In our previous reports we touched on the meaning of the family name,, its various spellings, the early origin of the family, and of the first ones of that name to come to Pennsylvania, giving also some story of several branches in Lancaster and Lebanon Counties.
We shall attempt in this report, to give a genealogical outline from the first settlers, as we have been able, to glean from the meager information in hand. You will note that in many instances proper, and sufficient data is lacking, but we trust, however, that even though vague it will be enough to form a basis on which to build up a full-grown family tree later on, when we are able to harmonize all the very widely scattered branches.
was the first settler bearing our family name of which we have anything like an accurate record. He is presumed to have arrived in Lancaster County between the years 1712 and 1717, and located on the Conestoga Creek south, and near, what is now the city of Lancaster, where he, and possibly others of his family, took up a tract of 800 acres of land. This tract was patented to Jacob Greider in 1734.
With JOHN JACOB GREIDER came his son, also named John Jacob. The younger John Jacob was born in Switzerland about the year 1700, and died in 1744. He had only one son (so far as known) who was named MICHAEL GREIDER - born July 25, 1742, in Lancaster County. We have no further record of this family, than that Dr. George W. Kreider, of Springfield, Illinois, is a descendant.
another early settler, and possibly a brother of John Jacob, arrived at Philadelphia on, September 16, 1736, accompanied by his three sons, JOSEPH, JOHN JACOB, and FREDERICK, and went to the home of John Jacob, near Lancaster, where an older son, MICHAEL, was also living, Michael having landed at Philadelphia four years before, on August 11, 1732. The three brothers, Joseph, John Jacob, and Frederick, received from Penn's sons 580 acres of land in Lebanon township, (then a part of Lancaster County) along the Snitz Creek, near what is now the city of Lebanon Pa., and four years later their father, Martin, who was a blacksmith joined them, receiving from them 160 acres of their land.
MARTIN GREIDER, the father, was born in Switzerland about 1681. It is not known what his wife's name was, or whether he had more children than the four sons above mentioned.
(I) MICHAEL GREIDER, eldest of the four sons of Martin, was born in 1710, and died in 1788. He married Elizabeth Hess, who died March 18, 1800. He bought from Henry Herr and wife, Anna, May 15, 1757 200 acres of land on the north side of the Conestoga Creek, which was a part of the 800 tract purchased in 1717. Michael and his wife are buried on this tract, part of which is now the D. W. Shenk farm. Michael Greider willed this farm to his son, Christian, but Christian sold it in 1804 to Jacob Light, and moved to near Lebanon, where his first wife died that same year.
(I) MICHAEL GREIDER and wife, Elizabeth Hess, had four children: (A) SUSANNAH GREIDER - born 1755, married a Bossler, and had one son, John. John Bossler married and had a son. No further record. (B) CHRISTIAN GREIDER - born Jan. 23, 1757, d. Dec. 23, 1847. First married Annie Ellenberger, and they had five children: (1) JOHN, who married Anna Gilbert, moved to Indiana; (2) CHRISTIAN E., who married Barbara Mellinger, also moved to Indiana; (3) GEORGE, married Barbara Brown, and moved to Illinois; (4) ELIZABETH, married John Ebersole, and moved to Ohio; (5) HENRY, born July 14, 1799, married Susanna Custer, and after various migrations finally settled in Indiana. They had five children: (a) ELIZABETH, who died young; (b) GEORGE C, b. Nov. 24, 1822; (c) CHRISTIAN E., b. Feb. 24, 1825; (d) DAVID H., b. Dec. 31, 1827; (e) ISAIAH WISE, b. June 4, 1830; (f) MARY M., b. Oct. 21, 1832; married a Heddens; (g) REBECCA, b. Aug. 17, 1834; (h) SUSANNA, b. Feb. 15, 1837. (B) CHRISTIAN GREIDER married a second time in 1805 - to Susanna Brandt, and they had one daughter (6) CATHERINE, who married Peter Shideler. This family changed the spelling of their nameto KRIDER: C) MICHAEL GREIDER - born 1759, died 1825, married, late in life, Susanna Hess Huber, widow of John Huber. They had no children. (D) JOHN GREIDER - born 1761, died 1794, was never married.
