Bentz Family History

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

Introduction 2

Bentz Ancestral Line 2

Possible Birth & Baptism of Andreas Bentz 2

Ship Passenger Lists 2

Alsace-Lorraine, Palatinate Area of Germany 3

First Generation in America—Andreas Bentz & Ottilia Lang 4

How We Got Here 4

Why Come to Pennsylvania? 4

Trip to the New World 4

Oath of Allegiance 5

Surnames: The Same or Now Changed? 5

Bentz Family Moves West 6

From Philadelphia to New Holland 6

Adoption of One Calendar 7

New Holland to Codorus/Hanover 7

Birth of the Mason/Dixon Line 8

Documentation Runs Out 8

My Direct Ancestors 9

First Generation of American Born—Johan Nicholas Bentz & Eva Maria Swope 9

Churches of the Early Days 9

Revolutionary War— “Turmoil for Another Generation” 10

Were They Friends? 13

The Revolutionary War Continues for Nicholas 13

Life after the War 14

Life in Paradise Township 15

Independence Day 16

United States Constitution is Adopted 16

Is His Father Andreas Still Alive? 16

On the Move Again 17

A Changing Nation 18

When the Family Settled in Dillsburg 18

New Land Acquired 18

The Family was Instrumental in Building a Church 19

Another War: Indian War of 1812 19

Congress Decides on a New Flag 19

Early Years in Warrington Township 20

The Third Generation in York County, Pennsylvania--Johan Jacob Bentz & Susannah Lau 20

The Bentz Burial Grounds 22

Tragedy Strikes the Family 22

The First Documented Land Owner in America 24

Settling the Estate of Johan Jacob Bentz 25

Bentz Ancestral Line

INTRODUCTION

I’m going to start my family stories with my maiden name “Bentz”. I am starting with my 6^th great-grandfather Andreas Bentz that married Ottilia Lang. In this story you will read what facts or documentation I could find for each person. Historical locations and events that happened during their lives, and questions and thoughts of what I think was possible or probable in their lives. You will also find questions that I have and can’t find an answer for.

I hope you enjoy my research information as much as I enjoyed finding it.

Possible Birth & Baptism of Andreas Bentz

I cannot figure out which of the following birth and baptism information for Andreas could be our ancestor, or if none of them are. It is possible DNA may reveal the answer someday.

I found a possible birth date of Jan 4, 1716, and baptized Jan 6, 1716 in Evanglisch Hassloch Pfalz Bavaria (located near Russelheim), father Jacob Bentz, mother Anna Elisabetha Schaeffer, sponsor Andreas. I feel this is the best possibility, but without information from a family Bible or other documentation to piece it together. I thought this might be the most likely with the names of the children, which seem to repeat down through the generations. Since I can’t prove it, I’m sharing the following information I found that may be possible.

Another possible set of parents for Andreas Bentz baptized May 29, 1717 at Uhlbach, Wurttemberg, Germany, Father: Hans Jerg Bentz, Mother Catharina (near Stuttgart, southeast of Heidelberg). These names also repeat down through the generations, but I have seen more Jacob’s and Elizabeth’s.

Another possible set of parents for Johann Andreas Bentz, male, baptized February 2, 1718 in Steinheim/Murr (OA. Marbach), Wurttemberg, Germany, Parents listed are Jacob Bentz and Maria Justina (this is the only one I could get a copy of the actual record, but I can’t read or decipher the German handwriting).

Ship Passenger Records

While researching the ship records, I found nothing on Otillia as most ship records in the 1700’s didn’t list women or children at all. Even though the ship captains were to record all passengers, their names, ages, and where they were from, most records I’ve seen only have the male names. On the ship Robert & Alice that our Andreas came on, records stated there were 184 passengers, but the list has nowhere near that many listed. I also read that some captains only did the list of the males that were well enough to take the Oath of Allegiance, and the sick ones onboard didn’t get recorded at that time. It is possible that other family members came along with him, but their names weren’t listed. Since then, the records have been more in depth with information. Another finding while I was looking for proof was the fact that most of the ship records were lost, destroyed, and/or missing.

Alsace-Lorraine, Palatinate Area of Germany

Some other reasons we may never know who Andreas’ parents and ancestors were, is due to the turmoil that was going on in the Palatinate area of what is now Germany or France. This region was part of Germany or part of France depending on the outcome of different conflicts over the centuries. For nearly two thousand years Germany was occupied by several independent and semi-independent states. On several occasions’ statehood was achieved, but the political structure was too weak to maintain statehood so they disintegrated into numerous principalities and kingdoms. The governing princes or kings tried to force the people to conform to their personal religion, which caused much religious disorder.

The Thirty Years War was another factor. A series of European conflicts from 1618 to 1648, involving most of the countries of Western Europe, was mainly fought in Germany. Originally it was brought on by religious hatred started among the Germans by the Protestant Reformation group. This was the most destructive conflict in the history of Europe involving Germany, France, Sweden, Denmark, Austria, Bohemia, Spain, England, and Italy. The peace treaty was finally signed in 1648, which weakened the Roman Empire, and the consequences were unbelievable for Germany, where a very prosperous region previously was now the principal victim socially, economically, and culturally.

More than half the people perished. German cities, towns, villages, and farms were completely- destroyed. And two-thirds of the industrial, agricultural, and commercial facilities were in ruin. Basically, everything in the country came to a standstill, and the peasants were the group that suffered the most.

In 1674 & 75 the France & Holland War brought destruction once again to this region. Louis, XIV wanted to make the Palatinate region useless to his enemies. What wasn’t destroyed was carried off, so he had the towns, villages, and farms burned.

In 1685 Louis XIV, made claim to a large portion of the area once again and when the princes of northern Europe, England, Holland, and Germany revolted against him, he destroyed the area. He had corn fields plowed up; orchards cut down, and burned stores, parish houses, and country seats. He had churches of the Protestants burned to try and wipe them out. This was the turning point for the Palatinate people to start emigration to Pennsylvania along with the news William Penn had sent into the area of the “New World”.

The turmoil continued between the Lutherans and Reformed Church, and the Catholic rulers were happy and were hoping to convert them to Catholicism by the late 1690’s. This caused more Germans to immigrate to America, not only the added corruption, the tyranny, the extravagance of the heartlessness of the rulers of the area, but survival was getting worse for the peasants. They were being forced to pay body service; pay taxes on sales or inheritance, there were added fees for grazing, hunting, and plowing land. They had to give a portion of their crops and livestock to the rulers.

While trying to comprehend all of this going on in Germany for centuries, it does help me to understand why Andreas came to America. It also makes me wonder if our ancestors before him lived in this area and had to endure it, or whether they lived elsewhere. Did they survive or did he come by himself because his family was killed or died through this devastation?

FIRST GENERATION IN AMERICA

My 6^th great-grandparents-- Andreas Bentz & Ottilia Catharina Lang

Following is my rendition of how and why our Bentz family came to America. After my DNA test, I highly doubt any more information will be available. I feel him coming here was a necessity for survival. We are a family of survivors with on-going lines of Andreas in at least the 11^th generation of his descendants in America. Our family has been here for over 280 years.

How We Got Here

There were other Bentz’s that immigrated to the local areas of York, Rossville, Wellsville, and Warrington Township, but no connections have been found. There was a Johan Weirich Bentz whom arrived in 1728 and a John Bentz arrived in Philadelphia in 1732, and both came to the York area after their arrival, which was at least eight years prior to Andreas’ arrival. There is documentation of Bentz’s in the New Holland, Lancaster county area prior to Andreas showing up there, but no proof of a connection to them. It is possible he followed family members there.

My theoretical story of Andreas: The records indicate he came from the Palatinate area of Germany and most were peasants, thus the description earlier. A peasant was typically a very poor farmer.

I assume Andreas was born between 1715 and 1720, so he was about 20-25 years old when he decided to take this great risky trip to America.

With each new adventure there will be a group trying to profit from it. It isn’t surprising there was an agent for the ships owners to solicit passengers for the trip to the “New Land”, painting a picture of a paradise where there were no taxes, no feudal dues, the land was free, and freedom to attend places of worship spoken in their native tongue. No documentation of Andreas being a “redemptioner, servant, or slave”, or how much he had to pay before leaving Germany, Rotterdam, Cowes, or any other port to come to the New Land. I do know there were no other Bentz’s “listed” on the ship’s records of the Robert & Alice.

Why Come to Pennsylvania?

At the time there were people trying to persuade Palatines to emigrate to South Carolina, Pennsylvania, and New York, but he chose Pennsylvania. Sources state the climate in Pennsylvania is close to the Alsace-Lorraine climate. It had good weather in the summer for growing crops, but livestock needed barns for the winter because at times it could be brutal. Or did he choose Pennsylvania because previous family members already immigrated here?

Trip to the New World

The following is how Andreas’ immigration trip to America may have gone. He left the Alsace-Lorraine or Palatinate area of Germany and would have traveled overland to the Rhine River where he boarded the ship “Robert & Alice” under Captain Goodman along with 183 other passengers in Rotterdam, Holland. No date of when he boarded the ship, but it took about a month to get through the ports of customs. Each port had swindlers or beggars trying to get the passengers to spend most if not all their money before getting on their way. Most had minimal possessions and were totally exhausted by the time they got to Cowes. In Great Britain there was a delay of one to two weeks for passing through customs and for awaiting favorable winds for the great journey. Finally, they were on their way from Cowes, on the Isle of Wight, Great Britain to make their way to America. The journey across the Atlantic Ocean would take anywhere from 4 weeks to 6 months to arrive in the New Land depending on the winds and number of storms. His total journey could have taken as little as 3 months or gone on over a year.

