Education
Jonas Furrer was a member of the Zofingia (a student fraternity).
Jonas Furrer was a member of the Zofingia (a student fraternity).
After studying at Zürich, Heidelberg and Göttingen, he was elected to the Grand Council of Switzerland (German: Kantonsparlament) in 1834, where he was president in 1837 and 1839. In 1845 he became president of the cantonal diet (German: Kantonsregierung) of Zürich. He was President of the Swiss Diet from April 2, 1845, to December 31, 1845.
He was elected to the Federal Council on November 16, 1848, as one of the seven initial members. During his time in office, he presided over the following departments:
Political Department (1848–1849)
Department of Justice and Police (1850–1851)
Political Department (1852)
Department of Justice and Police (1853–1854)
Political Department (1855)
Department of Justice and Police (1856–1857)
Political Department (1858)
Department of Justice and Police (1859–1861)
He was the first president of the Confederation from November 21, 1848, to December 31, 1849, and again in 1852, 1855 and 1858.
Furrer died in office on July 25, 1861. He wrote Das Erbrecht der Stadt Winterthur (“Inheritance law in the city of Winterthur,” 1832).