A biosketch of grandson Solomon Pentz reports [1]:
Mr. Pentz was born August 17, 1817, in Shenandoah County, Va, and is the eldest son of Philip and Catherine (Bowers) Pentz who were likewise natives of that State. The parental family consisted of a large number of children and when but a lad, Solomon, like his brothers and sisters, was required to make himself useful about the home farm, while he obtained only a limited education in the common schools. He remained a member of the parental household until a man of twenty-five years and was then married, in December, 1842, to Miss Caroline Zirkle. Mrs. Pentz was born in the same county as her husband, in April, 1819, and is a daughter of Lewis and Catherine (Brener) Zirkle, who were likewise natives of Virginia and spent the closing years of their lives in Ohio. To Mr. Pentz and his estimable wife was born a family of six children;
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The two eldest children of Mr. and Mrs. Pentz were born in Virginia, from which State they emigrated about 1847, settling first in Champaign County, of which they were residents for nine years. They came to Clarke County about 1856, and settled on the farm where they now reside. Mr. Pentz is the owner of one hundred and five acres of land which with the assistance of his faithful and devoted wife he has accumulated by his own industry and good management. He is a man enjoying the esteem and confidence of his fellow-citizens and has served as Trustee of German Township.Mr. and Mrs. Pentz are both members in good standing of the Lutheran Church. Politically Mr. Pentz is an uncompromising Democrat, and socially belongs to the Grange at Tremont City. The paternal grandfather of Mr. Pentz was a native of Pennsylvania, whence he removed to Virginia and there spent his last days.
One DNA match is likely a descendant of Michael Conrad Pence (c 1750-1814). Conrad "Benz" Pence was one of the organizing members who formed Solomon's Church in 1793 in Forestville, Shenandoah, VA (his name appears on Solomon's Church Historic Plaque).
9 Conrad Pence was born probably about 1750 in Pennsylvania; died between 18 Mar (will written) and 11 Apr 1815 (will recorded) in Shenandoah County, Virginia; married (Maria) Eve Miller about 1777 possibly in Shenandoah County. Apparently he was in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, before settling in Shenandoah County. A writeup in a history of Clark County, Ohio, on his grandson Solomon Pentz says, "The paternal grandfather of Mr. Pentz was a native of Pennsylvania, whence he removed to Virginia and there spent his last days." Conrad's first deed in Shenandoah County was in 1777. He may have been the Conrad who served in the Revolutionary War from Earl Twp, Lancaster County; a Conrad is on the tax list there in 1772 ("young man with parents"), but also in 1778 (freeman) and 1779 (freeman), the last record in Lancaster County. He was listed for tax purposes in Shenandoah County in 1783 (three besides him in the family) and in 1785 (four besides him). The estate of his wife was appraised 9 May 1831 and settled in Feb 1832 in Shenandoah County. Children:
91 John Pence was born 4 Jan 1780 in Shenandoah County, Virginia; died 26 Oct 1848 in Shenandoah County, buried in Solomon Church Cemeteery, Mt. Jackson, Shenandoah County; married Sarah Branner (Brenner) 1 Apr 1806 (bond date) in Shenandoah County (she was born 20 Jun 1786, died 26 Jun 1865, buried in Solomon Church Cemetery, the daughter of John Branner and Catherine Harpine).
92 (MARY) ELIZABETH (BETTY) Pence was born 25 Jan 1783 in Shenandoah County, Virginia; died in 1850; married (1) David Funkhouser 8 Feb 1802 in Shenandoah County, (2) Henry Gretigg.
93 CATHERINE Pence was born 5 Jul 1785 in Shenandoah County, Virginia; died 20 Mar 1856, age 70 years, 8 months and 15 days, buried in Solomon Church Cemetery, Mt. Jackson, Shenandoah County; married (1) Henry Leonard 12 Aug 1815 in Shenandoah County, (2) Benjamin Lindamood 1 Apr 1817 in Shenandoah County (he was born about 1791, died 4 Nov 1840, age 49, buried in Solomon Church Cemetery, possibly the son of George Henry Lindamood and Magdalena Blessing).
94 SALOME (SARAH) Pence was born 15 Oct 1787 in Shenandoah County, Virginia; died 1 Nov 1857 in Shenandoah County; marrued Andrew Bort (Burt) 5 May 1806 in Shenandoah County.
95 RACHAEL Pence was born 1 Jan 1790 in Shenandoah County, Virginia; died 1 Nov 1857 in Shenndoah County; married Solomon Shutters 17 Jan 1808 in Shenandoah County (he was born 16 Mar 1777, died 6 Mar 1854); both are buried in Solomon Church Cemetery, Mt. Jackson, Shenandoah County.
96 PHILIP Pence was born 22 Feb 1792 in Shenandoah County, Virginia, baptized 26 Dec 1792 (Old Pine Church records); died 24 May 1869 in Shenandoah County, buried in Solomon Church Cemetery, Mt. Jackson, Shenandoah County; married Catherine Bowers 24 Sep 1816 (she was born 6 Apr 1797 in Shenandoah County, the daughter of Lewis Bowers and Elizabeth Foltz [the register of Solomon Church, baptised 18 Jun 1797]). Baptisms of of 8 children of this couple were recorded in the register of Solomon Church. They supposedly were the parents of 17 children, 15 of of whom have been found in baptismal and census records. Philip's will was written 18 Jan 1869, proved 12 Jul 1869. In it, he gave his real estate to three sons - Samuel, Salon and Milton - provided they pay $3,100, as follows: son John $400; daughter Hannah, wife of Andrew Andes, $100; daughter Rebecca, widow of Gideon Zirkle $1,000, daughter Lydia, widow of Moses Silvius, $600; daughter Mary, wife of Samuel Kerlin, $100; and daughter Susan, wife of Nathaniel S. Foltz, $900. Son William mentioned, and balance of estate to be divided among his 13 children.
97 SUSANNA Pence was born 24 Jan 1794 in Shenandoah County, Virginia; married John Zirkle 2 Sep 1816 in Shenandoah County.
98 LYDIA Pence was born 4 May 1796 in Shenandoah County, Virginia; died 25 Apr 1847 in Shenandoah County; married Samuel Getz 12 Feb 1816 in Shenandoah County (he was born 16 Apr 1793, died 25 Sep 1854); she was described as his ward in their marriage bond.
Research Notes:
DNA [2]
[1] Portrait and Biographical Album of Greene and Clark Counties, Ohio (Chapman Brothers: 1890), 185, [URL].
[2] The family tree of a person who has a DNA match to Robert suggests a lineage to this sibling of Robert's ancestor. The lineage is through a descendant shown on our website, descent: Conrad Pence of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, [Link].