Direct Descendants of Hans Matter to Roger Cramer (outline is below notes):

RESEARCH NOTES FROM SALLY BECKSTINE GLISAN, PORTLAND, OR (1997) ON THE EARLY MATTER FAMILY:

I have done research on the Matter family in Alteckendorf, the Elsass-Lothringen (Alsace-Lorraine) area of Germany, now France. I have found Matters in Alteckendorf, Reitham, Buschwiller (now Bouxwiller), Dutzenheim, Neuwiller, and Hurtigheim before 1700. The ones from Reitham, Alteckendorf, Buschwiller, and Neuwiller are all related. You must watch for last names since some men had the first name of Matter also. The Buschwiller records show Matters back to 1580 and I hope to do more work on the Matters there. In 1653, when the church records start, there were two families of Matters. Adam and Margaretha Matter had four children and Hans and Catharina Matter had seven. I have been able to follow these children, their children, their grandchildren, and sometimes their great-grandchildren through the next 100 years. I have all the marriages of the children, and all of the children of the men. I have some of the children of the women but they are harder to follow in the old German language. The name MATTER is easy to spot in old German.

Hans Matter, born about 1614, and his wife Catharina, born in 1616, had 7 children, 5 boys and 2 girls. All of their children stayed in Alteckdendorf and raised their children there. Only the last one, Andreas' birth was recorded in the church records because the church records only had 1 birth recorded before 1659. I found Andreas' birth record by using his age at death. The five boys had 12 sons who lived to manhood (no death records found). I do keep looking in all towns around. In the next generation, I have four missing. I believe that three of them came to America in 1751 on the ship Edinburgh.

The records say "the Schrifthansel and his wife Catharina had a young son and gave him the worthy name of Andreas." The Schrifthansel, I interpret as the writer Hansel. Hans is often referred to as the Schrifthansel and his death record says Matter Hans otherwise the Schrifthansel named Gerichtschoffen (court juror) from Eckendorf. The pastor at that time was a poor speller, a poor writer, and gave few facts. Little is known about Hans. He was educated and probably worked in the civil court. His children could write and at least two were "court jurors" also. Catharina lived until she was 82. Her death records state that she had a worthy burial in Eckendorf and was the widow of deceased Hans Matter. It was signed by Andreas and Jacob, two of their sons. Hans and Catharina lived through the Thirty Year War (1618-1648) when half of the German population died from war or plague. They probably married late since Catharina was 28 when the first daughter recorded was probably born. All of their children's marriages and death dates are recorded in the church records.
There were two towns, Altdorf and Eckendorf, which I found had merged to form Alteckendorf. The Matters belonged to a Reform Church in 1662 and probably as early as 1547 when the church in town turned Reform. During the 30 Year War the churches were burned or its records were. The records of a neighboring town go back to 1580 and there are Matters there but I can't find a connection to ours. Our Matters could write in the 1600's as there are a lot of signatures in the records. Since the church at Alteckendorf was destroyed during the Thirty Year War, their records do not begin until 1659 except for one birth record in 1653. The church at Buschwiller had some records of people from Alteckendorf but not a lot. I was in hopes of finding Hans and Adam had been born there but it was not so.

Hans and Adam Matter were probably brothers but I have not been able to prove that yet. Adam was born in 1612, married to Margaretha, and had four known children. Only one of them remained in Alteckendorf to raise his family. The other son went to Reitheim. The two girls lived in Buschwiller. It was very common to find Hans and Adam, or their wives as sponsors for babies. Sponsors or Godparents were usually not related. There were always three, and the sponsors for the first child were often carried through to all the other children in the family, although it often would be the wife, daughter, or son of the first child's sponsors. In other words, the sponsors of each child were either the same or from the same family usually. Each minister kept records a little different. Some gave a lot of information while others wrote very little, were poor spellers, and had bad handwriting but I have been able to follow the Matters in Alteckendorf through a hundred years. Georg Matter who also came on the ship Edinburgh in 1751 was a descendent of Adam and his wife, Margaretha.

My goal is to find all the Matters and Keisers who came on the ship together and document their ancestors. The Keisers who came were also descendents of Hans and Catharina Matter. Their mother was Catharina Matter, daughter of Georg, son of Hans and Catharina Matter. I have or could have all the documents for them back three and four generations to a 1599 birth. At least three of them came, Jacob, Catharina as Georg Matter's wife, and Andreas. Somewhere I found another of their sisters, Margaretha had come also and married a Heiges but I can't find it now. It was in the church records in Lancaster Co. Both Catharina and Jacob's weddings are documented.

NOTES FROM SALLY BECKSTINE GLISAN AND MARY DININNI'S BOOK "LEGACY of LIFE" ON MY IMMIGRANT ANCESTOR, JOHANNES "HANS" MATTER (1732-1802):

Johannes was an immigrant on the ship Edinburgh arriving September 16, 1751 at the port of Philadelphia from Alteckdendorf, Germany. NOTE: Ships lists did not include women and children under age of 16 years. The Edinburgh made seven voyages between September 5, 1748 and September 30, 1754, via the port of Rotterdam, to the port of Philadelphia bringing German immigrants to the colonies.

