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- Christian Huber/Hoover is on the 1790 Census of Manchester Township, York County, Pennsylvania with one male over 16, four males under 16 and one female.
Christian Hoover was the eldest son of Jacob and Barbara Huber/Hoover. His first land purchase here was in 1804 when he purchased Lots 7, 8 & 10 in Concession 1, Rainham from his brother Abraham. In 1806 he purchased the North Half of Lot 24, Concession 1, Walpole, and all of Lot 24, Concession 2, Walpole from his brother Benjamin, at which time he sold Lot 7, Concession 1, Rainham to Benjamin. In 1809 he purchased the North Half of Lot 23, Concession 1, Walpole from his father Jacob, and in 1810 he purchased Lot 24, Concession 4, Walpole and Lot 1, Concession 4, Rainham from his father Jacob's Estate Sale. So by the time he died in 1811, Christian had purchased Lots for each of his eight surviving children.
Christian Hoover's Account Book:
Christian Hoover (1756-1811) was the eldest son of Jacob and Barbara Huber/Hoover, and according to family tradition came to Walpole in 1802. He along with Jacob's fourth and fifth sons Abraham and David are the ones who are mentioned at first in an account book covering the years 1802 to 1811 which belonged to Christian and has recently been made available for us to study. This new information confirms he indeed was here though he didn't buy land until 1804, this being Lots 8 & 10 in the front or first concession of Rainham, from his brother Abraham. The land he was building his house on in 1802 was not purchased from his brother Benjamin until 1806.
This Christian Hoover Account Book also tells us he was carrying on a mercantile business in 1802, not only with his family and neighbours in Rainham and Walpole but pretty much all the early settlers in the western part of Norfolk County - Charlotteville, Woodhouse, Townsend, Windham and Walsingham Townships - or "The Long Point Settlement" as it was originally called. We are lucky to have not only the original Christian Hoover Account Book, but also the Mill Books of Christian's son Samuel and grandson Jesse whose log book runs until 1894. They are the ones who successively owned the Grist Mill on Stoney Creek. Christian in his will left the Grist Mill to his son Samuel and the Sawmill to his son Jose who was only six years old at the time. In time Jose sold the sawmill to John Cooper who died shortly afterwards and the mill was again left to his son, another minor. The Hoovers for the most part leased the sawmill after this so basically operated both mills which had been started by Christian on his arrival in 1802.
CHRISTIAN HOOVER CEMETERY - An old cemetery was located on Christian Hoover's property, Lot 24, Concession 1, Walpole, back through the fields near an orchard. Some of the burials in this cemetery predate any in the Rainham Mennonite or Hoover Cemetery at Hoover's Point, the first burial at Hoover's Point being Jacob in 1810. Daniel Hoover's infant son Christian was buried here in 1806, his daughter Catharine Swarts was buried here in 1890. A Hoover descendant who used to walk to elementary school at Selkirk across the fields from the lakeshore in the early 1900s told that there were more than one hundred graves. Some of the stones were taken and used along with cement in a breakwall at the lake, others were used as stones over a culvert. In 1972 the remaining fourteen stones were moved to Selkirk Union Cemetery and arranged in two rows of seven stones each with a Memorial Marker to Christian Hoover. The stones that remain are for - Daniel son of George and Susannah Byer, Benjamin son of George and Susannah Byer, Susannah daughter of George and Susannah Byer, George Byer, Susannah wife of George Byer, Matilda wife of William Harrison and daughter of George and Susannah Byer, Catharine wife of Samuel Swarts, John L. Wedgwood son of David and Hannah Wedgwood, Andrew son of Daniel and Elizabeth Hoover, Christian son of Daniel and Elizabeth Hoover, Elizabeth wife of Daniel Hoover, Daniel Hoover, Eli son of Jesse and Mary J. Hoover, Amelia daughter of Jesse and Mary J. Hoover, Alpheus son of Jose and Almira Hoover. It's probable this was the original Hoover burying ground but we will never know who may have been buried here, for sadly, as near as we know, no one ever transcribed the names even though as early as 1930 Myron Gee was making reference to it and its value. It's almost a given that Christian Hoover and his wife Mary are buried here.
