I'm looking for any info on George and Omer, brothers from Van Wert Ohio. George was born abt 1883 to Rufus and Mary Kiger from the Amanda Twp Kigers and lived in Jacksonville Fla in 1939. Omer Moved to Yakima Washington sometime between 1910 and 1922, living there until moving to Glendale Calif sometime around 1967. thanks Walter John Kiger

Sara, Frittlingen is 11.1 km southeast of Rottweil in Baden-Würtemberg. The zip code is D-78665. My grgrandmother's sister, Antonia Zeiser, who married Joseph Geiger, was born in the same area, Neukirch, about 9 km from Rottweil. Perhaps your Sophie was related to Antonia's husband. Anyway, Geigers did live in this area. I don't know if Frittlingen has been filmed by the LDS, but I am going there tommorrow and will check. Susan sbiedron@starnetusa.net

In a message dated 98-06-17 08:22:11 EDT, you write: > Apparently (I still need to check into this) German pronunciation > eventually shifted. In modern German, the second vowel in two-vowel > combinations is the one pronounced; hence the pronunciation "Gei-ger" > with a long "i". > > Our surname means "fiddler". Strictly speaking, it's incorrect to translate > it as "violinist," as I've seen some do. The reason is that the violin, > properly so-called, did not originate until the 16th century in Italy. > Bart, I don't know if this adds anything relevant to your excellent explanation of the surname Geiger but I have also seen Geiger spelled with a diacritical mark over the second G as such: Geig"er. I have been told that this would change the pronounciation just a bit making the G sound harder. In other cases I have seen the diacritical mark over the i: Ge�ger making a dipthong out of the preceeding vowels EI. This could bring the sound closer to Geeeger I would think. While you are correct about the difference between "fiddler" and "violinist" try telling that to the Babelfish translator--it insists on making violinist out of Geiger--it does not recognize it as a proper noun. Perhaps this is due to the German use of capital letters at the start of each noun. Joan

Hello all. My German instructor was able to give me some good information into our surname. As I wrote before, surnames apparently came into general usage around the 1100's. At that time the word "fiddler" was spelled "Giger" with a diacritical mark, an inverted "v", over the letter i. (I'm not sure what the technical name is for the inverted v.) The diacritical mark signified that the "i" was to be pronounced "ee" as in beet. As the centuries progressed the diacritical mark was replaced with the letter combination "ei," which also signified the same pronunciation. Apparently (I still need to check into this) German pronunciation eventually shifted. In modern German, the second vowel in two-vowel combinations is the one pronounced; hence the pronunciation "Gei-ger" with a long "i". Our surname means "fiddler". Strictly speaking, it's incorrect to translate it as "violinist," as I've seen some do. The reason is that the violin, properly so-called, did not originate until the 16th century in Italy. Hope this helps. Bart Geger ******************* Barton T. Geger, SJ St. Louis, MO U.S.A. Phone: (314) 652-5425 FAX: (314) 652-7028 Researching Giger/Gyger/Geiger, Halter, Baumgartner, Lenhardt, Jost and Wolfe http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ranch/4319 *********************************************

