Revision as of 20:00, 21 January 2007

THE HOCKENBERRY NAME & EARLY IMMIGRANTS
The name Hockenberry is one of several Anglicized forms of Hachenburger (such as Hachenberger, Hockenbury, Hillberry, etc.) In earlier times when individuals did not have set surnames, immigrants were often distinguished from others in their new location by a name reflecting their place of origin. thus, anyone from Hachenburg could be know as a Hachenburger. This appelation was probably applied more than once, and to individuals not necessarily related.
Records indicate several early immigrants to America with variants of this name; their relationship, if any, is not yet established. Some degree of relationship between Herbert Hockenbury (b. ~1690) and Peter Hockenberry (b. ~1718) is indicated by the fact that Herbert's son Harmon Hockenbury left Sussex Co. NJ in 1799 and went to live among the Peter Hockenberry clan in Franklin Co., PA until 1833. Many of the descendants of Harmon remain in this area today. He returned to Sussex Co., NJ at some point and was buried in LaFayette Nj, near Newton NJ.
Peter Hockenberry, b. ~1718 in Germany, settled in what is now Fannett Twp., Franklin Co. PA about 1750. His will was probated in Chambersburg, PA on 20 Feb. 1811.
(Click here for complete text Hockenberry Name & Early Immigrants)

Ancestry chart segment

 Generation 8           Generation 9           
  
                   +-- Peter Hockenberry
                   |   (1718-1811))
John Hockenberry --+
  (1741-1839)      |
                   +-- [unknown]
                        (????-????)
               

Sources:

Children

(all children with Hannah Kelly)

Places of Residence

Photo Gallery

Sources

Ref. Num.	Description	Image of original
1	Thirty Thousand Names of Immigrants... by Israel D. Rupp. Johann Peter Hockenbert, passenger on Capt. Kerr's ship, the Jennifer, landed at Port of Philadelphia Pa,6 Nov. 1764. This source provided by Ardath Hillberry Yehle, The Hockenberry-Hillberry Family, p. ii.
2	Manuscript: Peter Hockenberry and Descendants of his Son, John Hockenberry by Edith and Horace Renick, 1975, gives a detailed genealogical record of Peter Hockenberry.	transcript
3	Certification of Military Service, from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission: "This is to certify that one Petter Hockenbury was enrolled as a Private, First Class, First company, First Battalion, Cumberland County Militia, in which capacity he served a tour of active duty in Captain Thomas Askey's Company of the First Class, under Order of Council, dated July 29, 1777, according to the evidence of the Fine Book of John Carothers, county Lieutenant, page 2". Dated October 29, 1970. Signed William H. Work, chief, Division of Archives and Manuscript. Residence ascribed: Fannett Township.
4	Will of Peter Hockenberry, Will No. 1070, Record Book B, p. 435; Probated 20 Feb. 181l. Names wife Alice; eldest son Henry; second son John; Mill, buildings & dams; daughters Mary and Margret; third son James; son Janes' children (not named); son Peter; land adjoining lands of James Johnston and Mattie Kyle; daughters Catherine and Nancy; son Sanuel; house and lot in Connelsburg; son Jeremiah; land at the Round Top Mountain; son Robert. Executors: son John and John Widney, son of James. Signed 28 April 1810. Peter Hockenberry. Witnesses: James Campbell, James Widney, John Widney, Jr.; Register for probate 10 Feb. 1811, James Campbell & John Widney, Jr., witnesses; John Findlay, Register.	(Complete transcription, Will of Peter Hockenberry)
5	Personal correspondence from Elizabeth Wilson Williams.	N/A

Source notes

The certification of military service for Petter Hockenbury, and the transcription of the will of Peter Hockenberry are part of the research collection of Horace & Edith Renick.

Conjecture

It is interesting to note on in the certificate of military service for Petter Hockenbury that the County Lieutenant (Cumberland County) was John Carothers. Peter Hockenberry's granddaughter married the son of John Carothers' nephew (ie. Jane Hockenberry married Moses McCandless, son of William "Tailor Billy" McCandless). These two families obviously knew each other in Cumberland County, before the McCandlesses moved westward to Westmoreland and Butler Counties.

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