Solomon Christlieb
1797–1850
Solomon Christlieb was the eighth-born child of Carl and Catharina Christlieb, born 18 February 1797; died 11 May 1850.
Written in old style German script, Solomon’s name is shown here as it appeared on a list of confirmands dated 5 October 1817. He was 20 years old at the time of his confirmation. Register: Brick Church Lutheran, Mifflin Twp., Cumberland County. In that same year Solomon was listed as a communicant of Ziegler’s Lutheran Church, an indication, perhaps, that the two churches combined their confirmation classes.
On 19 October 1826, Solomon married his first cousin, Sarah Crislip, youngest of fourteen children born to his uncle Jacob Christlieb, who resided in Harrison County, Virginia. Their marriage bond that follows was procured on 3 October 1826, and signed by Solomon, the future groom, and the bride’s brother, Samuel Chrislip. Note the three different spellings of the family surname in this single document.
Born 20 April 1802, in Harrison County (West) Virginia, Sarah was the youngest of fourteen children born to Jacob Christlieb and Anna “Nancy” Singer. Sarah died 28 September 1885, in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, at age 83.
After their marriage in Harrison County, Virginia, on 19 October 1826, the couple settled in Mifflin Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, in a log house on the farm that had belonged to Solomon’s father, Carl. All of Sarah and Solomon’s children were born there.
The land on which Solomon and Sarah resided in Mifflin Township was bequeathed to Solomon via his father’s will. The parcel was one of three divisions; the other two were inherited by his brother Isaac and his sister Sarah Christlieb Kautz/Koutz.
Harrison County, Virginia, Marriage Bonds, Book 4, p. 207.
Solomon Christlieb appears the following miscellaneous records:
A communicant at Ziegler’s Lutheran Church, Mifflin Township, 23 April 1820. Solomon would have been 23 years old at the time.
Listed as a farmer in the 1828 Tax List for Mifflin Township. This would have been one year after his marriage.
Solomon appears as Solomon Crislib, Head of Household, in the 1830 Federal Census.
In the 1840 Census, he is listed as Solomon Christlip. Listed in his household was one male born 1790-1800 (Solomon); two males born 1830-1835 (Josiah* & Solomon Jr.), one in trade, the other in agriculture; one female born 1800-1810 (wife, Sarah); two females born 1825-1830 (Lucinda & Matilda). *Josiah born 1828.
The 1850 Farm Census reveals Solomon’s real estate was valued at $2,160. On June 20th of that year, an Inventory of Solomon’s estate was ordered. Joseph and Sarah Christlieb were named administrators with Isaac Christlieb suriety. The final accounting of the estate was made in 1853.
The appraisement of Carl Christlieb’s estate reveals that Solomon had purchased an additional 124 acres and 137 perches of land, acreage over and above land that he had inherited from his father. As seen here, the purchase price was $1,248.56. A payment of $1,082 was made on June 18, 1838; the balance was to be paid off in five yearly payments, extending from 1839 to 1843. Including the tract known as “Mount Pleasant,” this land was purchased by Solomon Christlieb, Jr., on 20 March 1855, at which time heirs, Lucinda Christlieb, Joseph Heckman, and Matilda Ellen Heckman signed off their interest in the property.
After 24 years of marriage, Solomon Christlieb died in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania at age 53, on 11 May 1850. Sarah lived on for another 35 years, dying in 1885, at age 83. Sarah and Solomon are both buried in Ziegler’s Graveyard in Mifflin Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.
As mentioned earlier in this report, throughout her 35 years of widowhood, Sarah often sought the advice of her esteemed half-cousin, Jason W. Eby. In a letter to Ervin G. Chrislip, historian Benjamin Franklin Christlieb wrote, “Aunt Sally, as we called Uncle Solomon’s wife, who was your aunt also, was related to Jason W. Eby. He was a public spirited man and one of considerable influence, and our venerable aunt often sought his advice, especially after the death of her husband.”
Sarah’s connection to Jason W. Eby came through her grandmother, Elizabeth’s, second marriage. Elizabeth, whose maiden name is unknown, was first married to Simon Singer. Simon Singer died in 1761, leaving his widow with nine children to look after. Two years later in 1763, she wed Henry Eby [Heinrich Aebi/Eaby], a descendant of Theodorus Durst Äbi, who emigrated from Germany before 1712, and settled in Lancaster County by 1715. To Elizabeth and Henry were born three children: Christina Eaby in 1765; Frances Eby in 1769; and Abraham Eby in 1771. Jason W. Eby was the son of the third child, Abraham.
Within a few weeks after Solomon Christlieb died, an inventory and appraisement of the goods and chattels of the personal estate was made. On 20 June 1850, Solomon’s brother, Isaac, and David Bower, endorsed a document declaring that they had made the appraisal of Solomon Christlieb’s personal estate.
