Zelda Starr wrote: > > I'm still trying to verify that my grandfather, Harry French KEPNER b April > 23, 1869 in PA, was the youngest son of Benjamin and Eliza (nee unknown) > KEPNER living in Port Royal. They had ten children from 1840 - 1869; > Hasokiah, Josiah, Mary E., John Allen, Eckitaus (?), William Andrew, Sarah > C., Henry, Matilda, and Harry. Any connection let me know please. Thanks. > Zelda > jimzelda@apci.net ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Zelda, I am always on the alert for anyone posting the surname KEPNER (KEBNER) in Juniata Co. because I have been unable to connect my earliest KEPNER in the county with the KEPNER who married into my Sulouff/Suloff line. I REMEMBER we corresponded about the Juniata Co. KEPNERS four months ago, but I want to lay out for you again and for other Juniata Listers what I have, to see if I can find anyone else working on the KEPNER surname. The earliest evidence I have is from a gravestone in Old Church Hill Cemetery, near Port Royal, which bears the name Johann KEBNER. The remainder of that stone's inscription is illegible. The earliest this grave would have been placed here is the year 1803, because the Lutheran congregation did not use land surrounding the church for graves before 1 January 1803, the date they secured title to the land from Zechariah Rice. I have one son recorded for Johann KEBNER, viz., John Jacob KEPNER b. 15 Jul 1777 (computed from gravestone); m.(1) abt 1798 Anna Maria Gross b. 19 Feb 1778 (computed from gravestone) d. 02 Apr 1807: Anna died at age 29 and is buried next to her father-in-law, Johann KEBNER; m. (2) abt 1804 Sarah Eliza Dups b._____ d. 1870. John Jacob KEPNER died 15 Apr 1845. I have one son recorded for John Jacob, viz., Jacob KEPNER b. abt 1800, m. 17 Aug 1820 Mary M. Groninger b. 17 Oct 1799? Jacob d. unknown date. I also show two daughters for John Jacob, viz., Mary Catharine KEPNER (1801-1881) born to first wife, and Elizabeth (1804-1889) born to second wife. I have no further descendants on this line. ________________________________________________________ In another line I have Benjamin KEPNER born in Germany, died in Turbett Twp., Juniata Co. I think it likely that he is a son of Johann KEBNER and brother of John Jacob KEPNER above. Thus it appears to me that a father (KEBNER) and two sons (KEPNERS) emigrated from Germany to America. The FLICKINGER FAMILY HISTORY, found in the Juniata Co. Historical Soc. Archives, reports Benjamin KEPNER arrived in what is today Juniata Co. among the first Germans to settle Turbett Twp. soon after the Revolutionary War. He bought 800 acres in the east end of the Township, gave 400 of them to his son Benjamin, Jr. and after his death these acres were owned and occupied by Philip and Henry KEPNER. Philip Strouse, a son-in-law, became owner of the other 400 acres that lay along the Juniata River. Benjamin was involved in helping other German Lutherans in that area to establish a "suitable place for public worthip" in the log church building erected on the highest ground of the Zechariah Rice farm. This was accomplished about 5-8 years prior to purchase of the ground in 1803. This Benjamin's son, David KEPNER b. 6 Oct 1802 in Turbett Twp. (then Mifflin Co.) was a farmer and a hotel keeper. He married his cousin, Catharine KEPNER b. 27 Oct 1810, who died in Turbett Twp. 8 Oct 1854. David died 6 Dec 1893 in Port Royal. They are buried in Old Church Hill Cemetery, near Port Royal. Their children were Jane (deceased early), Elizabeth (deceased early), Sydney (Mrs. David Sulouff of Akron OH), Lemuel A. of Turbett Twp., Stewart, Thompson, James, and Irvin (the last four deceased early). After his wife Catherine died, David KEPNER married Abigail Brackbill, daughter of Peter BRACKBILL of adjacent Milford Twp. They had no children. Sydney KEPNER (she used the male spelling) b. 5/1834 m. David M. Sulouff 25 Oct 1853 in Port Royal, and they lived on a small farm just east of the Tuscarora River outside of Port Royal until 1883 when they moved to Akron OH, where they died and are buried. They had nine children. >From FLICKINGER FAMILY HISTORY pp. 742-744, the following: Sydney's brother, Lemuel (1837-1911) farmed at Port Royal. He married Mary Margaretta Koons (1840-1907), daughter of John Koons. They had three children: Benjamin F. KEPNER (1858-1860); Junie Jane KEPNER b. 1860 m. William J. Crissman, Lewistown; and John Siegel KEPNER b. 1862, farmer, teacher, cemetery proprietor, m. Mary H. Boyer with twelve children all born at Port Royal, the 1st, 3rd, and 10th dying in infancy. The other children were Bertha E. b. 1893; Homer Siegel b. 1896 "Drexel Inst. Grad. in Elec engr."; Margarette b. 1898 m. George Widder, chemist, Akron OH; Anna Boyer b. 1900 "a business course grad."; Lemuel A. b. 1902; Lehman O. b. 1904; Charles W. b. 1907; Darwin E. b. 1910; and Almeto H. b. 1912. I am hoping that this compendium of KEPNERS in my files down to the 20th C. will help you find a connection, and perhaps others on the list will likewise find a connection to the above. Nelson R. Sulouff Researching in Juniata Co.PA: CODER, BAY, ELDER, BURNS, SULOUFF, SULOFF, SHULTZ, KUNKEL, WISE, NOETLING, BRANDT, HARDY, PARTNER, SPEDDY, CLINGER, HERTZLER, ARNOLD, GRAPES, GEISELMAN, ROWE, KAUFFMAN, HENDERSON, etc.