FIRST GENERATION

1. Joseph/Josef CLINGENPEEL/KLINGELBIEL Senior (1)(2) (3) was born in 1756 in Herford, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. According to German military records, Joseph Klingelbiehl was born in Eichsfeld, a small town not found on modern maps near Herford. He died about 1840 in , Franklin, VA.
Josef Klingelbiel or Klingelbiehl changed the spelling of his name to Joseph Clingenpeel. Another common spelling was "Clinginbill."
* Kling translates as clink or ding in German.
* Klingel translates as the noun bell or the verb to ring door bells in German.
* Biehl may be a version of the German "buhl" which translates as hill or low nole.
Joseph Clingenpeel, Sr. came to the United States as a Hessian soldier to fight for the British in the American Revolution. "Hessians" was the name given by Americans to all 30,000 mercenary troops because the largest number came from the German state of Hesse. However, these troops were hired fighters and many came from throughout Europe to gain employment in Germany. Joseph was a an expert rifleman who served as a private in Courier-Corps 5.
At any rate, Joseph and many of his fellow Hessians surrendered after the Battle of Trenton on 26 December 1776. German records state he deserted on 24 August 1778.
In the 1780s Pennsylvania tax records in Berks County and, later, in Chester County listed a Joseph Clingambiel, Clinganbill and Clinginpeal. It is likely that the different spellings all referred to Joseph Clingenpeel. There are no further listings in Pennsylvania for Joseph, and he does not appear on the 1790 census in either state.
In 1795 Joseph and his wife, Sophia, bought a farm in Augusta County, Virginia. In 1801 they moved to Franklin County, Virginia.
Donald Clyngenpeel has information that Joseph Clingenpeel and Sophy had a son, Nathaniel, that was born in Franklin County, Virginia in 1792. Because this date is nine years before they moved to Franklin County, Virginia, I have not considered the information reliable. I entered it here in case it can be explained some way with additional information.
Son Peter Clingenpeel inherited the bulk of Joesph's holdings and remained in Virginia. The rest of the family apparently immigrated west to Preble County, Ohio around 1826.

He was married to Sophia about 1780 in , Chester, PA. Sophia(4) was born about 1766. (5) Judy Richardson Clingenpee listed Joseph Clingenpeel's wife as "Elizabeth." Joseph/Josef CLINGENPEEL/KLINGELBIEL Senior and Sophia had the following children:

child+2 i. John CLINGENPEEL.
child+3 ii. George B. CLINGENPEEL Senior.
child+4 iii. Jonathan CLINGENPEEL.
child+5 iv. Jacob CLINGENPEEL.
child+6 v. Joseph CLINGENPEEL Junior.
child+7 vi. Sophia CLINGENPEEL.
child+8 vii. Elizabeth CLINGENPEEL.
child+9 viii. Daniel David CLINGENPEEL.
child+10 ix. Peter C. CLINGENPEEL.
child+11 x. Susannah CLINGENPEEL.

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