Home Page/Site Map

Doris's Genealogy

Rege's Genealogy

Family & Ancestor Lists

Biographies

Pictures

Documents & Records

Obituaries

Stories

The oldest confirmed ancestor of the Arter family is John (Johann Jacob) Arter/Erter/Oerter, who married Anna Maria Diehl.  Some of the key documentation for John/Johann Jacob and Anna Maria is summarized in the table at the bottom.  Johnann's surname has been found spelled several ways in both church and civil records:
 

From what we can learn from the experiences of other families with the same or similar surnames, we should not be surprised to find a number of additional spellings, including Herter and Oerther.  In fact, it seems that the initial vowel(s) might be found as a, e, o, oe, ö, ae, or ä, and may or may not be preceded by "h". Additionally, for the consonant(s) between the first "r" and the "er" ending we could find d, t or th.

When there are variations in the spelling of a name, or in the absence of a reliable record of the spelling, our usual preference is to identify people the way they identified themselves, in other words the way they themselves spelled their own names. In this case, he could not sign his name - he validated his will with his mark - so we do not have this guidance.

However, on the Administrators' Account of the estate of John Arter, his sons John and Abraham signed as "Erter" and "Erder", respectively, and the church records of the German congregations used "Erter", "Erder", or "Oerter". Therefore, we believe that one of these spellings, or something very similar, is probably more appropriate than Arter for these early generations.

Based on the approximate time of his marriage and his probable age at that time, Johannes was most likely born between 1740 and 1745.  His place of birth and the identities of his parents are unknown. Our best guess at this time is that he was born in America, and probably in Pennsylvania, or at least somewhere on English soil. The evidence, all of which is circumstantial at this time, is explained below.

First of all, no record of a Johannes or Johann Jacob Erter, Oerter, or other spelling, has turned up among the immigrant ships lists or oaths of allegiance. Although such a record could be lost, its absence suggests that he did not immigrate at the age of 16 or older. Secondly, he does not appear on the lists of people naturalized in the Province of Pennsylvania pursuant to an Act of Parliament, which provided for the naturalization of foreign protestants who had resided for at least seven years in the American Colonies, although he might simply have chosen not to do so. The absence of information is no proof, of course, but for now it seems that John Arter was born in the colonies, and probably in Pennsylvania.

It is possible that John did not have Jacob for his middle name.  The best reference we have found that John's full name was John Jacob or Johann Jacob is from Meiser.  Census, tax, and other church records identify only the name John or some form of John, such as Johannes.  In the German tradition, the middle name was usually the one commonly used, so it is noteworthy that the Longswamp Church baptisms of the Oerter children do not identify the father as Jacob or Johann Jacob.  However, this custom was not universal.

Anna Maria Diehl was born to Johannes Diehl and Elizabeth Bernhard on September 20, 1746, in Longswamp Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. She is one of six known children in this family.  The name Diehl is also found with various spellings, but it is usually in a much more recognizable form, such as Deel.  However, the D is often replaced with a T or Th, for example Thiel or Teel.  Johannes Diehl and his family were members of the Longswamp church congregation.

Berks County, PA

Johann Jacob and Anna Maria married about 1768 or 1769. The marriage record has not been located, and like many records, it is probably lost forever. Their marriage is confirmed in the will of Anna Maria's father, John (Johannes) Diehl:

In the name of God, Amen, I John Teel of the Township of Longswamp…

…I do hereby order and direct Fifty-Five pounds part thereof to my daughter Anna Mary the wife of John Arter…

Hannes Diehl (signature)

The approximate date of their marriage is implied by a baptismal record at Longswamp church. On May 21, 1769, "Johannes Erter and wife" were baptismal sponsors for Anna Maria, daughter of Andonius Reisch and wife.  This is the earliest reference to Johannes Oerter/Erter and Anna Maria as a married couple.  Although Johannes Erter's wife is not identified, this record nonetheless suggests that John Arter and Anna Maria Diehl were married at that time.  Anna Maria would have been 22 years old by the end of 1768, so it is very likely that she was married by then.

