Christian H Winkler |
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Christian Winkler was born in September 16, 1766 near Blumenstein, in Canton of Bern, Switzerland, and died in Salem in January 11, 1839. Soon after his birth his mother had a severe and long illness, so he was given over entirely to the rearing of his grandmother, who was of the Reformed Church. When his Grandmother died when he was eleven years old he returned to live with his parents …now I returned to the home of my parents, and went to school, but had little desire to learn. In my thirteenth year I had a severe illness, during which I was much concerned about myself, and often asked myself the question whether I could go home blessedly if it was the saviour’s will? I felt my utter sinfulness, but turned to him in simple faith, prayed much and received comfort regarding the result, also determined that if I recovered I would lead a good life, and do no more wrong. When I was well again I lost these good resolutions, thought I did not lack warning in my heart. Christian tended to cattle in the summer and drug firewood down from the mountains in the winter. He then turned to a blacksmith to learn to shoe horses. Following his apprenticeship he worked with his father. Speared on by the urge to find men of like mind with himself he left his father and went to Neuwied, Germany, arriving there on July 2, 1791. Christian was received into the congregation there on September 11, 1792. He joined the Diaconie of the Single Brethren and began soap making. During the time of the occupation of the Kaiser’s and the French troops during the French Revolution, Christian Winkler, along with other Brethren, was given special charge of the Sisters House in Neuwied. At one point, because of danger from the plundering of the French troops, he led a group of Single Sister to safety at Dierdorf, Germany, four hours away from Deuwied. When he returned to Neuwied, he experienced many narrow escapes from death; a cannon ball struck the wall of a room he was in, scattering stones around him…another canon ball fell on the roof where he was looking out of a window, all without being injured. He later took eighteen Single Sisters from Neuwied to Ebersdorf. One Sister was ill when they left and died three days into the journey. They left Dierdorf on November 11, 1795 reaching Ebersdorf on November 26, 1795. The next day they celebrated with a lovefeast. In Ebersdorf Christian learned the trade of a baker, taking charge of the Single Brothers Bakery there. In 1798, during a visit to Herrnhut, he was received in Berthelsdorf as an Akoluthe [appointed by the board of Elders, Assist Minister when he serves communion, Assistant to Minister}; and the next year, March 26, 1799, he received a call to go to North America, and become the leader of the Single Brethren at Nazareth. He had some doubts but accepted the call. He left Ebersdorf on April 21, 1799, visiting Herrnhut, Niesky and Gnadenberg along the way. On June 16, 1799, he left for Barby and then on to Hamburg, where he took a ship on September 28th for Philadelphia. He set out for Bethlehem on October 3rd, 1799 and from there went to Nazareth, where he was installed as leader of the Single Brethren. He was ordained a Deacon of the Brethrens Church on October 27, 1802. He went on the direct the bakery of the Brothers House. Bakery Diaries After several years Christian went to direct the bakery of the Brothers House in Lititz. In 1807 Christian Winkler came to Salem to take charge of the town bakery. He traveled from Lititz with Br. And Sr. Stroehle and Single Sister Margeretha Krieger, arriving her on November 1, 1807. He married Single Sister Elizabeth Danz on December 6, 1807. Together they had six children:
Elizabeth Danz Winkler died after a long illness on February 17, 1836 Christian retired from the Bakery in the fall of 1837, turning over the business to his son Wilhelm Parmenio Winkler. For the last 20 years of his life Christian had suffered from Asthma. He died on January 11, 1839 at the age of 72 in Salem, NC The Bakery was then passed from Wilhelm (William) to his son with his first wife, Paulina Maria Fisher, Charles Augustus Winkler (1838-1893). Charles Augustus Winkler married Alice Warren Nichols Giersh (1840-1930). Alice was the daughter of James Nichols and Ann Leonard of Wilmington NC. Her father died before her birth, and her mother later married Alexander Eugene Giersch; his will names Alice as a daughter, and she is buried as Alice Warren Giersch Winkler. At the time of her marriage to Charles A. Winkler, her family was living in Thomasville NC. After Charles Augustus Winkler’s death, his widow Alice took over, and expanded the business to include new items. She also added a summer ice cream parlor, and used that space in the winter to sell oysters. Alice Winkler continued to run the bakery until 1915. In 1921 she deeded the property to her daughter Bessie and husband Robert Spaugh, who sold it in 1927. The next twenty years saw the end of the bakery business, and several changes of ownership of the building. Part of the property was acquired by the newly formed Old Salem Corporation in 1950, and the remainder in 1964. The bakery was restored in 1968. |