exceedingly outrageous. We hircc seen strange things to-
day."



JOHN GANO was one of the most eminent ministers in
his day ; in point of talents he was exceeded by few,
and as an itinerant he was inferior to none, who ever
travelled the United States, unless it were the renowned
Whitefield. He was born at Hopewell, in New- Jersey,
July 22, 1727, was converted soon after he arrived at
manhood, and was ordained in the place of his nativity,
in l?.-3 4-. His progenitors, on his father's side, were
from France, on his mother's from England. His great-
grand-father, Francis Gano, fled from Guernsey, in the
time of a bloody persecution ; one of his neighbours had
been martyred in the day, and in the evening he was
.1 on as the victim for the next day ; information of
winch he received in the dead of night, in this perilous

..ition he made all haste to escape the sanguinary storm
;!i hung over his head : he chartered a vessel, remov-
ed hi^ family on board, and in the morning was out of
sight of the harbour. On his arrival in America, he
settled in New-Rochelle, a few miles above the city of
New-York, where he lived to the age of a hundred and



Biography of John Cant. 307

three. Of the number or names of the family of this re-
ligious refugee, \ve know no more, than that lie had one
son named Stephen, who married Ann Walton, by
'\vhom he had many children, some of whom died young ;
those who lived to marry, were Daniel, Francis, James,
John, Lewis, Isaac, and three daughters, Sarah, Catha-
rine, and Susannah ; the last of whom lived to the age
of eighty-seven. Daniel married Sarah B:itton of Staten-
Island, near the. city of New- York, by whom he had
Daniel, Jane, Stephen, Susannah, John, Nathaniel, David,
and Sarah. The two first were born on Staten-Island,
the others at liopewell, in New-Jersey. Some of these
died young ; but a number of them founded families,
and their posterity is scattered in many parts of Amer-
ica ; most of them, however, are in the middle and west-
ern States. The subject of this memoir had the happi-
ness of being born of parents eminent for piety, by whom
he was early taught the necessity of religion, and a cor-
rect view of the gospel system. His maternal grand-
mother was about seventy-six years a pious member of
a Baptist church ; she lived to the age of ninety-six. His
mother was of the same persuasion, but his father was a
Presbyterian. But every thing attending his making a
religious profession among the Baptists, was conducted
with prudence on his part, and with tenderness on that of
his friends. He was at first much inclined to join the Pres-
byterians, but having some scruples on the subject of in-
fant baptism, he determined to give it a thorough inves-
tigation. He not only read books, but had frequent con-
versation with Presbyterian friends ; but the more he
studied the Pedobaptist arguments, the less he was inclin-
ed to believe them. The famous Mr. Tennant,* and some
other Presbyterian ministers, were among the circle of his
Pedobaptist friends. With Mr. Tennant he conversed of-
ten and freely ; at the close of a lengthy discussion of the
subject of baptism, that candid divine addressed him in
the following manner : "Dear young inan, if the devil
cannot destroy your soul, he will endeavour to destroy
your comfort and usefulness ; and therefore do not be
always doubting in this matter. If you cannot think as

* It is not known by the writer whether William or Gilbert is the minister
inlcnded, but '.t is probably il was the latter.



305 Biography of John Can.

I do, think for yourself." After a suspense of some
time, he became fully established in those principles,
which he through life maintained with so much ability
and moderation. Having resolved to be buried in bap-
ti^n on a profession of his faith, he made his father ac-
quainted with his design, who treated him with much
indulgence and tenderness. He stated that what he did
for him in his infancy, he then thought was right, and
the discharge of an incumbent duty, but if he felt con-
scientious in his present undertaking, he had his full
and free consent. He moreover proposed that -when
he should offer himself to the Baptist church, he would
go with him and give his consent there, and answer
any inquiries they might wish to make respecting his life,
&c. and also that he would go and see him baptized. All
these promises his catholick father fulfilled.

Soon after Mr. Gano was joined to the Hopewell
church, his mind was led to the ministry, but with many
anxieties and fears. He was so much absorbed in his
thoughts of the great work, that he was often lost to
every other object. One morning after he began plough-
ing in his field, this passage, Warn the people^ or their blood
will I require at your hands, came with such weight upon
his mind, that he drove on until 1 1 o'clock, utterly in-
sensible of his employment. When he came to himself
he found he was wet through with the rain, his horses
were excessively fatigued, and the labour he had perform-
ed was astonishingly great.

