My focus in this branch of my family is my great grandfather David Kimball (b. 1801) who settled with his family in Walworth County in Southern Wisconsin in 1847.

A note on his surname…. He was born ‘Justis David Kuempel‘. His last name also appears as ‘Kümpel‘ in German records. It appears that when he arrived in the United States he changed his last name to ‘Kimball‘.

Justis David Kuempel was born to Quirin Kuempel and Anna Maria Siefert from Wasungen – located 5 miles to the South of Wernshausen (see a translation of their marriage record) in Wernshausen (located in the state of  Thüringen in the Kries (county) of Schmalkalden-Meiningen), Germany in 1800. He had an older sister (Elizabeth Margarethe Kuempel, b. 1795) and an older brother (Johann Matheus Kuempel, b. 1797) and an older half sister (Eva Catharina Kuempel, born in 1790 to Quirinus Kuempel and his first wife Anna Catharina Kremer, b. 1764, d. 1790).

Quirin Kuempel was the son (and only child) of Matthaus Kuempel and Gertrud Scheifer.

More about the Kimball family from researcher Jeff Parr

In February 2023 I received an email from Jeff Parr

Tony, I found your page about Georg Kumpel. I have researched this family, namely Georg’s son, Richard Adam Kimbel, since 1995. I may have some additional information for you on Georg, even his photograph, as well as a copious amount of data on Richard and he and his descendants. Let me know if you are interested.

Sincerely,
Jeff Paar
Maryville TN

Of course I was interested! His response was a gold-mine of information.

I do see overlap between our families in Justus David Kuempel. I have him as “Just David Kuempel”, originating from another researcher.

Attached is a descendant list from our common ancestor Nikolaus Kuempel b. 1664. Justus is #17 in the report. Also attached is an ancestor report for Justus.  These two reports should give you everything I have on this family. These data were acquired from another researcher, though I know the data from Nikolaus down through Johann Valentin Kumpel is in the Ancestral File.  The sourcing for most of these data is not up to my standard, since they are from another researcher.  I may attempt to update the sourcing, but not at this time.  My research was on another line, that of Capt. Richard Adam Kimbel, who was Georg Kuempel’s son. Those data are heavily sourced.  If you have additional questions or issues with the data, I gladly welcome them and will try my best to answer them.

Sincerely,
Jeff Paar

Anna Maria Siefert was second daughter and third child of Lorenz Heinrich Siefert and Susanna Catharina Sauer.

Click to view larger image
German birth record for Justis Davis Kuempel
More About Wernshausen Church Records
The Landeskirchenarchiv Eisenach, one of the two archives of the Protestant Church in Central Germany, has filmed the church books of Niederschmalkalden and Wernshausen. They are not yet online and can only be viewed in person at the archive. I utilized the services of a researcher in Germany to look up the records for me.

Evangelical Church in Central Germany
Landeskirchenarchiv Eisenach Ernst-Thälmann-Straße 88
Tel. 03691 / 65804-72 (Lesesaal)
Fax: 03691 / 65804-80v

Wernshausen Church Records Index – View it

Just David married Margarethe Elizabeth Jung (b. 1809) and they had 11 children together (9 born in Germany, 2 born in Wisconsin). The entire family left Wernshausn in March, 1847 and traveled to Walworth County in Southern Wisconsin.

Members of the Cooper County, Missouri Historical Society have transcribed German newspaper and passport information from the period and have created a database of Immigrants from Sachsen-Meiningen, Germany (among other areas). This database (viewable on the societies website) refers to a Justis David Kümpel who left Wernshausn in March, 1847 with his wife and  9 children.

This same source identifies several other Kümpel’s who also left in March 1847:

  • Christoph Friedrich Kümpel (from Altenbreitungen, located about 10 miles North and slightly West of  Wernshausn)
  • Georg Adam Kümpel – with wife and 5 children (from Wernshausn):  He may have married Katherine Margarethe Hattenbach and lived in Jackson, Iowa, USA
  • Gustav Kümpel – was a Tuchmacher/Cloth-maker (from Meiningen, located about 20 miles South and slightly East of  Wernshausn)

Mid-1800’s Kümpel Emigrants from the Duchy of Saxony-Meiningen

The Thuringian Archives has assembled a list of mid-1800’s emigrants from the  Duchy of Saxony-Meiningen that also includes an entry for Just David Kümpel. The table below is an extract of entries with the Kümpel surname, or you can view the original PDF document (in German).

