This was written in response to an inquiry about Christian of Chester County, having to do with proving him a descendant of Conrad for SAR purposes.

So I am not the SAR. If I were, they would have far fewer errors in their database because I am a huge skeptic about most things people think they know about their family history and I believe one must be able to state the proof of everything about who is related to whom, especially when someone moves.

Having said that, I also believe not everything can be proven in genealogy and if I can construct a detailed logical analysis that ties everything together and -- if I have also pursued every possible lead that might uncover anything that would call into question the conclusions I am drawing -- and there are no “discordant notes” -- nothing calls my conclusions into question or stands in contradiction -- then I am willing to say it is proven to my satisfaction.

So I am telling you that I am convinced that your Christian born 1800 was the son of Christian born (I forget, I’m doing this from memory, but ) 1766 wasn’t it?

Here’s my flow of analysis and logic.

In 1850, Christian age 84 is living in Montgomery County with Mary and Matthias Geist. I would guess Mary is his daughter. I haven’t worried about proving that but maybe you know if that is a fact. It doesn’t really matter -- the point is he’s there and living with someone else. And in 1850, your Christian is in Chester County.

If you search what are called Pennsylvania Censuses in Ancestry.com -- there is a Christian Sr and Christian Jr. reported in 1842 in Coventry. I know that your Christian (1800) had a son of that name but he was only 7. So the conclusion is that Christian Sr. moved also to Coventry before returning to Montgomery by 1850.

(The Sr. and Jr. are not necessarily conclusive as the term Jr. was used in early times to denote younger. A Jr. may have been the nephew of the Sr., for example. However, I’m not sure that was still the case by 1842.)

http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=pace...mp;uidh=xlu&cp=0

So I went looking for the Christians in 1840. Now understand, I am very thorough at searching Census. I used every trick involving wild cars and alt spellings. I know the name was often Pickhart and I know that mis-spellings of either were possible.

So, I’m just going to say, Christian Sr. (1766) was nowhere to be found in 1840. But have you looked at the household of Christian Jr. in 1840 -- spelled Bockhart in Coventry (maybe Pockhart, can’t read my own writing). There are 2 older males there, 1 is 40-50, the other is 70-80. Christian I and II, I would guess.

Now let’s go to 1830. I can’t find either but I found the household of George Pickhart in Coventry -- that’s when I started to pay attention to him. I’ll get back to his Census listing in a moment.

So I searched Ancestry.com for George and wonder of wonders, there is an actual death certificate for him there. It says he was the son of Christian Bickhart and Anna Schlotter. He was born in 1794.

In 1840, he too has an older male in his household age 60-70. Curiously, he himself must be the male said to be 20-30.

I don’t know where Christian II is -- have you found him in 1840?

So anyway -- my logic is that there is clear evidence that George, son of Christian came to Coventry before 1830. And there is clear evidence that Christian Sr. was there too (the 1842 listing). And Jr. was there too.

So I don’t consider it a leap of faith at all to conclude that Christian 1800 was the son of Christian I and brother of George. Geography, the uniqueness of the name, the extra older male always in someone’s household -- all lead to that conclusion. Plus, no discordant notes.

I’m also trying to remember if we know the names of all of Conrad Sr.’s sons. One was Conrad Jr. but he was in Northumberland County by I think 1811 or so. Was there any other but Christian 1764?

Also, Alicia checked the tax records of Montgomery County and her conclusion is that Christian Sr. disappeared about he time it would seem he and his sons may have moved to Chester.