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ZUG  MEMORIAL  LIBRARY 
ELIZABETHTOWN  COLLEGE 
ELIZABETHTOWN,  PENNA. 


Class 


Book- 


Accession T    /    I L- 


History  of  the  Church 
of  the  Brethren  of  the 

Western  District  of  Pennsylvania 


B  Y 

Elder  Jerome  E.  Blough 

ZUG  MEMORIAL  LIBRARY 
ELIZABETHTOWN  COLLEGE 
ELIZABETHTOWN,  PENNA. 


Published  By   The 

BRETHREN  PUBLISHING  HOUSE 

ELGIN,   ILLINOIS 

1916 


Copyright,  1916 
By  Elder  Jerome  E.  Blough 


DEDICATED 

TO  THE  MEMORY  OF 

OUR  FATHERS  AND  MOTHERS 

WHOSE  FAITH  AND  SELF-SACRIFICING 

LABORS  GAVE  US  THE  CHURCH 

WE  SO  DEARLY  LOVE 

THE  AUTHOR 


Introduction. 

The  title  of  this  book  does  not  hint  at  tiie  extent  of  in- 
terest that  will  center  in  it.  Herein  is  a  well-prepared  account 
of  the  rise  and  development  of  the  congregations  of  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  of  \\'estern  Pennsylvania ;  but  in- 
terwoven in  it  is  an  inevitable  thread  whose  strands  reach  al- 
most Brotherhood-wide. 

In  Western  Pennsylvania  the  Brethren  labored  long  and 
well  in  behalf  of  the  Master.  Through  many  hardships  in 
earlier  days  they  established  the  faith  in  the  midst  of  the  beau- 
tiful Alleghanies.  No  service  has  ever  been  rendered  more 
cheerfully  and  hopefully  than  theirs.  But  the  valleys  were  too 
narrow  for  all  their  children  and  scattered  throughout  the 
West  in  almost  every  State  one  finds  "  Somerset  County 
stock  "  prosperous  and  flourishing.  All  these  scattered  de- 
scendants will  be  interested  in  the  story  of  beginnings  in  the 
old  home  District;  and  thus  the  usefulness  of  the  book  grows 
and  grows  until  who  can  forecast  where  its  presence  will  not 
be  felt? 

The  author  is  well  fitted  to  write  the  book.  Born  and 
reared  in  one  of  the  stronger  congregations  of  the  District, 
breathing  fully  the  spirit  of  his  environment,  in  full  sympathy 
with  the  ideals  of  the  people  who  have  built  up  the  organiza- 
tion, he  could  fully  enter  into  a  proper  appreciation  of  all 
the  data  gathered  and  give  due  stress  to  salient  facts.  Then 
he  has  almost  infinite  patience — the  kind  that  enabled  him  to 
seek  year  after  year,  in  each  congregation — some  of  them 
exceedingly    indiiferent   to   his    requests — until   he    found   all 

7 


8  INTRODUCTION 

the  available  information.  His  style  is  easy,  just  the  kind 
the  fathers  and  mothers  will  be  pleased  to  follow.  Though  the 
details  are  rather  full  for  some,  perhaps,  yet  even  details  will 
be  valuable  to  those  for  whom  the  book  is  written. 

The  biographical  sketches  are  of  great  value.  Many  of 
those  whose  lives  appear  here  have  wielded  an  influence  far 
beyond  the  District,  and  have  decidedly  aided  the  denomina- 
tion to  victories  even  in  other  lands. 

To  trace  the  growth  of  a  quiet,  unassuming  folk,  devout 
and  faithful,  as  this  history  does,  is  to  make  one  believe  still 
more  that  God  is  always  with  those  who  put  their  trust  in  him, 
and  that  they  mount  over  difficulties  and  accomplish  ends  com- 
mensurate only  with  the  idea  that  Omnipotence  has  been  with 
them.  I  most  heartily  recommend  the  book  to  the  many  who 
should  know  the  story  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  in 
Western  Pennsylvania. 

Elgin,  Illinois.  Galen  B.  Royer. 

February  24,  1916. 


Preface. 

To  the  author  of  this  work  history  has  always  been  a 
fascinating  study.  As  a  youth  he  read  Peter  Parley's  "  His- 
tory of  the  World  "  with  the  most  intense  interest.  The  dis- 
covery of  past  activities  and  accomplishments,  whether  in 
church  or  state,  was  not  only  interesting  but  a  matter  of  the 
greatest  satisfaction.  Perhaps  nothing  was  more  enjoyed 
than  hearing  the  old  church  fathers  talking  about  the  work  of 
the  church  in  their  young  days.  These  talks  revealed  the  fact 
that  in  the  dim  and  already  almost  forgotten  past  exists  a 
history  that  will  be  lost  to  future  generations  if  not  secured 
very  soon,  before  the  lips  of  those  possessing  this  knowledge 
are  sealed  in  death. 

Becoming  convinced  of  the  need  of  speedy  action  the 
question  of  how  to  accomplish  it  became  the  next  matter  for 
consideration.  With  this  question  in  view  the  author  referred 
to  Elder  C.  G.  Lint,  at  the  Ministerial  Meeting  at  Meyersdale 
in  1907,  this  query:  "  Would  it  not  be  proper  to  provide  some 
plan  whereby  we  might  procure  and  preserve  the  histor}-  of 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren  of  our  District?  "  In  his  answer 
Brother  Lint  strongly  favored  such  a  move  and  clearly 
showed  the  necessity  of  doing  it  soon.  One  other  brother,  I 
think,  spoke  favorably,  but  nothing  farther  was  done  that  year. 

The  next  year,  1908,  being  the  Bicentennial  Year,  the 
author  was  asked  to  give  a  Bicentennial  address  on  the  History 
of  Western  Pennsylvania  at  the  Ministerial  Meeting.  The 
time  for  such  a  talk  was  entirely  too  short,  but  considerable 
interest  was  aroused  in  the  matter,  and  a  historical  committee, 
consisting  of  Jerome  E.  Blough.  Joseph  Holsopple  and  Mahlon 
J.  Weaver,  was  appointed.  The  object  of  this  committee  was 
to  gather  and,  in  some  way,  preserve,  all  possible  past  history 
of  the  District.  This  committee  sent  to  the  elders  of  the  con- 
gregations blanks  containing  a  large  number  of  questions. 
From  the  answers  to  these  questions  a  creditable  histor}-  of 


10  PREFACE 

each  congregation  could  have  been  written,  but  only  a  com- 
paratively few  blanks,  filled  out,  were  returned.  But  the 
committee  was  not  idle,  and  during  the  next  four  years  con- 
siderable historical  matter  was  gathered  in  various  ways. 
But  beyond  that  the  committee  did  not  feel  that  it  had  any 
right  to  go. 

