William Christian Dead

Mr. William Christian, one of the oldest citizens of the Lantz's Mill neighborhood died, last Friday, aged 82 years, 6 months and 10 days.

Mr. Christian was highly esteemed by a large number of friends and acquaintances.

Published in Shenandoah Herald, 1 October 1915

Old Dominion Society

of the Deaf

Mr. William Christian, of Lantz Mills, has been very ill for several weeks, but is somewhat better. However, the doctor fears old age may prevent his complete recovery.

Published in Virginia Guide, 1 October 1915, Volume 42, Number 2

Lantz Mill Local News

William Christian had another relapse last week and for a while was dangerously ill but has been convalescing for the past few days, we are glad to know.

Published in Shenandoah Herald (Woodstock, Virginia), 18 June 1914, Friday, Page 2

Mr. William Christian who got his education at this Institution in the fifties, lives at a commodious house, planned and built by himself on a fine fertile farm in the County of Shenandoah. By the way, that section of the valley produces immense crops of wheat. It will forcibly remind any western people of the prairies. Numerous ponds without outlets and smooth round rocks of all sizes being seen almost every where, there must have been an extensive lake, drained by the Shenandoah river, which flows into the Potomac. It was the writer's fortune to be at Mr. Christian's with his wife at the end of the wheat harvest last summer. His sons John, Sam and Charles were then busy working his corn which was growing fast; they were anxious to get through with it so that they might put the wheat crop away. And at the same time black berries, raspberries and dew berries were abundant any where; women and children were here and there gathering scene. But what struck the writer most were numberless crops of wheat already cut and put up in shocks which could almost all be seen at a time from any elevation of land and at the same time could be seen as great many cosy farm houses and substantial barns. And strange to say that not any negro was seen in that part of the county. Mr. C. and his estimable wife are true Virginians-hospitable and refined, and know how to keep house, and though they lost heavily by the downfall of the Confederacy and are consequently straitened, they are ready to entertain their friends highly at all times. Mr. C. is a jack of all trades; he has invented a car coupler and got a patent for it.

One fine morning Mr. C. took the writer in his buggy through the open fertile county to Liberty Furnace about nine miles distant, and in the evening back another way, that is down along the Stony Creek which rises many miles above the furnace in the mountains and running down many miles in rapid current empties into the Shenandoah river at the mouth of which stands the pretty city of Edinburg.

It was a ride ever to be remembered. The furnace was in full blast; hundreds of hands being engaged, not one of them could be caught idle even for one minute, but they were all as industrious as the beavers; there being no negro in that extensive establishment was a striking fact.

Along the Stony Creek, especially at Columbia Furnace midway between Mr. C. and Liberty Furnace may be seen the ruins of the once happy homes, mills, foundries refineries &c which were ordered to be burnt down by the Vandalick Sheridan. These ruins will ever stand as monuments of his villainy.

One Sunday the writer went over to Lantz Mills not very far off with his wife to spend all the day with Mrs. James M. Holler. She has a fine house and lot in her own right, and is a first rate housekeeper. In the afternoon Luther Fry, John Christian and his wife, all ex-pupils of the Institution came in. Such a happy company. They discussed farming, stock-rising, housekeeping &c. Lantz Mills is a pretty village pleasant situated in what looks like a basin. The Stony Creek ruins through it. Mr. John Christian lives at a house of his own on the highest hill in the immediate neighborhood. From this elevation of land can be seen a grand landscape. John C. has got in the notion of tearing down the old house, and building a stylish house on its site. If this is done, he will own one of the prettiest residences in the country. He is hearty congratulated by his many friends on possessing such a desirable place. He is a self made man.

Who remember Mr. Wm. Nester, who when a boy came to the Institution on horseback with his sister beside from Floyd Co., in the fifties? Well, he lives at Lantz Mills, having married a small rich farm in its immediate vicinity. He has two grown children, one son having family and one daughter. Mr. Nester looks like a patriarch with a massive grey goatee under his chin, and is dignified with a staff longer than himself in hand.

