Dirck Pennybacker

DAR Ancestor #: A088626

1783 Age: 18 Military Berks Co., Pennsylvania Captain in militia.

(Compiled from "A History of Shenandoah County, Virginia," "The German Element of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia,"and current research done by Sherry Johnson and others. This compilation is intended for personal, non-commercial use only.)

Dirck (also spelled Derick or Derrick) Pennybacker was born January 1, 1737 in Pennsylvania to a prosperous and prominent family. He was a son of Col. John Pennebacker and a grandson of Henry (Hendrick) Pannebecker. The spelling of the surname was altered more than once over the generations. Dirck, although a Quaker, served as a captain in the Berks County (Pennsylvania) militia.

Dirck married Hannah DeHaven on March 3, 1756 in Pennsylvania, when he was 19 years old. They had at least 9 children (and at least 64 grandchildren):

Benjamin D. Pennybacker, 1760-1820, married Sarah Margaret Samuels, 13 children

Rebecca Pennybacker, about 1762-1730, married George Mayberry, 8 children

Abraham Pennybacker, 1764-1819, married Elizabeth Ruffner, 9 children

Elizabeth Pennybacker, 1766-1824, married Isaac Samuels, 11 childrenJohn Pennybacker, 1768-1834, married Phebe Fugett, 12 childrenHannah Pennybacker, 1770-1856, married Mounce (Moses) Bird, Jr., 10 children

Dirck/Derrick Pennybacker, Jr, 1780-1817, married Elizabeth Neal, 1 child

Catherine "Caty" Pennybacker, 1781-1860, marriage and children unknown

Mary "Polly" Pennybacker, abt. 1783-?, marriage and children unknownOn February 3, 1770 Dirck Pennybacker purchased a gristmill and farm on 200 acres in Amity Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania from the estate of William Bird of Birdsboro. Dirck was very prosperous during the Revolutionary War, when his gristmill supplied flour to the Continental Army. However, his business declined when the war ended, and in May 1783 he lost his gristmill and land as a result of a lawsuit over a debt. His land was seized and sold at a sheriff's sale to pay the debt.

At that time, 1783, Dirck and his family left Pennsylvania and moved briefly to Washington County, Maryland near Sharpsburg, where he leased an iron-working establishment. However, within a few months a flood destroyed the operation and Dirck left Maryland for Virginia. According to a deposition made in 1814 by his son Benjamin, Dirck and family arrived in the Shenandoah Valley in [late]1783.

In December of 1783, records show Dirck accepted the results of a survey done to establish the boundaries of a land grant in Shenandoah County. He and his family moved onto this land and Dirck built Redwell Furnace on Hawksbill Creek near Luray. Soon he and his family established another forge and iron works business on Smith's Creek near New Market, which they called Pine Forge.

He was in Pine Forge in 1784, as evidenced by a letter he wrote from there to his brother Jacob regarding their father John's death on June 14, 1784 and the settlement of the estate. The letter, as transcribed in about 1877 by Gov. Samuel W. Pennypacker, who was in possession of the letter at that time, read:

"To Jacob Pennybacker, Pine Forge October 16, 1784

My advice to you is to Make Sale of the place at any Time when it Suits you but I shall be willing to Make a Sale at any time when Required wich you may Rely on. I will be down in the Spring and expect whe can settle without any farder cost. Any farder I have Nottien to Rite as whe are all well at present. Hoping thes Lines wil find you all in the Same. I Remember my Kind Love to you all spesly to Mother. If the winter should prove faberel [favorable? ] it is Likele I shall be down abought the first of January.

Derick Pennybacker

I should be willing if there could be some Money made up for Samul for I Expect he must want it as he has had Nottien of the Estate yet."

The iron-working businesses were very successful, and Dirck's descendents started additional iron businesses. The Pennybackers are considered to be the pioneers of the iron working industry. A few stoves can still be found today with the name "D. Pennybacker" on them. A local census in 1785 reported that Dirck Pennybacker had 64 "white souls" in his household, which seems like a very large number of people, but probably included workers in his iron business, in addition to sons, daughters, and sons-in-law.

