March 4^th 1885

Monroe County, PA

Mountain Home, Barrett Township

Through the persuasion of different parties and numerous friends I have concluded to write down some of the traditional account of the arrival of our ancestors in the United States. Of course it is only tradition as I have heard it from my grandfather and mother relate them, never the less I have no doubt of the truth of them as it would have been no interest to them for to tell any thing that was not so and I have heard other people relate some circumstances concerning some of these things precisely as they related them which is good evidence of the truth of the tradition.

As to their ages when they arrived in the United States or the number of their children, I have never heard no further than that they were married when they came to the United States. The reader must not suppose that they are going to find a full lengthy history of their lives and doings as that would be impossible after so many years have gone by and they not leaving any notes of their life but I have done my utmost to gather together all of the information that I could as far as it looks reliable. Therefore the reader must be satisfied with these.

Harrison Sebring

Some time before the revolutionary war but at what date I have not been able to learn but it must have been a number of years before, there came to the United States from HOLLAND two brothers by the name of William and Cornelious Sebring. They settled in the state of New Jersey betwixt Belvedere and Otters Ferry on the Delaware River.  Here they remained and cleared some of the land that they had purchased and farmed and fished until the commencement of the war.  Then they both enlisted in the service of the United States.  How long they served in the army I never heard.

After Cornelius had served out his time he sold his land and commenced huckstering with the army.  How long he continued this business I never heard but finding that salt was in good demand and was worth from twelve to fourteen dollars per bushel he concluded to try his hand in the salt business and according to tradition he got five head of horses and started for the Lakes as that was the nearest point that it could be gotten. At that time there were no roads through to the Lakes and all freight had to be transported on pack horses by way of the bridle path.  So he made one trip and found that it paid and then increased his number of horses and made another trip.  And then increased his stock again until he had from twelve to fourteen horses in the lane.  Thus he continued the salt business until after the close of the war when on one of his return trips he found to his surprise and sorrow that the Continental money was not worth the paper on which it was printed.  This was something of a damper on his future prospects as he had about twenty thousand dollars in Continental money. But he like many others still lived with the expectation that it would again be worth its face value and they only hoped to be disappointed for that time has not yet come.

After this they still remained in New Jersey for some time but the length of time I have forgotten.  Then William sold his place and went to eastern Northampton County, Pa and Cornelious moved to what is now (1885) known by the name of Bartonsville, Monroe County (then Northampton County).  About this time one of his sons went to Canada. His name I have forgotten.  It appears that there was not much heard from him after he left. Cornelious and his other three sons built a house near where the turnpike now goes and commenced to clear a farm.  About this time his son Cornelius got married and built a house close to where his father lived but soon got tired of the roughness of the country and him and his brother by the name of Alexander went to the Lake country and left their father and his youngest son John at Bartonsville. Cornelious and Alexander Sebring settled in Newfield Township, New York State and I remember one of my uncles say that in 1829 he was at their house and also in 1830 and that they were in good circumstances. Also at that time Cornelious was sheriff of the county in which he live.  I have heard my father tell about two of his cousins coming out to see them.

About this time his son John got married to a young lady by the name of Eve Ribble from near Otter's Ferry, N.J.  At this time he must have been in his 21^st year as I find in his Bible that he was born on the 16^th day of February 1766 and the date of his marriage is October 10^th, 1806.  John moved into the house formerly built by his brother Cornelious close to where his father lived and took care of the old folks.

How long the old gentleman and lady lived after this I cannot find any date of their deaths, but as near as I can learn it must have been about 19 years, as I have heard my grandfather say that they lived in that old house there, pointing to the remains of a fallen down house, about 19 years until after his father and mother was dead.  And I have also heard him say that they were buried in a burying ground near by Kester's Schoolhouse.  I remember frequently hearing my grandmother Sebring say that they had made some improvement and built a house on the property on which they lived before the old folks were dead, but could not leave them as they had no one besides them to take care of or look after them and that as soon as their father and mother were dead that they moved into their new house which was about one mile from Bartonsville and to the left of the turnpike as you go towards Bartonsville about one half a mile  still known as the old Sebring property.

 According to tradition, Cornelious Sebring, Sr. was a man among men even in his day of strength and activity.  He stood a full six feet,  full boned and well proportioned, muscular and very active and robust and of a very sound constitution.  Tradition says that all of his sons measured a full six feet and were all hardy and able bodied men.

JOHN SEBRING SR.

Soon after my grandfather (John) had moved to his new home there began to be a good demand for white pine shingles so it was a good business as the timber was plenty and convenient and of good quality.  So he followed it for a number of years.  They also hunted especially in the fall, so they had plenty of meat.  As I have frequently heard my grandmother say that they often had six and eight barrels of bear and venison at one time.

As for William and his family, after they went to Easton I am not in possession of any traditional knowledge of them, except one of his sons who's name was William, he was sheriff of Northampton County.  Also prothonotary and associate Judge of the Court.

My grandfather John, still continued on his place and now the shingle business began to be a rather poor business upon account of so many going into it.  He quit it and began to clear and cultivate his land and as he had stout and able bodied boys, they soon had quite a backwoods farm.

So they raised all they needed.  They kept a large flock of sheep, raised their own flax, spun their own yarn and wove their own cloth, killed their meat out of the woods, had a variety of fruit and plenty of boys and girls to do the work.  Their house was a rough log house, well chinked and daubed with clay with two apartments with the chimney in the middle so as to have a fireplace in both apartments and save the expense of building two chimneys as stoves in those days were a rarity.  Thus they lived and enjoyed themselves much better than most of people do now days with all their finery and new improvements.  They had not the many fashions and frivolities to contend with that people have in this day of paint, false teeth and all their paint that young lady's need or desire to give their cheeks a fresh and healthful appearance.  They had plenty of exercise in the way of work, both indoors and out for they were not afraid to go out into the harvest field or hay field and work all day and come in at night and partake of a good substantial supper, then go to bed and sleep well all night and get up in the morning as fresh as a June morning and as contented as nature itself.  And did they die any sooner for it?  No, for looking over the ages of these same girls, I find that they all lived to become mothers and some of them lived to the age of 83 years and at the writing of these lines, one of them still lives now in her 78^th year and is still in good health.

Thus my grandfather continued on in the cultivation of his land and the raising of his family and in the education of them, for he was their school teacher or at least for most of them.  About this time there began to be a demand for barrels both flour and water tight ones for tubs and pails, etc. So they built a shop and went to coopering which proved to be a good business for a length of time, so my grandfather followed it more or less until my grandmother died, which was in the year 1843 as I find in the old Bible departed this life on the 15^th day of December 1843 Eve Sebring, wife of John Sebring. She was born on the 16^th day of January 1765 and therefore was 78 years, 9 months, 15 days old.

My grandmother was a mother and grandmother in truth, ever trying to relieve the wants and supply the needs of those around her.  If any one asked her for a favor they were sure that it would be granted if in her power.  She was a very friendly disposition, great talker on suitable subjects, but if the subject did not suit her it might as well be dropt or changed to something else.  She was well read for one of her day, had a good common school education and made good use of it all through her life.  She was a member of the Methodist Church from my earliest recollection.  The many good advices and counsel that she gave me has retained their place in my memory all through these years of trials and temptations that I have passed through.

When I think of the many sweet days spent under the sound of her voice and in the embrace of her arms and with my head on her lap, it brings tears to my eyes to think that those happy days are gone, never more to return.  And in her death the community in which she lived lost one of its valuable and useful members.  But what earth lost, heaven gained, for she had the witness within that there was a crown of glory waiting for her and that it should not be given to another and although dead, yet her influence still lives and is manifest in the daily walk of her descendants, even to the third generation.  She was a woman of good sound judgment, not hasty in forming an opinion, but after she had made her mind up was unmovable until convinced she was wrong and then was ready to acknowledge her the wrong.

She always done her own thinking, was always ready and willing to exchange opinions and reasons on the results of the eleven children she raised.  We have a fare sample of a mother's religious training.  Seven of her children to my knowledge have gone to try the reality of the spirit world that have left their friends with the full assurance of a glorious immortality.  Two of them died before my recollection as for those I cannot say anything about their last days.  Two of them still live.  One of them is prepared to go at her masters bidding, the other one has never made a profession of religion, still he lives in a world of hope.  Many of her grandchildren have followed her to the spirit world testifying that their first impressions of the necessity of religion were made on their minds by the advise and instructions of their grandmother, as she had a natural gift for making deep and lasting impressions on the mind in few words by contrasting some object that happened to be in sight.  Her words were the more readily remembered.

My grandmother had some years before her death taken two of her granddaughters to raise, their mother having died and left them motherless.  The oldest ones name was Eve Bisbing, the other was Sheba Mager, both by the same mother but different fathers as their mother was first married to Bisbing, afterwards to Mager and after the death of my grandmother, my grandfather continued to keep house with these two girls for about two years.  But things did not go satisfactorily, so he sold his farm and personal property and went to live with his youngest son, George, who at this time was considerably involved in indebtedness and therefore my grandfather had to pay off these debts with the understanding that he should have a lean on the property.  He also built an addition to the house and had the youngest of the girls that he taken to raise to live with him so that he still kept his own part of the house.  But for some cause, though I do not recollect, George refused to give his father a lean on the property, consequently, a dispute arose and grandfather moved away and went to live with his daughter Mary Brink, her husband being dead.

After he had settled in his new home, he thought of recovering his money from George by law, but by the persuasions of his other children, he left it drop.  He then built an addition to the house so that he could still have his part by himself and still had Phebe Mager to live with him there.  He apparently lived at home and enjoyed life remarkably for a man his age as he was still in good health and able to work or go see his children at his pleasure.  Time passed pleasantly for the space of about seven years when he was very unexpectedly summoned to try the reality of the spirit world.  On the morning before his death he got up at his usual time and went out doors, walked around for some time, then came in and lay down on the bed.  After laying for some time he said to his daughter that he did not feel very well.  That he would like to have a drink of water.  She gave him the water and as he laid down, she saw his color change very suddenly.  She said to him, "Father, do you feel worse?"  He said, No.  This was the last word that he spoke and immediately his spirit left its tenement of clay and flit away to join the many friends that had gone before and were waiting for him on the evergreen shore where sickness, sorrow, pain and death are felt and feared no more.

I did not see him for some days before his death, but his last days and moments I have from them that were eye and ear witnesses.  I have no doubt stated the case correctly.  But after his death as I stood and looked on the cold and lifeless form as it lay there in the embrace of death with a heavenly smile still on its countenance with every feature apparently as in sleep, I was forced to exclaim, O let me live the life of the righteous that I may die their death!

Thus he passed away in the 87 years of his age.  He was born on the 16^th day of February 1766 and departed this life on the 5^th day of October 1853, making his age 87 years, 8 months and 11 days.

My grandfather, John Sebring, was a member of the Methodist Church.  As for the length of time I do not know, but he must have been a member some 28 or 30 years, for as far back as my recollection goes he was a very strict member and apparently lived in the enjoyment of religion.  He was a good husband and father, always provided well for his family, not passionate nor hasty, yet very strict in the way of governing his children.  All must know there place and work so that when he told them to do anything they knew that it must be done immediately, although he never scolded and very seldom used the rod, yet he was one of the few men amongst the many that had a natural gift of governing his family without using any harsh means.

