Creitzer/Kreitzer
Contributed by:
|
The Kreitzer family name appears to be German in origins. I have seen it spelled Critzer, Kritzer, Kreutzer, Creutzer, Creitzer, Kreitzer, Krutzer, Kretzer, Krautzer, Kratzer and even Critser. This name may have derived from the town of Kreitz, which lies near the city of Neuss in northwestern Germany. The Americans who recorded this name were trying to get the spelling down for the phonetics of the name hence the various spellings. The Berrien County, Michigan branch of this family was from Pennsylvania and they were “Pennsylvania Dutch”. They moved through Ohio in the early1800’s and into Michigan by 1842.
The Pennsylvania Archives, Second Series, Volume XVII was printed in Harrisburg Pennsylvania in 1890 by E.K. Meyers, State Printer and were edited by Henry Egle, M.D. This volume contains names of foreigners who took oaths of allegiance to the state of Pennsylvania from 1727-1775. In this volume you can find some of the early Kreitzer immigrants.
The list of foreigners imported in the ship “Charming Nancy, Chas. Stedman, Commander, from Rotterdam, qualified on 09 Nov 1738”. Among others there was a Peter Kreitzer and an Andreas Kreitzer. Peter’s age is reported as 20 years and Andreas as 24 years. Andreas (European) and Andrew (English) are the same name
The list of foreigners imported in the ship “Marlborough, Thomas Bell, Master, from Rotterdam, qualified on 23 Sep 1741”. Among them was a Michel Kreischer. His age was listed as 20 years. This name is also spelled in these records as “Creier”. This name is indexed as Kreitzer.
The list of foreigners imported in the ship “Patience and Margaret, John Povan, Captain, from Rotterdam, last from Leith in Scotland, qualified on 25 Sep 1748”. Among them was John Melchior Kritzer. His age was listed as 46 years. This name is indexed as Kreitzer but also appears in this record as “Krautter”.
These lists written by a clerk and they spelled these names by how the name sounded. They also were dealing with the German language, which may not have been their native tongue. These records therefore contain various spellings of the same name. Henry Egle, M.D., edited the index to this volume and he was familiar with these variations.
My interest in this family comes from a marriage record in Berrien County, Michigan, which indicates that on 20 Nov 1869 George W. Lake married Catherine Quick. This was her third marriage. In this record her maiden name is recorded as Critser. In Catherine’s original marriage record in Berrien County in 1842 her maiden name is given as Raver. In 1842 she married John Quick at the home of John Critzer. Catherine Quick married John Dyer on 23 Sep 1857 in Berrien County. No maiden name was given in this second marriage record. The question is was Catherine’s maiden name Raver or Critzer?
The patriarch of the Berrien County, Michigan Creitzer families was John. The name is most often spelled here as Critzer or Kritzer. When John Kritzer died in Berrien County, Michigan he was 88 years 7 months and 14 days old. According to this record he would have been born on 02 Jan 1784 in Pennsylvania. His father’s name is recorded as Andrew Kritzer and he was also born in Pennsylvania.
From the records available on the internet it appears that Peter Kreitzer, mention above, died about 1780 and his brother Andrew died about 1786. Neither of them would be included in the 1790 census. The 1790 census of Pennsylvania includes in Tulpehocken Township of Berks County an Andrew Kreitzer as well as a Peter and Anthony Kreitzer. There is also a Jacob Creitzer in Berks County. These are most likely the sons of Peter and Andrew. Other possible children in the 1790 Pennsylvania census may have been: Peter Kratzer of Lancaster County, Frederick Creitser of Dauphin County, Nicholas Kritsor of Cumberland County, Henry Critzer of Fayette County, John Kreutzer of Philadelphia county and Adam Kritesor of Cumberland County.
When looking at this 1790 Berks County, Pennsylvania census record you will see that Andrew Kreitzer did not have a son in his household. Peter Kreitzer had three sons less than sixteen years of age. Anthony Kreitzer had one son. This Andrew does not appear to have been the father of John Kreitzer of Berrien County, Michigan as John would have been about six years of age at that time.
