GLASSMAKERS Part 1 My interest in the glassmakers started when I started tracing my mother's family - at which time I knew absolutely NOTHING about them. Then, little by little I found some information about where they were from. When I wrote to France, a man answered my letter and told me that my families were all very famous glassmakers. This came as a shock to me..... This man also knew someone in his genealogy group in Metz, France that was a descendant of the same families that I was and he contacted her and she had a book with all the family lines. Then, I found that there were many, many other books written about them which told of the laws governing them, their traditions and the strange world they lived in and the terrible times they lived through. I familiarized myself with all the names connected with the glassmaking trade and have found the same families connected generation after generation, both in Europe and America. They always stuck together. In fact, there was a law in Europe that glassmaking could only be taught to LEGITIMATE sons....it was a "noble" trade and they held the position of a Squire. They were given certain privileges by the Duke or ruler of the land and were exempt from taxes. Usually, they moved from place to place because they used the trees of the forest for their ovens. When the trees were gone - they moved on and found another forest. Sometimes sons from each family were sent to other areas to found new glasshouses. The making of glass was (and still is) a secret. If they divulged the secret of the glass, they could be put to death. If you are interested in the history of glassmaking - read Daphne DeMauer's book "The Glassblowers". She comes from glassmaker family. I know that Kunckle/Kunkle (or at least some branches of them) were right along with my families. I am going to attach two files that give you a little history of them. They are in ASCII format so you can read them in any wordprocessor. After you read them, let's talk again. Janet GA ==== KUNKEL Mailing List ==== See our web site at http://www.flash.net/~conkle/INDEX.HTM for all queries printed in the newsletter since January 1995. Be sure to make the last part all capital letters as shown.