Are you sure your Mathias Zimmermann was from Wattenwil or are you just asking? Your
response to Zimmerman at Wattenwil is unclear, since you did not specifically state your
Mathias was born there. There was a Heinrich Zimmenmann born 1673 at Wattenwil that m.
Salome Rufener of Blumenstein. They had two children born Wattenwil before moving to
Germantown, PA by ca. 1707, and then to Pequea, Lancaster Co., PA by ca. 1719. They went
by Carpenter. Could your Mathias be a descendant of Heinrich? I don't see anything
in my records of a Mathias born Wattenwil ca. 1750.
My line is Johannes (John) Zimmermann b. 7 May 1802, son of Christian Zimmermann and
Susanna Saegessemann. He married Elisabeth Wenger (b. 22 Dec. 1798) daughter of Christian
Wenger and Christina Haenni of Forst. They arrived in NY in 1832 and settled in
Tuscarawas Co., OH.
I know of about a dozen different Zimmermann men with their families that went from
Wattenwil to America over the next 50 years.
Ancestors of my John Zimmermann and Elisabeth Wenger families include the following
surnames and locations in Canton Bern.
Broennimann of Bumishaus (Belp)
Buren of Mengestorf (Koeniz)
Cappeler at Wattenwil
Gruenig at Muehlethurnen
Guggisberg at Niederhauseren
Haenni (m. Wenger from Forst)
Hirschi at Guggisberg
Hodler
Kraebs at Wattenwil
Messerli at Burgistein
Marti at Rueggisberg
Megert at Wattenwil
Otz of Ober Ploetsch (by Burgistein)
Otz at Oberbalm
Salzmann at Signau
Saegessemann at Wattenwil
Schweitzer at Muehlethurnen
Seelhofer
Tschaeppeler of Grund
Tschirren of Niedermuhlern (Belp)
Springen of Elbshcen
Wenger at Forst
Wenger at Muhlethurnen
Zedel (of Belp?)