Progenitors

The Procuniar\ier-Bragunier-Brockunier

Family Genealogy

Suggested "Progenitors" of the Procuniar\ier Family

Some of Frederick County Maryland's earliest records show a Henry Peckiner (born around 1740/45) who bought land in April 1766 on a spring descending into Israel's Creek. The two tracks of land were called "Tanyard and Addition" (K:464). However on November 21, 1770 (N:466) Henry Peckiner sold all of his land in Frederick County. The land sale mentions that his wife Catherine, relinquished her dower rights on this land. This Henry Peckiner then disappears from Maryland at that time, but a Henry Bragooner does show up on the 1782 Strassburg Township, Lancaster County Pennsylvania tax list. This Henry Peckiner was also listed in the militia list as a 3rd class private (Pennsylvania Archives 5th Service VII:93, 97 & 649), but no records were found of his family in Pennsylvania at this time. Possibly Henry's family was listed under another spelling at that time using the "B" instead of the "P". However in 1788 we have a Peter Procuna listed in the Shirley Township Huntingdon Pennsylvania tax listing who is listed as Single and paid $10.00 tax on animals he owned. None of our family genealogists can figure out who this Henry Peckiner might be who was born around 1740/45. His militia records do not list his parents, only that he served in the Revolutionary War.

However most of our family genealogists and the ones that were not related to our family who were paid to do research, i.e.: Georgiana Randall 1969, do think that John Nicholas Peckoner Sr. who arrived on the ship "Lydia" in September 1740 is our "Family Progenitor." Remember that Johan Nichol Peckoner Sr. came to America in 1740 with only his son Johan Nichol Peckoner Jr. and himself listed on the ship's log. There are no records that show what happened to either John Nichol Sr. or Jr. with the Peckoner spelling, after their arrival in America in 1740. The name Peckoner could very easily have been changed into one of the many spellings mentioned earlier. Henry Peckiner leaves Frederick County Maryland with his family in November 1770 and then shows up in Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania as Henry Bragooner in 1782. But this Henry is recorded later as Henry Peckiner again in Pennsylvania. Georgiana Randall says that it's possible that Peter Procunier Jr. might have been a son of this Henry Peckiner Sr. since they both show up in the same area in the 1780's. But we have birth records and estate disbursement records pointing to Peter Brockunier Sr. as Peter Procunier Jr.'s father. Also the 1790 census records of Maryland show Peter Jr. as the son of Peter Sr.

Here is another possibility for this Henry Bragonner Sr. who shows up in the 1782 Pennsylvania records. We have a George Braggooner or Braggonier listed in the first US Census of 1790. This George is listed in Washington County Maryland with a family of four males 16 years old or older and three females.. Records show a George Bragonier Jr. marrying a Margaret Otto in the German Reformed Church in Elizabeth Town, Maryland. Elizabeth Town changed to Hagerstown on January 26, 1814. In the second Census of the U.S. 1800 in Washington County Maryland, there are two (2) George Bragooniers, three (3) Jacobs and one (1) David as heads of Bragoonier families.

Some thoughts on Samuel Procuniar ... my great great grandfather ...

