Military Service: Casper Ritter & Casper Ritter, both served in the Revolutionary War

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 5^th great grandfather,

Johannes Ritter, Sr. 1743 PA – 1816 PA 

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

Northampton Co Militia[3],[4]                         Northampton Co Militia[5],[6]

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?

                                                                  

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[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.