Agnes Pfaffli

  Noted events in her life were:

• Family Origin. ^756,757 Nicholas Pfaffli was born in Signau, Bern, Switzerland in 1700. His family was Anabaptists and experienced persecution for their beliefs. The family fled Switzerland for Thernheim in the Palatinate. Nicholas met his wife Barbara while living in Thernheim. They joined the “Brethren” or “German Baptist Faith”. They were nicknamed “Dunkers” (dippers) from the German word Tunken, to dip. The German Baptist dipped the believer three times during the baptism service, which is why they were called “Dunkers”. Persecution continued to follow them in the Palatinate; consequently they decided to venture across the ocean to America.

Nicholas Peffley immigrated to Pennsylvania from Germany on August 19, 1729. The last name was changed to Peffley after Nicholas immigrated. It is difficult to say what the original spelling of Peffley was. The facsimile reproduction of the signature of Nicholas Peffley to the Oath of Allegiance, printed in Col. Records, Vol. 3, page 367, gives “Nicolas Peffeli,” but it may have been written by some clerk, who wrote it as it sounded to him. There was a middle initial on the sailing list, which looks like “P,” but one authority says it is an “O.” Current supposition indicates it was his “mark” and not an initial. JGS Early wills, deeds, etc., spell the name in many ways, due no doubt to the inability of the clerks to understand the German pronunciation and they spelled the name, as it sounded to them. The signature of the will of David Peffley, of Botetourt County, Virginia, in 1827, is written in German. It is “Davhid Paffly.” A signature on an old German Psalter in 1816 is “Päffly.” The German “ä”, (umlaut) sounds almost like short “e” in English; hence the change to “e” when anglicized. The descendants that live in Pennsylvania spell the surname as Peffley. Of the four brothers who left Pennsylvania, the David line uses Peffley; Samuel and Henry lines, Pefley; and the Jacob line in Ohio, Peffly.

The descendants of this Nicholas Peffley are mostly a very religious people. They have produced many ministers and teachers. Predominantly farmers and lovers of the soil, they nevertheless have carried down those remarkable traits of their forefathers, being: wood- carvers, cabinetmakers, machinists, mechanics, fine penmen, artists, architects and builders. The ability to carve in wood is carried down to an almost uncanny degree. In every generation are to be found those who can do fine carving, though none have had training along that line. The writer has interviewed many of them and has seen much of the work done by this and past generations.

Agnes married Jost Gfeller, son of Mighel Gfeller and Unknown, before 1566 in Vechigen, Bern, Switzerland. (Jost Gfeller was born about 1545 in Vechigen, Bern, Switzerland and died about 1605.)