Johann Peter Tarter (1764 - 1843)

Born 10 Mar 1764 in Lancaster County, Province of Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth (Moore) Tartar — married 6 Jun 1787 in Christiansburg, Montgomery, Virginia, United States

Husband of Elizabeth (Moore) Tarter — married 6 Jun 1787 in Montgomery, Virginia, United States

Descendants

Died Apr 1843 at age 79 in Pulaski County, Kentucky, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Iona Harris [send private message], Jeffrey Metius [send private message], and Roger Houchin [send private message]

Biography

• marriage to Elizabeth Moore^[1][2][3][4]

Event:

• Military Service.

Peter Tarter, born March 10, 1764 in Pennsylvania; died Abt. 1843 in Pulaski County, Kentucky. He was the son of Johann Balthaser (Balzer) Tarter and 177. Magdelena Wampler. He married 89. Elizabeth Moore June 06, 1787 in Montgomery County, Virginia224. 89. Elizabeth Moore born 1769 in Virginia; died Deceased in Montgomery County, Virginia. She was the daughter of 178. John Frederick Mohr and 179. Elizabeth Kinser.

Notes for Peter Tarter: Peter Tarter's Revolutionary War pension application gives most of the information known about him.^[5] After he moved to Pulaski County, Kentucky, he settled on White Oak Creek in the western part of the county.

One story was passed on to Oral Tarter by the late honorable Roscoe C. Tarter, Circuit judge of Pulaski and Rockcastle Counties, Kentucky.

As the story goes, Captain Peter Tarter's unit was assigned a position to the northwest of Yorktown, Virginia, in the famous battle of Yorktown. As the English grew desperate during the siege, an attempt was made to break out of their encirclement. Two small forces fought an important battle. The American force was under the command of Peter Darter/Tarter. The British were repulsed and Peter Darter/Tarter went to General Washington with a full report.

After the briefing, General Washington was said to have inquired as to the Captain's name, and the reply was given "Peter Darter?Tarter". Whereupon, General Washington stated, "Sir, I believe you would more appropriately be called a Tarter" (referring to the famous mongols who were noted for their fierceness in battle).

It is said that Captain Darter/Tarter then received a promotion, and on his certificate was the name of "Peter Tarter". When the news spread among the brothers of Peter, several of them, including Peter, changed their name to Tarter out of respect for General Washington.

Another story says that Lord Cornwallis surrendered his army through General O'Hara to General George Washington in the home of Peter Tarter's father-in-law, Frederick Moore, thus ending the war for independence.

Through the years there has been confusion over the spelling of the Tarter name. Peter and Christian Tarter were listed on the 1769 tax list in Fox Borough Township, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. Nicholas Tarter sold land in Lincoln county, North Carolina in 1780.

When the family moved to Wythe County, Virginia, for some reason, the name was sometimes spelled Darter.

One story is that two brothers had an argument over a line fence, and one said that if that was the way Tarter's acted, he wasn't going to be a Tarter anymore. Probably, it was only that the English-speaking clerks didn't understand the German speaking Tarters. In Wythe County court records, the name would be spelled Darter one place and Tarter in another. Once, both spellings were used in the same deed. Many of the family members who stayed in Virginia adopted the Darter spelling, but all who moved to Kentucky retained the Tarter spelling. Even after the family came to Kentucky, more confusion arose over the spelling. Sometimes the name was spelled Tartar, and some still use this spelling.

There was a family in the Pfalz-Rhineland region of Germany, who in the early 1700's sometimes spelled their name Tarter, though in later years it was spelled Tarter. This may be the origin of the Tarter family in America. The Darter-Tarter family had strong religious beliefs and many belonged to the Masonic Order. Many received decorations for their service and lost their lives in battle. The family has included many doctors, ministers, judges, senators, career servicemen, and other prominent people. The Tarter family moved to Lincoln County, North Carolina about 1765, according to Peter Tarter's war record, before moving to Wytheville, Virginia between 1772 and 1780. Along the way the name changed from Darter to Tarter and a number of the Tarter's relocated to Pulaski county, Kentucky.

In the early 1800's, five Tarter's settled in Pulaski County, Kentucky. They were John, Peter, Christian, Frederick, and Daniel. Peter, Daniel, and Frederick were on the Pulaski County Tax list for the first time in 1806. Christian Tarter was added to the tax list in 1808. John wasn't added until 1811, but all five were definitely living there in 1811. All evidence indicates that John, Peter, Christian, Frederick, and Daniel were brothers, and the sons of Johann Balzer Darter/Tarter, who left a will in Wythe County, Virginia in 1800 naming "my three youngest sons, Christian, Frederick, and Daniel." This infers that there were older sons, who had probably been provided for by their father earlier.

