An American Family History

John (Johannes) Branstetter was born on August 6, 1804 in Pennsylvania. He was the son of Daniel Branstetter and Christina Bauman.

He was baptized on August 29, 1804 at the Towamensing Union Church in Carbon County, Pennsylvania. His sponsors were Theobald Straub and Margaret Bloss.

He (John Brunstetter) married Effie (Effa) Hardesty on April 4, 1828 in Champaign County, Ohio. Effie was born on March 8, 1805 in Brown County, Ohio. Her parents were Henry Hardesty and Elizabeth Matheny.

John appeared in the 1830 census in German Township, Clark County, Ohio.

Their children were listed in Brunsteter Bible records.

• Louisa Brunsteter Shockley (December 9, 1829-November 24, 1886) married John Shockley
• Charles Marion Brunsteter (December 11, 1831 to March 5, 1865) married Margaret Patterson in 1852
  
• Mary Elizabeth Branstitter Copeland (December 29, 1834 to October 18, 1923) married Elisha Copeland
  
• Elijah Brunsteter (September 15, 1836)
  
• Henry Brunsteter (May 10, 1839 to May 25, 1862) married Elizabeth Patterson
  
• Mahalah Caroline Brunsteter Patterson (December 15, 1841) married William D. Patterson
• Rebecca Ellen Brunsteter Welty born August 10, 1844, married Dr. Ephraim Welty ( 1840) of Warren County on August 1, 1867.
  
• William Brunsteter (November 8, 1846 to November 16, 1853)
• John Wesley Brunsteter (June 30, 1849) married Mary Angeline Tabler on September 9, 1869 in Allen County, Ohio.

In 1831 John was appointed guardian of three of his younger siblings: William Branstetter, Rebecca Branstetter Hullinger, and Nathan Branstetter.

The family appeared in the 1850 census in Auglaize Township, Allen County, Ohio. The household consisted of John age 46, Effie age 44, Louise age 21, Charles age 19, Elizabeth age 17, Henry age 13, Mahalah age 10, Rebecca age 6, William age 3, and John age 1. John was a farmer and Charles a laborer.

Effie died on July 4, 1866. According to their descendant, Roger McCullough, John married two more times after Effie. His second wife was Anna Cox and his third was Eliza Band (1807-1878).

In 1870 John was still living in Auglaize. The household consisted of John age 65. Eliza age 64, John W. age 21, and Mary age 20.

John died on February 10, 1884 in Harrod, Allen County, Ohio. He was buried in Salem Cemetery.

William D. Patterson, farmer, P. O. West Newton, was born Harrison County, Ohio, May 5, 1831. He is a son of Samuel and Jane (Davis) Patterson, the former a native of Ireland, the latter of Harrison County, Ohio. He was brought to the wilds of Hardin County when five years old, and remembers the scenes of the early settlements. He was reared on a farm, made good use of the scanty education afforded by the common schools, and for one term attended the Normal School at Hopedale; he subsequently taught for eight or nine terms.

On November 18, 1858, he was married to Mahala Caroline Branstitter, who was born in Allen County, Ohio. December 15, 1841, a daughter of John and Effa Branstitter Four children have resulted from this union-John Melvin. born July 23, 1859, and died the same day; Mary Elizabeth born September 19, 1861, wife of James Huston ; Samuel Henry, born February 16, 1865, died September 11, 1866: and Flora May, born December 15, 1867, died December 12, 1881. Mrs. Patterson died December 20, 1877.

Mr. Patterson is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he has been a class-leader for three years. He is a consistent Republican, and has served his township as Justice of the Peace for two terms. During tire late war, he was a Lieutenant in the militia, and paid out about $300 in bounties to volunteers. He is a man of a scientific turn of mind and more than ordinary abilities.

Thomas S. ( Shepherd ) Hanthorn... was born December 17, 1845, in Perry Township, Allen County, Ohio, and is a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Hardesty) Hanthorn...

Thomas Hanthorn, the father... married Mrs. Elizabeth (Hardesty) Colvin, who was born May 29, 1814, on  the way between Connecticut and Ohio, when her parents Henry and Elizabeth Hardesty, were making their pioneer journey hither...

Henry Hardesty married Elizabeth Matheny, she was born on August, 15, 1779 in Rockbridge County, Virginia and died August 15, 1851 in Allen County. Henry Hardesty was born May 9, 1774 and died March 9, 1852 in Allen County. The census for Allen County in the year 1850 lists him coming from Maryland. The burial for Henry and Elizabeth is at Salem Cemetery, outside of Westminster, Allen County. There is a nice encryption on the head stone of Thomas and Elizabeth Hanthorn in Salem Cemetery... (from Allen County Biographies)