[ Home Page | First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page ] Descendants of Hans Jacob Kissling I 9. GEORGE8 KISLING, JR. (JOHANN GEORG7 KISSLING, SR., HANS JACOB6, JOHANNES5, JUNG HANSS JOHANNES4, ALT HANSS JOHANNES3, LUDWIG2, JACOB1)60,61,62,63,64,65 was born Abt. 1759 in Berks County, Pennsylvania, and died 19 March 1840 in Cedar Springs, Wythe, VA.66. He married CATHERINE GOSE67 22 November 1791 in Montgomery Co., VA ( near Cripple Creek now Wythe Co.)68,69, daughter of JOHAN GOSE and CATHERINE SPRAKER. She was born Abt. 1764 in Rowan County, North Carolina, and died 11 October 1825 in Cedar Springs, Wythe, VA.70. Notes for GEORGE KISLING, JR.: German surname spelling: "Kißling"; other various spellings: "Keesler, Keesley, Keesling, Keisling, and Kissling." My first American born 4th great-grandfather, was the first born of Johann Georg (George, Sr.) and Anna Maria Kisling in 1759 near Reading, Berks Co., Pa. He died at Cedar Springs Farm on 19 MAR 1840, while living out his final years with his oldest son Peter, who inherited the house and farm. George served in the American Revolutionary War in the Continental Army as a Private in Capt. Landich's Company under command of Col. Samuel Ely, Battalion Commander of Berks County Militia, from October 1, to October 17, 1781. His war service was proven in 1971 by the Children of the American Revolution (CAR), Little Muddy Society, Waterloo, Iowa. George, along with his younger brother, Conrad, and first cousins, Martin and John, have all been proven to have served in the Revolution. After the war, George came to Virginia around 1787 with his brother Conrad. His father and family had already settle there the year before. He inherited most of his father's farm and property in 1788. On 9 Nov. 1790, he purchased 190 acres on both sides of both forks of Mill Creek, a branch of the New River. On 13 Dec. 1796, George purchased 110 acres on Peek Creek from James and Florence Patton. On 14 May 1799, George purchased 37 acres from his brother-in-law and sister, Jacob and Phobe. On July 10, 1802, he purchased 363 acres in two tracts on Cripple Creek from Charles and Sarah Buster. This was the beginning of the Keeslings' farm, saw mill and store at Cedar Springs, Virginia. The 1815 Virginia Tax Assessment showed him living on a 296 acre farm on the head waters of Cripple Creek. The farm consisted of a two story log home, 30 ft. by 24 ft., a barn, a barn house, loom house, spring house, meat house and three other old houses all made of logs. The total assessed value of this farm was $2000. This house still stands today with added wings, chimneys and porches. The main share of his estate was sold or granted to his children before his death. He might have seen all the drawn out hassle over his brother, Conrad's Will, and decided to divide up his estate before he died. Maybe, he was one of the first Americans to figure out how to dodge Inheritance Tax. Although, George and Catharine used the spelling KISLING, some of their children and descendants used the spelling KEESLING from early 1800's to this day. According to most Translators, KISLING (KIßLING) is the German spelling; but pronounced "KEY-SEL-ING". Those children that moved West, kept the German spelling with the English pronunciation (KISLING), although some western descendants use KEISLING. Those who stayed in Southwest Virginia, chose the German pronunciation with English spelling. Another trait of our German ancestors was to record the "saint" name first; as you will see on many Lutheran Babtismal records and other documentation written in German. More About GEORGE KISLING, JR.: Baptismal: Lutheran Burial: Kisling-Keesling Cemetery, Cedar Springs, Smyth Co., VA. Grave Marker: Died in Peace March 19, 1940 in his 81 year Military: Revolutionary War Veteran.71,72 Occupation: Farmer & Lumberman Reside/d: Berks Co., PA & Wythe Co., VA Notes for CATHERINE GOSE: She was one of fifteen children. Her and George were married by the Rev. John Stanger in Montgomery County, Virginia. She was one of the first to be buried in the Kisling-Keesling Cemetery on Cedar Springs Farm, Cedar Springs, Smyth Co., Va. Her and George are buried side by side with matching head stones, the two oldest stones in the Cemetery and both with the spelling of KISLING. The first five children of George and Catharine seem to have been born near the mouth of Cripple Creek in the Lead Mine area