Summary:Paul Chrisman arrived in America in 1765, lived in Elisabethtown (in Hagerstown), Frederick Co. (now Washington Co.), Maryland from 1768-1790, and from 1790-1805 in Cumberland, Allegheny Co., Maryland. He was a revolutionary war veteran. He left nine children as heirs.
His wife: With one exception, his wife is identified in records only as Magdalena. Her parentage remains unsolved. She was born in 1743 or 1744, and last known to be living in a record of 17 May 1790. The only clue that I have found to her parentage is in a 1772 rental agreement in Hagerstown, where the text identifiers calls Ivan Shelby her "brother". However, this association seems questionable at best. (The Ivan Shelby family is very well researched, being a family of substantial notoriety including a governorship of Kentucky, etc. Existing genealogies do not include any possible match to Magdalena (--) Chrisman.).
Immigrated: 9 Sep 1765, ship "Chance" arrived at the port of Philadelphia from Rotterdam. Among the adult passengers who took an oath of allegence was "John Jorg Paulus Christman" ["Pennsylvania German Pioneers" by Ralph Beaver Strassburger, ed. by William John Hinke, second printing, Balt:Gen.Pub.Co.1980 in two volumes] and [Yoder, Don, "Pennsylvania German Immigrants 1709-1786". Lists consolidated from yearbooks of the Pennsylvania German Folklore Society" Gen.Pub.Co, 1984]
On 9 Sep 1768, "Powell Chrisman" of Frederick County, Maryland rented a lot of land in "Elizabeth Town" (now Hagerstown) from "Jonathan Hager of Frederick County". [Deed filed 3 Oct 1769, p.499 Fred.Co.land records]
Records of the Salem German Reformed Church in the Conococheague district of Hagerstown, Frederick County, are listed baptism records for "Johan Wilhelm Christman, son of Georg Paulus and Magdalena" and "Philip Christman, son of Paul and Magdalena". Sponsor for both were Wilhelm Heisler and wife Anna. [Parochial Register of the Reformed Church in Hagerstown or Elisabethtown in Canageschik Frederick Co in the Province of Maryland, p.A & 11]
On 8 May 1772, "Paul Chrisman of Frederick County" transfered his rental agreement (of 9 Sep 1768) to Rudolph Ply, Paul's wife "Madalega" consented. This agreements seemed to call Ivan Shelby "brother" to Magdalena, but this is questionable. This deed was also indexed incorrectly by the clerk under the name Phillip Chrisman.
On 13 Apr 1773 "Paul Christman [of Frederick County], Mason" purchased a small 23 acre plot of land from "Jacob Rhorar of Frederick County" and his wife Christina Rhorer (part of Hager's fancy).
On 12 July 1776 in Frederick City, Maryland, "Paul Christman" was promoted to Officer in the Maryland German Regiment [Archives of Maryland, Vol.18, p.42]
In Aug 1776, he appears on "Males from age 16-50 in Elizabeth 100" as "Paul Christman, age 38", in ["Maryland Records: Colonial Revolutionary, County & Church from Original Sources" by Gaius Marcus Brumbaugh. Vol.1, Williams & Wilkins Co; Baltimore. 1915, p.238]
On 23 Oct 1776 he appears on the roll of Capt. Wm. Heysec's Company of the Maryland German Regiment as "Paul Christman, Ensign" [ibid, Vol.18, p.48]
On 8 Nov 1776 he resigned ["Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army during the War of the Revolution" by Francis B. Heitman, Gen.Pub.Co.1973, p.154]
On the 1776 tax lists for Frederick County, Maryland, which was compiled before 9 August 1776, the following residents of Elizabeth Hundred in Hagerstown appear: Paul Christman, age 38, Magdalena Christman, age 32, William Christman, age 6, Philip Chrisman, age 3, and Elizabeth Christman, age 1. ["Maryland Records: Colonial Revolutionary, County and Church from Original Sources", by Gaius Marcus Brumbaugh, Williams & Wilkins Co., Baltimore, Pa; 1915, Vol.1, pgs.238, 241, 250, 250, 245]
In 1776, Washington County was formed from that part of Frederick County containing Hagerstown.
In the records of the St. John's Lutheran Church in Hagerstown, Washington County, are birth and baptism records for "John", "Susana" and "John Adam", children of "Paul Christman and Magdalena". [pgs. 73, 80, and 85]
In 1778, he appears on a list of "Patriots' Oaths of Fidelity and Support, 1778", found in the small book "Revolutionary Records of Maryland" by Gaius Marcus Brumbaugh and Margaret Roberts Hodges, Gen.Pub.Co., Baltimore, 1967, page 19, "Washington County, Maryland, The Worshipfull Henry Schnebely's Returns". "Paul Christman" is number 44. On the same list is "116. Martin Kirshman".
On 17 May 1790, "Paul Christman" sold his land, 73.5 acres originally purchased from Jacob Rhorar, in Hagerstown, to William Czeyka for 147 pounds [Wash Co. land records, book G, p.104]. His wife Magdalena relinquished her rights of dower.
He did not appear on the 1790 Maryland census (but the census for Allegany Co., Maryland were lost). In the 1800 census of Maryland a "Powel Christman" is living in Allegany County (one male >=45, one female over 45, one male between 10-16).