Genealogies found on www.rootsweb.com indicate that Andrew Kreitzer that came over on the ship Charming Nancy married Catharine Margaretha Emrick and had at least eight children who were named: Nicholas, Anna Maria, Maria Magdalena, Maria Margeretha, Catharina Margaretha, Michael, John, Johann Adam. Johan Adam Kreitzer had a son named Andrew but he would have been too young to be one in the same as the father of John Creitzer who ended up in Berrien County, Michigan.
Peter Kreitzer who arrived on the ship Charming Nancy is reported to have married Anna Maria Gish. A genealogy of Mattias Gish of White Oak by J.I. Hamaker was published in Lynchburg Virginia in 1940. In this genealogy Peter is seen as “Peter Kratzer”. Peter’s will lists his children as John, Anna, Jacob, Mary, Abraham, Susanna, Peter, Elizabeth, Christian and Catherina. From this information we get a fairly accurate list of Andrew and Peter’s children.
There is an interesting family file on www.rootsweb.com provided by Carmen Hinds. She is quoted as saying “ Peter Kreitzer, a native of Germany, came to America when a young man, settling in Tulpehocken, Berks Co., Pa, in 1762, and there lived until his death. He was a farmer by occupation. He was twice married, his second wife living to be 105 years old, and both wives are buried in Berks county. There were five children by the first union and ten by the second, among them Frederick, who died in Berks county; William, who went to Illinois, where he died (he has two sons in Texas, both druggists); and Balser”. She indicates this Peter was born about 1756 and died in 1837 in Montgomery County, Ohio. This would have been the son of Peter Kreitzer who came over on the Charming Nancy.
I checked the a book of Berks County, Pennsylvania births from 1781-1800 and did not find a match for John Creitzer of Berrien County, Michigan who was born, according to his death record, 02 Jan 1784. Perhaps he was born in another county in Pennsylvania.
Andrew Kritzer the father of John Kritzer of Berrien County may have been a son of the Peter Kreitzer above, by one of his two wives. A list of these children has not been found. If the Peter Kreitzer mentioned by Carmen Hinds was born about 1756 he may have been the son of Peter Kreitzer who arrive on the ship “Charming Nancy” in 1738. He may also have been a son of Andrew, Jacob or Anthony Kreitzer of Berks County, Pennsylvania.
Even though no direct connection to these Pennsylvania Kreitzer families has been established it is fairly clear that the Kritzer/Critzer/Creitzer family of Berrien County is descended from these early Pennsylvania Kreitzer families. Considering that a generation is 25 years John Creitzer born in 1784 could have been the grandson of either Peter or Andrew who arrived on the Charming Nancy in 1738.
The 1800 census of Pennsylvania includes Andrew and Peter Kreitzer of Berks County but no other Andrew Kreitzer family.
The land records of Ohio show that an Andrew Kreitzer and a Peter Kreitzer owned land in what was then Montgomery County, Ohio in 1805 and they were taxed there in 1812. This appears to have been the Andrew and Peter Kreitzer of Berks County, Pennsylvania. It also appears a Jacob Kreitzer joined them later. The Berks County Pennsylvania Kreitzer families are one in the same as those in Montgomery County Ohio.
The 1810 census of Pennsylvania includes an Andrew Kratzer in Whitehall Township of Northampton County. The 1820 census of Pennsylvania includes an Andrew Cretzer in Franklin County. The 1830 census of Pennsylvania includes an Andrew Kritzer in Cumberland County.
By 1810 the John Creitzer of Berrien County, Michigan would have been about 26 years of age and should appear in census records. There is a John Kritzer in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania with a John Kritzer Jr. in 1810. This is not likely the John I am looking for because he would not have had a son old enough to appear separately in the census records. The 1820 census of Pennsylvania includes a John Kreitzer in both Cumberland and Union County, a John Kritzer in Lancaster County and 5 by the name of John Kratzer, 1 in Huntingdon County, 2 in Lebanon County and 2 in Leigh County. The 1830 census includes a John Kritzer in Centre County and a John Krutzer in Lebanon County. One of these may have been the John Kritzer who moved into Ohio and then on to Michigan. Of course the John and Andrew Kreitzer I am looking for may have left Pennsylvania and may have been in Ohio at an earlier date.