of Wythe Co. The last three are thought to have been born at Cedar Springs. All children except Peter, were recorded as Baptized at the Zion Lutheran Church on Cripple Creek. An entry from the Wythe County Court Order Books recorded Nov. 13, 1810 states that the overseers of the poor bound out Gertrude Rosenbaum, orphan, to George Keesling. Known and recorded facts on these children and their descendants are listed below. More About CATHERINE GOSE: Baptismal: Lutheran Burial: Kisling-Keesling Cemetery, Cedar Springs, Smyth Co., VA. Grave Marker: Died in Peace Oct. 11, 1825 in her 61 year Occupation: Homemaker Children of GEORGE KISLING and CATHERINE GOSE are: 30.i. PETER9 KEESLING, b. 19 August 1792, Wythe Co., VA.; d. 26 July 1857, Smyth County, Virginia.31.ii. JOHN KISLING, b. 16 September 1794, Lead Mines Area, Wythe County, Virginia; d. 03 March 1876, Washington Township, Van Buren Co., Iowa. iii. GEORGE KEESLING III73, b. 20 September 1796, Wythe County, Virginia; d. 11 November 1820, Wythe County, Virginia74. Notes for GEORGE KEESLING III: He was baptized as Johan Georg Kisling in the Zion Lutheran Church at Cripple Creek. In later records he was listed as George Keesling. From an entry in the Wythe County Court Order Books of Dec. 20, 1820: Thomas Jefferson Acres, poor boy, bound to George Keesling on June 5, last, and George now being deceased, it is ordered that he be bound out again. George Keesling, father of George, deceased, consented thereto. More About GEORGE KEESLING III: Baptismal: 15 November 1796, Zion Church, Wythe, VA.; spons: by his Uncle Phillip Gose.75 32.iv. ROSINA 'ROSANNA' KISLING, b. 29 November 1798, Lead Mines area of Wythe County, Virginia; d. 19 November 1884, Pulaski County, Kentucky.33.v. STEPHEN KEESLING, b. 25 August 1800, Lead Mines Area, Wythe County, Virginia; d. 13 September 1871, Rye Valley Area (near Sugar Grove), Smyth Co., Virginia.34.vi. WILLAIM KEISLING, b. 26 January 1803, Cedar Springs, Wythe Co., Virginia; d. 01 December 1884, Greensburg, Decatur Co., Indiana.35.vii. DAVID B. KEESLING, b. 13 May 1805, Cedar Springs, Smyth Co., Virginia; d. November 1851, Speedwell, Wythe Co., Virginia.36.viii. MARY CATHARINE KEESLING, b. 06 September 1809, Cedar Springs, Wythe Co., Virginia; d. 27 October 1878, Smyth County, Virginia. 10. CONRAD8 KISLING (JOHANN GEORG7 KISSLING, SR., HANS JACOB6, JOHANNES5, JUNG HANSS JOHANNES4, ALT HANSS JOHANNES3, LUDWIG2, JACOB1)76,77 was born Abt. 1762 in Reading, Berks Co., PA, and died Abt. 1818 in Keesling's Bridge, Wythe Co., VA. He married REBECCA ANN KEGLEY78. She died in Delaware Co., IN. Notes for CONRAD KISLING: German surname spelling: "Kißling"; other various spellings: "Keesler, Keesley, Keisling, Kiesling and Kissling." Conrad is listed in the Pa. Archives as a private in Capt. Jacob Baldy's Company, 6th Batt., under Col. Joseph Heister, Aug. 10 to Sept. 9, 1780. His grave is marked with D.A.R. marker. In 1810, he sold his farm on Mine Mill Creek and purchased 50 acres on Reed Creek, about two miles east of Max Meadows. This is were he died and is buried now. He left a lengthy Will and settlement of the estate took years. Listed was 215 acres and over $4,000 personal property. Final settlement of the estate was 11 Jan. 1841. Conrad's farm has been kept in the Keesling family for six generations. In some family writings he is referred to as, Hugh Conrad. In my research I have never found the name Hugh recorded on any official church, county, state or military documents. I'm skeptical that a Irish Catholic name of Hugh would be bestowed on a German Lutheran child. I have also drawn the conclusion that Conrad only had one wife, that being Rebecca Ann Kegley. Audrey Kemper Spence in her 1930 writings claimed that Conrad had a wife named Margaret based on one deed transaction in 1803 to a Daniel Lockett. In Wythe County Deed Book 2, pages 517 and 518, the Justices of Wythe County were ordered to take the separate acknowledgment of Margaret Muse, wife of Richard Muse, who "cannot conveniently travel" to the court for the transfer of 300 acres to Daniel Lockett and same to Koonrod Keasler, dower on Mine Mill Creek. This acknowledgement document is dated August 1, 1796. On February 8, 1803, Daniel Lockett purchased the dower on Mine Mill Creek from Koonrad Kesler (Conrad). The 1796 acknowledgement document of Margaret Muse was enter for clearance of title for the dower. It seems Margaret