Joseph TETER

Biography by Professor Joseph M. Kellogg Joseph Teter was born on the North Fork in what is now PendletonCounty, Virginia, May 2, 1773, He first appears as a witness to themarriage bond of Hannah Teter (daughter of Paul and Rebecca Teter) whomarried Peter Mitchell on Aug. 27, 1791. Joseph Teter was also in thesame company of militia on Sept. 6, 1794, as his brothers (Capt. Wm.Gragg's company) (Morton, p. 400). He is mentioned in his father'swill in 1795 of course and is willed certain land in Harrison CountyOn Nov. 23, 1798, he was a witness to the marriage bond of his sisterMary Teter who married Uriah Shoulders. The will of one Richard Harness, dated Aug. 19, 1799, was recorded onSept. 3, 1799. (Pendleton County will book 1, p. 258). In this will,Harness, who was "very sick" etc. left "to my good friend JosephTeeter, whom I appoint as sole executor," all clothing, bed, beddingand furniture "in the house I now dwell in" that belonged to him,together with "sums of money due me from John Strauther, Francis Evickand others," also ½ the crops of corn and wheat. Then to "MarieatTeter" he left the remaining half of the crops. This will waswitnessed by Benjamin Conrad and John Sharpe. [signature of JosephTeter omitted] Signature of Joseph Teter to his accounts as Executor of the estate ofRichard Harness. dated Sept. 3, 1799 (From the original in thePendleton County files). The total appraisement of Harness' estate amounted to 23 pounds(Probably he was a young, unmarried man). The "Mariet Teter"mentioned was the wife of Joseph Teter. Joseph Teter married, Dec. 25, 1798, Mary Sharpe. She was thedaughter of Joseph Sharpe, and was born March 3, 1781. On March 6, 1797, Samuel Redman and wife Molly sold to Joseph Teter,for 70 pounds, 250 acres of land in the Timber hills west of the NorthFork next above Paul Teter's land, and another tract of 133 acres insame locality. Recorded March 6, 1797 (Pendleton Deed book #2, p.322). On July 2, 1805, Joseph Teter and Mary wife sold this sameland, for 150 pounds, to George Teter. Both Joseph and Mary sign thedeed. Recorded July 2, 1805 (Pendleton Deed book #4, p. 165). Tracing of Signatures to this deed. [omitted] This disposal of his land was evidently in preparation for removingfrom Pendleton County He did leave about the latter part of the year1805, and went to Harrison County, presumably settling there on thatland which his father had willed to him, on "a branch of the BrushyFork of Elk". Joseph Teter appeared on the Personal tax lists forPendleton County from 1799 to 1805 inclusive, and on the Land Taxlists beginning in 1798 and continuing through 1805. In Harrison County, Joseph Teter first appears on the Personal Taxlists in 1806, as "Joseph Teters", and continues to appear there untilhis death in 1848. He lived on Coplin's Run, a branch of the BrushyFork of Elk river, not far from the present town of Bridgeport. Onthe Land Tax lists he is credited with 2 tracts, one of 200 acres andthe other of 133 acres. Joseph Teter died on Sept. 15, 1848. The appraisement of his estate,made by George Kayser, Wm. Stewart and S. Long, was dated Nov. 18,1848 and recorded Jan. 15, 1849. The administrator of the estate wasJames C. Teter, but the latter soon died himself, and was succeeded byTheopilus Lawson. (Harrison County Inventories Book 6, pp. 441, 482,and 502). In Lawson's accounts he speaks of the widow Catherine, and10 children: Mary Ann Tyson wife of Thornton Tyson, Barbara wife ofFleming Cottrill, Jane, wife of John Kennedy, Elizabeth wife of EliasLawson, John Teter, Sarah wife of John Day, Joseph Teter, George W.Teter, the heirs of James C. Teter, and Hannah wife of John Harris. The first wife of Joseph Teter having died about 1812-14, he marriedsecondly, in Harrison County on Feb. 26, 1816, Catherine Warner. Theminister who performed this marriage was Rev. Shadrack Johnson. Themarriage bond was dated Feb. 19, 1816, and James Coplin was surety forJoseph Teter. Tracing of signature of Joseph Teter to his marriage bond Feb. 19,1816 [omitted] Several years before, on Jan. 3, 1807, Joseph Teter had been suretyfor John Clark to marry Matilda Warner (probably a sister or relativeof his own future wife). Signature to this bond. [omitted] As his own children grew up and married, Joseph Teter usually signedtheir marriage bonds. The first of such is that of Fleming Cottrillto marry Barbara Teter, dated Aug. 27, 1816. [signature omitted] Other Signatures to marriage bonds: [omitted] Catherine (Warner) Teter, the second wife of Joseph Teter, was bornApril 14, 1783, and she died April 3, 1862 (according to familyrecords). The official death records of Harrison County give thissame date of death. Her age is given as 80 years.

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