Christian Bauer Gish

Christian was blinded in a gunpowder explosion and was blind the last 20 years of his life. Undoubtedly so in this picture. This picture was posted online by a Harry Gish. It did not include documentation for the picture, but certainly looks like it could be an ancestor of Jacob Gish whose picture we have posted on Geni.

Christian, the eldest son of Matthias and Katharine, married Sophia Hock about 1756. Their names first appear together in the settlement of Matthias's estate (1762), Matthias died in 1757, intestate, leaving Christian to settle the inheritance. He did, after all heirs sold their shares in the family property to Peter Kratzer, his brother-in-law. The real estate appraised at 350 pounds the year before but sold for 361 pounds and 14 schillings. The Widow Katherine was entitled to a dower-right of one third.

Christian was recorded as blacksmith of Lebanon Township with his name on the tax lists there from 1759 to 1780. In 1764 he purchased 4 acres adjoining the town of Lebanon. Lebanon was about 15 miles north of White Oak where Matthias had settled. In 1763, Christian was one of the first purchasers of lots in the town of Shippensburg which lies near the boundary between the counties of Cumberland and Franklin. He was still living in Lebanon at the beginning of the Revolution, however.

He was in the military between 1780-1783, serving in the 6th Company, 2nd Battalion, Lancaster County, in the Pennsylvania Militia under Captain John Stone. Other sources say that in 1777 he bought a farm in Southampton township near Shippensburg, and that he and his 3 sons served in the company of Captain Alexander Peebles, Cumberland County militia.

Each of his sons was provided with a farm or a farm and mill. After about 15 years in that area he sold two of the farms and headed southward to Virginia.

Christian and Sophia went with many other German settlers in Pennsylvania south to the valley of Virginia, a few miles north of Salem about 1792. He bought 650 acres of land on Tinkers Mountain from Preston Breckeridge in 1792 (Botetourt Co. deed book 4 page 383). A Gish set up a Grist mill in that area. In May of 1796,only 4 years after the new settlement was established Christian signed his will which stated that he was "weak and sick of body but of sound and disposing mind and memory and understanding." The will was probated at Fincastle, the county seat of Botetourt County, in the following month in the courts.

They belonged to the Church of the Brethren, The Dunkards. His birthdate was listed in his will in Boutetourt County, VA.

Christian I moved southward to Cumberland co. Pa, then after 1790 moved to Va. His will was dated May 22, 1796. He was sick at this time and died shortly afterwards.

Religion: Dunkards (Church of the Brethren). Source: Book "A seed-bed of the republic", By R.D. Stoner. Moved southward to Clumberland Co. Pa. then after 1790 moved to Virginia. His will was dated May 22, 1796. He was sick at this time and died shortly afterwards. He was a blacksmith. Christian built a substantial house of logs on his land, approximately 1/4 mile north of the site of Robert Breckinridge's house which stood to the rear of the Dr. R. Boaz home in Daleville. The land on which this house was built was conveyed in later years to Peter Nininger, eventually coming into the possession of Ben. F. Nininger who was one of the builders of Botetourt Normal School, later known as Daleville College. The Christian Gish house still stands on what is left of the Daleville College Campus and is in good repair. The house has been weatherboarded and some years ago repaired and modernized; becoming an apartment house. The president of Daleville College lived in the house while the college was in operation. The circular limestone rock columns on the front porch are very unique.

A permit was granted Christian Gish to build a mill on Tinker Creek in 1797, apparently after his death. In any event, it is an accepted fact that the Gish family built a mill on Tinker Creek, thought to have been on the site where Daleville Mill was later built and operated by the Nininger family. Records show that Peter Nininger's son, William, operated Daleville Mill for many years.

SOURCE: DAR Application:

Ref. "Footprints in the Sands of Time" by Gish "Matthias Gish of White Oak" by J. I. Hamaker

DAR. Ref. 658835 - Evelyn Sapp Kendall

714769 - Juanita Fisher Lane - B. c. 1741, Lancaster Co., Pa., d. Botetourt Co., Va. on May 1797, m. c. 1755, Lancaster Co., Pa. (copy in file) "Lancaster Co., Pa. and Cumberland Co., Pa., Private, 6th Company, 2nd Battallion, Lancaster Co. Militia. PA Archives, 5th Series, Vol. 7,

pp. 151-8"

SOURCE: DAR Application:

Ref. "Family History" "A History of the Hock Family"

DAR Ref. 739927 - Deborah Gish Budke - B. Feb. 1735, Lancaster Co.,

Pa., d. Botetourt, Co., Va., June 1796. m. ca. 1755, Lancaster Co., Pa., w.

Sophia Hock, b. 5 Dec. 1732, Germany, d. Botetourt Co., Va. (copy in

file)

DAR Ref. 730096 - Loretta Gish Loomis Terry

649040 - Neva Gish McAdam

"Served at Lebanon Twp., Lancaster Co., and Hopewell Twp., Cumberland Co., Pa. Private, Capt. Stone's G. Co., 2nd Batt., Lancaster Co., 1781. PA Archives, Vol. 7, P. 155-6"

SOURCE: "DAR Patriot Index - Cent. Edition", part 2.

