THE CHRISTMAN FAMILY. Enos Lewis Christman was the pioneer of the Christman family in Washington county, Penn. He was a son of George Christman and Sarah, nee Beerbower, and was born December 27, 1828, in Vincent township, Chester Co., Penn. His father passed from life in 1843, when the subject of our notice was under fifteen years of age, leaving a widow and two younger children, William Davis and Jefferson. The mother was left in circumstances which rendered it necessary for the elder boys to take care of themselves. Enos L. spent the summer of 1844 with an uncle, Jacob Beerbower, who kept a store in Brecknock township, Lancaster county, where he assisted in attending store and working on a farm. In the fall of that year he returned to his mother's home and attended the public school until February 10, 1845, when he entered the office of the Village Record, at West Chester, Penn., and was apprenticed to the late Hon. Henry S. Evans, for five years, to learn the art, trade and mysteries of a printer. He was the successor as an apprentice in that office, of Bayard Taylor, the great traveler; Hon. William Butler, judge of the United States district court, and of Edward M. Paxson, one of the supreme judges of Pennsylvania. Here he served his master so satisfactorily that when the gold fever broke out all over the country, in 1849, Mr. Evans not only released him from serving the balance of his time as an apprentice, but advanced him $400 in cash to go to California. This money was returned at the end of two years with a handsome percentage added. He sailed from Philadelphia on July 3, 1849, in the good ship "Europe," Capt. Addison Plummer, passing around Cape Horn, and stopping a month at Valparaiso, Chili, to repair damages to the ship. The voyage was an eventful one, occupying two hundred and twenty-two days and landing Mr. Christman in San Francisco in February, 1850. His face, like that of all others at that time, was turned toward the gold mines. After suffering many hardships he was soon at work with pick, shovel and bowl, washing the golden sands on the upper waters of the Mariposa river. He met with indifferent success as a miner, and in July, 1850, he printed the first number of the Sonora Herald, at Stockton, and carried it to Sonora on horseback, where it was circulated at 50 cents per copy. A printing office was soon established in a tent in Sonora, and a little later he entered into partnership with Dr. Lewis C. Gunn, formerly of Philadelphia, and the paper was published regularly for several years. After roughing it in the Golden State until the fall of 1852, Mr. Christman returned to West Chester, Penn., where he married Miss Ellen A. Martin, a native of Philadelphia, whose mother dying when she was a little child, the daughter was taken to West Chester, and raised in the family of the late Capt. William Apple, her uncle, as one of their own children. In November, 1852, Mr. Christman, with his wife, came to Washington, Penn., and he purchased a half interest in the Commonwealth newspaper, and entered into partnership with George C. Stouch, a former fellow-apprentice in the Village Record office. The paper had been started by Seth T. Hurd. This partnership continued until the death of Mr. Stouch, in December, 1855. The Hon. William S. Moore subsequently became a partner with Mr. Christman in the publication of the paper, but owing to the disintegration of the Whig party, which cause it had espoused, and the formation of new political parties, the paper became embarrassed, and early in 1858 it was consolidated with the Reporter, then, as now, the oldest paper in Washington county. After the consolidation, without disposing of his interest in the paper, Mr. Christman returned to West Chester, where he was employed by his old master, Mr. Evans, as foreman in the Village Record office. Here he remained until the Rebellion of the slaveholders broke out, when he promptly enlisted, in the latter part of May, 1861, and became second lieutenant of Company K, Fourth Regiment Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteer Corps. With this body he served in the field until May, 1863, when he was appointed, by President Lincoln, provost-marshal of the Seventh District of Pennsylvania, embracing Chester and Delaware counties, with headquarters at West Chester, filling the position until the close of the war, being discharged November 30, 1865. While in the field he participated in the battles in front of Richmond (known as the Seven Days' fight), the second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam and Fredericksburg, and was promoted first to captain and then to major of the Fourth Regiment. It is a curious coincidence that the three brothers, all in different commands, were almost side by side in the bloody battle of Antietam. Enos L. was under Gen. Meade, in front of the cornfield to the left of the pike; William Davis was a lieutenant in the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Regiment, adjoining the Reserves on the right, and near to the Dunkard church, while Jefferson was in the Seventy-second Regiment, fighting on the left of