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The will of John Arter senior, proved July 4, 1807, in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, identifies a son named Abraham, who was also named co-executor with his brother John. The Deed of Partition for the sale of the property of John Arter, deceased, identifies Abraham along with his wife Mary.

Abraham Arter is one of six known children of John Arter and Anna Maria Diehl. The earliest records relating to the family are found in Longswamp Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania.  Longswamp church recorded the baptisms of four of the Arter children, including Abraham born October 1, 1775. The family moved to Augusta Township in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania about 1785 and was living in Shamokin Township, Northumberland County by 1797.

Abraham was married twice. His first wife was Maria Elizabeth Martz, the daughter of Heinrich David Martz and Barbara Miller. This marriage is confirmed by the will of David Martz, written in 1820, which mentions a daughter Maria Elizabeth as deceased and also identifies her daughter Rebecca Arter.  Maria Elizabeth was probably born in 1781 in Longswamp Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania; she was christened June 4, 1781, at the Longswamp church. The 1800 census for Shamokin shows one child living in the Abraham Arter household, a boy under the age of ten. Abraham and Maria Elizabeth probably married in 1799 or 1798.

Maria Elizabeth's brother David Martz also mentioned her and her daughter Rebecca in his will in 1851. The wills of both her brother and father note that Maria Elizabeth is deceased. That and the fact that Abraham Arter's two other known daughters, Sarah Ann and Anna Maria, are not mentioned in either Martz will suggest that the two younger girls are not Maria Elizabeth's daughters but are instead the offspring of Abraham's second wife.  Maria Elizabeth was also the sister of John Martz, who married Abraham's sister, Elizabeth.

Rebecca's birth and the birth of the oldest known child of Abraham's second wife bracket the death of Maria Elizabeth as sometime between 1801 and 1809. When Maria Elizabeth died, Abraham was left a widower with a young daughter and perhaps a young son as well, and he probably did not wait long before marrying again. This was fairly common. Therefore, it is likely that Maria Elizabeth died in 1808, or perhaps very early in 1809 even.

By 1809, Abraham had married a second time to a woman named Mary (or Maria), probably Mary Paul. This is the same Mary, wife of Abraham, identified in the Deed of Partition for the estate of John Arter senior.  In The Arter Story Blanche Arter states that, "His wife's name was Mary and perhaps Mary Paul." There is no source cited for her maiden name, but there was a Paul family in Northumberland County at that time. If Abraham's second wife was indeed Mary Paul, she is probably connected to that family. 

Bell's History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, lists Abram Arter among the early settlers of Ralpho Township.  Bell also identifies Abram Arter as one of the corporators when Reed's Union Church, now St. Jacob's Church, was incorporated around 1812. The cornerstone for the first church building was laid on August 28, 1814, and the building was dedicated on August 14, 1816. The church became known as "Reed's church" because Jacob Reed was its largest contributor and is generally given the honor of being called the founder.  Casper Reed donated the land for the cemetery.  Bell identifies Abram Arter as one of the early church members along with Jacob Reed, Casper Reed, and Samuel Haas.  The notations in the church records concerning finances date back to 1812, and there are several early entries regarding contributions by "Abraham Erder":

• $0.40½ on August 7, 1814
• $0.16 in February 1815
• $0.42½ on March 26, 1815
• $0.47 on December 7, 1816
• $0.48 on April 4, 1817
• $0.30 on March 30, 1817

Abraham is buried in the St. Peters (Blue) Church Cemetery, Northumberland County.  He was probably buried there instead of St. Jacob's Cemetery because the St. Peters Cemetery land was donated by the Arter family.  Abraham's first wife and his father are most likely buried there, also, although no records of their burials have been found.

The children of Abraham Arter included at least three daughters, and probably at least one son.  Abraham's will mentions only three daughters, so we presume that they and their children were the only surviving descendants of Abraham.  However, the census records suggest that there was at least one son, and perhaps two.  As was already mentioned above, one boy under the age of ten was listed in 1800.  The 1810 census also shows a boy under the age of ten.  In 1820, there is one boy between 16 and 20, and in 1830 there is a male between 20 and 30.  Taking all of the census information at face value, the 1820 and 1830 censuses very likely refer to the same individual.  The boy in the 1810 census fits best with the 1820 and 1830 censuses, but he could be the same boy recorded in 1800, depending on when the census was taken.  The boy listed in 1800 is not the same individual in the 1820 and 1830 censuses.  If the censuses refer to male children of Abraham in every case, then there must have been two sons: one son born to Maria Elizabeth and recorded in 1800, who died before the 1810 census, and a second son born to the second wife and recorded in the 1810, 1820, 1830 censuses. (This second son could not have been Maria Elizabeth's because her father did not mention him when his will was written in 1820.)

However, since Abraham had no male heirs even though a young man between 20 and 30 was living with him in 1830, there is a good chance that his person was not Abraham's son. We believe that this was indeed the case, and that the man was probably a nephew.  With this theory, then, there is only one son of Abraham indicated. The boy is recorded in 1800, and possibly 1810, and is the son of Maria Elizabeth Martz.

The name of Abraham's son is unknown. The Arter Story refers to a son named Abraham, Jr., but this is most likely an error.  Since there was no son of Abraham who survived long enough to marry and have a family, his name is probably lost and forgotten.  The only other Abraham Arter that appears in the area of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, at that time was the son of Abraham's brother, Philip.  It is quite possible that this is the Abraham referred to in The Arter Story since Philip's son Abraham is not mentioned.

We believe, then, that Abraham had at least four children.  The children of Abraham Arter and Maria Elizabeth Martz are: 

1. Son Arter born about 1800 and died before 1820

2. Rebecca Arter, born in 1801 and died December 09, 1891. She married John Adam Shissler, who was born about 1786, and died around August 1862. 

The children of Abraham Arter and Mary _____ are:

3. Sarah Ann Arter, born March 10, 1810. She married John I. Reed, who was born July 10, 1814.

4. Anna Maria Arter, born April 21, 1814; died March 14, 1903. She married Andrew Rinehart; born about 1829; died about 1906.

3 December 1775

Johannes Erter & wife baptized Abraham, born October 01, 1775. Sponsors were Adam Howerter and wife Catharine.

4 June 1781

David Martz and wife baptized Maria Elizabeth

7 June 1807

Will of John Arter (Northumberland County, PA) mentions Abraham, and Abraham is named co-executor with his brother John

1800

U. S. Federal Census for Northumberland County, PA lists Abraham Arter living in Shamokin Township

1809 & 1810

Accounting of John Arter Estate mentions son Abraham

June 1810

Deed of partition for the property of John Arter mentions son Abraham and wife Mary

16 June 1810

Donation by the heirs of John Arter of one acre of land to St. Peter's (Blue) church mentions son Abraham and wife Mary

1810

U. S. Federal Census for Northumberland County, PA lists Abraham Arter living in Shamokin Township

1820

U. S. Federal Census for Northumberland County, PA lists Abraham Arter living in Shamokin Township

1830

U. S. Federal Census for Northumberland County, PA lists Abraham Arter living in Shamokin Township

1840

U. S. Federal Census for Northumberland County, PA lists Abraham Arter living in Shamokin Township

1850

U. S. Federal Census for Northumberland County, PA lists Abraham Arter and Mary Arter living in Shamokin Township

22 February 1853

Abraham Arter signed his will (as Abraham Erter)