Person:James Mann (51)

HISTORY OF SARATOGA NEW YORK. by NATHANIEL BARTLETT SYLVESTER 1878 :

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. JAMES MANN.

{Contributed by Miss Electa Mann, Ballston, 1878, aged seventy-seven years.}

My beloved father, James Mann, was born in Hebron, county of Tolland, Conn., Feb. 24, 1768. His father's name was Joseph, who was the son of Nathaniel Mann, son of the Rev. Samuel Mann, of the Congregational church, Massachusetts. In December, 1790, he was married to Miss Tryphena Tarbox, of Hebron. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. Dr. Bronson in the Episcopal church of that place. The wedding-ring differed essentially from those of the present day. It was a plain hoop of pure gold, having engraved upon the inner surface the motto, "Love and Virtue," suggestive of the unobtrusive gifts and graces of mind and heart. The same winter they came to Ballston and settled on their farm. They made their journey in a large sleigh, covered with domestic linen, drawn by a yoke of oxen and a horse. The sleigh was heavily laden with household furniture and other necessary articles. They were several days on the road. One evening they met at the inn some fellow-travelers, who made themselves quite at home, brought in their meat and meal, prepared and ate their supper, after which they had a dance. Then they brought in their straw beds for their night's repose.
    My parents arrived the 4th of March, 1791. They had followed the Middle Line road till within less than a mile of the place destined to be their life-long home. They soon reached the woods on their own premises. The road then passed down a side-hill, lined on each side with towering pine- and hemlock-trees, while the March wind among their branches played a welcome greeting, which was strange music to one unaccustomed to a forest home. Then going over the causeway of logs, they soon came to a rise of ground where their house stood. By the politeness of Mr. Knapp my mother had preceded my father by an easier conveyance from the hill, afterwards the Court-House hill. That evening they gratefully accepted his hospitality and took tea with the family, - a sumptuous repast of delicious corn-cake, fried pork, and a cup of warm tea. The log house contained two rooms on the floor, an attic, with a ladder instead of stairs for ascent.

There were two other buildings of the same material on the premises, - a milk-room attached to a shop and a barn. There was an out-door cellar, and a stone-oven covered with slabs. The snow was then two feet deep. Winter soon yielded to the mild influence of spring, the snow melted away, and early in April young lettuce, self-sown, graced their table. The garden was in front of the house, and contained some useful plants. The asparagus was transferred to the new garden, where it still remains. There were three apple-trees a few rods northeast from the house that are still living.

    My father brought apple-seed from his eastern home and planted a nursery, raised young trees sufficient for two orchards on his own farm, leaving a balance for his neighbors. He also planted peach-trees, which bore fruit a number of years. Not long after he started some pear-trees from scions brought from his native place, one of which is still living and bears better pears than it did many years ago.
    Until a well was dug the house was supplied with water from a cavity below the garden; when that failed it was brought from over the causeway, where was a little pool of water at the corner of a beautiful grove of young pines, which, with the green grass beneath, was a delightful spot
    James Mann, Sr., died March 21, 1856, aged eighty-eight years. Tryphena Mann was born Dec. 27, 1765, and died Nov. 1, 1850, aged eighty-four years. They had seven children: Hervey, who was born and died Sept. 26, 1791; James, born Aug. 10, 1792, and died Sept. 24, 1873; :Patience, born Sept. 22, 1795, died April 12, 1816; Solomon, born Oct. 22, 1797, died Sept. 5, 1807; Fanny, born Oct. 20, 1797, died April 29, 1816; Electa, born Oct. 16, 1801; Joseph, born March 21, 1804.

????? Census 1790, Town of Ballstown, Saratoga, New York, United States:

    Mann, James - 1 male over 16, 2 females

Records of Christ Church (Episcopal) of Ballston Spa-- A Register of the Communicants (about 1797) [In the Old Church at Ballston.]  : James Mann

Census 1850, Town of Ballston, Saratoga, New York, United States:

    Man, James - Age 82 - Male - Farmer - Valuation $6000 - Born CT
      "       Tryfena - Age 84 - Female - Born CT

New York State Census 1855, Town of Ballston, Saratoga, New York, United States:

     Framed house # 275 - Value $1500 - Family # 302 - Mann, J. - Age 87 - Male - born Conn. - Resident 66 yrs -                  Occupation, none - Voter - Owns land
    -- Mann, E. - Age 53 - Female - Child - Born Saratoga - Resident 53 yrs                  

Briggs Cemetery, Town of Ballston, Saratoga, New York, United States:

    Mann, James - husb. of Tryphena - [died] 1856/03/21 - [aged] 88 y[ears]

1. ↑ Tombstone.

   James Mann / died M'ch 21, 1856 / ae 88 y'rs / [inscription]