Herbert Hockenbury
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)
| Date | Location | Notes | Sources | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth | ~1690 | Hackenburg,Germany | [1][2] | |
| Marriage | to Margaret unknown | [2][3] | ||
| Death | will probated 13 June, 1769 | Hunterdon Co., NJ | [1][2][3] |
Children
| Name | Gender | Date of Birth | Spouse | Children | Notes | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Hockenbury | M | Sarah unknown | John; Uly wf of Benj. Walker; Mary wf of __Gary; grandsons John Walker, John Gary | will prob. 6 Feb 1805 | [1][3] | |
| Peter Hockenbury | M | Elisabeth unknown | granddau. Betsey Van Nest | will prob. 5 Dec 1804 names Herbert & John Rodenbough | [1][3] | |
| Jost (George) Hockenbury | M | A. Margaret unknown | Anna b. 2 Mar. 1773; Peter b. 2 May 1778 | [1][3] | ||
| Henry Hockenbury | M | prob.b. 1750 | Elisabeth unknown | Peter b. 26 Jan 1773; Margaret b. 9 Apr 1776 m. Dan Sweazy; grandson Henry Sweazy | of Bethlehem Twp., Hunterdon Co.; d.27 Aug 1815; will prob.1815 | [1][3] |
| Christopher Hockenbury | M | [1][3] | ||||
| Harmon/Harman Hockenbury | M | Anna Margaret unknown | Jacob b. 10 Apr 1779 | Prob.it was of his estate that Anna & Peter were administrators, 5 Apr 1808, Newton NJ | [[1][3] | |
| Anney Eve/Eve Hockenbury | F | [1][3] | ||||
| Anney Elsie Hockenbury | F | [3] | ||||
| Margaret/Margie Hockenbury | F | [1][3] | ||||
| Anna Elizabeth Hockenbury | F | [1][3] | ||||
| Catren Hockenbury | F | [1][3] | ||||
| Mary Hockenbury | F | [1][3] |
Places of Residence
| Location | Dates | Notes | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 1690-1720 | [1] | |
| New Jersey | 1720-1769 | [1] | |
| Hunterdon Co., NJ | 1769 | [1] |
Sources
| Ref. Num. | Description | Image of original |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manuscript: Peter Hockenberry and Descendants of his Son, John Hockenberry by Edith and Horace Renick, 1975, gives an overview of the early Hockenberry immigrants to America. Their information on Herbert Hockenbury came from the research of Fred & Ruth Hockenbary, Matawan, NJ. | |
| 2 | Personal correspondence of Lee Elmer Vaughan, 1991. Herbert Hockenbury b. ca. 1690 in Hackenburg, Germany, married to Margaret unknown, died June 1769 Lebanon Twp., Hunterdon Co., NJ. Their son Harmon Hockenbury b. 1744 in Lebanon Twp., Hunterdon Co. NJ, d. ca. 1834 Sussex Co. NJ, wife unknown. Harmon's son Christopher Hockenberry b. 3 Apr 1816, d. 14 Apr 1898 Juniata Co., PA. | |
| 3 | Early Germans of New Jersey, Their History, Churches and Genealogy,by Hermann Theodore F. Chambers (1895), p. 406. Contributed here by Chuck Owens, Apr 2015 (Contributors link at left) Herbert Hockenbery, will prob.1769, lists wife Margaret, six sons, six daughters, several grandchildren. |
 |
| 4 | Personal correspondence from Elizabeth Wilson Williams. | N/A
|
Source notes
Conjecture
There exists some possiblity that Herbert Hockenbury was related to our direct line ancestor Peter Hockenberry (b. 1718). They are 28 years apart in age, so are unlikely to be brothers. Harmon Hockenbury, son of Herbert, lived in Sussex Co., NJ and was buried there at LaFayette, near Newton, NJ.
There are records of a Harmon Hockenbury arriving in Franklin Co., PA in 1799 and living there in the midst of the Peter Hockenberry clan. If this Harmon is the same person as Harmon the son of Herbert, he then returned home later in life to New Jersey where he was buried.
Another possibility is Harman Hockingbery b. 10 Mar. 1744 (per his war record), and suggested to be a son of Honis (Johannes) Hockenberry, both also of Sussex Co. New Jersey. By 1833 this Harmon, at age 89, resided in Franklin Co. PA. At present there is no certainty which of these moved to reside in the vicinity of Peter Hockenberry. Given the Hockenberry cluster in Sussex Co. NJ in the same era, it is likely that all are at least distantly related.
