Hi Jay, Interesting story. I believe that a significant fraction of the Kimels in the country descend from Georg and Catherine Kimmel who appeared in Rowan Co., North Carolina, probably coming from Pennsylvania, c. 1770. The change from Kimmel to Kimel seems to have been part of the general anglicization of German names in NC during the period. Other examples are: Seitz->Sides, Leinbach->Lineback, Glattfelter->Clodfelder, Meier->Myers, Schaff->Shoaf, etc. Dan Kimel At 11:08 PM 10/7/1999 -0400, you wrote: >My great great grandfather Henry Kimmel 1800-1800 signed his name >with the more common spelling. However, one of his sons, who owned >a flour mill, changed the spelling to Kimel. Family accounts say >to allow the name to fit on the flour sacks more readily. When >Henry died, this son must have been involved in the burial, as >Henry is buried with the name Kimel on the gravestone. > At least one other son of Henry, my great grandfather, also changed >his name to Kimel, and used it all his life. And my grandfather, born >with that spelling kept it all his life. However, my dad tired of people >mispronouncing his name, and changed the spelling back to Kimmel. Not >legally, he just started using the spelling consistently. He even had >that spelling used on the gravestone of his father. I see this as some >sort of reverse symmetry. The natural order reasserting its self so to >speak. > I know of at least one living descendant of Henry who still bears >the Kimel label. But Kimmel, Kimmell, Kimel or whatever it's all >the same. Anyone for one M and two Ls? > M. Jay Kimmel >PS. Henry is one of the sons of Isaac Kimmel of Coitsville Twp, >Mahoning >County Ohio. Will be glad to exchange information with any descendant >of Isaac. >PPS. And no, the M. in my name has nothing to do with one M! > >