USA - Neuchatel, Kansas

Bonjour and allied families
Perrussel and allied families
Simon and allied families

USA - Athens, Ohio

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Family Home (build at the time
of the"Junod Milling Company")

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Neuchatel, Kansas...

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Around 1850, a few members of the Bonjour family of Lignières, NE, emigrated to the USA. They settled in Nemaha County, founded a township and, when time was ready to open a Post Office, named it Neuchatel, in memory of their home county.

In 1878, Neuchatel township counted 392 inhabitants, in the year 2000 this number went down to 117!

Where is Neuchatel? Here is a link that should help you: click here.

As of 1876, a member of our family, Paul Aimé Junod (1846-1918) joined this community His departure is delayed by the sudden death of his first wife, Hortense Victoire Samson.

First Emigrated in 1876, he came back to Switzerland, married Sophie Bertha Bonjour (1850-1930) and together came to settle in Neuchatel, Nemaha, KS in 1877 with his three sons, from Paul Aimé's first marriage.

On this second voyage, he was accompanied by cousins Alexandre Junod (1843-1923), Alfred, Aimé and Zélim Bonjour.


Paul Aimé
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Alexandre
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Aimé - Paul-Aimé's father - had 4 daughters of a first marriage. One of them, Louise Aimée (1822-1877) married Ferdinand Auguste Bonjour (1823-1863) and one of their children was Zélim Auguste (1848-1913) who also settled in Neuchatel, KS.

Paul Aimé first lived a year in the house that was to become the one of Charles Bonjour, before buying the one that would later be the house of Zélim Bonjour.

I visited Neuchatel & Onaga in 1995, 1997 and just recently at the end of March 2003. A special word of appreciation to Merle & Lawrence Bonjour (the "Bonjour boys"), Wilbur & Norma Jeanneret & Marjorie Labbe (The Onaga Historical Society), Artie Dale "Buck" Junod & his family, Joan Kolterman-Kuehl and her family, Doris Dultmeier-Kuehl & her family (and a great hospitality), not to forget Maxine & Jim Brand-Junod thanks to whom my last visit to Neuchatel was not only possible but very enjoyable. Time went all too fast....

The March 2003 trip also brought me to spend a day and a half in Des Moines, Iowa, where a branch of this Kansas family settled back in 1947. Great time spent with real nice people: Warmest Thanks Stan, Steven, Sharon, Suzy and your families for your friendship and hospitality !

The information on this family was sourced essentially from documents found in the State Archives of Neuchâtel, as well as from living descendants of this Branch in the USA.

Ancestors of Paul Aimé Junod:

Below a picture taken in 1995 in Lignières, of the old family farmhouse called "Les Broües" and purchased by Jean-Pierre Junod, the great-great grand father of Paul Aimé on the 12 February 1724, for 150 écus.

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Ancestors table - 4 generations

 

Initial Events in Neuchatel, KS

First settlements in Neuchatel, KS : spring of 1857, Charles Adolphe, Ami E. Bonjour and D. S. Veale
First church : 1871, Presbyterian
First school house : a log house, built by the settlers, date not given, between 1857 and 1866
First marriage : Charles Auguste Bonjour and Louise Zürcher
First birth : Charles Ami Bonjour, September 20, 1857
First business : General store, 1867, A. Bonjour & Co.
First post office : Neuchatel, 1861, Alfred Bonjour, postmaster
Neuchatel population in 1878 : 392

For more... click here