B.VII.h. Simeon Köhl (1760-1845) - the illegitimate

Simeon Köhl was born in 1760 as the illegitimate, irregular child of the head guild master Bernhard von Köhl (1693-†1762) and Anna Wald.

The unwanted

Simeon Köhl's conception was not a desired one. In 1759, the maid Anna von Wald, employed in the house of Bernhard Köhl, became pregnant. In desperation, the young woman fled. On 22 October 1759, a hearing was held to clarify what had happened and who had impregnated the maid. It turned out that the 37 year older master of the house, Bernhard Köhl, was the father of the child despite his old age.

The baptism of Simeon took place on 11.2.1760, shortly after his birth, in the house of the guild master Peter Thürr in Chur. Baptism in the house was not unusual at that time.^[61]

Simeon Köhl was thus an illegitimate child. As long as a couple was not married, the child remained illegitimate (although recognised by the father)^[61]. His father, Bernhard Köhl made a formal promise of marriage, but there was no church wedding^[47]. Simeon was allowed to bear the surname Köhl, but as an illegitimate child he was not entitled to inheritance, lost his civil rights and had the status of a dependant.^[61]

No information could be found on his youth. Since his biological father died 2 years after his birth, he probably grew up with his mother Anna. However, he seems to have had contact with his half-siblings. His half-brother, town constable Peter Köhl (1748-†1794), was the baptismal witness of his third son. At Christian's baptism, the two half-siblings Salome and Wachtmeister Christian Köhl (1755-†1807) were also baptismal witnesses. This is an indication that the half-siblings had taken care of Simeon. Perhaps he even grew up with them and named his two sons after them in gratitude. The name Bernhard was never used again in this family line. Instead, many grandchildren and great-grandchildren bore the names Peter and Christian.

Simeon's first family

Like his late father, Simeon learned the trade of shoemaker and worked his way up to master craftsman. In 1785, at the age of 25, he married Lucia Meisser, the youngest daughter of Meinrad Meisser and Anna Accola from Davos-Dorf^[62].

Four sons were born of this marriage:

• Köhl Peter (1785-†1851), married in 1818 to Anna Neisa Stupan.
•  6 ChildrenKöhl Simeon (1787-†1789). Died of tooth fever at the age of 2 in Chur.
• Köhl Paulus (1789-†1792). Köhl Peter, Simeon's half-brother, is listed as godfather. Paulus dies at the age of 3 in Chur.
• Köhl Meinrad (1791-1794), dies at the age of 4. He was named after Luzias grandfather.

It is remarkable that at the baptism of his children, well-known burgher families were present as witnesses, such as the Chur councillor Peter Walser, Chur Seckelmeister Martin Bawier, Mrs. Hauptmännin von Planta née von Salis, Mrs. Hausmeisterin Badoli née Berry, Mrs. Landammannin Tscharner née von Salis, Zunftmeisterin Anna Killias, Fr. Hauptmännin Salutz née Pöracher, Zunftmeisterin Anna Bawier née Willi, Jungfrau Frida von Buol, Fr. Hauptmännin Ursula Bauer née Ladener, Johann Ulrich von Davaz, Catharinha von Pallizari, Anna Christina Rizin.

After son Simeon died, his young wife died in 1792. Shortly after, his 3rd son, Paulus, as well as his 4th son, Meinrad, died. Within 10 years almost his whole family died, only son Peter (7) remained with his father. Peter was probably then taken in by his uncle and godfather, Peter Meisser. At that time he lived in Pontresina with his wife and two children. Peter probably also grew up there.

Simeon's second family

3 years later he married in 2nd marriage Ursula Hitz (1767-†1827) from Malans, daughter of Christian Hitz and Ursula Aliesch. She was the second oldest of 4 children. 5 of her siblings had died at a young age. Her father Christian Hitz ran a blacksmith shop in the Gaziens (quarter of Malans)^[1]. He had had to declare bankruptcy a few years earlier and was probably glad that his daughter was now accommodated.

4 children were born of this marriage:

• Köhl Anna (1800-†1870), married in 1825 to judge Johannes Bruesch, 9 children.
• Köhl Christian (1802-†>1832), naturalised in 1831, emigrated to Wilna, Russia, between 1830 and 1832. Nothing is known about descendants.
• Simeon Köhl-Hertner (1808-†1869) - Failed entrepreneur.
• Köhl Ursula (1810-†1810), deceased at birth.

So Simeon had 8 children, but 4 of them died early.

The denied naturalisation

According to various entries, Simeon practised the profession of shoemaker as a master craftsman. And he probably ran his own workshop early on. In 1798 he wrote to the mayor asking him not to pay for his illegitimate birth. At that time there was a law that "only honestly born persons have some claim to admission into the noble citizenship". He justifies this with "it is known to everyone that formal promises of marriage have been made between our blessed parents on both sides, and that only the priestly blessing was lacking for the real marriage, which was by no means their fault, but had been thwarted for other reasons". The city administration, however, showed no mercy and rejected his request^[62].

With his income he could provide for his family and was not dependent on any support from the city. In 1802 he bought an apartment and stable at Reichsgasse 11 and also owned a meadow in Kleinbruggen, all worth 2000 gulden. Where these assets came from is unknown. His income was rather meager, so he could have received them from one of his half-siblings, or they could have come from a dowry or inheritance from his wife.

