1819 John M Christophel was born on February 2 in Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany. John was brother of Deacon Henry, and son of Christian Christophel, who in turn was a brother of Jacob Christophel. [1] [2] [3]
1824 Harriet Reed was born on April 5 near Dayton, Rockingham County, Virginia to William S. and Christina (Wenger) Reed. [4]
1847 Harriet Reed and John Christophel were married on January 31 at Mahoning County, Ohio. [5] [6] [7] [8]
1849 "Others who came in 1849 and in the next year or so were: John M Christophel, 1819-1886 of Germany, and his wife Harriet Reed of Va, 1824-1896. He was later a bishop at Yellow Creek..." "John M Christophel, 1819-1886, who was a nephew of Preacher Jacob Christophel, and who had lived with his wife Harriet Reed, 1824-1896, of Virginia, in Mahoning County Ohio until 1850 when they settled in Elkhart County, was apparently ordained preacher...". [9]
1850 Harriet Christopher (age 25, born in Virginia) lived in Union Twp, Elkhart County, Indiana, in a household with John M Christopher (age 31), Margaret Christopher (age 3), Christian Christopher (age 1), Henry Christopher (age 25), and Jacob Christopher (age 29). [10]
1860 Harriet Chistoful (age 36, born in Ohio) lived in Union Twp, Elkhart County, Indiana, in a household with John M Chistoful (age 40), Margaret A Chistoful (age 13), Chestina Chistoful (age 11), Isaiah Chistoful (age 8), Catharin Chistoful (age 3), and Abraham Chistoful (age 2). Henry Christoful (age 33), Elizabeth Christoful (age 24), Isaac Christoful (age 5), Catharin Christoful (age 2), Jacob Christoful (age 38), Nancy Christoful (age 27), Daniel Christoful (age 2), Enos Christoful (age 1), Andrew Joseph (age 5) lived in the same household. [11]
1861 John M Christophel owned land in section 8 of Union Twp, Elkhart County, Indiana near father-in-law WS Reed. [12]
1862 John Christophel was ordained minister 31 May at Yellow Creek Mennonite Church. He was a minister of the Mennonite Church at Yellow Creek, Elkhart County, Indiana, for 26 years.
1864 John M Christophel, of Union Twp, Elkhart County, Indiana, was taxed by the IRS for special income. [13] [14]
1870 John Christophel (age 51, born Germany), farmer, with estate valued at $4000+$1000 lived in Union Twp, Elkhart County, Indiana, with wife Harriet (age 42, born Virginia, cannot read) and children Margaret (age 22, born Ohio), Isaiah (age 17, born Ohio), Catharine (age 13), Abraham (age 12), Peter (age 9), and Lizzie (age 7). Nearby was Harriet's brother Abraham. [15]
1872 John M Christophel was ordained bishop 18 October at Yellow Creek Mennonite Church. He was a bishop for 13 years.
1874 John M Christophel had land in adjacent sections 8 and 17 of Union Twp, Elkhart County, Indiana. Nearby was father-in-law Wm S Reed. [16]
1880 Harriet Christopher (age 56, born in Virginia, married), wife, lived in Union Twp, Elkhart County, Indiana, in a household with J. M. Christopher (age 61, born Bavaria Germany, farmer), Abraham Christopher (age 22), Catharine A. Christopher (age 24), Peter R. Christopher (age 19), and Elisabeth J. Christopher (age 17). Harriet Christopher's father was born in Virginia and her mother was born in Pennsylvania. [17]
1886 John M. Christophel died on May 31 and was buried at Yellow Creek Frame Cemetery, Elkhart County, Indiana. John M. Christophel was born on February 2, 1821. [18] [19]
1886 An obituary for John Christophel reported [20]:
On the 31st of May, in Union Twp., Elkhart Co, Ind, of Cancer, Pre. John M. Christophel, aged 67 years, 3 months and 29 days. He was born near Regensberg, Germany, emigrated to the United States in 1840, and resided in Mahoning County, Ohio until 1850, when he removed to Elkhart County, Indiana, and resided there until his death. He served in the Mennonite Church, as minister and bishop for a number of years. Buried at Yellow Creek Church, on the 3d of June, where many friends and relatives assembled, and services were held by Noah Metzler and Henry Shaum. He leaves a deeply sorrowing wife and six children to mourn his death. May God comfort them with the blessed consolations of his word, and may they all be enabled by the grace of God, to say: "Thy will be done."
