Johannes Ritter, Jr. 1771 PA – 1864 OH
Johannes Ritter was born 8 August 1771[1]in the United States before our country was the United Sates. 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 can also be found as John Ritter in many records. It is not easy to keep the John Ritters straight as there are several and more than one of them are referred to as “Junior” or “Senior” over the years. This Johannes Ritter was born 8 August 1771 and baptized 25 August 1771 at the Western Salisbury Jerusalem Union Church in Pennsylvania.[2]
Johannes Ritter, Jr. married Anna Marriah, whose last name is unknown at this time, on 26 February 1795 in Pennsylvania. According to Larry Knox,
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. … On the 10th of May 1822 they [Johannes and Anna]sold their 119 acres in Beaver Township, Union County. PA to Jacob Maurer Jr. and started for Ohio with nine of their twelve children.[3]
Wherever the Ritters lived they were a part of a church.
These early settlers for the most part were a very religious people. Religious persecution drove them to America, and they made the most of their religious convictions in the free life of the American Wilderness. The hastily built log cabins were probably the first buildings where the Bible was read, the voice of prayer heard, and the singing of hymns and psalms took place. The first principles of religion were taught [to]the children in the home long before there were church buildings.[1]
When the Ritters moved to what is today Snyder County they were involved with the St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran and Reformed Church in West Beaver Township.
Among the family names of the original founders of this church and the builders of the first two church edifices may be mentioned that of father, John Ritter, who procured the first record book June 1, 1798, which is still here. The first baptism on record is that of his son, Daniel entered June 3, 1798. He also donated the original ground which we still occupy. Some of Father Ritter’s grand children and great grand children are still with us helping to rebuild the church and to perpetuate the doctrines and duties of their grandfather.[2]
For reasons unknown to us, Johannes and Anna Maria Ritter 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.[1] He was 80 years old. His sons, John and Jacob were in the same area. He owned eighty acres of improved land and another forty 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 seven hundred pounds of butter.[2]
In 1860 Johannes Ritter, Jr. was living in Jackson Township in Ashland County, Ohio with his daughter, Margaret (Ritter) Hartsel and her seven children.[1]Margaret’s real estate was valued at $2,400 and her personal estate was valued at $300. John was 91 years old. 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.[2]
[1]1860 U. S. Census, Jackson Township, Ashland, Ohio. Margaret Hartsel family with John Ritter.
[2]Knox, Larry. The Ritter Family.Privately Printed, 1999.
[1]1850 U. S. Census, Wayne, Wayne, Ohio. Johannes, John & Jacob Ritter.
[2]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, Senior.
[1]Dunkelberger, George Franklin. The Story of Snyder County. Baltimore, Maryland: Gateway Press, Inc., 1997.
[2]175th Anniversary of St. John’s Union Church. 1965.
[1]Neimeyer, Stoudt, Rath, Reinhard, and Kemmerer. History of Jerusalem Lutheran and Reformed Church. Allentown, PA: H. Ray Haas & Company Publishers, 1911.
[2]Knox, Larry. The Ritter Family.Privately Printed, 1999.
Johannes Ritter, Jr. was born 8 August 1771 in Pennsylvania. He was the son of Johannes Ritter, Sr. and Maria Elisabeth Keck. He married Anna Mariah on 26 February 1795 in Pennsylvania. He died 15 May 1864 in Albion, Ashland County, Ohio.
