43. Theophilus Henry Christmus-472
1850 Census, Rutherford Co., NC; Floyd Creek Dist., Dwelling # 1047 list Theopolus, age 21, Baptist Minister; wife, Cynthia, 21; M.A., 2 F & N. J., 1/12 F. Living in same dwelling is sister, Sarah, and husband Willis Champion.1860 Census, Trinty Co., TX; Western District, Sumpter PO; Dwelling 388, p. 43 list Theop Christmas, age 32, carpenter; wife, Catherine, 30 & 4 children: Mary, 12; Nancy, 10; Caroline, 8 & Gabella, 6; all born in NC.
1870 Census, Gonzales Co., TX; Precinct 4; Belmont PO; Dwelling 99 list Theophilus Christmas, age 42, baptized minister, born in NC; wife, Mary, 31, born in TN; children: Nancy J., 20; Sarah C., 18; Isabella, 16; John R., 9; Norma O., 6; Cynthia J., 5 & Mallie, 8 mo. Nancy & Sarah born in NC, Isabella in TN, and last 4 children born in TX.
1880 Census, Kimble Co., TX; Precinct # 1; Dwelling 52; ED: 75, p. 7 list Theo Christmas, age 53, farmer, born in NC, as were his parents [WHT: I think parents place of birth is wrong]; wife, Mary, 35 & 5 children: Jno R., 19; A. (f), 14; Ne (f) 10; H. T., 8 & L ne (f) 4. All children born in TX.
A Theophilus Christmus (spelled with a U) of Blount Co., AL was granted/purchased, Certificate # 26.085 (26.a85) 80 & 20/100 acres of land by the Federal Register of Lands Office at Huntsville, AL on March 5, 1858. "Document number: 26085 Description number: 1
Number of acres: 80.2100 Accession number: AL3830__.118
Patentee Surname: Christmas Patentee given name: Theophilus
State name: Alabama Volume: 3830 Page number: 118
Land office: Huntsville"Source: "The Heritage of Rutherford Co., N.C.", an article by Elizabeth Smith Burden, a descendent.
Theophilis and Cynthia lived in the Floyd's Creek area of Rutherford Co., where he became a Baptist minister. About 1853, they left N.C. for good, with 3 young daughters heading to Texas; arriving a few years before the Civil War. During the war. Theophilis served as a teamster and chaplin. Cynthia died in 1866 giving birth; her older children named the child after her. Left with a baby and several small children, Theophilis quickly remarried. Life was hard for Theophilis and his family in Texas; he was a farmer in Guadalupe Co., a blacksmith in Gonzales Co. He lived in several other places in Texas, doing whatever necessary to take care of his family. He later moved to Uvalde Co. and purchased property in the area of Montell. He ran a grist mill and raised a few cattle, horses and goats. He was shot and killed on Nov. 2, 1885 by an adjoining landowner, Parry Humphreys. His widow, Mary, moved away and later sold the property.[WHT: My thanks to Elizabeth Burden, a descendant, who has been a tremendous help on this line.]
Cynthia Amanda Elizabeth Painter-473
[WHT: From Elizabeth Burden] Her parents were George (1793-1849) and Sarah (Pell) Painter (b. c 1795), who lived in Rutherford Co., NC. Her grandfather, also George Painter (1759-1839) was a Revolutionary War soldier and is buried in Brittain Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Rutherford Co.
1900 Census, McCulloch Co., TX; 1 and 6 Precinct; Dwelling 258; ED: 107, p. 15A list Mary Christmas, as a mother-in-law & widow, living in the house of her daughter, Maggie & husband, John Conner & their 5 children.
226. Theophilus Henry Christmus-734
1920 Census, Gonzales Co., TX; Precinct 4; Dwelling 68 - Family 71; ED: 91, p. 4A list Theo H. Christmas, age 48, born in TX, parents born in MS; wife, Sina, A., 36, born in TX & child, Weldon G., 5.
