"NATHAN BANGS was born in Stratford, Connecticut in 1778, and came to Stamford when about thirteen years old on foot, with an elder brother. In later years he became impressed with leading a life of religious purity, being awakened thereto under the preaching of those Methodists, whose energies urged them to the extreme limits of the settlements, as they made their western progress into the forest which had so recently been the Indian domain. He became one of the preachers of that denomination, and in 1808 was a rider on the Delaware Circuit with Robert Dillon. The Delaware Circuit (White's Annuals of Methodism in Delaware County) was formed in 1794, and 'embraced all the territory adjacent to the Delaware and its tributaries from the head-waters to a point about a hundred miles down the river.' In 1832 this circuit had 'thirty-three preaching places and required two hundred and fifty miles travel to fill the appointments.' Heman Bangs was also a rider on this circuit with Stephen Jacob, in 1815, and John Bangs with Ira Ferris in 1823, and with Bezaleel in 1824, and again with Noah Sullivan in 1832. John Bangs in his Memoirs says: 'On this circuit there were some very long and tedious routes, I often being obliged to ford the Delaware River. Once, in particular, my wagon came apart in the river. Miles and miles have I traveled on Delaware Circuit without coming across a single human being, and not meeting with any signs of life except occasionally a chip-squirrel.' Nathan and Heman Bangs spent the later years of their lives in New York City and other eastern towns or cities. John Bangs gave his time to preaching till late in life. In 1821, 1822, 1829, 1835 and 1845 he was on the Jefferson Circuit; in 1838 on the Bloomville Circuit; in 1841 on the Kortright Circuit, and in 1848 on the Franklin Circuit. He closed the labors of his life in February 1848, at the age of 69 years."
