Johan Christian Bible

Johann Christian Bible BIRTH 7 Jan 1752 Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, USA DEATH 25 Jul 1832 (aged 80) Warrensburg, Greene County, Tennessee, USA BURIAL Gum Springs Cemetery Midway, Greene County, Tennessee

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8139491/johann-christian-bible

   * The picturesque and interesting Will of this devout GermanLutheran

     pioneer is somewhat typical of Wills made by educated religiousmen

     of this early period as may be seen from the following copy ofthe

     manuscript. Because of the general interest of so many peoplewho

     now occupy this area, the Will is included in its entirety.[Additions

     made to version from article in "Greeneville Sun", 15 Jun 1957,to

     conform to copy of handwritten will]

     CHRISTIAN BIBLE DIED Monday, 22d Oct, 1833 [followed by Min. 17,p.76]

     The execution of the Last Will and Testament of Christian BibleDec'd,

     was duly proven in open court by the oath of George Easterly andLewis

     Stolz, the subscribing witnesses thereto and ordered to berecorded.

     and is as follows:

     IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN.

     I, Christian Bible, of the county of Greene, and the State ofTennessee,

     being in a state of good health and perfect mind and memory, butcalling

     to mind the mortality of mankind that it is appointed for allmen once to

     die, I therefore make this instrument of writing to be my lastwill and

     testament in the manner and form as followeth:

     Viz. 1, I will that all my lawful debts shall first be paid outof my estate.

     Secondly, I give and bequeath unto my dear beloved wife,Margareth, the

     dwelling house, the well and milk house, the garden and as muchfruit as

     she is in need of, likewise five bushels of wheat, five bushelsof rye, and

     two bushels of corn, one hundred weight of pork, fifty weight ofbeef, one

     bushel of salt, one quarter of an acre of flax, two pairs ofshoes annually,

     one cow and two sheep, the same shall be kept for her own useand purpose

     in the summer pasture and in the winter they shall be feed forher as long as

     she keeps my name and be my widow, further it is my will that mywife

     Margareth, shall have all the household furniture the same orsuch as she

     brought into my house when I married her, for her own self.

     I give and bequeath unto my oldest son, John Bible, one hundredacres of

     land, the same plantation whereon he now dwells.

     And unto my son, George Bible, I give and bequeath a certaintract or parcel

     of land, the same whereon he now lives, the number of acres notknown, it

     being a tract I bought of George Reitzel with an addition of apart of my old

     tract beginning at a sugar tree to divide the part of the oldtract before

     mentioned between George and Adam, then to a Branch, thence withthe same

     to its mouth into the creek to a pin oak stump, thence to abuckeye, thence to

     a box elder on the line of the aforesaid Reitzel tract.

     And to my son, Adam Bible, I give and bequeath a certain tractor parcel

     of land beginning at the mouth of the aforesaid branch, thedivision between my

     sons George and Adam, the same whereon he now lives, thencerunning to a

     cedar stake on the line between him and Abraham, thence northand with the

     lines of said tract to close with George's tract.

     And to my son, Lewis Bible, I give and bequeath a certain tractor

     parcel of land containing one hundred acres the same whereon he

     now lives.

     And to my son, Jacob Bible, I give and bequeath a certain tractor

     parcel of land containing eighty-three acres, the same more orless

     adjoining John Bible's land and the old place.

     And to my son Abraham Bible, I give and bequeath a certain tractor

     parcel of land, the number of acres not know, be it begins onJohn

     Bible's upper corner, a hackberry tree from thence north to acedar

     stake corner to Adam's, thence with Adam's line to DanielCoffman's

     line, Thence with said Coffman's line west to the creek, thenceup

     and with said Creek to the beginning.

     And to my son Isaac Bible, I give and bequeath the oldplantation

     and all appurtenance thereunto belonging, except what is herein

     willed aforesaid unto my wife, Margareth, during her life orwidowhood.

     And my will and desire is that every part of the land hereinbequeathed

     to my sons John, George, Adam, Lewis, Jacob, Abraham and IsaacBible

     shall be valued by three good and sensible freeholders whatevery part

     of land may be worth, and that one whose land is valued highershall

     and must give to the other whos land is not worth so much, thatthey

     may all be equal in sharing of the land, they may pay other aswell as

     they can agree together.

