Last revised: 19 Dec 2012
Born c. 1730, VA – Died Before 25 Jul 1808, KY
Julius Christy, the son of Samuel Christy, is thought to have been born about 1730 near the mouth of York River in Gloucester County, Virginia . He was a twin. Because Julius’ father passed away without leaving a Will, his older brother, Samuel inherited all of their father’s land, as well as his slaves, according to old English law. Shortly thereafter, however, Samuel’s entire family, and all but one of his slaves died from smallpox. Julius who had recently been apprenticed to a man name James Booker to learn the carpenter’s trade, was away from home at the time and fortunately did not catch the fever. The one surviving black was subsequently inherited by Julius, and worked for him as a carpenter’s assistant.
Sometime after this, Julius moved into the portion of Virginia where Orange and Clupeper Counties come together, and it was in Culpeper County that he married his wife, Agatha Barnett. Agatha, who was also a native of Virginia, was the daughter of John Barnett and Marran Gibbs. Agatha’s ancestry, on his father’s side, traces back to Bedfordshire, England through richard Garnett and Anne Corderoy (also written Cordray), who immigrated into Virginia prior to 1650. They apparently settled in that portion of York County, Virginia that was later formed into Gloucester County Virginia 1651. On her mother’s side Agatha traces back to England through the immigrants, Gregory and Mary Gibbs, who originally settled in the 1660’s in that portion of Lancaster County, Virginia that was formed into Middlesec County, Virginia in 1673. A few of the surnames associated with these families in England are Goddard, Woolhouse, Muscote, Haselwood, Marmion, Baker, Seymour, Winchcombe, Kingsmil and Goring.
On August 15, 1754, Julius purchased 100-acres of land from a man named Charles Walker. This property, which was located along the Rapidan River, was situated in both Culpeper and Orange Counties. Julius later built a gristmill on this property, which he operated from nearly 20 years. The mill was subsequently destroyed by a spring flood, and even through Julius had the mill rebuilt, it was not long afterwards that he and Agatha sold the property and moved with their children to western Virginia.
In ca. 1776/77, Julius and Agatha moved to that part of Botetourt County, Virginia that is now within the borders of Greenbriar County, West Virginia. They apparently stayed there for approximately nine years, during which time Julius served in the revolutionary War. In the record of Land Entitlements for Greenbriar County dated 11 January 1780, Julius received title to 400 acres of land for having settled it prior to 1 January 1778. On 5 December 1780, Julius Christy was listed as being one of the Greenbriar residents who signed a petition to raise “Twenty tuns of hemp off the tithable persons in this county for the purpose making a market road from this place to Richmond.”
Several years later about 1785/86, Julius and his family moved further west into the (future) State of Kentucky, where they settled in Clark County. Julius died in 1808 in Clark County. His Will, which was written on 5 December 1805, was subsequently probated on 25 July 1808. Although Agatha also passed away in Kentucky, the date of her death has not been determined.
Julius and Agatha Barnett Christy had a daughter named Sarah. Sarah married E. william Davis and they had a daughter named Cynthia Ann. Cynthia married Seth W. Porter, MD and they had a son named Albert G. Porter, MD. Albert married Juletta Rachel Moore and they had a son named John Rush Porter, MD. John Rush married Lemintine Witt and they had a son, John Richard Porter, MD. John Richard married Ethel Johnson and they had a daughter Sarah Lear Porter Smith.
By: Susan Smith Source: The Kentuckian Vol. 3, Issue 2, pages 6 & 7