John Chrislip, Son of Jacob and Nancy Christlieb

1789–1865

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 the union of John Chrislip's son, Martin Luther Crislip, and William Chrislip's daughter, Sarah Ann Chrislip. John was the seventh child of Jacob and Nancy Christlieb, and William was their ninth child. Martin Luther and Sarah Ann were first cousins.

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 the union of John Chrislip's great granddaughter, Victoria Robinson, and Elizabeth Crislip's great grandson, Zebedee John Crouse. John was the seventh child of Jacob and Nancy Christlieb, and Elizabeth was their second child. Victoria and Zebedee were third cousins.

John Chrislip was the seventh of fourteen children born to Jacob Christlieb and Anna "Nancy" Singer. He was born 25 July 1789, in Hampshire County, Virginia, the same year that George Washington was elected the nation’s first president. This is John’s birth entry as set down in an old family record:

At age 22, John married Margarett “Peggy” Harvey on 18 September 1811. Census records reveal that Peggy Harvey was seven years her husband’s senior, having been born in Pennsylvania in 1782. Their marriage bond is shown here:

Harrison County Marriage Bonds, Book 2, p. 284.

John and Peggy’s marriage bond, which was signed by John Chrislip and his neighbor, John Hall, was procured and signed two days before the marriage on 16 September 1811. Although John was known to write his signature, he signed the bond with an X mark. Note that the surname of the bride-to-be is incorrectly written as Hewes. In regard to Peggy’s given name, she appears several times in John’s Last Will and Testament as Margarett.

The earliest document pertaining to John Chrislip is a petition made by him to the Harrison County Court to allow a road to be surveyed. Dated 21 September 1839, it reads:

“On motion of John Crislip it ordered that he be appointed surveyor of the road leading from the Lewis County line thence down to the forks of the road on Elk, a distance of three miles and that he the said John Crislip, with the hand on said road, keep it in good repair.” Lewis County Order Book, 1829-1832, p. 33.

The petition is shown here:

In effect, John was petitioning for the road to be cut, thereby allowing easy access from his property to the intersection.

John Chrislip's Land Acquisitions

At age 30, and having been married seven years, John Chrislip purchased 109 acres of land from Thomas Hall, Executor. The deed was drawn up and recorded in Lewis County, (West) Virginia on 15 October 1819. The land, which adjoined McCoy and Post Lands, was situated on both sides of the Buckhannon River in Lewis and Harrison counties. The low recorded $10 purchase price indicates that the transaction was carried out privately. Lewis County Deed Book A, pp. 416, 417.

According to the terms of Jacob Christlieb’s will that was drafted in April 1821, John and his six brothers were to share equally in the profits from the sale of all the lands that Jacob had accumulated in his lifetime. In addition to his was located on First Big Run. Lewis County Deed Book G-1, p. 237.

On February 18, 1857, John Chrislip made his Last Will and Testament. According to its terms, Martin was charged with the responsibility of providing a home for the mother and caring for her needs. In exchange, he was to receive half of the farm. Specifically, John and his mother were to receive half of the farm “according to quantity and quality,” with the mother’s portion “laid off of the upper end of my farm adjoining David Tolbert.”

Provisions for Martin’s siblings were set forth in the will:

“After the payment of the same [just debts], I desire that the residue of my personal estate of any kind whatever, be equally divided between my three daughters, namely: Malinda Callihan, Eliza Criss, and Jemima O’Neal, as their portion of my estate—having given to my son William Chrislip in his lifetime and my son, Nathan Chrislip, all I intended as their portion, I therefore make no further bequest to them.”

John Chrislip’s will reveals that he had confidence that his son, Martin, would carry out his wishes, although the responsibility would normally have gone to the eldest son. For whatever reason, John chose Martin over Nathan. Barbour County Will Book 1½, pp. 25, 26. John’s regard for Martin, by naming him executor of his estate, is in direct conflict with the opinion held by some that John had disowned his son, because he had married his first cousin, Sarah Ann Chrislip.

Shortly before his death, John deeded 165 acres of land to Martin, 21 February 1865. According to the terms set forth in the deed, Martin was “to furnish to the said John Chrislip all the necessaries of the life suitable for a person of his age during his natural life and pay all of the debts that stand against the said John Chrislip …” The deed further stipulated that “the said Martin Chrislip is to have immediate possession of the land thereafter conveyed but the said John Chrislip is to remain on the land during his life for which he reserves a lien for the further security of the above maintenance…” The 165 acres included 109 acres that was purchased from Thomas Hall in 1819. The record shows that John recorded the deed at the county courthouse in Philippi, on February 21^st, the day that it was written. Barbour County Deed Book 8, pp. 536, 537.

