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Archiver > PAMONTGO > 1999-12 > 0944856905


From: "Judy A. Burdick" <>
Subject: [PAMONTGO-L] Re: Hittle and Hunsberger, Gosenhoppen Cemetery
Date: Fri, 10 Dec 1999 15:15:05 -0500


Hi all,
I am sending this to several related lists in the hopes that someone out
there can give me a lead or steer me in the right direction to solve the
mystery. Thanks for any help you can offer.

1. Leah Hittle Hunsberger is my gggrandmother, born 8/3/1824 near
Boyertown (Montgomery County), died 8/21/1910 in Reading (Berks County).

2. Leah's obit in the Reading Eagle states that she came to Reading in
1867 and lived at 817 Green St. It also states that she was a member of
the Ebenezer Evangelical Church, the daughter of Daniel and Mary Hittel
(spelled this way in the paper) and the last of her family. No siblings
names are given.

3.Leah married Jesse Hunsberger, b. abt. 10/9/1825 where?, d. 6/22/1901
in Reading. They are both buried in Charles Evans Cemetery in Reading.

4. In the 1850 census, Jesse and Leah are listed as living in Upper
Hanover Twp, Montgomery County, with two children, Mary, 2, (my great
grandmother) and Sophie, 1. The obits of both Leah and Jesse name a
daughter Sallie, at home. Leah's will names a daughter Sarah. So I am
assuming that Sallie, Sophie, and Sarah are one and the same person,
unless the child Sophie died. Anyway, this census indicates they would
have been married at least by 1847. It also names Jesse as a blacksmith
with property valued at $1600.

5. The 1850 census also lists a Maria Hittle, head of household, with two
children, Daniel, age 17, laborer, and Sophie, age 19. This may or may
not be Leah's mother. There is a Daniel E. Hittle who enlisted in the
47th infantry Reg. PA , 2/10/1865, during the Civil War. This may or may
not be the same Daniel (Maria's son) from the 1850 census.

6. I have researched the Hittle name on the IGI, under the family tree
of a George Michael Hittle. There is a Daniel, b.10/7/1788 in W.
Salisbury Twp, Northampton County, Pa, died 3/22/1848 in Upper Hanover,
Montgomery County. His wife's name was Magdalena, born abt 1792 in
Northampton. I know that some people interchanged Mary, Maria, and
Magdalena. This might be the deceased husband of the Maria listed in the
1850 census.

7. One small problem: The IGI shows the Daniel and Magdalena listed
above as having one child, a Magdalena, b. 1/24/1813, died 3/29/1813 and
buried in Gosenhoppen Cem. Montgomery , PA. This infant died in Upper
Hanover Twp., so they were living there in 1813. No other children are
listed for this couple. So if it is the right Daniel and Mary, where are
the records of the births of Leah, Daniel, and Sophie?

8. Since people could not travel very easily in those early days of
1800's, it only makes sense that people met and married neighbors,
friends, and schoolmates. It appears that both Jesse and Leah lived
quite a few years in Upper Hanover Twp.

9. There are a lot of Hunsbergers in Upper Hanover Twp in 1850, according
to the census. The problem is I can't connect any of them to Jesse,
since I don't know his parents' names. I have his obit - no parents
listed, his death certificate- no parents listed, and his will - no clues
as to parentage.

10. So - we have Jesse and Leah - parents unknown (except for Daniel??
and Mary???? Hittle). Mystery persons.

Anyway, that's the scenario as it now stands. I hope to get some
answers to this mystery on my next trip down to PA. If anyone comes up
with any clues, please let me know. Does anyone know the location of the
Gosenhoppen Cemetery? It seems there was an e-mail some time back about
it, but I don't think I saved it at the time. Thanks much.

Judy in NY state


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