THE CREAGER HISTORY
by
Irene Creager Lawson

pp. 35-43

Christian Creager, our direct descendant, was the second son to Adam and Christinia Creager. He was born September 26, 1774 in Frederick County, Maryland. Christian was baptized October 29, 1774 with his brother, Conrad Creager and wife Anna Maria sponsors at the Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, formerly St. Peter�s, Rocky Hill, near Woodsboro, Maryland. The only record from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Frederick, Maryland, besides being a witness at baptisms and weddings was �March 29, 1793 � Christian Creager, aged 18, brother of Solomon, confirmed.� Christian and Mary Wolf were married May 30, 1800 in Frederick County, Maryland. Christian�s wife, Mary Wolf, and his first cousin�s (Henry Creager) wife, Susannah Wolf, were possibly sisters � if not sisters, they were undoubtedly related.

In the year 1812, Christian and Mary with their three children, Charlotte, Michael and one old Emanuel, loaded their personal belongings into a covered wagon. Accompanied by his brothers and their families, Peter and Eve Albaugh Creager, Frederick and Margaretha Schrupp Creager, and possibly John William Creager, along with other neighbor families, they set out for the Ohio Valley, which had been carved out of the land of the Northwest Territory and made into a state in 1803. Tradition has it that the journey progressed slowly since the cattle and other animals could not be hurried. The forests through

THIS MAP TELLS ALMOST THE COMPLETE STORY OF OUR CREAGER DESCENDANTS. Christian started at Centerville, Washington Township. His son, Emanuel, went by was Darke County, but ended up back in Montgomery County, Ohio. Emanuel's son, William, lived in Jackson Township and then on to Perry Township near Brookville. William's two sons, Edward and Arthur, were born in Farmersville, Jackson Township, and both started their married lives in Brookville, Clay Township. Both ended up in Twin Township, Preble County, Ohio.

Pennsylvania and Virginia were dense, where streams could not be forded, the men had to make rafts to float the stock and wagons across. They passed the mountain section by way of the Cumberland Gap and came up through the state of Kentucky. Some of the families established homes in Bracken County, Kentucky, while others came on to Montgomery County near Dayton, Ohio, as court records prove. The Creager brothers arrived along the banks of the Miami River in 1812 and settled near Dayton, Ohio. Their cousin, Henry Creager, son of Conrad Creager, and his family were living in Van Buren Twp., Montgomery County, six miles south of Dayton, having arrived in 1810 when the population of Dayton was 383. (In 1803, Dayton�s population was 19.)

The first land purchased by Christian was recorded June 9, 1814. The thirty-four acres was purchased for One Hundred Dollars from Henry Creager, his first cousin. At that time, the land was six miles south of Dayton ��beginning at the south east corner of section thirty four in township two in Range six between the Great and Little Miami Rivers.� The land measured by �chains and links� and marked by �a hickory tree eighteen inches in diameter� --- �a red ash tree twenty inches in diameter,� etc. The deed, quite faded and difficult to read is on page 387 and 388, Book C, in Montgomery County Probate Court, Dayton, Ohio. The second piece of land was purchased in 1821 from Jacob and Anna Fausnought in the same section. He paid the sum of one thousand dollars for one hundred sixty acres. It, too, was measured by �chains and links� and marked by a dogwood tree, white ash, etc. Deed begins on page 434, Book H. On this farm land Christian and Mary raised their family of four boys and one girl; Henry, John C., Michael, Emanuel and Charlotte. Several Creager families made their homes in the area and it was known as the �Creager Neighborhood.� In 1821, Christian and Mary sold �a part of the southeast quarter of section 34� to Jacob and Sarah Swadener. Fifty-two acres - $200. Their deed can be found on page 527, Book H.