So,  in  order  that  the  District  might  take  a  more  active 
hold  of  the  work,  the  following  petition  was  presented  to  the 
1912  District  Meeting:  "Inasmuch  as  a  historical  committee 
of  Western  Pennsylvania  w^as  appointed  several  years  ago,  by 
the  Ministerial  Meeting,  for  the  purpose  of  collecting  material 
for  a  history  of  the  Churches  of  the  Brethren  in  W'estern 
Pennsylvania,  and  since  that  committee  has  gathered  together 
very  valuable  data,  we,  the  West  Johnstown  congregation,  ask 
District  Meeting  to  devise  some  plan  by  which  these  records 
may  be  best  preserved  for  future  generations,  either  by  pro- 
viding for  the  publication  of  a  history  in  book  form  or  other- 
wise. Answer :  '  Request  granted,  and  the  following  commit- 
tee appointed :  Jerome  E.  Blough,  John  F.  Dietz  and  Samuel 
C.  Johnson.'  " 

Elder  Joseph  Holsopple  being  relieved  because  of  age, 
and  Mahlon  J.  Weaver  having  removed  from  the  District,  they 
turned  what  material  they  had  in  their  possession  over  into 
my  hands.  Of  the  new  members  of  the  committee.  Elder 
Dietz  soon  moved  from  the  District  and  Brother  Johnson  was 
too  far  away  for  united  prosecution  of  the  work.  Outside  of 
the  history  of  the  Georges  Creek  congregation,  which  was 
furnished  by  Brother  Johnson,  practically  the  whole  burden 
of  soliciting,  compiling  and  arranging  material  for  this  history 
has  rested  upon  the  author. 

Being  financially  unable  to  spend  time  and  money  travel- 
ing among  the  churches  of  the  District,  practically  every- 
thing w'as  done  by  correspondence.  It  took  some  time  to  in- 
duce brethren  in  every  congregation  to  get  down  to  business 
and  unearth  their  history,  but  it  was  finally  accomplished,  and 
we  feel  that  success  has  at  last  crowned  our  persistent  efforts. 
Also  from  unexpected  sources,  even  from  people  not  members 


PREFACE  11 

of  our  church,  have  come  helpful  information  and  sugges- 
tions. In  addition  to  all  the  help  given  by  brethren,  sisters 
and  friends  still  living,  to  all  of  whom  I  am  profoundly  grate- 
ful, I  am  indebted  to  the  following  books,  pamphlets  and  peri- 
odicals : 

"  A  History  of  the  German  Baptist  Brethren  in  Europe 
and  America,"  by  Governor  Martin  Grove  Brumbaugh ; 
"  Holsinger's  History  of  the  Tunkers  and  the  Brethren 
Church,"  by  Elder  H.  R.  Holsinger;  "Two  Centuries  of  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren ;  "  "  Some  Who  Led,"  by  Elders  D. 
L.  Miller  and  Galen  B.  Royer;  "  History  of  the  Churches  of 
Northeastern  Ohio,"  by  Elder  T.  S.  Moherman  and  others ; 
"  History  of  Eastern  Pennsylvania ;  "  Histories  of  Somerset, 
W' estmoreland,  Cambria  and  Armstrong  Counties ;  "  "  The 
Conemaughers,"  by  Ezra  H.  Detwiler;  "  Record  of  the  Faith- 
ful," by  Howard  Miller;  Brethren  Almanacs,  and  the  various 
church  papers  from  the  Gospel  Visitor  to  the  present ;  Annual 
Meeting  Minutes,  District  Meeting  Minutes,  as  well  as  minutes 
of  other  meetings  of  the  District,  and  "  Thirty-three  Years  of 
Missions,"  by  Galen  B.  Royer. 

By  the  splendid  help  of  many  brethren  and  this  array  of 
literature  this  history  was  made  possible,  and  yet  a  very  great 
deal  of  interesting  and  valuable  history  is  lost.  We  waited 
fifty  years  too  long.  It  has  been  only  in  comparatively  recent 
years  that  most  of  the  congregations  kept  a  record  of  their 
business.  Perhaps  some  of  this  lost  history  will  yet  come  to 
light.  For  the  present  we  did  the  best  we  could  under  the 
circumstances.    We  do  not  claim  perfection. 

But  few  names  of  contributors  appear,  because  most 
of  the  matter  coming  to  hand  had  to  be  reconstructed.  It  is 
impossible  to  name  all  who  have  contributed  to  the  success  of 
this  work,  and  so  we  deem  it  best  not  to  name  any.  Since  be- 
ginning to  gather  material  for  this  work  a  number  of  brethren, 
who  were  interested  and  did  what  they  could  to  make  it  a 
success,  have  gone  to  their  reward.  I  recall  Joseph  Berkey, 
Abram  Summy,  D.  D.  Horner,  Jonathan  W.  Blough,  D.  S. 
Clapper,  Emanuel  J.  Blough,  H.  A.  Stahl,  J.  J.  Blauch,  David 


12  PREFACE 

Hildebrand,  John  B.  Miller,  George  Hanavvalt,  S.  M.  Forney, 
Levi  Rogers  and  Peter  Forney. 

After  years  of  diligent  labor,  in  the  face  of  numerous 
obstacles,  such  as  lack  of  records  or  minutes  of  congregations, 
and  of  prompt  responses  on  the  part  of  a  few,  success,  in  an 
encouraging  degree,  has  been  achieved,  and  we  send  this 
volume  forth  on  its  mission  of  faith  and  peace  and  love,  trust- 
ing that  it  will  be  received  in  the  same  spirit  in  which  it  is 
given.  To  all  who  have  in  any  way  contributed  to  the  ac- 
complishment of  this  work  due  credit  is  hereby  gratefully 
given. 

Elder  Jerome  E.  Blough. 


Table  of  Contents. 

Page 
Chapter  I.  The  Brethren  in  Europe,  21 

Chapter  II.  The  Beginning  of  the  Brethren  in  America,.    '^'^ 

Chapter  III.  Early  Settlements  of  the  Brethren  in  West- 
ern Pennsylvania,  39 

Conemaugh.  The  Glades.  Fayette  County.  Wash- 
ington Count3\  Greene  County — The  Eckerly  Broth- 
ers. 

