The KUNTZI family originated in the lake or Oberland regions of Canton
Bern, Switzerland. This family name has been variously spelled
Kinsey, Kinzie, Kintzi, Kuentzi, Kuntzy, and Kuntzi. Christen KUNTZI's
descendants moved to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania during the 1770s,
to southwest Virginia during the 1780s, and later to Ohio in 1805,
Indiana in 1845 and later to Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and
Louisiana.
From "America Experienced:Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century
Accounts of Swiss Immigrants to the United States" by
Leo Schelbert.
The Kinsey/Kinzie name is the English form of the Swiss name "Kunzi"
or "Kuenzi". It is a family name of the Canton of Berne. Derived, like
"Kunz", from the given name "Kunrat". Research has been done on the
Kinsey/Kinzie families and they have been traced back to the 13th
century. There were burghers[citizens]at Bolligen in the 13th century
,Frutigen,[Adelboden],Konofinge,Seftigen,and Thun. They were a noble
family of the city of Berne,extinct in 1745.
The "Küntzÿ" coat-of-arms is a Blue Fleur-De-Lis in the middle of a
Gold pile rising from the base of the shield;a Gold star on each side
of the point in the upper portion of the shield.
Our ancestor, Christen KUNTZI applied for permission to emigrate to
Pennsylvania on January 21, 1734. The government had agreed and gave
instructions to his commune to let KUNTZI have as much of his property
as he needed for his journey. The place referred to is the hamlet,
Honegg in the commune of Uebeschi, which belongs to the parish of
Thierachern and to the district Thun. There are still KUNTZI's in this
area which is approximately 15 miles southeast of Bern, Switzerland.
At that time in Central Europe, it was considered an act of disloyalty
for a person to leave his country of birth. In fact, in Switzerland
there were several mandates against emigration. However, many Swiss
were compelled to leave due to heavy taxation and religious
oppression. A civil passport was required which stated that the
holder was a person of good character, was debt free, and had paid the
emigration tax. The second document, which was mentioned above, was a
certificate of dismissal from the state church.
Christen KUNTZI received 100 acres in the Oley section of Philadelphia
(now Berks County, Pennsylvania) in March 1734. He added an additional
50 acres in November, 1738 and 50 more in Alsace township in June,
1750. Other land patents were recorded in 1743 and 1759. Oley
township had first been settled by Quakers including the Boones,
Lincolns, and Lees. By 1734, Oley had 34 landowners, most of them
German emigrants who had first settled in the Schoharie valley of New
York. This area had also been settled by Swiss Mennonites and other
German speaking religious sects and was a center of the 'Pennsylvania
Dutch'.
It is not known the original religious affiliation of Christen KUNTZI.
In 1742, the head of the Moravian church in Europe, Count Zinzendorf,
came to America in an attempt to consolidate the many German religious
sects into one organized church. A multi- denominational synod was
held in Germantown, PA which Christian KINTSY attended. Although many
of the 50 attendees listed their affiliation as Tunker, Lutheran,
German Reformed, Mennonite, Moravian, or other, KINTSY did not name
his denomination. It is known that the KINSEY's were active in the
Oley congregation of German Baptists which were commonly known as
Dunkers and now known as the Church of the Brethren. Christen
KUNTZI's son, David, was a minister of the church in 1780, and son,
Christian, was a trustee.
He become a naturalized citizen of the British colony on April 10/11
1761 when a resident of Alsace township, Berks County, PA.
He listed his wife Sarah, his children, and his grandchildren, the
children of his son Johannes in his will.
Records for Christian Kuntzi
Land record: A Christian Kuntzy, on Warrant #43, dated March 2, 1733
, for 100 acres in Oley Hills, Philadelphia Co, surveyed at unknown
date for 100 acres, not patented. Photocopies: Warrant #43, Survey
C-107-25
Land Record: Christian Kinsey, Warrant #26, dated Nov 10 1736 for 50
acres in Oley Twp, Philadelphia Co, surveyed on Mar 31, 1738 for 50
acr 72 perches. Pat on 20 Feb 1743 t0 Christoam Lomseu/ Warrant #26.
survey C-107-46. patent A-12-86.
