BIO: Theo. S. CHRIST, Centre County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JRB Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/centre/ http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/centre/1picts/commbios/comm-bios.htm _____________________________________________________________________ Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania: Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion: Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Etc. Chicago: J. H. Beers, 1898. _____________________________________________________________________ THEO. S. CHRIST, M.D., of State College, Centre county, is a physician of wide reputation and large experience. His skill as a surgeon has won for him the appreciative recognition of the profession at large - a supreme test of merit - and his contributions to medical literature, and the reports of notable cases in his practice, mark a degree of success seldom attained. Dr. Christ is a Pennsylvanian by birth, and belongs to a well-known pioneer family, his great-grandfather Christ having come from Germany in early manhood with two brothers. Jacob Christ, our subject's grandfather, was born in Pennsylvania, and became prominent in the transportation business long before the days of railroads. He hauled goods on contract from Philadelphia to Pittsburg, making use of a large wagon drawn by six black horses. He had three children: Levi B., mentioned below, Eliza, who married William DeHaven, of Minersville, Schuylkill county, Penn.; and Jacob, who met a soldier's death at Gettysburg. Levi B. Christ, our subject's father, was born in Philadelphia, July 4, 1804, and when a boy was taken by his parents to Lewisburg, Union county, where he made his home throughout the later years. He became a successful merchant and foundryman, and was highly esteemed as a citizen. His wife, Hester (Sterner), was a native of Berks county, Penn., born in 1797, and came to Union county in childhood with her parents. She died in August, 1863, and the father's death occurred in 1876. Of their six children two did not live to adult age. The others are: (1) Theo. S., subject of this sketch; (2) Edward B., a merchant at Murphy, Cal.; (3) Mary Priscilla, wife of Daniel S. Kremer, of Philadelphia; and (4) Emily, who married John Dewalt, of Freeport, Ill. She is an aunt of Mrs. William McKinley, wife of the President of the United States. Dr. Christ was reared in the city of Lewisburg, where he was born April 21, 1830. He attended the academy there in boyhood, and also made himself useful in his father's store. Having decided upon the medical profession as a life calling, he began his preparation under a preceptor at Lewisburg, Penn.; and later took a course in the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania, graduating in March 1860. Establishing an office at Lewisburg, he commenced his practice with flattering prospects; but at the first call to arms in 1861 he responded, enlisting April 18, and was made assistant surgeon of the 4th Regiment P. V. I. He assisted to raise the company, and was to have been its captain, but being advised to go in his professional capacity, he in preference accepted a commission as assistant surgeon. On April 21, 1861, he saw active service, his regiment going first to Harrisburg, then to Philadelphia, where they marched through the streets in silence at night. From there they went to Perryville, where they guarded the ferry some ten days; thence proceeded to Annapolis, Md., helping there to build a railroad, later moving to Washington, D.C. After the death of Col. Elsworth, the regiment went into Virginia, and was stationed at Alexandria, thence marching to Bull Run. At the end of their three-months' term of service they were mustered out at Alexandria. Dr. Christ remained at home for two months after his return, but on receiving notice of an examination at Harrisburg for army physicians, he entered it and secured one of the thirteen positions offered, there being 208 applicants. On October 12, 1861, he was made assistant surgeon of the 45th P. V. Vol., which regiment went first to Baltimore, Md., where it embarked for Hilton Head Island, S.C., arriving December 8, 1861. Here it was divided, part moving away to Otter Island, while the part to which Dr. Christ was attached remained on the Island under command of Lieut.