Hammer and Nail: Rev. Daniel R. Pershing Grave Stone Found

Rev. Daniel R. Pershing is my Great, Great, Great, Great Grandfather. The video finding his grave stone adds to my search of the family history. Near the end of this walk through the cemetery you will see the grave stone of Daniel Pershing and James Pershing. There is a part one of the video that gives the lay of the land near New Florance, PA.

Rev. Daniel R. Pershing was born a month or two after his parents arrival at Coventry. He was one of the first children born in the territory of the New Purchase, which was known as Westmoreland County. He was taught by his parents because there were no schools. After he had learned the three "R's" he began his university that was in every cabin. The text book of cabin university was the Bible, universally read and one of the few books that was obtainable. He was an avid reader and became recognized in the frontier as a man of accomplishment.   He married Christina Milliron on January 26, 1796. She was born in Westmoreland County, of parents who settled in the vicinity of Milliron's Church, west of Greensburg, in the early days of the county.
    Daniel lived at Coventry until 1801. The last son to leave home, the care of his mother fell to him after Fredrick's death. He attended Zion Church, and records of October 23, 1796 find that he worshiped there with his family, thus establishing his with the Lutheran Church at an early date.
    On April 15, 1801, he purchased a farm of about 180 acres in Derry Township, about one mile north of the village of Brandenville. He made the purchase from Samuel Eaton, who inherited the property from his father, James Eaton, who had settled in 1769, and it became the headquarters of the so-called St. Clair branch of the Pershing family. The title to the land remained in the family until about 1888.
    Although Daniel had been raised a Lutheran he joined the Methodist Church and became a follower of Wesley in 1799. In August, 1816, he was licensed as a local preacher and entered the ministry. He was re-licensed in March, 1818, and again in the Spring of 1819.
    On September 7, 1819, he was ordained a deacon by Bishop R.B. Roberts at an annual conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, which met at Baltimore. From the year of his ordination to the time of his death he was a circuit rider and ministered to those of his own and other faiths throughout Westmoreland and the surrounding counties. He established missions, built churches and occupied himself faithfully in the service of the Methodist Church. He preached in both German and English as occasion required and was successful in the ministry as he had been in his farming.
    His first year's salary as a circuit rider was $30, and never exceeded $250 per year. His circuit at times required him to travel north across the Allegheny River to the extremity of the settlements; east to the summit of the mountains; south to Uniontown and into Virginia, and west to the settlements of Ohio. His parish was thus spread over, and even extended beyond, the territory of the New Purchase. His ministry kept him away from home for many months at a time. He carried his saddle bags with food for his journey and books which he sold to his parishioners, as was customary in his day. In making his trips to the northern settlements he was obliged to carry his rifle, as the Indians still frequented that district.

The family tree from my grandmother Gladys Pershing back. Always looking for stories about these family members.