Dear Ms. Turner: The first zip-code you've listed is in Kansas City, Missouri. Good luck in your research! Bart Geger, SJ At 12:21 PM 6/16/98 -0700, you wrote: >Hello everyone - > >My name is Debbie Turner and I live in Long Valley, NJ. My maiden name is KYGER and my grandparents were from Columbia, MO and my immediate family have all moved to WA. I started researching my KYGER family history about a year ago and am still quite a neophyte in the world of genealogy. I have been in contact with several of you who have been sending/responding to these message -- and let me take another opportunity to thank you all for your help!! > >I found a document is titled "The KYGER Family" in the files of my grandmother, Gwendolyn Nadean Ardrey Kyger. I don't know who wrote this or when it was compiled. There are two Names & Addresses stamped and written at the top. All I can make out is: >The first address: >"__________________" >"__________________" >" ____ City, MO 64119" > >The second address: >"__________________" >" _35__ Ramona Drive" >"Whittier, Ca. 90602 > >The document starts off with information relating to "Christian Geiger I" and goes through several generations. The later generations have just names and dates with fewer notes. Since it is so long I am not including it all here .. the entire document will be available on a web site I have started (WARNING - I am even newer to web design than I am to genealogy --- So any suggests are greatly appreciated!!) I have about half of it on line now and will be adding the rest in the next couple of days. You will see the beginning part relating to Christian I below. > >KYGER-HINZE web site: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Park/1794/ > >I am interested to see if any of you can shed any light as to where this document may have originated - who wrote it, when, etc. I also need help in verifying the information. > >Debbie > >*************************** START of first page >Any notes I have added are in brackets followed by my initials: i.e. [NOTE: ?? - DGT] > >"THE KYGER FAMILY" >"CHRISTIAN GEIGER I > >The first KYGER (Gieger) to come to America from Germany was Christian Geiger. He came on the ship "Charming Nancy", Charles Stedman, Comr., from Rotterdam, via Plymouth, England, to Philadelphia. Also listed as passengers was a William Geiger, probably his son, and a Barbara Geiger who may have been the wife of Christian, or of William. > >The journey lasted from the beginning of May to October, down the Rhine to Rotterdam. The Rhine boats from Heilbronn to Holland, passed twenty-six custom houses and at each one of them the ship had to be examined. The trip took four, five and even six weeks. After arriving in Holland they were detained five to six weeks. At every stop the passengers had to spend money to survive. At Plymouth there were more delays either for the custom house or waiting for favorable winds. Then, depending on the winds, they began their real misery. It took anywhere from eight to twelve weeks before reaching Philadelphia. Even with the best winds the voyage took seven weeks. Passengers were packed densely like herrings without proper food and water and were subject to all sorts of diseases such as dysentery, scurvy, typhoid and smallpox. Then there were frequent stops the ship and its passengers had to pass through, and many times the passengers feared they would go down with the ship. ! > After arriving in Philadelphia, there was another delay. A health officer visited the ship. If there was infectious disease found on board, the ship had to be removed one mile from the city until safe to unload passengers. Christian took his oath of allegiance to the government on October 8, 1737. The above information cam from "Pennsylvania German Pioneers," Strassburger & Hinke, Vol. I, Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, 1975, and from "Pennsylvania German Immigrants" by Shellenberger & Heinke. > >Christian had at least two wives even if the afore-mentioned Barbara was not his wife, Anna Marie Wei____ [I can't make out the rest of the handwritten name - DGT] and Christina. Christian died in May, 1779. His will mentions hat he lived in Warwick Town, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania. Warwick is now called Lititz. The will also mentions his wife, Christina Geiger, and his children, George Geiger, Christina Geiger Wyland, Elizabeth Gieger Leib, Margaret Geiger Bonder, Anna Maria Unger and the children of William, deceased. Children: > >William Born prior to 1737 >Margaret Born prior to 1741. Married John BENDER >Anna Maria Born prior to 1741. Married George UNGER >Ursula Elizabeth Baptized April 28, 1741 at First Reformed Church in Lancaster. > Daughter of Christian and Anna Maria. Married Peter LEIB >John George Baptized June 2, 1748 at Trinity Lutheran in Lancaster. > Son of Christian and Anna Maria. >Christina Baptized 8 days before Easter, 1750 at First Reformed in Lancaster. > Daughter of Christian and Anna Maria. Married Michael WYLAND >Maria Christina Baptized June 16, 1754 at Trinity Lutheran in Lancaster. > Daughter of Christian and Christina. > Probably did not survive. > >>From this we can assume that Ana Maria died between 1750 and 1753." >********************** END of first page > > > ******************* Barton T. Geger, SJ St. Louis, MO U.S.A. Phone: (314) 652-5425 FAX: (314) 652-7028 Researching Giger/Gyger/Geiger, Halter, Baumgartner, Lenhardt, Jost and Wolfe http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ranch/4319 *********************************************

