Ahnentafel......Site Info

261. Christian[10] Kuntzi[212] (A976). Born abt 1700 Belten Switzerland[121]. Died, Nov 1774 Berks Co., PA[121]. Occupation: Tanner.

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From "List of Swiss Emigrants" by Faust & Brumbaugh, cited in Smith (1981): "A passport is also issued to Christian Kuntzli, who wishes to emigrate to America with his wife and six children. The family is granted 10 thaler as a viaticum. On the following day Kuntzli is also excused from paying the emigration tax on his property of 60 crowns. It was evident from the entries that this man was a tanner and that he came from Bitlen in the district of Konolfingen. Kuntzli's farm appears on the plan of the colony."

(Not proved to be related)

From Sharp (1993): "The Kuntzi family originated in the lake or Oberland regions of Canton Bern, Switzerland. This family name has been variously spelled Kinsey, Kinzie, Kintzi, Kuentzi, and Kuntzi. These Kinseys were Brethren, also known as Dunkards. Our ancestor, Christen Kuntzi applied for permission to leave Uebeschi, district of Thun, in the winter of 1733/34. He received land in the Oley district of Philadelphia (now Berks County, Pennsylvania) in March 1734...

From Smith (1981): "They...settled in Berks County where three more children were born. Christian became a member of the Oley Congregation of the German Baptist Church in Berks County, Pennsylvania...The will names his wife Sarah and also names the children who are to share in his will. It also names four grandchildren who are children of his first son Johannes, who died about 1761. This will is filed in the Berks County Courthouse in Pennsylvania.

From Bob Kinsey (2000): Here is a photograph of the log house on the Christian Küntz˙ Homestead in Oley,Alsace Township,Berks County,Pennsylvania;that the Berks County Historical Society believes was built around 1734 when Christian emigrated from Hönëgg,Switzerland. It is still standing! Christian,originally,had over 200 acres. The current Homestead owners-Larry and Janet Hendrickson-now have 35 acres. The log house,main house,barn,spring house,and summer kitchen buildings are still standing. All were built by the Küntz˙ family.

Here is a photograph of the above church. This is where the Christian Küntz˙ family attended church. The homestead is about 5 miles to the West. It may have been a German Baptist or Dunkard church,at first. This is the church where the immigrant ancestor,Christian Küntz˙'s son,David,was a minister and where the "Oley Congregation" met. David's son,Christian,may have also been a minister here[this Christian is the one that completed the Homestead,main house,in 1803]. Today,all the Brethren churches in Lancaster and Berks Counties,Pennsylvania hold an annual service in this church. It is in good structural shape. Martin Gaube,the first minister,is buried in the graveyard,behind the church,as are others.

From Bob Sharp's Website ( <"http://members.core.com/~sharprm/library/kinsey.htm"> http://members.core.com/~sharprm/library/kinsey.htm ):"He emigrated, 21 Jan 1734. Point of origin: Switzerland. Our ancestor, Christen KUNTZI applied for permission to emigrate to Pennsylvania on January 21, 1734. The government had agreed and gave instructions to his commune to let KUNTZI have as much of his property as he needed for his journey. The place referred to is the hamlet, Honegg in the commune of Uebeschi, which belongs to the parish of Thierachern and to the district Thun. There are still KUNTZI's in this area which is approximately 15 miles southeast of Bern, Switzerland. At that time in Central Europe, it was considered an act of disloyalty for a person to leave his country of birth. In fact, in Switzerland there were several mandates against emigration. However, many Swiss were compelled to leave due to heavy taxation and religious oppression. A civil passport was required which stated that the holder was a person of good character, was debt free, and had paid the emigration tax. The second document, which was mentioned above, was a certificate of dismissal from the state church.

He bought property Berks Co, PA, Mar 1734. Christen KUNTZI received 100 acres in the Oley section of Philadelphia (now Berks County, Pennsylvania) in March 1734. He added an additional 50 acres in November, 1738 and 50 more in Alsace township in June, 1750. Other land patents were recorded in 1743 and 1759. Oley township had first been settled by Quakers including the Boones, Lincolns, and Lees. By 1734, Oley had 34 landowners, most of them German emigrants who had first settled in the Schoharie valley of New York. This area had also been settled by Swiss Mennonites and other German speaking religious sects and was a center of the 'Pennsylvania Dutch'.

Christian was listed in a directory Germantown, Pa, 1742. It is not known the original religious affiliation of Christen KUNTZI. In 1742, the head of the Moravian church in Europe, Count Zinzendorf, came to America in an attempt to consolidate the many German religious sects into one organized church. A multi- denominational synod was held in Germantown, PA which Christian KINTSY attended. Although many of the 50 attendees listed their affiliation as Tunker, Lutheran, German Reformed, Mennonite, Moravian, or other, KINTSY did not name his denomination. It is known that the KINSEY's were active in the Oley congregation of German Baptists which were commonly known as Dunkers and now known as the Church of the Brethren. Christen KUNTZI's son, David, was a minister of the church in 1780, and son, Christian, was a trustee.

He petitioned the court to become a citizen in Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co, Pa, 10 Apr 1761. He become a naturalized citizen of the British colony on April 10/11 1761 when a resident of Alsace township, Berks County, PA.

He made a will Alsace Twp, Berks, Pa, 24 Mar 1773. He listed his wife Sarah, his children, and his grandchildren, the children of his son Johannes. The KUNTZI family originated in the lake or Oberland regions of Canton Bern, Switzerland. This family name has been variously spelled Kinsey, Kinzie, Kintzi, Kuentzi, Kuntzy, and Kuntzi. Christen KUNTZI's descendants moved to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania during the 1770s, to southwest Virginia during the 1780s, and later to Ohio in 1805, Indiana in 1845 and later to Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana.

He married Sarah (262) (A977). Children:

213 i. Johannes[9] Kuntzy.

ii. David Kuntzy. Born in Switzerland. Died, 1811[121].

iii. Jacob Kuntzi. Born in Switzerland[121].

iv. Abraham Kuntzi. Born in Switzerland[121].

v. Magdelena Kuntzi. Born in Switzerland[121].

vi. Christian Kuntzi. Born, circa 1740, in Switzerland[121]. Died, 7

Dec 1825[121]. He married Mary.

vii. Henry Kuntzi. Born, circa 1742, in Berks Co., PA[121].

viii. Catharina Kuntzi. Born in Berks Co., PA.

ix. Maria Kuntzi. Born in Berks Co., PA.

262. Sarah [10] (A977).

She married Christian Kuntzi (261) (A976).