Chapter  I\'.   \\'estern  Pennsylvania, 47 

Chapter  V.  Congregations,  51 

Berlin :  .   51 

Bolivar,    55 

Brothers  Valley,    57 

Brush   Valley,    65 

Chess    Creek,    65 

Clarion,     67 

Conemaugh,    69 

Cowanshannock,    73 

Dunnings    Creek,     11 

Elk  Lick,   81 

Elk  Lick  after  the  division,    87 

Georges   Creek,    89 

Glade   Run 94 

Greensburg,     97 

Greenville,     102 

Indian  Creek,    103 

Jacobs  Creek,   106 

Johnstown, Ill 

Ligonier  Valley,    120 

13 


14  TABLE    OF    CONTENTS 

Page 

Maple    Glen,    123 

Manor 126 

Markleyshurg,     132 

Meyersdale,     133 

Middle    Creek,    136 

Montgomery 139 

Morrellville,     141 

Mount    Union 142 

Pittsburgh,     145 

Pleasant  Hill,   150 

Plum  Creek 152 

Quemahoning,    154 

Red  Bank,    166 

Rockton,    170 

Rummel,    174 

Ryerson    Station 174 

Scalp   Level,  _. 178 

Shade    Creek,    181 

Shemokin, 188 

Somerset,    .r-r-. 189 

Stony  Creek 189 

Summit    Mills 190 

Ten  Mile,   ^^. 191 

Trout   Run 196 

West    Tohnstown 198 


Chapter  VI.   Missionary  Activities, 205 

Unorganized,    205 

Attempts  at   Organization,     207 

The  Mission  Board  Organized 207 

Congregations   Supporting  Missionaries 216 

Sunday-schools  Supporting  Missionaries 217 

What  We  Could  Do,  217 

Missionaries,    218 

Jacob  M.  Blough,   218 

Anna   Z.    Blough,    221 

Ida  C.  Shumaker,   223 

Quincy  A.  Holsopple 226 

S.  Olive  Widdowson,    230 

Herman   B.   Heisey,    2?>2 

Mrs.  Herman   B.   Heisey 234 

Chapter  VII.  Our  Sunchiy-schuol  .Vctivitics. -^"^ 


TABLE    OF    CONTENTS  15 

Page 

Chapter  VIII.  Sketches    of    Our    Sunday-school    Secre- 
taries,   251 

Silas  S.  Blough,  251 

Herman  A.  Stahl,   253 

Lorenzo  J.   Lehman 256 

Ross  D.  Murphy,  258 

I.  Edward  Holsinger,    261 

Sunday-school   Mission    Board 263 

Perry  J.  Blough,   263 

Daniel   K.   Clapper,    266 

William   M.   Howe,    268 

Chapter  IX.  Education,   273 

Chapter  X.  District    Meetings,    281 

Chapter  XL  Annual  Meetings, 291 

Chapter  XII.  Ministerial  Meetings,    297 

Chapter  XIII.   Bible,  Missionary  and  Sunday-school  In- 
stitute,    301 

Chapter  XIV.   Biographies,   303 

Chapter  XV.  Ministers  Who  Have  Left  Us, 571 

Chapter  XVI.  Miscellaneous,  597 

Statistics 597 

Age  of  Ministers 597 

Our   Sisters,    597 

Ministers  of  Western  Pennsylvania — 1916 598 


List  of  Illustrations. 

The  Germantovvn  Meetinghouse  in  1899,  ....Frontispiece 
Valley  of  the  Eder  River — Schwarzenau,  Germany,....   23 

Garrett  Church,  Berlin  Congregation 53 

Beachdale   Church,   Berlin   Congregation,    55 

The  Old  Grove  Church,  Berlin  Congregation 60 

Rayman  Church,  Brothers  Valley  Congregation 62 

Pike  Church,   Brothers   Valley   Congregation 62 

New  Grove  Church,  Brothers  Valley  Congregation 64 

The  Old  Mock  Church,  Dunnings  Creek  Congregation,  78 
Holsinger  Church,  Dunnings  Creek  Congregation,  ....  79 
New  Paris  Church,  Dunnings  Creek  Congregation,  ...   80 

Dunnings  Creek  Ministers 81 

First  Salisbury  Church,  Elk  Lick  Congregation,   84 

Present  Salisbury  Church,  Elk  Lick  Congregation 87 

Fairview  Church,  Georges  Creek  Congregation 90 

Uniontown  Church,  Georges  Creek  Congregation 92 

Silas  W.  Fike  and  Wife, 94 

Glade  Run  Church 96 

First  Greensburg  Church,  99 

Greensburg  Church,   101 

Hochstetler  Church,  Greenville  Congregation 102 

County  Line  Church,  Indian  Creek  Congregation 105 

Jacobs   Creek   Ministers,    107 

Old  Stone  Church,  Jacobs  Creek  Congregation 108 

Mt.  Joy  Church,  Jacob's  Creek  Congregation 109 

Somerset  Street  Brethren  Church,  Johnstowai Ill 

Old  Walnut  Grove  Church,  Johnstown  Congregation,  .  .112 

Gonemaugh  Church,  Johnstown  Congregation 116 

Seven  of  the  Johnstown  Ministers,   117 

Walnut  Grove  Church,  Johnstown  Congregation 119 

Waterford  Church,  Ligonier  Valley  Congregation 122 

Maple  Glen  Church 124 

Three  of  Manor's  Ministers 128 

Purchase   Line  Church,  Manor  Congregation 130 

Penn  Run   Church,  Manor  Congregation 131 

Meyersdale  Church  and  Parsonage 135 

Geiger  Church,  Middle  Creek  and  Brothers  X'alley  Con- 
gregations  138 

Old  Montgomery  Church,  Montgomery  Congregation,  140 

Morrellvilie  Church 141 

Mount  L^nion  Church,  Mount  Union  Congregation.  ..143 
Wiles  Hill  Church,  M(Uint  Union  Congregation 144 

16 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS  17 

Proposed    Alteration    and    Addition    to    the    Pittsburgh 

Church,     148 

Pleasant  Hill  Church,    151 

Plum  Creek  Church  and  Parsonage, 154 

Pine  Grove  Sunday-school   (1909),  Quemahoning  Con- 
gregation,      156 

Five  of  Quemahoning's  Ministers, 158 

Pine  Grove  Church,  Quemahoning  Congregation,    ....159 
Sipesville     Church     and     Congregation,     Quemahoning 

Congregation,    161 

Old   Maple   Spring   (Fry)    Church,   Quemahoning   Con- 
gregation,      162 

Hooversville  Church,  Quemahoning  Congregation,  ....  163 
Present   Maple  Spring   Church,   Quemahoning   Congre- 
gation,   164 

