Israel Christian

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Israel Christian (c.1720—1784) was an 18th-century American pioneer, militia officer, politician and businessman. One of the earliest landowners in Kentucky, he founded the town of Fincastle, Virginia. He was also a representative of Augusta County in the House of Burgesses from 1759 to 1761.

Four of his daughters became married to

From 1759 until 1761, he and John Wilson represented Augusta in the House of Burgesses.[1]^: 35 In November 1761, he became the first trustee of Staunton with nine others following its official chartering by act of assembly. During the mid-1760s, he began acquiring large tracts of land. He personally surveyed 400 acres (1.6 km²) of land on Buffalo Creek where he resided during this time. In 1763, he played a major role in defending the county from an Indian raiding party which had advanced as far as Kerr's Creek.^[3] The following year, he was granted two tracts of land on Tinker Creek, 66 and 54 acres (220,000 m²) respectively, on 24 June 1764. A portion of this land was later donated by him to found Fincastle, Virginia.^[4]: 10

In November 1767, he and John Buchanan caused an official protest by members of the Staunton trustees after the two refused to sign a declaration "to be comfortable to the doctrine and discipline of the Church of England". After Buchanan died, he was supported by Major Robert Breckenridge although they were both replaced when the incident came up again in 1769.^{[1]: 108, 130–132} In the fall of 1768, he bought 81 acres (330,000 m²) of land on a south branch of Catawba from John Bowman. He later donated this land for the construction of public buildings including the first courthouse in Botetourt County.^[5]: 533

He and Breckenridge served as justices on the first county court held in Augusta on 13 February 1770. Two years later, he donated 40 acres (160,000 m²) of land to the justices for the use of the county and on which Fincastle, Virginia was established in 1772.