An American Family History

Lewis Pence was born about 1720 in Germany. He was the son of Johann Georg Bentz and Anna Barbara Bullinger.

In 1749, he came to America with his family on the ship Phoenix .

His wife was named Barbara.

Barbara and Lewis' children are difficult to distinguish from the other Pence children of that generation. They may have included:

John Pence (1755, married Elizabeth),
Lewis Pence
Susannah Pence (did not marry Benjamin Maggart),
Barbara Pence (did not marry Adam Kibler),
Margaret Pence

On August 26, 1754, Lewis bought 49 acres in what was then, Frederick County, Virginia from Rudolph Mauck

On November 7, 1757 he was granted a patent for 440 acres

John Pence was born about 1755 on Hawksbill Creek in what is now Page County, Virginia. He was the son of Lewis Pence.

His wife was named Elizabeth.

Abraham Pence (1777),
Sarah (Sallie) Pence (married John Rector),
Elizabeth Pence (1786, married Daniel Kiblinger),
Jacob Pence (1788, married Rebecca Davis)
Peter Pence (1789, married Eve Kiblinger),
Mary (Polly) Pence (1795, married Jacob Kiblinger, Jr.).

In 1792 John and Elizabeth sold land in what was then Shenandoah County to Rudolph Baker.

John and Elizabeth moved to Clark County, Ohio about 1805.

Jacob and Peter were soldiers in the War of 1812.

John and wife Elizabeth sold 60 acres to Daniel Kibliinger on July 19, 1814.

John and his sons, Peter and Abraham, were listed in the 1820 census of German Township.

John Pence built a mill on Nettle Creek in 1819.

In 1820, John Pence, Sr., Abraham, and Peter were in German Township.

In 1825, John Pence witnessed Rudolph Baker's will.

The 1826 and 1827 tax rolls for Clark County listed him with 50 acres in the north part of the southeast quarter of Section 9, German Township.

John Pentz sold land to Martin Baker on October 23, 1827.

In 1839 John Pence witnessed Henry Baker's will.

Abraham Pence was born about 1777 in Virginia. He was the son of John Pence.

He married Jemima Robinson on May 5, 1800 in Madison County, Virginia.

Nancy Pence (1802, married Andrew Blue and Jacob Shaffer)
Samuel Pence (1803, married Phebe Glass),
William Pence (1807, married Delilah Colbert and Mrs. Phebe Scott)
Mary Pence (1809, married Henry Brunstetter),
Susannah Pence (1810, probably married John Swearingen),
Elizabeth Pence (1813 married Richard Hesselgesser)
Rhoda Pence (1815, married Isaac Thomas),
Anna Pence (1817, married Joseph Underwood)
Jesse G. Pence (1820, married Elizabeth Bare),
Sarah Pence (1820, married William Fenton).

Jacob Pence was born on December 14, 1727 in Germany.

His wife was named Barbara.

Jacob and Barbara's children included:

Frederick Pence (1752),
Lewis Pence (1754, married Barbara Kibler),
Susannah Pence (1760),
Mary Pence (1760),
Emanuel Pence (1762),
Daniel Pence (1764),
Barbara Pence (1770, married Adam Kibler),
Jacob Pence (1771, married Eve Printz, daughter of Gottleib Printz),
Eve Pence (1773, married John Kibler),
and Elizabeth Pence (1773).

Jacob received a grant for 262 acres on the branches of the Hawksbill Creek in Frederick County on August 30, 1766.  It later was in Shenandoah County and is now in Page County.

Jacob, Lewis, and Frederick, served in Captain Michael Reader's company in the Revolutionary War.

Henry Pence (Johann Heinrich Bentz) was born about 1740 in Germany.

He married Mary Blimley.

Rhoda Pence
George Pence (1766, married Mary Mauck)
Jacob Pence (1767, married Mary Coffman),
Henry Pence (1768, married Elizabeth Koontz and Eve Snider)
Abraham Pence (1769, married Elizabeth Mauck)
Magdaline Pence
Susannah Pence
John Pence
Barbara Pence
David Pence
Joseph Pence
Samuel Pence (1790, married Elizabeth Cowhick)
Anna Pence
Isaac Pence
Elizabeth Pence
Benjamin Pence
Mary Pence
Reuben Pence

Henry was granted 474 acres at the head of the Hawksbill in Frederick (later Shenandoah County, now Page) County on March 30, 1770.

He bought land in Mad River Township, Champaign County on December 31, 1805. Jacob and John Pence, Henry's sons, bought land in the county on November 4, 1805 and March 25, 1806.

Henry and Mary Pence settled in the township [Mad River] about 1805. Members of the Pence family who settled in Mad River Twp. were Benjamin, Isaac, Henry, Abram, John, Samuel and Reuben. . . The daughters were all settled in Mad River Twp. - Susannah, Annie, Elizabeth, Mary, Magdeline and Barbara. The parents of all these children were among the first families that settled here. Henry was born in 1740 and Mary Blimly, his wife, in 1746. They emigrated from Germany to America in their youth. Two of their children died in infancy and were not named. Consequently they were the parents of 19 children.

In 1806, some of the members of the King's Creek Baptist Church organized a new church at Henry Pence's home.

Henry died in 1824 in Champaign County, Ohio.

