Christian Bender

Note on identification

I have found the following candidates. Candidate #1 is promising--he was born in Adams County (which matches the descriptive roll [entry 2 above]), at roughly the right time. However, the 1890 veterans census does not include an entry for him, and the biographical note below does not mention his service in the 91st. Note also that he seems to be the Christian Bender who furnished a substitute when drafted (though of course he may have enlisted as a substitute later). I am therefore not confident that he is the Christian Bender who served in the 91st.

(1) Christian Bender, born 18 June 1828, Adams County, PA to Lewis Bender and Catherine Hershey; married Elizabeth Mumper in 1851; died 3 Feb 1900, York County, PA

(a) 'Stevens family tree', owner graeme4545, a family tree (including a picture), available on Ancestry, accessed 17 September 2013

(other trees are available on Ancestry)

(b) John Gibson, History York County Pennsylvania (Chicago: F A Battey Publishing Co., 1886): 'CHRISTIAN BENDER was born in 1828 in York County, and is a son of Lewis and Catherine (Hershey) Bender. His grandparents were natives of Lancaster County. Penn., but came to York County at an early day. His father was also a native of Lancaster County; his mother was born in York County. They owned a farm of 165 acres, which the father farmed until a few years before his death. They were active members of the United Brethren Church, and left eight children: Mary, Christian, Henry, Elizabeth, Sarah. Lydia, Michael and Catherine. Christian Bender followed farming until his marriage, when he engaged in threshing, farming and teaming, which he is still following. He owns ninety-three acres of well cultivated land in Franklin Township, also a small farm of twenty-eight acres half a mile from the home farm, and twenty-eight acres of mountain land. In 1851 he married Elizabeth Mumper, a daughter of Michael Mumper, a prominent farmer of Franklin Township, who died in 1859. They have five children; Samuel H., Mary E., Edward L., Lilly E. and Sallie. Nearly all the family belong to the United Brethren Church. Mr. Bender has been a director of the Dillsburgh and Mechanicsburgh Railroad for fourteen years.'

(c) 1850: Christian Bender, 29 b. PA farmer, with Lewis (50 farmer) Catherine (44) et al. : Pennsylvania, York, Franklin Township, microfilm series M432, film 840, page 432 recto = 857 handwritten, FamilySearch

(d) 1860: Christian Bender, 32, with Elizabeth 31, Samuel 8, Mary 5, and Edwin 8/12, in Franklin Township, York County, Pennsylvania, microfilm series M653, film 1198, page 500 = 55 handwritten FamilySearch

(e) 1870: Christian Bender, farmer 42 b. PA with Elizabeth (41 PA), Samuel (18 PA works on farm), Mary (15 PA), Edward (11 PA works on farm), Lilly E (5 PA), and Sally E (12 PA), York County, Franklin Township, page 345 recto = 3 handwritten FamilySearch

(f) 1880: Christian Bender, 51, b. PA, farmer, in Franklin, York, with wife Elizabeth (50 PA), children Edward L (20 PA), Lillia E (14 PA) and Sally E (12 PA), microfilm series T9, film 1206, page 294 A FamilySearch

(g) Find a grave, memorial 61708285, created by Dennis Brandt, 16 November 2010, maintained by Jupiter [the biography, but apparently not the memorial, refers to his service in the 91st]

(h) 'The Wolfe family, Barry Wolfe', a gedcom, available on RootsWeb WorldConnect contact Barry Wolfe, last updated 20 January 2008, accessed 16 September 2013

(i) draft registration record, Pennsylvania, 15th congressional district, June 1863, no. 22: York County, Franklin Township, Christian Bender, 36, farmer, 'Drafted and Furnished Substitute' (available on Ancestry, accessed 18 September 13)

(2) Christian Bender, born 2 Dec 1833, served in 87th PA (and dismissed for being an incompetent musician!), married Sarah Craver (or Kaylor?) Bender on 7 Jan 1855; married Catherine Martha C Harman on 13 Oct 1874; died 5 January 1900; bur. Prospect Hill Cem, York, York, PA

