NOTE FROM THIS SITE'S CREATOR/ADMINISTRATOR: In 2014 I stopped updating this tree. I copied it  over to ancestry.com, which is the site that I now use. If you'd like to view (and even Edit)  the ancestry.com Gongwer tree, just drop me a note at this site's Guest Book, and I'll send you  an invitation to access that tree.
 Thx.
 Geoff

“This Family Tree sprouts from immigrant Jacob Gangwyer, born 1677 (possibly son of  Heinrich (Gangwyer)), who came from Rotterdam, Germany to Philadelphia, PA on the ship "James  Goodwill" in 1727.  Jacob settled in Northampton Co., PA.  In the 1850’s, one of his sons,  Michael, moved to Westmoreland Co., PA, where the family name became known  as "Gongaware".  The family lived near the site of the Battle of Bushy Run (  see Links), and there is a Gongaware Road that runs along the edge of the battlefield  present-day park, in Jeannette, PA.

Subsequently, one of Michael’s sons, Joseph, and one of Michael’s grandsons, Philip*  (son of Philip G. Gongaware) moved to Columbiana County, OH, and Richland County,  OH, around 1803 and 1823, respectively.  In their new lands, ~100 miles apart, both  Joseph’s and Philip’s family’s last names began being spelled "Gongwer", thus giving  birth to this new spelling of the family name.  Some researchers  believe that the  original family name (Gangwyer) itself was made up by Jacob, since  there is no known  record of such a name in Germany [Personal observation from this site's  administrator: This theory, together with the translation of the name, would  tie together with Jacob having possibly been a soldier in Germany].  UPDATE (2013):  Ancestry.com 
 suggests that immigrant Jacob's last name may have been Ganghofer, a common name in Bavaria,  possibly indicating residence in or near the city of Gangkofen].

One important note regarding the given names of early Gangwehr/Gongaware family  members:  In church records, it was the tradition of the Reformist religion to  preceed males' given name with the name "Johan".  For example, a Phillip Gongaware's  baptismal record may list his name as "Johan Phillip Gongaware".  This seems to have  led to much confusion in genealogical research regarding the given name of many of  our male Pennsylvania ancestors in the 1700's and early 1800's, as such a name seems  to have often been interpreted as a given name of "John".  A true given name  of "John" was "Johannes".

The information in this Family Tree has come from tireless efforts by many sources.   Primary sources which deserve prominent recognition are: Helen Ruth (Gongaware)  Lindsay (Jeanette, PA); Mrs. Margaret Gongwer Gault; The document "Early Members of  the Gongwer,Gongaware,Ganger 
 Families, by Harry C. Hershey (1/72), with contributions by Paul Gongaware  (Greensburg, PA), Goldia Gangwer Winter (Muskegon, MI), and Robert Gongaware  (Latrobe, PA); and "Descendants of Jacob Gangwehr", by Gordon Koerner, published c.  1990; Warren Arthur gongwer (b.1918); Louis Elton Gongwer (b.1923); and contributions  by *MANY* other Gongwers, too 
 many to mention here, who have provided additional information over the years.

[As of 2013]: A *fabulous* genealogical work by Mr. Koerner can be found at  http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/k/o/e/Gordon-A-Koerner/BOOK-0001/0002-0001.html, with several generations of the descendants of immigrant Jacob Gangwere found starting at page  255.

I hope that you enjoy the site.  And if you don't mind, please sign our Guest Book,  and include in your comment where you live.  Thx!