I just got some information translated from my ggrandfather's log book and now I don't know what to do with it - help. Sophie Geiger was born on May 8, 1845 in Frittlingen, district of Spaihingen, in the Kingdom of Wurttemberg. Now how do I get info on her parents (my gggrandparents) with what I have? Thanks, Sara

In a message dated 98-06-16 23:39:19 EDT, you write: > Sophie Geiger was born on May 8, 1845 in Frittlingen, district of > Spaihingen, in the Kingdom of Wurttemberg. > > Now how do I get info on her parents (my gggrandparents) with what I have? Sara, I wonder about Frittlingen in Spaihingen. Do you know where it is located? I searched my book of German Parish records that are available from the LDS and I don't see either Spaihingen or Frittlingen listed within W�rttemberg. I wonder whether there might be other spellings for these places. I am happy to hear about your new leads! Joan

Check the files in the geneology section at the library. -- Jason Geiger --

Hello everyone - My name is Debbie Turner and I live in Long Valley, NJ. My maiden name is KYGER and my grandparents were from Columbia, MO and my immediate family have all moved to WA. I started researching my KYGER family history about a year ago and am still quite a neophyte in the world of genealogy. I have been in contact with several of you who have been sending/responding to these message -- and let me take another opportunity to thank you all for your help!! I found a document is titled "The KYGER Family" in the files of my grandmother, Gwendolyn Nadean Ardrey Kyger. I don't know who wrote this or when it was compiled. There are two Names & Addresses stamped and written at the top. All I can make out is: The first address: "__________________" "__________________" " ____ City, MO 64119" The second address: "__________________" " _35__ Ramona Drive" "Whittier, Ca. 90602 The document starts off with information relating to "Christian Geiger I" and goes through several generations. The later generations have just names and dates with fewer notes. Since it is so long I am not including it all here .. the entire document will be available on a web site I have started (WARNING - I am even newer to web design than I am to genealogy --- So any suggests are greatly appreciated!!) I have about half of it on line now and will be adding the rest in the next couple of days. You will see the beginning part relating to Christian I below. KYGER-HINZE web site: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Park/1794/ I am interested to see if any of you can shed any light as to where this document may have originated - who wrote it, when, etc. I also need help in verifying the information. Debbie *************************** START of first page Any notes I have added are in brackets followed by my initials: i.e. [NOTE: ?? - DGT] "THE KYGER FAMILY" "CHRISTIAN GEIGER I The first KYGER (Gieger) to come to America from Germany was Christian Geiger. He came on the ship "Charming Nancy", Charles Stedman, Comr., from Rotterdam, via Plymouth, England, to Philadelphia. Also listed as passengers was a William Geiger, probably his son, and a Barbara Geiger who may have been the wife of Christian, or of William. The journey lasted from the beginning of May to October, down the Rhine to Rotterdam. The Rhine boats from Heilbronn to Holland, passed twenty-six custom houses and at each one of them the ship had to be examined. The trip took four, five and even six weeks. After arriving in Holland they were detained five to six weeks. At every stop the passengers had to spend money to survive. At Plymouth there were more delays either for the custom house or waiting for favorable winds. Then, depending on the winds, they began their real misery. It took anywhere from eight to twelve weeks before reaching Philadelphia. Even with the best winds the voyage took seven weeks. Passengers were packed densely like herrings without proper food and water and were subject to all sorts of diseases such as dysentery, scurvy, typhoid and smallpox. Then there were frequent stops the ship and its passengers had to pass through, and many times the passengers feared they would go down with the ship. ! After arriving in Philadelphia, there was another delay. A health officer visited the ship. If there was infectious disease found on board, the ship had to be removed one mile from the city until safe to unload passengers. Christian took his oath of allegiance to the government on October 8, 1737. The above information cam from "Pennsylvania German Pioneers," Strassburger & Hinke, Vol. I, Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, 1975, and from "Pennsylvania German Immigrants" by Shellenberger & Heinke. Christian had at least two wives even if the afore-mentioned Barbara was not his wife, Anna Marie Wei____ [I can't make out the rest of the handwritten name - DGT] and Christina. Christian died in May, 1779. His will mentions hat he lived in Warwick Town, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania. Warwick is now called Lititz. The will also mentions his wife, Christina Geiger, and his children, George Geiger, Christina Geiger Wyland, Elizabeth Gieger Leib, Margaret Geiger Bonder, Anna Maria Unger and the children of William, deceased. Children: William Born prior to 1737 Margaret Born prior to 1741. Married John BENDER Anna Maria Born prior to 1741. Married George UNGER Ursula Elizabeth Baptized April 28, 1741 at First Reformed Church in Lancaster. Daughter of Christian and Anna Maria. Married Peter LEIB John George Baptized June 2, 1748 at Trinity Lutheran in Lancaster. Son of Christian and Anna Maria. Christina Baptized 8 days before Easter, 1750 at First Reformed in Lancaster. Daughter of Christian and Anna Maria. Married Michael WYLAND Maria Christina Baptized June 16, 1754 at Trinity Lutheran in Lancaster. Daughter of Christian and Christina. Probably did not survive. >From this we can assume that Ana Maria died between 1750 and 1753." ********************** END of first page

