Gloor

Gloor is a family name from Aargau, a canton in northern Switzerland. Many members of this family emigrated to the US, mainly to Texas, Indiana, New York and California, starting in the 17th century. The family was amongst the founders of Tell City and fought in the War of Independence with the Virginia Rifles. The Gloor came as bakers to Tell City and brought the first Bretzel to America.

First emigres to America

Michael and Barbara Gloor, emigrated 1717 from Switzerland to Virginia

John (Hans) Gloor, born 1730, Virginia, died in the War of Independence in 1756 (see also Passenger list of different ships to America)

Genesis of the name

1440 the name was written Glares, Glarer, Glaren. 1500 Glor and later, depending on the village where the family lived first: Glar, then Glaar and finally Gloor; Birrwil/Schwaderhof/Seengen. After the 15th century the family splits into two lines; one Seengen/Birrwil and one starting in Dürrenäsch.

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  Gloor Coat of Arms of 15th century of the Seetal branch. Other Coat of Arms of the family under this link

History

Through the wedding of Knight Rudolf of Glarus with Anna of Liebegg half the castle of Liebegg and all its treasures went to Rudolf (1318–1371), where he retreated after plotting against the city of Zurich and his being banned from the city in 1350. Under his sons John and Jacob all his property had to be sold.

Rudolf von Glarus, the son of Jacob was named first minister of the Barons of Hallwyl (later seneschals and generals of the Habsburg) known as "Rudolf of Chulmbe" (Liebegg). They lived in the fortified tower of Seengen, and were thereafter named “from the Tower” (von Burg). For their deeds they were donated the property of Retterswil, which the Gloor possessed in the 14th und 15th century.

The sister of Rudolf, Margarethe from the Tower (in der Burg) married Heinrich Ribi von Platzheim, another well-known family from Seengen (Ribi was major (Schultheiss) of Lenzburg). The Ribi later also owned part of the Retterswil property through heritage, which they sold to Königsfelden Abbey (1356).

In the 15th century there can be found some Glar of the Tower (von Burg) in the parish of Seengen. Around the year 1400 documents mention an Uli Glar von Birrwil/Burg and later a Johannis von Birrwil/Burg. All Gloor of Birrwil were baptised and married at that time in Seengen.

The change of the name Glarus to Glarner, Glarer, Glaren, Glar, Glor follows the dates of their mentioning in the documents. As it was a custom in these centuries the first names within the family were always the ones of the father, grandfather or uncle. Throughout nearly eight centuries the main first names remained: Heinrich, Jacob, Rudolf and John.

It may be also a sign, that the Gloor remained Ministers (Untervogt) of the Barons of Hallwyl for centuries.

Family today

The line living in Birrwil/Seetal was always well off and first emigration started only in the 19th century, whereas the line of Dürrenäsch was poor and emigrated already in the 16th century. Nearly all émigrés to the Crimea, Australia, Chile and the US are from this line. So we find a Gloor of Virginia who died in the War of Independence and the most famous American Gloor who brought the Bretzel to America in Tell City.

References

• Verschiedene Bücher von A. Merz und Georg Gloor
• Kleine Dorfgeschichte von Birrwil, W. Hintermann
• Jahreschroniken/Sonderdrucke, historische Vereinigung Wynental
• Heimatkundliche Darstellung von Birrwil, Oskar Keller
• Aargauer Staatsarchiv und Kantonsbibliothek
• F. Gallati, «Gilg Tschudi und die ältere Gesch. des Landes G.»
• I. Tschudi-Schümperlin, J. Winteler, Wappenbuch des Landes G., 21977
• Sablonier, Adel
• M. Lassner-Held, Der Zürcher Stadtadel 1330-1400, Liz. Zürich, 1989

External links

• Ship passenger list to America
• Birrwil
• Hallwyl

Knight of Glarus

• Gloor of Birrwil

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