Benjamin Hornbeck was born about 1754 in Hampshire Co., Virginia. He was the ancestor of the present Hornbeck families of Randolph and Upshur Counties, West Virginia with other descendants residing in various parts of the country.

Benjamin moved from the South Branch of the Potomac, the area that is now Hampshire, Hardy and Pendleton Counties, West Virginia and settled on Stalnakers Run. It has been said that his first wife was a Miss Vanscoy from a neighboring farm, however members of the Vanscoy branch of the family state that she was not a Vanscoy and the possibility exists that the maiden name of his mother, Sarah Vernoy, has caused some confusion. According to family tradition, she was killed by Indians along with any children of this marriage during the Leading Creek Massacre of 1781. It is said that she was killed at the gate of a picket fence around their cabin with her four week old child, they were scalped and her hair was later recognized as it hung from the belt of a warrior. At the time of the massacre, Benjamin Hornbeck had been working in the fields. Only he and Jonathan Buffington escaped this raid and they were able to warn residents of the nearby Friends Fort (built about 1772 at the mouth of Leading Creek) and Wilson's Fort (built about 1777 on Valley River). This same year he served with Captain Tieverbough in Harrison Co and in 1782 he was Sgt. with the Monongalia County Militia under Col. David Williamson Benjamin married (2) Lydia Currence, daughter of William Currence and Lidia Steele and they had issue:

The Dutch ancestor of Benjamin Hornbeck was Warnaar Hornbeck who is more than likely a son of Joos van Hoornbeecke born in Gent (Flanders) approximately 1604, married in Sloterdijk in 1635 (nowadays the municipality of Amsterdam) to Sarah Warnaar(t)sdr "From Stolck" born approximately 1617, a daughter of Warnaar ….. (unknown so far but still alive in 1635). The banns were published in Amsterdam 21 Jan 1635. According to The Centraal Bureau Voor Genealogie in The Hague, although they did not find Warnaar's baptism entry in the Amsterdam parish registers, they take for granted in view of the patronymical name of his wife, that Joos called one of his sons Warnaar (a rare Christian name) after his father-in-law (according to the custom at the time). Joos and Sarah had known issue: (1) Francois van Hoornbeeke baptized in Amsterdam 16 Dec 1635 (2) Jacob van Hoornbeecke, baptized in Amsterdam 25 Jan 1637. They believe the family left town (possibly for New Netherland in America) sometime before Warnaar was born. In the book COLONIAL AND REVOLUTIONARY LINEAGES OF AMERICA, they claim that Warnaar came to the province of New Netherlands in 1660 in the ship "The Guilded Otter" although his name has not been found on any passenger list.

There was a requirement for the man to be at least 15 years of age or older and the passenger lists named the head of the household plus a mention of "wife", number of children, any servants or apprentices being mentioned only as "boy" or "girl'. In any event, by 1662, he was settled at Wiltwyck, (a part of the territory called "New Amsterdam"), now Kingston in Ulster Co., New York.

Warnaar married (1) about 1668-1670 Anneken "Anna" de Hooges in Hurley, Ulster Co, New York. She was born about 1650 daughter of Anthony de Hooges of Flemish stock and Evaatje Albertse "Eva" Bratt. Anna died about 1688-1693. Warnaar and Anna had nine known children, among them Johannes "John" born 20 Apr 1685 in Kingston, Ulster Co., New York (see below).

Warnaar married (2) Margreit (Dent Krois) Ten Eyck Tyssen about 1690-1692 in Kingston, Ulster Co., New York. Margreit was born 1658 and died after 1710. She may have been a daughter of Mathys Ten Eyck and his wife Janneken Rosa. Wamaar and Margreit had eight known children. Johannes "John" Hornbeck, born 20 Apt 1685, died about 1767 in Hampshire Co, Virginia. He married Orseltjen "Urseltje" Westbroek 1716 in Kingston, Ulster Co, New York and they had ten known children. Among these children were sons Benjamin born 1717, Richard "Dirk", Daniel, Samuel, Jonathan born 1730, Abraham Houghteeling and Isaac. There has been some confusion as to which of these sons was the father of the subject of this article Benjamin Hornbeck born about 1754. An article previovsly written by Nellie Hornbeck Gaetner is in error when she states that Benjamin was a son of Benjamin born 1717 and his wife Jane Kortright as he was in fact a son of his brother Jonathan born 1730 and his wife Sarah Vernoy. Benjamin received a 25 acre grant for his military service from the Governor of Virginia and became a large property owner however in 1796 he began gradually selling his land. Benjamin served as Justice of the Peace in Randolph Co in 1806 and as Sheriff in 1815-1818.

Benjamin is buried at the old Currence farm which is located by the Tygarts River at the site of tile David Tygart cabin near Dailey. For many years his grave was marked only by a crude fieldstone engraved "B. Hornbeck, DAT Apr 6, 1827. AGED 73 years". His gravesite was located by Duffy Hornbeck, Senior who was successful in obtaining a government marker which was set Jul 15, 1928 with appropriate ceremony.

His will as well as that of his wife are on file in Randolph Co, Virginia. In Benjamin's will he asks that his perishable estate be sold immediately after his death and that his debts and funeral expenses be paid from the proceeds. He gave his wife Lydia 1/3 of the perishable estate and the residue to he equally divided between his daughters Sarah Channel, Anna Carr. Susannah Slagle, Polly Wood and Lydia Vanscoy. He also gave Lydia two Negro slaves and at her death they are to he freed. He made small bequests of $1.00 each to son William Hornbeck, daughter Sarah Channel, son Moses Hornbeck, daughters Anna Carr and Polly Wood. He gave son Jonathan Hornbeck two tracts of land on Leading Creek. He gave daughter Susannah Slagle one horse. He gave daughter Lydia Vanscoy 40 acres of land on the home place. He gave son Joseph Hornbeck the upper half of the home place after deducting Lydia's 40 acres. He gave son John the lower half of the home place after deducting the said 40 acres to Lydia and gave him all the buildings, two young horses, gears, plows, etc. The rest of his estate was to he equally divided between his children.