More Hollabaughs - Christopher Hollabaugh (Jr.)

Months ago, when I was researching the Hollabaugh family,  from Great-grandfather William Levi Hollabaugh, who moved to Indiana, then to his father, George Hollabaugh, who resided in Adams County, Pennsylvania, I was at a road block trying to find George's father.  The roadblock has now been blasted, thanks to help from fellow researcher, Mary, www.familysearch.org and a trip to the Adams County Historical Society archives.
 Christopher Hollabaugh (Jr.) was always a candidate as a father for George, but it took  Christopher's will to solidify that choice.  

Christopher Hollabaugh (Jr. - called so by me because his father was of the same name) was born on November 12, 1768 in Adams County.  As head of household, he can be followed in the censuses there from 1800 on in several different townships - Mount Pleasant, Cumberland, Germany and Union.  Very possibly, the township lines shifted along the way.  
In 1850, when the census takers first began to record the names of all people in the household, Christopher was already eighty-one years old.  He and his wife, Mary, 72, maiden name unknown as yet, lived with their thirty-eight year old son, John, a shoemaker, who was named as head of household.  Living with them was Mary Hollibaugh, 17, who may have been a granddaughter enlisted to help with the keeping of the house.

The only record found of Christopher in the newspapers of the time occurred in the Adams Sentinel, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on October 10, 1827.
"List of Letters remaining in the post office at Gettysburg, Pa. on the 1st of October 1827, which if not taken out before the 1st of January, 1828, will be sent to the General Post Office as Dead Letters:
...Christop'r Hollabaugh"

But it is Christopher's will that gave us his children's names, as well as more insight into his thoughts at the time.  He wrote his will on March 2, 1841 when he was about 73 years old.
 (I've added a few commas to help the readability.)

  "Last will and testament of Christopher Hollebaugh...
I, Christopher Hollebaugh, of Union Township, Adams County and State of Pennsylvaia, do make and publish this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking and makeing void all other wills by me at any time heretofore made and first I direct that my body after my decease be decently entered in the burying ground, at the discretion of my Executor, herein after named, my funeral to be conducted in a manner corresponding with my estate and situation in life.
And as to such worldly Estate as it hath pleased God to intrust me with, I dispose of the same as follows:
first, I direct that all my debts and funeral be paid as soon after my decease as possible out of any moneys that shall come into the hands of my Executor, from any portion of my estate, real or personal.

Item first, I give and bequeath to my sons, David Hollebaugh, Jacob Hollebaugh, and George Hollebaugh, one dollar current money to each of them or their heirs, that with what they have before from me received.

Item second, I give and bequeath to my daughters, Catharine Wilson, Mary Degroff, Susanna Tipton, Elizabeth Hollebaugh, Margaret Steinour (?), and Hannah Dull, one dollar current money to each of them or their heirs, that with what they have before from me received, shall be in full of their share out of my estate, both real and personal

Item third, I give and bequeath to my son, John Hollebaugh, all my estate, both real and personal, that may be remaining after my debts and funeral expenses, and the foregoing legacies are well and truly paid, that is to say, after said payments are made, I give to my son the remainder of my estate, both real and personal, to him and his heirs forever, Subject to his maintaining myself and his Mother during our natural life in a decent and becoming manner both in clothing and requisites of life as boarding, washing, fire wood, and all that will tend to the comfort of myself and his mother during our lives.  
Should my decease take place before my wife, Mary, I then order and direct that my wife, Mary, may make a written contract with John Hollebaugh, he binding himself in the same to support her as directed by me during life and if my wife requires it, to demand Security from John Hollebaugh for his true performances to her as I have directed.

And I hereby make and ordain my Son, John Hollebaugh, my executor to this my Last Will and Testament.
In witness, thereof I, Christopher Hollebaugh, the testator, have to .?. this my will, written on paper, set my had and seal this second day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty one.
Christopher Hollabaugh"

The Gettysburg Compiler, November 18, 1850, simply reported Christopher's death -
"Hollabaugh, Christopher, died 14 Nov. 1850, 83 years.

James Renshaw, one of the witnesses to the will, filed the will in court on November 20, 1850.

Christopher was buried in, what was then called, Christ Reformed Church Cemetery, but now is know as Christ United Church of Christ Cemetery near Littlestown in Adams County, PA.

Go to www.findagrave. com  for more information.

  Sadly, John Hollabaugh, the son who inherited it all and who was instructed to take care of his parents, died the very next year, in 1851, and was buried with his father.  John wrote his will in March or May (unreadable) 1851 and he died by July of the same year.  
The Adams Sentinel, Gettysburg, PA, reported on Monday, July 21, 1851 -
 "SUICIDE.  On the evening of the 13th inst. Mr. John Hollebaugh of Union township, put an end to his existence by hanging himself on a tree near his residence.  He had been depressed in spirits for some time."

Oh, how sad for Mary who lost a husband and a son, her caretaker, within a year.  One researcher stated that John had a facial cancer that led him to the suicide, but I could not find that information in my research.
John's will:
"I, John Hollebaugh, of Union Township, Adams County, and state of Pennsylvania, do make and publish this my last will and testament, hereby revoking and making void all former wills by me at anytime made, and first, I direct my body after my decease by directly intered in the burying ground at the direction of my friends in a manner corresponding with my Estate in Life, and as to such worldly Estate as it hath pleased God to intrust me with,
I dispose of it in the manner following
First, I direct that my just debts and funeral be paid as soon after my decease as possible out of any monies that shall come into the hands of my Administrator or executor from any portion of my estate either real or personal,
and after payment thereof and every part there of, I give and bequeath until my mother, Mary Hollenbaugh, the remainder of my Estate."


  In the 1860 census, Christopher's wife and John's mother, Mary, was living with another lady in the town of Gettysburg.  On June 14, 1860, Mary Holabaugh, 83, was head of a household which only included Hannah Black, 29, who probably served as caregiver.

So, the children of Christopher Jr. and Mary Hollabaugh numbered 10 - or at least that is the number alive at the writing of the will.  They were:
David, Jacob, George*, John, Catherine, Mary (also known as Polly), Susannah, Elizabeth, Margaret and Hannah.  All of them received some kind of compensation during their lifetimes, according to their father.  Only John remained at home and cared for his parents and thus, inherited, but briefly, his father's estate.