Peter's application for a pension for his service in the Revolutionary War gives an excellent account of the early movements of his family. When Peter appeared in court March 17, 1834, he gave his age as about 76 years and stated:

"That while a resident of the county of Lincoln, State of North Carolina the day month or year not now remembered, but he well recollects that it was about two months before Cornwallis besieged and took the city of Charleston he was drafted to seven eighteen months in the company of Capt. Jacob Mooney...was from thence marched to the lead mines on New River in said state of Virginia and was stationed at said lead mines to guard and protect same...from thence was marched to the Flower Gap Mountain...We were then marched back to Harper's Ferry on New River...my feet having become so inflamed and swollen from long and frequent forced marches was unable to continue with the army and was permitted to rest a few days at the home of an uncle and after a few days he was sufficiently recovered to join the company again at the lead mines...afterwards a resident of Wythe County state of Virginia a call was made by the government for soldiers to serve in the company of Captain Findley...He has no documentary evidence whatever of his service...for the last fourteen years he has been deprived of sight by the loss of both eyes...He was born in the state of Pennsylvania, the county not recollected, being very young only seven or eight when his father moved from the state. He was born on the 10th day of March, the year he does not know. He has no record of his age and states his age from his present recollection of information as to his age from his parents. He was according to the information he had received in his seventeenth year when he entered the service for the first time...after the Revolutionary War he lived in Wythe County Virginia until he removed to Kentucky and settled at his present place of residence in Pulaski County."^[6][7][8]

There is a discrepancy in his age as he gave it when applying for his pension and what it would have been if he was 16 when he first entered service. It seems he would be more apt to remember his age at such an important time of his life as going into the service, than when he was an old man who had been blind for years. If 80, he would have been born in 1764, and would have moved to North Carolina about 1771 or 1772. Peter and Elizabeth sold their land in Wythe County, Virginia in October of 1805, which confirms their move to Kentucky in time to be included on the 1806 tax lists.

In Pulaski County, in August of 1811, Peter was appointed executor of the estate of Frederick Tarter, deceased, with John Tarter his surety (Estates Book A, page 405). This indicates that Peter and John were older brothers of Frederick. Nothing has been found to indicate that Frederick was ever married. [Source: C. Joyce, Tarter family researcher. Most of his information comes from the following books: 1.) The Kentucky Tarter's by Elmeree Tarter Oakley. 2.) The Darter-Tarter Daughters Family by Bertha Van Mondfrans Darter. 3.) Darter Register Report from Karen Robison Giacel one. 4.) Pruitt Family History-Descendants of Polly Tarter. 5.) E-mail and other correspondence with Tarter descendants. 6.) LDS Family History Center - ancestral file].

Notes for Elizabeth Moore: October 1805 Sold land in Wythe County, Virginia. [Source: My Extended Family - http:/worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-binigm.cgi?op=GET&db=:782531&id=I367 52928]. 3 Children of Peter Tarter and Elizabeth Moore are:

i. Elizabeth Tarter227, born Abt. 1788 in Montgomery County, Virginia227; died Deceased; married Samuel Crockett 1804 in Wythe County, Virginia227; died Deceased.

ii. Mary Jane Tarter227, born Abt. 1790 in Wythe County, Virginia227; died Deceased; married Aaron Terpin July 25, 1806 in Pulaski County, Kentucky227^[9]; died Deceased.

iii. Sally Tarter227, born Abt. 1792 in Holstein River, Wythe County, Virginia227; died Deceased; married James Fitzgerrell February 27, 1890 in Pulaski County, Kentucky227; born February 27, 1820 in Pulaski County, Kentucky228; died Deceased.

iv. Peter Tarter229, born June 10, 1797 in Holstein River, Wythe County, Virginia230; died Deceased; married Polly Pierce May 16, 1826 in Pulaski County, Kentucky230; born 1805230; died Deceased.

v. John Tarter231, born August 21, 1799 in Wythe County, Virginia232; died March 21, 1870 in Pulaski County, Kentucky232; married Nancy Lawrence October 05, 1826 in Pulaski County, Kentucky232; born February 10, 1807 in Virginia232; died February 05, 1882 in Pulaski County, Kentucky232.

