three
different George Rader's
We believe that RADER
family historians, including Robert Melville Danford ("The Nobles and the Raders
of Mercer County, Illinois"), Charles Wesley Finney ("The Rader Family in
America"), William A. Rader ("The Descendants of Adam and Anna Maria RÖDER and
Johann Adam and Katharina (TAUBER) RÖDER..."), and John W. Wayland ("A History
of Rockingham County, Virginia" and "Virginia Valley Records") incorrectly
attribute various facts about three different George Rader's. In our opinion
the data on these three should be interpreted in this way:
(1) George RADER (1768-1831). His date of birth is estimated to be about 1768
since his oldest son, Abraham, was born in 1791. In late 1831, the real estate
of "George Rader, dec'd." in northern Rockingham County was divided by his
surviving children: Abraham Rader and Catherine (Boehm) Rader; George Rader and
Mary (_____?) Rader; Rebecca Rader Andes (her husband, Henry Andes/Andis, had
died); Hannah Rader Wilson and her husband James Wilson; John Rader (no spouse
listed); William Rader (no spouse listed); Jesse Rader (no spouse listed); Mary
Rader (no spouse listed). Since the distribution did not mention inheritance
rights of a spouse, it is very probable that there was no surviving spouse.
Identity of the spouse and this George's parents has not been established.
Descendants of this George RADER moved to Wayne County, Indiana, in the early
1830's and to Mercer County, Illinois, in the late 1830's.
(2) George RADER (1775-after 1850). In Nov 1789 a Marriage Bond was filed in
Rockingham Co, VA, for the marriage of Sarah DUNLAP, daughter of William DUNLAP,
to George READER, age 23. In the 1850 census of Nicholas County, Virginia
(which became West Virginia in 1863), George RADER, age 75, and his wife Sarah
RADER, age 75, were enumerated with Adam RADER, age 39, presumed to be their
son. This George is the son of Mathias RADER and Jessie BENDER/PAINTER and the
uncle of the George listed next.
(3) George RADER (17 Dec 1781-15 Aug 1842) (Our ancestor.) On 04 Nov 1803, a
Marriage Bond issued in Rockingham Co, VA, for the marriage of Elizabeth ESTES,
daughter of Henry ESTES, to George READER; they were married 15 Nov 1803, in
Rockingham Co, VA. In 1813 their daughter Elizabeth was baptized at Frieden's
Church (originally a Reformed-Lutheran Union Church, now Frieden's United Church
of Christ) at Mt. Crawford, in the southern part of Rockingham county. On 7 Nov
1829, at the Rader Lutheran Church in Timberville, in northern Rockingham
County, their daughter, Elizabeth RAEDER, age 17, was confirmed by Rev. Ambrose
HENKEL, Communicants at Rader Lutheran Church on 8 Nov 1829 included George
RAEDER and Elizabeth RAEDER. On 30 Jan 1830, George & his wife Elizabeth RADER
sold the 84 acre farm they had bought in 1817 from David & Katherine WARREN to
Michael MILLER. In the spring of 1830, George and Elizabeth RADER moved with
some of their family from Virginia to Wayne County, Indiana. On 22 Jul 1830
George RADER bought a 78 acre farm in Harrison Township, Wayne County, Indiana,
for $550. He died 15 Aug 1842 and Elizabeth died 15 Oct 1854. Both were buried
in Zion Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery in East Germantown. After their parents'
deaths, the wife having died intestate, the children sold the family farm on 1
Mar 1856 for $2,400. The children who divided the proceeds were: Abraham RADER
and wife Helen; Adam RADER and wife Margaret; David COOK and wife Dorotha
(Dorothy); Joseph FUNK and wife Sarah; Gideon RICHWINE and wife Elizabeth (our
ancestors); Peter KEPLER and wife Mary; and Anna HART (her husband died in 1854,
only three years after her marriage in 1851). This George RADER was the son of
Adam RADER and grandson of Mathias RADER.
1830 22 Jul: George RADER bought a 78 acre farm in Harrison Twp, Wayne Co, IN
(Deed Book L, p 91: S 1/2, SE 1/4, Sec 15, Twp 16, Rng 13E). On 1 Nar 1856, his
heirs sold the farm (recorded 27 Feb 1857, Deed Book 23, pp. 149 & 150):
Robert Melville Danford ("The Nobles and the Raders of Mercer County,
Illinois"), Charles Wesley Finney ("The Rader Family in America"), William A.
