Samuel Guggisberg

1815 - 1853  (38 years)

• Name	Samuel Guggisberg
  Born	31 Mar 1815	Uetendorf, , Berne, Switzerland   [1, 2, 3]
  Christened	16 Apr 1815	Belp, , , Switzerland   [2]
  Gender	Male
  Residence	1836	Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  Business	1837	Dundas, West Flamborough Twp., Wentworth Co., Ontario, Canada
  	Red Lion Tavern
  		Guggisberg,Samuel-0001-advertforTavern,DasCanadaMuseum5Dec1836.jpg Das Canada Museum from Dec 6, 1836, Edition #6, pg 3
  FindAGrave	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/21643712
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-95881
  Died	8 Apr 1853	Woodstock, Oxford Co., Ontario, Canada   [1, 3]
  	Cause: suicide
  Buried	Riverside Baptist Cemetery, Richwood, Blenheim Township, Oxford Co., Ontario   [1, 3]
  Person ID	I95881	Generations
  Last Modified	25 Apr 2024

  
  

  Father	Christian Guggisberg,   b. 1779, of, Ueterdorf, Berne, Switzerland ,   d. 31 May 1845, Belp, , Canton Bern, Switzerland  (Age 66 years)
  Mother	Magdalena Moser,   b. CA 1770,   d. Bern, Switzerland
  Family ID	F29440	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 1	Agatha Kraft,   b. CA 1816, Baiersbronn, Freudenstadt, Baden-Württemberg, Germany ,   d. 30 Aug 1849, Blenheim Twp., Oxford Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age ~ 33 years)
  Married	20 Dec 1836	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  Children	1. Friedrich "Frederick" Guggisberg,   b. CALC 25 Nov 1839, Dundas, West Flamborough Twp., Wentworth Co., Ontario, Canada ,   d. 25 Mar 1873, Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age ~ 33 years)   2. Franklin "Frank" Guggisberg,   b. 28 Mar 1840, Blenheim Twp., Oxford Co., Ontario, Canada ,   d. 28 Jul 1917, Hamilton, Wentworth Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 77 years)   3. William Guggisberg,   b. 1844, Blenheim Twp., Oxford Co., Ontario, Canada ,   d. 4 Sep 1869, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 25 years)   4. Magdalena "Lena" Guggisberg,   b. 22 Aug 1847, Blenheim Twp., Oxford Co., Ontario, Canada ,   d. 3 Jul 1868, Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 20 years)
  Last Modified	26 Apr 2024
  Family ID	F24745	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 2	Jane Ellis,   b. 11 Nov 1829, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. 14 May 1911, Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 81 years)
  Children	1. John Lafayette Guggisberg,   b. 1849, Blenheim Twp., Oxford Co., Ontario, Canada ,   d. 13 Sep 1870, Brantford, Brant Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 21 years)
  Last Modified	26 Apr 2024
  Family ID	F7231	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos

  The Grave of Samuel Guggisberg Riverside Baptist Cemetery, Blenheim Township, Oxford County, Ontario

  
  

