Founding Fathers

Known Pence Immigrants: 1634-1799.

I have relied on, to a great deal, two particular documents: Pennsylvania German Pioneers Passenger Lists and A List of German Immigrants in London, May 1709. Other sources are noted throughout. For non-Pennsylvania-specific Pence immigrants, there is a lengthy section at the bottom of this page 




Pennsylvania Pences/Bentz Immigrants

Johannes Bense
Ship: Friendship of Bristol
Captain: James Davies
From: Rotterdam
By Way of: Cowes
Arrival: Philadelphia, 16 Oct 1727

Lodowick Bentze
Ship: Friendship of Bristol
Captain: James Davies
From: Rotterdam
By Way of: Cowes
Arrival: Philadelphia, 16 Oct 1727
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Johann "Weyrich" Bentz

Ship: James Goodwill
Arrival: 11 Sep 1728
Origin: Elsenz, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany
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Ship: Loyal Judith
Captain: Robert Turpin
Place: Rotterdam
Date: 25 Sep 1732

Michael Pens (Pents)(Pentz) (Mickell Pentes) Age 27
Ship: Loyal Judith
Captain: Robert Turpin
Place: Rotterdam
Date: 25 Sep 1732
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Lenhart/Leonard Bentz/Pence
Ship: Dragon
Captain: Hargrave
Place: Rotterdam
Note: Date: 30 Sep 1732
Palatines imported in the Ship Dragon, Chas. Hargrave, Mr , from Rotterdam, but last from Plymouth p. Clearance thence.
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Ship: Mercury
Qualified: 29 May 1735
Origin: Rieden, Dietlikon Parish, Canton Zurich, Switzerland
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Gorg Jacob Bentz (alt. Erek Jacob Bentz)
Ship: William
Captain: John Carter
Qualified: 31 Oct 1737
Note: In all 180 Passengers. List signed by ship mate Thomas Petterlo since the ship captain was confined to bed by an indisposition
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Ship: Friendship
Arrival: Philadelphia 20 Sep 1738
Origin: Germany

Adam Pence (age 22)
Ship: Friendship
Captain: Henry Beech
From: Rotterdam
By way of: Dover
Arrival: Philadelphia 20 Sep 1738
Note: 87 qualified (men 16 and over), women & children 195, whole 282.
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Ship: Nancy
Captain: William Wallace
From: Rotterdam
By way of: Dover
Arrival: Philadelphia 20 Sep 1738
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Hans Georg Bintz/Benss (age 36)
Ship: Bilander Thistle
Commander: George Houston
From: Rotterdam
By way of: Cowes
Arrival: Philadelphia 28 October 1738
Note: List of foreigners imported in the bilander, Thistle, Geo. Houston, Commander, from Rotterdam, last from Cowes. Forty-two men, thirty-six boys, sixty-four women and girls - in al 142. Qualified Oct. 28, 1738.
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Andreas Bentz/Andrices Bence
Ship: Robert & Alice
Captain: Walter Goodman
From: Rotterdam
By way of: Cowes
Arrival: Philadelphia 3 Dec 1740

Note: Grandson Johan Jacob, son of Johan Nicholas, is buried in Warrington's Bentz cemetery in York County, alongside his two wives.
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Johan Jacob Bentz
Ship: Hampshire
Captain: Thomas Cheesman
From: Rotterdam
By way of: Falmouth
Arrival: Philadelphia 7 Sep 1748

Origin: Germersheim, Rhineland-Palatinate1
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Michael Pens
Ship: Edinburgh
Captain: James Russel
From: Rotterdam
By Way of: Plymouth
Arrival: Philadelphia, 15 Sep 1749

