FOUND FAMILY FOTOS #4
HERKIMER and MONTGOMERY COUNTIES NY
Most of the identified family photos in the "Found Family Fotos" sections were purchased by the site coordinator at antique shops, shows and flea markets around NY State between 2001 and 2008. If anyone here is your relative or you have information
to share about them below their photo, please contact the site coordinators.

Irene Dunkel / Dunkle / Dunckel / Dunckle ( née Hess )
A mid-1890s photograph identified as "Irene Dunkel," taken by Wentworth of Fort Plain, NY. Click on the photo to see a closeup view. In the 1850 census of Minden, 24-year-old Irene, nee Hess, was residing with her husband Aaron Dunkle, a farmer age 28, and their children Mary E., age 3, and Adam, age 1. In 1860 they were still residing in Minden, post office address Palatine Bridge. Aaron's age is given as 49 in this census, Irene's as 35. Aaron must have purchased more land as his property had gone up in value from $1,000 to $7,000. The family was increased by two more daughters, Selina and Ida. Also residing in the household was George Young, a 24-year-old preacher.
The 1869-70 directory of Minden lists Aaron Dunkle, p.o. Sprout Brook, as being proprietor of the Hessville Cheese Factory, a dairyman with 20 cows, and farmer of 185 acres. In the 1870 Minden census (p.o. Ft. Plain), under spelling Dunckel, Adam's age is again given as 49, and Irene's as 42. Children residing with them were Adam age 20, Celina age 17, Ida age 11, and Maggie age 4. Listed as a separate household, but residing with them in the same domicile, were Abram Mull, a 34-year-old cheese maker, his wife Maria age 33, who assisted in cheese making, and Ellen La Belle, age 8. Adam's net worth had increased dramatically, as his real estate was valued at $19,500 and his personal estate at $3785. The combined values are way beyond that of most other residents of the town.
In the 1880 census of the Town of Minden, son Adam Dunckle, age 31, was farming. Residing in his household were wife Libbie age 28, daughter Laura E. age 7, son Alonso age 4, and Conrad Shubert, age 26 and a farm laborer. I wasn't able to find Aaron or Irene by any means in the 1880 and 1900 censuses, nor obituary or burial information.
An anonymous researcher contributed the following basic information about this couple to ancestry.com's OneWorldTree, with no sources given:
Aaron Dunckel April 4, 1821 - May 2, 1873; son of Adam Dunckel (1794-1863) and Margaret Yerdon (1792-1863)
Irene Hess April 13, 1828 - Jan 1, 1906; no other information given
Marriage: Jan 29, 1846; location not given
Children: none listed
The obituary of their daughter Selena brings up locations of other surviving children as of early 1929:
Utica Daily Press, January 24, 1929
Mrs. Selena Eldredge
Dies at Fort Plain
Fort Plain, Jan. 23.- Mrs. Selina Eldredge, 74, a former resident of the Hessville section of this town, where she was born in February 185_(?), died recently at her home in Ossining. Mrs. Eldredge was a daughter of the late Aaron and Irene Hess Dunckel of this town. She was the widow of George Eldredge and had been a resident of Ossining for the past 40 years. Mrs. Eldredge was a sister of Mrs. Henry M. Eldredge of Fort Plain and Mrs. Maggie Copley of Freys Bush and Lewis and Adam Dunckel of Fort Plain. She leaves a daughter, Mrs. Jennie Ten Hagen; a granddaughter and a great-grandson.
This photograph was an "instant ancestors" photo bin find in Ontario County NY. If you have information to add to the above about Irene and her family, please contact the site coordinators.
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