However, having no funds to pay for the passage to America did not mean these poor travelers were out of luck. A system was established early on by ship captains and agents on both sides of the Atlantic to provide funding for the expenses of passage to immigrants without their own means to fund their cost of transportation.

Upon arriving in Philadelphia harbor, they were detained again for a health officer to visit the ship. It was halted one mile from the city. Dr. Thomas Cream visited the vessels but there are no reports of the doctor’s records until 1748.

Next, the healthy passengers would disembark to take the Oath of Allegiance to the King and his successors of the Province of Pennsylvania, a Colony of Great Britain bearing faithfulness and true allegiance to him. Following are the words of the Oath of Allegiance he signed:

Oath of Allegiance

“We Subscribers, Natives and late inhabitants of the Palatinate upon the Rhine, having transported ourselves and familys into the Province of Pennsylvania, a Colony of Great Britain, in hopes & expectation of finding a peaceable Settlement therein. Doth engage That we will be Faithful and bear true allegiance to his present Majesty King, his successors Kings of Great Britain, and will be faithful to the Proprietors of this Pennsylvania. Demean ourselves peaceably to all his said Majesty’s subjects, and strictly observe & conform to this Province to the utmost of our Power and best of our understanding.”

This Oath of Allegiance was deemed a necessity by the Province of Pennsylvania, when the Germans started immigrating by the tens of thousands each year. The Penn family was afraid they would lose their power over the province, and the Quaker’s believing all people could live together peaceably thought this would serve their purpose, and prevent any upheavals.

Andreas was a literate man with beautiful handwriting. He signed his Oath of Allegiance as Andreas Bentz.

SURNAMES: The Same or Now Changed?

A lot of name spellings got changed when people arrived in America because their signature was an “X”, meaning they could not write their own name. We were fortunate that Andreas signed his name so we can be sure our surname is “BENTZ” the same as it was in the “old country” even though I have seen it with many different spellings including his ship records. Following are some that I came across while searching: Bents, Bens, Bence, Benss, and you can’t rule out the possibility of it being written Pentz, Pents, Pence, Pens, Penss. All those spellings were used for our ancestors in records through the generations. Ancestry.com explains Bentz is a derivative of Benz. More recently in 2021, I heard Henry Louis Gates, Jr. say on Finding Your Roots, that the people themselves changed their names when they got here, because the list of passengers was sent along on the ship when they sailed for America. I believe that theory for more recent passengers to the US. He was talking about the early 1900’s, and that would make sense when immigrants were coming through Ellis Island. For the early immigrants, I think it could still be a misinterpretation of the spelling when people couldn’t spell their own name or understand the different dialects.

Bentz Family Moves West

After Andreas had landed on December 3, 1740 and had taken the Oath of Allegiance, the immigrants typically visited friends and relatives in or near Philadelphia before going farther north or west where land was cheaper. If they didn’t have family or friends, and needed to pay for their passage, they would have been sold and became redemptioners, servants, or slaves and went on to their new home to start working for their master to pay off their debt.

From Philadelphia to New Holland

Following are several possibilities of how Andreas’ life story may have unfolded in America.

Andreas may have signed a Contract, being a poor German immigrant to agree to serve as a bonded indentured servant for a specified period of years in lieu of payment of his costs of passage directly. His master needed labor, and probably farm related, for his plantation. The person to whom he indentured himself would pay his expenses he incurred in coming to America.

He then made his journey to Lancaster County on foot, and the trip took several days. When leaving Philadelphia, he would have set out on one of the three roads (previous Indian paths) leaving the city. As he left Philadelphia, the distance between farmsteads would have grown considerably, thus traveling on the road through constant bush or forest. Occasionally, there was a house and several miles down the road there was another house. During this time much of southeastern Pennsylvania was still forested, and the settlements were totally-surrounded by the forest.

It typically took 5 – 6 years to work off their indebtedness. Once again, no documentation on Andreas, until I find record of him in New Holland, Lancaster County when he married Ottilia Catharina Lang on June 16, 1745 by the Rev. John Valentine Kraft at Trinity Lutheran Church. It had been four and a half years since he landed in Philadelphia.

Did Otillia’s father hire him? No documentation, but that would be a possibility since it was only 4 ½ years and not longer. Or he was rather frugal and didn’t spend all his money on the trip here, and was working in the New Holland area to have a successful future and met her there.

One more possibility for him to go to New Holland could have been family members. In the records for Trinity Lutheran Church, Lancaster County, I found birth and baptism records for several Bentz children. Were the fathers listed possibly Andreas’ brothers or cousins? The father’s names were Johann Bentz, Philipp Bentz, and George Jacob Bentz. The birth and baptism of the children happened between 1735 and 1739, just prior to Andreas’ arrival.

He and Ottilia stayed in the New Holland area until after their first daughter, Elisabeth was born, probably living with or near her family as there are numerous Lang’s buried in the Trinity Church Cemetery. Their daughter’s birthdate was recorded as being March 21, 1750. Some places you will see it as March 21, 1750/51. Which calendar was in use at the time the date was recorded in the church records?

Adoption of One Calendar

The countries were trying to decide which calendar to use since some were short of days, others had too many, and this dispute went on between 1748 and 1752. So, for a long time two different calendars were in use. Finally, in 1752 Great Britain and the colonies adopted the “year” based calendar we use today.

New Holland to Codorus/Hanover

At some point between Andreas’ first and second daughters being born (1750-1753) he moved from New Holland to near Hanover which was now part of York County. York County separated from Lancaster County in 1749. Conflicts between the different nationalities were on the rise with more immigrants arriving in America and more people moving to the New Holland area. The government of the area was surely changing, and land west of the Susquehanna River was now available with more people moving to that area. Some decided to move to a new “back woods” area to escape overbearing people, government, and possibly British taxes.

He would have traveled a road built in 1739 that went from Kreutz Creek (Wrightsville area) to York and then on to Codorus/Hanover. Originally it was an Indian path that became the Monocacy Road (most likely in the vicinity of what is Rt. 462 to York). From York to Hanover, it would be in the vicinity of 462 and Rt. 116 today (this section was the York & Gettysburg turnpike). It followed the Codorus Creek, and then headed into Frederick, Maryland, and points south to at least Virginia.

He left his country to remove himself from the wars only to arrive in a “New Country” and four years after his arrival war broke out in the western part of the state. It lasted for 21 years, from 1744-1765 known as the French and Indian War. His exposure may have been minimal with the residents of Cumberland County fleeing to the York County settlements to escape the war in the mid 1750’s.

Their daughter Anna Christina was born on July 11, and was baptized at St Matthew’s Lutheran Church, Hanover August 5, 1753. If Otillia was her mother, she was not listed on the baptism records for this child or Andreas’ other three children even though they were all baptized at St. Matthew’s. I will assume she was due to the lack of documentation and no death record or other marriage records for Andreas. It is possible the records of these events were never recorded, lost, or destroyed.

The Germans were noted for keeping family records in the early years, but mainly on the men. However, over the years many documents were destroyed by fires and floods.

To date no land warrants, grants or patents for Andreas were found. He possibly was one of the numerous settlers considered a “presumptive settler or squatter”. Many Germans and Irish traveled to the area west of the Susquehanna River and picked a piece of unsettled land to locate and “improve” for themselves and their families. Most of the Germans settled more in York County and the Irish in Cumberland County.

Birth of the Mason/Dixon Line

Another conflict arises when both Maryland and Pennsylvania claimed the rights to this area, but the inhabitants claimed neither authority. A man named John Digges bought land in that area and it was called “Digges’ Choice” and was considered part of Maryland, where Mr. Digges acquired land grants or warrants. This was the original settlement near Hanover.

Roughly 10 years after Andreas moved to the thickly grown grove of hickory trees, Richard McAllister laid out the town of Hanover in a “no-man’s land” in 1763.

To settle the dispute between the authorities of Pennsylvania and Maryland, the British government hired engineers Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon to survey the division line between the two states from 1763 to 1767, thus the infamous Mason-Dixon Line that separated the states was born.

By 1765 Pennsylvania had a major colonial policy shift and permitted settlers who had squatted on unwarranted land, and were willing to accept the results of a land survey, to be granted an official warrant for their land, upon application (land west of the Susquehanna River). They were granted between 1765 and 69. No documentation for Andreas was found.

Andreas’ friend (or family member) Nicholas Budinger and his wife were the sponsors for baptism of his four children born in the Hanover area. Andreas, Jr. born Oct 11, 1755 was next, then my 5^th great-grandfather Nicholas born March 5, 1758, and lastly Mary Magdalena born May 5, 1761.

Documentation Runs Out

No documentation has been found of Andreas or Otillia after the birth of his last daughter in 1761. Their estimated ages were between 30 and 45 years old. I haven’t found death information nor was he listed in any of the tax records from 1783 on. The records I came across for an Andreas/Andrew Bentz, I believe were for his eldest son. From my estimated birth dates, they would have been in their mid-50’s to mid-60’s at this point. Not very old in my book, however, during that time in history living past 40 years of age was “old”. I’m sure from all the related events in history their lives were challenging.

A Bentz Road in Codorus Township exists in the area near Zeigler’s Lutheran Church, just off Rt. 516 between Spring Grove and Jefferson. His son Andreas, Jr. lived in the area when his children were baptized. Who was the road named for?

With what I did find Andreas was literate, educated, adventurous, determined, and hard working in my opinion. You will see this throughout my line of direct Bentz ancestors. This just shows what has been passed down through This family line.