View The List of Emigrants
Name Age Apx. DOB From Migrated To: Year Source Remarks
Kümpel, Friedrich Schwarzbach America 1845 Ministry of State, Department of Interior 12061, sheet 016
Kümpel, August David 47 1800 Wernshausen North America 1847 Kreis Meiningen No. 697 With wife and 9 children
Kümpel, Christian Wernshausen North America 1847 Government Gazette for the Duchy of Saxony-Meiningen 1851, Bl. 182 With wife and 6 children
Kümpel, Christian Friedrich 36 1811 Wernshausen North America 1847 Kreis Meiningen No. 697 With wife and 6 children – Occupation: economist

Note: A Christian Kimball born about 1811 in Germany is listed on the 1850 US Census with a wife and 6 children (all born in Germany) living in Michigan City, La Porte, Indiana

Kümpel, Georg Adam 50 1797 Wernshausen America 1847 Source: Kreis Meiningen No. 697  With 6 children

Note: George A Kuempel, born 5 Nov 1796 in Saxony (Sachsen) Germany is buried in Bellevue City Cemetery in Bellevue, Jackson County, Iowa, USA according to FindAGrave.

Kümpel, Gustav Meiningen North America 1847 Government Gazette for the Duchy of Saxony-Meiningen 1847, Bl. 049 Occupation: Tuchmachermeister
Kümpel, Just David America 1847 Government Gazette for the Duchy of Saxony-Meiningen 1847, Bl. 040 With wife and 9 children
Kümpel, Catharine Elisabeth Wasungen America 1851 Government Gazette for the Duchy of Saxony-Meiningen 1851, Bl. 182
Kümpel, Ferdinand 30 1821 Wernshausen Hessen Schmalkalden 1851 Kreis Meiningen No. 697 Occupation: economist
Kümpel, Maria Christiane Wasungen America 1851 Government Gazette for the Duchy of Saxony-Meiningen 1851, Bl. 190
Kümpel, Wilhelm 2 1849 Wernshausen Hesse Schmalkalden 1851 Kreis Meiningen No. 697
Kümpel, Just David Leimbach America 1854 Government Gazette for the Duchy of Saxony-Meiningen 1854, sheet 107 With 2 children – Profession: Metzgermeister
Kümpel, Adolf 3 1854 Wernshausen America 1857 Kreis Meiningen No. 697
Kümpel, Carl Friedrich 44 1813 Wernshausen America 1857 Kreis Meiningen No. 697 Hildb. Government Gazette 1857, Bl With wife and 3 children
Kümpel, Elisabeth 1 1856 Wernshausen America 1857 Kreis Meiningen No. 697
Kümpel, Elisabeth, b. Baumbach 30 1827 Wernshausen America 1857 Kreis Meiningen No. 697
Kümpel, Karl Friedrich Wernshausen America 1857 Government Gazette for the Duchy of Saxony-Meiningen 1857, Bl. 067 With wife and 3 children
Kümpel, Reinhold 7 1850 Wernshausen America 1857 Kreis Meiningen No. 697
Kümpel, Gustav Meiningen America 1858 Government Gazette for the Duchy of Saxony-Meiningen 1858, p. 126 Occupation: Tuchmacher
Kümpel, Eva Elisa 22 1839 Frauenbreitungen America 1861
Kümpel, Maria Christiane 19 1842 Niederschmalkalden America 1861 Kreis Meiningen No. 659, sheet 012
Kümpel, Caspar Friedrich Wernshausen America 1862 Government Gazette for the Duchy of Saxony-Meiningen 1862, Bl. 303 Profession: shoemaker
Kümpel, Christiane Wernshausen America 1863 Hildb. Government Gazette 1863, p. 171
Kümpel, Ernst Wernshausen America 1863 Government Gazette for the Duchy of Saxony-Meiningen 1863, sheet 113 Profession: Drechsler
Kümpel, Dorothea Christiane Niederschmalkalden North America 1866 Kreis Meiningen No. 664, p. 148
Kümpel, Christoph Friedrich 19 1848 Oldwalls North America 1867 Kreis Meiningen No. 675, sheet 057 Beruf: Taglöhner
Kümpel, Johann Adam 16 1857 Niederschmalkalden America 1873 Ministry of the Interior, Department of Interior 394; Kreis Meiningen No. 686, Bl. 061; District of Meiningen No. 720 Profession: Factory worker
Kümpel, Georg Christian 23 1857 Metzger America 1880 Source: Ministry of the Interior, Department of Interior 394; Kreis Meiningen, No. 692, p. 123 Occupation: Brauer u. Butcher
Kümpel, Elise b. Mitdorf 33 1855 Niederschmalkalden America 1888 Ministry of the Interior, Department of Interior 387, Bl. 325
Kümpel, Georg Wilhelm 30 1858 Niederschmalkalden America 1888 Source: Ministry of the Interior, Department of Interior 387, Bl. 325 Profession: Factory worker
Kümpel, Johann Adam  3/4 1887 Niederschmalkalden America 1888 Ministry of the Interior, Department of Interior 387, Bl. 325
Kümpel, Karl Friedrich 3 1885 Niederschmalkalden America 1888 Ministry of the Interior, Department of Interior 387, Bl. 325
Kümpel, Adam Ferdinand Kaltenlengsfeld Hessen Lardenbach Kreis Meiningen KA 1423 Bl. 78 Mrs. Maria Caroline, born, Seugling, b. on June 28, 1866 in Kaltenlengsfeld, and 2 children, all born in Kaltenlengsfeld b. 03/11/1867

