JOHANN THEOBOLD HUNSUCKER "DEVAULT HUNZICKER" LAST UPDATE 23 February 2002 Welcome to the home of our ancestor Johann Theobold Hunsucker located in Conover, Catawba Co. North Carolina. Our family home was built abt 1793 and is still lived in today. These pictures & articles have been graciously shared with me by Joyce Shaw of Conover, NC, our cousin & descendant of Lawson Hunsucker. Our Hunsucker family home has been featured on numerous occasions in the history of Catawba Co. North Carolina as one of the oldest homes still standing in that part of the county. In an article of the Observer-News-Enterprise of Catawba County Newspaper dated 21 Sept 1956 such a story was on the front page. In part, I will quote from this article. 'Heap of Living', Tales of Buried Gold Feature Hunsucker Home History by Dick Byrd "It takes a heap of living to make a house a home," Edgar Guest knew what he was talking about when he made that statement. We've discovered another historic old Catawba County home that has seen a "heap of living" and is still home to a family that moved there in 1904. The structure of the old building is evidence enough of the fact that it was erected for practical living. Johannes Hunziger was a native of Schallback, Germany who made his way to America in 1748. It was his son, Johann Theobold Hunziger who came to North Carolina about 1773, and settled in what is now known as Catawba Co. on the waters of Lyles Creek. About 1793 Johann Theobold Hunsucker (Hunziger) erected a two-story log house on a 200 acre tract of land on a promontery overlooking Cline's Creek about three miles northwest of the present community of Conover. Another member of the family, Christian Hunsucker, erected a similar home farther up the creek. This was the forefather of Jonas Hunsucker, a retired Conover merchant who was the subject of a story in the Observer-News-Enterprise several months ago. The two Hunsucker families grew and spread throughout Catawba and surrounding counties through the years. The old Christian Hunsucker home was torn down many years ago by the present Mr. Hunsucker's father, Thomas L. Hunsucker. But the old Johannas Theobold Hunsucker home still stands, and though weather-worn, is basically as sound in construction as the day it was completed. This is one of the oldest homes in this end of the county, and though not recognized, previously because of its location off main throughfares of traffic, and since the Hunsucker family has been dis-associated with the place since 1924, it is the seat of origin for the Hunsucker family, as influential and prominent today as in the late 1700's. The old homesite is picturesque in many respects, through the old house itself, and the legends regarding it and the surrounding lands. The huge cellar for instance, which at one time contained an eight-foot fireplace where cooking was conducted during wheat harvest. And the two upper rooms which are still unceiled to show the peg-and-mortice construction featured by huge hewn logs and tiny windows. The story has it that the house originally had only one chimney, extending from the cellar up through the middle of the house. Some 70 years ago, that old chimney was removed, and two others erected, one on each end. The timbers taken from the place where these chimneys are located were used to build a log smokehouse which still stands at the rear of the house. The Lawson Hunsucker family was the last of the original line to live in the old home. Lycurgus Hunsucker of Conover, is the only living member of the large family reared there. A well at the rear of the house is some 70 years old, dug by Lycurgus and the late Marion Hunsucker to end the regular trips to a nearby spring. It still supplies water to the Lafone family. In 1904 Perry Lafone moved into the old home. By family estimation the old home place was built about 1793. Huge logs make up the main structure, and are weatherboarded, with homemade nails and other iron worked used. The inside of the house is still essentially the same. A narrow, winding box stairway, huge inch-thick pine planks for floors and walls, and the traditional box-like shape of the home itself, with adjoining porches on three sides. Here is an historic spot, one of great interest and importance in the county." Our family history has been recorded in a publication "History of the Johann Theobold Hunsucker Family" by Jonas Hunsucker & Thomas L. Hunsucker, 1928. This is the location of the above two photographs of the house. The stairway photo is from the newspaper article. Here I will give quotes from the book, which will give some background on our arrival in the United States & our trip to North Carolina. Pg 5 - The following is a certificate found by W.A. Smith at a place now called "Ranweiller", which was also called in former years, "Schallback" or "Schalback", lying in a portion of territory now called "Alsace Lorraine". The church records are still preserved at Ranweiller and confirm the correctness of the certificate which was examined by Mr. W.a. Smith on 17 Aug 1888. This certificate is at this time