Using the ABC method described in Using Artificial Intelligence In the Ancestor Biography Creation (ABC) Process, here is another ancestor couple biography using the Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4.5 AI tool.
3) The Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4.5 biography (lightly edited) is:
Martin Carringer: Early Life
Martin Carringer was born in about 1758, likely near Lancaster, Pennsylvania, into a family of German heritage. His parents were probably Johann Heinrich "Henry" Geringer (1732-c1792) and Rosina Maria --?-- (c1738-c1788). The family name appeared in various spellings—Carringer, Garringer, Kerringer, Gehringer, and Geringer—reflecting the fluidity of record-keeping in colonial America. Martin himself used "Geringer" in his family Bible, though government records consistently recorded him as "Carringer" or variants.
Martin grew up during tumultuous times. His father Henry had served in the French and Indian War, enlisting at Fort Augusta in 1757 with the Pennsylvania Battalion. After the war, the family appears to have moved through Lancaster County, Bedford County, and Chester County, Pennsylvania, eventually settling in Frederick County, Maryland, where Henry died in about 1792.
Martin had several siblings: Adam (1756-1796), Anna Maria (1760-1831), John Henry (1761-unknown), Mary Gertrude (1763-unknown), and Ann Margaret (1769-1820).
A Revolutionary Soldier
When the American Revolution erupted, eighteen-year-old Martin answered the call to service. He enlisted from Westmoreland County on September 4, 1776, joining what was initially called "the Battalion commanded by Col. Eneas Mackey." After December 5, 1776, this unit became known as "The Eighth Battalion of Penna. Troops in the Continental Service," organized at what is now Kittanning.
Martin's military service would prove arduous and crucial. In November 1776, Congress ordered his regiment to march "with all possible expedition" to join General Washington in New Jersey. The journey was grueling -- the regiment left Kittanning on January 6, 1777, and after a difficult winter crossing of the mountains, finally reached the camps in New Jersey on March 1, 1777.
Martin witnessed some of the war's pivotal moments. On September 11, 1777, he fought in the Battle of Brandywine, followed by the Battle of Germantown on October 3, 1777, where he served in General Anthony Wayne's division. That winter, he endured the legendary hardships of Valley Forge, where the Continental Army camped from December 11, 1777, through the bitter cold months.
In March 1778, Martin's regiment received orders to march to Pittsburgh, making an Indian campaign up the west branch of the Susquehanna River along the way. For the remainder of the war, the Eighth Regiment engaged in Indian campaigns and constructed forts along the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio Rivers -- critical work in securing the western frontier.
Records show Martin served as a private, earning 6⅔ dollars per month. In June 1778, he received pay of 2 pounds, 5 shillings, and 10 pence. During 1781, he performed essential duties transporting provisions and forage down the rivers to Pittsburgh, earning one shilling per day. He continued serving through 1783, ending his military career having given seven years to the cause of independence.
For his service, Martin received four bounty land certificates in December 1784, totaling over 313 dollars in value. As a Pennsylvania Line soldier, he was also entitled to 200 acres of donation land -- a promise that would shape the rest of his life.
Maria Magdalena "Molly" Houx: A Maryland Heritage
Maria Magdalena Houx -- known to all as "Molly" -- was born around 1768 in Maryland. While records are sparse, she was likely the daughter of Theodorus Friederich Houx and Anna Maria Federhoof of Frederick, Frederick County, Maryland. The Houx family was substantial, with at least fourteen children, giving Molly numerous siblings including Margaretha Elisabetha, Daniel, George Jacob, Matthias, Anna Margaretha, Johannes, Joseph, Johann Friederich, William Friederich, Michael, Heinrich, Johann Frederick, and Peter.
The Houx surname, like Carringer, appeared in various forms—Hack, Houks, Hokes, Houcks, Hauck, Hough, Hout, Hoat, and Hoax—reflecting the German origins of the family and the inconsistent spelling practices of the era.
Marriage and Building a Family
Martin and Molly's paths crossed in Frederick County, Maryland, where they married in May 1785. Martin was 27 years old, a Revolutionary War veteran looking to build a life, and Molly was about 17, ready to begin her own journey as a frontier wife.
The newlyweds soon relocated to Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, where Martin had acquired 150 acres of land. By 1787, tax records show him as a landowner in Rostraver Township, with one head of horned cattle and property valued at 39 pounds.
Their family grew steadily on the Pennsylvania frontier:
- Johann Jacob Carringer was born October 1, 1785, in Westmoreland County -- just five months after his parents' marriage. He was baptized on October 16, 1785, at the Lutheran Church, with Nicolaus and Barbara Hack serving as sponsors. Jacob would later serve in the War of 1812, marry Elizabeth, and father seven children before his death on September 3, 1865, in Sandy Creek Township, Mercer County.
