Western Pennsylvania Genealogy
Compiled by Douglas H. Lusher


Family Group Record



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James G. Graff




Husband James G. Graff 1 2

           Born: Jan 1841 1 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 11 May 1860 1 2
         Buried: 


         Father: John Graff (1800-1885) 1 3 4 5 6 7
         Mother: Lucy Sophia Hacke (1805-1876/1877) 1 3 5 8





Wife

           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 


Children

General Notes: Husband - James G. Graff


OBITUARY OF JAMES G. GRAFF.
JAMES G., son of JOHN and LUCY GRAFF, was born January -, 1841, and fell asleep in Jesus on Friday morning, the 11th May, 1860, at half-past seven o'clock.
James was converted at a protracted meeting in Blairsville in the Winter of 1857, but did not hold fast his profession. He remained in a backslidden state until the night of the 23rd of March last, when, becoming greatly concerned about his soul, he called his father to his bedside and requested him to pray. The father, with true parental feeling and solicitude, exhorted the son to unite with him in prayer, which he did in a very earnest and emphatic manner. This exercise was not continued long until he embraced Christ by faith, and was led into the liberty of the Gospel. This happy transition from darkness into the marvelous light of reconciling love was hailed with rejoicing and triumph by himself and parents, whom he tenderly embraced, exclaiming: "Now I can die!" From that time until his death he had great peace of mind, and spoke of dying with as much calmness as if he were preparing for only a short journey and temporary absence from home.
A few days before his death, although encouraged by his physician, he began to make distribution of his effects, charging his mother what to do with them. He continued to rise at about five in the morning, and attend to many little things about the house, and to ride out a few miles in the afternoons when the weather was favorable, up to the day next preceding his death, and was only then prevented by the wetness of the day.
The evening before he left us, he said he felt that he could not live but a few days, and desired to have the family all together that he might talk to them before his strength should be too much wasted. He expressed a strong desire to see his three brothers converted; and the last efforts of his waning life were put forth for the accomplishment of his laudable wish. As the brothers were kneeling before him, earnestly engaged in prayer, James commanded silence, and in a full and animated voice instructed and encouraged them, and spoke of the necessity of the full surrender of their hearts to God. The scene was truly interesting and affecting. There were the assembled family, the kneeling young men overwhelmed with weeping, and the disease-wasted brother, hovering over the border of the spirit world, exhorting them to lay hold, by faith, of the atoning sacrifice of Christ. He was soon after consecrated to God by holy baptism, and retired, but rested poorly. At about one in the morning he said to his father: "I think I shall not live more than a few days, but I feel much better; tell mother to take some rest-she is wearing herself out." As he wiped the cold, clammy sweat from his child's brow, the sorrowing father perceived that his end was fast ap-proaching, and told him he could live only a few hours, and asked him how he felt in view of meeting death so soon. An unearthly smile played over his worn countenance, and he said: "I am happy, happy, happy! I feel that I have not served the Lord long enough, but I am happy." As the family approached the bedside, at the sound of every footstep he would turn his head to see who was coming, and pressing their hands and kissing them, he exhorted them all to meet him in heaven, and after receiving their promise, said: "All is well." Observing his mother's grief, he said with tenderness: " Mother, do not mourn for me; I am only going a little before you, and then it will not be long till we shall strike glad hands in heaven."
His vital energies now began rapidly to give way; his vocal powers failed entirely, and it became painfully evident that his hearing was growing dull; but his calm, deep, spiritual eyes, slightly elevated and fixed in steady gaze, as if peering through the gathering shades, and resting with delight upon the bright scenes beyond, gave indubitable evidence that consciousness and reason were unimpaired. As the receding billow was slowly bearing him away from the shore of time, the question was pro-pounded, "Do you now feel the presence and sustaining grace of the Saviour?" And though the tongue had lost the power of articulation, the wasted hand was raised, according to request, in token of assent. He gave no signs of suffering, and so gradual and gentle was his departure that the precise moment of the spirit's exit was scarcely discernible.
On Saturday afternoon, notwithstanding the surcharged clouds were pouring the teeming rain upon the earth, a large concourse of people assembled to pay the last tribute of respect to one they loved, and proceeded in solemn procession to the Village Cemetery, whence, after the precious remains had been committed to the grave in sure and certain hope of a part in the first resurrection, forming in procession, they escorted the bereaved relatives back to the family residence.
Thus died one who loved and was kind to every one, and whom everybody loved and respected in return.
"He being dead yet speaketh."J. W. S.

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Sources


1 J. T. Stewart, Indiana County, Pennsylvania - Her People Past and Present (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1913), Pg 712.

2 Paul Graff, History of the Graff Family of Westmoreland County (Philadelphia, PA: Privately published(?), 1891), Pg 48.

3 —, History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania (Newark, OH: J. A. Caldwell, 1880), Pg 360.

4 —, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Her People Past and Present (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1914), Pg 328.

5 Fenwick Y. Hedley, Old and New Westmoreland, Vols. III & IV (New York, NY: The American Historical Society, Inc., 1918), Pg 26.

6 John W. Jordan, LL.D, A Century and a Half of Pittsburg and Her People, Vol. IV (New York: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1908), Pg 141.

7 Paul Graff, History of the Graff Family of Westmoreland County (Philadelphia, PA: Privately published(?), 1891), Pg 6.

8 Paul Graff, History of the Graff Family of Westmoreland County (Philadelphia, PA: Privately published(?), 1891), Pg 40.


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