Introduction

There are two spellings of the TSCHIRGI name. One, like mine, ends with the GI and the other KY. For years I believed the two names to be the same just misspelled or misinterpreted. I now know the names are intertwined and different. The Catholic Church in Weistannen, Switzerland has several Tschirgi's married to Tschirky's. As a teenager I was listening when my Grandmother told me what she knew about the name she married into. Yep, I listened! Using her information and a chart I inherited, was able to sift through Russian history enough to put together the following....

Ivan III Vasilievich was known as "Ivan the Great" (1440-1505) was the Grand duke of Muscovy from 1462 to 1505. His victories against the Tartars laid the foundations for eventual Russian unity. Tsars, Emperors of Russia, started with Peter Romanovs 1682-1725, known as "Peter the Great", took title of Tsar in 1721. That is the area I'm looking for information. My chart begins in 1680. Peter ruled in uncertain times with a huge military force. Peter controlled huge armies who defended his land with a force that rivaled no other. But he was unhappy. His armies were winning in the open plains to the east. They defended the land to the west and there was little opposition from the south. Though they seldom lost any battles with the likes of Genghis Khan, he was unhappy because he lost 2000 men defeating their 1000. Peter the Great wanted to modernize his armies. He was jealous of the muskets the Barbarians used. He wanted the long knives for his officers. He wanted modern farm equipment, better facilities, modern methods. His people resisted wanting to hold on to the age old ways their fathers taught them. They wanted to remain the way they had been for hundreds and hundreds of years. The people resisted any change to their closed in, secure life. The council also resisted the new ideas. The military leaders preferred the safety of outnumbering any enemies rather than risk change and possible defeat with new ideas. This, of course, ran contrary to the Czars wishes. As in all governments, there was a faction of the council which deeply resisted the modern changes sought by the Czar. Fearing the rapid modernization of the army would undermine their determination to acquire power, they secretly plotted a rebellion. The history books are not clear about this particular attempted overthrow as there were several. Almost all the recorded history of the time was kept by monks whose primary aim was to point out the need for spiritual improvements.

The Tschirky's were always in the Canton of St Gall, Mels and the surrounding hills. They had several name variations because of marriages between different nationalities such as Romans, and Greeks. Though I believe the Russian name was actually CHIGORIN which translates to Tschirgi easily. In a book I prize given to me by Dr. Robert Tschirgi there is a quote about where Tschirgi came from. The book includes a story relayed to him from his Grandmother. I quote, "... that my ancestor was a Russian general by the name of Tachirgorian, and by the time the Republic of Switzerland was formed, he, together with his company of soldiers, fled from the despotic government of Russia to the promise of freedom in the mountain fastness of the Alps and of Switzerland. In this harbor of safety the name Tachirgirian was changed to Tschirgi, omitting the letters which would betray the Russian identification. I suppose this is why so many have a difficulty in determining the nationality of the name, calling it Italian, Japanese and whatnot." The Russian General in finding a name so close to his own might have decided to stay in the area."

The Chart.

The earliest Tschirgi on a chart my Grandmother owned is of a Georg Tschirgi who was born around 1630 place unknown. His son Valentine born in Switzerland, died in 1681, married Marie Bertschin in 1665 and had one recorded son. Johann Baptist born 1678 married Ursula Bleisch in 1707 and died at age 89 (somewhat unbelievable) in 1767. The records I have seen in Weistannen have a Joesef Anton 1711-1772. He married twice 1745 and 1757. We lose a generation but pick up again with Mathias born 19 October 1803 to dies 9 December 1857. The chart shows him as a beer brewer. He marries on 11 April 1824 to his first wife Agatha Pappler(?). She has one son Mathias, born 23 October 1824 but she dies at childbirth. Mathias marries again to Matin Anna Schatz. Their first of 15 children started in 1827. Her last was in 1846 and in 1839, her 7th child, Alois was born. Mathias, the first son immigrates to America when Alois was 7. Alois follows him 8 years later.

Click HERE to see the chart tracing my lineage.

Click HERE to see some pictures of Weistannen, Switzerland.

Tschirgis in America.