In my boyhood days I lived with him from time to time, until I was sixteen years old and well do I remember how there was a place for everything and everything in its place.  He was a great lover of children and took great delight in instructing them and telling them anecdotes and Bible stories and some of the great achievements of the men and women of the revolution and the Indian Wars of which he had a great store and always told them in such a way as to leave a good and lasting impression on the minds of children and so as not to create a fear or make them afraid but to encourage them and make them resolute and show them there was an over ruling Providence in all these things and that as long as we are in the path of duty we may naturally expect that he will keep us from the dangers through which we pass.

He was a great lover of the bible. Most of his leisure hours were spent in its perusal and study, comparing one reference with another so that he might fully understand the proper meaning.  He was well versed in the scriptures for a man that had no more times and means than he had a took great care to quote scripture correctly and therefore was good on scripture arguments of which he took delight when a favorable opportunity was offered.

He was a great hunter and met with good success.  I have heard some of his companions in this line say that his equal was hard to be found. That he could run further, shoot quicker and hold his gun steadier after a run than any other man that they had ever known. I remember hearing some of the old folks tell of a little anecdote about a man by the name of Scot that came across a fine drove of deer and drew up his gun to shoot and it did not go off.  So the old buck put up his front feet upon a log and after looking all around said to Scot, If you are alone we are safe, but when Sebring is with you we have to be on the lookout.  But if you are alone we are all right.  So they got off some distance from Scot and began to tantalize him by running backwards and forwards and presently one of them happened to see Sebring coming and gave the alarm but it was too late.  For the buck that had left Scot fell dead.  This Scot drank a little too much whiskey sometimes.  Then these old hunters would plague Scot about the old buck asking him where Sebring was.  I have heard my grandfather tell of a great many narrow escapes that he had from bears and panthers.

One time he was on the east side of Pocono Mountain hunting and came down a ravine at the foot of the mountain and sat down by a spring to eat his lunch and after he had got nearly through, he thought that he heard the leaves rattle as though some heavy animal were on the move.  And on looking in the direction from whence the sound came, he saw a large panther just in the act of springing upon him.  He grabbed up his gun and shot it through the head.  Still it made the spring and struck the side of a tree close to where he stood and stuck its nails and teeth in the tree so that it stuck there until it was entirely dead.

Another time he caught a young bear  and although he knew the consequence and was on the lookout, the old bear came on him from a way that he did not expect her.  He was standing under a ledge of rocks and the old bear came to the top of the ledge before he was aware of it and just as she was about to jump, he saw and sprang with all his might off sideways and the moment she struck the ground he shot her through the heart.

Another time he had been out a hunting and had killed a deer and had the skin on his back and it got dark and foggy before he got home. When he was about a mile from home he heard the wolves begin to howl and to his sorrow he soon found that they were on his track.  Then, says he, I began to hurry up a little as I did not care about getting into a fight with them in the woods as dark as it was that night.  So I trotted along as fast as I could, but I soon found that they were a coming closer and that there was quite a number of them.  So I threw down the deer skin and quickened my steps as fast as possible.  At this time I was about a half a mile from home.  As the wolves came up to the deer skin they made a halt and gave a yell that almost deafened me and I supposed that they would not follow me any further.  But I soon found that they were still in pursuit of me and I expected that they would overtake me before I could reach my clearing.  So I done my best to reach my fields, thinking that I would have a better chance for my life in the field if it came to a close fight.  So when I came to the fence, the wolves was not more than fifty yards behind me and I had a mind to stand my ground and begin to shoot them.. I thought that I had better go as far as I could so that if it did come to a fight I could holler so that some of them in the house might hear and come to my assistance and as the wolves came to the fence, they all made a halt as if to consult whether to go further or not.  As near as I can tell some of them got over the fence, then they gave a yell and about this time my dog came to me and would have went right to work if I would have let him, but I knew the strength of the enemy better than he did, so I told him to come along and the wolves gave another yell and beat a retreat.  By this time my folks was out with guns and lanterns but I told them if the wolves was willing to quit, I was, so we went home. These in his words as near as I can recollect them.

I recollect of hearing him tell of one time that he went up near Tunkhannock close to the place now known as Tompkinsville and when it began to be towards night, he went to his cabin and began preparations for his supper.  And all at once the wind began to blow and there was the appearance of a shower and he began to get in some wood for night before the shower came.  When all at once it got dark as night which surprised him, knowing that it could not be time for to get dark. Presently it began to rain and the wind blew a regular hurricane and the timber began to fall in all directions, so he began to think that he had better leave his cabin and no quicker thought than done. And he had hardly got out when a large tree came crashing down, sweeping everything before it came acrost the cabin mashing it to the ground.  He soon seen that he had better look for some suitable place to spend the night in.  But where was he to go in that forest of heavy timber crashing and falling all around him?  And so dark that he could not see his hand before him except by a flash of lightening. Presently there came a cluster of large trees crashing down close to where he stood and soon as they were down he said, I thought this is the place for me. They will keep the falling timber up so that is where I will spend the night.  And so I did and it was a night long remembered.  For it appeared to me as if heaven and earth were at war with one another for about the space of four hours this hurricane continued.  In the morning I got up on a fallen tree and looked over the destructive work of the past night and said to myself, And can it be that I am still alive? and it appeared to me as though I were the only man left in the world.  I hardly knew which way to go as all the surroundings were so much changed. Finally I went to the remains of my cabin and dug out some of my grub and found it well soaked and mixed up with bark, but it was the best I could do as I had almost no supper and spending such a night as this in the rain and without sleep gave a man an appetite for his breakfast.  So I ate some of my soaked grub and started for home expecting to find nearly all the buildings in the settlement blown down.  All the way to the top of the mountain the timber lay piled up and the roads was so filled with timber of all sizes, that it was both difficult and tedious traveling, but after I had got down the mountain I found that the hurricane had spent its strength by the time it came to the top of the mountain, so that it had not done much damage in the settlement and when I got home and found my family all safe I thought that we had great cause to be thankful.

My grandfather's house was a home for the Methodist preachers for a number of years.  Well do I remember the welcome reception and friendly shake of the hand that they received and the loaded table that was prepared for them and the many prayers that were offered up by the “Heavener's,"  the Pitts and many of those pioneers of Methodism in those by gone days of the furtherance and the building up of the master's kingdom.  My grandfather's house from my earliest recollection was a regular place of preaching and every four weeks it would be filled with attentive hearers desiring to learn the way to the better land.  And well do I remember the success that those messengers of peace and good news met with.  How the enemy fell before them, crying men and brethren what must we do to be saved? And with what power and delight they directed and pointed them to the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world.  And how the new born babes in Christ made that house ring with praise and glory to him that had done such great things for them.  Well do I remember how the power of God caused those that had been in the service of their master a long time to clap their hands, shout glory to him that had given such privileges to men that they might be called the sons of God.

My grandfather had eleven children, there names, day of birth and marriages and death are as follows:

·        William Sebring was born on the 28^th day of November 1786.  He was drafted in 1812 and went to Marcus Hook.  How long he remained there I have forgotten.  He came home with the fever and lay very low for a long time.  His life was despaired of still he lived contrary to all expectations.  Never the less he was not well after this.  On the 22^nd day of May 1814 he was married to Mary Custard.  They never kept house.  On the 21^st day of May 1818 he departed this life, leaving no children.

·        Mary Sebring was born on the 14^th day of  September 1788, married on the 21^st day of September 1817 to John Brink. They bought a tract of land about three miles east of Tannersville and built a house and began making a farm.  Here they lived and raised their family of eight children: five boys and three girls and cleared quite a backwoods farm on which they both ended their days.  They lived in about as good circumstances as most of backwoods farmers of their day. John Brink departed this life June 30^th, 1843. Mary, his wife departed this life on the 3^rd day of September 1870 being 82 years and 11 days old.

·        Sarah Sebring was born on the 18^th day of September 1790 and was married to George Mack.  Some time in the year 1817, the date of their marriage cannot be found, they settled on a tract of land close to the cranberry pond and lived there until the year 1834 at which time they went to Lucerne County near to the place known by the name of Harvey's Lake and bought a piece of land where they lived until the day of their deaths, the dates of which I cannot find.  They had nine children: four boys and five girls.

·        James Sebring was born on the 30^th day of August 1793, married on the 3^rd day of May 1818.  He bought a tract of land in Pocono Township joining land of John Brink and began to make a farm and soon lived at home until the year 1833 at which time his wife died.  Her name was Mary Brink, a sister of John Brink.  The date of her birth is lost.  They had three children that lived to grow up: two girls and one boy. Quite a number died in infancy.  After the death of his wife, Mary, he married a girl by the name of Betsey Utt.  They were married on the 25^th day of February 1834. They had six children: three boys and three girls.  He continued to improve his land until the year 1843.  At this time he was taken down with bilious fever and after some time he thought he was well, went out, took cold and departed life on the 7^th day of September 1843.  After his death, his widow continued to run the farm until 1873 at which time she sold it to one of her sons-in-law, Adison Henry by name, who still lives on the property and his mother-in-law lives with him.

·        Abigail Sebring was born on the 13^th day of September 1795, married on the 15^th day of June 1817 to Jacob Bisbing.  They settled on a tract of land adjoining John Brink and James Sebring and soon had everything very comfortable around them, where they lived until his wife died. [date unknown] He still stayed on his farm for some years.  One of his daughters kept house.  They had ten children: seven boys and three girls.  After some years he got married and his wife, not liking the place, they sold it to a man by the name or Morter and they moved to Tannersville, the date of his death I am not in possession of.

·        JOHN SEBRING, JR was born on the 11^th day of February 1792. Married on the 15^th day of December 1822 to SARAH BUSH, daughter of Thomas and Margaret Bush.  They bought a tract of land then in Price Township now Paradise of Thomas Bush, his father-in-law, situated on Brodheads Creek at the place now known as James Henry's Lower Bridge.  There was a house on the property and about 15 acres cleared.  Here he lived very comfortably for about seven years.  Here three of his children was born: Harrison and William and Margaret.  Some time in April 1831 he bought the undivided half of a mill property of John Brink in Pocono township and moved on the property and continued the lumber business with the other partner, Michael Brown.  After some six years he bought Brown's interest and ran the mill until the year 1832.  At this time his wife died.  She was born on the 20^th day of January 1803, departed this life on the 11^th day of June 1838, aged 35 years, 4months and 19 days.  Before the death of his wife he had hired a widow by the name of SUSAN SMITH for to do the work.  After the death of his wife she still remained until the 28^th of September 1838 when they married.  Susan Sebring departed this life on the 26^th day of November 1875.  She was born on the 15^th day of June 1800 and was 75 years, 5 months and 11 days old.  John Sebring departed this life on the 14^th day of April 1880.  He was 82 years, two months and 3 days old.

·        Anthony Sebring was born on the 30^th day of April 1800, married Mary Bush, daughter of Thomas Bush.  The day of his marriage I am not in possession of.  It was some time in the year of 1822.  They bought a tract of land adjoining that of James Sebring and built on it and cleared a large farm and accumulated a large amount of property.  They raised six children and lost quite a number in infancy.  Here they ended their days. Anthony Sebring departed this life on the 17^th day of April 1873, aged 73 years and 13 days.

·        Phebe Sebring was born on the 17^th day of May 1802, married to Joseph Bisbing, the date of which is not in the family record.  They had two children then Bisbing died.  The date of his death appears lost.  Sometime after the death of Bisbing, she married a man by the name of William Mager, date not known.  They went to Easton and Mager tended flour mills at different places for years around here.  Then they moved close to Belvedere, NJ where his wife Phebe died sometime in 1834.  Soon after this Mager went to Honesdale.  Of his death I know nothing.

