Neuenschwander (Niswander, Neiswander, Nicewander Neuschwanger,
Neuen, Nisewander, Newswanger, Nighswander) family
Neuenschwander, a family name, means a man from Neuenschwand, a
place near Langnau, canton of Bern, Switzerland. The word
Neuenschwand means a place where the forest was recently
cleared. The first person of this family known to have been an
Anabaptist was Uli Neuenschwander from Eggiwil, who appeared at
the Bern disputation March 11-18, 1538. In 1551 Mathis
Neuenschwander fled from his Emmental home because of his
Anabaptist faith. Peter Neuenschwander and family left their
home in Langnau in 1729 and settled at Cortébert in the Jura. A
son Michael lived on the Münsterberg. The latter's son Michael
moved to the Normanvillars settlement in France and in 1823
migrated to Wayne County, Ohio, becoming one of the first
settlers in the Chippewa settlement. In 1833 the family moved to
Putnam County, Ohio, to become the first Mennonite settlers
there. A son, John B. Neuenschwander, founded the Mennonite