Hello Everyone,
I just joined this list because I've found a family connection to the Zeller
family.
In referring to the children of Frantz Paul Zeller. Specifically to his son
Daniel born in 1792, and his marriage to Mary Kugler. I've seen this
reference in Zeller pedigrees and also in a genealogy report done in 1930 by
Charles R. Barker, genealogist from Lansdowne, PA. I'm extremely interested
in this marriage as Mary Kugler was my 3rd great grandmother by her first
husband, Henry Sweitzer, through their daughter Catharine, who married
Michael Lawrence, my 2nd ggrandparents. Mary Kugler was the daughter of
Charles Kugler and Catharine Goodman, of Philadelphia, originally from
Providence Township, Montgomery County, PA.
I have a couple concerns about this marriage, though there are some things
I've found that also make sense if this marriage did happen. My main concern
is that Daniel Zeller was 24 years old when they were married on August 21,
1816, and Mary was 38 years old, b. Apr. 13, 1778, with two children,
Catharine who was born about 1802, and her brother Simon, born Jan. 26, 1800.
(Their father, Henry Sweitzer, died Feb. 21, 1807 in Philadelphia) Charles
Barker states in his report, titled, "The Kuglers of Providence", published
in "The Perkiomen Region" Vol. VIII, April 1930, that Mary died on Oct. 27,
1855, and that Rev. [Daniel] Zeller left two daughters, Mary and Henrietta. A
thorough check of the 1850 Pennsylvania census reveals only one possibility
for this family. Allentown Borough, Lehigh County page 321 has Daniel Zelers,
57 yrs old, born PA, occupation, R M Preacher, with $7000. in real estate.
His wife's name appears to be Mariah, (Mary Kugler was also known as Maria.)
aged 57, born PA. This census enumeration, if it is for Daniel Zeller, would
have his age correct, but not that of my Mary Kugler. There are also several
other persons in this household. Elizabeth Dooler?, 56, born PA, Elmina or
Elmira Schrander, 18, born PA, Charles Roth, 12, born PA, Richard Walker, 30,
born PA, N P Preacher, and his apparent wife, Henrietta Walker, 23, born PA
and their children, Mary E. Walker, 3, born PA, and Richard Walker, 7/12,
born PA. Henrietta would be Daniel and Mary's daughter if this is indeed the
correct family for Rev. Daniel Zeller, which it appears it is.
Mary getting married again would also answer my question as to why she no
longer showed up in the Philadelphia city directories after the year 1814, as
Mary Sweitzer. It would also help to explain why Mary Kugler's son Simon
Sweitzer ended up in Allentown, PA where he manufactured pianos in a factory
at 926 Hamilton Street. He is buried in the Allentown Cemetery Association
cemetery at 10th & Linden in Allentown with his wife and children.
If anyone has the information, I would like to find out where Mary's marriage
to Daniel Zeller took place. I believe the Daniel Zeller who married Mary
Kugler was a fish and oil merchant living at 14 Branch Street in
Philadelphia. He can be found in the 1813 and 1821 Phila. city directories,
amongst others. 14 Branch Street is located on the present day Florist Street
between 3rd and 4th Streets. This was less than half a city block from where
Mary Kugler Sweitzer lived almost her entire life up to that point. In the
1820 census for the "Philadelphia merchant Daniel Zeller", the wife's age
coincides correctly for my Mary Kugler, and there is a younger female in the
household whose age is correct to be my Catharine, Mary's daughter. This
Daniel is also in the same age bracket as Mary, which makes much more sense
than her marrying a man 14 years her junior. I believe that a researcher had
seen the marriage between Mary Kugler and Daniel Zeller the merchant, but
because he was unknown to him or not as prominent a figure as Daniel Zeller
the preacher, who also has a wife named Mary, that researcher thought that
this marriage was between the preacher and Mary Kugler. I cannot find a
census listing in 1850 for Daniel the merchant and/or Mary, anyplace in
Pennsylvania, if they were indeed separate from the preacher Daniel Zeller
and his wife Mary/Mariah.
There is a biographical sketch of Rev. Zeller in Rev. Henry Harbaugh's "The
Fathers of the German Reformed Church in Europe and America" vol. IV, page
112. I suppose this is one place that the above marriage is also mentioned
though I haven't seen this sketch myself.
If someone on the list has done much research on Frantz Paul Zeller's family
and would like to give me thoughts on all this, please contact me as soon as
possible. I would very much like to clarify this as quickly as I can before
it goes any further.
I know it would be unlikely if a descendant of Mary or Henrietta Zeller were
on this list and would be willing to offer their views on this., but I can
hope. Thanks in advance for all help in this matter.
Jim Lawrence, Mullica Hill, NJ
Researching Philadelphia surnames: (paternal) Lawrence/Lorentz/Lorenz, Huess,
Hotz, Gunzler, Kugler, Goodman/Gutmann, Sweitzer, Zeller, Etley,
Kubler/Cubbler, Moehrle & Montgomery County surnames: Reimer, Shunk & Kugler.
(maternal) Philadelphia Marlin & Harrop Lehigh/Northampton/Philadelphia:
Musselman, Frock Ottawa Co, OH & Philadelphia: Morgenroth & Bauer.
Associated Philadelphia families: (paternal) Frick, Unbehend, Speel,
Linninger, Dannecker, Carter, Curwin, Geyer, Sibley, Chapman, Gravenstine,
Heimer, Hays, Duff, Hoskins, Lake, Evans, Clark, Graham, Frenchmaker, White &
Adair
(maternal) Ball, Schafer, Spicer, Bythway, Cooney & dozens of others.
SAR #153101 for Philadelphia Revolutionary War soldiers: Johannes Lorentz,
Christian Lorentz, Johann Michael Hotz, Charles Kugler & Simon Sweitzer.
Researching following European towns & names:
England:
Gawsworth, Cheshire: Harrop & Evans
Germany:
Niederhausen, Pfalz: Lorentz, Lauer & Pistorius;
Wertheim, Wurtemburg: Hotz, Conrad, Engelhard, Sauer & Klein;
Mutterstadt, Pfalz: Reimer & Weynacht;
Grossgartach, Wurtemburg: Kugler, Hoffman, Flinspach, Heller & Schoeckinger;
Gundringen, Schwarzwaldkreis, Wurtemburg: Moehrle
Grossbreitenbach, Thuringia: Morgenroth;
Erdmannhausen, Wurtemburg: Bauer.
Switzerland:
Lauperswil, Canton Bern: Musselman
See my genealogy webpages:
http://www.familytreemaker.com/users/l/a/w/James-Harry-Lawrence/index.html
http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=lorentz1
Also see my genealogy at
Ancestry.com