Charles Minnigerode was a European political refugee who moved to Williamsburg, Virginia in 1842. When he arrived he got the job of being a professor at the College of William and Mary. He then became close to Judge Nathaniel Beverley Tucker, who was a professor of law, and lived with him and his family in the St. George Tucker House. At Christmastime, Minnigerode entertained the Tucker children by sharing the European custom of the Christmas tree. They cut down an evergreen tree, brought it inside, and placed it up on the parlor table to decorate. Instead of buying readymade ornaments like we do know, he helped the children create their own. In addition to these ornaments he and the children made popcorn strings. This was the first ever Christmas tree to be brought into a parlor and decorated in America. The next December, most Williamsburg families had Christmas trees in their parlors.
Charles Minnigerode was born as Karl Minnigerode in 1814 in Germany. Minnigerode first arrived in Pennsylvania in December 1839 after all the war and political struggles in Europe. Here, he changed his name to Charles in an attempt to separate himself from the German community. He then found his career at the college as an ancient language professor in the newspaper and moved to Virginia. He then met and married his wife, Mary Carter in May 1843. As his life went on he changed religions, and entered priesthood in 1847.

Source:

"Christmas Trees, the Confederacy, and Colonial Williamsburg : The official site of Colonial Williamsburg." Colonial Williamsburg Official Site. Web. 14 Jan. 2010. .