It appears that Johannes worked mainly as a farmer throughout his life, as no references to other occupations have surfaced. He and Anna Maria first lived in Longswamp Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, where they were members of the Reformed congregation at Longswamp church. At least four of the six known children of John and Anna Maria were baptized at the Longswamp church.

The Longswamp Township tax records for 1779, which are the earliest available tax records for Berks County after John and Maria's marriage, show that John Erder paid taxes on 30 acres, 1 horse, and 1 head of cattle. In 1780, Jno. Eder (almost certainly meant to be Erder) paid 6 pounds, 17 shillings, and 6 pence on 70 acres, 1 horse, and 2 head of cattle.  In 1781, John Erder paid 1 pound and 10 shillings on 70 acres, 1 horse, and 4 head of cattle.

The next available tax year for Berks County is 1784, and the records show that John Erder of Longswamp owned 60 acres and had 1 horse and 2 head of cattle. The 1884 tax record also notes that there were seven people in the John Erder household.  Based on what we believe to be true about the family, the seven people were John senior and his wife Anna Maria, and five children: Maria, Abraham, Elizabeth, John junior, and Philip. The last child, William, had not been born, yet.  John Erder does not appear in Berks County tax records for 1785, or later. In spite of the acreage noted in the tax records, no Berks County deeds for John Arter have been located, and it is possible that John worked part of the property Anna Maria's father Johannes Diehl.

Northumberland County, PA

Johannes, Anna Maria, and the family moved to Augusta Township in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania about 1785, probably near the time "John Arthur" bought the household goods from Catherine Wertman. The Northumberland County tax records for 1787 show that "John Arthur" owned 140 acres, 1 horse, and 2 head of cattle, and that he paid 6 shillings 6 pence in taxes. In 1788, "John Erter" owned 100 acres, 2 horses, and 2 head of cattle, and that he paid 5 shillings 2 pence in taxes.

By 1797, the family was living in Shamokin Township, where John lived the remainder of his life.  In 1806, John Arter invested in a tract of land with three other men and their families: William Taylor, Henry Riply, and John Pencil. According to the 1810 Deed of Partition, following John Arter's death in 1807, the land was worked in common by the four owners.

Children of John and Anna Maria

There are six children of Johann Jacob and Anna Maria mentioned in the will of John Arter:  John, Abraham, Philip, William, Elizabeth, and Maria. Birth or baptismal records for four of the children are found among the Longswamp church records. The oldest birth record is that of Abraham, who was born October 1, 1775. Abraham was almost certainly not the first child born to Johann Jacob and Anna Maria, although there is no mention of earlier children.

The two children for whom there are no birth or baptismal records are William and Maria. It has generally been assumed that they both were born after the family moved to Northumberland County because of the order they are listed in John Arter's will, and because their birth records were not found in Longswamp Church or other nearby church records.  It is common in wills to list children according to their birth order, or birth order by gender.  However, the Longswamp records clearly show that Abraham, John, and Philip are not listed by birth order, so there is no reason to assume that the daughters are listed in their birth order either. We do believe that William was the youngest child, born about 1785, shortly before the family moved to Northumberland County. In his account of the Reformed Church Cemetery in Numidia, Columbia County, Meiser notes that John Adams' wife Anna Maria, was born May 7, 1770.  We believe that Anna Maria is Maria Arter.

The six known children and their birthdates or birth years are noted below. The dates are consistent with all known references to Arter/Erder family children.  It is likely, however, that other children were born, who did not survive beyond childhood or long enough to be noted in any records. The six children of John Jacob Arter and Anna Maria Diehl are:
 

1. Maria born May 7, 1770,
2. Abraham born October 01, 1775,
3. Elizabeth born December 04, 1777,
4. John Jacob born January 17, 1780,
5. Philip born April 30, 1782, and
6. William born about 1785.

Johannes died around the end of June or the very beginning of July in 1807.  His will was composed and signed on June 7, and it was proved on July 4, which means he died between those two dates.  His place of burial is unknown, but most likely he was buried on the family property, which was a common practice.  In 1810, one acre of the property was "sold" for one dollar by the heirs of John Arter to St. Peters (Blue) Church to be used as the church cemetery.  It is difficult not to believe that John Arter was buried somewhere in that same acre.

