Michael GREITOR[64] was born about 1691 in Ruenenberg, Bern, Switzerland. He died on 20 Oct 1739 in Lancaster Co, PA.¹⁸ Michael's will was written in "High Dutch" (probably meant Hoch Deutsch or High German), and is abstracted in Will Book A of Lancaster Co, PA

He was married to Barbara GRAF[65] between 1715 and 1717 in Ittlingen, Wurtenburg, Germany. Barbara was born about 1692 in Ittlingen, Wurtenburg, Germany. She died in Lampeter Township, Lancaster Co, PA. Michael GREITOR and Barbara GRAF had the following children:

i. John Jacob KREIDER

ii. Martin KREIDER was born in 1719/20 in Ittlingen, Wurtenburg, Germany. He died in 1744/45 in Pennsylvania.

iii. Peter KREIDER was born on 12 Apr 1729 in Manor Township, Lancaster Co, PA. He died on 10 May 1802 in Lititz, Lancaster Co, PA.

iv. John KREIDER was born in 1732/33 in Lancaster Co, PA. He died in 1784 in Lancaster Co, PA.

v. Ann KREIDER was born about 1734 in Lancaster Co, PA.

The first record of Immigrant Michael Grittor (ca. 1691-1739) was found in the extant tax transcripts of Chester County, Pennsylvania, for the years 1724/1725. Michael was listed along with Jacob and John Gryder. Michael was traditionally known as the brother of Jacob. This was verified when his family record of 1715 was found in Ittlingen, Germany.¹⁹

On 31 May 1734, Michael received a patent for 200 acres that he had purchased in 1733 from the heirs of Martin Oberholtz.²⁰ Four days later, on 3 June, he was granted a patent for 200 acres of land that was surveyed for Jacob Kreyter, the immigrant, on 18 May 1718.²¹ Because Michael's name did not appear on the tax lists prior to 1724, he probably immigrated that year or the year before. One can speculate that Michael and John Greiter immigrated at the same time. Perhaps Jacob had reserved the 200 acres for his brother, Michael, for Jacob seemed to be content for the rest of his life with the 150 acres he kept for himself. An excerpt from Michael's patent reads:

Whereas, in and by a certain Deed Poll duly executed under the Hand and Seal of the said Jacob Kryter, bearing Date the first Day of the Third Month [May], last past for the consideration therein mentioned by the said Jacob Kryter Did grant bargain and sell the said Tract of land and Premises unto Michael Kryter of the County of Lancaster aforesaid his Heirs and Assigns....

Michael died five years after he took out the patent. Reference to his death was found in the Lancaster Courthouse.²² The record stated that his will was written in High Dutch and was therefore not recorded. Administrative papers were granted to Barbara Grytter, there being no executors named in the will. Michael's will was later translated as follows:

Michael Grittor Dec'd} Dated ye 15th of October A.D. 1739. The Testament in writing as I shall be held with my Children when I shall be called out of this world. First John Jacob shall have the plantation I Bought of Jacob Overholtz which with the crops and twelve Bushel of oats and the hay in the Barn I have valued at...two hundred Pounds. 2'ly Martin and Peter shal have the 500 acres that we are bargaining with Isacc Norris for which shall be reckoned to them at the same price for which it shall be purchased and John Jacob shall pay...seventy five pounds towards purchasing. 3dly, They shall sell the plantation in the Manner and Ann too shal have out of the same a share equal to another child. 4thly The plantation where... Daniel if he lives til he comes of age and it shal be valued to him at a moderate rate and if the mother shal be then living and shal be a widow she shall have such a maintenance on the place that she can give a piece of bread to the poor.

Bensz Hershe, Hans Myer²³

On 18 October 1739, Benjamin Hershey and John Meir, the two witnesses, affirmed the will as that of Michael.

The original will of Michael Grittor was found in 1980.²⁴ An error in the courthouse translation under the fourth item should read "Hansly", meaning "Little Hans", rather than "Daniel". Michael signed his name as Michael "Greutter".

The manner in which the terms of Michael's will were carried out left a well marked genealogical trail. From the Moravian church records we learn that Peter was born in 1729 and that his mother was Barbara Grath, the same Barbara Graf listed in the family of Jakob and Barbara Schenk in Ittlingen, Germany.²⁵

"From the dates when each of Michael's sons took up their inheritance when they became of age, or twenty-one years, we can estimate the date of birth of each of the sons within two or three years.