The Story of (possibly) Jacob and Mary (unknown) CRONISTER

According to some CRONISTER/CHRONISTER family researchers, the parents of Cornelius CHRONISTER are Jacob and Mary (unknown) CHRONSITER. Jacob CHRONISTER was born in Adams County, Pennsylvania in 1789. Sometime before 1815, Jacob married Mary. The couple had 4 children: Cornelius, Emanuel, Matilda and Smith. Jacob died about 1844. Very little is known about him at this time.

In the 1850 Federal Census, Mary lived with her son, Cornelius, and his new wife, Sarah, as well as Matilda and Smith. Smith and Cornelius moved their families together throughout the years living in Berkeley County, Virginia/West Virginia in 1869 & 1870. In 1880, Cornelius and his family were living in Menard County, Illinois while Smith and his family had moved to Ogle County, Illinois. According to “Cemeteries of Martinsburg and Berkeley Co., WV”, Mary CHRONISTER died 28 January 1959 in Berkeley County, West Virginia was buried in Lutheran Cemetery, Gerrardstown, West Virginia. Unfortunately, the headstones are now unreadable.

According to other CHRONISTER family researchers, Jacob CHRONISTER was the son of Heinrich & Susanna (COXEN) CHRONISTER. Heinrich & Susanna had 15 children while living in Adams County, Pennsylvania.
Heinrich CHRONISTER was one of 14 children born to Johannes Michael and Maria Barbara WEIDENBACH CHRONISTER. Johannes Michael CHRONSTER was one of four children born in Germany to Lorenz and Anna Maria HOFFMAN CHRONISTER. Lorenz was from Pretzdorf, Bayern, Germany and the son of Matthaeus and Margarethe HOFFMAN CHRONISTER. Matthaeus CHRONISTER was the son of Abraham CHRONISTER of Austria.

None of this family line has been proven by the author herself. Research to prove this family line is still in progress.

Sources for Mary (unknown) Cronister
1850 U.S. census, Adams County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Reading Township, P. 221A (stamped), dwelling 1, family 1, Cornelius Chronister household, NARA microfilm publication M432, roll 743.
Berkeley County Historical Society. Cemeteries of Martinsburg and Berkeley Co., WV. (Martinsburg: The Society, 1988), p. 134, 188.

The Children of (unknown) and Mary (unknown) CRONISTER
Children of (probably) Jacob & Mary were as follows:
i Smith Cronister . He married (---) Margaret .
ii Matilda Cronister .
iii Cornelius Cronister , born 4 Nov 1817 in Fulton County, Pennsylvania; died 2 Oct 1882 in Athens, Menard, Illinois; buried in West Cemetery, Athens, Illinois. He married abt 1849 Sarah M. Stunkard , born 16 Dec 1827 in Pennsylvania; died 16 Mar 1905 in Salisbury, Sangamon, Illinois; buried 19 Mar 1905 in West Cemetery, Athens, Menard County, Illinois; buried in West Cemetery, Athens, Illinois, daughter of (---) unknown and (---) unknown .