Mr. Eli Christian, first known origin is the Blue Ridge Mountains of West Virginia, was separated from his family at a young age. Although he did not know his exact age, he believed he was about nineteen (19) years old at that time.He was sold as a slave because he was considered a big fine robust lad, and quite a commodity for the slave traders. He recalled his brother was small and considered weak and sickly so he was turned down. Not much has ever been mentioned about his brother, Eli said the last he saw of his family was the day he was sold into slavery. It was said his last memory of them was waving at his mother and brother as he rode away on horseback. He saw his brother holding their mother around her waist.
Eli was not submissive and refused to be subjugated by the slave masters. The first night he ran away and hid in the woods. For two weeks he was able to hide in safe, concealed places by day and at night he would slip into the cornfield and steal enough corn to keep himself alive. For those two weeks he ate only raw corn.
The slave masters used bloodhounds to search the woods every day until they found him. When he was caught and brought to the slave camp, he was badly beaten. He was wrapped in a sheet and left unattended. When the sheet was removed, his skin came off with the sheet. The marks remained on his body and many times he showed them to us and told the story over and over. He was eventually sold to Gideon Christian, who settled in Gilmer, Texas, Upshur County.
It is said that Eli, remembered his family name was Thorton, but he never got to use it. Last names were not used by the owners to give recognition to a slave. When the slaves were freed, they got together and planned to take different names. The night before they were set free, the group selected the oldest man to be the first to go on what was called "The Block". When he got on the block and the Release Committee asked him his name, he was so afraid he could not answer. Eli said, they yelled at him and said: "Nigger, what was your last master's name?" He answered, "Gid (Gideon) Christian". Then you will be named Christian as long as you live. When it was all over everyone that worked for Gideon Christian came off the block with the last name of Christian.
Eli's first wife was named Sarah, of that union three children were born a son named Levi, a daughter named Eliza and a son Henry J. After Sarah's death, he met and married Clora Camp, of that union they had twelve children. The children's names were Pinkie, Maggie, Letitia, David, Rachel, Louisa Berta, Ezallia, Frank, Carthold (C.C.), Marion, Lillian, and Artie Lee, whom they lost at a very early age. In all total there were 15 children born to Eli Christian.
Eli was a God fearing man and knew the bible like the back of his hand he was sometimes referred to as a stump preacher, but recognized as Rev. Eli Christian by the congregation of Gilgal Baptist church in Gilmer, Texas. He was affectionately known as and called Grand Pap and Clora as Grand Ma.