the Reserves. At the close of the war Mr. Christman moved with his family to Somerset county, Md., where he engaged in farming and the timber business. Not succeeding up to the standard of his desires, he returned to West Chester and became assistant editor with Mr. Edward B. Moore, in the publication of the American Republican. In 1872 Hon. William S. Moore, his old partner in the Washington Reporter, having been elected to Congress, was very anxious that Mr. Christman should return to Washington and resume his place in the printing office. This was agreed upon, and on April 2, 1873, Mr. Christman returned to Washington, after an absence of fifteen years, and took charge of the publication of the Reporter during Mr. Moore's absence at the national capital. In August, 1876, the first number of the Daily Reporter was issued. Shortly after this Mr. Moore died, and his interest in the paper passed into the hands of Alex. M. Gow, Esq. In January, 1883, Mr. Christman purchased the interest of Mr. Gow, and became sole proprietor of the paper. He had now a family of eight sons and daughters around him, and in March, 1891, the Christman Publishing Company was chartered, being a family concern as the name indicates. At this time Mr. Christman's health failed, and since then he has had but little to do with the practical publication of the paper, the company, under the leadership of his son William, managing it vigorously and successfully. The children of this family were: Mary Elizabeth, died in infancy; Sarah, married to Charles M. Hayes, and has two sons, Harry and Clyde; Elizabeth and Ella; William, married to Miss Fannie M. Morgan, deceased in 1891, having three children, Howard L., Frank and Herbert; George, baggage master, B. & O. R. R.; Henry, married to Miss Lena Fleissner, and has one daughter, Nellie; Edwin A., married to Mrs. Maggie Frazier, and has two children, Roy and Hazel; Charles F., married to Miss Clara F. Neff. All are residents at this time (1892) of Washington, Penn. Mr. Christman's youngest brother, Jefferson, learned the printing business in the office of the Commonwealth and subsequently settled in Philadelphia. After serving three years in the Seventy-second Regiment, he took a situation in the Public Ledger office, where he has been employed as a compositor for many years. He married Miss Maggie Powers, and they have four daughters, two of whom are married - Lillie, to Morris Naylor, and Ida, to Harry Conaway. William Davis, the other brother, after following the mercantile business for many years in Chester county, removed to Washington and took a position in the Reporter office. He married Miss Zilpha A. Maxton. They have two sons living, Dr. Percy, a successful physician at Washington, and Frederick B., engaged in the printing business in Chicago. An only daughter, Cora, died in young womanhood, at West Chester, in 1879. John Beerbower was the father of Sarah Beerbower, wife of George Christman. He was born in Vincent township, Chester Co., Penn., March 10, 1779, and died in East Vincent township, October 20, 1858. He was a carpenter and farmer, and was many years a justice of the peace. He was commissioned, by Gov. Simon Snyder, as captain of a company of militia in the First Brigade of the Third Division of the counties of Chester and Delaware, on August 1, 1814, and served a tour of duty during the war of that time with Great Britain. His wife was Elizabeth Fertig, who was born July 20, 1784, and died March 29, 1828. They are buried at (Brownback's) First Reformed church of Coventry. This church was organized in 1743. Herman Bierbaner was the father of John Beerbower. He was born in Germany, July 16, 1741, came to America when a young man, died December 29, 1801, and is buried at the old Hill church, on the Ridge road, in East Pikeland township, Chester county. His tombstone is lettered in German. His wife was Christiana Hoffman. She was born October 7, 1747, and died February 7, 1826. The ancestors of the Christmans were Germans. The Colonial records of Pennsylvania show that between the years 1730 and 1771, eleven Christmans, several with families, landed at Philadelphia and swore allegiance to King George II. This record states that: "Daniel Christman arrived at Philadelphia September 5, 1730, with forty-five palatines and their families, 130 persons in all, in the ship 'Alexander and Ann,' William Clymer, Master, from Rotterdam, last from Cowes." Daniel subsequently settled in Worcester township, now Montgomery county, and in 1734 paid quit rents in that township. He had five sons and one daughter. Felix, the oldest son, was born in Germany, the other children in Pennsylvania, viz.: Henry, George, John, Jacob and Magdalene. Of these Felix, Henry, George and Magdalene settled in Vincent township, Chester county, previous to the Revolutionary war. Felix, when an old man, was found dead in shallow water, in Birch run, near his home. He was a blacksmith. Henry was a saddler and George a miller and millwright. Henry Christman, the saddler, was born in Montgomery county, Penn., December 25, 1744, and settled in Vincent township, Chester county, as