in the possession of Mr. Lawson A. Hunsucker. It reads as follows: "1744-24 Jan'y. a legitimate child has been baptized in the church at Ranweiller named Johann Theobold. Parents: Johannes Hunziger, citizen in schallback; and wife Marie-nee Peirson. Witnesses: (1) Theobold Rich, citizen in Schallback (2) Johannes ulnde Rige, citizen in Schallback (3) Elizabeth Pierson, legitimate daughter of Henry Pierson, in Schallback (4) Johannetta Kende, legitimate daughter of Joseph Kende, in Schallback. By request, the above has been extracted from our church register, and my own handwriting has been attached in the presence of witnesses, Ranweiller, in the province of Nassau. May 27, 1748. John Henry Wayner, Pastor of the Evan'l Reformed Congregation. Pg 6 - "Johannes Huntzecker landed Sept. 15, 1748 on Ship Two Brothers, Thomas Arnott, master, from Rotterdam last from Portsmouth. Evidently Johannes Hunziger settled about ten miles west of Allentown, now Lehigh County, but was then Northhampton County, Pennsylvania, near Heidlesberg Church. It is very evident that this Johannes Hunziger who landed in 1748 is the father of Johann Theobold, who came to North Carolina about the year 1773. Johann Theobold settled in what is now known as Catawba County on the waters of Lyles Creek, remaining there until his death in the year of 1822. His wife died July 2, 1812, both being buried in St. John's graveyard. The property on which this old pioneer settled is now occupied by Lawson A. Hunsucker. Johann Theobold and his wife were married in Pennsylvania, their oldest child, Wilhelm, being born Sept. 10, 1771 in Lintaire Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, as shown by his “dolphsteim”. The wife of Johann Theobold was Susanna Magdalena Neff. They were blessed with fifteen (15) children as follows: Wilhelm – married Margaret Whittenburg Mary married John Grunt Joseph married Polly Yount Mollie married Adam Grunt Jacob married Eliza Killian Catherine married 1st) Peter Little 2nd) Mr. Goble Sarah married 1st) John Rader 2nd) Simon Hass Christian married Catherine Whittenburg Johannes "John" married 1st) Miss Smith (MY DIRECT LINE) 2nd) Polly Sigman Susannah married William Drum Elizabeth married Fred Bollinger Peggy married Joseph Isenhower Eva married Jacob Little Barbara married John Moser Theobald – died at age 18 yrs Pg 7 Record on tombstones at St. John Lutheran Church Cemetery: Theobold Hunsucker died 12 March 1822 age 78 years Susan Magdeline Hunsucker, wife of Theobold Hunsucker died 2 July 1812, age 68 years 7 months 28 days. Mother of 15 children JOHANNES "JOHN" HUNSUCKER  Born Abt 1785 Lincoln Co. NC married Miss SMITH. Very little seems to be known about our John & his first wife Miss Smith. No one I have made contact with has her first name & is not listed in the publication on the Hunsucker family. Children of Johannes & Miss Smith: 1) Devault Hunsucker b. 6 Aug 1807 Lincoln Co. NC d. 18 Feb 1890 Weaverville, Buncombe Co. NC married Pauline Shnell. Both are buried in the Weaverville Cemetery, Buncombe Co. NC 2) Sarah "Sally" Hunsucker (MY DIRECT LINE) Born July 1809 Lincoln Co. NC died after 1880 Webster Co. Missouri buried Old St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery, Marshfield, Webster Co. MO married HENRY BOLCH/BOLICK, son of JOHAN ADAM BOLCH & ELIZABETH MAUSER from Lincoln Co. NC 3) Susannah Hunsucker married Henry Hoke 4) Ellen Hunsucker 5) Mary Hunsucker married Moses Herman 6) Elizabeth E. Hunsucker married Jacob Isenhower Children with Polly Sigman: 1) Elcanah "Caney" Hunsucker b. 3 Jun 1826 Lincoln Co. NC d. 29 Dec 1921 Catawba Co. NC buried Old St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Newton, Catawba Co. North Carolina 2) Theo Hunsucker b. abt 1838 Catawba Co. NC Johannesreceived 48-1/4 acres known as Lot No. 9 of his father's estate in 1823. Marriage Bonds of Lincoln Co. NC Henry Hoke to Susannah Hunsecker Jacob Hunsecker to Salley M. Killian 18 Sept 1820;  Sec John Butts; By V. McBee Hunsicker, Joseph to Polly Yont 14 Mar 1824; Sec John Yount; By Fr Hoke, JP John Hunsicker (Ger Johannes Hunsucker) to Polly Sigman 11 April 1824; Sec Jacob Hunsicker; By Fr Hoke, JP William Herman to Elisabeth Hunsicker 23 May 1824; Sec Mathias Bovey; by Cline Henry Bolick to Sally Hunsecker 24 Oct 1826; Sec Henry Cline; by J. T. Alexander Mary Hunsicker to Moses Harman; 4 Oct 1827 or 1837; Sec Henry Bolch; by Cline (Most likely a sister of Sarah) John Hunsuker to Lydia Gross 15 Jan 1829; Sec Electious Conner (Connor) George Herman to Barbara Hunsucker 21 Jan 1833; Sec Peter Herman; By V. McBee George Huffman to Polly Hunsecker 11 Nov 1834; Sec Elijah Huffman David Hunsecker to Polly Barringer 29 May 1835; Sec Miles W. Abernathy Jacob Isenhower to Elizabeth Hunsuker 26 Sept 1839; Sec. Peter Little; by John Yount JP HUNSUCKER'S WORLD WIDE     HOME Copyright 25 Nov 1999 Carolyn Whitaker All Rights Reserved The information contained in these pages may NOT be reproduced, copied, or published in whole or in part in ANY form for profit or sale with the express written consent of Carolyn Whitaker