Rader ("The Descendants of Adam and Anna Maria RÖDER and Johann Adam and
Katharina (TAUBER) RÖDER..."), and John W. Wayland ("A History of Rockingham
County, Virginia" and "Virginia Valley Records") incorrectly conclude that the
same George RADER married 1st Sarah DUNLAP & married 2nd Elizabeth ESTES. They
also imply that the George RADER whose heirs divided his property near
Timberville in 1831 is this same George. These necessarily are different George
RADERs. According to "History of Wayne Co, IN" (Vol. II, Chicago, Inter-State
Pub. Co., 1884, pp. 508/509, SLC LDS Microfilm 934923), the George who died in
Wayne Co, IN, in 1842, was a son of Adam RADER and grandson of Mathias RADER.
The parentage of the George who died in Rockingham Co, VA, in 1831 and of the
George and wife Sarah who were still living and enumerated in Nicholas Co, VA
(now WV), 43rd Dist, 12 Jul 1850, p. 342, dwg/fam 40, the head of this
household, Adam RADER, is probably their son) has not been definitively
established.
The references cited by RADER and FINNEY apply in some cases to one George; in
some to one of the others. Nephew George (my ancestor) was only 8 years old
when his Uncle George married Sarah DUNLAP. The 1799/1800 Rader Church
communicants must have been Uncle George and Sarah or the George who died in
1831 since Nephew George was not yet married to Elizabeth ATER.
pp. 84-85, generation 5. Abt 1766 - born Augusta (this area became Rockingham
in 1778) Co, VA (see Marriage Bond entry Nov 1789.) [FINNEY, p. 14 (George
married Sarah DUNLAP)].
"The Descendants of Adam and Anna Maria RÖDER and Johann Adam and Katharina (TAUBER)
RÖDER..." Dr. William A. RADER and June L. (HUDNUT) RADER, 1987, published
privately by the Raders, 4638 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota, FL 34234.
[RWE: George RADER and Elizabeth ESTES were both 22 when they were married in
1803. Their residence in Rockingham County has not been located -- in 1813 their
daughter Elizabeth was baptized at Frieden's Cburch (originally Union
Reformed-Lutheran, now Frieden's United Church of Christ) at Mt. Crawford, in
the southern part of Rockingham county. Rader's Church (also originally joint
Reformed and Lutheran, now Lutheran) is at Timberville, on the northern edge of
the county.]
p. 62, generation 4. George RADER 4th child of Mathias (Matthias) ROEDER
(REEDER, RIDER) and Jessie BENDER).
21 Oct 1787 - was present at the Linville Creek Baptist Church (Records of the
church; it was located between Linville and Broadway) (One of the other
George's).
1788 - Rockingham Co, VA, militia records show (one of the other George's)
George RADER had 7 slaves; he was a member of Capt. TRUMBOE's Company No. 10.
1789 - (one of the other George's) George and his father Mathias served in the
Rockingham Co, VA, militia.
Nov 1789 Marriage Bond issued in Rockingham Co, VA, for marriage of Sarah
DUNLAP, daughter of William DUNLAP, and (one of the other George's) George
READER, age 23.
1799 or 1800 - (one of the other George's) George and wife READER were
communicants at the RADER Lutheran Church ("History of the RADER Lutheran
Church.")
04 Nov 1803 Marriage Bond issued in Rockingham Co, VA, for marriage of Elizabeth
ESTES, daughter of Henry ESTES, and (my ancestor) George READER; married 15 Nov
1803, Rockingham Co, VA.
08 Nov 1829 - (my ancestor) George and Elizabeth (ESTES) READER were
communicants at the RADER Lutheran Church. (RADER Lutheran Church record of
attendance, baptism, communion, marriage and some death records, translated from
the German by Christopher Henry Droegemueller, Public Library, Harrisonburg,
VA.)
1830 - (my ancestor) George and Elizabeth RADER moved with some of their family
from VA to Pershing Co, IN. [RWE: There is no Pershing Co; they settled in
Wayne Co, IN. East Germantown was renamed Pershing as a result of anti-German
feeling during WW I. In 1993 both names for the same village still persisted
with Federal records - such as the Post Office - tending to use Pershing and
state records - such as births, marriages and deaths - tending to use East
Germantown. Most maps list East Germantown although occasionally Pershing is
shown.]