According to the book, "The Tenderfoot", Mathias (born Oct 1824 in Canton, St. Gallen, Switzerland) arrived in the United Stated at age 21 in 1845. He arrived in New Orleans and found passage up the Mississippi. The river boat floundered and he was picked up bound for Dubuque, Iowa. Dubuque at the time was a small Indian trading village. He was trained as a brewer and a Catholic Priest but decided to establish a brewery in Dubuque, the first in the state of Iowa called "Mathias Tschirgi" on Main between 6th and 7th Streets. I would imagine it would have been a brewery and saloon. That lasted from 1848 to 1850. He married Catherine Zollikoffer and together they raise 5 boys and 2 girls. In 1850 the company becomes M. Tschirgi and Co. on Julien St. in Dubuque. It stays that company till 1855 when it becomes Tschirgi & Schwind, Western Brewery Company which it remains till 1892. The 1860 census when Mathias is 36 shows him as a Lager Beer Manufacturer. Matheus and Louis Kammuller were awarded patent #57221 in August 1866.

Click HERE to see information from Dubuque in a new tab.

Click HERE to see the patent.

The 1870 Census Mathias spells his name as Mathew and he's a brewer. His oldest son (then 20) changed his name to Matthew. The census continues with Louisa (16) John (12) George (10) Arnold (8) and Frank (4). Arnold the youngest boy born about 1866. Young Arnold and Frank are influenced by Horace Greelys call to "Go West Young Man!" Frank moves to Montana and over the years builds up the second biggest ranch in America. More probable, the biggest ranch at the time. The biggest, King Ranch in Texas, from what I can find, was building up. If you ever go to Custers Last Stand, Little Bighorn Battlefield National Park and look to the west, everything you see beyond the river was part of the Antler Ranch, or more simply put “The Tschirgi Spread.” Frank marries Ella N. Simplot from Dubuque on 5 June, 1890. They live in Montanna and raise 2 boys and 3 girls.

Arnold uses his former training as a brewer and with good friends Peter Demple and George Paul they start Sheridan Beer in 1887. Frank was 25 and Arnold was 21. Click HERE to read about Peter Demple in a new tab. Mathew senior dies November 1903 at age 79. The rest of their story is well documented and there is some controversy there too but I'll leave that for someone on their side.

The Other Side of the Tschirgi Family.

My side of the American family starts about the middle of the
Civil War with Alois. I have not tracked how Alois arrived. The chart
says he left for America in 1854 when he was 15/16 following his older brother Mathias.
Alois I would imagine he would have arrived in New York and taken the train to Dubuque.

On top from left to right. Anthony, Harry (though I could have those swithed), Anna, George and Lizzie Pfeiffer
Seated left to right. Katie, Minnie, Fredrick and Alois.

Alois was born in Weistannen, Switzerland in 10 December 1838. He came to America as a young man to work for his half-brother Mathias in his brewery in Dubuque, Iowa. In a later census Alois is listed as a saloon keeper. He married Anna Pfeiffer (1838-1902/64) in Dubuque on 16 June 1866. Anna's maiden name was Arnback. She married Casper Pfeiffer (might have been spelled Pfeiffner) in Prussia and they had two children in Prussia. The children's names were George and Lizzie who the 1870 census says they were 8- and 9- years old living with Alois.

Alois and Anna have 5 children of their own. According to the 1880 Dubuque census there is Katie (or Kathryn) Tschirgi Miller (13) (1866-1949/83) on the left. Standing left to right is Anthony Alois (8) (1872-March 30, 1948/76), Harry Frank (6) (1874-1952/78). Those two could be switched. My limb, Fredrick Harry (3) seated (14 January 1877 - 5 October 1949/72)and Minnie to his right (2/12) (1880-1956/76).

Taking a guess, Minnie looks to be 6 in this photograph. Alois became a naturalized American citizen 25 October 1886 which might have been the reason for the photo. Alois died 3 February 1890 at age 52.

Fred and Amelia Tschirgi

In the 1900 census, great-great grandfather Fred (below) born 14 January 1877 is 24 and living with his mother and little sister Minnie in her house on the northern end of Iowa Street, Dubuque, Iowa. Minnie marries John Kiebel (1876-1952/76). His mother, Anna dies 25 January 1902 at age 64. Fredrick marries Amelia Doerrer later that year on 14 October 1902. He was 26 years old. He uproots the family around 1910 to work as a printer for his older brother Anthony Alois Tschirgi in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. My grandfather, Fred, was about 5 when they moved from Dubuque to Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Fred and Amelia have 3 boys: Fredrick Harry born 3 March 1905, Raymond Henry born 20 May 1906, and Arnold Joseph born 3 May 1912. Anthony married Zella B Fisk.

