Reunion Recaps and Secretary Records from the Kolb-Kulp-Culp Reunions

We had a great turnout to the Kolb, Kulp, Culp Reunion 2025 held on Sunday, June 8^th and understand some of you could not attend were there in spirit! It was so nice to see the many familiar faces, plus we also had a number of new attendees as well.  I just wish I had more time to talk with each of you.  So, I just wanted to send out a short recap of events:

It was a nice day, not too warm and comfortable in the Social Hall.  We had 57 people attend.

We had travelers from Ontario, Florida, Georgia and several from Bridgeville, Allegheny County, PA.  We remembered those who could no longer be with us, including Lamar Kolb’s wife Martha, a regular attendee who passed away on March 6^th, 2025.  Jack had also spoken Lucy and Robert Kern, who said they were very sad not to be able to attend the reunion this year, but were thinking about us.

Kathy and Allen Kratz provided us a great “groaning board” as usual, plus attendees provided a number of extra side dishes and desserts.

For the reunion secretary’s report, Jack noted the email list is up to 151 names and the physical mailing list has 188.   This year, instead of sending a printed mailing to all on the mailing list, he sent a postcard out to 78 of those whom we had not had any contact with for 15 + years, requesting they contact us if they still wanted to remain on our list.  He did hear back from a few, but the remainer will be removed from the list for next year’s reunion mailing.

Jack spoke that the website now has all documents from the Family Record Book with an index.  He also asked for assistance in researching and writing articles, specifically:

1. Learn more about the early Kolb settlers listed on the Arrival of Kolbs in Pennsylvania in the Family Record Book …we know about the Dielman Kolb line, the George Michael and Casper Kolbs, but there were many others. Who are they and where did they settle?  See the.
2. We have a diminishing resource out there…all those reunion members who have attended for many years…what are their recollections, their living history. Get that written down or recorded for posterity.  If you have any old recordings of the reunions, please let me know.
3. Do any research you are interested in, write something up and send it to me to send out to the group. Also, if you have any questions that might be answered.
4. If you read something interesting, you can contribute writing that up as well.

Our treasurer, Mark Moyer, announced that over last year we took in approximately $1212 for the reunion, with expenses of $1619, with a net loss of $407.  But we still have a decent financial base in savings.  Mugs and shirts are available, but we are out of tiles.  Presently, Mark does not see a demand to place a new order from Peace Valley Tile, which still has the molds.

The current officers were nominated and elected to continue serving in their respective positions (but we would welcome help in any capacity):  President and VP-Vacant; Treasurer-Mark Moyer; Secretary-Jack Oberholtzer; Genealogist-Donna Gerber; Music-Carol Wenger.

Carol Wenger also led us in music before the groaning board, during the offering and, unfortunately, in the rush to close up, neglected our benediction.

Rodney Kulp gave a wide-ranging presentation on the Kolb/Kulp Family from Meckesheim, including his ancestry tracing back to George Michael Kolb and beyond.  George Michael and his brothers, Melchior and Peter, arrived in Philadelphia on 11 September 1738 aboard the ship Robert and Alice*. They soon settled in New Hanover Township, now in Montgomery County, where George established the Kolb/Kulp Wheelwright shop that was in operation through the generations from 1738 until 1931! Rodney showed many photos of the people, maps, documents, as well as those of the carriages and wagons they built over almost 200 years.  He also displayed a wheelbarrow, several paintings and many photos of the people and shop.  Rodney has published a book on his family research and the wheelwright shop, “The Kolb/Kulp Family of Meckesheim” which is available through him for purchase (his email is mrbigbear@aol.com).

Audio and video of the business meeting and Rodney’s presentation, plus photos and Rodney’s presentation have placed on Google Docs.  You access to those files through the following link:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1fow4YbEFiKcrTo9Y-3ziiDocZJraR-WI?usp=share_link

If you have trouble accessing these documents, please let me know.  That’s about it for now.  If you have any questions, want to offer some time to help, etc., please contact me and I will be glad to help you out.  Be on the look-out for an email each month.  I also hope to get a recording of the speaker available at some time as well.

Many thanks for those making donations and Mark, Carol, Donna, Tina, Doug and Brian for their advice and work in helping putting the reunion together!  Looking forward to seeing you next year on 14 June 2026!

