Kieffer Association Guestbook

Kieffer Family Association Guestbook

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08/27/2009 My name is Janet Reynolds. I have traced back on your site to Charles and Ella Gruner Kiefer. Charles comes from Baden, Germany, but I don't find a date. I found my grandmother, Delores Kiefer on here as well. No more Kiefers from this particular line, but my sister gave her son the middle name of Kiefer. Amazing site...will be digging in more. Loved the census stuff. My family was from around Horton, Kansas.
05/06/2009 Hi, My name is Paul Kennedy and I am working on the Thomas Kennedy of Marshall Co., Indiana family tree. I believe my aunt Frances married John Donnell Keifer. I remember Don and Frances and their children Jerry and Rosemary when they would visit the Kennedy homestead. I appreciate the work that all have contributed to this website.
e-mail to Paul
8/27/2008 Hi! My family is descended from the Jacob, Michael, and DeWald Kieffer branch who came to American in 1683 from Kettenheim, Germany; also from Frederick Keefer (1760-1852. I have a family history written in 1935 by an ancestor who gave the following history: DeWald Kieffer had a son, Michael who had 3 sons; Jacob, Michael, and DeWald. DeWald had four sons, Abraham, Casper, Martin and Michael. Abraham had three sons, Niclaus, DeWald, and Jacob. Niclaus, the eldest son of Abraham, married three times and had 21 children. Most of the Keefers in Franklin County, PA and all of those in Maryland are descendants of this Niclaus. It truly sounds as if everyone's family lines are crisscrossing.
We just recently started a Keefer Family Webpage at http://www.thefamilypost.com/Keeferfamily.
Please feel free to visit and to e-mail me at lamcdonald679@aol.com .
Love you all! Loretta
7/30/2008 My mother is Marcelle Kefer (born in june 1940), I’m trying to make our genealogy, one of her uncle called Jacques Kefer has left Belgium probably in early 1900’s to go in USA. If someone has any information on this branch, it’s welcome.
France Peetroons
e-mail to Frances
5/24/2008 I am descended from the Abraham to Nicholas to Isaac to Rebecca Margaret Kieffer line from Franklin Co, PA. I was wondering if anyone has any pictures of my ancestors from that line that they could email me. You can reach me at vsoper@mris.com. I have no pictures at all and it would mean so much!
Thanks, Vanessa Soper
5/11/2008 I have a collection of old postcards, ca.1910-1915, addressed to Adam Keafer of Johnstown, Pa. I would like to return these to the family if possible. Darrius Baker, (480)283-0707
3/4/2008 I've been trying to find information for my mother-in-law's side of the family, and I'm having difficulty finding information concerning my mom-in-law's grandfather, Martin Frederick Keffer, who was born 1868, Pennsylvania, and died 8 Sep 1942, El Paso, Texas. We have absolutely no documents for Martin prior to 1908, but at some point, he left Pennsylvania to work for a mining company (French?) in the city of El Oro, located in Hildago, Mexico. His business associate was Matso DeFauhvet/Fauhvet, a Frenchman. Martin married Matso's daughter, Elena J. Fauhvet (or Elaine J. DeFauhvet, according to one of their daughters), and they had the following children, with the first six being born in Mexico:
Martin Keffer (Born: 1899) Josephine Keffer (Born: 1901)
Elena/Helen Keffer (Born: 1908) Annie Keffer (Born: 1912)
Charles Edward Keffer (Born: 1914) Camille Keffer (Born: 1916)
***Immigrated back to USA from Mexico by way of Louisiana in 1916 Alice Keffer (Born: 1917)
Edward W. Keffer (Born: 1926)
My mother-in-law has the birth certificate of Elena/Helen Keffer, born 1908. In the translated version, it states that Elena was born to "Martin Keffer, native of the United States and resident [or neighbor] of Hildago, married, miner of thirty-nine years or age,...[here it describes the time that the child was born and that the child was born legitimate to the parents and then legitimate to the GRANDPARENTS, that she is the] granddaughter in paternal degree of E. Keffer and Ana Keffer deceased."