Times in Germany were hard in the 1740's. A couple of Johannes' older cousins went bankrupt. There was a list of damage done to Alteckendorf by the Army in 1744 in the Civil records. Both Georg Matter and Johannes Matter left in the middle of the night, as fugitives, with their wives and children without the knowledge of anyone. Their possessions were sold in the presence of their relatives to settle their debts. Georg left on the night of April 30, 1751 and Johannes probably left at the same time. I know of 23 people from Alteckendorf who left on the ship. Some of these (10) are children.

Johannes settled in the area of New Holland, Earl Township, Lancaster Co., PA appearing on tax records in 1756. The baptismal records of the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church record the baptism of four children of "Johannes and Anna Barbara Arnholdin Matter" with the first child, Johannes, born August 17, 1759. He was naturalized on September 26, 1765. He last appeared on the New Holland church records on Easter Sunday , March 30, 1766. Later he migrated to Upper Paxton Twp., Lancaster Co. (now Dauphin Co.) where he appears on the tax record in 1773. He gave land and was a founder of the St. John's Lutheran Church at Berrysburg, PA.

Johannes served in Revolutionary War in 1776 fighting in the Battle of Long Island under command of Capt. Albright Deibler and under General George Washington. In 1779, after the war was over he served under Capt. Martin Weaver, 4th Battalion of the Lancaster Co. Militia. In 1780, his oldest son enlisted in the same company.

From "PA Archives Vol. 7, Series 5",
"A true return of Capt. Albright Deibler's company of Associators of the
Fourth Battalion, commanded by Col. James Burd, Esq., March 14, 1776."
Lists on page 348 Private John Motter.
Page 386: "A return of Capt. Martin Weavers Company. of the Fourth Battalion
Lancaster County Militia Robert Elder Col. for the year 1778. (c.)"
Page 387 lists him as "Corporal John Matter".
Page 392: "A return of Capt. Martin Weavers Company of the Sixth Class of the
Fourth Battalion Lancaster County Militia, 4th Oct. 1779. (c.)"
"Corporal John Motter."

Johannes was married 3 times: 1st to Anna Barbara Arnholdin (Arnhold), October 24, 1758 at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lancaster, PA who died between January 17, 1783 and May 28, 1787. Anna Barbara last appears on church records at St. John's Lutheran Church, Berrysburg, PA on January 17, 1783, 2nd he married Anna Catharina between 1783 and 1787. Beginning on May 28, 1787, Anna Catharina's name begins appearing on baptismal church records as Johannes' wife. 3rd he married Salome Reinhart Stahlschmidt on October 24, 1797, widow of John George Stahlschmidt, at the Tulpehocken Christ Lutheran Church, south of Stouchsberg, Berks Co., PA. All of his children are recorded as born to first wife, Anna Barbara.

Johannes' will, dated September 5, 1800, was probated June 7, 1802, witnessed by George Holtzman and Adam Kupper, with his eldest son, Johannes and friend Michael Enterline named executors. His will records his wife as Salome and names his children in order of age.

MY DIRECT LINE:

