Johannes Nyffenegger

Johannes Nyffenegger was the youngest of six children born to Gottlieb Nyffenegger and Anna Elisabetha Loosli both of Switzerland. The parents and three children immigrated from Switzerland in the spring of 1864 to immigrate to America. They sailed on the “Hudson” from London and landed in New York City on July 20, 1864.

With a desire to journey with other members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they William Hyde Company of 1864. Johannes was an infant when they began the wagon train pulled out on August 9, 1864. They traveled two days apart (because of scant feed for the animals) with the Hyde Company in an effort to avoid problems with the Indians.

Exhaustive travel conditions, disease, injury, lack of food and medicine, premature birth, and extreme weather were some of the greatest threats to pioneers. Cholera, a bacterial disease caused from contaminated water, infected many of the travelers. During the first week of September, Johannes passed away of undocumented causes. His sister, Lisette, died the same day. They are buried together east of the Black Hills on the Mormon Trail West.