Diane, Dirck Pennybacker was born 1 Jan 1737, in present-day Montgomery Co., Pennsylvania. His father John Pennebacker was a prosperous farmer at the Trappe at the upper end of Providence Township. His grandfather Henry Pannebecker was one of the most prominent men of the area. Henry spoke three languages fluently, was a surveyor for the Penns, and left large land holdings to his children. In 1768, Dirck Pennybacker moved to Berks County, Pa., where he first leased, then purchased in 1770, a tract of land and gristmill from the estate of William Bird of Birdsboro, ironmaster (father of Mark Bird of later iron industry fame). Tax records show Dirck Pennybacker to have been one of the most prosperous men in Berks County during the Revolutionary War (at least based on the tax he paid), supplying and hauling flour to the Continental army. As the war wound down, his business seems to have done so, too, and he lost his gristmill and land as the result of a lawsuit over a debt on 17 May ! 1783. As of that date, he was referred to as "late of Berks, County." On 15 Feb. 1783, his nephew, and soon-to-be son-in-law, Isaac Samuels witnessed a deed in Washington Co, Maryland, where oral family tradition has stated the Pennybackers briefly operated an iron-works that was destroyed by a flood. Maryland militia records also show Dirck's son Benjamin Pennybacker as a member of the Washington County Select Militia during 1783. On the 12 Dec. 1783, Derick agreed to the location of the survey for his land grant in Shenandoah County. Benjamin Pennybacker deposed in court in Shenandoah County in 1814, that he first came to Shenandoah County in 1783. Sherry Johnson Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2003 22:58:57 -0400 From: "Diane Kittle" To: VASHENAN-L@rootsweb.com Subject: RE: [VASHENAN] Pine Forge Beginning Robert, Do you know where Pennybacker came from? Diane -----Original Message----- From: Robert Fuller [mailto:rfuller@shentel.net] Sent: Wednesday, July 30, 2003 10:10 PM To: VASHENAN-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [VASHENAN] Pine Forge Beginning Hi Tom, "Though the exact date cannot be established Pennybacker moved to Shenandoah Co VA sometime during 1783 or 1784 where he either established or purchased Pine Forge on Smiths Creek southeast of the town of New Market"....He listed in the Shen Co 1785 heads of household census 64 souls, a dwelling and three other buildings there. [from MESDA and written by H E Comstock. May 1981 Vol VII, No 1] BUT there is a deed in Shen Co in Book F page 90--29 June 1786 where Derk Pennybacker & Benj. Fawcett purchased from Mounce Bird and Clair his wife a tract on Smith Creek "whereon now the mill stands & part of the forge being the same Bird purchased of Burr Harrison & William Strother.. including the mills and about three acres of land. And going back some more to Book C page 140 -- 15 Jul 1777 is the deed that records when Mounce Bird purchased the above tract from Harrison & Strother. Only Burr Harrisons Mill "is now standing on about 3 acres of land. No mention of the Forge in this deed. Lena F. Fuller --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? The New Yahoo! Shopping - with improved product search