his parents. Married 2nd 1865 to Sarah Ann Ward (7 ch). M 3rd Susan Emma Croff (10 ch); had 22 children; Child #21 was Felix Momenteller Etnier (1908-1977); He may also have lived in Brown twp, Carroll Co, Ohio;  moved to Michigan in 1880; d 1911.
.......1.2    Jacob Momenteller Etnier, b 1832; ch: Ira Rush Etnier
.......1.3    Isaac Etnier, 1834-
.......1.4    Rosann Etnier, b 1835; m John Shmidt
.......1.5    David Etnier, b 1840
.......1.6    Barbary Etnier, b 1842
.......1.7    Marie Etnier, b 1844; m Daniel Garmon
.......1.8    Jacob Peterson Etnier, b 1854; m Susan Marshall

2.   FELIX MOMENTELLER,  born abt 1810, most likely in Switzerland.  He died around 1850, though I can't find him on the 1850 census.  Can't find any children.
1840 Ohio, Carroll County, Union Twp, p 288: 
Felix Momenteller 000011-00100001 [The census index says "Mouenteller" but the microfilm actually reads "Monenteller" or "Momenteller"]
    1 male - 30-39 yrs (b1801-1810) - Felix (son)
    1 male - 20-29 yrs (b 1811-1820) - Jacob (b 1820)
    1 female - 10-14 yrs (b 1826-1830) - [should be 3 but it definitely says "1"]: Mary Ann & Louisa (b abt 1829/1830) & Barbary (b abt 1826, m 1848)
    1 female - 50-59 yrs (b 1781-1790) - Barbary (mother, b 1785)
[There are no other Momentellers in Carroll Co, OH in 1840]

He purchased 80 acres in Wayne Co, Ill, July 1, 1845; he purchased 40 acres in Wayne Co, Ill., Dec. 2, 1850.
Felix was supposedly living in Carroll Co, Ohio in 1850 (his will was written there in Aug, 1850 while he was sick, but I can't find him in the census which was taken in October 1850. Maybe he had gone to Wayne Co, IL in SE Illinois by then.)
Living in Carroll Co, OH was:
his mother Barbary Momenteller, living with his sister Barbary (Momenteller) Morledge
his sister Rosian (Momenteller) Eitniear
his sister Mary Ann (Momenteller) Downs (with Ellen Lindesmith, daug of Louisa Momenteller Lindesmith)
his sister, Lucetta (Momenteller) Lindesmith had moved by then to Indiana or Illinois (can't find them on the census)
his brother, Jacob, was probably already in JoDaviess Co, IL (in no. IL)

Will of Felix Momenteller: August 21, 1850
In the name of God, I Felix C. Momenteller of Brown Township, Carroll County, Ohio, considering the shortness and uncertainty of life and the certainty of death, being very weak in body but of a sound mind and memory for which I am thankful to giver of all good.
First, after my decease I wish my body decently buried and I wish my soul to return to God who gave it.
Secondly, I wish all my outst(anding) debts to be paid out of my personal property and if there are any money or affects? left, I bequeath it with 120 acres of land laying in Wayne County and state of Illinois to my mother, Barbary Ann Momenteller, to have and to hold forever and to will and despose of at pleasure.
I leave this as my last will and testament revoking all others by me made and _____ my _________________. 
I set my hand, Felix Momenteller (X his mark)  the day above written.
Signed and sealed in the presence of John Peterson?, Tommy? Laydr?