Land Record: Warrant #187, dated June 4, 1750 to John Hunter for 50
acres in Alsace Twp, Philadelphia (now Berks) Co. Surveyed on 15 May
1751 for 54 ac, 40 perches. Patented to Christian Kinsey on Aug 30,
1759. Photocopies : Warrant #187, Survey R-193, Patent A-20-325.
Order all above from Division of Land Records, Bureau of Archives and
History, William Penn Memorial Museum and Archives Building Bos 1026,
Harrisburg PA 17120.
From "Naturalizations of Foreign Protestants in the American and West
Indian Colonies, edited by M.S. Giuseeppi, published by Gen.
Publishing Co., Baltimore, 1969: "On 10 or 11 April, 1761, Christian
Kinsey, a resident of Alsace Twp., Berks Co., PA was naturalized at
the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania."
Abstract of will: On 23 Mar 1773 Christian Kuntzy of Alsace Twp,
Berks Co, wrote his will, leaving the "land plantation: where
currently reside d in Alsace Twp to his son, David Kuntzy. This land
bordered on the lands of Jacob Sansisicus and Henry Schoneck. His
daughters, Catherina and Maria, his son HENRY and grandson, Henry
Kuntzy, had already received shares of land. Other heirs mentioned:
sons Jacob Kuntzy, Abraham Kuntzy, and Christian Kuntzy, daughter
Magdalena, and children of deceased son Johannes-Johannes, Jacob and
Catherina Kuntzy.
Estate Records of Christian Kuntzy:
1. Renunciation of Executorship of Martin Urner, executor of the will
of Christian Kuntzy of Berks Co., PA on 4 Oct 1774.
2. Inventory and appraisement of the goods and chattels of Christian
Kuntzy of Alsace Twp., Berks Co PA 5 Jun 1775.
Above information reprinted from FOBG newsletter Vol 17 No 4, Winter
1985. Shared by John MacPhee, 1405 Ontario Lane, Apt A, Campbell, CA
95008.
from "A History of the German Baptist Brethren in Europe and America ,
Martin Grove Brumbaugh, Brethren Publishing House, Mount Morris Ill
1899:".. .Oley Congregation-As early as 1732, Peter Becker Preached at
Oley. Among the members.....In 1770 about twelve families were
identified with the Oley congregation...Martin Gaby, Minister and
wife, John Joder, minister , and wife, Conrad Price and wife, David
Price and Wife, David Kinsey and wife, Christian Kinsey and wife,
Peter Kleine, Elizabeth Ellis, Margaret Harpine, Catherine Plank,
Daniel Kleine and wife. At the Little Swatara meeting, 12 August
1780, Martin Gaby was ordained elder of this congregation by Elders
Christopher Sower and Martin Urner. At the same time and place
Brother Daniel Kintzy was ordained to the office of deacon in the Oley
Congregation...." copied by me off the Brethrenrootsweb.com
History of Berks County in PA, Morton L. Montgomery, Everts, Pect and
Richards, Philadelphia 1886 (Carnegie Lib, Pittsburgh) "...In 1807
Martin Gaube conveyed to the "Old Baptist Society" composed of members
in and about the twp of Ruscomb-manor, a lot of ground containing one
acre, and a "House of Divine Worship" thereon erected. This lot is
part of the Price tract. The trustees of the society then were Martin
Gaube, David Kinsey, Christian Kinsey and John Beyler...Among the
members were persons belonging to Kenzie, Reublemoyer, Fiant and Price
Families...." p 1008 (copied off of Brethren@rootsweb.com)
The Brethren Encyclopedia says of the Kintzi (Kinsey, Kinzie) Family:
p 697, vol 2 K-Z: " The Kinzia (Kuntzi) family originated in the lake
or Oberland regions of Canton Bern, Switzerland. A Christen Kuntzi
applied for permission to leave Uebeschi, District of Thun, in the
winter of 1733/34. Christian Kinsey received land in the Oley section
of Philadelphia (now Berks) Co PA in March 1734. In January, 1742, he
represented the Oley congregation at the Annual Meeting in Germantown.
