Discovering My Connection to the Kring Family of Pennsylvania
Sandra Kring Leonard is my 3rd cousin 1x removed. I discovered her through my genealogy research and shared DNA connections. She is the co-author of a wonderfully encyclopedic family history book entitled: "From Sea to Shinning Sea: The Kring Family."
From Sea to Shinning Sea: The Kring Family by Sandra Kring Leonard and Patricia Kring Bickel
As far as I can tell I am not genetically related to the Kring family. However, several of my great-grandmother's (Ida Rhoads Sears) ancestors married into the Kring family. As such, there is quite a bit in this book that is relevant.
Ida's father was John Rhoads (1852-1919). John had a brother, Jacob Rhoads (1855-1929) who married a Catherine Kring (1858-1934). John also had a sister, Elizabeth Rhoads (1866-1947) who married a Lewis Kring (1862-1936). Lastly, John's brother George Washington Rhoads (1868-1929) married a Jennie Kring (1871-1949).
I obtained this book directly from Sandra and she kindly included this informative inscription in the front of the book. I've not been been able to find the book available on line anywhere, but if you are interested I can put you in touch directly with the author in case she has any remaining copies.
Inscription for Sandra Kring Leonard in From Sea to Shinning Sea: The Kring Family
As prodigious as the Pennsylvania Kring and Rhoads families were in the 1800s and early 1900s I wouldn't be surprised at all if more connections emerge!
Case in point: do you remember my Pic of the Week (#17): A boy, his dog, and what I learned about mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)? In it I discussed how I was connected genetically via my maternal line to the contributor of that photograph, Joseph Nowlin. Joe and I struck up a nice genealogy correspondence. He casually mentioned Kring name in his lineage.
I didn't think much of it at the time, because my Kring connection (by marriage) was on my paternal side. Joe and I were connected via our maternal sides (via our mtDNA).
As we dug a little deeper we discovered that Joe was indeed related by blood through the Kring line! We were connected on both sides of our families!
What a small genealogical world we all live in!
I love stories like this. If you have one that you would like to share let me know and I will consider it for a future post.