Lucinda Christlieb

1829–1910

Lucinda Christlieb (Friedrich Carl Christlieb¹, Carl Christlieb², Solomon Christlieb³ & Sarah Crislip³) [833, 1027], born 11 July 1829; died 29 July 1910; buried, 31 July, Ziegler’s Church graveyard, Mifflin Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Said to have had blond hair, Lucinda married, at age 46 in December 1876, John Lay, born 20 October 1819; died 26 June 1885. No issue. This was John Lay’s second marriage. John Lay was known as “Black John,” because of his short black beard, black hair, and black eyes. This was to distinguish him from another John known as “Red John” for his red beard.

Six years before Lucinda’s marriage to John Lay, the 1870 Federal Census records show her residing with her brother Solomon Christlieb, Jr. and her mother, Sarah Christlieb, née Crislip. The 1860 Census reported the same information.

John Lay – Further Information

“1850s to 1865, John Lay resided on a farm along the Conodoquinet Creek, near New Kingston, Middlesex Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania; then moved to a larger farm north of Newville in Mifflin Township. All nine children were born by this time and one was deceased.”Unknown source. It is known that, at the time of his death, seven children were living, ranging in age from 30 to 41 years.

The 1860 Census for Middlesex Township, Cumberland County lists John Lay (born 1919) as Head of Household, having personal property valued at $1,500. His wife, Elizabeth, also born 1919 is listed along with their children: Samuel Lay, born 1844, farm laborer; John Lay, born 1846; Elizabeth Lay, born 1848; Martha Lay, born 1851; Emma Lay, born 1855; Agnes Lay born 1858.

Some sixteen years prior to John Lay’s marriage to Lucinda Christlieb, a Perry County newspaper announced the following, on 9 February 1860: “A John Lay vs. Eliza Lay to appear in Perry County Court of Common Pleas in April 1860 for a divorce hearing.” Perry County, which lies adjacent to Cumberland County, was formed in 1822 from Cumberland County.

A deed dated January 1865 reveals that John Lay, Middlesex Township, Cumberland County, acquired 12 acres, 153 perches of land in Mifflin Township from Jay Henry. The land that John Lay purchased was a part of an original land warrant patented to Jacob Whistler. (The date of Whistler’s patent is not known.)

The first partition of Whistler’s patent went to Samuel Myers on April 11, 1837. Because the Whistlers remained in the area, it is assumed that the Myers portion was partitioned from Whistlers patent. Myers deeded his land to David Shank on 20 March 1843. Ca. 1850, Shank sold his acreage to David and Catharina Jacoby. Of this land, 12 acres, 153 perches were bought by William and Elizabeth Henry, who, on January 4 1865, deeded the land to John Lay for $200. The land eventually passed to John Lay’s son, Samuel (1845–1919); then to his brother, Harry J. Lay (1880-1944); then to his son, Floy Lay, Ohio; then to Mr. Brant, in 1928.

In April 1865, John Lay purchased 85 acres of farm land from Jacob and David Bower of Middlesex Township for $2,250.

Ca. 1950, descendant, K. Edward Lay, learned the following from Lewis D. Lay (1872-1952):

“An old house, barn, and orchard were near the stream but no longer exist – not even the foundations. The present building, a house and barn, are not on the original house spots. The barn is the third one erected on that spot – the first burned and the second was struck by lightning and burned before it was completed. The house burned on a Sunday morning in 1918 and was rebuilt.”

When Lucinda’s uncle, Charles Christlieb, died at a young age in 1867, the Newville STAR OF THE VALLEY News reported a public sale of his ten acres of mountain land, bounded by the land of John Lay, John Whisler, and others.

The 1870 Federal Census for Mifflin Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, reported the following: John Lay, Head of Household. Real estate valued at $5,000; personal property, $600. Children listed were: Jacob Lay, born 1864; Ann Lay, born 1853 – attends school; Emma Lay, born 1855 – attends school; Agnes Lay, born 1857 – attends school. Divorced from Elizabeth and not yet married to Lucinda Christlieb, John Lay appears to have taken on the entire responsibility of rearing his children.