From Selkirk Union Cemetery Book:
In 1972 the remaining stones from the original Hoover Cemetery were moved to the Selkirk Union Cemetery. Jacob Hoover [should say Christian Hoover] had come to Canada in 1802 and settled on Stoney Creek in Concession 1, Lot 24 of Walpole Township. A family burial plot was started on this farm in 1806 and used as late as 1894, no deed ever being made for it. In later years when this farm was to be sold, the last remaining stones were offered to the family. The stones were removed in 1972, cleaned and arranged in the Selkirk Cemetery. The plot to accomodate this was donated by the Selkirk Union Cemetery Board.
Christian Hoover's Will
In the Name of God Amen
I Christian Hoover of the Township of Walpole, County of Norfolk, and District of London, being Weak in body but of sound and perfect mind and memory, blessed be to the Almighty God for the Same - do make and publish this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following that is to say - first I give and bequeath unto my beloved Wife - Mary the House and Garden now occupied by her - likewise to receive whatever profit may arise from the Grist Mill - also all the Household furniture be the same more or less and the third of the orchard - but providing that the said Mary at anytime after my decease, should think proper to marry, then the said House to be given up to my son Samuel at his request, and the said Mary to receive two Cows and two of the best Feather Beds.
I also give and bequeath to my oldest son John the lot of land which he now occupies Say two hundred acres be the same more or less in the Township of Rainham in the First Concession Lot Number Eight, providing that he pays - Fifty pounds Provincial Currency for the same.
I also give and bequeath to my son Jacob Two hundred acres of land say Lot Number ten in the Township of Rainham first Concession be the same more or less, providing that he pays Fifty pounds Provincial Currency.
I also give and bequeath to my son Samuel One hundred and fifty Acres of Land improved, which I now occupy Commencing at George Wolf's land, and running up the centre of the Creek and along the outlet of the dam, as far as to make a Straight line across the two Lots, number Twenty three & twenty four but the said Samuel not to get possession of said land until the expiration of one year from next Spring at which time he is to pay one hundred Pounds Provincial Currency for the Same -
I also give and bequeath unto my son Henry, One hundred and fifty Acres of improved Land, which I now occupy, say the rear parts of Lotts Number Twenty three and twenty four be the same more or less, providing that he pays at the Expiration of two years from next Spring - One hundred Pounds Provincial Currency, That is to say Fifty Pounds per year.
I also give and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth Two Hundred Acres of land in the Second Concession Number twenty four in the Township of Walpole be the same more or less, providing that she pays Fifty Pounds Provincial Currency for the same -
I also give and bequeath to my daughter Mary Two hundred acres of Land in the fourth Concession in the Township of Rainham in the fourth Concession number One -
I also give and bequeath to my Daughter Nancy Two hundred acres of Land in the fourth Concession in the Township of Walpole, number twenty four be the same more or less.
I also give and bequeath to my Son Jose Fifty Acres of Land be the Same more or less Commencing at Daniel Hoover's land along the Township Line in Walpole including the Saw Mill and its appurtenances and that the said Jose is at liberty to keep up the Dam at its usual height, the Remainder of the above fifty acres in Rainham lies in the first Concession measuring as far as the Second Concession.
And also whatever remains of my Lease hold Estate, Misuages and tenements, Shall be Equally divided to my heirs and assigns for ever.
I hereby appoint my sons John & Jacob sole Executors of this my last Will and testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me made.
In Witness Whereof I have hereunto Set my hand & Seal this twenty ninth day of November in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Eight hundred and Eleven.
Christian Hoover
Signed Sealed Published
and declared by the above
named Christian Hoover
to be his last Will and
Testament in presence of
us who have hereunto set
our hands as Witnesses
in presence of the Testator
Peter Starnaman
Abrm Hoover
George Wolf
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Rainham Builders
1756 - 1811 (55 years)