The will of Henry Pence, Book B, p 47, Champaign County:

My beloved soninlaw John Norman all my land on which I now live containing one hundred and thirtyfive acres;

Norman to pay my son Benjamin Pence five hundred dollars, and six hundred and seventyfive dollars to my other children within five years after the death of my self and wife as follows, to Jacob Pence my eldest son, two dollars, to the heirs of my son Samuel Pence, decd, two dollars and the balance of the six hundred and seventy five dollars the said Norman is to pay in equal proportion to to the other children Henry Pence, Abraham Pence, John Pence, David Pence, Joseph Pence, Isaac Pence, Rubin Pence, Susanah Jenkins, Anna Norman, Elizabeth Stoneberger, Mary Runkle and the two sons of Barbary Stewart dec'd, Joseph Rosenbarger and Henry Steward, which two boys to have one equal share between them. William Runcle and John Norman, executives, dated 10 Apr 1820, filed 1 Dec 1824.

Abraham Pence was born September 7, 1769 in Frederick County, Virginia. He was the son of Henry Pence.

He married Elizabeth Mauck on February 11, 1791 in Shenandoah County, Virginia.

Mary Pence (1791, married Daniel Loudenback),
Abraham Pence (1794),
Elizabeth Pence (1800), and
David Pence (1807).

In 1811, Abraham and Elizabeth sold land in what was then Shenandoah County, Virginia to Rudolph Baker.

Abraham died in 1838 in Mad River Township, Champaign County and was buried in Nettle Creek Cemetery.

from Beer's History of Champaign County, Ohio

The Pences, fifteen in number, settled in different portions of this county. Three of them, John, Louis and Abraham, settled in this township.

John [Pence] purchased a quarter-section of land on Section 9, of one Terman, but soon disposed of it to his brother, Louis, and emigrated West.

Abraham [Pence] came from Virginia in 1811, and purchased portions of Sections 4 and 10. The land is now owned by his son David. He was called out as a scout during the early Indian troubles, and stationed in what is now known as Logan County. He was a faithful member of the Baptist Church, and held the position of Deacon for many years. He died in 1838. One of his daughters, the widow of David Loudenback, is living in the township and is now eighty-eight years of age, and without exception is the oldest living resident in the township. Several of his brothers lived to be fourscore years of age.

The Reverend John Pence
Excerpts from Obituary

. . .Rev. John Pence (written originally Bentz), son of Henry Pence, and his wife Catharine, whose maiden name was Manger, was born in Rockingham County, Va., December 13th, 1799. He descended from Christian parents, his father being a member of the Lutheran Church, and his mother of the Reformed Church.

. . . conscious of the responsibility of the sacred office, he entered upon his pioneer work with zeal and devotion, and soon became "abundant in labors." His first field of labor was the Union charge within the present limits of Miami Classis, consisting of three congregations, namely, Frieden's (now Mt. Pisgah at Lawrenceville) in Clark Co., Salem in Champaign County, and Stillwater in Montgomery County. In the winter of 1824-25 he organized a new congregation near Hyattsville, in Miami County, known as Worman's, until in 1845 when it was called Emanuel's. These four congregations properly constituted the Union charge, though occasionally including one or two others for a few years, but his missionary operations extended to other points, which, in course of time, grew into congregations. Between 1830 and 1834 he commenced preaching in Shelby County north of Sidney, and has to travel forty miles every four weeks in going thither. In 1835 he began to serve the New Providence congregation, continuing his pastorate three years, and also had to travel forty miles every four weeks to meet his appointments. He also preached at some other points, and his labors ultimately extended over five counties. Thus, in connection with his regular charge, he operated a large mission field, and out of his charge in the broader sense, and on the territory he originally traveled and seeded, gradually grew the St. Paris, the Port Jefferson and the Salem charges.

His pastorate in the Union charge continued from 1824 to 1847, a period of about twenty-three years, and during the period, being full of vigor and energy, he achieved the best results of his ministry, as his reported statistics show, viz: Baptisms, 1,165; confirmations, 407; communions, 4,357; and funerals, 266.

In 1826, during his pastorate in the Union charge, he was appointed as the first missionary of the Ohio Synod, and during that and the three succeeding years, he made an exploring tour through southern Indiana, visiting different points, preaching the gospel to he destitute, administering the ordinance of baptism and the Lord's Supper, and imparting instruction, consolation and encouragement to the "scattered flock of Israel.". . .

He was married, June 7, 1827, at the residence of the bride's parents to Miss Margaret Jones, by Rev. David Winters; and in this union they had nine children, three sons and six daughters, of whom one son and three daughters preceded the father to the "world beyond"-- leaving as mourners a devoted wife, two sons, and three daughters, nineteen grand-children and seven great grand-children, together with a large circle of friends.

Soon after his marriage he secured a pleasant homestead, including ten acres of land, nearly two miles west of Tremont, Clark County, Ohio, and became permanently settled there, continuing to live there during the succeeding years of his long and eventful life, and having Tremont for his post-office (now called Tremont City).

Father Pence inherited a vigorous constitution, and with little exception enjoyed continuously good health, manifesting even after having passed the goal of "four score years" much of the vigor and spring of youth. Nor was he called at the last to endure a lengthened period of sickness and suffering. Twelve days previous to his final departure he preached a funeral sermon, and he was in the enjoyment of his usual health up to Saturday, April 16th, at 9 o'clock a.m., when he was suddenly taken with a heavy chill, assuming somewhat of a congestive nature with a slight tendency to pneumonia. He gradually grew weaker, without any pain or suffering, and on Wednesday morning, the 18th of April, 1883, at 7:30 o'clock, he calmly fell asleep in Jesus, aged 83 years, 4 months and 5 days.

The funeral occurred on Friday, April 20th. On a silver plate on the coffin lid, besides his name and date of death, was engraved this significant motto: "Rest in peace." His remains were conveyed from his late residence to the Mt. Pisgah Reformed Church at Lawrenceville (formerly Noblesville), a distance of about two and a half miles, where a large concourse of people assembled to manifest their respect for their aged pioneer father, and this sympathy with the bereaved family, as well as to unite in the solemnities of the occasion. . .