Email From Gary Aden to Gary Aden
Email Dated 7/22/01 

     I take note of the fact that Switzerland, my first destination,
concerns only the HUNSUCKER family twig. Before I go, I will review the
state-of-the-art website
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~ahopkins/hunsucker/ so ably begun in 1998
by Andrea Hopkins and dedicated to her mother, Patsy Hunsucker, who is
also of my pedigree line. The website is a work in progress. Not long
after its inception, it attracted contributions and inquiries from
family members whose surnames were HUNZIKER, HUNSICKER, HUNSINGER, AND
HUNSAKER. The website has organized the demographic data on available
family members according to their state of residence. In my pedigree
line, for example, entries appear in the states of Pennsylvania, North
Carolina(especially Moore County), Louisiana, Arkansas and Texas. 

      The historical data on the website has been responsible for my
choice of itinerary through the old world. Accordingly, future tavelers
may want to revise the itinerary to accommodate changes in the
historical information on the website. One of the first highlights is
the Coat of Arms. Note the dog in the Coat of Arms with the name
HUNSAKER at the base. This Coat of Arms is attributed to Niklaus
Hunziker(1500-1587), Aarau, Swtizerland.  The family name itself has
been associated with Attila the Hun and also the word Dog implying some
history of dog breeding. From what I can learn, the dog symbols in the
image may not in and of itself have anything to do with the family name,
according to authorities. 

      In the LDS Film Library, there is a 165 page book written in Swiss
German entitled The Hunziker's of Aarau(Switzerland)...A Family
History...An ancient Aarau Family written by Robert Oehler and printed
by H.R. Sauerland & Co., Aarau 1962. See also under Patricia Edward NC
Hunsucker/ Hunziker's. A synopsis of the book reveals that in the 13th
and 14th centuries, people were called by where they came from.
Authorities surmise that the Hunzikers came from a very small village
called Hunzingen(today callled Hunzikon, Geuensee municipality, Canton
Luzern). With time, the main origin point shifted to Canton Aargau,
a.k.a. Arugus(Aagau) Valley. Most belonged to the reformed
protestant(Calvinist) denomination. Between 1415-1798, this part of
Aargau belonged to the old state of Bern; between 1798-1803 to the
mini-canton of Aargau; and in 1803 was merged and made part of the
modern Canton Aargau. Thus, my itinerary is defined. I will make my base
of operations Aarau, as the public records are located there. 

      The book describes the men as being minor officials of the
localities where they lived. The famiily was well know for their
creations in stained glass. The family also numbered in their midst
merchants who traveled to, and sometimes settled in, all the main
capitals of Europe. One family even went to South America during the
earliest days of European immigration. In North America, entry was
accomplished through all major port cities. 

      Studying Hunsucker genealogy has been frustrating for its pioneer
researchers because of the variations in the spelling and
pronunciationof the surname. Seasoned researchers are accustomed to
dealing with such confusion; for example,  in my own family branches and
twigs, other family surnames seemingly encounter such modification,
e.g., the Mechling twig from the Aden Branch, but nothing so radical as
that undergone by Hunsucker. Because of the suffix -sucker, I seldom
mention the name to people that they don't seem amused. Therefore I have
a lot of sympathy for those who had to grow up with the name, e.g., my
great grandmother from the Hun(t)sucker twig, Allen Branch. I even
pondered a poem to wit: WHY'D THEY CHANGE THE NAME< WITH HUNSUCKER, THEY
GRIN AND LAUGH < WITH HUNZIKER < THEY DON'T SNICKER< SO WHY DIDN'T THEY
LEAVE IT THE SAME? 

      Back to business- The names I will be watching for on commercial
establishments, roadmaps, directories, etc., in Switzerland are
HUNTIZKER, HUNTZICKER, HUNSINGER, and HUNSAKER, the original
Swiss-German names; in Germany, HUNTZIGER and HUNSICKER: in America,
HUNSUCKER, HUNTSUCKER, HUNSINGER, HUNSAKER, HONSAKER, and HONSHOKKER.

      Peter HUNZIKER(1685 Zweibruecker, Germany- ? year Pennsylvania) is
generally acknowledged as the progenitor of my Hunsucker pedigree line
in America, even though genealogical proof is lacking. If not he, then
his son, Abraham HUNTZICKER a.k.a. HUNSUCKER a.k.a. HUNTSUCKER(1715
"Bavaria" Germany- after 1790, but before 1800 census North Carolina).
Next in line is John HUNTSUCKER a.k.a. HUNSUCKER(1740  Pennsylvania-
after 1795 but before 1800 North Carolina) who meets the criteria for
genealogical proof, but was born in America so he is ineligible for
progenitor status(documentation for kinship to Peter or Abraham is
lacking). The emphasis here is not on these connections, but rather the
evolutionary name changes in these individuals. Now the Kicker! Peter
and Abraham are recorded on the 1738 tax rolls in Philadelphia under the
surname of HONSHOKKER and the name survives in the history books  when
they list Pennsylvania German Pioneers. As I visit Peter's venues in
forthcoming pages, I will recount still another spelling, albeit far
less dramatic. Some claim that the name Hunsucker evolved because of the
illiteracy of the Carolina settlers who spelled as they pleased and were
generally derisive toward Pennsylvania Dutch(deutsch) settlers. Perhaps,
but the letter changes are so striking that one would think the
authorities would have taken action. From Huntziker to Honshokker to
Hunsucker is just too much. 

      Boy, forget the controversy over who her father was(See Section on
Hunsucker twig), my great grandmother, Margaret Inez Huntsucker
Young(1846 Moore County, North Carolina- 1895 Fayette County, Texas)
came by it honestly when she wrote her name HUNTSUCKER instead of her
given surname   of HUNSUCKER on her marriage certificate.

      After I've finished my site seeing and study in Switzerland, I'll
see if I can find transportation down the Rhine River to Germany like
Peter's ancestors, who were among refugees settling in various places.
Of course, we'll pay close attention to Zweibruecker, Germany, Peter's
birthplace. His other residences are Breitfurt and Oberaulback, Germany.

Gary Carl Aden July 22, 2001