Christian Binkley (1738 - 1805)

Born 10 Mar 1738 in Lampeter Twp., Lancaster Co, PA

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 10 May 1805 at age 67 in Manheim Twp, Lancaster Co, PA

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Biography

Born 10 MAR 1738. Lampeter Twp., Lancaster Co, PA.^[1]

Died 10 MAY 1805. Manheim Twp, Lancaster Co, PA. ^[2]

Buried 1805 Landis Valley Cemetery, Lancaster Co, PA. ^[2][3]

Research Notes

Notes:^[4] Christian was the third son of Johannes ‘the Mennonite’.

BINKLEY, but has been often confused with the Christian BINCKLE born a month later who was a son of Michael, a Reformed family in what is now Berks County (Christian M. BINCKLE / BINCKLEY, b. 21 April 1738, went to OH in 1801, died there 21 June 1832).

1769 Christian is still in Lampeter Tp, paying taxes, is a millwright.

American Revolution: A Felix and a Christian BINKLEY are. documented in the National Genealogical Quarterly (V. 16, p. 28) under Pennsylvania Revolutionary Patriots. These individuals were paid for forage furnished for the magazine at Lancaster PA 1778-1779. Don'’t know whether they are our Christian & Felix, who both lived close to the city, or from the northern (Reformed) line of the family.

An unknown source quoted by Stan Bourdo said: “Christian is listed in the records as having __rded [boarded?] horses, along with other Lancaster citizens, in compliance with an Army order of 1 August, 1780, which stated 'the county was to furnish 1,200 barrels of flour monthly, 5,000 bushels of forage, 50 wagons, 400 horses and 600 men (Henry LANDIS, husband of Esther BINKLEY, 1797-1881, and Peter GREBILL [Mennonite names] also contributed horses).

Christian'’s original sandstone house still stands in 2008, lived in but in bad condition; a long old barn is still next to it. The house is the last one on the right (south) side as you go down Landis Valley Rd to Perelman Park, just off the New Holland Rd / Hwy 23 and the new bridge. A strong spring flows by the barn and the back entrance of his house, suggesting it was the reason for building there.

This Christian BINKLEY is most famous for his mill and construction of an extremely long covered bridge over the Conestoga Creek at what is now Perelman Park. His house stands beside the road to the bridge site. See note on Binkley Bridge.

"Water-Powered Grist Mills-Lancaster Co, PA" by Arthur C. Lord, (p. 47): Manheim Township. Binkley's Bridge Mill, Conestoga River, c1772, Christian BINKLEY, 30’X60’, 3.5 stone mill. The old grist mill close by the (Binkley's) bridge was built by Christian BINKLEY, was sold by [to?] him to [by?] a Mr. GARVER. Christian BINKLEY was taxed for a mill from 1772 to 1805. [His son] David BINKLEY was taxed from 1806 to 1824. David BINKLEY's mill in 1815 was 40’x36’. In 1864 David BINKLEY[?] had a grist and saw mill.”.

Picture of the Binkley's Mansion which was built by Christian’'s son David and his wife in 1808, with two stones on the front reading "David Binkley” & “Barbara Binkley". [Don’t know what happened tothese.]

"Mills and Bridges of Lancaster County, PA," compiled by R. Harold Barton, says Christian BINKLEY settled on the Conestoga Creek about 1740 [wrong, he was only 2 years old then] on 100 acres of land [which he actually bought in 1772, at age 34] at a place which today is known as Eden. Tax records show by 1772 he was taxed for 100 acres and for a grist and saw mill with three water wheels.

He reportedly built his mill on the Conestoga in 1779 (possibly replacing GARVER'’s earlier mill there), and 10 years later, in 1789, Christian built the first stone bridge [wooden covered bridge on 10 stone arches] over the Conestoga near Eden PA, near his grist mill.

This area became known as "Binkley's Bridge" -- meaning the mills and later the post office.

On a tombstone at the Landis Valley Cemetery is carved: "Memory of Christian BINKLEY who departed this life May 10, 1805 aged 67 years and 2 months. He was the founder of the bridge across the Conestoga.”.

The fact he was buried at the Landis Valley Cemetery confirms that he was a Mennonite. 1

Betty Binkley Hardin says in 2008: I have just checked my father's [J.G. Binkley’'s] record on Christian and he has the following: "Christian Binkley died intestate in 1805. I saw his grave along with many other Binkleys in the Landis Cemetery in Landis Valley, some three miles North-west of the Mill site.