-Col. (afterward Gen.) James A. Beaver. Though the Doctor was only assistant surgeon, yet he filled the position of medical director on the Island, and had his hands full, as smallpox had broken out severely among both men of the regiment and the negroes living COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 249 on the island. In one day he vaccinated as many as 97 colored people. In July, 1862, the regiment returned to Fort Monroe, where it encamped. On August 4, 1862, it was assigned to the First Brigade, First Division, Ninth Army Corps, and it was afterward attached to the First Brigade, Second Division, of the same corps. On August 4, 1862, Dr. Christ was promoted to the rank of surgeon, and in the fall of the same year he was made brigade surgeon. On September 6, the regiment moved by water to Washington, D.C.; on the 9th proceeded to Brookville, Md.; thence to Frederick City on the 12th, and to Middletown on the 13th. On the 14th it fought the battle of South Mountain, and had 129 men killed and wounded; then Antietam, where it lost 30 killed and wounded. On October 19th, they pitched their tents opposite Fredericksburg, Va., and were engaged in the fight there December 13, 14 and 15. On February 12, 1863, they were ordered to Newport News, and remained there until the 22d of May. The regiment was then sent to Baltimore, Md., then by rail to Kentucky, June 4th. When an order came to Gen. Burnside, to re-inforce Gen. Grant, at Vicksburg, Miss., it moved at once by rail, via Lebanon, Louisville and Cairo (Ill), and then by boat to near Vicksburg, 19th. On July 4th, Vicksburg was captured by Gen. Grant. In the afternoon of the same day, the regiment went in pursuit of Gen. Joe Johnston's forces, whom it chased to Jackson, Miss., on the 10th, forming line of battle, fighting began, frequent assaults being made daily. On the 17th the enemy retreated across Pearl river, destroying part of their bridge. The regiment then destroyed about fifteen miles of the M. C. railroad and returned to Jackson, on the 20th. Next morning, it started back to its old camp near Vicksburg, arriving there on the 23d, having suffered much from the heat and want of water. On August 4th, it embarked on steamer for Cairo, Ill; from Cairo it proceeded to Cincinnati; thence to Covington, Ky., then to Crab Orchard Springs, where it was recruited, and was fitted for hard and active service. It then started for Knoxville (East Tenn.), via Cumberland Gap; here it surprised the Rebel Gen. Frazer, and captured him and his active command - some 2,500 officers and men - guns and supplies. The men of the Doctor's regiment all enjoyed their marching out of quarters much more than they (the Rebels) did. The regiment arrived at Blue Springs (Tenn.), October 8th, had a battle there, and drove the enemy away so hurriedly that they left their dead and wounded on the field. On the 13th the regiment moved by rail to Knoxville (Tenn.), where it remained for two weeks, then moved twenty-five miles southwest to Knoxville, to near Loudon. On the 16th, it fell back to Knoxville, to protect that place from the enemy, and there remained until January 1, 1864, when 426 men of the 45th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers re- enlisted "for three years or during the way," thus securing themselves a veteran furlough. Being mid-winter, with scanty provisions on which to subsist, it became a question with the officers in command whether to remain and longer wait for rations, or take up the line of march and forage on the way. The latter alternative was chosen. An example of heroic endurance and patriotic devotion to the flag worthy of imitation was manifested in the conduct of the men on the march. With only a quart of meal and five pounds of fresh meat per man, and no certainty of obtaining more on the road, barefooted and poorly clad, it required a patriotism as earnest, and a purpose as fixed, to patiently endure the privations and hardships of the march, as to achieve victory in the face of the enemy. At one time during the engagement with Longstreet, the Doctor was glad to get any sort of food, and often ate corn roasted on the cob, from which they made their coffee; it was also their bread for days at a time. At the end of this term of service in 1863, he was re-mustered as a veteran for three years, or during the war, and came home on a thirty-days' furlough before resuming duty. On January 16, 1864, the regiment commenced this perilous march, via Cumberland Gap. On the 21st it arrived at Barboursville, where the men received full rations and were supplied with shoes. On the 8th of February it arrived at Harrisburg, Penn., and were granted a veteran furlough. It was the first regiment to re-enlist for the war, and reported as such to Gov. A. G. Curtin. This Veteran Regiment, with many new recruits, proceeded on the 19th of March to Annapolis, Md., the place of rendezvous for the veterans of the 9th Army Corps. It was assigned to the First Brigade, Second Division, and moved to Washington, passing on the 25th in review before the President, and encamped near Alexandria, Va. On the 27th, via Fairfax Court House, and the Bull Run battle field, it encamped at Briscoe Station, on the evening of the 28th, and remained guarding the station until May 4th. On the 5th the Wilderness campaign opened. The regiment