Christian Blickensderfer

DAR Ancestor A201106

Christian was born March 6, 1724, at the Kohlhof, in the Palatinate. Married, January 7, 1748, Catharine Shurger, the daughter of a Mennonite preacher, at Eisenbach, Zweibruecken, where she was born October 14, 1727. After his marriage he moved to Neider Saulheim, where he resided several years. In 1753, he, with his family, emigrated to America, accompanied by his youngest brother, Yost, then a lad of eighteen years of age, landing at Philadelphia September 29 of that year, from the ship Rowand, Arthur Trau master, from Rotterdam, via Cowes. Both Christian and Yost signed the declaration of allegiance to the king of England, at the time required of all immigrants into Pennsylvania, and which is preserved in the Colonial records at Harrisburgh.

After remaining about a year and a half in the vicinity of Philadelphia, Christian removed to Lancaster county and settled on a farm near Lititz, where he resided until the spring of 1761, when he built a house in Lititz and became a resident of that town, remaining there until his death. He was a farmer, with but little patrimony, most of which was expended in reaching America, but earned his support largely by teaming, an occupation very common in early times, before the construction of canals and railways; and from the exposure incident to which, he in later years became an invalid. But being of industrious and frugal habits, he accumulated a moderate property, sufficient to support him comfortably when he was no longer able to work.

January 27, 1778, Christian's wife died. She was a woman of more than ordinary strength of mind and ability, exercising great influence in the forming of a substantial and solid character in her children, all of whom became persons of influence in the communities in which they dwelt. She was a sincere and active Christian, the family connecting themselves with the Moravian church immediately after their arrival in America, first at Philadelphia, and subsequently at Lititz, where she is buried.

November 16, 1779, Christian married again, his second wife being the widow Barbara Mueller, maiden name Leithold, born August 8, 1740. They had no children. He died April 8, 1800, and is buried at Lititz. His second wife died ___, and is buried at Lititz.

http://www.corax.org/top/history.html

• BLICKENSDERFER, CHRISTIAN Ancestor #: A201106
• Notice: MORE ON BACK--SEE COMMENT (WHY?)
• Service: PENNSYLVANIA Rank: PATRIOTIC SERVICE
• Birth: 3-6-1724 PALATINATE GERMANY
• Death: 4-8-1800 LITITZ LANCASTER CO PENNSYLVANIA
• Service Source: MAYHILL, DEED ABSTS & OATHS OF ALLEGIANCE LANCASTER CO, PA, P 170
• Service Description: 1) OATH OF ALLEGIANCE, LANCASTER CO, PA, 1778