BIO:  ALTER Family, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
   
  Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Joe Patterson
  OCRed by Judy Banja

  Copyright 2004.  All rights reserved.
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/
  _____________________________________________________________

  >From Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania,
  Chicago: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905, pages 586-587
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  NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios:
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/zeamer/


    ALTER. Jacob Alter came from France in the ship "Beulah," which arrived at
  Philadelphia in September, 1753. His father was Swiss and his mother was a
  native of France. He first settled in Lancaster county, Pa., and remained
  there about sixteen years. On Dec. 4, 1769, he sold his land in Lancaster
  county, and on Dec. 29, 1769, purchased land in West Pennsboro township,
  Cumberland county. The ancestor on the maternal side, Graeffe, came from
  Switzerland about 1696 and purchased land near Germantown in 1704. In 1718 he
  removed to what is now Earl township, Lancaster county, Pa., and took up 1500
  acres of land. As indicated by the name, he was an earl and Earl township was
  named for him. He died there in May, 1746, leaving six sons and three
  daughters. Jacob Alter married Veronica, daughter of the Earl (Graeffe). He
  went to Washington county about 1808, and died there about 1812. He was a
  colonel in the Revolutionary war and

    CUMBERLAND COUNTY.  587

  served eighteen years in the State Legislature. His wife, Veronica, was a
  Mennonite. He had four sons and three daughters. Susanna, the youngest
  daughter, married Gov. Joseph Ritner. Jacob Alter, the second son, remained
  on the plantation in Cumberland county. He was born in 1773, and served
  twenty-two years in the State Legislature. He was of Quaker faith. He died in
  1839, leaving six sons and three daughters: Jacob, Benjamin, John, Simon,
  William, David, Susan (married Samuel McCormick), Eliza (married George
  Graham), and Mary (married Doctor Chigston). Jacob was a Presbyterian
  minister; David was a physician, and William purchased the old home of his
  ancestry.

    For several years previous to his purchasing the home of his ancestors,
  William Alter was employed to superintend the canal works. He married Sarah
  Stark, a direct descendant of Gen. John Stark, of Revolutionary fame. He
  passed away highly respected as a citizen and esteemed by his friends and
  neighbors for his many good traits, Aug. 31, 1873, at the age of seventy-one
  years. His wife, Sarah (Stark) Alter, died Oct. 21, 1901, aged eighty-nine
  years, eight months and nine days. William Alter's family consisted of six
  sons and three daughters: Simon B., Mary, Jacob, Henry H., John, Columbus,
  Josephine, Sarah Elizabeth and W. S. All of these children are dead excepting
  Jacob and John, of Kansas, and Josephine and W. S. Alter, of West Pennsboro.

    W. S. ALTER, the youngest of the above family, purchased the home of his
  ancestry and resides there. On Feb. 14, 1889, he married Anna Minerva Bear,
  daughter of Francis and Catherine (Beidler) Bear, of West Pennsboro, and has
  three daughters and one son: Alice, Ruth, Sarah and W. Stark Alter.

    Josephine Alter, the only surviving daughter of William and Sarah (Stark)
  Alter, resides near the old homestead. She was a teacher in the public
  schools of Cumberland county for a number of years. After leaving her work
  here she entered Holyoke Female College and after leaving college she taught
  in Massachusetts and in Kansas.