·        George Sebring was born on the 5^th day of May in the year 1805. Married to Margaret Bellis on the 6^th day of April 1828. After his marriage he lived with his father for some two or three years.  Then he moved on the property formerly owned by George Mack at the cranberry pond where he still lives at this time. [1885] George died on December 19^th, 1889 aged 84 years, 7 months and 5 days.

·        Peter Sebring was born on the 10^th day of March 1807, departed this life on the 8^th day of August 1819, aged 12 years, 5 months and 2 days.

·        Rebecca Sebring was born on the 24^th day of February 1809, married on the 2^nd day of July 1828 to William Bellis.  They began keeping house in one part of her father's house where they remained betwixt two and three years at which time they moved on a property close to George Sebring's where they lived until he died.  William Bellis departed this life on the 4^th day of August 1869.  After his death his family remained on the property for some years.  Then they sold it and one of the James boys bought a lot close by and his mother went to live with him where she still lives.

John Sebring Jr.

My father was the second John in succession in the Sebring family and was born on the old Bartonsville property in 1798 and grew up about the same as other backwoods boys of his day with but a slim chance for the acquirement of an education as there were no schools within reach until he was about twenty years of age.  At this time there was a school commenced about three miles from where they lived to which he went about three months.  His father and mother instructed him so that he could read and write very well for that day and by going to school for three months he got a start in arithmetic so that having a natural ability for arithmetic he worked himself through the old day ball? and was considered  number one in arithmetic and by having a good memory and a great desire to read, he became a well read and a self made man for his day.  In the 24^th year of his age he got married and bought a property of his father-in-law situated on Brodhead Creek in Price Township now Paradise at the place known as James Henry's Lower Bridge, Monroe County.  There was a good log house and barn on the property when he bought it and fifteen acres cleared and therefore he was the sooner able to raise his bread and butter and some to  spare.

In the year 1828 his father-in-law Thomas bush was sawing for Bursens on his sawmill and as he went to take a borer from under the log the saw struck it and the borer flew against his head, knocked him down and broke his lower jaw and left arm and injured him otherwise so that life was despaired of and well do I remember going with my father and mother to move them to our house and it was about a year before he was able to do any work.

About this time my father was appointed to take the census of that part of then Northampton County.  He also held other township offices.  I remember his being twice appointed collector while he lived in this place. Here three of his children were born, myself and my brother William and Margarett.

Some time in the year 1824 there came a Methodist preacher to this section by the name of Heavener and he began preaching in Arthur Henry's house as there were no churches nor school houses in this section of the country and well do I remember of hearing the old folks tell what an excitement it created all through the neighborhood and everybody had to go and see the Methodist preacher and hear what foolishness he had to talk about as Methodist preachers at this time were among the things they had only heard of and never seen and when they saw him, imagine the surprise when they found he looked like all other men but not withstanding it was almost an unpardonable sin to be Methodist in those days and scarcely any went with the intention of becoming Methodists, but somehow and they could tell why they had a great desire to go and go they did and the word of the Lord was a hammer in the hand of his servant to brake the hard hearts and not withstanding all their hatred of Methodists, they were soon in the folds of the Methodist Church and could say they were not ashamed to suffer persecution for his name that had done so much for them.  Their man Heavener held a protracted effort in this house of Arthur Henry.  Soon after, he began preaching there at which time my father and mother with many more were converted.  How long this protracted effort continued I have forgotten, but I have frequently heard my father say that the work went on until the material was all used up and therefore had to close.  The good work went from heart to heart and from house to house until every house became a house of prayer.  After this my father was appointed class leader and the class met every Sunday and they met every Thursday evening for prayer.  Those times it was nothing thought of for to go three and four miles to class and the man and his wife each carry a child. Yes, those were the times that men and women made religion a business and received a business man's reward even in this life and how great will be their reward in that life which is to come. We have no right to say, but we do know that the apostle says all these things shall "work for us an exceeding weight of glory which fadeth not away" All those that were converted at this revival have gone to receive their reward, my father was the last one of them and I have frequently heard him say that he did not know of more than two or three that had made shipwreck of faith.

My father continued to live on his farm until some time in April 1831.  At this time he bought the un-divided half of a mill property of John Brink belonging to Brink and Michael Brown, situated in Pocono Township then Northampton County now Monroe and moved on it and him and Brown entered into a partnership in the manufacturing of lumber and my father rented his farm from time to time to those that wished it.

About this time Arthur Henry died and the family, not wishing preaching continued at their house, there was a consultation held to agree on a place for preaching and the majority carried to have the house of Jacob Bisbing as the place for preaching as it was new and more suitable than the majority of their houses.  So the house of Jacob Bisbing became the regular place for preaching for some four or five years.  About this time, my father received a license as exhorter in the Methodist Church and Jacob Bisbing was appointed class leader in his place and the good work still went on and the house of Jacob Bisbing got too small for the congregation and the members of the church and all the inhabitants met for to take into consideration the building of a more suitable place of worship.  And it was agreed that as there was no school house they would build a school house large enough to accommodate the people as a church and at the same time to be used as a school house and every one agreed to do his part towards the same, but the location was the stick.  After much caviling they agreed on the place Å“ about a half mile from where my father lived.  And they soon had what they considered a convenient place of worship and so it was in comparison of there former place.

My father and Brown still continued the lumber business until the year 1832.  At this time he bought Brown's interest and began to clear some of his land as there was a considerable space of time through the summer where there was not water sufficient to run the mill.  It gave him a chance for the improvement of his land. 

 In the year following, my father received a license as a local preacher as I find in looking over his license the first one is dated at Stroudsburg February the 9^th in the year of our Lord 1833, signed George Banghart presiding elder.

In the year 1834 the title of the land of John Brink became an object of dispute having another claimant and after a law suit it was decided in favor of the late claimant and then John Brink and my father had to buy their property again.  This was hard for my father as he had already paid Brink and also Brown and Brink had all that he could do to save himself.  My father did not think it worthwhile to make him further trouble and brown had failed so that he could not recover from him.  Therefore he had no alternative but to buy the property the second time or lose five or six years labor and the expense that he had been to in repairing the mill and improving the land.  About this time, he sold his property on which he formerly lived to John Gould for about half of its value, but still it made and uphill business for him for several years as he had to hire all the help on the mill and pay out of the profits.  As soon as his oldest boys were old enough they were put to work on the mill and thereby saved the wages of two men.  By this he was enabled to pay off his indebtedness.

About this time the flour barrel coopering began to be a good business and my father followed it for a number of years in the winter when it was too cold to saw and the boat timber was in good demand and he got more or less every year.  So he was enabled thereby to overcome some of his former losses. 

In the year 1836 he was appointed by the general conference as colleague with Gardner to travel and preach over the circuit of Stroudsburg, then extending from Cherry Valley to Stoddardville including the briar patch in Lucerne County and Drinkers and also Tobyhanna which he continued to do until the end of that conference year.  After this he went nearly every Sunday to fill some of the preacher's appointments in different parts of the circuit.  He would work all week, get up early Sunday morning, walk six or eight miles and preach twice then walk home again.  In the winter of 1837 he took the school to preach, then known as Labors School about a half mile from where we lived and was called a good teacher and no doubt was as the people of that place afterwards often wanted him to teach after this but he always refused, saying that he could not stand being housed up.

About this time my mother was taken sick.  She went with one of my uncles and aunt to a visit out to Harvey's Lake, Lucerne County to see some of their brothers and sisters that lived out there.  She took a heavy cold while there and neglected to do any thing for it until after her return and it settled on her lungs and threw her into a fever and then consumption set in.  From this time she continued to get gradually worse from day to day until the 11^th day of June 1838 when she departed this life in full triumph of faith and the witness that a crown of glory was waiting for her: aged 35 years, 4 months and 19 days.  Leaving six children to mourn the loss of a mother.  This was a sad affair for my father as he had just about gotten over his former losses and now had a years doctors bill to pay along with his other increased expenses in the way of hired girls and many other increased expenses.  Some three months before my mother died he got a widow woman to come and take care of my mother and after her death she still continued to stay and do work until the 28^th day of September 1838 at which time they got married.  Then things began to look better for the future until the next spring.

At this time her two sons that she had by her former husband came there to live.  This went along smoothly for awhile but as they were older than my father's boys they soon thought that they ought to rule and as they were like most boys that are raised without a father, of an indolent nature and therefore desires of getting through the world with as little labor as possible.  They would shove as much of the work on myself and brother William as possible and when my father would complain that there was not enough done then me and my brother had to bare the blame.  They would tell our stepmother all kind of falsehoods and make her believe him, as one would tell her and then she would ask the other if it was so.  As would naturally be expected, he would say yes, so all the blame would appear to rest on me and my brother and we would be corrected for it and we had to take it as there was three against two and they being the strongest party we could not retaliate.  But as all stories have an end so with this.

After things had went thus for about one year, me and my brother told my father that if he would just keep a little watch and see for himself he would see where the blame rested and not listen to either party and not be influenced by our stepmother that he would see for himself and so he did and soon became the arbitrator between the two parties and things soon began to assume a different appearance.  And the two boys of our stepmother finding that they could not rule, concluded that they had better leave and a consultation was held between all parties and the conclusion arrived at was that they could chose to go or stay, but if they stayed they must not expect that there would be any partiality shown for them in the future the blame should rest where it belonged.  This being the decision, the oldest one left and the youngest one stayed until next spring when he left.  I do not think that there was any hard feelings between my stepmother and father about this affair. At least they never showed it in our presence or hearing of us.  After this all of the family wars ceased and all went smoothly.  In 1840 my father concluded to repair the sawmill as it began to be pretty well run down and got two millwrights, Charles and Jacob Kemmerer, to do the work.  They built a new water wheel and done a great deal of other repairing in the way of putting in new timbers and different gearing, thus he continued the manufacturing of lumber and clearing and improving his land.  And by this time, me and my brother William had gotten so that we could run the mill except in the spring when there was the most hurrying part of the year.  Then we always hired a man and the mill ran day and night.

By this time we began to raise all the hay that we wanted for our own use and some to sell.  Also considerable grain and vegetables and my father began to spend the most of his time in preaching.  But after about one year, he found that although he had good boys to work they lacked men's experience and that things began to go down, so he concluded that he would not travel any more farther that to go and fill an appointment or preach a funeral and return the same day and after this all things were different for when he was away our stepmother thought that all things ought to be done according to her mind and sometimes us boys did not see things in the same light and would have our own way, although we would not quarrel nor abuse her, not even speak cross to her.  Yet there was not that friendly feeling one towards the other that there should have been and our father would take us to task for our coldness and as it is natural for human nature to justify self and look at self in the best possible light, we did not think that we deserved these reproofs and consequently this left a sore spot.  Yet in all this I do not think that there was any words between my father and stepmother it was not known to us as there never appeared to be a broken link in our presence, but I think that they never had any difficulty as some of the family would have known something about it.  No doubt they talked all these things over, but in good humor so that there was no misunderstanding or hard feelings on either side.  Thus all things went smoothly.

