Von: norie@localaccess.com (Norma Lewis)
  Datum: 07.11.98, 19:07:42
Betreff: 1769 Keinadt Letter

I've typed the letter exactly as it was
typeset in the old Koiner History which was published in 1892 by Absalom
Koiner. Absalom started his research of this family in 1877, he was the son of
Casper, son of Michael. This Casper was named for both his grandfather, Casper
Elias Diller, and Michael's brother, Casper, of whom Joe Dessel, also on this
list, is his descendant. Joe has done a super job of reading and translating
the old German. Joe's family came to the US in the 1930's, we found each other
about a year ago and I honestly consider him a close blood cousin. He is in
New Jersey, I'm in WA state - long ways apart. I swear we are part of the same
family, down to doing the same dingy things in the same dingy ways.
We have many more helpful cousins around the country too. Until I got on the
net I hadn't found all the Keinaths who came over in 1860-1880-and 1900 and
all settled in MI and OH, many were early loggers. Last year a cousin
stationed in Italy drove up to Onstmettingen and met Werner Keinath who is in
his 70's and has the genealogy collection from an early Keinath researcher who
was also a primitive artist, and he left some wonderful memorabilia which
Werner copied for us. Some months before I had received the German charts from
another German cousin which contained some 1000 names. I was rather perturbed
because none of the allied families had been done, and this cousin informed me
he was only interested in Keinaths. So, Joe has added all the allied names and
increased the charts by 1000 plus, finding in the process several of his own
grandfathers who are not related to me, but these families are all interlinked
in Onstmettingen and Winterlingen and Tailfingen and all the villages in that
area. Today the Keinaths range from Villingen on the west to Sigmaringen on
the east, and points North. My own charts on the US Koiners and allied names
number some 3000, so between us we have a lot of info on this family. The
German info starts about 1600 and ends before 1900. We may be able to do some
lookups in this time frame in this small area of Baden-Wurtemburg. We can do a
list of names later.


Here's the the letter:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
God's Blessings as a Greeting!

Dearly and Much Beloved Brother, Michael Keinadt:

Since we, on the fifth of April of 1769, received a communication from you,
and learned from it that you have become a prosperous man in this world and
possess much wealth, at which we all heartily rejoiced, and do from ouir
hearts desire to be with you too - but we think we shall never again meet in
this world, we will still take occasion andas you desire write you also in
return how it is and fares with us always.

And first we shall tell what relates to our aged father. He is still living,
as long as God wills it. But he is a very old man; he is really the oldest
person in our place. He has lived to see counting in your eight, 57
grand-children, and 24 great-grand-children. And his age is about 87 years,
and he can still get about as he did many years ago. As regards his
livelihood, he has in his advanced age never suffered want; but it is our duty
and obligation to support him as well as we can, and we shall do it too as
long as he lives. And since you give him that which is yours, he is, as we are
also, obliged to thank you, and we from the heart return praise and thanks to
you, and wish that God may for the future send his rich blessing upon you and
yours, and wish that it may be well with you and yours here in time, but also
above all in eternity.

Further we write concerning the Schmidt boy, whom you mentioned in your
letter. He was not sister Margaret's boy, neither any of our kin, nor fromo ur
region. In many years, too no one has moved away. We think that if one might
wish to move away, he would not venture to make it known; but one is answered,
"Stay in the country and make a support honestly."

Further, you also desire to know how matters are in our part of the country.
Of this not much is to be said, because it is too tedious to relate. Still we
will say that for several years now it has been well with us. We have generous
peace, thanks be to God, and besides years of plentiful crops; but yet along
with these hard times for the poor and the middle-class people. Since it is a
time of so high prices with us, when one wishes a Simry of grain, he must at
present time have 30 kreuzers, and for whatever one wishes to buy he has to
pay a high price.

you may wonder why everything should be dear since it has been said we having
fruitful years. The cause of this: the population is increasing very much, and
the estates are growing smaller. Upon an estate which fifty years ago a father
possessed entire, there the children now have it. One has four to five,
another six to seven children upon one estate our father has owned, and must
try to obtain our piece of coarse bread on it. Also we are in those two
stations in life - the poor and the middle-class - just where bodily need
soonest reaches men. For want often effects many in our region, even in our
community, in our neighborhood. For there are many poor who have to ear and
purchase their livelihood with great difficulty, and still pay right well for
everything. However, it is still good that one can still have everything he
may desire. We will then thank and give praise to Him who rules all things for
all that He daily does for us, since He yet daily opens His hand in favor and
fills all to satisfaction, and has compassion on everything that lives upon
the whole earth.

