Johannes Ritter, 1771 PA - 1864 OH

Johannes Ritter, Jr.

8 August 1771 PA – 15 May 1864 OH

Son of Johannes Ritter Sr. & Maria Elisabeth Keck

My 4x great grandfather

Johannes Ritter was born 8 August 1771 in the United States before our country was the United States. He was just a child at the time of the Revolutionary War. He lived through the War of 1812 and the Civil War. He probably had many stories to tell about those times. One can only wish there had been a genealogist with a tape recorder or even a quill pen to preserve those stories for us.

Johannes Ritter was the second child of Johannes Ritter, Sr. & Maria Elisabeth Keck. He was baptized at the Jerusalem Lutheran and Reformed Church in Allentown, PA.[1],[2]  His known siblings were: Catherine, Anna Margaretha, Johann Heinrich, Johann Philip, Christian, Jacob, Maria Barbara & Mary Magdelena.

Johannes married Anna Mariah [surname unknown] on 26 February 1795. "Early in the spring of 1796, John Jr. and his new bride left Salisbury Township, Northampton County, PA with his parents, two brothers and three sisters. Together they made the 120 mile journey to Beaver Dam Township, Northumberland County, PA. There, John Jr. helped build his parents new log house at 'Fallowfield' and lived with them in it for a short time until he was settled into his own house."[3]

"On the 10th of May 1822 they sold their 119 acres in Beaver Township, Union County. PA to Jacob Maurer Jr. and started for Ohio with nine of their twelve children."[4] For reasons unknown to us Johannes and Anna Mariah left Pennsylvania with some of their children for Ohio. Their youngest son, Isaac Ritter, was born in Ohio.

In 1850 Johannes Ritter, Jr. was in Wayne Township, Wayne County, Ohio. He was 80 years old. His sons, John and Jacob, were in the same area. He owned 80 acres of improved land and another 40 acres of wooded land. His farm was valued at $4,500 and his farm machinery was valued at $100. John owned four horses, seven milk cows, eight other cattle, twenty-five sheep and twenty-two swine. He made 700 pounds of butter. The farm produced 200 bushels of wheat, 500 bushels of Indian corn, 500 bushels of oats, 105 pounds of wool, 60 bushels of sweet potatoes, 30 bushels of buckwheat, 25 tons of hay, 6 bushels of clover and 2 bushels of flax seed.[5]

In 1860 Johannes Ritter, Jr. was living in Jackson Township in Ashland County, Ohio with his daughter, Margaret Ritter Hartsel and her seven children. Margaret’s real estate was valued at $2,400 and her personal estate was valued at $300. John was 91 years old.[6] We can imagine the many changes he had seen in our country since his birth in 1771. He died in 1864 at the age of 92.[7]

1 Johannes Ritter Jr. b: 8 Aug 1771 Salisbury, Lehigh, PA, d: 15 May 1864 Albion, Ashland, OH

... + Anna Mariah Ritter b: 12 Dec 1777 PA, m: 26 Feb 1795 PA, d: 30 Apr 1842 in Wayne, Wayne, OH

......2 John Ritter b: 1796 PA, d: 6 Jul 1887 Wayne, Wayne, OH

...... + Catherine Treaster b: c 1801 PA, m: Abt. 1820, d: 21 Feb 1865 OH

......2 David Ritter b: 28 Apr 1798 West Beaver, Snyder, PA, d: Unknown

......2 Jacob Ritter b: 19 Nov 1799 West Beaver, Snyder, PA, d: 8 Jan 1879

...... + Mariah A. Hartzel b: c 1796 PA, d: Unknown

......2 Elisabeth Ritter b: 1801 Beaver Twp., Northumberland, PA, d: c 1824

...... + Henry Knepp

......2 Henry Ritter b: 18 Jan 1803 Beaver Twp., Northumberland, PA, d: 12 Jul 1894

...... + Mary Harpster b: Abt. 1812 PA, m: 25 Aug 1824, d: c 1880

......2 Anna Maria Ritter b: 23 Aug 1805 Beaver Twp., Northumberland, PA d: Unknown

......2 Theobald Ritter b: 26 Jul 1808 Beaver Twp., Northumberland, PA, d: 22 Feb 1878

...... + Catherine Hartzel

...... + Ruth Fishbaugh

......2 Barbary Ritter b: 3 Dec 1810 Beaver Twp., Northumberland, PA, d: 12 Feb 1895

...... + Frederick Miller b: Abt. 1803 MD, m: May 1836, d: Unknown

......2 Frederick Ritter b: 26 Nov 1812 Beaver Twp., Northumberland, PA, d: 23 Sep 1898

...... + Elizabeth Kope m: 19 Apr 1838

......2 Margaretha Ritter b: 20 Oct 1813 Beaver Twp., Union, PA, d: 17 Nov 1896

...... + Peter Hartsel b: 1819, m: 20 Sep 1840, d: Unknown

......2 George Ritter b: Abt. 1816 Beaver Twp., Northumberland, PA, d: 1847

...... + Sarah

......2 Philip Ritter b: 10 Mar 1820 in Beaver Twp., Northumberland, PA, d: 07 Jun 1898

...... + Louisa Ann Kope m: 1 Dec 1844

...... + Martha Gillander

......2 Isaac Ritter b: 1823, d: 05 Aug 1880 Chester, OH

...... + Isabell Fisher b: 5 Apr 1828 in Bethlehem, Stark, OH, m: 16 Nov 1848 Plain Twp., Wayne, OH, d: 08 Mar 1870 Chester, Wayne, OH

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[1] Neimeyer, Stoudt, Rath, Reinhard, and Kemmerer. History of Jerusalem Lutheran and Reformed Church. Allentown, PA: H. Ray Haas & Company Publishers, 1911. page 122.

[2] Humphrey, John T. Pennsylvania Births, Lehigh County 1734 - 1800. Washington, D. C.: Humphrey Publications, 1992.

[3] The Ritter Family. Privately Printed, 1999.

[4] Ibid.

[5] 1850 United States Agricultural Schedule, Wayne  Township, Wayne County, Ohio, Microfilm #T1159, Roll 11, Line 22; National Archives and Records Administration, National Archives Building, Washington, D. C. Farmer, John Ritter, Sr.

[6] 1860 US Census, Jackson Township, Ashland Co., Ohio. Margaret Hartsel and Johannes Ritter.

[7] The Ritter Family. Privately Printed, 1999.