My great-grandmother Amelia died September 1919 when Grandfather Fred was about 12. It was a devastating event for the family. Fred took care of his two little brothers Ray and Arnold. When Arnold was old enough to take care of himself, grandfather was working for Armour Corporation as a bookkeeper. He married my grandmother Bessie Wiblishouser (born 24 December 1906) on 16 December 1925. Armour transferred him to Boonville, MO., Elk City, OK., Woodward, OK. where they had their only child, my father, Frederick LeRoy born 16 Jan 1934. Then on to Windfield, KS. before settling in Houston, TX. in 1937. They lived in Houston till 1959 when they moved to Taylor, TX.

The middle brother Ray joined the Navy and was in Pearl Harbor when it was bombed by the Japanese in 1945. Raymond spent 30 years in the Navy. He married the former Mary Ann Cavazza in 1932. They settled in Daily City, California when he retired until his death in 2000. He had one son Raymond born 1934. Raymond has 2 daughters, Laura Nichols and Vicki Gainni who live in the San Francisco area in California.

Arnold married Paulene someone in July 1938. They adopted one girl named Pamela who informed me she didn't want to be involved with the family. They didn't leave much of a legacy.

By the way,
Anthony, Freds older brother, owned Russell's Railway Guides now Russell's Guides Inc. and was directed by Ruth Louise Tschirgi Berry (12 Jan 1918 - 27 Nov 2005/87)Cedar Rapids, Linn County, Iowa, USA It's still around. Click HERE to see Russell's Guides webpage in a new tab. Click HERE to see Russell's Railway Guide Front from February 1923. Click HERE to see Russell's Railway Guide First Page.

Click Here to see extra Fred #2 family photos.
Click Here to see Bessie's Wedding Diary.

Grandfather Fred and Bessie Wiblishouser Tschirgi

52nd Wedding Anniversary, Austin. TX

Click HERE for some dating pictures.

When Freds enlistment in the Army was up he worked for Armor Creamery near Woodward, Oklahoma. My father was born in Woodward during the Great Depression in 1932. Grandad threw in with a carpet salesman and moved to Houston, Texas about 1935. He didn't do to well selling carpet. He took night classes when you could monitor college classes and he passed his Certified Public Accountant exam. Back then you didn't need a degree to have a CPA certificate. My father married my mom Nancy Ruth Payne of Houston in 1953 and was drafted into the Army.

The story is one of the Johnston Testers owners had work done on his house and charged it to the company. Very illegal. Grandad turned him into the IRS. I don't know what happened but they moved to Taylor, Texas about 1956 and Grandad worked for Taylor Bedding till he retired. Life in small town Texas is good. The water in Taylor is horrible but country living, if you want to put your life on idle, is great.

Grandfather Emmit Swan and Ruth Hallmark Payne

Click HERE for the Payne Pages.

Click HERE for Hallmark Introduction.

Fred and Nancy Payne Tschirgi

Frederick LeRoy Tschirgi met Nancy Ruth Payne while attending The University of Houston. They married on 17 April 1953. Fred was about to graduate from Texas A&M with a MBA in accounting when he was drafted into the Army to support the war in Korea. He served in Virginia from 10 December 1954 to 7 December 1957. Mom stayed home in Houston to have me. We joined dad at some point after my birth. After his enlistment they moved back to Houston and got his CPA certificate. He worked for Johnston Tester in the oil business but always with a grain of salt because of his father's experience with the same company. The oil business took us from Houston, to Midland, Texas where he worked for Drilco. Drilco made the long pipes used for drilling holes in the ground. While there, Drilco was bought by Smith International of California. Smith made the big dirt drill bits that go on the long pipes. Dad moved to the parent company so we moved to Mission Viejo, California where he worked for Smith Oil and later for Smith International. Mom and dad moved back to Texas in 1983. Mom got a job with Dallas Mental Health and Mental Retardation Center near Love Field. When the position came open Dad took a job as the chief accountant. My dear mother died in September of 1991 at 57 years old in Arlington, TX of lung cancer. My father retired from MHMR and married Jewell Riggs in 1995. They moved to Smith Lake, Alabama later that year. That didn't work out for the both of them so they divorced in 1996. Dad moved back to Grand Prairie, Texas and lived in the house behind me till the spring of 2003. He moved to California to spend his final days with my sister Lynn in El Cajon, California. He died peacefully in his sleep March 27th, 2004. 72 Years old. He was survived by me, grandchildren Crystal Ann and Frederick Swan, daughter Lynn Spicer, daughter Jeannene Standhardt and granddaughter Jocelyn Standhardt Lopez.