Maple  Spring  Cemetery,  Quemahoning  Congregation,   165 

Red   Bank  Church  and   Parsonage,    169 

Old  Rockton  Church,  Rockton  Congregation,    171 

New  Rockton  Church,  Rockton  Congregation, 172 

Greenville  Church,  Rockton  Congregation, 173 

Baptismal  Scene,  Ryerson  Station  Congregation 177 

Scalp  Level  Church,  179 

Windber  Church,  Scalp  Level  Congregation 181 

Deacon  Daniel  Berkey  and  Wife, 182 

Shade  Creek  Ministers  Before  Division,  183 

Churches  of  Shade   Creek   Congregation,    186 

Berkey  Cemetery,  Shade  Creek  Congregation,  187 

Summit  Mills  Church,  Erected  in  1846,   191 

Old  Stone  Church,  Ten  Mile  Congregation,   192 

Old  Brick  Church,  Ten  Mile  Congregation,   193 

Fireplace,  Ten  Mile  Church,   194 

Interior  View,  Ten  Mile  Church,  195 

Ten  of  the  Twelve  Ministers  of  the  West  Johnstown 

Congregation   ( 1914) ,   199 

Roxbury    Church    and     Parsonage,    West    Johnstown 

Congregation,    200 

Viewmont   Church,   West  Johnstown   Congregation,    .  .201 
Present     Mission     Board     of     Western     Pennsylvania 

(1916),    214 

Elder  Jacob  M.  Blough  and  Wife, 219 

Ida  Cora  Shumaker,   224 

Quincy  A.  Holsopple  and  Wife 227 

Olive   Widdowson,    231 

Herman   B.   Heisey,    233 

Sister  Herman   B.   Heisey,    235 


18  LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS 

Elder  Silas  S.  Blough  and  Wife,   252 

Elder  Herman   A.   Stahl,    254 

Elder  Lorenzo  J.  Lehman  and  Wife,   .257 

Ross  D.   Murphy,    258 

Prof.   L   Edward   Holsinger,    262 

Elder  Perry  J.  Blough  and  Wife, 264 

Elder  Daniel  K.  Clapper,   266 

Elder  William   Mohler  Howe,    269 

Prof.  Jacob   Martin  Zuck,    274 

Gymnasium,  Juniata  College,  Huntingdon 276 

Library,   Juniata   College,   Huntingdon,    277 

Juniata  College,   278 

The  Stone  Church,  Huntingdon,   279 

The  Bishop  John  Buechly  Barn,   292 

Frank  Ankeney,  304 

Elder  Jasper  Barnthouse  and  Wife,  305 

Newton   E.   Beabes 307 

Prof.     J.  C.  Beahm.   308 

Elder  Peter  Beer  and  \\'ife 313 

Elder  Joseph   Berkey,    317 

Cornelius    Berkley 324 

Elder  Albert  J.  Berkley  and  wife 327 

Samuel  J.  Berkley  and  Wife,   328 

Prayer-Prophecy,  332 

Elder  Jonathan  W.  Blough  (Group),   334 

Elder  Emanuel  J.  Blough  and  Wife, 340 

Elder  Jerome  E.  Blough  and  Wife,  345 

Norman  H.  Blough  and  Wife,   346 

J.    L.    Bowman 349 

Elder  Mahlon  J.  Brower,  Wife  and  Child 354 

Elder  Solomon  Bucklew  and  Wife,  358 

Elder  Jeremiah  Beeghly  and  Wife,   358 

Ananias  J.   Beeghly,   359 

Elder  John  H.  Cassady  and  Wife 364 

Andrew  Chambers 366 

Elder  David  S.  Clapper 369 

Elder  T.  Rodney  Cofifman,  374 

John   T.  Darr ^77 

Elder  'John  N.  Davis  and  Wife 378 

Elder  Alpheus  DeBolt  and  Wife 381 

Edgar  Marion  Dctwiler  and  Wife 383 

John   F.   Deitz   and   Wife 385 

Alvin  G.  Faust  and  Wife,   390 

Isaiah  B.  Ferguson 391 

Elder   Oran    Fvock 398 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS  V) 

Elder  Joel  Gnagey  and  Wife, 400 

Walter  J.  Hamilton,  402 

Elder  George  Hanawalt,   404 

Elder  David  Hildebrand  and  Wife 408 

Elder  E.  K.  Hochstetler,    411 

Elder  John  S.  Holsinger  and  Wife,   414 

Daniel  Holsopple,    416 

Elder  Jacob  Holsopple  and  Wife, 418 

Elder  Joseph  Holsopple  and  wife,    421 

Elder  Silas  Hoover,   423 

William  M.  Horner,  426 

M.  Clyde  Horst,  Wife  and  Daughter 427 

Elder  Russell  T.  Idleman,  Wife  and  Child 430 

Elder  John  Cover  Johnson 432 

Samuel  Cover  Johnson,   436 

Prof.     Carman  Cover  Johnson,   438 

Silas  Clark  Keim,    440 

Elder   Lewis   Kimmel.    444 

Samuel  A.  Myers,  Harvey  H.  Kimmel 445 

Four  Generations  of  the  Kitchen  Family,   446 

Elder  Peter  Knavel,   447 

Lewis  Schrock  Knepper 449 

Hiram  Lehman  and  Wife.   453 

Elder   Jonas    Lichty,    455 

Bishop   C.   G.    Lint 459 

David  L.  Little,  463 

David  Livengood 465 

Elder  Samuel  P.  Maust  and  Wife 469 

Elder  C.  A.  McDowell  and  Wife 470 

W.  S.  Meyers 473 

Jacob  D.  Miller 475 

Elder  John  B.   Miller 477 

Elder  Perry  U.   Miller 478 

Dr.  Samuel  G.  Miller 479 

John  W.   Mills  and  Wife 481 

Elder  Mark  Minser  and  Wife,   485 

Elder  Hiram  Musselman  and  Wife 495 

J.  Lloyd  Nedrow,  Wife  and  Child 503 

Jacob  W.  Peck,   506 

Elder  Lewis  A.  Peck  and  Wife, 508 

Irvin  R.  Fletcher  and  Wife,   509 

Elder  James   Quinter 511 

Ralph  Walker  Reiman 516 

Haddon  Q.  Rhodes.   519 

Gideon   Rogers,    522 


20  LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS 

Elder  Levi  Rogers, 523 

Elder  William  G.   Schrock,    529 

Prof.     Lewis  G.  Shaffer,  Wife  and  Child 535 

Elder  Samuel  U.  Shober  and  Wife,  537 

Elder  Abraham  Summy,  547 

Elder  Jacob  M.  Thomas 548 

Elder  Samuel  C.  Umbel  and  Wife,   551 

Elder  Daniel  H.  Walker, 553 

Elder  Galen  K.  W^alker,  Wife  and  Child 555 

B.   F.   Waltz  and  Wife,    556 

Levi  Wells,  559 

Elder  Adam  Wise,   561 

Elder  John  Wise,   564 

William  E.  Wolford  Family,  567 

Elder  Emanuel  J.  Blough's   Sons,    574 

Three  Flickinger  Sisters, 579 

Frank    Blaine    Myers   and   Wife,    588 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  Brethren  in  Europe. 