Dirck worked as an iron master until his death. Older histories report his death as 1799, but his obituary has since been found. It was published in the March 3, 1802 issue of the Winchester Gazette newspaper and establishes that his death occurred on February 15, 1802 at Pine Forge. The obituary reads: "On the evening of Monday the 15th Derrick Pennybacker, Esq., of Shenandoah was casually [causually?] killed by a fall from his horse. The day following his remains were decently interred on his own premises attended by a very numerous concourse of relatives and friends."

His will, written 21 Oct 1798 and proved 1 Apr 1802, was located among the unrecorded wills in Shenandoah County Clerks Office. Dirck/Derrick Pennybacker made bequests to his wife Hannah, to his sons Benjamin, Derrick, John, and Abraham, to his daughters Hannah Bird, Caty Pennybacker, and Polly Pennybacker, and to son-in-laws George Mayberry (married to daughter Rebecca) and Isaac Samuels (married to daughter Elizabeth).

Dirck and Hannah's grandson Isaac Samuels Pennybacker (1805-1847), son of their eldest son Benjamin and his wife Sarah Margaret Samuels, became a well-known lawyer, federal judge, and politician who represented Virginia in the U.S. House from 1837-39 and served as U.S. Senator from Virginia from 1845-47.

From: Sherry <sherrjo@tenet.edu> Subject: Pennybacker Family Vital Statistics Date: Tue, 24 Nov 1998 09:11:28 -0600

I don't have the birth dates for all of Dirk & Hannah Pennybacker's

children, but I do have the following dates that were copied from

records at the Winchester Frederick Co. Historic Society in Winchester,

VA. The records were copied by John W. Wayland from the family Bible of

Benjamin Pennybacker, son of Dirk. On p. 17 he notes: 

"The following entries are copies from an old Pennybacker

Bible--leather-bound, 9 1/2 by 11 inches & 4 inches thick. It was

printed for Mathew Cary, by Joseph Charless, Philadelphia, October 20,

1801. It was first the property of Benj. Pennybacker, Sr. (1760-1820),

then of his son Geo. M. Pennybacker (1787-1880). The old home of these

Pennybackers was Pine Forge, Shenandoah County, on Smith Creek, three

miles below New Market. This old Bible is now (1928) in the hands of

Miss Kate Pennybacker of Linville Creek, Rockingham Co., VA, who loaned

it to me that I might copy the records. Miss Kate Pennybacker is a

daughter of John Dyer Pennybacker and his wife Mary Elizabeth Lincoln.

John Dyer Pennybacker was a son of U. S. Senator Isaac Samuels

Pennybacker (son of Benj. Sr.)"

Family Records of Benj. Pennybacker

Births

Benj. Pennybacker Senr was born 29 Sept. 1760

Sarah Pennybacker wife of B.P. was born 10 Feby 1768

Geo. M. Pennybacker 31st Dcr. 1787

Ann Pennybacker 8 July 1789

Nathan Pennybacker 19 Octo. 1791; m. Mary Samuels 5 Apr.1826 [dau. of

Joseph--SJ] Joel Pennybacker 9 Augt. 1793

Charlotte Pennybacker 27 Sept. 1795

John Pennybacker 15 Apl. 1798

Mary Pennybacker 21 Augt. 1800

Mark Pennybacker 1st Apl. 1801

Rebecca Pennybacker 26 Mar 1803

Isaac S. Pennybacker 3rd Sept. 1805

Sarah Pennybacker 2nd Mar 1808

Benja. Pennybacker 9 Octo. 1809

Saml. A. Pennybacker 11the Octo. 1812

The above are the children of Benj. & Sarah Pennybacker being in all

13---

Deaths

Jno. Pennybacker died 15 Apl. 1798

Mary Pennybacker died 25 Augt. 1800

Benja. Pennybacker Jr. 8 July 1811

[illegible]Benjamin Pennybacker [d. 1820]

Sarah Pennybacker wife of B.P. Senr. died 9th July 1825

Sarah Thompson wife of Wm. G. Thompson died 31st July 1838

Ann Douglass wife of Adam Douglass died October 1843 [no day]

Isaac S. Pennybacker died 12th Jany. 1847 in Washington City. U.S.

