Southern Forneys Immigrated to Pennsylvania
I have placed the Southern branch of Forneys under Pennsylvania for the following reasons:
Jacob Forney immigrated to Pennsylvania, and landed in Philadelphia, PA on September 3, 1739 on the ship "Friendship". Jacob was age 18 when he landed, he was listed as Jacob Faree. Jacob was orphaned at the age of 4. He lived and worked near Philadelphia, PA in an iron works. Upon reaching the age of maturity he returned to Alsace, Lorranaine, France to procure his legacy. In 1752 he embarked again for America on the ship St. Andrews arriving in Philadelphia on September 23, 1752. Jacob was listed as sick. Family tradition has it that during his second passage a young girl named Maria Bergner had taken care of him in his sickness. They soon fell in love and were married shortly after arriving in Philadelphia.
Jacob Forney and Mary Bergner went to stay with Johan Adam Forney at Conewago Settlement, York County, PA . They then proceeded to the Cocalico creek district of Lancaster PA, where they stayed for 2 years. It is believed they stayed during this two years on the Forney farm of Peter Forney and Ann (Smith) Forney. In 1754 Jacob Forney and Mary Bergner left Lancaster County to settle in Lincoln County, NC.
This information gives cause to believe Jacob Forney was related to Johan Adam Forney of York county and also related to Peter Forney of Lancaster County, thereby connecting the York and Lancaster Forneys.
Another interesting piece of information is that it is believed Jacob Forney's father was Pierre Chevalier De La Ferney. Pierre is said to have owned a chateau in the town of Ferney in France. It is believed was Pierre Chevalier De La Ferney was killed during the Huguenot exodus from France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes by King Louis the XIV. The chateau was later occupied by Voltaire in 1759 until his death in 1778. This information was the result of numerous letters written by a Monsieur Forney in France eager to claim relationship with the American Forneys. The letters were written to John W. Forney of Philadelphia. John W. Forney was said to have had a meeting in France with Monsieur Forney in 1875. Unfortunately died shortly after. According to John K. Forney of Abilene Kansas the letters that had been written were given to a Carpenter (Zimmerman) cousin. When John K. Forney inquired as to why they were given to a Carpenter, he was told the Carpenters and Forneys were related in "the old country".
The Carpenters were neighbors of Peter Forney and Ann Smith in Lancaster County, PA and ver much intermarried.
Descendants of Jacob Forney
1 Jacob Forney Abt 1721 - 1806
. +Maria Bergner Abt 1733 -
........ 2 Jacob Forney 1754 - 1840
............ +Mary Corpening
................... 3 Marcus L. Forney 1782 -
....................... +Louisa Connelly
................... 3 Elizabeth E Forney
................... 3 Thomas J Forney
....................... +S. C. Harris
................... 3 Isaac Newton Forney
....................... +M. L. Corpening
................... 3 Albert G Forney
....................... +Eglantine Logan
................... 3 Fatima E Forney
....................... +Alexander Tate
................... 3 Peter Bergner Forney
....................... +M. S. Connelly
................... 3 James Harvey Forney
....................... +Emily Logan
................... 3 Daniel J Forney
....................... +S. C. Ramsour
................... 3 Mary L Forney
....................... +W. P. Reinhardt
................... 3 Catharine S Forney
....................... +A. T. Bost
........ 2 Peter Forney 1756 - 1834
............ +Nancy Abernathy 1766 - 1847
................... 3 Daniel Morgan Forney 1784 - 1847
....................... +Harriet Brevard
................... 3 Mary Forney 1785 - 1867
....................... +Christian Reinhardt 1775 - 1839
................... 3 Jacob Forney
................... 3 Moses Forney
................... 3 Frances Forney
................... 3 Susan Forney
................... 3 Lavina Forney
................... 3 Nancy Forney
................... 3 Carolina Forney
................... 3 Monroe Forney
................... 3 Joseph Forney
................... 3 Sophia Forney
................... 3 James M Forney
........ 2 Abram Forney 1758 - 1849
............ +Unknown
........ *2nd Wife of Abraham Forney:
............ +Rachel Gabriel 1768 - 1855
................... 3 John W Forney
................... 3 Abram Earhardt Forney
........ 2 Catherine Forney Abt 1759 - Abt 1798
............ +Abram Earhardt
........ 2 Christina Forney 1762 - 1842
............ +David Abernathy 1759 - 1838
................... 3 Nancy Abernathy
................... 3 Dyonisia Abernathy
................... 3 Ephriam Abernathy
................... 3 Milton P Abernathy
................... 3 Sina Amanda Abernathy
................... 3 Susan Alexander Abernathy
................... 3 Littleton Abernathy
................... 3 Robert G Abernathy
................... 3 Drucilla Abernathy
........ 2 Susannah Mariah Forney Abt 1764 - 1850
............ +John D Abernethy 1761 - 1843
................... 3 Charity Abernethy
................... 3 Fanny Abernethy
................... 3 Forney Abernethy
................... 3 Polly Abernethy
................... 3 Nancy Abernethy
................... 3 Elizabeth Marie Abernethy
................... 3 Jacob Abernethy
................... 3 William J Abernethy
................... 3 Miles W Abernethy
................... 3 David Abernethy
................... 3 Franklin Mathew Abernethy
................... 3 John Abernethy
................... 3 Susan Abernethy
........ 2 Selanah Eve Forney Abt 1776 -
............ +Robert Goodwin
........ 2 Elizabeth Forney
............ +John Yong
Key researchers of this line:
Alice Campbell acampbell@carolina.net
