Casper Ritter c1720 Germany – 1792 PA

Caspar Ritter was born in Germany. He and his  brothers left Germany, arriving in Philadelphia on 11 September 1732. He spent the rest of his life in Pennsylvania. Caspar & Anna Maria had nine children, born in Pennsylvania.

Caspar Ritter was the youngest of the Ritter brothers. He also began in Lower Milford Township but soon after moved to Bethlehem. He was constable there and a member of the church in Hecktown. He and his wife, Anna Maria, had eight children: Casper, Michael, Susanna, Elizabeth, Anna Catherine, Johann Daniel, Barbara and John. Many of his children’s names are shared with their cousins. Casper served in the Revolutionary War. He gave ‘Patriotic Service’ to Pennsylvania.[1]He was still in Bethlehem in 1790[2]and died in 1792.[3]

[1]Casper Ritter, Ancestor #A096288,National Society of the Daughters of the American RevolutionResearch Database.

[2]1790 United States Census, Bethlehem, Northampton County, Pennsylvania. Casper Ritter family.

[3][3]Roberts, Charles Rhoads, John Stoudt, Thomas Krick, and William Dietrich. History of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of its Families 1732 – 1914. Allentown, Pennsylvania: Lehigh Valley Publishing Company, 1914.

1 Caspar Ritter b: c. 1720 in Germany, d: 4 Feb 1792 in Bethlehem, Northampton, PA
…… + Anna Maria
…………2 Casper Ritter b: 24 July 1747 in Hanover, Northampton, PA, d: 02 May 1824 in Hanover, Lehigh, PA
………… + Anna M. Germanton b: 20 July 1746, d: 30 March 1791 in Lehigh, PA
………………3 Margaret Ritter b: 17 April 1785, d: 11 Nov 1828
……………… + John Hoover b: 09 Sept 1780
……………………4 Solomon Hoover b: 1822
…………………… + Sallie Frederick b: 1840
……………………4 Anna Hoover
…………………… + George Krick b: 14 Feb 1804
…………………………5 John Krick b: 14 Aug 1834 in PA
………………………… + Margaret Ellen Swank b: 20 Dec 1840
………………………………6 Emma S. Krick b: 06 Sept 1863, d: 25 March 1922
…………2 J. Martin Ritter b: Abt. 1749 in Lehigh, PA
…………2 Maria Elizabetha Ritter b: 06 July 1753 in Lehigh, PA
………… + Gilbert
…………2 Anna Catharina Ritter b: 26 May 1756 in Lehigh, PA, d: 14 Dec 1785
………… + Kleckner
………………3 Maria Kleckner
………………3 Casper Kleckner
…………2 Johann Daniel Ritter b: 04 Aug 1758 in Northampton, PA, d: 29 Aug 1836 in Northampton, PA
………… + Elisabeth Rohn b: 26 February 1763, d: 25 Feb 1841
………………3 John Michael Ritter b: 18 April 1782 in PA, d: 17 March 1854 in PA
……………… + Margaret Orner
……………………4 Charles Ritter b: 12 Jan 1806 in PA, d: 11 April 1883 in PA
……………………4 Thomas Ritter b: 09 May 1808 in PA, d: 27 Nov 1883 PA
…………………… + Anna Maria Queer
…………………………5 Amelia Ritter b: 25 Nov 1833 in PA
…………………………5 Sarah M. Ritter b: Abt. 1834 in PA
…………………………5 Asher T. Ritter b: 05 Sept 1835 in PA, d: 14 May 1862
……………………4 William Ritter b: PA
……………………4 Franklin Ritter b: PA
………………3 Johan Peter Ritter b: 28 June 1784 in PA, d: 25 Nov 1848
………………3 Jonathan Ritter b: 11 July 1787, d: 09 May 1873 in Northampton, PA
………………3 Daniel Ritter Jr. b: 24 September 1800, d: 1888
…………2 Barbara Ritter b: 04 May 1761 in Dryland, PA, d: Dryland, PA
………… + Jacob Balliet m: 06 Nov 1781
………………3 Barbara Balliet
………………3 Susanna Balliet
………………3 Joseph Balliet b: 28 May 1784 in Dryland, PA, d: 30 Nov 1835 in Dryland, PA
……………… + Susan Green b: 20 Oct 1794 in Easton, Northampton, PA, m: 1811
……………………4 Stephen Balliet b: 11 Sept 1812 Easton, Northampton, PA, d: 25 July 1901 NJ
…………………… + Ann Lowery b: 06 June 1821 in Easton, Northampton, PA, m: 25 Sept 1836, d: 22 Nov1893
…………………………5 Albert Harrison Balliet b: 09 July 1852 Easton, Northampton, PA d: 26 Oct 1907 NY
………………………… + Josephine Edna Ebert
………………………………6 Anna Lowrey Balliet
…………2 John Ritter b: 27 Dec 1764 in Northampton, PA
………… + Elizabeth Kramer
………………3 Jacob Ritter b: 1806 in Adams, PA
……………… + Rebecca Augustine
……………………4 Charles Frederick Ritter b: 1846 OH
…………………… + Laura Bullick
…………………………5 Jacob Frederick Ritter
………………………… + Clara Smith
………………………………6 Kenneth George Ritter
……………………………… + Rena Legnon
……………………………………7 August Kenneth Ritter
…………………………………… + Louise Post
…………………………………………8 Karen Ritter
………………………………………… + Burlet
…………2 Susanna Ritter d: Unknown
………… + Dietel
…………2 Michael Ritter d: Unknown

Selected Sources:

• 1772 Tax List for Bethlehem Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, Database Ancestry.com, Casper Ritter.
• 1790 United States Census, Bethlehem, Northampton County, Pennsylvania. Casper Ritter family.
• Casper Ritter, Ancestor #A096288, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution Research Database.
• Closson, Bob, and Mary . Will Abstracts of Northampton County, PA.: 1752 – 1802. Apollo, PA.: Closson Press, 1982. 572. RITTER, Casper, Sr. Bethlehem Twp
• Humphrey, John T. Pennsylvania Births in Northampton County: 1733 – 1800. Washington, D. C.: PA Genealogy Books, 1991. John Ritter, son of Caspar & Anna Maria.
• Passenger List; 1732; Port of Entry, Philadelphia, PA, 11 Sept., 1732, “The Pennsylvania Merchant”, Sailed from Rotterdam; Obtained Photocopy from Pennsylvania Archives, P.O.Box 1026, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1026. Caspar is listed with the women and children.  Hisbrothers and sisters are also listed. Ritter is spelled “Reyter.”
• 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.