Please post the translaors and fees. Helene John & Sara Jadik wrote: > > >From the Alsace-Lorraine rootsweb e-mail group (or whatever we call > ourselves) I was given lots of old german translation and general Alsace > research information and thought I'd pass it along in case it's helpful to > anyone else. I have not yet tried any of these places but plan to and will > let you know if they are worth a try once I find the time - if anyone else > has used or tries them else, please let me know how they are. Joan - can > you give this to the guy at Geyer please. Thanks, Sara > > This one I already posted - old german style letters, I used it last night > and it was incredibly helpful, he wrote just the way my gggrandfather did. > It's at http://www.genealogy.com/gene/gifs/script1.gif > > If I Can...You Can Read Old German - a book that's apparently at all the LDS > FHCs. > > The Alsace Emigration Book by Corneilia Schrader-Muggenthaler, published by > Closson Press at rclosson@nb.net. It is at 125 libraries around the country > from what I understand. > > The German Genealogy Society, P.O. Box 6600661, Sacramento, CA 95866 has a > sample list of old german writing. It's apparently $3 and you have to send a > SASE. > > "How Old Germans Wrote" by Bert Knupp is 200 frequently used words written > several different ways. Bert can be reached at bert.knupp@nashville.com. > He's very informative and doesn't charge for this info but would accept > donations. I believe he is also a professional translator. > > I was also given the names/e-mails of several people that you can hire to do > translations. If you want those, e-mail me and I'll get them for you. > > Hope this helps some one. > > Sara

>From the Alsace-Lorraine rootsweb e-mail group (or whatever we call ourselves) I was given lots of old german translation and general Alsace research information and thought I'd pass it along in case it's helpful to anyone else. I have not yet tried any of these places but plan to and will let you know if they are worth a try once I find the time - if anyone else has used or tries them else, please let me know how they are. Joan - can you give this to the guy at Geyer please. Thanks, Sara This one I already posted - old german style letters, I used it last night and it was incredibly helpful, he wrote just the way my gggrandfather did. It's at http://www.genealogy.com/gene/gifs/script1.gif If I Can...You Can Read Old German - a book that's apparently at all the LDS FHCs. The Alsace Emigration Book by Corneilia Schrader-Muggenthaler, published by Closson Press at rclosson@nb.net. It is at 125 libraries around the country from what I understand. The German Genealogy Society, P.O. Box 6600661, Sacramento, CA 95866 has a sample list of old german writing. It's apparently $3 and you have to send a SASE. "How Old Germans Wrote" by Bert Knupp is 200 frequently used words written several different ways. Bert can be reached at bert.knupp@nashville.com. He's very informative and doesn't charge for this info but would accept donations. I believe he is also a professional translator. I was also given the names/e-mails of several people that you can hire to do translations. If you want those, e-mail me and I'll get them for you. Hope this helps some one. Sara