1 Johannes Ritter Jr. b: 08 Aug 1771 in Salisbury, Lehigh, PA, d: 15 May 1864 in Albion, Ashland, Ohio
…… + Anna Mariah Ritter b: 12 Dec 1777 in Pennsylvania, USA, m: 26 Feb 1795 in PA d: 30 Apr 1842 in Wayne, Wayne, Ohio
…………2 John Ritter b: 1796 in PA, d: 06 Jul 1887 in Wayne, Wayne, Ohio
………… + Catherine Treaster b: ABT 1801 in PA, m: c 1820, d: 21 Feb 1865 in Ohio
………………3 William Ritter b: ABT 1826 in Ohio
………………3 Christian Ritter b: ABT 1829 in Ohio
………………3 Lydia Ritter b: ABT 1831 in Ohio
………………3 Isaac Ritter b: ABT 1833 in Ohio
………………3 Sally Ritter b: ABT 1838 in Ohio
………………3 David Ritter b: ABT 1842 in Ohio, d: 20 Sep 1863
…………2 David Ritter b: 28 Apr 1798 in West Beaver, Snyder, PA
…………2 Jacob Ritter b: 19 Nov 1799 in West Beaver, Snyder, PA, d: 08 Jan 1879
………… + Mariah A. Hartzel b: ABT 1796 in PA
………………3 Sarah Ritter b: ABT 1822 in PA
………………3 Joseph Ritter b: ABT 1824 in Ohio
……………… + Eve
………………3 Samuel Ritter b: ABT 1826 in Ohio
………………3 Andrew Ritter b: ABT 1828 in Ohio
………………3 Martin Ritter b: ABT 1829 in Ohio
……………..3 Henry Ritter b: ABT 1830 in Ohio
………………3 Susan Ritter b: ABT 1833 in Ohio
………………3 Emanuel Ritter b: ABT 1836 in Ohio
………………3 Daniel Ritter b: ABT 1838 in Ohio
…………2 Elisabeth Ritter b: 1801 in Beaver Twp., Northumberland, PA, d: c 1824
………… + Henry Knepp
………………3 William Knepp
…………2 Henry Ritter b: 18 Jan 1803 in Beaver Twp., Northumberland, PA, d: 12 Jul 1894
………… + Mary Harpster m: 25 Aug 1824
………………3 David Ritter b: ABT 1832 in Ohio
……………… + Melinda b: ABT 1844 in Ohio
………………3 Catherine Ritter b: ABT 1845 in Ohio
…………2 Anna Maria Ritter b: 23 Aug 1805 in Beaver Twp., Northumberland, PA
…………2 Theobald Ritter b: 26 Jul 1808 in Beaver Twp., Northumberland, PA, d: 22 Feb 1878
………… + Catherine Hartzel
………………3 Peter Ritter b: c 1853 in Ohio
………………3 Sarah Ritter b: c 1856 in Ohio
………………3 Lucy A. Ritter b: c1855 in Indiana
………… + Ruth Fishbaugh
………………3 Charles Ritter b: ABT 1862 in Indiana
………………3 Enos Ritter b: ABT 1864 in Indiana
………………3 Eli Ritter b: ABT 1868 in Indiana
…………2 Barbary Ritter b: 03 Dec 1810 in Beaver Twp., Northumberland, PA, d: 12 Feb 1895
………… + Frederick Miller b: ABT 1803 in Maryland, m: May 1836
………………3 Elizabeth Miller b: ABT 1837 in Ohio
………………3 Philip Miller b: ABT 1838 in Ohio
………………3 Ari Miller b: ABT 1840 in Ohio
………………3 Mary Miller b: ABT 1842 in Ohio
………………3 Anna Miller b: ABT 1849 in Ohio
…………2 Frederick Ritter b: 26 Nov 1812 in Beaver Twp., Northumberland, PA, d: 23 Sep 1898
………… + Elizabeth Kope m: 19 Apr 1838
………………3 Theopholus Ritter b: ABT 1840 in Ohio
………………3 Franklin Ritter b: ABT 1847 in Ohio
………………3 Mary Ritter b: ABT 1849 in Ohio
…………2 Margaretha Ritter b: 20 Oct 1813 in Beaver Twp., Union, PA, d: 17 Nov 1896
………… + Peter Hartsel b: 1819, m: 20 Sep 1840
………………3 John Hartsel b: ABT 1841 in Ohio
………………3 Henry Hartsel b: ABT 1843 in Ohio
………………3 Mary Hartsel b: ABT 1845 in Ohio
