MY RESEARCH INTO THE CONZETT SURNAME

by

Larry Conzett

I started doing family history research in 1977, when my paternal grandmother, Claire Osterberger Conzett, sent some background research to my sister Heidi for an elementary school project she was doing. It grew to a hobby, as I became intrigued with the lives and history that our ancestors had touched and influenced. All of a sudden, that boring history from high school meant something! Over the years, I have picked it up and put it down, at times obsessively, and other times ignoring it. While stationed in Virginia in the Navy in the middle 1980's, my wife Carol and I took regular weekend trips to Washington, DC to research at the Library of Congress and the National Archives. With the advent of computers, a great deal more has been accomplished because of better database techniques and programs.

My database now holds some 4300+ names, of which well over 1200 are Conzett related. You are most welcome to this information, as well as the shareware programs I use to index my data. I use a Dell PC, and my records are entered into Brother's Keeper. If you like, I can extract a GEDCOM database built from that database based solely on pertinent Conzett ancestry, using yourself as the basis. It is quite easy to do, and, along with a program like Brother's Keeper or Family Tree Maker, would give you a very good graphic idea of what the family tree consists of. Just let me know your mailing address (either postal or email), and type of platform you use (PC or Mac), and I'll send you the necessary files and data.

My research began simply, assembled via word of mouth and tales of family folklore, then verified using standard sources (i.e.: census, church, newspaper, immigration, etc.). My sources are listed with most records, although many sources have yet to be entered. I do not enter "he said she said" information except as notations to point to verifiable sources at a future research session. I do include family folklore wherever possible, but it is noted as undocumented folklore. We have conducted research at various state libraries, various local and state government agencies, state and local colleges, LDS Stakes and Family History Centers, most federal agencies that will share information, cities and cemeteries throughout the Midwest and South and more. I have been a bit lax in the years between 1996 and 2008 due to time constraints of home ownership, family building, career, etc, so the computer has been a Godsend for researching on a shoestring time budget.

In 1996, we went on a research vacation to Dubuque, Iowa to see what we could "dig up". We came up with a pair of manuscripts written by Josiah Conzett, brother to our great-great-grandfather Otto. He wrote them in the early 1900's, then pretty much forgotten for 70 years. They were translated, typed, copied and bound by Josiah's grandson and great-grand daughter in the 1970's as gifts to close family. One set ended up at the Archives of the University of Dubuque, where we came across them. These priceless portals into the past excited me enough to send a Christmas card and SASE to every Conzet(t) I could find in the country (about 75 families). We received about 25 replies, and made some very good friends.

Aggressive research techniques have paid off fairly well, being as removed from Iowa as I am, but after this long a period, all the "easy" info has been retrieved. It will take a concerted effort to proceed in many directions. That is why I continue to attempt to contact any Conzett I come across not documented in my database.

(Please note that much of the foregoing was written in the early to mid 90's, before the Internet came into its own to become the choice for researchers across the world.)

The True Origins of the Conzett Clans

I find the Conzett history best described by Josiah Conzett in the early 1900's. He wrote that his learned brother, Jacob, had concluded that our earliest known ancestors were religious refugees, avoiding the 13th century Albigensian Crusades of Pope Innocent III as he attempted to wipe out the heretic dualist Cathar from a Catholic governed area of today's southern France. They fled to remote, high pastures of the Eastern Swiss and northern Italian Alps where people were more tolerant of religious deviances. Obviously, if they were dualists, they converted soon after migrating. Many fled to escape the struggle for power over the region, others for religious reasons.

History provides that from the 1200's, the Walsers slowly migrated east from the high remote pastures of southwestern Switzerland's Rhône valley to settle uninhabited mountain pastures and hamlets previously occupied by Romans. The majority of the Conzetts in the world today originate from the eastern Swiss Canton of Graubünden and its Prättigau Valley (valley of high meadows). The valley extends from the south, near Davos, to the north to Klosters and then northwest to Landquart, and is formed by some of the most majestic mountains Switzerland has to offer. It was from the settlements of Mulfi, Stettli, Winkel and the valleys nearby to Schiers that our Conzett heritage was born.

Research provides a wealth of culture and history of Walser people inhabiting these remote hillsides in the Alps for hundreds of years. To this day, tiny Roman hamlets dot the ancient road as it snakes its way up to Pusserein, northeast of Schiers. The language is German, with strong Romansch roots; a testament to the Walsers and Romans. Religion shaped and ruled this land of fiefs and Barons for a thousand years.

The Walser name Conzet(t) originates in that group of people, based on the German Christian name Conrad (Conz), to which the Gallic suffix "-ett" was attached. Many forms of the name Conzet(t) are found, with the original Walser seen as Gaschetsch, Gasätzsch and Gasätz. Mutilated forms of that base are found as Katzett, Galtschett, Gaschetsch, Gasätzsch, Gasätz, Gusätz, Guzät, Gazet, Conzatt, Commcett, Conzept, Khonzett, Conncett, Concetti, Conzetti and more. The most common German-Swiss name variant is Conzet(t), followed by Conz, Contz, Kontz and Conzetin. Around the world, variations appear in German: Konz, Kontz, Konzet(t) and Conzet(t); in France: Conzet(t)(e), Conset, and Konset; in Italy: Conzett, Conzetto and Conzetti; England: C(K)onset(t) and in America: Conzet(t), Conz and Contz. While some are truly of independent origination, almost all can be traced to Eastern Switzerland in the area of Schiers. The name attaches itself to a people whose first recorded member was Kapitelshuben-Ammann Eberhart Gaschetsch (Gasätzsch, Gasätz) of Chur in 1432, a respected man of business.