My mother-in-law feels that Martin's father E. Keffer, may actually have been an Edward Keffer. If you look at Martin's children, his first son was named after himself (Martin Frederick), his second son was named Charles Edward (my mother-in-law's father), and Martin's third son was Edward W. I'll have to look to see what the W. stands for. Regardless, all three of Martin's sons lived relatively long lives, although I do not know what happened to Martin Jr. once he returned to the USA upon returning from Mexico. Both Charles Edward and Edward W. lived well into adulthood, so the repeated use of the name Edward does stand out. the death date I have for Martin Frederick Keffer, born 1868 (PA), was taken from his tombstone. I know ancestry.com has his death as 1951, but that is incorrect. Also, I have the following part of a letter written from Martin's daughter Elena/Helen Keffer Scott. It may throw some hints as to Martin's family connections, or it may just muddy it up a little bit more!
Elena/Helen wrote the following on July 24, 1983: "When I was a little girl, there was a gentleman that was driving thru to California, his car broke down, and he was here in El Paso for several days/...He was very wealthy, and went to see the manager of the Credit Bureau here in El Paso, to make some kind financial arrangements. In talking to Mr. Hodge, ---Mr. Hodge mentioned the fact that he had a very good friend by the name of Martin F. Keffer... and it was odd that this gentlemen's name was Keffer... He [the gentleman] came by to see mother, and told her to please get in touch with daddy, find out what we could about daddy's family, because he had an uncle by the name of Martin F. Keffer, which had disappeared years ago, and he would like to know if daddy was part of the family... This Gentleman lived in St. Louis, Missouri. On his way back from California, he did come by to see mother, but in the meantime Daddy had written mother, "he had no relatives" and did not want any."
This Elena/Helen also thought that her grandparent's were Martin F. Keffer and Margaret Strang Keffer, but this contradicts the previous e-mail I sent with the information from her birth certificate from Mexico. Did I mention muddied water?
Susan
e-mail to Susan
3/3/2008 Hi My name is Diane. I was adopted at the age of 3 in Buffalo, NY, by a Buffalo police officer and his wife. I was born 08-15-34 in Erie county, NY, and my adoption papers are from Buffalo, NY. I was possibly in a foster care system or living with others until the age of three, and adopted in 1937-38. MY birth certificate has been ersased over, but the name I see is Dian May Kieffer....Does anyone out there know about this story? I know nothing, but I do have original papers.
My e-mail is preachn111@aol.com. Any information would be interesting.
2/11/2008
I'm the g-g-grandson of William Kiefer & Bertha Knoblock, who immigrated to St. Louis from Munich in the late 1800's. According to census records, William ran a bar in St. Louis. His son, my g-g Uncle Eugene played in the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. One of his sons ran a jewelery, and the other an eye care office still in operation today in St. Louis.
I'd love to find earlier information on this family from Germany.
David Harfst
Geneology info at http://www.harfstfamily.org/tng
11/7/2007 Hallo, my name is Wolfgang Kiefer, born 1950.
The earliest known ancestor was Jakob Sosna, born 1578 in Silesia. Sosna is the polish translation of Kiefer.
Please have a look at my ancestors tree:
http://home.arcor.de/w.kiefer/ahnen.htm
and
http://home.arcor.de/w.kiefer/kiefersippekurz.htm

Best regards,
Wolfgang Kiefer
10/28/2007
I am from Canton, Stark County, OH. My lineage is through John and Maria Keefer who were in and out of Stark, Hamilton & Butler Counties, OH. They had two sons, John and Lewis. One of their sons, John married Charlotte Held in Canton, Ohio. They were also known as Keefer and Keifer. John and Charlotte had six (6) children, Louis W, Mary (B. 1858, Pike Twnshp, Stark Cty, OH), Ed (b, 1860, also Pike Twnshp), Francis (b. 1862 in Pike Twnshp, d. 1936), and Margaret (no info). The second generation John died abt 1865. One of the persons who inventoried his estate was a Nicholas Kiefer, presumed to be a cousin or uncle. I have forgotten now where I came across the name Christian, but I believe that to be one of the cousins also. There may also be a connection with the Johnstown PA Kieffers, as my mother was an Eichelberger from Johnstown. Her family was involved with the coal mines in Eichelbergertown. Would be more than happy to hear from anyone with info.
