|
People do not tend to make major changes in their lives if they are comfortable with the status quo. To leave known surroundings and move to obviously dangerous and challenging frontiers requires the utmost in courage and faith--and they must be DRIVEN. As English Quakers, the Bachelor/Batchelors, Birds, and Berrys had no choice--they were imprisoned and deported to the Virginia and Maryland Colonies in 1648. In 1729 in Germany, the Dieter/Teter/teeters belonged to a sect known as the Brethren, German Baptists, or Dunkards, and were forced to either convert or flee by the Lutherans. They came to Philadelphia and were absorbed into the massive Scotch-Irish immigration. Quakers were persecuted in Maryland for not fighting against the Indians; in Virginia for not joining the Church of England. Many went to the new frontier in North Carolina in the late 1600s where they were joined by the Scotch-Irish--and the Teeters.
In 1776 at the yearly Quaker meeting in Philadelphia, Quakers were told that they must free all their slaves and move to non-slave areas. By 1800, all Quakers had released their slaves and many left North Carolina via the 'Wilderness Road' for the new territories of Ohio and Indiana. Some, including my ancestors, dropped off in Kentucky and Tennessee.
Following the 'Louisiana Purchase' in 1803, many from both the OH/IN and the KY/IN contingents merged in Missouri (between
1820-1850). That many had kept in touch during this period of separation is apparent by the fact that they usually settled in the same counties in Missouri.
The Civil War began about 10 years early in what is known as the Kansas/Missouri Border War. This discomfort coupled with the fact that Texas joined the union in 1845 caused a migration toward Texas beginning around 1850 and lasted until well after the war. Many of the Teeters went to Texas before the war; the Bachelors, Birds and Berrys stayed and supported Quantril's Raiders and, later, they continued to fight the war through the James/Younger organization. Ultimately, they lost and many more had also moved to Texas by 1876.
When cheap land became available in what is now Oklahoma (c.1894), some moved there.
Anything more than a minimum formal education usually was not only unnecessary, it was not available. Essentials such as when and what to plant, how to care for plants and animals, and how to harvest were taught at home.
The primary social gathering was spending all day Sunday at church with 'dinner on the ground'. This was often the only chance for young folks to meet and marry and usually within one small congregation there were not many choices. Quite often several children of one family would marry several children of another.
The lack of education was often responsible for various spellings of the name even though the sound of the name usually remained the same. Examples are Bachelor/Batchelor/Batchler/Bachlor and Dieter/Teter/Teater/Teeter.
These hardy pioneers did not begin with a goal of founding a great nation--it was to care for themselves and their loved ones as best they could--but found a great nation they did!
WE HAVE THEM TO THANK FOR THE MANY BLESSINGS THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED TODAY!!
|