After becoming satisfied that preaching would be his
employment, he applied himself with much assiduity to
studies preparatory for it, which he continued, with some
interruptions however, for two or three years. Before
he had been approbated to preach, he took a journey in-
to Virginia, with Mcs.-.rs. Miller and Thomas, two emi-
nent ^linist^rs of that day, who had been appointed by
the Philadelphia Association to go and assist in settling
some difficulties in two infant churches there, which had
applied to them for help. Some account of this journey
has been given in the first part of the history of the Bap-
tists in Virginia. Before Mr. Gano had returned home,
a report had reached Hopeweil, that he had got to preach-
ing in Virginia ; and some of his brethren were tried



Biography of John Gam. 309

with him, for engaging in the ministry without the ap-
probation of the church. A meeting was called on his
arrival, and he was arraigned as being guilty of disorder.
He wished them to exhibit their proofs. They inform-
ed him that they had none, only what travellers from
Virginia had reported, but desired that he would give
them a relation of the matter. He replied that it was
the first time he had known the accused called on to give
evidence against himself, but he was willing, notwith-
standing, to give them an impartial relation of his con-
duct, which he did. The church then asked him what
he thought of his proceedings, and whether he did not
think he had been disorderly. He replied again, that he
considered this question more extraordinary than the
other. He had not only given evidence in his own case
which would operate against him, but he was now called
upon to adjudge himself guilty. This is a specimen of
that ingenuity and presence of mind, which shone so
conspicuously through all the transactions of this saga-
cious character. He at length informed the church that
he did not mean to act disorderly, nor contrary to their
wishes ; that his conscience acquitted him for what he
had done ; that he had no disposition to xepent his hav-
ing sounded the gospel to perishing souls in Virginia,
whose importunities to hear it he could not resist ; that
the case was extraordinary, and would not probably
happen again ; if it should, he should probably do again
as lie had already done. The church now appointed
him a time to preach, which he did to their acceptance ;
and after a thorough examination of his gifts and call,
he was regularly set apart for the ministry. Soon after
this, he went to reside at Morristown ; and calls for
preaching pressed upon him so much, that his studies, in
which he had considerably advanced, were in a great
measure relinquished.

At the next meeting of the Philadelphia Association,
that body was again petitioned to appoint some one to
travel to the south. . Messengers had also come on from
Virginia, for the purpose of procuring a preacher to la-
bour and administer ordinances among them. As no
ordained minister could conveniently go, Mr. Gano was
urged to accept ordination, and undertake the journey.



310 Biography of John Gam.

He pleaded against it his youth and inexperience ; but
the messengers from Virginia, and his brethren at home,
united their importunities, and he engaged in the mission.
He .was ordained in May 1754, and set out in a short
time after. In this journey he went as far as Charleston,
South-Carolina, and travelled extensively throughout the
southern Stales. Some extracts from his journal will
give the reader some view of the turn of the man, and
of the manner in which he prosecuted his mission. His
journal, which was printed in his life, has but few dates,
but it will be understood that the following scenes trans-
pired in the summer and autumn of 1754.

In the back parts of Virginia, this zealous missionary,
while conversing with some people where he lodged, in
an affectionate manner,respecting their religious concerns,
overheard one of the company say to another, " This
man talks like one of the Jones's !" On inquiring who
the Jones's were, he was informed that they were dis-
tracted people, who did nothing but pray and talk about
Jesus Christ ; and that they lived between twenty and
thirty miles distant on his route. " I determined," said
he, " to make it my next day's ride, and see my own like-
ness" When he arrived at the house, he found there a
plain obscure family, which had formerly lived in a very
careless manner, but a number of them had lately
been changed by grace, and were much engaged in de-
votional exercises. As he entered the house, he saw the
father of the family lying before the fire, groaning with
rheumatick pains. He inquired how he did ? " O,"
said he, Ic I am in great distress." " I am glad of it,"
replied the stranger. The old gentleman, astonished at
this singular reply, raised himself up, and inquired what
he meant ? " Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth,
and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth," answered
Mr. Gano. From this they proceeded to religious con-
versation, and he soon found this pious family, whom
the world accounted mad, had been taught the words of
truth and soberness. They asked him many questions,
and were much pleased to find one, who was acquainted
with the things they had experienced.