The 1880 Census shows John Lay residing with his second wife, Lucinda and son, Jacob Lay, born 1861. The census reveals that the Lays resided two farms away from Solomon Christlieb. Pertaining to John, there is a notation, “cannot read or write English.” This was true of many Germanic people in Pennsylvania at the time; however, many could read and write in German.

The 1880 Farm Census, Mifflin Township, shows John Lay as owning 105 acres of improved tilled meadow or pasture; 105 acres woodland & forest; $4000 farm value; $200 farming implements and machinery; $400 livestock; $50 cost of buildings & repairing fences; $40 cost of fertilizers; $50 farm wages; 10 weeks hired labor; $1100 value of farm production sold or consumed; 36 acres grass mown; 69 acres grass not mown; 20 tons hay; 2 bushels clover seed; 4 horse; 3 mules or asses; 3 milch cows; 9 other cows; 3 cattle sold; 2 cows slaughtered; 300 lbs. butter; 7 sheep; 3 lambs dropped; 3 sheep sold; 7 sheep fleeces; 25 pounds fleece; 16 swine; 20 barnyard poultry; 2 other poultry; 183 eggs; 16 acres Indian corn; 200 bushels Indian corn; 16 acres oats; 250 bushels oats; 25 acres wheat; 300 bushels wheat; 8 tons flax straw; ½ acre Irish potatoes; 40 bushels Irish potatoes; ¼ acre sweet potatoes; 9 bushels sweet potatoes; 4 acres apples; 60 bearing apple trees; 20 bushels apples; ½ acre peaches; 10 bearing peach trees; 5 bushels peaches; $75 value of orchard products sold or consumed; 15 cords wood cut; $60 value of wood products sold or consumed.

Death of John Lay

John Lay died 26 June 1885, leaving his 56-year-old widow, Lucinda née Christlieb to manage the property. At the time of his death, John’s children were adults: Samuel, age 41, John, age 39; Martha, age 34; Elizabeth, age 33; Mary, age 32; Agnes, age 33; and Emma, age 30.

After John Lay’s death, and inventory of his estate was ordered by the court. Samuel Christlieb and John Sollenberger were appointed to appraise all items having a value of $25 or more. Including cash in the bank, the appraised value was $717.61. A public sale followed on August 15, 1885, that yielded a total of $624.99.

Unfortunately, the sale of John Lay’s personal estate was insufficient to cover his debts, so it was ordered that his real estate be sold. On 1 April 1886, the following parcels of land were sold: Samuel Bowers purchased 102 acres for $3,209.60; A.J. Ramp bought 41 acres for $1,550; and Samuel Hoch paid $30 for 50 acres situated along Perry County line. Samuel Hoch’s deed was eventually filed in 1892; A.J. Ramp’s in 1893.

According to an account dated 19 October 1886, John Lay Account, Lucinda Lay received a Widow’s Exemption of $100; Sarah Lay received $500 for attending her father, John Lay, during his last illness. File No 378, Cumberland County Courthouse, Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

The Federal Census of 1900 reveals that Lucinda was living with her brother Solomon Christlieb in Upper Mifflin Township, Cumberland County.

The 1910 census shows Lucinda living with her nephew, James Heckman, house carpenter (born 1854) and wife Myrtle, (born 1880) along with their son, Raymond (born 1909). The Heckman’s residence was on East Penn Street in Carlisle. The census identifies her as “Aunt Lucinda Lay, Widow, born 1828.”

Death of Lucinda Christlieb Lay

Lucinda Christlieb Lay died 29 July 1910, and was buried next to her mother in Ziegler’s Church graveyard in Mifflin Township. A notice of her death reads:

“Lucinda Lay Christlieb of Newville died July 29th, 1910. Bequeathed proceeds from her real estate to nephew, James A. Heckman, Executor, and niece, Sarah A. Lay.” CARLISLE SENTINEL NEWS, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, August1, 1910.

