Short Sketch of the Hornbeck Family in New York and Virginia

By, Nellie Hornbeck Gaetner, (Mrs. H.J.) 1927.

Submitted by Jennie Hott & Richard Phares

Several of the Dutch who settled on the South Branch early interested themselves in making homes farther west and were among the earliest inhabitants in what is now Randolph Co., W. Va. One of these was Benjamin Hornbeck. As is known to this society, he was early on Leading Creek where in 1781, his wife, who was a Miss Vanscoy, and their children were killed by the Indians. I might add here, incidentally, that my father, who was the great-grandson of Benjamin, always told me in relating this, that she was standing at her own front gate when the Indians came up and killed her and took her scalp. Miss Vanscoy was also of Hampshire County, and of the Dutch from New Netherland. Previous to his marriage and migration, Benjamin had served in Hampshire County in Capt. John Harris's Company of Rangers. In 1781 he was in the Monongalia County Militia under Capt. Truebough. Both of these were Revolutionary services, as given by Eckenrode.

The immigrant ancestor of Benjamin was Warnaar Hoornbeeck who came to New Netherland in 1660 in the ship "de Vergulden Otter" (the Golden Otter). He was at that time 15 years of age and alone since no other member of the family came with him. The passengers of the Golden Otter were destined for Wiltwyck, but were detained in New Amsterdam for a long time, since Wiltwyck was overrun in that year with hostile Indians. Nearly all of the population were killed. In 1662 re-settlement was begun, and in that year is the first mention made of Warnaar. In 1670 he married with Ann de Hooges, daughter of Anthony de Hooges and his wife Eva Albertse Braat. Anthony de Hooges had followed Arent von Curler as Secretary and Governor of the Colony of Rennslyaerwyck. He was also "vorlesser" or reader in the church. Eva Albertse Braat was the daughter of Albert Andriese Braat "de Norman", who was in Beaverwyck in 1630. From him Normans Kill gets its name. Eva von Rotmer was the first wife of Braat and from these two are descended many of the Hornbecks in America.

Anna de Hooges died in 1688. They had seven children, among them was Johannes, baptized at Kingston, N. Y., May 8 1685. In 1692 Warnaar married Margreta, daughter of Matthew ten Eyck, and to this marriage were born seven children and all of them, like those of the first marriage, were baptized in the Dutch Reformed Church of Kingston, N. Y. Johannes married Ursula Westbroeck. There were eight children, the oldest was Benjamin baptized in 1717, who married Jane Kortright. Again there were eight children, the oldest baptized in 1740 at Kingston. Sometime before 1749, the first date of a record of any member of the family on the South Branch they migrated to this section. Just what year is not known, but it was most likely 1748 since in that year there were many new comers to locate here. It was here that the Benjamin before mentioned as one of the first settlers of Randolph was born. His father was Benjamin born in 1717, and his mother Jane Kortright.

In the records of the state of N. Y. are found the military records of this family. In this particular line, Warnaar was present at "ye Rendevous of Marbleton, ye 5th of April 1670". Among the volunteers to "ye expedition to Canada" under the command of Capt. Wessel ten Broeck in 1711 was Johannes, son of Warnaar and grandfather of Benjamin. Johannes was in the foot "militia" of Ulster County in 1715 and in 173_ he was in the same as sergeant under Cornelius , his brother. In 1758 he was Lieut. Col. voluntarily enlisted in his majesty's service in the pay of the Province of N. Y. There is quite a list of names of this family in the Colonial Revolutionary and post-revolutionary wars.

How the migration of this family took place is not known. In Northampton County, Penn. there were land transfers in 1773 and 1776 of Peter and Tobyas Hornbeck. It seems more than likely that they came direct, since Joel Hornbeck was in the French and Indian War from Hampshire County, and was born in N. Y. Daniel and Joel were in Hampshire County in 1749, according to Augusta County records. Isaac, James and Abraham had grants of land by patent from Lord Fairfax. Abraham volunteered and served for two years from 1776 to 1778, and drew a pension while residing in Spencer Co., Ind. He was in Capt. Abel Westfall's Company under Col. Muhlenberg. James, John, Littleberry, Samuel, Michael and Benjamin all have Revolutionary services from Hampshire County, Va. Anthony also lived along the South Branch in Hardy County.

Benjamin was born in 1754. A year after the death of his first wife he was married to Lydia Currence, daughter of William, the pioneer. Their children were:


	Sarah who married Sam Channel in 1804.
	Ann married James Carr 1810.
	Mary (Polly) married John Wood 1818.
	Susannah married Jacob Slagle.
	Lydia married James Vanscoy 1824.
	Jonathan married Kitty Wilt 1813.
	Joseph, born 1791, married Nancy ______and moved to Illinois in 1851.
	Moses married Mary Light, moved to Upshur Co.
	John M. married Margaret Stalnaker.
	Elizabeth, no record.

Besides his Leading Creek land, Benjamin bought from Peter Cassidy 337 acres of land in Valley Bend district. He also had a grant of land from Governor Tyler in 1809. In 1796 he sold to Henry McWhorter 200 acres on McKinney's Branch of Hackey's Creek.

Benjamin was appointed Justice of the Peace in 1806, and sheriff in 1815. In his will he mentions all his children and gave to Jonathan the two tracts of land on Leading Creek. He gave to Lydia 40 acres off of the home place, and to Joseph and John he divided the remaining part of his home place. To Lydia, his wife, he gave two slaves to serve her as long as she lived and then to be given their freedom.

Benjamin Hornbeck died April 6th, 1827. His grave is in the old Currence Graveyard near Beverly. A crude stone has marked his grave for 100 years, on which is scratched "B. Hornbeck, dat, April 6, 1827, aged 73 years" This will be very soon be replaced by a Revolutionary marker. His name is also added to the Honor Roll of the D. A. R.