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.62 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.
https://sites.rootsweb.com/~mabry/ameriron.html
