The Ironworker Mayburys of America
By 1700 economic conditions in England were changing and the English iron industry began to look to the American colonies as a source of bar iron. Resources for producing iron were abundant in America. All that was needed were the skilled hammerman, forgemen, colliers, etc. to build and operate new iron works in America. For their part, many English iron workers looked to America to find work. The first Maybury iron worker arrived in Bucks County, Pennsylvania in 1716. A number of others would soon follow in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia.
Table of Contents
The Mayburys Of Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Shortly after 1700 the iron industry in England and Ireland was in decline for several reasons. Thus, skilled iron workers, including many members of the Maybury family, were glad to come to the American colonies where resources for producing iron were abundant. All that was needed were the skilled hammerman, forgemen, colliers, etc. to build and operate new iron works in America.
Thomas Maybury, blacksmith, came to Bucks County, Pennsylvania in 1716, where he founded a dynasty of ironmasters that was soon active, not only in Pennsylvania, but also in New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia. About ten years later, his son, Thomas Maybury, hammerman. also came from England and began working in Trenton, New Jersey, just across the Delaware River in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Soon the father and son were working together in Pennsylvania.
About the same time, six other Mayburys appeared in Bucks County and most of them were also iron workers. These six Mayburys: Sylvanus, Justinian, Francis, Richard, Charles and William Maybury are all mentioned in Bucks County court records, alongside the two Thomas Mayburys.
Those researching the Bucks County Mayburys should be aware of how little we know about their relationships. It is tempting to look at the Mayburys listed above and assume that Thomas, Jr., Francis, Sylvanus, Justinian, Richard, Charles and William were all sons of Thomas Maybury, blacksmith. But in spite of the large number of records we have found, none tells us anything about the relationships of these Mayburys, with the exception of one series of records that prove the connection between Thomas Maybury, Sr. and Thomas Maybury, Jr.. Until we have additional evidence, it would be foolish to make assumptions.
The seven younger Mayburys all appear in Bucks County Court records beginning about 1730 and most of them are associated Thomas Maybury, blacksmith. Clearly, they knew each other and had various business dealings with other. Apart from Thomas Maybury Jr., some of the other six could also be sons of Thomas Maybury, blacksmith, or they could be his nephews, his cousins or even his brothers. Sylvanus Maybury also worked for a time in New Jersey and left many descendants in Pennsylvania’s Cumberland County. Francis Maybury and his son, Francis Jr., worked for many years as hammermen at the Principio Company in Cecil County, Maryland. Justinian, Richard, Charles and William Maybury seem to have worked mostly in Pennsylvania. There is one document that proves a relationship between William Maybury and Richard Maybury. It is a release by Richard Maybury in which he relinquished his interest in the estate of his brother William Maybury (died ?1748). This release signed by Richard and filed with the County register, presumably of Bucks County, although even that is not certain.
Because of the large number of descendants left by these early iron workers, we would very much like to establish their relationships, not only to each other but to the English families from which they descend. It may be that some of the answers we seek will be found in the records of Berks County, Pennsylvania. Some answers may also be found in the western tier of counties in New Jersey. We believe these eight early Mayburys were the ancestors of many in later generations in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and elsewhere. The most promising avenue for understanding the relationships of these Mayburys is through BigY DNA testing and the sharing of results within the Maybury DNA Project.
Thomas Maybury, Blacksmith
We believe that the first Maybury iron worker in America was Thomas Maybury "blacksmith", who received a grant of land in Newton Townstead in Bucks County, Pennsylvania in 1716. We are not sure of all the locations where he worked but we know that he was hired in 1742 to build a bloomery for William Vestal and others on the Shenandoah River in Frederick County, Virginia. Not only did Thomas Maybury head a dynasty of ironmasters in his own family but he had other Maybury cousins who were also ironworkers in America. Thomas Maybury's name appears in numerous Bucks County court records in which he is called, variously, "Thomas Maybury, blacksmith"; "Thomas Maybury, Sr."; "Thomas Maybury of Newtown"; etc. But by about 1730 the names of several other Mayburys began to appear in the records of the same Bucks County court. It is important to note that ONLY ONE OF THESE, Thomas Maybury, Jr., can be documented as a son of Thomas Maybury, blacksmith:
Thomas Maybury, Jr. (aka Thomas Maybury, hammerman; Thomas Maybury of Manatawny; Thomas Maybury of Black Pooles; and Thomas Maybury of Trenton). One series of records documents him as a son of Thomas Maybury, blacksmith. Thomas, Jr. came to America about 1725, having remained in England for several years after his father came to Pennsylvania. Thomas, Jr. entered into a contract to purchase half of his father's iron works in Bucks County but that contract was never fulfilled. In 1742 Thomas Maybury, Jr. bought land on Perkiomen Creek in Philadelphia County and built Green Lane Forge; two years later, in 1744, he bought more land in nearby Hereford Township (in modern Berks County) and there built Hereford Furnace which began operation in 1745. Thomas Maybury, Jr. died intestate on 2 March 1747, leaving his wife, Sophia, and four minor children. Both the forge and furnace were closed for a number of years but about 1757, Thomas' eldest son William (c1734-1764), took over the business and ran it until his own death in 1764.
