Christopher Bauer (1744 - 1814)

Born 24 Apr 1744 in Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany

Husband of Maria Dorothea (Scheurer) Bauer — married about 1770 in Roxbury, Cumberland, Pennsylvania [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 12 Feb 1814 at age 69 in Loysville, Tyrone Township, Perry County, Pennsylvania

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Roger Wehr [send private message]

Biography

Christopher Bauer is the descendant of Palatine migrants.

Christopher Bauer served with 2nd Battalion, Berks County Militia, Pennsylvania Militia during the American Revolution.

Christopher Bower served his new country in the Revolutionary War, under Captain George Kemp, 2nd Battalion eighth class in the Berks Co Militia, Pennsylvania, Maxatawney Township, Second Battalion (1777) - Col. Daniel Udree Fourth Company - 'Captain George Kemp Co eighth class'^[1].

The story has been told that during the Revolutionary War, when the Hessians, who were Germans, were stationed at Trenton, New Jersey, and were being paid by the British to fight for them, that many of the Colonists changed the spelling of their names so as not to be identified as Germans. It is quite likely that the name Bauer was changed at this time to Bower.

Christopher initially left Berks County abt 1790 and later from Lurgan Township, which is between Shippensburg and Roxbury in Franklin County.

The story has been told that Christopher and his oldest son, Abraham, came to Perry County on horse back in 1790 to look for land. They wanted limestone land with a limestone spring if at all possible (the limestone water made better whisky than soft water.) They were able to find just what they were looking for.

Christopher Bower of Lurgan Township, Cumberland County, of near Roxbury, purchased the tract "Conveyance" from Conrad Wolf and wife, Margaret, on April 15, 1793, a tract of land containing 222 acres for one thousand and 13 pounds^[2] This is the same tract of land that William Gardner sold to Conrad Wolf in 1786.

He was the father of eleven Children:

1. Abraham Bower (1773 - 1836)
2. Hannah
3. Anna Maria
4. Maria Esther
5. Susannah Bower (1775 - 1869) m. Bernheisel
6. Elizabeth Bower (1777 - 1813) m. Scheibly
7. Solomon Bower (1780 - 1867)
8. Jacob Bauer (1783 - 1802)
9. Mary Magdalena Bower (1787 - 1866) m. Stambaugh
10. Rebecca Bower (1790 - 1857) m. Stambaugh
11. Lydia Bower (1792 - 1875) m.Trew

