On 3/8/2011 12:32 PM, Dwayne Wrightsman wrote: > Recently reading through some materials on Elder Gasper Roland who > ministered in the Big and Little Conewago congregations in Pennsylvania, the > Forks of the Yadkin congregation in North Carolina, and possibly elsewhere, > I noticed that he had several connections over a long period of time with > Elder John Garber Jr. who ministered in the New River Brethren community in > North Carolina and in several congregations in Ohio, including the Donnels > Creek congregation in Clark County. > > > > The first connection was in Pennsylvania, January 7, 1757, when Gasper > Roland owned land bordering John Gerber's 200 acres on Big Conewago Creek in > York County. (Source: Deed Book A, p. 219) This John Gerber was probably > the father of John Garber Jr. as the latter was just a little boy in that > year. > > > > The second connection was twenty years later, in the late 1770s, in North > Carolina, where both men lived in the Forks of the Yadkin in Rowan County. > In 1778, John Garber paid taxes in Capt. Lyons' District along with Jacob > Roland, Daniel Hendricks, John Roland, John Hendricks, and other Brethren. > Jacob Roland and John Roland were sons of Gasper Roland. Daniel Hendricks > and John Hendricks were sons of James Hendricks, who, in turn, was a > son-in-law of Gasper Roland by virtue of James' marrying, at a late age, one > of Gasper's young daughters. The daughter/bride was younger than her > step-sons Daniel and John Hendricks. John Garber, John Roland, and John > Hendricks were close neighbors on Weavers Creek; Gasper Roland, Jacob > Roland, and Daniel Hendricks were close neighbors on Filkers Creek. > (Source: Roland County, NC, Vacant Land Entries, August 5, 1778, and June > 7, 1779.) > > > > The third connection was in Wilkes County, NC, when, on September 10, 1797, > "Jasper Rowland" [Gasper Roland] was recorded as having purchased 200 acres > from John "Carver" [Garber] located on Buffalo Creek on the west side of > Phoenix Mountain. Witnesses were John Kessler (son of Ulrich) and Abraham > Roland (son of Gasper). (Source, Deed Book D, p. 55) Both Gasper Roland > and John Garber would later move to Kentucky (where Gasper Roland died and > from where John Garber moved on to the Miami Valley of Ohio). > > > > These connections may have been coincidental, but I like to believe that > John Garber Jr. took a liking to Gasper Roland who was still a young man > when John was a little boy in York County and that they became friends later > on while serving in the ministry. I certainly doubt that it was a > coincidence that they both moved to Kentucky about the same time, as both > became known for their pro-Universalist views. > > > > Dwayne Wrightsman > John Garber is recorded as the first minister of the Obannon Church, Goshen, Clermont Co OH (traditionally founded 1795). He moved up to Donnels Creek after the Virginia Bounty Lands Survey, about 1802 (Elder there, 1805). Yes, His grandson records that he was a believer in Eternal Restoration (Pietistic belief that developed into Universalism). Austin Cooper listed him as ordained in the Stony Creek Church, Brothers Valley PA in 1771, but that he returned to the Beaver Dam Church that year. His father was Samuel Garber, mother Catherine Diehl. His wife was Barbara Zook, dau of Henry Zug and Barbara Kurtz. After leaving the Carolinas, he moved to near Lexington KY (almost certainly Hinkston Creek Church) before moving to the Obannon Creek. I did not find records that Gasper Roland believed in Eternal Restoration - but his family moved to the Drakes Creek Church (Simpson Co KY) where Elder John Hendricks went (who may be the "John H" of the Annual Meeting Bann of 1798) because of his beliefs in Eternal Restoration - Universalism. Many from Drakes Creek moved on to the White Water Church, Cape Girardeau MO (Spanish Louisianna Territory then). That church became Universalist. His son Joseph Roland (wife Catherine Dobbins) founded the Long Creek Church and Sugar Creek Church (among others - 1830 document). He was a minister at Drakes Creek, then went on first to Missouri, then to Sangamon Co IL (dying in Lincoln Co MO - Catherine died in Sangamon Co) Merle C Rummel