The most interesting two of these is John Kreitzer of Perry Township in Union County and John Kritzer of Marietta Township of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania from the 1820 census:
The John Kreitzer household of Union County had 2 males from 0-10 years of age, 2 males 18-26 years of age and one male 26-45 years of age and 1 female 0-10 years of age, 1 female 16-26 years of age and 1 female 26-45 years of age.
The John Kritzer household of Lancaster County contained 1 male 0-10 years of age, 1 male 10-16 years of age, 1 male 26-45 years of age, 1 male 45 years + and 2 females 0-10 years of age and one female 26-45 years of age. These both would fit the profile of John Creitzer of Berrien County, Michigan, as he would have been about 36 years of age at this time.
The John Kreitzer of the 1820 Union County, Pennsylvania census is the most interesting possibility, although some of the males were a bit too old to fit the profile. Perhaps these were his brothers not his sons? The John Kritzer of the 1820 Lancaster County, Pennsylvania census appears to have been slightly younger than the Union County John Kreitzer and may be the best fit of the two.
Some other Berrien County, Michigan “Pennsylvania Dutch” settlers came from Union, Centre and Snyder Counties of Pennsylvania, through Starke and Summit Counties in Ohio and into Berrien County. One of these in my line was the Harner family who lived just down the road from the Creitzer family. The Harner family left this same area of Pennsylvania went into Stark and Summit Counties in Ohio and then on to Berrien County, Michigan just as the Creitzer family did.
The History of Centre and Clinton Counties, Pennsylvania by John Blair Lynn, published by J.B. Lippincott & Co. in Philadelphia in 1883 contains interesting correlations. You can find in Brush valley in 1794 a John and Sarah Hörrner as well as a George and Magdalena Hörrner associated with the Lutheran/Reformed Church there. This church was located in Miles, Township of Centre County. You can find in this same history the family names of Reber, Critzer and Wietzel as well as Henney all these family names are associated with the Harner name in Berrien County, Michigan.
On 27 Jan 1831 in Stark County, Ohio a John Kritzer married Elizabeth Raber. This is believed to be the same John Creitzer in the 1860 Berrien County census, as his wife was also named Elizabeth. There is also a marriage record in Stark County, Ohio for a John Critzer and Seville Buckins dated 22 May 1825. Some report this name as Buckius? John Creitzer of Berrien County would have been about 47 years of age at the time of this marriage to Elizabeth Raber and she was about 33, if they were one in the same. If this is John and Elizabeth of Berrien County they may have been married before. Raber may have been Elizabeth’s married not her maiden name? There are Raber families in Berrien County that were closely associated with this Creitzer family and it appears there were Raber children (Eli) in this household. John Critzer the son of John and Elizabeth states that his mother was Elizabeth “Erauhart”.
The 1830 census of Ohio was consulted and shows an Andrew and a Thomas Critzer in Montgomery County, and an Isaac Critzer in Stark County, but no John Critzer/Kritzer or Kreitzer.
The 1840 census of Ohio was checked and shows a John Kritzer in Summit County and a Leonard Kritzer in Stark County. This is believed be the John Kritzer who moved to Berrien County, Michigan by 1842. When Summit County was formed it included parts of Stark County.
My thanks to a fellow researcher, Janet Lewis, who is also working on the Creitzer family. She provided me with the information about John Creitzer in the 1850 Berrien County, Michigan census and Elizabeth Raver in the 1830 Stark County, Ohio census.
The 1830 census of Plain in Stark County, Ohio reveals an Elizabeth Raver (head of household) who was 30-40 years of age with two females 5-10 years of age, one male 5-10 years of age and one male under 5 years of age in her home. This is likely the Elizabeth Raver who married John Kritzer in 1831. Living next door is George Eberhart with a male who was 60-70 year of age. This may have been Elizabeth’s father? If these are the same persons as those in Berrien County, Michigan this would tie the Raver/Creitzer/Eberhart families together in Stark County, Ohio circa 1830. These records may indicate that Elizabeth Raver/Raber was married to an unknown Raber who had died by 1830 and that Raver/Raber was not her maiden name but “Erauhart”.
