John Benrath Penrod III (1726 - 1799)

Born 15 Jun 1726 in Frederick Co., Maryland

Ancestors

Husband of Catherine (Barrone) Penrod — married 1746 in Somerset, Somerset, Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died 13 Apr 1799 at age 72 in Milford Twp., Somerset Co., Pennsylvania, USA

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Diana Horn [send private message], Rebekah Mandina [send private message], Boyd Paxton [send private message], Donna Peacock [send private message], and Robert Vansel [send private message]

Biography

Notes for JOHN PENROD: According to all the sources, the origin of the family is German. The name appears in early records as Benrod, Benrat, Benrath, Bonroth, Bonracth, Pinrod, etc. John was born about 1726, possibly in Ireland (of German ancestry) and died Apr 1799 in Somerset Co., PA. He married Catherine about 1749. He was a Revolutionary War veteran (although that hasn't been proven), a 7th Day Baptist, a hunter, and one of the pioneers in Somerset Co., PA. Harmon Husband was one of the first to settle his family there in 1772 and he kept a journal which has been helpful in tracing the settlement of the county. John Penrod Sr., his son, John Jr., and his son-in-law John Vansell had a hunting cabin there before Husbands arrived, but they didn't move their families there until 1773.

The first record found of John Penrod was in Frederick Co., MD where he received several land warrants in 1755. He was Naturalized there in 1767 under the name of John Benracth and apparently stayed there until moving his family to Somerset Co. in 1773. According to "Two Centuries of Brother's Valley," page 78, John and his wife were 7th Day Baptists and followers of Elder Martin. The church met in their home for a time. Later the Penrod Church was called the Quemohoing 7th Day Baptist Church.

John Penrod's will was written 19 May 1798 and probated 13 Apr 1799 in Somerset Co., PA. In it he mentioned his wife Catherine, sons Israel, Solomon and Peter. There were other children but he did not name them. Dorothy Turner and others believe John had at least 11 children (some may be grandchildren or belong to Henry Penrod):

A. John Penrod, Jr., who married Sarah Davis

B. Mary Penrod who married John Vansell

C. David Penrod who married Barbara Shontz

D. Drusilla who married Phillip Kimmel

E. Peter Penrod who married Elizabeth

F. Emanuel Penrod who married Fannie Long

G. Tobias Penrod who married Catherine

H. Israel Penrod who married Elizabeth

I. Samuel Penrod who married Mary (Polly) Smith (Smith provided by Pansy Allison)

J. Solomon Penrod who married Sarah

John Pernod’s parents were John Pernod and Gertrude (Gerfud) Delbert.

He was a ranger on the Wester Front, protecting homes against Indian attacks during the Revolutionary War.

He arrived in Philadelphia about 1727. He was a pioneer settler, trapper in Indian scout during the 1770s. As well as at the Somerset County Pennsylvania Courthouse. There is a lot of information about him and his life on wc.rootsweb.com website. ^[1]

He married to Catherine Barrone

"In Bedford County the John Penrods were part of the Quemohoning Seventh Day Baptist Church. It met for a while in the Penrod home and was referred to by some, as the Penrod Church."

Residence

1773 Bedford, Pennsylvania, USA^[2] 1790 Bedford, Bedford, Pennsylvania, USA

John's estate inventory indicated that he had accumulated quite a sum of money and seems to have been an unofficial community banker. Three pages of loans and bonds are listed as property of his estate. His Will says, ‘First I order that my whole estate shall be and remain in my own hands, and in the hands of my children, as it now is, till after my decease, and at my decease shall devolve to my wife, Catherine Penrod, during her natural life and at her decease, then the whole estate belonging to, I order and it is my will shall be equally divided amongst my children as possible, males and females all equal and alike to them or to their heirs.' John Penrod loaned money to his children, either on note or account, to put his money into their hands for their use. He was listed on the 1796 tax roll in Quemahoning Township, Pennsylvania. He died by April 13, 1799, when his Will was probated.

Yet Oddly; "After John died in 1799, his widow, Catherine, moved to Muhlenberg County Kentucky, and may have lived with the Daniel Rhoads family. A bill of sale, recorded in Muhlenberg County in 1808, indicates that Catherine transferred all her possessions to Daniel Rhoads. This seems unusual, since at least three of her children lived nearby."

-- source: Dr. Delbert Lee Penrod

In 1795 Somerset County was formed from Bedford and here John Penrod Sr. died in 1799 and was buried at Ed Pritt's farm, Millford Township, Somerset, Pennsylvania. He lived twenty-six years after bringing his family to Pioneer this area. This John is the farthest ancestor of which we have record on our Penrod line.

We have a copy of the Will of John Penrod which is very interesting, it was admitted to probate 13 April 1799 so it appears he died earlier in that year. As you read it you feel that he must have been a very spiritual man, and that he had a great deal of love for his family. It sounds as though he were quite well-off for those days.

Sources

1. ↑ Source title: Penrod family in Illinois, page 6. Author: Delbert Lee Penrod Publication: Private Printing Repository: Name: Rowan Public Library, PO Box 4039, Salisbury, NC 28145.
2. ↑ Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission; Records of the Office of the Comptroller General, RG-4; Tax & Exoneration Lists, 1762-1794; Microfilm Roll: 315 APID: 1,2497::1407159

[web.com]

• Penrod Family in Illinois, by Delbert Lee Penrod

wc.rootsweb.com/rootsweb

• Family Records