- Maria Elisabetha "Lizbet" Carringer arrived on September 6, 1789. Baptized on Christmas Day that year with Thomas Weickert and Maria Elisabetha as sponsors, she would grow up to marry John McCartney in 1815. They had six children together before Lizbet's death on November 20, 1850, in Perry Township, Mercer County.
- Catherine Carringer was born January 18, 1792 (though baptismal records show July 17, 1792). She was baptized on May 26, 1793, with Maria Catherine Weis as sponsor. Catherine married Abraham Kazebee on April 5, 1822, in Meadville, Crawford County. They raised six children, and Catherine lived until March 9, 1866, passing away in Sandy Creek Township.
- George Carringer came into the world on February 5, 1795, baptized on June 9, 1795, with Johannes Grub and Sussana as sponsors. He would become a respected member of the militia, marry Isabella Montgomery on June 25, 1821, and father ten children. George died January 30, 1870, in Perry Township, having lived 75 years on the family's frontier homestead.
- Calli Carringer was born March 9, 1797, in Sandy Creek Township -- the family's first child born in Mercer County. Tragically, she died before 1810 at just 13 years of age.
- Henry Carringer was born June 6, 1800, in Sandy Creek Township. He married Sarah Feather and they had ten children. Henry would eventually migrate west to Iowa, dying on April 20, 1879, in Columbus City, Louisa County.
- Soloman Carringer was born August 24, 1802, in Sandy Creek Township. Like his sister Calli, he died young, passing away after 1820.
- Joseph Carringer, the youngest, was born October 22, 1805, in Sandy Creek Township. He married Anna Maria Spangler around 1835, and they had eight children. Joseph also eventually moved to Iowa, dying on June 8, 1869, in Columbus City, Louisa County.
Venturing into the Wilderness: Settlement in Mercer County
In 1795 or early 1796, Martin Carringer made a momentous decision. Under the Act of General Assembly of February 24, 1785, which distributed donation lands promised to Revolutionary War troops, Martin had been granted Warrant No. 941 for 200 acres in District No. 5 -- land that would become Perry Township in the newly formed Mercer County.
Martin ventured into the wilderness and built a cabin on his land, becoming one of the very first settlers in what would become Mercer County. When Alexander McCracken and Hugh Minnis arrived in Sandy Creek in April 1796, they found Martin already established on his land. Some claimed he had settled as early as 1795, which would have made him the earliest settler in the entire county.
The land Martin claimed remained wild frontier. He later stated that upon his first arrival, he traveled north as far as Conneaut marsh without meeting a single settler. The Carringers were truly pioneers, carving out a life in the Pennsylvania wilderness.
The family's first four children had been baptized at the Lutheran Church in Westmoreland County, but after the move to Mercer County, they became part of the growing frontier community. Martin contributed significantly to building the social fabric of the new settlement, becoming the largest subscriber -- at ten dollars -- to the Upper Sandy Creek Presbyterian Church in Georgetown in 1799.
Census records paint a picture of their growing household. In 1800, the family included children of various ages and likely some extended family or helpers. By 1810, the household had grown, and by 1820, several of Martin and Molly's children were entering adulthood while younger ones still remained at home.
A Man of Character and Contradictions
Martin Carringer became legendary in Mercer County, remembered for a character that was both generous and fiery. Contemporary accounts describe him as eccentric but deeply beloved by his fellow pioneers. As one history noted, "A more generous man never lived," yet his "terrible vituperations, upon the slightest annoyance" were equally famous. The pioneers excused his temper because his kind disposition had made him "a general favorite."
One story perfectly captures Martin's philosophy. After raising an unusually good corn crop, a man approached asking if Martin had corn for sale. "Are you in need of corn?" Martin asked. When the man replied he was buying grain to resell, Martin refused: "Then you can't have mine. I raise my corn to give away, and if you are poor and unable to buy you should have a part of it for nothing, but, as you have money, I shall give it to the destitute settlers as they have need of it."
His generosity extended only to those truly in need. Martin supported worthy public enterprises with enthusiasm but met unworthy ones with vehement opposition. As one history recorded, "It is seldom in the history of any community that a character is found which deserves higher encomiums than those which even his neighbors and associates bestowed on Martin Carringer."
In 1818, when the community decided to build a new house of worship, Martin again contributed the highest subscription -- ten dollars -- for a hewn log building with a floor and glass windows. That same year, Martin, along with John Sheakley and Samuel Cochran, withdrew from the Georgetown Presbyterian Church and joined the Mineral Ridge Associate Reformed (Covenanter) Church, demonstrating his strong religious convictions.
Recognition and Final Years
Martin's Revolutionary War service brought him recognition in his later years. On June 19, 1824, at age 75, he was officially listed as a Pennsylvania Revolutionary War pensioner. In his pension application dated April 12, 1824, he provided a detailed account of his service and family.
