1763 Benjamin Hershey was named executor and son-in-law in the will of Ulrich Road, which was dated September 12 in Manor Twp, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. [1]
1764 Widow Barbara Eleberger, eldest daughter of Ulrick Rhode deceased, in consideration of 5 shillings, granted, on February 4, her 160 acres of Ulrick's estate to younger sister Magdalena, spouse of Bentz Hershy of Lancaster township. The land was next to land of Jacob Neaff and Gerhard Brenner. Signed by Barbara Eleberger (no husband signed). Witness Robert Thompson and Jas. Webb Jr. [2]
1764 Benjamin Hershy and wife Magdalena, younger daughter of Ulrick Rhode, sold land from Ulrick's estate, on February 4, to older daughter Barbara, widow of Elenberger. Signed Benz Hershy. [3]
1765 Benjamin Hershey the younger purchased a lot on Water and Prince streets in Lancaster Borough from David Albright and wife Hannah Dorothea, on April 30. [4]
1766 Bentz Hirshy gave a mortgage to Jacob Shallenberger and wife Barbara, for 138 acres in Hempfield Twp, on November 27. The mortgage was satisfied by 1770. [5]
1771 Benjamin Hershey junior and wife Magdalena of Lancaster Twp sold land to Christian Ilgnar of Lancaster Borough on July 9. The lot was on King Street and had been purchased by Benjamin Hershy from Jacob Icholtz on 13 November 1769. Signed Benja. Hershey and Magdalena's mark. Witnessed by Joseph Lockhart and Michael Hubley. [6]
1771 Benjamin Hershey was taxed for 350 acres, 4 horse, and 4 cattle in Lancaster Twp. [7]
1772 Benjamin Hershey was taxed for 490 acres, 1 horse, and 2 cattle in Lancaster Twp. [8]
1773 Benjamin Hershey was taxed for 505 acres, 4 horse, and 5 cattle in Lancaster Twp. [9]
1773 The heirs of Benjamin Hershey [Sr], late of Lancaster Twp, settled the ownership of two tracts of land from Benjamin's estate by selling it to son [this] Benjamin Hershy, on May 14. The other heirs were Christian Hirshy and wife Ann, Jacob Hostetter and wife Ann, Benedict Mellinger and wife Mary, all of Warwick Twp. Ann and Mary were named as daughters of Benjamin. The first tract of 175 acres in Lancaster Twp was part of a 1000 acre tract patented November 30, 1717 to Christian Hershy and Hans Papather (Brubacher). Christian died intestate with heirs Benjamin, Andrew, and Ann. Heir Benjamin, son of Christian, had been granted the tract by Hans Brubacher, Andrew, Ode Hirshy (widow and relict of Christian Hershey deceased), and Herman Long husband of Ann. This first tract was next to land of Hans Brubacher and of Jacob Brubacher. The second tract of 74 acres was next to the estate of John Dehuff, Jacob Brubacher, late Christian Stoneman, and John Meyer and James Hamilton. The second tract was also part of the 1000 acre patent, was granted to heirs of Christian Hershey, then by them to Hans Brubaker in 1731, then by the heirs of Hans Brubaker to Benjamin Hershey in 1760. [10]
1776 Bentz Hershey and Peter Musser were trustees for John and Anna Mussar, minor heirs of Peter Musser, deceased. Anna had since married John Brubaker. The trustees passed the land to the heirs. [11]
1776 Benss Hershey, of Lancaster Twp, for consideration of 5 shillings, granted 100 acres of land in Hempfield Twp to Jacob Brubacher on December 5. Benjamin had patented the land on March 2, 1733. Witnessed by Christian Kauffman and Cas. Shaffner. [12]
1779 Benjamin Hershey was taxed for 250 acres, 4 horse, and 4 cattle in Lancaster Twp. [13]
1782 Benjamin Hershey was taxed for 250 acres, 4 horse, and 5 cattle in Lancaster Twp. [14]
1784 Deed written in German. English header: Benjamin Hershy Senior to Benjamin Hershy Junior. Ich Benjamin Herschy (der eldern) von Lancaster Taunship in Caunty Lancaster ( Benjamin Hershey, the elder, of Lancaster Township...) . Mentions bill of sale (transaction) of 14 May 1773 involving Benedict Mollinger and wife Maria, Jacob Hochstetter and wife Anna, and Christian Hershy and Benjamin Hershy the younger. The witnesses Jacob and Christian Brubacher appeared on 23 February 1784 to affirm that they were the witnesses when Benjamin Hershy the elder signed the deed, the actual deed was likely written when Benjamin Hershey the elder was alive. [15]
1784 Benjamin Hershey Jr and wife Magdalena of Lancaster Twp, Lancaster County, sold land to Andrew Bausman of the same Twp, on June 13. The land had been warranted or patented by Anna Huber on November 11, 1734 and was near Little Conestoga Creek and was next to land of Melchior Erisman, Isaac Kauffman, John Mayer, Abraham Herr. [16] Ann Huber died as a minor and the land was passed to Anna's aunt Huber, married to John Stouffer. Heirs of John Stouffer sold the land to Benjamin Hershey Junior in 1772. [17]
1786 Benjamin Hershey was listed in the Pennsylvania septennial census for Lancaster Twp, Lancaster County. [18]
1789 Benjamin Hirshey and wife Magdalen of Lancaster Twp sold land to to son Christian Hirshey of Manor Twp, on February 7. The land was in Hempfield Twp and one part was part of the land patented to Ulrich Road on May 5, 1760 by patent A19-530. Another part was Michael Bachman and wife Catharine sold to Ulrick Road on December 26, 1740. The land was transferred to Magdalena and Benjamin Hirshy by Lancaster deed U-535. The 160 acres of land was next to land of Michael Witmer, Christian Belman, Jacob Neff, Gerhard Brener. Witnessed by Cas Shaffner and J Rieger. [19]
1793 Benjamin Hershy was listed on the septennial census for Lancaster Twp, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Andrew Bausman was also listed. [20]
1800 Bentz Hirshey, perhaps this one, and Abraham Witmer mortgaged nine lots of five acres each to Andrew Bausman, distiller, on February 8. Also named were George Musser and Daniel Frank. Witnessed by Cas Shaffner and Henry Dering. [21]