William Maybury was born about 1734; married Anne Brockden. He and his siblings were heirs to Hereford Furnace and Green Lane Forge and when he reached the age of majority about 1755, he bought the shares of his sisters, Catharine and Dorothy, and his brother, Thomas, becoming sole owner of the forge. He ran it from about 1757 until his death on 10 Feb 1764 in Amity Twp, Berks County.
Catharine Maybury was a minor when her father died in 1747. She married 8 Jan 1752 Charles Jolly (d 1778) of Whitpain Twp. They were married at Swede's Church, Philadelphia
Thomas Maybury (known as "The elder") was a minor when his father died in 1747. He married 8 Dec 1766 Rebecca Warder (d/o Jeremiah Warder and Mary Head) at Philadelphia Meeting House. On 1 May 1784, he became the sole owner of the forge and continued to own it until his death in 1797. He was living in Montgomery Co PA in 1790. He died in Apr or May 1797 in Pottsgrove, Pennsylvania.
Dorothy Maybury was baptized 10 Nov 1737 St. Gabriels Church in Douglassville formerly Morlatton, Berks Co., PA. She was a minor when her father died in 1747. She was a spinster in 1762. She married Robert McKinzie, Esq. Dorothy died 16 Jun 1805 in Carlisle, Cumberland Co PA.
Francis Maybury, Sr., Hammerman
Francis Maybury, Sr. first appears in Bucks County records in 1731 by which we can infer that he was born no later than about 1710. We do not know exactly when he left Bucks County. Francis may worked or at least had business in Trenton, New Jersey, where he owed money to the estate of John Ferguson in November 1734. Francis may have been a son or was otherwise closely related to Thomas Maybury, blacksmith but we have found nothing to document their relationship. By about 1734/35 Francis Maybury, hammerman, was working for the Principio Company in Cecil County, Maryland. His children include: Sarah (married Matthew Turner in 1734) and Francis, Jr. (married Rose Irwin in 1736). Francis Maybury, Sr. was still living in Cecil County, Maryland in 1767.
Sarah Maybury - married 1734 Matthew Turner in Cecil Co MD.
Francis Maybury, Jr.. married 1736 Rose Irwin, d/o James Irwin, in Cecil Co MD. He was a hammerman and worked with his father for the Principio Company in Cecil County, Maryland.
Margaret Maybury - married ca 1767 James Dougherty went to Armstrong Co PA about 1779. After Margaret's death, James Dougherty took the four children to PA where he married Mary (Polly) Hawkins on 27 Mar 1804, apparently at the Falling Spring Presbyterian Church in Chambersburg.
Sylvanus Maybury, Iron Refiner
Sylvanus Maybury first appears in Bucks County court records in 1730 when he was referred to as "Sylvanus Maybury, late of Newtown". The same record calls Sylvanus a forgeman and says that he was living in Trenton, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. In later Bucks County records he is referred to as "of Trenton, New Jersey", "late of Bucks County", "of the County of Philadelphia", and "of Robeson township in Lancaster County". We believe that Sylvanus Maybury was married twice. His first wife was Dorothea _____. He married a second time on 20 April 1759 to Le Miatta deBlema. We believe that he lived in the New Hanover area. He died 8 Sep 1759 in Goshenhoppen (later Montgomery County). His children include: Sylvanus, John (married Hannah Lukens) and Rebecca (died, unmarried, in 1750).
The given name, Sylvanus, is fairly unusual. But it may also be an important clue as we search for origin of the Mayburys of Bucks County. Among the early generations of the Maybury family in England, only one family seems to have produced several sons and grandsons named Sylvanus. That is the family of William4 Maybury (Richard3, John2, John1). William, a great grandson of our common ancestor, John Maybury of Sussex, was baptized 2 Sep 1631 at Cleobury Mortimer in Shropshire and was buried 15 October 1703 at Madeley, Shropshire. WIlliam had a son, Sylvanus (born ca 1661) and at least two grandsons named Sylvanus (born in 1696 and 1706 respectively). While we have yet to find the connection, it may be that The Bucks County Mayburys came from this branch of the family. It is worth noting that John Amtsfield has identified five different Sylvanus Mayburys who descend from the Bucks County Mayburys.
We know of at least four children of the Sylvanus Maybury who died in 1759:
Sylvanus (II) Maybury seems to have been located in Upper Providence Township and then at a time near 1800 possibly relocated to Philadelphia or maintained a second residence for business in the city. He died about 1802.
