Account Book of Nicholas Heinrich Crist

Account Book of Nicholas Heinrick Crist

The Account Book of:

Nicolaus Heinrich Crist

AS COPIED BY HENRY R. SELMAN 1958

Page 9 We sailed from Rotterdam today 1 March 1738 - everyone seems to be happy. Just hope our spirits stays this good.

It was cold and dark last night - so many became ill - it was stormy - high winds and heavy rains. The vessel was rocky. 2 March 1738

Page 12 The vessel smells of stench. We are stopping for supplies tomorrow. I hope they will stop long enough to clean and air the vessel. 10 May 1738

Page 20 and 21 I am going to write in my account book about me so if we die they will know who we are. There's fifteen of us that knows each other we have labored - fought and laughed together all our lives. Now it looks like we will cry and likely die together. We was all borne in (Emmens? or Emmerns Germany). Namely

Johanne John Jacob Crist

Johanne Nicolaus Heinrich Crist

Johanne Peter Ludwick Crist

Johanne Philip Henrie Crist

Johanne Michael Jorge Crist

We was born to Johanne Jorge Nichlas Crist, born 1690 and Anna Elizabeth Mueller Crist, borne 1695, they was borne in Germany. I wish they was here, they would know what to do and it would be better.

These men left with us

Johanne William Henry Towlin

Johanne James Henry Dickerson

Johanne William Edward Collings

Johanne Enoch Daniel Low

Johanne John Edward Houghland

Johanne William Thomas Biggers

Johanne Henrie Philip Cartemell

Johanne John Edward Lyttle.

We cleaned the vessel best we could. I hope we do not have any more storms and high winds. We will leave tomorrow. I will be glad when we get to America. 14 May 1738.

Page 24 I wish I was home. Peter and Philip and Michael does too but John Jacob thinks because he is oldest that he can not show his real feelings. We are all sick, Michael is real sick, we can not do anything to help him. 12 August 1738.

Page 30 It is so hot during the day and the smell is terrible. Every body has dysentery. We have lost many lives. I wonder if we will make it to America. 28 August 1738.

Page 34 Captain Russell said we would walk on land in America today. I am so tired and sick can only hope he is right. We all are. 14 September 1738.

Page 35 We landed in America yesterday. It felt so good to set, walk and lay on the dirt in the land that we had all dreamed of being able to live to see. Our prayers was answered. I cried myself to sleep as did many others. The air smelled and tasted so good. I only know one thing that I do not ever want to get on another ship for the rest of my life. 15 September 1738.

Page 40 I saw and talked to my wife to be today. She is more beautiful than my mother if that is possible. Did not tell her that she was going to be my wife. 24 November 1738.

Page 44 Sir John Henry Nowlin, Esquire and his wife Ana Elizabeth Tillman Nowlin extended an invite to me and my brothers to share a feast with them. We took him up on it. I asked Sir John for his daughter Catherin's hand in marriage. He approved with a hearty handshake. Everybody was happy during this festive time. 25th December 1738.

Page 46 Anna Catherine became my wife today. Rev. Henrie Dreher performed the ceremony. We are so happy. So many friends neighbors and relatives came to our wedding. We got married in the little Lutheran Church here in the Colony on the Monongahela River. Catherine teaches school in the little church during the week. 25th January 1739.

Page 52 This account Book gave to me by my parents when I left the old Country is a fine gift. They gave one to all five of us. I will pass it on to my son. Catherin is with child. 2 August 1739.

John Jacob Crist was borne in the year of our Lord 29 October 1739. Catherin was nineteen today and I was twenty three. This will never happen again everybody says. We named our first son for my brother who was so strong on our trip to America. In the Spring when Catherin is strong enough, we will have a feast and invite our friends, relations and neighbors to celebrate this joyous occasion. 29 October 1739.

Page 60 John Jacob Crist borne in the year of our Lord 7 May 1714 married Catherin Engelson

Nicholaus Heinrich Crist borne in the year of our Lord 29 October 1716 married Catherin Nowlin 25 January 1739.

Peter Ludwick Crist borne in the year of our Lord 20 September 1718 married Anna Rowland.

Philip Henrie Crist borne in the year of our Lord 1 September 1720 married Magdalena Fritch.

