Christian Bumgardner

Christian Bumgardner who was born in1736. Christian was a wagoneer and a soldier. He was a teenager during the years of the French and Indian War. Christian served with George Washington in 1754 as Washington led a small group of colonial troops to force the French to withdraw from forts they were building along the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania. Lieutenant Governor Robert Dinwiddie of Virginia had sent Washington to the commander of the new forts, protesting against French occupation in the area. The French refused to leave. Colonel Washington and his troops were attacked and defeated near Fort Duquesne (now Pittsburgh), in the first battle of the war. In 1755, General Edward Braddock led a band of British soldiers against Fort Duquesne. Braddock was unfamiliar with North American methods of warfare, which often involved surprise attacks from behind trees and concealed spots. He refused to take advice from his experienced American officers, who included Washington. Braddock and his men marched into an ambush. Many men were killed, but Washington succeeded in leading some of them, including Christian, to safety. Christian qualified as a "Lieutenant of Foot" (infantry) in 1757. Christian fought at Valley Forge in 1778 with then General George Washington. He also fought other battles of the Revolutionary War. There are records of his fighting in Michael Reader's Company of Militia. He was sometimes known as "Christley" and he also fought with Jacob and John Bruner. Jacob Bruner was married to one of Christian's sisters and John was their son. Christian received some land entitlements from Colonel Washington for his efforts as a soldier. Washington's ledger inadvertently misspelled his name Christian Bumbgardner. He applied for these "soldier's rights" lands in 1770 and was seeking land on the Ohio or Sandy rivers for his service in the French and Indian Wars. One of the most famous "protestations" of unfair taxes the British levied on the colonies was the "Boston Tea Party" in 1773. Christian was in Boston at the time with his wagon and team and his son Jacob who was 6 years old at the time. They both took part in the Boston Tea Party. Christian married Mary Gabbert in 1762 near Bethel in Augusta County, Virginia. They had five children before Mary died. Their children were James, David, Jacob (our direct ancestor), Michael, and Peter. Mary probably died soon after they were listed as having sold two lots in Strasburg, Virginia, March,1782. Christian purchased some land in 1784 with son Jacob as the witness. He was listed as being single in the 1783 and 1785 Virginia census. Christian married Mary Bullington October 2nd, 1785 and they had three children, William, Christian Jr. (Christley), and Nancy. A document exists detailing Mary Bullington's agreement to be Christian's second wife. Christian died in1795 near Bethel in Augusta County, Virginia. ©1995 Henry L. Bumgardner, Sr.