John Maybury was born about 1732; m 2 Aug 1760 Hanna Luckens in Philadelphia with Sylvanus Maybury as a witness). A burial record of Zion Lutheran (Old Organ) Church, East Pikeland Twp., Chester County, PA records John Meberrie (sic), s/o Tillwan (Sylvanus) and Catherine Meberrie, died 11 Feb 1812 and that he was born in 1732. The record also states he married Hanna Lucken and had 6 sons and 7 daughters.
Rebecca Maybury, died unmarried 30 March 1750 at about 20 years of age; She was bur 2 April 1750 in Upper Salford.
(Female) Maybury, this is a sister of Rebecca d 26 May 1750 in Philadelphia.
Justinian Maybury
Justinian Maybury was born at least by 1717. His wife is called Anna in the baptismal record of some of his children. He is called in various Berks County tax records as "Stin Mayberry" and "Jest. Maberry". His children included: Thomas, Justinian (married Mary Ann Houser), Elizabeth, Nancy and Israel.
Thomas Maybury was baptized 29 Sep 1738 at St. Gabriel’s Church, Douglasville in Berks County (the sponsors were Stephen Jolly and Sophia Mayberry). Court records in Frederick Co MD show that Thomas died intestate, leaving no wife or children. But the court record names several of his siblings, nieces and nephews.
Justinian Maybury born abt. 1740; m1 Elizabeth; m2 10 Oct 1791 Mary Ann Houser Justinian and wife Mary Ann buried Mount Olivet Cemetery, Frederick, Frederick County, MD.
Elizabeth Maybury was born 22 Dec 1745; bap. 28 Apr 1746, St. Gabriel's Church; another record says she was bap. 28 Apr 1746 New Hanover Lutheran Church, New Hanover Twp., Montgomery Co PA.
Nancy Mayberry is mentioned as a sister of Thomas, Justinian and Elizabeth in an 1835 Equity Court document in Frederick Co MD. The document says she was the wife of John Roadorman.
Israel Mayberry is mentioned as a brother of Thomas and Justinian in an 1835 Equity Court document in Frederick Co MD.
Richard Maybury
Richard Maybury first appears in a May 1744 bill of sale in Cecil County, Maryland in which he was obligated to Francis Maybury. He is presumably the same Richard Maybury involved in the sale of land in Newtown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania in 1746. The most helpful record we have is a Release signed by Richard Maybury in February 1748 in which Richard renounces his interest in the estate of his brother, William Maybury of Bucks County. Thus we know that at least two of the Mayburys listed here were brothers. Richard Maybury was also defendant in a case brought by Robert Ainsworth in Hunterdon County, New Jersey in 1756. Three years later, in 1759, Richard was a defendant in a forgery case brought by someone named King in Sussex County, New Jersey. Richard would appear to have been born no later than about 1723 and perhaps earlier.
Jean Maybury was born or bapt. in 1745 at St. Gabriel's Church in Berks Co PA.
Charles Maybury
Charles Maybury was probably born in the 1720s and married a woman named Sarah _____. He had at least two children born in Pennsylvania in the mid 1740s which means that he must also have been about the same age as Richard and Justinian. Charles' children included: Joseph (b 1744), a child (b 1746), and Richard ( b 1759).
Joseph Maybury was born or bapt. 9 Oct 1744; m Nancy or Anna Krater.
(Child) Maybury - born 27 Apr 1746.
Richard Maybury - b 1759; m 27 Oct 1791 Christina Kloss (d/o Heinrich and Catharina Kloss) Schwartwald Church, Exeter Twp,Berks Co PA d about 1848, Cortland Co, NY.
William Maybury, Refiner of Iron
William Maybury was probably born before 1727. He was a refiner of iron who lived in Solebury township in Bucks County. We have no information at all about any possible marriages or children. The Release by his brother, Richard (see above), tells us that William was dead by February 1748.
William Mayberry Of Windham, Maine
Immigrant from County Antrim, Ireland to Marblehead, Massachusetts about 1730
William Mayberry, a blacksmith, is said by his descendants to have come from Ballomoney, County Antrim, Ireland where he was born about 1688. He married Bathsheba Dennis in 1714 in Ireland. About 1730 William and Bathsheba and their three children emigrated to America, coming to Marblehead, Massachusetts. In 1738 William bought Lot 26 in Windham (now Cumberland County, Maine) and built a garrison house there. William Mayberry died in Windham on 15 March 1764/5.
The area was part of the "Province of Maine of the Massachusetts Bay Colony" until 1779 and Maine did not become an independent state until 1820 as a part of the Missouri Compromise. Thus, several generations of William's descendants were born in an area which was known locally as Maine, but legally still related to Massachusetts. Even the Federal census records for 1790, 1800 and 1810 called it Maine rather than Massachusetts. Likewise, Mayberry family researchers have long referred to the descendants of William and Bathsheba Mayberry as "The Maine Mayberrys" or "The Mayberrys of Windham, Maine".
