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| Birth: | 1 May 1756 in Reading, Berks Co., PA 1 |
| Death: | 31 Jul 1837 in Back Creek, Augusta Co, VA |
| Sex: | M |
| Father: | Peter Baltzly b. 1725 in Langnau, Canton Bern, Switzerland |
| Mother: | Elizabeth Gessler b. About. 1730 in Langnau, Canton Bern, Switzerland |
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| Elizabeth Keinadt (Wife) b. 29 Apr 1760 in Lancaster Co. PA
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| Marriage: | 19 AUG 1778 in Cumberland Co., PA |
| Children: | |
 Catherine Balsley b. 1 May 1781 in Reamstown, Lancaster, PA
- George Adam Balsley b. 31 Oct 1781 in Cumberland Co., PA
 John Balsley b. 29 Dec 1783 in Cumberland Co., PA
- Christian Balsley b. 9 Jan 1786 in Cumberland Co., PA
- Elisabeth Balsley b. 28 Mar 1790 in Carlisle, Cumberland Co., PA
- Jacob Balsley b. 28 Aug 1792 in Augusta Co, VA
- Rebecca Balsley b. 6 Apr 1796 in VA
- Jonathan Balsley b. 25 Jul 1798 in VA
- Samuel Balsley b. 28 Dec 1800 in VA
- Jesse Balsley b. 3 Dec 1801 in Augusta Co, VA
- Elijah Balsley b. 1804 in Augusta Co, VA
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| Notes | | |
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Individual:
Occupation: gunsmith. Served in Rev. War according to pension request from his wife who was 79 years old in Sept 13, 1839. She claims to be widow of Christian who was a private in the War. She gives marriage information and his death information. On entering the military service, his name was spelled Balsley, so he kept this spelling. These military records show he was in great demand as a gunsmith. He was described as tall and slender, jocular and witty, expert with his rifle and known in his military company as the "Swiss". Christian was in the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Co., Lancaster Co., Militia. He was in the Battle of Long Island where his brother Peter, was captured by the British. Peter was badly treated in the English prison and died there. Christian escaped capture by the British soldier by retreating through a piece of woodland and marsh which the enemy's horses had to pass around. Christian's brothers John and Jacob were also in the American Revolutionary War. Christian served from June 1775 to Dec. 1782, not consistently, but whenever he was called.
From "Records of Augusta Co., VA" by Chaulkey, Christian Balsley made a declaration Sept. 25, 1832, in order to receive a military pension. He said he was born in Burks Co., Pa, and enlisted in the war by 1776 in Captain Heasler's unit serving in the Pennsylvania Line. By July 1778, he was in a unit of 490 men sent to guard the frontier against the Indians. The British paid the American Indians to harass the settlers whenever they could, in order to help the British cause. The following was taken from the USGenWeb site for Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish: "Christian Balsley's Declaration: Was born in
Burks County, Penna., May 1st, 1756, and removed to Virginia in 1790; enlisted in 1776 in the Company of Captain Heaster, First Lieut. Gist, Ensign Brashes; served in the Pennsylvania Line; was living at Reading; his company, with several others, were paraded there near the first of June, 1776; marched thence to Newtown, where they joined Col. Holler's Regiment; Lieut. Col. Loots and Major Bott were also his officers; crossed the Delaware to Trenton; thence to Princeton; thence to Lispertown; thence to Amboy, where they remained a few weeks and marched to New York; thence to Long Island; there they were attacked on August 27th; the day before the battle he had been called out on picket duty, and on the morning of the battle the picket was nearly surrounded by the British Light Horse and compelled to retreat; they escaped through a piece of woodland and marsh, which the enemy's horse had to pass around; a few were taken prisoners, among them the declarant's brother; they passed over to New York, thence to King's Bridge, thence to White Plains; a battle took place there a few days after their arrival, but declarant was out on a scouting party; thence across the river to Jersey; thence to Trenton, where the
alarm was given; the army crossed to Delaware to Pennsylvania, where he was discharged December 29th. In July, 1777, he was drafted in the seventh class; marched from Reading to White Marsh Hill, where he remained facing the enemy until discharged; served two and one-half months; was under the command of Col. Bull. In 1778, he was again drafted and marched from Reading to about fifty miles above East Town, on the Delaware River; was one of about 400 men sent to guard the frontier against the Indians; Capt. Miller commanded one of the companies."
Regarding his marriage to Elizabeth Keinadt (name eventually spelled Koiner/Coyner in VA), her family was opposed to the union, so Christian moved his family to the home town of his military captain, Andrew Ream - Reamstown, PA. After the war, he worked in a cannon factory at Reading, PA. here he made considerable money because of his great skill. It was only here when father-in-law changed his mind about Christian.
Christian moved his family in 1794 from Pennsylvania to Virginia when his old friend, General Stewart, offered him a great amount of land for a very small sum of money. In Virginia they found themselves owners of a large tract of timber on undeveloped land on the slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains. His family was first located near New Hope, north of Waynesboro which is east of Staunton, VA. Christian built a sawmill, a road to Staunton and bought enough oxen and wagons to take his products to market. His home was described as a real Swiss Chalet set on Back Creek, not far from Monticello, home of Thomas Jefferson, where he owned about 930 acres.
Children's dates of birth, death and marriage from "Christian Balsley Rev. War Soldier and Founder of the Balsley Family of Virgina" by Earl D. Balsley, 1987. Earl Balsley also wrote of "Immigrant Peter Baltzly's Settlement in Berks Co., PA 1754" privately published in 1993.
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| Sources | | |
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- Book titled "Genealogy of the Baltzly-Balsley-Polsley Family with Other Variations of the Name" by Katherine A. Polsley Bryan published 1939.
Gave statement of birth date in Pension file.
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