Jacob Christman c1711

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Jacob CHRISTMAN was born 1711 maybe in Wurttemberg, Germany. There are some that suggest they know who the parents of Jacob were but that is only speculation. To my knowledge there is no evidence that supports these speculations and in fact there is evidence that disproves it!

Port of departure was Rotterdam, Holland. Last port call prior to ship crossing the Atlantic was Cowes, England. He arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 16 September 1736 on the ship Princess Augustus piloted by Master Samuel Merchant.

Jacob settled close to the Berks County line known as Sigmund's Furnace. Sigmund's Furnace was located in Upper Milford Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania. Northampton County would later be partitioned, and the place where Jacob settled would become Lehigh County. ( Location of Jacob Christman Original Land and Farm.)

Also in 1736, Thomas Penn, son of William Penn and Beniamin Eastburn, surveyor general, selected and surveyed the "Thousand Acre Tract" of land at the confluence of the Delaware and Lehigh Rivers. A deed was executed on 9 October 1760 (recorded December 18) and signed by James Hamilton, Lieutenant Governor, Thomas and Richard Penn, Governors in Chief of Pennsylvania, and conveyed to Jacob Christman 150 acres of land in Berks County (partially in Upper Milford Township, Northampton County).

Jacob married Anna Eva Margaretha (maiden name unknown) about 1738 probably in PA. Anna was born about 1720 probably in, Germany. She died about 1794 in Douglass Twp, Montgomery Co, PA.

They had seven children:

i. Johan George, CHRISTMAN was born about 1739 and died about Oct 1801. George, became the owner of a 104-acre farm in the township.
ii. Eva Elizabeth CHRISTMAN was born about 1741 in U Milford Twp, Lehigh Co, PA. She died probably in Macungie Twp, Lehigh Co, PA.
iii. Jacob CHRISTMAN was born about 31 Aug 1744 and died about 13 Nov 1811.
iv. Maria Susanna CHRISTMAN was born about Jul 1748 and died 22 Jun 1813.
v. Johannes CHRISTMAN was born about 1750 and died about Mar 1779.
vi. Philip CHRISTMAN was born 18 Aug 1755 and died 30 Jul 1825. Philip was a farmer.
vii. Henry CHRISTMAN was born 9 Jul 1758 in U Milford Luth, U Milford Twp, Lehigh Co, PA. He died 24 Nov 1842 probably in Lehigh Co, PA and was buried 27 Nov 1842 in Solomon Church Cementry, Macungie, Lehigh Co, PA.

Jacob died in a farming accident while in the field on his farm in Upper Milford Twp, Lehigh County, PA about Jul 1761. He was on a wagon loaded with hay when the horse pulling the wagon came upon a gutter and refused to cross. While standing on the loaded wagon, he urged the horse forward with the hayfork that he had in his hand. This caused the horse to take a sudden jolt forward, and Jacob was thrown from the wagon. He landed on one of the prongs from the hayfork which pierced his heart, resulting in his almost instant death.

The burial location for Jacob Christman as far as I know is unknown. To my knowledge there has never been any specific reference as to where Jacob Christman was buried. It has been suggested that he may have been buried in one of the many now unmarked graves at one of the very early Reformed and Lutheran Church cemeteries within the Upper Milford Township. There are also many private early cemeteries in the area and in many cases the gravestones have been broken, stolen or removed from the graves. But most likely, it would have been on his own farm and land which stayed in the family for many generations.