Donald Kieffer e-mail to Donald
10/6/2007
I am looking for someone who has information on Jonathon & Paul Keefer who were brothers in the civil war, union side. Paul, I was told, was killed and Jonathon lived a long life. The names (including the last name) could have spelling variations. This is all the info I have to go on.
Donna
e-mail to Donna
7/19/2007
Hello, all! I am so happy to have found this website! I have been a genealogist and family historian since high school (the 1960s - you do the math!), but had always come up against a brick wall when trying to find out more about my COOPER ancestry. My grandmother was Edna Marie PHILIPS; her mother was Annie Catherine MAITS, whose mother was Sarah Ann RIGGS, whose mother was Sarah COOPER. I now know from this website that the father of Sarah Cooper was Frederick Kyle COOPER, whose father was Friedrich COOPER, whose parents were Johann Leonard KIEFFER and Anna Maria SCHAEFFER. From Johann Leonard KIEFFER, the lineage goes back to his father Johann Freiderich KIEFFER, whose father was Hans Gall KIEFFER, born 1639 at Unterowisheim, Karlsruhe, Baden. I am very pleased to find a site that also cites sources - they are so critical in proving ancestry. Thanks to all for doing such a good job!
Mark Friden
e-mail to Mark
6/4/2007
Hi, I am the grandson of Margaret Luceil Keefer (6/22/1896) (dau. of Orin William Keefer5/10/1893) and I can't tell you how nice it was in running into this web page. I have started researching my family tree which is under ancestry.com and I now have keefer family all the way back to Hans Gall Keiffer: B: 1639 Unterowisheim, Karlsuhe, Baden, Germany D: 1689-08-28 Munzesheim, Baden, , Germany
If any knows who his parent's are it would be quite helpful.
Jason Williams
email to Jason
4/17/2007
Hi,
This is a great site for Keefers. It goes back farther than I have information on so will be a big help. My maternal great grandfather was Benjamin Orrin Keefer of Westmoreland CO, PA; who married Anna Maria Eyler. The census information you show has 'Kyler' as her maiden name, I've never heard that so I'll have to check it out. His children and grandchildren ( my mother) match what I know so it is the correct Benjamin. As you show, Benjamin's father was Daniel, and Daniel's father was another Benjamin. Would like to hear from their descendents.
Todd Bredin
e-mail to Todd
Hello,my name is Nicholas(Nick) Kieffer. I was born in Springfield Ohio the son of William Kieffer from Donnelsville Ohio who was the son of Charles Kieffer of Donnelsville. Charles had a brother,Wilber, who I never met as he killed himself several years before I was born. Their father was Edgar Kieffer. This is as much as I know. I want to know more, like where my family is from etc... Any help would be great
Thanks
Nick
2/14/2007
1/09/2007 I just went through the listings on the Kieffer relatives, and from what I understand, we are all related, no matter how it is spelt. I am the son of Marion Lester, Grandson of Elmer and Mary Kieffer. From what I understand, a large family came over from Germany, and when they landed, the people who signed the intrance form back then, spelled Kieffer many ways. I was stationed in Germany for five yrs., and just happened to run into a few Kiefers that were German. It was very interesting when I met them. Keep up the good work on this. I would love to hear from some of the other Kieffers, no matter how they spell their name. You can reach me at Smokechasher@aol.com
1/09/2007 Hello, My name is Craig Kieffer of Springfield, Ohio,son of Francis (and Carolyn) Kieffer, his father was,Marion(Dick) Lester Kieffer,yeah both men had womens names,don`t ask me,I have two uncles, Doug Kieffer now in Tennessee, Donald Kieffer of N.Carolina, and an Aunt, Marion(Kieffer) Brewer of Springfield. I'm not finding any info on these names. Am I looking in the right place? Any help would be great. Thank you.
Craig Kieffer
1/5/2007
Hi
I really like your web site. I especially like the census information. I would be really interested if anyone has any information on the ancestors of Charles Alt Keefer (1774 - 1933) who lived in Gettysburg PA.
Ken.Keefer@att.net
12/19/2006 Hello All. My name is Robert D. Keefer and from all I can find I’m a descent of Abraham Keefer born in Pa and later moved to Ionia Michican. I am seeking any information I can get in this connection and his son Samuel Keefer who married a Mary Warner. Any help will be appreciated.
