Kugler Surname

The Kugler surname originates in Germany. Various online etymologies suggest that the name is an occupational name, and refers to either 1) the maker of bullets or ammunition or 2) the maker of hooded coats or cowls. The spelling of the name has varied in surviving records, including: Kugler, Koogler, Kooglar, Cugler, Cooglar, Kuckler, Kukler, Koagler, etc. It seems that Kugler was the most typical German spelling, while many branches of the family eventually adopted the official spelling as Koogler.

This family was first found in 1762 in the village of Gommersheim, in the Rhineland-Palatine state of western Germany (at the time, this was known as just the Palatinate; which was ruled by Bavaria). Although we don't know where the family was living before 1762, my guess is that they were from not far away, just east of the Rhine River, in either Baden or Wurttemberg. All of these areas were part of the Rhine River Valley, a wine producing region.

1st Generation:

Johann Jacob Kugler was born in about 1739 in Germany. He died sometime between 1788 and 1790 in Pennsylvania.

He was first found on any record in 1762, when he was married to Eva Catharina Neuhaus in Gommersheim, Palatinate, Germany. Although his wife was born and raised in Gommersheim; there is no evidence that Jacob was. The couple were documented in Gommersheim between 1762 and 1769, where they had 4 children baptized. In 1771, he emigrated with his family to America. They sailed on a ship named "Betsey" which arrived in Philadelphia from London in December 1771. (They immigrated in the same ship with his wife's sister Sophia Margaretha and her husband Paulus Bauersachs.) They might have briefly lived in New Jersey or in Philadelphia, but by 1774 they had settled farther inland in Pennsylvania. Between 1774 and 1788, he was listed variously as a resident of Milford Township in Bucks County; Lower Milford Township in Bucks (now Lehigh County); and Frederick Township in Philadelphia (now Montgomery) County. During these years, he and his family made use of the nearby churches in Trumbauersville (in Milford Township) and also in Old Goshenhoppen (in Upper Salford Township, adjacent to Frederick Township). All of these areas were relatively close to each other and within about a 15 mile radius.
He always went by his middle name, Jacob. He was an innkeeper and tavernkeeper.
Sometime between 1788 and 1790, the family moved west to Northumberland County, Pennsylvania (now part of Centre County). It is not clear if Jacob died before, or after, the move. In 1790, his widow was the head of the household in the census of that year. Some online family histories provide his death place as Somerset County, Pennsylvania; but there is no evidence that any of the family ever lived there. Somerset County didn't even exist then (it would have been part of Bedford County at the time).

He married Eva Catharina Neuhaus on July 24, 1762 in Gommersheim, Sudliche Weinstrasse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany ². She was born on March 31, 1741 in Gommersheim, Sudliche Weinstrasse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany ². She was baptized on April 3, 1741 in Gommersheim, Sudliche Weinstrasse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany ². She died after 1820 in Beavercreek Twp., Greene Co., Ohio.

Father: Johann Georg Neuhaus
Mother: Maria Elisabetha Henrich
She always went by her middle name, Catherine. In 1790, she was most likely the "Widow Kugler" enumerated in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. They were most likely in Penn Township in what is now Centre County. There, her son Adam was listed on personal property tax lists between 1791 and 1794. Sometime between 1790 and 1794, Catherine had remarried to a widower named George Harner who lived nearby. In about 1794, the entire family moved west to the Northwest Territory, near what is now Cincinnati, Ohio. There, they moved to a German settlement called "New Germany" (at what is now Camp Dennison on the Little Miami River, in Hamilton County). They remained there for a few years before moving to Greene County, Ohio in about 1800. There, they lived at another settlement called "New Germany" in Beavercreek Township (now within the city of Beavercreek). Catherine was last described on multiple deeds in January 1816. Catherine probably died there between 1820 and 1830.

They had the following known children:

1 Johann Adam Kugler was born on November 9, 1762 in Gommersheim, Sudliche Weinstrasse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. He died before November 23, 1815 in Bath Twp., Greene Co., Ohio.
He married Agnes McClannegan on November 6, 1790 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania.
They had 5 children: Jacob, Samuel, Margaret, Sarah, and Mary.

2 Anna Margaretha Kugler was born on June 15, 1765 in Gommersheim, Sudliche Weinstrasse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. She died after 1771.
Margaret and her brother Adam were both apprenticed to William Todd after the family arrived in Philadelphia in 1771. No further information.