I have come across two publications which provide detailed analysis of the origins of Conzett. Each was published in Switzerland and required translation; a tedious task which I believe I have done a reasonably acceptable job of.

The first is an 11 page overview of the Conzett family tree pertaining to the author's employer. Luzi Nett is a genealogist who lives in Maienfeld, in Landquart, Graubünden, Switzerland and has published small reports on various prominent Swiss families. His "A Contribution to the Conzett Family History" is provided here in its original and translated forms:

A Contribution to the Conzett Family History

Read it online in English or original German
Download it in English or German

The second is a 21 page report published in a Swiss genealogic periodical. It seems to be the basis for a fair portion of the 11 page report above, but each has unique information. It works from the ancestral lines of the prominent Conzett lines represented by publishing houses, diplomats, business owners and members of political parties.

My immigrant Conzett ancestor family packed up what they didn't sell in Pusserein and came across in 1845. They settled in the Dubuque, Iowa area until they began to spread out in the early 1900's. Today, Conzett descendants of our original immigrant family live from Washington to Florida, from California to New York. Most are still near Iowa, and many descendant branches have died out or are dying out. Others are just maintaining.

While Switzerland has a history of family coats of arms and colors, there is no proof that any such were conferred upon a Conzett. Coats of arms were generally proof of service or kinship to a ruler. The ruler would hand down an edict granting the right to show a coat of arms. The right to display the coat of arms was a property belonging to he to whom it was conferred upon, and, in rare cases, passed on to his oldest son. Never did the right extend beyond the son's generation. So, if ever a company claiming to have "your" family's' coat of arms approaches you, it will be an outright fraud. No such coat of arms may be "claimed" by a family today, although anyone may register one of their own design. Those of the past belong to the person who owned it, and only during their lifetime. Not just any person with the same surname may claim that coat of arms. There are a couple firms out of Bath, Ohio that try to do just that, plus sell you a copy of your "family history" (generally touted as the "Conzetts Since the Civil War" or "The World Of Conzetts" or the like). What you get is an outdated Phonedisc listing of addresses and a poor tutorial on how to do research for $35. Jurg Conzett, a native of Zurich and a descendent of a somewhat famous Swiss Conzett line from Schiers, tells us:"As for the flag, it is true that the Conzetts have not received any flag from any king. However, the herald of the Conzetts in Switzerland depicts a "wild man with a stick". This flag has been borrowed from the political union Zehn-Gerichte-Bund (Ten Judges' Union) formed in the 17th century in the area of Schiers. The Conzetts of Switzerland just had borrowed this flag."

In the United States today, I have found that the vast majority of Conzetts are related to the Dubuque area Swiss immigrants. Departures from that norm occur in certain places. In northern Michigan, a small clan of Conzetts is descended from an 1890's Berlin, Germany immigrant. In Minneapolis/St. Paul, a bit larger clan of Conzets descend from a German or Dutch immigrant in the 1870's. A fair number of Conzetts in the Youngstown, Ohio area are descended from an 1890's Pennsylvania Dutch immigrant; and a small, died out clan of Conzetts on the West Coast descended from a Swiss immigrant of the 1850's.

Peter Conzet, born ~1710, is my son's 7th great grandfather. He is the furthest we can document of my Conzett line. At his level in the family tree, there would be 512 direct ancestors. Our Conzett clan is descended from Otto Conzett, born around 1775 in the Schiers area. Otto was a mercenary soldier for the Dutch army fighting the English for the French during the Napoleonic Wars. He was taken prisoner by the English and held for four years by them. He was released, came back to Schiers and started a family. He and his wife Anna had at least three children: Magdelena, Johann and Zamplingy? (the birth record is in hand, but I am unable to decipher it). Johann Lucious Conzett was born in 1810. Around 1822, Otto died as a result of the effects of exposure from an outing in the Alps. Johann married Dominica "Menga" Mathis about 1832. They had 4 boys and 2 girls: Jacob, Josiah, David, Otto, Mary and Mary. Johann was a farmer and raised cattle. He had inherited some good land and cattle, and they were considered middle class for their time and place. Menga's family had very deep roots in Schiers, as well. Her father was an artist who died at an early age in Italy. She had a number of sisters.

