Rev. Ira Condit and Mary Miller
Husband Rev. Ira Condit 1 2
Born: 6 Mar 1772 - Morris Co, NJ 2 Christened: Died: 24 Oct 1836 - Georgetown, PA 3 Buried: - Fairfield Cemetery, New Vernon Twp, Mercer Co, PA
Father: [Father] Condit ( - ) Mother:
Marriage: - Washington Co, PA
Wife Mary Miller 2
Born: Christened: Died: Abt 1836 Buried:
Children
1 M John Condit 4 5 6
Born: 1803 6 Christened: Died: 1880 6 Buried:Spouse: Mary Zahniser (1808-1836) 4 6 7
2 M Samuel Condit 8
Born: Christened: Died: 24 Oct 1836 - Georgetown, PA 8 Buried: - Fairfield Cemetery, New Vernon Twp, Mercer Co, PA
General Notes: Husband - Rev. Ira Condit
He was one of the fathers of the Erie Presbytery.
Ira Condit was a native of New Jersey. He was born near Morristown, and in the same county with Cyrus Riggs and John Munson, on the 6th day of March, 1772. Of his early life little is preserved. He was a modest, unassuming man, and thinking that there was little of interest in his early life, has left nothing on record. But he is known to have been an earnest, conscientious Christian, as well as a devoted minister of Christ, and we may well suppose that his early life was passed in quietness and peace; standing in his lot as best he could.
His early life was that of a farmer, and even before entering upon the preparation for the ministry had had experience of the rough life of the new settlements, and of the hardships of the frontier. In the year 1798 he emigrated to Mercer county, Pa., and settled within a mile of where the Fairfield church now stands, little knowing that there was to be the scene of his future labors in the Lord's spiritual vineyard. He does not seem at that time to have thought of the ministry, for his great work appears to have been to open up a farm and erect for himself a home and a fireside, where he might spend his life comfortably and usefully.
About the year 1800 he went to Washington County, PA, where he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Miller, whose father was afterwards a member of Amity church. With his wife he returned to his farm on Sandycreek, settling down to the peaceful life of a farmer, but no doubt oppressed with the destitution and want of spiritual privileges that characterized the country. He made a profession of religion May 10, 1802, and became a member of the church of Fairfield, of which he was afterwards pastor. For three years after his marriage he continued to cultivate his modest acres, when a voice, that perhaps for some time had been heard in the deep chambers of his heart, constrained him to resolve to begin at once preparation for the gospel ministry.
For him to resolve, was to act. So in 1803 he leaves his little farm, moves his family to Cannonsburg, and commences his studies, where he graduated in 1808. After graduation he moved with his family to a farm belonging to his brother, about seven miles from Washington, where he commenced the study of theology under the direction of Dr. McMillan, and his pastor, Rev. George M. Scott, supporting his family in the mean time by teaching a school in the neighborhood. His eldest son remembers distinctly a well-beaten path on a knoll near the house, where the divinity student was in the habit of walking back and forth whilst engaged in his studies. A church was afterwards built on the same spot.
After completing his studies, he was licensed to preach the gospel by the Presbytery of Ohio, on the 17th day of October, 1811. The first year of his labor was spent as a missionary, itinerating amongst the vacant churches and destitute settlements of Washington county. An incident that occurred during this missionary work, illustrates the character of the man. When returning home from a tour, he was about crossing the Monongahela river in a ferry boat. There was a stranger wishing to cross at the same time, but being without money, the ferryman refused to take him over. Mr. Condit gave him all the money he had in his possession, and trusted to providence for the supply of his wants on his way home. He had not proceeded far on his way, before he met a man who owed him some money, but which he never expected to receive. The man voluntarily paid him the debt.