The family arrived in New York in May of 1847. David Kümpel filed his intention to become a United States Citizen on June 12, 1847  (KJENDLIE, DONNA. Index to Records of Naturalization’s and Declarations of Intent, Book One. Walworth County, WI: Walworth County Genealogical Society, Inc., 2000. [93p.])

It appears that Christopher Friedrich Kimball traveled with David and settled in the area for a few years before moving on to Michigan City, Indiana. He was a grandson, son of Georg Simon Kuempel (b. 1777, d. 1837). Christopher married Anna Elizabeth Kremmer and they had the following children (all born in Germany: I believe that the surviving children emigrated to the United States with their parents):

  • Ernest Kimball, b. 6 June 1836, married Emily, had sons WIllie (b. 1862), Fred (b. 1863) and Charles (b. 1865)
  • Christopher G Kimball, b. 1837, married Margaret Goetz and had George (b. 1865), Elia Elizabeth (b. 30 April 1870), Edward A (b. 23 May 1873), Lewis E (b. May 1878), Katherine K (b. 28 December 1879), Mabel E (b. September 1882) and Fern M (b. 19 November 1887)
  • Charles Kimball, b. 1838, married Jane Dizard, had Frank C (b. AUgust 1868) and Lulu May (b. 22 JAnuary 1878)
  • Infant Kimball, b. 1840, d. ????
  • Fredrick Kimball, b. 1842, married Laura, had Augusta (b. 1876), Fred (b. 1878) and Emily (b. April 1880)
  • Augusta Kimball, b. 1845, married Joseph F. Cloucheek, had Henry W (B. 1877)
  • Anna Irene Kimball, b. 10 December 1846, married Fred C. Voss, had Louise (b 1868), Ernest (b. 1870) and Frank (b. 1874)

Early Kimball Settlers in Walworth County

“The town has one village on the Nippersink Creek, commonly called Genoa [located in sections 35 – 36 of Bloomfield Township].  The first settler in this town was Harry Kimball, who made a claim in 1836 and built the first log house in 1837, when he was joined by his son Oramel Kimball” (History of the Cities and Townships of Walworth County: Bloomfield Township).

It would be easy to assume that David Kimball was joining family members who preceded him to the Walworth county area. Some of the early settlers who arrived in the Walworth county area in the early 1840’s include:

  • Harry Kimball (born in Connecticut in 1783) reportedly was in the Genoa area in 1836. He appears on the census in Spring Prairie, Walworth County in 1840, and on the 1850 census living in Bloomfield.
  • Jesse W. Kimball (born in New York in 1805) and his wife Emily arrived in Walworth County about 1842.
  • Abner Murray Kimball (born in New Hampshire in 1812) and his wife Sarah arrived in East Troy, Walworth County about 1843. This family appears to be well documented in a Family Tree on Family Search, which traces the family back to the 1500’s in Rattlesden, Suffolk, England and to the death of Richard Kimball on June 22, 1675 in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America.
  • Abraham Kimball (born in Vermont in 1807) and his wife Ruth arrived in Fulton, Rock County, between 1839 and 1843.
  • Newcomb Kimball (born in Pennsylvania in 1816) and his wife Elora arrived in Lima, Rock County, prior to 1843.

