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The oldest/first Gish to come to Roanoke
was George McHenry Gish born at White Oak, PA in 1762. He was the 4th
child and third son of Christian Gish I, oldest son of Matthias Gisch. who
came to America from Germany in 1733. He and his father fought in the
revolution in Captain Peebles' company (despite being "pacificist" Dunkard
ministers). Christian I (my great-great-great-great-great grandfather)
resettled after the war in Roanoke, VA and his oldest son went to
Muhlenberg County, KY about the time George McHenry went to Roanoke. He
died there Sept. 20, 1830. His wife was Maria Susanna Stover who died back
in Virginia in July 1828. That would seem to imply that George McHenry was
only in Roanoke a short time.
George McHenry's oldest uncle was killed
in battle in 1783 and his next oldest one was the great-grandfather of the
actresses Lillian and Dorothy Gish.
He had 11 children, most of whom went
through Tippecanoe County (Lafayette area), Indiana and wound up in
Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska.
Matthias Gisch arrived at Philadelphia on the Pennsylvania Merchant in
Sept of 1733. He is listed on page 237 in the book "First Families of
America". He received a grant of land from William Penn under the name of
Matthew Keatch. He was one of first settlers of Lancaster Co, Pa. He was
the father of five sons and three daughters. All these children were born
in Lancaster Co. and were the progenitors of all the Gish families in
America, which dates from colonial times. Matthias was a Dunkard ministers
as were several generations of his male descendents.
The name Gisch was derived from Kirsch, German
for cherry because in the local dialect the pronunciation is the same. The
spelling was later changed to Gish. There has been published some old
eighteenth century documents which tell of the departure of emigrants from
various localities in Birkenfeld, Saarbrucken (also known as “The
Palatine”) and the Pflaz. Among these in the records of Nohfelden occurs
the announcement that Matthias Gisch of Answeiler was departed for
America.
From land records in the state house at Harrisburg the
first warrant for a survey was issued to Mathias Gisch in 1739. This
called for 107 acres plus six percent for roads and highways. The deed,
was signed by James Hamilton, Lieutenant Governor, and was issued in 1743.
He soon secured more land until the final acreage was 180, this was in the
White Oak district.
Matthias
was both farmer and blacksmith, as farmer he made a living, as blacksmith,
earned money.
Matthias and
Katharine were married soon after they landed in Philadelphia. Their
oldest child must have been born within a year or two after the landing.
when he came to America he came with a nephew Christian
Lauer.
Their son, Abraham,
who married Susanna Kuhns, moved to Abilene, Kansas and from them movie
stars, Lillian and Dorothy Gish were descended.
Some researchers believe that our line of Gishes
descended from Phillip Matthias Gisch and Maria Seibert but after many
years of research by Katherine Melton and Joanne Wilkerson (both of
Henderson, Ky and authors of "The Gish cousins of Kentucky) they concluded
that this line descended from Phillip's brother Hans Jacob Gish and Maria
Catharina Heyl.
They came to
this conclusion after they wrote their book. When Matthias arrived here
there were 191 persons on board the ship, 71 males above 16 years of age,
64 under 16 and 56 females. He took the oath of allegiance the same day of
arrival. He and wife became members of the White Oak congregation. They
descendants spread westward to Shippensburg, Pa. and south to Virginia as
early as 1780.
Matthias was
26 years old when he arrived and his nephew Christian Lauer was 18.
Matthias left Tulpehocken where he landed and bought his farm where now
stands the Matthias Gish marker at Penryn, near Manheim Pa.The marker was
erected Aug 17, 1933 commemorating the first 200 years of the landing of
Matthias Gish in America.
Answeiler where he came from is located
near the extreme south eastern border of Birkenfeld, probably part
of the duchy of Saarbrucken.
Mathias received a land grant under
the name of Matthew Keach.