I am in the process of attempting to trace the roots of the Greene County, Pennsylvania Kiger family. The progenitor is Charles Kiger. >From all the records I have thus far put together I know that he first appears in western PA in Fayette County about 1798. He was born between 1770 and 1774 if I can believe the census records I have for him. His wife was named Susanna possibly Hockstetler. What I need to learn is WHERE this Charles came from. He would appear to have been sufficiently "Americanized" that he was most likely born in America. Given migration patterns of that time period I feel he most likely migrated west from eastern PA, or northwest from Maryland. I have checked census records for Maryland and found a few Geiger and Kiger entries that I am interested in knowing more about. They are as follows: the 1790 census for Maryland lists: John Kiger Dorchester County with 2 free white males 16 and over and 3 free white males under 16, and 3 free white females; and Leonard Kiger in the same county with 1 free white male 16 and over and 3 free white females. Another Leonard Kiger is shown in Frederick County and in his household we have 2 free white males 16 and over and 5 free white females. Other souces list a Leonard Geiger in Frederick who is most likely the same Leonard listed as Kiger above. Does anyone know anything about any of the above listed Kiger/Geigers? Also, in Old Frederick County, MD at an early date we have John and George Kyger/Kiger, sons of John Georg Geiger and his wife Maria Catharina Henckel. These children were born prior to 1740. They in turn married and had children. From later census records we know that they had more children than we are presently able to account for. Both settled in areas of Virginia which are now part of West Virginia. Does anyone know of a Charles Geiger or Kiger/Kyger in either of these households? Both George and John would have been about the right age to have had a son Charles at the time Charles Kiger of Greene County was born. Also, Benjamin Geiger born 1748 (son of Valentine Geiger) in what is now Montgomery County, PA who married and lived in Rockland Township, Berks County, PA. Does anyone have a date of death for Benjamin? He does NOT appear on any census record 1790 or later in Pennsylvania and I am assuming he must have died prior to 1790. He had two sons: Benjamin born 1777 and Charles born 1772. A Charles Geiger appears on the 1790 census in Rockland Township with one free white male 16 and over and 4 free white males under 16 and one free white female. It is doubtful that this is the above Charles though--it is more likely his uncle Charles (son of Valentine Geiger) who is known to have lived in Rockland Township. It is highly possible that Benjamin, Jr. was living with his uncle Charles in 1790. There is one unaccounted for male child under 16 listed on that record. If so--where is the older child--Charles? It would appear that Benjamin, Jr. born in 1777 married a Catharine (maiden name unknown) and settled for a time in what is now Lebanon County (North Annville) and had a child Johannes baptized at Quitopahilla Church there in 1798. He and his family then moved to Westmoreland County, PA. It is entirely possible that his older brother Charles also moved west as he can't be accounted for on any later census record in eastern PA. He is also the right age to be a candidate for the Greene County Charles Kiger. Jacob Geiger born about 1755 in Douglassville, Berks County, PA served in the Rev. He is listed in his step-mother's (Mary Robeson Geiger) will of 1808 as living in Fayette County. The will also indicates that he is married and has at least one child--a daughter Sarah. We find a Jacob Kiger living in Fayette County but no Jacob Geiger--could this Jacob be the father of the Charles Kiger later of Greene County? Any thoughts, or evidence would be greatly appreciated. It should be noted that all of the above Geigers and Kigers are in one way or another associated with the descendants of Rev. Anthony Jacob Henckel through his two daughters who married two Geiger brothers from Ittlingen, Germany--Valentine and John Georg who arrived in Philadelphia in 1717, with the possible (or probable) exception of Leonard and John living in Maryland whose origins I have not yet found. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Joan