(III) JOHN JACOB GREIDER (KREIDER) third son of Martin, was born in 1715, and died, according to Rev. Isaac Kreider's records, in 1779, while the late A. S. Kreider says it was in 1785. He was twice married - first to Barbara and second to Mary. He squatted in Lebanon township, Lancaster County before the land was surveyed, but immediately after it was surveyed he bought the land. (Patent June 2, 1741). He was a Mennonite Minister,. and is buried in the family graveyard. He had five sons and three daughters, as follows:
(A) JOHN, who was twice married, but whose wives' names are not known, lived at Conewago, and had three children: (1) JOHN, b. Aug. 2, 1784, d. July 26, 1866, married Elizabeth Moyer; (2) ELIZABETH, married Abram Bomberger; (3) a daughter who married a Bashore, and moved to the West. No further record.
(B) MARTIN KREIDER - b. Feb. 4, 1740, d. Nov. 14, 1826, changed the spelling of the family name to CRIDER. He married Catherine Schmutz, and they lived in Cornwall township, Lebanon County. He was a Mennonite, but was converted to the United Brethren faith, and later became a preacher of that denomination. They had a family of thirteen Children: (1) JOHN CRIDER, b. April 15, 1766, d. June 17, 1842, married Barbara Smith. He was a minister of the United Brethren Church, and they had fourteen children: (a) CHRISTINA, b. April 17, 1790, married Abram Bowman; (b) MARY, b. Dec. 26; 1791, married George Mower; (c) JOHN; b: April 11, 1795, married a Zerring; (d) CATHERINE, b. Aug. 10, 1796, married Jacob Shively; (e) MARTIN, died in infancy; (f) DANIEL, b. Feb. 20, 1803, married Mary Magdalene Horn; (g) BARBARA, b. Dec. 9, 1804, married Daniel Shively; (h) SAMUEL, b. June 5, 1805, married Catherine Evinger; (i) LOUISA, b. Oct. 11, 1806, married John Henry Shepp; (j) ELIZABETH, b. Aug. 26, 1808, married William Lightner; (k) CHRISTIAN, b. Feb. 1, 1811, was a U. B. preacher. He was never married; (1) MARTIN, never married; (m) JOSEPH S., b. Dec. 29, 1814, first married Mary McFerren, and second Catherine Betz, by whom he had a Son, A. LINCOLN, b. Feb. 27, 1864, d. Dec. 24, 1925, who collected the data on the family of Rev. JOHN CRIDER, and others, who emigrated from Lebanon County to Franklin County, Pa. Much credit also is due to Miss Nellie Crider Brake, niece of A. Lincoln Crider, for her assistance in analyzing his records. (n) ABRAHAM, married Catherine Kemp. They settled in Middletown, Ohio. (2) BARBARA CRIDER, b. Oct. 14, 1767, married Christian Crider, born Dec. 3, 1766. They moved from Lebanon County to Franklin County Pa. They had twelve children: (a) CATHERINE, b. June 21, 1788, married John Wiland; (b) MARY, b. Sept. 13, 1789, married Andrew Bard; (c) BARBARA, b. Nov. 27, 1791, married David Buttsfield; (d) ELIZABETH, b. Nov. 16, 1793, married Martin Crider (known Us "Long" Martin) born Feb. 2, 1795; (e) CHRISTIAN, b. Feb. 15, 1795, married Barbara Albert; (f) CHRISTENA, b. Sept. 15, 1796, married Jacob Albert; (g) ANNIE, b. Feb. 3, 1798, married Jacob Breckbill; (h) TOBIAS (Preacher), b. Oct. 26, 1799, married Anna Mary Reifsnider; (i) SUSANNAH, b. March 18, 1801, married John C. Wenger; (j) JOHN, b. Oct. 10, 1802, married Elizabeth Sollenberger; (k) MAGDALENA, b. June 26, 1804, married John Shirk; (1) MARTIN, b. Nov. 5, 1805 (Born with only one arm) married Margaret Hobble and Mary Jane Reside. (3) CHRISTIAN CRIDER, b. May 20, 1769, married Mary Burkholder. They had five children: (a) MARTIN, b. Feb. 2, 1795 (known as "Long" Martin) married Elizabeth Crider, b, Nov. 16, 1793; (b) CHRISTIAN, b. Nov. 8, 1796 married Rebecca Christ; (c) ABRAHAM, b. April 11, 1811, married Margaret Bonebrake Hamilton; (d) FRANCES, married a Baughman; (e) MARY, was second wife of Joseph Pretze. (4) HENRY J. b. Jan. 28, 1773, married Fanny Ober. They had eleven children: (a) PHRANY, b. Sept. 30, 1802, married Isaac Brubecker; (b) HENRY, b. April 9, 1804, married Rebecca Snider; (c) JOHN, b. May 