Georg  Kunkel,  the  founder  of  a  pioneer  family  of  Albany  township,  Berks
county,  lived  near  Wessnersville,  on  land  now  occupied  by  one  of  his  descend-
ants, Nathan  Kunkel.  Georg  Kunkel  (also  spelled  Kunckell  and  Kungel),
a  native  of  Germany,  located  in  Albany  township  some  time  prior  to  1754,
and  it  appears  that  he  reared  a  large  family.  In  Rupp's  History  of  Berks
county  (1886),  his  name  appears  on  the  list  of  taxables  of  1756  as  "George
Kunckell."  In  1759,  according  to  Montgomery's  History  of  Berks  County
(1886),  his  name  is  listed  as  George  Kungel;  in  the  latter  year  he  paid  a  tax
of  six  pounds.  At  the  Kunkel  homestead  is  an  old  grandfather's  clock  that
bears  the  date  of  1772.  It  was  brought  into  this  house  at  the  same  time  the
house  was  being  built,  and  is  the  workmanship  of  George  Miller,  of  German-
town.  It  has  kept  good  time  all  these  years.  On  the  brass  face  appear  the
letters  "1.  G.  K."  The  Kunkel  tract  has  been  in  the  family  name  since  1754.
Georg  Kunkel  was  a  farmer,  and  his  farm  has  been  divided  and  sub-divided


SCHUYLKILL  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA  745

since  his  time.  His  land  at  one  time  included  all  the  upper  end  of  Stony  Run.
He  is  buried  at  Wessnersville.     His  children  were  George  and  Peter.