Henry & Sina raised a foster son, Weldon Christmus, that used their name.
228. Robert Andrew Christmus-736
1920 Census, Gonzales Co., TX, Oak Forest; Dwelling 122; ED: 100, p. 6B list Robert A, Christmas, age 38, born in TX, as were his parents; wife, Neoma, 52. Living with them is John ONeill, 17, stepson.
Neoma had several children from previous marriages, but none with Robbie.
1850 Census, Rutherford Co., NC; Floyd Creek Dist., Dwelling # 1048, list Willis, age 24; Sarah, 20 with 4 children; unless there is a mistake in age of William, 8 & Henry, 6, they appear to be too old to be children of Sarah; will show as children for now.
1830 Census, Marion Dist., SC; Film page 011, list Nathan Christmas, age 30-40; one male under 5, (William G.); one female 5-10 years (Elizabeth) & one female 20-30 years, probably his wife.1840 Census, Marion Dist., SC; page 140. Nathan Christmas' family as follows: males-one under 5 - Nathan; one 5-10 - Jariet; one 10-15 - William G. and one 50-60 - Nathan. Females- two under 5 - Drewzilla; two 5-10 - Mary Jane; one 10-15 - Telaitha; one 15- 20 - Elizabeth, and one 30-40 - Catherine - age wrong.
[WHT: missing two female children based on this information and later census - who is the Nancy Christmas, single, b. Aug. 1830, living in the Jeremiah Brooks household in 1900 census? Jeremiah's son, Francisco married Doshia Calder, daughter of Drewzilla Christmas Calder.]1850 Census, Marion Dist., SC; Dwelling 1291; p. 085B list Nathan Christmas, age 50; his wife, Catherine 50; 7 children: Telatha, age 25; Mary, 18; Zilla, 13; Nathan, 12; Jarrot, 11; Margaret, 8 & John, 6.
1860 Census, Marion Co., SC; Reedy Creek; Dwelling # 1352, list N. Christmas, age 55, farm laborer; wife, Catherine, 50; and 2 children: Mary, 17[WHT: I think this is Maggie]; John, 15.
Neither Nathan nor Catherine are listed in the 1870 S.C. Census.
[WHT: The Actual relationship between Nathan and his son, William G. Christmas, is provided by family information. No Census data nor court records has been found to document this relationship. However, the fact that his brothers and sisters take care of his children, after his wife's death in the late 1860's, appears to indicate the relationship. Nathan's daughter, Telaitha, refers to James D. Christmas, a son of William G., as nephew, in a gift deed dated, May 25, 1888.]
A letter by Robert "Bob" Christmas, son of George W. Christmas, son of William G. Christmas, dated October 19, 1968 recalls the history of the Christmas Family, as told by his father and great uncle, probably (Jeremiah) Jarrot; copy of the letter is in my files. The following is his letter:
"October 19, 1968, R# 3 Marion, S.C. The CHRISTMAS FAMILY
By what my father and great uncle told me about my ancestors. They were 8 eight. 4 boys and 4 girls come to Latta, S.C. Marion county which is Dillon county now. The boys: Jimmie went over west of Lake City; don't know anything about his family except there are some Christmas over there now.
Nathaniel went over next Camden, don't know anything about his family except there is some Christmas over there.
Now Jeramiah married Frankie Jackson, they had one girl named Movila. He went off to the war, when he came back she had some other children. He went down by low Marion, S.C. near Reedy Creek and lived with or married one Opry Turner.
William left Marion County with one Mary Foxworth, went down near Kingstree and settled. Went off to war and was killed. He had one girl, 4 boys: Frances, William, Jissie, Jimmie, George. After there mother died, Jeramiah went down there and brought the children back to Marion County.
Telatha married Jimmie Lane, they didn't have any children.
Mary married Anse Lane, they had 4 children: 1 girl Josephine, 3 boys Milton, John, Marion.
Margaret didn't marrie but had 2 boys, John and Louis; 4 girls Telatha, Billie, Maggie & Roxy.
