John Berkey
John Berkey was born in 1745 in Berks County,
Pennsylvania. John
married Susanna Whipkey before 1765 in Berks County.
He was the son of Jacob Berkey (1698-1763) and is mentioned
in his fathers will. He
had a brother Christian (1733) and three sisters:
Mary, Catherine (1739) and Anna (1740).
John was the youngest of the family.
On May 25, 1792, John warranted a 51 acre
parcel of land in partly in Quemahoning and partly in Milford
Township, Bedford County, PA.
The land now is located in Lincoln Township, Somerset County,
PA.
John and Susanna had eleven children (6 boys
and 5 girls):
1.
Jacob was born in 1765 and married a
lady named Catherine
2.
John was born in 1766 and also
married a lady named Catherine
3.
Veronica was born in 1768 and married
Joseph Mast
4.
Christian was born in 1770
5.
Adam was
born in 1771 and married Susanna Miller
6.
Magdalena was born in 1773 and
married Jacob Stutzman
7.
Susanna was born in 1774 and married
David Stutzman
8.
Sarah was born in 1776 and married
Samuel Stutzman
9.
Samuel was born in 1777 and married
Barbara Lenhart
10.
Daniel was born in 1779 and married
Susanna Ripple
11.
Mary was born in 1784 and married
Christian Yordy
Although John didn’t warrant his parcel until
1792, he is shown on the 1779 tax rolls for Bedford County in
Brothersvalley Township.
The tract that he warranted in 1792 would have been located in
Brothersvalley Township in 1779 as Brothersvalley Township
encompassed all of the area west of the Allegheny Mountains at that
time.
He paid the Supply Tax in 1781 and 1783 in
Brothersvalley Township, Bedford County, PA.
John died in 1801 without a will.
Orphan’s Court records verify the children.
Susannah, his wife, was born about 1745 and died on December
10, 1812. They are both
likely buried on the original homestead.