Charles Kunkle (1825-1890)

Our ancestor Charles Kunkle almost didn't make it into this world!  He was the third child of his parents, George (1797-1876) and Salome Knecht Kunkle (1803-1825)  and the great grandson of John George Kunkle who gave service in the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War.

The Reaper by Winslow Homer

Charles was born November 24, 1825 and his 22 year old mother, Salome, died just three weeks after his birth. It is a  miracle that a motherless infant could have survived in 1825. There must have been a woman with an infant of her own who took baby Charles into her care to feed and nurture him.
The 1840 Census reports that his father was a farmer, so we can imagine that Charles grew up learning the skills of agriculture.
Nothing else is known about Charles until he is the age of 22 when he married Emmaline Miller on July 27, 1847.  The Salem Church Records provides the marriage date and that Emmaline was the daughter of John and Julian Miller. Of course I always like it when a record gives the woman's maiden name. So often that information was deemed unimportant, making it very difficult for the genealogist to discover more about the woman who gave life to the next generation.  And we all know without her none of us would be here.

Kunkle Monument

Charles and  his wife Emmaline are buried in the Salem Union Church Cemetery, Moore Township in Northampton Co. Pennsylvania.  The record lists Charles Kunkle, born November 24,1825 and died April 22, 1890, age 64 years, 5 months and 27 days old and  Emaline Kunkle, born May 16, 1828 and died May 19, 1883, age 55 years and 3 days.
Other Kunkles in that grave yard include;  his father George, 1797-1876, age 69, and Elizabeth (the second wife of George and the woman who raised Charles), 1803 - 1872, age 69.  Sarah A., 1854-1854-0;  Andrew G., 1851-1854-3;  Salome, 1803-1825-22 (mother of Charles)

 

Charles Kunkle

Emmaline Kunkle

There is no will on file at the Easton Courthouse, but there  are letters of Administration  LA 5 - 215- 1890 and Administration Bond AB 5 - 215- 1890. Charles Cunkel, April 22, 1890 of Palmer Twp.   John H. Kunkel and Thomas M. Kunkle,  Administrators. Also, an obituary notice appeared in the  Easton Daily Free Press, April 29, 1890, which stated Charles Kunkle died April 22, 1890 at the age of 64 years, 5 months and 27 days, near Nazareth, Pennsylvania.  This provides a birth year of circa 1826 which is compatible with the dates on the grave stone.

These Census Records help us to learn more about Charles and his family.  Charles  and Emeline Kunkle, are on the 1850 Census,  Northampton Co., Pennsylvania,  Moore Township,  with daughter "Fayetta" age 2 years.  The 1860 record shows his son John Henry who is 4 years old.  Other children in the family are Fayetta, age 11 and Cyrus age 2 and 1/2.   Charles' occupation is listed as farmer.  The 1870 Census lists Charles Kunkle, 44, a farmer,  Emeline Kunkle  42 and three children, John 13, Cyrus 11, and Thomas 8.  Charles and Emeline Kunkle  are found  in the 1880 Census in Northampton Co., E. Allen Twp., Pennsylvania (Vol. 57, ED. 69, Line 9).  List children: Cyrus L. (age 20) and Thomas M. (age 17), and a granddaughter, 'Matilda Hummel', age 10 yrs.

Charles and Emeline Kunkle were the parents of seven children as is noted on his tombstone.  Their children were Fayella, who was born on November 9, 1848. She married Jacob Hummel. Andrew G. Kunkel was born March 29, 1851, but died at the age of 3 years, 5 months and 26 days on September 23, 1854. His death came days after that of his infant sister, Sarah Amanda who was born on Januaury 12, 1854 and died at the age of 8 months and 25 days on September 6, 1854. A child named Henrich George, born March 29, 1851 is also in the church record and must have been a twin to Andrew who died young.  Such a tragedy for this young family!  Our ancestor John Henry arrived on March 4, 1856 followed by  Cyrus Lennert who was born April 21, 1860  and  Thomas  born December 21, 1862.

I love this picture of John Henry, son of Charles and Emmaline,  and his wife Sarah Jane Fehnel at Devil's Den in Gettysburg National Park.  John Kunkle lived in Bath, Pennsylvania where he had a farm implement business.  He traveled from farm to farm selling minerals and phosphate.  They were the parents of Estella, Sam and  William.  Estella married Arthur Smith and they were the great grandparents of Ron Smith, my husband.



Sources:

• Personal family history records of Cynthia H. Smith, Mt. Bethel, Pennsylvania, Notes and Interview of Beatrice Graver Smith as told to and recorded from her family history files by Cynthia Hughes Smith, 1981.  And from the records of the Smith Family Reunion as recorded by Beatrice Graver Smith, family historian.
• Kunkle Family Bible, possession of Judith A. Mackey, Wind Gap, PA.
• Charles Kunkle Obituary, Easton Daily Free Press, April 29, 1890. Located Easton Library.
• James E, Kunkle, historian.  P.O. Box # 140460, Edgewater, Colo.  80214 - 0460. Letter to me dated 18 November 1997.
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winslow_Homer
• U.S. census, population schedules. NARA microfilm publication M593, 1,761 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration
• Find A Grave Memorial# 66851208 Charles Kunkle and # 66851242 Emmaline Kunkle and children.

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