The following information was assembled from numerous sources and cannot be used directly as proof of Qualifying Service or Lineage.
It is considered a research aid and is intended to assist in locating sources that can be used as proof.
State of Service: PA
Qualifying Service: Patriotic Service
Birth: 1728 / / Europe Death: 20 Nov 1816 prob Stoneycreek Twp / Somerset / PA
Burial plot is unknown and has no individual stone
Old Yoder Cemetery lies on the original homestead of "Sweitzer" Christian Yoder (about 1728 - 1816). He purchased a 606-acre plot in Somerset County on 9 October 1775 for $968
Son John Yoder purchased the homestead in 1796. John & his wife Barbara rest under two of the only marked graves in this cemetery. It is likely that "Sweitzer" Christian & many other descendants lie under the unmarked stones
Directions to Cemetery / Gravesite:
Zubek Coal Company - Sand Rock Road - **Always ask permission before entering a cemetery on private property**
Author: William Leslie Lehman
Christian was born in 1728 to his father Christian and mother Barbara Yoder. He had three brothers (John born in 1732, Yost born in 1734 and Jacob born in 1740) and 4 sisters (Barbara born in 1725, Magdalena born in 1726, Elizabeth born in 1729 and Veronica born in 1738). Christian was married twice. His first marriage occurred sometime before 1753 when he married Barbara? They had four children: 1. Veronica born in 1753 married 1st to a Rickenbach and then to John Troyer 2. Barbara born in 1756 and married to Christian Troyer 3. Christian born in 1758 and married to Magdalena Troyer (he was an Amish Bishop) 4. Jacob born in 1760 and married 1st to Elizabeth Yoder and 2nd Barbara Wenger Christian’s second marriage was to Barbara Hooley, whom he married in about 1762. Eleven additional children were born to Christian and Barbara (7 boys and 4 girls). 1. David born in 1763 married Barbara Livengood 2. Yost born in 1765 married Magdalena Rickenbach 3. Jonathan born in 1766 married Elizabeth Schmidt 4. Magdalena born in 1769 married Peter Blough 5. John born in 1772 married Barbara Yoder 6. Elizabeth born in 1774 married Henry Blough 7. Solomon born in 1776 married Barbara Miller 8. Gertrude born in 1779 married Yost Miller 9. Jeptha born in 1780 married Elizabeth Zug 10. Esther born in 1780 married Peter Bomgardner 11. Henry born in 1782 Christian and his father Christian warranted four adjacent tracts in Penn and Centre Township, Berks County, PA. They were for: 160 acres (warranted in 1751) called “Contentment”, 29 acres (warranted in 1755) called Blatt’s Palace, 158 acres (warranted in 1755) and 44 ½ acres (warranted in 1766). These holdings amounted to nearly 400 acres. Christian the younger sold his tracts in 1774 before moving to Bedford County (Somerset) that same year. He warranted a 300 ¾ acre tract on December 2, 1773 in Brothersvalley Township, Bedford County (then Quemahoning, then Stonycreek Township). The land was called “Middleton”. In October of 1775, he took up additional land as referenced in a deed from that year. He acquired many additional acres over his lifetime and conveyed much of it to his sons. Christian is shown in the 1774, 1775, 1776, 1779, 1781 and 1783 tax rolls for Bedford County. He is also listed in the 1790 census for Bedford County and the 1800 & 1810 censuses for Somerset County. He paid the Supply Tax for 1781 and 1783 in Quemahoning Township, Bedford County.
Christian died in 1816 in Stonycreek Township, Somerset County and is buried in the old Yoder Cemetery in Stonycreek Township.
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