My Direct Ancestors

Andreas Bentz married Otillia Catharina Lang 6^th G-grandparents

Nicholas Bentz married Eva Maria Swope 5^th G-grandparents

Johan Jacob Bentz married Susanna Lau 4^th G-grandparents

Jacob Lau Bentz married Elizabeth Slothower 3^rd G-grandparents

Michael Bentz married Susan Heiges 2^nd G-grandparents

Ervin H. Bentz married Louisa Hershey Great-grandparents

Edward Otto Bentz married Clara Louise Ortmyer Grandparents

Glenn Irvin Bentz married Shirley Elizabeth Henry Parents

FIRST GENERATION OF AMERICAN BORN:

My 5^th Great-Grandparents--Nicholas Bentz & Eva Maria Swope

The next generation was born on American soil in what is now York County, Pennsylvania, Nicholas, or Johan/John Nicholas Bentz as some records indicate. Johann, Hans, Anna, and Maria were added to names of the children as their Christian name. This explains why several children in a family could have the same first name. Another finding is children with the exact same names, this happened if a child died young, and the parents wanted to honor the person that child was named for by naming another child the same. I’ve learned a lot about how children were named, and people’s names were interpreted and the different spellings when spoken in a foreign language.

My 5^th great-grandfather Nicholas was born March 5, 1758 (200 years before me) in Codorus Twp., somewhere on the outskirts of what became Hanover and baptized at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church on March 27th. The Lutherans believed in baptizing their children as soon as possible after they were born, he was only 22 days old. Some Lutherans believe you can’t tell the name you have chosen for the child until they are baptized. This may be the reason for the quick baptism, or it may be when the pastor was in the area (they were traveling pastors then).

Churches of the Early Days

At the time of Nicholas’ baptism St. Matthew’s was named St. Michael’s Evangelical Lutheran Church (originally named the “Evangelical Lutheran Congregation on the Conewago”, and was located near 890 McCosh St., Hanover, this being the second church building for this congregation). St. Matthew’s church is now in the downtown area of Hanover, at 30 West Chestnut Street (Rt. 194 South). I assume Rev. John George Bager, baptized Nicholas and three of his siblings as he was the elected pastor from 1752 to 1763, though the Reverend was a busy man helping to organize more than a hundred congregations in a fifty-square-mile area during this time.

It is noted in the churches history that Church records are very incomplete during this time due to the struggles between the French and the English for possession of the land. This may be the reason we cannot find death records of Nicholas’ parents. Also noted was that Richard McAllister laid out the town of Hanover in 1763, that name will come up again in Nicholas’ life.

Another finding about church history in the York County area from York to Hanover, is the pastors of the time oversaw numerous congregational meetings held in homes across the area and all were members of the same church like the “Evangelical Lutheran Congregation on the Conewago” which could have included everyone from the west side of the Susquehanna to York to Hanover (or further) which was known as the Conewago Settlement before it became Hanover. Eventually members band together and built a church building in their area. Even then the pastors oversaw more than one, matter of fact of quite a few, and they had the schoolmaster do the preaching when they were away at other churches.

From the time of Nicholas’ baptism until the ready for the Revolutionary War, I haven’t found any more information about him. I assume he lived on a farm with his parents in the Codorus Township area during his childhood and helped with the farm work.

Revolutionary War--“Turmoil for Another Generation”

When “Associators” were organizing groups to fight in the Revolutionary war, Nicholas would have been about 18 years old and joined the 2^nd PA Regiment of the Flying Camp as a private which was commanded by the 3rd Battalion (organized in 1775) by Colonel Richard McAllister, of Hanover. This Battalion was largely organized from the townships of Heidelberg, Berwick, Paradise, Mt. Pleasant, Manheim, and Germany under orders of Captain Jacob Beaver.

The York County Associators were originally volunteers. In 1776 Congress recommended the organization of companies of militia, this is when Nicholas joined. Thus, the association became a compulsory militia, divided into classes, and then drafted by the county Lieutenants.

Five battalions of militia marched from York County to New Jersey in July 1776. Six weeks later two battalions of the Flying Camp were formed from these units. The first battalion was commanded by Col. Michael Swope, the second by Col. Richard McAllister. Each battalion consisted of eight companies, whereupon the remainder of this force returned home to York County.

Records indicate Nicholas was with the Flying Camp, but no documentation of him during any part of the war was found. He may have returned home, but the above information could put him in New Jersey when the Flying Camp was formed from these units under his commanding officer Col. Richard McAllister.

Records were vague about the members of the different “Flying Camps”. The following is accounts of the whereabouts of his commanding officer Colonel Richard McAllister, which he may have been with, or not. His short term was serving six months from June 3 when the regiment was authorized by Congress to Dec 1, 1776 when it was disbanded. The Flying Camps (same as reserve troops today) were initially formed from Maryland, Delaware, & Pennsylvania. Apparently, they were good with their long guns as I read where they could shoot a Tory (British Soldier) at 250 yards compared to the opponents 100 yards. That’s remarkable considering they were the old muzzleloader rifles, and it was stated they didn’t have bayonets like the British did.

General Hugh Mercer held overall command of the Flying Camps drawn from the Middle Colonies, although he rarely commanded its Pennsylvania units in battle. It was stated that the Flying Camps were very disorganized, and records were rarely kept of their whereabouts during their time serving.

The first possible deployment was to meet in Perth Amboy, NJ soon after organization of the Flying Camp on June 3^rd. Then by August 20, 1776 six full strength Pennsylvania Battalions had reported to Mercer, and were stationed at Fort Lee on the New Jersey bank of the Hudson River, well north of the main camp at Perth Amboy. We do know that Col. Richard McAllister’s 2^nd York County Battalion was part of this along with Col. Michael Swope’s 1^st York County Battalion. A total of 2,600 Pennsylvania Flying Camp troops were stationed at various points in New Jersey. They were concentrated at Fort Lee. Indeed, with over 2,000 troops they were providing the primary garrison of that fort.

Next some of the troops moved on towards Long Island, NY. We do know that one company from Swope’s York battalions arrived in obscure fashion. Each of these units took an active and sometimes prominent part in the subsequent battle. Once again detail of the battalions is obscure.

Entering the second week of October, the Pennsylvania Flying Camp battalions were as dispersed as ever. McAllister’s and Moore’s battalions had been moved to the base camp at Perth Amboy, perhaps as a result of Washington’s surprise at the numbers Mercer had been able to send to Fort Lee. During this time Colonels Swope’s and Montgomery’s battalions together with Lt. Col. Watts, remained at Fort Lee.

Since early September General Mercer had been planning an attack on British held Staten Island from the camp in New Jersey as soon as adequate Flying Camp forces were available for his own deployment. On the night of October 15^th, he was at last able to act. Included in his force was a large part of McAllister’s Battalion under Major John Clark. On the island, at about 11:00 PM, Mercer suddenly was forced to modify his plan. Receiving information that an English force of three regiments was in the town of Richmond, Mercer sent about an equal force, including Clark’s detachment, to circle the town and attack from the east while he enclosed in from the west. By dawn both sections of Mercer’s force were in position, but their presence had been detected by the British. According to Clark’s account, his forces led the advance from the east, taking the first prisoners and capturing the colors of the Twenty Third Light Dragoons. After a brief clash with these forces, which left two dead on each side, the English retreated. Mercer’s forces captured seventeen prisoners and some supplies. Further attack was prevented by orders from Washington for Mercer to return to alter the New Jersey defenses, thus cutting short one of his few opportunities to lead even part of his Flying Camp. However, as Mercer commented, the loss of surprise precluded further pursuit of his plan in any case.

On November 9^th while leading a detachment of 200 men from McAllister’s battalion to guard supplies at Dobbs Ferry on the New York side of the Hudson, Major John Clark discovered 5,000 English encamped nearby. He reported his opinion that they were planning to attack Fort Washington. As the British intent to attack became evident, Greene, left with discretion by Washington, began to strengthen the garrison of that fort. Since he did so only the action involving the largest number of members of the Pennsylvania Flying Camp, but also the only one in which they constituted a near majority of the American force. Moreover, the only full colonel in the garrison, except for Magaw, was Michael Swope commanding one of the Pennsylvania battalions of the Camp-a point Magaw seems to have considered in one instance. Unfortunately, General Greene, in opting to strengthen the garrison, did not know that two weeks previously Magaw’s adjutant, William Demont, had deserted to the British with the plans for the fort. Typically Flying Camp units were rushed across the Hudson in piecemeal. In the resulting confusion even Magaw became unclear about the numbers under his command.

By November 14^th Greene had stripped his own garrison at Fort Lee down to just over 500, and had hastily ferried slightly more than 1,500 men to strengthen Fort Washington. Of these, about half were troops of the Pennsylvania Flying Camp. Most of them were in a heavily reinforced battalion under Col. Michael Swope. The British list four colonels and four lieutenant colonels captured at Fort Washington. This apparently is the result of listing lieutenant colonels commanding regular state battalions as colonels. Magaw and Swope were among the captured.

Greene drew in other forces under his command in New Jersey either on November 14^th or 15^th, and dispatched them to Fort Washington. These included two sizable units from the Pennsylvania Camp, and several smaller units were sent including McAllister’s. On the 15^th, Adjutant General James Paterson, was sent to the British under a flag of truce. Magaw reported, “I sent down Colonel Swope.” Apparently, Swope was with Magaw in the inner fort. The message Swope returned with was surrender within two hours. Magaw replied with determination to “defend this post to the last extremity.” The attack began the next day.

