Johann "Christian" LAUBACH was born in what was then part of Buck's County, Pennsylvania, on June 30, 1764, to Johan "Gerog" and Margaret (Unknown last name) LAUBACH. Today the area where Christian lived is called Hellertown, Lower Saucon Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, and area considered "The Lehigh Valley."
Christian's family was German. His first name of "Johann" was considered his Saint's name and was more of a title. He would familiarly be called by his middle name of "Christian."
He married Anna Maria FRUTCHEY (many name variations) who was the daughter of Anna Maria GODHARD (daughter of John & Sophia GODHARD) and Frederick FRUTCHEY.
His mother had started a day book which was apparently passed along to Christian. This book, written in German, was translated by the Laubach Family Association and translated excerpts are contained in their books. It contains mostly day to day dealings from Christian and home remedies, etc., from his mother. The original day book is located in the Columbia County Historical and Genealogical Association on the upper floor of the Bloomsburg Public Library, Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania (close to the Columbia County Court House).
The day book details the illness of John GODHARD, grandfather of Christian's wife, Anna Maria, and notes that GODHARD came to live with their family and that of Anna Maria's brother. They moved to the Laubach homestead in Mahoning Township, Northumberland County, which was originally patented by Christian's father who died before the deed was finalized and which passed to Christian's older brother. Most of their family and friends had already moved to the Sugarloaf Township area of Northumberland County (today Columbia County) in 1792. When John GODHARD died in 1797, Christian LAUBACH and his family followed to the sugarloaf Township area.
Battle describes the 1792 move of Christian's relatives ahead of Christian's move in his book: The following Year (1792 in all probability) the actual immigration occurred. The route pursued was the Susquehanna and Lehigh Road from Easton to Nescopeck Falls, laid out by Evan OWEN (founder of Berwick -- PALE) in 1787. In their progress up Fishing Creek they passed a few houses in the vicinity of Light Street, (RR Bloomsburg -- PALE) one at Orangeville, the KLINEs above the Knob, ("Knob Hill" at Orangeville -- PALE) and Daniel McHENRY at Stillwater (buried at St. Gabriel's -- PALE). William HESS owned a tract of land four miles in length, extending from Coles mills to North mountain. He built a log cabin near a small spring, the site of which is on land in possession of Andrew LAUBACH.
Note that Columbia County was not erected until 1813, and so was still part of Northumberland County at that time. Northumberland County was formed in 1772 and contained land that was formerly part of Northampton County. Both counties were much larger in land area than they are today.
The modern correct spelling of his surname is LAUBACH, although there were many variations in the past family documents, including Laubaugh, Laback and Labaugh. The name is generally pronounced with the first part sounding like "La" and the ending rhyming with "ball" in today's Columbia County (2015).
The LAUBACH line came from Buedington, Germany. For much more information on this, search "Laubach Family Association" who traced the family line to Germany and visited the former LAUBACH homes there.
Christian and Anna Maria are buried in the St. Gabriel's Church Cemetery, Cole's Creek, Sugarloaf Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania near the borough of Benton.