William Mayberry was almost certainly a grandson of John Maybury who was born in Churchtowne, Lancashire in 1628. John's parents, Richard Maybury and Anne Wright were married at Cartmel Priory on 31 January 1626/27. Richard and Anne Maybury both died in 1643 leaving five young children. Their estate was not settled until 1650 when John, their eldest child reached the age of majority. But John was apparently not a good financial manager and, 1657, was forced to flee to County Londonderry in Ireland because of his debts.
John Maybury, like his father, Richard, was a forgeman. He and another forgeman from England established the first iron works near Kilrea. In Ireland the family name soon came to be spelled "Mayberry". We know nothing of John Mayberry's wife or children, except that he had a son, Richard Mayberry, who may or may not be the father of William Mayberry who went to Massachusetts about 1730.
Summary
Richard Maybury, married Jan 1627 Anne Wright at Cartmel Priory, Lancashire. Richard and Anne both died in the summer of 1643; buried at Cartmel Priory, Lancashire.
John Maybury, bapt. 8 Jun 1628 Cartmel Priory, Lancashire; fled to Londonderry, Ireland because of debt in 1657; died 1677 in Londonderry or Antrim.
Richard Mayberry, born in Ireland; gave deposition 1 May 1708 about his father's moving from Lancashire to Londonderry. Either Richard , or a brother as yet unknown, may have been the father of William Mayberry.
William Mayberry, blacksmith, born abt. 1688 County Antrim; m Bathsheba Dennis; emigrated about 1730 to Marblehead, Massachusetts. William was probably the son, either of Richard Mayberry or of an unknown brother of Richard. [See below the descendants of William and Bathsheba Mayberry]
Mary Maybury, bapt. 16 May 1630 at Cartmel Priory, Lancs.; m1 Mr. Tompson; m2 Edward Fell.
Nicholas Maybury, bapt. 23 May 1632 at Cartmel Priory, Lancs.; m 14 Aug 1654 Bridget Collison; later lived at Lindall in the Parish of Dalton, Lancs.
Martin Maybury, bapt. 7 Mar 1633/34 at Cartmel Priory, Lancs.
James Maybury, bapt. 17 Jan 1635/36 at Cartmel Priory, Lancs.; bur. 6 Apr 1636 Cartmel Priory, Lancs.
Richard Maybury, bapt. 24 Feb 1636/37 at Cartmel Priory, Lancs.; bur. 15 Mar 1636/37 at Cartmel Priory, Lancs.
Richard Maybury, bapt. 27 Mar 1637/38 at Cartmel Priory, Lancs.; m Elizabeth _____; bur. 24 Jan 1665/66 at Hawkshead, Lancs.
Godfrey Maybury, bapt. 15 Mar 1640/41 at Cartmel Priory, Lancs.; bur. 9 Jul 1641 at Cartmel Priory, Lancs.
Clement Maybury, bapt. 20 Jun 1642 at Cartmel Priory, Lancs.; bur. 2 Jul 1675 at Dalton in Furness, Lancs.
Descendants of William and Bathsheba Mayberry of Windham, Massachusetts
(The first three generations)
John Mayberry was born about 1716 in Ireland. He married Elizabeth Dennis at Salem in 1740 and settled about 1745 at Windham, Maine. He died 2 Mar 1805.
Elizabeth Mayberry b 1742; m James Webb; d 1827.
William Mayberry b 1745; m Jane Miller; d 1829.
John Mayberry b 20 Oct 1763; m Rachel Wilson.
James Mayberry b 26 Jul 1765; d 17 Apr 1830.
Richard Mayberry b 18 Mar 1767.
William Mayberry b 29 Jan 1869.
Jane Mayberry b 11 Feb 1772; d 25 Nov 1851.
Samuel Mayberry b 1 Mar 1775.
Betsey Mayberry b 25 Apr 1776; m Thomas Bodge.
Andrew Mayberry b 9 Apr 1778.
Charity Mayberry b 30 Jun 1780; d 23 Apr 1855.
Josiah Mayberry b 27 Jan 1783.
Sally Mayberry b 16 Feb 1786; m William H. Smith.
Charity Mayberry m Enoch Graffam.
Bathsheba Mayberry m James O. Mayberry.
Rebecca Mayberry.
Thomas Mayberry, b ca 1718 in Ireland; m1 1744 Bethiah Spears (d/o David Spears & Bethiah Farrow) of Windham, MA; m2 1767 Ann Sweet; m3 Margaret Weeks; d ca 1775.
