John Peter Herr Sr. ^{1 2}

   Another name for John was Johan Peter Herr.⁶

   FamilySearch ID: MTTY-D6R.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. John served in the military in Aug 1781 in , , VA. ⁷ Johan Peter Herr came to America as a mercenary Hessian soldier employed as part of British General Cornwallis' army. He was in the Hesse-Kassel Regiment - Erbprinz. He deserted the army by August, 1781 and removed to Hagerstown, today's Washington County, Maryland, then Frederick County. The church records at Hagerstown show the baptisms of John Peter Herr's children with his wife, Susanna.

2. Military from Sep 1781 to 1782 in , Lancaster, PA: The Franklin County DAR publication states John Herr served in the Lancaster County Militia. ¹ JOHN HERR Is shown in service under Capt. Thos. Robinson 1781-82, Lancaster County Militia. He was b. 1757, d. 1845; his wife Susan, b. 1762, d. 1841. They had a son Peter, b. 1799, d. 1848; a son Conrad, d. 1857, aged 59 yrs. The Baptismal Record of Zion's Reformed Church, Greencastle, Penna., shows the birth and baptisms in 1821, of George Isaiah Herr, for Daniel and Sarah Herr. They had a son John Herr, b. and baptized in 1823. A dau. Margaret Ann, baptized June, 1825. Conrad and Catherine Herr had Henrietta, b. July 3, 1821; Eleanor, b. Apr. 10, 1824; Elizabeth, b. May 11, 1826; Sara Jane, b. Feb. 1, 1828. The name continues on the church membership list. Hetty or Henrietta Herr (Harr) confirmed in 1841. Penna. Arch. 5th Ser. Vol. 7, p. 688, 701, 725, 741, 758, 777, 785.

3. Census in 1790 in Hagerstown, Washington, MD. The 1790 census recorded John Herr with this household:
Washington, Maryland
Free White Persons - Males - Under 16: 3
Free White Persons - Males - 16 and over: 2
Free White Persons - Females: 2
Number of Household Members: 7.

4. He was naturalized in 1797 in , Frederick, MD. ⁸

5. Census in 1800 in Hagerstown, Washington, MD. ⁹ The 1800 census recorded John L. Herr [sic, indexed wrong, handwriting is actually John P. Herr]
Home in 1800: Hagerstown, Washington, Maryland
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10: 3
Free White Persons - Males -10 thru 15: 2
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25: 2
Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44: 1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44: 1
Number of Household Members Under 16: 7
Number of Household Members Over 25: 2
Number of Household Members: 11.

6. Census in 1810 in Hagerstown, Washington, MD. ¹⁰ The 1810 census recorded:
Name: John P Herr
Home in 1810 (City, County, State): Hagerstown, Washington, Maryland
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10 : 3
Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 15: 3
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over: 1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over : 1.

7. Arrival: 1818, in Lancaster, Fairfield, OH. ¹¹

8. Census in 1820 in Hagerstown, Washington, MD. ¹² The 1820 Census recorded:
Name: John P Herr
Home in 1820 Hagerstown, Washington, Maryland
Enumeration Date: August 7, 1820
Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 15: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over : 1.

9. Newspaper: The Torch Light: lawsuit of John P. Herr, 29 Jan 1822, Hagerstown, Washington, MD. ¹³ Sheriff's Sales.
BY virtue of sundry writs of Venditioni Exponas, issued out of Washington county Court and to me directed, against Jacob Rohrer, Sen. at the suit of John P. Herr, Farmers & Mechanics' Bank of Green-Castle, United States, Levy Court and others, and for taxes and fees due in arrears, I will sell, at public sale, on Monday the 11th of February next, at the residence of said Rohrer, about 3 miles from Hagers-town, all the right, interest and estate of Jacob Rohrer, Sen. in and to a tract of first rate land, with a good STONE HOUSE, Stone Barn, a Distillery and other out houses, containing about two hundred fifty acres, of which a proportionable part is clothed with good timber, adjoining lands of Jacob Thomas, Jacob Wolf, John Barr, Jr. and others. Also, twenty three acres of timber land, adjoining lands of Jacob Thomas, Jacob Barr, Abraham Moyer and others. Sale will take palce at 1 o'clock p. m.

