Christian Flaugher (1732 - abt. 1787)

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 1787 at about age 54 in Waynesboro, Franklin, Pennsylvania, United States

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A note about surname pronunciation and spelling variations.

There has been a lot of interesting discussion amongst the Flaugher descendants over the years as to the pronunciation used by the different branches of the family. This would account for all the different spellings found in the records. Some branches pronounce a hard "g" whereas others are silent. Other variations of the pronunciations are Flocker, Flacker, Flower, Flo-her, Fla-her and Flogger, to name a few. Some branches have added a "S" to the end whereas some very early branches of the family have gone with the more traditional Fletcher or Flocker spellings. With so many variations, DNA comparisons have become the only reliable way to track down distant branches of the family.

Biography

Christian Flaugher was born on Aug. 15, 1732 to Hans Jacob Flaugher. Some researchers have said his mother's name was Susanna, but this statement needs to be proven through documentation.

It is not known where he was born. Theories put forth by descendants include England, Holland, France, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland.

DNA results show a high percentage of Greek/Italian among Flaugher descendants.

Immigration

Christian "Flacher" arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Aug. 18, 1750 aboard the St. Andrews which had departed from Rotterdam with a stop in Cowes, England.^[1][2]

Previously, on Oct. 17, 1749, Hans Jacob "Flacher" had also arrived in Philadelphia aboard the ship Fame which had also departed from Rotterdam with a stop in Cowes, England.^[3]

It is believed that this Hans Jacob Flacher is the father of Christian because of the deed of conveyance that was filed on Oct. 10, 1750 from Joseph Crimpleton to Christian "Flacker," son of Jacob "Flauger," recorded at Chambersburg conveying farm property situated two miles from Waynesboro on Antietam Creek. He would have been 18 years old at the time of the sale, making the mention of his father appropriate.

Notes on Naturalization

A family genealogical study was commissioned by Otto Mueller in St. Louis, Missouri prior to 1950. Mueller was the husband of Lucy Flaugher, an aunt of Howard Flaugher who was the father of William and Howard Jr. This research claimed that "Adam" Flaugher came to the United States from Switzerland with his wife who was from the Black Forest in Alsace, Germany. This information was reportedly inscribed on Christian's Naturalization paper. It was also claimed by Ephraim Flaugher in Historical Sketches of Brown County, Ohio, that Christian's original Naturalization papers were held by an unknown descendant somewhere in that county.

An exhaustive search has been made of the Naturalization records in Philadelphia for Christian Flaugher (see Pennsylvania Archives, Series 2, Vol. 2, pg. 293) and there was none to be found. The Philadelphia Department of Records asserts that prior to the 19th Century, the only reason for an alien to become a citizen was in order to achieve the right to vote. He (or she) did not need to become a citizen in order to buy or sell property, hold a job, get married, or to do anything of a personal or social nature. Many aliens lived most of their lives in this country and never began and/or completed the process of naturalization.

For that reason, it is believed that there are in fact no Naturalization Papers for Christian Flaugher.

Oath of Allegiance

Christian Pfäher took the oath of allegiance upon his arrival in Philadelphia.^[4]

Hans Jacob Ploscher also too the oath of allegiance upon his arrival.^[5]

These are the same men who's names were previously recorded as Flacher.

Ownership of Land

in 1778, Christian's name appears on the tax list for Antrim Township in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.^[6] His farm then becomes a part of Washington Township in Cumberland County where he and his son, Adam's names appear on the tax lists from 1779 to 1782.^{[7][8][9][10]}

In 1787, Christian sold a tract of land called "Bath" in Antrim Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania to George Rummel, Jr.^[11] However, he is still taxed in Antrim Township on the 1788 tax list.^[12]

Christian Flaugher died soon after as his son, Adam, appears in court to act as administrator for his father's estate, as reported by other researchers. A search of the Cumberland County and Franklin County court records has not yet turned up Christian's administration papers. The search continues.

Sources

1. ↑ Pennsylvania Early Pioneers, Aug 18 1750 (List 140 C), Court House Philadelphia. Ship - St. Andrews, Captain Robert Brown, Mayor Thomas Lawrence Esquire Ship from Rotterdam and Cowes, England - Christian "Flacher"
2. ↑ STRASSBURGER, RALPH BEAVER. Pennsylvania German Pioneers: A Publication of the Original Lists of Arrivals in the Port of Philadelphia from 1727 to 1808. Edited by William John Hinke. Norristown [PA]: Pennsylvania German Society, 1934. 3 vols. Vols. 1 and 3 reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, 1964. Repr. 1983. Vol. 1. 1727-1775. 776p.
3. ↑ Pennsylvania Early Pioneers, 17th Oct 1749 (List 144 C), Court House Philadelphia. Ship - Fame, Captain William Hyndman from Rotterdam and Cowes, England - Hans Jacob "Flacher"
4. ↑ Egle, William Henry; Names of foreigners who took the oath of allegiance to the province and state of Pennsylvania, 1727-1775, with the foreign arrivals, 1786-1808, pub. 1892; pg. 314
5. ↑ Egle, William Henry; Names of foreigners who took the oath of allegiance to the province and state of Pennsylvania, 1727-1775, with the foreign arrivals, 1786-1808, pub. 1892; pg. 306
6. ↑ Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission; Records of the Office of the Comptroller General, RG-4; Tax & Exoneration Lists, 1762-1794; Microfilm Roll: 324. Cumberland County, Antrim; 1778; Flaugher, Christy.
7. ↑ Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission; Records of the Office of the Comptroller General, RG-4; Tax & Exoneration Lists, 1762-1794; Microfilm Roll: 324. Cumberland, Washington, 1779; Flaugher, Chrisley & Adam.
8. ↑ Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission; Records of the Office of the Comptroller General, RG-4; Tax & Exoneration Lists, 1762-1794; Microfilm Roll: 327. Cumberland County; Washington, 1780; Flatcher, Christian & Adam.
9. ↑ Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission; Records of the Office of the Comptroller General, RG-4; Tax & Exoneration Lists, 1762-1794; Microfilm Roll: 325. Cumberland County; Washington; 1781; Flaher, Christian & Adam.
10. ↑ Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission; Records of the Office of the Comptroller General, RG-4; Tax & Exoneration Lists, 1762-1794; Microfilm Roll: 325. Cumberland County; Washington; 1782; Flaugher, Christopher & Adam.
11. ↑ Fendrick, Virginia Shannon.. American Revolutionary soldiers of Franklin County, Pennnsylvania [sic]. Chambersburg, Pa.: Historical Works Committee of the Franklin County Chapter, c1944, pg. 186
12. ↑ Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission; Records of the Office of the Comptroller General, RG-4; Tax & Exoneration Lists, 1762-1794; Microfilm Roll: 327. Franklin County; Antrim; 1788; Flaugher, Christian.

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