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Rev. Norman L. Gindlesperger
For the Gindlesperger Family History Association, Inc.
November 27, 1999
This study began with the single question: who was the Christian Kauffman who was married to the elder daughter of Ulrich Gindlesperger?
The most valuable resource available for addressing that question is Amish and Amish Mennonite Genealogies (AAAMG) by Hugh F. Gingerich
and Rachel W. Kreider (Gordonville, PA: Peque Publishers, 1986). The initial portion of this study, therefore, represents an analysis of the data presented in AAAMG regarding the children and grandchildren of Isaac
Kauffman (KF). When that data was reviewed in relation to information known from other sources, however, the study expanded.
There are three known links between Ulrich Gindlesperger and a "Christian Kauffman," assumed here to be the same person. First,
a "Christian Kauffman" married the elder of Ulrich's two daughters whose name is unknown, probably in the late 1760s in Bern Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. Second, a " Christian Kauffman"
and a "Jacob Kauffman" were witnesses to Ulrich's Last Will and Testament, which he made on April 30, 1783, in Quemahoning (now Stonycreek) Township, Bedford (now Somerset) County, Pennsylvania.
Third, a "Christian Kauffman" was one of the Appraisers of the Inventory of Ulrich's estate dated June 27, 1783.
Upon examining the AAAMG the question about Christian Kauffman quickly shifts from "Who was he?" to "Which Christian
Kauffman?"
Isaac (KF) and Anna (Streit) Kauffman had one daughter, Barbara (KF2) and five sons: John (KF1+), Isaac (KF3+), Stephen (KF4+), Christian
(KF5+), and Jacob (KF6+). Each of those sons, like their father, married and had a family. And, like their father's family, each of their families included a "Jacob" and a "Christian," as well as
other children, with one exception. Jacob (KF6) had only one child, a daughter named Veronica (KF61). So out of these six Kauffman families (five in one generation) there were five families that included both a
Jacob and a Christian. This situation presents the family researcher with some sorting out to do.
According to the AAAMG, the immigrant ancestors of this line of the Kauffman family were Isaac and his wife Anna Streit. Their children
included the following: John (KF1) born in Berne Canton Switzerland September 15, 1710; Barbara (KF2) born in Berne Canton April 1, 1714; Isaac [Jr.] (KF3) born in Vaud Canton May 29 1718; Stephen (KF4) born in
"Europe" 1725; Christian (KF5) born in Europe 1728; and Jacob (KF6) born in Europe 1730. The eldest son John (KF1) had one son who was born in Europe; namely, Jacob (KF11+) born January, 1737.
This entire family may have immigrated to America in 1737 and here it is assumed that it did. According to Prof. I. Daniel Rupp in
…Thirty Thousand Names …, the ship Virginus Grace arrived in Philadelphia on September 24, 1797. The ship's list includes the names " Isaac Hoffman," "Hans Hoffman," and "Isaac Hoffman,
jr.(sic)" . An Internet site < http://www.rootsweb.com/~GENHOME/imm13e.htm >, referring to the same date, presents the name of the ship as Virtuous Grace (a reasonable connection in the mind, whichever is
the ship's actual name). On that web site the ship's list has the same three names, but the names are spelled with a "K" instead of the "H." It also presents the ages of the three as Isaac 55,
hence born in 1682; Isaac, jr., 19, hence born in 1718, and Hans as 24, hence born in 1713 (three years later than listed in AAAMG). It is assumed here that "Hans" is the "John" in AAAMG.
There is one matter that raises a question. Did Jacob (KF11) born in Europe in January, 1737, make the trip as an infant with his parents
or was he left behind with another family to care for him? Apparently, there is information that leads some to believe that he immigrated aboard the Brothers, arriving at Philadelphia September 30, 1754. It is
assumed here that he did make the trip with his family in 1737.
From among the four "Christians" available in this same generation, AAAMG presents the younger brother of this Jacob, Christian
(KF13+), son of John/Hans, son of Isaac, born in 1745 (perhaps in Bern Township, Berks County, PA) as the most probable Christian to have been married to Ulrich Gindlesperger's elder daughter (GR1). AAAMG identifies
this Christian (KF13) as the same Christian Kauffman who was enumerated in the first Federal Census of 1790 in Quemahoning Township, Somerset (then Bedford) County, PA. This connection seems quite likely since
Ulrich's Will was drawn and witnessed in Somerset County on April 30, 1783; the Appraisal was dated June 27, 1783; and the estate was affirmed and filed in Bedford on February 25, 1785.
There was no other Christian Kauffman enumerated in Somerset County on that first census. There were, however, two Christian Kauffmans
(KF36 and KF56) enumerated in Bern Township, Berks County, PA. The last remaining Christian (KF48), b. 1761 son of Stephen, was not known to have been enumerated at all in 1790 by AAAMG, but did appear in
Quemahoning Township, Somerset County for the second Federal Census of 1800.
