Christian Truby
CHRISTIAN TRUBY, of South Buffalo township, Armstrong county, now living retired, is of German birth, being a native of Kurhessen (Hessen-Cassel), Germany, born July 28, 1835. George and Barbara Truby, his parents were of the same place. The father was a carpenter by trade.
Coming to America in 1848, the family made the voyage in the sailing vessel "Albert," a three-masted schooner, and were eight weeks on the ocean, landing at Baltimore, Md. They proceeded to Cumberland, Md., and later to Pittsburgh, Pa., by wagon, this journey being made in the winter time. Later they came to Freeport, Armstrong county, and Mr. Truby worked out the first two years. Then he obtained a farm in Butler county, Pa., where he and his wife died. They were members of the Lutheran church. They had a family of seven children: Elizabeth, who died in Germany; Catherine, who died aged eighty-two years; Rosanna, who died aged thirty years; Eliza, deceased; George, deceased; Christian; and Henry, who served in the Civil War in the 5th Pennsylvania Cavalry and was shot in the mouth and jugular vein, being taken to a hospital on Long Island, where he died and was buried.
Christian Truby attended school only two years, in his native land, being obliged to learn English without instruction. However, he has been a great reader in his time, though he has had to give up reading lately because of failing eyesight. As a boy of fifteen he was employed as driver on the Pennsylvania canal, and also worked at home on the farm. For two years he worked on a steamboat. Going to Muskingum county, Ohio, he worked at the trade of stonemason two seasons. Then he returned home and was married to Anna Elizabeth Waishupt. After his marriage Mr. Truby continued to live at home, taking care of his parents until they died, after which he left Butler county, coming to Freeport and settling on an island for two years. He has worked at the carpenter's trade ever since, and among the houses which he has built is the home on Franklin street in which he has lived since its completion.
Mrs. Truby was born in Hessen-Cassel, Germany, daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Waishupt, of that place, where the father died. As they had relatives in Pennsylvania, the mother and children came to America in 1850, and located in Freeport, Pa., where Mrs. Waishupt died. Mrs. Truby is the only one of the family now living. To Mr. and Mrs. Truby have been born children as follows: Lizzie, who is living in Philadelphia, Pa.; Fred, living in Oklahoma; Augustus, at home; Henry, deceased; John, of Butler, Pa., a carpenter and contractor; Catherine, deceased; George Edward, living at home, who is engaged as a tinner and carpenter; Lewis, a carpenter, of Philadelphia, Pa.; Charles, a barber, of Philadelphia; Emma, living in Philadelphia; Mary, living in Philadelphia; and Samuel G., a street car conductor in Philadelphia.
Mr. Truby has always been a Republican in politics and during the Civil war he was a Union sympathizer. On Sept. 19, 1864, he enlisted in Company D, 67th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, doing considerable guard duty; he was in the battle of Sailor's Creek. He was discharged June 20, 1865, at Washington, D. C.. Mr. Truby is a member of Weaver Post, No. 32, G. A. R. When he went to the war he had to leave his wife and five small children, and she ran the farm without other help, though obliged to get in all the grain and put in more for the next season. She also had to market all the produce, take care of the horses and cattle, build fences and get up the wood in the winter. Help could not be hired readily in those times and it was a terrible task for the frail little woman. Mrs. Truby can tell of many hardships experienced in the early days of the county.
Mr. and Mrs. Truby are members of the Lutheran Church at Freeport. He was a Sunday school teacher in that church for twenty years. In his earlier years he was a noted singer, and gave singing lessons.
Source: Pages 667-668, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed September 1998 by James R Hindman for the Armstrong County Beers Project
Contributed for use by the Armstrong County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/armstrong/)Armstrong County Genealogy Project Notice:
These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format, for any presentation, without prior written permission.Return to the Beers Project
Return to the Armstrong County Genealogy Project
Return to the Armstrong County Genealogy Project
Return to the Armstrong County Genealogy Project