PA records of Poage-Renick connection

Yes, this may be a surprise, but the story begins in Pennsylvania. None of this research is my own. I have simply gathered and arranged it in my own particular fashion. All of the credit for this information goes to Betty Renick, Sandra Stark-Renick, and Glenn Gealy, all Renick descendants and genealogists who I have exchanged many words with. However, there may be other Renick descendants and genealogists whom they too were dependent upon, and if I failed to give credit right now where credit is due, all I can do is apologize.

On to the records…

To find Elizabeth Renick in the historical records, we need to start with her father, George Renick.

1711 – CHURCH RECORD

(1) The earliest record of George Renick comes from a document signed by members of a new religious community in the town of Abington, PA in 1711:

“We whose names are under written have engaged ourselves to be Ye Lord’s and do hereby engage ourselves to Ye Lord & to one another to unite together in a Church-State according to Ye Rule God gave in his word to direct his church, in all the duties required of us towards God, ourselves & towards all men praying the Lord please to aide and direct us.”

(I will upload a photocopy of the original document, but I still need to locate a secondary source where it is transcribed.)

Among the signatures on this document are those by a “George Rinnick”, “Margaret Rinnick”, and a “Sara Rinnick”. It is likely that “Margaret Rinnick” was George’s wife, whose name was Margaret, but it is still unclear who “Sara Rinnick” was. There is also some debate as to whether this document was written in 1711 or 1714, but the earliest copy I have seen clearly shows a 1 rather than a 4. Some have speculated that the 1 was changed to a 4 in a photocopy or transcription of the record to coincide with the official first year of the Abington Presbyterian Church, which began in 1714. However, there is no reason to think that this community could not have begun a few years earlier.

1723-24 - CHURCH MARRIAGE RECORD

The next Renick record that we know of comes on January 2nd, 1724 with the marriage of “Elizabeth Perick” to “Robert Pock”:

"Robert Pock m. Elizabeth Perick in Abington Presbyterian Church in Pa. Jan. 2, 1724."

(Source: “Abington Presbyterian Church” records in Record of Pennsylvania Marriages Prior to 1810, Volume II (1880), p. 195.)

You might be wondering how this is a Renick reference. Well, later records will affirm this, but in the mean time, imagine how easily a cursive “R” might be transcribed as a “P” and a cursive “n” as an “r”, changing “Renick” into “Perick”. As for Poage being spelled “Pock”, remember that the Poage name traces back to the spelling of Polke in Scotland. Also remember that the same Robert Poage of Augusta County whom we are examining here signed the last known documents of his life “Poock”(last land deed) and “Poack” (will). Nevertheless, if anyone has the time to track down the original marriage record and photocopy it for us, that would be much appreciated.

I also want to note that on page 27 of “Records of the Dutch Reformed Church, Bensalem, Bucks County, Pennsylvania” in the book, Publications of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania (1912), it is noted that “Robert Pock and Elizabeth Perick were married by the Rev. Malichi Jones at the Presbyterian Church, Abington, Jan. 2. 1733/4”. It is likely that the transcriber meant 1723/4 here, but it is not clear whether this was a note made by the transcriber or a note in the actual text. Back then March often signified the start of the year, so I presume the couple married in 1733 by some measurements back then, but in 1734 according to the way we now count years.

Other resources with references to this marriage: Brittingham, Early Marriages 1708-1800 of Abingdon Presbyterian Church; Genealogical Society of PA – Vol. 229, Records of the Abington, PA Presbyterian Church; Hinke, Church Records, pp. 130-131; Harlow, Renicks of Greenbrier, pp. 2-3 and Appendix B, pp. 4-5; PA Archives, 2nd Series, Vol. IX, p. 195.

1724 - CHURCH ATTENDANCE RECORD

On May 30th of the same year, it was noted in the records of the Dutch Reformed Church of Bensalem, the following names were listed in attendance for a service: “Robert pocke and his wife and his son Robert pocke and his wife by certificate.”

Source: “Records of the Dutch Reformed Church, Bensalem, Bucks County, Pennsylvania” in Publications of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania (1912), p. 36.