As can be seen, these Kimball’s (a surname associated with English emigrants) descended from families who settled in the Eastern United States. It does not appear that any of these early  settlers were related to David Kimball.

No records of early settlers to the area from Germany with the last name of  ‘Jung’ or its variations have been identified.

Although it is known that David Kimball was in the area at the time of the 1850 census, finding his entry is challenging. There are many Kimball’s enumerated in Walworth County, but there is only one entry with the last name of Kimball that has family members who were born in Germany. It matches David Kimball’s family in most details:

1850 United States Census, Wisconsin, Walworth, Bloomfield, Pages 6 (lines 36 – 42) and 7 (lines 1-2).

The names were indexed on Ancestry.com as follows:

  • Dalphet – David?
  • Elisa – Margaret Eliza?
  • Molets – Believed to be George Morris (b. 1832).
  • Eliza – Believed to be Margaret Eliza (b. 1837).
  • John – Johann Adam (b. 1839)
  • William – William Frederick (b. 1840 )
  • Itan – Ida Margaret (b. 1842)?
  • Martin (M)- believed to be Martha Lenora (Female, b. 1844)
  • Christina – Christiaina (b. 1848)

In spite of the above differences there are several aspects of this entry that support believing that it actually is documenting the David Kimball family:

  • The last name is correct
  • The location is as expected
  • The birth locations all line up
  • The ages are correct
  • Other than Martin/Martha, the genders are correct

Not enumerated are:

  • Daughter Mary E. Kimball (b. 1828) died 2 Feb 1849.
  • Son Morris Kimball (b. 1834) died 26 September 1855.

Casper Kimball, who is of interest because he was born in Saxony [Germany] in 1830, filed his intention to become a United States Citizen on October 26, 1858  (KJENDLIE, DONNA. Index to Records of Naturalizations and Declarations of Intent, Book One. Walworth County, WI: Walworth County Genealogical Society, Inc., 2000. [93p.])

  • I believe that this is Casper John Kimball: according to his 1900 US Census record he emigrated in 1857. He married Christine Runkel in 1863 and had four sons: John (b. 1865, d, 1870), Louis Adam (b. 1869), Philip Casper (b. 1872) and Henry A (b. 1878). I do not know how he fits into my Kimball family, although DNA evidence seems to suggest that he is related somehow: based on his age he could be a nephew of David Kimball.

The 1860 United States Census record for the family is much less ambiguous:

Bloomfield Township, Walworth County, Wisconsin. Post Office: Bloomfield,Page 45, Dwelling 526, Family 71, Lines 24 – 30, 15 June 1860 (Roll: M653_1434 Page: 79

  • John: Johann Adam, born 13 Feb 1839
  • William: William Frederick, born 3 March 1840
  • Ida: Ida Margaret, born 6 July 1842
  • Martha: Martha Eleonor, born 25 May 1845
  • Christiaina: born 1848 – First child born in the United States. This confirms that the family arrived in the United States no later than 1848.

George (b. 1834) and Margaret Eliza (b. 1837) were not enumerated with the family in 1860:

  • George had married Mary Emma Prouty (b. 1840) and was living with their daughter Eva (b. 1857) in Freemont, Bremer, Iowa
  • Margaret Eliza married Sumner Nelson on 1 April 1859 and was living with him in Bloomfield.

Also enumerated on the 1860 census in Bloomfield was recent arrival (June 1857) Charles Kimball, born in Germany in 1854, his wife Elizabeth (b. 1821), son Edward (b. 1854), daughter Eliza (b. 1856), all born in Germany, and son Casper, born in 1859 in the United States.