Note: arrived with his brother-in-law Hans Nickel Kemmer
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Jörg Bentz
Ship: Phoenix
Arrival: Philadelphia, 15 Sep 1749
Origin: Göbrichen (Enzkreis, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany). 1 Another source places his origin at Iggelheim, Pfalz, Bayern, German.  8
Ship: Phoenix
Arrival: Philadelphia, 15 Sep 1749
Origin: Göbrichen (Enzkreis, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany). Another source places his origin at Iggelheim, Pfalz, Bayern, German.  8
Settled in: Shenandoah County, Va, as Lewis Pence of the Hawksbill Pences.
Ship: Phoenix
Arrival: Philadelphia, 15 Sep 1749
Origin: Göbrichen (Enzkreis, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)Another source places his origin at Iggelheim, Pfalz, Bayern, German.  8
Settled in: Shenandoah County, Va, as Jacob Pence of the Hawksbill Pences.
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Christian Bentz
Ship: Lydia
Captain: John Randolph
Place: Rotterdam
Date: 9 Oct 1749
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Bentz Horny (alt. Bentz Hoony)
Ship: Bennet (galley)
Captain: John Wadham
Place: Rotterdam
Date: 13 Aug 1750
Note: everyone else on this passenger list uses first/last names format. This may indicate that Bentz is actually this person’s first name, and not an actual Bentz family member. However, it is quite possible that this was a mis-transcription of the name Henry Bentz (as we know Henry Bentz, not otherwise listed in the immigration records, did appear at the same time as the immigrants.
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Johannes Bentz
Ship: Two Brothers
Captain: Thomas Arnot
Place: Rotterdam
Qualified: 21 Sep 1751
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Johann Christoph Bentz
Ship: Edinburgh
Captain: James Russel
From: Amsterdam
By way of: Cowes
Date: 19 Sep 1752
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Adam Pence
Ship: Neptune
Captain: John Mason
From: Rotterdam
Date: 4 Oct 1752
Note: 5
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Carl Bentz
Ship: Rawley 
Captain: John Grove
From: Rotterdam
Date: 23 Oct 1752
Ship: Rawley 
Date: 23 Oct 1752
Origin: Darmbach (today Tairnbach, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)
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Johann Christian Bentz
Ship: Snow Rowand
Place: Rotterdam
Date: 29 Sep 1753

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Johann Jacob Bentz
Ship: Minerva
Captain: Thomas Arnott
From: Rotterdam
Last: Portsmouth
Qualified: 13 Oct 1769
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Johann David Bentz
Ship: Minerva - or - Snow Rowand
Captain: James Johnston
From: Rotterdam
Last: Cowes
Qualified: 30 Sep 1772
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Johann Bentz (or Hentz?)
Ship: Hope
Captain: George Johnson
From: Rotterdam
Last: Cowes
Qualified: 3 Dec 1772

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Unverified or otherwise Non-Pennsylvania Pence Immigrants (prior to 1799):

St. Christophers & the Barbadoes
Richard Pence (age 45)   1634     from London. 4 

Nova Scotia

Rudolph/Rudolf Pentz      1751           (origin: Hilsbach,Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany; destination: 'CD'). 1
Note: age 38 (widower) farmer, and family: Johannes, Georg, Conrad, Amelia (Anna Maria), and Catherina. Arrived in Halifax aboard the Pearl

Georgia
Heinrich Ludwig Bentz     1775
Mark Bentz                     1738
Karl Bentz                      1733-1783
John George Bentz         1775

New Jersey

John Eberhard Bens       1759

Virginia

Thomas Benns               1716
William Bens                  1719

Maryland

Adam Pentz                   1763
Michael Pence               1761. 3      From: Some Maryland Naturalizations. The Lost Palatine. 1983

South Carolina

Christopher Pens           1766
Lena Pens                     1766

Listed as "Carolina -or- Pennsylvania"

Felix Bentz                    1734-1744

List as "America" only

Hans Bentz                   1711/1727-1775     (with wife Catherine and daughter Christina Barbara)
Johann Benz                 1728-1800
Barbara Bentz               1732                      (origin: Hilsbach, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany). 1
Adam Benz                   1737
Hans Martin Bentz         1738
Agnes Bentz                 1741
Wilhelm Benz               1787
Johann Benz                1787                     (origin: Kirchardt, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany). 1
Ludwig Benz                1791
Friedrich Benz              1795
Joseph/Josef Benz       1795                     (origin: Unteres Nesselried, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany). 1
Therese Benz               1795