The “son” here is almost certainly the same “Robert Pock” who just married Elizabeth Renick a few months prior – does the “by certificate” mean that they showed their certificate of marriage? It’s also interesting to see that this Robert has a father who goes by the same first name. To the best of my knowledge, there has never been any discussion of Robert Poage of Augusta County coming over to the American colonies with his parents, but if these records are accurate then that appears to be precisely what happened.

1724 - CHURCH ATTENDANCE RECORD

Just a week later, on June 6th, it is recorded in the notes of the same religious community in Bensalem that “Robert Pock and Ellisabeth Pock” “joined with us in communion”.

Source: The Church Record of Neshaminy and Bensalem, Bucks County, 1710-1738, p. 131; also transcribed in “Records of the Dutch Reformed Church, Bensalem, Bucks County, Pennsylvania” in Publications of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania (1912), p. 27.

This is either the second record of Robert Poage and Elizabeth (Renick) Poage, or a record of attendance for Robert Poage’s father, also named Robert Poage, whose wife also happens to have the first name Elizabeth.

1728 - EXCOMMUNICATION

In 1728 the same Abington Church of which George Renick was a founding member and where Robert Poage and Elizabeth Renick were married appears to have come to have serious contention with the Renick family, charging the as heathens:

--------------

[The following was copied by the author from the original record, through the favour of the Rev. Dr. Steel, the present pastor of the Abington Church. It dates a year before
the Adopting Act.]

"March ye 7th, Anno Domini. 1728.
"The charge of the Church against George Rennick and Henry Jamison, viz:

"1st. Caused divisions in the Church; — to be marked by Rom. 16: 17.
"2d. Their breach of covenant by turning off from attending att any ordinances of ye Church, without giving any reason for so doing; — contrary to Rom. 13: 2.
"3dly. Despise government, being often sent for by the Church. 2 Pet. 2: 10.
"4thly. Refusing wholy to heare the Church, being often charged and admonished; — in Matt. 18: 17.

"And likewise ye said Rennick's wife, and his son Wm. Rennick and his wife, also his son-in-law Robert Poke confederates in the same obstinacy with ye said Rennick and Jamison now two years past. And by so doing, as far as their credit could go, vilifying this Church, and put a contempt upon God's ways and ordinances, and thereby made themselves to this Church as heathens and publicans.

"Whereupon we cannot but think it our duty according to the Rule of God's word to determine them as heathens and publicans.
Malachi Jones, Pastor. Abednego Thomas, Garret Wynkoop, Joseph Breden, Elders. Joseph Charlesworth, I Deacons.
"Benj. Jones, Charles Haeste

“(6) This case in the General Synod.
"Six persons that were excommunicated by the Rev. Mr. Malachi Jones, namely, George Renock and his wife, Robert Poke, [Loke?] William Renock and his wife, and Henry Jameson, appealing to the Presbytery of Philadelphia, from the sentence of excommunication passed against them, and the Presbytery having referred that matter to the determination of the Synod; after hearing two of the appellants and two of Mr. Jones's Church, (whereof one was an Elder,) declaring what they knew of the offences charged against the appellants, as also read and considered the extract of the minutes of the excommunication ; the Synod, after due deliberation, came to this conclusion: That whereas the appellants do freely own, in their own names, and in the names of them that are absent, their breaking away from the communion of Mr. Jones's Church, without previous application made for certificates of dismission, was a disorder and a fault for which they are very sorry, and do ask forgiveness of God and all those that they did offend by this disorderly step; the Synod does appoint, that upon their acknowledging this their offence, by a writing read or offered to be read in Mr. Jones's Congregation, the said appellants shall be absolved from the aforesaid sentence, and so be free to join with what Congregation they please."

Source: A Collection of the Acts, Deliverances, and Testimonies of the Supreme Judicatory of the Presbyterian Church from its Origin in America to the Present Time, with Notes and Documents (1856), p. 91-92.

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Here we see “Robert Poke” referred to as “son-in-law” to George Renick. If this Robert Poke is the Robert Poage of Augusta County, VA, then evidence continues to mount that he married a Renick woman by the name of Elizabeth.