10, 1805 married Mary Marshall; (d) ELIZABETH, married John Rosenberry; (e) CATHARINE, b. April 27, 1808,d March 10, 1879; (f) SUSAN K., b. June 9, 1809, married John Deck; (g) JACOB, b. Nov. 1, 1811, married Christianna Howard; (h) REBECCA, b. Sept. 28, 1813, never married; (i) MARY, married John Wilhelm; (j) ANNA (Nancy), married John Bricker; (k) SAMUEL, b. June 19, 1820, married Harriet Deatrich (5) Abraham Crider, b. March 7, 1775, married Catherine Laudermilch. They had five children: (a) CATHARINE, married Moses Kreider; (b) ELIZABETH, married Rudolph Kreider; (c) CHRISTINA, married Solomon Kreider; (d) MARY (Polly) married Henry Light; (e) REBECCA, was the second wife of Henry Light. (6) ELIZABETH CRIDER, b. Jan. 5, 1777, married George Kreider. They moved to Ohio where he changed the spelling of his name to Crider (7) CATHERINE CRIDER, b. Jan. 17, 1779, married a Flora; (8) ANNIE CRIDER, b. Sept. 17, 1781 married Michael Hoke; (9) MARY CRIDER, b. Feb. 9, 1783, married John Miller; (10) CHRISTINA CRIDER, married William Early; (11) SUSANNA CRIDER, b. March 6, 1786, died single; (12) MARTIN CRIDER, b. Jan. 7, 1788, married Elizabeth Hoke. They had seven children: (a) GEORGE, b. April 25, 1813. No further record. (b) MARTIN, b. Oct. 2, 1814, married Elizabeth Faussett; (c) JACOB no further record; (d) DANIEL, no further record; (e) CHRISTIANA, b. Oct. 29, 1818, married Martin Hoke; (f) ELIZABETH, b. in 1826, married Daniel Brightbill; (g) CATHERINE, b. in 1828, married a Gunneman. (13) TOBIAS CRIDER, b. Oct. 17, 1793, is supposed never to have married. Buried in the Crider Graveyard near St. Thomas, Franklin Co., Pa.
(C) JACOB KREIDER, b. in 1742, married Catharine Long. They had six children; (1) JOHN KREIDER, married Maria Stauffer; (2) ANNA KREIDER, married a Dohner; (3) ELIZABETH KREIDER, b. Nov. 11, 1776, married Abraham KREIDER, b. Jan. 2, 1777; (4) BARBARA KREIDER, married Joseph Dohner; (5) HENRY KREIDER, married Christiana Witmeyer; (6) JOHN KREIDER was twice married, first to Dohner, and second to Christiana Kipp.(D) MICHAEL KREIDER, born in 1745, married Anna Stoever, and they had five children: (1) TOBIAS, who first married Catherine Kreider, and then her younger sister, Maria, both being daughters of John Kreider and Maria Knopps. (See further under that family.) (2) JOHN, married Anna Troxel; (3) CHRISTIAN, married Stoner; (4) ANNA, married John Bachman; (5) a daughter, married Benjamin Moyer.
(E) HENRY KREIDER, born in 1746, married Barbara Yordy, and had six children: (1) JOHN, b. Sept. 29, 1772, married Maria Knopps, and had twelve children: (a) CATHERINE, b. May 1, 1796, married Tobias Kreider; (b) BARBARA, b. Nov. 15, 1797, married Michael Rider; (c) JACOB, b. July 25, 1799, married Elizabeth Shaffer, and was the ancestor of Reuben K. Light, a member of the Genealogical Committee; (d) JOHN, b. June 20, 1801, married Elizabeth Rumberger; (e) MARIA, b. July 16, 1803, married first Joseph Donner, and then her brother-in-law, Tobias Kreider; (f) HENRY, born Sept. 12, 1807, died at the age of 19 years; (g) PETER, b. Feb. 2, 1810, married Catherine Hoke; (h) ELIZABETH, died in infancy; (i) RUDOLPH, b. Dec. 9, 1813, married Elizabeth KREIDER, daughter of Abraham Kreider and Catherine Laudermilch (j) LOUISA, died in infancy; (k) MOSES, b. Aug. 28 -—-, married Catherine KREIDER, daughter of Abraham Kreider and Catherine Laudermilch. (2) JOSEPH, b. Dec. 25, 1773, married Eve Rumberger, and moved to Warrior's Mark, Huntingdon County, Pa. No further record so far. (3) HENRY, b. Feb. 20, 1775, lived in East Hempfield. No further record so far. (4) PETER, b. Aug. 15, 1776, moved to Sinking Valley, Huntingdon County, Pa. No further record so far. (5) ANNA, b. April 22, 1778, married Christian Forney, and lived at Linglestown, Pa. No further record so far. (6) MARIA, b. Sept. 4, 1779, married Henry Brandt, and lived at North Lebanon. No further record so far.