My father's house was the place for holding weekly prayer meetings.  For a long time well do I remember the preparations that had to be made every Wednesday afternoon for the accommodation of the many that gathered there for prayer and praise, everything had to be placed so as to make the most room so that if possible all might have seats.  But it frequently happened there was not room enough in the room and the kitchen would be nearly full.  Well do I remember my father and other speakers standing in the door so as to be seen and heard by those in both parts of the house and well do I recollect with what power they spoke and prayed and how the power of God came upon them and filled their hearts with love and praise so that there was frequently from ten to fifteen people shouting glory to God or laying prostrate on the floor.  Never will I forget how good old Michael Brown, although then an old man, frequently got to shouting and praising God and then take one of his feet in his hand and then go hoping and skipping through the house over benches or what might be in his way as nimble as a boy of fourteen.  Those were the days that professors of religion lived in the power and enjoyment of their profession.

In the year 1845 the school directors divided the district and built two new school houses and with them ceased the practice of holding prayer meetings from house to house.

In the winter of 1845 my father got the smallpox.  His parents told him that he had them when he was  about two years old, so he thought there would not be any danger of his getting it so he went to a neighbor that had them for to do their butchering and was there all day and as he went home at night he changed his clothes and considered that he was all right.  But in about 9 days he began to think there was something not right and he did not have to wait long to become aware that he had them in the worst stage.  In which case he lay some eighteen days between life and death.  No one expected that he would recover, but to the surprise of all he recovered and was a hale an hearty as before,  And what was still more remarkable, no one in the family got them.

In the year 1847 my father concluded to build a new house and immediately commenced it on a larger and more commodious plan than the old one that had weathered so many storms and in which so much good had been done and in which his family had been raised. Although I had left home, I happened there when they were tearing the old house down and I asked my father if he did not hate to see the old house torn down.  His answer was, "Do you?"  I told him that I did.  Why do you wish this old house to stand? he asked. I told him it appeared to me like parting with old friends.  Yes, no doubt, says he, but you know that all friends must part here and if they were prepared to meet again in that better land the meeting would more than repay as for the parting. Yes, I said, but do you think there will ever be as much good done in the new house as there had been in the old? In what way do you mean?  he then asked.  In the way of worshiping God and the conversion of souls. I answered.  As for that we cannot tell. He replied.  But it is not likely.  For the day of holding preaching and prayer meetings in private houses would soon be amongst the things that are numbered with the past and for his part he thought it would be better if the practice of holding prayer meetings in private homes had been continued as he did not think there appeared to be as much sociableness and brotherly affection one toward another as there was when they met in private houses for prayer.  And that in his opinion, people had more spiritual life and power then than now, as they made religion a business and that as the friendly and sociable feelings subside, so in a measure the spirit and life of religion became weakened.

Yes those were the times when the members of the Methodist Church lived as it becometh the true followers of Jesus and the good that has been done in this old house still lives and will continue to live down through eternity and will only be known in that day when the things that are now dark and mysterious will be made plain and the vale that now covers them will be removed. Quite a number that were converted in there [the old house] has left this vale of tears with the prospect of a glorious immortality beyond the grave while others are still pressing towards the mark of their high calling which is in Christ Jesus and if they continue faithful a few more days they also will wear the crown.

About this time, my father built a lath mill which proved to be a good business for a number of years as they were in good demand and brought a good price it being the first one put up in that part of the county.

By this time my father had got in more easy circumstances and had everything more convenient about him. His house still continued to be the home of the preachers as they were always welcome visitors with all of the family. And as his means were more ample he had more time to spend in the service of his heavenly master in the way of attending protracted meetings and filling appointments for the stationed preachers.

Thus he continued on in about the same surroundings without anything occurring worth notice still drawing nearer his permanent home with his eyes still fixed on the mark of the high calling that was in Christ Jesus. Remembering at the close of every day that he was another days journey towards his home beyond this vale of tears, endeavoring at all times to be prepared to give an account of his stewardship at any time that it might be required of him and be so prepared that he might do it with joy and not with grief and enter into that rest that remaineth for the people of God.

In April of 1859 my father began to feel the infirmities of old age and his boys had all left home to seek their fortunes elsewhere.  He sold his property to my brother, George W Sebring, for 1800 dollars and he was to keep the old folks as long as they lived and the purchase money to be paid to the heirs after his death.  After George had lived there about two years he thought that he could do better elsewhere and wished to be released from his obligations, so my father released him from his obligations and he moved away and my father ran the farm himself as the mill by this time was run down and the timber nearly all used up so that it was not worthwhile to repair it again.

April 1864 my father, finding that he was getting too far advanced in years to do the work required on the farm, sold it to my youngest brother, Joshua, for the consideration of 1200 dollars and he to pay a yearly rent of one third of all the grain and hay that he raised on the land then cleared as long as the old folks both or either one of them lived and at their deaths the purchase money to be equally divided amongst the heirs.  My brother then moved in the house with my father, each one having their own part of the house and keeping their own table.  My father still kept his cows, hogs and foul it being a part of the agreement that as much of his part of the hay as could conveniently be made should be fed up on the farm.  Thus they continued to live together for about two years at which time Joshua finding that his family was getting too large for his part of the house, concluded to build one for himself.

After this the old folks lived apparently in the enjoyment of life as they had not much to trouble them.  No business cares, their children all settled close to them except the youngest girl, who still lived at home and taught school nearly all the time.  So that all that they had to do was to tend their cattle, chop their wood and cook their victuals.

In the fall of 1873, David Kinney, who was married to my sister Maryann went to Philadelphia to be doctored for the consumption by a doctor by the name of Shenk, celebrated for the cure of all kinds of lung diseases and after he had been there about three weeks the doctor thought him well enough to go home.  He started for home which was in Bradford County and when he got to my fathers he could go no farther and remained there for about three months, still getting worse all the time until sometime in December when he died and as my father had to wait on him most of the time, he became worn out and caught the disease or something similar to it and was quite unwell for nearly a year afterwards.  As he was something of a homeopathic doctor, he doctored himself up again apparently as well as before except a cough that afterwards troubled him more or less, especially in the winter or at any time that he took cold.

In the fall of 1875 my stepmother was taken sick and continued to get worse for about five weeks when she departed this life on November 26^th 1875, 75 years, 6 months and eleven days.  So they had lived together about 37 years.

All this time she had discharged the duties of a stepmother no doubt to the best of her ability and no doubt in a way so that she was willing to give an account of her stewardship at the great tribunal.  I do not know how long she had been a member of the Methodist Church, but at my first acquaintance with her she had been a professor of religion which was some 3 or 4 years before my father married her.  Although illiterate, so much so that she could neither read or write, yet she was well versed in Scripture which she tried to follow in that straight and narrow path that her heavenly master had marked out and tried to do as she wished to be done by,  so much that she was often spoken of as the peace maker.  It appeared to be part of her duty to make peace in the community in which she lived.

Thus she lived and died with the hope of a glorious immortality.  She appeared to be sensible until the last and her last words were, I am going home. Thus she passed away to meet the friends that were waiting for her on the evergreen shore.

After her death, my father still continued to keep house. Sometimes by hiring a housekeeper at other times Bernice, my half sister, kept house for him when she was not teaching school.  But he did not find things going according to his notion and therefore was not satisfied and often thought of breaking up and selling of his things, but Bernice would not agree to it as it would deprive her of a home.  So he continued on until the 15^th day of November 1879, at which time he made a venue and sold off all of his goods and chattel and went to live with Margarett Price, his daughter who married George W. Price. They lived in Barrett township where he remained until the day of his death.

About the last of February 1880 he went down to his son Joshua's place to tend to some business and while he was there went to see most of his friends and stayed up late at night, slept in cold beds and took a heavy cold and came back sick and went to bed and not withstanding medical aid which was immediately called in, he continued to get worse and although the doctor had good hopes of his recovery, he could not check the disease and he continued to get weaker all the time.

Thus he lingered along until the 14^th day of April 1880, when his heavenly master said, it is enough, come and enter upon that rest which remaineth for the people of God.  Thus he passed away with a smile on his face without a struggle.  His last words were, "It is hard to leave our earthly friends, but those above . . ." and then could proceed no further.  So we thought by the motion of his lips that he would have said, those above are waiting for me.

He had been in the service of his master about 56 years as a member of the Methodist Church, 47 of which he held a preachers license, as his last license is dated Tannersville, January 28^th 1879, signed John F. Chaplain, presiding elder.  How much good he has done through all those long years that he spent in the service of his heavenly master traveling over these hill and mountains and unbroken forests publishing the glad news of salvation to their inhabitants and inviting them to the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world and soothing the sin sick soul and pouring the oil of consolation into the wounded souls of others and strengthening the hope of others so that they were more prepared to run with patience the race set before them and how many he has been instrumental by the aid of his master in turning from darkness to the marvelous light of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, must remain with him with whom the past, present and future are all the same, until that day when the things that are now dark and mysterious will be seen in the light of eternity.  Then and not until then will the good that he hath done be known and how many in that day will rise up and testify that they were brought to the knowledge of the necessity of seeking an interest in the atoning merits of Jesus through his instrumentality will then be known.

My father was a man of solid and robust make, he stood 5 feet 10 inches barefoot.  He was not fleshy but heavy boned and muscular with a strong constitution. Likewise of a strong mind and not hasty in forming an opinion but after he had his mind made up could not be easily persuaded otherwise without good evidence and he always took time to come to a decision he seldom had to change his mind in forming an opinion of men.  He appeared to examine them attentively and weigh the evidence before making up his mind and his first impressions were generally correct. He was naturally of a contented nature, very seldom got into a passion or excited and never appeared to trouble himself about the future and was a firm believer in the promise, "Seek first the kingdom of heaven and all these things shall be added." He was strict in the government of his family and all of his children knew that they must do what they were told to do and do it as they were told to and that without delay.

He was a great talker and took delight on all subjects that suited him such as religion, politics and common subjects and was hard to beat in an argument of any kind.  He had an uncommon memory, even in his last years his mind appeared to be as active and his memory as good as ever, he was not what most people call a good orator although he always spoke correctly and to the point and his words always appeared to make a lasting impression on his hearers, yet he spoke rather slow for a public speaker.

He was a great worker in his master's cause and his motto was "whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might."  He appeared sometimes to forget all of the business cares of this life and appeared to live far above this troublesome world.  He never would allow any of the cares and troubles of this world to dampen his spirit or weigh him down but always said they are working for our good.

 Conclusion of  Part 1

1887

His life from 1824 to 1850

By the persuasion of numerous friends I have concluded to write down a short sketch of my life and I can truly say that it has been a changeable one and the dangers and trials that I have passed through have been numerous.  So much so that when I look back over my past life and think of the many narrow escapes that I have had and how often I have been near the grave, I am forced to exclaim, and am I yet alive.Yet through all of those dangers I can see the watchful eye and fatherly care and protection of an overruling and all wise providence so that now in the sixty-third year of my probationary term I can truly say that my heavenly father hath made all things work together for my good and therefore I am willing to trust him for all that is necessary in the future.  And if these few lines happen to fall into the hands of any one that has met with such trials and are passing through such difficulties, I hope that they may take courage thereby and remember our heavenly father is still the same unchangeable God who has all things under his control and  all means at his command who is ever present in every time of need.

