The Christman and Claus Families on Christman Ridge
Claus Haus
At one time there were four descendants of Henry Claus
Sr. & Elizabeth Ackerman Claus living on Christman Ridge; Anna Claus who
married Lewis Christman, another Anna Claus who married Frederick Christman,
Gilbert Claus who married Esther Christman and Wilbert Claus who married Beryl
Christman. The only Clauses remaining on Christman Ridge are Wilbert &
Beryl Claus, their son Roger and Phyllis and their children, Pamela and
Russell. Alvin and Clara Bright Claus own the farm of his father and mother, Gilbert and Esther,
but they reside near Wooster, Ohio. The farm was originally that of Frederick
and Caroline Haffner Claus, Alvin's grandfather. Wilbert is a great grandson of
Justus and Maria K. Schmidt Claus. Justus born in 1844 to Henry and Elizabeth
Ackerman Claus in Hessen, Germany, came with his parents to America in 1847 and
settled on a farm near Miltonsburg, Ohio. Justus lived in Monroe County until
the last six years of his life, he lived with his daughter, Mrs. Lewis Theiss
in Washington County, Ohio. Justus and Maria K. were parents of ten children.
One son Henry P. married Minnie Brubach and they were the parents of four
children: Everett, Waiter, Emil and Hulda. Waiter married Lydia Kilburn 1916,
were parents of two children: Wilbert and Grace, but Lydia died about eleven
hours after Grace's birth. Grace lived with her grandparents Gus and Mary
Kahrig Kilburn for a few years, then went to live with her father and
stepmother Waiter and Freda Hossman Claus. Wilbert remained with his
grandparents until his marriage. He went to live with his wife in her parents'
home that of George L. and Magdalena Matz Christman. Wilbert and Beryl are the parents
of three sons: Roger married Phyllis Ackerman, lives nearby and has his own
business, Claus Surveying. Dale married Susanne Naylor, lives in Columbus, Ohio
and works for a surveying company in Columbus, Ohio. Ray married Deborah
Palette and is residing in Ansonia, Ct. He is Supervisory in Bridgeport, CT
hospital laboratory. Wilbert is a retired farmer and school bus driver from
Switzerland of Ohio Schools. He retired in 1979 after 22 years of continuous
driving in Skyvue area. The name Claus hasn't always been pronounced like
Santa's but sometimes they were considered Santas. Waiter answered children's
telephone calls. Roger surveyed land for people who were getting a new home for
Christmas. Wilbert was Santa when his
wife had a broken arm at Christmas time.
Submitted by Beryl Claus
Photograph provided by Lena
Kahrig Pettit -- e-mail: proadtrek@aol.com