Lancaster County, PA

Lancaster County Deeds

Found in the Lancaster County Deeds is the following information on our surname ancestors. To note there are three individuals of interest:

1. John Pence - It is unclear which John this is (other than to say he lived in Manor Twp and was married to Magdalena). Most John Pence's of the 1760s were listed in records as living in York County, rather than Lancaster. There was a John Pens with a wife Magdalena living in Pennsylvania in 1745. They were noted as having their children baptized in York around that time. This could also be the Johan Bentz, immigrant, who sailed over on the Loyal Judith in 1732 with his wife Magdalena. They were noted as living in Dover Twp, York County in 1770. As good as this sounds, neither John nor Magdalena were uncommon names. Yet, it should also be noted that Manor Twp in Lancaster County is right on the border of York County. And owning land in both York and Lancaster simultaneously was quite common.
2. John Wyrick Pentz - this is most certainly Weyrich Sr, who was living in Lancaster from at least 1733 until 1762. Interesting spelling variants below, even within the same record.
3. Bentz Hershy - this is one of interest, as it appears to allow us to remove this particular Bentz from our family line.  A Bentz Horny/Hoony immigrated in 1750 aboard the Bennet. This was the only person I've found in the records who used Bentz as a first name. I'd thought it a mistranscription, but clearly there was a Bentz Hershy living in the same place at the same time. It could certainly be the same person, as there is no other person of the first name Bentz located in Pennsylvania. So the surname Hershy may have simply been mistranscribed to Horny and Hoony in the Bennet logs.
4. John Pence - likely the same as the above John Pence. "100a-Conestoga Manor: John Pence, William Wright.

Data follow:

• F229 John Pence of manor tp &w Magdalena: X mor.to Jacob Wistler & Jacob Rupley both of L.Co. £400
• 134a-Manor tp: Henry Shank, Willm. Wright, by Connestogoe cr. (Part of tract John Pence bought fr. William Logan of Phila.)
• 11 Dec 1760 W51 Jane Atlee J40 31 Jan 1761
• Jacob Sistler & Jacob Rupley ack. sat. fr. William Bowsman for John en ce 19 Sep 1766.
• G219 Henry Shank &w Catharina: X of Manor tp. mtg to George Graff of Lanc.bor £350
• 100a-Conestoga Manor: John Pence, William Wright 
• 9 Nov 1761 W47, W51 J40 14 Nov Nov 1761
• George Graff ack.sat.fr Henry Shank 23 Apr 1769

**

• H87b Jacob Shonauer of Cocal.tp. &w Magdalena: X mtg. to excrs. of Abraham Shonauer will £116-13/4d
• 114a - Cocalico tp: f-ly of Andreas Scroop now of Society of Ephrata, Abraham Poul, Wyrick Pentz, on Cocal. ?r, Abraham Shonauer other land. Also, 46a-cocalico tp, (adjoins 114a) Wyrick Pentz Abraham Poul.
• There is more to this record, but does not mention Wyrick again.
• K77 Excrs. of Abraham Shonauer, late of Cocal. Tp. rel.enf.to Jacob Shonauer of Cocol.tp. £300
• 114a - on Cocalico cr: f-ly of Andreas Scroop now of Society at Ephrata, late of Abraham Shonauer, Abraham Poul, Wyrick Pentz
• Part of 266a pat. 16 Jun 1739 to John Shonauer, father of Abraham & Jacob Shonauer (by name of Hans Shinover) adj. owners: Andreas Scroop, John Wyrick Pence.
• Also, 46a - adjoining above: Wyrick Pentz, Abraham Poul. (Which was pat. 4 Jun 1740 to John Shonauer (Shinover) adj. owners: John Shonauer other, Wierly Pentz, Abraham Pawley's seated land
• There is more to this record, but does not mention Wyrick again.
• M41 Christopher Baker, husbandman, of Cocal. tp. mtg. to Abraham Paul of Germantown, Phila. Co. £200
• 158a - Cocalico tp: Adam Moser, Rudolph Pollinger, Weiry Pentz, John Shounour, Philip Trout, John Oldland
• There is more to this record, but does not mention Wyrick again.