marched through dense woods and almost impenetrable thickets, bivouacking at night in line of battle. At one A.M. of the 6th the men were aroused, and the battle opened at daylight with great 250 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. fury. The fighting was most desperate. Night coming on, the contest closed. The regiment lost 145 men killed and wounded. Then it proceeded to Chancellorsville, Spottsylvania Court House, Po River, North Anna, Cold Harbor, 1st, 2d and 3d of June. In three days of fighting here its loss was 163 killed and wounded, out of the 300 who were engaged in battle. The 45th Regiment participated in all the movements of the army until it reached the James river, on the evening of the 14th. Crossing on the following morning, it moved on to in front of Petersburg (Va.), arriving there on the 16th at 10 A.M. - at two P.M. it formed line of battle, then fighting began, and lasted a number of days; the loss of the regiment was small - three killed and eighteen wounded. On the 25th the 48th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, assisted at times by the 45th Regiment, began the work of excavation under the Rebel fort in front of the 45th division, and the explosion took place on the morning of the 30th. It was a grand success. The Doctor witnessed it in front of the fort. Here his regiment lost twenty-eight men in killed and wounded. Thus it went on, battle after battle, until the final surrender at Appomattox, April 9, 1865. The Doctor says he always loved the officers and men of the noble 45th Regiment Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers. Everywhere the regiment performed manful and soldierly service, and won for itself and its State an honorable fame, having been engaged in forty-one registered battles, besides a great number of heavy and light skirmishes, and was one of the twelve regiments that were the heaviest losers during the war. It helped to carry our country through the hour of its extreme peril, and proved to all nations of the world that "the government of the people, by the people and for the people" was not to "perish from the earth." During the last year of his service, Dr. Christ was medical director on the staff of Major-Gen. Robert B. Potter, and was surgeon-in-chief of the Second Division, 9th A. C. He was honorably discharged October 30, 1864, expiration of term, and returned home, resuming his practice in May, 1865, at Chester City, Delaware Co., Penn., where he remained thirteen years, before locating at his present home in Centre county. He purchased a farm of 187 acres about a mile from Lemont, and has since spent his time in agriculture and in the practice of his profession. In addition to his homestead he owns 219 acres of timber land in the Valley, and he also had an interest in a store at Lemont, since sold. On December 6, 1871, Dr. Christ was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Irvin Thompson, who was born in Centre county, July 4, 1839, and died February 20, 1887. Four children blessed this union: M. Thompson died at the age of two years, six months and seventeen days; Theo. S. Jr. lived only eight months and seven days; Hester S., born December 5, 1875, was educated at Birmingham Seminary, and Mary Irvin, born March 15, 1878, was graduated from the same institution June 10, 1896. The Doctor and his daughters are members of the Presbyterian Church; socially, he affiliates with the F. and A. M., and has been a Master Mason since 1853, and a Knight Templar since 1865. In politics he has been a Republican since 1856, and while in Chester City he was president of the city council. As may be supposed from his war record, Dr. Christ is a member of the G. A. R., and indeed he was one of the first to join that gallant band. Before its organization he helped to form a Soldiers' Union at Chester City, Penn., which was incorporated with the G. A. R. as Post No. 25, and he was made Post Surgeon. On his removal to Centre county, he helped to organize Post No. 197, at Lemont, and has held the rank of commander for fifteen consecutive years. He is a member of the Veteran Legion, Encampment No. 59, Bellefonte. Dr. Christ takes an active interest in the various medical societies of the regular school, and belongs to the American Medical Association and to the State and County Medical Societies. For several years he served as president of the board of stockholders of Pennsylvania Military Academy at Chester, and for six years he was surgeon-in-charge of the institution. He was elected the first Burgess of State College, Penn. He contributed generously to the medical and surgical history of the war of the Rebellion, and honorable mention is made of thirteen difficult operations made by him, while his work receives well-merited notice also in Atkinson's "Physicians and Surgeons of the United States."