1831 - Deed of Partition, Rockingham Co, VA, Burnt Deed Book 10, p 279, divided
two tracts in Rockingham Co among the children and heirs of George RADER; 224
acres on Flat Run (RWE: "Fort" Run) and 220 acres on Timber Ridge, 2 miles away;
both are near the RADER Lutheran Church (photocopied from the original deed
dated 20 May 1765, Deed Book 19, page 227, Augusta County Courthouse, Staunton,
VA). Fort Run is less than a mile from RADER's Church.
"The NOBLE-RADER Families," R. M. DANFORD, published privately, New York, 1967.
pp. 163-169. Some of the RADER children who accompanied their parents to IN
later settled in Mercer Co, IL. [RWE: The George RADER who died in VA in 1831
obviously did not "accompany" his children to IN. The children of this George
RADER did accompany my ancestor George and his wife Elizabeth RADER, to IN. In
1839 some of the children of the 1831 George moved on west to IL but the
children of George and Elizabeth remained in Wayne Co and adjacent Henry Co, IN,
with their parents.]
"Record Book, Rader Lutheran Church," Timberville, Rockingham Co, VA, translated
by Christopher Henry Droegemuller & Harry M Strickler, 1927, revised by Dr. &
Mrs William Rader, 1990.
Rader Lutheran Church, 7 Nov 1829, confirmed by Rev Ambrose HENKEL:
Females:...11. Elizabeth Raeder (RWE: dau Elizabeth RADER RICHWINE was 17,
appropriate age for confirmation.
Rader Lutheran Church, 8 Nov 1829, communicants Males:...7. George Raeder,
Females:...17. Elizabeth Raeder.
Rockingham Co, VA, Burnt Deed Bk 9, 30 Jan 1830. p. 284, George & wife
Elizabeth RADER sold to Michael MILLER, 84 A, bought 20 Aug 1817 from David &
Katherine WARREN, adjoined EATER & Frank LONGO plus adjacent 2 1/2 A, bought 12
Jul 1826, adjoined LONG, ATER, PAINTER, LONGO.
1840 Census, IN, Wayne Co, p. 597 (305):
George RADER M 50 & <60 (b-1780-1790) [17 Dec 1781) (household: 4, agr: 1]
(Elizabeth) F 50 & <60 (b-1780-1790) [23 Oct 1781]
(Anna) F 20 & <30 (b-1810-1820) [marr 1851]
(?) M 15 & <20 (b-1820-1825)
[this may be a 3rd son. If so, he must have died without heirs bef 1856; not an
heir in his father's will.]
"Memoirs of Wayne Co...IN," Western Historical Assn, Madison, WI, 1912.
p. 163. "George and Elizabeth (ATER) RADER were natives of Virginia, but
migrated to Wayne County and located in Harrison township, where they followed
agricultural pursuits.
Grave marker, Zion ELC Cemetery, East Germantown/Pershing, Wayne Co, IN (have
photo) and "Tombstone Inscriptions in Wayne Co, IN," (Vol III, p 364, Beverly
Yount): GEORGE RADER, DIED AUG 15, 1842, AGED 60 Y, 7 M, 24 D; ELIZABETH, WIFE
OF GEORGE RADER, DIED OCT 17, 1854, AGED 72 Y, 11 M, 24 D [Calculated dates of
birth, George: 17 Dec 1781, Elizabeth: 23 Oct 1781]
Will: Wayne Co, IN, Will Book 2, pages 260 & 261. Administration of estate:
Wayne Co, IN, Claim and Allowance Record Book 1, page 110 & Book 1+, page 292.
Will written 2 Sep 1833, recorded Wayne Co, IN, Will Book 1, pages 260 & 261; he
was 51 (b-1782). Sons Abraham and Adam executors; everything left to wife,
Elizabeth RADER. Will proved Wayne Co, IN, Probate Court, 9 Sep 1842, book C,
page 292.
1830 22 Jul: George RADER bought a 78 acre farm in Harrison Twp, Wayne Co, IN
(Deed Book L, p 91: S 1/2, SE 1/4, Sec 15, Twp 16, Rng 13E). On 1 Nar 1856, his
heirs sold the farm (recorded 27 Feb 1857, Deed Book 23, pp 149 & 150):
Abraham RADER and wife Helen
Adam RADER and wife Margaret
David COOK and wife Dorotha (Dorothy)
Joseph FUNK and wife Sarah
Gideon RICHWINE and wife Elizabeth (my g-g-grandparents)
Peter KEPLER and wife Mary
Anna HART (she was a widow)
Dick Edmonson
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