Historians believe that he received training as a surveyor, more than likely from his father Richard Gist, who helped plot the city of Baltimore.

Howard served with King James II of England's forces as an officer during the Monmouth Rebellion during 1685, before settling in Baltimore, Maryland.

Christopher's brother Nathaniel Gist married Sarah's sister Mary Howard, and also partnered with Washington and two other veteran soldiers on a prospective land deal during the mid-1750s.

[5] He was in Muskingum on Christmas Day of 1750 where he celebrated with some local indigenous people a religious ceremony with readings from the Church of England.

Gist was received well at Pickawillany when he arrived during February 1751, and strengthened the alliance between the Native American chief Memeskia and British interests against the expanding French colonies.

[9] When Gist returned to North Carolina, he found that his family had fled to Roanoke, Virginia, because of Indian attacks.

Robert Dinwiddie, the governor of Virginia, sent Washington to Fort Le Boeuf to deliver a message to the French demanding they leave the Ohio Country.

(The French were constructing forts in the Ohio Country to prevent the Thirteen Colonies from expanding there; they ignored Dinwiddie's letter.)