(F) BARBARA KREIDER, married a Sensenich, and lived near Conestoga. No further record.
(G) A daughter, married Abram Knoll, and lived at South Lebanon. No further record.
(H) A daughter, married M. Breckbill, and lived in Bethlehem township. No further record.
(IV) FREDERICK GREIDER (KREIDER), fourth son of Martin, was born in 1719; but so far we have no record of this family.
Note - ABRAHAM KREIDER, reputed to have been one of the original Kreiders who settled in the Lebanon County section, had four sons - Christian, George, Martin and Tobias. Christian and Tobias remained in Lebanon County, while George and Martin moved to Franklin County, Pa. CHRISTIAN married Mary — , and had four children: Jacob, Christian, Anna, who married Jacob Sechrist, and Tobias, born in 1759, who married Mary Thompson., GEORGE married Mary --- , and had nine children: Elizabeth, married William Beard; Mary married John Bretz; Catherine married Godfrey Meyers; Barbara married Jonas Ritter; Nancy married Christian Maxhimer; Susan, b. Feb. 28, 1794, married Abraham Grove; and later Rev. Samuel Huber; Jane married John Masters; Sarah married Henry Ritter; and George married Frances Huber. MARTIN married Anna ---, and had children, one of which was Christian, b. April 2, 1780. He married Catherine Witmer. When they left Lebanon County for Franklin County in 1811, they spelled their name "Krider," but later they changed it to "Crider." They had nine children: Nancy, John, Peter, Jacob, Catherine; Joseph W., Mary, Henry, and Barbara. TOBIAS married Mary ---, b. March 23, 1734. They had eight children: George married Sarah ---; Christian, (known as "Long" Christian), born Dec. 3, 1766, married Barbara Crider, b. Oct. 14, 1767, daughter of Rev. Martin Crider and Catherine Schmutz; Maria, b. July 24, 1767, married John Bachman Stauffer; Magdalena, of whom we have no record; Tobias, (known as "Big" Tobias), b. May 27, 1772, married Barbara Long; John, born in 1774, probably never married; Abraham, b. Jan. 6, 1777, married Elizabeth Crider, daughter of Jacob, the son of John Jacob Kreider; Christina, married John Lantz.
was anotner early settler who purchased 250 acres of land at the mouth of the Conestoga Creek, on the Manor side. The village of Safe Harbor was later built on this tract. One of his sons, likely Martin, moved to what was later known as Moore's Mill, on the Chickies Creek.
MICHAEL (GRITTOR) GREIDER made a Will, dated Oct. 15, 1737, and proven Feb. 18, 1739, in which he mentioned his wife as Ann, and his children as (A) JOHN JACOB, (B) MARTIN, (C) PETER, (D) ANN, and (E) DANIEL, who was a minor at time the Will was made.
(B) MARTIN GREIDER, born about 1700, died 1802, lived in East Hempfield township, and had seven children: (1) JACOB, (2) DANIEL, (3) MICHAEL, who migrated to Erie, Pa., (4) a daughter, who married Abraham Hershey, (5) MARTIN, who married Elizabeth Weldy, and is supposed to have been the Greider who built what is now Moore's Mill. This Martin had nine children: (a) Martin, b. April 4, 1790, d. March 3, 1822, married Barbara Musser; (b) Daniel, who married a Gerber; (c) Christian, who married Margarette Lindemuth; (d) John, (e) Samuel, (f) Henry, these three having died single; (g) Barbara, married Samuel Johnson; (h) Anna, married Michael Harnish; and, (i) Jacob, who married Anna Kauffman. (6) BARBARA, was the first wife of Bishop Samuel Nissley, and they had four sons: (a) John Nissley, b. Dec. 9, 1786, was a Mennonite preacher. He married Anna Hershey. (b) Martin Nissley, b. Nov. 6, 1788, married Anna Bomberger. (c) Samuel Nissley, b. June 24, 1792, married Anna Eby. (d) Christian Nissley, b. Oct. 20, 1794 married Magdalena Bomberger. (7) JOHN, b. Feb. 17, 1761, d. March 18, 1850, married Magdalena Hertzler. This was the "soldier boy" of the Revolution. He had a family of eight children, an outline of which was given in the last report of the Genealogical Committee, This family has retained the spelling of their name as "Greider."
