Lewis Switzgable
Lewis Switzgable was born Feb 1831 in what is now Germany. The 1900 Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, census lists Lewis's occupation as "carpet weaver" in Hazleton, where he lived with his wife and children, in a house on Pine Street. About 1860, he married Bertha (surname unknown). Bertha was born Feb 1842, in Pennsylvania.
Lewis and Bertha had the following known children:
- Edward Switzgable
- Birth: Apr 1870 in , , Pennsylvania, USA
- Death: 1936
- Marriage: 1897/98
- Spouse: Merry Ulrich
- Charles Switzgable
- Birth: Sep 1872 in , , Pennsylvania, USA
- The 1900 Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania census shows Charles being able to read and write English, but unable to speak it. Harold Switzgable, a descendant of Charles's brother Edward, recalls that his grandfather's brother, "Charley", was mute.
- Alice Switzgable
- Birth: Apr 1880 in , , Pennsylvania, USA
- Edith Switzgable
- Birth: Feb 1884 in , , Pennsylvania, USA
Harold Switzgable (Lewis's descendant, mentioned previously) tells us that his surname was originally spelled "Schwitzgebel" and Lewis came from Kirkel, Pfalz...the same area where my own Schwitzgebel ancestors lived.
We have in our research a Ludwig Schwitzgebel (b. 4 Feb 1831 in Kirkel-Neuhäusel, Germany), son of Johann Peter SCHWITZGEBEL and Maria Eva SCHMID. Lewis and Ludwig (a German form of Lewis) are good matches by birth date, and Harold Switzgable's comments suggest Lewis was from the same place, but we're still looking for more definitive proof that they're the same person.
If you have information about this family and tell me about it.