With
Independence Day coming soon I have been reviewing the information I have
gathered about my family’s Revolutionary War soldiers. We have several, all in
my father’s family. One example comes from our Pennsylvania Ritters. I can keep some of
them straight but others are confusing.
My
5th great grandfather,
served
in the Lancaster County Militia.[1] Two
of his brothers also served. Martin Ritter, 1749 PA – 1827 PA served in the
Northampton Militia.[2] Johannes
and Martin are easy to keep straight but looking at a third brother gets a
little confusing.
Casper
Ritter, brother of Johannes & Martin, and Casper Ritter, nephew of Johannes
& Martin, both served in the War.
Casper Ritter Casper
Ritter [nephew]
Son
of Heinrich Son
of Casper [yet another Casper]
b
c 1749 Bucks, PA b
24 July 1747 Northampton, PA
d
1822 d
2 May 1824 PA
Wife
Hanna Ottilia Hertz Wife Anna M Germantown
Corporal Private,
Infantry
I
have gone back and forth between these two men, trying to keep each
straight. Although they are uncle &
nephew they were born and died about the same time & served in the same
militia. I am very fortunate to have these patriots in our family and to have some
information about their lives. Is it too much to ask that they have different
names?
[1] Knox,
Larry. The Ritter Family . Privately Printed, 1999.
[2] Roberts,
Stroudt, Krick, and Deitrich, THE HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY,PENSYLVANIA AND A
GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF IT'S FAMILIES; 1732-1914; Lehigh Valley
Publishing Company, Ltd., Allentown, Pa., 1914, Vol. III; pp 1054-1063; Lehigh
County Historical Society, Old Court House, P.O.Box 1548, Allentown, PA 18105.
[3] Corporal
Casper Ritter, Ancestor #A096300, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution
Research Database.
[4] Revolutionary War Military Abstract Card File,
Records of the Comptroller General of Pennsylvania, Corporal Caspar Ritter
[5] Laudenslager,
David R. County of Lehigh, Allentown, PA Veterans Affairs Office, Veterans
Grave Registration Record. Revolutionary War Veterans. 1. Pennsylvania: 1994.
[6] Private
Casper Ritter, Ancestor #A096307, National Society of the Daughters of the
American Revolution Research Database.
Oh yeah -- they would be difficult to trace. I have 2 men named Leonard Davis, father and son. I knew one died about 1840 so I assumed it was the father. However, in the 1840 census, I found Leonard living with his daughter; he was listed as a Revolutionary War veteran age 79, so the one that died was actually the son. In your case though, the birth and death dates are so close together that it will be a struggle to sort them out, I'm sure.
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