Person:Phillip Sheetz (1)

Will of Phillip Sheetz

Philip Sheetz Will Will Book 2, page 230 Berkley County, Virginia

First - All debts and funeral charges paid. I bequeath to my sons, Martin Sheetz and Jacob Sheetz, and daughter Margaret Hanes, the house and lot with buildings and appurtanences thereon belonging in the town of Mechlenburg, in which I now dwell, to be equally divided etc., etc. My property all remains in the hands of my wife Juliana during her lifetime, should she remarry, entitled then, to half her share.

Martin shall have preference, if all agree to sell, then Jacob. Should neither take the goods at said appraisement then all to be sold to highest bidder, and money equally divided - that is, after the death of my wife.

My gunsmith tools remain in the possession of my wife till my son Martin Sheetz becomes of full age. If son Martin continues to work at the trade of gunsmith until the period he comes of age, I should then desire him to keep such tools at the executors appraisement, the amount he to be charged with. Son Jacob and daughter Hanes, to be just in this. I empower my executors to give them titles to land hereby described which I own, etc., etc.

All other lands and property to be divided equally among the three. Juliana my wife, is to be executrix and Henry Furney, executor, this my last will and testament.

December 1, 1793 Philip Sheetz

Wit: Ti Smurr; Henry Bedinger; Jacob Craft

Information on Phillip Sheetz

Notes for Phillip Sheetz: From "Gunsmiths of Virgina" pg. 63:

PHILIP SHEETZ (1738-1793). Gunsmith. Philip was a son of Frederick Sheetz. Frederick died before 1760, when York County Orphan's Court bound Philip to George Unkafer to learn the arts and mysteries of a gunsmith in Little Conewago, near present-day Hanover, York County, Pennsylvania.

"Came into Court, Michael Damer, Esq., guardian of Philip Sheetz, a minor orphan son of Frederick Shitz, late of this [York] County, yeoman, dec'd, aged 17 years sometime in September last, and prayed that he, the said Philip Sheetz, may be bound an apprentice to the said George Unkafer, until he shall be the age of 21 years. In Consideration whereof, the said George Unkafer doeth Covenant and agree to teach, or cause to be taught, the said Apprentice, the Arts and Mysteries of a Gunsmith, which he now Practiseth, to read the Bible, to write and Arithmetick as fare as the Rule of Three, direct and to furnish and allow the said Apprentice sufficient Meat, drink, Apparel, Washing and Lodging during the said Term, and at the Expiration thereof, to pay unto him 2 suits of Apparel, one of which shall be new, and of the value of L6 (six pounds] or one new Smiths Bellows and Vize, which the said Apprentice shall chuse."

Sheetz must have just completed his term when Unkafer died. Sheetz was already established in Shepherdstown, [West] Virginia, in 1772. Since both Unkafer and Nicholas Houghen were both dead before 1772, we may wonder why Sheetz did not choose to remain in Hanover. By 1772, Sheetz was established in Shepherdstown, [West] Virginia, where he was active until his death. On the eve of the Revolution Philip was in partnership with his brother, Henry, as shown in the following advertisement:

"PHILIP and HENRY SHEETS, GUN-SMITHS, in Shepherd's Town, Berkley County, Virginia, Intend carrying on their business extensively, and as they are in want of Hands that understand the said business, they will give great wages either by the week, month, year or otherwise, as they may desire it, to any such that would choose to be employed, by applying speedily at their place of residence as above mentioned." [Pennsylvania Packet, 25 December 1775]

From "Prominent Men of Shepherstown" by A.D. Kenamond:

Philip SHEETZ - Philip SHEETZ, 1738-1793, was in the forefront of those German artisans who settled here during the early life of the town. Few, if any, names from those early years, other than that of the family of Thomas SHEPHERD, the town's founder, have been so widely known as that of SHEETZ. The SHEETZ guns and SHEETZ tavern have perpetuated his name. Cary's American Firearms Makers may have had proof that Adam, Henry and Philip SHEETZ, brothers, were making flintlock muskets for the Virginia Militia and doing general gunsmithing here in 1768. In a recently discovered original document dated May 28, 1776, Thos. WORLEY, Philip SHEETZ and Henry SHEETZ subscribed themselves as gunsmiths of Mecklenburg in the County of Berkeley and agreed to make, and deliver, at their shop twenty-four good and well fixt Rifle guns per month. Adam SHEETZ was not a party to the agreement, having joined Captain Hugh STEPHENSON's company of riflemen in the summer of 1775.

Citations

http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/d/y/e/Adina--Dyer/GENE6-0002.html#CHILD4

RESIDENCE: Was among the first German artisans settling in Mecklenburg (Shepherdstown), VA (WV)

OCCUPATION: Gunsmith and tavern owner, made flintlock rifles for the Virginia Militia for the Revolutionary War

CHURCH: Lutheran

CHILDREN: Had 5 sons and 5 daughters: first child born 1770, last born 1790

BURIAL: Lutheran Cemetery, Shepherdstown, Jefferson, WV

1. ↑ Adina Dyer, FTM site of Adina Dyer.

   _TMPLT:
   FIELD:
   Name: Page

2. ↑ Mrs. Wayne Post, Letter from Mrs. Wayne Post (17 August 1980).

   _TMPLT:
   FIELD:
   Name: Page