From this place he proceeded on towards North-Car-
olina, having a young man with him, who chose to bear



Biography of John Gano. 311

him company on his way. " We arrived at a house just
at dusk, the master of which gave us liberty to tarry.
After we had conveyed our things into the house, he
asked me if I was a trader ; which I answered in the af-
firmative. He asked me if 1 found it to answer ; to
which I answered, " Not so well as I could wish.*' He
replied, " Probably the goods did not suit." I told him,
" No one had complained of that." He said I held them
too high. 1 answered, " Any one might have them be-
low their own price." He said he would trade on these
terms ; which, I said, I would cheerfully comply with.
I then asked him, " If gold tried in the fire, yea, that which
was better than the fine gold, wine and milk, durable
riches and righteousness, without money and without
price, would not suit him ?" " O," said he, " I believe
you are a minister." I told him I was, and had a right
to proclaim free grace wherever I went. This bid the
foundation for the evening's conversation ; and I must
acknowledge his kindness, though he was not very desir-
ous of trading^ after he discovered who I was."

Our itinerant continued southward until he arrived at
Charleston ; and there, and in its vicinity, he preached
to good acceptance. His account of his first sermon for
Mr. Hart, in Charleston, is as follows : " When I arose
to speak, the sight of so brilliant an audience, among
whom were twelve ministers, and one of whom was Mr.
Whitefield, for a moment, brought the fear of man up-
on me ; but blessed be the Lord, I was soon relieved from
this embarrassment ; the thought passed my mind, I had
none to fear and obey, but the Lord."

On his return from Charleston to the northward, he
visited an island where he was informed there never had
been but two sermons preached. The people soon col-
lected together, and he preached to them from these
words, Behold, the third time / am ready to come to you> and
I -will not be burdensome to you.

When he arrived at Tar River, in North-Carolina, he
found a report had gone forth, that some of the princi-
pal men in the county had agreed, that if he came with-
in their reach, they would apprehend him as a spy ; for by
his name he was judged to be a Frenchman, and this was
in the time of the French war. Some of these people



S12 fifography of John GUHJ.

lived on the road he was to travel the next day. His
friends urged him to take a different route ; but he re-
plied that God had so far conducted him on his way in
safety, and he should tru; ; t him for the future. When
he got near the place where the principal men who had
threatened him lived, he was advised to go through it as
secretly as possible ; but that by no means accorded with
his views : he replied, he should stop and refresh him-
self in the place. He stopped at one of the most pubiick
houses, and asked the landlord if he thought the people
would come out to hear a sermon on a week day. He
informed him he thought they would ; but observed,
that on the next Monday, there was to be a general mus-
ter for that county. He therefore concluded to defer the
meeting till that time, and requested the landlord to in-
form the Colonel of the regiment, (who, he had learnt,
was one of those who had threatened him) of his name,
&c. and desire of him the favour of preaching a short
sermon before military duty. The landlord promised to
comply with his request. " On Monday I had twenty
miles to ride to the muster, and by 10 o'clock there
was a numerous crowd of men and women ; they had
erected a stage in the woods for me, and I preached
from Paul's Christian armour. They all paid the most
profound attention, except or.e man who behaved
amiss. I spoke and told him, I was ashamed to see
a soldier so awkward in duty, and wondered his officer
could bear with him. The Colonel, as I afterwards
understood, brought him to order. After service, I de-
sired a person to inform the commander that I wanted
to speak with him. He immediately came, and I told
him, that although I professed loyalty to King George,
and did not wish to infringe upon the laudable design of
the day, yet, I thought, the King of kings ought to be
served iirst ; and I presumed what I had said did not
tend to make them worse soldiers, but berter Christians.
lie complaisantly thanked me, and said, if I could wait,
he would make the exercise as short as possible, and give
an opportunity for another sermon, for which he should
be much obliged to me. I told him I had an appoint-
ment some miles off to preach the next day. Thus end-
ed my chastisement, and the fears of my friends."



