Christian Kaup (1714) Ancestors
After intensive research by myself and a distant cousin from the Messinger family, we beleive to have found the correct line of Kaups (Kauff) leading back to Hans and Casper Kauff and thier family of Kaub Germany (Pfalz) Rhineland. We stumbled upon this two different ways, I using the internet and years of searching, chat boards and parish record databases, and other written resources, traced the line back to the 1500's and on one wifes side, to the 1200's. I stumbled upon Nancy Messinger through my searching. Turns out she is my grandmothers 3rd cousin. She sent me her research and findings through the mail. To my disbelief her line went back as far as mine, and matched excactly. The difference is, her line had been completed 4 years before mine, and she compiled it by actually traveling to the Rhineland and searching personaly. This is even a better treat...My Grandmother (84 years old) Told us that her Great Grandmother (Ella Rebbeca Kaup Sennett) Used to tell the children stories of the Civil War and better, about the Kaup family. One story she learned from her Grandmother who in turn learned it from her grandparents, was as follows (I will say it exactly as I heard it from my grandmother, as she did from her Great grandmother etc.) "Grandfather Kaup came to America on a sailing ship. He was unlike many immigrants, as they had money and brought with them furniture and personal belongings. Grandfather Kaup was fond of the bottle and this caused problems between him and his wife. He had promised to give up drinking prior to arriving in America, but fell short of this promise on the trip across the Atlantic. His wife had been arguing with him about this when she tossed the family silverware overboard, to spite him." That story got to my Grandmother through only 3 different people! Couldn't have been changed too much! Now here is the kicker, anyone decending from the Kauff's ever hear the one about them possibly being royalty? Or the "Von Kaup (Kaub)" story, being that which the family was noble and wealthy of the town of Kaub? This story was another passed down the generations the same way. The great part is, that the story holds water! Yes its true. During the late 1500's and early 1600's King Rudolph II (brother of Maximilian) was the ruler of the Palantines and for a short period, ruler of the "Holy Roman Empire". This King was strange and not very liked. Because of this, he brought with him everywhere he went his own personal cook, to be assured his food was not poisoned. His cook was by his side for many years and toward the end of his reign, King Rudolph included his cook in the Armorial Bearings, granting him the Royal Coat of Arms, thus instantly making him noble. The cook and his family then took the name of the town as their own "Kaub"
It is beleived that a Casper (Kaspar) was the main cook, however the years do not cooincide with Casper Kauff. However his father Conrad Kaspar and grandfather, Hans Kaspar, may have been called this because of their second name. Regardless, only the family members alive at the time of nobility, took the name of Kauff (Kaub) and are recorded. As to the original last name? Who knows...there were a lot of Kaspars in this family?
So do you have stories similar passed down to you? I would love to hear of them. P.S. I have this line and information on Christian Kaup and how the name may have been mispelled so many ways.
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Re: Christian Kaup (1714) Ancestors
richard Turnbach 10/12/07