I was named after General Harrison.  I was born, on the 7^th day of June in the year 1824 on the old Thomas Bush property at the place now known as Jame's Henry's Lower Bridge that crosses Broadhead's Creek an the road from Paradise to Stroudsburg where my father then lived. At which place I grew and spent my time as all backwoods boys at that day in gathering wild flowers and asking many foolish questions, some of which were hard to answer.  Well do I remember the first locust I ever saw.  It was some time in June at which time I was about two years old.  My father had gone early in the morning to hunt the cows and when he came home he had a number of them in his hat.  I thought that they were beautiful and the many questions that I had to ask about the spots on their wings, about their heads and how and where they lived was laughable, but it was not many days before I hated the name of locust, for everything was covered with them.  Well do I remember my father going frequently to shake them off of the young fruit trees that he had set out and how I hated that continual noise.  How glad I was when the sun went down so they would be still.  At this time we had a large dog by the name of Watch, and me and Watch were great friends as he was the only playmate that I had and I the only one he had.  We would always be together. Many a long hunt would my mother have had for me if it had not been for Watch.  Where ever I might be when I wanted to sleep, there I would go to sleep and when Watch would find that my mother was looking for me, he would give one bark to let her know where we were, but if a stranger came near he would be as still as a mouse until he found that they were going to touch me, then they would soon feel his teeth.

I always felt safe with Watch as my keeper.  So things went about the same until I was about three years old or a little past.  Then there came an otter to our house and well do I remember the scare that it gave me.  Me and my friend Watch was out before the door at play when it came up close to us before we took notice of it.  Then Watch began to growl and say keep away, but the more he growled, the closer it came to me as if it wanted me to protect it.  This frightened me the more and as my mother was in the garden digging potatoes for supper, she came running with the hoe in her hand and told me to run in the house which I undertook to do and me and the otter reached the door about the same time.  About this time the otter found himself pulled back by Watch.  Then there commenced a fight for life.  After a few minutes my mother saw that the otter would be too much for the dog as it was a full grown one, so she went to work with the hoe which gave the dog fresh courage and soon they had the otter dead.  When my father came home in the evening and found the otter laying dead at the door, he was surprised that my mother had the courage to undertake such a fierce looking animal.  Well, says she, what would I do?  It was determined to come into the house and I expected as soon as it had whipped the dog that it would undertake the boy, so I thought the best way would be to do what I could in the start.  So my father skinned the otter and the next day there came a man in search of his otter. So it happened to be a tame one which accounted for its wanting to get into the house and he said that if she had kept it alive he would have given her five dollars, but it was too late.

So time passed along until late in the fall.  At this time something got to catching the chickens.  Every night or two some of them would be gone and they could not find where they went.  So one evening betwixt sundown and dark, my mother heard the chickens our in the old log barn and the dog ran out and began to bark and when she got there she saw a very large wildcat sitting on a log.  So she hardly knew what to do as father was not at home and she knew that the cat would not stay long.  So she went to the house and got the gun and when the gun cracked, down came the cat.  Then the dog had his hands full for a few minutes but he soon had the cat dead. After this nothing happened worth mentioning until the next spring when there came a very large wildcat close to the house and my friend Watch started in pursuit of it and soon the fight began and well do I remember how I begged my mother to go help the dog, which she did, but by the time she got there, the dog had the cat near dead and she saw that he did not need help.  So time passed along until the next winter.

At a time when the creek was all frozen over except a small space in the middle, some dogs drove a fine deer into the creek close to the house and it got in this narrow channel and the dogs would not let it get out.  So after some time had passed. My mother noticed the condition it was in and concluded that she would take the gun and shoot the deer.  So down to the stream she went with the gun in hand.  I never can forget the fear and anxiety I felt at that time for my mothers safety.  If I had thought that she might have been going to her grave, I could not have felt worse, for I thought the ice might brake and take her under and many other thoughts ran through my mind, but I was some relieved of them when the gun cracked.  Both of the dogs that had drove the deer in took hold of it. Also Watch and with the assistance of my mother, they soon had the deer on the ice where they left it with my friend Watch to take care of it until night until my father should come home.  Well do I remember him telling her of the risk she ran of being drawn under the ice.  So things passed without anything worth notice until the next spring when my friend Watch was taken sick and in a few days died.  Oh how I wept and mourned the loss and I have often thought since that this has been the sorest trial that I ever passed through,  for it appeared to me that I had lost my best and only friend and all that I could call my own and the only one on whom I could depend.  But as all sorrows have an end so with this.

After this, time still passed along as it usually does with boys of that age until sometime in the latter part of the summer.  At this time my father was clearing away a strip of alder and other brush that had grown up along the side of one of his fields next to the creek and he gave me a hatchet and told me that I might go along with him to clear.  So I went and he showed me a large bunch of alders and told me that I might cut it, so I went to work and after I had got it nearly all cut I looked inside of the bunch and there lay the largest snake I had ever seen.  Then I soon got away, not taking the hatchet and when I told my father there was a snake in that bunch , he could not believe it. He said that a snake would not have stayed there all that time as I had been nearly half a daypecking around the bunch.  But finally he came to see and there to his surprise lay a pilot and I remember of frequently hearing him say thatit was the largest one that he had ever seen.  I have heard him say that it seemed miraculous that it did not bite me as I must have had my hands within a foot of its head. After this he would not let me go with him to clear, although I often wished to go.  After this I do not recollect anything worth noting un til the next summer.

Then a young lady by the name of Eleanor Ransburey, through the persuasion of a few familys, concluded to teach a school at her father's house, about two miles from where my father then lived and it was a subscription school and my father subscribed for me.  So when the time came, I, with a few others that lived above us, started to school and as we all liked our teacher all things went off nicely and time passed pleasantly for about a month.  One morning as we were crossing the foot bridge that the neighbors had put across the creek for foot people to cross on. In that day there were no bridges across the Broadhead Creek so people kept up those foot bridges on their own expense as they must be kept up or people that traveled on foot must wade.  So they were generally put up a good height from the water so that a common fresh would not take them away and also in the narrowest part of the stream which generally happened to be the swiftest current.  Myself and Susan Bush, Christeen Bush and Frederick their brother were all on the log.  Some of them began to shake the log to see if the others could keep step with the spring of the log and I being behind behind and the smallest, the spring affected me most and threw me in the water with dinner, book and all together and as I was behind, they did not notice that I had fallen until after they had all gotten across and by this time I had gone some distance down the stream and as the brush was very thick along the edge of the stream they could not at first see me.  But they all knew that I must be in the water and so they began to hollar to my mother and some of them waded in below to see if they could find me.  By this time my mother was there on the opposite side of the steam from the others and which saw me first, my mother or Christeen, and which got to me first themselves were unable to decide.  By this time I had floated down stream quite a distance and I never could remember anything after I fell.  Some thought that I had fallen on a rock and it had stunned me.  Others thought that I had strangled as soon as I fell and that the rapid current had dashed me from rock to rock which caused so many bruises on me.  Let this be as it may, I was taken out for dead.  After a long time they succeeded in bringing me to.  After three or four days I went I again went to school for about two weeks, but all the time felt stupid.

One afternoon I did not feel well and wished for to go home and the teacher, not thinking it best for me to go alone, sent Susan Bush with me.  That night I was taken with a fever and became delirious and continued so for about ten days.  Those ten days have always been a blank in my life without a connecting link.  After I recovered the three month term of school was so near out that I did not go after that.  At this time I must have been in my sixth year as I have frequently heard my father say that this all happened in 1830.  So time still continued to pass until some time in November when my father went to saw on a mill about three miles from where we lived belonging to Brink and Brown and continued there all winter, coming home every Saturday night and going away again on Monday morning. This made a long winter for me and well do I remember how cold it was and how deep the snow was.

There is one thing that I had forgotten to note as I went along and therefore will make a note of it here.  Well do I remember the particulars of the case.  It happened at the time that a Methodist preacher traveled the Stroudsburg Circuit by the name of Samuel Grace and I think the first protracted* meeting was held at the house of Jacob Bisbing.  After that it was appointed the place for regular preaching, either in the year 1829 or 1830, I cannot say which, but it was at the time Grace traveled that circuit.

*[note: when the writer speaks of a "protracted meeting" he is referring to something like a week long revival meeting such as those held later in local churches  with guest evangelist speakers.]

Well do I remember my father and mother taking myself and brother William and staying at the house of Uncle James Sebring through a part of the protracted effort and I think that it was on a Sunday night there was a very large congregation and the house was packed as full as it could be.  Quite a number had come from Stroudsburg.  I remember in particular some of the Colberts and Browns and Staples were there.  Also that the preacher Grace stood in the room door so that he might be better heard by those in both parts of the house and after the close of the sermon the invitation was given for mourners to come forward.

Among the number that went to the altar was one Filey Price, daughter of Eleazer Price and I was well acquainted with her.  I took particular notice of her going amongst them and she remained at the altar for some time before the Price family found out as they were in the kitchen.  As soon as they found out, Charles Price, her brother, Jacob Price and Smith Price, two of her cousins, crowded through the room and went up to the altar and the members thought that they were going to kneel down, but instead of doing so, they picked up Filey and by this some of the party outside opened the window and those that had hold of her shoved her through to those on the outside.  This so surprised the members that they hardly knew what to do and for a few minutes there was an uproar, but the preacher soon began to sing and then all was quiet as if nothing had happened until after the congregation was dismissed.  Then there was a consultation and the conclusion was to let them go.  I might as well here say that I have been well acquainted with all of the party that had a hand in this.  I knew how they lived and how they died and they are all gone to receive their reward except her brother Charles and if there is a possibility of a man being possessed of the devil, I would be persuaded that he is.  None of them ever accumulated much property.  God s curse appeared to rest on them while they lived and showed it more fully in their death.  As for Filey, she lamented it all through her life.  It was not my privilege to see her in her last sickness.  I attended her funeral and the preacher stated that he had several conversations with her about her hopes beyond the grave and he thought that her name was written in the Lambs Book of Life.

In the spring of 1830, my father bought the undivided half of the mill that he had been tending of John Brink.  Well do I remember how glad I was when the day came to move, but how soon was my joy turned into mourning when we arrived at the house and found it a log house 16 feet square and the had not been butted and some of them projected 12 and 14 inches and as it had not been occupied for 2 or 3 years and the floors had come loose, the brush had grown up through the floor two feet high and outside they stood so close to the house and so thick that I could not walk around the house.  And I think sometimes that I can yet feel that same horror and fear that then rested upon me, but I soon got used to the wildness of the place and my father hired a couple of men and began to clear away the brush and repair the house so it soon had more the appearance of living.

At this time there were eight families living in that neighborhood.  Those names were as follows: Jacob Henry, John Labar, Mathew Steen, Melchoir Smith, Anthony Sebring, James Sebring, Jacob Bisbing, John Brink and us.  All of these brought their logs to the mill to have them manufactured into lumber.  I soon got acquainted with them and their boys, so time passed along more pleasantly.

The next summer my father built a piece to the house and tore the roof off the old part and raised it higher, so that we had what was considered a comfortable house for that day.  And so it was in comparison to what it was when we moved in, with a ladder made of round poles to so up stairs on and but one window with six  seven by nine lights.  This was in the year 1832.  Soon after this it was decided by the members of the Methodist Church that our house should be the place for preaching every four weeks, as the house of Jacob Bisbing was rather far away for those members that lived about Paradise.  So after this, our house was the appointed place for preaching every other Sunday and the next at the house of Jacob Bisbing, so as to accommodate those at Tannersville and below and the class and prayer meeting were also held in the foregoing places in the same order.

Well do I remember those good and zealous soldiers of the cross that then gathered at our house for class and prayer meetings and how they enjoyed themselves.  When those earnest followers of Jesus, Mr. John Setsar and the Hilgerts and the Transues and Lurne Blasers from paradise came there was always a happy time.

