Maricopa-Yavapai County AZ Archives Biographies.....Christy, William February 14, 1841 - living in 1896
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com March 1, 2005, 7:03 pm

Author: McFarland & Poole

  COL. WILLIAM CHRISTY. The banking business is a clean and honorable one and
the most astute and able minds of the country find in that line the most
congenial work. No branch of business in America can make a stronger showing of
solid thinkers, brilliant financiers or more subtle organizers. The city of
Phoenix, Arizona, can show its quota of strong and capable bankers and a
sufficiency of banking capital to meet the demands of business. Men of large
means and of great energy are identified with these institutions and the various
officials are peculiarly qualified for their respective duties. The Valley Bank
of Phoenix merits special attention for its prominence in the community and for
its popularity from its very inception. Col. William Christy, president of the
bank, was born in Trumbull County, Ohio, February 14, 1841; son of George and
Jane (Marshall) Christy, the father a native of New Jersey and the mother of
Trumbull County, Ohio. His maternal grandfather, Isaac Marshall, was a farmer by
occupation and a soldier of the War of 1812. The paternal grandfather, William
Christy, was also a farmer but in connection was also engaged in teaching
school. He passed the last fifty years in Trumbull County, Ohio. George Christy,
father of subject, followed the occupation of his ancestors; but was also a
prominent merchant. He carried on the latter occupation at Fredericksburg and
Ohlstown, Ohio, for some time, but in 1854 moved to Iowa and settled in Clark
County, where sometime later he held the office of sheriff for four years. Here
he cultivated the soil until his death in 1869. The mother is still living and
resides on the homestead. Of the six children born to them our subject is the
eldest son. He received the rudiments of an education in Ohio, but when in his
thirteenth year moved with his parents to Clark County, Iowa, where he received
a good, practical education. He was early trained to work and make himself
useful, for in those days an education was of secondary importance. At the call
for troops when the Civil War broke out he was one of the many to respond and
enlisted in Company I, 15th Iowa Infantry. After serving one year in that
regiment he was discharged on account of lung trouble, but in June, 1863, he
re-enlisted in Company D, 8th Iowa Cavalry, and served until cessation of
hostilities, being mustered out and discharged at Macon, Georgia. He was
sergeant at the time of his first enlistment and while in the cavalry service he
held every commission up to captain, and was mustered out as a brevet colonel.
He was severely wounded in the raid in the rear of Atlanta, being pierced by
four bullets, two of which passed through his body, one through his hand, and
another through his arm. He led a saber charge and while thus on duty received
the wounds. Colonel Christy was captured by the enemy and taken to Millen
prison, Georgia, where he was held for about six months, suffering untold
hardships during his confinement. He was paroled and afterwards exchanged on a
special parole of about 1,000 sick and wounded between Hood and Sherman. The
Colonel participated in many of the prominent engagements, the most noted being:
Shiloh, siege of Corinth, Iuka, Corinth, Sherman's campaign to Holly Springs and
all the campaigns of Gen. Sherman's army until he was captured July 30, 1864.
After being exchanged he was with Wilson's cavalry corps through Selma,
Montgomery to Macon, where he was discharged. Returning to Iowa he attended
school one year and then went to Osceola, Clark County, Iowa, and became cashier
in H. C. Sigler's Bank, remaining there until January 1, 1873. In the fall of
1872 he was elected treasurer of the State of Iowa, and held the office four
years. Afterwards he engaged in banking in Des Moines, Iowa, and was cashier of
Capital City Bank until 1881, when he was made cashier of Merchants' National
Bank of Des Moines. In the latter he remained until in September, 1882, when he
resigned on account of failing health, and a little later of the same year came
to Arizona, where he expected to regain his health. Stopping at Prescott he
purchased a cattle ranch about forty-five miles northwest of that city, on which
he lived for a year. In November, 1883, he helped organize the Valley Bank, of
Phoenix, became its cashier and moved to this city. In the year 1893 he was made
president of this bank and still holds that position. Colonel Christy is one of
the most progressive men in the territory and is a leader in all worthy
movements. He assisted in organizing the Arizona Improvement Company in 1887, of
which he is vice-president, and he is also interested in the four irrigation
companies on this side the river. Colonel Christy resides on a fine ranch
joining the city of Phoenix on the west, 440 acres, all of which is under
cultivation and is considered one of the finest farms in the valley. He has an
orange orchard of twenty acres which is just beginning to bear, also an olive
orchard about to bear, and peach, pear, plum, apple, fig, almond and prune
orchards. He also raises grapes in abundance and in fact a little of everything
on his farm. At a rough estimate he owns about 1,500 acres in the valley, all of
which is very valuable. He is known far and wide as a whole souled, courteous
and genial gentleman, and always greets his friends with warmth. In personal
appearance he is a large, well proportioned, fine looking man. Socially he is a
Knight Templar in the Masonic Fraternity and he is also a member of the Grand
Army of the Republic and the Loyal Legion. He was married August 22, 1865, to
Miss Carrie E. Bennett, a native of New York, and they have four sons and one
daughter: Lloyd B., George D., Shirley A., Carrie L. and William C. The family
holds membership in the Methodist Church. Colonel Christy was treasurer of
Arizona Territory from 1891 till 1893 and was also treasurer of the insane
asylum for two years. He is a staunch Republican and was chairman of the Iowa
State Central Committee for two years, and since living here has been chairman
of Arizona Territory Central Committee for four years.



Additional Comments:
From:

A Historical and Biographical Record of the Territory of Arizona
Published by
McFarland & Poole, Chicago, 1896

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