The Zaugg Versammlung/Zook Family Reunion united about 650 people from 32 states, Canada and Switzerland in Morgantown, Pa., for an international family reunion at Conestoga Mennonite Church July 1 to 4.
The Zook family originated in Switzerland from the Zaugg family. During the reunion,Thomas Zaugg, historian from Switzerland, shared about their Swiss roots. Speakers stressed that there were varied names because of misspellings on ship and church records.
“My husband, Lemar and I, along with John and Ella Zook met with about 30 Swiss Zauggs (our distant cousins) at an amazing Versammlung (reunion) in Switzerland in September, 2014,” said Lois Ann Mast of Morgantown. “They encouraged us to organize an international event in Morgantown, Pa.”
Mast said that their vision blossomed and a steering committee was formed including John and Ella Zook, Quarryville, Pa.; Doug and Lynn Zook, Anderson, Ind.; Jonas Zook, Gordonville, Pa.; J. Loren and Wanda Yoder, Belleville, Pa.; and Lemar and herself.
“This was truly a humbling experience to work together as a team with so many volunteers – when we sent out the first invitations, we vaguely thought that perhaps 300 people might be interested, but to end with more than 680 people from 32 different states, Canada and Switzerland is certainly fulfilling,” said Mast.
The event drew people with any of the 53 variations of the Zook surname and convened at Conestoga Mennonite Church, 2779 Main Street, Morgantown. Included prevalently in the crowd were Amish women in traditional colors including purple and blue long dresses, with their hair covered in bonnets or white caps. Men wearing black long pants with suspenders, brightly colored shirts and straw brimmed hats could be seen driving horse and buggies.
Friday, July 1, two different chartered bus tours of sites in Berks, Chester and Lancaster counties were offered, both concluding with an evening Amish Wedding Feast at a local Amish Zook farm.
The first bus visited locations where four different Zug immigrants settled in America: Moritz Zug in Exton; Christian Zug in Malvern; Johannes Zug in Honey Brook; and Ulrich Zug in Warwick Twp., Lancaster County. The Zook House in Exton is where immigrant Moritz Zug moved to in 1770 from Berks County.
The second bus trip was an Amish and Mennonite tour through Lancaster County that included a visit to an Amish farm, Amish stores, Zook’s Molasses Company, Zook’s Mill Covered Bridge, Zook’s Fabric Store, and Lapp’s Ice Cream, to name a few.
Saturday morning seminars were held in the church auditorium.
Swiss musicians sang for the group dressed in Swiss garb. The local Amish and Mennonites are mostly bilingual. Speaking in Pennsylvania Dutch they were able to communicate with the Swiss whose native tongue is Swiss German.
Hisorian Thomas Zaugg from Switzerland took the audience on a journey back to Switzerland during his presentation “Tracing our Ancestry in Europe.”
Today’s genealogists suggest that the Swiss German ‘Zug’ originates from the surname ‘Zaugg’ in Switzerland. In fact, documentation exists showing a number of Zaugg Swiss Brethren (Anabaptists).
He traced the lineage back to a Pre-Reformation church founded in Steiffesburg, Switzerland in 1224 (formerly called St. Stevens) in the area of Emmental dating back to the Roman Empire. Many of the Zaugg immigrants that came down the Rhine River and boarded ships to America in the 1700s have their roots in Signau, Switzerland, an area of Emmental.
In Bern, the region’s capitol, is Trachselwald Castle, which is used as a prison with a very dark side. Anabaptists were persecuted and executed for their faith in tiny cells that can still be visited today. Tales of witchcraft still abide.
Caspar Zougck, of Schuselbuhl near Sumiswald, Switzerland, was one of the Anabaptist speakers at the Bern debate in 1538. Between 1529 and 1571, at least 40 executions of Swiss Brethren took place in Bern alone. Records show that Elsi Zaugg, wife of Kaspar Zaugg of Sumiswald, recanted on May 17, 1550, as did Kaspar on Jan. 24, 1554. Uli/Ulrich Zougg, a preacher in Canton Bern, was imprisoned for his beliefs in 1644. Hans Zaugg of Signau, Switzerland, was one of eight prisoners mentioned in a letter of Oct. 24, 1659, who were questioned about their religious beliefs.