The 1840 census of Green Township of Summit County, Ohio, which was formed in 1840 and included parts of Starke County, reveals a Henry Raber and a John Kritzer. Henry was 50-60 years of age and his household included one male 5-10 years of age, one male 15-20 years of age, three females 5-10 years of age 2 females 10-15 years of age, one female 15-20 years of age and one female 30-40 years of age. The John Kritzer was 50-60 years of age and his household included 1 male under 5 years of age, one male 10-15 years of age, one female under 5 years of age, three females 5-10 years of age, one female 15-20 years of age and one female 40-50 years of age. Looking at this family in comparison to the Elizabeth Raver in the 1830 census it would appear that this is indeed the John Kritzer who married Elizabeth Raver in 1831. Green Township belonged to Stark County before the formation of Summit County.
It is also possible that the Elizabeth Raver who married John Kritzer in Stark County, Ohio in 1831 was from a different family and that this John Kritzer was not one in the same as John Creitzer of Berrien County, Michigan, but this link is very strong.
John Creitzer was found in the 1850 Berrien County, Michigan. The last name in this record is very difficult to read. The writing is clear but the formation of the letters makes them difficult to decipher. This family is in the indexes as Crur, John. When you look at the census image on page 220, family number 1368, it appears to read:
John Crur 65 years of age a Farmer born in Pennsylvania Elizabeth 52 years of age born in Maryland on the next page 220R Margaret Circer 18 years of age born in Ohio Maria 17 years of age born in Ohio Elizabeth 15 years of age born in Ohio Susanna 13 years of age born in Ohio John 12 years of age born in Ohio Joseph 10 years of age born in Ohio
This name on page 220R might also read Ciscer but none-the-less this is the John Creitzer family.
By looking through the early Berrien County marriage records the following were some of John Creitzer’s children:
Margaret Kreutzer married Henry Raver on February 22nd 1852. Elizabeth Kreutzer married Eli Hartline on 03 Mar 1853 Mary Critzer married James Ahere on 28 Jun 1855 Susanna Critzer married Christian Boil on 11 Dec 1857 John Critzer married Catharine Hof on 24 Sep 1859
The 1860 census of Oronoko Township of Berrien County, Michigan includes:
John Kritzer 72 years of age born in Pennsylvania Elizabeth Kritzer 62 years of age born in Maryland John Kritzer 21 years of age born in Ohio Catherine Kritzer 21 years of age born in Germany Elizabeth Quick 16 years of age born in Michigan William Quick 6 years of age born in Michigan
Note: John Critzer (Jr.) had married Catharine Hoff on 24 Sep 1859 in Berrien County, Michigan. Catharine Hof was born in “Darmstadt”, Germany. This Elizabeth Quick married John Harner.
The 1860 census of Oronoko Township of Berrien County also shows that Catherine Dyer was living in the home of John Raber. She was 36 and he was 51. The ages would indicate she probably was not his daughter and was likely his niece. His wife was named Margaret and was 29 years of age. This is believed to be the same person as the Henry Raber who married Margaret Kreutzer. Perhaps Margaret was Catherine’s sister? Also with Catherine Dyer is her daughter Sabra J. Dyer who was two years old. This was Catharine Quick who had married John Dyer in 1857. Nothing further has been found concerning Sabra J. Dyer.
Eli Raber or Raver witnessed the first marriage of Catherine in 1842 to John Quick. John and Eli Raber/Raver were possibly the brothers of Elizabeth Kritzer making them Catherine’s uncles. If Catherine Quick was a Raber/Raver I have not been able to locate her parents. It is possible she was a daughter of Elizabeth Raber who married John Kritzer by her previous marriage. I do not believe that John/Henry Raber would have married his niece, Margaret Kreutzer. Perhaps there is not a blood relationship between the Raber and Creitzer family.
The 1870 census of Oronoko Township of Berrien County includes:
George W. Lake 68 years of age born in New York Catherine Lake 48 years of age born in Ohio John Lake 15 years of age born in Michigan Jane Lake 13 years of age born in Michigan Mathilda Lake 7 years of age born in Michigan
Note: This is the Catherine Quick who married George W. Lake in 1869. This Jane may have been the Sabra J. Dyer of the 1860 census?