Allegany County Md land & court records include: 1.Paul Chriseman deed from Thomas Beal (of Samuel), 1795 [book A, p.580] 2.Paul Cristman Sr. agreement with John Christman 1800 [book C p.238] 3.Paul Christman (by his heirs) deed to Frederick Christman, 1807 [E:235] 4.Paul Chrishman deed to Frederick Chrisman, deed 1812 [F:428]
The Allegany County Md Land Deeds reveal that Paul Christman purchased land in the town of Cumberland at 221 and 222 Macanie Street on 1 May 1795 where he and his wife "Lane" lived (could "Lane" be short for "Magdalena"?). He rented a portion of this to his son John on 15 Sep 1800". He died intestate note long before 24 Nov 1807 (could this have been the 5 Oct 1805 date?.. likely) leaving nine living children as heirs. His wife was almost certainly dead by 11 Sep 1810, likely even dying before him. Land record prove that his nine children included at least the following: John, Frederick, Paul Jr., Elizabeth (who m. George Clice before 24 Nov 1807). It is also likely that Matthias Christman (who m. Elizabeth ___ before 1799 and a few land dealings in Allegany Co., and moved with his wife to Hemming Co., Kentucky before 13 Jun 1812) was also a son, and Magdalena who m. 5 Nov 1797 Elias Eckhart in Berkeley Co, [West] Virginia was a daughter. There may also have been a daughter named Mary M. (appears on deeds in 1813 and 1814 which I have not yet viewed), and plausibly a daughter Hannah who m. Kimes (guessing just by Frederick's deed in 1814 with a Hannah Kimes, not viewed yet).
If he is the same as the Paul Sr. of Allegany Co., Md, his children would be (provably): William, Phillip, Elizabeth, John, Susanna, Adam, Frederick, and Paul Jr., and possibly Magdalena, Matthias, Mary M., and Hannah (but only 9 of them living at the time of his death circa 1805).
It seems almost obvious that the Hagerstown, Washington Co. Paul is the same as the Cumberland, Allegany Paul in many ways, but it is hard to reconcile this with the 1800 census record for Powel Christman in Allegany county. If that is him, why didn't his children register in that census record? They would have had to be born after the Aug 1776 "census" of Elizabeth Hundred. And why was his wife called "Lane" rather than "Magdalena"? I think a little more research is called for before making that leap.
Death: D.A.R. Patriot Index gives his death date as 5 Oct 1805. She is identified as the brother to Ivan Shelby in a rental agreement in 1772. This seems a little bit questionable, so isn't accepted as such yet.
The fact that William Heisler (Helser) and his wife Anna acted as sponsors for their children Johan Wilhelm and Philip may be significant for determining her parentage.
Present: 17 May 1790, sale of land in Hagerstown, where she relinquished her rights of dower.
Birthyear: "Magdalena Christman age 32" in Aug 1776, in "Females aged from 16 to 50 in Elizabeth 100, Frederick Co., Maryland, Aug 1776." in ["Maryland Records: Colonial, Revolutionary, County & Church from Original Sources" by Gaius Marcus Brumbaugh. Vol. 1, Williams & Wilkins Co.; Baltimore. 1915., p.241]
If her husband Paul really is the same person as the Paul Chrisman of Allegany County, Maryland, then she was refered to "Lane" in a rental agreement between Paul and his son John dated 15 Sep 1800.
1 - Johan Georg Paul Chrisman
Born - 1737/1738 probably, Germany
Died - 5 Oct 1805 probably, Elisabeth Town, Washington Co., Maryland
sp- Magdalena
Born - 1743/1744
Died - Aft 17 May 1790
2 - Johan Wilhelm "William" Chrisman
Born - 12 Jan 1771 Hagerstown, Frederick Co., Maryland, Maryland
Died - Aft 1776
2 - Philip Chrisman
Born - 1772/1773 probably, Hagerstown, Frederick Co., Maryland
Died - Aft 1776
2 - Elisabeth Chrisman
Born - 1774/1775 probably, Hagerstown, Frederick Co., Maryland
Died - Aft 1776
sp- George Clice
Born - of, Allegany Co., Maryland
Mar. - Bef 1807
2 - John Chrisman
Chr. - 14 Feb 1779 St.John Lutheran, Hagerstown, Frederick Co., Maryland
sp- Peggy Stonesifer
Born - 1765/1784
Mar. - 17 Jun 1796 Cumberland, Allegany Co., Maryland
2 - Susanna Chrisman
Born - 24 Apr 1782 St.John Lutheran, Hagerstown, Frederick Co., Maryland
sp- Daniel B. Fox
Born - 1783
Mar. - 1804
Died - 1865
Son of Frederick Fox & Catherine Booker
3 - Frederick Crissman Fox
Born - 1809
Died - 1887
sp- Hannah Coffman
Born - 1804
Mar. - 1829
Died - 1890
4 - Frederick Coffman Fox
Born - 1832
Died - 1882
sp- Elizabeth Brelsford
Born - 1838
Mar. - 1854
Died - 1911
5 - Elizabeth M. Fox
Born - Dayton, Ohio
sp- Will W. Ward
2 - John Adam Chrisman
Born - 28 Apr 1786 St.John Lutheran, Hagerstown, Frederick Co., Maryland
2 - Frederick Chrisman
Born - Abt 1785
Died - Aft 1814
sp- Elizabeth
Born - Abt 1789
Mar. - Bef 1814
3 - Rosannah Chrisman
Born - 10 Jul 1811
Died - probably, Clear Creek, Warren Co., Ohio
sp- Daniel L. Fox
Born - 17 Aug 1811 Clear Creek, Warren Co., Ohio
2 - Paul Chrisman Jr.
Died - Aft 1812
2 - Magdalena Chrisman
sp- Elias Eckhart
Mar. - 5 Nov 1797 Berkeley Co., [West] Virginia
Died - Aft 1814
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