Susan Crawford (1745 - 1831)

Born 28 Aug 1745 in Carlisle, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania

Wife of Christof Frederich (Banzhaf) Benshoof — married before 1769 in Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died 1831 at about age 85 in Johnstown, Cambria, Pennsylvania, USA

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Biography

Susan Crawford is cited as the wife of Christof Benshoff in his Find A Grave memorial.

Christof Frederich Banzhaf arrived in the U.S. aboard the ship William Johnson in Philadelphia in 1764 and settled near Emmittsburg, Md.. It is said that he left Germany to escape religious persecution. He was a follower of John Huss. The family belonged to the Moravian Church in America (The United Church of the Brethren) and later became Lutheran. Today, some are Catholic and others are Evangelical..

During the Revolutionary War, Christof fought for the English. He was taken prisoner by the Americans and held at the Carlisle Barracks near Harrisburg, Pa. In 1781, he was given the option of returning to Germany or to take up land in Pennsylvania. He married Susan Crawford whom he probably met while in prison and settled near Charmain, Pa. He is buried at Land or Sandy Vale, Johnstown, Pa. The cemetery was washed away during the great flood of Johnstown in 1889. The family homestead still stands although the roof is missing. Many relatives are buried in the cemetery in Blue Ridge Summit and Johnstown, Pa.

Augsburg in Bavaria was the ancestral home of he Banzhaf family. The surname means "harbor yard" or "entrance". Spelling started to change with the American Revolution. Variations now are Benzhaf , Benzhoff, Benzhoof This was found in a hymnal belonging to one of Christof's grandsons.

He is thought to have had 2 daughters named Anna and Eva in addition to his 4 sons, ( David, John, Jacob and Paul).

Sources

• The Brethren Herald states that Christopher arrived in 1764 to Phiadelphia on ship

"Wlliam Johnston".

The Straussberger-Hinkel immigration book also confirms arrival.

• In 1895, Christof's grandson William F. Benchoff erected a stone marker in the cemetery near the family home which reads:

" The Benchoff family settled here in 1781. A tribute of respect by W. F. Benchoff 1895." ^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ Find A Grave Memorial 77358493 https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/77358493

Barron's (2016) Deutsch-English Worterbuch, NY: Funk & Waggenels p. 212.