Biography of John Gam. 3 1 3

" From hence I returned by the way of Ketockton,
on Blue-Ridge, where the inhabitants are scattered. On
my road, I observed a thunder-storm arising, and rode
speedily for the first house. When I arrived, the man
came running into the house, and seeing me, appeared
much alarmed ; there beeing at that time great demands
for men and horses for Braddock's army. He said to
ifle, "Sir, are you a press-master?" I told him I was.
" But," said he, " you do riot take married men ?" I
told him surely I did ; and that the Master I wished
him to serve, was good, his character unimpeachable,
the wages great, and that it would be for the benefit of
his wife and children, if he enlisted. He made many
excuses, but I endeavoured to answer them, and begged
him to turn out a volunteer in the service of Christ.
This calmed his fears, and I left him, and proceeded on
my way to Ketockton, where I spent some time, and
baptized Mr. Hail."

From Ketockton, Mr. Gano proceeded immediately
homeward. Soon after his arrival, he was married to
Sarah, daughter of John Stites, Esq, mayor of Elizabeth-
Town, in New- Jersey, by whom he had many children,
most of whom are yet living. Two sons and two daugh-
ters are in Kentucky, one son is in Ohio, one daughter
is at Hillsdale, New- York, and his second son Stephen is
pastor of the church in Providence, Rhode-Island. Mrs.
Gano was sister to Mrs. Manning, the wife of the Presi-
dent, who is yet living at Providence.

It was not long after Mr. Gano had returned from
this journey, before he was again induced, by repeated
solicitations, to set out on another, to the southward, in
which he was gone about eight months, and was happy
to find, in many places, the fruits of his labours in his
former visits. Soon after he returned from this excur-
sion, he was invited by an infant church in North-Caro-
lina, which he had raised up in a place called the Jersey
Settlement, to remove and become its pastor. Messen-
gers came to Morristown, a distance of about eight
hundred miles, for the purpose of soliciting that church
to give him up. They at first refused, but afterwards
concluded to leave the matter to his own choice. He

vol.. 2. 4O



3 14" Biography of Juhn Gano.

therefore concluded to go ; but at the same time inform-
ed the Morristown church, it was not for want of at-
tachment to them. The church in North-Carolina, he
considered, was \\hoily destitute, and there was besides,
a wide field for gospel labour. At the Jersey Settlement
he continued about two years ; the church became large,
and his labours were abundantly useful throughout a
wide an-d destitute region. But a war breaking out
v. It!i the Cherokee Indians, he was obliged to leave the
country, and returned to New-Jersey. About this time
the foundation for the first church in New- York was
hid by Mr. Miller of Scotch Plains ; the church in Phila-
delphia had also been lately deprived of its pastor, by the
death of Mr. Jenkiiv Jones. Mr. Gano preached for some
time alternately at both cities, but about the time the
church in New- York was organized, he went to live
among them, was chosen its pastor, and continued in
that office about tw o years, excepting the time

he was obliged to be absent on account of the war.
Some account of his ministry here, and of the progress
of the church while under his care, may be found in its
history under the head of New-York.

During most of the revolutionary war, Mr. Gano
was a chaplain in the army ; and by his counsels and
prayers, encouraged the American hosts in their strug-
gles for freedom from the dominion of a foreign, oppres-
sive yoke.

On the return of peace, he returned to his pastoral
station, and began to collect the church which had been
scattered to many different places. Out of upwards of
two hundred members, of which it consisted at the time
of its dispersion, he collected at first but thirty-seven ;
but his congregation soon became larLie, others of the

o O *J *

scattered flock came in, a revival commenced, which
prevailed extensively, and at one communion season,
near forty young persons were added to their number.
In this prosperous manner this successful minister recom-
menced his labours in New- York, and every thing ap-
peared promising even to the time he projected his re-
moval to Kentucky. This removal was as unexpected
to the church, as it was surprising to his friends. His
reasons for it are thus stated by himself: " One William