At this time there was a number of live members in and around this place.  There was one Betsy Bellis, afterward married to William Mack, and Betsey Utt, afterwards married to James Sebring, three of William Staples girls, sisters of John L. Staples that were great shouters and I then thought and never had cause to change my mind that they lived more in the enjoyment of religion than any others that I ever became acquainted with.  They all lived apparently the life of the righteous and as far as my knowledge goes, departed this life in peace.  At this writing which is March 7^th, 1887 they have all gone to there rewards on the evergreen shore except Betsey Sebring and she is standing as it were with one foot in the river waiting for her master to say come.  In those days it was no hardship for men and women to come from Paradise and Spragueville and Tannersville to class and prayer meeting at our house and they would generally stay for dinner or super as the case might be and go to the evening service and then walk home.

Up to this time I had never been to school except those few weeks at the time I fell off the log.  About this time the people of the place hired a widow woman by the name of Berges to teach subscription school in the cooper shop belonging to john Brink about one half mile from where we lived and I went that three month term.  The next summer they built the old log school house that still stands at James Henry's. I think it was in 1834 and in the fall they hired a man by the name of Henry Sabens to teach.  After this there was school taught there for four months every winter so that I had the privilege of getting a little foundation laid for what was then a backwoods education.

So we lived and although poor, I think that we enjoyed life as well as many that were in better circumstances.  In the next summer, my father built a cooper shop and went to coopering in the winter when it was too cold for to run the mill.  Then I had to help in the shop nights and mornings and as he continued it for a number of years I learned the trade so that I could make a very food barrel either flour or tight barrel, also tubs and pails.  So things moved along about the same until the year 1837.  At this time I went to live with my grandfather Sebring as he was getting too far advanced in years to do his own plowing.  So I stayed there all that summer.  Some time in July there came a regular hurricane and thunder and lightening.  I was in the field plowing and my grandfather came and told me that I had better put the horses in the stable as he thought that it would be a very hard shower.  And so it proved to be and just as I got to the run where he wanted the horses, the lightening struck in the water about ten feet from where ten feet from where the horse that I was on was drinking.  This threw water all over me and the horses and the noise was almost deafening and the horses sprung with all their might, but as I happened to have hold of the top harness I did not fall, but I think that I went to the barn about as quick as ever horse flesh went that distance.  About the time that I got to the barn the storm struck it and such rain, hail, thunder, wind and lightening I never saw before nor since.   It tore down trees, fences and almost everything in its way.

My grandfather had a wild black cherry tree that stood in his meadow that it blew down.  So the next day he told me to take the ax and trim and chop up the cherry tree.  So me and my grandfather went to the tree and after he had looked at it for some time he said, You have weathered all the storms ever since I knew you, but this has been too much for you and that will be the way with all of us sooner or later.  The storm will come that will uproot us and lay us low.  Then he showed me where to throw the limbs and said, that will make you a half day work, my boy.  So at it I went in good, earnest determination to let him know that I could do it in less than half a day.  After I had got it all trimmed and nicely heaped, I got on to chop up the body of the tree and as the roots had torn up a very large space around where the tree stood, the butt lay about six feet above the ground and I concluded that I would cut the top log off first.  This left about twenty feet below.  So when the log dropped off, I stood on the top of the butt and up it went before I had time to think and threw me full twenty feet from where the tree stood and the last that I remember was throwing down the axe.  How long I had lain I cannot tell, but the first that I remember the horn blowing for dinner.  Then it was sometime before I could make out where I was, so I began to look around and found my axe laying close to where I had chopped the tree in two and I have always thought that dropping that axe was all that saved my life.  After I got to the house and told them the story they would not let me do anything the rest of the day and the next morning I did not know whether I could get out of bed or not, but after trying several times I got out and went to work, but it was a long day for me.  About 12 years after I was passing by there and saw the old cherry still standing as a witness betwixt me and it with a new set of limbs.  How long it stood after this I had not the means of knowing.  I still continued on with my grandfather until late in the fall.  Then my father wished me to come home and go to school and help in the shop nights and mornings.  So the winter passed without any thing worthy of note and in the spring I again went to my grandfather's to work.

At this time my mother lay sick and as it was only about four miles from one place to the other, I would go home every Saturday night and back again on Monday morning.  Thus things went on about as usual until the eleventh day of JUNE.  Early in the forenoon a messenger came and told me that if I wanted to see my mother alive I must make all possible haste.  This so surprised me that I hardly knew how to believe it as I had been at home Saturday and came away Monday morning and she was no worse than she had been for sometime.  But I knew that he would not tell a falsehood, so I threw down everything and I have thought since that in all probability  I went over those four miles in the shortest time that ever any person did on foot.  But when I got home it was too late.  She had just breathed her last and the many weeping friends still standing around her bed.  You can better imagine my feelings than I can describe them.  A dear and tender and affectionate mother to be so suddenly and unexpectedly taken away and I not there to receive the parting farewell.  O how I lamented my loss and when they told me that she in her last moments had remembered me and that after giving her parting blessing to all that she had said,  Tell Harrison to prepare to meet me in heaven.  Then my grief knew no bounds and the tears blinded me and I sat down not knowing what to do nor where to go. Oh how plainly I then saw the necessity of at all times being prepared for death and how I then and there promised the Lord that I would give my heart to him, but not then, at some future time.  Oh procrastination, how many precious souls has thou sent beyond the reach of hope and mercy.  Oh thou art the great curse of the human family.

I think this was on Wednesday and on Friday they laid my mother to rest in the burying ground where Cherry Lane Church now stands and I was overcome with grief that I hardly have any recollection of what passed in the afternoon.  I stayed home Monday morning, then went back to my work, but with a sad countenance and a heavy heart for a few days is seemed as though I could not do any thing, but my grandmother understood my situation and gave me good counsel, sympathized with me and was a grandmother indeed.

Oh  I was soon myself again and time passed more pleasantly until fall at which time my father bought a team of horses and I had to go home to take charge of them. About this time my father got married to the widow that had been keeping house for him and although I did not like the thought of my father marrying her, yet I made up my mind that I would make the best of it that I could and treat her as I should, but still there were many needs that a stepmother could not supply.

That motherly sympathizing love was not there and that warm motherly embrace was lacking, but we soon learned to take things as they were and as I had to be away from home with the team most of the time, I did not feel the loss of these things as much as I would if I had been at home all the time.

At this time there was a great demand at Easton for staves, hoop poles, shingles and all kinds of boat timber so that I was continually on the road in the winter time and most of the time in the summer.  So time moved along in about the same rate for about two years.  It was in the summer of 1840, sometime in the month of July after we had finished harvesting and on Saturday afternoon Peter Bisbing, Henry Bisbing and John Walton came by our house going down to Michael Ransbeury s dam to take a swim or wash as they said and I told them that if they would help us finish our harvest which would take about half an hour that me and my brother William and a young man that we had helping us by the name of James Smith would go along. And so they did and we all went to the dam, swam and played in the water for some time, then went and rolled in the dry sand until we got tired of that and then concluded to take another wash before going home.

And then we all ran and jumped into the water to swim across the dam.  I happened to be behind all of them and when I got about half way across all at once my arms and legs refused to move and I found that I was sinking and I hollered for help but they were all laughing as boys generally so and did not notice it.  So down to the bottom I went and when my feet struck bottom, I gave a spring as well as I could and again came to the top of the water and hollered.  By this time they had all gotten to the other side and some of them heard me holler, but before they had seen me, I had gone down and this time I could not rise and they did not know the exact place where I had gone down and by the time they found me, I must have been under the water four or five minutes.  And so they took me out but it was some time before I returned to consciousness.

 

Well do I remember my father and mother taking myself and brother William and staying at the house of Uncle James Sebring through a part of the protracted effort and I think that it was on a Sunday night there was a very large congregation and the house was packed as full as it could be.  Quite a number had come from Stroudsburg.  I remember in particular some of the Colberts and Browns and Staples were there.  Also that the preacher Grace stood in the room door so that he might be better heard by those in both parts of the house and after the close of the sermon the invitation was given for mourners to come forward.

 

Among the number that went to the altar was one Filey Price, daughter of Eleazer Price and I was well acquainted with her.  I took particular notice of her going amongst them and she remained at the altar for some time before the Price family found out as they were in the kitchen.  As soon as they found out, Charles Price, her brother, Jacob Price and Smith Price, two of her cousins, crowded through the room and went up to the altar and the members thought that they were going to kneel down, but instead of doing so, they picked up Filey and by this some of the party outside opened the window and those that had hold of her shoved her through to those on the outside.  This so surprised the members that they hardly knew what to do and for a few minutes there was an uproar, but the preacher soon began to sing and then all was quiet as if nothing had happened until after the congregation was dismissed.  Then there was a consultation and the conclusion was to let them go.  I might as well here say that I have been well acquainted with all of the party that had a hand in this.  I knew how they lived and how they died and they are all gone to receive their reward except her brother Charles and if there is a possibility of a man being possessed of the devil, I would be persuaded that he is.  None of them ever accumulated much property.  God s curse appeared to rest on them while they lived and showed it more fully in their death.  As for Filey, she lamented it all through her life.  It was not my privilege to see her in her last sickness.  I attended her funeral and the preacher stated that he had several conversations with her about her hopes beyond the grave and he thought that her name was written in the Lambs Book of Life.

 

In the spring of 1830, my father bought the undivided half of the mill that he had been tending of John Brink.  Well do I remember how glad I was when the day came to move, but how soon was my joy turned into mourning when we arrived at the house and found it a log house 16 feet square and the had not been butted and some of them projected 12 and 14 inches and as it had not been occupied for 2 or 3 years and the floors had come loose, the brush had grown up through the floor two feet high and outside they stood so close to the house and so thick that I could not walk around the house.  And I think sometimes that I can yet feel that same horror and fear that then rested upon me, but I soon got used to the wildness of the place and my father hired a couple of men and began to clear away the brush and repair the house so it soon had more the appearance of living.

 

At this time there were eight families living in that neighborhood.  Those names were as follows: Jacob Henry, John Labar, Mathew Steen, Melchoir Smith, Anthony Sebring, James Sebring, Jacob Bisbing, John Brink and us.  All of these brought their logs to the mill to have them manufactured into lumber.  I soon got acquainted with them and their boys, so time passed along more pleasantly.

 

The next summer my father built a piece to the house and tore the roof off the old part and raised it higher, so that we had what was considered a comfortable house for that day.  And so it was in comparison to what it was when we moved in, with a ladder made of round poles to so up stairs on and but one window with six  seven by nine lights.  This was in the year 1832.  Soon after this it was decided by the members of the Methodist Church that our house should be the place for preaching every four weeks, as the house of Jacob Bisbing was rather far away for those members that lived about Paradise.  So after this, our house was the appointed place for preaching every other Sunday and the next at the house of Jacob Bisbing, so as to accommodate those at Tannersville and below and the class and prayer meeting were also held in the foregoing places in the same order.

 

Well do I remember those good and zealous soldiers of the cross that then gathered at our house for class and prayer meetings and how they enjoyed themselves.  When those earnest followers of Jesus, Mr. John Setsar and the Hilgerts and the Transues and Lurne Blasers from paradise came there was always a happy time.