The  year  1708  will  ever  be  a  memorable  one  in  the  history 
of  the  Brethren,  That  year,  at  Schwarzenau,  Province  of 
Wittgenstein,  in  Hesse  Cassel,  Germany,  a  remarkable  scene 
was  transacted,  which  gave  birth  to  the  organization  known 
today  as  the  Church  of  the  Brethren. 

Dissatisfied  with  the  formalism  and  ritualism  of  the 
Protestant  churches  of  their  time,  the  Pietists,  a  class  of  re- 
ligious reformers,  became  numerous  and  energetic  in  Germany 
in  the  early  years  of  the  eighteenth  century.  They  sought 
to  revive  declining  piety  in  the  Protestant  churches.  "  Among 
them  were  men  of  all  shades  of  religious  opinions,  which 
were  at  variance  with  the  established  churches.  In  this  ag- 
gregation of  persons  holding  widely  differing  views  on  almost 
all  Christian  duties,  except  those  of  devotion  and  piety,  it 
was  found  difficult  to  collect  a  sufficient  number  who  were  of 
'  One  mind  '  to  establish  a  congregation.  As  long  as  they  kept 
prominently  before  themselves  their  specialty,  and  devoted 
themselves  assiduously  to  the  cultivation  of  their  favorite 
virtue,  they  prospered  greatly  "  ("  History  of  the  Tunkers  " 
by  Holsinger,  page  30). 

"  Early  in  the  eighteenth  century  there  seems  to  have 
been  a  special  revival  among  these  Pietists.  In  addition  to 
their  regular  services,  private  house-to-house  meetings  were 
held,  at  which  the  young  converts  presented  themselves  for 
prayers  and  instruction  in  the  higher  attainments  of  the  Chris- 
tian life.  Their  frequent  assemblies  very  soon  attracted  the 
notice  of  their  enemies,  and  inflamed  the  spirit  of  jealousy. 
and  persecution  speedily  followed.  Many  of  them  were  driven 
from  their  homes  in  Switzerland,  Wiirttemberg.  Hesse  Cassel. 
and  other  places.     A  number  of  these  exiles  found  refuge  at 


22  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

Wittgenstein,  under  the  government  of  a  friendly  count, 
through  whose  intercession  Hberty  of  conscience  was  granted. 

"  This  leniency  on  the  part  of  the  local  government  had-the 
effect  of  inducing  a  heavy  immigration  to  the  community,  al- 
though the  land  was  rough  and  the  soil  barren.  Most  of  them 
settled  at  Schwarzenau,  about  three  miles  from  Berlenberg. 
This  influx  of  people  greatly  increased  the  pojiulation  of  the 
place,  and  gave  it  prominence  among  the  towns  of  the  prov- 
ince. 

"  In  their  endeavors  to  administer  wholesome  discipline 
among  themselves,  the  Pietists  were  again  made  to  feel  the 
necessity  of  better  organization.  They  felt  a  desire  to  put  into 
practice  the  instructions  given  in  the  eighteenth  chapter  of 
Matthew,  '  If  thy  brother  shall  trespass  against  thee,  go  tell 
him  his  fault  between  thee  and  him  alone,'  etc.,  but  they  could 
not  agree  upon  any  system  of  church  government.  Some  of 
them  did  not  want  to  be  under  any  restraint,  nor  to  submit  to 
any  discipline,  no  matter  how  salutary  it  might  be.  Others 
returned  to  the  churches  which  they  had  left,  while  still  others 
drifted  into  outright,  infidelity.  This  degeneracy  and  the  dis- 
couragements which  followed  caused  some  of  the  most  sincere 
among  them  to  become  all  the  more  impressed  with  the  im- 
portance of  reviving  primitive  Christianity,  by  following  the 
Savior  in  all  his  commands  and  ordinances.  They  were  es- 
pecially convinced  of  the  importance  of  faith  and  obedience  to 
effect  genuine  reformation  unto  salvation.  Their  scriptural 
•  researches  had  also  assured  them  that  Christian  baptism  was 
an  important  f)rdinance,  which  was  closely  related  to  salvation, 
but  which  had  been  slightly  spoken  of  among  the  Pietists,  to 
the  great  sorrow  of  those  who  truly  loved  the  truth  as  it  is  in 
Christ  Jesus  "  (Holsinger,  pp.  30  and  31). 

Finally,  "  eight  pious  souls,  after  careful  prayer  and  ])ro- 
longed  study,  relying  only  upon  God  and  the  Bible  to  guide 
them  and  their  followers  forever,  walked  slowly,  solemnly 
and  heroically  from  the  house  of  Alexander  Mack  to  the 
river  Eder,  which,  like  a  silver  thread,  wound  its  way  through 
the  heart  of  a  rich  and  varied  landscaj^e.    Here  the  i)ious  eight, 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  23 


Valley    of   the    Eder    Kiver,    Scliwarzenau,    Germany. 

in  the  early  morning,  surrounded  by  many  curious  witnesses, 
knelt  in  prayer,  and  one  of  them  led  Alexander  Mack  int<j 
the  water  and  immersed  him  three  times,  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Then  Alex- 
ander Mack,  the  other  seven,  and  these  eight,  perhaps  the  first 
to  receive  trine  immersion  in  the  history  of  the  Protestant 
Church,  then  organized  a  new  congregation.  This  new  con- 
gregation chose  one  of  their  number,  Alexander  Mack,  as  their 
leader,  and  thus  began  the  Taufers,  or  German  Baptist  Church, 
as  a  separate  and  distinct  organization.  These  eight  members, 
the  beginning  of  the  church,  w^ere  :  1.  Alexander  Mack ;  2.  Anna 
Margaretta  Mack ;  3.  Joanna  Xoethinger,  or  Bony ;  4.  Andrew 
Bony;  5.  George  Grebi;  6.  Lucas  Vetter;  7.  John  Kipping,  and 
8.  Joanna  Kipping. 

"  These  eight  members  of  the  pioneer  church  were  not 
a  group  of  local  enthusiasts,  nor  were  they  irreligious  prior 
to  the  organization  of  the  Taufers  or  Tunkers.  Alexander 
Mack  was  from  Schreisheim ;  Lucas  Vetter  and  George  Gre- 
bi were  from  Hesse  Cassel ;  Andrew  Bony  was  from  Basle, 
in  Switzerland ;  and  John  Kipping  was  from  Bareit,  in  Wiirt- 
temberg.  They  were  refugees  from  intolerance  and  persecu- 
tion, living  temporarily  in  Wittgenstein,  because  it  was  at  that 


24  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

time    ruled   by    the   mild    and   humane    Count    Heinrich    Von 
Wittgenstein." 