(a) John Gibson, History York County Pennsylvania (Chicago: F A Battey Publishing Co., 1886): 'CHRISTIAN BENDER, a representative of an old and prosperous family, descendants of the first settlers of York County, was born in York, December 2, 1833, and is the son of George and Hannah Bender. The ancestors of the Benders emigrated from Germany, and landed in this country about the year 1740. The father of our subject was a brickmaker, and owned a yard in the vicinity of York. The son, in his younger days, while yet attending school, assisted his father. In 1875 he engaged in the coal and wood business, on East Market Street, York. As a reward for his energy and integrity he has now established a large trade, having among his patrons many of the most influential citizens of his native town. On January 7. 1855, Mr. Bender was married to Sarah, daughter of Daniel and Mary A. Graver, of York. They had five children, viz.: John C, Lavinia M., Amelia A., Irene E. and Christopher C. His first wife died in 1873. His second marriage was with Martha C. Herman. Mr. Bender and family are members of the Lutheran Church. For a number of years he has been a member of the Masonic fraternity.'

(b) 1850: Christian Bender (16, b. PA, laborer), with George (45, b. Germany brick moulder), Hanna (43, b. Germany), Louisa (11, b. PA), Sarah (9, b. PA), George (6, b. PA), John (3, b. PA), in Spring Garden Township, York County, Pennsylvania, microfilm series M432, film 840, page 160 verso 316 [?] handwritten (FamilySearch)

(c) 1860: Christ Bender (26, b. PA, carpenter), with Sarah (23, b. PA), John (4, b. PA), and Mary Kaylor (65, b. PA) in Spring Garden Township, York County, Pennsylvania, microfilm series M653, film 1199, page 822 = 32 handwritten (FamilySearch)

(d) 1870: Christian (36, b. PA, carpenter), with Sarah (33, b. PA), Calvin (14, b. PA), Lavina (10, b. PA) Mary A (5, b. PA), Emma (8, b. PA), and Irena (4, b. PA), in Spring Garden Township, York, PA, microfilm series M593, film 1469, page 351 verso = 64 handwritten (FamilySearch)

(e) 1880: Christian (46, PA), with Catharine (34, Germany), Lavina M (19, PA), Amelia A (16, PA), Irene E (13, PA), and Christopher C (6, PA), in Spring Garden, York, Pennsylvania, microfilm series T9, film 1207, page 211 A handwritten (FamilySearch)

(f) 1890: Christian Bender, musician, 87th PA (24 Sep 1861 to Sep 1862), in York, Pennsylvania (FamilySearch)

(g) Find a grave, memorial 60920447, created by Dennis Brandt, added 31 October 2010 (Christian Bender)

(3) Christian Bender, born 27 May 1825 OR 8 May 1820, JUNIATA County PA to William Bender and Barbara Brandt; married Priscilla Saylor (OR McConnell?) in 1853; died on 22 July 1903 in Turbot, Juniata County, Pennsylvania; buried Old Church Hill Cemetery, Port Royal, Juniata County, Pennsylvania

(a) 1860: Christian Bender, 35, b. PA, laborer, with Pricilla (35 b. PA), and Allie J (5, b. PA) in Turbit Township, Juniata County, Pennsylvania, microfilm series M653, film 1119, page 814 = 12 handwritten (FamilySearch)

(b) 1870: Christian Bender, farmer 45, b. PA, with Priscilla 46 b. PA, Alice (15 PA), William (12 PA), John (7 PA) and Ellen (7 PA), in Pennsylvania, Juniata County, Turbit TOwnship, page 474 recto = 1 handwritten (FamilySearch)

(c) 1880: Christian Bender, farmer 52, b. PA, with Priscilla 55 b. PA, Alice J 25 b. PA, and John C 17 laborer b. PA, in Turbett, Juniata, Pennsylvania, microfilm series T9, film 1137, e.d. 140, p. 451 = 4 D handwritten (FamilySearch)

(d) 1900: Christian Bender famer b. May 1825 75 b. PA, with Mary E b. Mar 1846 54 b. PA, Luther A b. Mar 1885 15 b. PA, Clara M b. July 1887 13 b. PA et al. in Turbett Twp, Juniata County, PA: e.d. 124, page 137 = 4 B handwritten FamilySearch

(e) Find a grave, memorial 42796468, created by Nancy Gibson Lowe, added 7 October 2009

(f) 'Funk family tree', a family tree available on Ancestry, owner goldiemast1, accessed 19 September 2013

Christian Bender, married Polly Koons on 23 Sep 1858, in Saint Johns Lutheran Church, Abbottstown, Adams County, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania marriages 1709-1940, abstracted on FamilySearch (accessed 19 September 2013)