Bosshard farm in 1908— later the Jensen farm. In 1986 the property of Ray and Joyce Fossek
Henry Bosshard was a handsome, dashing young Swiss whose family had moved to Minnesota when he was a youngster. Lydia Hunziker was a vivacious young lady, one of 12 children whose father was a missionary for the Lutheran Synod and was related to John Frederick Hunziker, Falkland Islands missionary who had moved to Langley in 1898. When young Henry and Lydia met romantic sparks flew and kindled a romance that resulted in marriage in 1898.
In 1903 the young couple decided to leave the rigors of Minnesota weather behind and join Lydia’s kinfolk, the Hunzikers, in Langley on what was reported to be an island paradise. With their three year old son, Arnold, they settled on 80 acres at the southwest edge of town between what is now Sixth and Third Streets. Their house was later to become a Langley landmark. In the course of time they became deeply involved in Langley’s development. They also added three more children to their family, Alice, Louise and Henry Jr.
In 1910 they sold their property to the Hans Jensen family and moved to Sand Point, Idaho but after a short time they returned and purchased a strip of waterfront on Saratoga Road. Their daughter, Alice married Jack Collins, Louise married Henry Beebe. Henry Jr., became a doctor, and for several years owned property on First Street which he sold to Hardin Cherry in 1968. Arnold became a teacher and while teaching in West Valley High School near Spokane he met and married another teacher, Marion Church in 1936.
Henry Sr., died in 1914 and his wife, Lydia in 1964. Henry Jr. and Marion retained the family home on Saratoga and for several years Marion taught in the Langley Grade school. Their daughter, Janet, also is a teacher who married Nels Freimuth. They live in Vancouver, Washington, and have two sons, James and Patrick. Arnold Bosshard died April 17, 1982 and is buried in Langley cemetery. Marion divides her time between the family home on Saratoga and her daughter’s home in Vancouver.
The original Bosshard acreage and house are now (1986) the property of Ray and Joyce Fossek, who still retain most of it as a farm.