The concession of the shoemakers' guild

In early January 1810, Simeon again sent a petition to the city council. In it he wrote that the marriage between his father and mother could not be consummated only because his father had died on the sick bed.^[64] The city council referred the matter to the responsible guild. On January 29, 1810, the shoemakers' guild again rejected Simeon's application for naturalization. However, the commission decided that he should be treated as a citizen for tax purposes and that he should pay less taxes. A small concession on the part of the commission, but not what Simeon had desired.^[65]

Simeon Köhl is mentioned in a transcript of the admission table of the Beisässen and servants from June 1812. He is 52 years old at this time and lived with his family in his own flat at Mühlegässchen (Lukmaniergasse 14). His two sons are mentioned: Christian (8) and Simeon (3). Peter (27) is not mentioned, so seems to have already stopped living at home. 1 daughter, Anna, is also listed. His occupation is given as shoemaker. He is listed as "Streuerfrei wegen Armuth, dermalen nicht unterstützte"^[66]. He was poor, but did not receive any money from the poor relief.

In 1814, still a member of the town of Chur, Simeon worked as a self-employed master shoemaker and received orders from the town of Chur, among others^[67]. His wife Ursula earned some extra money with weaving. She had a loom at home for this purpose, which had been pre-financed for her by the poor relief^[67]. The family still lived at the Schlafuzergasse  (Lukmaniergasse 14).

In 1820, Simeon was now 60 years old, the family still lived at the Schlafuzergasse. In addition to this flat and a stable, he still owned the meadow in Grossbrugger. According to the tax book, these were worth 2125 guilders. He continued to work as a master shoemaker, but without a journeyman in the shop^[68]. His eldest son Peter (35) had married the Engadine Neisa Stupan and lived with his family in Pontresina. The other children, Anna (20), Christian (18), Simeon (12) and Ursula (10) still lived in his home.

In 1825 his only daughter, Anna, married the capable and wealthy judge Johannes Brüesch from Jenins and thus became a citizen of Jenins. This marriage was to be blessed with many children.

In 1827 his beloved wife Ursula Hitz died at the age of 59. The two sons Simeon and Christian were not yet married and still lived with their father. In 1829 Simeon, by now 69 years old, sold the meadow in Grossbrugger and his apartment on Schlafuzergasse. For this he received 2757 guilders.^[74] The buyer of his apartment in Chur was a Joh. Jenny. This was probably Peter Johann Jenny, a good friend of his son Peter from Pontresina and the son-in-law of Peter Meisser. He probably lent the money from the sale to his son Peter so that he could take over the confectionery in Vilnius completely. Simeon probably continued to live in the apartment on Schlafuzergasse with his son Simeon, and had probably negotiated a right of residence.

His son Christian traveled to Riga (Russian Kingdom) at the same time and worked there as a confectioner.

The longed-for naturalisation

On 13.6.1831, Simeon (at the age of 71) bought Chur citizenship for himself and his two sons, Christian and Simeon, for a proud sum of 500 francs (equivalent to about Fr. 95000 today)^[63]. Only a few days later, his son Simeon married and soon became a father. Simeon had the necessary capital after the sale of his property, but it could well be that Simeon's wealthy father-in-law, former municipal councillor Christian Hertner of Jenins, had paid the costs for the naturalisation of the three men. The son Peter was probably naturalised before 1820 - he is listed as a citizen at his marriage ceremony in 1820. His daughter Anna had married in the meantime and had received her husband's citizenship.

In 1835 he seemed to get back the borrowed money from his son Peter. At the beginning of 1835 he bought a fenced meadow in the Lürlibad for 2600 guilders, which was exactly the amount he had received in 1829. He ceded this property to his son Simeon on 12.12.1836. In 1837 his son bought the Walthier-Schwarz estate in the Lürlibad. Simeon, now still a citizen of Chur, probably lived there for the next few years. In 1841 Simeon se. Simeon sen, now 82 years old, moved to Jenins to his daughter Anna. He spent the last years of his life in Jenins on the Hinterwaldehof, together with his daughter, her husband, court clerk Joannes Bruesch, and their 5 children. Unfortunately he had to witness the bankruptcy of his son Simeon. 1 month after his escape to the USA, Simeon Köhl died on June 15, 1845 in the presence of his family in Jenins, where he was buried on June 17.

The Children of Simeon Köhl

His first-born son was the only one to survive his 3 siblings and his mother. He grew up in Pontresina and emigrated to Russia in 1818 at the latest. He died there in 1851. Peter Köhl (1785-†1851) - The confectioner

Anna was named after her grandmother, Anna Wald. She married the judge Johannes Bruesch in Jenins in 1825 and had 9 children with him, 3 of whom died in childbirth. 2 of her sons emigrated to America and their descendants still live in the USA, especially in the state of Idaho. Anna died of old age at the age of 69 in Chur.

Christian also emigrated to Russia around 1830 and worked in Riga (Latvia) and Vilnius (Lithuania) as a confectioner^[69]. According to his naturalisation letter of 1831, he was still unmarried at the time. Nothing is known about his whereabouts abroad. He also does not seem to have returned to Chur.

Only his son Simeon Köhl remained in Chur. He learned the trade of a blacksmith.