above stated, where he became the owner of a large tract of land, situated on French creek. Here he lived during the Revolutionary war, and it is handed down as a tradition that he did considerable hauling for the patriots at that time. It is also said that his fine, heavy draught horses were sometimes hidden in the thick bushes along the creek to prevent them from being seized by the British, who ranged through that neighborhood while Washington was at Valley Forge. On one occasion he traded a barrel of whisky, being a distiller, and a set of heavy wagon harness for forty acres of land, which afterward became valuable. He died September 16, 1823, and is buried in the family burial plot at Zion's church, in East Pikeland, Chester county. He married Susanna Keeley, who was born February 25, 1750. She died September 19, 1823, only three days after the decease of her husband, and is buried by his side. This couple had three sons - Henry, Jacob and George; and six daughters who grew to womanhood - Madeline, married to John Young; Catherine, married to John Miller; Margaret, married to Isaac Hause; Elizabeth, married to Peter Yeager; Mary, married to Jacob Finkbiner and Frederick Yost; and Susanna, married to Frederick Oyer. George, the younger of the brothers, married Elizabeth Brownback, and lived on the old homestead on French creek until his death. He was born May 9, 1793, and died January 17, 1866. His wife was born January 5, 1793, and died March 19, 1870, of gangrene after having a foot amputated. The old homestead with its many acres is still in possession of the family. Jacob, the next older brother, was born May 5, 1788, and died March 2, 1871. He married Margaret Evans, who was born December 13, 1791, and died April 1, 1862. They lived on a farm of about 300 acres adjoining the old homestead. They had four children: Elizabeth, married to Jesse Brownback; Susanna; Jacob, married to Miss Hannah Worman, and Henry E., married to Miss Martha Christman. The last named retain the farm owned by the father. Henry Christman, the eldest of these brothers, was born March 14, 1779, and died August 12, 1804. On February 26, 1806, he married Elenor Root, daughter of Sebastian Root. She was born April 10, 1787, and died August 19,1854, while on a visit to her daughter, Margaret Buckwalter, at Parker's Ford, in Chester county. They lived on a large farm adjoining the old Christman homestead as well as that of the brother Jacob. These brothers were all stout, able-bodied men, of good height and build. They were successful farmers and distillers, and in their early days sold many a barrel and tierce of first-quality apple whisky in the Philadelphia market. Henry was also the owner of an oil mill, which, about the year 1835 he converted into a flour mill. This with the farm he retained until his death. He was commissioned lieutenant-colonel in the First Brigade in the militia of Delaware and Chester counties, by Gov. Simon Snyder, and served a tour of duty in the war of 1812-14 with Great Britain. To this couple was born a large family: George, February 10, 1807; Sarah, February 14, 1809; Susanna, March 24, 1811; Henry, August 13, 1813; Catherine, September 22, 1816; Eliza, October 1, 1818; Elenor, April 10, 1821; Maria, February 10, 1823; and Margaret, November 10, 1824. Of these Sarah and Eliza died in childhood; Margaret married Isaac Buckwalter, and died January 16, 1885, leaving two daughters; Catharine married Isaac Shantz, and died July 28, 1866, leaving two children, a son and daughter; Susanna married Michael March, and died April 19, 1891, leaving to survive her two sons, Franklin and Jefferson, and two daughters, Mrs. Ellen Brownback and Mrs. Emma Miller; Maria married Abraham Pennypacker (she survives her husband and has four sons living); Elenor resides with this sister; Henry died suddenly July 24, 1865, and was unmarried. George, the first born of Henry and Elenor Christman, spent his childhood under his father's roof. At the age of twenty-one, December 23, 1827, he married Miss Sarah Beerbower, and continued in the service of his father as farmer and teamster until 1835, when he moved to the Seven Stars tavern on the Ridge road, in East Vincent township, less than a mile from where he was born. The farm connected with the tavern was worn out and nearly fenceless. He worked hard, and soon had things greatly improved in appearance, building an addition to the house. In the fall of 1843, after a prolonged illness, he died of fever, in his thirty-seventh year. He was a tall, angular man with dark hair and eyes. His widow subsequently married Henry Huzzard, and died April 27, 1863, in the fifty-sixth year of her age. All the earlier Christmans were Lutherans, and their names are found in the church records of that denomination in Chester and Montgomery counties.

Text taken from page 266 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed June 1997 by Betty J. Stewart of Pittsburgh, PA as part of the Beers Project. Published June 1997 on the Washington County, PA pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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