Senator

Rebecca Pennybacker died 29th July 1849

Saml. A. Pennybacker died 15th June 1850

Charlotte Newman died 3rd July 1851

Joel Pennybacker died 5th April 1862

Walter Newman died 15 Nov. 1867

Margaret Pennybacker wife of Joel Pennybacker died on July 20th 1861

Geo. M. Pennybacker died 27th Sept. 1880

The above are the death of Benja. & Sarah Pennybacker and their children
[Note: If any of you happen to visit the Historic Society in Winchester,

I would like to have the exact death date for Benjamin, Sr. This entry

was at the bottom of the page and is not legible. Other notations by

Wayland indicate the 1820 death date and I have copies of newspaper

advertisements for parts of his estate at that time.--SJ]

Marriages

Benja. Pennybacker Senr. was married to Sarah Samuels 13 th March 1787

Charlotte Pennybacker was married to Walter Newman 20th Augt. 1818

Joel Pennybacker was married to Margaret Stribling 27 May 1823

Mark Pennybacker was married to Catharine Kratzer 26 June 1823

Nathan Pennybacker was married to Polly Samuels 4 Apl. 1826--The record

in Harrisonburg says April 5, 1826

Sarah Pennybacker was married to Wm. G. Thompson 21st Sept. 1825

Isaac S. Pennybacker was married to Sarah A. Dyer May 1832. S.A.P. died

June 17, 1891

Geo. M. Pennybacker was married to Anna Crim (widow of M.C.) 1835.

Births

Michael Crim was born 15 July 1793

Anna Crim his wife 28 Decr. 1794

David Crim born 29 Augt. 1822

Sophia Crim born 14 Jany. 1825

The above are the ages of Michael Crim & Anna His wife, together with

their children

Deaths

Michale Crim died 16 Jany 1827

David Crim died 10 April 1860

Martha J. Crim died 20th April 1874

Sophia Crim was married to Jno. D. Zirkle 4 July 1843(?)

David Crim was married to Martha Windle 28 Decr. 1843

The above are the marriages of Michael Crim's children

Births

Geo. M. Pennybacker 31 Dec. 1787

Anna Pennybacker 28 Decr. 1794

Benja. Pennybacker son of Geo. M. & Anna Pennybacker was born 24 October

1835

The above are the ages of Geo. M. P. & Ann his wife with an only son

Benjamin

Deaths

Benja. Pennybacker son of Geo. M. & Anna Pennybacker died in Staunton on

Thursday evening the 5th September 1861. was buried in St. Mathews

Graveyard, New Market, Shenandoah Co., Va.

John D. Zirkle died 26 August 1877. 4 p.m.
Geo. M. Pennybacker died 27th Sept. 1880. Aged 92 years 10 months & 26

days [have obituary]

Birth of David Cauldwell & Hannah his wife--The Father & Mother of Anna

Pennybacker

David Cauldwell born 18 Decr. 1763

Hannah Cauldwell born 28 Sept. 1763

Anna Pennybacker wife of G. M. P. died 21 January 1884 aged 89 years &

23 days

Hannah Cauldwell died 7th Feby. 1849 age 85 yrs. 4 m. 10 d.

