George Searight Christlip
1815–1865
George Searight Christlip, born 1815 in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, and christened 27 October 1816 at Carlisle; died 25 September 1865 in Tiffin, Ohio. Prior to moving to Ohio, he signed his name, using the old German spelling, as seen in the signature below. In Ohio, he adopted the phonetic spelling, Christlip. George appears to be the only member of the Pennsylvania branch of the family to adopt a phonetic spelling of the family name. This presents a strong case that the Pennsylvania and West Virginia branches of the family pronounced the surname similarly. George Christlip’s descendants did not retain the phonetic spelling, however.
George Searight moved west to Stark County, Ohio, where he joined his uncle John Christlieb who was residing southwest of Canton. There he married, 18 May 1838, Anna Margaret Conaghen, daughter of Dennis K. (born 1776, County Cork, Ireland) and Magdalena Conaghen (born 1778 in Adams County, Pennsylvania). Anna Margaret died 27 April 1864. Three of their children - Adaline, Anna, and Orlando - died within the same year. Ohio Historical Records Survey Project, 1942.
Built ca. 1850 with materials from his sawmill, George Christlip's eight-sided house near Berwick in Seneca County, Ohio, was one of the area's earliest examples.
In Ohio, George and his family eventually settled in Seneca County, where he established a successful flouring and saw mill business and erected a new-style octagon house. Family historian, Benjamin Franklin Christlieb, reported the following:
“About 1836 he journeyed to Carroll County, Ohio, to which place he removed his mother and sisters in 1837. Later, he removed to Berwick, Seneca County, Ohio, where he erected flouring and saw mills, which institutions he lost by fire on two occasions, rebuilding each time; in the meantime served his fellow citizens as Justice of the Peace and in other official capacities, being Clerk of Court at Tiffin.” The Christlieb Family, pp. 27-28, 33.
According to Abraham J. Baughman’s History of Seneca County, Ohio, George Searight Christlip was nominated, in 1864, by the Democratic County Convention, as their candidate for Director of the Seneca County Infirmary. However, two days before the election, George Searight declined to have his name put on the ticket. He informed the committee that he would not live to serve.
Children of George Searight Christlip and Anna M. Conoghen
Cecelia Adaline Christlieb (Friedrich Carl Christlieb1, Carl Christlieb2, Charles Christlieb3, George Searight Christlip4) [953], born 1 July 1838, Seneca County, Ohio.
Leander C. Christlieb (Friedrich Carl Christlieb1, Carl Christlieb2, Charles Christlieb3, George Searight Christlip4) [953], born 21 November 1839, Seneca County, Ohio. Leander worked as a newspaperman for the Sandusky Register, Sandusky, Ohio.
Orlando Daniel Christlieb (Friedrich Carl Christlieb1, Carl Christlieb2, Charles Christlieb3, George Searight Christlip4) [953], born 31 December 1841, Seneca County, Ohio.
Mary Margaret Christlieb (Friedrich Carl Christlieb1, Carl Christlieb2, Charles Christlieb3, George Searight Christlip4) [953], born 1 September 1843, Seneca County, Ohio; died 1875; married John Watts, Seneca County, Ohio.
Amanda Helen Christlieb (Friedrich Carl Christlieb1, Carl Christlieb2, Charles Christlieb3, George Searight Christlip4) [953], born 10 December 1844, Seneca County, Ohio; married, 27 April 1868, Edward Byrnes (1846-1918).
Anna Margaretha Christlieb (Friedrich Carl Christlieb1, Carl Christlieb2, Charles Christlieb3, George Searight Christlip4) [953], born 1 September 1846, Seneca County, Ohio.
Sarah Johanna Christlieb (Friedrich Carl Christlieb1, Carl Christlieb2, Charles Christlieb3, George Searight Christlip4) [953], born 22 November 1848, Seneca County, Ohio. (Twin of Susan Maria.)
Susan Maria Christlieb (Friedrich Carl Christlieb1, Carl Christlieb2, Charles Christlieb3, George Searight Christlip4) [954], born 22 November 1848, Seneca County, Ohio. (Twin of Sarah Johanna.)
Naomi Elizabeth Christlieb (Friedrich Carl Christlieb1, Carl Christlieb2, Charles Christlieb3, George Searight Christlip4) [954], born 2 July 1850; married, 1875, Seneca County, Ohio, John Shuster.
Celestia Agnus Christlieb (Friedrich Carl Christlieb1, Carl Christlieb2, Charles Christlieb3, George Searight Christlip4) [954], born 9 May 1852, Carroll County, Ohio.
Joseph Gebhard Christlieb (Friedrich Carl Christlieb1, Carl Christlieb2, Charles Christlieb3, George Searight Christlip4) [954], born 2 October 1853, Carroll County, Ohio; married, 1875, Emeline Bratton.