Samuel (Bragunier) Procuniar was born in Washington County Maryland on 5 April 1801, the first child of Daniel and Barbara (Rohrer) Brockunier Sr. Samuel was baptized on April 30, 1801. The Zion German Reformed Church where Daniel and Barbara Brockunier Sr. attended believed in infant baptism. At that time the Amish, Mennonite and Dunkards all believed in adult baptism. Samuel grew up in and around the Washington County, Hagerstown, Maryland area and lived near the top of Washington County next to the Pennsylvania boarder. Right above Washington County Maryland are Bedford, Fulton and Franklin Counties of Pennsylvania. A lot of our family were living there who spelled their name either Braggooner, Bragoner, Bragonia, Bragooner, Braguneer, Bragunier, Brecunier, Brockunier, Brocunier, Brogan (Elizabeth Brockunier), Brokunier, Burgoon, Parcuna, Peckunier, Pracooner, Pragunier, and Procunier. It's no wonder Samuel (my gr gr grandfather) ventured up to Pennsylvania when he became a young man with all his cousins and uncles living around there. Huntingdon County Pennsylvania is just north of Bedford, Fulton and Franklin Counties. Huntingdon county contains several townships including Allegheny, Dublin, Shirley, and Springfield. The above families played a large part in establishing these counties. Samuel Procuniar's uncles and aunts, Peter Procunier Jr., Henry, Jacob, Daniel and Susanna all married and were living in one or some of the above townships. Samuel's uncle Peter Procunier Jr. had moved to Shirley township sometime around 1788 (age 24) as a single man, about 13 years before Samuel Procuniar was born. Peter Jr. shows up in Shirley Twp. in 1788 as single and paying $10.00 tax and shows up again in Shirley Twp. in the 1790 Census. Peter Jr. married Mary Elizabeth (maiden name not known to this author) in 1789. Five of their ten children were born in Shirley Township before Peter Jr. and his family moved to Norfolk Ontario Canada around 1802. Peter JR's family was not pleased that he remained loyal to the Crown of England. However Peter found many sympathizers in Canada who also remained loyal to the Crown. In 1794 Peter Jr. purchased 400 acres of land on January 5th (Ref: Pennsylvania Archives 3rd Series. 25:751). Also in the early 1790's Peter Jr.'s brother Henry relocated from the family's birth place of Washington County Maryland, to Shirley Township and on April 11, 1794 Henry married Rosanna Oaks who was born near South Mountain, Frederick Co., Maryland.

by David C Procuniar 2001

Former Researchers hired by this author to do family research are: .........

Miss Alberta Y. Haught,

Resources & References

Bragunier\Brockunier\Procuniar\ier Family Researchers Summation

I began compiling my family history in 1991 and through many resources was able to connect my family branch with the whole tree, so to speak. The Procuniar name being such an odd spelling that I have had to help others pronounce and spell it throughout my entire life! As a child my early school teachers just called me David, never even trying to pronounce my last name! My fellow students had a field day by calling me Petunia, Peculier etc. and even in later life some of my childhood friends still could not spell or pronounce my last name! Starting my family genealogy in the growing computer age has made it possible to connect family members and instantly, by pushing a key on the keyboard, find out if I had a second, fifth or a fifth cousin four times removed etc.

While I've prepared my family history, I do not wish to suggest that all of the research is mine. I prefer to give thanks (and/or pass around the blame). A partial list of sources and contacts would include the following:

Fred T. Bragonier hired the Rev. A. Stapleton (from Carlisle, Pa.) in 1904 who did extensive research of our family in the Maryland area! Stapleton published his research results in a book.

Mrs. Arthur Taylor Bragonier gave information on our Virginia and West Virginia families. Mrs. Bragonier contacted Mrs. C. F. Lyne of Shepherdstown for other family history.

DeWitt Bragonier supplied family history on his Iowa families! (Jacob Bragonier)

Dean Wendell H. Bragonier also gave family history on the Iowa connections!

Samuel Hugh Brockunier Jr. (Professor) supplied family history on Henry Brockunier son of Peter Brockunier Sr.

Mrs. J.B. Dorton, sent in family history about her brother-in-law Dr. R. K. Bragonier !

Joanne Harvey supplied information on the Procunier branch of our family!

Mrs. Eleanor (Bragonier) McGinnis gave a detailed chart of the Altoona, PA of the descendants of William McGill Bragonier!

Mrs. John R. Norris supplied information on her mother’s descendants, Mrs. Bertha Adelia (Bragonier) Rife!

Brittain Bragunier. Robinson, 1969 published a book titled The Bragunier Family in America ALSO Bragonier-Brockunier-Procunier. (Brittain lived in Lake Worth, Florida)

Mrs. Richard R. Whittemore supplied family information of the Rev. Daniel George Bragonier of Virginia and West Virginia!!

Mr. Richard Winger, who was not related but was a friend of the wife of Abraham Bragonier and gave us information concerning the Little Cove, Pennsylvania and Franklin County, Pennsylvania area!

