Cathrina (Meili) Funck (1612 - 1681)

Born 8 Oct 1612 in Mettmenstetten, Zürich, Switzerland

Ancestors

Wife of Heinrich (Funck) Funk — married 20 Aug 1634 in Mettmenstetten, Zürich, Switzerland

Descendants

Died 9 Apr 1681 at age 68 in Ober Mettmenstetten, Zürich, Switzerland

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Biography

Cathrina Meylin, born c.1612, daughter of Hans Meylin, the "Täuffer", married Johann Heinrich Funk (son of Jacob Funk of Ober Mettmenstetten) at Mettmenstetten on 20 Aug 1634. They were the parents of fourteen children baptised at Mettmenstetten between 1635 and 1653; it is likely that three of these were the individuals recorded as absent from the parish and "serving with the Anabaptists in the Palatinate" in 1661. ^[1] Their children are identified as :

1. Anna b.c.1635 ^[1]
2. Jacob b.c.1636 m. (1) Barbara Groh (2) Anna Ringer ^[1]
3. Heinrich Funk b.c.1638 ^[1]
4. Hans Heinrich b.c.1639 ^[1]
5. Heinrich b.c.1641 ^[1]
6. Rudolph b.c.1642 m. Elsbeth Scharrer ^[1]
7. Heinrich b.c.1643 m. Fronica (emigrated to Pennsylvania) ^[1]
8. Verena (c.1644 - 1647) ^[1]
9. Oswald (c.1645 - 1646) ^[1]
10. Elsbeth b.c.1648 ^[1]
11. Hans Jacob b.c.1650 m. Verena Ringer ^[1]
12. Cathrina b.c.1651 ^[1]
13. Anna b.c.1652 ^[1]
14. Margaretha b.c.1653 ^[1]

It's believed that, between 1645 and 1647, Hans and Catherine also cared for Elisabeth and Verena Meylin, the daughters of Martin Meylin and Barbara Bär ^[1] who were then imprisoned under coercion to renounce their faith.

Catherine died on 9 Apr 1681 in Ober Mettmenstetten. ^[1]

Research Notes

• Earlier version of profile recorded Catherine's death in Affoltern am Albis, without giving sources. Place of death has been amended here to be consistent with source.

• Kathrina and Heinrich had five children. At the death of Heinrich in 1666 the children ranged in age from the oldest age 31 (Anna) to 13 (Margaretha). The other three children were boys ranging in age from 30 (Jacob), 29 (Rudolph) and 28 (Heinrich). The boys had left home; Anna was married and had children of her own. Thus Kathrina and her 13-year-old daughter, Margaretha were alone. In 1668 the widow Katherine, then age 56, married Wendell Santman, then age 55. Nothing has been found about Wendell’s parentage or family. According to the legend, Wendell since their childhood had maintained a warm friendship with Kathrina and Heinrich. When Heinrich died, Wendell stepped in to help Kathrina. Two years later he became a full-time helpmate to Kathrina and a step-father figure to Margaretha. Twelve years later in 1680, Kathrina’s health began to deteriorate and then her condition markedly worsened until her death in 1681. Wendell proved to be a kind and devoted caregiver at the end of Kathrina's life.

• Thus he was well respected and liked by Anna and her sister Margaretha who by 1680 was age 27 and still at home also caring for her mother. Kathrina's daughter, Anna Meili Funck-115 Bauman, as shown on her entry, died as a result of childbirth of her fifth child. Her mother, Kathrina, was very ill at the same time and Anna knew she, too, was about to die. Anna knew that her newborn was a boy. She asked those attending her deathbed that the boy's first name be Wendel. She wanted Wendell Santman to know how much the family appreciated his kindness and knew he was childless and would cherish her request that her baby is named after him.

• Anna in other biographies has been given the surname of Santmann, but at age 33 and already married, there would have been no reason that she would have taken on the last name of Santmann her step-father.

• Conflicts with Best (1989) who reports 14 children born to Catherine and Heinrich. ^[2]

• Downey-1809: Several Cathrina Meili found on Ancestry International but no clear matches.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16} Best, Jane Evans (1989). "Swiss Emigrants from Albis, Part II : Rifferswil and Mettmenstetten" in Mennonite Family History Vol. VIII, No. 2, p.54. Elverson, PA : Mennonite Family History.
2. ↑ Best, Jane Evans (1989). "Swiss Emigrants from Albis, Part II : Rifferswil and Mettmenstetten" in Mennonite Family History Vol. VIII, No. 2, p.54. Elverson, PA : Mennonite Family History.

See also:

• Best, Jane Evans (1988). "A Bear Saga : The Birmensdorf Connection" in Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage Vol. XI, No. 2, pp.31-45. Lancaster, PA : Mennonite Life
• Davis, Richard Warren. Emigrants, Refugees, and Prisoners, Volume II
• FamilySearch Person: L8WY-3V1