My 5th great-grand father, Hans William Dieter, was born in 1731.  In about 
1750, he married Elizabeth Bier (Beer/Bear) in Northampton County, PA.  They had 
eight children, listed below.  Records from Easton, PA show that he "owned 200 
acres of land, 3 horses and 2 cattle in 1785 and 1786."

According to one account, Hans William (known as John, with his surname also 
spelled as Deeter) served in Capt. Frederick Coon's Company in 1782.  The Sons 
of the American Revolution graves database, year 2000, says he left the service 
as a Captain.  He is buried at the Zion Stone Church Cemetery in Kreidersville, 
Northampton County, PA.  He died in 1824.  Following is his will:

"In the Name of God Amen I Hans William Deeter of Lehigh Township in the county 
of Northampton and Common Wealth of Pennsylvania Yeoman being Weak of Body but 
of sound mind memory and Judgement through the Mercy and Goodness of God Do make 
this my last will and Testament as followeth. 

First, I do order all my just and lawful Debts and also the Expenses of 
my Funeral to be honorably paid and discharged by my Executors hereinafter 
mentioned And I do hereby give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Elizabeth One 
Young horse a good side sadle one Cow and one Sheep Besides her Lawful due out 
of all my Estate Real and Personal and that She shall have all the use and 
Possession and Profits of my Plantation untill my Youngest Son William shall 
Arrive to the full age of twenty-one Years. 

I also give and Bequeath to my Eldest Son Adam one Horse besides what is 
hereafter left him And as for and concerning all the rest and Residue of my 
Estate Real and Personal whereof I now am or at the time of my decease shall 
Seized or Possessed I do hereby empower and direct my Executors herein after 
named of the Surviver or the Executors of the Surviver of them to sell and 
dispose of these, the Personal Estate as soon as conveniently may be after my 
decease.  And the Real Estate to be sold for the best price that can be gotten 
for the same as soon as my Youngest Son is of full age. 

And I do hereby Impower and Authorise my Executors herein after named of the 
Surviver or the Executors of the surviver of them to make Acknowledge and 
Deliver good and Sufficient Deed or Deeds to the Purchaser or Purchasers to hold 
to him them his or their Heirs and Assigns for Ever.  And the Monies Arriving 
therefrom after my Debts and funeral Charges are paid and the above Bequeathment 
to my wife that the Law allows her from Real Estate be first Paid deducted and 
Satisfied then the Neat Money arriving therefrom to be divided equally to and 
among my eight children share and share alike namely 

My Sons Adam, John, and William and my daughters Ann (the wife of John Linn), 
Hannah (the wife of George Deal) Julian (the wife of Conrad Meyer) Susanna (the 
wife of Leonard Beck) and Elizabeth Deducting nevertheless from the share of my 
son Adam the Sum of Sixty Pounds which will be due to me on a Bond from him the 
twenty-fifth day of September in the Year One thousand and Seven hundred and 
Eight-four Deducting also nevertheless from the share of my son John the Sum of 
Forty-five Pound which will be due and payable to me the day aforsaid which two 
Sums are to be deducted from their Respective shares without charging them any 
Interest it being for two tracts of Land that I have sold to them. 

And I Do hereby nominate and appoint my Brother-in-law Enoch Bear and my Nephew 
John Deeter both of Northampton County Yeoman to be Executors of this my last 
will and Testament hereby Revoking all other wills and Testaments by me 
heretofore made and declaring this only as and for my last Will and Testament.  
In Witness whereof I the said Hans William Deeter have hereunto Set my hand and 
Seal the tenth day of December in the Year of our Lord One thousand Seven 
hundred and eight-three.
         
Hans William (X) Deeter
         
The will was filed on 29 May 1790."
         
Source: Northampton County Pennsylvania Wills and Estates, File #1345.  
Transcribed by Michael Darnel and OCRed by Ron Bauerle. (paragraphs added for 
readability)

The International Genealogical Index provides the following birth dates for John 
Dieter's children: Adam, Jan 27, 1751; John, Abt 1753; Hannah, Abt 1755; 
Susanna, 1757, my 4th great-grandmother; Juliana, 1759; Anna Catherine, Abt 
1760; Elizabeth, 1763; William, Abt 1766.  All were born in Moore Township, 
Northampton County, PA.

Additional information about the children's mother, Elizabeth, my 5th great-
grandmother, may be found in Genealogical Abstracts of Orphans Court Records, 
Northampton County, Pennsylvania, Volumes A-E, 1752-1795, by Candace E. 
Anderson, p. 117.  On March 21, 1782, there was an inquest about the land owned 
by Elizabeth's father, John Beer, my 6th great-grandfather, who had recently 
died.  The abstract follows:

"Estate of John Beer, Lehigh Township, 3 contiguous tracts-request inquest:
     land: total of 250 acres, adjoining Martin Single, Dewalt Fahringer, and 
others
     widow: Anna
     8 children:	Amos
			Enoch [listed in John Dieter's will]
    			Adam
 			John
			Moses, died in lifetime of his father, left 4 children, all  
				minors: 
				Samuel
				David
				Jacob
				Rachel
			Samuel, died in the lifetime of his father, left 2 children, 
				both under age 14: 
				Ann
				Cleora
			Elizabeth, wife of William Dieter 
			Susanna"

[Subsequent court records regarding the appointment of legal guardians for 
Moses' children state that Jacob and Rachel were captured and being held 
prisoners by the Delaware Indians.]

Compiled by Barbara Beck-Ramsay, September 8, 2000