Christophel Wimer Biography from The Wimer Family

These notes extracted from The Wimer Family by Paul W. Myers, self-published manuscript, <1985.

Christophel Wimer was born 4 Dec. 1770, probably in southeastern PA, of German ancestry. His name appars in documents as Christopher or the earlier Christophel, surname as Wimer, Weimer, and Weimert. He went by "Stophel". He was early apprenticed to learn the blacksmith trade. He married Mary Sophia Snyder (born 22 Jan. 1769) and by 1793 they lived in Earl Township, Lancaster Co. PA. For two years after Oct. 1793 the lived in Codorus Twp., York Co. They are said to have arrived in Butler County in 1798 from Adams County; however 1800 census records them still residing in hamiltonban Twp., Adams Co. In Butler Co. they settled north of present day Jacksville, and appear there in the Slippery Rock Twp. tax rolls of 1805, Christophel working as a blacksmith.
They erected a log cabin, log barn and outbuildings, and set about improving their wilderness tract. They raised a family of 7 children, all but the oldest son, Samuel, receiving an education in the early school established on either the Wimer or the Pisor farm. In addition to blacksmithing, the family engaged in farming, raised stock, and hunted wild game. It is recalled that they grew flax to combine with wool from their sheep to produce the "linsey-woolsey" clothes for the family. Sophia spun the fibers and wove the fabric on spinning wheel and loom, in addition to constructing the garments.
Their neighbors in the community were predominately Scots-Irish, and the Wimers appear to have had good relationships with them. Their children intermarried with neighbor families, and worked with William Elliot, a surveyor and land agent, in acquiring real estate. The Wimers were mebers of the Seceder Congretation, organized in 1808 as the "Mouth of Wolf Creek Church", meeting in homes or outdoors until 1811 when the first structure was erected near the present day site of Wolf Creek U. P. Church. Christophel, Sophia, and six of their seven children are buried in the Wolf Creek Cemetery.
Both Christophel and Sophia died in the spring of 1842 of an illness, attended by Dr. John Cowden. Stophel died six days after Sophia, intestate. The children worked with Benjamin F. Elliot, a son of William Elliot, to settle the remaining real estate issues, conveying the Wimer Homestead by deed to the Wimer heirs on 7 June, 1842. Because the youngest son, Isaac, had yet to recieve a share of property, the other heirs quit-claimed the homestead to him on 14 July, 1842. The property eventually became, by the 1980's, a part of the Russell Brandon Farm, located on Brandon Road in Worth Twp., Butler County.

Real Estate Transactions

• 22 Oct 1793 - 12.5 acres, from Henry Kemmerling, Codorus Twp., York Co. PA
• 21 Dec, 1795 - sold this property to Henry Haell for 10 pounds 10 shillings.

• 1806 - 141 acres, 137 perches adjoining land of William Elliot, Jacob Pisor, Wm. McNees & David Armstrong; purchased from William Elliot for $1000. This became their homestead in Worth Twp., Butler Co. PA.

• 1 Oct 1822 - 210 acres from John & Catherine Rhey, for $500; this comprised Lot No. 151 in survey of Wm. Alexander of the 1st District Donation Lands, originally surveyed in Feb. 1786.

• 7 July 1824 - 300 acres purchased for $135 at sheriff's sale for back taxes, reputed owner Thomas Nixon; this tract comprised Lot No. 9, 1st Dist. Donatin Lands, several miles NE of Pleasant Valley, north side of Muddy Creek; Subsequently sold to jacob Pisor.

• 11 July 1832 - 200 acres, Lot NO. 123, !st Dist. Donation Lands, near Isle, $155; original patentee William McDowell.

• 25 Aug. 1832 - 123 acres, 73 perches, $600, along Slippery Rock Creek, from John Bell

It is noted by Paul W. Myers that by 1832, the Wimers owned 950 acres in Worth Twp.

• Because Christophel died intestate, Benjamin F. Elliott worked out an agreement, dated 7 May 1842, whereby the Wimer heirs agreed to periodic payments to the Wm. Elliot, and later to his heirs, to complete the purchase of the original Wimer Homestead, on which a balance of $250 remained unpaid. The deed, dated 7 June 1842, was then conveyed to the Wimer heirs.