Michael Jorge Crist borne in the year of our Lord 6 August 1721 married Serrah Sims.

Page 70 Sir John Henry Nowlin, Esquire and his wife Ana Elizabeth, along with two sons John Henry and William George and a daughter Mary Elizabeth drowned. They left seven days ago to call on a brother of Sir Johns that was very ill. The river was high and it was rough but Sir John thought that they would be safe on the raft that we had built. The bodies was found yesterday down the river about halfway between Sir Johns place and his brothers. We will bury them on the land that Sir John loved so much. 14 April 1749.

Page 71 Ana Catherine was with child when her parents, brothers and sister drowned. We named her Mary Elizabeth Crist after Catherin's Mother and Sister. She was borne in the year of our Lord 14 June 1749 and died the next day. We buried her next to Sir John and his family on his land. 15 June 1749.

Page 74 I am so worried about Ana Catherin. It has been a while since we lost our loved ones and she is still not well. I do not know how me and our sons can face life without her. I have got to do something to bring her back to her old self, but what? The people in the Colony are so good to us. The other women are so helpful. 20 August 1749.

Page 76 We moved into Sir Johns place today it is bigger. Ana Catherin seems a lot better. My prayers has been answered. She is talking about teaching school again. She has been teaching our sons since they was borne but now she wants to teach others that want to learn to read and write like she did before we married. 22 December 1749.

Page 88 I came home today. I was wounded in the leg at the Battle of Great Meadows. I am lucky to have my sons. It looks like I might lose my leg, it is real bad. 5th August 1754.

Page 99 Catherine and me finally got the daughters we never had. Three of our sons was married yesterday. John Jacob married Regenah Cartmell, Nicholas Heinrich, Jr. married Sarah Cartmell and Philip Henry married Rachel Cartmell. The Rev. Henrie Dreher performed the wedding ceremony in the same Lutheran Church where Ana Catherin and me married. 7th May 1763.

Page 104 Our fourth son George Heinrich married Elizabeth Collings today in the Lutheran Church where we got married. She was fifteen years of age today. Rev. Henrie Dreher performed the wedding Ceremony. Me and Elizabeth's Pa, William Edward Collings growed up together and come to America on the same ship. He married Anne Elizabeth Nowlin a cousin to my Catherin. We had a feast, danced to good German music and played games all day. 5 March 1767.

Page 110 William Jorge and John Michael was married today. William Jorge married Elizabeth Hawkins and John Michael married Ursula Hawkins. Rev. Henrie Dreher married them in the little Lutheran Church. Rev. Dreher told me that he had married me and my sons and now he was looking forward to doing the same thing for my grandchildren. 1 June 1769.

Page 118 John Jacob Crist borne in the year of our Lord 29th October 1739.

Nicholas Heinrich Crist, Jr. Borne in the Year of our Lord 10 September 1740.

Philip Henry Crist borne in the year of our Lord 6 June 1742.

George Heinrich Crist borne in the year of our Lord 23rd November 1744.

William Jorge Crist borne in the year of our Lord 10th October 1745.

John Michael Crist borne in the year of our Lord 25th September 1746.

Our Almighty God up above has truly blessed me and Ana Catherin with our sons and their wives and grandchildren. We gave thinks each and every day for what we have and pray for our safe keeping and that we can keep our homes from being burned out and enough food to keep us from being hungry.

Page 120 I guess that I am more scared now than I was coming across the ocean to America. We have six sons in Washington's Continental Army. Catherin and me are doing the best we can to take care of our daughters and grandchildren. Everyone is working hard from day break until dark trying to keep things going. We have seen bad times but it is worse now. Our food that we have stored is low. It seems that every one around us is in bad shape. The only thing that we can do is pray that it will get better and soon be over. Me and Catherin are so tired and scared, not for ourselves but for our loved ones. 24th December 1776.

Page 124 Times are still real bad but we are hanging on. Everyone around is doing their best to help out every way they can. The spoils of war is a bad bad thing. So many killed and mangled for life. Food is still a big problem. Catherin is trying to teach our grandchildren. They need to learn to read and write and arithmetic so bad. If they lived through all this. It will not keep them from being cheated later on in life but it will sure help. Catherin has been my ray of sunshine since I first saw her and she is more so today. If ever a woman was close to being a angel, she is it. 24th December 1777.