3 Maria Christina Kugler was born on April 28, 1767 in Gommersheim, Sudliche Weinstrasse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.

4 Maria Elisabetha Kugler was born on August 2, 1769 in Gommersheim, Sudliche Weinstrasse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.

5 Sarah Kugler was born on November 20, 1770 ⁵ or on November 20, 1772 ⁸ at an unknown location*. She died on May 1, 1872** in Bath Township, Greene Co., Ohio. She is buried in the Byron Cemetery, Bath Twp., Greene Co., Ohio.
She married Johannes "John" Harner circa 1795.
They had 8 children: George, Catherine, Sarah, John, Jacob, Simon, Daniel and Rebecca.
* Sarah's birthplace is unknown, and has been listed in different records as Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Germany. If her birthdate was really in 1770, then she must have been born somewhere in Germany - although her baptism was not recorded in Gommersheim along with her other siblings. However if her birthdate was in 1772 (which is more likely), then she was probably born in Pennsylvania or New Jersey.
**Although her tombstone records her death year as 1873, contemporary obituaries actually prove she died in 1872 ^7.

6 Johannes Kugler was born on September 7, 1774 ³ in Pennsylvania. He was baptized on Oct 16, 1774 in Trumbauersville, Bucks Co., Pennsylvania ³. He died before March 14, 1775 in Pennsylvania. He was buried on March 14, 1775 in Old Goshenhoppen, Upper Salford Twp., Philadelphia (now Montgomery) Co., Pennsylvania ⁴.

7 Margareth Barbara Kugler was born on December 21, 1775 ³ in Pennsylvania. She was baptized on May 12, 1776 in Trumbauersville, Bucks Co., Pennsylvania ³.
This child would probably have gone by her middle name, Barbara. Nothing else about her is known.

8 Anna Catharina Kugler was born on December 15, 1777 ³ in Pennsylvania. She was baptized on May 17, 1778 in Trumbauersville, Bucks Co., Pennsylvania ³.
This child would probably have gone by her middle name, Catharina/Catherine. Nothing else about her is known. A wild guess is that she could have been the same person as Catherine (1777-1873), who married Jacob Crobarger - more research is needed.

9 Mathias Kugler was born on February 12, 1780 in Pennsylvania. He died on March 7, 1854 ⁶ in Clermont Co., Ohio. He was buried in the Waldschmidt Cemetery, Camp Dennison, Hamilton Co., Ohio.
He married Catharine Elizabeth Waldschmidt on January 22, 1799 in New Germany, Hamilton Co., Ohio.
They had 12 children: Catherine, Catherine, Jacob, Christian, John, Sarah, Elizabeth, Catherine, Christena, David, Mathias, and Jacob.

10 Johann Jacob Koogler was born on April 22, 1784 ⁴ in Pennsylvania. He was baptized on August 8, 1784 at Old Goshenhoppen Church, Upper Salford Twp., Montgomery Co., Pennsylvania ⁴. He died on September 12, 1870 in Beavercreek Twp., Greene Co., Ohio. He is buried in the Byron Cemetery, Bath Twp., Greene Co., Ohio.
He married Kunigunda "Kinla" Harner on March 6, 1804 in Greene Co., Ohio.
They had 11 children: George, Simon, Catherine, Sarah, Mary, Solomon, Jacob, Samuel, George, Matthias and John.
He is sometimes listed with the name "Josiah Jacob Koogler", which probably derives from the 1850 census when he was enumerated as "Josiah Koogler". However the name Josiah was likely just an error, as there is no evidence that the name was ever used (and would have been a very unusual choice for German-Americans at the time). Instead, a plethora of contemporary records indicate he only used the name Jacob, and his baptism record provides his original baptismal name as "Johann Jacob".

