The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-07-19
REV, JOHN GANO
IcoNT1NUED FROM FIRST PAGE

this record:
1854, May. Nj. John Gano came
to us and continued to preach for us
till Oct. following when he went on a
journey to Carolina
At the next meeting Of the Phila-
delphia Association there was pre-
sented request from Virginia that
there be sent thither some ordained
minister to settle certain church af-
fairs. Mr. Gano says:
AS no ordained minister could be
found, that could go, | was urged to
accept the ordination, and undertake
the Journey. pleaded my youth and
inexperience; but the messengers
from those churches expressed their
wishes that / should be sent. | OBJ
jected in vain, and was prevailed on to
accept ordination, and to undertake
the journey"
Those preachers Of the early day
seemed to think hardly more Of start
ing out on horseback for Virginia or
the Carolinas than would amissionary
official of tho present time to take a
Pullman car for New Orleans or San
Francisco Having discharged his err
rand in Virginia he determined to
visit the Jersey settlement in North
Carolina and then went on to Charles
ton, S. G. He gives deeply moving
story Of his preaching in the cabins Of
the scattered pioneers, many coming
d score of miles to hear him, and again
+ he tells us that in the stately Southern
city sthe sight Of so numerous and
brilliant an audience famong whom
were twelve ministers, and one Of
whom was Mr.. Whitefeld), for mo-
ment brought the fear Of man on me. Z
He preached at the famed Orphan
House and was impressed by the sing
ing Of the children as by direction Of
the usher he PUT out the line. !"
This journey being taken at the time
Of the & Old French War; he was in
one place suspected from his name to
be a French spy and in another neigh
borhood the settlers were afraid he
was a press master" to seize upon
men and horses for Braddock's army.
The Morristown Church records
say
1855, June Mr.. J. Gano returned
from Carolina and again went on to
preach for us.
ssOct. Mr.. Gan0 at the earnest re-
quest of the church concluded to settle
with us for the sum OF forty pounds a
year.
He married Sarah, daughter Of John
Sites, Esq, the Mayor of the Bur-
rough of Elizabeth-T Town Another
daughter married James Manning, a
graduate of Princeton, who became
the first President of Brown Uniyer-
sity. Mr.. Manning often preached in
Morristown.
After his return, he says.
81 purchased small farm, near
MOrriStoWn, and in theneighborhoodo of
the then infant Baptist church, where
I had formerly preached. My labor as a
preacher increased for besides my
stated services in the church, there
was destitute church at Black River,
In the state of New Jersey, which de-
pended on me to administer the 0rdi-
nances and although the church was
small, the members wereScattered in
different townships some in Basking
Ridge, MorristOwn, Mendham, etc,
ETC., who applied for lectures in each
place, and the appearances of success
were such, as induced me to repeat
my visits as often as possible, and al
most beyond what my health would
admit of. AT one of these places,
there was a happy instance OF a prom
ising youth, (by name Hezekiah Smith)
who protested to be converted, and
joined the church, who appeared to
have an inclination for education.
He went through collegiate
education at Prince-T0wn College, and
came out a Jealous preacher, and to
appearances, a useful one. The church
at Morristown gradually grew, and
the congregation increased"
The young man spoken Of became
the Rev. Hezekiah Smith, D. D., Of
Hayerhill, Mass, a distinguished di-
vine and one Of the chaplains of the
Revolutionary Army.
In answer to repeated solicitations,
Mr.. Gano made another journey to
South Carolina being absent some
eight months.
The Morristown Church records
say:
1856, Aug. IS. The Church met
for business. After prayer to God for
direction proceeded;
To consider whether Elder Gano
should have the consent OF the church
to travel int o Carolina. Concluded to
give their consent to his travelling !;
but unwilling he should settle there
or remove from here.
/" Aug. 10Th. Elder J. Gano left us
again TO travel into Carolina by the con
sent Of the church, they hopeing tina.
on his return he would be satisfied to-
stay with them.
But the church at Yadkin, North
Carolina, desired that he should settle
with them and endeavored to prevail
on the Morristown church to consent
to his removal. Its records say
& 1857, June 24th. Elder John Gano
returned from Carolina. But instead
Of being willing to remain with us he
now requested liberty from the church
to remove TO Carolina and settle there.
And a meeting of the church being
called to consider upon it, they con-
nl4ldo3 that, III hp fh0uphf III hic dufv