My ancestor Johannes/John Muffly (born in Berks Co. Penn.) probably migrated to Westmoreland Co. in the fall of 1773 with the Yockey family, who had lived near the Muffly clan in southeastern Pennsylvania. John Muffly may have married Maria Barbara Yockey as early as 1775, but various researchers place it later. In 1776, the Yockeys had bought 500 acres of land at the site of future Bell Township, Westmoreland County. Muffley, Yockey, and related kin attended Yockey’s Meetinghouse (later St. James German Reformed and Lutheran Church), southwest of Salina, Pennsylvania. There are Muffley and Yockey graves there. Near St. James Church is Muffley Hollow (so labeled with a road sign) and the site of Adam Carnahan’s Blockhouse. Incidentally, the graves of Christian and Catharina Christ Yockey are reportedly in Bell Township, Westmoreland County. Catharina’s mother, Anna Götz Christ (born in Alsace), had made it to Berks Co. Penn. before her death.Westmoreland was a frontier, subject to Indian attacks. The fall 1773 Yockey migration into the area took place as Lord Dunmore’s War was heating up. John Muffly signed the 1774 Fort Allen Petition, along with his kin, or future kin, Peter Wannamaker (Peter Muffly married Catherine Regina Wannamaker), Christian Yockey, and Abraham Yockey. The petition stated, in part, “…there is great reason to fear that this part of the Country will soon be involved in an Indian war.” It went on to note how defenseless the area was, emphasizing vulnerability of many people. The populace were filled with … “apprehensions of seeing their Hepless Infants fall a sacrifice to savage Cruelty…” The petition appealed to Gov. Penn to provide protection. Dunmore’s War ended following colonists’ victory over the Indians at the Battle of Point Pleasant, Oct. 10, 1774.
Westmoreland County during the Revolution was subject to attacks by the Indian allies of the British. Local defenses decreased when Gen. Washington sent the Westmoreland 8th Regiment east in early 1777. That year, settlers in the vicinity of Muffley Hollow had to pull back south towards Hanna’s Town, & there was also an attack on Carnahan’s Blockhouse (just above Muffley Hollow). Twin American offensives against the Iroquois League in 1779 helped, but nevertheless Senecas and British rangers were able to burn Hanna’s Town in 1782. (Hanna's fort pictured- south of Muffley Hollow).
On April 16, 1784, John Jacob Muffly was born in Westmoreland Co., and he appears in records as the son of Johannes & Maria Yockey Muffly. John Jacob was called Jacob, to distinguish him from his older brother John Muffly Jr. Jacob was the known grandfather of Joseph Pierce Muffley, my great-grandfather.
The 1790 census shows John Mufly in Washington Township, Westmoreland Co., Penn.; he was head of household in which were 3 males under 16, and 5 females. The 3 boys would be John Jr., our Jacob, and William (3 more sons born later). The five females would include Maria Barbara Yockey Muffley and daughters Susanna, Sara, Catherina Elizabetha, and an unidentified female (more daughters were born later). This John Mufly household was listed on the 1790 census next to that of Abraham Yockey, near Adam Carnahan, and on the same page as Peter Yockey and Christian Yockey.
John Muffly Sr. appeared in the 1800 and 1810 censuses for Westmoreland. Our Jacob Muffly (born April 16, 1784) probably married before 1808. The surname of his wife Elizabeth/Elissabetha is unknown. Some of Jacob’s brothers married Yockey cousins. Jacob’s brother Joseph was a teacher, married Eliza Eckles, and they were the ancestors of e-mail correspondents of mine in Illinois.
Maria Yockey Muffly died in 1812 in Bell Township, Westmoreland Co., the township in which lies Muffley Hollow, and her husband Johannes/John Muffly died the next year. John Jr. inherited the family land, some time following the September 25, 1813, death in Westmoreland County of their father Johannes Muffly. There was war with Britain from 1812 to1815.
Before the 1813 death of Johannes, his son Jacob Muffly lived in Franklin Township (e.g. 1810 census). Jacob and his wife Elizabeth moved into Washington Township.
Jacob Muffly (b. 1784) appeared in Washington Township in the 1820, 1830, and 1840 censuses. Jacob and Elizabeth had 8 known kids, including Thomas Muffly (b. Oct. 18, 1821). Also in the 1840 census was the household of Jacob Wilhelm, probable father of Julianna Maria Wilhelm, future wife of Thomas Muffly. Because of the long distance between the Muffley home in Washington Township and the Yockey’s Meetinghouse (St. James) in Bell Township, Elizabeth Muffley (well after her husband Jacob’s death in 1844) helped to found the Pine Run Church (Yockey’s Schoolhouse) - pictured below.
On January 30, 1849, Thomas Muffly (b. Oct. 18, 1821) and Julianna Maria Wilhelm (b. Nov. 18, 1820) were married in Washington Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. They were married near Mamont village, at the Poke Run Reformed Presbyterian Church, as later were Rebecca Thompson and Israel Muffly (brother of Thomas). I correspond with a descendant of Rebecca and Israel.
Thomas and Julia Muffley had 6 children, some born in Westmoreland County, and some after the move to Clarion County, Pennsylvania. The kids were: Jacob Milton Muffley (b. Jan. 21, 1851); Franklin “Frank” Biddle Muffley (b. Feb. 20, 1853); Joseph “Joe” Pierce Muffley (b. Nov. 7, 1854); Sarah Elizabeth “Sadie” Muffley (b. Mar. 17, 1857); William Edward “Will” Muffley (b. Oct. 5, 1859); and Mary Katherine Muffley (b. Oct. 8, 1861).