In a message dated 98-06-16 12:18:05 EDT, you write: > I found a document is titled "The KYGER Family" in the files of my > grandmother, Gwendolyn Nadean Ardrey Kyger. I don't know who wrote this or > when it was compiled. There are two Names & Addresses stamped and written at > the top. Debbie, I can't shed any light as to the author or date of the record you have. I can make some comments on various items stated in this record that can now be proved or disproved. I would guess that this was the work of an earlier researcher who did the best that they could with what was available at the time. All I can make out is: > The first address: > "__________________" > "__________________" > " ____ City, MO 64119" > > The second address: > "__________________" > " _35__ Ramona Drive" > "Whittier, Ca. 90602 > > The document starts off with information relating to "Christian Geiger I" > and goes through several generations. The later generations have just names > and dates with fewer notes. Since it is so long I am not including it all > here .. the entire document will be available on a web site I have started ( > WARNING - I am even newer to web design than I am to genealogy --- So any > suggests are greatly appreciated!!) I have about half of it on line now and > will be adding the rest in the next couple of days. You will see the > beginning part relating to Christian I below. > > KYGER-HINZE web site: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Park/1794/ > > I am interested to see if any of you can shed any light as to where this > document may have originated - who wrote it, when, etc. I also need help in > verifying the information. > > Debbie > > *************************** START of first page > Any notes I have added are in brackets followed by my initials: i.e. [NOTE: > ?? - DGT] > > "THE KYGER FAMILY" > "CHRISTIAN GEIGER I > > The first KYGER (Gieger) to come to America from Germany was Christian > Geiger. He came on the ship "Charming Nancy", Charles Stedman, Comr., from > Rotterdam, via Plymouth, England, to Philadelphia. Also listed as passengers > was a William Geiger, probably his son, and a Barbara Geiger who may have > been the wife of Christian, or of William. Barbara may well have been Christian's wife but NOT William's--he was under 16 when he arrived in America as he wasn't required to take the oath. We do NOT know whether Barbara was William's mother I might add. > > Christian had at least two wives even if the afore-mentioned Barbara was not > his wife, Anna Marie Wei____ [I can't make out the rest of the handwritten > name - DGT] and Christina. This is correct--but he had to have had a third wife--Barbara or someone else--a mother to William. Anna Maria's name is Esskuchin. Christian died in May, 1779. His will mentions > hat he lived in Warwick Town, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania. Warwick is now > called Lititz. Actually Warwick Township did not become Lititz. A portion of Warwick Township later became the closed Moravian town of Lititz which is within the township of Warwick. The will also mentions his wife, Christina Geiger, and his > children, George Geiger, Christina Geiger Wyland, Elizabeth Gieger Leib, > Margaret Geiger Bonder, Anna Maria Unger That is all correct except that Margaret Geiger's married name in Bender and the will does show it as Bender. and the children of William, > deceased. Children: > > William Born prior to 1737 > Margaret Born prior to 1741. Married John BENDER > Anna Maria Born prior to 1741. Married George UNGER > Ursula Elizabeth Baptized April 28, 1741 at First Reformed Church in > Lancaster. > Daughter of Christian and Anna Maria. Married Peter LEIB > John George Baptized June 2, 1748 at Trinity Lutheran in Lancaster. > Son of Christian and Anna Maria. > Christina Baptized 8 days before Easter, 1750 at First Reformed in Lancaster. > > Daughter of Christian and Anna Maria. Married Michael WYLAND > Maria Christina Baptized June 16, 1754 at Trinity Lutheran in Lancaster. > Daughter of Christian and Christina. > Probably did not survive. > > >From this we can assume that Ana Maria died between 1750 and 1753." > ********************** END of first page > The only correction I would make to the above is that we know Anna Maria died sometime after her youngest child was baptized on 20 May 1750 and before 23 October 1752 when Christian Geiger married Christina Viet/Veith/Fyde. Joan

Just for an FYI - I found a web site that has the old german letters written out. I haven't had a chance to compare it to what I have in the old log book but some of the letters look similar so there's hope. It's at http://www.genealogy.com/gene/gifs/script1.gif if any one is curious. Sara