William Mayberry b 1 Feb 1744/45 Windham, MA; d 25 Apr 1745.
William Mayberry b 12 Apr 1746 Windham, MA; m 4 Feb 1768 Rhoda (Rose) Wolden Windham, MA.
Bethia Mayberry b 10 Aug 1768 Windham, MA; m 20 Nov 1790 Ebenezer Proctor (s/o William Proctor & Susannah Hall) Windham, MA.
Anne Mayberry b 1770 Windham, MA; m Amos Rogers.
David Spear Mayberry b 1 May 1772 Windham, MA.
Robert Mayberry b 21 May (or Mar) 1774 Windham, MA.
Thomas Mayberry b bef Jul 1776 Windham, MA.
Isaac Mayberry b 1780 Windham, MA; m Mary5 (Polly) Mayberry (John4, William3, John2, William1).
Moses Mayberry b aft. 1780 Windham, MA.
Sally Mayberry b aft. 1780 Windham, MA.
Abraham Mayberry.
Zephaniah Mayberry b aft. 1780 Windham, MA.
John Mayberry b 28 Mar 1748 Windham, MA; d 27 Aug 1748 Windham, MA.
Sarah Mayberry b 12 Jul 1749 Windham, MA; m 27 Oct 1768 Joshua Lowell; d 1 Aug 1838 Windham, ME.
Thomas Mayberry b 17 Jul 1751 Windham, MA; m 28 Apr 1774 Mary Worster Windham, MA; d 27 Jun 1805 Windham, MA.
Josiah Mayberry b 13 Feb 1775.
Dorcas Mayberry b 15 Aug 1777.
Lovina Mayberry b 11 May 1780.
Merriam Mayberry b 19 Apr 1783.
Sally Mayberry b 12 Aug 1789.
Bathsheba Mayberry b 14 Jul 1753 Windham, MA; m 29 Dec 1771 Abraham Osgood Windham, MA.
David Mayberry b 8 Mar 1756 Windham, MA; m1 Nov 1781 Jemima Spurr (Spear?); m2 Lydia Mitchell; d 1811.
Joseph Mayberry b 26 Aug 1782.
Polly Mayberry b 8 Feb 1785.
Mary Mayberry b 21 Sep 1762 Windham, MA; m 1782 Thomas Chute (s/o Curtis Chute & Miriam Carr).
Richard Mayberry b Aug 1764 Windham, MA; m 18 Feb 1789 Merriam Thomson Windham, MA.
Ezekiel Mayberry.
Edward Mayberry.
Amos Mayberry.
Rebecca Mayberry m Nathaniel Knight.
Polly Mayberry.
Mary Mayberry.
Nabby Mayberry.
Hannah Mayberry.
James O. Mayberry b 1766 Windham, MA; m 1 Dec 1785 Bathsheba Mayberry (d/o John Mayberry & Elizabeth Dennis) Windham, MA.
John Mayberry b 13 Jun 1767 Windham, MA; m 13 Dec 1788 Elizabeth Webb (d/o James Webb & Elizabeth Mayberry); m Annie Swett.
Bethia Mayberry m1 Samuel Tukey; m2 ____ Hathaway.
Ezra Mayberry m Hannah Page.
Rebecca Mayberry m John O. Page.
Josiah Mayberry.
Webb Mayberry.
Hannah Mayberry (AS) b Feb 1770.
Seafair Mayberry b on the voyage from Ireland to Marblehead, MA; m 21 Dec 1749 Stephen Manchester; d 12 Dec 1753.
Capt. Richard Mayberry b 1735 in Marblehead, MA; m 21 Feb 1756 Martha Bolton (d/o Thomas Bolton & Mary Craig [nee McLellan]); d 4 Nov 1807; during the Revolutionary War he served as a Captain in the 5th Com., 11th Reg. from Massachusetts, commanded by Col. Benjamin Tupper.
Mary Mayberry b 10 Nov 1756; m Edward Anderson; d 1846.
William Mayberry b 12 Dec 1758; m Rebecca Bodge; d 1850; Revolutionary Soldier.
Thomas Mayberry b 21 May 1761.
Bathsheba Mayberry b 25 Sep 1763; m Abijah Purinton.
Anne Mayberry b 28 Feb 1766; d 8 Mar 1766.
Richard Mayberry, Jr. b 25 Apr 1767 (another record says he was born 30 Nov 1769); m Mary Jordan.
Mehitable Mayberry.
Betsey Mayberry.
Jordan Mayberry.
Catharine Mayberry.
Nathaniel Mayberry.
Mary Ann Mayberry.
Martha Mayberry.
Louisa Mayberry.
Anne Mayberry b 30 Nov 1769; m Ezekiel Jordan.
Daniel Mayberry b 21 Mar 1773; m Betsey Nash.
Ann Mayberry.
Eliza Mayberry.