Proceedings in Orphans Court-vol. 1803-1805 p. 378. Shows John ROHRER of Manheim Twp. made guardian for Esther, minor daughter of Christian BINKLEY at request of Elizabeth, the widow. Dated July 29, 1805.

Same book p. 394, dated July 31, 1805, show Christian BINKLEY left a widow named Elizabeth and twelve children: 1. David - builder of the brick home in 1807. 2. Barbara - wife of Benedict MELLINGER. 3. Felix. 4. Abraham. 5. Elizabeth. 6. Ann died 19 Sep 1847, age 64 in Landis Cemetery. 7. Mary. 8. John. 9. Henry. 10. Christian. 11. Martin. 12. Esther.” Wife of Henry LANDIS and grandmother of H.K. LANDIS and George D. LANDIS. Grave in Landis Cemetery. Labeled 11291797 to 561881. Her father was 59 when she was born. 1

Land dealings of Christian BINKLEY, b. 10 Mar 1738, son of Johannes the Mennonite, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania: 12 Jan 1768 - Deed Book Y-177: Christian BINKLEY and Henry BINKLEY & Henry’s wife Frena sold to their brother Felix “their undivided parts of 200 acres in Lampeter Tp” from “the estate of John BINCKLY, yeoman, of Lampeter Tp., the father of all parties hereto” -- property.

Christian and Henry inherited from their father Johannes, who had died in 1749 while they were still children. [date?] Deed Book Z3-469, 472, 475: Christian BINKLEY of Lampeter, 240 acres, divided, 100 acres + mill, from estate of father. John BINKLEY of Lampeter; 47 acres to Felix BINKLEY, partition. [Can'’t figure this exchange out -- need to see full deed to see who got what.

-- this looks like Christian got the mill, but everyone says Felix got it, and Felix had built the new mill building there in 1767.].

1769 Christin BINGLEY paid taxes in Lampeter Tp and is noted as being a millwright.

17 June 1769 - Book Y-183: Christian BINCKLY of Lampeter bought 100 acres in Lampeter from Henry & Frena BINKLEY of Manor Tp. - This appears to be the same tract Henry had gotten from brother Felix BINKLEY & his wife Anna LANDIS the preceding year (Y-180, dated 12 Jan 1768).

4 Jan 1772 - Deed Book U-630: How Christian BINKLEY got his land for the mill at Eden PA: Christian PINKLEY of Manheim Twp bought 4 tracts from miller Felix and Anna BINKLEY of Lampeter Twp; these were 100 acres in Manheim [west bank of the Conestoga], 1 acre + 2 perches in Lampeter [east bank], 1/2 acre for which no location is given, and water rights on the Conestoga Creek. These 100 acres had been patented 4 June 1746 to Michael GARBER [see his family sheet], who got water rights by buying land on the other side of the creek on 5 Dec 1749 from Melchior SNEIDER and his wife Margaret, who granted the privilege to build a milldam across the Conestoga Creek touching any part of their 150 acre plantation; GARVER transferred the land and the water rights (which apparently involved a small tract of land) to Felix BINKLEY on 26 May 1770; and just two years later [1772] Felix sold it all to his younger brother Christian -- and that’s the year Christian shows up in Manheim on the tax lists.

1773 tax list Manheim Tp: Christian BINKLEY, 100 acres, 2 horses, 4 cows, tax 1.15.$ [sic].

7 Feb 1775 - Deed Book U-633 or -733: Henry and Barbara NEWCOMER sold to Christian BINKLEY of Manheim Twp 150 Acres in Lampeter Twp on Great Conestoga Creek. This may be the 150 acre plantation first occupied by Melchior SNEIDER, which had been conveyed 1 June 1749 [sic] to Ludwick TRUCKAMILLER -- patented 15 Jan 1768 to Henry NEWCOMER (Ref. PB AA-10-244). So by 1775, Christian appears to have the land on both sides of the Conestoga that allowed him to build his big bridge.

1782 tax: Christian BINKLEY, 2 m.s. [mill & sawmill?], 100 acres, 2 horses, 3 cows, no servants, tax paid £1.15.0.

The old flour and grist mill adjoining the bridge and built by Christian BINKLEY [or he bought it from GARVER and expanded it?] was sold in 1866 and converted into a first-class paper mill, known as the Printers Paper Mill.

