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Kunkles
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George Kunkle
(1826 - 1900)
George Kunkle >
George "Heinrich" Henry Kunkle
Biographical
Sketch
George Kunkle was born February 25, 1826 in the vicinity of New Bloomfield, Perry County, Pennsylvania to George "Heinrich" Henry Kunkle and Mary Catherine Stone -- both originally of Berks County, Pennsylvania. George was the youngest of seven children born to this couple. His older siblings were Jeremiah, John Henry, Jacob S., Mary Ann, William, and Henry Stone Kunkle. George's parents were very poor and his mother, Mary, died when he was only two years old. As such, it is very likely that George was brought up, during his early years, in the home of someone other than his father. He may have returned home to live by the time he was eight to ten years old as by then his father had married again (to a Catherine Ohler), putting a mother figure back in the home. After reaching adulthood, in the mid to late 1840s, George found his way to Williams County, Ohio, probably in search of older brothers who had migrated to this area earlier. He for certain met up with one of his brother, Henry Stone Kunkle, for they traveled together to California in about 1850 to become gold-miners following the gold discovery at Sutter's Mill. It is likely that George left the gold fields and returned to Williams County, Ohio around 1852 at the same time as his brother. It is likely that he (as did his brother Henry) made out reasonably well in his quest for California gold -- at least well enough to fund the purchase of a substantial farm in Brady Township. His real estate holdings in 1860 were valued at $3,000 and by the year 1870, approximately $7,000. On January 1, 1854, George married Mary Henry of Richland County, Ohio. Mary was the daughter of Jacob and Susan (Dare) Henry. This union lasted less than one year, until September, 1954, when Mary died from complications in giving birth to a daughter who they named Mary A. Kunkle. Unable to take care of an infant daughter, George handed over infant Mary to her maternal grandparents to raise. On October 28, 1955, George married again -- this time to Ms. Rachel J. Shoemaker of Summit County, Ohio. Rachel was the daughter of John and Anne (Brelsford) Shoemaker. George and Rachel had six children together - William Henry Harrison, Elner Jane, Charles A., Margaret C., Roxy Ann, and Frederick W. Kunkle. All were born and raised near the town of Stryker in Williams County, Ohio. Sometime around 1887, Rachel was afflicted by an unidentified illness that left her an invalid -- severely paralyzed and confined to a wheel chair for the remainder of her life. George, in his later years, suffered heart problems which ultimately claimed his life. He died at home on April 17, 1900. Rachel survived him by another seven years. They are buried side-by-side in Floral Grove Cemetery just south of West Unity in Williams County, Ohio. George's first wife, Mary, is buried nearby. Photo Gallery  
Mary (Henry) Kunkle grave marker. Floral Grove Cemetery, West Unity, Ohio. |