Rather than post all of my Kobler photos here, it is much easier to just provide a link to my Father’s website, where they are already available. There are some excellent old photos here, most of them with captions identifying the individual people.
Carl and Elma Kobler 1915
The following Photo of Carl and Elma Kobler Family with Paxson relatives during their trip to the 1915 World’s Fair in San Francisco.
At Mando and Achsah Paxson Moore Home – Selma, CA
Back row: John Everett Moore (son of Mando and Achsah), Mattie Belle Clark Moore (John’s wife), ?, Nellie Moore (d. of John Everett Moore and 1st wife Doshia May French), ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Olive Kobler
Middle row: Elma Paxson Kobler, Achsah Paxson Moore, William Alamando Moore (Mando), Carl Kobler
Front row: Otto Kobler, possibly Clovis Russell Moore (s. of John & Mattie), possibly Elvis Leland “Ted” Moore (s. of John & Mattie), Raymond Kobler, Leo Kobler, Marie Kobler, ?
Also believed to be in the photo, as documented in Olive Kobler’s Diary are Iva Moore (d. of Mando and Achsah), Elizabeth Moore (d. of Mando and Achsah), William Lyle Moore (s. of Mando and Achsah)
Who is Jacob? The Kobler father in Switzerland ? I went to Switzerland with my dad Arden and brother Anthony. We visited the “Kobler” house.
Yes, Jacob was the father of John Ferdinand Kobler in Switzerland.
According to the copies I have of the pages from the Kirkenbuch, the Catholic Church record book, from Hard (the parish church just outside Montlingen). Joseph Kobler was John Ferdinand’s father
Jacob Ebnother was Mary’s father. Jacob, a sargent in Swiss cavary, was not allowed to leave switzerland. Probably due to war in the area, he never emigrated to America. Magdalena Ebnother brought her three sons (Charles, John, James) and Mary to America.
Thanks for the correction Ray! I need to update the family tree to show Josef and also his father Jakob (born ~1775-1780).
Andrea, do you have any pictures of the house? I think Donna and Rick Childs visited them a long time ago. Also, Don,and Tammy Steeples visited and chatted with the cousins there. Granddad Kobler used to have a picture of the house I remember seeing as a child. I have no idea what became of it. Might be interesting if someone posted a picture of it. I remember the cattle lived in the lower part of the house, I think.
I remember it was truly a “house on the hill” as I was always told Kobler means a “man on the hill”. (Please correct me if you heard otherwise.)
I know we took pictures then, but do not have them now. I will see if I can locate them. When we were there in early 1990’s, the “Kobler” house had been sold to a “non-Kobler”. It was being renovated at the time and no animals present. I remember we were able to take a rock as part of the “Kobler” house but not sure where that has been placed as well. I would love to find it and will share if possible! The Koblers in Switzerland were so generous and shared lots of swiss chocolate with us, which is what I remember as a teenager at the time. Stefan Kobler from Zurich was the only one who spoke English, all other elders spoke German only, and he toured us around the country-side. It was only myself, my brother, Anthony, and father, Arden Kobler.
Some reference books state that the name Kobler in old German meant the same as free-man in english – Originally it was a derogatery name aplied to peasants that refused to acknowledge servitide to a (land owner) lord i.e “ran away and were landless”.
Other sources state it was an Anglo-Saxon name– Kobler– comes from when its first bearer worked as a person who made or sold cudgels, which were short, stout sticks used as weapons.
The surname Kobler was also applied as a nickname to a person who was considered as stout and heavy. These later statementsdoesn’t jibe with history since Koblers did not originate in Saxony but near what is now the Swiss, German and Austrian border.
History some times is what survivors wish it to be . However to me “free man” would seem more reasonable for a Swiss..