Johann Heinrich Best and Margaret Rugh

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Husband Johann Heinrich Best ¹

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            AKA: Henry Best 2 3
           Born: 13 Feb 1765 1
     Christened: 
           Died: 22 Feb 1864 1
         Buried: 

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         Father: Johan Wilhelm Best (Abt 1733-1823) 1
         Mother: Catherine Kuster (      -Abt 1776) 1

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       Marriage: 

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• Note: This may be the same person as : Henry Best.

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Wife Margaret Rugh ^{1 4}

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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         Father: Peter Rugh (      -      ) 4
         Mother: Barbara Soxman (      -      ) 4

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Children

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1 M John Michael Best ⁶

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            AKA: Michael Best 2 5
           Born: Abt 1800
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Elizabeth Sherry (      -      ) 2 6

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2 M George Best ⁵

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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General Notes: Husband - Johann Heinrich Best

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He came from Greensburg, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, to what is now Beaver township, Clarion County, in the year 1804. In 1806 he built a grist-mill, the only one then in the county.

The first settlement within the present limits of Beaver township, Clarion County, Pennsylvania, was made by the Best brothers, Henry and Harold. Previous to the erection of Clarion County, Beaver was a part of Richland township, Venango County. Henry and Harold Best came from Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, in 1801, choosing a location near Stone Church. Not knowing who owned the land, each made a selection and erected a log cabin. They then returned to Westmoreland County, and soon afterward came again with their families in 1802. Soon after their settlement, another brother, William, came and purchased the tract on which Henry later erected a mill, a project that met with so much favor that settlers came many miles to help build it. This grist mill, built in 1806, was the first in the township and, when it fell into decay, was replaced by another owned by Henry's sons, Michael and George Best.
Henry Best donated the ground on which the Union Church was built, and there Lutherans and German Reformed members met and worshipped.

1 Terrance L. Johnson-Cooney, The Exley Family 1789 to 2005 (Self-published, Aug, 2005), Pg 62.

2 A. J. Davis, History of Clarion County, Pennsylvania (Syracuse, NY: D. Mason & Co., 1887), BP v.

3 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913), Pg 592, 677, 1036.

4 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913), Pg 677.

5 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913), Pg 592.

6 Terrance L. Johnson-Cooney, The Exley Family 1789 to 2005 (Self-published, Aug, 2005), Pg 63.