In 1812, Mr. Condit moved back to Sandycreek, where he had first erected his home in the wilderness, and after preaching for some time in the vacant churches, accepted calls from the congregations of Fairfield and Big Sugarcreek. His ordination took place at Big Sugarcreek, on the 8th day of November, 1814. Rev. Robert Johnston preached on the occasion, and Rev. Samuel Tait delivered the charges. Fairfield church had been organized near the place where Mr. Condit had originally settled as a farmer, and Sugarcreek was perhaps fifteen miles distant.
In April, 1827, he accepted calls to the congregation of Georgetown, or Upper Sandy, as it was then called. This call is still in existence, and is a curiosity in its way. It is for one-third of the minister's time, and proceeds in the orthodox way: “And that you may be free from worldly cares and avocations, we hereby promise and oblige ourselves to pay to you the sum of one hundred dollars, in regular half-yearly payments, one-third in cash and two-thirds in produce, during the time of your being and continuing the regular pastor of this church.”
He was afterwards installed for a portion of his time over the congregation of Amity. This charge was relinquished April 22, 1829. In June of the same year, he accepted a call to the congregation of Cool Spring, for one-third of his time, and was installed June 24, 1829. In this united charge, Fairfield, one of his original charges, Georgetown, and Cool Spring, he labored until he was released by death.
Mr. Condit was a man of robust health. During his whole ministry of twenty-five years, he lost but two Sabbaths by sickness. In person he was tall and erect, being over six feet in height, of a sanguine temperament, and of a grave and solemn countenance. He was always extremely diffident, particularly in the earlier years of his ministry. He was not gifted in conversation, although of a social nature and domestic habits. Still he always had a word for Christ on all proper occasions. He has left behind him a name that is like precious ointment, and his memory is dearly cherished by all who knew him.
As a preacher he was not eloquent, nor was he gifted in the art of sermonizing. He was, however, very solemn and impressive in his manner, which gave great weight to his words. His people loved to hear him preach, for he broke to them the Bread of Life, with all sincerity and solemnity and love. He has left behind him a few manuscripts of sermons, but he did not often, nor perhaps ever, after the first few years of his ministry, write out his discourses. Several hundred skeletons of sermons remain amongst his papers, giving an idea of his taste in sermonizing. He always preached from notes, holding a small Bible in his hand, containing the heads of his discourse. He used little action, nor had he much variety in tone of voice, but simply delivered the message, and trusted to no meretricious adornment of style or manner to enforce the truth.
Mr. Condit was the father of thirteen children. Two of these died in infancy, and one at the age of thirteen, and ten grew up to maturity. About a year previous to his death, he removed to Georgetown, and lived in a house that was under the same roof with that of his eldest son. His death was sudden, and occurred October 24, 1836, from typhoid fever. This disease entered his and his son's families together. Eight members of the two households lay sick together, of whom four died. Mr. Condit was sick but eight days. He and his son Samuel, who was studying for the ministry, both died the same day and were buried in the same grave. His wife died soon after.
His remains find rest in the cemetery connected with the Fairfield church. His monument is seen facing the edifice in which he preached so many years, bearing the usual inscription, with the following homely yet terse lines, composed by a Rev. Mr. Smith:
“In yonder sacred house I spent my breath;
Now slumbering here I lie in death.
This sleeping dust shall rise and yet declare,
A dread Amen to doctrines published there.”
1 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1877), Pg 26, 72.
2 J. H. Newton, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Columbus, OH: J. A. Caldwell Publishers, 1879), Pg 190.
3 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1877), Pg 26.
4 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1877), Pg 72.
5 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Its Past and Present (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk & Co., Publishers, 1888), Pg 1007.
6 Kate M. Zahniser & Charles Reed Zahniser, The Zahnisers - A History of the Family in America (Mercer, PA: Kate M. Zahniser, Publisher, 1906), Pg 130.
7 —, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Its Past and Present (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk & Co., Publishers, 1888), Pg 1018.
8
J. H. Newton, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Columbus, OH: J. A. Caldwell Publishers, 1879), Pg 191.
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