Soap Box August 2004

Soap Box
August 2004

Where is the proof?

What has become apparent to me in my musing over the state of my Kaub research is that nowhere in my notes, which include information kindly shared by others, do I have any proof of any kind that Christian Kaub, spouse to Barbara, father to Johann Valentine, Barbara, Catherine Elisabeth, Christian, Johann Peter and possibly Anna Maria, and Christian Kaupp who arrived on board the "Snow Fox" are, in fact, the same person. In fact my study of the records tends to indicate that Christian of the "Snow Fox" is Kaupp and Christian, spouse to Barbara, etc is Kaub.
Of course, this poses more questions than it answers. I have difficulty in accepting that Christian Kaupp simply started spelling his name Kaub. There is no evidence that our Christian came from Kaub and simply adopted that as his new surname. This does not mean that our family did not originally get their surname by being "from Kaub" but in the period we are dealing with surnames were quite well established.
The new questions arising from this point of view are many. The most obvious are:- Where did our Christian Kaub come from? When did he arrive in America? What ship did he come on? What happened to Christian Kaupp?
There is a tendency for German names to become Anglicised in America. I believe that Kaup (or Kaupp, for that matter) is closer to how English speaking people would say the name than is Kaub. Thus Kaub, Kaup, Koup, Coup represent a natural progression to a fully Anglicised name. In my opinion Kaub, being pronounced Kaup, is therefore "more German" than Kaup as some English speakers may record Kaup correctly but I suspect the average English speaker of the time, unless well immersed in the German culture, would not record the name as Kaub. You may have picked up by now, even from my previous Soapboxes, that I am far from convinced that Christian Kaupp, who arrived on the "Snow Fox" in 1738, is the father of my ancestor Johann Valentin Kaub. In fact I am convinced that he is not.

Some time later .....
It is some time since I started this month's SoapBox and since then there have been some developments in my research. Ray Koup sent me, among many other things, a photocopy of page 111 of Pioneers and Patriots "Over the Blue Mountain", F. Richard Turnbach. Here I find the answers to several of my most pressing questions as to source of some of the information that is "common knowledge".
"Christian Kaup was born about 1714; died after 1779 in Brunswick Twp., possibly buried at Red Church or Friedens. Immigrated on 12 Oct 1738 in Ship "Snow Fox" from Rotterdam [Caup]."
No surprises here. The passenger list of the "Snow Fox" indicates the Christian was 24 in 1738 which gives a birth date of "about 1714". Tax Records list Christian Kaup and Christian Kaup Jr in Brunswick Twp. in 1780, and Christian Kaup only in Brunswick Twp. in 1781. This would indicate that Christian (Sr) probably died 1780-1781.
"He married Anna Barbara. They were confirmed by Rev Daniel Schumacher at Weisenberg in 1760. They had the following children: Barbara; John Valentin; Catherine; Christian; and John Peter."
The baptismal records show that Christian's wife was Anna Barbara. There is no direct evidence that Valentin is the son of Christian and Barbara - this is inferred from Valentin being recorded as a sponsor to one Christian's grandsons. The evidence for including Barbara is more direct with her son being baptised and recorded as the "son of a daughter of Christian Kaup" (this is not the exact wording as the original record is in German!). The baptismal records show the parents of Catherine Elisabeth as Christian Kaup and Barbara. Christian is included by virtue of his son Christian being sponsored by " Christian and Barbara Kaup, grandparents". Johan Peter's inclusion is supported by baptismal records but his parents are somewhat confusingly recorded as Christian and Barbara Catherina.
"Barbara married Richard WEBER. They had a son, Michael WEBER, born in Jul 1769 in Salisbury Twp., now Lehigh Co., Pa., Christened on 17 Aug 1769 in Eastern Salisbury Union Church."
This is supported by baptismal records.
"John Valentine KAUP was born about 1744 in Germany? He died on 17 Jan 1786 in Solebury Twp., Lehigh Co., Pa., aged 42 yrs old, buried in Lehigh Co. [Rev BLUMER PACTS] at Blue Church? He married Susanna M, they had the following children: William KAUP; George KAUP; John Frederick KAUP was born Jan 1761, Christened on 6 Jan 1761 in Salisbury, Lehigh Co. Pa."
This is my ancestor! Valentin's 1786 will mentions George and Friedrich, and William - " my first born son". The will also mentions Susanna "my dearly beloved wife". Susanna was one of the executors of the will and signed as "Susanna Kaubin" - Kaubin is the feminine form of Kaub. All three sons' baptismal records confirm that they are sons of Valentin and Susanna. I have not found Frederick (my ancestor) recorded anywhere as John Frederick or variations thereof. Always as Frederick/Friedrich. Frederick died June 5 1854 aged 79y 7m 17d which gives a date of birth of October 19, 1774. Baptismal records show that Frederick was baptised in April 1775. Census records also indicate a birth date around 1775. The information in "Over the Blue Mountain" indicates that Valentin was born "about 1744" and that Frederick was born in 1761, presumably when Valentin was 17(?!) notwithstanding also that Frederick is the youngest and third child!! My estimate for Valentine's date of birth is similar to that given in "Over the Blue Mountain", and was arrived at by assuming that Valentin was about 21 when he married and that William was born a year after that - in 1766. This gives a date of 1744 or 1743. I have not yet been able to verify Valentine's burial information. F Richard Turnbach indicates that Valentine was born "about 1744 in Germany?". He added the "?" presumably because Christian Kaupp arriving in America in 1738 does not sit comfortably with Valentine being born in Germany about 1744. I have not been able to identify F Richard Turnbach's source for indicating that Valentine was born in Germany. It is my opinion that the question mark inserted by F Richard Turnbach could equally be associated with Christian Kaupp. It is questionable (ie there is no evidence) that Christian Kaupp is the father of Valentine Kaub and that Valentine could very well have been born in Germany and that his parents arrived in America after 1743-44.