Elijah Mayberry.
Richard Mayberry.
Ssmuel Mayberry.
Daniel Mayberry.
Martha Mayberry.
Sophia Mayberry.
Abbie Mayberry.
Edward Mayberry b 28 Sep 1775; m Mary Johnson.
Martha Mayberry m John Webb.
Eliza Ann Mayberry m Thomas Webb.
Potter J. Mayberry.
Susan Mayberry.
Alice Mayberry m Samuel Patch.
Edward Mayberry.
Grinfill Mayberry.
Nancy Mayberry b 23 May 1740 Windham, MA; married in 1759 Gershom Winship; d 10 Feb 1808.
Who was Richard Mayberry?
One tradition says that a Richard Mayberry came to Massachusetts with William and Bathsheba Mayberry when they came from Ireland. The identity of this Richard remains a mystery. About all we know about Richard is that he was living in Salem, Massachusetts before 1740 and that he married Elizabeth Meek on 7 Feb 1740 in Windham. If William and Richard were brothers, Richard must have been considerably younger. On the other hand, his marriage to Elizabeth Meek may have been his second marriage. The known children of Richard and Elizabeth Mayberry are:
Sarah Mayberry,
Jane Mayberry.
Elizabeth Mayberry.
Richard Mayberry., married in 1765 Elizabeth Reeves
William, Thomas & George Mayberry From Ireland
Three brothers from Ireland
About 1760 or a few years later, three Mayberry brothers from Ireland decided to seek their fortune in America. We don't know exactly when they left Ireland but they found their way to Philadelphia where they were welcomed by Maybury cousins in nearby Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia. The three newcomers probably worked near Philadelphia or across the Delaware River in New Jersey until the outbreak of the War for American Independence. Then, Thomas, William, Sr. and William's son, William, Jr. all served in the Fourth Artillery Regiment of the Continental Line, under Colonel John Proctor:
Thomas Mayberry, a gunner, gave his birthplace as Ireland when he was commissioned on May 20, 1777;
William Mayberry, was a mattross (gunner's mate), also born in Ireland, was commissioned on April 15, 1778
William Mayberry, Jr. was a musician in the regiment's band, and was commissioned on July 8, 1780.60
From the Revolutionary War pension application of William Mayberry, Sr.61 and a biographical sketch of George Mayberry's son, John Pennybacker Mayberry, we learn some additional facts about their lives:
William Mayberry, Sr. was born about 1738;
William Mayberry, Sr. was a self-described, "refiner of iron";
George Mayberry, brother of William Mayberry, Sr., was born about 1757;
George Mayberry, "was an Irish gentleman, having emigrated to America in early life";
John Pennybacker Mayberry, son of George Mayberry, "was born March 1, 1790 at Pine Forge near New Market, Virginia;
In the year 1810 George Mayberry, accompanied by his son, John P., moved the family to Wood County, Virginia, "purchasing plantations near Belleville".
William Mayberry, Sr. and his son, William Mayberry, Jr. also lived in Wood County, Virginia, but later moved to Muskingham County, Ohio.
These sources tell us that the three brothers came from Ireland but not where in Ireland. Our only clue, and not the best one at that, is the fact that the three brothers were consist in their use of the ‘Mayberry’ spelling. That spelling makes it more likely that they came from County Londonderry or County Antrim in the north of Ireland. We cannot be sure that William, Thomas and George came from Londonderry or Antrim but it is our best guess until we discover better evidence.
When William Mayberry, Sr. applied for his Revolutionary was pension in Wood County, Virginia in March 1820, he stated that he was a refiner of iron and gave his age as 82. He enlisted in the Naval Service as a gunner in 1776 in Philadelphia for a term of two years and served with the flotilla stationed in the Delaware River on board the Effingham Galley as Master of Arms. He enlisted under Captain Montgomery and continued until discharged at Trenton by Capt. Montgomery after the Galleys were laid up. He enlisted again in April or May 1778 at Valley Forge in the land service in an artillery company commanded by Capt. McClure of the Forth Artillery Regiment of the Continental Line under Col. Thomas Proctor. This time he served until about Christmas in 1782. He was in the battle of Elizabeth Town, the battle of Trenton and was at the siege of Yorktown. On 7 August 1820 William Mayberry, Sr. again appeared in Wood County Court and gave additional testimony about his service including a statement that “from age and infirmity he has been unable to pursue his occupation for upwards of Twenty Years that for the last five years & upwards he has declined all Kinds of business has wholly subsisted on the Charity of Friends & that he has no family with him except a wife aged Sixty Three years who is feeble and does not enjoy good health that he has an only child, a son who has not lived with him "for upwards of 25 or 30 years"
It is difficult to sort out the records of Thomas Mayberry because there were so many others named Thomas who lived about the same time. One tradition says he remained in Pennsylvania when his brothers went to Virginia. He served in the Revolutionary War with his brother, William Mayberry, Sr. and his nephew, William Mayberry, Jr. He wrote a letter from Pennsylvania Hutts Hospital on 26 April 1781 to James Hevenson "Sgm, Commisioner of Accompi, Newtown": Sir, As I am here in great want of money having nothing to purchase any small article that I stand in need of, would take it as a great favour if you will please to send me some by my wife who will wait upon for that purpose. I am with great respect, Your Very Humble Servant, Thos. Maybury" More than once Thomas Mayberry petitioned the orphans court concerning his pension which he had not received, even though it had been approved. The problem may have been one of jurisdiction because he had first been approved in Philadelphia County and then his residence fell into Montgomery County which was created in 1784. One of his supporting witnesses, James Nichols of Pottstown, testified that "Thomas Maybury, formerly a soldier in the army of the United States is disabled in one leg by a wound is alive and in my employ" (at Pine Forge, Montgomery County). The problem seems to have been resolved when the Orphans Court of Montgomery County in 1786 ordered that "the said Thomas Maybeury do receive four Dollars per month from the first day of August now last part until the first day of August now next ensuing."