Further we will add what happened to Casper and some of his comrades, owing to
their going to the forest. About eight years ago the Prince of Hechingen made
complaint to the Prince andDuke of our land that they entered his forest so
often and were doing him much damage. And since there was war at that time and
our Duke was about to take the field, he took Casper away from wife and
children, and also some of his comrades: George Bart who sends you his fine
compliments, also Hss. George Flad Schmidt, and John Mantewauger and Philip
Raster Zimmermann, also Ludwig Mattes Schmidt, who made your acquaintance in
Wesel. These six men had at that time to leave wife and children and were
placed amongst the Dukes body of hunstmen as ridesmen, and with some thousands
of men had to take the field and go out our country into the Saxon Territory
and into the Prussian, and they were about 150 leagues distance from us, and
spent so many days of their life there. Finally, they little by little came
fortunately home again. After all, if it had not been for homesickness, they
would have had for the most part pleasant days.

Further we know nothing more that is necessary to write, except that you are
heartily greeted by us all, and we wish that these few lines may find you all
well. And if our desire is to be realized, write to us likewise again by good
opportunity how continue to get along. And since Martin Keinadt and his
son-in-law, John Bitzer, are wondering whether you do not know something about
Gottlieble, if you know anything of him, tell him that his wife died a year
ago. And when you write to us, report to us for Gottlieble how it is with him,
because his people are wondering; also about Jacob Ringwald, since his friends
too wonder that you do not write even of every one who in your country.

Further we know of nothing but that we ever remain, Your most faithful
friends.
Sinabune, Oestmettingen, April 16th, 1769.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

That this is true, the subscribers testify, Casper Keinadt, Conrad Keinadt,
Martin Keinadt, Johannes Ringwald. The name of him who wrote this is young
George Bossch, the son of Anna Maria.

Translated for the 1894 family reunion in Waynesboro VA by  Reverand Jacob S.
Koiner who had attended Theology school in Germany.

This is a description of the friends of Casper who went off with the Duke of
Hohenzollern to the Seven Year's War.
Raster Philipp Zimmermann 30.04.1730 + 23.07.1796 ooChristine Walz
George Bart 20.05.1723 + 1787ooDorothea Haasis
Ludwig Mattes, Huf-un Waffenschmidt 21.02.1730 + 09.09.1771ooMagdalena Sauter
Johannes Maute Burger u. Wagner 07.02.1722 + 09.02.1811

This phrase identifies Casper Keinadt as a solder:
Diese Personen wurden zuden Soldaten gerufen veil diese mermals in den
furstlichen Waldern der Wilderei nachgegangen sind. Siehe auch "Rastersche
Chronik" S.110

Johann Ringwald married a sister of Michael, a relative of his, a nephew I
believe, came to the US and married into the Diller family. These Ringwalds
seem to be recent implants in this part of Germany. The Ringwalds I find in
the US are from Switzerland, which further supports an active trail between
Switzerland, across Lake Constance (?) into this part of Germany - fairly
obvious migration path - and I think this is where the Keinadts came from
circa 1400. An early Koiner researcher was told by somebody in this area of
Germany that the name came from the French Coignets and I have been trailing
this family all over the continent for almost a year. They were in every
European country and it is very possible a branch of them migrated into
Switzerland and up into Germany. This problem of connecting different
countries in Europe through their family names fascinates me but it is very
difficult to prove.

I hope you have enjoyed this letter. Conrad Keinadt died in 1771, and
according to his birth and death records he was 79. Yet his family says in
this letter he was 81 in 1769, so either they knew something we don't or they
couldn't count.

From the tone of this letter, I don't think Michael Keinadt was a runaway or
stowaway. I feel like this family was very close and there were reasons for
Michael being in America alone. The family story makes sense to me. If it
can't be proven, it is still a good story and every family needs family
folklore.

Norma