3.   JACOB MOMENTELLER, born abt 1819 "at sea." He married about 1849 to Alia ? (b abt 1828, Ohio).  In 1849 or 1850 he purchased 40 acres in JoDaviess County, Ill. In the 1860 census he is in Woodbine twp, p968 as Jacob "Monidile". The 1870 census of JoDaviess Co. lists Jacob Momenteller (p350). The 1880 census of JoDaviess Co, lists Jacob & his son, Ira Momenteller with their families.
Jacob died Mar 26, 1882; Aley died Sept 23, 1906. Both buried in Elizabeth City Cemetery (located about 1 mile north of the Village of Elizabeth)
Children of Jacob:
.......3.1  Almira L. Momenteller, b 1850; married John J. Wixson, Mar 20, 1878 in JoDaviess Co, IL. John was a farmer in Rush Township. In 1880 they were in Jo Daviess Co, IL.)  
.......3.2  Alonzo Felix Momenteller, b Aug 18, 1851 at Rush Creek, Jo Daviess Co, IL; married Feb. 18, 1890 in Chicago, Cook Co, IL to Della Ardell Phelps (1866-1938); 1910 in Jo Daviess Co; d June 26, 1931, buried Ladies Union Cemetery, Stockton twp, Jo Daviess Co, IL; children
.......3.3  Ira W. Momenteller 1852-1939; m Sarah A (1851-1919); JoDaviess County, IL census: 1870 (Woodbine twp),  1880, 1910 & 1930 (Stockton twp); buried Ladies Union Cem, Stockton twp, Jo Daviess Co, IL; children
.......3.4  Minerva Margaret Momenteller, b Jan 6, 1858; married 3 Jul 1876 Gratiot, Lafayette, Wisconsin to Charles Fremont Perry. Died Jul 19, 1934, buried Morseville Cem, Jo Daviess, IL; children
.......3.5  Jacob Momenteller, b 1862; died Sep 17, 1863 (age 1 yr) buried near parents in Elizabeth City Cemetery
.......3.6  Charlotte E. "Lottie" Momenteller, b 1862; married Samuel Stayner, Nov 1, 1882, JoDaviess Co, IL
.......3.7  Grant Momenteller, b 1868, d Nov 7, 1871 (age: 3y 1m 11d), bur Elizabeth City Cemetery.
.......3.8  Ida Momenteller, b abt 1872; d May 2, 1892 (age: 20y 7m 13d), buried Elizabeth City Cem.

4.     LUCETTA ELIZABETH MOMENTELLER, born Dec 22, 1822, Philadelphia, Pa (son Jerry said on the 1880 census that his mother was born in Switzerland); m Apr 16, 1839, Carroll Co, Ohio to Francis John Lindesmith (b abt 1816, son of John & Anna Mary Lindesmith.  The Lindesmiths were another Swiss immigrant family). They lived in Ohio a few years before moving to Indiana, maybe in 1850 (can’t find them on the census). About 1855 they moved to Jefferson Co, Ill where John was the postmaster at the Blue Ridge P.O. 1860-61. They were on the 1860 census of Jefferson Co, IL.  In 1870 she and 3 children were in Fayette Co, Kaskaakia twp, IL, PO Shobonier (I don't know why husband John isn't listed). On the same census page with them is her sister, Mary Ann's family, and her nephew John Morledge (possibly meaning that his mother Barbary had been there).  The families of these 3 sisters, Lucetta, Barbary & Mary Ann, stayed very close to each other.
Lucetta died of Typhoid Aug 23, 1878 (age 55) at Vandalia, IL and John died 4 months later, Dec. 20 of that year.  I have not located a cemetery.  Of their 9 children, 3 preceded them in death.
Obituary from the Fayette (or Fayette County) Democrat (Vandalia):
Mrs. Lucetia Lindersmith (sic), to whom former reference has been made as being dangerously ill, quietly breathed her last on the morning of the 23d inst., aged about fifty-six years. She leaves four sons and two daughters, all of whom are grown, one sister and brother, together with hosts of friends to mourn her loss. She was born in Pennsylvania—moved to this state twenty odd years ago, where she has lived a quiet life and died at peace with all mankind. [The sister would have been Mary Ann and the brother, Jacob.]
Children:
....... 4.1     Hiram Lindesmith, b Mar 26, 1840, Ohio; d before 1860, Ill
....... 4.2     Jeremiah “Jerry” Lindesmith, b Nov 13, 1842, Ohio; m Amanda Doolen; ch: John Ira
....... 4.3     Ebenezer Benson “Ebb” Lindesmith, b Jan 15, 1844, Ohio; m Olive Minerva Campbell
....... 4.4     Aley Adline Lindesmith, b Feb 8, 1846, Ohio; m John Hundley [maybe Aley was named for her uncle Jacob Momenteller's wife, Alia.]
....... 4.5     John Momenteller Lindesmith, b Jan 12, 1847, Carroll Co, Ohio; m 1st Alice Wimberly; m 2nd Mary (Hunter) Mannon Dunn
....... 4.6     Loretta Barbary Lindesmith, b Dec 13, 1850; d before 1860
....... 4.7    Joseph Harmon Lindesmith, b Nov 15, 1853; d before 1860
....... 4.8    Newton Jasper “Newt” Lindesmith, b May 1, 1856, Ind; m 1st Louisa Josephine Barnes; m 2nd Mary (Hunter) Lindesmith
....... 4i.9    Mary Alice Lindesmith, b Oct 11, 1859, Ill; m James Benson Clark

