Settlers
For centuries Swiss emigrated into all parts of the known world.
Most went to European regions, about one third settled in transoceanic lands, especially in portions of North America that later became part of the United States.
Swiss went abroad as soldiers, merchants, missionaries, trades people and farmers and formed a small contingent of the post-1500 European overseas expansion.
Before 1820 some 25,000 Swiss are estimated to have settled in British North America, especially in regions of today's Pennsylvania and the Carolinas. About as many Swiss arrived between 1820 and 1860 in the newly established nation and took up residence mainly in Midwestern states such as Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin. Between 1860 and 1880 Swiss immigrants numbered some 50,000, between 1881 and 1890 about 82,000. During the next three decades an estimated total of 90'000 arrived. Since 1930 professional and often merely temporary migrations took place and involved until 1900 about 63,000 Swiss.
Although in the 19th century some predominantly Swiss settlements like Highland (Illinois), New Glarus (Wisconsin), Gruetli (Tennessee) and Bernstadt (Kentucky) emerged, most Swiss went either to established rural villages and towns of the Midwest and the Pacific coast where especially the Italian Swiss were engaged in California's viticulture, or then settled in industrial or urban centres such as New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chicago, St. Louis or San Francisco. Numerous Swiss found the lifestyle and political institutions of the United States most compatible with those of their native land and, as Swiss Americans, became attached to both countries.
Swiss Emigration
Swiss emigrants played a role in settling communities world-wide in place names such as Geneva (Alabama, Idaho, New York and Ohio) Bern in Idaho, New Bern in North Carolina, Bernstadt in Kentucky, New Glarus in Wisconsin, New St Gallen in W Virginia, Vevay and Switzerland County in Indiana, Tell City in Ohio, Grutli in Tennessee, Helvetia in W Virginia and Oregon, and Nova Friburgo and Nouvelle Genève in Brazil.
Click below to view from when they came.
/uploads/PDFs/swiss-emigration.pdfRelated links:
* New Glarus, Wisconsin
*
Vevay, Switzerland County, Indiana* New Bern, North Carolina*
Geneva, Illinois
18th Century
Throughout most of the 18th century the official view was that emigration was a crime against the fatherland equivalent to desertion. It deprived the home country of its labor force and soldiers for its defense.
Christoph von Graffenried
1
661 - 1743
Capture by native Americans was the most traumatic of many difficult experiences faced by the Bernese settler leader, Baron Christoph von Graffenried, in his attempt to make his fortune in America - and an experience he was lucky to escape from with his life. His companion was killed, and his own captivity dragged on for six weeks, before the Indians agreed to release him in return for a ransom.
Mennonites and Amish
The first important group to emigrate to America were members of the Anabaptist sect, a strict Protestant movement, which found its followers in the rural regions and which among other things called for the separation of church and state as well as an end to tithes and rents. They were thus seen as a threat to the established order, and severely persecuted by the authorities.
19th Century
Most 19th century emigration from Switzerland was the result of economic factors. There were two serious famines during the century (the worst in 1816/17 and another in the decade 1845-55). There was continuing poverty as many people could not find enough work to feed themselves and their families.
Traveling and Settling
Inexperienced travelers - which the emigrants were - met pitfalls at every stage.
Resources
A few more resource and stories of the Swiss in North America.
Not All May Be As It Seems
In early reports, the name Florida was used for the east coast in general. The fact is however, few Swiss settled in the state of Florida so not all may be as it seems.