My Soap Box:
Smoking took 33 years from my mother’s life. Both of her parents lived past 85. Mom died of lung cancer at 57.
28 YEARS shorter than her parents.
My father smoked and suffered from emphysema. He did not enjoy his life much after mom's death 12.5 years before.
He died 13 YEARS early because he smoked.
Both of his parents were past 85 when they died.
I feel I have lost some lung capacity due to my smoking for 14 years, 30+ years ago. Who knows
how many years I've shaved off my life. When I run, I believe I could go further if I could get
more oxygen to into my system. Direct result of poor judgement on my part.

My entire family has suffered at the hands of tobacco products. Yes, smoking was our choice.
Don't you make the wrong choice. RJ Reynolds has adversely affected my family.
Don't let smoking ruin a generation of your family too.
I think the man below would agree.
Don't Smoke!

Frederick LeRoy Tschirgi
January 16, 1932 to
March 27, 2004

Dad and I were strangers
who knew each other
very well.

My younger sister Lynn Spicer was born 21 December 1957 in Houston.
She is married to Duane Spicer in El Cajon, California. They own a
ranch up in the hills where they raise and board horses.

Click HERE for a picture of Lynn and her Friesian horse Armond, in a parade in
San Juan Capistrano, Califonnia, 25 March 2006

My youngest sister, Jeannene was born in Midland, Texas in 1960.
She has one daughter named Jocelyn born in 1981. Jeannene is pictured
here with her good friend John on a day trip to Idyllwild, California.
Jeannene passed away after a long illness in April 2010.

My niece, Jocelyn Standhardt Lopes works as an office manager of a dentist
and really enjoys her job. She and Christian live in Morongo Valley California.
They have 3 children.

Santo Dante (Charles) & Katherine Florence Kivilin Amendola

Fredrick LeRoy & Elaine Marie Amendola Tschirgi

Ibiza, Spain, 1989

I was born April 1955 in Houston, Texas. Mom said I hurt but I don't remember. Dad moved us to Midland, Texas when I was very young. I imagine that was quite a shock for mom. We lived on the west side of town. I often went to the edge of Texas civilization. After a few years dad had a house built in town. We lived next door to the future President George Bush. I attended Fannin Elementary, Goddard Jr. High, and Robert E. Lee High School. When I was 15, my sophomore year, we moved to Mission Viejo, California. I attended Mission Viejo High School graduating in 1973. I joined the Air Force in June 1975 and became an air traffic controller. I married Elaine Marie Amendola who I knew from high school in November of that year. Elaine is the second of nine children. She was born June 1957 in Chicago, Illinois. Our first real assignment after technical school at Biloxi, Mississippi was Carswell Air Force Base, west Fort Worth, Texas. I was assigned to the Ground Approach Radar (GCA) where I learned to control IFR aircraft. I learned how to make B-52's dance in the sky with the new F-16s. Crystal Ann Tschirgi was born October 1978 in Fort Worth, Texas.

After a remote unaccompanied (no family) assignment for a year in Galena Airport, right smack dab in the middle of Alaska on the Yukon River, I was assigned to Royal Air Force (RAF) Upper Heyford, near Oxford, England. Elaine wanted a job when she arrived at Upper Heyford, so she joined the Air Force as a personnel specialist. Frederick Swan Tschirgi (Fred #5) was born in England in April 1982. Emmitt Swan Payne was my maternal grandfather's name. Dad and I had learned about father/son having the same name was just confusing for everyone. Changing the middle name was the way to go however, I was a little worried about Swan. Turned out my tribulation was unwarranted. Fred was always a head taller and bulkier than all his school mates.

We seemed to move every 2-1/2 years whether we needed to or not. From England, our assignments were Wichita Falls, Texas, back to Oxford, England, back to Carswell, Fort Worth on a humanitarian assignment. Hats off to Elaine. She moved an entire house, 2 kids - and a dog - across continents. I helped my father while my mother slowly passed away. Carswell AFB closed and became the Carswell Joint Reserve base. I was sent to....

Minot, North Dakota......

North Dakota!

Picture above, Dad said he hadn't seen a picture of us in a while.

Dad said, "HAHA, very funny." So, I sent him this one. As I remember it was
right at 0 degrees but it was no wind which makes all the difference.
Notice I couldn't convince Elaine she was having a good time. Nor could I
get the kids to join in. She was having fun - she just didn't know it at the time.

