Peter Walter, farmer, Wabash Township, resides on section 30, where he owns 160 acres of land. He was born in Adams County, Pennsylvania, December 30, 1816, and when he was nine years old went with his parents to Columbiana County, Ohio, where the father rented an improved farm. They lived there thirteen years, then removed to this county, locating on section 22, Wabash Township, where the father entered eighty acres of land from the Government. He lived upon that farm until his death. He was born in Schuykill County, Pennsylvania, in April, 1790, was a shoemaker in early life but later followed farming. He died in 1865, and is buried at the cemetery situated on the State line. The mother, Susanna Walter, died in 1873 and is buried beside the father. They had three sons that served during the late war: Daniel, William and Washington. The father was drafted during the war of 1812, and furnished a substitute.
Peter was married November 10, 1842, to Miss Harriet Montgomery, born in Steuben County, New York, January 25, 1816, where she passed her early life. In the spring of 1839 she came to this county with her father, who settled on section 31, Wabash Township. Her mother died before they came from New York. Mrs. Walter died October 20, 1868, leaving seven children -Arabella J., born September 40, 1844, died in January, 1877; Catherine A., born June 3, 1847, wife of G. Phillips; ThomasS., born July 15, 1849; Mary A., born July 28, 1851, died in July, 1877; Fletcher G., born May 24, 1854, married Nettie West April 10, 1879; William H., born February 4, 1857, married in Noble Township; Roger S., born August 18, 1859.
April 7, 1872, Mr. Walter was married to Mary Hahn, who was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, September 30, 1825. She came to this county in 1872. Her father, Jacob Hahn, was born in Maryland and died when eighty-three years of age in 1869. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. Her mother, Mary (Wickerd) Hahn, was born in Germany and came to America when three years old with her parents and three other children, the family locating in Columbiana County, Ohio. Mrs. Walter was first married to Jacob Hine, a native of Pennsylvania, who died of apoplexy in January, 1860, aged thirty-seven years. She had two children by this marriage -Albertus D., born August 30, 1850, and John B., born May 28, 1852. Mrs. Walter's mother died in Stark County, Ohio, at the age of eighty-eight years.
Mr. Walter's grandfather, Henry Walter,
was born in Schuykill County, Pennsylvania, and died in Adams County, same
State, aged eighty-four years; he was of German descent. The Runnells were
probably born in Maryland, near Hagerstown. Mrs. Walter's grandparents all
died before her recollection. The Hahns and Wickerds were of German descent,
and the Montgomerys were of English origin. Mr. and Mrs. Walter settled upon
their present farm in 1844. Mr. Walter was a Republican until 1884, at which
time he voted for St. John.
Biographical & Historical
Record of Jay County, Indiana, Lewis Publishing Company, 1887