     And my son John Bible shall receive of my moveable estate thejust and

     full sum whatever he has paid to John Nehs Senior up to thepresent

     time for the land which I bought from Michael Dettemore. Theplantation

     of one hundred acres lying and being on Wolfs Creek shall (if Ido not sell

     it before my decease), and equally divided amongst all mychildren and

     likewise my moveable Estate shall be sold and divided amongstall my

     children namely, John, George, Adam, Lewis, Jacob, Abraham andIsaac

     Bible, Elizabeth, Catherine and Sarah Bible.

     And it is my will and desire that every one of my daughters(Mary

     excepted)shall receive after my decease twelve months the sum of

     fifty pounds in good trade at cash price.

     And to my two Grand Children, daughters of my son, ChristianBible

     deceased, I give and bequeath five dollars to the eldest,Elizabeth,

     and to the youngest, Anny, one dollar.

     My daughter Elizabeth, the wife of Isaac Crezilies, shallreceive the

     sum of fifty-pounds as aforesaid, and Mary, the wife of JacobEasterly,

     one dollar, and Catherine, the wife of Phillip Easterly, the sumof fifty

     pounds as aforesaid, and to Sarah, the wife of Jacob Bortle, thesum

     of fifty pounds as aforesaid, and those payments equally paid bymy

     sons agreeable to the valuation of their lands as aforesaid.

     And it is my will and desire that my two youngest sons, Abraham

     and Isaac Bible shall receive first out of moveable estate eachof

     them a good horse saddle and bridle and a good home made riflegun.

     And further it is my will and desire that my daughter, Sarahshall

     receive out of my estate the same furniture as one of hersisters

     has received.

     And it is my will and desire that whatever I have hereinbequeathed

     unto my wife Margareth, shall be delivered unto her annually bymy

     sons agreeable to the valuation of their lands, except the flax,

     wintering and pasturing of the aforesaid stock which my sonisaac

     shall do and also to find her in firewood, do her milking, toprevent

     her from that which would be unfit for her to do.

     And I do appoint and constitute my two trusty friends and sonsJohn

     Bible and Philip Easterly, Executors of this my last Will andTestament

     in order that this and no other instrument of writing is butthis my last

     Will and Testament. I renounce and revoke all others and docertify that

     this and no other to be my last Will and Testament.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have herunto set my hand and seal thisthirteenth

     day of July in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundredand Twenty

     Four.

     Signed and sealed in the presence of:

     George Easterly

     Lewis Stolz

     Christian Bible X his mark

     And thereupon came John Bible and Philip Easterly, The Executorsnamed in

     said will and entered into bond with Adam Bible and Jacob BibleSecurities

     in the sum of four thousand dollars with conditions as the lawdirect and

     having taken an oath to execute said will, it is ordered thatletters

     testamentary issue to them accordingly.

   * The birth date of Christian is recorded in the New HanoverLutheran

     Church record book of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Thisrecord

     also indicates he was baptised February 9, 1752, sponsored byChristian

     Kurtz and Elizabeth Borchart and the parents were listed as Adamand Eva

     Margaretha Biebel (Pennsylvania German Church Records, Vol. II,Page 157,

     Genealogical Publishing Company) Montgomery Co did not exist atthe time

     of his birth, the county was actually Philadelphia Co., PA.Montgomery Co.,

     PA was formed in 1770.

     Christian wrote his Will on July 13, 1824 and it was probated inGreene Co.,

     TN on October 22, 1833. The inventory of his estate was recordedon January

     28, 1833 (Greene Co., TN Inventory of Estates, volumn January1828 to June

     1843, page 305 dated January 28, 1833). Christian's Willmentions his children

     by name including Christian Jr. who had died in 1806 and alsohis second wife

     Margareth. The death date of Christian is recorded in the familyBible belonging

     to his youngest son Isaac(Greene Co., TN Pioneer May 1990issue).

     Christian and Margareth are buried in the Gum Springs cemeterylocated

     down the Warrensburg Highway from Christian's homestead. A wornand

     weathered stone marks their final resting place and because ofthe nature

     of the tombstone selected, any inscriptions on the rock havelong since

     disappeared. The late D. T. Jones, great-great grandson ofChristian Bible,

     learned from his mother Ellen Smith Bible Jones the location ofChristian's

     tombstone in the Gum Springs cemetery and he showed DorothyBallard who

     showed Ralph Cansler.

Baptized on February 9, 1752 at New Hanover Lutheran Church, sponsored by Christian Kurtz and Elizabeth Borchart.

