Isaac Christlieb, Son of Carl and Catharina Christlieb
1791–1858
The Christlieb-Chrislip-Crislip Family Association, in the 1980s, asked Association members to design and construct banners for each branch of the Christlieb-Chrislip-Crislip family. This banner represents Isaac Christlieb, the fifth child of Carl and Catharina Christlieb.
Photo compliments of Clyde Christlieb, Placentia, Califonia.
Isaac Christlieb was the fifth-born child of Carl and Catharina Christlieb. Born 27 March 1791, he was a fraternal twin of his brother, Jacob. Isaac married Catharina Weise, daughter of Abraham Weise. Catharina was born 17 September 1800, Mifflin Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.
Catharina Weise was a descendant of Hans Weiss (1650–1730) and Susanna, whose surname is unknown. Hans and Susanna resided in Sinsheim, Steinsfurt, Germany, near Heidelberg. Their son, Jacob Weiss, born 26 November 1683, Sinsheim, Germany; died May 1749, Cocalico Township, Pennsylvania, married Barbara Wort. George Michael Weise, son of Jacob and Barbara, was born, 25 July 1726, Sinsheim, Germany; died ca. 1777, Cumberland, Pennsylvania. Abraham Weise/Wise, son of George Michael and Christina Weise was born 9 January 1768; died 8 January 1832, Mifflin Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Abraham Weise was Isaac Christlieb’s father-in-law. Weiss/Weise/Wise materials courtesy of Janet and Robert Wolf.
“This circumstance made its impression on the mind of Isaac, although a mere lad. Interest in politics was one of his peculiarities and his conceptions in that direction made him the disciple of Jefferson, and as he grew up to manhood, took an active part locally in public and political affairs, giving ardent support to the later leaders of the Jeffersonian party, including Jackson, Polk, and other Democratic giants.”
“He had a retentive memory and a good command of language as a conversationalist, was ready witted, and in political discussions was invincible in his arguments and keen in his retorts to his political opponents. Political preferment was within his grasp, of which opportunities he refused to avail himself. He was frequently called to serve as a delegate and as a member of the standing committee in the Democratic county organization, and [he] also served in a number of court sessions of Cumberland County as juror.”
“He took great interest in historical and antiquarian subjects and the race owes it to him that its early history has been handed down from the past. In conversation he often recalled the conditions of the region of his birth, Mifflin Twp., Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, and other localities west of the Susquehanna, as he first beheld and took them into account in his childhood about the two or three terminating years of the last century and the later progress in subduing the country, which, as he first saw it, was still a forest with an occasional settler and small clearing, despite the fact that settlement by white people had been commenced three score years before.”
“There were few roads and few wagons—trails and sleds were perhaps the most available to them. Cooking and heating were conducted by hearths or fireplaces. Only two families in that township were possessed of wagons, namely Nicholson and Sterrett. The former put a Franklin stove in his dwelling which was the first article of the kind appearing in that locality. The older dwellings contained immense stone chimneys with hearths opening into several rooms. Amongst the farmer’s products, wheat was about the only one that brought cash in the market, and, consequently, under existing conditions, almost the entire crop of wheat raised by the farmer was sold to supply him with the circulating medium, so that bread was one of the rarities on the famers’ table. Rye bread, hominy, vegetable, meat, tame and wild, and Johnny cake, the latter sometime made from home pounded or pulverized meal, constituted the farmers’ fare. Whiskey was then a marketable product and furnished an indirect market for rye, and in consequence, there were many small distilleries in existence then in that locality, and the fact that every habitation on a certain stream having its distiller, gave it the name of “Whiskey Run” and likewise a peach brandy distillery on another stream gave it the name of “Brandy run.” There was also fruit of all kinds raised in that locality.”
“He [Isaac] also described the improvement in transportation of freight and people by teams and stages and the construction of turnpikes, macadamized roads, later railroads followed by telegraph lines, which in the last years of his life, contrasted interestingly with the conditions of [the] country existing in his childhood, covering a period of over sixty years.” The Christlieb Family, pp. 21-24.
Circa 1822, Isaac Christlieb married Catharine Weise/Wise, a woman of whom very little is known. Her birth and death dates, as inscribed on her gravestone in Ziegler’s churchyard, reveals that she was born 17 September 1800, and died 6 June 1848. In all probability, Isaac’s wife’s given name would have been Catharina.
It is curious that Benjamin Franklin Christlieb made no mention of his mother or his parents’ marriage when he published his family history in 1895. B. F. Christlieb’s being a stickler for historical fact, leads one to conclude that these omissions may have been the fault of the typesetter.
When Isaac’s brother, Charles, died at age 30, in 1817, an accounting of his personal estate showed that Isaac paid the estate $1,142.59, the amount being principle and interest on money borrowed.
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The accounting of Charles Christlieb’s estate shows that Isaac purchased from the estate of his father 109+ acres of land, the purchase price being $1,752. The accounting shows that Isaac paid $1,168 on June 18, 1838; the balance of $584 to be paid off in five equal payments extending from the years 1839–1843.
The 1840 Federal Census listed the following in the household of Isaac Christlip: one male born 1790–1800 (Isaac); one male born 1825–1830 (unknown child); two males born 1830–1835 (Charles & Isaac); 1 male born 1835–1840 (Benjamin); one female born 1800–1810 (wife, Catharine); two females born 1820–1825 (Amanda & Catherine); two females born 1825–1830 (Maria Bell & Sarah). The 1850 census also spelled Isaac’s surname as Christlip.