5.   BARBARY MOMENTELLER, born 1826, Ohio; married Abraham Morledge (b1819, Ohio) abt 1848. (Abraham's first wife, Rebecca Rice was the aunt of sister Mary Ann's husband, John Downs Jr. That means that Barbary's 5 step-children were 1st cousins of her brother-in-law, John Downs Jr.) They were living in Carroll Co, Ohio in 1850. Her mother, Barbary Ann Momenteller was living with them in 1850. On the same census page was her sister Rosian and family. Also in the same county was sister Mary Ann. In 1860 her brother-in-law John Lindesmith, who had moved away sometime between 1840 and 1860, first to Indiana, then to Illinois. In 1860 he wrote to his brother-in-law John Downs Jr. inviting him to come to Illinois. Between 1861-1867 the Downs family moved to Illinois, joining sister Lucetta. In 1870 in Fayette Co, IL was the Downs family, the Lindesmith family, and also John Morledge and his half-brother, Eli. This might indicate that Barbary also moved with the Downs family to Illinois and died there. I don't know when or where Barbary or Abraham died.
Children:
....... 5.1     John H. Morledge, b 1850, Ohio [In 1870 he was living with his half-brother, Eli, in Fayette Co, IL, next door to his aunt Mary Downs, and on the same page was his aunt Lucetta Lindesmith (listed as Malinda Smith) and his cousin Eb Lindesmith (listed as Ebenezer Smith). In 1880 he was living with his cousin Jerry Lindesmith in Marion Co, IL. 1889 he was in Galena, Ks (near Joplin, MO) visiting or living with his Lindesmith cousins Jerry, John & Eb]

6.    LOUISA REBECCA MOMENTELLER, born 1829, Phildelphia, Pa; married Mar 20, 1846, Columbiana Co, Ohio to David K. Lindesmith (cousin of Francis John Lindesmith).  She Dec 20, 1848, 5 days after giving birth to her second baby. She was 19 and was buried Trinity Church cemetery near Dungannon, Columbiana Co, Ohio.  In 1850 Carroll County, Ohio, her sister Mary Ann & John Downs had 3-year-old Ellen Lindesmith living with them.
David married 2nd Melinda Golerda (or Krider).  In a letter by Francis John Lindesmith in 1860 he wrote that David K. had moved to Muskingum Co., Ohio.  But the 1860 Ohio census shows David in Putnam Co, Ohio and both Louisa's daughter (ages 12 & 14) were living with him and Melinda. [In 1853 Louisa's sister Rosian and family had moved to the neighboring county of Paulding, Ohio.]
....... 6.1  Ellen M. Lindesmith, b May 24, 1847, Ohio.
....... 6.2  Louisa Rebecca Lindesmith, b Dec. 15, 1848.