**

• M294 David Brusker &w Eizabeth: X of Hempfield tp quite claim to Christian Hershy of LCo £233-15/
• 2 tracts - Hempfield tp: one of 14a adj Christian Hershey & David Brusker; the other of 14a adj Jacob Shallenberger (which was rel 10 Sep 1764 by John Hoover &w Anna, John Hershy & Peter Crydor &w Mary heirs of Joseph Hershy, decd. to David Brubaker
• 10 Jun 1766 W75, Bentz Hershy J21 13 Jan 1768

Lancaster County Tax Records

Below is data taken from the Lancaster Co. Tax Records.

Volume 1 -- Index to the 1780 Tax Records
NAME            PL          YR          CLS
Pence, Peter    ER          79            T
Pence, Philip   ER          79            F


Volume 3 -- Index to Lancaster Tax Records -- 1750
NAME                 PL          YR          COMMENTS
Bence, Wyrick     CO          58           See Benz Weirly, Ed.
Bends, Michal      ER          50           Pence, 1751
Pence, Wyrick     CO           51           See Benz Weirly; also see Bence, Ed.


Volume 5 -- Index to Lancaster County Tax Records -- 1770
NAME                   YR          PL          COMMENTS
Bence                                                   See Pence
Bence, Christian     70           CO         Bentz, '69
Bence, Michel        69           BR          Fermer [Farmer]
Bence, Nicholas     70           CO         Inmate: Benss, '69; also Binss
Bentz, Conrad        69           LA          Also in '71 as Conrath Bentz
Bentz, Ludwick      69           CO         See Betz
Pence, Conrad        72           ER          "Young men with their parents"
Pence, Jacob           70           ER         Satler; Bence, Miller, '71
Pence, Michel        70           BR          Inmate

Pence, Peter           70           ER          Bence, '71

Abstract of Lancaster County Wills

Bentz Peter - (D) April 6th 1814 - (P) June 7th 1814. Exec. George Leed & Charles Moutelins. Cocalico (Twp.) W - Barbara Bentz.

Lancaster Co. Church Records of the 18th Century

Below is the collection of transcripts of those entries related to the Bentz/Pence family. This is taken from a book compilation kept at the Lancaster Archives entitled as Lancaster County Church Records of the 18th Century. This covers several churches in the county, from Cocalico to Muddy River, etc. I did not alter the spelling or grammatical notations, though it would certainly be easier to read if I did.