 

At this time there was a number of live members in and around this place.  There was one Betsy Bellis, afterward married to William Mack, and Betsey Utt, afterwards married to James Sebring, three of William Staples girls, sisters of John L. Staples that were great shouters and I then thought and never had cause to change my mind that they lived more in the enjoyment of religion than any others that I ever became acquainted with.  They all lived apparently the life of the righteous and as far as my knowledge goes, departed this life in peace.  At this writing which is March 7^th, 1887 they have all gone to there rewards on the evergreen shore except Betsey Sebring and she is standing as it were with one foot in the river waiting for her master to say come.  In those days it was no hardship for men and women to come from Paradise and Spragueville and Tannersville to class and prayer meeting at our house and they would generally stay for dinner or super as the case might be and go to the evening service and then walk home.

 

Up to this time I had never been to school except those few weeks at the time I fell off the log.  About this time the people of the place hired a widow woman by the name of Berges to teach subscription school in the cooper shop belonging to john Brink about one half mile from where we lived and I went that three month term.  The next summer they built the old log school house that still stands at James Henry s. I think it was in 1834 and in the fall they hired a man by the name of Henry Sabens to teach.  After this there was school taught there for four months every winter so that I had the privilege of getting a little foundation laid for what was then a backwoods education.

 

So we lived and although poor, I think that we enjoyed life as well as many that were in better circumstances.  In the next summer, my father built a cooper shop and went to coopering in the winter when it was too cold for to run the mill.  Then I had to help in the shop nights and mornings and as he continued it for a number of years I learned the trade so that I could make a very food barrel either flour or tight barrel, also tubs and pails.  So things moved along about the same until the year 1837.  At this time I went to live with my grandfather Sebring as he was getting too far advanced in years to do his own plowing.  So I stayed there all that summer.  Some time in July there came a regular hurricane and thunder and lightening.  I was in the field plowing and my grandfather came and told me that I had better put the horses in the stable as he thought that it would be a very hard shower.  And so it proved to be and just as I got to the run where he wanted the horses, the lightening struck in the water about ten feet from where ten feet from where the horse that I was on was drinking.  This threw water all over me and the horses and the noise was almost deafening and the horses sprung with all their might, but as I happened to have hold of the top harness I did not fall, but I think that I went to the barn about as quick as ever horse flesh went that distance.  About the time that I got to the barn the storm struck it and such rain, hail, thunder, wind and lightening I never saw before nor since.   It tore down trees, fences and almost everything in its way.

 

My grandfather had a wild black cherry tree that stood in his meadow that it blew down.  So the next day he told me to take the ax and trim and chop up the cherry tree.  So me and my grandfather went to the tree and after he had looked at it for some time he said, You have weathered all the storms ever since I knew you, but this has been too much for you and that will be the way with all of us sooner or later.  The storm will come that will uproot us and lay us low.  Then he showed me where to throw the limbs and said, that will make you a half day work, my boy.  So at it I went in good, earnest determination to let him know that I could do it in less than half a day.  After I had got it all trimmed and nicely heaped, I got on to chop up the body of the tree and as the roots had torn up a very large space around where the tree stood, the butt lay about six feet above the ground and I concluded that I would cut the top log off first.  This left about twenty feet below.  So when the log dropped off, I stood on the top of the butt and up it went before I had time to think and threw me full twenty feet from where the tree stood and the last that I remember was throwing down the axe.  How long I had lain I cannot tell, but the first that I remember the horn blowing for dinner.  Then it was sometime before I could make out where I was, so I began to look around and found my axe laying close to where I had chopped the tree in two and I have always thought that dropping that axe was all that saved my life.  After I got to the house and told them the story they would not let me do anything the rest of the day and the next morning I did not know whether I could get out of bed or not, but after trying several times I got out and went to work, but it was a long day for me.  About 12 years after I was passing by there and saw the old cherry still standing as a witness betwixt me and it with a new set of limbs.  How long it stood after this I had not the means of knowing.  I still continued on with my grandfather until late in the fall.  Then my father wished me to come home and go to school and help in the shop nights and mornings.  So the winter passed without any thing worthy of note and in the spring I again went to my grandfather's to work.

 

At this time my mother lay sick and as it was only about four miles from one place to the other, I would go home every Saturday night and back again on Monday morning.  Thus things went on about as usual until the eleventh day of JUNE.  Early in the forenoon a messenger came and told me that if I wanted to see my mother alive I must make all possible haste.  This so surprised me that I hardly knew how to believe it as I had been at home Saturday and came away Monday morning and she was no worse than she had been for sometime.  But I knew that he would not tell a falsehood, so I threw down everything and I have thought since that in all probability  I went over those four miles in the shortest time that ever any person did on foot.  But when I got home it was too late.  She had just breathed her last and the many weeping friends still standing around her bed.  You can better imagine my feelings than I can describe them.  A dear and tender and affectionate mother to be so suddenly and unexpectedly taken away and I not there to receive the parting farewell.  O how I lamented my loss and when they told me that she in her last moments had remembered me and that after giving her parting blessing to all that she had said,  Tell Harrison to prepare to meet me in heaven.  Then my grief knew no bounds and the tears blinded me and I sat down not knowing what to do nor where to go. Oh how plainly I then saw the necessity of at all times being prepared for death and how I then and there promised the Lord that I would give my heart to him, but not then, at some future time.  Oh procrastination, how many precious souls has thou sent beyond the reach of hope and mercy.  Oh thou art the great curse of the human family.

 

I think this was on Wednesday and on Friday they laid my mother to rest in the burying ground where Cherry Lane Church now stands and I was overcome with grief that I hardly have any recollection of what passed in the afternoon.  I stayed home Monday morning, then went back to my work, but with a sad countenance and a heavy heart for a few days is seemed as though I could not do any thing, but my grandmother understood my situation and gave me good counsel, sympathized with me and was a grandmother indeed.

 

Oh  I was soon myself again and time passed more pleasantly until fall at which time my father bought a team of horses and I had to go home to take charge of them. About this time my father got married to the widow that had been keeping house for him and although I did not like the thought of my father marrying her, yet I made up my mind that I would make the best of it that I could and treat her as I should, but still there were many needs that a stepmother could not supply.

 

That motherly sympathizing love was not there and that warm motherly embrace was lacking, but we soon learned to take things as they were and as I had to be away from home with the team most of the time, I did not feel the loss of these things as much as I would if I had been at home all the time.

 

At this time there was a great demand at Easton for staves, hoop poles, shingles and all kinds of boat timber so that I was continually on the road in the winter time and most of the time in the summer.  So time moved along in about the same rate for about two years.  It was in the summer of 1840, sometime in the month of July after we had finished harvesting and on Saturday afternoon Peter Bisbing, Henry Bisbing and John Walton came by our house going down to Michael Ransbeurys dam to take a swim or wash as they said and I told them that if they would help us finish our harvest which would take about half an hour that me and my brother William and a young man that we had helping us by the name of James Smith would go along. And so they did and we all went to the dam, swam and played in the water for some time, then went and rolled in the dry sand until we got tired of that and then concluded to take another wash before going home.

 

And then we all ran and jumped into the water to swim across the dam.  I happened to be behind all of them and when I got about half way across all at once my arms and legs refused to move and I found that I was sinking and I hollered for help but they were all laughing as boys generally so and did not notice it.  So down to the bottom I went and when my feet struck bottom, I gave a spring as well as I could and again came to the top of the water and hollered.  By this time they had all gotten to the other side and some of them heard me holler, but before they had seen me, I had gone down and this time I could not rise and they did not know the exact place where I had gone down and by the time they found me, I must have been under the water four or five minutes.  And so they took me out but it was some time before I returned to consciousness.

 

In those moments that I was in the water, who can describe the dread and fear that pervaded my soul and body.  Everything I had ever done, the many offers of mercy that I had slighted, my mother's death, my tears that I had shed at the side of the bed where she lay dead, and the many resolves I there made, all past through my mind in regular order and if eternal perdition is equal to or worse than my sufferings at this time, may God have mercy upon us and for Jesus sake save us with an everlasting salvation.  And although it is now more than 46 years since this happened, they are so indelibly fixed on my mind that time can never erase them.

After this I again resolved that I would take heed to my ways, but not then, at some future time, at some more convenient season, and the adversary still saying, you have plenty of time, wait until a more favorable opportunity is given you.

So all things went on about the same until the next year.  At this time I was in my 18^th year.  Sometime about the last of August 1841 there was a camp meeting held in the woods then belonging to Joseph Dusenbearey not far from what was at that time known as Stokeses Mill on the Brodhead creek about two miles above Stroudsburg.  And I think that it was at the time that Gardner traveled the Stroudsburg circuit.  There was a camp meeting held and my father had a tent on the ground, so I was there most of the time and the spirit of God told me that now was a favorable an opportunity as I would ever have and well I knew it, still the devil would keep saying,  wait until tomorrow,  and so one day after another went by until the last night that the meeting was to be continued.  Then I made up my mind that I would go to the altar and go I did.  When I came to this conclusion I was back in the congregation and I got up and went around to the door of the altar without an invitation and kneeled down.  As soon as I had kneeled down it appeared to me as though a hundred pound weight had fallen off my shoulders.  I had come to find pardon and was determined to have it if it was God s will and I was sure it was.  So I went to work with all the ability that God had given me and in about three quarters of an hour God pardoned my sins for Jesus sake and I went away rejoicing to publish what great things God had done for me.  The next morning  we pulled down our tent and went home rejoicing.  So all things went well until late in the fall when I had to be on the road all the time and amongst all sorts of company which at this time was made up of the roughest cast.  I began to lose the life of religion.  Some time in the winter there was a protracted effort held in the log school house and as business appeared to be urgent, I had not the privilege to attend it much and this had a tendency to weigh down my spirit and the devil got around me by telling me that I had not been converted.  That it was all excitement, that it was almost impossible for anyone to get converted as soon as I had professed to and no sooner had I come to this than in an instant all light appeared to be gone and all things appeared to look darke and gloomy and I would here say to all and everyone: reason not with the devil.  No not for a moment, but say to him,  get thee behind me Satan for thou art a liar and only intend to deceive me that I may become entangled in thy snares.  For if you do not, he will soon have won the victory and you will be left in the dark.  O converted friends, whether old or young, in religion take warning by my short comings for the old soldier may fall as well as the young.

So things appeared to go about as usual until the next spring.  My father and I were repairing the saw mill and as we were plumbing the fender posts, he being up on the fender beam and I under the mill, by some means he shoved the axe off of the beam and it fell about eight feet and struck me on the back of the head and so stunned me that I fell down in the pitman hole.  My father seeing what happened jumped down and took me out of the pitman hole and laid me in the sawdust.  By this time I began to come to and soon walked to the house.  At this time I had on one of those old fashioned wool hats, almost as thick as a board and the pole of the axe struck me length wise across the head, so that this, no doubt, saved my life.  But it left a dent in my head almost the full length of the pole of the axe which I will carry with me to the grave.  As a witness of what I here say and if the axe had hit me in any other shape, no doubt it would have been the means of sending me to the realities of the spirit world.  But God ha a work for me to do and yet more for me to suffer for his name that he might show me his love and care towards such rebellious mortals as I.