Mr. Wm. Christian when at school was a good hand at making chairs, and was encouraged by Dr. Merillat, then Principal to make as many chairs as he could - so a great many chairs had been made and put away when the shop caught on fire, and was totally destroyed together with the chairs and many other things of value. Thus rose the present pond.

…

H. M. C. (Hartwell Macon Chamberlayne)

Published inGoodson Gazette (Staunton, Virginia), 29 October 1892, Volume 19, Number 8

William was cabinet/casket maker, undertaker. He operated and owned funeral.

William & Isabella had children:

John Jacob

Mary Ellen (12/25/1866 - 3/9/1870)

Fannie Isabella (4/29/1869 - 7/16/1870)

Samuel Lee

Charles Edward

Mattie Ann (2/28/1875 - 4/4/1877)

William Maxmillan (7/5/1878 - 8/31/1878)

Washington (ca. 1879 - )

Ferdinand Rhodes

Nathaniel (5/10/1882 - 5/12/1882)

Sarah Elizabeth (2/10/1884 - 3/3/1884)

Cleveland Henrico

Arthur Belew

County Court Proceeding

Conveyance

Deed from Wm. Christian to John P. Lonas.

Published in Shenandoah Herald, 12 September 1884

County Court Proceeding

Conveyance

Deed from E. F. Stickley, Come., to Wm. Christian

Published in Shenandoah Herald, 11 September 1884

Trustee's Sale

of Valuable

MACHINERY!

By Virtue of a deed of trust recorded in deed book No. 25, page 15, given by Wm. Christian to the undersigned trustee, to secure Frick Company. of Waynesboro', Pa., in the same of nine hundred dollars with interest from July 18, 1884, I will offer for public sale, in front of the Court House, on

Saturday, June 19th, 1886,

One Eight Horse Power (No. 3463)

Published in Shenandoah Herald, 4 June 1886

Mr. Wm. Christian has moved into his new undertakers shop on the hill and has began work there.

Published in Shenandoah Herald, 16, February 1894

Attention is called to the advertisement of Wm. Christian and Sons, Lantz's Mill, Undertakers and Funeral Directors. They will give prompt attention to all calls.

Published in Shenandoah Herald, 18 May 1894

Wm Christian and wife, have, since Monday a week been visiting the letters relatives at Jarrett, Sussex county near Richmond.

Published in Shenandoah Herald, 8 November 1907

Mr. Berlin Reedy, of Cherry Grove, Rockingham county is visiting Wm. Christian family.

Published in Shenandoah Herald, 22 November 1907

Mr. and Mrs. William Christian, of Lantz Mill, Shenandoah Co., both old pupils of the school, paid us a visit between trains from Sussex Co. where they had been visiting relatives.

Published in Goodson Gazette, 2 December 1907, Volume 34, Number 6

W. W. Lantz to Wm. Christian, land in Madison District; $150.00.

Published in Shenandoah Herald, 12 June 1908

Wm. Christian, who spent a week with his son, Samuel, of Dale Enterprise returned home Tuesday with the information that he found his son and his wife both sick.

Mrs. Christian who has been an invalid for sometime he reports much worse.

Published in Shenandoah Herald, 8. January 1909

LANTZ' MILLS

The rain Monday afternoon raised Christian's Run and Painter's Run higher than ever known before. Christian's Run swept away about fifty shocks of wheat for Mr. A. J. Bowman, carried a calf down for Mr. Christian and swept nearly every flood gate from source to mouth. Swore creek raised only a little and Stony Creek remained clear above the intersection of the others mentioned.

Published in Shenandoah Herald, 2 July 1909

LANTZ MILL

Prof. Henry A. Bear, of Shenandoah Junction is visiting William Christian. For 43 years he was a teacher in the school for the deaf in Staunton. He and Mr. Christian are said to be the two oldest mutes in the state.

Published in Shenandoah Herald, 3 December 1909

Lantz's Mill

William Christian threshed 21 acres of wheat last Saturday that made 475 bushels, a yield of 22 1/2 bushels per acre which is very much better than any yield we have heard reported in this section.

Published in Shenandoah Herald (Woodstock, Virginia), 2 September 1910, Friday

Caused of death: Chronic Gastritis (5/20/1914 - 9/24/1915)