His children included Johannes (died before 1773), David (minister at
Oley), Jacob, Abraham, Magdalena, Christian, Henry, Catharina, and
Maria. Descendants moved to Lancaster Co (1770s) to southwest
Virginia (1789s) , and later to Ohio (1805), Indiana (1845), Missouri,
Kansas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. Family members have continued to be
active in Brethren affairs. Other Brethren Kinseys are descended from
Jacob Kintzy (1869-1851) and his wife, Elizabeth Kemp, who immigrated
to N America about 1795..
re Brethren Encyc article: Ron Flick, 106 E 9th St, Jasper, IN
47546-3000, writes that the article was submitted by Joan E Hlousek
Zuber of Vancouver WA, who stated that "a" Christian Kuntzi.....1733,
citing the Faust and Brumbaugh reference. Joah Zuber appears to be
correct in her location, and Catherine Smith was in error when she
refers to Christian Kuntzli from Bitlen(Biglen). The latter Kuntzli
went to New Bern, NC in 1710. Ron encloses pages from Faust and
Brumbaugh's 18th Century to the American Colonies, p 6-9 which follows
the emigration of Christian Kuntzli, and p 58, which shows the govt
agreement for Christen Kuntzi of Honegg to emigrate to PA; govt
further instructs the parish of Thierachern to let him have as much of
his property as he needs for the journey.

• Married:

1. Johannes Kuntzi b: ABT 1724 in Canton Bern, Switzerland
2. David Kuentzi b: 1726 in Canton Bern, Switzerland
3. Jacob Kuentzi b: 14 JAN 1724/1725 in Canton Bern, Switzerland
4. Abraham Kuentzi b: ABT 1728 in Canton Bern, Switzerland
5. Magdalena Kuntzi b: ABT 1732 in Canton Bern, Switzerland
6. Christian Kuntzi b: ABT 1730 in Canton Bern, Switzerland
7. Henry Kuentzi b: ABT 1742 in Berks Co, PA
8. Catherina Kuentzi b: ABT 1736 in Berks Co, PA
9. Maria Kuentzi b: ABT 1738 in Berks Co, PA

1. Author: Catherine E. Smith
   Title: CHRISTIAN KUNTZI A Genealogy of Kinsey/Kinzie Families in America
   Abbrev: Smith, Catherine, A Genealogy of Kinsey/Kinzie Families in America
   Date: 31 JAN 1999
2. Author: Shirley Keller Mikesell
   Title: Early Settlers of Montgomery Co., OH
   Abbrev: KINSEY-021, Montgomery OH Settlers
   Date: 6 FEB 2000
3. Abbrev: KINSEY - correspondence, Kinsey, Bob, 12/15/97
   Date: 4 SEP 2000
4. Abbrev: KINSEY e-mail, Kinsey, Bob
   Date: 25 OCT 2000
5. Title: e-mail Sharon Mills 8/12/99
   Abbrev: KINSEY-105, Descendants of Christian Kuntzi
   Date: 10 MAR 2001
6. Author: Albert Bernhardt Faust and Gaius Marcus Brumbaugh
   Title: Swiss Emigrants in the Eighteenth Century (KINSEY046)
   Publication: National Genalogical Ssociety
   Abbrev: KINSEY046, Swiss Emigrants
7. Author: Stoudt
   Title: Sunbonnets and Shoofly Pies
   Publication: 1973
   Abbrev: Stoudt, Sunbonnets & Shoofly Pies
8. Title: History of the Church of the Brethren of Eastern District of PA
   Abbrev: KINSEY-048, East PA Brethren
9. Author: Linn
   Title: Persons Naturalized in Pennsylvania 1740-1773
   Publication: Library of Congress Cat# 66-28670
   Abbrev: Linn, PA Naturalization
10. Title: Will Abstracts of Berks Co, PA
    Abbrev: KINSEY084, Berks Co Will Abstracts
11. Abbrev: Kinsey, Robert, Letter, 12/15/97