Christian EBY, Bishop

  General Notes:

The oldest son Christian Eby , who married Catherine Bricker retained the old homestead on Hammer Creek. He greatly improved the dwelling house erected by his father in 1754. The dressed sandstone in front wall bears date 1754 and the name of Christian Eby and his wife Elizabeth. (The actual stone reads Christian EBI, Elisabetha 1754 - from the Eby Family Bulletin)

The house and barn on the old homestead were in their time considered stately buildings. The house had originally a large chimney in the centre with a fireplace in nearly every room on first and second story; it had an arched cellar underneath, walnut and oaken paneled partitions, with some of the window sashes hung on cords with lead weights. The barn was built 99 ft. long (only that long so as not to offend a neighbour who shortly before had built a barn of the boasted length of 100 ft.) The walls of both, particularly so of the house, are good and solid to this day. Christian was a large, well proportioned and athletic man, retaining unusual health and vigor or both body and mind up to the time of his death.

He was an elder in the Mennonite Church and wore a long beard, which in his later years had turned white. Regular stated Mennonite meetings were held at his house, until a building for that purpose was erected in the neighbourhood. During the Civil War, the Mennonites declared their willingness to help those in need and distress and to pay taxes, but stated that they were not at liberty in conscience to take up arms against their enemies. During the Revolutionary War foraging parties took of some of his horses and cattle, carrying with them large quantities of flour and grain from his mill. On one occasion his wife's pewter dishes and spoons and an oven full of newly baked bread and pies shared the same fate. During the winter in which the American Army was encamped at Valley Forge a number of disabled soldiers were quartered in the old Lutheran Church near Brickerville, and were supplied weekly with milk and other necessaries of life from his and neighbouring farms.

He died on the 14 of September in the year 1807 and lies buried in the family grave yard on top of the hill opposite the building of the said place.(Hammer Creek, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania) His wife, Catherine, who is said to have been an amiable and greatly esteemed person, survived him several years. HEF p. 4 - 9

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DAR Patriot Lookup: Reference Code RPZTK
EBY, Christian
> > Birth: PA 22 Feb 1734
> > Service: PA
> > Rank: Pvt
> > Death: PA 14 Sep 1807
> > Patriot Pensioned: No Widow Pensioned: No
> > Children Pensioned: No Heirs Pensioned: No
> > Spouse: (1) Catherine Bricker
Miller & Bishop In Mennonite Church

Christian married Catherine BRICKER, daughter of Peter BRUECKER, on 13 Mar 1760 in Warwick, Lancaster Co, PA. (Catherine BRICKER was born about 1743 in Warwick, Lancaster Co, PA and died on 16 Mar 1810 in Elizabethtown, Lancaster Co, PA.)