Wanting a place to worship, this group of German farmers in the neighborhood appealed to Rev. David Winters, a circuit-rider minister, to help them found a church where only the English language would be spoken. The Evangelical Lutheran Congregation and the German Reformed joined together to build a church. To honor their minister, they named it David�s Church and it is called that to this day. In David�s Church Sesquicentennial History 1826-1976, on page 5, it reads, �On March 26, 1830, Reverend Winter�s staunch friend, Christian Creager and his wife, Mary, were paid $20.00 for 1.44 acres of land upon which the two story log church was built.� In the David�s Church records, Minute Book #1, 15 Sep � 27 Sep 1874 �Donations: Christian Creager donated 1 and � acres of land, also 24 house logs.� The last paragraph of an article about David�s Church in the Dayton Daily News, Camerica section, on January 3, 1954 reads, �The church at David Rd. and Mad

River Rd. is a monument to the religious conviction of the early pioneers that wherever people live there must also be the Word of God.� This church is indeed a memorial to our Christian ancestor, who provided the land, the labor, and the love for their first house of worship, and who was honored to serve as its first Elder. (See related story about David�s Church on page 44.)

Christian Creager and his wife, Mary, were pioneer ancestors, of whom we can truly be proud, and should be an example and inspiration to all of us. Christian died April 8, 1836. He did not have a will but the estate packet in Montgomery County Probate Court (June 1 � 153 Case #1380) contained the following information: �Samuel Himes � Administrator, #1380 � Christian Creager, Deceased of Washington Twp., Montgomery County, Ohio; Inventory and Bond of $1,000 on 9 May 1836 by Samuel Himes, John Bradford and Thomas Bigger; widow Mary Creager gave up her right to administer estate. Among bills: Dr. John Treen - $5150 for medical services August 1833, April 1835 and January 1836; Dr. Isaac Treen - $20.12 � for 1834; Henry Swadener - $3.00 for bedstead in 1834, $9.00 for chests in 1835 and $9.00 for coffin in 1836. Legatees received: Mary, widow - $213.91; Michael, Henry, John C., Emanuel and Jacob Lecklider (husband of Charlotte � deceased � for her two minor children, Lucinda and John) each received their share of $45.56 � .� Estate Packet, Inventory and Account of Christian Creager�s estate can be found at Montgomery County Probate Court, Dayton, Ohio.

Mary held a public sale on the 10th day June 1836. An account of the sale lists all items sold, the purchaser, as well as the purchasing price. There were a few household items, but for the most part it was the livestock and equipment used on their farm. Many of the articles were bought by his family and were items such as a spinning wheel which brought 81 � cents, copper tea kettle 27 cents, crosscut saw $1.50, axe $1.25, windmill $5.50, horses sold from $10 to 27.50, cows from $4.12 � to $11.00, 13 acres of wheat brought $86.06, sheep skins 53 cents, five bear skins $4.15 and many other farm items used at that time. The total sale was $398.06.

Mary died in Montgomery County on February 15, 1842. She did not have a will but estate packet #1702, Inventory and Account can be found in Montgomery County Probate Court, Dayton, Ohio. Samuel Himes was administrator. Among the bills: February 11, 1842 � medicine and medical attendance $7.50; two gravestones $9.00; and auctioneer $1.50. The heirs of Mary�s estate held public auction on the 26th day of April 1842. Many of the items were purchased by her family and consisted of articles such as a corner cupboard which brought $8.75, large chest 45 cents, coverlet quilts and comforts brought from 25 cents to $4.12 � , set of silver teaspoons $2.00, iron pot 25 cents, tub, washboard and tray 62 � cents, copper kettle $2.25, churn 25

cents, coffee mill 56 cents, lot of German books 25cents, lot of Pewterware 37 � cents, brass clock and case $45.00 and many other household items of that era. The sale brought a total of $494.62. Her heirs, Henry, John C., Michael, Emanuel , and Jacob Lecklider (for Charlotte�s two minor children) each received $83.03.