Regards
Bob Keefer
4128 South 6000 West
West Valley City, UT 84128
Phone 801-963-5112 ext 225
FAX 801-963-5180
Email bob@cirtran.com
11/28/2006 Great website! I don't think I've found anything so helpful in just one place before. Everyone who has had a part in this site has done a fabulous job. Kudos to all and a big Thanks!
Janet
11/15/2006 My name is Gerry C. Keffer, I am a descendant of Harry Wesley Keffer and the grandson of Harry Seiders Keffer. I believe that I can trace my family all the way back to Matthias Keffer who apparently came over on the Lydia in the 1700's. If there are any other Keffer's out there that can 'relate' to me, please feel free to email me at: gck@mtaonline.net
10/23/2006 I am descended from Oliver Kieffer who was my great grandpa (German). John E. Kieffer, who was my grandpa, was a french kid who I believe was 'adopted by Oliver Kieffer around the WW1 era as I was told but not sure. John L. Kieffer was my father (Deceased) who was the son of John E. Kieffer and Myrtle Alverson. I am Robert L. Kieffer and I have just one brother Jeffery K . Kieffer. We were born to John L. Kieffer and Kathleen M. Kieffer. My brother and I do not know alot about our heritage going back too far. If anyone can help, I can be reached at: robnjodi@earthlink .net Thank You
9/24/2006 My name is Janet Spurlock Kieffer, of the Luther Kieffer line that merged with the Spurlocks in Missouri after Luther and his sons died in the Civil War. I was born and raised in the St. Louis area. Isabel Spurlock Kieffer, my father's sister, married William Clark Adreon. I currently live in New Mexico and teach writing and the New Mexico Institute of Science and Technology. For awhile, as I was growing up, we had a carriage block outside our house. The inscription: Alonzo Rauss Kieffer. I have the infamous photo of Luther on my living room wall. Such a handsome rascal! I will let met brothers, Victor Barcroft Kieffer III and Timothy Jeffris Kieffer, know about this site.
http://www.losthorsepress.org/foodchain.html
email
9/12/2006 I am descended from Peter Kiefer and Barbara Fangen.
My Father was Floyd Kiefer.
My Grandfather was Christian Kiefer 1861 Stark County.
My Great grandfather was Peter Kiefer 1834 Prussia Germany.
Any help on Peter Kiefer's birth place would be appreciated we travel to
German every year on vacation if I knew where he was born I would visit
the Rathaus {court house}where his records are kept.
Lonnie Kiefer email
8/7/2006 Hi
I am descended from Catherine Keffer and Michael Raymann. Our family is trying to put together all our info on descendants of Michael Raymann.
Della Sanders, Aneroid, SK. Canada email
5-21-2006 My husband James W. Keefer is the son of Eugene Franklin Keefer born in Boulder County Colorado. His father Frank Everett Keefer married Lydia Annie Smead (1913) and they had 3 children – John, Eugene and Bessie. I have not been about to trace the parents of Frank. Actually, their marriage is listed on your website in Boulder County. Thank you for all you have done for the Keefer’s with the newsletter
Janice Keefer
email
11 Apr 2006 Hi, My name is Michael Patrick Keefer.
My father was Paul Abner Keefer
My Grandfather was Aurthor Keefer
My Great Grandfather was William Keefer
I was born in Campbelltown, Pa. Lebanon Co. on 1/31/53
email
4 Apr 2006 I am seeking clarification of the controversy of the Martin Keffers. My Anthony Keffer is thought to be the son of Martin Keffer and his second wife Anna Mary Adams. Martin’s will was probated in Kensington, Philadelphia, 1813 and Anthony is named as is Martin’s brother, John. Everything fit very nicely until the finding of the death listings of a Martin and his wife Maria Eve Keffer in Northumberland. "Catholic Trails West" had Maria Eve (nee Lorenz) dying between 1776 and 1781 when Martin marries Anna Mary.
Has anyone been able to sort this out? Any information would be appreciated.