Biography of Job n C S1.5

Wood, a Baptist minister, camo from Kentucky, and
gave a very exalted character of the state of it. Ke
made several encouraging proposals to me to go there,
faid there was a prospect of usefulness in the ministry,
the necessity of an old experienced minister to take caiv
of a young church there, and {Littering temporal pn
poets for the support of my family. For these reasons
I concluded to remove. Besides, I was considerably in
debt, and saw no way of being released, but by selling
my house and lot. This I concluded would clear me,
and enable me r.o purchase waggons and horses to carry
me to Kentucky, i called a church- meet ing, and inform-
ed them of my intention. They treated it as a chimera,
and thought they could stop me by raising my sub.ry.
They, with all possible coolness, left me to determine
for myself. I immediately determined to go, and desir-
ed them to look out for a supply. This aroused them,
and they very affectionately urged me to tarry. 1 told
them, if they had desired me to stay before 1 had put
it out of my own power, I should then have given h
up."*

Having resolved on removing, he sold his estate, com-
menced his journey, and on June J 7, 1 787, landed at
Limestone, and immediately repaired to Washington,
where he tarried a while ; he then went to Lexington, and
finally settled near Frankfort, where he died in J804, in
the 78th year of his age. The labours of this aged min-
ister were owned of God for good in Kentucky ; but
there is reason to believe, that neiiher his usefulness
worldly comforts were so great as he expected. :
changes were frequent, and some of them peculiarly
trying. The encouraging proposals made by Mr. Wood,
appear not to have been released. Kis wife was first
made a cripple by a fall from a horse, and soon after
moved from him by death. By most of the Kentucky
brethren he was honoured and esteemed, and by all of
them his death \vas much lamented. In 1795, he made
a visit to North-Carolina, where he married, for his sec-
ond wife, the widow of Capt. Thomas Bryant, and daugh-
ter of Col. Jonathan Hunt, formerly of Nc\v- Jersey, one

* This \vi-!i thL- ;uvci:diii c-:-:t.v;".cU, is made from C
of 1JO ;:f*.



316 Biography of John Gano.

of his old neighbours and unchanging friends. In her
he found an amiable help-meet for his declining years.
She had been baptized by his son Stephen, three years
before, that is, in 1790, when they visited North-Carolina
together. She still survives him, and resides at his late
dwelling, near Frankfort, Kentucky. While he was
waiting for this new companion to arrange her affairs for
a removal, he/visited Charleston, South-Carolina, and
also as far northward as his son Stephen's, in Providence.

Mr. Gano, though now somewhat impaired by age,
was still actively engaged in his Master's service ; but in
1798, he had the misfortune to fall from a horse, and
fractured his shoulder-blade, which deprived him of the
use of one of his arms for some time. As he was recover-
ing from this affliction, he was very suddenly seized in his
bed, with a paralytick shock, which rendered him almost
speechless for nearly a year. From this shock he never
fully recovered ; but his speech was restored, and he had
the use of his limbs so far, that he was able to be carri-
ed out to meetings, and preached frequently, especially
in the time of the great revival, in an astonishing man-
ner. While the Arian affair, mentioned in the history
of the Elkhorn Association, was agitating the minds of
many of the Kentucky brethren, this able advocate for
gospel truth was carried to Lexington, asted into the
pulpit, where he preached a masterly discourse in defence
of the proper Deity of the Saviour, which was thought
to have had a considerable influence-in checking the prev-
alence of that erroneous system, which many were pre-
viously inclined to embrace.

We shall now take a review of the history of this dis-
tinguished man, and exhibit some of those peculiar traits
in his character, which qualified him for such abundant
usefulness, and rendered him so famous amongst the
American Baptists. Mr. Gano was peculiarly qualified
for an itinerant preacher. Ke possessed, to a singular
degree, the wisdom of the serpent, with the harmlessness
of the dove. He had a sagacity and quickness of percep-
tion, which but few men possess ; he had also a happy
facility in improving every passing occurrence to some
useful purpose. He could abash and confound the op-
poser, without exciting his resentment j and administer



Biography of John Gano. 317

reproof and instruction where others would be embar-
rassed or silent. His memory was retentive ; his judg-
ment was good ; his wit was sprightly, and always aC
command ; his zeal was ardent, but well regulated ;
his courage undaunted ; his knowledge of men was ex-
tensive : and to all these accomplishments were added a
heart glowing with love to God and men, and a charac-
ter fair and unimpeachable.

It is said that Hervey's servant declared his master