sanborn.htm

Meet Methodist Minister John Wentworth Sanborn
Smethport minister, historian. indian culture expert, photographer, bicycle enthusiast
return to Methodist Church 1895

John Wentworth Sanborn was the Director of the New York State Indian Exhibition at the 1891 Chicago Columbia Exhibition (World's Fair)

Mr. Sanborn was the Methodist Episcopal Minister in Smethport, PA during the 1890's and the author of several Seneca Indian language texts. Mr. Sanborn was an incredibly interesting guy. He did extensive work with translation of the Seneca Indian language and translated hymnals and other books into Seneca.
During the 1891 Chicago Columbia Exhibition (World's Fair) he was the Director of the New York State Indian Exhibition.
He is buried in Friendship at the Mount Hope Cemetery, Friendship, New York. He was 3 Nov. 1848 and died 14 Oct. 1922. We believe that he lived in Friendship for many years.

Red Jacket. "A Long-Lost Speech of Red Jacket." Edited by John W. Sanborn. Friendship, N.W.: J. W. Sanborn, 1912
"A psalm of David." Published: [Batavia, N.Y., J. W. Sanborn, 1884]
"Hymnal in the Seneca Indian language, together with a few of the Psalms of David." by [Sanborn, John Wentworth], 1848-1922. Published:
Batavia, N.Y., J. W. Sanborn, 1884.
Hymnal in the Seneca Language also Ten Psalms of David (John Wentworth Sanborn), 1892.

Buffalo & Erie County Public Library

Legends, customs and social life of the Seneca Indians, of western New York

Title:                 Legends, customs and social life of the Seneca Indians, of western New York, by John Wentworth Sanborn, ("O-yo-ga-weh,") (Clear
Sky.) 1878.
Author:             Sanborn, John W. (John Wentworth)
Published:         Gowanda, N.Y., Horton & Deming, "Enterprise Print, 1878.
Subject:            Seneca Indians --Legends.
                        Indians of North America --Folklore.
Material:           76 p. 21 cm.
LC Card no:     02017923
System ID no: AIN-6736

<http://www.justus.ca/versailles/erie_library.htm#Legends customs and social life>

McKean County Miner
February 1, 1895
Page 3, Column 3

Sanborn Sings an Indian Song Chief Crouse, of the Senecas, who came here last Saturday from Syracuse to assist in the religious services now going on at the Methodist Episcopal Church has one of the richest and sweetest bass voices ever heard here. From the highest to the lowest note the tone is perfect. Rev. J. W. Sanborn and the Chief last Sunday night sang two pieces from the Indian hymn book, and while the audience could not understand a word of the hymn, they were highly entertained by the sweetness of tone and perfect harmony in which the piece was delivered.

return to Methodist Church 1895