Sandy Miller
ggggranddaughter of Anthony Keffer and Sarah Shillingsford
Bucks County, PA
email
4 Feb 2006 Hi Sandra - I guess I'm your third cousin, since JS Kieffer (known to my family as Pappa) and Mary Martin Clarke were also my gr gr grandparents. My grandmother was Helen Hays Kieffer. The following info may be of interest to you if you don't already have it: The book "Old Zion" has a long chapter on JSK (www.zionhagerstown.org). Do you have excerpts of his diary annotated by Elizabeth Clarke Kieffer? The original and pictures of him are in the library (www.erhs.info)
The oldest wooden church in Pennsylvania, where Ephraim was pastor 1840-1859, is currently being restored (www.keystonepreservation.com/eliasprojest.html) (www.dailyitem.com/archives/2006/0115/local/stories/01local.htm). I got most of my family tree info from "The ancestors of Richard Allen Lebo" and for Eleanor Spangler, Ephraim's wife, www.spanglers.info. I have some info on Ephraim, and am trying to find more. -Darcy Decker email
12/22/2005 Greetings from a Kieffer who has gone the other way! My great-grandfather Luther Kieffer came from Alsace to New York State in 1823 at the age of 3. He died in the Civil War, 1864. I am Alonzo R. Kieffer's son from St. Louis, Missouri, and I currently live in Bonn, Germany
Paul Kieffer email
12/21/2005 So pleased to see such a great site! My grandfather was William Adolph Kiefer, son of John Gottlieb Kiefer, b 1856 in Baden. John (who arrived as Gottlieb) married Mary Hoerning, daughter of Charles and Wilhelmina Hoerning. The family lived in Baltimore and many of the offspring still are in the area.
Gloria R Bond email
12/21/2005 I am looking for any info to connect two Kieffer trees. One side is from Adam Kieffer, 7-6-1836 from Metz, France, close to Alsace Lorraine. The other is my side of the tree. We go back to Mark Kieffer, 1785, France. Any ideas? Mary Jean Hubert email
12/14/05 Hello, my name is Stephen A. Kieffer, I currently live outside Houston, Texas, but belong to a line of Kieffers located in upstate New York (just north of Syracuse). My Grandfather was Norbert P. Kieffer (wife Mae Agnus Kelly), his father Louis Kieffer (wife Agatha Foertsch), his father Anthony Kieffer (wife Catherine Kipplyn or something close to that), and his father supposedly is Theobald Kieffer (wife unknown). Anthony also had a brother Theobald, and three sisters that remained in Thann, Alsace. Would like to hear from anyone with information on this line. This Kieffer website is great - lots of information. Thanks.
Stephen A. Kieffer
Vehicle Integration Test Office
Ph: 281.244.8333
Pgr: 1.800.329.9745
email
11/30/2005 My name is Sandra Kieffer Millikan. Joseph Spangler Kieffer married Mary Martin Clark. They are my great-great grandparents. On your website I recognized some names from this family line: Abraham Kieffer, Catharine Bieber/Beaver, Ephraim Kieffer...thank you for helping me make some connections.
11/13/2005 Hello, I was glad to find your site, and appreciate all the effort you put into it. I hoped to find my Catherine KEIFFER who married James GRINDLE in 1850, Greene, Ohio. Lots of KEIFFERS, and I will keep on looking. I'm sure your site has been a boon to many other Keiffers. Thanks, Joyce Ruberson
9/25/2005 My grandmother, Mary Scholastica Kieffer Strebler, was part of the Scott County, MO Kieffer clan descended from Francois Joseph Kieffer who arrived there c. 1854. I've added my information to this site and would love to hear from any distant "cousins" yet unheard from!
Jon Strebler strebbie@sdcoe.k12.ca.us
9/15/2005 Hello my name is Robert Luethge I am married to Juanita Kiefer whos grandfather Paul was from Ellsass Lorain he and an older brother were orphaned and lived with another family when his brother was old enough he joined the army and when he had enough money sent paul to America. We do not know his brothers name or anything else about his parents except they died in a war Paul was born 1865 and one of her relativer thought his parents first names were Michael & Margaret. If anyone has any information my Email address is boobel@centurytel.net

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edited Oct 2007
Contact Webmaster Jim Keffer