Peter Landis Jacoby, the second son of Benjamin and Margaret (Landis) Jacoby, was born Feb. 9, 1813. He had the benefit of good English schools in New Jersey, until he was thirteen years of age, and subsequently his elementary education was supplemented at Arnold's select school, in Durham township, Bucks county, where he received thorough instruction in arithmetic, bookkeeping and the writing of ordinary legal documents. He taught school for several seasons, but after his marriage devoted himself exclusively to agricultural pursuits. He resided on his father-in-law's farm, in Milford township, from 1837 until the spring of 1839, when he took charge of his father's farm in Springfield Township. After his father's decease in 1850, he purchased the homestead and later bought additional adjoining lands. On this homestead he resided until his decease, July 3, 1876. He was a prosperous farmer and was actively interested in the public affairs of his neighborhood and especially in the work of the church and Sunday school. While he occupied various official positions in the church for over thirty years, he never held any political office.

Peter L. Jacoby married Barbara Shelly, daughter of John and Mary (Snyder) Shelly, Aug. 20 1837. During her 28 years of widowhood, she lived with all her children, until her decease, June 12, 1904.