Heini Riggenbacher - Final Disposition of Swiss Property

This is the document cited by Faust as the final disposal of Heinrich Rickenbacher's property in Switzerland. It appears to be a legal proceeding hand over the leasehold of a "piece of meadow" that Heinrich left behind to his hiers. Thanks to Ulrich Stroux for the transcription of this document. My translation is poor but the sense of the document is clear.

Page 39 - Image File

Verschollen Erklarung
Heini Riggenbachers
von Rünenberg [last entry]

Hr. Fridlin Märcklin von Dereren, der sich den
21ten dieses Monaths wegen begehrter Verschol,,
lens-Erklärung seiner Ehefrauen Oheims Heiny Riggen,,
bachers von Rüneberg bei der Verwaltungs,,
Kammer gemeldet, und von derselben an das
Waysenamt Zu näherer Anhörung und Eingebung
eines Bedenckens gewiesen worden, thut durch
vorgelegte Schriften dar, daß Heini Riggen,,
bacher im Jahr 1735 mit Weiß und Kinderen
nach Carolina gezogen, darauf dessen Mahsa

== liquidiert

Page 39

Missing Person [presumed dead] Declaration
Heini Riggenbacher's
of Rünenberg [last entry]

Mr. Fridlin Märcklin from Dereren, who the
21st of this month because of the much sought after mis-
sing person declaration of his wife's uncle, Heiny Riggen-
bacher from Rüneberg, in the Administrative-
Chamber report, and the same by the
Orphan's Office to details hearing and inspiration
someone consider shown were, that through
submitted documents declared, that Heini Riggen-
bacher in the year 1735 with wife and children
moved to Carolina, afterwards his assets

== liquidated

Notes for Page 39:

The phrase "With wife and children" is in error as all other documents indicate that Heinrich and Anna had only the one child, Heini, born in 1722.

I can't find "Mahsa" in any dicttionary but from the context, and after discussion with Ulrich Stroux it must mean available property or assets.

Page 40 - Image File

liquidiert worden, und sich daran ein Vor,,
schuß von 145 #. 13 ß. 1 d. nebst einem Stuck
Matten ergeben habe, daß das restindte (?) (= restliche ?)
Geld laut Raths=Erkanntnus vom 1.tn 7br[is].
1737 seinem Bruder des Märcklins Schwäher
gegen Caution übergeben und auf dessen
Absterben Zwischen seinem Sohn Hanns
Jacob Riggenbacher und dem Märcklin
vertheilt worden, daß Hanns Jacob Rig,,
genbacher die ehemals von seinem Vater
benutzte Matten besitze und derselbe
davon jährlich des Märcklins Kinderen
Zins gegeben habe.

So dann trug Märcklin für sich und
Namens seines Schwagers vor, daß,
weil von dem Heiny Riggenbacher und
dessen Familie seit ihrer Außwanderung nichts
mehr vernommen worden, wahrschein,,
licher Weise ihrer beide keine Ansprache (heute: Ansprüche)
an diese Mittel Zu erwarten seye, und
sie daher bitten, daß die ausgewanderte
Familie für verschollen erklärt und die
noch unvertheilte Matten dem Hanns Jacob
Riggenbacher und des Märcklins Kinderen
überlassen werden möchte.

= Solle die Verschollen-Erklärung
angerathen werden.

Page 40

were liquidated, and he received on it an ad-
vance of 145 #. 13 ß. 1 d. together with the use of
a piece meadow, that the remaining
money, according to the Council Decision of 1st Sep.
1737, was handed over [to] his brother, the Märcklin
brother-in-law, against security and on his
death between his son Hans
Jacob Riggenbacher and the Märcklin
was distributed, that Hans Jacob Rig-
genbacher the former from his father
has the use of the meadow and the same
from it yearly the Märcklins children
are given rent.

So then Märcklin, for himself and
[in the} name {of} his brother-in-law before, that,
because from the Heiny Riggenbacher and
his family since their emigration nothing
more was heard, probably
wise on their part no claim
on this resource to expect __, and
they from that ask, that the emmigrant
family for Missing Person Declaration and the
still un distributed property to the Hans Jacob
Riggenbacher and the Märcklins children
will be given over.

= Decision the Missing Person Declaration
was approved.

Notes for Page 40:

The amount of money is 145 pounds, 13 schillings, 1 denier in the Swiss money of account.

I'm sure we are talking about a leasehold (the use of) on the meadow and not actual ownership. All ownershhip of land was vested in the City State of Basel and subjects only had what was called a "hereditary leasehold".

References:

A. B. Faust and G. M. Brumbaugh, Lists of Swiss immigrants in the Eighteenth Century to the American Colonies, Vol. II, pp 91:

Heini Riggenbacher of Rünenberg is the only emigrant of this year [1735] of whom we still hear after 1736. In 1739 he sent through the agent Hans Spring a letter to his brother in which he asked for the release of some money and property of his. The government took great pains to get hold of the letter, but made no haste to settle the business, for this was not done until 1798, i.e., nearly sixty years later when the property was divided among the heirs in the Canton (GAV 21, 39, Sept. 24, 1798).

Note: I have tried to find the letter mentioned by Faust or any document that mentions it, but have had no luck so far.