Descendants of Jacob Christ and Mary Bortsfield
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A. H. Gilbertson 4 Jan 2021 Descendants of Jacob Christ and Mary Bortsfield (1) JACOB CHRIST was born 26 Feb 1791,1 probably in Lancaster County, Penn. (It is likely that he was the son of Jacob Christ Jr., who was born about 1756 in Manor Township, Lancaster Co., the son of Jacob and Anna Kauffman Christ.2) He is probably the Jacob Christ who appears on the census in Manor Township starting in 1820.3 Jacob's wife was MARY BORTSFIELD, or Bortzfield. She was born 27 Dec 1790, probably in Lancaster Co. She was the daughter of Jacob Bortzfield of Manor Township who is buried in the Witmer Cemetery, 2 1/2 miles west of Millersville.4 Jacob Christ died in May 1848.5 Probate records mention sons Jacob, Samuel, John, Benjamin and Amos, and daughters Susan (wife of Henry Kahler), and Mary. Jacob Pickel was appointed guardian of Amos. The same records show he had two houses in what was then called "Millerstown."6 His wife Mary died 4 Feb 1844. The inscription on her gravestone reads, in part, "I leave this world without a tear/Save for my friends I have so dear." The rest of the inscription is unreadable, as the gravestone is sunken into the earth.7 They are buried in the graveyard of what is now the Grace United Methodist Church, in Millersville. Gravestone of Jacob Christ 1Gravestone in graveyard of Grace United Methodist Church, Millersville, Penn. 2Birth of Jacob Christ Jr. from the LDS (Mormon) International Genealogical Index (IGI). 31820 U.S. Census, Index. In 1820 and 1830 there is also a John Christ in Manor Township. John was undoubtedly a relative, perhaps a brother. 4 According to a card in the card file at the Mennonite Historical Society Library in Lancaster, Penn. He was born June 14, 1766 and died June 20, 1842. His wife Magdalena, born Nov. 22, 1779 and died May 4, 1850, would have been too young to have been Mary Bortsfield's mother. However, she may have been Jacob's second wife 5Gravestone, Grace United Methodist Church. 6Probate records, photocopy from Lancaster Co. Courthouse. (Book N, Vol. 1, p. 27.) The houses were (1) a 1 1/2 story house with 10 acres of land in "Millerstown," and (2) a two story brick dwelling house with 9 1/2 acres, also in "Millerstown." 7Gravestone. 1 A. H. Gilbertson 4 Jan 2021 Children:8 2. JACOB CHRIST JR., b. Sep 1816; d. 18 Dec 1905; m. MARY ANN BARR 3. JOHN CHRIST, b. 7 Jul 1817; 10 Sep 1896; m. SOPHIA KLINE 4. SUSANNA CHRIST, b. 22 Nov 1818; d. 13 Jan 1892; m. HENRY KAHLER 5. SAMUEL CHRIST, b. 17 Dec 1820; d. 20 Nov 1901; m. MARY GAMBER 6. REV. BENJAMIN CRIST, b. 5 Apr 1825; d. 8 Jan 1916; m. (1st) CATHERINE FOREMAN; m. (2nd) MARY JANE DOAK 7. MARY CHRIST, mentioned in probate but no further record 8. AMOS B. CHRIST, b. 30 Nov 1827; d. 25 Dec 1907; m. (1st) CATHERINE KNEISLEY; m. (2nd) HANNAH CATHERINE JACKSON 8Names of children from a card in the card index at the Mennonite Historical Society Library. The source listed on the card is "Lanc. C. H. Misc. Book, 1848, p. 2." According to the card, he died in May 1848, in Millersville. 2 A. H. Gilbertson 4 Jan 2021 Second Generation (2) JACOB CHRIST JR. was born Sep 1816,9 in Millersville. He died 18 Dec 1905,10 in Millersville. He married MARY ANN BARR, 24 Sep 1840.11 She was born 24 Sep 1818 in Maytown, Lancaster Co., and was the daughter of Owen Barr. She died 24 Jul 1910 in Manor Township, and is buried in the “Evangelical Cemetery” in Millersville.12 Jacob is listed as a cooper, living in Manor Township, Millersville, on the 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880 census. In 1850 another cooper lived with the family.13 On the 1900 census, Mary is listed as the mother of six children, only one living. An obituary states that Jacob was a lifelong resident of Millersville and was a member of the United Evangelical Church there. He learned coopering from his father.14 Another obituary says he “sustained an apoplectic stroke, which hastened his death. The deceased was born and lived all his life in Millersville. He had a kindly disposition and was held in high esteem by a host of friends.”15 Mary’s obituary says she was known as “Mother Christ,” and was an active member of the Grace United Evangelical congregation of Millersville.16 Children: 9. MARY ANN CHRIST, b. about 1844; living 1860; no further record, but died before 1900 10. AMOS BARR CHRIST, b. about 1846; living 1910; res. Topeka, Kans. He is listed as a bookkeeper on the 1910 census and was widowed 11. BENJAMIN CHRIST, b. about 1851; living 1870, no further record, died before 1900 12. CHARLES F. CHRIST, b. about 1856; living 1860, no further record, died before 1900 13. son, birth order unknown, died before 1900 14. daughter, birth order unknown, died before 1900 (3) JOHN CHRIST was born 7 Jul 1817, 17 presumably in Lancaster County. He died 10 Sep 1896, and is buried in the Creswell Mennonite Cemetery, Creswell, Penn.18 He married SOPHIA 91900 census. He and his wife lived in Millersville in 1900. However his obituary states that he had turned 90 in Sept. 1905, indicating a birth year of 1815. 