Christian and Mary were buried near their home in the Creager Cemetery (700 feet south of East David Road, 1,300 feet east of Far Hills Avenue State Route 48). Their markers are among the twenty-three moved from the Creager farm cemetery to David�s Cemetery. The state required them to move a shovel full of dirt from each grave to the new location. This was done in the 1950�s. The old stones are set in a row in cement and face David�s Church. They are to the left as you enter the cemetery off of David�s Road onto the main cemetery drive named �Creager Lane.�

Charlotte Creager, born January 19, 1803, was the only daughter of Christian and Mary Creager. She and Jacob C. Lecklider were married by Rev. David Winters on November 1, 1825. They had two children, John and Lucinda, when Charlotte died June 20, 1830. Jacob was born April 12, 1802 at Middletown, Frederick County Maryland, the son of Maria Catharina Scheufler and Lewis Lecklider. Jacob came to Darke County, Ohio September 16, 1846 and located in Adams Twp. on Section 22, but after residing there for a time he bought more land in Greenville Twp., Section 32. Jacob was the brother to Elizabeth Lecklider Creager, wife of Thomas Creager, whose biography is in the Conrad Creager family on page 14. Jacob�s parents and his brother, John C. Lecklider (who died February 27, 1826 at the age of 23) are buried in the Creager Cemetery.

After Charlotte�s death, Jacob then married Catharine Wiley �with whom he lived but a short time till death snatched her from his side.� In September 1835, he was united in married to Nancy Eshleman. In total, Jacob was the father of twelve; John and Lucinda (Charlotte�s children, who are named in Christian�s will as Charlotte�s share), William C., Henry, David V., Elizabeth, Catharine, Sarah Jane, Mary Ellen, Adaline, Charles and Francis C. Lecklider. (Source: Beer�s History of Ohio, Darke County)

John Creager was born December 21, 1804. According to the Evangelical Lutheran Church records of Frederick, Maryland, John died August 18, 1805 at the age of 7 months, 3 weeks and 5 days.

Michael Creager, third born to Christian and Mary, was born in 1806 in Frederick, Maryland. He would have been six years old when he came to Ohio. Michael was married to Mary Hosier on December 18, 1828 by Rev. David Winters.

Mary [Hosier] was born in 1810. They [Michael & Mary] were listed in the 1830 census as living in Washington Twp. near Dayton, Ohio. Later, they moved to Adams Township, Darke County, [OH] where they owned a farm just to the west of New Harrison, Ohio. Michael also owned a farm in Indiana.

Michael and Mary had three daughters: Sarah, Lucy and Mary, all of whom died prior to the death of their father. His grandchildren were the heirs of his estate. Sarah had married a Brown and had one daughter, Minta Brown (Smith). Lucy was married to an Eshleman and had two sons, Sherman and Michael Eshleman. Mary was married to a Lecklider and had three sons, Edward, Grant and William Lecklider.

Michael�s will was written on the 12th day of November Eighteen Hundred and Ninety and is on file in the Darke County Probate Court Record of Wills on pages 303 and 304. He died December 17, 1891 and his will was probated on the 29th day of December 1891 (pp. 301-302 in the Record of Wills). Mary, his wife, had died July 25, 1888. They are buried in the Darke County, Ohio East Zion Community Cemetery.

Emanuel Creager was the third son and fourth born of Christian and Mary Creager. He was born in Frederick County, Maryland on July 1, 1811. Emanuel was our direct ancestor. [Direct ancestor of Irene Creager Lawson] (His biography can be found on page 48.)

Henry Creager was the fifth born to Christian and Mary. He was born in 1816 in Montgomery County, Ohio. Henry was married to Elizabeth Prugh August 17, 1841 by the Lutheran minister Rev. D. P. Rosenmiller. Elizabeth was born in 1809. Henry and Elizabeth had several children. Four of their children�s names are found in the David�s Church records. They were: Cyrus Hamilton Creager, born June 10, 1843; William Henry Creager, born November 30, 1846; Albert O. Creager; and John W. Creager. The drive �Creager Lane� in David�s Cemetery is named in honor of Cyrus Creager who was secretary of the board of trustees for a number of years.