The 1870 census of Oronoko Township also includes:
John Krutzer 30 years of age born in Ohio Catharine Krutzer 31 years of age born in “Hesse Danisdat” Franklin Krutzer 10 years of age born in Michigan John Krutzer 8 years of age born in Michigan Elizabeth Krutzer 5 years of age born in Michigan Catharine Krutzer 2 years of age born in Michigan and next door: John Kretzer 85 years of age born in Pennsylvania Elizabeth Kretzer 73 years of age born in Maryland
The 1880 census of Jackson Township of Jewell County, Kansas includes:
William Quick 26 years of age born in Michigan Martha Quick 25 years of age born in Missouri Lewis Quick 1 year old born in Kansas George W. Lake 73 years of age born in New York Catharin Lake 56 years of age born in Ohio
Note: The designation on this census record after George W. and Catharin Lake is “living with son”. This is the Catherine Quick who married George W. Lake in 1869.
The Storick Cemetery in Oronoko Township in Berrien County, Michigan contains the flowing burials:
John Creitzer d. 1876 Elizabeth Creitzer d. 1881
John Creitzer b. Dec 25, 1838 d. Apr 4, 1911 husband of Catherine Cathrine Creitzer d. Feb 9 1890 wife of John 52y 2m Elizabeth Creitzer d. Sept 6, 1868 daughter of John 9m
Creitzer infant
Gertrude Critzer b. 1888 d. 1950 (wife of William E.) Will E. Critzer b. 1876 d. 1951 (son of John and Catherine)
John Kritzer (Sr.) died on 14 Aug 1872. His death record says that he was born in Pennsylvania and his father’s name was Andrew. It also indicates Andrew Kritzer was born in Pennsylvania. Elizabeth Kritzer died 09 Nov 1878 according to the newspaper the Niles Democrat. Elizabeth does not have a death record on file. This cemetery record is in error. These stones may have been set years after the deaths and may contain a best guess as to the dates. The first time the Creitzer spelling of this name is seen is in this cemetery listing.
John Critzer (Jr.) died on 04 Apr 1911. His death record says his father was John Critzer and his mother was Elizabeth “Erauhart”. This may represent the name Earhart or Eberhart? This is believed to have been the Elizabeth Raber who married John Kritzer in Ohio and if so this would be her maiden name. John was of the age that he would have been from the marriage between John Kritzer and Elizabeth Raber, which occurred in 1831. It is also possible that Elizabeth Raber and this Elizabeth (Erauhart) Creitzer were not the same person?
The first marriage record for Catherine Raver reads:
“State of Michigan County of Berrien Jesse Helmick a Justice of the Peace within and for the of Berrien aforesaid Do hereby Certify that on the 17th day of August A.D. 1842 at J. Critzers I bound in marriage John Quick of the age of Thirty years a resident of the County of Berrien State of Michigan and Catharine Raver of the age of Eighteen years a resident of the County of Berrien State of Michigan on the presence of John Critzer and Eli Raver residents of Berrien County State of Michigan. Dated this 17th day of August A.D. 1842 Jesse Helmick Recorded Sept. 24, 1842 Justice of the Peace A Burnete … B.C.”
The second marriage record for Catherine Quick reads:
“State of Michigan County of Berrien I certify that on the 23d day of September A.D. 1857 at my residence in the County aforesaid I joined in marriage John Dyer of Lake Township in the State of Michigan aged 26 years and Catherine Quick of the above named place aged 36 years. That the said parties did then and there Solemnly Declare that they took each other as husband and wife and that there were present as witnesses Joshua Vetter of the Township of Bainbridge Berrien County and Milton J. Morley of Lake Township Berrien Co.”
The third marriage record for Catherine Quick indicates:
Nov 20 1869 in Lake Township George W. Lake married Catherine Quick “maiden” name “Critser”. George resided in Lake Township and Catherine in Oronoko Township. George was born in New York and Catherine in Ohio. George was a farmer. Peter Star a Justice of the Peace performed this marriage. The witnesses were Margaret Aret and Samuel Sheely both of Lake Township. This record was recorded on 04 Jan 1870.
