This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Geiger, Kyger Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/JOY.2ACEB/895 Message Board Post: I suspect that after all these years of trying to find the origin of Christian Geiger who arrived in Philadelphia in 1737 on the Charming Nancy--we may be on the verge of proving where he came from in Germany and who his ancestors are. The potential answer as to his origin was in my files for years and went overlooked until now. I'm in the process of reorganizing all my files and I'm going through EVERYTHING with a fresh look and I came upon something I had photocopied years ago that led me to take a closer look at my file on Paul Geiger of Berwangen, Germany who arrived in 1749 on the Fane and I think there may be some evidence in these files that could lead to tying together many of the early Geiger lines from the Northern Kraichgau area--and may well prove Christian Geiger and Paul Geiger are cousins. My photocopied pages are from The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine Volume XXXIII, 1984, Number 3, pages 204-206 and the text reads as follows: European Origins, Raymond Martin Bell, F.A.S.G., F.G.S.P If a genealogist has the good fortune of locating a village in Europe whence his or her German-speaking ancestor came, there are all sorts of possibiities for extending family lines. A few examples are given below. It may take detective work at this side of the Atlantic to make the connection. The link may be a gravestone inscription, a family Bible, or a scrap of paper. A careful study of the names on a ship list may indicate the neighborhood to be searched in Germany, Switzerland, or northern France. Sometimes a German church or civil record will report "gone to Pennsylvania", and the family can be traced through the ship lists. Don Yoder and his associates have done an admirable job with Pennsylvania Immigrants (1980) and Rhineland Emigrants (1981). An excellent summary of the situation is given in Don Yoder's "Problems and Resources in Pennsylvania German Genealogical research", Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine, XXXI, 1.26 (1979). In examples given below the connections were made as follows: [note: I'm only copying the one entry that pertains to GEIGER.] GEIGER--birthplace listed on tombstone--further research by John P. Dern, found a family tree in the German church book. GEIGER J. Paul--Berwangen, Baden-Wu"rttemberg to PA Oct. 17-1749, ship 144 b Nov 15-1723, son of J. Paul Geiger 1698-1754 and Elizabeth Ho"bel m (Germany) 1749 M. Eva Kiestlern 1724-1801 to Pa with wife Paul Geiger d Aug 2-1798 Geigertown, Berks Co. relatives who came to Pa were: brother, John, b 1727, Sept 5-1751, ship 162; and cousins, Paul b 1714, Aug 30-1737, ship 44, Christian, Oct 8-1737, ship 49, Jacob b 1720, Aug 27,-1739, ship 70 and George b 1729, Oct 17-1749, ship 144 --------- The above then led me to recheck the earliest info I have in my files on Paul Geiger of Berwangen and I found this: (This is a typewritten copy of the research being referred to above...) Family Record of Paul Geiger, born 1723, Berwangen, Baden-Wu"rttemberg Died 1798, Geigertown, Berks, Co., Penna. Compiled by Raymond Martin Bell Washington and Jefferson College From data supplied by John P. Dern, Redwood City, Calif and the late Annie Rettew Hunter, Reading, Penna Washington, Pennsylvania 1967 By way of introduction let me say that the typewritten pages include a map of the region being discussed which is described as about 20 miles Southeast of Heidelberg, Germany. There are three towns that form sort of a triangle with Ittlingen at the north end of the triangle, Richen due South and about halfway between the two and to the East of the other towns is Berwangen. The report begins with Paul Geiger and wife Anna appearing on a post-30 Year's War "survivor's list" as being in Richen. The report states that "several children" are listed in the records with Paul and Anna Geiger: 1. Paul 1643-1712. Moved to Berwangen (Lutheran). Married in the 1660s to Catharine Mutschler. 2. George Conrad 1647-1703 married Margaret "from Eppingen." 3. Anna married 1672 at Du"hren to Hans Jacob Do"rr. 4. Christian married in 1687 at Berwangen to Margaret Sto"rner. Since this report is ONLY concerned with the ancestry of Paul Geiger or Geigertown only the children of Paul above are listed in this report. "Known children" of Paul, above, are: 1. John Conrad 1669-1737. 2. Catharine 3. George 4. Paul born 1677 Only the children of John Conrad, above, are then listed and among them is Paul Geiger, 1723-1798 who emigrated to American in 1749 on the Fane and settled in Geigertown, Berks County. ------- From another source, Annette Kunselman Burgert's Eighteenth Century Emigrants, Vol. 1, The Northern Kraichgau, more can be learned about other Geigers (in addition to Paul above) who emigrated from Berwangen as follows: Joh. Georg Geiger, born 27 Nov. 1728 (son of John Paul and Eva Maria Geiger) emigrated in 1749 on the Fane. Joh. Jacob Geiger, born 24 Mar. 1720, son of Jacob (son of John Conrad Geiger) and Maria Elisabetha Stein. It isn't known for sure which of several Jacob Geigers who appear on ship lists arriving in Philadelphia is THIS Jacob--but he did emigrate. Joh. Paul Geiger, born 1 Jan. 1714, son of Georg Conrad Geiger (son of the late Georg Conrad Geiger) and Maria Cathrina Ross. The church entry for Joh. Paul says "in new land 1737." Emigrated on the Samuel in 1737. [Married Anna Barbara Da"schlerin and their records can be found in the churchbook of St. Michael's and Zion Lutheran Church, Philadelphia.] Anna Geiger, born 8 Oct. 1715. Sister to Joh. Paul Geiger, immediately above. Church records note: "in new land." Johannes Geiger, born 11 Sept. 1727, son of Paul Geiger (3rd son of Joh. Conradt Geiger) and Elisabetha Hobeling. A notation in the family register indicates that he is in Pennsylvania. Emigrated on the Billander Elizabeth, 1751. [He married Anna, widowed Cuntzin 5 July 1752 and the record can be found in Trinity Lutheran Church, Lancaster, Pa.] -------- One would have to also note that due to the proximity of Ittlingen from which the three Geiger brothers, Valentine, Jacob, and John Georg emigrated as early as 1717; it is possible a later connection will be found in the Richen, Ittlingen, Berwangen and Kirchardt (another nearby town) church records that will connect these Geigers to the ones listed above. The note in the Pennsylvania Genealogical Mazazine above concerning Christian Geiger who emigrated in 1737 being a cousin of Paul of Berwangen leads me to believe the proof is there in these reports and it merely isn't listed in the records I have in my possession because those preparing this research were only interested in their line of descent. More research needs to be done to determine the missing links between the children of Paul Geiger "survivor" of the 30 Year's War and Christian Geiger who emigrated on the Charming Nancy. Joan