Before her death, Lucinda made provision that the proceeds from the real estate were to be bequeathed to her nephew, James A. Heckman, Executor. Cumberland County Courthouse, Will #317, page 25. James A. Heckman and Sarah A. Lay were children of Matilda Ellen Christlieb and Joseph Edward Heckman.

An inventory and appraisal of Lucinda’s personal goods was made 5 September 1910; appraisal value, $488. File No. 509, Book 12, page 377. Cumberland County Courthouse, Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

On 12 September 1910, a Collateral Inventory shows an appraisal with a value of $788: $6.81 for furniture; $231.19 in bank; $250 note; and $300 value of house and stable on 13 acres in Upper Mifflin Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. File No. 115, Book 3, page 147. Cumberland County Courthouse, Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

On behalf of Lucinda Christlieb’s heirs, Executor James A. Heckman conveyed the following to Samuel Stuart, Cumberland County Recorder of Deeds and Miscellaneous Records, on 15 January 1911:

Solomon Christlieb, “mortgagator,” for Upper Mifflin Township land to pay Lucinda Lay $44.19 annually during her life and after her death pay to E.R. Lay, Emma Sollenberger, Elizabeth Whisler, Mary A. Ramp, Jacob Lay, Sarah A. Lay, and Ellen Gayman. Signing off in the document were: Mrs. Ellen Gayman, Mary A. Ramp, Jacob H. Lay, Sarah A. Lay, Emma [her X mark] Sollenberger, Annie M. Jacob, Hettie E. Scholl, Edward A. Whisler, Samuel L. Whisler, Fannie E. Moul, Effie M. Swemly, Marin L. Whisler, John B. Forry (guardian for Mabel Whisler.)

Because Elizabeth Whisler had preceded Lucinda in death, the following was entered into the document. “Elizabeth Whisler died November 11, 1890; her husband Martin Whisler died July 5, 1906. Elizabeth Whisler’s children: Annie M. Jacobs, Hettie E. Scholl, Edward A. Whisler, Samuel A. Whisler, Fannie E. Moul, Effie M. Swemly, Martin P. Whisler, Clayton E. Whisler, and Mable Whisler.” Cumberland County Courthouse: Mortgage Book J, Vol. 30, page 252.
Accountant claims credit for the following payments, 1910: $2.25, flowers; $33.35, roofing house; $3.50 digging grave; $70 coffin, C.B. Eby; $19.50 tombstone; $12.00, cabs for funeral; $1.00, insurance assessment; $25.00 to Sarah A. Lay for services rendered, $25.00, physicians bill $6.75, State and County taxes $54.00, Valley Times advertising $2.00, Carlisle Herald Executors 3 April 1910 notice $4.00, Jennie Lay services rendered decedent $59.00.; $6.75, Physician’s bill, $54; State and County Taxes, $2.00; Valley Times advertising; $4.00, Carlisle Herald executors, 3 April 1910 notice; $59.00, Jennie Lay services rendered decedent; $0.25, acknowledgement to deed, $3.00. Total, $242.14. Cumberland County Courthouse Miscellaneous Records, , Volume 30, page 238.
Accountant claims credit for the following payments, 23 October 1911: $176.00, James A. Heckman and Sarah A. Lay for nursing decedent 88 weeks @ $2.00 per week; $1.85, Edward W. Heckman, tax plus other miscellaneous expenses.
23 October 1911. Release of settlement from Sarah A. Lay of Carlisle to James A. Heckman, Executor of Lucinda Lay, late of Borough of Newville, $4.00. Accountant charges himself with the following amounts: $240 cash received from First Bank, Newville; $500 received from Robert Ginter, 13 acres, 101 perches land in Upper Mifflin Township; $250 note payment received from James A. Heckman. $990.25 total. Cumberland County Courthouse – Miscellaneous Records. Volume 31, page 173.