Jacob Burgener was born on 13 April 1824, at Spiez, Bern, Switzerland, his father, Jakob Burgener, was 23 and his mother, Anna Teuscher, was 24. He married Maria Mühlematter on 9 October 1846, in Interlaken, Switzerland. They were the parents of at least 4 sons and 3 daughters. He died on 7 August 1895, in Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States, at the age of 71, and was buried in Midway City Cemetery, Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States. The Jacob Burgener Midway Fort Cabin was located in North West corner of the Midway Fort sandwiched between the cabins of John Faucett Sr. and John Buhler.

Maria Muhlematter was born September 22, 1819, in Spiez, Bern, Switzerland, a daughter of John and Elizabeth Muhlematter. She died January 2, 1904 in Midway, Utah.

Jacob also married a second wife Elizabeth Christian in Salt Lake City. Elisabeth was born on 10 May 1835, in Trachselwald, Bern, Switzerland, her father, Johannes Christen, was 44 and her mother, Elisabeth Iseli, was 42. She married Jacob Burgener on 2 December 1872, in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States. She lived in Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States in 1880. She died on 28 November 1891, at the age of 56, and was buried in Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States.

The Swiss People were freedom loving, and when the Mormon missionaries preached the Gospel and told of the land of America, many Swiss people were anxious to join the Church and emigrate.

Typical of these were Jacob Burgener, Jr., and his wife Maria. They were baptized March 13,1861 and three years later, left everything dear to them in their homeland and set out to cross the ocean in a sailboat. They had lost two of their children in Switzerland, and they lost another child while crossing the plains in the George W. Snow company. It required 11 months for them to come to Utah, where they arrived in October of 1864.

They came immediately to Midway and purchased property near the mouth of Snake Creek Canyon. They had purchased horses in the East that they brought with them to Midway.

Jacob was a farmer, stock raiser, and during the summertime made cheese. He was also a carpenter and built several hay barns around Midway.

Jacob’s death resulted from a broken hip suffered when a horse fell on him as he tried to stake it out in Dutch Field.

Maria was a typical Swiss woman, filled with wonderful hospitality and always ready with cookies, dried fruits or other treats for visitors. Though she suffered may trials in coming to Utah, she maintained her faith and courage and successfully reared her children. She was a widow for the last nine years of her life.

Jacob and Maria traveled with the Willliam Hyde Co in 1864 from the Omaha area to Salt Lake City. The company consisted of about 350 people and 62 wagons. This information comes in the form of a narrative on the church’s website, Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel, 1847-1868.

Jacob lived in the Northwest corner of Fort Midway, served in the Indian War and is listed on the veteran memorial at Memorial Hill in Midway, UT

Children of Jacob Burgener, Jr. and Maria Muhllematter Burgener were:

Maria Burgener born on 23 August 1847, in Faulensee, Spiez, Bern, Switzerland, her father, Jacob Burgener, was 23 and her mother, Maria Mühlematter, was 27. She married Christian Schöni on 11 October 1868, in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States. They were the parents of at least 5 sons and 5 daughters. She lived in Provo, Utah, Utah, United States in 1880 and Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States in 1900. She died on 6 July 1922, in Orem, Utah, Utah, United States, at the age of 74, and was buried in Midway City Cemetery, Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States.

John Jacob, was born on 13 November 1849, in Spiez, Bern, Switzerland, his father, Jacob Burgener, was 25 and his mother, Maria Mühlematter, was 30. He died on 13 June 1850, at the age of 0.

Anna was born on 13 May 1851, in Bern, Bern, Switzerland, her father, Jacob Burgener, was 27 and her mother, Maria Mühlematter, was 31. She died on 31 May 1861, at the age of 10, and was buried in Spiez, Bern, Switzerland.

Jacob was born on 6 December 1853, in Spiez, Bern, Switzerland, his father, Jacob Burgener, was 29 and his mother, Maria Mühlematter, was 34. He died on 17 October 1864, at the age of 10, and was buried in Pioneer Children’s Memorial, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States.

Chrisitan was born on 21 November 1855, in Spiez, Bern, Switzerland, his father, Jacob Burgener, was 31 and his mother, Maria Mühlematter, was 36. He married Amelia Magdalena Sulzer on 13 November 1876, in Heber City, Wasatch, Utah, United States. They were the parents of at least 6 sons and 7 daughters. He lived in Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States for about 20 years. He died on 28 April 1938, in Park City, Summit, Utah, United States, at the age of 82, and was buried in Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States.

Johannnes (John) Burgener was born on 31 March 1858, in Spiez, Bern, Switzerland, his father, Jacob Burgener, was 33 and his mother, Maria Mühlematter, was 38. He married Maria Murri on 27 November 1878, in Spiez, Bern, Switzerland. They were the parents of at least 7 sons and 3 daughters. He immigrated to Utah, United States in 1864. He died on 23 January 1918, in Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States, at the age of 59, and was buried in Midway City Cemetery, Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States.

Elisa, was born on 16 January 1862, in Spiez, Bern, Switzerland, her father, Jacob Burgener, was 37 and her mother, Maria Mühlematter, was 42. She died on 18 July 1891, at the age of 29, and was buried in Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States.

Family search records show a plural marriage of Jacob Burgener on 2 December 1872 in Salt Lake City Utah to Elizabeth Christian 97GQ-8W8. In the 1880 Census, Elizabeth Burgener and Maria Burgener are both listed as Wives of Jacob Burgener on that Census. It is noted that Elizabeth Christian is buried next to Jacob Burgener as is Maria. No children are listed for Elizabeth Christian in her marriage to Jacob Burgener. Below is a picture of the headstone for Elizabeth Burgener in the Midway cemetery.