WILL IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN. I, Christian Bible, of the County of Greene, and State of Tennessee, being in a state of good health and perfect mind and memory, but calling to mind the mortality of mankind that it is appointed for all men once to die, I therefore make this instrument of writing to be my last Will and Testament in the manner and form as followeth:

I will that all my lawful debts shall first be paid out of my estate. Secondly, I give and bequeath unto my dear beloved wife, Margaret, the dwelling house, the well and milk house, the garden and as much fruit as she is in need of likewise five bushels of wheat, five bushels of rye and ten bushels of corn, one hundred weight of pork, fifty weight of beef, one bushel of salt, one quarter of an acre of flax, two pair of shoes annually, one cow and two sheep, the same shall be kept for her own use and purpose in the summer in pasture and in the winter they shall be fed for her as long as she keeps my name and be my widow, further it is my will that my wife, Margaret shall have all the household furniture the same as such as she brought into my house when I married her for her own self.

I give and bequeath unto my oldest son John Bible one hundred acres of land, the same plantation whereon he now dwells.

And unto my son George Bible I give and bequeath a certain tract or parcil of land, the same whereon he now lives, the number of acres not known, it being a tract I bought of George Reitzel with an addition of a part of my old tract beginning at a sugar tree to divide the part of the old tract before mentioned between George and Adam, thence to a branch, thence with the same to its mouth into the Creek, thence with the said Creek to a pin oak stump, thence to a buckeye, thence to a box elder on the line of the aforesaid Reitzel tract.

And to my son, Adam Bible, I give and bequeath a certain tract or parcil of land beginning at the mouth of the aforesaid branch, the division between my sons George and Adam, the same whereon he now lives, thence running to a cedar stake on the line between him and Abraham, thence north and with the lines of said tract to close with George's tract. And to my son, Lewis Bible, I give and bequeath a certain tract or parcil of land containing one hundred acres the same whereon he now lives.

And to my son Jacob Bible, I give and bequeath a certain tract or parcil of land containing eighty-three acres be the same more or less adjoining John Bibles land and the old place.

And to my son, Abraham Bible, I give and bequeath a certain tract or parcil of land, the number of acres not known, but it begins on John Bible's upper corner, a hackberry tree from thence north to a cedar stake corner to Adam, thence with Adam's line to Daniel Coffman's line, thence with said Coffman's line west to the Creek, thence up and with said Creek to the beginning.

And to my son, Isaac Bible, I give and bequeath the old plantation with all appurtenances thereunto belonging, except what is herein willed aforesaid unto my wife, Margaret during her life or widowhood.

And my will and desire is that every part of the land here in bequeath unto my sons John, George, Adam, Lewis, Jacob, Abraham and Isaac Bible shall be valued by three good and sensible freeholders what every part of land may be worth and that one whose land is valued higher shall and must give to the other whose land is not worth so much that they may all be equally in shares of the land they may pay other as well as they can agree together.

And my son, John Bible, shall receive of my movable Estate the just and full sum whatever he has paid to John Nehs Senior up to the present time for the land which I bought from Michael Dettemore. The plantation of one hundred acres lying and being on Wolfs Creek shall (if I do not sell it before my decease).

And equally divided amongst all my children and likewise my moveable Estate shall be sold and divided amongst all my children namely, John, George, Adam, Lewis, Jacob, Abraham, and Isaac Bible, Elisabeth, Catharine and Sarah Bible.

And it is my will and desire that every one of my daughters (Mary excepted) shall receive after my decease twelve months the sum of fifty pounds in good trade at cash price.

And to my two Grand Children, daughters of my son Christian Bible deceast, I give and bequeath five dollars to the eldest, Elisabeth, four dollards to the youngest, Anny one dollar.

My daughter, Elisabeth, the wife of Isaac Crezilies shall receive the sum of fifty pounds as aforesaid, and Mary, the wife of Jacob Easterly one dollar, and Catherine, the wife of Philip Easterly the sum of fifty pounds as aforesaid and to Sarah, the wife of Jacob Bortle, the sum of fifty pounds as aforesaid, and those payments equally paid by my sons agreeable to the valuation of their land as aforesaid.

And it is my will and desire that my two youngest sons, Abraham and Isaac Bible shall receive first out of moveable estate each of them a good horse saddle and bridle and a good home made rifle gun.

