Christian L. Heistand

As printed in 1908

CHRISTIAN L. HEISTAND, one of Clark County's most highly respected citizens, resides on a valuable farm containing 1211/2 acres, which is situated in Bethel Township, about six miles west of Spring-field, and owns an additional 165 acres which is located in Springfield Township. Mr. Heistand was born on his father's farm in York County, Pennsylvania, December 26, 1836, and is a son of Abraham and Leah (Lonnecker) Heistand.

The Heistand family in America is cotemporary with William Penn's settlement in Pennsylvania. The first authentic record is when John Heistand sailed from Germany in the ship "Brittania," in 1731, accompanied by his two brothers, Abraham and Balser, and two sisters, Barbara and Anna, to join the Penn colony in Pennsylvania. They had fled prior to this to Switzerland on account of religious persecution. These emigrants landed at Philadelphia in the fall of the above year and they settled in Lancaster County. According to family tradition.the family had been represented in Penn's earliest settlements, but only authenticated records are here given. The John Heistand above named took up 500 acres of government land, and 200 acres of this remains in the possession and the name of the Heistand family. John and Abraham remained in Pennsylvania, but Balser went to the South, and all trace of that line is lost.

Abraham, son of the above John Heistand, was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where he lived to the age of eighty-eight years. His occupations were those of the prosperous men of his day, tanning, distilling and milling. He was a man of robust constitution, and it is recorded that he frequently took a horseback ride of sixty miles between York, Pennsylvania, and Baltimore, Maryland. He also traveled over the country by the same means and visited Niagara Falls. Later in life he removed to York County and engaged in farming, becoming a man of large means for his day. He was twice married, his children being those of his union with his first wife, Elizabeth, Inamely: John, Abraham, William, Balser, Sarah, Nancy and Susan. His second marriage was to Anna Carl.

Abraham Heistand, father of Christian L., was born on his father's farm in York County, Pennsylvania, where his whole life was passed, his death taking place at the age of seventy-eight years. He married Leah Lonnenecker, who survived to be ninety-two years old. They had eleven children, as follows: John, Catherine, Sarah, Christian L., Abraham, Susan, WilUam, Jacob and Amanda, twins, Anna and Alice, all of whom still survive except Alice, who was the wife of J. Robaugh.

Christian L. Heistand remained on the home farm until he was sixteen years of age, when he went to Baltimore and learned the machinist's trade in the Pool & Hunt machine shops, where he sei-ved an apprenticeship of four years. From there, in 1860, he came to Ohio and worked for a short time in the Pitts machine shops at Springfield. His brother, Abraham, then joined him, and together they bought the old General Mason farm in Moorefield Township, situated on the Ui'bana Turnpike, consisting of 220 acres, and on this place they lived for four years.

On December 22, 1863, Mr. Heistand was married to Catherine M. Leffel, who was born on the present site of the Masonic Home, which then belonged to her father, Daniel Leffel.

The latter married Margaret Sintz, a daughter of Peter Sintz, of Clark County. They had four children, of whom Catherine (Mrs. Heistand) was the youngest, and is the only survivor. On the site above mentioned Mr. Heistand then conducted the 0. K. tavern, and is credited with having originated that abbie\dation so generally used. In 1867 Mr. and Mrs. Heistand came to the present farm, having lived during 1866 at Sugar Grove. He bought this land from the Miller estate in 1868 and has greatly improved the place. He has erected substantial farm buildings and has placed the land under a fine state of cultivation. He carries on general agriculture and sells a large quantity of milk by wholesale.

Mr. and Mrs. Heistand have four children, two sons and two daughters, both of the former being physicians. They are as follows: Horace, who is a graduate of the Ohio Medical College at Cincinnati, is engaged in practice at Donnelsville; he married Anna Minnick. Clinton, who is also a graduate of the Ohio Medical College, married Luella Forgy, and they have two children, Robert and Richard. Nora, who married Frank Carter, has three children, Floyd H., Christian D. and Arthur H., and they reside on the home farm. Anna, who married F. E. Fundeberg, resides on the Springfield Township farm.

Mr. and Mrs. Heistand are members of the Baptist Church. He has served as school director for some eighteen years, but otherwise has taken no particular interest in official life.

As printed in 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.