My Assignments Were..

3702 ATC, Flight 0490 Basic Training Lackland AFB & Technical School, Biloxi AFB. 9 May 1975 to January 76

2048th Communication Squadron at Carswell AFB, Fort Worth, Texas. January 76 to March 79

1931th Communication Group, Detachment 4, Galena Airport, Alaska. April 79 to April 80

2168th Communication Squadron, Royal Air Force Upper Heyford, England. April 80 to September 83

2054th Communication Squadron, Sheppard AFB, Wichita Falls, Texas. October 83 to June 87

2168th Communication Squadron, Royal Air Force Upper Heyford. June 87 to April 91

Operations Support Squadron, Carswell AFB. April 91 to July 93

5th Operations Support Squadron, Minot AFB. July 93 to 1 October 1995

I retired honorably 1 October 1995 at the rank of Master Sergeant (E-7). My final job title was Chief, Air Traffic Control Training and Temporary Tower Chief. Air Force retirement put me in the wonderful position of being able to pursue a new career. I graduated (3.9 GPA) in June 97 with my second degree in electronics from DeVry University. I found work as a network manager at Irving Independent School District. I had a house built just the way Elaine wanted it in Grand Prairie. That is where we make our home. After 17 years working with outstanding people, plus a side hustle working for the Dallas Cowboys, I decided to retire again. New management came in with new ideas and I was just to set in my ways. I had a good run. I stayed on with the Cowboys for another couple of years but hung up my spurs at 25 years.

Early 2015 I applied for hearing aids from the VA Clinic in Fort Worth. Before long I got a letter assigning me to a VA primary care physician. I met the doctor and her team mid-September. I told her I have been having a little arthritis trouble in my left hip. My civilian doctor gave me some pills but I didn’t like them. VA doctor sent me get to the X-Ray clinic where they took several pictures of my hip. This is the good part. While reviewing my X-Rays about my left hip, the radiologist noticed a shadow on my right femur bone which he writes, “Please correlate with electrophoresis for ruling out Multiple Myeloma.” He was spot on. I saw several doctors to determine the extent of my cancer. I had experienced no bone pain so it was probably found at a very early stage. I started chemo the next week. In July 2016 I went in for a Stem Cell Transplant. Fascinating process. Once I completed the SCT cleaning, which was quite the ass kicking, I started my long road to recovery. I now have a much better chance of living longer with the cancer and dying from something else.

These days Elaine and I spend our time spending our children's inheritance. We travel a lot. We’ve been
on long trips to Florida, Italy, Canada, Hawaii, and Mexico. We have lots of good friends we see a lot of.

Click HERE to see my Guardian Angel.

Where did your life take you?
People I would like to get in contact with again are:
My first date. I don't remember her name but I have her picture somewhere.
John Pichler from El Toro, California
Trish Pitkins from down the street & Mission Viejo High School.
Karen Goodwin Johnson. Thanks for the call. Lets do it again soon.
Bill Ferral in LA somewhere.
Joe & Beatrice Garcia from Sheppard and UH (I need to apologize)
CA from Minot, North Dakota (same as above)
James "JP" Murry from Shepard AFB, Wichita Falls, Texas

Crystal Ann and Richy Sutton

Crystal and Richy Sutton married 31 October 2000 in North Richland Hills, TX. They have my first
grandbaby, Angela Charlotte Sutton and my first grandson, Michael Coleman. Who ever said, "If I knew grandchildren
were so much fun, I would have had them first." was right on the mark. Crystal and Richy divorced 2019.

Fred and Crystal Lynn Tschirgi

Fred Swan (Hammer) joined the Marines spring of 2004.
He married Crystal Lynn Sumner 12 November 2004 civilly. Due to
military commitments, they delayed the church wedding till May 2005.
After his enlistment and time in the sand box, he got a job with Verizon Wireless.
He finished his degree at my alma mater, DeVry. He then moved on to his own
internet security company, then merged with another bigger company.
Now my couch slug is giving speeches at seminars at universities. Go figure.
Crystal Lynn graduated with a master's degree from Texas Woman’s University
and is working for Homeland Security. Crystal Lynn is pretty but not to bright.
First time I met her I said to her - and I quote me, "You need better friends."
They have 2 children, Skylar Renee and Frederick Keith.
That is Fred #6!

Dan and Joy Cowen, me and Elaine,
The "Outlaws" Dan and Liz Sumner
November 2004