Notes
Note N487
Index
His daughter Emma's death certificate gives his place of birth as Maryland.
Birth date from burial records, source unknown, provided by Joyce E Brown, jebrown@dmacc.cc.ia.us. 1880 Iowa Census gives birthplace as Maryland, also.
Notes
Note N488
Index
Occupation: Farmer.
Notes
Note N489
Index
From information by Joyce E Brown, jebrown@dmacc.cc.ia.us
His obituary reads as follows: "An Old Pioneer Gone" St. Claire Chrisinger, an Aged Citizen, Died Last Evening. Was 85 Years Old, and Lived in Burlington Almost 25 Years - A Noble Life - Funeral Sunday. A noble life was ended at seven o'clock last night, when Mr. St. Claire Chrisinger passed away at his home on the corner of Aetna and Gunnison streets, West Hill.
For some time past, Mr. Chrisinger's strength had been falling steadily, and his death was not unexpected. The last hours of his life were quiet and without suffering, and the departure from this life was a most peaceful one.
Many friends in the city will miss very much the familiar face of the good old man, who had endeared himself to the hearts of hundreds of friends. His life was pure and good, and during the many years of his residence here he was loved by many and respected by all who knew him.
St. Claire Chrisinger was more than 85 years old. He was an eastern man, having lived during the earlier part of his life in Pennsylvania and other of the eastern states. Mr. Chrisinger was a ship-builder by trade, and spent many years in the government ship-yards. During the civil war he was employed by the government in the yards near Pittsburg, and worked on the vessels (sic) that were built for service in the war.
Almost twenty-five years ago Mr. Chrisinger moved to Burlington, and has lived here since that time. He leaves two sons, Homer, who lives in Denver, and John M., who lives with his family in this city. Mrs. Chrisinger survives her husband also. One daughter, Mrs. Emma Hartsell, is also living. There are three brothers of the deceased, Robert, living in Oregon; Phillip, living in Oakland, Cal., and John, living in Chicago.
The funeral will be held Sunday afternoon from the residence on Gunnison street.
Notes
Note N490
Index
Ship Carpenter
Notes
Note N491
Index
Ship's Carpenter
Notes
Note N492
Index
From a letter by Phyllis Rothlauf, Des Moines County Genealogical Society, PO Box 493, Burlington, Iowa 52601
Enclosed please find an extract from the 1870 Federal Census which shows the listing for that family. Please note the age differentials between S., Sarah and Jno; I can believe that Emma was the daughter of S. and Sarah, but there must have been a previous marriage to produce Jno.
The 1879 Des Moines County History has only the listing "S. Chrissinger, farmer, PO Middletown" and the 1888 history does not list him at all. He may have died in that nine years or since the 1888 book was a subscription type, maybe he just didn't want to pay to see his name in print.
I could not locate him or Sarah or Jno. in any of the Flint River township cemeteries so checked Danville and Franklin (surrounding townships) but could not find them.
Said census, page 28, dwelling 203, family 207 lists S Chrissinger's real estate value as 8000, personal property value as 3910. Sarah is listed as "keeping house". Jno N. is listed as 23 years old, farm labor. Mary E. Watkins is listed as 29 years old. All the above listed with Pennsylvania as birthplaces. She was the widow of Lewis Watkins. Also present in the household at the time of the census was Augustus LABERC, age 17, listed as "farm labor", birthplace given as Sweden.
Washington county is in the southwest corner of Pennsylvania, just south of current day Pittsburgh. Carrol township is on the east side of the county, on the Monongahela River. This is just a few miles from the junction of the Monongahela, the Allegheny and the Ohio rivers, so its location is consistent with St. Clair's occupation of Ship's Carpenter. It was on the Ohio at Pittsburgh that Robert Fulton launched the first steamship in 1811, so this area may have been an active boat-making area.
His name is listed as Sinclair Chrissinger on his daughter Emma's death certificate from Kansas.
According to Lulu Hanna, St. Clair was a steamboat builder by trade, owning his own boatyards and built steamboats for the Government during the Civil War. Also was Postmaster at Brownsville for a while. Moved to a farm near Burlington, Iowa about 1870. Later, about 1882, moved into Burlington, Iowa.
His term as Postmaster at West Brownsville began 29 Aug 1853 and extended to 2 Nov 1861. Two years later James H Crissinger was appointed as Postmaster.
The borough of California was laid out in 1848 and the first dwelling was constructed in 1849. Soon after the founding of the town, its proprietors placed in operation a saw-mill. In 1851, this mill was leased by a firm composed of William McFall, Jr, St. Clair Chrisinger and James Imley, who during the summer of that year, engaged in boat-building. They continued the business but two or three years, however, being succeeded by Capt. Mark Sterling and Benjamin Coursin.
According to John Watkins, 131 steamboats were built there from 1851 through 1879. Ownership transfers and litigation information is available at the county Recorder of Deeds and the Prothonotary office. I wonder if St. Clair's first wife was a sister of James??
In the first elections after the incorporation of the borough of California, Pennsylvania, in November of 1853, St. Clair Chrisinger was elected as one of the councilmen of the city. California was about 5 miles upstream from Brownsville, Pa in East Pike Run township.
St. Clair was appointed postmaster of West Brownsville on 2 Nov 1861 and served until 3 Apr 1863.
It is curious to note that in the history of West Brownsville, which was laid out in 1831, we see that the third postmaster of West Brownsville was one Homer Chrisinger. The relationship of Homer to St. Clair is unknown, but it could be his son James Homer Chrissinger.