He died on Feb. 12, 1814 in Loysville, Perry County Pennsylvania and left his will^[3] He and his 1st wife are buried in the Old Cemetery, near the church in Loysville at Lebanon Lutheran and Reformed Churchyard^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ PaGenWeb Berks Co. PA 'http://www.pagenweb.org/~berks/oldberkssite/Military/RevolutionaryWar/berksjn4.html
2. ↑ This Indenture made the fifteenth day of April in the Year of our Lord one Thousand seven hundred and ninety three between Conrad Wolf & Margaret his wife of Toboyne Township, Cumberland County and State of Pennsylvania of the one part and Christopher Bower of Lurgan Township county and State aforesaid Taylor of the other part. Witnesseth that said Conrad Wolf & Margaret his wife for and in consideration of the sum of one thousand & thirteen Pounds to them the said Conrad Wolf & Margaret his Wife in hand paid by the said Christopher Bower the Receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged granted, Bargained, sold, released, enfeoffed and confirmed and by these presents do grant, Bargain, Sell, release, Enfeoff and confirm all that Messuage or tract of Land which William Gardner sold Conrad Wolf & fore which said Wolf in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty six did by a release from John Gardner given a legal right in pursuance of said right said Conrad Wolf made application to the land office of Pennsylvania and gained a Warrant bearing Date the twenty fifth day of October in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty six and a Patent bearing Date the thirteenth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven bounded by lands of Jacob Grove, John Myers, John Gardner, Senior & William McCord and Andrew Eberhart beginning at a corner Chestnut Oak of Jacob Groves Land thence by the same North Sixty Degrees East twenty nine perches and a quarter to a post thence by vacant land south twenty six degrees East one hundred and Eighty perches to a corner Black Oak (Grove) of John Byer's land thence by the same south eight Degrees East one hundred and sixty Perches to a white Oak, South South Seventy nine Degrees and a half West twenty four Perches to a Post and south Ten degrees East Seventeen Perches to a post of Gardners Land thence by the Same South Seventy Seven degrees west on hundred and sixteen Perches to a post in a line of William McCords land thence by the same north twenty six Degrees west fifty six Perches and one quarter to a Corner White Oak of Andrew Eberharts Land thence by the same North twenty four degrees degrees and an half West twenty four Perches to a White Oak North East forty three Perches to a White Oak North thirty Degrees and an half West twenty four Perches to a white oak North Eighteen Degrees East forty six Perches to a White Oak North three degrees and an half West fifty four Perches to a White Oak and North Seven degrees East one hundred and thirty Perches to the place of beginning Containing two hundred and twenty two acres and an half and allowance of six per cent for roads. Together with all and singular the Messuages, buildings, Improvements, ways, woods, underwoods, water, water courses, rights, Liberties, Priviledges, hereditaments and appurtenances whatsoever thereon and thereu! nto belonging or in any wise appertaining the Reversions and the remainder thereof and all the Estate, right, Title and Interest of them the said Conrad Wolf and Margaret his wife of in and to the aforesaid Premises. To have and to hold the said tract of Land Hereditaments and premises hereby Granted or mentioned or intended so to be with the appurtenances unto the said Christopher Bower his heirs and assigns to the only proper use and behoof of him the said Christopher Bower his heirs and assigns for ever and the said Conrad Wolf and Margaret his wife for themselves and their heirs the aforesaid tract of Land, Hereditaments and premises hereby granted or mentioned or Intended so to be with the appurtenances unto the said Christopher Bower his heirs and assigns and against them the said Conrad Wolf and Margaret his wife their Heirs, Executors, Administrators and Assigns and every of them and against all manner of Persons lawfully claiming or to claim the aforesaid Premises shall and will warrant and for ever defend by these presents. In witness whereof the said Conrad Wolf and Margaret his wife have hereunto set there hands and affixed their Seals the day and year first above written.Conrad "+" Wolf Margaret "+" WolfSigned Sealed and delivered in Presence of Jno Morrison, Jno McCord. Received the day of the Date of the above written Indenture of the above named Christopher Bower the sum of one thousand and thirteen Pounds in full the Purchase Money of the above described tract of Land witness my hand Conrad "x" Wolf Witness present Jno Morrison, Jno McCord Cumberland Co. Be it remembered that on the fifteenth day of April in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Ninety three, Before me the Subscriber one of the Justices of the Peace for said county this day came the above named Conrad Wolf and Margaret his wife said Margaret being of full age and separately examined have acknowledged the within Indenture to be their act and deed and as such desires it may be recorded. Jno Morrison Entered in the Office for recording of Deeds, Novr. 29th 1793 recorded and compared.
3. ↑ Cumberland County Will Book H Last Will and Testament of Christopher Bower dec'd In the name of God Amen. I Christopher Bower of the township of Toboyne County of Cumberland and State of Pennsylvania Farmer being weak in body but of Sound mind and memory and understanding (blessed be God for the Same) do make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form following viz. Principally and first of all I recommend my immortal Soul into the hands of God who gave it and my body to the Earth to be buried in a decent and Christian like manner at the discretion of my executors hereinafter named first it is my will and I do order that all my Just debts and funeral expenses be paid as Soon as Convenient after my decease. Item. to my beloved wife Susannah I will and bequeath the sum of ten dollars and twelve dozen of flax yearn in addition to the two hundred pounds which I obligated myself or my executors to pay her after decease agreeable to her Contract and mine entered into before marriage which is in lieu of any dower or claim which she might or could have against my Estate after my decease. Item. I will and bequeath unto my oldest daughter Hannah Beaver the sum of six hundred Pounds including a receipt of hers in the Sum of fifty seven Pounds ten Shillings which I allow to be deducted of the six hundred pounds. Item. I will and bequeath unto my son Abraham Bower the sum of four hundred pounds and a small tract of land about thirty acres laying on the meeting house Ridge adjoining lands of Nicholas Loy, Azues Tousey and others. Item. I will and bequeath unto my daughter Susannah Barnhisle the Sum of six hundred pounds. Item. I will and bequeath unto Solomon Shively and his six children whom my daughter Elizabeth bore to him the sum of six hundred pounds to be equally divided between him and the six children into Seven shares the children's shares to be put to Interest until they are of the age of twenty one or until their marriage day and if any of them should die before they are of age the other children shall inherit the Share of the deceased there is included in this sum a debt of fifty dollars to be deducted of Shively share. Item. I will and bequeath unto my son Solomon Bower the sum of nine hundred pounds, four hundred pounds of Solomon's devise to be paid to him out of the first money which comes to hand before any of the rest of my children draws any. Item. I will and bequeath unto my daughter Easter Creamer the sum of six hundred pounds. Item. I will and bequeath unto my daughter Mary Stambaugh the sum of Six hundred pounds including a receipt of her husband's for two hundred pounds which is to be deducted of the six hundred pounds. Item. I will and bequeath unto Rebecca Stumbaugh the sum of six hundred Pounds including a receipt of her husband's for two hundred Pounds to be deducted of the six hundred pounds. Item. I will and bequeath unto my daughter Liddy six hundred Pounds with two of the choice of the cows her bed and bedding which she Claims, one case of drawers and as much of my household furniture as will be equal to what I give my other daughters when they left me. Item. I will and bequeath unto my granddaughter Sally Beaver one Blue Chest, one feather Bed, Bedstead and Clothing, one spinning wheel, one Iron Pot with a Lot of Ladles and flesh forks one Dozen of Doll plates half a dozen of puter Plates two puter basins and two Puter dishes one Dozen of Spoons and one Skillet also one young Cow. Item. I will and bequeath all my wearing apparel unto my two sons to be equally divided between them. Item. I will and bequeath and order all my estate real and personal to be sold as soon as possible after my decease by my executors hereafter named except what is heretofore willed and devised and if it should happen that I have sold any real estate in my lifetime and not conveyed the same, I order my executors to convey the same to the purchasers and whatever money arises from the sales I order my executors to pay it over to the heirs in proportion to their different legacies except what is ordered to be paid unto Solomon Bower and as touching all the rest and remainder of my estate real or personal in the County of Cumberland or elsewhere I will and devise the said remainder to be equally divided between all the above mentioned heirs except my beloved wife Susannah, Solomon Shively and my granddaughter Sally Beaver which I allow no share of this remainder nor no more than what is before willed to them but all the other heirs shall be equal shares in this remainder including or allowing Shively's six children to be equal with one of my own children in this divide. And lastly I nominate constitute and appoint my two sons Abraham Bower, Solomon Bower and William Anderson, Esq. to be the executors of this my last will and testament hereby revoking all other wills by me made and declaring this and none other to be my last will and testament. In Witness whereof I have this thirty first day of January one thousand eight hundred and fourteen Signed sealed Published pronounced and declared this to be my last will and testament in the presence of the Subscribing witnesses and also request them to Subscribe the same as witnesses in the presence of one another. Christopher Bower (seal) John Gardner, Stephen Cesna, Saml McCord
4. ↑ Find a Grave 'https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/70950204/christopher-bower accessed 19 November 2022), memorial page for Christopher Bower (24 Apr 1744–12 Feb 1814), Find a Grave Memorial ID 70950204, citing Lebanon Lutheran and Reformed Churchyard, Loysville, Perry County, ; Maintained by Allen Monasmith (contributor 46880788)