Matthias Gisch (10-19-1710 – 11-12-1757)
married Katharine Bauer (1709 – 1771)
Data from Reformed Church-Falkner Swamp
Montgomery Co. PA:
Dec 6, 1775-Christian Bauer Married Catherine
Seibert
Dec 14, 1790-Jacob Bauer -Anna Fried
Aug 23, 1791-Margrith
Bauer- Sammel Davis
Jan 13, 1779-Valentine Bauer-? Gorst
Apr 2,
1772-Michael Bauer-Regina Tuerr
July 29, 1804-Susanna Bauer-? Hauck
(Hock)
German Reformed Chuch-Philadephia,
PA:
Jun 1, 1790-Paul Bauer-Polly Roun
Oct 1748-Heinrick
Baur-Anna Cathearine Ries
Arrived on same ship as Matthis Gish Sept 18,
1733, "Penn. Merchant."
Also with Hans George Hock, Katherine Bauer
would marry Matthias Gish,
and their son Christian would marry Hans
George Hock's daughter, Sophia
They had 8 children, five sons and three
daughters. This particular history will focus on the children of the
oldest, Christian I, whose line would be known as “fee tail male”, that is
“the oldest surviving son of the oldest surviving son of the oldest
surviving son …” and in particular who wound up in Paducah, KY with a
couple of “side journeys” for the actresses Lillian and Dorothy and two
distant cousins I have been in contact with.
Despite being devout Dunkard ministers like their
father (the Church of the Brethern) and therefore pacifists like the
Amish, Quakers and Mennonites the three eldest brothers served in the
revolutionary war with George Washington. with John being killed in the
Lancaster Militia in 1783. Christian was in Captain Peebles' Company
1777-1782.
Christian Gish I
was born in 1735.
Anna Gish,
(1737 – 1817) married Peter Kratzer. They had 10 children with many
descendents to this day in the area. After Matthias’ death they bought the
original farm from her siblings (Christian as eldest son settled the
estate; Matthias left no will) and with his children moved south to
the Roanoke, VA area.
John
L., (1740 – April 21, 1783), married Elizabeth Kapp (Feb 13, 1745 – March
1829) and they had 5 sons and 2 daughters, all named for his siblings and
his father which was to become a family tradition (and confuse a great
many family historians).
Katherine (1743 – 1770) married Jacob Baylor and
had one son.
Abraham Bauer
(1745 – Dec 30, 1789) was the most famous line, among his
descendents were Oliver Holmes Gish (Science), Lillian and Dorothy Gish.
J. I. Hamaker (author of White Oak- The Gish Family History, written in
1940.. Harold S. and Wesley Gish (military). Many of this branch also
moved to Abilene, Kansa. In the book "first families of America Pg 237,
they have his wife listed as _____Schrock, but I have never found any
record of this marriage. Married Susanna Kuhns bef 1767, they had 10
chidren.
Jacob (1747 – 1770)
no marriage.
Anna Maria (Oct
25, 1757 – 1846) married John Brinser, no known
children).
David (1749 –
1790) married Freeny Cass and moved to Roanoke with his oldest brother.
They had four children who were born in Pennsylvania.
Christian I moved southward to Cumberland co. Pa,
then after 1790 moved to Va. His will was dated May 22, 1796. He was sick
at this time and died shortly afterwards.
Religion: Dunkards (Church of the Brethren).
Source: Book "A seed-bed of the republic", By R.D. Stoner. Moved southward
to Clumberland Co. Pa. then after 1790 moved to Virginia. His will was
dated May 22, 1796. He was sick at this time and died shortly afterwards.
He was a blacksmith. Christian built a substantial house of logs on his
land, approximately 1/4 mile north of the site of Robert Breckinridge's
house which stood to the rear of the Dr. R. Boaz home in Daleville. The
land on which this house was built was conveyed in later years to Peter
Nininger, eventually coming into the possession of Ben. F. Nininger who
was one of the builders of Botetourt Normal School, later known as
Daleville College. The Christian Gish house still stands on what is left
of the Daleville College Campus and is in good repair. The house has been
weatherboarded and some years ago repaired and modernized; becoming an
apartment house. The president of Daleville College lived in the house
while the college was in operation. The circular limestone rock columns on
the front porch are very unique.
