Speicher Parish, Appenzell, Switzerland Genealogy

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Geography
Speicher is located in the former Mittelland district. It has an area of 8.2 square kilometers (3.2 square miles). The area is used thusly:

54.8% agriculture 28.6% forest 16.1% settlement .5% non-productive

Click for a geographical map of Appenzell, including Speicher.

History
Speicher was first mentioned as Spicher in 1309. At this time it was used as a granary (Kornspeicher) for the Abbey of St. Gall. It was established as an independent protestant parish in 1614, previously belonging to Sankt Laurenzen parish in the city of Sankt Gallen and to the parish of Trogen. In 1667, the population was 908; by 1734, the population had risen to 1,634.

Surrounding Parishes
Click for a map showing Speicher in relation to the rest of Canton Appenzell.

Bühler Eggersriet (Sankt Gallen) Rehetobel Sankt Gallen (Sankt Gallen) Teufen Trogen

Church Records
The parish records for Speicher are now available online from the Appenzell State Archives. They are organized by volume. Click here to access these records.

The parish of Speicher was established in 1614 from the parish of Sankt Laurenzen in the city of Sankt Gallen and the parish of Trogen. Records held by the Family History Library include baptisms (Taufen) 1614-1839, confirmations (Konfirmanden) ;1758-1838, marriages (Heiraten) 1614-1839, and deaths (Tote) 1628-1839. Records after this time period are housed at the Cantonal Archive in Herisau, Switzerland.

Family book (Familienbuch) records are available at the Family History Library for the 17th and 18th centuries (undated). Additionally, books compiled in 1834, 1840, and 1876, as well as for non-citizens (Beisässen) are available at the FHL. The following family book records are available at the Cantonal Archive in Herisau: Volume 1 (1734) - household visitation Volume 2 (1735) - non-citizen resident records Volume 3 (1740) - household visitation Volumes 4-6 (1771) - citizen family registers Volume 7 (1799) - registry of unmarried citizens Volume 8 (1809-1873) - emigration registry

Genealogies
(see here for article describing Swiss compiled genealogies)

The following genealogies have been researched for Speicher families:

Altherr family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 193,467)Frehner family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 128,007; see also FHL Film 193,471) Hörler family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 193,474) Iller family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 193,475)Koller family, by Rosa Holzer (FHL Film 1,183,641) Künzler family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 1,183,714) Niederer family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 127,965; see also FHL Film 193,480) Rechsteiner family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 1,183,559; see also FHL Film 193,481) Rüsch family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 388,803 and 127,969; see also FHL Film 193,482) Schoch family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 127,986; see also FHL Film 193,483) Schoch family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 128,009; see also FHL Film 193,483) Sturzenegger family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 193,485) Zellweger family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 128,008) Zuberbühler family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 128,036)

Civil Registration
Civil registration began in 1876. Speicher belongs to the Mittelland Appenzell civil registration district. Records are only available in Switzerland. For further information, contact the civil registry office at:

Zivilstandsamt Mittelland A.Rh. Postfach 144 CH - 9055 Bühler AR

Tel: +41 71 791 70 91

email: [mailto:za@buehler.ar.ch za@buehler.ar.ch]

Surnames
The following surnames held citizenship in Speicher prior to 1875:

Related Sources
The town's website (in German) can be found here.

Societies and Libraries
Cantonal Archive of Appenzell-Ausserrhoden (in German)