David Cauldwell died [missing]

Thus far from the old Pennybacker Bible mainly in the excellent

handwriting of Geo. M. Pennybacker. In the Bible is a loose sheet,

apparently written in 1878 by Saml. W. Pennypacker of Pennsylvania,

containing a sort of Pennybacker family tree. From it I note the

following:

Benjamin Pennybacker (1760-1820) was the son of Dirck (1737-1799) and

his wife Hannah Dehaven; Dirk was the son of John Pennebacker

(1713-1784) and his wife Anneke Keyser (1717-1807); John Pennebacker

(1713-1784) was the son of Heinrich Pannebacker (1674-1754) and his wife

Eve Umstat.

Miss Margaret M. Pennybacker ("Miss Doon") was a daughter of Joel

Pennybacker (1793-1862) She lived in Mt. Jackson some time; her last

years on Linville Creek, Va., with her cousin Kate Pennybacker. She is

buried in the Lincoln graveyard on Linville Creek.

Frank S. Pennybacker, a son of Joel Pennybacker (above) lived his last

30 years or so in Mt. Jackson and died there February 1, 1925, aged 84.

Some Pennybackers are still living in Broadway, Rockingham Co., Va.

1928.

Miss Kate Pennybacker, of Linville Creek, has a sister Mary Lee

Pennybacker, who has lived in New York City a number of years.

Miss Kate and her sister are both now upwards of 60.

Mary Lee Pennybacker died about 1931; unmarried

>From book 2 of Wayland's Bible Records
1826, April 5--Nathan Pennybacker and Mary Samuels; by Rev. Joseph

Samuels

John Dyer Pennybacker was born in Harrisonburg, Rockingham Co., Va.

March 20, 1833, son of Isaac Samuels Pennybacker (1805-1847) and his

wife Sarah Dyer (1816-); died March 17, 1905. John Dyeer Pennybacker

married Mary Elizabeth Lincoln (d/o Abraham and Mary Homan Lincoln)

August 28, 1865. Mary Elizabeth Lincoln was b. Nov. 11, 1827.

Children of John d. and Mary E. Pennybacker:

Mary Lee, born August 24, 1866

Kate Abigail, born may 30, 1868

John George, born Nov. 18, 1870

Abraham Lincoln, father of Mary E. Lincoln Pennybacker, was born March

20, 1799; died June 13, 1852. Mary Homan Lincoln was born October 24,

1802; died March 8, 1874.

Abraham Lincoln was son of Jacob, one of the 5 sons of "Virginia John."

The foregoing notes given by Kate Abigail Pennybacker Aug. 18, 1929,

from records in Bibles and elsewhere, Linville Cree, Rockingham Co., Va.

She states that Sen. Isaac S. Pennybacker (her grandfather) had 6

children, only three growing up.

John Dyer--lived on Linville Creek, Va.

James Edwin--lived in Washington City

Isaac S. Jr.--died in Franklin, W.Va.

Kate Abigail Pennybacker died in Rockingham Memorial Hospital,

Harrisonburg, Saturday, December 17, 1938.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

* * * * * * *

The above records are just as written in Wayland's notes except where

I've made comments in brackets [ ]. The records continue with more

vital stats. on the Lincolns, Maupins, Zirkles, and some later

Pennybackers. I'm out of time for now, but if there is interest I could

post additional information later.

In addition to the information on Benjamin Pennybacker given above, I

have dates for the following children of Dirk Pennybacker:

John Pennybacker b. August 1768 d. 28 Feb. 1834 Wood Co., WV

Rebecca Pennybacker b. ca 1762

Elizabeth Pennybacker b. June 1766 d. Oct. 1824 Greenhope Farm,

Shenandoah Co., Va.

In his will [copy] Dirk Pennybacker named his wife Hannah and seven

children: Benjamin Pennybacker, [sons-in-law] George Mayberry and Isaac

Samuels, Derrick Pennybacker, John Pennybacker, Abraham Pennybacker,

Hannah Bird and Caty Pennybacker, Polly Pennybacker.

Isaac Samuels married Elizabeth Pennybacker and George Mayberry married

Rebecca Pennybacker, other daughters.

Hope this will help a few of you fill in gaps.
Sherry sherrjo@tenet.edu

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