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Special Collections, Kegley Library, Wytheville Community College
Special Collections© 2012 By Wytheville Community College. All rights reserved.
Processed by: Cathy Carlson Reynolds
Collection is open to research.
There are no restrictions.
Stanger Family Papers, Mss. Collection 1968.4, Kegley Library, Wytheville Community College, Wytheville, VA
Donated by the estate of Frederick B. Kegley in 1968.
Born on 10 June 1765 at Kircheim on the Tech, in the Dukedom of Wurtemberg, Germany, John Stanger was the son of innkeeper Johannes Stanger and Eva Catharina Kunckelen Stanger. He attended Tubingen University, studying theology. He immigrated to America in 1787, arriving in October in Charleston, South Carolina. He pastored a congregation in Rowan County, North Carolina from December 1787 to the spring of 1790. Stanger was ordained in North Carolina in October 1791 at the first semi-annual Assembly of Lutherans in the region. From Rowan County he moved to Wythe County in 1790 and founded Zion Lutheran Church on Cripple Creek.
Zion Lutheran Church was dedicated in 1794 and shared by the Lutheran congregation of John Stanger and the German Reformed congregation of Rev. Daniel Repass. Stanger served Zion Lutheran Church from 1791 to 1824; he also occasionally conducted services for churches for Lutherans on Back Creek, Price's Fork, Sinking Creek, and Peak Creek in Montgomery County and Pulaski COunty as well as Elk Creek in Grayson County.
Aside from his spiritual duties, Stanger served his adopted county of Wythe and state of Virginia as a justice of the peace, school commissioner, commissioner of the revenue, and delegate to the General Assembly (1832-1840). He also taught school in the early 1790s and was a trustee for Wythe Academy.
Stanger married Magdalena Wampler (1772-1846) on 25 December 1791. The couple had nine children including Salome (Sally) Stanger Spangler (b. 1792)(married Jacob Spangler); Magdalena (Polly) Stanger Earhart (b. 1794) (married John Earhart); Theresia Stanger Brown Miller (1797-1879) (married 1) Daniel Brown 2) Michael Miller); John Stanger Jr. (1799-1884)(married Caty Brownlow); Henry (1802-1802); Sophia Stanger Nye (1805-1866) (married John Price Nye); Sylvester Stanger (1807-1854) (married 1) Polly Miller 2) Mary Cowden); Jacob Stanger (b. 1810)(married Hannah Boyd); and Catherine (1813-1814). John Stanger died on 14 October and is buried in the Zion Church Cemetery in Wythe County, Virginia.
This collection consists of six folders. Folder 1 contains a journal kept by John Stanger documenting his pastoral services, including marriages, between 1789 and 1827. Items in the following folders may either have a direct or indirect tie with the John Stanger family but were found together with the journal and are included in this collection. Folder 2 contains letters from James E. Yonce to David M. Sharitz (1860), letter from R. F. Repass to J. P. Sheffey (1862), letter from John A. Hay to Stephen Kegley (1882), letter from Williams Cassell to unknown friend (1882), letter from R. G. Crowgey and T. James to Stephen Kegley (1884), and two letters from William Cassell to unknown friends (1885, 1889).
Folder 3 contains financial records of Samuel Umbarger, David Catron, and a list of slaves owned by R. Repass, L. Repass, D. Brown, and Z. Brown. Folder 4 contains land records including deeds and surveys for John Doak, William Doak, Eli Davis, Daniel Brown, Daniel Miller, Theresa Stanger Brown, Granville Brown, and John Brown.
Folder 5 contains legal records including a will of Martin Miller, agreement of Isaac N. Swecker and Granville Brown, agreement of John F. Straw and Daniel Brown, list of property of John Musser, and copy of act taxing dog owners. Folder 6 contains biographical sketch of John Stanger, copies of songs, and tuition records for children taught by J. M. Miller.
This journal was kept by Rev. John Stanger to document his pastoral services in Montgomery County and Wythe COunty between 1798 and 1827. He recorded marriages in North Carolina and Virginia, deaths, and notes on sermons and services performed at his congregations at Cripple Creek, Elk Creek, Peak Creek, Reed Creek, and Sinking Creek. The journal also contains miscellaneous entries including debts, a prescription, record of horse shoeing, list of children attending his school, and horse boarding. Most of the entries are in German. At the beginning of the journal is an account of a transatlantic journey made by an anonymous traveler.
Translations of the transatlantic journey account by Erika Heimbruch as well as Mary B. Kegley's detailed notes, translations, and lists of marriages and deaths recorded in the journal are available with the printed inventory in the Kegley Library.
The W. J. Barrow Restoration Shop conserved the journal in the 1970s.
He writes about John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry, "I look upon the excitement amongst, and the fears of the people of Va. as groundless. you say Va. is going to teach the heretical of the North that they will hold on to their rights etc. by death dealing weapons. Dave, Va. or Virginians ought not to boast or make threats since old John Brown held hundreds of Virginians at bay until a few United States Marines dislodged & conquered them. That does not speak very complimentary of the chivalry of ole Va. " he also condemns slavery and laws permitting keeping slaves in ignorance and "selling them as you would oxen or horses, separating families. "
He describes his camp, enemy movements and battles at Fort Donelson, Tennessee and Norfolk, Virginia.
He writes about shipment of mower equipment.
He writes about family illness, crop harvesting, settlement of accounts with Sophia Umbarger, R. C. Brown and D. A. St. Clair. He also discusses hiring of field worker for $14.00 a month and location of James Hart.
He requests that Kegley pay Albert Felty for him.
He requests him to settle account with D. A. St. Clair and also writes about wheat crop and rain, R. C. Brown, and his poor health.
He writes about debt settlement with D. A. St. Clair, James Hurt and his possible time in penitentiary, location of children of Martha Umbarger, wheat crop, weather, and family health.
List of slaves owned by R. Repass, L. Repass, S. Repass, D. Brown, and Z. Brown including their value. Also, on reverse, valuation of house, windows, floors of house, owner unknown.
Plat of land in Wythe County surveyed for John Doak and William Doak by Parker A. Wright. Parcel of land bordered Reed Creek and land owned by William Newland and John Doak. Plat is town and placed in plastic sleeve.
Parcel of land bordered Reed Creek and land owned by David Cline.
Parcel of land bordered Gullians Fork of Reed Creek.
Land grant from the Commonwealth of Virginia, signed by Governor Henry A. Wise, to Theresa Brown, Granville Brown, and John Brown, heirs of Daniel Brown, deceased.
Survey of Thompson tract conveyed by deed from C. W. Brown to Daniel Brown. Parcel of land bordered on land owned by Earhart family.
Case against John Nagel and Henry Hoppess from John F. Straw to Daniel Brown. Straw transferred to Brown all his interest in the judgment an execution, amounting to $400.
Regarding construction of stable by Swecker for Brown.
"An Act Providing more Effectually for the Protection of Sheep in the county of Wythe." Re: imposition of tax on dog owners. Addressed to Daniel Brown. "
"Biographical Sketch of the late Rev. John Stanger D. D. of Wythe County, Virginia by his Children in Memory of a Loved and Honored Parent. "
For tuition of children from Wythe County School Commissioners. Students included Joseph Shelton, E. Hurt, and Henry C. Dicks.
"You Are False But I'll Forgive You, " and "Lone Sherman Valley. " Copied by Janie Catron.
"Are You Washed in the Blood. " By George Kegley for Janie Catron.
"My Dear Sweet Heart. "