• William of Peter Bens and Anna Maria, b. July 9, 1781, bapt. October 3, ----. Spon: Philip Beck.
• Jacob of Nicholas Bens and Margaret, b. June 3, 1771, bapt. June 8, 1771. Spon: Balthasar Lantz and Elizabeth Lantz.
• Juliana of Peter Bens and Margaret, b. July 22, 1773, bapt. September 6, 1773. Spon: Philip Rang and wife Magdalena.
• Maria Lisbeth of Michael Bentz and Anna Lis, bapt. September 27, 1747. Spon: Thomas Scharf and wife.
• John George of Conrad Meixel and Maria Barbara, b. December 20, 1766, bapt. April 12, 1767. Spon: Ludwig Bentz.
• Mary Magdalene of Abraham Zuber and Maria, b. May 1, 1779, bapt. June 20, 1779. Spon: Peter Penss and wife Magdalene.
• Elizabeth of John Nicholas Benz and Maria Margaret, b. June 10, 1767, bapt. June 28, 1767. Spon: Elizabeth, wife of Balthasar Lantz.
• John of Jacob Benz, b. ----, bapt. ----. Spon: ----
• March 19, 1769. John, son of Jacob Bentz, age 1 yr. 5 mos. 3 d.. (burial)
• John Peter of Nicholas Benz and Maria Margaret, b. May 30, 1769, Bapt. June 4, 1769. Spon: Peter Kuhfaber and wife Catharine.
• (child and parent and birth date obscured on page 112). Bapt. October 14, 1787. Spon: Peter Benz and wife.
• Jacob of Christian Penss and Anna Maria, b. December 17, 1769, bapt. May 28, 1770. Spon: Jacob Beck and wife Anna Maria.
• Anna Maria of Ludwig Petz (probably Pentz) and Anna Maria, b. October 17, 1770, bapt. December 25, 1771. Spon: Jacob Beck and wife Anna Maria (same Jacob Beck and wife as noted in the birth of Christian Penss' son's bapt.)
• Christine of Christian Penss and Anna Maria, b. May 26, 1772. bapt. July 5, ----. Spon: Jacob Beck and wife Anna Maria.
• Anna Maria of John Stahlachmit and Anna Margaret, b. January 25, 1777, bapt. April 20, 1777. Spon: Christian Penss and wife Anna Maria.
• Anna Maria of Christian Penss and Anna Maria, b. May 25, 1775, bapt. December 30, 1776. Spons: The Parents.
• John of Christian Penss and Anna Maria, b. September 19, 1777, bapt. October 4, ----. Spon: The Parents.
• Elizabeth, daughter of Benedict Bens (deceased) and Anna Catharine, b. May 24, 1754, bapt. June 3, 1754. Spon: Henry Schmitt and wife.
• Anna Catharine, daughter of Conrad Bens and Elizabeth, b. October 12, 1766, bapt. October 26, 1766. Spon: John Gring and Catharine.
• Anna Margaret, daughter of Lawrence Marketand and Anna Barbara, b. February 6, 1755, bapt. February 14, 1755. Spon: Jacob Bens and Anna Margaret.
• George Frederick, son of Jacob Bens and Barbara, b. November 20, 1752, bapt. December 25, 1752. Spon: George Frederick Bens and wife.
• Jacob Neff m. Catharine Bens, of Lancaster, of November 7, 1790. (First Reformed Congregation)
• Christian Bens m. Maria Kafferod on March 21, 1769. (First Reformed Congregation)
• Abraham Huber of Cocalico m. Elizabeth Bens of this town on July 12, 1789. (First Reformed Congregation)
• John Gebel m. Elizabeth Bens, of Manheim, on April 30, 1792.
• Anna Margaret, daughter of Lawrence Markentand and Anna Barbara, b. April 1, 1757, bapt. April 9, 1757. Spon: Jacob Bens and wife.
• John, son of Jacob Ketsch and Anna Maria, b. September 6, 1754, bapt. October 27, 1754. Spon: John Bens. (First Reformed Congregation)
• Mary Magdalene, daughter of Conrad Weckman and Barbara, b. September 23, 1754, bapt. October 27, 1754. Spon: Magdalene, wife of John Bens. (First Reformed Congregation)
• Henry Gessler  m. Anna Margaret Bentz on April 9, 1765. (First Reformed Congregation)
• John Bentz m. Catharine Franciscus, of Lancaster, on January 28, 1786. (First Reformed Congregation)
• Peter Bentz m. Magdalene Werner on December 4, 1774. (First Reformed Congregation)
• Jan. 19 1741 - Valentin Bentz and Maria Catarina Oberlin, Cocalico. (Baptisms and Marriages Performed by Rev. Stoever)
• June 22 Adam Bents and Mary Hoover, license. (St. James Episcopal (Anglican)).
• 6 May 1796, Jacob Luch, formerly baker and now farmer at Christiansbrunn [Hesse-]Darmstadt, eldest son of Johann Seibert Luch and Veronica nee Engel(in). Agness was b. 27 Jan 1770 at Carlisle, 5th day. of Peter Pens and his late wife Elisabeth nee Opp(in).
• Susanna, of Weyerle Benss {Gress} and wife Anna Maria, b. 9 Oct 1751; bapt. {15} Mar 1753. Sponsor: the father. (Baptisms at Cocalico Reformed Church (in now Ephrata Township).
• 15 April 1753 at Cocalico: Catharine Benss {Grass}, dau of Weyericht (First Communions and Confirmations by Rev. John Waldschmidt at churches in Lancaster County).
• Elisabetha Benss {Gress}, b. 1 Aug 1739, dau. of Weyerich