Muse was erroneously listed as Conrad's wife in the recording of the deed from Conrad to Daniel Lockett [Wythe Deed Bk. 4, p. 74]. In "Early Adventurers on the Western Waters, Vol. III," by Mary B. Kegley, it is written that Daniel Lockett's wife Betsy Deforest was a half-sister to Richard Muse, husband of Margaret. In this same book on page 235 a tracing of the Margaret Muse document can be found. In all other discovered transactions and records found to date, Rebecca has been listed as the wife of Conrad. Conrad and Rebecca Ann are believed to had 16 children, 13 of which are recorded to have lived long enough to have married and raised families of their own. For a complete and thorough history of the family and descendants of son David Keisling , I suggest obtaining a copy of the book 7,604 KEISLING KIN - WITH VARIANT SPELLING by J. DRAPER KEISLING, RT. 12 BOX 293, CROSSVILLE, TN. 38555. More About CONRAD KISLING: Burial: Keesling Cemetery, Max Meadows, Wythe, VA Notes for REBECCA ANN KEGLEY: Rebecca Ann moved to Burlington, Indiana (south of Muncie) around 1830. More About REBECCA ANN KEGLEY: Burial: Rees Cemetery, Delaware Co., IN Children of CONRAD KISLING and REBECCA KEGLEY are: 37.i. CATHERINE9 KEESLING, b. 17 April 1795, Wythe County, Virginia; d. 29 July 1865, Carroll County, Virginia.38.ii. JACOB KEASLING, b. 11 April 1796, Wythe County, Virginia; d. 12 January 1848, Johnson County, Indiana.39.iii. JOHN KEESLING, b. Abt. 1799, Wythe County, Virginia; d. Abt. 1862, Arkansas.40.iv. DAVID KEISLING, b. Abt. 1800, Wythe County, Virginia; d. November 1838, Heiskell, Anderson Co., TN.41.v. GEORGE KEESLING, b. Abt. 1801, Wythe County, Virginia; d. 02 July 1876, Wythe County, Virginia.42.vi. MARTIN KEESLING, b. 11 May 1802, Wythe County, Virginia; d. 16 December 1867, Muncie, Delaware County, Indiana.43.vii. JOSEPH KEESLING, b. Abt. 1804, Wythe County, Virginia; d. 1867, Bronson, Kansas. viii. SARAH KEESLING, b. Abt. 1806, Wythe County, Virginia; m. HENRY LEWIS.44.ix. BARBARA KEESLING, b. Abt. 1807, Wythe County, Virginia; d. Abt. 1865, Pike County, Indiana.45.x. CHRISTINA KISLING, b. 28 September 1809, Wythe County, Virginia; d. 16 May 1871, Johnson County, Indiana.46.xi. DANIEL 'MUNCIE DAN' KEESLING, b. 28 December 1810, Wythe County, Virginia; d. 02 April 1882, Muncie, Indiana.47.xii. REBECCA ANN KISLING, b. 13 May 1813, Wythe County, Virginia; d. 13 August 1863, Mechanicsburg, Henry Co., IN.48.xiii. SOPHIA KEESLING, b. Abt. 1816, Wythe County, Virginia; d. 1903, Indiana. 11. PHILLIPPINA 'PHOBE'8 KISSLING (JOHANN GEORG7, HANS JACOB6, JOHANNES5, JUNG HANSS JOHANNES4, ALT HANSS JOHANNES3, LUDWIG2, JACOB1)79,80 was born 09 February 1763 in MaxatawnyTownship, Berks Co., Pennsylvania81, and died Bef. 1820 in Berks County, Pennsylvania. She married JACOB KISSLING III82 06 February 1787 in Montgomery County, Virginia83, son of HANS KISSLING and WALBURGA MILLER. He was born March 1764 in Bern Township, Berks Co., PA84, and died Aft. 1820 in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Notes for PHILLIPPINA 'PHOBE' KISSLING: German surname spelling: "Kißling"; other various spellings: "Keasling, Keesler, Keesley, Keisling, Kesling, Kiesling and Kisling." Jacob and Phobe are first listed on the 1788 Montgomery County Personal Property list, living in the Peek Creek-Robinson Track Fork area. Wythe County Deed Book 1, page 459 [WCDB 1-P.459], dated Dec. 13, 1796, shows that James Patton sold to Jacob Keasling, 295 acres of land on Peek Creek, a branch of the New River for 375 pounds. On May 14, 1799, Jacob and Phobe sell 37 acres on Peek Creek to her brother, George, Jr., for $100. [WCDB 2-P.341] The following year, 1800, Jacob and Phobe purchased 93 acres on the North Fork Peek Creek for 80 pounds from John and Christena Miller; Phobe's sister and brother-in-law. On May 10, 1803, They sold the same 93 acres to her brother, George, Jr. [WCDB 4-P.74] There is no record of Phobe's death, she is assumed to have died before 1820; but only because she was not recorded as being part of the Bern township land transactions. At this time, I know very little of Phobe and Jacob's children and descendants. The information on the children comes from the Grim Long family history, page 123. More About PHILLIPPINA 'PHOBE' KISSLING: Baptism: 1763, Trinity Lutheran Ch., Berks, Co., PA , 11 days after Easter Sunday. Notes for JACOB KISSLING III: German surname spelling: "Kißling"; other