This Margaret Aret is believed to be Margaret Artz. On 08 Feb 1868 Margaret Raver maiden name Critzer married Charles Artz. Their marriage record lists Margaret’s last name as “Ruver” and in parenthesis is (Critzer). I believe that indicates her maiden name. In the 1860 census she was married to John Raber and living with them was Catherine Dyer. I believe this indicates that both Catherine and Margaret’s maiden names were Critzer and not Raber or Raver. It would appear that they were sisters. This would seem to indicate that Catherine’s first marriage record could be in error and that she was the daughter of John Critzer. Margaret Artz is buried next to John Raber as Margaret Raber and is listed as the mother of John Raber (Jr.) also buried there. Her death record does not exist. If the Elizabeth Raber who married John Kritzer in Stark County, Ohio is one in the same as the Berrien County Elizabeth Creitzer then she may have also had children with the last name of Raber when she married John Kritzer. Catherine was born in 1824 and may have been a child from this Raber union and may have been Margaret (Critzer) Raber’s half sister or she may have been a child from John’s earlier marriage?
In searching for Catharine Quick’s maiden name an attempt was made to track her children.
Sabra J. Dyer Catharine’s daughter with John Dyer is last seen in the 1860 census of Berrien County, Michigan. She may be the Jane living with Catharine in the George W. Lake home in 1870.
Elizabeth Quick married John Harner and they lived their lives in Berrien County, Michigan. She died here in Berrien County and her death record says her father was John Quick and gives her mother’s name as “unknown”.
William Quick, wife Martha and son Lewis are last seen in 1880 in Jewell County, Kansas living with them was his mother and step-father George W. and Catharine Lake.
Mary Jane Quick married A. B. Herman, a Physician, and is last seen in the 1870 census of Weesaw Township, Berrien County, Michigan.
Caroline Quick married George Swink. She died here in Berrien County and her death record says her father was John Quick and her mother is listed as “unknown”.
Margaret Quick married George F. Thayer in Berrien County. In 1880 they were living in Independence in Montgomery County Kansas. In 1900 they had moved to Ora Township in Nelson County North Dakota. In 1910 they were living in North Payette Township in Canyon County Idaho. In January of 1920 they were still living there but this had become Payette County by then. Maggie (Quick) Thayer died on 31 Mar 1920 in North Payette Precinct of Payette County, Idaho. Her birth date is given as 25 Jun 1850. George Thayer died there also on 09 Dec 1924. His birth date is given as 15 Mar 1845. Margaret Thayer’s death record says her father was John Quick but her mother’s name is listed as “Not known”.
Isaac Quick was born about 1847 and he is seen in the 1850 census of Berrien County, Michigan and then not again.
Lewis Quick died from disease while serving during the Civil War. He enlisted in Lake Township with the Twenty-fifth Michigan Infantry on 12 Aug 1862 for three years at the age of 18. He Mustered on 11 Sep 1862 and died at Louisville, Kentucky on 08 Feb 1863. He is buried in the Cave Hill National Cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky.
The answer to this riddle may never be found. I searched all the Quick children’s marriage records and what death records I could find here in Berrien County. They say their father was John Quick but their mother is listed as unknown. You can see by the 1860 census that Catherine had remarried and all the Quick children were living in other households. Perhaps they were never close enough to their mother to have known her maiden name or perhaps they chose not to talk about it? One also has to ask was the Catherine Raver who married John Quick in 1842 one in the same as the Catherine Quick who married John Dyer in 1857 and George Lake in 1868. I believe they were as she was living with her son William Quick in the 1880 census of Jackson Township in Jewell County, Kansas. This census states that she was “living with son”. If her death record or William Quick’s death record could be found it might contain the answer to her maiden name? I fluctuate back and forth with John and Elizabeth Creitzer. With the Raber connection here I have always thought she was Elizabeth maiden name Raber but with John (Jr.'s) statement that his mother was Elizabeth “Erauhart” I wonder. One possible theory is: If John Creitzer born 1784 married Elizabeth Erauhart born 1797 that would probably have occurred about 1815-17 when she was about 18-20 and he would have been about 30-32. It was common for men not to marry back then until they were about 25 years of age. Maybe he had a first wife? If they married as early as 1817 then Catherine born in 1824 could certainly have been theirs. Maybe the marriage for John Kritzer and Elizabeth Raber in Starke County, Ohio is not this same couple? Perhaps John married Elizabeth Erauhart as a second wife and Catherine may have been from his first marriage? Of course the other option is that this was Elizabeth Raber and that her maiden name was Erauhart. It does seem odd though that John/Henry Raber married Margaret Kreutzer (Creitzer). If John/Henry Raber was Elizabeth's brother then Margaret would have been his niece! Marry cousins, maybe, but Uncle and niece? He is too old to have been Elizabeth's son as he was born about 1808 and had he been Elizabeth’s son then Margaret would have been his half sister!!! The Kritzer children listed in the 1850 census could have been the remaining children at home. There is an eight-year gap between Catherine (1824) and Margaret’s birth (1832) so there was likely children born during that time also. Maybe they died in an epidemic, maybe there were miscarriages or maybe they were here in Berrien County but just do not appear in these early records? If John and Elizabeth (Erauhart) Creitzer married as early as 1817 then there may also have been children born before Catherine? Maybe the Raber family, which also came through Stark/Summit Counties in Ohio, simply traveled in this group with the Creitzer family. They were German in heritage also and arrived here about the same time (1842). If the John/Henry Raber who married Margaret Creitzer was Elizabeth’s brother-in-law he would have not been related to Margaret by blood, as her mother was an Eberhart and her father a Creitzer. The Eli Raber who is also seen in early Berrien County records may have been a son of Elizabeth by her Raber marriage.