In 1965 Reginald Bragonier hired Georgiana H. Randall along with Charlotte G. Russell (G R S) of Bethesda, Maryland to collect all his family history that he had gathered over the years!! Reginald also asked them to make searches in the Washington county areas of Maryland for more family history. They searched mainly in the DAR Library, National Archives, state and county histories, manuscripts, census records, pension records, the Pennsylvania Archives, etc., and gave very clear & complete reports of their findings!! Through these efforts, a book titled The Bragonier Family a record of the descendants of Peter and George was printed in 1969 by Georgiana Randall.

Efforts in the early 1950’s to compile our family history did not contain any family lineage of William Bracunier, son of Daniel Bragonier (also Prakunier-Brackaunier). Daniel was the son of Peter Bragunier (Brockunier) who mentioned Daniel in his will of 1804! A small booklet owned by Mrs. M. Ethel (Bragunier) Hewette that was written by the son of William Bracunier (copied and printed in Brittain Bragonier Robinson’s book in 1969). This book gives further details about other families and branches of our family. Namely William Brecunier and his brother Samuel Procuniar who lived next to each other in Dayton, Ohio in 1838. Samuel Procuniar is my great great grandfather!!

We have records of ancestors (or of our family surname) who lived in France & Germany and among the Huguenots in England and Holland. Many of the early members of our family in the USA ( Maryland & West Virginia) spoke German and lived in German settlements! Source: Georgiana Randall "The Bragonier Family" 1969

Our records show that our ancestors lived in what is now Washington County Maryland, both before and after its being set off from Frederick County in 1776! We know of four families who were probably related that lived in that area!

Source: Georgiana Randall The Bragonier Family 1969

Peter Prakunier, aged 49 …. Ref.: 1776 census Elizabeth Hundred, Frederick County Maryland.

George Bragooner b-1730-35 & d-1803 married to Anna Eva …. George had at least four children. He was listed in Clear Springs, near Washington County, Maryland then relocated to Berkeley county Virginia.

Henry (Bragooner) Peckunier b-about 1733-40, lived in Frederick County, Maryland.

Jacob Burgooner, listed in the Berkeley county Virginia militia 1775-1783

The above were possibly the brothers or cousins of John Nichol Peckoner who came to the USA on the ship Lydia in September of 1740, bringing with him a son listed as John Nichol Jr. aged 15.

Family Genealogists I have exchanged family history and information with since 1991:

Cathy (Deardorf) Hinckley; 11908 Hollysprings Drive; Great Falls, VA 22066;

Concerning ... Daniel Brockunier Sr. lineage Brecunier Genealogy;

Jean & Art Rotter; (Brecunier) P O Box 310; Yachats, OR 97498 Daniel Brockunier Sr. lineage

Gordon W Procunier; 45 Kingsway Crescent; Toronto, Ca M8X 2R5 Peter Procunier Jr. lineage.

Marjorie R (Bragonier) Whittemore; 608 E. Bougainville Cir; Barefoot Bay, FL 32958; Jacob Bragonier lineage.

Dwayne L. Pretzer; 6 Old Farm Road; Charlottesville, VA 22903 Jacob Bragonier lineage.

Joanne H. Harvey; 2420 Newport Drive; Lansing, MI 48906-3541; Peter Procunier Jr. lineage.

Debby\Michael Volpe; 2909 Owl Drive; Rolling Meadows, IL 60008; Daniel Brockunier Sr. lineage.

Pat & Frank Borke; Vandeveer-Bragunier; 5733 Brewer Rd; Mason, Oh 45040;

George Braggonier Sr. brother of John Nichol Peckoner

John & LaVera McNeill; John died 1995; 3005 Ashe Croft Drive; Indian Trail, NC 28079-9420; Daniel Brockunier Sr. lineage

Elaine Allen, R.R. 1 Box 418, Belle Fourche, SD 57717, Procuniar connection through Peter Procuniar Jr.

David Charles Procuniar……………….. updated September 1998

Books …

THE BRAGONIER FAMILY a record of the descendants of Peter & George Bragonier, including those who spell the name Bracunier, Bragunier, Brockunier, Procunier, etc. by Georgiana H. Randall 1969 (Paid Genealogist)

THE BRAGUNIER FAMILY IN AMERICA also BRAGONIER-BROCKUNIER-PROCUNIER

by Brittain Bragunier Robinson 1969

Note:

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