Johann George Kiess

     Johann George Kiess was born on 14 May 1752 at Möhringen, Oberamt Stuttgart, Neckarkreis, Württemberg. He was the son of Hans Jacob Kiess and Anna Dorothea Stoltz. Johann George Kiess married, at age 26, Dorothea Gohl, age 22 on Tuesday, 24 November 1778. Johann George Kiess died on 25 January 1828 at Hepburn Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, at age 75 years, 8 months and 11 days.
     He From 'History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania', by John F. Meginness ed., (1990 edition, prepared by Lycoming County Historical Society; Baltimore, MD: Gateway Press, Inc., 1892), p. 1193.

George Kiess was born in Württemberg, Germany about 1752 and immigrated to Williamsport, Pennsylvania in 1804. When he landed in the United States he was the possessor of only .50 cents and coming directly to Williamsport he found employment as a shoemaker and lived there until 1805. He then moved to Hepburn Township where he purchased a small piece of land to which he added at different times as he could pay for it until he owned 137 acres. He was married to Dorothy Gohl and they were the parents of six children. Catharine who married George Waltz, Rachel who married David Young, Dorothy who married William Rote, Betsey who married Jacob Kremer, Roseanna who married Jacob Sweeley and John, their only son. Mr. Kiess was a member of the Dunkard Church and died on his farm in Hepburn Township.

From 'Blooming Grove, A History of the Congregation of German Dunkers', by Joseph McMinn, 1901, page 48.

John George Kiess, the father of Catherine Kiess, who was the wife of John George Waltz, kept the diary of the trip from Möhringen to Philadelphia. When he arrived at Philadelphia he had but fifty cents in money. He worked at his trade (shoemaker) in Williamsport for a year, when he began to buy land in Blooming Grove, in small quantities, as he could pay for it, until he had 137 acres when he settled there. He lies buried in the graveyard at the rear of the Dunker church.

He is listed on the Good Ship Margaret from Amsterdam that arrived in the Port of Philadelphia on September 19, 1804; as having a wife, 5 children, age 52, born in Möhringen, coming from Württemberg, occupation as a farmer, 5 1/2 tall witith yellow hair. He Is marriage date really 1788 instead of 1778 or is birth year wrong. He The following is from the diary of George Kiess during the voyage from Germany to Phiadelphia, June 9 to September 18, 1804. This is taken from 'History of the Kiess Family' pages 45 - 50.

The 9th of June we left Moehringen and stayed all night in Vaingen along the Entz. We were all well, but the departure from our friends affected us very much.
The 10th, we went through Bruchal to Langen Bruecken, where we were entertained very kindly.
The 11th, we spent all night in Saxheim.
The 12th, we spent the night in Aller Heilige, and the 13th we arrived at Frankfort. Here we made
arrangements with the shipmaster, that he should take us to Muiden for 1,275 florins.
The 14th and 15th we stayed in Frankfort.
On the 16th at 7 o'clock a.m., we set sail. The weather was beautiful. The lark played us a concert.
I layed down on the deck. The anchor was my pillow. With all the disturbance outside, there was peace
and rest within me. We sang praise to God, and sailed down the Maine, separated from all people. At 4 o'clock we sailed past Mayence toward Elsfield, where we spent the next night. Many of us slept on the deck. The weather was fine and our people were all well.
On the 17th, at 8:30 a.m. we sailed across Bingerloch. We crossed over safely and sailed to Neuwied, where we spent all night on our ship.
The 18th, we sailed till Kologne. We stayed all night on the German side of the river near Deutz. Today we had windy weather.