Dated 20 June 1850, the inventory consisted of some 172 separate items ranging from horses, cattle, hogs, farming implements, wagons, carriage, tools, kitchen and household furniture, bedding, and livestock. Among the most valued items listed were 16 acres of wheat, $40; eight acres of rye at $12; nine acres of corn, $2.25; and twenty bushels of wheat, $57.50.
Also included in the inventory was a promissory note of John and David Whistler, dated April 8, 1850, in the amount of 437.18. Cash on hand was $47.07. As seen here, the total amount, “error accepted” came to total $900.24 ¾. Solomon’s brother, Isaac Christlieb, and David Bower signed the document.
Three years after the above inventory and appraisal took place, expenses charged to Solomon’s estate were submitted to the Orphan’s Court of Cumberland County. The expenses covered some 33 items, dating from 1 June 1850, to 26 July 1853.
Among the expenses were payments made to the appraisers. Isaac Christlieb received $1.00; David Bower was paid 50¢. $2.99 was paid Wm. M. Scouller for School Taxes. $3.10 was paid George Hoon, Supervisor, for the 1849 road tax. Dr. D.R. Smith received $5.50 for “medical attention.” John Bricker was paid $7.50 for furnishing Solomon’s coffin. H.J. Kelly was paid $12 for furnishing gravestones.
As administrator of her late husband’s estate, Solomon’s widow, Sarah, issued a sworn statement that the account of her husband’s estate was “just and true to the best of her knowledge and belief.” She signed the statement by making her mark. The document was recorded on 30 August 1853.
Three years later on 20 March 1855, Sarah sold the land that her husband had purchased from his father’s estate to her son, Solomon, Jr. The deed shows that heirs, Lucinda Christlieb, Joseph Heckman, and Matilda Ellen Heckman, signed off their interest in the acreage that was sold for $1,378. Their father, Solomon, had paid $1,248.56 for the 124 acres, 137 perches. For whatever reason(s), the deed was not filed until April 18, 1863.
The record of the acreage sold to Solomon Christlieb, Jr. was described in the deed as previously being “a part of a tract of land called Mount Pleasant which the commonwealth of Pennsylvania by Patent bearing date April 13, 1787 Enrolled in the Land Office of the State of Pennsylvania in Patent Book Nr.8, page 460 [was] Granted to John Morrow which afterward is [was] Consigned the same [to] Isaac Shannon who conveyed the land to Charles Christlieb and the said Charles Christlieb being so thin of Seizure Made his last will and testament dating bearing date the 13th day of March AD 1833. ___ & whereby amongst the things he did give and grant and devise the aforementioned tract of land to his son Solomon and his heirs of the plantation.”
According to the 1860 Federal Census, Sarah, who had been a widow for ten years, was living with son, Solomon Christlieb, Jr., in Mifflin Township, along with her unmarried daughter, Lucinda, who would later marry John Lay in 1876. As mentioned earlier, Solomon, Jr. had purchased the property after his father’s death in 1850. Ten years later, the 1870 census shows Sarah and Lucinda living with Solomon, Jr. The 1880 census revels that Sarah continued to live with Solomon Christlieb until her death in 1885.
Benjamin Franklin Christlieb wrote that after Solomon’s death, Sarah often sought the advice of her distant cousin, Jason W. Eby. The relationship between the two is explained thusly: Simon and Elizabeth Singer were the parents of Sarah’s mother, Anna “Nancy” Singer, who wed Jacob Christlieb. Upon the death Simon Singer, his widow, Elizabeth, married Henry Eby, grandfather of Jason W. Eby. A highly respected man of the community, Mr. Eby was a half-second cousin of Sarah.
Sarah (Crislip) Christlieb Headstone
At age 83, Sarah Crislip Christlieb died 28 September 1885, and was buried in Ziegler’s Church graveyard.
Children of Solomon Christlieb and Sarah Crislip
Josiah Christlieb (Friedrich Carl Christlieb1, Carl Christlieb2, Solomon Christlieb3 & Sarah Crislip3) [1026], born 12 April 1828; died 8 July 1852; married Catharine Saunders ca.1851.
Lucinda Christlieb (Friedrich Carl Christlieb1, Carl Christlieb2, Solomon Christlieb3 & Sarah Crislip3) [1027], born 11 July 1829; died 29 July 1910; married, December 1876, John Lay.
Matilda Ellen Christlieb (Friedrich Carl Christlieb1, Carl Christlieb2, Solomon Christlieb3 & Sarah Crislip3) [1031], born 29 October1830, Mifflin Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania; died 29 June 1856, Mifflin Township, Cumberland County; married Joseph Edward Heckman; born 1828.
Solomon Christlieb, Jr. (Friedrich Carl Christlieb1, Carl Christlieb2, Solomon Christlieb3 & Sarah Crislip3) [1034], born 3 July 1833, Mifflin Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania; died 26 April 1907, Mifflin Township, Cumberland County; married Nancy Clippinger, born September 1842.