In the 1830's and 1840's, a revolution, of sorts, was happening in Switzerland. Power was being transferred to the civil authorities from the powerful churches. Taxes were being raised, and people were unhappy. The churches began sending missionaries to America to "tame the heathens". One such missionary was Rev. Jacob Flury and his English wife. Rev. Flury was the pastor of the Conzett's church in Schiers. He was sent to the wilds of the great Northwest Territory (Iowa and the newly purchased Indian lands) to spread the good word. They kept in touch with their former church and it's members, telling of the great lands and opportunities there. Other residents of Schiers went to America and wrote back telling the same stories. Johann and Menga decided to follow. They sold almost everything and emigrated. In the summer of 1845, the family of 6 left the port of Havre de Gras on the ship Pactola, sailing 42 days to New Orleans. They then proceeded to St. Louis and on to Galena, Illinois. There they spent a horrible winter, and Mary died. They then moved to Dubuque in 1846, newly opened for settling. There they began a new life, hard at first, but things got better as time went by. Their last child, again named Mary, was born in 1848.

The boys got older and began to show their personalities and preferences. Jacob went to Seminary school in the 1850's and went on to found The Theological College of the Northwest, known today as the University of Dubuque. Jacob stayed in Dubuque until 1872, then traveled as an emissary of the German Presbyterian Church through Wisconsin and Illinois to Cincinnati, founding churches as he went. Jacob was a well-respected leader nationally for his work in the German Presbytery. He edited a national German language magazine in the 1900's "Der Presbyterianer" and was a very outspoken Calvinist style Preacher. He married, had two sons and four daughters. The two sons mysteriously disappear around 1930. One daughter died in her youth. Two sisters were spinsters who lived together until their deaths in the middle 1970's. There are but few survivors of Jacob's branch living. In Evansville, Indiana, the Esselburns, link their past through Jacob's oldest daughter, Cornelia.

David and Otto went to work in the livery stables of future president U.S. Grant at Galena, Illinois as saddle and harness makers. David was the adventurer, and joined the 1st Iowa Infantry when the call went out for 100-day soldiers at the start of the Civil War. Otto was an older child, whose income was needed by the rest of the family. War was a young man's adventure. Soon thereafter, Josiah joined with his childhood friend George Healy. They were assigned to Company E, 5th Iowa Cavalry, US Volunteers. Soon, David was discharged from his 100 day duty, and also joined the 5th. Because Josiah had worked as a dry goods clerk, he was soon promoted to Quartermaster Sergeant. David was promoted to Saddler. The 5th Iowa saw action at Ft. Donelson, the battles of Franklin, Nashville, Stones River, Spring Hill, Lookout Mountain and Atlanta. They were always in the lead attack or chasing Confederate Cavalry. David was killed south of Newnan, Georgia in July 1864, during a guerrilla raid on Confederate supply train routes prior to the Battle of Atlanta. He is now buried in the National Cemetery at Marietta, Georgia. Josiah was ordered to remain at camp to train green replacement soldiers, and was not with David, as was usually the case. George Healy was with David, and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for capturing 15 Confederate soldiers and delivering them to Union lines with an empty pistol during the battle around Newnan. George would go on to marry one of the Moser sisters, and became Otto's brother-in-law. It was George who brought David's Colt pistol back to Josiah after his death on the battlefield.

Josiah came back to Dubuque after the war and married a Dutch girl. They had several children. Josiah was a real character, and had a problem with drinking. There is a ten-year period missing from his life story, believed to be his account of being a town drunk in Omaha. He recovered, and was to be a store clerk in Minneapolis for the remainder of his life. One of his sons, John V. Conzett, went on to become a nationally recognized and respected dentist in Dubuque, and served as president of the American Dental Association in the 1940's. John's son Donald became an orthopedic surgeon. He was known nationally, and served a prominent career in the Army during WWII, and practiced in Dubuque for the remainder of his life. Dr. Don had two children: Donna (who married Christopher Dumbell, an affluent English financier) who lives in an English estate known as Lower Hall and summer elsewhere. She also serves proudly on the Board of Directors of the University of Dubuque. Her brother, John, lives in Spokane and is an industrial engineer.

Otto was a quiet dairy farmer, prolific and loving. Otto and his wife Catherine had 13 children. Otto lived his entire life in the Dubuque, Iowa area, and rarely traveled. He and one of his sons, Arthur, went on to found the Key City Dairy Company, a pioneer dairy-processing firm. Another son, Walter, had 11 children. Most of the descendents of Johann and Menga alive today are branches of Otto and, particularly, Walter. This includes my family, I am proud to say.

There are many accomplished members of the Conzetts of today and days gone by. Let me brag a bit about a few of those that I've run across thus far. Donald Conzett patented a trailer device designed to haul damaged or disabled vehicles. Josiah Conzett, being a dry goods clerk, patented a device to make his work easier: a cutting board to cut cloth on the bias. Jacob Conzett founded the University of Dubuque. Homer Conzett is a globally known nuclear physicist. John Conzett was president of the American Dental Association. Many, many were heroes during various wars. Stretching things a bit, my grandfather Lyle Conzett's sister in law and husband (Dan and Elsie Osterberger LaRiviere) left their homestead to the city of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin for a city wilderness park. And to really stretch things: Dan's 2nd cousin, once removed is married to James McDivitt: astronaut of Gemini and Apollo missions. There are a few skeletons, as well!

If you have stories of Conzett folklore and glory, please share them with me, so that we may share them with the world!


If you have any questions or comments, please e-mail me at
larry@conzett.org. Thank you.