"  They  were  all  members  of  a  Protestant  church  before 
1708.  Kipping  was  a  Lutheran,  Mack,  Vetter,  Bony  and 
(ircbi  were  bred  Presbyterians  (Reformed).  Rejecting  on 
the  one  hand  the  creed  of  man,  and  on  the  other  hand  the 
abandonment  of  ordinances,  they  turned  to  the  Bible  for 
guidance.  From  God's  Word  they  learned  that  ordinances 
were  vital  and  creed  unnecessary.  Adopting  the  ]^»ible  as 
their  rule  and  guide  they  organized  a  church  with  no  creed, 
and  with  all  the  ordinances  as  taught  by  Jesus  and  his  follow- 
ers, as  recorded  in  the  New  Testament.  Their  i)osition  is 
uni(|ue.  They  have  no  counterpart  in  history,  save  the  mcjther 
churches  established  by  I'aul  and  the  disciples.  They  are 
Protestants  w^ithout  a  formed  Protestant  creed.  They  are 
Pietists  without  the  ultra  church-in-thc-spirit  doctrines  of 
Spener  and  his  followers. 

"  It  was  much  in  their  favor  as  a  body  of  believers  to  l)e 
able,  as  they  were,  to  protest  against  formal  religion  and  not 
to  go  to  the  other  extreme  of  utter  disorganization. 

"  They  believed  that  Jesus  had  given  them  a  creed  and 
had  likewise  given  them  the  necessary  ordinances  to  keep  the 
body  of  believers  steadfast  for  him.  Abandoning  all  prec- 
edents among  denominations,  studying  zealously  to  know  the 
right,  living  in  an  atmosphere  that  was  heavy  with  religious 
agitation,  surrounded  by  men  of  all  faiths,  and  carving  out 
of  the  confusion  and  turmoil  of  a  turbulent  age  the  simi)lc 
faith  and  practice  so  precious  to  their  followers,  they  i)ro\e(l, 
by  their  actions,  that  they  were  men  of  no  mean  training,  and 
that  they  were  possessed  by  a  courage  and  heroism  that  mounts 
almost  to  the  sublime"  ("History  of  the  IJrethren,"  by 
Brumbaugh,  pp.  29  to  34). 

"  The  Schwarzenau  congregation  flourished  from  the  be- 
ginning. Its  missionary  spirit  led  to  the  founding  of  a  second 
congregation  in  the  Marienborn  district.  y\fter  their  perse- 
cution in  Marienborn  this  new  congregati(jn  found  refuge  in 
Creyfelt.  under  the  King  of  Prussia,  in  1715,  where  they  en- 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  25 

joyed  freedom  of  conscience,  for  a  time,  at  least.  A  third 
congregation  was  established  at  Epstein,  and  many  members 
were  living  in  Switzerland  of  whom  we  have  no  record." 
Members  were  scattered  throughout  many  parts  of  the  Pala- 
tinate. Attempts  to  organize  the  scattered  members  resulted 
in  persecution.  During  the  seven  years  of  prosperity,  re- 
ferred to  above,  the  Lord  called  into  his  church  a  number  of 
laborers  who  had  been  distinguished  in  other  parts  of  his  vine- 
yard. Among  them  are  named:  John  Henry  Kalkloeser,  of 
Frankenthal ;  Christian  Leib  and  Abraham  Duboy,  of  Epstein  ; 
John  Nasz  and  others,  from  Norten ;  and  Peter  Becker,  of 
Dilsheim.  There  were  also  added  John  Henry  Traut  and  his 
brethren,  Henry  Holtzapfel  and  Stephen  Koch.  From  the  data 
at  hand  we  in  for.  that  John.  Heiiry.  Tra,i:;t  had  been  the  leader 
of  a  church,-. O""  at  least  a  class  of  brethtrcn  ia  the  community, 
since  'we  are  told  that  he  and  his  brethren  vveve  a.dded  to  the 
Sch\\-?rzenau  church..  The  .most  oi  these  located,  at  Creyfelt, 
bui'  John  Henry  lialkliseiei",  Abrsbaro  Duboy,  Georgt  Balser 
Gantz,  of  Umstatt,  and  Michael  Eckerlin,  of  Strausbilrg,  set- 
tled at  Schwarzenau. 

At  Marienborn  John  Naas  was  the  elder  in  charge.  At 
Epstein  Christian  Leib  was  the  elder,  assisted  by  Abraham 
Duboy.  These  congregations  soon  withdrew  to  Creyfelt, 
where  John  Naas  was  the  senior  elder  and  Christian  Leib  was 
second.  Here,  too,  Peter  Becker,  who  was,  so  far  as  we  can 
learn,  baptized  at  Epstein  by  Elder  Leib,  ministered  to  the  con- 
gregation. Peter  Becker  was  not  an  ordained  elder  in  Europe. 
He  was,  however,  a  man  of  great  fervency  in  prayer,  and 
the  leader  of  the  singing  in  the  congregation.  He  was  not  a 
good  speaker,  and  led  a  very  quiet  life,  drawing  many  to 
him  in  love  and  sympathy.  He  organized  the  first  emigration 
of  members  to  America,  and  landed  with  a  goodly  number 
at  Germantown  in  1719.  The  Germantown  members  were, 
therefore,  at  the  first  a  branch  of  the  Creyfelt  congregation. 

In  the  meantime  persecution  of  the  church  in  Schwar- 
zenau was  raging  with  increasing  fierceness.  A  number  of  the 
members  had  first  fled  to  Creyfelt,  and  then  to  Holland.    From 


26 


HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Holland  fifty-nine  families,  comprising  126  souls,  emigrated 
to  America.  They  crossed  the  ocean  on  the  ship  Allen,  com- 
manded by  James  Craige,  of  Rotterdam,  sailing  from  the  Isle 
of  W'ight  July  7,  1729.  They  had  a  boisterous  voyage,  last- 
ing seventy-one  days,  but  landed  safely  at  Philadelphia  on  the 
15th  day  of   September. 

Finally,  in  1733,  John  Naas  removed  to  America.  After 
that  Christian  Leib  was  in  full  charge  at  Creyfelt.  The  con- 
gregation dwindled  away  and  finally  went  to  ruin.  This  was 
the  last  organized  activity  in  Euro])e  until  the  mission  work 
in  Denmark  and  Sweden  was  undertaken. 

For  the  above  facts,  due  credit  is  given  to  Brumbaugh 
and  Holsinger. 


CHAPTER  II. 

The  Beginning  of  the  Brethren  in  America. 