• Frack & Seyfried, "Early Families of Northampton Co", PA Vol 1, pp113-118, Northampton Co Museum
• Chilton Hawk, Roger Wehr
• One of the descendants of Christopher Bower applied for and was presumably accepted into the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) in 1989. Christopher Bower's ancestor # for DAR is A023559, and the DAR applicant was Ms. Diane Virginia Gray Hall #734444. I have also found a reference to Christopher Bower and members of the Bower family in the book by D.H. Focht "Churches Between the Mountains: A History of the Lutheran Congregations in Perry County, Pennsylvania" (1862). This book can be found and read online, and the Bower family members are mentioned primarily in "Chapter I - Loysville Charge."
• Moselem Lutheran Church, Richmond Twp, Philadelphia Co, PA -- baptism not found.
• St Peter's Reformed Church, Richmond Twp, Berks Co, PA: Hannah Dorothea Bauer daughter of Christopher and wife, born August 1, 1771, baptized September 15, Maxatany. Sponsors: the widow of Ulrich Scherer.
• 1795 Nov 7, Deed, Peter Shearer of Path Valley Twp, Franklin Co, and wife Elizabeth to Christopher Bower of Sherman's Valley, Cumberland Co. Land in Lurgan Twp and Letterkenny Twp. (Franklin Co, PA, Deed Bk 5, p427).
• 1800 May 27. Deed. Peter Shearer and wife Elizabeth of Fannett Twp to Christopher Bower of Sherman's Valley, Cumberland Co, Land in Letterkenny and Lurgan Twp (Franklin Co, PA Deed Book 7, p32). -- Christopher was Peter's brother-in-law.

