The Obenchains came to Virginia from Berks County, PA., where Samuel Sr. had been extremely prosperous. His son Samuel Jr. with his brothers owned the first adn only paper mill in Southwest Virginia at that time. It was opened in 1783.
Samuel Obenshain (born 13 Jan 1749 - died 6 June 1824) married Phoebe Taylor (died 16 June 1820, age unknown). They were the parents of Jacob Obenshain Sr. (born 25 June 1797 - died 4 May 1883) married on 6 April 1820 to Mary (Polly) Obenshain (born 25 Feb. 1799 - died 2 Sept. 1875), the daughter of Reinhold Obenshain.
