Maria Dorothea Bruner ¹

   Another name for Maria was Mary Thorodea Brunner.

  General Notes:

In September of 2002, I attempted to locate the Howser Cemetery but was unable to gain access. This very remote cemetery is only reachable by driving past the apparent end of a county road as it continues into a farmer's field of corn. There is then another side path that takes you about 200 yards towards a grove of trees and the cemetery is located there. In September of 2002 when I attempted to visit, the fields were too wet for vehicular traffic.
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When Maria Dorothea Bruner was born about 1751, in Conestoga Township, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, British Colonial America, her father, George Ulrich Bruner, was 30 and her mother, Veronica "Fronica" Engli, was 29. She married Paul Arnspiger in 1773, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, British Colonial America. They were the parents of at least 5 sons and 4 daughters. She died on 18 October 1847, in Logan, Illinois, United States, at the age of 97, and was buried in Howser Cemetery, Logan, Illinois, United States.

Source: https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/about/K2QB-YQ4
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  Burial Notes:

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/167498535/maria_dorothea-arnspiger: accessed March 19, 2025), memorial page for Maria Dorothea Bruner Arnspiger (1751\'9618 Oct 1847), Find a Grave Memorial ID 167498535, citing Howser Cemetery, Logan County, Illinois, USA; Maintained by BluMoKitty (contributor 46830270).
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  Noted events in her life were:

1. 1790 US Census, August 1790, Turkeyfoot Township, Bedford, Pennsylvania, United States. 1790 US Census
Page 259, Roll 9
Turkeyfoot Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania
3 females...(Maria plus any two: Anna, Sally, or Elizabeth)

(Living with husband and 4 children.)

Maria married Paul Arnspiger, son of Georg Heinrich Arnsparger and Maria Magdalena Rausch, about 1772 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, British Colonial America. (Paul Arnspiger was born in 1746 in Conestoga Township, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, British Colonial America, died on 18 July 1822 in Jessamine, Kentucky, United States ² and was buried after 18 July 1822 in Arnspiger-Grow Cemetery, Jessamine, Kentucky, United States ².)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

1. 1790 US Census, August 1790, Turkeyfoot Township, Bedford, Pennsylvania, United States. 1790 US Census
Page 259, Roll 9
Turkeyfoot Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania
1 male over 16....."Paul Errenceberger" age 44, Occupation: Cooper
2 males under 16....(any two: Henry, Christopher, or Michael)
3 females...(Maria plus any two: Anna, Sally, or Elizabeth)

NOTE - There were 4 male children within the household around 1790 including Henry, Christopher, possibly Benjamin, and Michael. To be counted as "under 16", their birth date had to have been in 1774 or later.

Henry's birth date is believed to be 1769 so he probably was not one of those that were under 16. So where was Henry? His actual birth year is subject to much debate but he could not have been much younger because most marriage records suggest a marriage date of about 1795. If he were older than thought, then perhaps he was out of the family household by 1790 either living on his own or indentured to some other family.

Christopher's birth date was 1776 so he was probably one of those that were "under 16".

Benjamin's birth year is not known but since there is no other information about him, it is possible that he died at an early age so therefore Benjamin is not one of those that were "under 16".

That leaves only Michael whose birth date is only known to be before 1790 and is verly likely the second male child that was counted as "under 16".

The 3 females in the household were most certainly the wife, Maria, and 2 daughters. There were possibly 3 daughters in the household at the time, Anna Maria, Elizabeth, and Sally.

Anna Maria would have been 13 years old at the time of the 1790 census and she was probably one of the 2 daughters listed on the census.

Elizabeth's birth year is not known with any certainty but best records would seem to place it between 1790 and 1795 which would have made her about 17-22 years old when she was married in 1812. She could have been even older so it is possible that she was the second daughter included on the 1790 census.

Sally's birth year is also not known with any certainty. She was married 3 years after Elizabeth which means it is also possible that she was the second daughter included on the 1790 census.

What is clear that either Elizabeth or Sally was born BEFORE the 1790 census while the other was born AFTER the 1790. There just is not enough information to know which one was really the oldest.
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  Marriage Notes:

1784 Census of Bedford County, Pennsylvania
Milford Township
"Powel Earnsbarger"
7 white persons....."Powel", Maria, Anna, and 4 others (Christopher, Benjamin, Elizabeth, Henry, Michael, or Sally)
2 horses
3 cattle
2 sheep
150 acres
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