He also purchased from Mary McNair's heirs a tract of land on January 24. 1801 and he purchased land from Dunning McNair on July 18, 1801. These two tracts joined the first tract. The tract purchased from Mary McNair's heirs contained 178 acres and was bounded by lands of Henry Zimmerman, Allen Nesbit, John Douglas, Robert Adair, and James Miller. The price paid was 402 pounds 15 shillings. The tract purchased from Dunning McNair contained 169 acres. The price paid for this tract was 500 pounds, lawful money.

At the end of the year 1801, Christopher Bower owned 569 acres, for which he paid cash, amounting to 1915 pounds 15 shillings, lawful money. The first tract was later known as the Frank Stambaugh farm at Cisna Run and is presently owned and operated by the John Reap some family, Max Reapsome, a son of John, is a great great great grandson of Christopher Bower.

Most of the Bowers belonged to the Lutheran Faith.

There is a story that when the first church of Loysville which was built of logs in 1794 by the Lutherans and Reforms, that a prize (a jug of good whiskey) was offered to the man who would deliver the first log for the building of the church on a certain date. It seems that Christopher and his boys got a little in a hurry, so they cut a tree on their farm, the day before, loaded it on their wagon, and hauled it to the vicinity of Roddy's Mill, later known as Waggoner's Mill. They pulled the wagon off the road and hid it in the woods. All that Christopher and his boys needed to do on the date set for the delivery of the logs was to get up early, take the horses to Waggoner's Mill, a distance of four miles, hitch them to the wagon and deliver the log to Loysville. They were the first to arrive but the building committee seemed to think that Christopher and his boys had cheated a little, so they did not win the prize. We wonder what happened to the jug?

This log church stood where the present Lebanon United Church of Christ now stands. Christopher, his wife Maria, and son Jacob are burned about 50 feet northwest of the church. He was 70 years of age, Maria was 62, and Jacob 19. Christopher and Maria had ten children - 7 girls and 3 boys.

The name on the original grave marker is "Christoph Bauer". The lower marker, which was added later, says "Christopher Bower". His Will also uses the English spelling.

After Maria died, Christopher married Susannah Reis. He died at the age of 69 Years, 9 Months, 18 Days.

Inscription:

Hier ruhen die Gebeine von Christoph Bauer Er ist gestorben im Jahr 1814 den 12. Februar Sein Alter war 69 Jahr 9 Monaten 18 Tage Ich armer Mensch, ich armer Sünder, Steh hier vor Gottes angesicht. Ach Gott, ach Gott, verfahr gelinder, Und geh nicht mit mir ins Gericht.

Here rest the Bones of Christoph Bauer He died In the Year 1814 the 12th February His Age was 69 Years 9 Months 18 Days I poor Man, I poor Sinner, Stand here before God's face. Oh God, oh God, lead me gently, And go not with me in Judgement.