Page 125 I am putting my Account Book up. It hurts to bad to write in it. Some of our neighbors have lost sons in the war. Catherin lost her parents in 1749 and in June 1750 I got word from Germany that my parents had died in February that year with pneumonia and we lost our little daughter and all that hurt. But our sons that we have raised all these years, I truly do not know. We do not know if our sons are dead or alive. They could be somewhere wounded in the cold with no shelter. We do have a shelter and fire to keep us warm and dry and food to eat. It has been so cold with sleet and rain and snow. It is so hard on their wives and children not knowing if they will see them again or not. The only thing that we can do is pray that they will be sent home to us safe and not be wounded and mangled for life and that the day will be soon.

2nd January 1778.

Signed: Nicholaus Heinrich Crist, Sr. (his seal affixed)

Page 126 Me and Nicholas and Henry want to explore the land in Kaintuck that Daniel Boone keeps talking of. He says there is thousands of acres of land waiting to be claimed. Plenty of wild game and wild horses and that the land will grow anything. The Indians are worse there but we think with enough men it would be safe enough. 5th May 1778.

Page 127 Henry, Moore, Spears, Brown, Patton, Graham, Sanders, Green, Thomas, Shaw and about six others went to a meeting and after it was over they decided to go to Kaintuck. Daniel Boone says that "A man that stays in the valley always wonders what is on the other side of the mountain, he can guess but never knows for sure. So they decided to see for their self. 26th May 1778.

Page 128 Remember man as you pass by, as you are now so once was I, as I am now so must you be, so prepare to follow me. George H. Crist

Since man to man is so unjust it is hard to know what man to trust. I have trusted long to my sorrow. Pay today and I will trust tomorrow. 10 September 1778 George H. Crist.

Page 130 Today we signed the petition requesting the division of Yohogania County. Besy's Pa and two brothers was signers too along with others. My own Pa was not well enough to take a part. His leg wound and the hard work he had to do while we was gone to war took its toll on him and Ma too. 27 October 1778.

Page 132 I wish I had gone with Henry. I feel that something has gone wrong and I could have helped him. We thought he would have been back by now. 12 March 1780.

Page 144 We buried our parents today. Ma died the day before Pa. She was his life but they always said that me and Besy was just like them. We laid them to rest by our four little ones, my little sister and Ma's parents and two brothers and sister. It was a very sad day. It is going to be hard on all of us boys. We depended on Pa and Ma for so many things as did others in the Colony. They was always wise and they was smart. They was more educated than the other people here. Pa always said that Germany had one thing better than America and that was schools for children to learn. They died with pneumonia. What a loss and we will feel it for a long long time. 12 February 1783.

Page 146 Me, Henry, Nicholas and William and our families and Besy's parents and their families along with many more it's about three hundred in all are going to leave in two days to go to Kaintuck. More settlers in the Colony are going to come later. 16 May 1783.

Page 148 If we do not get this Station built, the Indians are going to kill us all. If we could get a few nights sleep without so much fear of being killed in our sleep. It is hard on the women and children. Sometimes I think we should never have come here. 20 October 1783.

Page 150 Nelson County, Kentucky was created this month. It was a lot of hard work but we got it through and more people are moving in. November 1784.

Page 152 We finally got the court to agree to start building some roads. I will work with them on the one from Bairdstown to Salt River and the next one will go to Hawkins Ferry. But it will take a while to start on it. May 1785.

Page 155 The case between me and James Morrison was dropped this month. He is a crook and a bad one. December 1786.

Page 158 George, Jr. came home today with his wife and baby daughter. They make a fine family. He married Elizabeth Gerard 10 December 1793. Elizabeth is the daughter of William and Hanna Frost Gerard one of our neighbors in the Colony before they moved on down the river and settling there. They are going to stay with me and Besy for a while. Their daughter Hanna is a little older than our Catherine. It is good to have them with us. 15 May 1795.

Page 160 George, Jr. wants to move onto Northwest Territory. Besy's brother William Elston Collings, George and one of the Payne boys and one of the Biggs boys has been talking about this and some of the others. George wants me and Besy to go with them. 12thand August 1795.

