Forwarded from the current owner of a Benneville Keim property. ________________ Dear Cindy: I have been distracted from my Keim investigations lately, but can tell you what I know and given some time could try to investigate further. Let me start by saying that it is difficult sometimes to keep track of the various "players" as there are several George Keims, several Bennevilles, etc. Sons, cousins, uncles, etc. of each other. Now for what I am fairly certain of: George Musselman Keim (son of George Keim and grandson of Johannes Keim) was born in 1776 and died in 1859 and had a whole tribe of children. In 1858, prior to his impending death as was often done in those days, he apparently sold or transferred property to a number of his children (the sons). I have seen deeds from George Keim (middle initial not always included) in the year 1858 selling property: * in Pike township to John Keim * in Pike township to Joel Keim * in Pike township to George M Keim ( the M is for Mensch his mothers maiden name) * a release not noting where (I'll have to get the deed) from George Kime to William M Keim & John M. Keim * in Rockland township to Benneville Keim These names check out for his sons. I have not really investigated any of these in detail, except as relates to Benneville Keim. This is the home I live in today. It is not from anything I have seen the hereditary land/ farm passed from Johannes to George, then George M. Nor is it the Gheer farm, or other names. There is no cemetery apparent on any of the properties today which were part of the original farm which Benneville owned. To the best of my knowledge my property (thru Benneville) is approximately 2 miles from the original Keim homestead and about 1/2 mile over the hill as the crow flies from the Jacob Keim homestead where the last living direct decendant Elizabeth died in if I recall correctly 1911 or 1912. Regarding the Benneville Keim property I am in, and I have not been able to complete the search, it was originally purchased (in various bits and pieces) by George Musselman Keim in the 1840's. The deeds prior to this have been elusive to find, but I have seen references to the names of James Lessig, Daniel & CatherineYoung, and John and Barbara Heth as prior owners back through at least 1831. These people are listed in local church and census records and knew the Keim family, often worshipped at the same church, etc., but I haven't gotten much past this yet. This property was sold by George Keim senior as he is called in the deed (but in fact is George Musselman Keim and his wife Susanna (Mensch) Keim) to their son Benneville Keim (born 1809 and died 1873). As noted in your email, upon the death of Benneville ( I have both Benneville and George Musselman Keim wills) in 1873 the farm was left to Benneville's wife until her death in 1894 at which time it was left half each to Susan Keim (who was married to Moses Everhard/Everhart) and Emma Keim (who was married to John Y. Shade). In 1895 Moses Everhard and his wife Susan sold their half of the property to John Y. Shade (who owned the other half with his wife Emma). The property stayed in the Shade family until the 1950s. I have copies of all these deeds through several other owners, then to myself last year. The property was originally about 120+ acres but now the original stone house is on 8.5 acres. Moses Everhart and his wife Susan did own other property in the area, but I have never investigated where precisely it was located. I did once look briefly for land transfers in the name of Moses B. Everhart. The only deeds I ever saw with Moses B. Everhart's name on them, other than the sale of 1/2 the farm to the Shade family, were: *the purchase of land in Pike township from May Ann R. Keim in 1895 - I do not know who May Ann R. Keim is related to. Deed in Vol.232 Page 509 *the purchase of land in Oley township from Henry A. Muhlenberg in 1892. Deed in Vol 211 Page 529 *the purchase of land in Pike township from George R. Richard in 1915. Deed in Vol. 441 Page 133 Off hand, I would say the trick might be to find out if May Ann R. Keim was related to one of the other sons of George Musselman Keim who got land in 1858, which would probably then tie in with the property everone is trying to locate that apparently passed from Johannes to George to George Musselman. One thing to keep in mind. The genealogy of townships might be important. Originally the area was Oley township. In 1758 Rockand was split off, in 1759 District was split off and in 1781 Earl was split off. Pike was split off in 1812. I believe the land you are interested in was originally in Oley but eventually, and today, is in Pike township - though I am not certain. One final note. The book by Pendelton is excellant and the maps great, but the scale among the maps on different pages varies a bit sometimes and it can be difficult, even living in the area, to identify current township lines against the old maps with great precision. I am a bit tied up right now but in the next couple of weeks I will try to get to the court house in Reading, and to talk to some of the locals to get more info on the original Johannes homestead, its location, etc. and how it might tie in with the Everhart side. Hope this has clarified something and not made things more confusing. Best regards, Carl ___________________ NOTE: Carl has been researching the ownership of the home where he lives. The Benneville Keim he refers to as owner of the home where he lives, is the one born 1809. If I've done my "homework" right, this is the family: Descendants of George Musselman KEIM 1 George Musselman KEIM b: 10 April 1776 Berks Co, PA d: 11 July 1859 Oley, Berks Co, PA .. +Susanna MENSCH b: 10 April 1780 District Twp, Berks Co, PA m: Bef. 28 May 1805 Berks Co, PA d: 24 August 1865 Pikesville, Berks Co, PA 2 Elizabeth KEIM b: 02 September 1800 d: Aft. 24 August 1865 .... +John Henrich b: 26 October 1801 d: 04 September 1884 2 // KEIM b: Abt. 1805 d: Bef. 24 August 1865 2 Susanna KEIM b: Abt. 1805 d: Aft. 24 August 1865 2 Benneville Keim b: 03 March 1809 Pike Twp, Berks Co, PA d: 11 July 1873 Rockland Twp, Berks Co, PA .... +Margaret // m: Bef. 1847 .... *2nd Wife of Benneville Keim: .... +Rebecca Baer b: 03 May 1822 m: 05 September 1847 Faulkner Swamp Church, New Hanover Twp, Montgomery Co, PA d: 11 August 1894 2 Sally Ann KEIM b: 1810 d: Aft. 24 August 1865 2 Joel Mensch KEIM b: 09 February 1813 Pike Twp, Berks Co, PA d: 13 January 1899 Douglas Twp, Berks Co, PA .... +Catharine Rohrbach b: 05 December 1820 District Twp, Berks Co, PA d: 23 April 1911 2 John KEIM b: 1814 Berks Co, PA d: Aft. 24 August 1865 2 Israel KEIM b: 1818 Berks Co, PA d: Aft. 24 August 1865 .... +Katharina Heinrich b: 16 November 1833 d: 17 November 1895 *2nd Wife of Israel KEIM: .... +Leah // b: 1822 Berks Co, PA m: Bef. 1850 2 George Mensch KEIM b: 1825 d: Aft. 24 August 1865 2 William Mensch KEIM b: July 1827 Pike Twp, Berks Co, PA d: 1880 .... +Mary Ann R. Ganser b: 1839 Exeter Twp, Berks Co, PA m: 1860