Explore Your Family History with Kessler Family History

Kessler, Keslar, & Kesler Family History

According to the ancient Egyptians, a man dies twice: first when his soul leaves his body, and for a second time when his name is no longer spoken on earth. (Wall Street Journal Feb 7, 2019)

Family Tree

This site was developed to help descendants of Johann George Bernhard Kessler identify their ancestors, read about events and perspectives of each generation, and contribute stories, photos, and other artifacts so that we can build a living history that can be accessed by future generations. Your last name might be spelled Kessler, Keslar, or Kesler, but these variations do not change the fact that many of us are genetically related to Johann George Bernhard Kessler (1711-1792) and his Swiss wife, Anna Catherine Hauswirth (1714-1768).

This home page provides some insight regarding the family, site, those that have contributed and other similar information.

Links are included to each of the "Chapters" that have been developed describing European history, emigration to America, and movement of successive generations.

You can also select the FAMILY TREE option to better see track your potential relationships over the generations.

Welcome to the
Kessler~Keslar~Kesler
Family History

Family Tree

Note: This site is under construction. For the complete website containing the family history, please go to:

Tom's Wordpress Family History Site

Site Layout

The site is divided into chapters that discuss various topics (European history, immigration, the Family’s homesteading years), Andreas’ children, and their descendants.

A genealogical database (MS Excel) has been developed to accompany the content of this site and readers and encouraged to obtain it (see Related Family History and Artifact Sites) to use for reference purposes. Each family member has been assigned a unique numeric designation and that designation is included below and throughout for identification purposes. The numbers start with Johann George Bernhard Kessler and add a decimal position for each successive generation.

Readers are encouraged to read the Research Notes page. Included there are links to related blogs and resources. A most valuable resource is the spreadsheet that was developed and refined (over several years) and includes an Excel version of a hierarchical family tree. This is an important basis for tracking our ancestors and their U.S. Census entries over the years. Also included on that page are notes describing issues, problems, and questions that were encountered in conducting the research that is written about in this genealogical narrative.

For others considering trying to extend the research, there are a few words of warning. There are many, many Kessler lines and many are not interconnected. A few years back I participated in a genealogical activity by taking a DNA test. The results of the DNA test, which my brother, Ed, had already realized via his research, was that our family was descended from Johann George Bernhard Kessler. Other contemporary Kessler men who took the test are not related to me or our line. So please be cautious in trying to introduce Kessler history into our line of research – check and double check the facts before adding new people or relationships.

Welcome to the family history site for those families with the surname of Kessler, Keslar, and Kesler who are descended from Johann George Bernhard Kessler (1711-1792) and his son, Andreas Kessler/Keslar (1746-1809).

The purpose of this site is to present an extensive family tree and associated detailed narrative describing the genealogical history of Andreas Keslar/Kesler/Kessler and three lines of his descendants

— Those who initially remained in Frederick County, Maryland,

— Those who traveled with him in 1796 from Jefferson Township, Maryland to Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, and

— Those that relocated to Botetourt County, Virginia.

The contents of this site focus on the family history including our European heritage through the time that the family arrived in the American colonies in 1751 and continuing through present time. The family’s European roots are also presented with as much detail as was possible to obtain or surmise.

Johann Georg Bernhard Kessler had five children: Johannes (1742-1826), Isaac (1744-1747), Andreas (1746-1809), Susanna Catherine (1749-unknown), and Anna Margaretha (1753-1831). Isaac died in infancy before the family left Germany. Little is known about Johannes, Susanna Catherine, and Anna Margaretha. Since most of us are descendants of Andreas, much more is known about his life and that of his offspring. Consequently, this site focuses on this group.

There are a number of adult Kessler family members living in Frederick and Washington counties in Maryland in the 1790s that are likely not offspring of Andreas given their ages in the 1790 and 1800 U.S. Census. It is possible that these individuals are children of Andreas’ older brother, Johannes. It is also possible that other family members such as uncles or cousins came before, at the same time, or after Johann. Given the paucity of records from the pre-U.S. Census era, it is likely not possible to resolve the mystery of who these persons were.

Acknowledgments

There are many volunteers who serve or have served as Kessler family genealogical custodians. They include Karen Kessler Cottrill (kesslerwv@aol.com), Judi Spencer (judispencr@aol.com) and Conrad Riffle (e-mail address unknown 5355 Donner Dr., Clinton, OH 44216). These individuals published a Kessler Family Newsletter in the 1990s. There is also a group that holds annual “family reunions” in western Pennsylvania.

The content contained herein is not fictional. The facts and information were created by those who lived the lives described in these pages.

But several people worked very hard over many years doing genealogical research and much of their efforts are reflected in this family history. Therefore, they are cited below.

In deciding how to write this document initial consideration was given to including a lot of citations, but using that approach resulted in a somewhat “choppy” and difficult to read narrative. So, it was necessary to backtrack and develop a more fluid and cohesive narrative rather than present specific excerpts from different sources. So, you will find that the content is not cited in a manner that might be used by a scholarly article. For those interested in original source content they must consult the associated hard copy documentation available along with this manuscript.

The following individuals made significant contributions based on years of effort and research:

Edgar Franklin Kessler III
Karen Lynne Kessler
Judi Spencer
Conrad Riffle
Edna Kanely
Dennis Kastens
Vance Keslar
Rich Kesler

Please enjoy the content of this document. You can be proud of comin g from an interesting heritage. I always believed that if we don’t occasionally revisit the lives of our ancestors then their lives are without meaning. We can honor and respect them by appreciating what they experienced, how they lived, and the events that led to our being here. Our history is in the past, but those of you who represent future generations of our family are in the process of creating history for those who follow.

Dedication

Edgar (Ed) Franklin Kessler III was my brother. He spent many years starting in the 1970s working on genealogical research and compiled a vast amount of interesting family information and documentation, some of which he shared with his siblings and some which he never had an opportunity to do so before his untimely death at the age of 62 in 2009. I feel the pain of his loss every day as he was our family leader and the source of inspiration for all of his younger siblings and family, and those with whom he came in contact.

In his honor I have prepared this family history narrative as well as a detailed Ancestry.com “family-tree.” The tree is also maintained/synchronized in my personal copy of Family Tree Maker software. Our family history is interesting and spans all of the major events in U.S. history. Our European history is more difficult to reconstruct, but some work has been done in that regard. The U.S. history is easier, except for the earliest years, because of various data sources such as births, marriages, deaths, and census records.

You Can Help

NOTE: The Kessler/Keslar/Kesler lines are extensive, since the family has been in America for over 250 years. I continue to work on this Blog, adding U.S. Census data and family members as I go. But it is a long (and tedious) process. So, if information about your ancestors has not yet been added, please be patient. Also, I would love to hear from you about your memories, relatives and stories. I especially like to add photos to our Ancestry.com family tree. This information will be around even after we are gone, so please help by contacting me at kesslertg@gmail.com …. Thank you, cousins. : )

If ANYONE in the family is interested in helping with some of this research, please let me know and I will help you get started.

In particular, the most valuable way you can help is by identifying mistakes and letting me know (kesslertg@gmail.com) and contributing photos (any and all), narrative describing your memories — parents, grandparents, growing up, family lore. I will incorporate it here and it will outlive all of us in this family repository.