"Gish, Christian, Sr.: b. c.1735 PA, d. a. 6- -1796 VA, m. Sophia

Hook, PA"

WILL: Botetourt Co., Va., Will Book A, P. 427

Will dated April 11, 1797 - Gish file

"In the name of God Amen I Christian Gish of the County of Botetourt and the State of Virginia being weak and sick of body but of sound and disposing mind and memory and understanding considering the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the time therefore and be desirious to settle my worldly affairs and thereby be thus better prepared to leave this world when it shall please God to call me hence doth therefore make and publish this my last will and Testament in a manner and form following that is to say first and principally I commute my Soul unto the hands Almighty God and my body to this earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executory hereinafter named and after my debts and funeral charges are paid I devise and bequeath as follows I give and bequeath unto my wife Sophia one cow and all the household of furniture that is in her possession at present her lifetime and also is to be maintained out of my estate and not to suffer and after her decease whatever she leaves is to be divided

equally among all my Children "I give to my Eldest son Christian Gish an Equal part with the rest of all my children which they are all to have Share and Share alike with selling all the accounts I devise my son Christian Gish one hundred and Twenty four and a half acres of land lying on Tucker Creek being the same I bought of Anthony Gholson to him and his heirs forever whatever part of my estate is coming to my son John Gish I direct that Executors shall lay out in land for all his children My two Daughers Elizabeth and Katy are to receive their proportion of my Estate out of the first of the money due to me that is received by Executors after that my son George is to receive (what) proportion is coming to him.

"And it is my intention and Direction to my Executors in the distribution of my Estate that such of my Children as have received from me in my lifetime and (proviction) shall be charged with it so they may all stand equal and I do hereby constitute and appoint Abraham Gish, Jacob Gish and Benjamin Goffman Executors of this my last will and Testament hereby revoking all others and publish and proclaim as this last will and Testament and in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affix my seal this 22nd of May, 1796

"Signed Sealed and published in presence of us - (signature) Seal

"Thos Madison

Burkey Crawford

John Nave

"At June Botetourt Court 1796

This Instrument of writing purporting to be the last will and Testament of Christian Gish decd was exhibited in Court and proved by the Oath of Burkey Crawford and John Nave witnesses thereto Subscribed and ordered to be recorded and on motions of Abraham Gish, Jacob Gish and Benjamin

Goffman three of the Executors thereon named Certificated as grantees"

SOURCE: Inventory, Botetourt Co., Va. Will Book A, P. 446-447,

April 1797

Gish File

"We the underwritten subscribers being appointed by the court to value the underneath property of Christian Gish, decd., do appraise it to the following sums.

L S D

L S D

One Cow 3 10 - One peace woolin cloth

- 9 -

One horse 13 One sheet

6

One crofscut Saw 1 4 one bed tick

6

One large C kettle 2 8 one Blanket

6

one shot gun 1 8 one Bar of Iron

4

one mans saddle 15 one Large Bible

1 4

one great coat 15 one Psalter?

1 6

one Bag of Wool 1 5 1 pr scales & weights

3

one large dish & Bason 12 6 one washing tub & ___small vessels

one doz. Small plates 6

8

one large dish & Bason 10 three hives of bees

1 4

Ten table Spoons 4 2 one Swarm Bees

9

one Small pot 6

one feather Bed Furniture 2 LB

35 17 2

two pieces of Fustian?? 15

one piece Bed Ticken

one Small bag cotton

one drest deer skin

His

1 10 Peter x Snider

6 mark

3 Robert Preston

David Nofthinger

Botetourt County to Wit

The above was Sworn to & Subscribed before me the 11th April 1797

J. Bolt

"At Boutetourt April Court 1797

This Inventory & Appariasment was

Returned to Court & Ordered to be Recorded

A Copy

Teste H. G. Bonyer? C.B.C."

SOURCE: "Early Gishs in Va."

"The earliest deeds to the German element in Botetourt County bear the date from 1783. The first among the first German settlers were Graybills, Simmons, Keplers, Gishs, Broughs, Sniders, Harshbergers,

Becamers, Amens, and others. All came in the eighties. These Germans came into this county directly after the Revolutionary war, from Pa. and Md. - mostly from Pa."*

• "P. 196. The German Element in the U.S. by Albert Bernard Faust,

Vol. 1."

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"In 1833 at the national Reunion of the Gish Families of America a tablet was unveiled to the memory of Matthias Gish on the spot where his blacksmith shop stood. On the tablet is given the name of

Matthias Gish and wife Catherine. Sons: Christian, Abraham, John, David. Christian died in Va. 1796. Christian's children were John, and others. The first wife of John was Catherine Stover, sister of

Susanna. The three Gish girls by the first wife - Catherine, b. Sept. 17, 1783; Elizabeth, b. Oct. 26, 1785; Anna, b. July 5, 1788. There were seven children by second wife."

NOTE: "This was copied out of the Stover and Related families, by Bertha E. Hughey's book."