• Notes

  Melancholy Suicide It is our painful duty this week, to record a very sad occurrence that took place in the Gaol, in this town, by which an erring mortal hurried himself into an awful eternity, with his own hand. The unfortunate man, named Samuel Guggesberg, said to be respectably connected, and a resident of the township of Blenheim having. been arrested for debt of fifty dollars and committed to Gaol about three weeks ago, was discovered by the Gaoler, on Friday last, in the passage leading to his night room, laying on his back, in a pool of blood with his throat cut. An inquest was held on view of the body the same evening, Dr. Turquand Coroner, and the jury, failed to lead them to a definite conclusion, as to the cause which led to the perpetration of the deed The following is the evidence on the case: Mr. Cummings, Gaoler, sworn stated that he saw the deceased about 4 o'clock, and subsequently about 8 o'clock in the morning; apparently quite well; the deceased then told witness he wanted breakfast of bread and beef witness ordered the servant girl to get breakfast for the deceased, and then went down to the town on his return, nearly 12 o'clock went to see he deceased about some notes he had two days before, spoken of giving witness for his board when they have the means on entering they day-room he did not see deceased, but a saw the remains of his breakfast on the table, a German bible lying open, and his pipe beside it the boots he had on in the morning, were standing of at one side of the room witness went towards the night-room, and found him lying on his back, on the, floor of the passage, in the midst of blood with his throat cut, and immediately judged he had cut his throat with his own hand went and called his man, Charles Bush, to came in, as Guggesberg had cut his throat the man came and examined, as did also the Sheriff and Clerk of the Peace, a razor, all over blood, was found on the window sill, over where deceased lay. In answer to questions by jurors could not say he was crazy, Mr. Muma, in company with Mr. Ball the lawyer, call to see him yesterday after which he told witness, he was afraid Muma wanted to keep him Gaol he appeared very much afraid and said he had a great many enemies - he had been confined in Gaol about three weeks, but without looking at his book, could not tell exactly he complained being sick last week got medicine from the doctor for him he had the razor about a week debtors generally bring their own kit with them the razor belonged to the debtor's room he asked for a looking glass this morning to shave himself witness asked him if he slept last night, he replied, he did previous to Monday last, rest was broken gave him a glass of hot grog, with sixty drops of laudanum by the doctor's orders he had a vial of medicine besides, to be given him occasionally, until sleep would be produced, as was the case, on Monday night last, and has since rested well gave him no medicine these two days past, as sleep was produced gave him in all, since Monday 1st, two glasses of raw grain whiskey none since yesterday morning gave none with the doctor's order from his manner and the way he talked, witness thought that he was laboring under an indisposition of mind. Charles Bush, Sworn, saw deceased lying dead in the manner described by Mr. Cummings was not acquainted with him only saw him once at the hole of the door did not know that he was crazy believes he cut his own throat no doubt about it. Bridge Grace, Sworn went into the room where Guggesberg usually ate his victuals, this morning, with his breakfast Guggesberg was standing near the window he did not speak went out and saw him, through the hole in the door, going to eat his breakfast, which consisted of potatoes, meat, bread, butter, and two eggs and tea he did not appear sick, saw nothing unusual about him saw him again in the position he was found by Mr. Cummings believes he killed himself, has no doubt about it was in the habit of taking his meals to him. One evening, last week, he appeared not to speak plain, merely whispered and witness did not understand what he said - though he was not right thought he was delirious this morning he looked rather downcast he was not in the habit of speaking much made no noise in his room was always quiet. The Coroner, who is the Gaol Surgeon, stated that when call upon to see Guggesberg, he found him feverish and depressed in mind; on Sunday last he was poorly, and from appearances he was apprehensive that the deceased was threatened with an attack of delirium tremens; understood from him that a month ago he had been on "a great spree;" in answer to inquiry, deceased told him, the Coroner, that he had had delirium tremens before; in consequence, advised for him and prescribed some medicine, and a portion of laudanum in a little grog, in order to produce sleep and prevent delirium coming on; the Gaoler on Monday, had learned that deceased had slept and was better; and that he, the Gaoler, had discontinued to give the medicine as the prisoner's rest was good, of which course he, the Coroner, approved. The Jury upon the above evidence unanimously agreed on the following verdict: - "The the deceased Samuel Guggesberg, a prisoner for debt in the Gaol of the County of Oxford, came to his death by cutting his own throat with a razor, which laboring under an extreme depression of spirits" Weekly Dispatch Newspaper, St. Thomas, Ontario 3 May 1853 [from the British American newspaper, Woodstock, Ontario] ________________________ "SUICIDE OF A GAOL DEBTOR. - A correspondent from Woodstock, mentions the melancholy fact that Mr. Samuel Guglesbury, late of the Township of Blenheim, committed suicide, by cutting his throat with a razor, in Woodstock Gaol, on the 22nd instant. He was confined there as a debtor, and his incarceration produced an attack of nervous illness, which no doubt was the precursor of that temporary insanity which prompted the commission of the rash act. The unfortunate man seemed to have acted with the utmost coolness, even after he had inflicted upon himself the fatal wound. The razor was found carefully enclosed in its scabbard, upon the window sill of the cell, where it must have been placed by the suicide, while the life blood was lowing from his body." Daily British Whig (1850), 10 May 1853, p. 2

  
  

• Sources

  [S1096] Cemetery - ON, Oxford, Blenheim - Riverside Baptist. In Memory of Samuel Guggisberg, born at Uetendorf, Switzerland, 31st Mar 1815 died at Woodstock, Ontario April 1853, aged 38 years [S3093] Switzerland, Catholic and Lutheran Church Records, 1418-1996. Name: Samuel Guggisberg Baptism Date: 16 Apr 1815 Baptism Place: Belp, Bern, Schweiz Baptism Place (Original): Switzerland, Bern, Belp Birth Date: 31 Mar 1815 Father's Name: Christian Guggisberg Father's Sex: Male Mother's Name: Magdalena Moser [S3231] Find A Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/21643712. [S9] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Canada Museum und Allgemeine Zeitung (1835-1840), 22 Dec 1836:7. last Tuesday In Berlin, Rev. F.W. Bindeman m. Samuel Guggisberg, Waterloo, to Spr Agatha Krafft, of Dundas.

  
  

• Event Map

  Christened - 16 Apr 1815 - Belp, , , Switzerland Residence - 1836 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Married - 20 Dec 1836 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Business - Red Lion Tavern - 1837 - Dundas, West Flamborough Twp., Wentworth Co., Ontario, Canada Died - Cause: suicide - 8 Apr 1853 - Woodstock, Oxford Co., Ontario, Canada Buried - - Riverside Baptist Cemetery, Richwood, Blenheim Township, Oxford Co., Ontario  = Link to Google Earth