On 6 February 1843, Isaac Christlieb gave notice to the Cumberland County Court that he intended to apply for a license to operate a tavern in his home in Mifflin Township, as shown below in Isaac’s is fine hand.
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Appending the above was an endorsement by sixteen of his neighbors, who attested to his “repute, honesty and temperance.” Isaac Christlieb’s license to operate a tavern was approved.
Although Isaac was successful in obtaining his tavern license, not all in the neighborhood approved. When it came time to renew the license the following year, 41 members of the community petitioned the Cumberland County Court of Quarterly Sessions stating:
“We the subscribers citizens of said Mifflin Township and of neighbouring Townships . . . remonstrate against the granting of any such license to said Christlieb or any other person who might apply believing as we do that there is no amount of traveling on any road through Mifflin Township requiring a public house and being fully persuaded that a tavern in any part of our township must tend to evil . . . upon the morals, peace, and happiness of the community.”
Objections by the citizenry was ineffective; documentation shows that the Court renewed Isaac Christlieb’s license in 1844 and yearly thereafter through 1849.
Isaac Christlieb's store and tavern as it appeared ca. 1900. Greatly enlarged
in later years,
the original building would have been the right-hand portion.
Catharine Weise Christlieb died 6 June 1848. Isaac died ten years later on 22 May 1858. Both are buried in Ziegler’s Church graveyard in Mifflin Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.
Surviving into the 20th century, this was Isaac Christlieb's two-story
log house in
Upper Mifflin Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.
Documentation indicates that Isaac Christlieb died before 18 June 1858, as that was the date when Letters of Administration were ordered to initiate the process of settling his estate. Benjamin Franklin Christlieb did not include his father’s exact date of death when he wrote his history of the family in 1895.
Isaac made his Last Will and Testament on 10 February 1857. It included the following provisions:
To his daughter, Catherine U. Gray, “all that House and Lot of Land containing ten and one half acres now occupied by me and all the appurtenances belonging thereunto. I further give her fifty Dollars in Lawful money & stove and pipe and one cupboard both of which are in the bedroom.”
To his daughter, Maria Bell Perry, “the sum of eighty dollars . . . two lines illegible . . . the sum of Eight hundred dollars, and I further give her one red Desk.” It is possible that the $80 bequest, along with the red desk, may have been granted to one of his other daughters.
To grandchildren, “viz. Isaac C. and Elisabeth C. Perry and Isaac F. and Emily C. Gray, each the sum of five dollars in gold coin to be paid by my Executors to said Childrens’ mothers at my decease. And I hereby give and bequeath to my two Grandchildren, heirs of my daughter Amanda Elizabeth, wife of David Baker (she being deceased) each the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars to be paid by my Executors to their Guardian in one year or sooner. It is my desire to have Major Samuel Tritt appointed as guardian of said Children.”
Isaac’s will further stated, "But if said Children should both Die before they arrive at the age of Twenty-one, the Legacies is to fall back to my remaining heirs viz. Catherine U., Maria B., Sarah W., Charles G., Isaac A., Benjamin Franklin.”
“And I hereby give and bequeath to my three sons viz, Charles, Isaac, and Franklin, the sum of Thirteen hundred dollars each.” Another bequest to what appears to be to a daughter is, unfortunately, illegible.
“It is also my will to have my books divided Equal among my six living Children.”
In the end, Isaac’s son, Charles G. Christlieb, was named executor of his father’s estate.
Isaac Christlieb died on 22 May 1858, at age 67 years, 1 month, and 25 days. His will was recorded a few weeks later on June 28th.
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The inventory and appraisement of the estate was filed on July 26th of that year. Its value, including $5,733.41 in promissory notes to family members and acquaintances plus $627.75, cash on hand, totaled $6,472.03.
Children of Isaac Christlieb and Catharine Weise
Amanda E. Christlieb (Friedrich Carl Christlieb1, Carl Christlieb2, Isaac Christlieb3) [964], born in Pennsylvania 1823; died February 1853; married David R. Baker, February 1848.
Catherine U. Christlieb (Friedrich Carl Christlieb1, Carl Christlieb2, Isaac Christlieb3) [964], born 3 June 1824; married, 1844, Thomas O. Gray, died 1853.
Maria Bell Christlieb (Friedrich Carl Christlieb1, Carl Christlieb2, Isaac Christlieb3) [966], born 1826, died January 1869, Long Lake, Minnesota; married, 1844, John B. Perry, who died in 1861.
Sarah W. Christlieb (Friedrich Carl Christlieb1, Carl Christlieb2, Isaac Christlieb3) [966], born 1829; died 1868; married Benjamin H. Walker, 1850.
Charles G. Christlieb (Friedrich Carl Christlieb1, Carl Christlieb2, Isaac Christlieb3) [967], born 14 February 1832; died 30 March 1867; married, 1860, Mary Jane Lindsay, born 1832.
Isaac A. Chirstlieb (Friedrich Carl Christlieb1, Carl Christlieb2, Isaac Christlieb3) [967], born 25 April 1834, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania; married 1st, Susan Baird, born 14 July 1837, died 7 January 1887, divorced; married 2nd Alice Whittaker from Indiana, born 1839, died 1902, no issue; married 3rd, Marry E. Classen, from which marriage two children were born.
Benjamin Franklin Christlieb (Friedrich Carl Christlieb1, Carl Christlieb2, Isaac Christlieb3) [977], born 10 October 1836, Mifflin Twp., Cumberland County, Pennsylvania; died 4 April 1900, Orange County, California; married Amy Wakefield, 31 October 1872; died 6 March 1874.