7.   MARY ANN MOMENTELLER, born 1830, Penn. Married John Downs, Jr. bef 1850.   In 1850 Carroll County, Ohio, John and Mary Ann had 3-year-old Ellen Lindesmith living with them.  This little Ellen Lindesmith was the baby of her sister, Louisa Momenteller & David K. Lindesmith. Living very nearby the Downs was Rosian Momenteller Etnier & family and also Barbary Momenteller Morledge & family, including their mother Barbary Momenteller. Carmen Siebenthal (granddaughter of Newton Jasper Lindesmith) said in 1980 that Lucetta had a sister who married a Downs. [also see poem that Mary Ann Downs wrote to Lucetta's daughter-in-law].
I don't know where they were in 1860. Mary Ann was very close to sister Lucetta and by 1867 they had moved from Ohio to Kaskaskia, Fayette Co., Illinois where they were in 1870 & 1880 near the Lindesmiths and other relatives.  Brother-in-law John Lindesmith said he voted for Stephen Douglas, but John Downs named a son Lincoln in 1861, so perhaps they didn't agree politically.
They stayed for a while in Fayette Co, IL after the Lindesmiths died in 1878. The Downs were still there in 1880, but at some time before 1900 they moved to Texas. In June 1900 they on the census record in the city of Galveston (4th pct), Texas.
1900 Galveston, Texas, 4th-pct, June 8, p. 193:
Downs, John - 72, head, farmer, b Sept 1828 Ohio, m 50 yrs, par b MD/OH
. . . . . Mary E. (wife) - 70, b June 1829 PA, 7 ch/4 liv, par b Switz
. . . . . James M (gr-son) - 10, b Dec 1889 KS, par b OH/CO
Interestingly, they would have been there for the devastating cat. 4 hurricane that destroyed Galveston on Sept 8, 1900 and was the nation’s deadliest natural disaster, claiming upwards of 8,000 lives on Galveston Island and on the mainland (estimates range from 6,000 to 12,000 killed). There were not any Downs listed on the death index from the storm, though there were many unidentified victims.  The Texas Death Index shows: John Douns, died Mar 18, 1905, Arcadia, Galveston, Texas. Arcadia is about 12 miles inland from the Gulf coast. John is buried there in the Alta Loma Cemetery with his son Lloyd and Lloyd's wife Mary A.  I don't know what happened to Mary Ann -- if she died in the hurricane, or if she moved away with another child after John's death.

Children:
....... 7.1  Frank Downs, b abt 1856 Ohio
....... 7.2  Loyd Sanford Downs, b Aug 6, 1857 Ohio, d May 11, 1924, Galveston, Tx
....... 7.3  E. Lincoln Downs, b abt 1861, Ohio
....... 7.4  Lillie J. Downs, b 1867, Illinois
....... 7.5  Harrison "Harry" J. Downs, b 1871, Illinois (his father had a brother named Harrison)
[I found a Harry Downs born Jan 9, 1871, m Pauline; d Sept 29, 1954, Redford, MI -- but I'm not sure if it is the same guy]

I don't know where the other Downs children went, but in Dunn Co, Wisc. there were some birth records that have a couple of names similar to the Downs children:
Lila C Downs - 29 Jun 1903
Loyd S Downs - 06 Dec 1904

8.   Maybe a girl who married a Crissinger (this from Carmen Lindesmith Siebenthal, granddaughter of Newt Lindesmith, Lucetta's son). If this census record below is for her family, maybe she was born about 1814. There is certainly room in the list of children for another child between 1810-1820.  But this would also mean that the Momenteller family moved to Ohio before 1825; which can't be right since at least 2 of her younger sisters were born in Philadelphia 1826-1830. The names of the children below in bold are Momenteller family names.

In 1850 Carroll Co, Ohio (p 395) was
Samuel "Cressinger" (42)  (born 1808 Ohio)
(no wife, but several children, all born in Ohio)
Barbary - 25 (b 1825)
Cordelia - 20 [she probably married Levi Beckley, Carroll Co, OH Sept 9, 1852; ch: Mary, b 1864 OH, m Jacob Rock]
Mary - 18
Eliza C. - 16
Rachael - 12
Lucetta - 9
Samuel - 7 (b abt 1843)
Olivia - 4

There was also a Samuel Crissinger in 1840 Carroll Co, OH, Brown twp, p 195:
Samuel Crisinger - 10001-121101
male - 20-30  [Samuel-32]
female - 30-40
If you would like to check my database to see if the information on your family is correct, go to my ancestor file then search for the name of one of your ancestors. (Only those born before 1930 or are no longer living are listed by name. I have names of the living, but they are not displayed in the online database.)  Please email me if there are any corrections or additions!!

Some sources:
1. Illinois State Marriage Index
2. Letter from Francis John Lindesmith (husband of Lucetta Momenteller) in Ill. to John Downs in Ohio, 1860.