CHRISTIAN FAMILY

Christian Crest

Our ancestor is Thomas Christian, the immigrant, who first shows up in the Virginia records in 1657 when he patents 100 acres of land in James City Co., VA, on N. side of James River and E. side of Chickahominy River for transporting 2 persons.  In 1662 he patented an additional 100 acres in James City Co., VA, again on the N. side of the James and E. side of Chickahominy River.  Along the shore of the Chickahominy River he patented an additional  1080 acres in Weyanoke Parish, on the south side of Store's (Stoney) Run, crossing Black Gutt dated 21 Oct 1687.  It is believed that this land may well have been the patent for his farm. Formerly called "Cherry Bottom", this land is thought to have been passed down in the family, by wills, through the Christian family to the present time. There is a family cemetery, as well as a slave cemetry to the rear of the old home.  The property is now known as Green Oak Farm.

Green Oak Farm

Some family researchers believe Thomas may have come from the Isle of Mann where the Christian family were for centuries the Dempsters or Judges of that Island.  Is is also believed Thomas is the son of Wm. Christian, who was to have been the grand-son of Daniel Christian of Baldroma, Isle of Man, who was son of Demster John McCrystyn IV of Milntown, living 1498-1511.  When descendants were having the old house inherited from Thomas Christian repaired, they discovered in a rat’s nest a silver teaspoon engraved with the Milntown Crest. This would seem to indicate a connection between the family of Wm. (1) Christian and the Christians of the Isle of Man.

One of our most notable “cousins” descended from Thomas Christian is Letitia Christian who married President John Tyler. Her Father, Robert Christian, was a planter, a member of the Virginia House of Delegates, & a candidate for Federalist Party presidential elector. Letitia Tyler's tenure as First Lady ended with her death.  She was the first of three First Ladies to die during her incumbency & was the first of three First Ladies to die in the White House.

Letitia Christian

Judith Leake Hickman Williams’ mother was a Christian.  Her Father, John Christian, came to what was at the time Morgan Co. & later became Moniteau Co., Mo. sometime between 1830 & 1840.  Judith Leake’s sister, Celnira Hickman, married Isaac Lloyd Williams, brother to George Washington Williams.

THOMAS CHRISTIAN 1632-1704
CHARLES CHRISTIAN 1684-1761 & ELIZABETH HUNT 1685
CHARLES CHRISTIAN 1706-1784 & MARY LEAKE 1699-1765
JOHN B. CHRISTIAN 1743-1823 & JUDITH LEAKE 1750-1830
JOHN F. CHRISTIAN 1776-1848 & JUDITH ANN FORD –1848
ELIZABETH ANN CHRISTIAN 1802-1848 & WILLIAM H. HICKMAN 1801-1848
JUDITH LEAKE HICKMAN 1830-1924 & GEORGE WASHINGTON WILLIAMS 1825-1903

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