The  first  emigrants  from  the  mother  church  in  Germany 
arrived  in  America  in  the  autumn  of  1719.  Their  number 
included  about  twenty  families.  Previous  to  this  time  the 
Brethren  at  Creyfelt  had  their  share  of  internal  trouble  and 
dissensions.  On  board  the  ship  they  revived  their  discussions, 
which  resulted  in  such  bitter  contentions  that  some  of  the 
families  were  totally  estranged  from  each  other  before  they 
landed. 

"  Nevertheless,  they  still  maintained  Christian  charity, 
which  always  characterized  God's  true  followers — a  childish 
simplicity,  a  forgiving  disposition,  and  faithfulness  to  the  truth 
as  it  is  in  Christ  Jesus.  Their  fidelity  to  their  religion  is  proven 
by  an  incident  that  occurred  during  the  voyage.  A  furious 
storm  arose,  which  threatened  the  destruction  of  the  vessel. 
The  sails  were  lowered,  and  much  of  the  merchandise  was 
thrown  overboard,  all  to  no  avail.  Meanwhile  the  brethren 
were  in  their  quarters,  in  the  hold  of  the  ship,  unitedly  pleading 
with  their  heavenly  Father,  who  needeth  but  to  speak  the 
word,  "  Peace  be  still,"  and  the  winds  and  the  waves  must  obey 
his  will.  The  captain,  in  his  despair,  or  more  likely  directed 
by  Providence,  went  to  the  humble  department  of  the  de- 
voted Tunkers,  and,  behold,  they  were  praying  and  singing, 
as  unconcerned  as  though  the  sea  were  quiet.  He  did  not  re- 
buke them  for  their  indifference  to  their  fate,  as  Peter  did 
our  Savior,  but  was  impressed  with  their  pious  devotion  and 
serene  calmness,  and  he  himself  caught  the  inspiration  of  hope. 
He  immediately  returned  to  his  post,  and  encouraged  his  crew, 
declaring  that  Almighty  God  would  not  sufifer  a  ship  to  perish 
with   such  pious  people  on  board.     With  this  assurance,  all 


28  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

worked  together,  the  storm  soon  al)ated,  the  sea  calmed,  and 
the  voyage  was  completed. 

"  This  voyage  was  made  on  a  large  Flemish  vessel,  from 
Friesland,  with  a  numher  of  other  passengers,  and  ended  at 
Philadel]»hia  in  the  autumn  of  1719.  Immediately  u])on  reach- 
ing shore  they  scattered  ahroad.  seeking  homes  for  themselves 
and  their  families.  Some  remained  at  Philadelphia,  some  went 
to  Germantown,  the  others  to  Skipi)ack,  Oley  and  Conestoga. 
Peter  I>ecker  settled  near  Germantown,  on  a  twenty-acre 
farm,  where  he  remained  twenty-seven  years.  He  had  been 
the  leader  of  the  first  company  of  emigrants,  and  was  destined 
to  lead  them  in  other  ways.  He  was  a  minister  of  the  Gosi)el, 
but  did  not  preach  publicly  for  several  years.  No  doubt  he 
had  plenty  to  do  at  home,  in  the  new  country,  as  he  was  b)' 
trade  a  weaver. 

"  The  first  three  years  of  their  existence  in  this  country 
is  entirely  lost  to  the  history  of  tlic  church,  ^'et,  no  doubt, 
like  some  of  the  sand  rivers  of  Kansas  and  Nebraska,  the  cur- 
rent continued  to  flow  onward.  Such  a  life  of  inactivity  was 
very  unsatisfactory  to  I'.njther  IJecker,  especially,  and,  we  are 
told,  also  to  Brethren  John  Ciomery,  Balser  Ciantz  and  Henry 
Traut.  Brother  Becker  was  much  enthused  l)y  an  appren- 
tice whom  he  took  into  his  emj^loy,  and  into  his  family,  as 
well.  He  was  a  recent  refugee  from  Germany,  by  the  name  of 
Conrad  Beissel.  He  was  a  religious  enthusiast,  although  he 
did  not  belong  to  Becker's  church  at  that  time.  They  kei)t  a 
continued  religious  conversation,  day  and  night,  intersiiersed 
with  numerous  seasons  of  worship.  In  the  latter,  the  above- 
mentioned  brethren,  Gomery,  Gantz  and  Traut,  frequently 
joined  them.  Beissel  greatly  increased  their  religious  en- 
thusiasm by  relating  his  experiences  in  the  persecutions  in  the 
b'athcrland.  He  told  them  all  about  the  sufferings  of  their 
brethren  and  friends  across  the  deep  waters,  until  their  zeal 
had  been  wn)ught  up  to  a  high  pitch. 

"  They  held  frecpient  meetings  to  devise  some  jilan  by 
which  those  of  like  i)reci()us  faith  in  the  community  might  be 
brought  together  for  ])ublic  worship  and  reconciliation.    In  this 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  29 

Beissel  encouraged  them,  and  recommended  that  Peter  Becker 
should  take  one  or  two  of  the  brethren  with  him,  and  make  a 
house-to-house  canvass  of  all  the  families  who  had  been  mem- 
bers'of  the  church  in  Germany,  and  more  especially  of  those 
residing  within  meeting  distance  of  each  other.  They  felt  as- 
sured that  if  they  could  get  the  members  together  but  for  one 
single  occasion,  to  mingle  their  voices  in  the  worship  of  God 
in  song  and  prayer,  all  differences  would  melt  away  as  the 
fogs  disperse  before  the  rays  of  the  sun. 

"  Finally  the  mission  was  agreed  upon,  and  all  the  pre- 
paratory^ arrangements  completed,  and  in  the  autumn  of  the 
year  A.  D.  1722  their  long-prayed- for  effort  was  put  into 
execution.  Peter  Becker,  John  Gomery,  and  George  Balser 
Gantz  were  commissioned  to  perform  this  visit  of  love  in  the 
interest  of  peace  and  union  between  brethren.  This  is  recorded 
as  having  been  the  first  home  mission  work  performed  in  Amer- 
ica by  any  religious  people.  They  traversed  the  regions  of 
.Skij)pack,  Falcomer's  vSwamp,  Oley  and  other  places.  They 
met  the  l)rethren  and  sisters  at  their  homes,  prayed  and  wor- 
shiped with  them,  and  fully  explained  the  nature  and  intent  of 
their  mission,  extending  on  their  ])art  the  olive  branch  of  for- 
gixeness  and  complete  reconciliation  unconditionally.  Meet- 
ings for  public  worship  were  held  in  many  places,  attended 
with  a  general  revival  of  brotherly  affection.  The  mission- 
aries themselves  were  also  greatly  blessed,  and  determined  to 
make  an  effort  of  the  same  nature  in  their  own  neighborhood. 
A  time  was  agreed  upon,  and  an  appointment  was  made  at 
the  house  of  Peter  Becker.  This  was  the  first  public  worship 
and  preaching  service  they  had  held  in  that  community,  since 
their  arrival  in  the  New  World.  The  following  Sunday  they 
met  at  Brother  Gomery's.  Services  were  continued,  alternate- 
ly between  the  two  places,  until  winter  set  in,  when  the  services 
were  discontinued  on  account  of  the  want  of  suitable  accom- 
modations to  entertain  the  people. 

