Reverend George (Rev) Rairigh, Sr.

According to an article published in the Primitive Christian in 1882, p 680, George was an Elder of the Cowanshanock German Baptist Brethren congregation, and 'died some years ago.'

Husband of Elizabeth Bair, born 1789, in Germany, died 6 June 1868 and buried in Darke County, Ohio.. Elizabeth went to Ohio, in 1863, with her son.

This stone erected by Joseph A. Whitacre, husband of Annie Rairigh, Rev. George's daughter.

George was born on a farm about a mile north of Sagamore, Armstrong County. His wife was Elizabeth Blair, a Southern lady. On their farm they had a log house and a log barn. In the barn Elders Levi Roberts and John MIneely and other pioneer ministers preached the Word of Life. Love feasts also were held there. Elder Rairigh was the first preacher elected in the Cowanshannock congregation. It is said he preached his first sermon in his own barn.

When called to the ministry he could not read his text; his devoted wife read it for him. She taught him to read the German language, and when the people wanted English preaching she also taught him the English. What he lacked in education he more than made up in piety, industry, devotion, perseverance and earnestness. He was a home missionary in the fullest sense of the word. While his faithful wife managed the farm and did the spinning, he was about his Father's business.

It is said that it required 26 weeks to hold meetings in turn at the mission points that had been opened by this earnest and self-sacrificing minister. His field was Armstrong and adjoining counties. He traveled some on horseback, but mostly afoot. He is said to have made two missionary journeys on foot to the state of Ohio. He went in all kinds of weather, and when necessary swam the streams.

It was but natural that so strenuous a life could not endure very long; he died from a broncial infection when a little past 63 and was buried in the Cowanshannock cemetery.

page 592-593n Two Centuries of the Church of the Brethren in Western Pennsylvania 1751-1950

Note: biography courtesy of Rootsweb: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~treasures/pa/arms... Find A

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• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Rairigh-4

Grave Memorial# 31573764

GEDCOM Source

Ancestry Family Trees Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.; @R2@ Record for Elizabeth Bair http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1030&h=19493010388&in...

GEDCOM Source

Ancestry Family Trees Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.; @R2@ Record for Elizabeth Bair http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1030&h=19493010388&in...