1896 An obituary for Harriet Christophel reported [21]:
Harriet Christophel departed this life Nov. 21st 1896. She was born in Rockingham County, Virginia., April 5th 1824. Moved with her parents in 1830 to Columbiana County, Ohio, where she was married to Bro. John M. Christophel in the early winter of 1847. To this union were born five sons and four daughters. Two sons died in their infancy, and one daughter at the age of nineteen years. In the spring of 1850 she moved with her husband to Elkhart County, Indiana, where she lived until her death. Sister Christophel had a stroke of paralysis in September 1890, completing paralyzing her right side, so that she had to be lifted in and out of her bed, but she could use her left hand to eat. During the last six years she spent her time sitting in a bed and a few hours each day in a chair. She was left a widow on Mar. 31 1886. She often expressed a desire to go home to her Savior, and on Friday morning Nov. 13th, she received a third stroke, paralyzing all her limbs, and slowly but surely death was approaching. In three days her tongue and neck became stiff, so that she could not eat or drink. She suffered no pain, but seemed to be sleeping most of the time, until Saturday morning Nov. 21st death relieved her of her troubles, at the age of 72 years, 7 months and 16 days. Buried on the 23d in the Yellow Creek cemetery. Services by Henry Weldy and Amos Mumaw from John 5:25.
1912 Isiah Christophel, married, spouse of Barbara Christophel, died on August 28, at age 60, in Union Twp, Elkhart County, Indiana. He was born on February 24, 1852, in Indiana, son of John Christophel and Harriet Reed. [22]
Research Notes:
See Mennonite Vital records. [23]
A biosketch reported [28]:
180—Harriet Reed 46. b. in Va., Apr. 5. 1824; d. ; m. Jan. 1. 1847. Rev. John M. Christophcl: b. in Germany, Feb. 2, 1819; d. May 31, 1886. Mennonite: farmer: minister 26 years and bishop 13 vcars. Issue: Margaret A.. Christiana. Josiah, Isaiah, Noah, Catherine. Abraham. Peter R.. and Elizabeth. Res., Yellow Creek, Elkhart Co., Ind.
[1] Samuel S. Wenger, The Wenger Book, A Foundation Book of American Wengers (1997 reprint), 224 C9A4.
[2] Jonas G. Wenger, Martin D. Wenger, and Joseph H. Wenger, History of the Descendants of Christian Wenger (1903), 31, [GoogleBooks], [HathiTrust], [InternetArchive].
[3] Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, Genealogical Card File (Lancaster, Pennsylvania), [AncestryRecord].
[4] Jonas G. Wenger, Martin D. Wenger, and Joseph H. Wenger, History of the Descendants of Christian Wenger (1903), 26, [GoogleBooks], [HathiTrust], [InternetArchive].
[5] [FamilySearchImage], [FamilySearchRecord], [FHLFilmCatalog], [FHLCatalog].
[6] Samuel S. Wenger, The Wenger Book, A Foundation Book of American Wengers (1997 reprint), 224 C9A4.
[7] Jonas G. Wenger, Martin D. Wenger, and Joseph H. Wenger, History of the Descendants of Christian Wenger (1903), 31, [GoogleBooks], [HathiTrust], [InternetArchive].
[8] Family Search, Ohio, County Marriage Records, 1774-1993, [AncestryRecord].
[9] John Christian Wenger, The Yellow Creek Mennonites: The Original Mennonite Congregations of Western Elkhart County (1985), 22, 48, [GoogleBooks].
[10] United States Federal Census, 1850, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[11] United States Federal Census, 1860, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[12] Joseph D Nash, Map of Elkhart County, Indiana (Philadelphia, Samuel Geil, 1861), Library of Congress.
[13] U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918, line 15, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[14] U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918, line 34, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[15] United States Federal Census, 1870, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[16] An Illustrated Historical Atlas of Elkhart County, Indiana (Chicago: Higgins, Belden & Co., 1874), 63, [Historic Mapworks], [David RumseyMaps].
[17] United States Federal Census, 1880, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[18] Find A Grave Memorial 77200961, [FindAGrave].
[19] Find A Grave Memorial at Ancestry.com, [AncestryRecord].
[20] Mennonite Obituary Archives, Herald of Truth, June, 1886, [MennObits].
[21] Mennonite Obituary Archives, Herald of Truth, January, 1897, [MennObits].
[22] Indiana, U.S., Death Certificates, 1899-2011, [AncestryRecord].
[23] Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, Genealogical Card File (Lancaster, Pennsylvania), [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[24] Samuel S. Wenger, The Wenger Book, A Foundation Book of American Wengers (1997 reprint), 224 C9A4.
[25] Jonas G. Wenger, Martin D. Wenger, and Joseph H. Wenger, History of the Descendants of Christian Wenger (1903), 31, [GoogleBooks], [HathiTrust], [InternetArchive].
[26] Ezra Nelson Stauffer, Weber or Weaver Family History (1953), 54, [GoogleBooks].
[27] John Christian Wenger, The Mennonites in Indiana and Michigan (1961), 271, [GoogleBooks].
[28] Harry M. Hoover, The Huber-Hoover Family History (1928), 67, [FamilySearch FSCatalog].