Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County,
Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of
prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with
portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States,
and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890;
page 565-566; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
Peter Christian, a clergyman of the Baptist Church, who is also
identified with the agricultural interests of Joshua Township, was a
pioneer of this county, and, as a minister of the Gospel, has been
potent in elevating its moral and religious status, besides being
influential in forwarding educational interests; and as a practical
intelligent farmer, he has contributed his quota in upbuilding its
material prosperity.
The Rev. Mr. Christian is a native of Plattsburg, Clinton
County, N. U., and was there born December 23, 1817. His parents,
Joseph and Frances Christian, were both born in Canada near
Montreal. Our subject lived with his father and mother until he
was fourteen years old. At that useful age he became
self-supporting, and going to Troy, followed gardening in that city in
the summer, and in the winter worked in a packing house, and attended
school a short time each season. The first two summers he was
there he earned $5 a month. The next summer he was paid $7 a
month. He was attracted by stories of life in the West, and
deeming that he could better his prospects by locating in the Prairie
State, he came to Illinois with a friend, Horace Turner, and settled on
a tract of land three miles east of Cuba, in this county.
Our subject continued his residence on that farm until he
married, which important event in his life took place June 26, 1841, in
Joshua Township, one and one-half miles from his present
residence. He had gone out in the world with no other capital
than a fine physique and good brains, but by the exercise of
industrious and economical habits, he had accumulated enough to
establish a home, and in time became the proprietor of considerable
real estate. He now owns one hundred acres of choice farming
land, pleasantly located on section 20, Joshua Township. This is
amply provided with neat and substantial improvements, and is a
valuable piece of property, being worth $75 an acre. To him and
his wife four children have been born of whom two are deceased.
Those living are Melissa and Frances P. The former born October
11, 1842, and the latter May 1, 1853. They are well educated,
having attended school at Cuba and other schools of their native
county. Frances has taught successfully for several years in Iowa.
We must now touch upon the career of our subject in the
ministry. He early manifested true religious zeal, and in 1841
became a member of the Free Will Baptist Church. He manifested
considerable power as a speaker, and in 1850 was allowed a license to
preach, and 1851 was ordained. He has continued in his
ministerial labors until the present time, and has accomplished great
good in building up churches and organizing societies. The Rev.
Mr. Christian and John B. Fair were instrumental in establishing the
Prairie City Illinois Academy, a Baptist institution of learning, that
has acquired a good reputation, and is in a prosperous condition, now
belonging to the school district. Our subject’s interest in
the affairs of life are broad enough to embrace politics. In
early years he was a Democrat of the Andrew Jackson ilk, but when the
Fugitive Slave Law was passed, and the decision in the much noted Dred
Scott case was announced, he became strongly anti-slavery, and was a
firm advocate of Abolition. On account of his views on that
question he ultimately united with the Republican party of which he has
since been a warm supporter.