Fort Washington itself was an open earthwork fortification on top of Mount Washington, a ridge in the northwestern part of New York Island. It was situated to dominate the Hudson River to the west, not protect itself from other directions on the island. The British attacked from the other three directions. Pennsylvania Flying Camp forces were prominent in the defense against the attack from the east, across the Harlem River. Southeast of the fort near old Harlem Heights was under Swope’s Battalion, as the British crossed the river and charged up the hillside they were hit with heavy fire, killing 90 British troops. Eventually the highlander’s bayonet charge prevailed after wounding some of Swope’s lead men. Approximately 100 Flying Camp defenders were captured here, others retreated toward the fort. By afternoon the fort was hopelessly crowded with troops driven from the outworks. The threat of British shells being fired into the immobilized defenders forced Magaw to surrender. The entire garrison of Fort Washington was lost-most being captured-when Magaw surrendered sometime before mid-afternoon. The defeat at Fort Washington has been called the heaviest suffered by the American army during the entire war, and Pennsylvania Flying Camp battalions had suffered the most. In their last battle, as in their first, they had been committed with such haste that their presence and identity became obscure and never realized their full potential.

The final two weeks of the Flying Camp’s formal existence were spent by its Pennsylvanians retreating with Washington across New Jersey. Colonel Patterson tallied the number of men remaining during the retreat across New Jersey at 461 (officers included) when the Flying Camp battalion arrived at Perth Amboy on Oct. 5^th, and at 480 of all ranks five days later. On December 1^st, the day most of its enlistments expired, six of its battalions at about half to two-thirds strength were at Trenton including McAllister. The Flying Camps were neither ordinary militia nor inglorious.

From all the information of the Revolutionary War during this 6-month period, I feel Nicholas spent some time at Perth Amboy, as to his whereabouts during the rest of the time we may never know. He may have seen front line fighting in areas where McAlister’s troops were, been at Trenton with McAllister at the end of his term, or marching across New Jersey with George Washington, or possibly returned home back in July.

Were They Friends?

My question is: Was Nicholas Bentz and Conrad Gentzler friends before the Revolutionary War or did they become friends during the war? Both young men joined the Pennsylvania Flying Camps but they were in different regiments, so did they know each other before they volunteered for the militia, or did they meet while fighting at some point, maybe at Perth Amboy? The story has it that Conrad was mistakenly killed by a British soldier right after he was mustered out at Perth Amboy, New Jersey in 1776. (Conrad Gentzler was also a 5^th great-grandfather of mine.)

Conrad was married to Eva Maria (Maria Eva/Eve) Swope (possible last name, but no verification, others researching this family have her last name as Swope/Shoop/Schwab, but I have also seen her last name as Jacobs), and had four small children at home between the ages of 1 and 9 at the time of his death. Nicholas married Eve between Conrad’s death in 1776 and August 1778 when they were listed as Nicholas and Eve Bentz sponsors for baptism for Maria Magdalena Dendlinger who was born Aug 26, 1778. No documentation was found for their marriage. Another lost document.

Did Nicholas make Conrad a dying wish promise? During the early years in America, women had no means of supporting themselves or their children if their husband died unless the family was wealthy. The children would be given to other male family members or close friends to be raised during the settlement of his estate. There is a possibility that he asked Nicholas to take care of his children as a dying wish, and then Nicholas took the children and Eve in and eventually married Eve for this reason. Whether Nicholas was a friend or family member of Conrad’s or Eve’s we may never know, but both families were from Germany. During this time, everyone either knew those families living around them, or they were family members such as cousins, aunts, uncles, etc.

The Revolutionary War Continues for Nicholas

After the organization of the state militia, in 1777, Nicholas once again signed up with the 3^rd Battalion, commanded by Colonel David Jameson. Parts of this battalion served under Jameson at Germantown, White Marsh, and other minor engagements, but no documentation of Nicholas being a part of these has been found. According to records I did find, different soldiers were sent to different Battalion’s to help hold the lines during the confrontations, but records of who helped which Battalion was not documented once again.

Nicholas and his brother Andrew were privates on the muster roll along with some of my other ancestors in 1777 and 1778 under Captain Thomas White, of the 2^nd Company, from Paradise Twp., York Co.

In 1777 the York County Militia (Associators) were called out to guard supply depots as well as Hessian prisoners being held at Camp Security just outside of York. They employed in the summer and autumn of 1777 to oppose the British invasion at Brandywine and on the flanks at the battle of Germantown; though in neither case did they see action.

During 1778 the York County Militia were once again called out to guard supply depots as well as Hessian prisoners held at Camp Security and during the summer months, they were brought in to reinforce western frontier areas in Northumberland, Northampton, Bedford, and Westmoreland counties. Nicholas’ service will always be a mystery because the records are very vague on him other than the battalions, companies, and regiments he assigned with.

Nicholas is found again as a “private” in 1780 with the 1^st Company of the Fifth Battalion, York County militia, under Captain Thomas White. This Battalion was from Paradise Twp., York Co. He either truly believed in the effort or needed the money as he reassigned with another battalion and left his new wife Eve with her four children and a new baby of his own Catharina being born on Feb 5, 1779. This time he is listed on the muster roll as Nicholas Pence.

The men of York performed their part well at home and on the battlefield during the trying years of the Revolutionary war, which lingered on with its terrible hardships to the American soldiers, with alternate victory and defeat, in ever memorable battles, until the surrender of Lord Cornwallis to Gen. Washington, at Yorktown, VA on the 19^th of October 1781, caused hostilities to cease, producing universal joy. This news was received at York with great rejoicings, business was suspended, bells were rung, and a great bonfire was built.

During the war years I believe Nicholas lived in Paradise Twp. near the border of West Manchester Twp., near Wolf’s Church (now St. Paul’s) since I have him and Eve serving as sponsors of baptism for several infants and having their own children baptized there. When he signed up for the militia, the regiments he was signing up with were from Paradise Twp.

As I continued my research of the war, the history of the area and churches, I came across some answers to theories I had previously. I was surprised how Nicholas went to war when I believed my whole life that Pennsylvania Germans didn’t like to fight. I found it was the Moravians who refused to fight. During most of the wars my direct ancestor would have been too old. I also found the American Germans were the most determined party of the Revolutionary war to fight and do what was needed to protect this new country of theirs and take the leadership away from the English. Apparently, the King of Great Britain and the leaders of the Province of Pennsylvania knew this when the Germans started immigrating in mass numbers to Philadelphia in the mid-1700’s and insisted they take the oath of allegiance to the King to try and prevent what just happened.

Life After the War

Apparently, Nicholas and Eva had some good friends in Adam and Barbara Dendlinger, George Fockenroth, and Jacob and Christina Becker as they were listed as sponsors of baptism for their children at St. Paul’s/Wolf’s Reformed Church in West Manchester Twp. York Co. Every time I come across names several times in our ancestors’ lives, I always wonder if they are family members since women weren’t documented much during those years.

On November 23, 1781 Nicholas and Eve were blessed with their second child a son and he was named Johan Jacob Bentz (my 4^th great-grandfather) and baptized at Wolf’s/St. Paul’s Reformed Church January 25, 1782.

Life in Paradise Township

In Paradise Twp., York County, Nicholas was taxed 6 pounds 15 shillings in 1782, for 150 acres of land, 2 horses, 2 cows, and 2 sheep. Paying taxes on land is interesting to me, because I can’t find any land warrants, patents, or grants in his name, Eve’s name, or Conrad Gentzler’s name.

In 1783 Paradise Township had a population of 943 inhabitants, owning 141 houses, 116 barns, and five mills with an estimated 19,344 acres of settled land. A considerable portion of the township, which is now fertile, was a woody swamp, hence called by the first German settlers “Holzschwamm.” In the early days it was not thickly settled. 

That same year the census for the township showed on page 21 that Nicholas had 130 acres of land, 1 house, 1 barn and 6 inhabitants living with him. If he wasn’t counted as one of the inhabitants, then I figure they were Eve (his wife), Magdalena, Philip, and George Gentzler (his three step children) and Catharina and Johan Jacob Bentz, his two children with Eve by this time. Another possibility is Magdalena and Philip were married or off helping other family members or friends and Andreas and Otillia were living with them.

Nicolaus and Eva Bentz were sponsors for baptism of Johannes Fockenroth, born Dec. 31, 1783, and baptized Apr. 11, 1784, the father was Joh. Georg Fockenroth at Wolf’s/St. Paul’s Reformed Church in West Manchester Twp. York Co. No mother was listed, so could she have been a sister of Nicholas or Eve?

Another blessing arrived on September 9, 1784 in the form of a little girl that was named Anna Maria, and baptized October 17, 1784 at Wolf’s/St. Paul’s Reformed Church. She was their third child together. Later she is referred to as Mary and married Philip Snider/Snyder and is buried in Barrens Salem Union Cemetery with her husband.

Once again in 1785 the tax census of Paradise Twp. shows Nicholas on page 79 as having 150 acres, 2 horses, and 2 cows at a tax rate of 4 ¼ pounds with a valuation of 93 and it cost him 1 pound, 12 shillings, and 11 pence in taxes.

The next census in 1786 for Paradise Twp. Nicholas was listed at number 15, just male names were listed.

Another baby girl was born to them on May 26, 1787 and was baptized on June 24, 1787 named Maria Elizabeth at Wolf’s/St. Paul’s Reformed Church.

The 1787 tax census for Paradise Twp. has Nicholas owning 150 acres, 2 horses, and 2 cows, at a tax rate of 2 ¾ pounds with a valuation of 130.10.0 for a tax of 1 pound 9 shillings and 9 pence, my calculation would be it cost him around $.30 in today’s money.

Again in 1788 Paradise Twp. on page 29 Nicholas was taxed on 150 acres, 2 horses, and 2 cows with a tax rate of 2 ¾ pounds with a valuation of 134.10.0 and a tax of 1 pound 10 shillings and 11 pence.

Nicolaus and Eva Bentz were sponsors for baptism once again for Christina Becker, born Jan 21, 1788 and baptized Mar 30, 1788, parents were Jacob and Christina Becker. Nicholas did have a sister named Christina, so is Christina Becker his sister?

