Spouses: Rebecca Wells
Birth: abt 1740            Germany
Death: 1808            Washingtn Co. PA

Children: 
1. Rebecca (1763-1841)
2. Joseph
3. Ann Elizabeth
4. Catherine (1764-1822)

John Arvecost is listed on the 1785 state tax list for Bethelehem Township, Washington Co, PA.
John Arvecost is listed on the 1793 state tax list for East Bethelehem Township, Washington Co, PA.
John Arvecost is listed on the 1796 state tax list for Bethelehem Township, Washington Co, PA.

We find a reference to his will : “John Arbengast or Arnergast of E. Bethlehem Township, Washington County, dated November 11, 1800, proved July 22, 1802; wife Rebecca; children, Joseph, Elizabeth and Catherine; executors, wife and son Joseph; witnesses, Anthony Horstman and James Siveney(?) 1, p. 457.” 1

There is a reference to John Arvecost's granddaughter, Rebecca Arvacost as the wife of Jacob Jordon. 2

His wife, who died in Pennsylvania in 1833, was a daughter of Joseph Arvecost, a native of Pennsylvania and a farmer there; her grandfather, John Arvecost, came from Holland and settled in western Pennsylvania, where he obtained one of the first grants to land lying on the Monongahela.

The grandfather in this reference would be John Arvecost born about 1730.

The same reference talks about land purchased from a Josoeph Aravecost. 2

The Bane and Morgan families came from Jefferson and Berkeley Counties in Virginia, and located in East Bethlehem township, upon land they purchased of Joseph Avescat/?Arvecost. Henry and William Bane, descendants of the early settlers, still own and occupy the Bane portion of the tract. A few representatives of the Morgan family still live in this section, owning property along the Monongahela River. Joseph Avescat, after selling his land, removed to Fredericktown, where he kept a public-house. The only descendant of his now residing in this vicinity is Joseph Arvecost, Jr., of Rice's Landing.

In this case the dates are around 1815, thus this Joseph Arvecost is most likely the son of John Arvecost b. about 1730. The Joseph Arvecost Jr. would be the grandson of John Arvecost b. about 1730.

1. “Abstracts of Wills of Washington County” in the Publications of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, Volume 6, by Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, page 170,

2. Pennsylvania Archives, Series VI, Vol 2, pp 7, 8, 11-13, 217, East Bethlehem Twp. (pp. 764-774) from Crumrine's History of Washington County, Pennsylvania