More About John Tarter: Burial: Unknown, Tarter Cemetery, Faubush, Kentucky232. 3 More About Nancy Lawrence: Burial: Unknown, Tarter Cemetery, Faubush, Kentucky232.

vi. Frederick Tarter233, born January 22, 1801 in Holstein River, Wythe County, Virginia233,234; died October 17, 1869 in Marion, Iowa234; married Christiana Whiteley September 25, 1824 in Pulaski County, Kentucky234; born October 07, 1805 in Adair County, Kentucky235; died December 18, 1867 in Pulaski County, Kentucky235.

More About Frederick Tarter: Burial: Unknown, Bridges Cemetery236. vii. Michael Tarter237, born Abt. 1802 in Wythe County, Virginia238; died Abt. 1875 in Pulaski County, Kentucky238; married Joicy Ann Lawrence January 27, 1824 in Pulaski County, Kentucky238; born Abt. 1807 in Pulaski County, Kentucky238; died Abt. 1883 in Pulaski County, Kentucky238.

More About Joicy Ann Lawrence: Burial: Unknown, Tarter Cemetery, Naomi, Kentucky238.

viii. Chrisley Tarter239, born Abt. 1803 in Wythe County, Virginia239; died Bef. January 08, 1863 in Pulaski County, Kentucky239; married Avis Davidson October 10, 1833 in Pulaski County, Kentucky239; born July 02, 1814239; died Deceased.

ix. Sarasha Tarter239, born 1808 in Pulaski County, Kentucky240; died October 1884 in Adair County, Kentucky240; married Abraham J. Floyd December 07, 1835 in Pulaski County, Kentucky240; born 1807 in Pulaski County, Kentucky240; died 1883 in Adair County, Kentucky240.

x. Lydia Tarter241, born April 02, 1808 in Pulaski County, Kentucky242; died September 1849 in Carroll, Arkansas242; married Samuel Whitely January 08, 1830 in Pulaski County, Kentucky243; born 1809244; died Aft. 1830244.

xi. Laban Tarter245, born Abt. 1810 in Pulaski County, Kentucky245; died Bef. 1849 in Pulaski County, Kentucky245; married Mary Ann Dalton March 07, 1838 in Pulaski County, Kentucky245; born June 1816 in Pulaski County, Kentucky245; died Aft. 1870246.

Johann was born in 1764. He passed away in 1843. ^[10]

Sources

1. ↑ Elizabeth Moore Name: Elizabeth Moore Spouse: Peter Darter, Tarter Marriage Date: 5 Jun 1787 Marriage Location: Montgomery County, Virginia
2. ↑ Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. (https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=7836&h=1197420&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=60525)
3. ↑ Tarter, Peter -Eliz bond (https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/tree/89861088/person/82003552849/media/0162659c-10de-49e8-9e06-d0ebfbbdac10?_phsrc=Grn129&_phstart=successSource)
4. ↑ Ancestry.com. Virginia, Select Marriages, 1785-1940 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2014. (https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=60214&h=4846526&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=7836)
5. ↑ Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files (NARA microfilm publication M804, 2,670 rolls). Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15. National Archives, Washington, D.C. (https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/1995/MIUSA1775D_136973-00423?pid=59867&backurl=https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid%3D1995%26h%3D59867%26indiv%3Dtry%26o_vc%3DRecord:OtherRecord%26rhSource%3D7836&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&_ga=2.89585945.36163960.1587558682-1797140288.1580837356) images 420-446
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1810," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YY2-S5WP?cc=1803765&wc=QZZC-BBG%3A1588180103%2C1588181718%2C1588181415 : 1 December 2015), Kentucky > Pulaski > Somerset > image 12 of 38; citing NARA microfilm publication M252, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1820," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHGF-QJ8 : accessed 13 April 2019), Peter Tarter Sr, Somerset, Pulaski, Kentucky, United States; citing p. 67, NARA microfilm publication M33, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 27; FHL microfilm 186,187
8. ↑ "United States Census, 1830," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYYJ-99Q1?cc=1803958&wc=35YH-9LS%3A1588469303%2C1588470115%2C1588469601 : 14 August 2015), Kentucky > Pulaski > Not Stated > image 79 of 118; citing NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
9. ↑ Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954 (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG1D-5NXP
10. ↑ Unsourced family tree handed down to Iona (Myers) Harris.

• Jillson, Willard Rouse. The Kentucky Land Grants. Vol. I-II. Louisville, KY, USA: Filson Club Publications, 1925. (https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=2073&h=57185&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=7836)

• Find-a-Grave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/183911596)

• Pulaski County, Kentucky by Mary Weddle Kaurish (http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~twspence/valorie/pulaski/history/pulhist.html)

• Vital Information from FamilySearch.com

Acknowledgments

• Tarter Histories and Fulton County Illinois Report, Census Records