1859 Directory of Monongahela Valley, California, Washington County
From the Thurstons Directory of the Monongahela and Youghiogheny Valleys - 1859
Chrissinger, St. Clair, boat builder
Chrissinger, John, boat builder
The name "St Clair" may be a reference to General Arthur St. Clair, a native of Scotland, who came to America in 1758 with Boscawen's fleet, took part in several important engagements and was with Wolfe at Quebec. He established his family in Pennsylvania's Ligonier Valley in 1764, operated mills there and had a fine dwelling house. Later he fought the Indians and was with George Washington in the Revolution. He was also a member of the court that condemned Major Andre.
Benjamin Coursin, listed above, located on the Reynoldton side of the Youghoigheny in what is now the tenth ward of McKeesport. There he erected a saw mill and started a shipyard on his own account. Coursin later sold his mill and shipyard to Hammitt, Milliken and Chrissinger, and devoted his time to the management of steamboat lines, in which he was interested.
Isaac Hammitt Jr., was part owner in the boat building yard , with Hammitt , Milliken & Chrissinger . Purchased from Capt. Benjamin Coursin in McKeesport where the ,"Dan Pollard", The "V. F. Wilson" , and the "Ike Hammitt" , where built . It is stated in the , History of Allegheny CO. "That Many of the fastest Steamers on the western waters where built there. The ALVIN ADAMS said to be the fastest steamboat that ever left New Orleans , was lunched from this yard".
"Know all men by these presents that I, St. Clair M Chrisinger being in my right mind make this writing as my last will and testament.
1st That in case of my death occuring before that of my wife Sarah Chrisinger, it is my will and wish that she the said Sarah Chrisinger shall have so long as she shall live the free use of my present homestead, known as 321 Gunnison (sp?) Street in the city of Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa, the real estate thereof comprising Lot 151: 106 feet deep and the South 14 feet of lot 150, being 156 feet deep, both lots being of Smith Addition to the City of Burlington, County of Des Moines, State of Iowa, that she shall have the free use of all the carpets, stoves, beds and bedding and any and all other furniture that may be in the aforesaid house at the time of my death, that she shall have any income that may be reason of rent or lease, also that she the aforesaid Sarah Chrisinger shall have the free use of all the income from the property known as number 114 South Woodlawn Ave , the real estate being lot No. 49, Smiths addition to the City of Burlington, County of Des Moines, State of Iowa.
2nd It is my further will and wish that after the death of my wife Sarah Chrisinger that my daughter Mrs. Emma Hartzell now living at Sedan Kansas shall have and own all the furniture of what so ever kind that may be in my homestead, the house known as number 321 Gunnison Street, except one hard coal Base Runner stove.
3rd It is my further will and wish that upon the death of my wife the afore said Sarah Chrisinger that my son James Homer Chrisinger shall, he having paid to my daughter Mary E Watkins the sum of Five Dollars, loan on his property the present homestead the same being Lot151 and the south 14 feet of Lot 150 of Smiths addition to the City of Burlington County of Des Moines, State of Iowa and the buildings thereon.
4th It is my further will and wish that upon the death of my wife the aforesaid Sarah Chrisinger that my son John M Chrisinger shall he having paid to my daughter Mary E Watkins the sum of Five Dollars, own as his property the Lot number 49, Smith's addition to the City of Burlington, County of Des Moines and State of Iowa and all the buildings there on situated.
Signed, St. Clair Chrisinger.
I do declare that the above is my free will wish and desire as to the disposition of my property after my death all my debts and funeral expenses being first paid. St. Clair Chrisinger.
We the undersigned were present and witnessed the signing of the above document by St. Clair Chrisinger this 4th day of December AD 1894. Clara M Stone, M. P. Sharts."
Statement of Heirs Sarah Chrisinger, wife, age 68, residing at 321 South Gunnison, Mary E Watkins, daughter, age 60, residing in the city; James H Chrisinger, son, age 58, residing in Denver, Colorado; John M Chrisinger, son, age 54, residing in the city; Emma G Hartzell, daughter, age 46, residing in Sedan, Kansas.
Source: https://journals.psu.edu/wph/article/viewFile/3741/3559: The ownership of the boatyards is rather sketchy, however. When California was founded in 1849, the proprietors, as was the custom in a potentially developing community, established a sawmill. In July 1851, the sawmill was purchased by McFall and Company, and the first boatyard, with two launchways, began operation on the site of the former Pennsylvania Railroad station (now the California Public Library).3 The hulls were usually constructed and then taken to Brownsville or Pittsburgh for completion, that is, for the installation of boilers, machinery, and piping.4 Footnote 3: 3 The first owners were William McFall, Jr., James Imlay, and St. Clair Chrissinger. Ownership transfers and litigation information is in the offices of the Recorder of Deeds and the Prothonotary, Washington County Courthouse* Washington, Pa.
"ELIZABETH TOWNSHIP. Pursuant to public notice, a meeting of the citizens of Elizabeth, friendly to the re-election of Joseph Ritner, was held at the Town Hall,, in the borough of Elizabeth, on Saturday, the 15th of September, to appoint a committee of vigilance for said township....The object of the meeting being stated, a motion was made to appoint a committee of vigilance, when the following named persons were chosen:....St. Clair Crissinger..."--19 Sep 1838, The Pittsburgh (PA) Gazette
Alternate birth place is Maryland.