"Catherine KAUP was born 5 Jan 1750 in Upper Saucon Twp. [now Lehigh Co., Pa]. Christened on 20 Jan 1750 in St Paul [Blue] Church Upper Saucon Twp. She married George Peter WEBER. George Peter WEBER was born about 1748. They had a son, George Peter WEBER, Jr. born on 19 Jul 1769 in Salisbury Twp., Lehigh Co., Pa., Christened on 17 August 1769 in Eastern Salisbury Union Church. "
All supported by baptismal records.
"Christian KAUP was born about 1757, probably in now Lehigh Co., Pa. He died in 1805 in Brunswick Twp. He was in the Revolutionary war in 1779 in Capt Whetstone's Brunswick Co.
He married Catherine, who died after 1807 in Brunswick Twp. They had the following children: Anna Maria; Christian, born in Jun 1775 in Brunswick Twp. Christened on 23 Jul 1775 in Zion Church, Christian Kaup and Barbara, the grandparents were sponsors. He married Anna Maria [BENSINGER?], she was born about 1778; [John] Peter, born in Feb 1780, Christened on 9 Apr 1780 in Zion Church, Casper and Eliz. BRACH were sponsors, died about Nov 1850 in Mahoning Twp, Montour C0., Pa. He married Margaretha; John KAUP, born on 23 Dec 1788, died on 21 Jan 1853 in Rush Township, buried in Tamaqua [Dutch Hill?], married Hanna BENSINGER on 9 Aug 1807. Hanna BENSINGER was born in 1788 in Brunswick Twp., died on 8 Jan 1848 in Tamaqua; Jacob KAUP was born about 1790 in Brunswick Twp., he married Elizabeth, they had children baptized at Friedens Little Schuylkill; Andrew KAUP, born before 1791, who also married a woman named Elizabeth, they too had children baptized at Friedens Little Schuylkill; and Michael, who was born on 8 Feb 1793 in Brunswick Twp., Christened on 24 March 1793 in Zion Church, Peter KAUP and Margaretha were sponsors."
My main issue with this is the assumption that Anna Maria is the eldest. This apparently derives from various published summaries of Christian's 1805 will wherein the children are named in this order but I believe that this is not their order of age (see a previous Soapbox). Also I believe that "Eliz. BRACH" is Catherine Elizabeth (Kaub) Weber remarried to Johann Casper Brach.
"[John] Peter KAUP was born in Aug 1759 in now Lehigh Co., Pa. Christened on 3 Sep 1759 in "Salisbury", died on 15 Feb 1838 in East Brunswick Township. He was in the Revolutionary war in 1777/1778 in Capt David Morgan's Co. - Camp Bucks Warwick, and served in Brunswick companies.
He married Maria SCHRATER, and they had the following children: Elizabeth, who married Frederick BENSINGER, Jr.; Mary, wife of George Miller, who died in Ohio; and Margaret, who married Isaac BENSINGER."
I have not studied this branch in as much detail but the baptimal record agrees with the information here.

The major errors in this account are in Valentine's line, which is the one I know most about. However, this account does not address the biggest issue - There is no proof that Christian Kaupp who arrived on the "Snow Fox" is the husband of Barbara, or the father of "Barbara; John Valentin; Catherine; Christian; and John Peter." I suspect Christian Kaupp was adopted in lieu of any other candidates. This is a risky assumption to make.
The message we can take from all this is :- Just because it is in print doesn't make it correct! Even when the source is a well respected one. It must be remembered that if it is an 18th Century record and it is in print then it is a secondary source and subject to errors of interpretation and transcription. Examine critically and interpret what you read. For example, it is clear that Valentine having a third son at the age of 17 is stretching credibility more than a little. It is apparent, however, that someone was christened on 6 Jan 1761, but not Frederick, son of Valentine.
The LDS IGI is an invaluable source but, again, it is a secondary source. It is a great signpost for indicating where you might look for your ancestors. Much of the IGI (as I understand it) is derived from submissions of people's research and there is no way of knowing how careful they have been in making connections. I have come across an example in my own lineage where the pedigree submitted is so far at odds with what the parish records support that I cannot see how the connections have been made, except carelessly and, perhaps, hopefully. A bit like, I suspect, making the leap from "Kaupp" to "Kauff", presumably because Christian Kaupp's signature could perhaps be read as Kauff. This is an extremely shakey foundation upon which to build a pedigree. However, for some, this is enough. For my part I must see the proof or at least a logical argument. Following the "path of least resistence" does not always result in a correct pedigree. I believe that the leap from "Kaupp" to "Kauff" is fantastic - ie the stuff of fantasy.

In the tradition of soapboxes it must be noted that what I express in these pages are merely my opinions.


daryl, august 2004