Sources:

1. Online family trees
2. Church registers, Gommersheim, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
3. Church registers, Christ Lutheran Church, Trumbauersville, Bucks Co., PA
4. Church registers, Old Goshenhoppen Church [at the time a joint Lutheran and Reformed church], Montgomery Co., PA
5. Tombstone inscriptions, Byron Cemetery, Greene Co., OH
6. Tombstone inscriptions, Waldschmidt Cemetery, Hamilton Co., OH
7. Death notice of Sarah Harner, Fayette County Herald [Washington Court House, OH], May 23, 1872, Pg. 1
8. Newspaper article about Sarah Harner, Xenia [OH] Semi-Weekly Gazette, Mar. 15, 1870, Pg. 1

1	Johann Adam Kugler was born on November 9, 1762 in Gommersheim, Sudliche Weinstrasse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. He died before November 23, 1815 in Bath Twp., Greene Co., Ohio. He married Agnes McClannegan on November 6, 1790 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania. They had 5 children: Jacob, Samuel, Margaret, Sarah, and Mary.
2	Anna Margaretha Kugler was born on June 15, 1765 in Gommersheim, Sudliche Weinstrasse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. She died after 1771. Margaret and her brother Adam were both apprenticed to William Todd after the family arrived in Philadelphia in 1771. No further information.
3	Maria Christina Kugler was born on April 28, 1767 in Gommersheim, Sudliche Weinstrasse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
4	Maria Elisabetha Kugler was born on August 2, 1769 in Gommersheim, Sudliche Weinstrasse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
5	Sarah Kugler was born on November 20, 1770 ⁵ or on November 20, 1772 ⁸ at an unknown location. She died on May 1, 1872* in Bath Township, Greene Co., Ohio. She is buried in the Byron Cemetery, Bath Twp., Greene Co., Ohio. She married Johannes "John" Harner circa 1795. They had 8 children: George, Catherine, Sarah, John, Jacob, Simon, Daniel and Rebecca. * Sarah's birthplace is unknown, and has been listed in different records as Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Germany. If her birthdate was really in 1770, then she must have been born somewhere in Germany - although her baptism was not recorded in Gommersheim along with her other siblings. However if her birthdate was in 1772 (which is more likely), then she was probably born in Pennsylvania or New Jersey. **Although her tombstone records her death year as 1873, contemporary obituaries actually prove she died in 1872 ^7.
6	Johannes Kugler was born on September 7, 1774 ³ in Pennsylvania. He was baptized on Oct 16, 1774 in Trumbauersville, Bucks Co., Pennsylvania ³. He died before March 14, 1775 in Pennsylvania. He was buried on March 14, 1775 in Old Goshenhoppen, Upper Salford Twp., Philadelphia (now Montgomery) Co., Pennsylvania ⁴.
7	Margareth Barbara Kugler was born on December 21, 1775 ³ in Pennsylvania. She was baptized on May 12, 1776 in Trumbauersville, Bucks Co., Pennsylvania ³. This child would probably have gone by her middle name, Barbara. Nothing else about her is known.
8	Anna Catharina Kugler was born on December 15, 1777 ³ in Pennsylvania. She was baptized on May 17, 1778 in Trumbauersville, Bucks Co., Pennsylvania ³. This child would probably have gone by her middle name, Catharina/Catherine. Nothing else about her is known. A wild guess is that she could have been the same person as Catherine (1777-1873), who married Jacob Crobarger - more research is needed.
9	Mathias Kugler was born on February 12, 1780 in Pennsylvania. He died on March 7, 1854 ⁶ in Clermont Co., Ohio. He was buried in the Waldschmidt Cemetery, Camp Dennison, Hamilton Co., Ohio. He married Catharine Elizabeth Waldschmidt on January 22, 1799 in New Germany, Hamilton Co., Ohio. They had 12 children: Catherine, Catherine, Jacob, Christian, John, Sarah, Elizabeth, Catherine, Christena, David, Mathias, and Jacob.
10	Johann Jacob Koogler was born on April 22, 1784 ⁴ in Pennsylvania. He was baptized on August 8, 1784 at Old Goshenhoppen Church, Upper Salford Twp., Montgomery Co., Pennsylvania ⁴. He died on September 12, 1870 in Beavercreek Twp., Greene Co., Ohio. He is buried in the Byron Cemetery, Bath Twp., Greene Co., Ohio. He married Kunigunda "Kinla" Harner on March 6, 1804 in Greene Co., Ohio. They had 11 children: George, Simon, Catherine, Sarah, Mary, Solomon, Jacob, Samuel, George, Matthias and John. He is sometimes listed with the name "Josiah Jacob Koogler", which probably derives from the 1850 census when he was enumerated as "Josiah Koogler". However the name Josiah was likely just an error, as there is no evidence that the name was ever used (and would have been a very unusual choice for German-Americans at the time). Instead, a plethora of contemporary records indicate he only used the name Jacob, and his baptism record provides his original baptismal name as "Johann Jacob".