This spring we had considerable amounts of boat timber to hall to Broadhead

S and Brothers at the Delaware Water Gap and I was drawing.  About the last of April there came a fresh and filled up the hole race below the mill, so after the water had gone down, my father got three men to help throw out the stone and gravel that had washed in that morning.  I did not feel well and I told my father that I did not feel well enough to go into the water. Well, says he,  the work is urgent and I would like you to help.  So I went and worked until about eleven ¢clock when I had to quit. I then went to the house and lay on a bench behind the stove until sometime in the afternoon.  Then I noticed that iwas getting full of red spots and I asked my stepmother what they were and she said they were the measles.  So she went and told my father and he came and looked and said that without a doubt it was.  So then they began to think that I was in a dangerous condition and began giving me medicine for to keep them out, but in about three hours they all went back, so they exhausted all their medical skill to bring them out again and could not.  So the next morning they sent for Doctor Bush and well do I remember how he looked at me as he stood by the bed and said, Young man  you are in a bad case, but I will do the best for you that I can.  So they sent to Tannersville and got a quart of rum and the doctor made it hot and threw in some two or three kinds of powder and gave it to me.  All that day he stayed and about dark the measles began to come out as black as tar.  Then he went away and said that he would be back in the morning as soon as possible and he came according to promise and found me as well as could be expected.  After this I was confined to my bed about two weeks and when I began to mend, it was very slow so that it was sometime in June before I went to work.  This was in 1842 and I had commenced my 19^th year.

About this time my father sold his team and quit carting and bought a yoke of cattle and paid more attention to the cultivation of his land. So things passed along quietly and that summer and in the fall when school began I went to school.  A man by the name of Mathias Miller taught that winter and as I thought that in all probability it would be the last chance that I would have of going to school I was determined to make the best possible use of it.  And so I did, studying late and early.  By this time two of my brothers, William and George had got large enough so that them and my father could do the work at home, so in the spring my father sent me to James Henry s for to saw where I stayed all through March and April.  Then I went and peeled bark for a man by the name of William Mack.  As soon as the bark season was over, which was sometime in June, I went to work for a man by the name of James Bisbing on a farm and continued there until fall.  Then I went back to Henry s to saw and continued there until the next June.  Then I went to learn the carpenters trade with a man by the name of William Loder, father of Alexander Loder that keeps store at East Stroudsburg and continued with him until fall.  Then I went home and worked in the cooper shop until spring.  I then went with Older again, but after about a month, work appeared to be rather scarce and he thought that himself and two boys could do all the work that he could get.  He told me that if it did not make any difference to me probably I had better look for work some where else.  This was in the spring of 1845 and at this time I was in my 21^st year.  Then I went back to Henry s to saw and stayed there until sometime in July.

At this time, one of my uncles that lived near Harvey s Lake in Luzern County came to our house on a visit and by his persuasion I went with him and worked in Harvey s saw mill until the next spring.  Then I went to boat with a man by the name of Stephen Allen and continued with him that summer.  Then in the fall, after the close of the navigation, I went to work in the coal mine for a man by the name of Chancey A. Rumnels.  Sometime in March there was a great call for men at a place by the name of Buck Mountain about seven miles west of Whitehaven, so I with several others, went there to work in the coal mine and it so happened that I got a very good job of switching cars at the foot of the slope in the mine.  This went along all right until sometime towards the last of July when the sheriff came along one day and cleaned up the contractor Jones.  Then the work stopped and I went back to Plymouth and went to running boat for a man by the name of George Freeman until the close of navigation then went to work in a coal mine for a man by the name of john Shunk until sometime in March.  Then I came down to my fathers and went back sometime in April and again took the boat for freeman and continued to run it until the 12^th of July.  On the night of the 4^th of July we run to Baltimore and I had not felt well all day and as soon as we landed, I told the boson and driver to take care of everything and I went to bed.  But I felt bad all night.  The next day about ten o clock I had a good shake of the ague.  After we got home I went to the doctor and he gave me quinine and Peruvian bark which broke it in about three weeks.  But as soon as I would go to work, it would come on again.  So it continued until some time in September.  Then the doctor told me that if I wanted to get clear of it, I must get away from the river. Then I went back to my uncles at Harvey s Lake with a back load of drugs, but I could not brake the chills.  So it continued on until sometime in February.  In this time I had tried three other doctors but to no affect and I made up my mind that if I must die with the ague that I could do to walk and my board and doctor bills were continually drawing on my purse.  As I was sitting in my room one day there came a woman, a stranger to me that lived about four miles from there and the first word that she spoke was,  You look a little worse than I expected to find you,  but do not think you are past help.  Well, as for that, I said, the doctors cannot do me any good.  So I hear, she said and this is what brought me here.  Well I said do you claim the honor of doctor?  No, she said, but I heard of your case and I thought it would be too bad to let them doctors get all your money and then kill you with quinine.  As for that, I said, I had intended to keep enough money to bury me.  Then she said, I live too far away to tend you, so I will tell you what to do.  Take hemlock and boil it as strong as you can.  Then boil and strain the tea down to about a quart, then put in 2 spoons full of black pepper, then boil 15 minutes.  Keep warm, then when you feel the chill coming on drink one tea cup full and do this three days and if this does not cure you, then let me know and then I will come and see you again.

So I followed her prescription and the third day I had no chill and on the first day of March 1847 I went to Lehigh to work in the lumber woods and about the midst of April I went to saw for Lester and Pace and continued there until fall.  Then me and Lester took the mill by the thousand and continued on until the first of August when they tore the old mill down. Then I helped to put up the new mill.  While I was sick I had a favorable opportunity of meditating over my life and I then and there made up my mind that I would mend my life and the only way that I could see to do it was to leave the canal for it was almost impossible for to be anything but a boatman as long as I were among them.  Also, I thought that if I could find a suitable companion for to share the evils that I had to contend with that it would be best for me, as I began to find that all of the pleasures of the whole world were only transient.  So I began to look around for one and soon had a number of offers but they did not appear to suit my every need and if I could find one that I thought would suit me in every respect I determined not to have any.  At last I came across a young lady that I thought would suit me in the person of Annie Elizabeth Rhodes, daughter of Thomas Rhodes of Cherry Valley.

So after comparing ourselves with one another so as to be thoroughly and fairly understood, we concluded that we could pull together. So on the 21^st day of December, 1848 us twain were made one by Joseph Huffman of Stoddardsville, Luzerne Co and I thus far have had no cause to regret my choice and if she has, she knows enough to keep it to herself.  So the next morning we went to keeping house at Comefortseville, Luzerne Co.  On January 12^th 1849 I took the mill that we had built to run by the thousand.

All these years I had been under great concern for the salvation of my soul and many times had the spirit striven with me and I would say, Yes  as soon as I am settled down so that I may have more time to attend to this matter.  Oft times when I would be in the height of sport and amusement with the giddy and gay would I become conscience stricken and would gladly have left the crowd if it had not been for shame. Although I would not allow myself to be drawn away in what the world calls crimes, such as Sabbath breaking, using profane language in the way of common conversation, and gambling and drinking and above all I made honesty in all my dealings the uppermost thought of my mind and practiced it to the letter, yet I reveled with the giddiest and mingled with the gayest and had made up my mind that if there was any enjoyment in the pleasures of the world that I would find it.  I attended balls and parties from the highest to the lowest grade of society, yet in all of this I could not find any lasting pleasure. No, they always left a guilty conscience behind and the thoughts of the many prayers that had been and were still being offered to the throne of grace and my mother s death would all pass through my mind in rapid succession and would often cause the tears to start in my eyes.  At these times I often thought if I were alone that I could weep and let those tears flow how much better I would feel.  But no, I must act my part regardless of the consequence.  Although I had left Wilkes-Barre and its surroundings with the expectation of better company, I soon found that in some respects I had not bettered it, although I had got away from parties and balls and boatmen and their influence and their temptations.  Yet I was amongst what even the world acknowledged to be of its roughest cast and a majority of them it might well be said that they feared not God nor regarded man.  Whiskey and money appeared to be their sole object.  The money that they might spend it for whiskey, but this was do as you please, it had no effect on me as I was fully determined not to give way to the temptation even for a moment. Therefore I was soon left alone.  When I came to this place I made up my mind that it was not the place for me, but I knew that I could make money faster here than any other place that I had been in if I took care of it and therefore made up my mind that I would do it regardless of all their scorn and slurs that they might throw out and after I was married I told my wife that we would live as economically as possible so as not to be miserly and save what we could and get away as soon as we had money enough to do better elsewhere.

In the fall of 1849 John S. Comefort, the man that owned the mill that I was running, concluded to tare out one saw and put in a shingle mill and as he would not let me have both to run and I thought that I could not make much with one saw, I moved to Stoddardsville intending to run the double mill for Malone & Buckman.  In the winter my father-in-law T.W. Rhodes, contracted with Comefort to stock, saw and deliver the lumber to Port Jenkins, so he wished me to move back which I did on the first day of April 1850 and took charge of a part of the work.  Sometime about the last of May he came to me where we were rafting and told me that Williams, the man that ran the bank mill, was out of logs and if I would go the next day and brake the log pile that I might pick my men and he would give me three dollars for my days work.  So in the morning we went up to the log pile and found it just as it had been left when they quit drawing.  So we made a float of logs and cleared away the face of the pile and had it nicely squared up; it was noon.  After dinner we went back to make a brake and I wanted some of them to go out on the pile, but they were afraid to go. So I picked up pick hand pry that we used in braking up log piles, went out on the pile and started a number of logs.  But they did not brake, so I went back and started another lot some three or four length as they had been trailed in and lay on the skids.  This started the whole length of the pile so quick that I had no time to run back and in an instant the whole pile was in motion, all rolling, jamming and sliding in all manner of shape, such as no one can imagine that never seen a log pile broke, composed of logs pealed as smooth as glass, piled up 20 feet high and 100 feet long all laying straight, as it were possible to get them and then wet and slippery with the ice and snow that had melted amongst them.  In an instant I recognized my situation and knew that all I could do was to mind my feet and step from log to log as they came.

And well I knew the consequence of a misstep. For if I missed a log I would instantly have been thrown down and carried to the bottom and mashed fine or forced under the water which was about 20 feet deep and the logs piled on top of me. And while I was in this critical position, I heard some one holler, Look out for the skid.  By this I looked up and saw one of the spruce skids that had lain on the top pile which was about 30 feet long, standing straight up and I saw that it began to fall exactly where I was.  So I kept an eye on it as well as I could, intending when it came to a proper distance to jump sideways and did so, but whether I did not get far enough or a log struck the skid and changed its course, I cannot tell.  But the skid struck the right side of my head and pealed the skin loose so that it covered my eye.  Under and down I went amongst the rolling mass of logs.  But I was no sooner down than I was up again. Although stunned and crazed, I had sensibility enough left to recollect my situation.  About this time through Gods Almighty power had interfered, the logs became still in an instant and those on the bank saw how I was hurt and covered with blood, started to assist me, but before they got to me I fell down with fatigue and excitement and they thought I had dropped dead. So they carried me up on the bank and by this time I began to come to, so that in a short time I was able to walk home, the distance being a little over one fourth of a mile. But when I got home there was another difficulty to contend with.  My head must be sewed up and no one could be found that had the courage to do it and no doctor within 17 miles.  At last someone that that possibly William Scureman that lived about one mile from there might do it.  So he was brought post haste and when he came, he thought that he could do it if I could stand it.  I told him to have no fears about that, so he cut the hair off over the right side of my head and soon had it nicely fixed up, but this was a dear three dollars for me as it was about three weeks before I could go to work again and it left me partly deaf in the right ear. Some may call this an accidental escape, but I have ever looked upon it as a remarkable providence or an interference of providence for my escape that I might have more time given to me to pay my vows.

updated  1/23/04

to be continued as this is still a work in progress