Twists, Turns, Mysteries and Adventure - The Waldhauer/Walthour Family of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

It was twenty years ago when I took a close look at our Waldhauer (Walthour) line. At the time, I had no idea that this section of the family tree was going to be a mystery filled with so many twists and turns, as well as the hint of adventure.

Trying to unravel the twists in the tree to make some sense was crazy... The same Waldhauer/Walthour line connects into the tree twice! It connects through our great grandmother, Elizabeth Rachel Kunkle.

Elizabeth's father was Samuel Kunkle (gg grandfather) and his mother was Anna Maria Catherina Walthour (ggg grandmother.) She was the daughter of George Jacob Walthour (gggg grandfather) who was part of the family who emigrated from Germany and the focus of the story.

The Waldhauer/Walthour family connects again through our great grandmother, Elizabeth Rachel Kunkle. Elizabeth's mother was Mary Ann Krock (Alexander) Kunkle our gg grandmother. Her mother was Mary Elizabeth Walthour (Krock, Bair) our ggg grandmother. Her father was Jacob Walthour (gggg grandfather). Jacob is Anna Mara Catherina's sister (the ggg grandmother listed above). Jacob's father is George Jacob Walthour (ggggg grandfather.)

This makes George Jacob Walthour the common ancestor. He is both our (4th) gggg grandfather and he is our (5th) ggggg grandfather.

So, basically, Anna Mara Catherine Walthour and Jacob Walthour are brother and sister.

Elizabeth Rachel Kunkle's mom and dad both descend from George Jacob, son, of Johann Caspar!

The mystery began when I spotted a paragraph in a newsletter stating that when the Waldhauer family of Westmoreland County emigrated, their ship was taken over by pirates. They were diverted to the Carolinas where they were put off the ship to swim ashore. The family Bible was their only possession and is now on display at the Greensburg Historical Society. Part of the family made their way to Pennsylvania while the others made their home in Georgia.

Was this true? Or was it a report that was the result of many years of playing “telephone”? It was time to search for the answer.

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