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Dewalt Anconey (1727-1781), or Angny as he signed his named on the passenger list of the ship Neptune that sailed from Germany to Philadelphia in October of 1746, was the first of his name in America. All Ankeney-Ankeny-Ankney descend their surname from him, either by blood or adoption. Dewalt married twice and fathered 10 children. While there is no particular rhyme or reason, it seems those two sons' descendents from his first marriage adopted the Ankeny/Ankney spelling while two sons out of five of the second marriage adopted the Ankeney spelling. This particular page concentrates on my family with the extra "e" as in Ankeney.
I am not a blood Ankeney from Dewalt. Dewalt "adopted" my ancestor, Johann George Frederick, biological son of Noah and Margaret Becker Frederick, after marriage to Margaret in 1759. If you are not familiar with the story, Noah Frederick was killed in an Indian attack near present day Walmer's Church in Lebanon County, PA in October of 1756, three of his children were kidnapped, but his pregnant wife, Margaret, and two young daughters escaped capture. Margaret gave birth to Johann George on March 27, 1757. Johann, or John (1757-1799), was one of those sons who inherited land from Dewalt in the Clear Spring, MD area. John served as a captain in the War of the Revolution, married Magdalena Sites (1760-1849), fathered 11 children, and donated the land for St Paul's Church and cemetery east of Clear Spring.
John's eldest son, Henry, my great-great-great grandfather, (1784-1870), inherited land from his father but sold the land to his step-father, Martin Kershner, and relocated to Greene County, OH in 1805. Henry married 3 times, fathered 21 children, and lived to age 86. His first wife was Nancy (Anna) Kershner (1790-1817), daughter of his stepfather; second wife, Ester Petro (1801-1850), is my great-great-great grandmother; third wife was Matilda Petro Reese (1816-1872), a younger sister to his second wife. Henry's son, Henry Jr (1823-1879), relocated to Mahaska County, IA in 1854 and that is where my great-grandfather, George W.(1855-1926), was born. Henry Jr moved his family back to Greene County, OH, though George W. returned to Mahaska County when he became of age. George W. married twice and fathered 17 children. His oldest son by his first wife, Mattie Allgood (1857-1887), was John Henry (1878-1946), and is my grandfather. His second wife was Martha Ann Ronk (1868-1931). George W. relocated his family to Spirit Lake, IA in the 1890's and that is where passed away and was buried. My grandfather, John, returned to Mahaska County in the early 1900's where he married Lillian McFall (1887-1985) and they had seven children, three of which died at childbirth. My father, Robert (1928-1981), was their youngest child.
My Ankeney ancestors were farmers throughout the generations until my father, Robert, moved off the farm and became an engineer for the telephone company. Robert moved his family to Newton, IA and worked for the local phone company until his passing in 1981. I was born in 1957.
I have extensive info on the offshoots of the Ankeney family, too much to mention here. If you are interested in more info or have any questions, feel free to email me. Thanks for your interest!
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