Fries, Justus Henry

Fries, Justus Henry a minister of the German Reformed Church, was born in Westphalia, Germany, April 24, 1777, and came to America in 1803. He could not pay his passage, and hence became a "Redemptioner," and served a farmer in York County, Pennsylvania, three years. Being free, he studied theology with Reverend Daniel Wagner, in Frederick, Maryland. He was licensed in 1810, and not long afterwards ordained. For two years he served eight congregations in York County, Pennsylvania, and in 1812 he removed to Buffalo Valley, in Union County, Pennsylvania, where he continued the remainder of his life, doing a pioneer work, his labors extending over several counties. He died October 9, 1839. He was noted for his extraordinary memore, his eccentricities of character, his great love of 'American institutions', his fondness for politics, his active life is the ministry, and his great success in laying the foundation of numerous now flourishing German Reformed congregations in the beautiful valleys of the Susquehanna. He preached only in Germsan. (H.H.)