Andrew Herbst (later Andrew Harpst) was born in Berks County PA, near the town of Doylestown. He served as a private in the American Revolution from Berks County in the 4th Regiment of the Continental Line (see Pennsylvania Archives, Vol. IV, page 260, Fifth Series). He was reportedly at Yorktown with General George Washington when Cornwallis surrendered. His great-granddaughter, Dr. Sara Blanche Harpst Jackson, was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) using Andrew's military record for her application.

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~From "ECHOES OF WARRIORS MARK, PENNSYLVANIA AND SURROUNDING AREAS" by Elizabeth Nearhoff, July,1968: Commercial Printing Inc., State College, Pennsylvania, page 198-199.

Burket Cemetery

"Four Revolutionary War soldiers buried here are Michael Funk (1749-1799), Martin Funk (1761-1849), Capt. Jacob Ganoe (1735-1812), and Pvt. Andrew Herbts [misspelled]."

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Letter in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Mary O. Steinmetz Collection:

From: Blanche H. Jackson, M.D.

        Duquesne Trust Co. Bldg.

        Duquesne, PA

        Sept. 11, 1925

To: Mary O. Steinmetz (D.A.R.)

"Dear Mrs. Steinmetz,

    I have been advised by Mr. H.H. Shenk State Librarian at Harrisburg, to apply to you for some information which I am unable to find.

    I have been trying to establish line of descent from a Revolutionary ancestor in order to be able to join the D.A.R.

    I have an affidavit from my father, who is still living, stating that his father, Philip Harpst, had told him very many times as a child and in his later years, that his grandfather, Andrew Harpst (father of Philip Harpst) served as a private in the 4th regiment of the Continental Line, under Gen. Anthony Wayne, and was at Yorktown at the surrender of Cornwallis. Said Andrew Harpst was born in Berks County about the year 1750 and enlisted in a Berks County regiment. He died at Centre Line, Centre County, in 1849 or 1850.

    I find no Andrew Harpst in Pennsylvania Archives but do find an Andrew Herbst appearing in a depreciation pay roll (pg. 260, Vol. IV, PA Archives, Fifth Series).

    Mr. Schenk makes the sworn statement which I have in my possession, "Our records show that Andreas Herbst served in the War of the Revolution from the County of Berks. The name of Andrew Herbst also appears and is, no doubt, the person you are interested in. It was very easy for anyone to spell the name either Herbst or Harpst."

    In the history of Berks County, copy of which I found in the Carnegie Library, Pittsburgh, I find that Capt. Jacob Ladich mobilized a company of soldiers in Berks County to protect the frontier from attacks by stray Indian bands. This company was mustered in on Oct. 1, 1781 and was in service just 17 days, being mustered out on Oct. 17, 1781. The name of Andreas Herbst appears on Capt. Ladich's payroll. {1}

    The fact that any grandfather separately stated to my father that his father Andrew Harpst, was in the 4th Regiment of the Continental Line, under Gen. Wayne, and was at Yorktown in Oct. 1781, precludes in my mind, the possibility of Andreas having been my ancestor.

    Mr Schenk told me in a personal interview which I had with him a few weeks ago, that the Pennsylvania Dutch names sometimes were so far from the original that a change from Herbst to Harpst would not be improbable.

    Any help you could give me would be highly appreciated and whatever fee is attached I will gladly pay.

                  Resp. Yours,        Blanche H. Jackson

{1} Unknown to Blanche Harpst, Andrew Herbst also had a cousin named Andreas Herbst, son of Johan George Herbst who was born in 1764 in Berks County. He could have been serving with Capt. Ladich while Andrew Herbst was at Yorktown in Oct. 1781.