20 Jul 1843 – 12 Jan 1918
Christopher’s 2nd great-grandfather · ancestor no. 18 · generation 5
Evidence: identity documented
Family
- Spouse: Magdalena Slabaugh (1847–1925)
- Family notes: Samuel Kuhns + Magdalena Slabaugh (m. 1863)
- Children in this vault: Maggie Mae Kuhns (1890–1970)
Life and evidence
Lived in Ohio, Indiana, Kansas, and from 1892 Oklahoma. Married Magdalena Slabaugh; no other known wife.
Parents found (2026-10-31)
Born in Holmes County, Ohio (his obituary, Gospel Herald, Jan 1918). Son of Samuel Kuhns and Mary Shank (Byler - Amish Immigrants of Waldeck and Hesse (1993)); brothers Elias, Leonard, Joseph and others. His father came from Somerset County, Pennsylvania, where Michael Troyer Sr. (another of Christopher’s ancestors) also lived. Joined the Mennonite Church in 1871.
Where they lived
- 1864 — Walnut Creek
- 1890 — McPherson County (Kansas)
- 1892 — Manchester (Oklahoma)
In their lifetime
- 1852 — 1852 Swiss Mennonites found Berne, Indiana
- 1869 — 1869 The Fieguths move from Prussia to Am Trakt
- 1874 — 1874 Military service ends the exemptions
Conflicts
- Marriage 1863 (his obituary) vs 1864 (hers)
- Children: ‘4 sons and 6 daughters’ (obituaries) vs 11 (1912 book)
Sources
- MennObits (Gospel Herald and Herald of Truth obituaries)
- Descendants of Jacob Hochstetler (1912)
- Obituary, Gospel Herald, Jan 1918
Narratives and research
- History: 1852 Swiss Mennonites found Berne, Indiana, 1869 The Fieguths move from Prussia to Am Trakt, 1874 Military service ends the exemptions
- Sources: Descendants of Jacob Hochstetler (1912), MennObits (Gospel Herald and Herald of Truth obituaries)
Open questions
- Birth year 1843 (obituary) vs c.1840 (Byler 1993; an online tree gives 20 Jul 1840) — his mother reportedly died Jan 1842
- Marriage 1863 (his obituary) vs 1864 (hers)
- Children: ‘4 sons and 6 daughters’ (obituaries) vs 11 (1912 book)
Record compiled 31 October 2026.
About this research
Supporting documentation is linked throughout. This project is an exercise in AI-assisted research and development, and I haven’t manually verified every link or conclusion. All transcriptions and translations of Swiss parish records were made with AI, and their accuracy should be treated accordingly.