On Joan Young's advice, I consulted the 1860 Census schedule for Bethania, Forsyth Co., N.C., p. 185 (that's the handwritten page number, I find, not the printed one), and found two Lewis Kigers. Lewis Kiger, Sr., is listed as a farmer, born in N.C., aged 54, living with Paulina, age 37; Franklin, age 17; Julia, age 10; Alexander, age 8; and John W(?)., age 1. Just below this entry is one for Lewis Kiger, Jr., a day laborer, aged 28; Mary, age 24; Jephthah, age 1 [this one took a while to puzzle out, but I'm sure it's right--in Hebrew it means "He [God] opened [the womb for a first born"]; and John Kiger, age 25, a wagoner. On her Geiger/Kiger Family Home Page, Faye Moran lists a 2nd-generation "Lewis Geiger (b. 1808) m. Paulina/Polina (1824-1893?) (could be his second wife?)." This looks like the Lewis, Sr., and Paulina listed in the 1860 Census. If she is indeed his second wife, then this would make Lewis, Jr., and John good candidates to be two sons of his by a previous wife. Thus this Lewis Kiger, Jr., seems likely to be both my 2g-grandfather (LK1) of my previous post and also LK3, the veteran of Gettysburg; my first hypothesis, that LK2 (son of Simon Kiger and Polly Moser) was my 2g-grandfather, now seems to have been wrong. Joan has also suggested that I try to get the Civil War record of Lewis Kiger from the NARA and his pension records from the N.C. State Archives, which I will do. What else? My guess is that I must check the 1870 Census to see if great-grandfather Nathaniel, age 9, is living with Lewis, Jr.; and I should look at the 1850 to see if Lewis, Jr., is living with Lewis, Sr., and the 1840 and maybe 1830 to see if Lewis, Sr., is living with a woman other than Paulina. Right? Mike Montgomery <michael@princeton.edu>

In a message dated 98-06-15 10:41:56 EDT, you write: > Joan has also suggested that I try to get the Civil War record of Lewis > Kiger from the NARA and his pension records from the N.C. State Archives, > which I will do. What else? My guess is that I must check the 1870 Census > to see if great-grandfather Nathaniel, age 9, is living with Lewis, Jr.; > and I should look at the 1850 to see if Lewis, Jr., is living with Lewis, > Sr., and the 1840 and maybe 1830 to see if Lewis, Sr., is living with a > woman other than Paulina. Right? Mike, did you say you are NEW to genealogy? With reasoning powers like yours you don't need much help--you are doing GREAT! I agree with all your conclusions. Actually you are too kind to me--I had suggested you try for pension information from NARA--ooops! I forgot he served with the Confederacy!! Of course you would go to the state archives for that. But the military records would still be held at NARA and you would note that he served with the Confederate Army in the Civil War or as Bob Kiger (of North Carolina) called the war in his files "The War of Northern Aggression." Guess we STILL have brothers fighting brothers and cousins fighting cousins. OK--now for the 1850 census: we only have ONE Lewis Kiger listed in NC on the Index--Lewis Kiger-Forsyth County, Amanda Township, page 297. If you need the list of the rest of the 1850 Kigers in NC just let me know. Now the problem comes with 1870--there is NO Lewis Kiger in NC at all. Paulina (if it is the same one--which it could well be) is listed in Bethania in 1870 on page 309. Levi is there in Bethania also on page 310. There is a John A. on page 314--also Bethania. There is no listing for a Mary Kiger in NC. I also tried Texas since I know that is where the family ended up--nothing--no luck. But surprisingly there are a few Kigers in Texas by 1870. We have: Robt. H. Kiger, Burleson Co., Brazos Bottom P.O., page 213; George W. Kiger, Cherokee Co., Alto, page 186; John C. Kiger in Hunt County, White Rock Prect. on page 341; Enoch Kiger also same county and Prect. as John C. on page 344. In addition there is a Mary Gerger in Fort Bend Co., Richmond P.O. on page 580. Your next problem is that the 1840 and 1830 census records are NOT going to tell you the name of the person Lewis is married to at that time--BUT it will give you a rough idea of her age and the ages and sex of any children at home in those years. In 1830 there is NO Lewis on the census in NC--but Simon is on there in Stokes Co. on page 229--perhaps he will have a son of Lewis' age still living at home--perhaps even with his wife and children? Then in 1840 we still have NO Lewis listed but we do have John Kiger in Stokes in Bethania District on page 142--is this Lewis' brother? Then on page148 we have Simon P. Kiger in Bethania District. Sorry I didn't find anything more helpful. Maybe tax lists and deeds would help. You also need to get a look at NC wills. Joan

