Tombstone Tuesday–Christian Whiteman

Christian Whiteman, Reber Hill Cemetery, Pickaway County, Ohio. (2002 photo by Karen)

Christian Whiteman, Reber Hill Cemetery, Pickaway County, Ohio. (2002 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Christian Whiteman, located in Section 14 of Reber Hill Cemetery, Walnut Township, Pickaway County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

CHRISTIAN WHITEMAN
US ARMY
BERKS CO 6BN PA MIL
REVOLUTIONARY WAR
MAR 16, 1762   Dec 23, 1827

This Friday we celebrate Independence Day and I decided to write about Christian Whiteman, my  fifth great-grandfather on my dad’s side, who fought for America’s independence during the Revolutionary War. Christian is the ancestor that I proved for membership in The Daughters of the American Revolution.

Reber Hill Cemetery is located at 16810 Winchester Road, Ashville, Ohio, and we took a research trip there in 2002. The caretaker at Reber Hill has a file that includes many burial cards and, according to Christian Whiteman’s burial card, his remains were moved there on 14 September 1894.

Reber Hill Cemetery, Pickaway County, Ohio. (2002 photo by Karen.)

Reber Hill Cemetery, Pickaway County, Ohio. (2002 photo by Karen.)

The caretaker said that remains from several small local cemeteries had been moved to Reber Hill Cemetery. Christian’s burial card did not indicate where he was first buried. Perhaps he was first buried on or near one of the Whiteman properties in Pickaway or Fairfield County.

Christian Whiteman was born 16 March 1762, possibly in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Some speculate that he was born in Germany. The names of his parents are not known.

Christian was a private in the Berks County 6th Battalion, Pennsylvania Militia during the Revolution.

Christian married twice during his lifetime and both marriages took place in Pennsylvania. His first marriage may have been to Catherine Greiner. They had two children, Jacob (1795-1859) and Sarah (1796-1880). Jacob, his wife, and son Henry are also buried at Reber Hill Cemetery, in the same Section as Christian.

Christian's son Jacob, Jacob's wife and son are also buried in Section 14. (2002 photo by Karen)

Christian’s son Jacob, Jacob’s wife and son are also buried in Section 14. (2002 photo by Karen)

Christian’s first wife died about 1796 and within a year or two he married Hannah Huey, in about 1798. Hannah was the daughter of James and Elizabeth Huey, of Fayette County, Pennsylvania. The growing Whiteman family remained in Pennsylvania for a few more years.

At some point Christian had moved to the western side of Pennsylvania, because he paid taxes in Georges Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, in 1798-99. [1]

Christian and his family were enumerated in Georges Township in 1800. In the household were 2 males 0-10, 1 male 10-16, 1 male 26-45, 1 female 0-10, and 1 female 26-45. [2] A few years later the Whitemans moved to Ohio.

Christian purchased over 300 acres of land in Fairfield County, Ohio, during 1804-1805 [3] and he probably moved his family there soon afterward. Christian was among the taxpayers in Amanda Township in 1806. [4] This tax does not prove that Christian actually lived in Fairfield County in 1806 since it was not a residence tax.

However, in 1810 Christian paid the Fairfield County Resident Tax, which indicates he was living there at that time. He owned 315 acres of land in Section 30, Township 13 [Amanda Township] and his Resident Tax was $3.15. [5]

The family remained in Amanda Township until Christian died on 23 December 1827. He was buried on or near the family farm but was moved to Reber Hill Cemetery about 60 years later.

Christian and Hannah had seven children:
James E. (1799-1873), married Mary North
Elizabeth (1800-1854), married Jacob Ekelberry
John (1803-?) married Sarah Smith
Mary (c1805-1855), married Isaac Huey
Christian (c1806-c1846), married Mary (Polly) Neigh
Henry (1809-1864), married Sarah Wilson
Anna (1811-1838), never married

Christian did not leave a will. He didn’t have to. He divided his land among his children before he died, leaving some very interesting land deeds that contain a lot of family information of genealogical interest. I also learned that Christian owned land in both Pickaway and Fairfield counties.

Christian’s widow Hannah (Huey) Whiteman died in 1850 and is buried in Cheshire Cemetery, Delaware County, Ohio.

I descend from Christian Whiteman’s daughter Mary, who married Isaac Huey. Mary and Isaac, along with some other members of Christian’s family, moved to Jay County, Indiana, a few years after Christian’s death. Christian and some of his descendants left some very interesting legal documents that give priceless genealogical information. I will write about them sometime.

Whiteman Section 14, Reber Hill Cemetery. (2002 photo by Karen)

Whiteman Section 14, Reber Hill Cemetery. (2002 photo by Karen)

[1] Fayette County, Pennsylvania Taxpayers, 1785-1799, T.L.C. Genealogy (Miami Beach, Florida, 1991), 167.

[2] 1800 U.S. Census, Georges, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, p. 554, line 5, Christian Whiteman; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 29 June 2014); from FHL film 363341, from NARA microfilm M32, Roll 38.

[3] Tract Book and Entries, Congress Lands 22 Ranges and U.S. Military Lands, Vol. 1, Auditor of State [Ohio], LOV 230:476, 480, microfilm #GR8285, Ohio Historical Society, Columbus, Ohio.

[4] Esther Weygandt Powell, compiler, Early Ohio Tax Records (1971; reprint, Baltimore, Maryland : Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1985), 102.

[5] Resident Duplicate for Fairfield County, Ohio, 1910, microfilm #GR2343, p. 1, Ohio Historical Society, Columbus, Ohio.

4 comments

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  1. Nice information………………

    • Doc Whiteman on July 28, 2022 at 10:47 pm
    • Reply

    I was in contact with you several years ago. I am a gr gr gr grandson of Christian Whiteman(1762)

    1. Yes, I remember! Great to hear from you and I hope you are doing well.

    • Doc Whiteman on August 3, 2022 at 12:26 pm
    • Reply

    I am trying to find the father of Christian Whiteman 1762. I have a John And Barbara Weidman. No dates or children etc.

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