George R. Christa
George R. Christa, proprietor of the Philadelphia Dye Works, located at No.320 North Jameson avenue, Lima, and one of the city's representative business men, was born at Toledo, Ohio, in 1851. He is a son of Hon. Robert and Amelia A. (Rickett) Christia.
The father of Mr. Christia was born in England and at the time of his death was a resident of Canada and a member of the Dominion Parliament. The mother of our subject belonged to the aristocratic old Van Cortland family of New York.
Since 1883 Mr. Christia has been a resident of Lima. He probably enjoys the distinction of having been the youngest soldier ever enlisted for service the Civil War from Ohio, and possibly of any State in the Union. When in his 12th year he ran away from home and joined the army as a drummer boy; although he fought with the men of the regiment at the battle of Shiloh, after it termination his captain sent him home. In May, 1864, he enlisted in Company B, 130th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., at Toledo, and accompanied the regiment to the Shenandoah Valley and participated in the campaign there, being mustered out in December, 1865, reaching home in time to enjoy Christmas with his family.
Mr. Christia engaged for a time with a hatter and dyer, at Toledo, and then went to Boston, where he perfected himself in this business, returning after five years to Toledo. he continued in the dyeing business there and at Bellefontaine and then came to Lima, where, since 1883, he has been considered an expert in this line and conducts a large and growing business in cleaning and dyeing after modern, sanitary methods. Mr. Christia is also an expert hatter.
In 1873 Mr. Christia was married at Boston, Massachusetts, to Lelia L. Bliss, who is a daughter of H. C. H. Bliss one of the leading merchants of Boston, other connections being the Fairbank and Chandler families.
Politically Mr. Christia is a Republican and he has been chairman of the Republican City Committee. He is a man of substance, a stockholder in the Farmers' Bank of West Mansfield, Ohio, and is interested in other enterprises. From his youth he has shown courage and determination and these have been important factors throughout his subsequent life.
From History of Allen County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 1, Edited & Compiled by Charles C. Miller, Ph. D.; Richmond & Arnold, Publishers, Chicago, 1906