Page 165 Besy's brother William Elston, the Payne boys and about a dozen other families moved onto Indiana Territory. They say the Indians are not as bad there. William says the Shawnees are friendly, he trades and barters with them. They call him Long Knife. 2 May 1810.

Page 168 George Heinrich Crist, Jr. was borne in the year of our Lord 1 June 1768 in Virginia.

William Lee Crist was borne in the year of our Lord 5 May 1770 in Virginia.

Baby Girl was borne in the year of our Lord 3 March 1772 in Virginia, lived a few hours.

Baby Girl was borne in the year of our Lord 2 February in Virginia, lived one day.

Baby Girl was borne in the year of our Lord 1 January 1776 in Virginia, was borne dead.

Baby Girl was borne in the year of our Lord 2 October 1779 in Virginia, lived a few hours.

Sarah Ann "Sally" was borne in the year of our Lord 4 April 1782 in Virginia.

Elizabeth Crist was borne in the year of our Lord 20 June 1784 in Kentucky.

Nancy Crist was borne in the year of our Lord 10 December 1785 in Kentucky.

Henry Philip Crist was borne in the year of our Lord 16 January 1789 in Kentucky.

Nicholas George Crist was borne in the year of our Lord 2 September 1790 in Kentucky.

Catherine Crist was borne in the year of our Lord 12 November 1794 in Kentucky.

Amandy Jane Crist was borne in the year of our Lord 4 December 1796 in Kentucky.

Page 173 Page 174 There was a great shaking of the earth this morning. Tables and chairs turned over and knocked around. All of us knocked out of our bed. The roar I thought would leave us deaf if we lived. It was not a storm. When you could hear, all you could hear was screams from people and animals. It was the worst thing that I have ever witnessed. It was still dark and you could not see nothing. I thought the shaking and the loud roaring sound would never stop. You could not hold onto nothing neither man or woman was strong enough. The shaking would knock you lose like knocking hickory nuts out of a tree. I do not know how we lived through it. None of us was killed. We was all banged up and some of us knocked out for awhile and blood was every where. When it got day break you could see the damage done all around. We still had our home it was some damage. 16 Dec 1811

Page 176 Page 177 What are we gonna do? You cannot fight it cause you do not know how. It is not something that you can see. In a storm you can see the sky and it shows dark clouds and you know that you might get strong winds but this you can not see anything but a house that just lays in a pile on the ground. Not scattered around and trees that just falls over with the roots still on it. The earth quake or what ever it is come again today. It was as bad or worse than the one in December. We lost our Amandy Jane in this one, a log fell on her. We will bury her upon the hill under a clump of trees where Besy's Ma and Pa is buried. A lot of people thinks that the devil has come here. Some thinks that this is the beginning of the world coming to an end. 23 January 1812.

If we do not get away from here the ground is going to eat us alive. We had another one of them earth quakes yesterday and today the ground still shakes at times. We are all about to go crazy from pain and fright. We can not do anything until we can find our animals or get some more. We have not found enough to pull the wagons. 8 February 1812.

Page 178 I do not know if our minds have got bad or what. But everybody says it. I swear you can still beel the ground move and shake some. We still have not found engough animals to pull the wagons and you can not find any to buy or trade. 10 MARCH 1812

Page 179 Page 178 We lived to make it to Pigeon Roost. We did not lose any lives but we had aplenty troubles. As much as I love my place in Kentucky, I never want to go back. From December to April no man, woman or animal if they could talk would dare to believe what we lived through. From what people say it was not that bad here. They felt the ground move and shake but it did not destroy cabins and trees like it did in Kentucky. I guess that things was as bad here but at least they could see the enemy. On 3 September 1812 the Shawnees that William twenty four people most of them thought was friendly went crazy and them savages killed was just little children. William says they was all drunked up and that there was some bad blood between them and two of the settlers over a white elk that the Indians claimed these two settlers stole. I don't know how one elk could cause this. So many little innocent ones gone because of greed and hate, I guess. Me and Besy have decided to live out our lives here. These people need help it is bad. William lost his son Henry and his wife. Henry lived to tell that little Kill Buck shot him. William thought the Indian was his friend. His son Richard's wife was killed and nine of his grandchildren was killed. They dug a big hole under the big sassafras tree and buried all the dead together. It is all so very sad. We all have bad nightmares amongst us and we will most likely always have them. 14th April 1813.