In 1827, U.S. Senator William Marks represented Martin in applying for a Bounty Land Warrant. On December 8, 1827, Martin received an additional 100 acres of land located in Township 8, Range 6 in the U.S. Military District of Ohio (in what would become Holmes County), a final recognition of his Revolutionary service.
On March 3, 1830, Martin wrote his will, carefully dividing his property among his children. He left 150 acres on the east end of his plantation to his son Henry, with the crucial provision that Henry must care for Molly for the rest of her life. Martin reserved the back room of the house for her use and stipulated that Henry must provide "all necessaries of life for her and keep her decently as long as she lives," including a horse and saddle, two cows, fruit from the orchard, household furniture, beds, clothes, and four sheep.
George received the remainder of the plantation and one of Martin's four lots in Greenville. Joseph received 200 acres on lot No. 965, while Jacob received the 100 acres he already lived on. Martin's three daughters—Elizabeth, Catherine, and Mary—each received a lot in Greenville. The will revealed Martin also owned land in Ohio, which Joseph was instructed to sell if needed.
Martin Carringer died on January 25, 1835, at his home in Sandy Creek Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, in the 80th year of his age. His will was proved on February 4, 1835. He was laid to rest in what is now known as Kelso Cemetery, on the very land he had settled in 1796. His tombstone simply reads: "Martin Carringer departed this life January 25, 1835 in the 80th year of his age." A modern military marker honors him as "Pvt Continental Line Revolutionary War 1758 1835."
Molly's Widowhood
After Martin's death, Molly continued living in the back room of the homestead, cared for by her son Henry as Martin had directed. On February 6, 1839, at age 71, she appeared before Judge James R. Wick to apply for a widow's pension. In her declaration, Molly stated she had married Martin "in the Month of May One thousand Seven hundred and eighty five" and that he had died on January 25, 1835.
Two days later, on February 8, 1839, Molly provided a deposition confirming that the family Bible pages were written in Martin's handwriting, preserving the birth records of their children. Though she could not read the writing herself, she had carefully preserved the Bible as the official record of her children's births. She noted that the last name on the list was not their child but their grandchild Tastet (born May 13, 1811, died August 27, 1820).
On July 8, 1839, Molly was granted a pension of $80 per year, which was renewed in 1843 and 1848. She lived out her final years in the home of her son Henry.
The 1850 census captured Molly at age 82, living with Henry, his wife, and their many children in Sandy Creek Township. She was recorded as "Mary Caringer, age 82, female, born MD"—a Maryland girl who had become a Pennsylvania pioneer matriarch.
Maria Magdalena "Molly" (Houx) Carringer died on August 31, 1850, in Sandy Creek Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, just a few months after the census was taken. She was 82 years old and had been a widow for fifteen years. Though there is no marked grave, she is believed to be buried in Kelso Cemetery near her husband Martin.
On August 28, 1851, their son George, then 56 years old, made a declaration for pension purposes, noting that at his mother's death, six children survived: Jacob Carringer, Elizabeth McCartney (who had died just days before her mother on November 14, 1850), Catherine Cazbe, George Carringer, Henry Carringer, and Joseph Carringer.
Legacy
Martin and Molly Carringer's legacy extended far beyond their own lives. Their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren populated Mercer County and spread westward with the expanding nation. Sons Henry and Joseph eventually settled in Iowa, carrying the family name and pioneer spirit to new frontiers.
The land Martin settled in 1796 remained in the family through three generations, a testament to his vision and hard work. The donation lot No. 941, earned through his Revolutionary War service, became the foundation for a family dynasty in Pennsylvania.
Martin Carringer embodied the spirit of the Revolutionary generation -- men who fought for independence, then built the new nation with their own hands. His service at Brandywine, Germantown, and Valley Forge helped secure American freedom. His settlement of the Mercer County wilderness helped extend that freedom westward. His fierce independence, legendary generosity, and unwavering integrity made him a model frontier citizen.
Together, Martin and Molly raised eight children in the wilderness, helped build churches and communities, and left a reputation that endured long after their deaths. As the 1888 county history concluded, Martin Carringer deserved "higher encomiums than those which even his neighbors and associates bestowed" upon him -- a remarkable tribute to a remarkable man, and to the equally remarkable woman who stood beside him through it all.
7) I edited the Claude biography text to correct minor inconsistencies and errors. Every large language model (LLM) AI tool writes descriptive text much better than I can write. I was an aerospace engineer in my former life, and my research reports and genealogical sketches reflect "just the facts gleaned from my research." The AI tools are very perceptive, insightful and create readable text in seconds, including local and national historical events and social history detail when requested.
Links to my blog posts about using Artificial Intelligence are on my Randy's AI and Genealogy page. Links to AI information and articles about Artificial Intelligence in Genealogy by other genealogists are on my AI and Genealogy Compendium page.
Copyright (c) 2025, Randall J. Seaver
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