AAAMG presents no information about any relationship between a Jacob Kauffman and Ulrich. The information it does present, however, is
helpful indirectly is answering the question "Which of the four Jacob Kauffmans in this generation witnessed Ulrich's Will?" One might first assume that it was the brother of the Christian who was also a
witness. But the AAAMG presents that Jacob (KF11) as well established and enumerated in Chester County in the first census. A second Jacob (KF33) was enumerated in Bern Township, Berks County. A third (KF43) was not
known to have been enumerated. The fourth, however, Jacob (KF53), b. 1756 son of Christian, is presented as having been enumerated in Somerset County in the first census. He is the most likely Jacob to have
witnessed Ulrich's Will.
There is one notable difference between the Christian and the Jacob who witnessed the Will. Jacob signed his name. Christian signed with
"his mark." Christian the Appraiser also signed with "his mark." Is seems reasonable to raise the question whether this different would have been likely among brothers. The second
Appraiser, Christian Miller, signed the document. It is interesting to observe that, while Christian was legally involved in these important events, he was in both instances paired with another person who could, at
least, sign his own name, and presumably read and write more than just that.
It appears, therefore, that the two Kauffmans who were witnesses to Ulrich's Will were, not brothers, but first cousins: Christian (KF13)
son of John of Isaac and Jacob (KF53) son of Christian of Isaac.
Additional observations may be made about some of the Kauffmans enumerated in the first and second federal censuses. In addition to
Christian (KF13), AAAMG presents two other Kauffmans as enumerated in Somerset County in the first federal census of 1790. One was Anna (KH14) b. 1747 daughter of John and, notably for our purposes here, the sister
of the Christian (KF13) who witnessed Ulrich's Will. The other was Anna (KF46) b. 1757 daughter of Stephen, a first cousin of the Christian (KF13) who witnessed Ulrich's Will. She was married to Jacob Good. Her
brother was the Christian (KF48) b. 1761 son of Stephen who was enumerated in Quemahoning Township, Somerset County in the second census of 1800.
Two additional observations are relevant. The first is related to Ulrich's second son-in-law; namely, David Holly (HL29+)who was married
to Ulrich's younger daughter Catherine (GR3??). David Holly had a warrant for land in Quemahoning Township, Somerset County dated as early as November 16, 1774. The second is related to the Tax Assessments of the
period. Neither Ulrich's nor David Holly's name appears on the Tax Assessments of then Quemahoning Township, then Bedford County for the years 1775 or 1776, according to Internet sites <
http://www.rootsweb.com/~pacquema/tax1775.htm > and < … /tax1776.htm >, respectively, hosted by Jan Hoth. Both names, however, do appear on the Tax Assessment for Bedford County for the year 1779.
With the above information the following conjecture might be made. Within the Amish Mennonite community in Bern Township, Berks County,
PA, Ulrich Gindlesperger (GR), an immigrant ancestor, while a decade or so younger, was the generational peer of Isaac Kauffman (KF), another immigrant ancestor. Ulrich's eldest daughter (GR1) married Christian
Kauffman (KF13) b. 1745 son of John and grandson of Isaac, perhaps in the mid to late 1760s. Ulrich's younger daughter Catherine (GR3??) b. 1754 married David Holly, perhaps in the early to mid 1770s.
As early as 1771 the Amish Mennonite community in Bern Township, Berks County sent a delegation to Somerset County to explore the land of
the area and sometime relatively soon after that delegation returned a migration to Somerset County began. As early as 1774 David Holly had obtained a warrant for some 323 acres. Probably in 1777 or 1778, Ulrich
(GR) migrated to Somerset County with his wife and their 17 or 18 year old son Albrecht (GR4, and known in all written records except Ulrich's Will as "Albright"). His elder daughter (GR1) married to
Christian Kauffman (KF13)and Catherine (GR3), his younger daughter married to David Holly b. 1754 may well have migrated at the same time. Other members of the party might have been Christian's sister Anna (KF14) b.
1747 who was married to Jacob Blough b. after 1743. Still other members of the party might have included Christian and Anna's cousins, Anna (KF46), b. 1757 married to Jacob Good, and Jacob (KF53), b. 1756
married to Catherine Miller.
This group would have included Ulrich and his wife, representing one generation, and Albrecht and five younger and perhaps recently
married couples representing the next and younger generation. If not part of this family grouping, Christian and Anna's 15 year old cousin Christian (KF48) b. 1761 and married (I am assuming, after he arrived in
Somerset County) to a "Magdalena" migrated later. If he is included, this family-related grouping includes twelve married adults and two single boys of about 17 years, for a total of fourteen persons.
For those knowledgeable about Ulrich's family an obvious question arises: "What about Jacob (GR2+), Ulrich's elder son b.
1750?" For now it is sufficient to observe that there is ample evidence to indicate that he was not part of this migration of Ulrich and the rest of his family in about 1777 or 1778.
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