Marx Bigler, b. 1705, Alsace. Birth record found!
I am a descendant of Marx Bigler who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1733on the ship Richard & Elizabeth. His brother Michael Bigler arrived in 1741 on the Francis and Ann. The good news is that their birth records have been found!
The book "Eighteenth Century Emigrants from the Northern Alsace to America", by Annette Kinselman Burgert, FGSP, FASG gives the following information from the Hunspach Reformed Church Book:
Hans Thomas Buchler, son of Henrich Buchler, former citizen at Leitersweyler (Alsace, France) married 7 Jan 1698 Maria, daughter of Jacob Vogler of Ingelsheim. Hans Thomas Bogler of Ingelsheim and wife Anna Maria had:
1. Hans Georg b. 10 Feb 1703, bp 18 Feb 1703
2. Marx b. 17 Apr 1705, bp 19 Apr 1705
3. Hans Michel b. 3 Dec 1707, bp 4 Dec 1707
They also had a son Hans Jacob, born about 1701 who is mentioned in the church records, but since birth records only begin in 1702 there is no record of his birth.
I have read the records myself and confirmed this information, and much, much more. I have visited the archives in Strassburg, France and found additional information on the family as well.
I am certain the family is from Canton Bern, Switzerland, but the earliest reference I have found so far is mention of Henrich Buchler in the settlement of the estate of his father in law, Christian Birckhlin in 1668 in Leitersweiler. I have found Christian in Munsingen, Germany in 1660 and those records say Christian was from Wachdorff, Bern, Switzerland. So far I can't locate Wachdorff.