1853 Jonas Christophel was born on February 18. [1]
1878 Jonas Christophel married Salome Buzzard on October 10. [2]
1880 Jonas Christophel (age 27, born in Indiana, married) lived in Jackson Twp, Elkhart County, Indiana, in a household with Salome Christophel (age 27), Waltar B. Christophel (age 7/12), and David R. Christophel (age 16). Jonas Christophel's father was born in Pennsylvania and his mother was born in Virginia. Jonas Christophel's occupation was farmer. [3]
1900 Soloame Christophol (born in Indiana in Oct 1852, married for 21 years), wife, lived in Harrison Twp, Elkhart County, Indiana, in a household with Jonce Christophol (age 47), Walter B Christophol (age 20), John W Christophol (age 14), Anna C Christophol (age 17), Bertha Christophol (age 12), Elsie Christophol (age 6), and John Detwiler (age 22). Soloame Christophol's parents were both born in Pennsylvania. Soloame Christophol's occupation was farmer. [4]
1920 An obituary for Salome Christophel reported [5]:
Christophel.--Salome Buzzard was born in Elkhart County, Indiana, Oct. 20, 1852. On Oct. 10, 1878, she was united in marriage to Jonas Christophel. To this union were born 8 children, Ella, Cora, Elsie and Noble preceding her in death. She is survived by her husband, 4 children (Dr. Walter B., John B., Mrs. E. S. Mullet, and Mrs. Clarence Lehman), and many relatives and friends. She gave her heart to God forty-one years ago and was a faithful member of the Mennonite Church until death. She wanted to be present at the house of God, and when health permitted, her place was seldom vacant, altho at times she was scarcely able to go. The last service she attended was the communion a little more than two weeks before her departure. She was a real mother and was much interested in training her children for her Savior. Her motherly counsel will be greatly missed. About twelve years before her death her health failed from which she never fully recovered, and at times suffered greatly. A little less than two weeks before her death she became suddenly very ill and on Nov. 24, 1920, she passed away, aged 68 y. 1 m. 4 d. She bore her sufferings with exemplary patience and fortitude. With the exception of five years she always lived on the farm where she died. Funeral services at the Yellow Creek Church on the 26th, conducted by Jonathan Kurtz and J. S. Hartzler. Text, John 11:25.
1929 A platt map of Harrison Twp, Elkhart County, Indiana shows a farm in section 27 owned by Jonas Christophel. [6]
1931 Jonas Christophel, widowed, son of John W. Christophel and Elizabeth Christophel, spouse of Salome Christophel, died on May 10, 1931, at age 78, in Harrison Twp, Elkhart County, Indiana. Jonas Christophel was born on February 18, 1853, in Elkhart County, Ind. [7]
1931 An obituary for Jonas Christophel reported [8]:
Christophel.- Jonas, second son of John and Elizabeth Christophel, was born in Elkhart County, Indiana, Feb. 18, 1853, and lived near his place of birth nearly all his life. He died at the home of his daughter (Mrs. C.E. Lehman) Sunday morning, May 10, 1931; aged 78y. 2m. 22d. On Oct. 10, 1878, he was united in marriage with Soloma Buzzard. To this union were born eight children, four of whom (Ella, Cora, Noble, and Elsie), preceded him in death. After an illness of about twelve years his life companion also passed on before. During the remaining eleven years of his life, Bro. Christophel lived with his daughter, Bertha, and her husband on the old homestead. He is survived by his four children (Dr. W.B. Christophel, John, living on part of the old homestead, Mrs. E.S. Mullet, and Mrs. C.E. Lehman) three sisters (Mrs. Hannah Smith, Mrs. Harriet Blosser, and Miss Sarah Christophel), two brothers(Bish. J.W. and Noah), fourteen grandchildren, and many other relatives and friends. At the age of nineteen years he united with the Mennonite Church at Yellow Creek, where he was a faithful member until death. He was a regular attendant when health permitted and erected a family alter in the home which he kept burning throughout life. This home service was held each morning regardless of who was there or what secular labor was ahead. No doubt it was this service that inspired him to always try to have his whole family attend services at the house of God. Funeral services May 13 at the Yellow Creek Church, conducted by J.S. Hartzler. Burial in the adjoining cemetery.
[1] Jonas G. Wenger, Martin D. Wenger, and Joseph H. Wenger, History of the Descendants of Christian Wenger (1903), 186, [GoogleBooks], [HathiTrust], [InternetArchive].
[2] Jonas G. Wenger, Martin D. Wenger, and Joseph H. Wenger, History of the Descendants of Christian Wenger (1903), 186, [GoogleBooks], [HathiTrust], [InternetArchive].
[3] United States Federal Census, 1880, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[4] United States Federal Census, 1900, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[5] Mennonite Obituary Archives, Gospel Herald, Vol. XIII No. 37 Dec. 9, 1920, [MennObits].
[6] Atlas and plat book of Elkhart County, Indiana (Thrift Press, 1929), [LibraryOfCongress Map], [LibraryOfCongress].
[7] Indiana, U.S., Death Certificates, 1899-2011, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[8] Mennonite Obituary Archives, Gospel Herald, June 4, 1931 Vol. XXIV No. 10 - page 223, [MennObits].