"Peter Forney, a pioneer of French Hugenot family, came to America early in the seventeenth century, and settled in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, taking a deed for lands from William Penn; his descendants lived on the original homestead near Brownstown, generation after generation." [1]
1754 On 3 December, at the Lancaster County Orphans' Court, "Upon petition of Abraham Farney, eldest son of Peter Farney, late of Lancaster County. Setting forth that at an Orphans Court held the 5th day of September 1749 Gabriel Carpenter, Rudy Ston, John Landus and Jacob Sensenig did report they had appraised the value of two hundred and eighty six acres with buildings thereon at £570. Seventy five acres of rough Ground granted by Patent to John Smith, the said Peter Farney's wife's father. The said petitioner as eldest son is willing and desirous to hold and enjoy the said Tracts and pay the respective Shares of the other heirs." [2]
Research Notes:
1763 On 15 October, Mary Forne [Forney], spinster daughter of Peter Forne, late of Earl Twp, deceased, married Jacob Carpenter. Sureties: Jacob Carpenter, Abraham Forne and Peter Forne of Earl Twp, yeomen. [3]
[1] E. Melvin Williams and H. M. J. Klein, ed., Lancaster County Pennsylvania, a History, Vol. 3 (Lewis Publishing, New York, 1924), 207.
[2] Sophie Selden Rogers, "Genealogical Gleanings from Orphans court Records of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania," Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine 24 (1965), 15-38, 118-139, 193-223, at 200.
[3] Rita Mowrer, "Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Marriage Bonds, 1757-1793," Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine 34 (1985), 50.