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The father of my immigrant ancestor Abraham Tunes, was my eighth great Grandfather Anthonius Klincken and his wife, whom lived at (Klincken-Hof) in Bettrath-Hoven, M�nchengladbach, Germany in the late 17th century. They had two known sons Abraham and Aret (Arnold) Klincken. Abraham was a linen weaver. Before coming to the USA in 1683 with the original 13 settlers to Germantown, Philadelphia, he married Beatrix Boetzen Luckens. As was tradition of the time, being the oldest son, he took his fathers first name, Anthonius, which has now been spelled Thonis, and anglicized it into TEUNES, and TUNES. Abraham Tunes is how it was spelled till the time of his death which was somewhere about 1728. Abraham and Beatrix had five children, all of their births recorded in Abington Friends Meeting records. The oldest son William finally settled with the last name spelled TENNIS, and settled in Towamencin township, Montgomery co., Pa. The second son Anthony spelled his last name TUNIS, and settled first in Somerhausen, or Chestnut Hill area, before relocating on the opposite side of the Schuylkill river in Lower Merion township. The only child bearing daughter Alice (Aeltie) spelled her last name of record as TUNES (same as her father). Alice married Jacob Levering and settled in the vicinity of what is known today as Manayunk. See my first link below for more information at Nelson R. Tennis Family Tree.
In 1684 Abraham Tunes's brother Aret Klincken came to America with his wife Niske Agnes Jensen, and was the first family to erect a two story house. William Penn and his agents, and family were present for the first dinner at Aret Klincken's Homestead. This house stood till about 1850 and the location was on the SE corner of Tulpehoken st., and Germantown Avenue. Aret and Niske had two daughters Ellen and Eunicke, and one son Anthony who was known as quite a hunter and fisherman. A story in Watson's Annals tells of Anthony Klincken standing in the Wissahickon Creek, and catching fish with his bare hands.
http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=nelsontennis&id=I599
My second link below of Lower Merion Historical Society has the Joseph Price Diary online. Click on "full text resources" at top right column to view The Joseph Price Diary. His diary writings will take you back to the day. These are Joseph's status updates (LOL). He was quite connected to the Richard Tunis family. They were both active with Merion Friends Meeting
http://www.lowermerionhistory.org/
My third link is to a website that includes some Tennis descendents of William Tennis, born 1743. William was the first son of John & Mary Tennis who moved from Montgomery county to Juniata county, Pennsylvania sometime before 1750.
http://tennismills.org/index.htm
I have been fortunate enough to locate the place of residence of Abraham & Beatrix in Germany in 1683. The house of that time stood till replacement in about 1897. That house of 1897 still stands today, one of only six, to survive the bombings of both World Wars. The property is still owned by Klinken family descendents to this day.
The reason for our ancestors to emigrate, was Prussia's intolerance and persecution of Anabaptist (Mennonite), and people of Quaker faith. Catholicism and followers of Martin Luther (Lutherans) were permitted to stay.
Keep checking back for updates and revisions as I gain more knowledge from our cousins here in USA, down under in Australia, and across the Atlantic to the Nordrhein-Wesphalin area of Germany.