As for an explanation of the excommunication, the book Renick Pioneers has the following explanation: “It is possible that this excommunication was a result of the family relocating to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where we find George mentioned as an elder in the Old Paxton Church of Lancaster County in 1732.” In other words, they left the Abington Church without any formal departure.

1730 - PENNSYLVANIA LAND GRANT

In 1730, a Lancaster County land grant was issued by statesman James Logan to George Renick and his family:

"An Early Settler on the Susquehanna: Whereas George Renick, late of Iniskillen, having about eleven years since arrived in the province with the first settlers of Donegal, yet has never obtained leave to settle on any of the proprietor's lands, without which leave he never would presume to attempt it, and being now desirous that himself and three sons, William, Thomas, and Robert and his son-in-law, Robert Polke, might be allowed to settle down on some tract together in one neighbourhood, I therefore think it advisable that pursuant to his request he and his said sons and son-in-law be suffered to enter on the quantity of one thousand acres, near Susquehanna, between Sohataroe and Pextan, and that the same may be marked out to him and his said sons in a regular tract by the surveyor of Lancaster county or his order at the said George's charge, upon this express condition, that he and his said sons and son-in-law shall comply with such terms as shall be proposed by the proprietors or their agents, when lands in those parts shall be granted, or other wise shall quietly quitt the same. Dated at Stenton, the 25th day of January, 1730-1. - James Logan

"Let him begin on Susquehanna at least two miles above Soharatoe, running a proper distance back, and he may take in any settlement that is only begun and not actually inhabited. J.L."

Source: William Henry Egle, Notes & Queries, Historical and Genealogical, p. 83.

Note that “Robert Polke” is listed again as “son-in-law”. This will be important to remember as we consider the Virginia records, for it is precisely Augusta County where two of the Renick brothers end up settling after leaving Philadelphia, not too far from where Robert Poage and his family settled down. That will have to wait for another post though.

One other thing worth mentioning is a clarification of the “11 years since arrived” remark in the land contract. This would suggest George Renick and family arrived around 1719. Researcher Sandra Renick-Stark does an excellent job at sorting out this perplexity:

“However, we must take into consideration how long Logan had the "request for land" before he responded. This compiler has read that these requests sat in piles on someone’s desk for years, prior to any acknowledgment and then it was a number of years until the individual actually gained access to any land.

“Interestingly, Egle'sNotesand Queries states William Renick was a viewer, of a road laid out from Chamber's mill, on the Susquehanna, at Kiltotening Hill, to Pine Ford, on the Swatara, to Lancaster. A date of 1724 was given for his viewing, of the road. This indicates the family may have gone to the area, with the first settlers, of "Old Donagal," as the reply to George's request for land, in the 1730 response, by James Logan, intimates. Old Donagal was an early trading town, near the Susquehanna River, which was settled, in the early 1720's. On today's maps it would be located between Marietta and Mount Joy, Pennsylvania. This is approximately fifteen miles, from the land the Renicks eventually received warrants for land. The family was probably living, in the Abington area, when their daughter, Elizabeth, married Robert Poage, January 2, 1723 [ed. note, 1724 also possible], in the Abington Presbyterian Church. Shortly after this some of the Renicks may have joined up with the settlers of Donegal. If George made his actual request for land about 1723, then his statement "...about eleven years since arrived in the province with the first settlers of Donegal..." would begin to make sense. This timing would match up with George Rinnick, Margaret Rinnick and Sara Rinneck being founder of the Abington Presbyterian Church, in 1711.”

Source: http://www.renickfamilyreunion2015.com/about.html

With that, I want to close this post but if you are interested in reading more about the rest of the Renick family in Pennsylvania, I recommend the link I just provided, as well as the book Renick Pioneers by Tom & Betty Renick, Revised Edition 2009, pp. 8-13. This book is available for free download at the following address:

https://sites.google.com/a/wildblue.net/renick-reunion/renick-famil...

I hope to post the Virginia records within the next few days. They should only further cement the Poage-Renick connection that I have begun to establish here with these Pennsylvania records, all of which are primary sources. That being said, I am almost entirely relying upon transcriptions here, so if anyone is able to track down original records and photograph them, please share them here for everyone to see!

Thanks for your patience,
Chris McAnall