According to The Dunkelberger Family, Europe to America, 1600-1982, by Shirley Turner, Clement Dunkelberger, first born son of Clemens and Margaretha (Godschalck) Duncelnberg, was baptized in Solingen, Germany, on 3 June 1705. Wittnesses at his baptism were Clemens Melchors, Clemens Hartkopf, Helena Melchors, Catharina Godschalck and Anna Catherina Henckels. On 30 December 1723 in Solingen, Clemens was confirmed in the Evangelical Reformed Church.
On 23 August 1728, the ship Mortonhouse docked in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The docking culminated a long voyage for a total of two hundred and five people. They had sailed from Deal, Sussex, England, leaving there 15 June1728. On August 24 of that same year the ship was "'qualifie"' in Philadelphia: "At a Council held at the Courthouse of Philadelphia, August 24, 1728,.... a list was presented to the Board of the names of eighty Palatines, who with their families, making in all about 200 persons, were imported in the Ship Mortonhouse, John Coultas, Master, from Rotterdam, but last from Deal, as by Clearance from the Officers of the Customs there, bearing the date of the fifteenth day of June, 1728."
Four Dunkelberg men were listed on that roster: Clements Tonkelberg (possibly Sr.), Clements Tonkelberg (possibly Jr.), Peiter Tonkelberg and Frederick Tonkelberg. A second list indicated that a Clemens Dunkelberg signed his own name to the oath of allegiance required in order for him to land on the New World soil. Peter and Frederick made their marks. (The book Pennsylvania German Pioneers by Strassburger and Hinke may contain some of these lists.)
After landing at Philadelphia and signing the oath of allegiance, the Dunkelberger immigrants proceeded to the 'Hinterland' to what is now Berks County, locating between present day Hamburg and Virginville. Berks was formed in 1752 from parts of Philadelphia, Bucks, and Lancaster Counties. So Berks at that time was part of Philadelphia County, which explains why some of the land warranties which Clement and Peter took out were listed in Philadelphia County.
Theearliest record of land acquisition was by Clement when he applied fora patent for eighty-six acres in Windsor Township on 4 January 1734. Peter took out his first warrant for 100 acres of land adjacent to Clement's first piece. Clements original warrant, which he took out in 1734, was patented to Ulrich Moyer in 1750. However, Clement was the recipient of a ' "Proprietary" patent from the Penns for fifty acres ofl and "situate near Andenilea Creek (on which improvemnt has been made about three years) adjoining to his other land and Daniel Hill's." Forthat fifty acres, Clement paid at the then going rate of fifteen pounds, ten shilllings per one hundred acres. In 1735 Clement is listed for 100 acres of land in the warranties of Phialdelphia. In 1743 Peter traveled to Philadelphia to take another oath of allegiance to the British Crown and becomes naturalized. In 1743 Clement took out a warranty for 100 acres of land in Philadelphia County. In the 1754 tax roll of Berks County, Clement paid 6 pounds. In 1764 Clemens, along with Frederick and Catherine Hauer attended church. In September or October of 1765 a Clement Dunkelberger became naturalized in Philadelphia. We assume this was Clement.
The 1768 proprietary return of Windsor Township showed that Clement had one hundred acres, tw ohorses, three cattle, and paid a tax of 1 pound. On the 1770 Windsor tax roll Peter was not listed because he had died before that time. Clement was listed. In 1774 Clement was on the Windsor tax roll. In 1775-1776 Clement was not on the tax list, but sons, John, Clement Jr., Christopher, and Philip were there as well as Peter and grandson, John, single. In 1779-1788 there was a Clement on the Maxatawney Township (Berks) list. This may have been Clement Jr.
In 1780 Clement was taxed for two hundred acres of land with two horses and two head of cattle. Clement died between 12 February 1776 when he signed his will and 8 April 1782 when the will was filed. When Clement arrived in America, he carried with him a Martin Luther New Testament which he declared was to be passed down in the family to each first-born son. This has been done to the present day (1982).