And further it is my will and desire that my daughter, Sarah, shall receive out of my estate the same furniture as one of her sisters has received.

And it is my will and desire that whatever I have herein bequeathed unto my wife, Margaret, shall be delivered unto her annually by my sons agreeable to the valuation of their lands except the flax, wintering and pasturing of the aforesaid stock which my son Isaac shall do and also to find her in firewood, do her milking, to prevent her from that which would be unfit for her to do.

And I do appoint and constitute my two trusty friends and sons John Bible and Philip Easterly, Executors of this my last Will and Testament, in order that this and no other instrument of writing is but this my last Will and Testament. I renounce and revoke all others and do certify that this and not other to be my last Will and Testament.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this thirteenth day of July in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty-four.

Signed and sealed in the presence of: George Easterly Christian Bible Lewis Stolz

--------------------------

Johann Christian Bible. Born on 7 Jan 1752 in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Christian died in Greene County, Tennessee on 28 Jan 1833; he was 81. In 1775, when Christian was 22, he first married Catherine Vollmann in Shenandoah County, Virginia. Born about 1752, Catherine died about 1787; she was about 35. Christian was a pioneer of Greene County, Tennessee, and the covered wagon in which he moved his household from the Shenandoah Valley is now on exhibit at the Davy Crockett Museum in Morristown, Tennessee.

 	They had the following children:

 	  	i. 	John. Born on 4 Oct 1777 in Harrisburg, Virginia, John died in Greene County, Tennessee on 20 Aug 1850; he was 72. He fought in the War of 1812. Buried in Gum Springs Cemetery, Green County, Tennessee. On 28 Nov 1798, when John was 21, he married Elizabeth Pickle in Knoxville, Tennessee. Born on 10 Mar 1779, Elizabeth died in Greene County, Tennessee on 19 Apr 1862; she was 83.

 	7. 	ii. 	Elizabeth (about 1779-1855)

 	  	iii. 	Mary. Born on 10 Jan 1779 in Virginia, Mary died in Cocke County, Tennessee on 13 Jan 1853; she was 74. On 26 Jan 1798, when Mary was 19, she married Jacob Easterly in Greene County, Tennessee.

 	  	iv. 	Christian. Born about 1782 in Virginia, Christian died in Greene County, Tennessee on 17 Dec 1806; he was 24.

 	  	v. 	George. Born on 3 Oct 1783 in Harrisonburg, Virginia, George died in Cocke County, Tennessee about 1862; he was 78. Buried in Del Rio, Tennessee. In 1804, when George was 20, he married Martha Keicher.

 	  	vi. 	Adam. Born in 1786 in Virginia, Adam died in Greene County, Tennessee on 8 Oct 1862; he was 76. Adam first married Elizabeth Smelcer. On 19 Dec 1808, when Adam was 22, he second married Elizabeth Neas, daughter of John Nehs & Elizabeth Rausch, in Greene County, Tennessee.

 	  	vii. 	Philip. Born on 3 Sep 1773.

 	In 1787/1788 when Christian was about 34, he second married Margareth Speagle in Virginia.

 	They had the following children:

 	  	i. 	Lewis. Born after 1786 in Virginia, Lewis died in Greene County, Tennessee on 20 Oct 1843; he was 57.

 	  	ii. 	Catherine. Born on 23 Nov 1789 in Virginia, Catherine died in Greene County, Tennessee on 18 Jul 1842; she was 52. Catherine married Phillip Easterly.

 	  	iii. 	Jacob. Born on 25 Sep 1791 in Greene County, Tennessee, Jacob died in Greene County, Tennessee on 28 May 1850; he was 58. Buried in Gum Springs Cemetery, Green County, Tennessee.4

 	  	iv. 	Sarah. Born about 1795 in Greene County, Tennessee. She married Jacob Bottles.

 	  	v. 	Abraham. Born on 22 Mar 1798 in Greene County, Tennessee, Abraham died in Greene County, Tennessee on 16 Sep 1863; he was 65. Abraham married Sena Parrott.

 	  	vi. 	Isaac. Born about 1800 in Greene County, Tennessee, Isaac died there about 1872; he was 72. On 3 Sep 1822, when Isaac was 22, he married Elizabeth Harmon in Greene County, Tennessee.

Source: http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~kmparker/gen/Surname%20Repo...

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Feb 8 2022, 7:30:00 UTC