Many thanks to those who were able to attend the Kolb, Kulp, Culp Reunion 2024 held on Sunday, June 9^th and those who could only be there in spirit! It was so nice to see the many familiar faces and also meet some new ones.  So, I just wanted to send out a short recap of events:

It was a nice day, not too warm and comfortable in the Social Hall.  We had 47 people attend. David and Virginia Culp were our longest distance travelers driving in from Ohio. The oldest attendee was Gary Kulp of Malvern, PA at 86.  Gianna Reiss at 13, was our youngest attendee!  It was great to see the twins, Richard and Robert Kulp, again.  I had a letter from and also spoke with, Lucy and Robert Kern, who said they were very sad not to be able to attend the reunion this year, but were there in spirit.

Kathy and Allen Kratz provided us a great “groaning board” as usual, plus attendees provided a number of extra side dishes and desserts.

We had a large number of items on display and handouts this year:

• Jack prepared a handout introducing some of Walt’s topics, maps and the Skippack Road Petition.
• Our speaker, Walt Johnson, brought several books containing Kolb fractur, handouts on the LSMC Cemetery, the “War Tax” an updated listing of the Kolbs who came to America (and the references in the Philadelphia Archives Vol. XVII), and brochures about the history of the LSMC.
• Ed and Kay Kulp brought a framed map of Coventry Township, Chester County, which displayed their family (Eugene) Kulp farm and others.
• Brian Moyer brought a large portfolio made by his father which displayed many of the different types of records, everyday receipts and other ephemera from the family farm.
• Susan Kampschmidt brought a number of documents related to Johannes Kolb and the Pee Dee River dig near his property in South Carolina.
• Finally, Richard and Robert Kulp, brought a wheel barrel made by their great grandfather, who was a wheelwright. 1765-1929 6 generations It was purchased from Stouts and it came out of a barn near Boyertown. They had another barrel known to be made by him and the measurements and pin stripes on it match exactly!

Additionally, Gail Kogut was able to make some contacts about her ancestry along the lines of George Michael Kolb.  Also, Rodney Kulp mentioned he was working on publishing a genealogy of George Michael Kolb in the next few months.

Jack Oberholtzer chaired the meeting portion.  Doug Moyer recited the Lord’s Prayer in German in acknowledgement of our religious heritage.

The reunion secretary, Jack Oberholtzer, noted after our last’s year’s mailing update and request for those able to receive the mailing electronically, we currently have 337 on our list with about 111 of those going out via email, providing us some savings in postage and printing.

Jack spoke about the new website that is up and running.  It still needs more to add the old bulletins and the Genealogical Reference Record and other information.  If you have anything of interest that might be of interest to let him know.

Our treasurer, Mark Moyer, announced last year (2023) we took in approximately $1912 for the reunion, with expenses of $1873, so we had a positive net of $39.  So, we have a decent financial base.  Mugs and shirts are available, but Mark just sold the last of the tiles we had ordered long ago from Peace Valley Tile.

The current officers were nominated and elected to continue serving in their respective positions (but we would welcome help in any capacity):  President and VP-Vacant; Treasurer-Mark Moyer; Secretary-Jack Oberholtzer; Genealogist-Donna Gerber; Music-Carol Wenger.

Carol Wenger also led us in music before the groaning board, during the offering and as a benediction.

Walt Johnson gave a wide-ranging talk about the Kolbs and Skippack.  Here are some of his topics:

History of Skippack

– History of Lower Skippack Mennonite Church

– 1713 Petition for the Skippack Road

– Dielman Kolb and Salford Mennonite Church

– Christopher Dock

– Funkites Split from Mennonites (circa 1777-78) – Support of the War Tax

– Items for display

• Andreas Kolb Fraktur

– One Room School House 1856 – LSMC Property

• Two original pews from 1725

– LSMC Cemetery –

• Kolbs, Dock, Michael Ziegler (church leader), Anthony Holman (not a Mennonite)

– Orphans – Pastor Muhlenberg and Kolbs

Handout of maps and documents:

– Map of Philadelphia 1687

– Map of Bebbers Township 1702-1724

– 1713 Petition for Skippack Road

– Map of Skippack Area with Kolbs

Jack was able to make audio and video recordings of the business meeting part of the reunion and of Walt’s talk on Google Docs.  You access to those files through the following links:

KKC Reunion 2024 Audio and Video Recordings of Walt’s Presentation and the Business Meeting can be found here:  KKC Reunion 2024 Recordings

KKC Reunion Handouts (listed below) can be accessed here: KKC Reunion 2024 Handouts

List of the handouts given at the KKC Reunion 2024:

Walt’s Topics and Maps:

– Walt’s Topics and Maps (Individual Pages):

– Effective Supply Tax 1779-1781:

– History of LSMC and Lower Skippack Schools:

– Kolb Foreign Arrivals, taken from the Phila. Archives Vol. XVII:

– Lower Skippack Mennonite Church Cemetery, List of Kolbs, Kolps, Kulps and Culps

If you have trouble accessing these documents, please let me know.  And if you do not have any access to a computer, we might be able to have a paper copy sent to you.