10. Newspaper: The Torch Light: William Fields, SADDLER, Respectfully informs the inhabitants of Hagers town and its vicinity, that he has commenced the Saddle and Harness Making Business, In the house lately occupied by John P. Herr n East Washington street Hagers-town, 2 Apr 1822, Hagerstown, Washington, MD. ¹⁴

11. Census in 1830 in Lancaster, Fairfield, OH. ¹⁵ The 1830 census recorded John P. Herr with this household:
Free White Persons Males 70 thru 79: 1
Free White Persons Females 60 thru 69: 1
Total Free White Persons: 2

[Note: on Ancestry.com he is indexed as Berr due to a handwritten H that looks like a B.]

John Peter Herr's son Samuel is documented in the book "Centennial History of Lancaster, Ohio" as having come there in 1815 from Hagerstown, Maryland, so it appears in 1830 his father either came to visit or lived there for a while before returning near Hagerstown to Greencastle, PA where John Peter died near his son Conrad, who in 1830 was living in Greencastle. Inspecting Greencastle in 1830 page by page, John Peter Herr was not recorded there.

12. Newspaper: The Torch Light: Fires destroys stables of John P. Herr, 29 May 1830, Hagerstown, Washington, MD. ¹⁶ Fire! About 11 o'clock on Monday night last, our citizens were aroused from their slumbers by the cry of fire; and, notwithstanding they promptly repaired to their posts, nearly the whole range of stables on the east side of the Globe alley as well as the Globe stable, were enveloped in one sheet of flame, before the Engines and Hose could be brought to operate. This is the eighth attempt that has recently been made to fire the Town, and the third that has been confined to this range of buildings; and in consequence of the late hour at which it was made, has proved the most successful -- eight stables and two sheds having been consumed. The properly destroyed consisted of the stables and sheds attached to the Globe tavern and Lambert's hotel, the two stables on Mr. John P. Herr's lot, Mr. Arthur Johnston's stable, those of Capt. Quantrill, and the heirs of Geo. Hammer, and Mr. F. Miller's stable.

13. John P. Herr and Susan Herr are listed as members of the German Reformed church in 1834, likely the year they arrived. In 1834 in Greencastle, Franklin, PA. ¹⁷ German Reformed Church Membership roster from 1818 to 1864. (It appears it shows the year member joined, as members only listed once.)
Elizabeth Bueger - 1823
Elisabeth Beecher - 1829
Margaret Beecher - confirmed 1843
Mary A. Beecher - 1846
John P. Herr - 1834
Susan Herr -1834
Conrad Herr - 1835
Catharine Herr - Confirmed 1835
Betty Herr - Henrietta - Confirmed 1841
Charles Beecher Wolf - 1857.

14. Census in 1840 in Greencastle, Franklin, PA. ¹⁸ The 1840 census recorded J. B. Harr [sic, as indexed on FamilySearch.org] with this household:
Home in 1840 Greencastle, Franklin, Pennsylvania
Free White Persons - Males - 80 thru 89: 1 (John Peter Harr)
Free White Persons - Females - 40 thru 49: 1 (daughter & widow Elizabeth Beecher)
Free White Persons - Females - 70 thru 79: 1 (wife Susanna)
Total Free White Persons: 3.

15. Tombstone: Section 4H Plot 2, 26 May 1845, Greencastle, Franklin, PA. ^{3 19} Jack Webb, an historian and caretaker of the German Reformed Cemetery in Greencastle, reports the following graves:

JP Herr 1757-1845 Section 4H-2
Susannah 1762-1841 Section 4H-1 wife of JP
Peter Herr 1799-1848 Section 4H-3 son of JP
Conrad Herr 1798-1857 Section 4G-4 son of JP
Catharine Herr 1797-1882 Section 4G-5 wife of Conrad
WM Herr 1830-1838 Section 4G-3 son of Conrad
Hannah Herr 1868-1869: daughter of James and Mary. She is supposed to be here per 1971 Pfluger observations, but I have not found her.
George Herr 1835-1883 Section 5G-1

William Beecher 1769-1835; plot 4H-10. He married JP Herr's daughter Elizabeth b. 1793 who died after 1870 in Pottstown, PA.
Sarah A Beecher 1821-1839; daughter of William; she is supposed to be here per 1971 Pfluger observations, but I have not found her positively.