There is undocumented evidence that at least one of the three brothers owned property in Berks County near a descendant of one of his Bucks County cousins. If so, it may well have been George, whose wife, Rebecca Pennybacker, was a daughter of Dirk Pennybacker of Amity Twp., Berks County, Pennsylvania. In 1783 the Pennybackers moved to Washington County, Maryland and then a short time later to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. George Mayberry also moved to the Shenandoah Valley64 where he and Benjamin Pennybacker jointly built and operated the Columbia Furnace near Woodstock, Virginia as "George Mayberry & Co." William Mayberry, Sr., the "refiner of iron", was also active for a time in Shenandoah County.
Col. Thomas Mayberry Of Mount Holly, New Jersey
One of the most interesting of the American iron worker Mayberrys is Col. Thomas Mayberry who was involved with at least four New Jersey iron works prior to and during the Revolutionary War. In this capacity Mayberry contracted with the Continental Congress to provide sheet iron for Gen. Washington’s army. He married three times in less than seven years between May 1774 and March 1781. Soon after the War he moved to South Carolina where we have found several of his records. When he died in Charleston in 1819, at the age of 80, he was called “Thomas Mayberry, founder".
We have determined that Col. Thomas Mayberry was baptized on 9 May 1738 in the parish of St. John Bedwardine, Worcester, to Thomas and Mary Mayberry. We also have the wills of both parents: Thomas Mayberry, ironmaster of Powick Forge, (buried 28 September 1758) and Mary Maybery (sic) who was buried 26 April 1761. The bequests in both wills make it clear that Powick Forge and any related businesses owned by the elder Thomas Mayberry had been very successful. Their elder son, John, not yet 25 years old, was already established as an ironmaster by the time his father died. In addition, both parents set aside substantial sums to be paid to their other three children at the time of their respective marriages and under various other conditions.
Thomas Mayberry, Jr., soon to be known as Col. Thomas Mayberry of Mount Holly, New Jersey was born in May 1738 and was just 20 years old when his father, the ironmaster of Powick, died. Thomas was two weeks short of his 23rd birthday when his mother died in April 1761. That he had inherited a considerable amount of money helps us to understand why he chose to leave England for America and how it was that he was able to purchase several iron works in New Jersey. We believe that Thomas Mayberry came to America in 1763. In 1774 he married Cynthia Lanning in Sussex County, New Jersey.
The ironworks a Mount Holly was built in 1730 and operated about fifty years, during which time it passed through several owners, the last of whom was Thomas Mayberry, just prior to the Revolutionary War. The works made cannon, shot and other supplies for the Continental Army.One historian says that:
Thomas Mayberry carried on the manufacture of sheet iron at Mount Holly in 1775. In May of that year, Congress ordered from his Manufactory five tons of sheet iron for the use of Thomas Bales, a blacksmith who proposed to supply the Continental Troops with camp-kettles of sheet iron. The Mount Holly works continued to operate until June 1778 when it was destroyed by the British Army.
The second iron works that came under the management of Col. Thomas Mayberry was Andover Forge, originally constructed in 1760 in New Jersey’s Sussex County. The owners, William Turner and Joseph Allen of Philadelphia, were both staunch Loyalists who shipped most of the iron they produced to England. Early in 1778 the Quartermaster's Department of the American Army began having difficulty securing enough iron for its needs. Thus, the Congress, meeting in Philadelphia, asked the Governor of New Jersey to take steps to secure possession of Andover Forge "for Col. Thomas Maybury (sic), with whom the terms of the contract are settled, on condition of his getting the possession agreeable to the resolution of Congress". Colonel Thomas Maybury (sic) was put in charge of the furnace, and under his supervision considerable quantities of pig iron were furnished the American ironworkers. As a result it is said that "from Andover came part of the 'Great Chain' or 'West Point Chain', which kept the British from coming up the Hudson River during the Revolution".