A permit was granted Christian Gish to build a
mill on Tinker Creek in 1797, apparently after his death. In any event, it
is an accepted fact that the Gish family built a mill on Tinker Creek,
thought to have been on the site where Daleville Mill was later built and
operated by the Nininger family. Records show that Peter Nininger's son,
William, operated Daleville Mill for many years.
How many years was Christian
(Chrisley) Gish blind and what accident caused it.???
Answer:
Christian was blinded in a gunpowder explosion and was blind the last 20
years of his life. Undoubtedly so in that picture.
THE HISTORY OF WOODFORD COUNTY
ILLINOIS
written by Roy L. Moore A.B. 1910.
One of the most prominent families of Roanoke, Illinois was
that of the Gishes. George Gish (George Washington Gish) was born in
Virginia in 1825 and in 1846 he came to Indiana where he lived to 1850,
when he came to the vicinity of Roanoke. He lived there a few years
before his death, when he moved to Green Township. He was a minister of
the Dunkard church. His death occurred in 1894.
The
most prominent members of his family are T.W. and L.J. Gish.
(Thomas W. and Lucian James) The former was sheriff and
latter both sheriff and treasurer. These are sons of Uncle Chrisley.
Son of George McHenry Gish Garmon Gish also came from Roanoke,
Virginia at the same time as his brother and settled in Roanoke.
Later he became sheriff of the county and for many years was connected
with county affairs, either as official or deputy. Son of George
Washington Gish Chrisley (Christian) and Abraham also came from
Virginia to make their home in the new settlement where Roanoke now
stands. They are brothers to George and Garmon. Sons of George
Washington Gish Chrisley Gish, or Uncle Chrisley Son of George
McHenry Gish as he was familiarly called, was the oldest of those who came
to Woodford County. He was the father of James Rufus and John Henry
Gish, both of whom where Dunkard ministers. John suggested the
name, Roanoke, as appropriate for the new township and the name was later
adopted by the village, Josephus Abraham and William Abraham
Sons of Abraham A. Gish, son of George McHenry Gish were also pioneers in
this township. The former still resides in Illinois, but the latter
moved a few years ago to Nebraska, where both he and his wife, Sarah Eli
nor Statler, were killed by a tornado.
...1855 the county divided
and the name Roanoke was given to the township, it being suggested by John
Henry Gish in honor of Roanoke Virginia, his old home. April 3rd of
that year, the first township election was held, resulting in the
selection of the following:
Supervisor:
David S. Brown
Clerk:
James Stephenson
Assessor:
John Henry Gish
Collector:
Benjamin Sanborn
Highway Commissioners: Sam Still, Emerald Fisher, Joseph
Brubaker
Constables:
Charles Stoler
Josephus Gish
Magistrates:
Garman Gish
John Franz
William Abraham Gish & Sarah Ellenor
Statler
Barbara Fisher added this on 23 Nov
2009
frantzp1originally submitted this to Lipp Family Tree on 5 Apr
2009
William Abraham Gish Married Sarah Ellenor Statler 23 Sep
1852 at the home of Abraham Statler, Sarah's father. It was probably
in Roanoke County, Virginia. Minister was Gideon Shearer; witnesses
were Sarah Sloan, William Trout and John A. Gish.
William and Sarah drove in a carriage from Roanoke,
Virginia, to what is now the area of Roanoke, Illinois, maybe early in
1853.
William A. and Sarah Statler Gish both died of injuries
received in a tornado. They had been to California to spend the
winter and were on their way back to their home at Juniata,
Nebraska. They stopped to visit a son in western Nebraska, and the
tornado struck while they were eating their evening meal there.
Sarah was killed instantly, on 22 May 1903. William
remained in a coma until his death on 2 Jun 1903. No others in the
house were injured. The wewing machine of the daughter-in-law was
found, still threaded, about a mile from their home.
Child No. 11 of William Abrahm Gish and Sarah Statler Gish,
Ida "Neoma, spent much time between 1885 and 1897 in the home of her
sister and brother-in-law. Emma Susan "Sue" Gish Reiff and John B.
Reiff. John and Sue named one of their daughters Ida and another
Neoma "Oma."
This information was taken from a file on the Gish family
given to me by Dean L. Frantz. |
