The Midway Fort Family of the week is that of john Ulrich Wintsch researched by Jason Moulton.

John Ulrich Wintsch and his family were listed as residing in the Midway Fort on the west side near the center of the fort.

John Ulrich Wintsch K2H1-NNJ was born on 1 March 1843, in Volketswil, Zürich, Switzerland, his father, Caspar Wintsch, was 40 and his mother, Anna Weilenmann, was 35. He married Frances Sarah Smith on 4 October 1866, in Zürich, Switzerland. They were the parents of at least 1 daughter. He lived in Elkhorn, Wasatch, Utah, United States in 1900. He died on 10 September 1909, in Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States, at the age of 66, and was buried in Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States.

Frances Sarah Smith K2H1-NFP was born on 6 February 1844, in Margaretting, Essex, England, United Kingdom, her father, Samuel Smith, was 38 and her mother, Elizabeth Mead Cheek, was 34. She married John Ulrich Wintsch on 4 October 1866, in Zürich, Switzerland. They were the parents of at least 1 daughter. She died on 4 November 1867, at the age of 23, and was buried in Midway City Cemetery, Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States.

John and Frances had one child Francis Elizabeth Wintsch was born on 25 October 1867, in Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States, her father, John Ulrich Wintsch, was 24 and her mother, Frances Sarah Smith, was 23. She died on 30 May 1868, in her hometown, at the age of 0, and was buried in Midway City Cemetery, Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States.

John’s wife Frances died shotly after the birth of their first child. John married Elisabeth Bosshard 22 November 1869.

Elisabeth Bosshard KWJF-TF8 was born on 3 March 1852, in Tössegg, Wildberg, Zürich, Switzerland, her father, Caspar Bosshard, was 35 and her mother, Elisabeth Trachsler, was 32. She married John Ulrich Wintsch on 22 November 1869, in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States. They were the parents of at least 6 sons and 5 daughters. She lived in Elkhorn, Wasatch, Utah, United States in 1900. She died on 24 May 1909, in Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States, at the age of 57, and was buried in Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States.

John and Elisabeth were the parents of 11 Children including an adopted daughter.

Children (11)

Mary Ann Wintsch 1871-1871 • K21-l1-NNS

John Henry Wintsch 1872-1872 • K21-l1-NKW

Emma Elizabeth Wintsch 1873-1873 • K21-l1-NN5

Sarah Ellen Wintsch 1875-1875 • K21-l1–NJV

 Carl Franklin Wintsch 1876-1876 • K21-l1–NNL

 George Albert Wintsch 1879-1880 • K21-l1–NNW

 William Lorenzo Wintsch 1881-1881 • K21-l1–NJM

 Eliza Matilda Lehmann 1882–1936 • KWCG-9W4

          Adoptive – John IJlrich Wintsch 

          Adoptive – Elisabeth Bosshard

Walter Boshard Wintsch 1885-1885 • K2H1-NJJ

Ida Ottilia Wintsch 1887-1888 • K2H1-NN3

Joseph Hyrum Wintsch 1890-1890 • K2H1-NXQ

The following story was found in the Family Search file for Eliza Matilda Lehmann 1882-1936 KWCG-9W4 who was raised by John and Elisabeth and gives an explanation about the untimely deaths of their children.

From a History Written by Elmer Kohler (written in 1985)

Contributed By Rebecca Kohler Mortensen

“Mother (referring to Eliza Matilada Lehman) added parenthesis. was born at Mound City, which was north of the site of Midway City. She was born in a dugout shelter about three weeks after her parents come to Midway from the area around Bern, Switzerland. They were also converts to [the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints}. About three days after Mother was born, her Mother died and left Grandpa Lehman with her and three older children, Ernest, Mary and Louise. The family of John Wintsch took mother to raise, they never adopted her, therefore she kept the name Lehman officially, although she grew up as Eliza Wintsch…

After the death of Grandma Lehman mother was taken by the John Wintsch family, who lived in the home I now live in. Mother was quite a comfort to Granma and Granpa Wintch, especially in their older years. Previous to taking Mother to raise, John Wintsch had lost his first wife, Francis, and their first child, at childbirth. He then married Francis’ sister, Elizabeth. They had 10 children, all dying before they reached the age of 2 years, of some childhood problem, not understood in those days, but today the condition is easily treated by the doctors. It probably was thymus gland trouble or a similar condition which always results in the death of the child if not treated. They had also adopted a boy, by the name of August Presett, who died of internal injuries at the age of 15. They are all buried in the same lot in the Midway Cemetery, three adults and twelve children. It is easy to see why mother was such a comfort to them, after the trying experiences they had passed through.”

John and Elizabeth also adopted August Presset following the death of his mother in Switzerland. His father had joined the LDS Church and had a large family. “The missionaries arranged to bring the younger three boys to America with them. There were many Swiss people in the Midway and Heber City, Utah area and so the three children were taken there (August, Felix and Humbert). “ This statement is taken from a memory posted in Family search titled. Humbert Presset-By Edna Presett Lindsey. This again shows the generous nature of John and Elisabeth .

August Presset KWVP-TGK t was born in 1868, in Courtelary, Bern, Switzerland, his father, Louis Samuel Presset, was 38 and his mother, Henrietta Constance Müller, was 34. He died on 19 October 1887, in Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States, at the age of 19, and was buried in Midway City Cemetery, Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States.

John Ulrich Wintsch is shown in Bureau of Land Management records as having homesteaded 160 Acres immediately west of the Homestead Resort. As depicted below in the dark orange color.