Rev. John Spinner Town of Herkimer
Herkimer County, NY
Contributed by Kathleen Teague
Source: from Nathaniel S. Benton's "History of Herkimer County" Albany, NY: J. Munsell, 1856.
Page 407
Town of Herkimer: The Rev. John Spinner emigrated
to the United States, from Germany, in 1801, and landed at the city of New York,
on the 12th day of May, after a long passage of 63 days. He was born at Warback,
a market town in the Electorate of Mentz, January 18th, 1768; was early in life
dedicated by his parents to the clerical office, and when only 11 years old,
entered the gymnasiun at Bishopsheim, where he remained three years, and was then
transferred to the university of Mentz; remained in that celebrated institution
of learning until 1788. In the term of his six years collegiate probation, he
passed through a thorough course of studies, in philosophy, mathematics, history,
languages, ancient and modern, divinity, jurisprudence, medicine. He was then
admitted to a Romish Clerical seminary, and in 1789 was consecrated to holy
orders, in the Roman Catholic church. He assisted in celebrating the funeral
obsequies of two German emperors, in accordance with the grand and imposing rites
of the Romish communion. The emperor, Joseph II, died February 20th, 1790, and
Leopold II, March 1st, 1792. He officiated eleven years as priest, confessor,
&c., and about the year 1800, he embraced the Protestant faith and form of
worship. On the 18th January, 1801, he married Mary Magdale Fedelis Brumante, a
native of Loire on the Maine. She accompanied her husband to this country, and is
yet living, at the residence long occupied by the venerable and deceased subject
of this notice. Mr. Spinner, soon after he landed in New York, was called to the
spiritual charge of the German congregations at Herkimer and German Flats, and
commenced his pastoral functions in September, 1801, and his connection with
these churches continued about 40 years. He was engaged about 18 months of this
period, however, as a teacher in the High School, at Utica. He conformed the
dicipline of the Dutch Reformed church, but the first settlers of the valley, and
the ancestors of the people, who composed the principal part of his
congregations, were German Lutherans. His services, during the long period of his
ministry, were not confined to the two churches, under his special charge; in
that time, he preached to congregations in Columbia, Warren, at the Indian
Castle, Esquawk, Manheim and Schuyler, in Herkimer county, Deerfield, Oneida
county, Manlius, Onondaga county, and Le Ray, Jefferson county, in some of which
places, German emigrants had settled, when they first came into the country, and
in others., were found the descendants of those Palatines, who had made their
first resting place in the Mohawk valley. He was the third minister in permanent
succession called to supply these two churches, after their first organization in
the German Flats.
His predecessor, Mr. Rosecrants, died a few years before 1801. The interim was
probably supplied with the temporary services of clergymen of other
congregations, or by those who were engaged only for short periods. He was tall
in stature, dignified in deportment, and polished in his manners,
accomplishments, not rarely found among the priesthood of the Romish church. He
possessed a capacious and vigorous mind, which had been embellished by a thorough
and systematic education in German schools, under the instruction of learned and
experienced masters. With the ancient, and most of the modern European
continental languages, and especially the French, Spanish and Italian, he was
quite as familiar as with his own native German, but from the slow progress he
made in acquiring an accurate and easy pronunciation of the English tongue, in
the course of twenty-five years, he must have been unfamiliar with it when he
came into the country. The younger members of his charge, were in a rapid state
of transition. The German schoolmaster, abandoned his desk and ferule to the
English teacher, whose language was spoken by a majority of the people, and in
which the business of the courts was transacted.
It was apparent this change must take place, and it was expedient not to delay
it. Mr Spinner applied himself with all the ardor of a young and ambitious man,
to keep pace with the times; and preached alternately, in the German and English
to suit the elder and younger members of the congregations. From long use and by
diligent study, aided by a profound knowledge of Latin, he had mastered the
English language in all its significance, but, he could not pronounce the words
of it accurately, and with facility. His English sermons were often able
productions, and sometimes eloquent. The words were well chosen and appropriately
applied. I have alluded to this matter, which to strangers may not seem pertinent
to the subject in hand, because it was a cause of some disquiet, but not of
repining to him while living. Mr. Spinner died at his residence in Herkimer, on
the 27th of May, 1848, aged 80 years 4 months and 9 days. He was kind and
affectionate as a husband and a parent, and active and zealous in the discharge
of his pastoral duties. He exerted a happy influence over the German population
of his charge, by whom his memory is cherished with devotion and respect. Within
three weeks of his own death, six members of his former charge went to their
final rest, the aggregate of whose ages was more than 480 years. An average of 80
years to seven persons dying within the space of 21 days, is an event of no
common occurrence. The Rev. James Murphy was inducted, as associate minister of
these two venerable congregations, by many years the oldest in the county, before
the Rev. Mr. Spinner's connection was dissolved. Dr. Murphy, I understand, has no
longer any ministerial charge of them.
The passage about early Town of Herkimer Rev. John Spinner was typed by Kathleen Teague, who
is researching her area Butler ancestors. For details on Kathy's Butler line, check out
our acknowledgement to Kathy at the bottom of
the Town of Russia 1824 Gazetteer section.
Neither Kathy nor I own a copy of Benton or have any further information about the events or
places mentioned in the excerpt above. For more detailed information request Nathaniel S.
Benton's original 1856 'History of Herkimer County' through interlibrary loan at your
local library, or contact the Herkimer County Historical Society.
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