Wednesday night Celtic Service- Trinitiy Church, Troy, OH

I believe that when doing interdisciplinary studies research it is important to write down names and events that on the surface may appear to have nothing in common with an individuals research thesis. Then all of a sudden information just clicks into place. This was the case during a Wednesday night Celtic service at Trinity Episcopal Church, Troy, OH.

The service is about half an hour long. The leader of the service reads about a saint for the day. That night is was about Count Nikolaus von Zinzendorf from Germany. He was born on May 26th in Dresden in 1700, from an ancient noble birth. His parents wanted him to do the usual aristocratic career and go into government, but Count Zinzendorf had a profound experience with GOD. Count Zinzendorf allowed a group of Moravian religious followers to stay on his family estate in Germany. He later became a Bishop in that church.Charles Cist was part of the Moravian Church in Philadelphia during his life in the 1770-until his death in 1805. Both Charles Cist and Count Zinzendorf went to the University of Halle, Germany. Count Zinzendorf was a generation earlier than Cist, but the fact that Cist had German blood in him and went to University of Halle and was connected to the Moravian Church allows me to focus in this new area of interests. This is assisting me in placing pieces of the escape puzzle together on how Charles Cist could have escaped from his imprisonment in Siberia, Russia and made his way to England were he sailed to the British Colonies. He did not escape alone. He had help. This is interesting news.

Count Zinzendorf with five other students formed the Order of the Mustard Seed while attending University of Halle, Germany. Cist was a student during the next generation age. Thesis question: If Cist was a member of the Order of the Mustard Seed could these university connections helped him with his escape from Siberia and moved through Europe?

Count Zinzendorf made a trip to the British Colonies during a tour of the colonies in 1747-49. This was before Cist came to Philadelphia, but if Cist knew Count Zinzendorf in Germany this may have influenced Cist decision to settle in Philadelphia to work as a translator and then form his printing partnership with Mr. Styner The photo is of Count Nikolaus von Zinzendorf.

Andrew 

Charles Cist and Benjamin Rush Connections?

Dr. Benjamin Rush lived in Philadelphia, PA during the same time as Charles Cist was translating for individuals and printing with Mr. Styner. I have not found a letter mentioning that Cist knew Dr. Benjamin Rush. What do the historical scholars think about this connection?
The Ohio State Historical Society had a display of individuals moving from Philadelphia to Cincinnati after the War of 1812. This was the  next generation from Charles Cist. Charles Cist had one of his sons move to Cincinnati after serving serving in the War of 1812. His name was Charles E. Cist, a well-known librarian and editor in early literary circles in Cincinnati, Ohio. Benjamin Rush Spencer moved to Cincinnati from Philadelphia, PA during this time period, too. It is a documented fact that families moved to the West  in groups. I believe that this is a valid connection that Cist and Rush knew each other from the previous generation. The fact that their offspring traveled and started a new life together is a statement in itself. Matthew Carey was another printer from Philadelphia and his offspring moved to College Hill. Both Cary and Cist farms were in College Hill, Ohio. Pheobe and Alice Carey were well-known poets. Lewis J. Cist worked with the Carey ladies and collected their autographs for his collection.

My trip to Philadelphia, PA was interesting. I made connections without having written letters saying that yes, Cist knew Benjamin Rush and others during the American Revolution.

Andrew C. Allen
513.638.7140
pewabic34@gmail.com