If anyone is researching Geigers/Gigers/Gygers from Canton Glarus, Switzerland, St. Louis, Missouri, or Pottawattamie County, Iowa, please contact me. Thanks! Bart ******************* Barton T. Geger, SJ St. Louis, MO U.S.A. Phone: (314) 652-5425 FAX: (314) 652-7028 Researching Giger/Gyger/Geiger, Halter, Baumgartner, Lenhardt, Jost and Wolfe http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ranch/4319 *********************************************

The Family Tree Maker Home Page has a new option called GenealogyLibrary.com. I BELIVE there is one free search, otherwise there is a monthly fee or a $40.00/year search fee. It's big plus is that it has hundreds of books with a searchable database and is adding three new books a day. Right away I hit pay dirt on my Kygers in Clinton County, Indiana. Marriage index and supplemental marriage index (showing parents). Some birth and death notices. Some new Kygers to me, obviously in my family, but not noted by previous researchers. Neat! I checked KIGER for Joan and turned up 183 hits on marriages (a few deaths and births. Mostly Fountain County (1848-1920), some Boone (1850-1922), Benton (1850-1922), Floyd (1845-1920), Allen (1824-1920), Hendricks (1823-1919), Franklin (1850-1920), Bartholomew (1850-1920). The only mention of Clinton County Kigers were actually my Kygers. In the book, 'History of Wayne County, Indiana' there is a bit about The Methodist Episcopal Church in Hagerstown formed in the spring of 1840 where one of the preachers' name was John Kiger. Other books mentioning Kigers also noted. Maggie

To Joan or anyone else out there who might know... I have an old log book of sorts kept by Georg Maschino - Sophia Geiger's son-in-law. It's written in what we believe is old german. My father grew up hearing his relatives speak it and can translate quite a bit of it - the problem we are having is the shape of quite a few of the letters, they just don't correspond to anything we can figure out. H's look like elaborate S's and S's are F's, and other strange things we've been able to determine simply because we know the names of a lot of the people he recorded but the rest is lost on us. Obviously that computer translation program won't help in this situation - does any one know of any place or resource I can turn to get some of this translated? I'm pretty sure with just knowing what the letters are we can go from there. Thanks, Sara (jadikjr@erols.com) [searching Maschino, Maginot, Geiger, Haas, Walmer]

In a message dated 98-06-14 15:13:19 EDT, you write: > The only mention of Clinton County Kigers were actually my Kygers. Maggie, interesting. What were the given names of the Kygers in Clinton County and what time period were they in this county. My interest primarily concerns Benjamin and Catherine Kiger and the other Benjamin Kiger or Kigers as well as Samuel Kiger. Oh--and I am talking about Clinton County, Ohio not Clinton County, Indiana--am I right is saying you are talking about Indiana? Am I also right is saying you are talking about Samuel Kyger, descendant of Christian Geiger? > > In the book, 'History of Wayne County, Indiana' there is a bit about The > Methodist Episcopal Church in Hagerstown formed in the spring of 1840 where > one of the preachers' name was John Kiger. Would this be Hagerstown, Maryland being referred to? I am aware of a John Kiger in Hagerstown and also a Jacob Kiger who was a preacher there. I would love to know what their origins are. Joan