David Buffington

     David was born on Thursday, 8 June 1780 in Gratz Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. He was the son of Benjamin Buffington and Anna Catherine Shupp.¹ David married Eva Shoffstall, daughter of Peter IM Shoffstall and Anna Elizabeth Kornman, circa 1802 in Pennsylvania. David and Eva had children: Elisabeth [5/25/1803-1868][m. Andrew Schreck], Hannah [10/11/1808-4/24/1890][m. Jacob Kolva and 2nd. Michael Miller] & Samuel Schoffstall [1/16/1814-8/28/1903][m. Catherine Lutz].² The 1810 U.S. Federal Census enumerates at Upper Paxton Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, the family of David Buffington [20010:4001].³ David made his will on 10 April 1814.

In the name of God amen – I David Buffington of Lykens Township in the County of Dauphin and the State of Pennsylvania am taken with great illness which may be my end. I do commend my soul to God and my body to the earth. – I hereby acknowledge this as my Last Will and Testament which is as follows to vis: that after my decease my goods cattle house hold and so forth including kitchen furniture and cloathing beds and bedding to be sold at public sale to defray my debts – Also my house with 50 acres lf land which Henry Goodman now lives on I give to my wife for the use of her and the children as long as she remains my widow and if she should marry then for the use pf my children till the youngest is of age this house excepting my mother’s part according to the agreement that I and my father made for the maintenance of my mother and Plantation to be rented out for rent in order to defray my legacys year by year till my youngest child shall be of age the plantation to be venu e for rent three years at a time. The person/persons so renting the place shall keep the fence and place in good order the rents that may ____ there from after all the debt is paid shall be given to my wife to the maintenance of the children if yet a widow if she being married then for my children to the proper use of them and when the children is of full age the whole of my houses and lands to be sold at public venue for money and the money to be equally divided amongst my children excepting the one third part of piece of the land to br kept back in the place with the purchase with good security with paying the interest of the same to my wife during her natural life year by year and after her death to be equally divided amongst my children.
I do hereby appoint Thomas Wells and Daniel Dibler to be the Executors of this my last will and testament. In witness thereof I have set my hand and seal this tenth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fourteen. I do hereby impower my executors Thomas Wells and Daniel Dibler to make a title for the land as if I had myself. Witnesses present: Christian Hoffman, Jon Buffington
Signed by David Buffington with his seal.⁴

David departed this life on Monday, 11 April 1814 in Lykens Township at age 33 years, 10 months and 3 days. He was buried there in Lykens Township in St. Peter's Cemetery.¹ His will was probated on 24 April 1814.