Christopher Ryburn Wedding1,2

b. 15 December 1845, d. 14 October 1870
FatherJohn Wesley Wedding1,2 b. 19 Oct 1814, d. 25 Dec 1896
MotherElizabeth Ryburn1,2 b. 24 Sep 1820, d. 29 Mar 1873
Birth15 Dec 1845 Christopher Ryburn Wedding was born on 15 Dec 1845, probably in Roane County, Tennessee, although later census records state he was born in Iowa.3 
Cens-185028 Aug 1850  Christopher was enumerated with his parents and older siblings in Roane County in 1850 where they appear to have been farming. 
Cens-18601860  The family moved on before 1860 by which time they had settled in Greene County, Ohio. Family tradition says John Wedding was a bit of a wanderer which seems born out by the family's frequent moves.4 
Cens-187023 Jun 1870  By 1870 they had moved again, this time settling in Chase County, Kansas. Christopher's census entry, recorded on June 23 1870, described him as a farm laborer, but also noted that he owned personal property worth $1,100. 
  What the census doesn't reveal is that Christopher earned money by traveling through Indian territory where he traded flour and bacon for hides and other products. Christopher pulled his wagon with a handsome black horse.5 
Death14 Oct 1870 Christopher died on 14 Oct 1870 when he was murdered as he drove his wagon of goods along Caney Creek in the northern part of the Cherokee Nation near the Kansas border. His assailant, a man named John Childers, was the son of a white man and his Cherokee wife, and had been in trouble with the law before. Childers came across Christoper on the trail and tried to deal him out of his horse but Christopher declined. Childers then asked if he could hitch a ride in the wagon to which Christopher agreed. Suddenly Childers whipped out a bowie knife and slashed Christopher's throat and then took off with the black horse. He rode it into the Creek Nation where it was recognized, leading to Childer's arrest. Childers was later convicted by a jury and executed by hanging at Fort Smith near the Arkansas-Oklahoma border. The Ft. Smith National Park Service website states that Childers murdered "Reyburn" Wedding for the $280 he was carrying.5,6 
Last Edited14 Jul 2013

Citations

  1. [S622] Martha Keys, "Re: Ryburns and Allisons," e-mail to Diana Powell, 5 Mar 2003.
  2. [S669] Keys, "Descendants of Abednego Wedding". Martha cites the Bible of Fredonia Wedding Wilson Mahaffey which she viewed in the home of Fredonia's great grandson, Sonny Mahaffey in Enid, Oklahoma. She believes it is now in the possession of Sonny's widow who resides in Victoria, Texas.
  3. [S681] Martha Keys, "John Wesley Wedding-Elizabeth Ryburn" family group sheet.
  4. [S1284] John W. Wedding household, 1860 U.S. cens, Greene Co., OH, pop. sched., Silvercreek township, p. 630 (added script), dwelling 1112, family 1114, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jun 30, 2005; image 30 or 30. Enumeration includes: John W. Wedding 45, farmer, owns land valued at $200, pers. prop of $1096, b. VA; Elizabeth 39, b. VA; Christopher R., b. Iowa [?]; Firman J., 9, b. Tenn; Fredonia, 6, b. OH; Mary S., 3, b. OH; George Lindsey 20, mul.
  5. [S622] Martha Keys, "Elizabeth Ryburn," e-mail to Diana Powell, 15 March 2013. Martha included scans of pages 18 and 19 from Law Enforcement at Ft. Smith, 1871-1896, by Edwin C. Bearss, (1964) which describes Christopher's murder and the capture of his killer, John Childers.
  6. [S622] Martha Keys, "Re: Ryburns and Allisons," e-mail to Diana Powell, 5 Mar 2003. Martha shared a link from the Ft. Smith website: http://www.nps.gov/fosm/historyculture/081573-execution.htm