My Genealogy Hound

DAVID CHRISTIAN, farmer, Sec. 21; Versailles. Lewis Christian, the father of David, was born in Pennsylvania, in the year 1775, and emigrated to Ohio, Montgomery County, in or about the year 1800; he was married to Mary Layer, in Montgomery County, she was also born in Pennsylvania; they came to Darke County in 1809, residing in Adams Township until their death. David Christian, the subject of this sketch, was born in Darke Co., Adams Township, March 23, 1819; he lived with his parents till their death, being only 13 years old at that time, after which he lived with his brother till he was about 15 years old, working on the farm during summer, and attending school during the winter, where he obtained a fair common-school education; at 15 years of age, he went to live with his brother-in-law, remaining about two years, after which he went to Indiana, where he made the acquaintance of a young man by the name of John Collins, who was a brick-mason; Mr. Christian worked for and with him in various places, for about six months; he then went to work in a saw-mill fifteen miles from La Porte, where he remained a short time, then returning home to his brother-in-law’s, having been gone altogether about twelve months; he cut and hauled a load of hoop-poles to Dayton, which he sold; he then hauled a load of freight, consisting of dry goods and groceries, through to Huntington; this was in the winter season, and, the ground being frozen, he was about two weeks making the trip; he then commenced farming, and worked at it for about two years, buying in the meantime a tract of land in Wayne Township, Sec. 21, containing 95 acres, paying $3 per acre; it was all a dense forest. At the age of 22 years, Mr. Christian was united in marriage to Catherine Woods, in 1841, in Darke Co. He then erected a log cabin, and moved into it, and commenced clearing up a farm, and, with the help of his good wife, connected with industry and hard labor, is now reaping his reward in the possession of a handsome fortune. He now owns from 400 to 500 hundred acres, divided into four farms, all well improved; he has on his home place a good one and a half-story brick residence, with good cellar and all improvements. Mr. Christian is not a church member, but at the same time, is a good, honest man, and believes in living in harmony with all, and obeying the golden rule. When he commenced life, he did not have much of this world’s goods, and, when he and his wife came to this place, there was no clearing it was all under heavy timber. He says they did not move, as they had nothing but one horse, a sled, maul and wedge, and an ax. Mr. and Mrs. Christian are the parents of fourteen children, of whom twelve are now living—Joseph, born in 1841; Henry, born in 1842; Samuel, born in 1844; Caroline, born in 1847; Catherine, born in 1849; Elizabeth, born in 1852; Lewis, born in 1854; Lavina, born in 1856; Minerva, born in 1858; Lydia, born in 1860; David, born in 1862; Hannah E., born in 1865.