Rebecca Mathilde Giering

014_003

As of September 15, 2000 (Go To Index of Names)

SOURCE

Date of Action What or Who is reported upon. What is the source(s) - From Where does the Information come. Early, 1985 Initial Information on Rebecca Emmaus Moravian Church records via Sister, Sandy 1989 Followup information on the family Family tree chart (dated about Mar 3, 1973) received from fifth generation Grandchild, Rebecca (Becky) Solt Jul, 1996 Page 79: DOB & POB for Principal. Page 91: DOM, POM for Principal and spouse Page 97: Confirmation into Emmaus Moravian Church for Principal Page 111: Repeat of page 79. Page 121: DOB, POB & baptism for son, Edwin Page 128: DOB, POB & baptism for son, Morris. Page 167: DOB, POB & baptism for son, Robert Joel Emmaus Moravian Church Records as found in the Moravian Archives Data: July 16, 1998; posted: April 17, 1999 DOD, POD: Joel & Edwin; DOB, POB, DOD, POD for Henry and Maria with spouse name for Maria. Also POI for all five Cemetery Information from Mr. Eisenhardt, Emmaus Moravian Cemetery.

Date of Action What or Who is reported upon. What is the source(s) - From Where does the Information come. April 17, 1999 Re-ordered children to chronologic order Based on DOB from previous sources May 6, 1999 Change of Joel's DOD & his second wife, Mary Giering - who is she??? From Knauss Genealogy (pages 41 & 42), book borrowed from Alton Knauss. Data: July 15, 1998; posted: August 20, 1999 Alternative DOB, etc for Robert, (shown in comment below) From Emmaus Moravian Church records: August 1913 - January 1949 Oct 8, 1999 Joel's baptism, POB, second wife, First child's alternative name, Info on son, Richard and additional son, Milton, Joel's second marriage and the historical quotes below. E-Mail from Barbara Morgenstern, Joel and Rebecca's Great-Granddaughter; dated Oct 8, 1999, Subject: Joel Ritter. Data Found: August 25, 2000; Poster: September 15, 2000 The quotation indicating that Joel Ritter was one of the main founders of the Coopersburg Moravian Church Records for the Coopersburg Moravian Church as found at the Moravian Archives

OCCUPATION:Unknown

ADDRESS:

EDUCATION:Unknown

HISTORICAL QUOTES:

The following was taken from "The History of Lehigh County." as found by Barbara Ann (Ritter) Morgenstern:

In his youth Joel was a farmer, then engaged in cabinet making and undertaking business at Vera Cruz; then took up house painting at Emaus. He later moved to Coopersburg where he conducted a furniture and undertaking business until his death in 1902.

Additional information submitted by Barbara Ann Morgenstern:
- Joel was also became a Justice of the Peace February 17, 1880.
- Joel was instrumental in starting the Moravian Church in Coopersburg.
- The following quote were taken from the old records of the Coopersburg Moravian Church (1883-1949).

On a Thursday evening in 1883 (October 25, 1883), 12 brothers and sisters (Joel and Rebecca included) an after ferverently calling upon the Lord Jesus to guide them in the deliberations of the evening, determined to organize themselves into a Brethern's Congregation.

Joel Ritter born in Salisbury Township, Lehigh County, PA, April 24, 1830, baptized June 20, 1830 by the Reverend Mr. Seller; married twice; the first union in holy wedlock with Rebecca M. Giering was blessed with 9 children, 7 boys and 2 girls. Irwin D. who died in infancy, Richard William, Maria Louise, who died September 12, 1899, Robert Joel, Rebecca Lydianne, Milton Daniel, Morris George, John Martin and Henry Alfred. After the death of his first wife, he was again united in marriage with Mrs. Mary Ann Sieves (nee Giering), a cousin of his first wife on October 11, 1875 which union was without issue. After this marriage he became a communicant member of the Moravian Church at Emmaus, moving to Coopersburg some years later, where he spent the rest of his years and died on a Thursday, July 3, 1902. Aged 72 years, 2 months and 9 days. Bro. Ritter was the prime worker of what has since become the Moravian Church at this place, having invited the pastor of the Emmaus Church to preach here occasionally and frequently offering his house for the purpose of holding prayer meetings.

Bro. Ritter suffered from rheumatism constantly for about four years during all of which time the disease grew, gradually more aggravated. The last illness making him bedfast for about 12 days, was general paralysis. Funeral services were conducted at the house by the pastor Rev. D., assisted by the Rev. C.Grist of Bethlehem at the church, home and grave in the Moravian Cemetery in Emmaus where interment was made.

The following is an extract from the "Coopersburg [Moravian] Church records, Pages 1 through ??? titled "A Brief History of the beginning of the Coopersburg Brethern Congretation"

Shortly after Rev. L. P. Clewell became the stationed Pastor of the Emmaus Congregation, he was invited by Father John Giering to accompany him on a visit to the family of his Daughter, Mrs. Joel Ritter residing in the village of Coopersburg and, together with her husband members of the Emmaus Congregation. While there Bro Joel Ritter expressed the wish that we might keep an occasional service for them, stating at the same time that there were some other Moravian families living in and around the town and that there was no Churchin the Borough, no organized congregation and no stated services. *** The request [was] renued from time to time and in the spring of 1883 several more Moravian Families moving into the place, Bro Ritter and Bro. L Clewell *** [made] a formal request to the Pastor and through him to the Emmaus Board of Elders to favor them with an Occasional service. *** in accordance with previous arrangements preached in the Odd Fellows Hall in the German Language May 27, 1883 (in the evening) to a large audience and in accordance with their wishes promised to preach *** every four weeks.
***
Thursday [Oct 25] at 7 evening twelve members met at the house of Bro. Joel Ritter to consider the advisability of organizing a Brethern Congregation in Coopersburg. *** After mature deliberation it was unanimously Resolved to Organize.
***
It was resolved as soon as the formal consent of the PEC was obtained to perfied[sic] the organization.
***
Dec 9 Lords Day - having obtained the formal consent of the PEC the congregation was formally organized this afternoon.
***

MEDICAL INFORMATION:
Rheumatism & Paralysis - See the last paragraph of the Historical Quote above.

COMMENTARY:
She: Confirmed into the Emmaus Moravian Church Congregation in 1852.
From Emmaus Moravian Church: August 1913 - January 1949
Page 69:
Ritter, Robt J{tab, parents}Joel Ritter{tab, DOB,POB,Bapt}Salisbury, Nov 15, 1862{tab, Conf}Apr 4, 1878, dropped and reinstated Jun, 1918