The Rector Family

Did you know that our name was originally spelled Richter? We are descendants of Hans Jacob Richter, born 10/10/1674 in Trupbach, Siegen, Westfalen, Prussia (Germany), who married Anna Elizabeth Fischbach on 1/17/1711. They left Germany in 1713 and arrived in Virginia in 1714. There were 42 Germans on the very first German ship sailing to America. Hans, Elizabeth and their first son, John Rector (our ancestor) were among those 42. Hans died in 8/7/1729 at Germantown (now Fauquier County), Virginia. When they came to America, the name was changed to the spelling of today, Rector. (Other spelling variations I have come across are listed below.) Probable reason for this is that they did not speak English, and Americans living in the US at the time did not understand the spelling of their name. Consequently, when the name was written on birth certificates, death certificates, deeds and wills, the pronunciation and/or spelling was not understood correctly, thus changing it from Richter to Rector.

I have been able to trace our Rector ancestors back to the late 1500s/early 1600s. This would be 10 generations before our grandfather, James Alfred Rector. "?" indicates this information is not known. The lineage is as follows:

1. Timonnus Richter
b. Between 1591 and 1611 in Siegen, Westfalen, Prussia
d. ?
m. Cathrin ? before 1631 in Siegen, Westfalen, Prussia

Cathrin ?
b. Between 1591 and 1611 in Siegen, Westfalen, Prussia
d. ?

2. Christopher Richter
b. 6/29/1631, Siegen, Westfalen, Prussia
d. 1707, Trupbach, Siegen, Westfalen, Prussia
m. Anna Catharina Becker between 1665 and 1666 in Siegen, Westfalen, Prussia

Anna Catharina Becker
b. 6/19/1640, Siegen, Westfalen, Prussia
d. 6/15/1713, Trupbach, Siegen, Westfalen, Prussia
Parents: Hermann Becker and Ottilia ?

3. Hans Jacob Richter (American name: Rector)
b. 10/10/1674, Trupbach, Siegen, Westfalen, Prussia
d. 8/7/1729, Germantown, Fauquier County, Virginia
m. Anna Elizabeth Fischbach on 1/17/1711 in Trupbach, Siegen, Westfalen, Prussia

Anna Elizabeth Fischbach
b. 4/15/1685, Trupbach, Siegen, Westfalen, Prussia
d. 1761, Germantown, Fauquier County, Virginia
Parents: Philipp Fischbach and Elizabeth Heimbach

4. John Johannes Rector
b. 12/1/1711, Trupbach, Siegen, Westfalen, Prussia
d. 3/11/1773, Rectortown, Fauquier County, Virginia
m. Anna Catherine Fischbach on 3/11/1773 in Germantown, Fauquier County, Virginia

Anna Catherine Fischbach
b. 1714/1715, Germanna, Orange, Virginia
d. between 1775 and 1789, Rectortown, Fauquier County, Virginia
Parents: Johannes "John" Fischbach and Agnes Haeger

5. Charles Rector
b. 4/14/1742, Germantown, Fauquier County, Virginia
d. 1832/1833, Sevier County, Tennessee
m. Elizabeth Charlotte Whorton in 1764, Fauquier County, Virginia

Elizabeth Charlotte Whorton
b. about 1742, Fauquier, Virginia
d. ?, Tennessee

6. Landel Rector
b. 2/3/1767, Fauquier, Virginia
d. ?
m. Lydia Carter

Lydia Carter
b. 1784, Henry County, Virginia
Parents: Joseph Carter and Nancy Menefee

7. Landon Rector
b. 2/4/1798, Tennessee
d. 6/8/1868, Pope County, Illinois
m. Mary "Polly" Wasson on 8/29/1822 in Rhea County, Tennessee

Mary "Polly" Wasson
b. 7/11/1802, Anderson County, Tennessee
d. 1880, Pope County, Illinois
Parents: John A. Wasson and Vesta Zippora England

8. John W. Rector
b. 7/22/1828, Tennessee
d. 1/20/1881, Pope County, Illinois
m. Melvina Barton on 11/8/1849, Rhea County, Tennessee

Melvina Barton
b. 1/9/1830, Tennessee
d. 3/14/1864, Pope County, Illinois

9. Landon Lyde (or Lydge in some records) Rector
b. 1852, Tennessee
d. 1936, Jefferson County, Illinois
m. Rosetta Catherine Minor in 1873, Jefferson County, Illinois

Rosetta Catherine Minor
b. before 1856, Jefferson County, Illinois
d. 1873, Jefferson County, Illinois

10. Arley Ferrell Rector
b. 7/7/1881, Polk County, Illinois
d. 4/22/1972, Jefferson County, Illinois
m. Agnes Scheibly on 8/13/1899

Agnes Scheibly
b. 1/22/1876, Kansas
d. 8/25/1948, Jefferson County, Illinois
Parents: Wendell Scheibly and Mary Bodmer

11. James Alfred Rector
b. 6/10/1896, Marion County, Illinois
d. 9/24/1961, Jefferson County, Illinois
m. Florence Angeline Chambliss on 1/1/1921, Divide, Illinois

Florence Angeline Chambliss
b. 9/23/1902, Jefferson County, Illinois
d. 3/3/1979, Jefferson County, Illinois
Parents: William David Chambliss and Lydia Wilson

Excellent links I have found on our history:

A Rector Family Genealogy by Paul D. Bullock

The Rector Family by Bill & Michelle

Rebecca's Roots: German Genealogy

Rector Family Genealogy Forum

Internet Family Finder

Germanna History (Excellent and very interesting history of the very first Germans to come to America, including our ancestors)

Cyndi's Genealogy Home Page Construction Kit (anything and everything you want to know about constructing your genealogy)

I have just finished a family tree for myself. You can copy this and use it to make your own if you wish. Click here to go there now.