……………..3 Jonas Hartsel b: ABT 1847 in Ohio
………………3 Daniel Hartsel b: ABT 1851 in Ohio
………………3 Fredrick Hartsel b: ABT 1854 in Ohio
………………3 Eli F. Hartsel b: ABT 1858 in Ohio
…………2 George Ritter b: ABT 1816 in 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: 01 Dec 1844
………………3 Jacob Ritter b: ABT 1839 in Ohio
………………3 Henry Ritter b: ABT 1845 in Ohio
………………3 Mary M. Ritter b: ABT 1847 in Ohio
………… + Martha Gillander
………………3 Martha A. Ritter b: ABT 1856 in Indiana
………………3 Emma Ritter b: ABT 1858 in Indiana
………………3 Barbara Ritter b: ABT 1859 in Indiana
………………3 Adolphus Ritter b: ABT 1862 in Indiana
………………3 Lovina Ritter b: ABT 1864 in Indiana
………………3 Elmer Ritter b: ABT 1868 in Indiana
………………3 Orpha M. Ritter b: ABT 1873 in Indiana
…………2 Isaac Ritter b: 1823, d: 05 Aug 1880 in Chester, Ohio
………… + Isabell Fisher b: 05 Apr 1828 in Bethlehem, Stark, Ohio, m: 13 Nov 1848 in Plain Twp., Wayne, Ohio, d: 08 Mar 1870 in Chester, Wayne, Ohio
………………3 Lovina B. Ritter b: 05 Jan 1850 in Chester, Wayne, Ohio, d: 10 Aug 1850
………………3 John William Ritter b: 19 Dec 1850 in Chester, Wayne, Ohio, d: 12 Mar 1932 in Wayne, Ohio
……………… + Ruth Anna Scott b: 12 Oct 1848, m: 13 Apr 1871 in Wayne, Ohio, d: 08 Sep 1900 in Wayne, Ohio
……………… + Minnie J. Marshman m: 01 May 1919
……………… + Mary E. Cobler
………………3 Mary Catherine Ritter b: 24 Feb 1853 in Chester, Wayne, Ohio, d: 21 May 1938
……………… + Henry C. Miller b: ABT 1847 in Ohio, m: 15 Jun 1870 in Wayne, Ohio, d: Bef. 1910
………………3 Elidia Rebecca Ritter b: 30 Jul 1854 in Chester, Wayne, Ohio, d: 28 Aug 1912 in Chester, Wayne, Ohio
……………… + William Mark b: 26 May 1844 in Wooster, Wayne, Ohio, m: 20 Apr 1878 in Cedar
Valley, Wayne, Ohio, USA, d: 21 Nov 1904 in Chester, Wayne, Ohio
………………3 Barbary Ann Ritter b: 07 Feb 1857 in Chester, Wayne, Ohio, d: 26 Apr 1928
……………… + Allen G. Messmore b: Apr 1830 in Ohio, m: 03 Jun 1880
……………… + John Mangues
………………3 Amos Ritter b: 19 Dec 1858 in Chester, Wayne, Ohio, d: 14 Sep 1953
……………… + Emma Levina Smith b: Sep 1862 in Ohio, m: 29 Aug 1880
………………3 Elizabeth Ritter b: 25 Dec 1860 in Ohio, d: 01 Jan 1950
……………… + William Hawk b: 1847, m: 22 Feb 1880, d: 14 Jan 1915 in Wayne, Ohio
………………3 Eslie D. Ritter b: 26 May 1862 in Chester, Wayne, Ohio, USA, d: 16 Mar 1940
………………3 Anthony Casper Ritter b: 21 Apr 1864 in Chester, Wayne, Ohio, d: 08 Dec 1953
……………… + Emma Alice Mowrer b: Jan 1860 in Ohio, m: 15 Nov 1883, d: 1937
………………3 Matilda Jane Ritter b: 24 Mar 1866 in Chester, Wayne, Ohio, d: 27 Feb 1914
……………… + Smith Sebastian Boney b: 1841 in Ohio, m: 28 Jun 1889 in Wayne, Ohio, d: Bef. 1910
………………3 Philip Ritter b: 30 Apr 1868 in Chester, Wayne, Ohio, d: 05 Apr 1950
……………… + Mary E. Cornelius m: 21 Apr 1892 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio
………………3 Infant Ritter b: 08 Mar 1870 in Chester, Wayne, Ohio, d: 08 Mar 1870
Learn much more about this family in my book, ‘The Mark Family Story’.