John Righter, son of No.2 Bartholomew and Elizabeth Righter, was a minor when his father dies in 1745. He received enough education to be able to write as indicated by his signature on deeds and will. He married twice, his first wife being Hannah Tunis, whome he married 26 February 1754. She was the daughter of Anthony Tunis and his wife Bathsheba, of Germantown Township, later of Lower Merion Township. The Tunis family belonged to the Society of Friends. On 8th day, 11th month 1754 at the Monthly Meeting held at Merion Meeting House, Hannah Righter brought acknowledgement in writing for her "outgoing in marriage". On 11th day, 11th month, 1757, the Merion overseers proposed that John Righter be joined to this meeting. When the 250 acres of his father's plantation in Roxborough were partitioned among the 4 sons, John's portion was a 40 acre tract with messuage on the easterly side of the road to Plymouth or Ridge Road. The house and tract of land he and Hannah sold 13 April 1761, for 300 pounds to his brother Peter. In this deed John was described as a house carpenter. When this sale was made John was already living in Lower Merion Township, perhaps attracted by the residence there of his wife's family. 22 November 1760, he, describes as yeoman, had purchased for 310 pounds from Hannah Harrison, 102 acres of land in Lower Merion Township.(Deed Book H-15, 160.) This farm was located in Mill Creek Valley, and on the stream John built a dam and erected a stone grist and saw mill. Access to his property was by a road, still known as Righter's Mill Road, opened as a public road on his petition in 1763. In later years he changed his mill to paper manufacture, and it is as a "paper maker" that he described himself in his will. In 1763 he bought 75 acres, 106 perches of land from Hannah Harrison, 25 acres of which he sold to Jonathan Robeson, 1 August 1794.

Genealogies of Pennsylvania Families, Vol II page 746