Christian was the son of George Carl & Elizabeth Heckendorn. He married Sarah Kell. They were the parents of Mathilda, Martha, Emmeline, Jeremiah, Frances, Julia, Daniel, Sarah, Nevin, Floy, & Lydia.

History of Muscatine County Iowa , Volume II, Biographical, 1911, page 162

Christian and Sarah (Kell) Carl, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania. Christian was a stone mason, bricklayer and contractor in the Keystone state and served also as captain in the state militia and held various township offices. He came to Iowa on the 10th of April, 1858, and for ten years engaged in farming in Washington county, removing to Cedar county in 1868, where he purchased a farm three miles northwest of Wilton. There he died in January, 1875, at the age of sixty-eight years. His wife departed in 1890 at the age of seventy-six years. They were active workers in the Reformed church and built a church in Pennsylvania, known as the Emanuel church.

George Carl, the paternal grandfather, was also a native of Pennsylvania; was of German descent and was a modest, retiring man. He died at the age of seventy-two years and was the father of nine children, three daughters and six sons, George, Adam, Isaiah, Christian, John, Daniel, Fannie, Eliza and Polly. Isaiah and Christian were twins and all the members of the family lived to quite an advanced age.

The maternal grandfather, Philip Kell, a native of Pennsylvania, was a farmer and married Elizabeth Swartz. Their children were Joseph, Simon and Sarah.

Unto Christian and Sarah Carl ten children were born: Matilda E., the widow of W. R. Dafford, of Los Angeles, California; Martha Jane, the widow of John Brett, of Oakdale, Nebraska; Emeline E., who became the wife of John T. Long and is now deceased; Jeremiah H.; Frances Catharine, who married George Sweet and is now deceased; Julia Ann, who married David Hiligast and is also deceased; Daniel S., of Imperial, Kansas; Nevin P., of Vinton, Iowa; Floy Effie, who married John Herr, and is now deceased; and Sarah Ann, who died from the effects of being scalded.