In June, 1863 the government created a Draft Registration Record for Bloomfield. The following Kimball’s were identified:

  • William Kimball, age on July 1, 1863: 23, born in Germany (~1840) [William Frederick Kimball]
  • John Kimball, age on July 1, 1863: 30, born in New York (~1833)
  • John A Kimball, age on July 1, 1863: 24, born in Germany (~1839) [Johann Adam Kimball]
  • John C Kimball, age on July 1, 1863: 30, born in Germany (~1833)

Source: National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Consolidated Lists of Civil War Draft Registration Records (Provost Marshal General’s Bureau; Consolidated Enrollment Lists, 1863-1865); Record Group: 110, Records of the Provost Marshal General’s Bureau (Civil War); Collection Name: Consolidated Enrollment Lists, 1863-1865 (Civil War Union Draft Records); NAI: 4213514; Archive Volume Number: 2 of 4

Charles F Kimball, born in Saxe Meininger [Germany] in 1814, filed his intention to become a United States Citizen on November 1, 1866  (KJENDLIE, DONNA. Index to Records of Naturalizations and Declarations of Intent, Book One. Walworth County, WI: Walworth County Genealogical Society, Inc., 2000. [93p.])

David Kimball died in 31 August 1868 and is buried in the Bloomfield cemetery in Pell Lake, Wisconsin.

The images available for the 1870 census for Bloomfield township are of very poor quality: The writing on some pages is so faint that it is almost completely unreadable. A thorough analysis of images of Bloomfield Township, Walworth County (Post Office: Sharon) census of 1870 (Roll 1741, Wisconsin, Volume 24 (1-342A) obtained from archive.org (available here) revealed the following:

  • Page 2, Dwelling 10, Family 10, Lines 8 – 12: Oramel Kimball (55), Lucinda (41), Charles (15), Harry (10), Emma (1)
  • Page 5, Dwelling 34, Family 34, Lines 18 – 22: Charles F Kimball (55), Anna E? (44), Casper (11), William (8) and Augusta (4)
  • Page 5, Dwelling 35, Family 35 (William Merria… – Line 23): Eliza Kimball (line 28), 7 year old female
  • Page 13, Dwelling 101, Family 101, Lines 37 – 38: Charles Dorothy (55), Eliza [Kimball] Dorothy (32), Estilla (F, 10)

No record for Margaret Elizabeth could be identified.

On November 6, 1876 Edward Kimball (b. 1854), son of Charles F. Kimball, filed his intention to become a United States Citizen:

At the time of the 1880 United States census Margaret was living with her son William Frederick Kimball and his family. It is notable that Charles F Kimball and family were enumerated just before William’s family, implying that they lived on adjacent properties.

Another neighbor was Charles Dorothy who, according to the Combination atlas map of Walworth County Wisconsin” (1873), owned property adjacent to and to the South of William Frederick Kimball. Charles would marry Williams daughter Margaret Eliza after the death of his first wife, Mary A Tupper, who reportedly died in 1860. Estill Dorothy, a daughter of Charles, was living with Charles and Margaret Eliza according to the 1870 census. It is possible that Mary died as a result of giving birth to Estill.

Margaret Elizabeth died 21 April 1881 and is also buried in the Bloomfield cemetery in Pell Lake, Wisconsin.

Additional Information

Research questions:

  • How did they travel to the United States? No record of their journey was found in a determined search of passenger and immigration records on Ancestry.com in April of 2017.
    • 13 March 2020: Ancestry.com does not list any ship arriving in New York in May 1847. They show the Albany arriving 1 April, and the Yssel arriving 27 April (1 passenger!), then no other arrivals until the Roscol arrived 1 September. It is hard for me to believe that no passenger ships arrived between May and August: this must just be a gap in Ancestry.com’s records.
  • Where was Margaret Elizabeth living at the time of the 1870 census?
  • Where did the family live prior to the death of David Kimball in 1868? No record of land ownership has been found.
  • Was John C Kimball (b. 1833) related to David Kimball (b. 1801)?
  • Was Charles F Kimball (b. 1854) related to David Kimball (b. 1801)?
  • Was Casper Kimball (b. 1830) related to David Kimball (b. 1801)?
  • Is a copy of the intention filed by Casper Kimball in 1858 available?
  • When did Margaret Elizabeth Jung die?  Two dates are reported in Ancestry trees: 21 April 1881 and 4 February 1881.

Notes:

  • The Kirchenbuch, 1858-1929: Evangelisch Lutherische St. Johannis Gemeinde (Slades Corner, Wisconsin) Contains history, members, baptisms, communicants 1867-1924, confirmations 1867-1929, meeting reports 1867-1899, marriages, deaths 1863-1929, collections 1869-1897, and misc. newspaper clippings. This is on FamilySearch Film 1404984 Items 1-2. This may document some events related to the David Kimball family. A copy was ordered on 13 June 2017 and is now at the Dallas Public Library.