Zillie married Peter Calder, went somewhere in Horry county, Don't know how many children they had.
Now this is the history of William's family brought back from Williamsburg Co., near Kingstree. Frances married William Calder, had one boy William, two girls Arse & Zillie. Jimmie left here, went to Macon Ga. Jessie went to Valdosia Ga. William married Arnettia Jackson, they had 6 girls Merrilia, Bert, Leona, Fauline, Faular & Saddie; 7 boys Oscar, Artha, Willie, Earnest, Thad, Jessi, William. George married Della Calder, they had 4 girls Georgia, Pearl, Evelyn, Beartha; 5 boys Maston, Liston, Robert, ????, Raymond."
[WHT: The letter does not mention Elizabeth, who I think is the oldest daughter, that married John Ammons; the will below of Jariot, Nathan's son, mentions Elizabeth and children.]
The following is the Will of J. C. (Jariot) Christmas, dated, May 14, 1913, son of Nathan and brother of William G. He was sometimes referred to as Jarrot Jariet or Jeremiah; Jarrot also took care of several of William's children after he died in the Civil War. This will identifies Elizabeth Christmas, who married Ammons, as another child of Nathan & Catherine.
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA MARION COUNTY
I, J. C. Christmas, of the above named county and state, make this my last will and testament.
I give, devise and bequeath all my estate and property, real and personal, as follows: that is to say:
I give, devise and bequeath one-half thereof to William A. Christmas, and I give, devise and bequeath the remaining one-half thereof to Solon Calder, Agnes Hux, Docia Brooks, Telatha Huggins, Carrie Calder, Peter Calder, Thompson Ammons, Elizabeth Ammons, R. H. Ammons, Emma Strickland, George Christmas, Masten Christmas, Robert Christmas, Bertha Carter, Evelyn Weatherford, Mary Lane, John Leonard Lane, Melton Lane, Josephine Whittington, John Christmas, Mary Elizabeth Owens, Telatha Wellington and Frances Calder, share and share alike; the child or children of any predeceased person hereinabove named to share which such parent would have taken if he or she had been living at the time of my death.
It is understood that W. A. Christmas is not to be required under this will to account for any money or property or income derived from the property turned over to him by me during my lifetime.
I appoint W. A. Christmas Executor without bond of this my last will and testament.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have signed and sealed and published and declared this instrument as my last will and testament, at Marion, South Carolina, on this 14th day of May, A. D. 1913.
J. C. Christmas (L.S.)
The said J. C. Christmas at Marion, S. C., on the 14th day of May, 1913, signed and sealed this instrument, and published and declared the same to his last will and testament, in our presence, and we, at his request, and in his presence, and in the presence of each other, have hereunto written our names as subscribing witnesses.
WHT: my comments on the above will are as follows in [ ]:
[William A. Christmas is the son of William G., brother of Jariet.]
Solon Calder, Agnes Hux, Docia Brooks, Telatha Huggins, Carrie Calder Peter Calder; [children of Peter Calder & wife Druzilla, Jariet's sister.]
George Christmas and several of his children: Master Christmas, Robert Christmas, Bertha Christmas Carter, and Evelyn Christmas Weatherford; [George is son of William G. Christmas, brother of Jariet.]
To Mary Lane, John Leonard Lane, Melton Lane and Josephine Whittington; [Mary Christmas, sister of Jariet, and her children with John "Anise" Osborne Lane.]
Thompson Ammons, Elizabeth Ammons, R.H. Ammons, and Emma Strickland; [Elizabeth is Jariet's older sister and other three are her children with John Ammons; Elizabeth is buried at Catfish Baptist next to her sister Mary Jane Lane.]
John Christmas, Mary Elizabeth Owens, & Telatha Wellington, [children of Margaret "Maggie" Christmas, sister of Jariet.]
Frances Calder, wife of William Calder, [daughter of William G. Christmas, brother of Jariet.]
