Today I was looking through the website www.rueggisberg.ch, the website for the commune of Rüeggisberg, on the historical portion, I ran into these excerpts, which perhaps explain why great-grandmother Elisabeth Hachen and grandfather Johann Rudolf Hachen (her son), may have found it best to emigrate to Utah (even in addition to the LDS Church pull). ................................................................................................................................................. For the year 1750 we learn something about the religious weirdness centered in the part of Rüeggisberg where the Hachen families lived for centuries, and where Hachen families live even today: Brügglen, which means "Little Bridge:" Translation: In 1750 Rüeggisberg came into some unwanted but temporary fame. Two brothers of Brügglen [our ancestral part of town] founded a sect that originally came from the movement called Pietism. In the beginning they founded their teachings on the Bible, but over time they molded it more and more according to their own opinions and to their personal advantage. A highpoint for the Brüggler sect leaders came when they predicted the Second Coming of Christ for Christmas 1748. With their followers they gathered on the Eigenhubel hill near Brügglen after having spent all their goods and celebrating the day with overboard orgies. Even though Hieronymus ("Muss") Kohler, one of the two brothers [at least their name wasn't Hachen] flapped his arms like a bird trying to fly to heaven, the awaited happening did not occur. The authorities at this point were unwilling to look the other way. On 8 October 1752 "Muss" Kohler was arrested and taken to Bern before the religious court. The death sentence of the Small and the Great Council was carried out on 15 January 1753. [Commentary: I wonder if the stigma from those occurrences carried over into the mid 19th century -- probably -- and if it persists even today? Maybe. In the list of communal (2) councilmen and (5) councilwomen, not a one comes from that part of town]. Original: 1750 kam Rüeggisberg wegen der „Brüggler Sekte“ vorübergehend zu unerwünschter Berühmtheit. Zwei Brüggler Brüder begründeten diese, ursprünglich aus dem Pietismus entstandene, Sekte. Anfangs stützen sie ihre Lehren noch auf die Bibel, aber mit der Zeit formten sie diese immer mehr nach ihrer eigenen Meinung und zu ihrem persönlichen Vorteil um. Einen Höhepunkt gab es für die Brüggler Sektenführer, als sie für Weihnachten 1748 die Wiederkunft Christi voraussagten. Mit ihren Anhängern versammelten sie sich auf dem Eigenhubel bei Brügglen, nachdem sie vorher ihr Gut verprasst und den Tag mit überbordenden Orgien gefeiert hatten. Obschon Hieronymus (Muss) Kohler, einer der beiden Brüder, mit den Armen wie ein Vogel um sich schlug und selber in den Himmel fahren wollte, trat das erwartete Ereignis nicht ein. Diese Auswüchse wollte die Obrigkeit nun nicht mehr dulden. Am 8. Oktober 1752 wurde Muss Kohler gefangen genommen und nach Bern vor das Chorgericht gebracht. Das Todesurteil des Kleinen und Grossen Rates wurde am 15. Januar 1753 vollstreckt. ............................................................................................................................................... Translation [and commentary]: 1850: The region of Schwarzenburg [near Rüeggisberg] was considered the poor house of Berne Canton. The poverty of the commune of Rüeggisberg itself was oppressive. In no other commune in the county of Seftigen were there said to be as many poor people as in Rüeggisberg. The situation was particularly difficulty for single women and children born out of wedlock or orphans. [think single mother Elisabeth and Johann born out of wedlock, not to mention the social backlash]. Only after the new cantonal poverty relief laws were set into motion by the Rüeggisberg councilman Trachsel, among others, did the situation slowly start to get better toward the end of the 19th century [by which time Elisabeth and Johann were already in Utah]. Original: 1850: Die Region Schwarzenburg galt im 19. Jahrhundert als das Armenhaus des Kantons Bern. Die Armenlast der Gemeinde Rüeggisberg war erdrückend. In keiner anderen Gemeinde des Amtes Seftigen soll es so viele Arme gegeben haben wie in Rüeggisberg. Besonders schwierig war die Situation für alleinstehende Frauen und uneheliche oder verwaiste Kinder. Erst mit dem neuen kantonalen Armengesetz, dem unter anderem der Rüeggisberger Grossrat „Vehdoktor“ Trachsel zum Durchbruch verhalf, verbesserte sich die Lage gegen Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts langsam. ............................................................................................................................................... Then: Karma? Translation: In 1936, on the day of Pentecost, a freak thunderstorm accompanied by hail raged in Rüeggisberg, wreaking heavy damage. Entire hillsides collapsed and slid down, and the streets became impassable. The Berne government declared the region a catastrophe area. Lightning struck the tower of the church of Rüeggisberg, burning the entire building down. Original: 1936: An Pfingsten 1936 tobte ein heftiges Gewitter mit Hagelschlag im Raum Rüeggisberg und richtete schwere Schäden an. Ganze Hänge rutschten ab und Strassen waren unpassierbar geworden. Die Berner Regierung erklärte damals die heimgesuchte Gegend zum Katastrophengebiet. Ein Blitz schlug in den Turm der Rüeggisberger Kirche ein, so dass dieser ausbrannte. ................................................................................................................................................. P.S. When I asked the civil registry for [Step-] Grandma Anna Heer's birth records, [second wife of Grandpa Hachen in Utah] I found that her mother was named Bertha Lina Heer, and Anna had likewise been born outside of marriage in the town of Trimbach in Canton Solothurn, Switzerland. Not in Basel, as some of the relatives have assumed.