Apparently for the past six years from 1782 to 1788 Nicholas seemed to be doing well living on a 150-acre farm with two horses and two cows, very typical for German families in those days. Verification for the property may have been lost in a fire or flood.

Independence Day

Nicholas having been in the militia would have celebrated Independence Day on July 4^th, 1788. Possibly attending the celebration in York for the adoption of the Federal Constitution, the borough and county of York became patriotic, and, it was a great and notable day in York, the progress of American liberty being appropriately celebrated by a grand procession and banquet, with speeches and a series of toasts of almost unending length. The names of the orators have been lost in oblivion, but a copy of the toasts offered on the occasion has been reserved; and as they show the zealous spirit in which our forefathers enjoyed their new-born freedom, we quote a few of their toasts.

By the bearer of the flag of the United States – May our powers explore every inlet of the habitable globe, our flag ride triumphant on every ocean. May impartiality wield the sword of Justice and impetuosity the sword of war.

Flag of Pennsylvania – The State of Pennsylvania – may she hold the federal balance, and become the arbitress of the continent.

United States Constitution is Adopted

Now that the war is over, Americans celebrated the Federal Constitution being adopted, and Nicholas and Eve get to celebrate the dawn of the new United States of America with the installation of the first President, George Washington on April 30, 1789. And to think he may have marched with George during the war. What a remarkable opportunity for an ancestor of ours.

At this time, I can relate with the joy and celebration of such a wonderful day in American history, and with the suspense of what was to come, hoping it will be for the best of all Americans. Most residents in York County were elated with the inauguration of President Donald Trump. We are hoping for the changes that would put us back to a country that our ancestors fought and dreamed of when fighting the Revolutionary War. President Trump was our hope for a revolution without having to take up our guns and fight to solve the issues of today’s largest, most overpowering, most overregulated, and most overspending government in American history. And President Trump would have in his first term, but our democratic politicians have tried everything to stop him because of all the crooked things they have done for the last several decades

Is His Father Andreas Still Alive?

An Andreas Bentz shows up in the 1790 census for Paradise Twp., but I think it is Nicholas’ brother, not his father. It has 1 male over age 16 (Andreas), 1 male under age 16 (Michael-his son), and 4 females (Anna Elizabeth-his wife, Barbara, Anna Margaretha, and Elizabeth-his daughters) all white listed which sounds like Nicholas’ brother’s family because of the ages. With only the head of household’s name, this is just my assumption.

I also found an Adam Dendlinger/Denlinger, Nicholas’ friend (or possibly a relative), and why he is important is because he showed up on baptism records with Nicholas and signed up for the same regiments for the Revolutionary War with Nicholas every single time. Is Adam a nephew-in-law, as his wife’s name is Barbara, and Nicholas has a niece named Barbara, or possibly a cousin, or Eve’s sister?

I didn’t find a 1790 census record for Nicholas Bentz. I went back and looked through the record again for Paradise Twp. and I noticed a Nicholas listed, but the name was Nicholas Endrass, and that intrigued me. When they were giving the head of household’s name, were they trying to decide whether it should be Nicholas or Andreas (his father), and instead of putting either as Bentz ended up putting both their first names together and misspelled. That is my thought. It lists 2 males over 16 years old (possibly Andreas & Nicholas or Nicholas & George Gentzler or Nicholas and a son-in-law), 5 males under 16 years, and that has me a little puzzled, (Johan Jacob-my 4^th great-grandfather should be one), but the other four I’m not sure. They could have been grandsons or nephews of Nicholas or Eve, or someone else and we will never know. It also listed 5 females and they could have been Eva Maria (his wife), Catharina, Anna Maria, Maria Elizabeth, and the other was possibly Otillia (Nicholas’ mother), Eve’s mother, his step-daughter Magdalena Gentzler or a niece or servant. So, there is a possibility his parents were still alive. This may not be him at all, or the other male over 16 could have been Magdalena’s husband. So, I can figure a lot of possibilities, but no real answers because of the requirements for the census records at that time.

On the Move Again

Between 1790 (if I’m right about the census) and 1792, Nicholas and Eve moved their family from Paradise Twp. to Codorus Twp. Because the next record I find is the birth and baptism of another son Andrew (probably named for his grandfather) born September 29, 1792 and baptized at Zeigler’s (St. Paul’s) Lutheran & Reformed Church in North Codorus Twp. between Stoverstown and Seven Valleys. The church records state that it was organized about 1800 by Rev. F. V. Melsheimer, of Hanover, the renowned entomologist as nearly as can be determined, but it seems it was organized before that if Andrew was baptized there November 4, 1792. He was the only child Eve had that wasn’t baptized at Wolf’s/St. Paul’s. What made them change churches? In 1793 Nicholas was still living in Codorus Twp. according to the tax census.

On March 4^th, 1797 Nicholas and his family had the opportunity to see our democracy in action as George Washington hands over the presidency to John Adams as he is inaugurated as the second President of the United States. Nicholas lived through the change of presidency 4 more times.

In 1800 once again, Nicholas was listed on the Federal tax census at number 18 for Codorus Twp. Nicholas Bentz, head of household with 1 male age 16-25, (Johan Jacob, my 4th great-grandfather), 1 male 45 & up (Nicholas even though he should have been 42 at the time), 1 female age 10-15 (Maria Elizabeth), 1 female 16-25 (Anna Maria), 1 female 45 & up (Eva Maria). Where was the youngest son Andrew during the census taking? He should have been around 8 years old. The names in parenthesis are my guess as to who was living with him at the time.

A Changing Nation

I’ve also noticed checking back through the history of this great country, that things were changing quickly. Even though records of everyday people in rural areas are hard to find the nation was moving on and the country was going through many firsts. Like the first White House was finished in Washington D.C. and President John Adams was the first to live there in 1800. Then in 1801 Thomas Jefferson became the next president.

Nicholas’ next move is to Warrington Twp. and it happened sometime between 1800 and 1810 according to census records, but why?

A few possibilities are: (1) He was related to a Joseph Bentz listed in Warrington Twp. in 1770 that was a sponsor of settling the dispute of the boundary line between Warrington and Codorus Townships near Codorus Creek which became part of Dover Twp. (2) Or in the settling of the boundary line did it put Nicholas’ home in Warrington Twp. instead of Codorus Twp.? (3) Or was his family on the move because of religious differences since I noticed his son Johann Jacob had one child baptized at Zeigler’s church in 1803 and the next in Warrington Township in 1807?

When the Family Settled in Dillsburg

By 1810 Nicholas was living in Warrington Twp. and none of his children were living with him. This census had a Nicholas Pentz listed (note spelling). 1 male age 45 & up (Nicholas), with 1 female age 45 & up (his wife Eva). Nearby his son Johan Jacob Bentz was listed as Jacob Pentz.

There are many reasons for the variations in census records from one taking to the next with ages, name spellings, etc. The informant may not know the information requested, such as ages, birthdates, or where they or their parents were born. The variation in name spellings may come from persons not being able to read and write or spell their own names so the census taker spelled what he heard. The dialects of the different nationalities may have played a role, or whomever interpreted the hand writing thought it looked like a P instead of a B.

New Land Acquired

Not only was Nicholas on the move, but so was our country when The Louisiana Purchase took place in 1803, the land from the west side of the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains, was purchased from France which included 828,800 square miles for 15 million dollars (about $18/square mile). At the time it doubled the size of the United States on November 29, 1803.

New states were becoming part of the colonies and Ohio was the first state to join the union from what was known as the Northwest Territory.

In 1804 Thomas Jefferson had Lewis & Clark start their 2-year expedition to find a waterway to the west coast. This expedition sure didn’t turn out to be what everyone had hoped it would be.

Slavery comes up several times over the years of this new Nation and finally New Jersey abolishes it as the last northern state to do so. Slavery not only existed in the south, but throughout the colonies.

People from all different countries are beginning to invent things that will change the way of life and the course of the world. One invention was the steam train, and the first steam locomotive’s maiden voyage happened in 1804. The steam train invention had been worked on since 1784 in several countries.

Again, a new president was elected in 1808, with James Madison becoming president on March 4, 1809.

Amazingly in 1810 the tin can was invented, but no one created an opener for it until 60 years later, so it was opened with a hammer and a chisel. And to think now we have pop top aluminum cans when it took so long to find the first easy way to open it.

As I interject notable events in history, I am trying to understand the different happenings during Nicholas’ life. It is amazing to me all the things that happened and were invented during his lifetime just like how things have changed so much during my lifetime. Also trying to understand the cost of things back then, with the taxes he had to pay and the difference in currency at the time he was paying them.

The Family was Instrumental in Building a Church

The local German residents of the Barrens Valley area in Warrington and Washington Twps. needed a place to worship and several local families got together and erected a log church near the corner of what is now known as Kralltown Road, Barrens Valley Road, and Barrens Church Road south of Dillsburg. The church was erected in 1811 with a consecrated date of January 1, 1812. In the history of the church records, we find that Nicholas was the Elder of Salem (Barrens) Lutheran & Reformed Church. His step-son George Gentzler was on the building committee, and his son Jacob Bentz was one of the deacons, all part of the Lutheran side of the church at the time of its inception, with John Adam Rudisill as their new minister. The family church for many generations, I attended this church as a child. By 2020 the church building was given to another denomination due to the lack of membership, and the members didn’t want to sell the church to become a home, another type of business, or torn down.

Another War: Indian War of 1812

The Indian war or the War of 1812 found the nation fighting the American Indians and the British troops together. The British were still upset about losing the Revolutionary War and had been becoming a world power house gaining governmental rule over many European countries and Canada. The British soldiers marched into Washington D.C. and burnt down the public buildings including the White House and Capitol building.

