Surname - Fartherson (of German extract)

[floppyslater]

I am trying to run down an ancestor by the name of Louisa Fartherson.  Her father was Peter.  The family was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania after immigrating from Germany.  The problem I am having is that the name is virtually unknown in the States.  I am wondering if Fartherson might be an English version of some German surname.  Outside of the personal military pension records I have in my possession I can not find the name anywhere in Pennsylvania.

Any help, suggestions, or insights would be most welcomed.

[jorose]

It's hard to suggest anything without a little more info - i.e. when/where/who did Louisa marry, when was she born, when did she die?

Whose military records record her name as "Fatherson"?

[floppyslater]

I have attached two documents.

The first is a pension request for the American Civil War veteran Rudolph Benz.  Louisa Fartherson is listed in the middle of the document.

The second is a partial copy of the 1910 U.S. Census for Rudolph Benz.  Louisa lists her father as having been born in Germany.

[garstonite]

No results for Fartherson with an r in the spelling
13 results for Fatherson without the r in the spelling
Iowa ,United States
Pennsylvania ,United States
Cheshire ,England
Staffordshire ,England
but none in Germany

http://en.geneanet.org/search/?name=fatherson&ressource=bibliotheque

[garstonite]

Found one in Allentown,Lehigh,Pennsylvania
Louis Fatherson b 1886 - signs up for WW2 aged 56  in 1942 - a brave man

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VQFV-PBD

I wonder if this is the same man ??...says born 1895 in the 1930 census
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XCZ2-3DN

[floppyslater]

According to Louisa Benz's death certificate her father's name was Peter (no surname provided).  Since Louisa was born in 1847 I would assume that her father was born at least 1827 or earlier.  I came across a Peter Wetherstone who appeared in the 1790 U.S. Census for Philadelphia (in the right section of the city - Northern Liberties).  I wonder if this name could have been corrupted due to his poor English to Fatherson or Fartherson?

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XHKR-TCV

[garstonite]

When I searched on IGI for Fatherson / Fartherson - the name Featherstone came up quite a lot - maybe something to think about ?

[jorose]

1900 also gives her father b. Germany.  It seems she was b. PA 1847 and married sometime in the 1870s - so you should work on tracking down her marriage (may require investigation of church records) and the 1850/1860/1870 census.

[garstonite]

I see the firstborn is named Jacob
I can`t read the other 2 - if you know the names , could you list their childrens christian names please ..
we might find a sibling of Louisa with the same christian name as one of Louisa`s children - especially if it is an unusual German name ..
added
Katie K Benz is one sibling

in case you don`t have it
Rudolph Benz born june 1844 Pennsylvania - father John Benz
died 29th October 1914 Philadelphia ..
buried 31st October 1914 Philadelphie City ,Pennsylvania