1675 Johann Sebastian Kunkel was baptized on February 18, in Flörsbach, Gelnhausen, Hessen, Germany. [1]
1677 Anna Catharina Samer was born on December 10, in Flörsbach, Gelnhausen, Hessen, Germany. [2]
1683 Anna Catharina Sammer, child of Georg Sammer and Margaretha Sammer, was baptized on May 28 at the Evangelische Kirche Seeburg (OA. Urach), Buch, Württemberg, Germany. George was a carpenter (Zimmerman). [3]
1700 Two of Hans Kunkel's sons married two of George Samer's daughters on January 29, in Flörsbach, Gelnhausen, Hessen, Germany. [4] [5]
Anna Catharina Samer and Johann Sebastian Kunkel, son of Hans Kunkel of Flörsbach, were married.
Anna and Johann Martin Kunkel, son of Hans, were married.
1700 Melchior, son of Sebastian Kunckel of Flörsbach, was baptized on November 5. [6]
1702 Hanß, son of Sebastian Kunkel of Florsbach, was baptized on March 19 at Lohrhaupten, Kassel, Germany with sponsor Hanß Sammer of Breiterborn. [perhaps Breitenborn, Gründau, Germany] [7]
1703 Nicholas Kunckel, son of Jacob married Elisabeth Steigerwald on January 30. [8]
1737 Johann Sebastian Kunkel died on October 14, in Flörsbach, Gelnhausen, Hessen, Germany. [9] [10] [11]
1744 Anna Catharina Samer died on March 4, in Flörsbach, Gelnhausen, Hessen, Germany. [12] [13] [14]
1751 Lorenz Kunkel is quoted as saying that his brother Hans had written from Pennsylvania that he was fine. [15]:
In Bieber erklärt am 1. Februar 1751 der Lorenz Kunkel auf die Frage: " Von wem er dazu verleitet worden, daß er wegziehen will?" "Sein Bruder Hans Kunkel hätte ihm aus Pennsylanien geschrieben, daß es ihme wohl ginge, ihme aber in seinen freien Willen gestellet, es auch zu probieren." Es gab noch andere Hanauer, die Verwandte in Amerika, in der Regel in Pennsylvania hat ten.
Christina Hoffman and Bob Rowland report [16]:
Sebastian Kunkel lived in the village of Floersbach in the principality of then Hessen Hanau. Three of his sons: Johannes (Hans), George and Lawrence and one daughter Eva Elizabeth left their homes between 1748 and 1751 and separately crossed the Atlantic Ocean to settle in eastern Pennsylvania. ... Sebastian was born, lived and died in Floersbach, a village so small that it did not even have a church. The family for several generations attended the church in Kempfenbrunn which was located about 2 ½ miles from their village. Here can be found the record of Kunkel births, marriages, and deaths, not only for Sebastian's family, but numerous other Kunkels who were probably related. ... Floersbach is now part of the community called "Floersbachtal" and is located in a farming area approximately 30 miles east of Frankfort and 20 miles north of Wuerzburg. It is in the northern part of the Spessart Forest at the Hessen/Bavaria border. This principality dates back to the Holy Roman Empire. ... Sebastian ... was baptized in the Kempfenbrunn Church. Sebastian was the second oldest of five children, four boys and a girl. Hans was listed as having an occupation of juror, which we are told was like a minor justice of the peace in the village. Sebastian met his wife Anna Catherine Samer, the daughter of Georg Samer in Floersbach. They were married at the kempfenbrunn church on 29 Jan 1700. ... Their first son, Melchior, was born about 9 months later on 5 Nov. 1700.
Christina Hoffman and Bob Rowland described the emigration to America [17]:
Both Johannes and Georg were listed as farmers and while they both had some money, Georg was listed as having considerably more than Johannes. ... The Hessian government did not want to lose tax payers. Charges for approval for emigration of the rich was 10% and raised to 20% in 1751.
Much has been written about the perils of the 4 to 5 months sea journeys to this county. The trips starting at pickup points along the Rhine River were it could take 4 to 5 weeks to reach the sea because of the frequent stops at custom-houses at which the ships were examined. They then had to cross the North Sea, making a last stop at Cowes, on the Isle of Wight in England before making the long trip crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Long waits at the various ports could consume a travelers resources. Departures were in April or May after the winter storms had subsided and most ships arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the month of September. ...
The arrival of the brothers with their families is well documented from both the ship captains list and the listing of those who signed - "....declaring their allegiance and fidelity to this Providence and the Government of PA." ...
The three brothers did get together after arriving in PA, in succeeding years. This is established by both Church records and legal documents files in the Northampton County Court house after the death of Lawrence Kunkel on 15 Jan. 1756, when he was ambushed by the Indians.
[1] James Erwin Kunkle, Descendants of Hans Kunkel, born 1530 in Germany (2002), 12, Vol 1, image 194 of 183-211, [FHL_Catalog_(Starts_on_image_183)].
[2] James Erwin Kunkle, Descendants of Hans Kunkel, born 1530 in Germany (2002), 12, Vol 1, image 194 of 183-211, [FHL_Catalog_(Starts_on_image_183)].
[3] Württemberg, Germany, Lutheran Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1500–1985, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[4] Germany, Kurhessen-Waldeck, Kassel, Gelnhausen, Lohrhaupten, KB 1675-1710, image 1888, [ArchionImage].
[5] James Erwin Kunkle, Descendants of Hans Kunkel, born 1530 in Germany (2002), 12, Vol 1, image 194 of 183-211, [FHL_Catalog_(Starts_on_image_183)].
[6] Germany, Kurhessen-Waldeck, Kassel, Gelnhausen, Lohrhaupten, Tauf 1700-1830, image 1915, [ArchionImage].
[7] Germany, Kurhessen-Waldeck, Kassel, Gelnhausen, Lohrhaupten, Tauf 1700-1830, image 1916, [ArchionImage].
[8] Germany, Kurhessen-Waldeck, Kassel, Gelnhausen, Lohrhaupten, KB 1675-1710, image 1890, [ArchionImage].
[9] James Erwin Kunkle, Descendants of Hans Kunkel, born 1530 in Germany (2002), 12, Vol 1, image 194 of 183-211, [FHL_Catalog_(Starts_on_image_183)].
[10] Germany, Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current, [AncestryRecord].
[11] Find A Grave Memorial 65084649, [FindAGrave].
[12] James Erwin Kunkle, Descendants of Hans Kunkel, born 1530 in Germany (2002), 12, Vol 1, image 194 of 183-211, [FHL_Catalog_(Starts_on_image_183)].
[13] Find A Grave Virtual Memorial at Ancestry.com, [AncestryRecord].
[14] Find A Grave Memorial 65114000, [FindAGrave].
[15] Inge Auerbach, Auswanderung aus Kurhessen: nach Osten oder Westen?, 70, [URL].
[16] Christina Hoffman and Bob Rowland, The Sons of Sebastian Kunkel (2000), 1.
[17] Christina Hoffman and Bob Rowland, The Sons of Sebastian Kunkel (2000), 3.