Henry and Elizabeth possibly lived all of their lives on the farm in Washington Twp. There was no record of a will or estate packet in Montgomery County. They are buried in the same section of David�s Cemetery as the row of old Creager cemetery markers and where many other Creagers are buried. Henry died June 1, 1889 at age 73 years. Elizabeth died May 20, 1885 at age 76years. Henry and his brother John C. must have been close as they

married sisters, they owned adjoining farms, their cemetery markers are almost identical and are in the same row which also includes John C.�s son, Amos.

Elizabeth Prugh and Sarah Ann Prugh (John and Henry�s wives) were the daughters of Martha Ensey and Abner Prugh. Abner and Martha had eleven children. Elizabeth, wife of Henry, was their first and Sarah Ann, wife of John C., was their third child. Abner�s parents were Conrad Prugh (original German spelling was �Bruch�) and Lucia Marie Finkbeiner. Conrad�s father�s name was Jacob Bruch, born 1705 in Prussia. Conrad and Lucia had sixteen children. (From Prugh genealogy 1705-1973 by Robert N. Feicht, Dayton, Ohio.)

John C. Creager, sixth born of Christian and Mary Creager, was born February 25, 1817 in Montgomery County, Ohio. He married Sarah Ann (Sally) Prugh on November 11, 1844. Sally was born in 1822. John C. and his brother, Henry, were �tenants in common equal shares of the land whereof Christian Creager died being one hundred and forty acres and forty-four perches situated in Sections 28 and 34 of the Second Twp. of the sixth Range between the Great and Little Miami Rivers in the County of Montgomery and State of Ohio ---.� The deed separating the land was recorded August 18, 1848. �---the said �parties� have concluded to have and to hold and enjoy their respective parts thereof ---.� John C. also owned a farm in Darke County, [OH].

David�s Church records give the birth dates of most of John C. and Sally�s children. Jonathan was born October 4, 1845; Amos on November 6, 1848; Martha Ann born March 5, 1851; Levi on November 8, 1853; and Gideon Winfield being born on June 6, 1859. Their son, Abner, was mentioned in the records as being received into membership April 17, 1865. Marriage records from David�s Church showed Abner Creager married Mary Himes, Amos Creager married Ella Brakford and Jonathan Creager married Lydia Moats. A biography on Jonathan Creager can be found in the �History of Dayton and Montgomery County,� page 1085.

John C. resided in Washington Township for more than fifty years. He was one of the successful farmers of the county and up to the time when his health began to fail, his farm was a model. He was honored for his integrity and good judgment and loved for his genial and sociable disposition. His hospitality was without stint, and his good nature the prominent characteristic of all his relations both of social and business nature. During the three years of his last illness, Sarah personally attended to and nursed him. John C. died about ten o�clock Friday evening, February 5, 1897, at his home near Centerville, in Montgomery County, Ohio, at the age of 80 years. His funeral took place at David�s Church, of the German Reformed denomination, of which he was an honored member, on Monday at 2:00 P.M. He was buried in the church cemetery. (Source: obituary)

John C.�s name has been written as John Christian and also as John Carl. John Carl was on his last will, dated September 25, 1891, and bequeathed property in Washington Township, Montgomery County, Ohio and in Darke County, Ohio to heirs. It proved the names of all his children including two who were deceased, George and Amos. The five living were Jonathan, Abner, Levi, Gideon and their only daughter, Martha Ann Creager (James). His will also listed Martha�s daughter, Dora Mae James and the children of his deceased children; Estella, daughter of son Amos and John Carl, son of George W. Amos died August 7, 1881 at age 32. Sarah Ann, John�s wife, died October 27, 1907. John, Amos and Sarah are buried in David�s Cemetery along with many other Creagers listed in this section. John C. Creager�s Family Lineal History can be found in Appendix: C., beginning on page 127.

Christian's 1st cousin, Henry, was also gone and the land had been sold to D. H. Prugh according to his will. The S. YIKE on this map was the daughter of Henry Creager, the 1st cousin of of Christian.