Page 181 Page 182 We go out under the sassafras tree ever day and hold prayer. It is a cool calm feeling under this tree that I can not put into words. It kind of feels like that something just wants to hold you there but you are not afraid. We all feel it even the children. It is the biggest tree that I have ever seen in my life. I am gonna put the account book up and give it to George, Jr. my oldest son when I see him. My Bess and my Pa always wanted to let their grandchildren and the ones that followed them to know a little something about them. Maybe just maybe that we have done a little something to help the ones that will follow us in the years to come. All me and Besy ask for is to be able to worship our God, a place to lay our bodies and a little food to eat and to see our children and grandchildren and for them to have a easier life than we have had. I was borne a long time ago today. That old sassafras tree just seems to keep on drawing a body to it just before the sun goes down. Even in the hot summer it is a cool calm feeling under it. I wish that I could understand it enough to tell about it. 23 November 1813.

Signed: George Heinrich Crist (His Seal Affixed)

Notes now being made by son #1 of George Heinrich Crist, Sr.

Page 183 Me and my son Reason got to Pigeon Roost two days ago. The wars and savage Indian attacks and them earth quakes has took its toll on Pa and Ma. It is about the same with Uncle William and Aunt Phoebe. I don't think that none of them will ever be the same. The Indian raids and attacks has been bad on all of us never knowen when they would attack or how many it would be. If Captain John Norris had not been at Uncle Williams, him and John and Lydia would most likely been killed. Aunt Phepe was at Zebs helpen tend the sick and I am thankful for that cause what she had to go through burning the dead was hard on her. George H. Crist, Jr. 10 October 1814.

Page 184 Some more kin got here today. We are going to help build back the cabins that was burned. Ma don't much like the dogs I brought, says she is as scared of them as a savage. One will stay inside the cabin at night and one outside to warn them of danger. The dogs they have is old.

Page 185 I thought when I came here that Pa and Ma would go back home with me but they won't here of it. They say they want to live out the rest of the years here. They feel that these people need them. Some of the other children has moved onto Indiana Territory from Kentucky on account of them earth quakes. 28 October 1814.

Page 186 Page 187 George H. Crist, Jr. and Elizabeth Gerard married 10 December 1793 in the year of our Lord.

Hanna Crist borne 30 August 1794 in the year of our Lord.

Elizabeth Crist borne 5 December 1796 in the year of our lord.

Stephen Crist borne 15 January 1799 in the year of our Lord.

Reason Crist borne 29 March 1801 in the year of our Lord.

Sarah Crist borne 12 May 1804 in the year of our Lord.

Benjamin Crist borne 15 October 1806 in the year of our Lord.

James Martin Crist borne 10 November 1807 in the year of our Lord.

Elizabeth Gerard Crist died 10 November 1807 and we buried her at Miller Burying Ground.

George H. Crist, Jr. and Elizabeth Lard married 12 June 1809 in the year of our Lord.

George Washington Crist borne 24 June 1812 in the year of our Lord.

Rebecca Crist borne 19 October 1813 in the year of our Lord.

John Edward Crist borne 1 May 1815 in the year of our Lord.

Daniel Maury Crist borne 15 April 1817 in the year of our Lord.

Hiram Heinrich Crist borne 26 July 1819 in the year of our Lord.

Mary Ann Crist borne 4 May 1821 in the year of our Lord.

Noah Franklin Crist borne 4 October 1823 in the year of our Lord.

Elizabeth Lard Crist died 4 October 1823 and we buried her at Pierce Cemetery.

George H. Crist, Jr. and Elizabeth Simmons married 29 April 1824 in the year of our Lord.

Emily Crist borne 8 January 1825 in the year of our Lord.

Catherine Crist borne 17 October 1826 in the year of our Lord.

Malinda Crist borne 10 January 1830 in the year of our Lord.

Emily Crist died 10 January 1830 and we buried her at Pierce Cemetery.

Rebecca Crist Stockton died 1 January 1835.

Hanna Crist Flood died 24 November 1843.

Transcribed by Tom Steele, April 1988