10 Obituary, cited below. No gravestone found in findagrave.com. 11Marriages and Deaths From Newspapers of Lancaster Co. PA, 1831-1840, p. 63. 12 Death certificate, ancestry.com. She is listed as a widow, dying of “senile causes.” Her gravestone is not found on findagrave.com. 13 His name is difficult to read on the census record. 14 Lancaster Examiner, 20 Dec 1905. 15 Lancaster New Era, 20 Dec 1905. 16 Lancaster Daily New Era, 25 Jul 1910. 17 Records of Creswell Mennonite Cemetery, online at ancestry.com in database: “Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985.” Note: there is no gravestone photo on findagrave.com. 18 Ibid. 3 A. H. Gilbertson 4 Jan 2021 KLINE, probably in about 1838 or 1839.19 She was born 22 May 1817, and is said to have been the daughter of Christian Kline and Elizabeth Scholtey.20 She died 10 Mar 1905. She is also buried in the Creswell Mennonite Cemetery.21 Jacob is listed as living in Manor Township, Millersville, on the 1850, 1860, 1870 and census, being described as a farmer in 1860 and farm hand in 1870. In 1880 he lived in the Indiantown District of Lancaster County, and is called a laborer.22 On the 1900 census, his widow Sophia lived in Manor Township with her daughter Fanny Shellenberger. The census record states she was the mother of four children, three living. Sophia’s obituary says “she suffered quite a while from dropsy. She was a member of the Dunkard Church…”23 Children:24 15. ELIZABETH CHRIST, b. about 1840; living 1860; no further record25 16. CATHERINE CHRIST, b. 14 Oct 1842; d. 23 Jul 1843; bur Masonville Mennonite Cemetery26 17. MARY CHRIST, b. 28 Jul 1844; d. 31 Mar 1922; m. (1st?) JOHN BRENNEMAN; m. (2nd) CHRISTIAN ESHELMAN; m. (3rd) RUDOLPH H. KAUFFMAN 18. AMOS KLINE CHRIST, b. 10 Apr 1846; d. 20 Sep 1922; m. CATHERINE HOOVER 19. FANNY CHRIST, b. 6 Jan 1849; d. 15 Jul 1926; m. EPHRAIM B. SHELLENBERGER (4) SUSANNA (“SUSAN”) CHRIST was born 22 Nov 181827 in Lancaster Co. She married HENRY KAHLER, by about 1840.28 He was born 12 Sep 1812.29 His mother was Elizabeth (-----) Kahler, born in about 1784 (see below). His father’s name is not known. He was probably the brother of George W. Kahler, born in about 1820, who lived next to him in 1880. According to the 1880 census, Henry’s parents were both born in Pennsylvania. 19 Based on the birth of their first child. 20 According to an ancestry.com family tree. 21 Records of Creswell Mennonite Cemetery. 22 Census records online at ancestry.com. On the 1880 census his father’s birthplace is given as “Hesse.” 23 Lancaster Semi Weekly New Era, 22 Mar 1905. 24 Some family trees on ancestry.com state that all of the children of John and Sophia had “Kline” as their middle name. This is quite possible but I cannot state with certainty. 25 Found on 1850 and 1860 census. According to kimberlyajohnson family tree on ancestry, she died in 1922, a single woman. However I am skeptical since she is not seen on any census records after 1860 and no death record is found, even though ancestry has Pennsylvania death records after 1906. 26 No photograph is given, but the note is “dau/o John & Sophia.” 27 There is no photo on findagrave.com, but billiongraves has a photo. 28 Estimate based on the year of birth of their first child. 29 There is no photo on findagrave.com, but billiongraves has a photo. 4 A. H. Gilbertson 4 Jan 2021 On the 1850 census, Henry Kahler, 37, is listed as a laborer, with Susan, 32, and children Henry, 9, Elizabeth, Mary, 5, and Adaline, 1. Living next door was Elizabeth Kahler, 66, apparently his mother. In 1860 the family lived in Millersville, with two children added, Jacob, and George W. Susan died 13 Jan 1892; George died about a month later, on 19 Feb 1892, both probably dying in Millersville, PA.30 They are buried in the Grace United Methodist Church cemetery.31 Children: 20.