We know that Anna Maria survived her husband because she is mentioned in the estate documents for her deceased husband, filed at the Northumberland County courthouse in Sunbury, Pennsylvania.  The Administrators' Account filed March 7, 1810, mentions "property left by the will to the widow" and "obligations left by the will to the widow during her natural life." The Supplement to the Settlement filed June 16, 1819, noted three cash payments to the widow totaling $195.45. The fact that all of the sons are alive at these times dispels any doubts that these references are to Anna Maria.  There is yet another, much later reference to Anna Maria. Manaen Arter, great-grandson of John and Anna Maria Arter and grandson of William, who was born October 20, 1847, claimed to have known his great-grandmother as very young boy.  This would mean that Anna Maria lived to be over 100 years old.

One contradiction to all of these accounts is that there is no elderly female living with any of the Arter children in any of the Federal Censuses from 1810 onward. It is possible that Manaen Arter was mistaken in his memory; perhaps it was a different great-grandmother that he knew. Furthermore, the final Account of the estate in 1819 might indicate the approximate date of Anna Maria's death.  Certainly, it is likely that the final filing coincided with the time that Anna Maria left the old homestead, either as a result of her death or simply because she was moving. Yet, despite the uncertainty about whether Anna Maria was alive in 1819 or later, the estate records leave no doubt that she was alive in 1810. Yet, no trace of her has been found in the 1810 Census.

The census records are not infallible, and she might have been simply overlooked somehow in one of her children's households.  Foregoing an error in the census records, however, it appears that she lived with another family, a more distant relative such as a niece, perhaps, or a close family friend.  Perhaps this family even rented and worked the property.

September 20, 1746

Anna Maria Diehl born to Johannes Diehl and Elizabeth

May 21, 1769

Johannes Erder and wife sponsored Anna Maria daughter of Andonius Reisch and wife

December 03, 1775

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

April 12, 1778

Johannes Erter and wife baptized Elizabeth, born December 04, 1777. Sponsors were Johan Boyer and Eliza Roedel.

1779

John Erder paid taxes in Longswamp, Berks County, PA

April 09, 1780

Johannes Erter and wife baptized John Jacob, born January 17, 1780. Sponsors were Jacob Rickstein and Maria Catharina.

1780

John Erder paid taxes in Longswamp, Berks County, PA

1781

John Erder paid taxes in Longswamp, Berks County, PA

June 20, 1782

Johannes Erter and wife baptized Philip Arter, born April 30, 1782. Sponsors were Philip Bohry and Maria Elizabeth.

1784

John Erder paid taxes in Longswamp, Berks County, PA

1785

John Erder paid taxes in Longswamp, Berks County, PA

September 26, 1786

Bill of sale for household goods from Catherine Wertman to John Arthur of Augusta Township, Northumberland County, PA for 7 pounds 12 shillings and 1 penny

1787

John Arthur paid taxes in Augusta Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania 

1788

John Erter paid taxes in Augusta Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania

May 15, 1788

Will of John Diehl (date signed)

November 23, 1789

John Arter of Augusta Township purchased land from George Miller for 40 pounds

1790

U. S. Federal Census, Northumberland County, PA

April 4, 1797

John and Mary Arter of Shamokin Township sold 276 acres to Michael Stout for 68 pounds

1800

U. S. Federal Census, Northumberland County, PA

October 7, 1806

John Arter, William Taylor, John Pencil, and Henry Riply of Shamokin purchased land in Shamokin Township from Samuel Smith for $800

June 7, 1807

Will of John Arter signed by his mark.

March 7, 1810

The Administrators' Account for the estate of John Arter deceased mentions obligations left "to the widow during her natural life."

June 1810

Partitioning of the property of John Arter deceased.

June 16, 1810

Heirs of John Arter sold 1 acre to St. Peters church for $1 to be used as the cemetery

June 16, 1819

The Supplement to the Settlement for the estate of John Arter deceased mentions that the widow received cash payments.