Kurth Family History

The Kurth family name (sometimes Kurt) appears to originate in Rütschelen, in the parish of Lotzwil, near Langenthal, Kanton Bern, Switzerland. The name is believed to derive from the old germanic word for 'belt' - and the family crest, from one of the stained glass windows in Lotzwil parish church, contains a representation of a leather belt in its design.
Rütschelen is represented by the coat of arms of Rudolf von Rütschelen - 1346.
The parish records from Lotzwil contain a number of references to Kurth family members living in or near Rütschelen dating back to 1666.

Rütschelen was/is the home of seven main families - Burgers (or landowners, as opposed to Einwohner, or tennants) - the Kurth, Schneeberger, Mathys, Wälchli, Graber, Leuenberger, and Blatt families.
The hamlet of Rütschelen was a traditional peasant farmer and rural hand-industry comunity, and the inhabitants were never particularly well-off, times were generally hard, and there were many occasions through the centuries, when members of the Kurth family had to throw themselves on the mercy of the village council for support.
Times were so bad in the 1850's that a large number of families (including many Kurth's) emigrated to America to seek a better life.

The church records from Lotzwil give some insight into the lives of some of the Kurth family members:

At a council meeting on the 10th October 1666 Hans Kurt (im Wil - a part of Rütschelen where a Kurth-owned farmhouse still stands) was for a second time reprimanded for rowing with his wife, and not paying a previous fine for this. He was told that he must pay the fine, and do all in his power to make amends with his wife and live peacefully, otherwise he would be sent to jail in Wangen, and if this did not cure his temper, he would, as a last resort, be sent to Bern.

In July 1774 the council awarded Hans Uli Kurt a Tree for his newly built house.

In March 1832 the council was asked to decide whether to pay the rent for the widow of Ulrich Kurt, this idea was thrown-out in favour of moving the widow into the 'Spittel' - a set of rooms built onto a house owned by the community, but now in a poor state of repair. The council therefore appointed the carpenter Jakob Blatt to renovate the rooms and attached garden at a cost of 11 Kronen. Subsequent records show that all did not quite go to plan - as another family was moved into the renovated rooms before the widow could move in!

In 1834 and 1835 records show payments to Samuel Kurt for the purchase of a uniform for his newly inaugurated post of Policeman - the village was also making provision for night-watchmen to patrol the barns and store-houses at night.

The local economy was based on farming, weaving and other small rural industries. During the 1800's many of these suffered as a result of the industrial revolution - some rural comunities became so poor that the only option for a better life was emigration. In 1850 a large group of families made an exodus to America. The funds were supplied by the local community, partly from the felling and sale of an Oak wood, and from the local coffers - records from Lotzwil show the following sums being given to families on their way to America:

1. Samuel Kurth for himself and six children: Fr. 49
2. Johann Kurth, Büchsenschmid (Gunsmith) for himself, his wife and five children: Fr. 49
3. Joseph Wälchli, Jakobs for himself, his wife and five children: Fr. 49
4. Joseph Graber for himself, his wife and two children: Fr. 28
5. Johann Schneeberger for himself, his wife and one child: Fr. 21
6. Johann Kurth, Samuels for himself, his wife and two children: Fr. 28
7. Ulrich Kurth, Samuels, for himself, his wife and one child: Fr. 21
8. Johann Schneeberger, Jakobs for himself, his wife and one child: Fr. 21
9. Anna Barbara Kurth, Peters for herself, and one child: Fr.14
10. Joh. Ulr. Wälchli, Johannes: Fr. 7

These 41 people first made their way to Sisseln in Kanton Aargau, escorted by the miller Kopp from Lotzwil (for which he was paid 40 Fr.), they were then taken by Joseph Rufli to Le Havre in France where they sailed for America.

Kurth Family Home

Im Wil, Rütschelen.

Although the Kurth family have been Burgers of the village of Rütschelen for many centuries, the most recent family house there was only bought by Heinrich Kurth from a Mr. Hasler in the late 1920's. Built in the traditional local 'Hochstudhaus' style, the house was originally the home for four families - each having a seperate set of rooms below an enormous roof (which served as a barn and storage area), and included a weaving shed with four hand weaving looms, on the south side (for better light) - although some land was in cultivation around the house, the main occupation was weaving.
When Heinrich bought the house the days of the rural weaver were long gone, and the occupants were employed in local light industry in Lotzwil and Langenthal, and running a smallholding on the farm.
The house is still owned by a Kurth, but at present unoccupied.

KurthTree