Drury CHRISTIAN Benjamin Franklin CHRISTIAN Eunice A CHRISTIAN Delia J CHRISTIAN Martha W CHRISTIAN James D CHRISTIAN Louisa P CHRISTIAN Lavinia Louisa JOSLIN Betsey BREWER Mini tree diagram
James W CHRISTIAN

James W CHRISTIAN1,5,2,3,4

17901,2,3,4 - 18651

Life History

1790

Born in North Carolina.1,2,3,4

24th Feb 1816

Married Lavinia Louisa JOSLIN in Davidson County, Tennessee.5

1st Jul 1817

Birth of son Benjamin Franklin CHRISTIAN in Tennessee.6,7,1,7

about 1831

Birth of daughter Eunice A CHRISTIAN in Tennessee.3

about 1835

Birth of daughter Delia J CHRISTIAN in Tennessee.3

about 1837

Birth of daughter Martha W CHRISTIAN in Tennessee.3

about 1840

Birth of son James D CHRISTIAN in Tennessee.3,2

about 1843

Birth of daughter Louisa P CHRISTIAN in Tennessee.2,3

after 1860

Death of Lavinia Louisa JOSLIN in Fannin County, Texas.2

1865

Died in Texas.1

Notes

  • "My Ancestry.com research identifies Benjamin Franklin Christian (1818 TN-1886 TX) as being a son of James W. Christian (1790 NC-1865 TX); and it appears that JWC's father was Drury Christian (1766 VA-1833 TN))."
    --  Keith Farris, Ancestry Messaging to Orville Boyd Jenkins, 7 March 2017

    In the 1790 census for Chatham County, North Carolina, James' father Drury is reproted on page 36.  In his household is reported 2 males over 16, 1 female (not age grouped) and 2 slaves, for a total of 6 household members.  James W Christain is reported born in 1790, so he is probably the 1 male under age 16 in Drury's household.  Nearby are two other Christian households, whose names appear to be Drury's brothers, James (p 33) and thomas (p 34).

    1790 Federal Census, Chatham County, North Carolina, p 36
    Chatham, North Carolina
    Drury Christian
    2 Free White Males 16 and over
    1 Free White Male Under 16
    1 Free White Female
    2 Slaves
    6  Household Member

    1790 Federal Census, Chatham County, North Carolina, p 33
    Chatham, North Carolina
    James Christian
    1 Free White Male 16 and over
    1  Household Members

    1790 Federal Census, Chatham County, North Carolina, p 34
    Chatham, North Carolina
    Thos Christian
    1 Free White Male 16 and over
    1 Slave
    2  Household Members

    "Drury married Betsy Brewer (1766 -1820) in 1789 and married Sarah N Payton (1787 NC - 1823 TN) in 1805.  It is possible that Drury's father was also named Drury Christian (1730 VA - 1783 NC) and he married Lucretia Williams (1727 VA - 1786 NC) in 1751."
    --  Keith Farris, Ancestry Messaging to Orville Boyd Jenkins, 15 March 2017

    The following marriage record appears to match the James Christian and wife Louisa who moved to Fannin County, Texas.  But it matches also a burial in Atchison, Missouri for a James and Lavinia Christian.  The marriage in Davidson County matches the 1850 census in Davidson County, reporting J W and Lavina Christian with four children.  The Fannin County, Texas, 1860 census reported the same last two children James D and Louisa P as reported in Davidson County, Tennessee, in 1850.  Lavinia in 1850 matches Louisa in 1860.

    So the couple married in Davidson County, Tennessee, and James W and Lavinia would seem to be confirmed as the same couple as reported in Fannin County, Texas, under the names of J W and Louisa Christian.

    Tennessee, Compiled Marriages, 1784-1825
    Jas (James) W Christian
    Spouse Lavinia Joslin
    License issued 24 Feb 1816 Davidson County, Tennessee
    Marriage solemnization record not entered
    Recorded Davidson County Marriage Book, 1816, p 186

    This matches a listing in the 1820 census, enumerating James W Christian and his household in Dickson County, Tennessee.  His father Drury was listed a few houses away, below him on the same page.

    1820 Federal Census, Dickson County, Tennessee, August 7, 1820
    James W Christian
    1 Free White Male 26-45
    1 Free White Male under age 10
    1 Free White Female 26-45
    1 Free White Female under age 10
    4 Slaves, 3  male under age 14, 1 female age 14-26

    Drury's record indicates his wife died some time prior to this census.

    1820 Federal Census, Dickson County, Tennessee, August 7, 1820
    Drury Christian
    1 Free White Person - Males - 45 and over
    10 Slaves

    There were in the Davidson County census in 1850.  They have 5 children in their household.

    1850 Federal Census, Dickson County, Tennessee, 21 August, Middle District, p 179 (scan 90), Hse/Fam #1
    James W Christian 60 M Farmer b N Carolina [b abt 1790]
    Lavina Christian 51 F b Tennessee [b abt 1799]
    Eunice A Christian 19 F b Tenn [b abt 1831]
    Delia J Christian 15 F b Tenn [b abt 1835]
    Martha W Christian 13 F b Tenn [b abt 1837]
    James D Christian 10 M b Tenn [b abt 1840]
    Louisa P 7 M b Tenn [b abt 1843]

    Then they moved to Fannin County in northeast Texas before the 1860 census.  Their two youngest children are still with them.  From the age of Louisa P, it was probably about 1854 or later.

    1860 Federal Census, Fannin County, Texas, 19 June, Beat 1, P O Bonham, p 31, Hse #209, Fam #211
    J W Christian 70 M Farmer $5660 Real Estate Value $10,600 Personal Estate b NC [b abt 1790]
    Louisa Christian 61 F b Tenn [b abt 1799]
    James D Christian 20 M b Tenn [b abt 1840]
    Louisa P Christian 17 M b Tenn [b abt 1843]

    Their son Benjamin Franklin Christian was living nearby and was reported on the next page of the Fannin County census.

    1860 Federal Census, Fannin County, Texas, 19 June, Beat 1, P O Bonham, p 32, Hse #219, Fam #221
    B F  Christian 43 M Farmer $4500 Real Estate Value $522 Personal Estate b Tenn [b abt 1817]
    C M Christian 40 F b Pennsylvania [b abt 1820]

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    A Find a Grave memorial has reported a burial that also matches James and Louisa, but it is in Atchison County, Missouri.  The wife is named Lavinia Joslin Christian, but the gravestone name has only the first name Lavina, and wife of Ja's [James] Christian.  A James W Christian is there as her husband.  This could be a different family and the memorial manager reported Joslin as her maiden name, mistakenly confusing her with the Davidson County, Tennessee, couple who seem conclusively to have moved to Texas.

    It is possible, but not very likely in that era, that they did die in Texas and were taken back to Missouri for burial.  But then why not to Davidson County, Tennessee?  Nothing else connects them to Missouri.  Further, James Christian in Missouri was born in 1803 and died in 1871.  Lavinia was born in 1807 and died in 1863.  he James in Missouri is found with another family, probably a daughter, in 1870, the year before he died.  So he was not in Texas.

    Even more definitive is the finding that James and Lavinia Christian were reported in the 1850 census in October in Buchanan County, Missouri, while James W and Lavinia were reported in August 1850 in Davidson County, Tennessee, the county where they were married.
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Sources

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