1 Hans MATTER b: Abt. 1614 in Alsace, Bas Rhin, Germany/France d: February 20, 1681 in Eckendorf, Alsace, Bas Rhin, Germany/France Age at death: 67 est.
.... +Catherina ? b: 1616 in Alsace, Bas Rhin, Germany/France m: Abt. 1642 in Alsace, Bas Rhin, Germany/France d: March 6, 1698 in Eckendorf, Alsace, Bas Rhin, Germany/France Age at death: 82 est.
.... 2 Diebold MATTER b: Abt. 1648 in Eckendorf, Alsace, Bas Rhin, Germany/France d: February 18, 1728 in Altdorf, Alsace, Bas Rhin, Germany/France Age at death: 80 est.
.......... +Margaretha KUEFFER b: Abt. 1656 in Eckendorf, Alsace, Bas Rhin, Germany/France m: August 12, 1679 in Eckendorf, Alsace, Bas Rhin, Germany/France d: November 10, 1726 in Altdorf, Alsace, Bas Rhin, Germany/France Age at death: 70 est. Father: Christmann Kueffer Mother: Catharina Gautzberger
........... 3 Johannes (Hans) MATTER b: March 11, 1692 in Altdorf, Alsace, Bas Rhin, Germany/France d: May 6, 1736 in Altdorf, Alsace, Bas Rhin, Germany/France Age at death: 44
................. +Christina KEISER b: March 7, 1697 in Altdorf, Alsace, Bas Rhin, Germany/France m: February 28, 1719 in Altdorf, Alsace, Bas Rhin, Germany/France d: October 13, 1741 in Altdorf, Alsace, Bas Rhin, Germany/France Age at death: 44 Father: Jacob Keiser Mother: Maria Veit
.................. 4 Johannes (Hans) MATTER b: January 24, 1732 in Altdorf, Alsace, Bas Rhin, Germany/France Baptism: Altdorf, Alsace, Bas Rhin, Germany/France d: May 22, 1802 in Dauphin Co., PA Burial: St. John's Lutheran Church Cemetery, Berrysburg, Dauphin Co., PA Age at death: 70 Immigration: September 16, 1751 aboard ship "Edinburgh"
........................ +Anna Barbara (Arnholdin) ARNHOLD m: October 24, 1758 in Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, New Holland, Lancaster Co., PA d: Bet. 1783 - 1787 in Dauphin Co., PA (died between Jan. 17, 1783 and May 28, 1787) Age at death: ?
........................ 5 John Michael MATTER b: October 3, 1763 in Lancaster Co., PA (baptized 11/21/1763 at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church) d: February 11, 1852 in Dauphin Co., PA Burial: St. John's Lutheran Church Cemetery, Berrysburg, Dauphin Co., PA Age at death: 88
.............................. +Anna Marie ROMBERGER b: June 12, 1771 in New Holland, Earl Twp., Lancaster Co., PA d: February 26, 1838 in Mifflin Twp., Dauphin Co., PA Burial: St. John's Lutheran Church Cemetery, Berrysburg, Dauphin Co., PA Age at death: 66 Father: Balthaser Romberger Mother: Anna Maria Traut
............................... 6 Balthaser MATTER b: July 7, 1795 in Dauphin Co., PA (baptized at St. John's Lutheran Church, Berrysburg, Dauphin Co., PA) d: December 21, 1871 in Lykens, Wiconisco Twp., Dauphin Co., PA Burial: Old Union Cemetery, Lykens, Wiconisco Twp., Dauphin Co., PA Age at death: 76
..................................... +Catherine "Kate" RITZMAN b: February 12, 1797 in PA (baptized 5/14/1797 at Zion (Klinger's) Church) d: October 17, 1864 in Gratz, Lykens Twp., Dauphin Co., PA Burial: Simeon Church Cemetery, Gratz, Lykens Twp., Dauphin Co., PA Age at death: 67 Father: Peter Ritzman Mother: Catharine Elisabeth Kerns
...................................... 7 Abraham MOTTER b: June 3, 1828 in Lykens Twp., Dauphin Co., PA (came to IL about 1852) d: May 23, 1895 (near) Adeline, Maryland Twp., Ogle Co., IL Burial: North Grove Christian Church Cemetery, Leaf River Twp., Ogle Co., IL Age at death: 66 Military service: Bet. December 9, 1863 - May 30, 1865 Civil War, Co. A, 64th IL Infantry, Was a Prisoner of War
............................................ +Elizabeth SCHMELTZER b: May 1828 in PA m: October 8, 1848 in David's Reformed Church, Dauphin Co., PA by Rev. John A. Leis d: February 25, 1916 in Egan, Leaf River Twp., Ogle Co., IL Burial: North Grove Christian Church Cemetery, Leaf River Twp., Ogle Co., IL Age at death: 87 est. Father: Michael Schmeltzer Mother: Elizabeth Weiss
............................................ 8 Riley A. MOTTER b: June 2, 1854 in West Grove, Lincoln Twp., Ogle Co., IL d: August 1, 1918 in Leaf River, Ogle Co., IL Burial: North Grove Christian Church Cemetery, Leaf River Twp., Ogle Co., IL Age at death: 64
.................................................. +Mary A. LIGHT b: June 15, 1860 in Stephenson Co., IL m: November 20, 1879 in Ogle Co., IL d: December 21, 1941 in Leaf River, Ogle Co., IL Burial: North Grove Christian Church Cemetery, Leaf River Twp., Ogle Co., IL Age at death: 81 Father: John O. Light Mother: Catherine Schucker
................................................... 9 Addie Mae MOTTER b: May 3, 1880 in Ogle Co., IL d: December 11, 1969 in Mt. Morris, Ogle Co., IL Burial: North Grove Christian Church Cemetery, Leaf River Twp., Ogle Co., IL Age at death: 89
......................................................... +William Alfred SCHELLING b: February 27, 1864 in Leaf River, Ogle Co., IL m: June 24, 1909 d: November 11, 1940 in Leaf River, Ogle Co., IL Burial: North Grove Christian Church Cemetery, Leaf River Twp., Ogle Co., IL Age at death: 76 Father: Henry Schelling Mother: Susan Amanda Henan
.......................................................... 10 Elva Florence SCHELLING b: January 5, 1912 in Leaf River, Ogle Co., IL d: September 20, 1990 in Rockford, Winnebago Co., IL Burial: Willwood Cemetery, Rockford, Winnebago Co., IL Age at death: 78
................................................................ +Ralph Walter CRAMER b: April 20, 1909 in Egan, Leaf River Twp., Ogle Co., IL m: June 13, 1936 in Rockford, Winnebago Co., IL d: February 2, 1987 in Rockford, Winnebago Co., IL Burial: Willwood Cemetery, Rockford, Winnebago Co., IL Age at death: 77 Father: Louis Clarence Kramer Mother: Jennie Cady Hoverland
................................................................ 11 Roger Ralph CRAMER b: Warmolts Clinic, Oregon, Ogle Co., IL

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