Swiss genealogist Julius Billeter found hundreds of Zouggs and Zauggs in Swiss parish records between 1500 and 1700. The most (298) were found at Trub. Hans, Christian, and Ulrich were the most common names, with Peter, Jakob, Anna, Barbli, Magdalena, Katharina, Elsbeth, and Verena also popular.
“The snow covered Swiss Alps are a backdrop for the hilly farmland and meadows where 11 old villages carry the name Zaugg. Four old monasteries and many coats of arms can be found there,” said Zaugg.
Darvin Martin of Lancaster then led a presentation about Zaugg, Zug, Zook and Zuck DNA.
He stated that the Zaugg name was found as early as 1256 about 25 generations ago. The founding members of the church were traced back before written records via DNA.
“DNA reveals No. 1. How close you are related. No. 2. How far back you share ancestors. No. 3. What two people share the same surname relative. No. 4. Reveals the migratory patterns of one’s ancestors,” said Martin. “All our ancestors go back to East Africa, then the Middle East, then Europe. Many settled in Palatine, most in Switzerland.”
“Humans are all at least 99.9 percent of the same DNA. Six of 20 lines started in Switzerland then migrated the three major rivers running down from the Alps. Zooks can confirm which ancestors where the original Germanic tribes, which were Roman, which lived in Alpine Europe long before any of these,” he added.
An interesting answer to people who had DNA testing done and found a Celtic heritage was explained by Martin. The original Celts resided in Switzerland then migrated to Ireland.
This was followed by a lively question and answer session. Many in the audience had DNA research done on their lineage. An Amish woman spoke up saying she had 88 grandchildren and 45 great-grandchildren. The speaker suggested she contact the Clinic for Special Children at Strasburg, PA where they conduct research for the Amish.
This was followed by a seminar of local business people led by John Zook of Quarryville.
Lois Ann Mast of Morgantown said there were children’s activities throughout the day.
“They included coloring, making homemade butter, by shaking cream in a pint jar with five marbles, writing with a quill pen, putting puzzles together, using stickers to find Switzerland on a map where the Zooks came from originally, buggy rides, barrel train ride, and a candy drop from the top of the Twin Valley Fire Company ladder truck,” said Mast.
There were more than 100 children present.
“The most exciting children’s event was a scavenger hunt where the children had to obtain signatures from different Zooks – then they qualified to receive a prize. This was exciting!” said Kathy McClure, Mast’s daughter. “If children are happy, the parents are happy!”
Zook vendors sold pulled pork sandwiches, BBQ chicken, meat pies, soft pretzels apple dumplings, pie, cake, donuts, whoopie pies, etc. along with meadow tea and other drinks.
Speakers discussed the 1727 and 1742 Amish immigrants and there was an old-fashioned auction of homemade Zook quilts, wooden items, and such.
Stan and Mary Zook Hess, owners of Balloon Flights Daily at St. Peters, Pa., contributed “free” hot air balloon rides – a special hit on Saturday night!
Sunday morning opened with an outdoor worship service in a tent overlooking the beautiful Conestoga Valley preceded by Swiss singing, yodeling and alphorns. Pastor Bob Petersheim of Conestoga Mennonite Church gave the welcome. There was a hymn sing led by Nathan Peachey and music by Al and MaDonna (Zook) Holsopple family of MD, NY, PA, and Les Gustafson from Indiana and the Swiss cousins. Following the service was a lunch of bean soup, homemade bread, white pickles, and moon pies.
Several attendees contacted Mast after the family reunion.
“What a great event! It is with better understanding why our ancestors settled in Berks, Lancaster and Chester counties. So much beauty which our Lord has provided to us in the Pennsylvania mountains and valleys. I want everyone to know that I feel truly blessed to be a part of such a wonderful family. It is incredible that so many people came from so many faraway places to attend the reunion. It speaks volumes as to the interest in the Zook names,” wrote one attendee.
Another said the reunion will be the subject of their family for many months ahead.
The theme of the weekend was “The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, we have a goodly heritage.” Psalm 16:6.
“We were so thankful for the heritage passed on to us as Zook descendants as Amish, Mennonites, and many other denominations gathered together on Sunday morning for morning worship,” said Mast. “It was a blessing.”