Vernon Christmas, grandson of George W. Christmas, son of William G., states that Nathan is the son of George W. (William) Christmas and they came to Marion Co. (now Dillon Co.) from Williamsburg Co., SC. Other family information mentions the Kingstree area of Williamsburg Co. Nathan's son William G. left Marion Co. in late 1840s and returned to the Kingstree area.
[WHT: The Civil War took a heavy toll on my ggg-grandparents; their son, Nathan had left home to NC, where he served in the Confederate Army; the other three sons joined the Confederate Army in SC; the youngest, John, probably not 18, died in Nov. 1862 and William, the oldest died in Jan. 1863; the other son, Jariet was wounded a couple times. Nathan & Catherine were in their late fifties and were farmers; only one female child at home to help; cannot find them after the 1860 census; work and grief probably got them and they died during the 1860s.]
[Question: in the 1900 Census, Dwelling # 394, Kirby Township, Marion Co., SC is a Nancy Christmas, single, born Aug. 1830 in SC, in the household of Jeremiah Brooks & family - who is she?]
[WHT comments:] A John L. Christmas, age 18, enlisted in Co. E, 23rd SC Infantry Regiment; his muster-in date was September 28, 1861, and joined for duty and enrolled October 22, 1861, Seccessville, SC, Marion Co. for 12 months. This was Capt. C. J. Flandger's company of Hatch's Coast Rangers.He was taken prisoner of war on September 15, 1862 at Hagerstown, Maryland. He was to be exchanged from Fort Deleware, Del. to Aiken Landing, VA on October 2, 1862. He was declared exchanged on November 10, 1862 at Aiken Landing, VA. However, his records go on to say he died of Pneumonia Typhoid on November 6, 1862 at General Hospital No. 20, Richmond, VA.
Even though his exchange record shows November 10, I think he was exchanged earlier and died on November 6, 1862. Probably, many were exchanged and November 10 was the final exchanged and record was so dated.
Information about John's military unit, copied from the following web page, http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/soldiers.htm
23rd Regiment, South Carolina Infantry (Hatch's Coast Rangers) 23rd Infantry Regiment [also called Coast Rangers] was assembled at Charleston, South Carolina, in November, 1861. Most of the men were from Horry, Georgetown, Charleston, and Colleton counties. After being stationed in South Carolina, the regiment moved to Virginia and during the war served in General Evans', Elliot's, and Wallace's Brigade. It participated in the conflicts at Second Manassas, South Mountain, and Sharpsburg, then was ordered to North Carolina and later to Mississippi. The unit skirmished at Jackson, was sent to Charleston, and in the spring of 1864 returned to Virginia. It continued the fight in the trenches of Petersburg and around Appomattox. During the Second Manassas operations, August 6-20, 1862, this regiment lost sixty-eight percent of the 225 engaged, and all its field officers were wounded. It reported 10 killed, 22 wounded, and 5 missing in the Maryland Campaign, totalled 297 men in October, 1863, and had 49 killed or wounded at the Petersburg mine explosion. The 23rd had many disabled at Sayler's Creek and surrendered 5 officers and 103 men. Its commanders were Colonels Henry L. Benbow and Lewis M. Hatch; Lieutenant Colonels Allen J. Green, John M. Kinloch, Edgar O. Murden, and John Roberts; and Majors Matthew V. Bancroft, Henry H. Lesesne, L.P. Miller, and John M. Whilden.
[WHT: John (listed as J. Christmas) is buried in Oakwood Cem., Richmond, VA; grave # 19, Row L, Division B; this is the same cemetery where his older brother, William G. is buried.]
The history & genealogy of our Christmas family continues to grow, with the addition of many new families and allied surnames. If you find errors in these pages or have additions, please write Herbert Turner at the Christmas Home Page; the corrections & additions will be made; thank you.
Many Christmas descendants have provided their research & photos for these web pages, refer to our Researcher's Page for some of their names, lines and addresses.
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Copyright © 1997-2012 by W. Herbert Turner