Someone connected to the Melchior Detweiler (born April 2, 1699 in Wittwyl, Aargau) line posted this document with Melchior Detweiler's name on it on another geneological website in November 2015. This document was said to be passed on to the youngest son in each generation.
I've given a copy of this document to a German-speaking friend who confirmed my thinking that this is more of a Berne deportation certificate (the canton that had control over the area now in the modern Swiss canton of Aargau) than it is our modern idea of a passport which grants exit and re-entry privileges to the holder. This fits with our understanding of Melchior coming to America as a Mennonite. Berne was taking great pains to rid itself of Anabaptists and so, perhaps this document freed him from detention in Berne as long as he leave the canton and its holdings and not come back.
This is an incredibly interesting and useful document. I'll be happy to post the translation from the German when I have it more completely. At the moment, I would say that it may tell us that Melchior left for America directly from present-day Switzerland as the document is dated 1736 (the same year that ship records have Melchior Detweiler arriving in the port of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania). The third line on this document confirms this year as it gives Melchior's age as "about 36". Baptismal records have him born April 2, 1699 so that would be consistent - his age 36 in March of 1736 when this document was issued.
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