Congress Decides on a New Flag

In 1818 Congress decided the flag would consist of 13 red and white stripes representing the original colonies, and 20 stars with a new star to be added for every new state. The new flag was to become the official design on July 4^th (Independence Day). And each year thereafter following the admission of one or more new states the new flag would make its debut on Independence Day.

Through time the British had tried to enact immigration laws to document all persons coming to this country. After the war had ended and Congress initiated the Constitution, they have been expecting the same however it was not happening. In 1819 they finally enacted the first immigration law to establish a standard procedure for passenger ships transporting immigrants and required them to keep accurate records of passengers.

Another Federal Census was taken in 1820 and we find listed in Warrington Twp., a Nicholas Bentz. Again, there is 1 male 45+, 1 female 45+ (Nicholas and Eva). Nicholas was 62 and Eve 70.

Another invention happens, but I am sure Nicholas never witnessed it, nor his children in good ole rural America. The very first photograph was invented in 1826, and as some had stated it was more of a pain than a pleasure. They had to pose for a very long time for the picture to develop. In many of the early photos the people look totally grouchy, but it would take around 30 minutes for the picture to develop and they could not move at all during the process.

The next record of information on Nicholas is his tombstone in Barrens cemetery. Nicholas lived to 70 years 3 months and 5 days and died June 10, 1828. His stone is made of the reddish-brown stone of the area and reads: Nicholas Bentz, born 1758, died June 10, 1828, 70 years.

There is no Revolutionary War marker at his grave, but why? Apparently when making a list for markers in the 1930’s either no one requested it, or his service record was missed as they compiled it.

Early Years in Warrington Township

A brief history of Warrington Twp. showed it was first settled in 1735 and became incorporated in 1744. At that point it was still part of Lancaster County until 1749 when York County came into existence. Warrington Twp. has always been important to me growing up. I rode the bus through it every day going to school and enjoyed looking at the old buildings, Blair Mountain, the old churches, the beautiful views of open area and the fields. I often imagined what life would have been like back when the buildings were built, and the farmers out working the fields, or the families going to church. It was incredible. At the time I didn’t know why the area was so important to me, but after researching this family I understand the attachment to the area.

Not only were there new buildings being built, but also roads and bridges across the creeks and rivers. First, they were made of wood, and most were covered bridges. As the storms came through the area and washed out the wooden bridges, they were replaced with stone bridges. The area was progressing and the previous Indian paths became roads capable of having two horse drawn wagons pass each other. The pictures of the early road building crews are amazing.

A THIRD GENERATION IN YORK COUNTY

My 4^th Great-Grandparents--Johan Jacob Bentz & Susannah Lau

Johan Jacob Bentz, my 4^th great-grandfather was born November 23, 1781, and was baptized January 25, 1782 at Wolf’s Church, West Manchester Twp.; sponsors of baptism were listed as his father “Nicholaus” Bentz and his mother Eva Bentz. (My brother Richard was born on his 180^th birthday.)

I assume Jacob and Susannah were married around 1802/03 in North Codorus Twp. since my 3^rd great-grandfather Jacob Lau Bentz was born October 20, 1803, and baptized Feb 26, 1804 at Zeigler’s Church, North Codorus Twp. Everyone has her name listed as Susannah Lau, daughter of Michael Lau and Anna Maria. Without a marriage record, I cannot verify this. Some children’s middle name was their mother’s maiden name as middle names became more popular, which would bring me to this conclusion. If this is correct Susannah Lau and her sister Anna Maria married half-brothers because Anna Maria is married to Johan Philip Gentzler. (They are also my 4^th great-grandparents). This happened regularly when communities were close knit and they only knew those that lived around them. Typically, they would have met at church, when families helped each other out through the hardships, or when a social gathering brought all the neighbors together.

After finding the following information now we know about when they would have moved to Warrington. Nicholas and Eve, Johan Jacob, and Susannah, and at least George Gentzler would have moved at nearly the same time if not together. It happened between Feb 26, 1804 and Feb 27, 1807 when Johan Jacob’s second son George was born. I also previously stated that the three men were instrumental in the organization of Salem Union (Barren’s) Lutheran and Reformed Church in 1811. Was that the reason they moved, because they had issues at Wolf’s and Zeigler’s churches, and wanted one they could control by being deacons and elders of the church?

When Jacob and Susannah were blessed with their second son George in 1807, they would have been living in Warrington Twp., and with no formal church in the area, this could be the reason I cannot find a birth or baptism record for him. He would have been baptized by a traveling pastor and the records may have been lost or destroyed over the years. In 1809 they had a baby girl, and named her Rebecca, (her birthdate from other researchers notes) and one more little girl Maria Magdalene in April 1811, (she was married to John Slothauer/Slothower, birthdate from her tombstone) all prior to the new church being established.

With traveling pastors, it is understandable when records of marriages, births, baptisms, and deaths can’t be found. They would have traveled around in all kinds of weather, maybe left their records behind, or been attacked by Indians, if he even wrote them down. With no real place to store the records anything was possible. Some records of pastors do exist and they are a wonderful find. The best information to prove all the birth, baptism, marriage, and death dates would have been from a family Bible, but who knows what happened to them over the years. Some other distant family member may have them, or they were also destroyed.

The 1810 Federal Census in Warrington Twp., York Co., PA, listed as Jacob Pentz (Bentz), 3 males 0-10, 1 male 26-44, 1 female 0-10, 1 female 10-15, 1 female 26-44, so this doesn’t give us much information on the family except for the fact they were living in Warrington Twp.

Jacob was a deacon for Salem Union (Barrens) Church when it was first organized and dedicated on January 1, 1812. Shortly after the dedication of the new church, Jacob’s wife Susannah passes away on March 20^th, at age 31 within a year of her youngest daughter being born. Were there complications with the pregnancy of Maria Magdalene, or another pregnancy since, or some other ailment? We don’t know since there isn’t a death record or a family Bible. Currently all we have is the date on the tombstone for her. This also proves they were living on the Roose property at the time of Susannah’s death because she was buried on the Bentz Homestead (as later noted). Jacob purchased the property we just don’t know when and the cemetery on the farm became known as the Bentz Burial Grounds. It is located at the end of Willow Road off Spring Valley Road in Warrington Twp.

The Bentz Burial Grounds

The graveyard at the top of the hill, where you can take in the view of all of Barrens Valley to the mountains in northern Maryland is where Susannah was buried. When I started researching our family history, I read numerous accounts of the Bentz Burial Grounds and tried to find out where it was. One day my Mother announces she talked to a previous owner of the property Ruth Cook, also a Bentz descendant, and she took us to see the property. Most of the stones had been removed from the burial grounds to the Warrington Friends Meeting House Cemetery on the edge of Wellsville (along Rt. 74/Carlisle Rd) by the Roose family at the time Ruth Cook owned the farm. Apparently, they had a group of Roose descendants come back to the farm and when they went to visit the cemetery, they decided that since the cows had most of the stones knocked over, the groundhogs had holes all around the stones, and the stones were hidden in the trees, brush, and poison ivy, that they should be moved to a public location for future generations to be able to see the stones. So, they took on the undertaking of moving the stones for the Roose family members and the Bentz family members. I had gone to Warrington Meeting House and looked through the section of the Roose family dedicated to our families for Jacob and Susannah’s stones, but I didn’t find them, not one Bentz stone.

I went back to the Bentz burial grounds with my sister Marcia and we probed for the stones and came up with 3 small stones that could very well be markers for infants, and Mary Bushy Bentz’s (Jacob’s 2^nd wife) stone that was under the ground. There were some other stones that Ed Vinarski (present owner in 1998, and still owner in 2020) moved to the barn because of kids playing in the cemetery area and knocking the stones over and breaking them. Still, I came up with nothing, but blisters…no stones for Jacob and Susannah.

As I began my research on our family with my Mother and we went to different cemeteries I learned quickly to take pictures of the tombstones, the signs, buildings and write down road names and directions to each one. I did this whether I knew they were ancestors or relatives of ours or not. One evening while going through the pictures and trying to enter the information from the stones into my family tree file from Warrington Meeting House I came across a stone for Jacob Pentz and Susanna Pentz. I checked the dates and they matched the information I had for Jacob and Susannah which I received from Bryan Bentz. This is when I started to realize that names could be spelled any number of ways. I quickly learned if you are going to be a genealogist you need to have a very open mind to spellings, dates, and how hard life could have been for our ancestors.

Tragedy Strikes the Family

Jacob was living on the farm at this time because Susannah’s stone was one that was moved to Warrington Meeting House therefore, she was living on the property at the time of her death in 1812. At the time I think they would have been living in the first house, a log house, out the road from where Jacob built the stone house in 1830. Hence the beginning of the Bentz Burial Grounds, and she would have been the first Bentz buried there unless she had infants that didn’t make it long enough to be named.

As I researched more, I realized quite a few women died very young and the men remarried, sometimes very quickly, most within a few months, not the case with Jacob. Usually, female family members or neighbors would move in and help with the small children during her ailing state or right after her passing. At the time men were not accustom to or had time to take care of the children. They had a farm to run, and in Jacob’s case he also had a church to help establish that had just been built and organized. I feel Mary Bushy eventually moved in to take care of Susannah’s children for Jacob. She was probably a neighbor or close friend and wanted to help, she may not have been the first to help with the children, but eventually.

When you spend a lot of time taking care of a family for someone, they slowly become your family and they all grow to love you and you them, so I feel Jacob either fell in love with Mary/Maria Bushy and married her, or out of necessity for his children he married her and then hopefully fell in love because they had their first child Elizabeth born September 2, 1816, four and a half years after Susannah’s death. Once again, no marriage record for them, but with him being a deacon of the church, I am sure they were married by the preacher at Barrens. Especially since all their children were baptized at Barrens. What surprises me is Elizabeth wasn’t baptized until October 12, 1819, three years after she was born. They had other children after Elizabeth and they were baptized right away.