16. John P. Herr died intestate - no will. The court appointed Conrad Herr to administer the estate. On 22 Jul 1845 in Chambersburg, Franklin, PA. ²⁰ From Franklin County Administration Record Index 1700-1960 A-H:
Docket 4758 Herr John P.
Admin. Conrad Herr
Letter of Adm. 22 July 1845
Inventory 12 Aug 1845
Sale List 2 Oct 1845.

17. Franklin County Orphan's Court Documents in Mar 1848 in Chambersburg, Franklin, PA. ²¹ Volume F, page 19.
Citation. John P. Herr decd.
On petition of George M. Irwin by R. M. Bard Esq. his attorney the court grant a citation on Conrad Herr administrator of the estate of John P. Herr late of Greencastle in said county decd. to file his administration account of said estate in the register's office of said county for settlement on or before the first day of May next.

18. Franklin County Orphans' Court Dockets, Book F Page 97, John P. Herr on 15 Jan 1849 in Chambersburg, Franklin, PA. ²² Book F Page 97

At an Orphan's court held at Chambersburg in and for the County of Franklin Pennsylvania on the 15th day of January A. D. 1849 before the Hon. Jeremiah Henry Beeby and John Orr Esqs. Judges of our said Court

John P. Herr decd. Administration.
The court took into consideration the Account of Conrad Herr Administrator of John P. Herr decd. and did approve thereof balance in hands of accountant four hudnred and eleven dollars and seventy one cents.
Interest on this balance to be charged from July 22nd 1846.

19. Newspaper: Herald of Freedom: Legal Notice of Herr Estate Dispute, 17 Oct 1849, Hagerstown, Washington, MD. ⁵ Legal Notice published on 17 Oct 1849 in the newspaper Herald of Freedom, Hagerstown, MD:

No. 1080

George M. Irwin, Mary Irwin, his wife
vs.
Samuel Herr and wife,
William Herr and wife,
Daniel Herr and wife,
Conrad Herr and wife,
Elizabeth Beecher,
John Herr and wife.

In Washington County Court, sitting as a Court of Equity.

The object of the suit is to procure a decree for a sale of certain real estate, lots and houses, of which John P. Herr died seized and possessed.

The Bill states that said John P. Herr in the year 1844, departed this life in Franklin County, in the State of Pennsylvania, intestate, seized and possessed of certain lots and houses, (described in the bill and accompanying exhibit,) situate in Hagerstown, in Washington County, in the State of Maryland, leaving the said Complainants and Defendants as his heirs at law; that the said Samuel Herr and Susan Herr, his wife; William Herr, whose wife's Christian name is unknown, reside in the State of Ohio, or elsewhere beyond the jurisdiction of the Court; Daniel Herr, whose wife's Christian name is unknown, Conrad Herr and Catharine Herr, his wife; Elizabeth Beecher, widow, formerly Elizabeth Herr, resides in the State of Pennsylvania; Peter Herr, who departed this life, intestate, and unmarried, in Pennsylvania, in the year 1848; and John Herr and Sarah Herr his wife, reside in Williamsport, in Washington County, in the State of Maryland. That the Complainants and Defendants are seized as tenants in common in fee of said real estate, and this it would be for the interest and advantage of the Complainants and Defendants that said real estate should be sold and the proceeds divided according to the respective interest of the said parties. The bill further charges that John Herr has been the recipient of the rents of said real estate since the decease of said John P. Herr, and calls upon him for an account thereof to be taken under the direction of Washington County Court, as a Court of Equity.

It is thereupon adjudged and ordered that the Complainants, by causing a copy of this order to be inserted in some newspaper published at Hagerstown, once a week for one month before the 17th day of November next, give notice to the said absent Defendants of the object and substance of this bill; and warn them to appear in this Court in person or by solicitor, on or before the 18th day of February 1850, to answer the premises, and shew cause if any they have why a decree ought not to pass as prayed -- otherwise said bill will be taken pro confesso against said Defendants.

True copy -- Test:
Isaac Nesbitt, Cl'k.
October 17, 1849.

John married Susannah Weiss. (Susannah Weiss was born on 13 Dec 1762,^{1 23} died on 14 Mar 1841 in Greencastle, Franklin, PA ^{1 23} and was buried in Greencastle: German Reformed Cemetery, Franklin, PA ^{1 23}.)