Christian Stauffer

Christian Stauffer, the third of the children of John and Margreta Barth Stauffer, was born April 29, 1798 in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. Like his brothers and sisters, he was brought up by strangers after the death of his mother in 1804. His father died of complications from a hog bite in 1814. Several accounts exist, as to what happened after his mother passed away: He was adopted by his uncle Henry Stauffer of Franklin County or by Christian Doughterman who married his Aunt Barbara Stauffer. He was also taken in by Phillip Stein and learned the hatters trade. It is possible that all are correct. He did work for Phillip Stein, a hatter by trade in Annville Pennsylvania.  The quaint old stone house in which the business was carried on for two generations is still standing in Annville, on the principal street of the town.  Christian was a hatter by trade for 15 years.

While learning his trade, he formed the acquaintance of Christiana Ensminger, who was the living with her married sister, Mrs. Catherine Miller at that time residing two miles south of Annville.  Christian Stauffer and Christiana Ensminger were married in the Lutheran and Reformed Church in Annville, December 31, 1818.

Christiana was the daughter of Peter Ensminger, a man of great moral and intellectual force, and an astronomer of considerable note in his day, and a lieutenant in the Revolutionary War. His scarred face eloquently testified to his love of country.  The young couple began housekeeping at Jonestown, Lebanon county.  From there they moved to Myerstown, Pennsylvania, seven miles east of Lebanon.  Here he carried on his trade for some years.  From this place they moved to Palmyra, on the Reading and Harrisburg Pike Pennsylvania.  From this place they moved to Spring Creek or Derry Church, Dauphin County, where they bought a small farm just outside of the village.  From this place they moved by wagon to Stark County, Ohio, early in the spring of 1833.  They settled first at Newman’s creek and later on bought a farm five miles northwest of Massillon on which Paul’s Station is now situated.  He cleared and farmed 150 acres. In the spring of 1856, they moved to Nimishillen Township, Stark County, Ohio, between Canton and Louisville. 

Christian and Christiana were members of the Lutheran Church during the earlier part of their married life.  In fact, all of the children except two were christened in that faith.  The probability is that Christian, in spite of his Mennonite training was induced by his wife to enter the Lutheran Church about the time of their marriage.  However, that may be, Christian never was an ardent Lutheran, and both were converted to the belief of the church called Brethren in Christ or “River Brethren” in 1839.  In this change Christian took the initiative and his wife followed him only after a stern inward protest and much misgiving and heaviness of heart.  In this denomination he found ample scope for the use of his talents as a preacher, in which capacity he served for about fifteen years.  During a part of this time, he was bishop of the congregations of three counties.