The Walter Family
of
Tuscarawas County, Ohio

The family of Christian Walter may have been from the lower Rhine provinces of Holland, with many of the early family migrating to England due to the attempts of the Spanish to subjugate the Netherlands. Christian and two brothers, all fairly young, emigrated to America in about 1780, landing in New York City. The brothers became separated after their arrival. Christian moved to Morland County, Pennsylvania, and it is has been suggested that the other brothers may have settled in William Penn's colony near Philadelphia.

Christian married before 1776, his wife's name possibly being Nancy. They had eight sons: John, Christian Jr., Daniel, Jacob, Amos, Peter, Samuel, and Reuben. Three of the brothers are reported to have settled in Ohio, one in Indiana, one in Iowa, one in California and one in Oregon. The three that went to Ohio, taking up residence in Tuscarawas County, were Reuben, Jacob and John. Eventually, brother Christian, Jr. also settled in Ohio. His grandson, W. C. Walter, wrote the History of the Walter and Keister Descendents, from which much of this information comes.

Regarding his grandfather's move by ox teams, from Morland County to Wayne County, Ohio, W. C. Walter wrote:

"On this site they erected a log cabin for a home and lived there for several years. In order to keep the cabin comfortable and warm they were compelled to hang bed quilts over the doors and windows. This served the purpose of closing the windows and doors, as well as keeping out the cold. This home was located one mile north of what is now Burton City, Wayne county, Ohio --also known as the Neiswander farm. The following children were born there: Peter, Joseph, Lewis, Samuel, Mary, Amos, (the writers father), Daniel and Nancy (twins), and Cyrus. Louisa, the sixteenth child born into the family, saw the light of day on the farm of Christian Walter, one mile west of Orrville, Wayne county, Ohio, to which final Ohio residence, he had moved some time previously."

(Christian Walter had married Margaretha Keister, in the spring of 1805, in Pennsylvania, and while still in Pennsylvania, they had the following children: John, Jacob, Catherine, Margaret, Elizabeth and Susan.)

"Christian Walter preempted the following described land, towit: the northeast quarter, section 21, township 17 range 11, as given in the original patent as issued by the United States Government, Oct. 13, 1815. Also the east half of the south quarter of section 21, township 17, range 11 as described in the original patent issued Mar. 6, 1829. These two tracts of 240 acres in Baughman Township, Wayne County, Ohio, are located as before stated, one mile north of what is now Burton City, Ohio. At this place he lived for about sixteen years, and during this time there were born ten children, all of exceptional health and strength."

Christian sold the original homestead to Emanuel Nishwanger in 1831, and moved his family to Green Township, Wayne County, Ohio, where he lived out his life. He and wife, Margaretha, were buried in Paradise Cemetery, Wayne County, Ohio. Christian was born on May 13, 1781 and died on October 30, 1852. Margaretha died on February 2, 1862, age 74 years, 10 months and one day.

In 1811, Jacob Walter, brother of Christian, homesteaded in the southeast quarter of section 12, township 9, range 4, Tuscarawas County, Ohio. Jacob was born on December 1, 1784, PA; died on July 29, 1826; and was buried in the Walter Cemetery, Tuscarawas County, Ohio. He married Barbara Showalter in about 1805, most likely in Pennsylvania. Barbara was born in 1786; died in 1836; and was also buried in the Walter Cemetery. They had ten children: Jacob, Peter, (Captain) John, Samuel, Magdalena, Henry, Elizabeth, Mary "Polly", Ann and Joshua. All but the three oldest children were born in Tuscarawas County, and all but three now rest in the Walter Cemetery.

W. C. Walter wrote:

"It should be noted that Jacob preempted his land four years earlier than grandfather Christian Walter. While visiting at this place in 1918, the writer saw a spruce pine tree that had been planted ninety years before by Curtis Walter's grandmother. [note: this would have been Susanna Swihart Walter, first wife of Captain John Walter] The tree measured seven and one-half feet in circumference."

Adding: "On December 23, 1842 the homestead of Jacob Walter was deeded to Captain John Walter and Elizabeth, his wife."

John Walter, the oldest of the brothers, also settled in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, entering and remaining in section 12 of Sugar Creek Township.

From The History of Tuscarawas County, 1884:

"John Walters, who was a blacksmith and sicklesmith, was a Lutheran and a Pennsylvania German. He was one of the earliest pioneers; entered and occupied land in Section 12 until his death. Jacob Walters entered land in the same section. Their descendants are still numerous in that locality."

John Walter was born on July 4, 1776, PA; he died on November 16, 1848; and was buried in Hardscrabble Cemetery, Tuscarawas County, Ohio. He married Mary Showalter on January 14, 1808, most likely in Pennsylvania. Mary was born on April 4, 1783, and was also buried in Hardscrabble Cemetery. The date of her death is not inscribed. John and Mary had the following children: John Jr., Susanna, Peter, Barbara, Mary, Reuben and Elisabeth.

John Walter, Jr. was born between 1808 and 1811, and he married Mary Biddle in Tuscarawas County on January 23, 1834.

Susanna Walter was born in about 1809, and married (first) John Bowden on March 25, 1828, Tuscarawas County. On November 4, 1830, she married (second) Jonathan Swinehart, also in Tuscarawas County.

Peter Walter was born in about 1810, and he married Lucinda Swinehart on April 5, 1832, in Tuscarawas County.

Barbara Walter was born on October 3, 1814, in Sugarcreek, Tuscarawas County, Ohio; she died on November 15, 1899; and was buried in Bunker Hill Cemetery, Franklin Twp., Tuscarawas County. She was married on November 14, 1833, to George Richardson of Shanesville. George was born in about 1810. He died in about 1852, and was buried on what was then the family farm, in an unmarked grave. Barbara and George were members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and had six children.

Mary Walter was born in about 1817, and she married Henry Acker on February 17, 1839.

Reuben Walter was born on October 26, 1817, Sugarcreek; he died on November 3, 1887; and was buried in Bunker Hill Cemetery, Franklin Twp., Tuscarawas County, Ohio. Reuben married Mary Ann Wade on April 9, 1840 in Tuscarawas County. Mary Ann was born on January 19, 1822; died on September 2, 1889; and was also buried in Bunker Hill Cemetery. Reuben and Mary Ann belonged to the Lutheran Church and had eight children. Reuben was, according to the History of Tuscarawas County, a farmer, owning 228 acres and a democrat.

Elisabeth, the youngest child of John and Mary (Showalter) Walter, was born in about 1821. She married on May 13, 1839, Tuscarawas County, Frederick G. Biddle, who was born in about 1820, PA. They had, at least, five children, the youngest two being born in Indiana.

~The History of Tuscarawas County, 1884
~History of the Walter and Keister Descendents, by W. C. Walter