by his Will dated Jan. 13, 1758, and proven Feb. 18, 1758 (this gives us the approximate date of his death) wherein he mentions his wife's name as Barbara, bequeathed his estate as follows: To his brother, Tobias, the home plantation of 100 acres, and another 100 acres to his brother Henry's children. He also mentions his brothers, Jacob and George, and a sister, Mary. Also "my other sisters," but does not state, their names, so we do not kmow how many "other sisters" he had. Of the children of this Martin Gryder we know only the following: (Which would indicate that Martin had only one son, whose name was Tobias). From Deed Book "YY," pages 15 to 21, Lancaster County Court House, we learn that John, Thomas, and Richard Penn, by Patent dated Nov. 3, 1738, granted to MARTIN GRYDER (by name of Martin Kreyter) a certain tract, situate on or near, Conostogoe Creek. (Lampeter Twp.) of 200 acres, according to the courses and distances, bounds and limits in the same Patent, mentioned and described, in Office for Recording of Deeds for the City and County of Philadelphia, in Commission Book "A," Vol. 1, page 131, etc. Martin Gryder (alias Cryder) and Barbara, his wife, by Deed dated Jan. 11, 1758, conveyed this tract to their son, TOBIAS GRYDER (by the name of Tobias Crydor). (See Deed Book "D," page 456, in Lancaster "Court House).
By another Patent from the Penn heirs, dated Oct. 6, 1743, this same TOBIAS GRYDER (by the name Tobias Kryter) secured a certain tract of 200 acres, situate on a branch of the Conostogoe Creek (evidently on what is known as Mill Creek) as described in Patent Book "A," Vol. 12, pages 20 etc., in Philadelphia.
During his lifetime the said Tobias Gryder sold or disposed of 100 acres, and parcels, of the above first mentioned tract.
By his Will dated Aug. 29, 1789 (Wherein his widow is mentioned as Ann) TOBIAS GRYDER bequeathed to his youngest son, Tobias, the land and plantation, etc.,. whereon Tobias (the testator) resided while he lived, this being, a part and parcel of the residue of the 200 acres above last mentioned, which by actual survey was found to contain 177 1/4 acres, and was bounded as follow: Beginning at a Black Oak tree, thence by lands of Andrew Shultz, John Wanner, and Elias Pusey, north 15 and 1/2 degrees, west 358 peaches to a heap of stones, thence crossing the Conostogoe Creek by lands of George Ross, north 74 and 1/2 degrees, east 70 perches to a post, thence recrossing Conostogoe Creek by lands devised by said Tobias Gryder to his son John, and lands of Jacob Rohrer, etc.
Having complied with certain stipulations in his father's Will, the Executors of Tobias Gryder, who were John Stauffer, and Jacob Hartman, gave to Tobias Gryder (youngest son of Tobias) a proper Deed and Release, under date of Sept. 3, 1791.
From the Will of TOBIAS, dated Aug. 29, 1789, we learn that he and his wife, Ann ---, had three sons and four daughters, viz: (1) Jacob, the eldest son was deceased at the time of his father's Will, but his seven children are mentioned as John, Ann, Elizabeth, Tobias, Henry, David, Daniel - the latter five being, minors at the time, their guardians being Christian Herr and Christian Hartman. (2) John, the second son, owned land adjoining his father's homestead. (3) Tobias, the youngest son, inherited the homestead. (4) Ann, married Jacob Hartman, the younger. (5) Barbara? married John Musser. (6) Mary, married Henry Musser. (7) Susanna, married Jacob Miller.
The Kreiders of East and West Lampeter townships are evidently descended from Tobias Gryder (Kreider) and wife, Ann ---.
Note - We trust that the foregoing sketchy outline of the various Kreider-Greider families may enable those who are interested in establishing a complete genealogical record, to locate their lines of descent, and We would appreciate hearing from all such, with as much data as possible so that we may continue to build up a complete "family-tree" embracing all the various branches of the family in America. The Genealogical Committee consists of Amos K. Stauffer, 851 E. Orange St., Lancaster, Pa.; Wilmer A. Kreider, 25 Maple Ave., Sharon Hill, Pa., Reuben K, Light,, 926 Water St., Lebanon, Pa.; B. Frank Greider, 226 Marietta St., Mount Joy, Pa.; Enos G. Kreider, Christiana, Pa., and Mrs. J. Wayne Aungst, Elizabethtown, Pa. Let us hear from many of you, please.