The Whipkey name apparently originated with Johann Jacob Hipge.
The details are generally agreed on by numerous sources, including family lore
Johann Jacob Hipge was born in 1739 in Weissembourg, Alsace region of what
was then German, but is now in France. He and his wife Elizabeth migrated to
America. One source says he landed in Philadelphia, October 4, 1752 aboard the
ship Neptune. The Ships list web site has this information. Obviously, I
have his birth date wrong or else he married pretty young, since this
information would have him landing in Philadelphia at the age of 13.
Ancestry,COM has a listing of the names of foreigners who took the oath of
allegiance to the province and state of Pennsylvania. Johann Jacob Hipge is
on this list of foreigners imported in the ship Edinbergh, James Russell,
Master, qualified Sept. 16, 1751.
Regardless of when he arrived, it is pretty self-evident that he did arrive
and there are 6 children linked to this couple:
Rebecca, alternately described by sources as born in Germany or Hagerstown, MD.
The oldest son is Abraham, born Feb. 2, 1771 in Hagerstown, MD.
The remaining four sons were all born in Pennsylvania, reputedly Bedford Co.
They are: David, John Jacob, Henry Jacob and George.
My information lists the death of Johann Jacob Hipge (Whipkey) as Augustof 1781 at Whipkey Cove, Bedford Co. PA After the death of Johann Jacob, his widow, Elizabeth, remarried a man whose name is Adam Hurrow or Harrah. Elizabeth died in Somerset, PA in 1823.
I have a lot of descendants of these six children, every line I have found
can be traced back to Somerset Co.
still numerous Whipkey people in the southwestern portion of PA. A large
contingent migrated to Greene CO PA and then to WVA, (my line).
Descendants of Abraham and Henry Jacob migrated first to Ohio, then a
fairly large contingent to southern Illinois where the name still can be found
Dakota and beyond. A smaller group of Whipkeys migrated from Illinois to
Oklahoma and some on to Texas.
I would really like to pin down some specific dates on the original
founder of this name, Johann Jacob Hipge and learn his actual birthdate
and specific location of his death. I have been unable to find any mention
in any atlas of Whipkey Cove in Bedford Co.
If anyone has any help on this family, I would be eternally grateful. I
have more than 4,000 names in my family tree, all of them linked by blood
or marriage to Johann Jacob Hipge. Some may have some assistance by linking
with the family names of the spouses of the six original Whipkey children.
They are:
1. Rebecca, married Isaiah Miller
2. Abraham, married Anna Marie Lenhart
3. David, married Susanna Dull
4. John Jacob, married Catherine Lenhart
5. Henry Jacob, married Elizabeth Kieffer or Keffer
6. George, married May Catherine (I have always wondered if her name was
really Catherine May, the May family was fairly well known at the time.
Thanks to all who have any help with my search. I will be delighted to
share any information I have on the descendants from these children. I have
descendants on all five sons, but nothing on Rebecca.
Copyright © 1999 Tom Clabaugh