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SOURCE: "Christian Gish of Virginia"

"Christian...was the oldest son of Matthias and Katherine (Bauer) Gish, passengers on the Pennsylvania Merchant' when it docked at Philadelphia September 18, 1733. They were natives of the area of Germany known as the 'Palatine' and members of the Church of the Brethren (Dunkards). It is nice to think Matthias and Katherine enjoyed a shipboard romance which led to marriage. Surely they wed with the approval of her parents, Andreas and Maria Bauer, fellow passengers"

"The eight children born to Katherine were raised on this land. The children were: Christian (ours); Anna...; John...; Katherine...; Abraham...; Jacob...; Anna Marie...; Lastly, David"

Christian moved southward to Clumberland co. Pa, then after 1790 moved to Va. His will was dated May 22, 1796. He was sick at this time and died shortly afterwards. Religion: Dunkards (Church of the Brethren). Souce: Book "A seed-bed of the republic", By R.D. Stoner.

He was a blacksmith, the Gish's were dunkards and belonged to the church of the brethren. Christian built a substantial house of logs on his land, approximately 1/4 mile north of the site of Robert Breckinridge's house which stood to the rear of the Dr. R. Boaz home in Daleville. The land on which this house was built was conveyed in later years to Peter Nininger, eventually coming into the possession of Ben F. Nininger who was one of the builders of Botetourt Normal School, later known as Daleville College.

The Christian Gish house still stands on what is left of the Daleville College Campus and is in good repair. The house has been weather boarded and some years ago repaired and modernized; becoming an apartment house. The president of Daleville College lived in the house while the college was in operation. The circular limestone rock columns on the frontporch are very unique.

A permit was granted Christian Gish to build a mill on Tinker Creek in 1797, apparently after his death. In any event, it is an accepted fact that the Gish family built a mill on Tinker Creek, thought to have been on the site where Daleville Mill was later built and operated by the Nininger family.

Records show that Peter Nininger's son, William, operated Daleville Mill for many years.

Headstone of Christian Gish May 1796 , Fincastle, Botetourt County, Virginia, USA

=========================

GISH, CHRISTIAN SR Ancestor #: A045389 Service: PENNSYLVANIA Rank: PRIVATE Birth: CIRCA 1735 PENNSYLVANIA Death: ANTE 6- -1796 BOTETOURT CO VIRGINIA Service Source: PA ARCH, 5TH SER, VOL 7, P 158 Service Description: 1) CAPT STONE, LANCASTER CO, 1781

HE WAS MY GREAT GRANDFATHER OF MY 4TH COUSIN, 3 TIMES REMOVED. HIS RELIGION WAS DRUNKARDS (CHURCH OF THE BRETHERN

Christian moved southward to Clumberland co. Pa, then after 1790 moved to Va. His will was dated May 22, 1796. He was sick at this time and died shortly afterwards. Religion: Dunkards (Church of the Brethren). Souce: Book "A seed-bed of the republic", By R.D. Stoner. Moved southward to Clumberland Co., Pa. then after 1790 moved to Virginia. His will was dated May 22, 1796, He was sick at this time and diedshortly afterwards. He was a blacksmith, the Gish's were dunkards andbelonged to the church of the brethren. Christian built a substantialhouse of logs on hisland, approximately 1/4 mile north of the site of Robert Breckinridge's house which stood to the rear of the Dr. R. Boaz home in Daleville. The land on which this house was built was conveyed in later years to Peter Nininger, eventually coming into the possession of Ben. F. Nininger who was one of the builders of Botetourt Normal School, later known as Daleville College. The Christian Gish house still stands on what is left of the Daleville College Campus and is in good repair. The house has been weatherboardedand some years ago repaired and modernized; becoming an apartment house. The president of Daleville College lived in the house while the college was in operation. The circular limestone rock columns on the frontporch are very unique.  A permit was granted Christian Gish to build a mill on Tinker Creek in 1797, apparently after his death. In any event, it is an accepted fact that the Gish family built a mill on Tinker Creek, thought to have been on the site where Daleville Mill was later built and operated by the Nininger family. Records show that Peter Nininger's son, William, operated Daleville Mill for many years. Father Gish, Matthias [I0891]  Mother Bauer, Katherine (Boyer-Bourin) [I0530]  Siblings 1.Gish, Anna [I0899] 2.Gish, John L. [I0531] 3.Gish, Katherine [I0900] 4.Gish, Abraham [I0901] 5.Gish, Jacob [I0532] 6.Gish, David [I0533] 7.Gish, Anna Maria  

Married Wife Hock, Sophia (Hogue) [I0062]

 Marriage Marriage of Gish, Christian and Hock, Sophia (Hogue),  about 1754  at  Pennsylvania 

 Children 1.Gish, Katharine [I0537] 2.Gish, Christian [I0536] 3.Gish, John G. [I0063] 4.Gish, George McHenry Sr. [I0065] 5.Gish, Elizabeth [I0535] 6.Gish, Jacob B. [I0064] 7.Gish, Abraham [I0067] 8.Gish, David [I0068]

a altenate from a fag client is: Christian Gish/Gisch was not born in Cumberland Co, Pa, He was born in White Oak, Lancaster Co, Pa on the Johann Mathias Gisch Farm.

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Jul 7 2018, 18:44:27 UTC

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