Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/329

 MRGINIA BIOCIRAI'IIY

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iM-edcrifk William West, Hiram Joseph I'ennett and lul£2:ar (J. James Shand was a commission merchant and real estate ap- praiser, and was captain in the Halifax Gar- rison Artillery.

Langdon Taylor Christian. An old chron- icle recites that "Mr. Thomas Christian owned all of the land on both sides of the Chickahominy river from Windsor Shades to Squirrel Park." However, the domains of Thomas Christian, the emigrant, may not have been as extensive as thus indicated, but it is known that in the region referred to, there were at one time twelve connect- ing plantations owned and occupied by the Christians; and it seems beyond question that "Mr. Thomas Christian" was the pro- genitor of the families of New Kent, Charles City, and James City counties, in Virginia. A considerable part of those lands have been continuously in possession of descend- ants of the first settler, down to the present time in those counties. In recent years a farm called "Cherry Bottom" in Charles City county, on the Chickahominy. a part of an original grant of 1080 acres of land patented to Thomas Christian, October 21, 1687. was owned and occupied by Mrs. Louisa Christian and her husband. Thomas L. Christian. The dwelling house thereon, though evidently of very great age. was still in a good state of preservation about the year 1900. and was probably the home of William Christian, of Goochland county, one of the antecedents of the New Kent branch of the family.

There is a family tradition that Thomas Chris-'.ian, progenitor of this family in Vir- ginia, was of the Isle of Man family of Chris- tians, or McChristian. as the name was (jriginally spelled. Said tradition has been somewhat confirmed l)y certain historical e\idence brought to light in recent vears. It is difficult, however, to connect this fam- ily through authentic records with any of the English families of the same name in the Isle of Man and other places, on account of the destruction of the early New Kent count v records, and a partial destruction of the Charles City county records. That he was a man of some social distinction is evidenced by the fact that "Mr." was pre- fixed to his name : but the family did not attain in the eighteenth century that dis- tinction it enjoyed in the nineteenth. Many

persons of the name in Virginia and else- where in llie Cnited States have become prominent in the military and political his- tory of the country.

It is not known when the first Thomas Christian arrived in V^irginia, but the land grant records of Virginia show the follow- ing patents, to wit: January 5, 1657, to Thomas Christian one himdred acres of land on the north side of James river and the east side of Chickahominy ; another patent to him dated December 9, 1662, and a third, Octol-ier 21, 1687, for 1080 acres in Charles City county, A^irginia. Also there are other grants: one dated October 26, 1694, to Mr. Thomas Christian, Senior, for 193 acres in Charles City county, south of the Chicka- hominy swamp. Presumably his sons were : I. Thomas, of Charles City county. V^irginia, who secured patents to lands in 1712 and 1727. in the forks of Beaver Dam Creek, of that part of Henrico county called Gooch- land. 2. Charles, of Charles City, who secured grants of land in 1714 and 1727 in the same locality. 3. James, who was granted land in the same vicinity, and bounded by Thomas Christian's land. 4. John, of Charles City in 1724. obtained a grant of land in the same community.

James Christian, jiresumably the third son of Thomas Christian, the emigrant, was of the parish of St. Peter's, New Kent county. He married Amy, supposed to be the daughter of Gideon Macon, of New Kent county, Virginia. They had children: i. Judith, baptized May 21. 171 1. 2. Richard, of Charles City. 3. Joel, of Charles City, l)er deed of 1754 in Goochland. 4. William, of Goochland, in deed dated 1752. 5. James, of St. Peter's parish, New Kent, who, in 1758, sold Isaac Meanley 130 acres in Gooch- land. l)ounded In- lands of Joel Christian. . (lideon. of whom below.

Gideon Christian, son of James and Amy (Macon) Christian, was born February 5, 1727-28. according to St. Peter's parish register. There is a deed dated 1756 from (lideon Christian of Charles City county for 368 acres of land in Goochland county, patented by James Christian. March ii, 171 1 and devised by said James to his son Gid- eon. His will was proved in Charles City county in 1797. He married Susan Browne, dattghter of William Browne and Alice Eaton, and had issue: Eaton. Francis. Pat- rick. William Allen. Anna, who married