10 Jun 2014
Cabarrus County became home to several Hessian deserters during and after the American Revolutionary War. The list of early Cabarrus settlers believed to be Hessian includes Nicholas Isenhour, Henry Linker, William Heintzmann and Henry Kartesar. All of these men settled into the German community seemingly with ease. Many left descendants of the same name living in the county today.
Henry Kartesar, however, apparently died without children. Born in Germany in January 1756, Kartesar died June 8, 1835 and is buried at St. John’s Lutheran Church. He married twice – Caty Criss (probably Cress) in 1784 and Catharine Kiver (probably Keever) in 1811. In January 1795, Kartesar became guardian to two-year-old orphan Rachel Suther until she turned 18. Again, in April 1797, Kartesar became guardian to an orphan, 18-month-old John Nicholas Bonds, until he turned 21.
Henry Kartesar reared both children as his own. In 1818, Kartesar sold his plantation and land to John Bonds in return for lifetime maintenance, and both Bonds and Rachel Suther Ritchie were heirs to Kartesar’s estate. Henry Kartesar’s will, probated July 1835, left $1.00 to his wife Catharine (she survived Kartesar by less than four months) and divided the remainder of his estate equally between John and Rachel. He named John Bonds and Rachel’s husband, Adam Richie, as executors.
Information about Henry Kartesar, John N. Bonds and Rachel Suther Ritchie can be found in various Cabarrus County records, church records, and research notes on Hessian deserters.
Courtesy of the Cabarrus County Public Library, Lore Local History Room