1803 Benjamin Hershey the elder, brother to Christian Hershey, Ann the wife of Jacob Hostetter, and Mary the wife of Benedict Mellinger, sold two adjacent tracts of land to son Benjamin Junior, on March 3. The 249 acres of land in Lancaster Twp had been sold, on May 14, 1773, to Benjamin Senior by his siblings [22]. Benjamin Hershey the elder and wife Magdalene sold 5 acres to John Stoner on December 13, 1799. Benjamin Hershey junior bought the residue for a price of 2000 pounds by this deed. [23]
"Benjamin Hershey was ordained to succeed his father as bishop of the Church. He died 1812. At what time these ordinations occurred is not known". [24]
1812 Benjamin Hershey dated his will, in Lancaster Twp, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, on October 25, with probate on December 8. The will divided the estate into 6 equal shares: one for the sons and daughters of deceased daughter Mary, one to son Christian, one to son Benjamin, one to daughter Ann, one to daughter Magdalena, and one to the children of deceased daughter Barbara late wife of John Heistand. Executor Benjamin Hershey. The house and half lot in the borough of Lancaster on Prince Street which had been sold to William Blecher was to be deeded to him. Son Benjamin Hershey executor. Signed Bentz Herschi. Witnessed by Jacob Brubaker and John Harnley. [25] [26]
1812 A note appeared in the Lancaster Journal on December 4: "Died on Saturday the 29th last month at his farm at Lancaster Twp, near this borough, aged about 80 years, Mr. Benjamin Hershey. This venerable and truly respectable man, has long been an eminent preacher in the Menonist Society." [27] [28] [29]
Research Notes:
1759 Philip Albert provided a mortgage to Benjamin Hershey Jr, both of Hempfield Twp, for 15 acres adjacent to land of George Pepler, Conrad Bheme, Peter Gutshall, and Hans George Terr. [30]
c 1735 Benjamin, son of Benjamin Hershey, was born about 1735. He was the great-great grandfather of Henry Hershey, the subject of a biosketch. [31]
Ann Hershey (1766-1830) was the daughter of Preacher Benjamin Hershey (died 1812) and Barbara Rhode. [32]
Mennonite card file. [33]
[1] F. Edward Wright, Abstracts of Lancaster County Pennsylvania Wills 1732-1785 (2008), 189.
[2] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed U-535 to 538, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[3] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed Y-372 to 375, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[4] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed K-201, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[5] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed M-83, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[6] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed S-662 to 665, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[7] William Henry Egle, Pennsylvania Archives, Third Series, Volume 17 (Lancaster Taxables) (1897), 82, [GoogleBooks], [InternetArchive].
[8] William Henry Egle, Pennsylvania Archives, Third Series, Volume 17 (Lancaster Taxables) (1897), 169, [GoogleBooks], [InternetArchive].
[9] William Henry Egle, Pennsylvania Archives, Third Series, Volume 17 (Lancaster Taxables) (1897), 346, [GoogleBooks], [InternetArchive].
[10] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed X-551 to 555, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[11] Recorder of Deeds, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book GG, 395-400, [395], [396], [397], [398], [399], [400], [FHLCatalog].
[12] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed R-275 to 277, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[13] William Henry Egle, Pennsylvania Archives, Third Series, Volume 17 (Lancaster Taxables) (1897), 618, [GoogleBooks], [InternetArchive].
[14] William Henry Egle, Pennsylvania Archives, Third Series, Volume 17 (Lancaster Taxables) (1897), 850, [GoogleBooks], [InternetArchive].
[15] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed X-555 to 557, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[16] Pennsylvania Land Patent, A7-176, [PAPatentBookLinks].
[17] Recorder of Deeds, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book DD, 34-37, [34], [35], [36], [37], [FHLCatalog].
[18] Pennsylvania, Septennial Census, 1779-1863, (1786), Lancaster, Lancaster, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[19] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed S3-703 to 76, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[20] Pennsylvania, Septennial Census, 1779-1863, 1793, Lancaster Twp, Lancaster County, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[21] Recorder of Deeds, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book F3, 146-147, [146], [147], [FHLCatalog].
[22] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed X-551 to 557, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[23] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed 3M-459 to 464, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[24] Martin G. Weaver, Mennonites of Lancaster Conference (1931), 90.
[25] Pennsylvania Probate Records, 1683-1994, Lancaster, Will L-287, FHL film 21359, image 150, [FamilySearchImage].
[26] F. Edward Wright, Abstracts of Lancaster County Pennsylvania Wills 1786-1820 (2008), 99, of 99-100.
[27] Pennsylvania Vital Records From the Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine and the Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 2 (1983), 606.
[28] Pennsylvania Vital Records, Vol. II, 606, [AncestryImage].
[29] Martin G. Weaver, Mennonites of Lancaster Conference (1931), 90.
[30] Recorder of Deeds, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book E, 361-362, [361], [362], [FHLCatalog].
[31] Luther Reily Kelker, History of Dauphin County, Vol. 3 (1907), 598, [GoogleBooks], [HathiTrust].
[32] Grace N. Rissler Eshleman, "Reader's Ancestry," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 12 (July, 1989), 34-36, at 36, person 61.
[33] Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, Genealogical Card File (Lancaster, Pennsylvania), [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].