various spellings: "Keasling, Keesler, Keesley, Kesling, Keisling, Kesling, Kiesling and Kisling." Jacob served his country during the Revolutionary War as a private under Ensign Nicholas Conrad and Captain Gobin, Berks County militia, guarding prisoners for fifty-two days, entering the service on June 23, 1781 as recorded in the Pennsylvania Archives Series 5, Vol. 5, page 291. His name appears on the same Depreciation Pay list as his brother-in-law, George Kisling, Jr. He was a class 3 private in Capt. Pitter Gower's company in Berks county militia, 1st Battalion, this record being taken on May 13, 1785 and recorded in the Pennsylvania Archives Series 6, Vol. 3, page 58. Jacob Kesling was listed in the Wythe County 1810 Census (Old Book Page 233), as him and Phobe being over age 45, and with 2 males and 2 females under the age of 10. This was the last record of them in Virginia. According to the Grim Long family history (p. 123), they returned to Pennsylvania and located in the vicinity of Philadelphia for awhile. Later, they returned to Bern Township and the Tulpehocken district in Berks County. Jacob purchased 140 acres in Bern township on August 15, 1820. On April 8, 1824, Jacob Kissling, yeoman, sold 70 acres of land to Valentine Epler, for $1500 and 70 acres to Jacob Miller for $1500 as recorded in Berks County Deed Book 33, pages 405-407 [BCDB 33-pp.405-407]. More information on this person can be found in the notes of his wife, Phobe Kissling. More About JACOB KISSLING III: Baptism: 22 April 1764, Trinity Lutheran Ch., Berks, Co., PA - Sponsored by Wendal & Christena Wahl. Military: Revolutionary War Veteran.85 Children are listed above under (7) Jacob Kissling III. 12. CHRISTINA8 KISLING (JOHANN GEORG7 KISSLING, SR., HANS JACOB6, JOHANNES5, JUNG HANSS JOHANNES4, ALT HANSS JOHANNES3, LUDWIG2, JACOB1) was born Abt. 1775 in Maxatawny Township, Berks Co., PA86, and died 1832 in Wayne County, Indiana. She married JOHN WILLIAM MILLER, SR. 13 February 1798 in Wythe County, Virginia87. He died in Wayne County, Indiana. Notes for CHRISTINA KISLING: German surname spelling: "Kißling"; other various spellings: "Keesler, Keesley, Keisling, Kiesling and Kissling." They sold two recorded tracks of land while residing in Wythe Co. One track was of 93 acres on Peak Creek and the other was 139 acres on Reed Creek [WCDB 2, PG. 507 & WCDB 5, PG.54]. They sold the Reed Creek property in 1808. This was the same year John and Barbara Staley Keesling sold their last property in Wythe County. John and Christina are next recorded residing in Preble County, Ohio in 1810. John and Barbara Staley Keesling are also recorded living in Preble County at this time. [WCDB=Wythe Co., Deed Book]. The following are children and descendants of John William and Christina Kisling Miller, as recorded from the family records of Harold Charles Keesling of Wichita, Kansas in 1938: Notes for JOHN WILLIAM MILLER, SR.: There was a John Miller, Jr. and Sr., residing in the Reed Creek and Peak Creek area on August 29, 1789 according to Montgomery County tax records. According to deeds and wills later recorded in Wythe County, these two John Millers appear to be from another family. There was a John Miller recorded in this part of Virginia as far back as 1749. Some family researchers believe that John William and Eve Miller, first wife of John Keesling (son of Hans Jacob and Walburga Miller/Müller Kissling), were brother and sister. They are believed to be the children of John (Johannes) Miller, son of Martin and Maria Agnes Schayrer Miller/Müller. If this is true, then John and Eve Keesling and John and Christina Miller would have all been first cousins. I have not been able to find any documented proof of this theory. It is very possible that some of Martin Miller's descendants migrated to Virginia with the Kislings during the 1786-88 era. After all, these two families immigrated to this country together, it certainly wouldn't be unusual for them to migrate together. Due to the fact that Miller is a very common name, it is very difficult to document exactly what occurred. Children of CHRISTINA KISLING and JOHN MILLER are: i. JOHN WILLIAM9 MILLER, JR.. ii. SOLOMON MILLER, m. MARGARET KISER, 1834.49.iii. CHRISTINA MILLER.50.iv. MARY POLLY MILLER.51.v. ELIZABETH MILLER, b. 06 February 1806, Wayne County, Indiana; d. 23 July 1876, Henry County, Indiana. 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