To America or other countries

Johann Daniel Bentz     1688      (origin: Mannheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany; destination: 'PR')1
Johann Daniel Bentz     1693      (origin: Mannheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany; destination: 'PR')1
Philipp Jakob Bentz     1688      (origin: Mannheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany; destination: 'PR')1
Philipp Jakob Bentz     1693      (origin: Mannheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany; destination: 'PR')1
Benedict Pens             1709      (destination: London; family of four). 2
Jacob Bensch/Pens     1709      (Sailed for London 21 June; wife & 2 ch.; Due to being Roman Catholic, was returned to Holland that same year). 7
Margarete Benz/Binz     1739     (origin: DenzenRheinland Pfalz, Germany; destination: '?')1
Hans Georg Benz         1749      (origin IggelheimRheinland Pfalz, Germany; destination: '?')1
Anna Barbara Benz       1751      (origin Tiefenbach, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany; destination '?')1
Magdalena Benz          1752      (origin: OberweierBaden-Wurttemberg, Germany; destination '?')1
Franz Anton Bentz         1766      (origin: KuppenheimBaden-Wurttemberg, Germany; destination '?'; DOB 29 May 1740; son of 'Sebast., Margarethe')1,6
Maria Ursula Kircher Bentz 1766  (origin: KuppenheimBaden-Wurttemberg, Germany; wife of Franz Anton Bentz). 6
Peter Bentz                  1770      (origin: SondernheimRheinland Pfalz, Germany; destination: 'blank')1
Maria Benz                  1776      (origin: Sohren, Rhineland-Palatinate; destination '?')1
Luise Benz                   1778      (origin: Sohren, Rhineland-Palatinate; destination '?')1
Peter Bentz                  1780      (origin: SondernheimRheinland Pfalz, Germany; destination: 'PR')1
Johann Konrad Benz    1781      (origin: Mannheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany; destination: 'ö')1
Jacob Bentz                1783      (origin: Schwetzingen, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany; destination 'G'). 1
Philipp Benz                1783      (origin: SchwetzingenBaden-Wurttemberg, Germany; destination 'G'). 1
Wilhelm Benz               1783     (origin: Weisel/BacharachRhineland-Palatinate; destination '?')1
Franz Penz                   1784     (origin: HallgartenRhineland-Palatinate; destination 'G')1
Johann Bentz               1785      (origin: Heiligenzell, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany; destination '?')1
Michael Benss/Penz     1785      (origin: Armsheim, Wörrstadt, Alzey-Worms, Rheinland-Palatinate; destination 'U')1
Johann Jacob              1785      (origin: OtterbergRhineland-Palatinate; destination 'U')1
Josef Pentz                 1785      (origin: Hilbersheim A.D.G., Rhineland-Palatinate; destination 'U'; w Chr. Wilgert)1
Konrad Penz/Benz        1785     (origin: Rodenbach, Rhineland-Palatinate; destination 'U'; 2P)
Wilhelm Benz               1787     (origin: WeitnauSchwaben, Bavaria; destination '?')1
Johann Benz                1791      (origin: Kirchardt, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany; destination: 'blank'). 1
Friedrich Benz              1795      (originL Burg/Rötteln, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany; destination '?'). 1


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1     Eighteenth Century Register of Emigrants from Southwest Germany (to America and other countries); Hacker.

2.    A List of German Immigrants in London; May 1709
3     Some Maryland Naturalizations. The Lost Palatine; 1983
4     Results of Some Researches among British Archives.Boston. John Wilson & Son, 1865)
5     Collection of Upwards of Thirty Thousand Names. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co, Inc., 1965)
6     Landesarchiv Baden-Wurttemberg website: http://www.auswanderer-bw.de
7     Fourth Party, Embarkation Lists from Holland. The Early Palatine Emigration. Knittle. Philadelphia 1937
8     Palatine Origins of some Pennsylvania Pioneers. Burgert. 2000.

2 comments:

  1. I am trying to track a Pence family from 1800 Fairfield SC to 1809 Madison Co. Alabama. Any southern Pences found in your research?

    ReplyDelete
  2. I haven't run across anyone from Fairfield, SC specifically. But there is a line that went to Alabama about this time period. This would include some of the children of John Pence (b. 1772 NC). He married Elizabeth Rawlings in in Madison Co, Alabama in 20 Dec 1810.

    ReplyDelete

Berks County, PA

From a 1958 letter from Mrs. Bausmen, she notes the following: " George Jacob Bentz was a member of the old Lutheran church in 1743 at...