Mary must have been a much healthier woman than Susannah because she had her second child Eve on September 1, 1817, just one year after her first. The third child, Susana was born May 3, 1819, a fourth daughter Christina was born December 16, 1820, and all were baptized at Barrens.

I’m not sure when the 1820 Federal Census was taken, but for Warrington Twp., York Co., Jacob was listed with 2 males 0-16 (George G., Michael Morthland’s son), 1 male 16-26 (Jacob L.), 1 male 26-45 (Johan Jacob), 3 females 0-10 (Elizabeth, Eve, Susana, Magdalene, probably three out of the four, but I do not have information to verify which ones) 1 female 10-15 (Rebecca), 1 female 16-26 (possibly Mary, but she was 30), 1 female 45-up (possibly Mary’s Mother or Michael Morthland’s widow), the number of persons engaged in agriculture was 4, so this would cover the four males on the census. I found information that makes me think the extras are Michael Morthland’s family. When reading through the settlement papers for Jacob’s estate, he is listed as being the guardian for Michael Morthland’s minor children, and then I found that Michael died in 1815, so there’s the possibility for those I couldn’t figure out. We can’t name them as there are no names listed.

I have birth information on a daughter Leah with two different birth dates of 1821 and 1825, but no baptism record for her (others have her married to William Beitzel). Another daughter, Catharine was born Jan 13, 1822 and then finally on Feb 27, 1824 their first son David was born. I’m sure Jacob was excited since in those days the more sons you had the more help you had to run your farm. One more time they were blessed with another son Andrew born Oct 28, 1826, which was their 8^th child, so in all Jacob fathered 12 children which was very typical for this era.

Once again tragedy strikes in Jacob’s life, he loses his second wife Mary on June 4, 1827. It may have been more than he could handle since he never remarried. Who took care of the small children now, was it his older daughters? Rebecca would have been about 18 years old and possibly already married to Andrew Shearer making a life of her own. Maybe Mary Magdalene since she was about 16 years old. I do have that she married John Slothauer, but she may have been at home yet since her first child wasn’t born until 1832. Or is it possibly Grandma Eve Bentz or Michael Morthland’s widow? I’m not sure we will ever find the answer, but at 46 years of age it seems that Jacob has had some hard times. Now he is left with at least three small children under 5 years old that are without a mother, just like his older children were when Susannah died.

Tragedy strikes Jacob’s life once more just 6 days after the first anniversary of losing his wife Mary, he loses his father Nicholas on June 10, 1828. Nicholas lived a long and eventful life. He was laid to rest in Salem Union Cemetery (Barrens) instead of the farm. We don’t know if Nicholas ever lived with Jacob or what caused his death, but with what I have found out about him, I am proud to be a descendant of his. To me he was a remarkable man who loved his family, his country, and his God. With his passing did his wife Eve move in with Jacob to help with the children or was she getting too old and frail to help with young children since she was about78 years old?

In 1830 the Federal Census is taken once again and we find that Jacob is still living in Warrington Twp., with the following statistics: 1 male 0-5 (Andrew), 1 male 5-10 (David) 1 male 20-30 (George, as he doesn’t show up in a census of his own), 1 male 40-50 (Jacob), 3 females 5-10 (Christina, Leah, Catherine) 2 females 10-15 (Susanna, Eve), 1 female 60-70. I’m not sure who this is, but it could be Michael Morthland’s widow again. I think Eve (Jacob’s mother) was living with Jacob Lau/Jacob, Jr. as she would have been 80 years old. I’m sure Jacob needed someone to take care of the small children and the household and since he took care of Mrs. Morthland’s children, she may have continued to live with him to help after Mary’s death.

The First Documented Land Owner in America

Although his father Nicholas was taxed on real estate, I have not found verification of Nicholas owning land. I’m not sure when Johan Jacob purchased the property from Frederick Roose, but Frederick was the original land owner, who purchased the property from William Penn or his son. It is recorded that Jacob paid $104.51 for about 260 acres. Back in those years deeds where not transferred as they are today. If they could avoid paying taxes on anything the people, did it. So, it is possible he owned it before it was documented, or he was purchasing it on a sales agreement, which isn’t documented until it is paid in full unless a death occurs.

Did he have to wait until he had the loan paid to Frederick before he could build a new house, or did he want out of the house where his two wives had passed away? No matter what the reason was, in 1830 he built a stone house farther back the lane. It was built from the red sandstone that is so prevalent in the Barrens Valley. On the right wall if you are facing the house, near the peak is a carved stone that states “Built Bye Jacob Bentz, June 2, 1830”. I have been told a story that he was so excited that they got the house built in a day. If it was, it would have been a feat, and he would have had lots of help that day. It is a shame he didn’t get to live there long, but I hope the time he spent there were good years for him. More stories about this house located at the end of Spring Valley Road will be told through the next generations.

I have seen it stated in a book that Jacob was a farmer and died in 1833, and had thirteen children. To date I have only found information on 12 children as mentioned above, and his tombstone has a death date of March 22, 1835. I’m more apt to believe the tombstone since I found the Inventory of his Estate was filed March 28, 1835. The Inventory of his Goods and Chattels was interesting reading, and challenging to figure out. The same way with reading wills of this by gone era.

His tombstone reads: "In memory of Jacob Pentz, who departed this life March 22nd 1835, aged 53 years 4 months and 10 days" and is carved in red sandstone, just like the stones he used to build his house. When I found out this was his stone, I wanted to have Baughman Memorial’s, of Dover fix the mistake and make the name Bentz, like it really is spelled, but some other family researchers, thought I should leave it be the way it is. His and his wife Susannah’s stones being carved wrong were the first for me, but it happened again in our family tree. He was also buried in the Bentz Burial Grounds on his farm.

Settling the Estate of Johan Jacob Bentz

Following is the information of settling his estate after his death. First you must file to be an Administrator of the estate if there is no will for the deceased, which Jacob didn’t have. Then an inventory of his belongings needs to be filed with the Court. On March 28, 1835, an Inventory of the Goods and Chattels, Rights and Credits of Jacob Bentz, Senr late of Warrington Township was filed. The inventory and containable appraisement and valuation of all the goods and chattels, rights and credits which were belonging to Jacob Bentz, late of Warrington township York County at the time of his Death taken and appraised March the 26th A.D. 1835 by Jacob Gentzler & Phillip Altland appraisers. Included on the inventory was the following:

A Promissory Note Appraised that the deceased (Jacob Bentz) was administrator of the Estate of James Thomas deceased. One promissory note against Jacob grew for interest on the within of $41.12, the note was for $212.17 ¼. Another promissory note in the possession of the deceased of which he was guardian for the minor children of Michael Morthland, deceased. A promissory note against Joseph Taylor, deceased mounting to with debt and interest $364.24 against Hugh Morthland (executor for Joseph Taylor). A note for Hugh Morthland was for $13.33 with debt and interest, he also held notes for Michael Bentz (possibly his cousin) with debt and interest of $30.01, a note for Abrahm Runtz, John Wiley, George Wiley with debt and interest of $95.22 and a note against George Wiley with debt and interest of $156.74, bringing his total estate to $1,050.43 1/4.

He seems to be a prosperous and caring man to end up taking care of estates for his friends, and raising minor children when their fathers passed. This may answer some of the questions as to who the different ones were on the census records. He was, just as his father was a man with a kind heart for others, a good farmer/business man, and a God-fearing man with his part of the establishment of Barrens church.

The next step to settling his estate is the Vendue List of his personal property, which was filed April 2, 1835. A Vendue list is a list of his property to be sold at a public sale. The sale was held on April 9, 1835, just 18 days after his death. The conditions were as follows: 1^st the highest bidder shall be the buyer, 2^nd any person buying any article or articles not amounting to three dollars shall pay cash, 3^rd any person buying any article or articles over three dollars should have one month’s credit by giving their notes with approved security within two days of the close of the sale, if not they will be considered cash purchases, no property is to be taken away until the above conditions is complied with or satisfaction given to the administrators, signed by both. The administrators were Jacob and George Bentz, his two eldest sons. Book accounts...These charges are to make against accountant (Jacob) independent of inventory. These things were not at private sale.

August 8th, 1836, Vendue List of Jacob Bentz, Sr. late of Warrington---May the 9th A.D. 1835, I Jacob Bentz, Jur., one of the administrators of Jacob Bentz Deceased, I charge myself with articles and book accounts to a lot of Straw $1.29, to four bundles of straw at 6 cents for $.24, for two bushels of buckwheat at .50 for $1.00. Christina Bushy bought 7 bushels of corn nubens at .06 for $.42 and 4 bushels of corn at .50 for $2.00. Daniel Renoll bought 3 bushel of corn numbens at .10 for $.30, and 10 bushels of corn at .50 for $5.00, and 18 bushels of barley at .54 per bushel for $9.72. Jacob Groff on Book account for $9.67 ½ plus .20 interest. Daniel Smyser, on Book account, $.50, Michael Bentz, on Book account, $2.50 = $23.12 1/2, John Miller interest on a Note: $3.42, Andrew Shearer (brother-in-law) interest on a Note $1.94, on book account due to estate: $5. Christina Bushey also owed on book account due to Estate, $4.78, Alexander McCurdy interest on a Note: $1.67, Michael Hosler interest on a Note: $.24, Jacob Groff interest on a Note: $.86, on a Note: Daniel Deardurff, $6.90, Rent for a house one year, $21.00 (did Jacob Jr. rent the house that his father built or the log house), John Roller on Book account $.30, John Roller interest on a note: $.32 = $46.40 + 23.12 1/2 = $69.52 1/2 These charges are made against accountant independent of inventory. These things were not at private sale. This was the sale of the crops after they came in that were part of his father’s estate and probably the book accounts were for items purchased during the sale and now Jacob is taking on the notes owed so they could settle the estate finally. This is a lot of extra information to read and think about, but I thought it was interesting because of all the different names, and figuring out if they are relatives or just neighbors. Most become part of the family at some point, in one generation or another.

