CHRISTOPHER ELROD SR.  
Memoirs
(husband of Aaltje Soelle Elrod)
 

 		The following account of Christopher Elrod, Sr. is copied from the
		entry in the First Congregation Church Book, the entry having been made
		at the time of his death which occurred January 29, 1785.
		------------------------------------------------------------------------------

		     Christopher Elrod was born January the 29th, 1721, in Pennsylvania and
		was brought up a Lutheran.  In the year 1743, 26th of May, he married Aaltje
		Soell, the present widow, which marriage was blest by God with 12 children,
		to whom 10 are yet alive, belonging all to our congregation and society.

		     From Pennsylvania he moved to Manakasy in Maryland, and from thence to
		North Carolina in 1751, settling himself on the Yadkin.  Hitherto as he often
		mentioned, he was an industrious and hard working man who feared God and was
		true, as he thought, to the principles of his religion; but he lived in proud
		conceit, and knew nothing of heart sorrow.  The first time, as he remembered,
		that his heart was truly touched by our Savior was in a sermon delivered by
		the Rev. Bishop Spangenberg to the people that were fled for fear of the
		Indians to the Bethara Mill Fort, in the year 1759.  From this he grew uneasy
		and became concerned for his soul's salvation and sought acquaintance with the
		Brethren.  The Brethren Soelle and Utley, who went about in the country to
		preach the gospel, visited him frequently and stayed at his house, so as all
		those who went about in quest of souls for our Saviour were always kindly
		received by him, and could refresh themselves after their toil and trouble,
		with his family.

		     On the 4th of April, 1773, he was received into the congregation at
		Friedburg, and January 22, 1774, he partook for the first time of the Holy
		Sacrament with the congregation there.  In the process of time he promoted
		the building of an English school and meeting house here in Hope with all his
		might, and rejoiced greatly when in the year 1780 an English Brethren's con-
		gregation was established here.  From that time he was a member thereof.  He
		served this little congregation with the gifts which the Saviour bestowed on
		him; was an active member of our committee these four years, and his desire
		was that young and old might prosper for our Saviour.  He had a hot and fiery
		temper, and could often fall hard to others, by his positiveness and absolute-
		ness, yet he was conscious thereof and soon made up again because he loved to
		live in peace with all men.  He was strong and healthy in constitution, com-
		plaining seldom of any ailment, yet of late he had an intimation as it were of
		his approaching departure.  About seven weeks ago he began to complain about
		pains in his breast, which increased so that he was obliged to take to his
		bed, and because he grew worse from day to day soon believed that our Saviour
		would call him home by reason of this sickness.

 		     On the 21st he called his children; gave them his farewell blessing,
		exhorting them to be faithful to our Saviour, and recommended to them their
		dear mother.

		     On the 29th of January in the morning at 7 o'clock, being his birthday
		our Saviour took this faithful Brother home to himself, exactly 64 years old.

		     Beside the surviving widow and 10 children, he also leaves 31 grandchild-
		ren and one great grandchild.
	
		(Copied from Family Records, Book B, Pages 35a-25b)

Charlotte Curlee Ramsey
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~cramsey/index.html