Two of the Quick children, Elizabeth (my great-great grandmother) and her brother William were living in the John Creitzer home in 1860. I had wondered why but just thought that Catherine was a Raber and so was Elizabeth and that they were Elizabeth's grandchildren. It is possible Catherine was born to John Creitzer during an earlier marriage. It seems that Elizabeth Quick who married John Harner would have know her mother’s maiden name being raised in the Creitzer home and one would think it would appear on her death record. Perhaps the reason it does not is that her husband died before her and her children who provided this information did not know their grandmothers’ maiden name. My thought now is that the marriage record for Catherine Quick, maiden name “Critser” who married George W. Lake in 1869 is accurate. At first I thought maybe George had given this information to the J.P. and he could have been in error. Then I remembered the 1860 census. Caroline Quick, Catherine's daughter was living in the George W. Lake home. Would he not have known the maiden name of the mother of the child he had taken into his home? He must have known her whole story. This however would make the 1842 marriage record in error. Another local Critzer researcher states that “Elizabeth Quick was the daughter of John Quick and Catherine Critzer”.
In looking for the “Erauhart” name in Maryland where Elizabeth was born, according to census records, you can find the name appearing as Erehart, Everhart and Erhart in 1790. There was a George Erehart in the Frederick County, Maryland in 1790 census and in his household there were 3 males who were 16 years of age or older, 2 males who were 16 years of age or younger and 3 females. Assuming one male was George and one female was his wife this would leave six children.
If the Catherine Raver who married John Quick in 1842 actually was Catherine Creitzer then her line would be:
Andrew Kretizer of Pennsylvania.
John Creitzer born 02 Jan 1784 in Pennsylvania died 14 Aug 1872 in Berrien County, Michigan.
Catherine Creitzer (Raver) born in Ohio in 1824 married John Quick in 1842 in Berrien County, Michigan.
John and Catherine Quick were married in Berrien County, Michigan on 17 Aug 1842 at the home of J. Critzer (Kreitzer). John Quick was 30 years of age and Catherine was 18 years of age. According to this document Catherine's maiden name was Raver. John Critzer and Eli Raver witnessed this marriage ceremony. The record clearly shows the spelling is Raver as written by the clerk. This name later appears in Berrien County as Raber.
The 1850 census of Berrien County includes John and Catherine Quick with their children:
Mary Quick age 7 years Lewis Quick age 5 years Elizabeth Quick age 5 years Isaac Quick age 3 years Caroline Quick age 2 years Margaret Quick age 2 months
Elizabeth Quick married John Harner on 25 Feb 1862 in Lake Township of Berrien County, Michigan. Their daughter was Jennie Harner.
Jennie Harner married William Upson in Berrien County, Michigan in 1897.
Their daughter Cora E. Upson married Walter M. Brackett in Berrien County, Michigan in 1915.
Their son Harold Earl Brackett married Ula Arvena Daniel (nee Hambrick) in Berrien County, Michigan in 1947.
Their son William Brackett married Jane Hauch in Lakeside, Berrien County, Michigan in 1970.
|