That’s about it for now.  If you have any questions, want to offer some time to help, etc., please contact me and I will be glad to help you out.  Be on the look-out for an email each month.  I also hope to get a recording of the speaker available at some time as well.

Many thanks for those making donations and Mark, Carol, Donna, Tina, Doug and Brian for their work and help putting the reunion together!  Looking forward to seeing you next year on 8 June 2025!

Many thanks to those who were able to attend the 2023 Kulp Reunion held on Sunday, June 11^th and those who could only be there in spirit! It was so nice to see the many familiar faces and also meet some new ones.  So, I just wanted to send out a short recap of events:

It was a nice day, not too warm and comfortable in the Social Hall.  We had 53 people attend, with several coming from distances to attend, including Donna and Dave Zempel from Seattle as the furthest traveled!  The oldest attendee was Arlene Umstead of Schwenksville, PA at 91.  Garrett Kulp Hernandez, 11, was our youngest attendee!  Also traveling from distances were Charlotte Culp Novak from Florida, Mary Jane and Vern Michael from Virginia, Pam Santone from West Virginia, and finally Leslie Culp from Grimsby, Ontario who met her life long friend, Teresa Lago (not a Culp!) from Georgia at our reunion! It was also great to see Burkholders again!

Kathy and Allen Kratz provided us a great “groaning board” as usual, plus attendees provided a number of extra side dishes and desserts.

Jack Oberholtzer chaired the meeting portion.  Doug Moyer recited the Lord’s Prayer in German in acknowledgement of our religious heritage.

The reunion secretary, Jack Oberholtzer, noted after our last’s year’s mailing update and request for those able to receive the mailing electronically, we currently have 337 on our list with about 111 of those going out via email, providing us some savings in postage and printing.

Jack spoke about the new website that is up and running.  It still needs more to add the old bulletins and the Genealogical Reference Record and other information.  If you have anything of interest that might be of interest to let him know.

Our treasurer Mark Moyer announced as of 11 June 2023 we had $2664 in the bank.  So far this year, we took in approximately $1836 for the reunion, with expenses this year of $1613, so we had a positive net of $223.  So have a decent financial base.  Mugs and shirts are available, but we had to increase the postage for mailing these items in the future to cover our costs.

The current officers were nominated and elected to continue serving in their respective positions (but we would welcome help in any capacity).

Carol Wenger also led us in music before the groaning board, during the offering and as a benediction.

Doug Moyer gave an information packed program on “The Kulp Legacy”.  There is so much information in there we would like to have everyone access it.  Unfortunately, the file is too large to put on the website.  So, I have put the power point presentation, the audio for the presentation, the audio for the meeting and some of the photos I took on Google Docs and provide you access to those files through the following links:

Doug Moyer’s presentation of “The Kulp Legacy”: https://drive.google.com/file/d/154KB9pRC-zK4YD-vQ8BuNw3qYhQa7TeR/view?usp=sharing

Audio for Doug’s presentation: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14B8r5DRbDUVsCTMrL0dR1UEq8qG-7lie/view?usp=sharing

Audio for the business meeting:   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cW0sasjaZNvvbbXbekT8J-0i6Ehsks5r/view?usp=sharing

Photos from the 2023 Reunion: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1DASJws8MnQkrEQyYb3IC2wsZUjR8MKID?usp=sharing

If you have trouble accessing these documents, please let me know.  And if you do not have any access to a computer, we might be able to have a paper copy sent to you.

And if you have a suggestion for next year’s speaker topic or knows someone who could give an appropriate talk to our reunion, please let me know.

That’s about it for now.  If you have any questions, want to offer some time to help, etc., please contact me and I will be glad to help you out.  Be on the look-out for an email in the each month.  I also hope to get a recording of the speaker available at some time as well.

Many thanks for those making donations and Mark, Carol, Donna and Tina for their work and help putting the reunion together!  Looking forward to seeing you next year on 9 June 2024!