Martin MELLINGER and Jacob GREUDER / GREIDER, Lampeter Twp., Administers of Christian BINKLEY, miller, Binkley's Bridge, sold to David BINKLEY [son] — Deed Book Y3-487 [after 1805]

After Christian's death 1805, intestate - Deed Book Y3-487), his son David, in 1805 received the property, sold to him by the administrators of the estate of miller Christian BINKLEY, namely Martin MELLINGER and Jacob GREIDER of Lampeter. David and his wife built their mansion in 1808 (per Mills and Bridges of Lancaster Co, PA, compiled by R. Harold Barton, Volume 1). It was still there in 1980 but was removed about 1998 -- the plot is empty, and the flat land below it is now Perelman Park.=. 1

Binkley's Bridge on the Conestoga River: 1 In 1789, Christian BINKLEY, son of Johannes ‘the Mennonite BINKLEY of Lampeter, built the first stone bridge [wooden covered bridge on 10 stone arches] over the Conestoga River near Eden PA, near his grist mill in Manheim Twp, Lancaster County PA.

The Binkley Bridge was on the New Holland Pike. It cost him ,000.

His expenditure having straightened his circumstances, his neighbors proposed that he should transfer the bridge to the public in consideration of £1,000 in gold and silver coin, current lawful money in the State of Pennsylvania; the amount was raised by voluntary subscription in the vicinity.

In1801, the state of Pennsylvania ‘bought’ the bridge:

LAWS OF PA. GENEALOGICAL DATA - Copyright Vi P. Limric1999 - Source: The Statutes at Large of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg PA, 1911 - LAWS PASSED SESSION 1800, HARRISBURG, PA., THOMAS M'KEAN, Governor. “Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In General Assembly met and is hereby enacted by the Authority of the Same. 41. An act authorizing the purchase of the stone bridge. “Whereas CHRISTIAN BINKLEY, on his private resources, has erected a stone bridge of ten arches across the river Conestoga, which in its design and execution, combines permanency and accommodation, therefore, the commissioners of Lancaster county, is hereby authorized to pay unto Christian BINKLEY, the sum of 66.67, towards compensating him for erecting a stone bridge. 23 Feb 1801.” The bridge stood as erected till the summer of 1867, when one pier gave way; this pier was rebuilt and finished by fall 1868.

History of Manheim Tp says: “In 1866 the mill became the property of the Printer's Paper Mill Company. The mill produced book and newsprint papers of machine and super-calendared finish. A large and successful business was carried on until it, as well as the bridge were destroyed by fire in 1882.”

1932 letter from J.G. BINKLEY says he learned during a visit to Abraham BINKLEY of Manheim Tp that the bridge “fell 3 years ago. However, the letter dated 30 Aug 1932 from Lottie Bausman to J.G. Binkley says the original stone bridge was replaced by an iron one, but recently a heavy truck demolished one end of this bridge, and a new bridge has just been completed, somewhat changed as to location.”

The accident occurred on the east end of the bridge, where traffic had to come down a steep bank at an angle before turning onto the bridge.

The modern bridge is a couple hundred yards farther downstream (south). The bridge “was torn down in 1936, when a trailer truck jumped a curve....”

A BINKLEY descendant Lois Flyte says [2006] “There was an old covered bridge, Binkley’s Bridge, in Eden PA when I was growing up in Manheim Twp, now gone, last of it destroyed during a flood in the late 1940s or early 50s, now have a nice newer road crossing the Conestoga River. This would be the property about 2 miles east of where I lived in Manheim Twp. Supposedly Johannes’ son Christian inherited this land, and his brother Felix got father’s land farther downstream, which would be about in East Lampeter at what is called Millport [now Fertility]. [This last is probably incorrect -- deed records indicate the land was purchased by Felix and exchanged with Christian, perhaps so that Felix could have all their father’s land.]

There is also info on the bridge under Manheim Twp. in the History of Lancaster County, PA.

Burial

Landis Valley Mennonite Cemetery Lancaster Lancaster County Pennsylvania, USA^[3]

Inscription reads:

In Memory Of

Christian Binkley

who departed this

life May 10, 1805

Aged 67 years

& 2 Months

He was the founder of

the Bridge across the

Conestoga

Sources

1. ↑ Stan Bourdo – FGS
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Cemetery Records of Lancaster County
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/67328002/christian-binkley: accessed 12 February 2023), memorial page for Christian Binkley (10 Mar 1738–10 May 1805), Find a Grave Memorial ID 67328002, citing Landis Valley Mennonite Cemetery, Lancaster, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA; Maintained by Beth (contributor 50665365).
4. ↑ These notes were provided by Janet Binkley.