According to the deed, the land consisted of “three tracts or parcels of land lying & being in the county of Barbour and State aforesaid & being the 3 tracts of land that the said John Chrislip purchased from Thomas Hall of One hundred & nine acres & from Henry O. Middleton & Isreal’s [sic] heirs being all the land that the said John Chrislip owns on which he now resides & contains in all about one hundred & sixty five acres of land to be the same more or less being all the land the John Chrislip owns …”

John gave the acreage to his son, Martin Luther Crislip, in exchange for his personal maintenance for the remainder of his life. In part, the deed reads:

“Witnesseth that for and in consideration of the sum of one dollar in hand paid the receipt whereof I hereby acknowledge and for the further consideration of the maintenance of the said John Chrislip the said Martin Chrislip is to furnish to the said John Chrislip all the necessaries of the life suitable for a person of his age (clothing, etc.) during his natural life and pay all of the debts that stand against the said John Chrislip at this date, that is, all just debts. The said Martin Chrislip is to have immediate possession of the land hereafter conveyed but the said John Chrislip is to remain on the land during his life for which he reserves a lien for the further security of the above mentioned maintenance.” Barbour County Deed Book 8, pp. 536,537.

John Chrislip died in 1865, at age 76. Inasmuch as Margarett is not mentioned in any legal documents following his demise, it is assumed that Margarett preceded him in death. The burial sites of John and Margarett Chrislip are not known. Although the deed for the above 82 acres makes mention of “a lot of land reserved as a burying ground,” it is doubtful that John and Margarett were buried there, as they appear never to have occupied the land. They are known to have resided on land in Harrison/Barbour County that was adjacent to the 99½ acres that Martin sold to Benjamin McCoy in 1871.

It would not be unreasonable to assume that some of the acreage that John Chrislip owned in Harrison/Barbour County may have been inherited from his father, Jacob. Putting that aside, it is evident that John made every effort to acquire lands on his own. Like those who came before him, he was not content to merely exist; he wanted more out of life and was willing to work for it. He branched out and bought more land, as evidenced by his purchases in nearby Lewis County.

Children of John Chrislip and Margarett Harvey

Nathan Chrislip (Friedrich Carl Christlieb¹, Jacob Christlieb², John Chrislip³) [405], born 26 July 1812, Harrison County, Virginia; died 7 February 1894, Malta, West Virginia; married, 15 January 1854, Elizabeth Jane Hart, born 1832, Beverly, Randolph County, Virginia; died 22 January 1909. Both are buried in Mt. Hebron Cemetery, Barbour County, West Virginia.
Malinda Chrislip (Friedrich Carl Christlieb¹, Jacob Christlieb², John Chrislip³) [428], born March 26, 1814, in Harrison County, Virginia; died 4 August 1905; married, 25 July 1834, John Callihan, son of William Callihan and Mary Jane (Marzalin) Pickens, born 4 July 1834; died 20 May 1904. The couple married four days after John procured their marriage bond, which was signed by Malinda’s fiancé, John Callihan and her father, John Chrislip. Harrison County Marriage Bonds, Book 5, p. 262.
Martin Luther Crislip (Friedrich Carl Christlieb¹, Jacob Christlieb², John Chrislip³) [439], born 1815, Harrison County, Virginia; died 1899, Gilmer County, West Virginia; married his first cousin, Sarah Ann Chrislip, born 1824; died 1873. Sarah Ann was the daughter of William and Hannah (Ward) Chrislip. After Sarah Ann died, Martin Luther Crislip married, 2^nd, Nancy Sleith Carson, a widow.
Jemima Chrislip (Friedrich Carl Christlieb¹, Jacob Christlieb², John Chrislip³) [544], born 2 May 1817, Harrison County, Virginia; died 2 August 1882, Barbour County, West Virginia; married, 7 April 1841, Lemuel O’Neal, born April 1818; died 18 November 1895. Jemima and Lemuel are buried in the Criss Cemetery, Barbour County, West Virginia. The 1870 Federal Census shows the O’Neals being close neighbors of Jemima’s sister, Malinda, wife of John Callihan.
Elizabeth Chrislip (Friedrich Carl Christlieb¹, Jacob Christlieb², John Chrislip³) [547], born 1816/1818, Harrison County, Virginia; died, Harrison County, West Virginia; married, 22 December 1844, James P. Criss, born, Harrison County, Virginia, 14 June 1822; died, Upshur County, West Virginia, 11 June 1887. Genealogical Notes: Ada Lea Fitz, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Matilda Chrislip (Friedrich Carl Christlieb¹, Jacob Christlieb², John Chrislip³) [549], died in infancy.
William Riley Chrislip (Friedrich Carl Christlieb¹, Jacob Christlieb², John Chrislip³) [549], born ca. 1822, Harrison County, Virginia; married 16 November 1843, Nancy C. Ward, daughter of John W. Ward and Nancy Osborn; died 15 February 1855, Barbour County, West Virginia. Genealogical notes: Ada Lea Fitz, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.