On July 5, 1832, 36-year-old William Kohl and his 30-year-old wife Elizabeth arrived in Philadelphia on the 413 ton ship Alleghany, from Bremen, Germany. The manifest also lists their children Thomas, Joseph and William.

The family came to Carroll Township in Cambria County in 1836, where Henry cleared their farmland. He was a supervisor for the township for two terms. He had 8 children by his first wife Elzabeth Elfens.