The deceased Jacob Bentz was Committee of Deborah Bailey a lunatic (was she the female listed on the census records I couldn’t figure out) an account of his administration of the Estate of the lunatic has been settled by these accountants as in the Inventory of the property of which the intestate died possessed the funds he held in trust for said lunatic were included and no distinction made between them and the property which intestate held in his own right the accountants claim credits for the following monies & ended in settling said trust account and the balance which they paid to intestate successor.

Wm Thomas per receipts $0.25, Jacob Groff $30.00, James Anderson $8.00, Wm Ilgenfritz for prothonotary $5.00, J Anderson for James Taylor $4.50, Jacob Groff $600.16 = $647.91.

The deceased Jacob Bentz was at the time of his death Guardian of the person and estate of Michael Morthland a minor for the reasons above stated a credit is claimed for the following amount paid to Said Michael Morthland since he arrived to the age of twenty-one years was paid as per release $955.00, John Smith Esquire $1.21. A credit is claimed for a mistake in inventory in appraising the note against Joseph Taylor $1.51. Clerk & Register was paid $7.00 to record in the court. Allowance to accountant Jacob Bentz for his trouble and responsibility $107.54 ½ (same amount as he paid for his father’s property) and James Anderson Counsel (lawyer) $20.00 = $2,914.01.

The accountants charge themselves with all and singular the goods and chattels of the deceased as per inventory filed in the Registers Office-------$2,198.24 3/4 With advance on Sales---$176.57 3/4 with the amount of sale of good and monies collected not contained in inventory---$69.52 ½, Sale made at other times not included in inventory---$459.45, With interest on Jacob Grove’s note---$9.18, Also with amount received of Samuel Muckleve---$1.13 for a total of $2,914.01. Exhibited in the Register's office at York, by Jacob Bentz and George Bentz, Signed and Sealed July 13, 1836 in the presence of James R. Reilly, Registrar for York Co. The remainder of the estate would then be divided equally among his listed heirs.

As I was reading over the items sold at the public sale and items sold privately, I came across numerous family members who purchased some of his property at the public sale including, children, nieces, nephews, and his mother Eve Bentz.

Following is more information found about the Estate of Jacob Bentz, late of Warrington Twp., that he owned 260 acres, left issue (his heirs/children) Jacob, George, Rebecca wife of Andrew Shearer, Mary wife of John Slothauer, Elizabeth, Eve, Catharine, Leah, and David. Inquest awarded. According to this the following children of his were not listed, Susana, Christina, and Andrew, so where were they at the time of his death? Then I came across another entry: (S 41) Aug 4, 1835 that Samuel Knisely became the guardian of David age 11, Leah age 14, & Andrew age 9. Now Andrew shows up, but what happened to Susana and Christina? Did they die as children? A very good possibility as I haven’t found other information on them. December 10, 1835 (S 139) the return of inquest and decrees of land was given to Jacob & George Bentz. This would have concluded the settling of Jacob’s estate. Jacob, Jr. ended up owning the house his father built.

It’s wonderful that he got to attend the marriages of his sons Jacob Lau to Elizabeth Slothower and George to Nancy Groff and his two oldest daughters Rebecca to Andrew Shearer, and Elizabeth to John Slothauer. He had time to enjoy at least 5 grandchildren four of Jacob’s and one or maybe two of George’s depending on when George’s second daughter Susannah was born in 1835. Currently, I do not have an actual date for her birth. He had two grandsons and two granddaughters for sure.

I was surprised that the younger children were given to Samuel Knisely instead of one of his older children. Who was Samuel Knisely? I’m not sure because in all the information I have received from others researching this family of Bentz’s no one has a reference to Samuel. He must have been a near and dear friend of Jacob’s to take in the young children. I did find Samuel living in Franklin Twp. in the 1830 census which wasn’t too far from Jacob’s home.

In the 1840 census I found Samuel Knisely was still living in Franklin Twp., and had the following listed in his household--2 males 0-5 (George W.), 1 male 10-14 (Andrew Bentz), 1 male 30-39 (Samuel), 1 female 0-5, 2 females 5-9, 1 female 15-19 (most likely Leah Bentz), and 1 female 70-79, they were all listed as free and white. Whomever the female is that was 70-79 must have also moved in with Samuel to help take care of the children of Jacob because I believe this is the same woman that was listed with Jacob in the 1830 census at age 60-70, and now it looks like Samuel’s wife also passed away as there is no female for 30-39 unless she was off taking care of her parents or someone else. If only women and children were important enough to be listed on census records, we could answer so many more questions. Having the family Bible, an autobiography, a diary, or journal would also be helpful.

Compiled By: Marlene Sue Bentz Badger, October 31, 2021

Sources:

[1] Barrens Cemetery Records, York Heritage Trust, York, PA

[2] Dillsburg Cemetery Records, York Heritage Trust York, PA

[3] (http://ancestryforums.custhelp.com/post/cc9d1aebe2) “How close are Germans and Scandinavians?” posted by Keigh, A “BBC documentary on the

Vikings and their history in Britain”. 

[4] Coverture “Who Do You Think You Are?” episode of Meagan Mullalley 2018

[5] “Germany Prior to the Great Emigration to the New World”

[6] Ancestory.com German Birth & Baptism Records FHL File #488291

[7] Ancestory.com German Birth & Baptism Records FHL File #

[8] Ancestory.com German Birth & Baptism Records FHL File #

[9] Ancestory.com German Birth & Baptism Records FHL File #889817

10] (http://ancestryforums.custhelp.com/post/cc9d1aebe2) “How close are Germans and Scandinavians?” posted by Liz Crane “BBC documentary on the

Vikings and their history in Britain”. 

[11] Capt. Goodmans Passengers--copied from the Passenger list at the PA State Archives microfilm--RG-26 Rec of Dept of State Ship Lists German

Passengers Roll #1 A&B Lists 4229 and Roll #3, C list 4231. (A- Captains List, B-Oath of Allegiance to British Crown, C-Oath of Fidality and

Abjuration)

[12] Yorkyingers.com “From Philadelphia to York County” by John T. Humphrey in his article titled “Life in Mid-Eighteenth Century Pennsylvania (for

Muhlenberg)”.

[13] Yorkingers.com “From Philadelphia to York County” by John T. Humphrey in his article titled “From 1748 to 1753 Gap”

[14] Ancestry.com Pennsylvania & New Jersey Church & Town Records, 1708 – 1985

[15] History of York Co-, PA. John Gibson, Historical Editor. Chicago: F.A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886. Fourth of July, 1778 - page 552, York Heritage

Trust and York Co. History website

[16] “History of York County, Pennsylvania” on York Counties webpage

[17] Baptism Record’s St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, Hanover, PA

[18] AREA HISTORY: Churches, Codorus and North Codorus Township, York County, PA, Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy 
 Francis, Copyright 2005. All rights reserved.http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/york/  History of York 
 County, Pennsylvania. John Gibson, Historical Editor. Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886. CHURCHES – Page 699-700

[19] Ancestry.com 1800 Federal Census, Codorus Twp., York Co., PA Image 3 of 5

[20] York Co. Tax Record’s, Ancestry.com

[21] St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church Website, Church History

[22] “The Pennsylvania Flying Camp” a book found on the internet

[23] “The Revolution” a book at York Heritage Trust

[24] Presidents of the US, totallyhistory.com

[25] History of York Co-, PA. John Gibson, Historical Editor. Chicago: F.A. Battey Publishing Co., THE MILITARY OF YORK AND CIVIC

CELEBRATIONS 1886. page 551, York Heritage Trust and York Co. History website

[26] Ancestry.com 1790 Federal Census, Paradise Twp., York Co., PA

[27] AREA HISTORY: Paradise Township, York County, PA, Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis, Copyright 2005. All 
 rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/york/ History of York County, Pennsylvania. John 
 Gibson, Historical Editor. Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886.THE TOWNSHIP OF PARADISE – Page 683

[28] Ancestry.com 1810 Federal Census, Warrington Twp., York Co., PA Image 2 of 2

[29] 1820 Census: Warrington Twp., York Co., PA--Ancestry.com Image 2 of 2

[30] Rededication Booklet of Salem Union (Barrens) Church, page 11 York Heritage Trust

[31] Reformed Congregation of St. Paul's (Wolf's) Church, West Manchester Township, York County, PA 1764-1936, York Heritage Trust

[32] 1820 Census: Warrington Twp., York Co., PA, Jacob Bentz--Ancestry.com Image 2 of 2

[33] 1830 Census: Warrington Twp., York Co., PA, Line 9: Jacob Bentz--Ancestry.com Roll M19_160 pg 314

[34] Patent Book H. Vol 39. Page 151, York Co. Archives

[35] Patent Book H. Vol. 40, Page 27, York Co. Archives

[36] York County, PA Biographical History—York Heritage Trust

[37] Inventory of Jacob Bentz, Senr. Late of Warrington Twp.—York County Archives (I have 8 pages of information on this)

[38] Vendue List of Jacob Bentz, Late of Warrington Twp.—York County Archives (I have 19 pages of information on this sale)

[39] Website of Evidence of the Bentz-Pentz Families in York County, PA htm

[40] Trinity Lutheran Church Records Lancaster Vol I 1730-1767 R-g 929.374845 Ch 1005 V.1 Smith/Weiser—State Library

[41] Final Estate Records for Johan Jacob Bentz—York Co. Archives