Been a while. I haven't been idle, just doing a lot of research. I want to thank Kathy Stefanik at bergergirls.com for maintaining an excellent genealogical website focusing on the people in and around Strausstown, PA, where many of the Kantner ancestors lived and some of their descendants still do. Check it out!
I found a document on ancestry.com that has several references to the Kantners of Tulpehocken Twp, Berks Co, PA that you might find interesting: "The History of the St. John's Reformed Church, Host, PA. (Bicentennial Edition, 1727-1927)" According to this document, this church first acquired property on which to build their church-house from two land-owners whose properties adjoined. Each sold two acres to the trustees of the church, giving what was then the Dutch Calvinist Society 4 acres for a church and cemetery. The date of the first deed transaction was March 25, 1754. The Grantor was George Kantner and wife Christine. He sold the two acres to the church for "20 shillings lawful money of Pennsylvania." According to this document, the "price was sufficient to pay the legal fees" (p. 7, 55). "It was a part of 168 3/4 acres granted to George Kantner by proprietory patent, November 28, 1743" (p. 9).
Our family has traced the Kantner "clan" back to Hans Gander (1660-1726) who was born in, and died in, Hahnweiler, Birkenfeld, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany. His son, Hans Jacob Gander (1694-1742), immigrated to Philadelphia in 1732 with his wife Anna Maria Cathrina Lutz and seven children that we are aware of. In 1734 he bought 200 acres in Lancaster Co, PA. He was residing in Tulpehocken Twp, Berks Co, PA at the time of his death. One of his sons, Johann Jacob Kantner (1716-1773) is my direct ancestor. And one of his brothers, George Kantner (1719-1782) and his wife, Christine Saylor are the Kantners who sold two acres of their property to the Dutch Calvinist Society near present-day Host, Pa. in 1754.
In 1764, the church, at that time known as the German Reformed Calvinist Church, purchased an additional 73 acres, 100 perches. In the description of the boundaries, I found, "Beginning at stone in line with Jacob Kander's land . . . ." The property at one time was owned by a Wolfgang Miller who purchased it in 1746. And the description of the boundaries at that date confirms that Jacob Kander already possessed an adjoining property (p. 13 and "Patent Book A, Vol. 12, page 395").
Without further research, I cannot say with assurance that the Jacob Kander mentioned in this document is, in fact, a Kantner. If he is, he is most likely George Kantner's brother, Johann Jacob (my ancestor) or possibly their father, Hans Jacob.
If you are able to confirm or deny my theory about Jacob Kander's identity, I would appreciate hearing from you. I can see another trip to Reading may be necessary.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Monday, July 18, 2011
John Jack in 1904
According to the census of 1910, John and Lavina Clementine Jack, the parents of Hattie Maude (Jack) Smith--my great grandmother, were living on Ohio St. In Wapakoneta, OH. Our family has a photograph of John, Lavina, and daughter, Daisy sitting on the front steps of a house. The picture was dated 1904. This past weekend, I searched for that house up and down Ohio St. And finally located it. Many times there is great disappointment upon finding the "old home place" as it seldom kept up. In this case, the current owners have completely exceeded my expectations. I hope you enjoy seeing the house as it was over one hundred years ago and what it looks like today.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Frederick H. Kantner (b. 5/27/1867, d. after 1923)
Frederick Kantner is my 2nd cousin 4 times removed, being my 4g grandfather's brother's grandson [lost you already, I'm sure]. The book from which I have gleaned much of what I know of this man and his family was published while he was still living, thus I have no death date. The book is, The History of Auglaize County, Vol. 2, edited by William McMurray, and published in 1923. I will quote freely from that book in this post, specifically pages 354-355.
"Frederick Kantner, a well known bachelor farmer of Pusheta township, living on the old Kantner place west of Quaker Run, about midway between Wapakoneta and Freyburg, was born on that place and has lived there all his life, a period of fifty-five years and more. Mr. Kantner was born on May 27, 1867, and is a son of William and Parmelia (Schuler) Kantner."
Frederick's grandparents were George and Le Ann (Oswalt) Kantner who purchased the property described above in 1832, the year the Shawnees signed the treaty and moved to lands to the west. (Le Ann's name has been alternately spelled "Leah" and "Leana" and elsewhere in this same book as "Lena (Oswold)"). "It is narrated that when George Kantner, the pioneer and his family settled there in section 3 of Pusheta township, on lands that had been occupied by followers of the Indian chief, Pusheta, there still were several of the old Indian cabins standing on the place, and that in these were several barrels of maple sugar that had been made by the aboriginals and which was in a good state of preservation."
Frederick's father, William, lived all his days on and farmed that same piece of ground, except for the time he spent as a Union soldier in the Civil war, Company I of the 33rd regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
Frederick "received his schooling in the old Kelly school house (district No. 5), in the southwest corner of section 3." My mother says that her father went to that school when he was a child but that he referred to it as the "Keller" school.
"From the days of his boyhood he was attentive to the affairs of the farm, and as he grew to manhood he remained on the home place, farming with his father, and since the latter's death has been in charge, carrying on in his mother's behalf until her death, and now representing also his sister's interest in the place, both co-operating in the management of the farm, which is well improved and profitably cultivated, the family having a very pleasant home on rural mail route No. 5 out of Wapakoneta." The sister referred to here is Libbie, who married Joseph Goedde from St. Louis, MO on 7/12/1921.
"Mr. Kantner and his sister are members of the English Lutheran church at Wapakoneta and are Republicans."
As always, your comments are welcome, and any additional information would be appreciated.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
The Family Bible
"Following are the names that presented this Holy Bible to John Jack Feb 12-1887"
Mr. and Mrs. Miller
Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Martin
Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Martin
Mr. and Mrs. D. W. Nutting
Mr. and Mrs. Lawry
Mr. and Mrs. Knox
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Hindman
Mrs. Lincoln
Mrs. N. C. Clark
Mr. and Mrs. Delmage
Mr. and Mrs. Park
Mrs. F. J. Newton
Miss Ida Lincoln
Rev. Wm. Luck
Mr. and Mrs. Campbell
Mr. and Mrs. Flyte
"John Jack presented it to his daughter Hattie M. Smith Sept. 9-1912"
Hattie later passed this Bible on to one of her three daughters (my grandmother) who passed it on to my mother and she passed it on to me.
It is interesting to me that there is a Park family listed. One of John Jack's daughters, Lola May, married George Almond Park Feb 9, 1886, almost exactly one year before the presentation of this Bible.
What this is all about
Thought I'd try sharing some of the genealogical research that I have done on my family. This first post is a trial run. I will not post info on family members nearer than my grandparents and probably not even them. So rest assured that you will not appear here.
This blog covers my maternal side--the Kantner side. There are Smiths, Jacks, Sammetingers, Rimmels and many others. I will try to be clear about how the focal person of a blog fits in.
If you wish to become a contributor to this blog, your contributions are welcome. Just let me know that you are interested.
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