Meanwhile, Thomas Mayberry had purchased a third Iron Works called Batsto, was located about 20 miles southeast of Mount Holly on the Batsto River in Burlington County. The Batsto Works had been built in 1766 by Charles Read, a well-known ironmaster. Read and his partners sold Batsto to John Cox, with Joseph Ball retained as manager. Ball operated the furnace during the Revolutionary War, at which time the Batsto works produced howitzer cannons, gunshot, and cannonballs for the American forces. Then, in October 1778, Cox suddenly sold the furnace to Thomas Mayberry of Mount Holly, who in turn sold his interests the following year to Joseph Ball, who continued its operation. Scholars have speculated about the suddenness of Cox's sale of Batsto. Some suggest that Cox, a zealous patriot, feared that his business might be destroyed by the British Army. Others believe wartime inflation was the motive. One source says that Mayberry paid £40,000 for Batsto and that he sold it six months later for £55,000.80 But Thomas Mayberry’s sale of the Batsto Works after so short a time may have been more personal. Mayberry was about to be married for a second time in January 1780. This suggests that his first wife, Cynthia (nee Lanning) may have died suddenly, leaving him with one or more very young children. The bondmen for this second marriage, dated 31 January 1780, are "Thomas Mayberry of Mount Holly in the County of Burlington, Gentleman, and John Doe of the same place". The purpose of the bond was the intended marriage of Thomas Mayberry and Mary Spring of Philadelphia. Joseph Read was the witness.81 We know nothing of this presumed second marriage of Col. Thomas Mayberry, especially in light of the fact that we have the record of a third marriage just over one year later. Did Thomas actually marry Mary Spring or did something happen to thwart it? If it did take place, then we are left wondering why there was a third marriage barely a year later. Whatever the circumstances, we know that Col. Thomas married Mary Sinclair on or about 12 March 1781.
Col. Thomas Mayberry was also the owner of Taunton Iron Works in Burlington County and only about ten miles southwest of Mount Holly. We know nothing about how he bought it but there are several records related to his sale of Taunton. By the time it was sold the war was over and Thomas Mayberry was living somewhere in North Carolina. Later he moved to South Carolina, where he is very likely the Thos. Mayberry in the 1790 census of Spartanburg County whose household is listed with 6 males over 16; 3 males under 16 and 3 females; and 3 slaves. This seems like a lot of older males but there may be an explanation. The minutes of a Spartanburg court show that, sometime between 1794-99, it was ordered that "Thomas Mabrey have license to keep a tavern and retail spirituous liquors upon his giving approved sureties which he did accordingly in open Court". In adjacent Union County on 7 January 1795, "Col. Thomas Maberry was granted a license to retail spirituous liquors and keep public house in Union County". The Mayberrys were probably operating a boarding house which would explain the extra males in their household. Other court records in both counties show that Col. Thomas Maberry or Maybery (sic) was both a plaintiff and a defendant in cases involving minor debts.
By 1800 Thomas Mayberry was living in Charleston. One undocumented source says that four children of Thomas and Mary Mayberry were christened on 8 January 1801 at St. Philips Church in Charleston. These were: Thomas Read Mayberry, Caroline Ballard Mayberry, Ann Simons Mayberry and Maria Thompson Mayberry. We have found no other record of Col. Thomas Mayberry’s family in Charleston until the following notices appeared in the Charleston Gazette announcing his funeral on 6 March 1819 and that of his widow, Mrs. Mary Mayberry on 8 October 1819. On 15 Aug 1820 James O'Reilly of Charleston, coachmaker, was appointed administrator of the estate of Thomas Mayberry, Founder, of Charleston. William Cruckshank provided surety. We do not have a complete list of Thomas Mayberry's children but they included:
Richard Mayberry (Cynthia Lanning) born before 1780; d in 1827 in an accident with his horse while visiting his sister.
Elizabeth Haywood Mayberry - b ?1775; m 17 Dec 1801 Dr. T. Reilly of Charleston, South Carolina.
Mary Read Mayberry
Thomas Read Mayberry - christened at St. Philip Church, Charleston on 8 Jan 1801.
Charles Mayberry
Caroline Ballard Mayberry - christened at St. Philip Church, Charleston on 8 Jan 1801.
St. Clair (Sinclair) Mayberry
Maria Thompson Mayberry - born 14 Nov. 1792; - christened at St. Philip Church, Charleston on 8 Jan 1801; married 22 Oct 1813 William Waller.
Ann Simmons Mayberry - christened at St. Philip Church, Charleston on 8 Jan 1801