"  The  next  year,  as  soon  as  fair  weather  had  settled,  the 
work  was  again  taken  up  with  renewed  vigor,  and  continued 
thenceforth,  but  the  meetings  were  held  at  Becker's  only,  per- 


30  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

haps  because  he  had  the  most  convenient  house  for  the  pur- 
pose. 

"  In  August  of  tliis  same  year  (juite  a  sensation  was  cre- 
ated in  the  neighborhood,  by  the  re])ort  that  Christian  Leib 
had  arrived  from  Germany.  As  it  was  known  that  he  was  an 
able  minister,  and  had  been  persecuted,  and  had  been  com- 
pelled to  serve  as  a  galley  slave  for  several  years,  it  may  well 
be  imagined  what  an  interest  would  be  awakened  by  such  a 
report.  There  was  also  quite  an  awakening  among  the  breth- 
ren along  the  Schuylkill  Rixcr  about  this  time,  where  the 
Hermits  of  the  Ridge  had  l)een  holding  meetings.  The  Schuyl- 
kill brethren,  hearing  of  Brother  Leib's  coming,  went  to  Phil- 
adelphia to  meet  him,  but  they  were  disappointed,  as  the  report 
was  false.  The  (iermantown  brethren  then  persuaded  this 
committee  of  the  brethren,  who  had  been  sent  to  meet  Brother 
Leib,  to  tarry  with  them  several  days,  and  attend  their  services. 
They  readily  accepted  the  invitation,  and  appeared  to  greatly 
enjoy  the  meetings,  as  well  as  the  associations  of  their  breth- 
ren. The  pleasure  of  association  was  mutual,  but  the  visitors 
were  especially  entertained  and  edified  by  the  reports  of  the 
persecution  and  trials  of  the  churches  and  members  in  Ger- 
many, as  related  to  them  and  read  from  letters  received  by 
the  Germantown  people.  They  must  have  been  well  pleased, 
for  they  repeated  their  visit  a  short  time  afterwards,  and  se- 
cured promise  of  ministerial  service  from  Brother  Becker 
and  others,  which  was  fulfilled  the  following  month. 

"  These  good  men  had  come  full  of  hope  and  exi)ectation 
to  meet  their  persecuted  brother  from  the  Fatherland,  and 
to  hear  from  his  lips  the  tales  of  his  sufferings,  and  to  have 
him  tell  the  sweet  story  of  the  cross  in  their  mother  tongue  in 
the  strange  country  whither  they  had  strayed.  In  this  they 
were  disappointed,  but  they  did  find  other  brethren  of  like 
feelings,  with  whom  they  could  tarry  a  while  and  worship. 
They  could  say  with  Joseph  of  old,  '  The  originator  of  the 
false  report  of  the  coming  of  Brother  Leib  meant  it  for  ill  to 
ward  us,  but  the  Lord  has  turned  it  into  a  blessing.'  And 
how  their  hearts  must  have  throbl)ed  with  emotion  of  putc 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  31 

gratitude  as  they  joined  in  the  worship  at  the  family  altar 
of  Elder  Peter  Becker,  and  sang  in  familiar  melody  their  own 
sweet  song  of  thanksgiving: 

"  Grosz  ist  unsers  Gottes  Guete; 

Seine   Treu   taeglich    neu 

Ruehret  mein   Gemuethe; 

Sende  Herr,  den  Geist  von  oben, 

Dasz  jetz  und,   Herz  und   Mund, 

Deane  Guete  loben." 

Translation: 
"  Great  is  the  goodness  of  our  God; 

His  faithfulness  dearl}'  renewed 

Incites   my  admiration; 

Lord,   send   the   Spirit   from   above, 

That,  nov\f  and  ever,  heart  and  tongue 

May   sing  Thy  loving-kindness." 

"  While  enjoying  this  unexpected  feast  of  good  things, 
they  could  all  the  better  realize  what  it  is  to  be  children  of  one 
Father,  and  '  how  good  and  pleasant  it  is  for  brethren  to  dwell 
together  in  unity.' 

"  This  first  mission  of  love  was  greatly  blessed,  and  sev- 
eral persons  were  brought  under  conviction  and  demanded 
to  be  baptized.  But  they  felt  themselves  too  unworthy  to 
perform  this  solemn  rite  without  being  specially  commissioned 
thereunto.  It  appears  that  the  church  in  Europe  had  not  been 
fully  organized,  or  Brother  Becker  did  not  fully  appreciate 
his  privileges,  or  perhaps  he  was  unnecessarily  timid.  We 
are  also  told  that  their  late  estrangements  still  haunted  them, 
and  insinuated  that  they  had  better  first  heal  themselves,  or 
remove  the  beams  from  their  own  eyes,  before  they  would 
undertake  to  help  others  into  a  better  life.  While  they  re- 
garded themselves  as  constituting  a  branch  of  the  church  at 
Creyfelt,  they  felt  the  need  of  better  organization,  in  order  that 
they  might  exercise  in  all  the  ordinances  of  the  house  of  the 
Lord.  And  this  very  serious  dilemma  was  the  occasion  of 
completely  unifying  them  and  fully  establishing  them  for  their 
work.  They  took  the  matter  into  prayerful  consideration,  re- 
newed their  own  baptismal  vows,  and  reiterated  their  forgive- 


32  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

ness  of  each  other's  faults  and  trespasses,  and  plighted  their 
faith  in  God  and  their  love  for  each  other. 

"  Peter  Becker  was  authorized  to  perform  the  service  of 
bai»tism,  he  being  the  choice  of  the  applicants.  So,  after  all 
the  preliminary  services  had  been  attended  to,  they  resorted 
to  the  Wissahickon  Creek,  early  in  the  morning  of  December 
25,  1723,  where  the  six  converts  referred  to  were  baptized. 
Their  names  were  Martin  Urner  and  wife,  Henry  Landis  and 
wife,  Fredrick  Long,  and  John  Maylie.  They  were  the  first 
persons  baptized  by  the  Tunker  Brethren  in  America. 

"  The  same  day,  December  25,  1723,  they  organized  them- 
selves into  a  congregation,  and  in  the  evening  of  the  same  day 
a  love  feast  was  held  at  the  house  of  John  Gomery.  Twenty- 
three  persons  participated  in  the  communion  services.  They 
were:  Peter  Becker,  Henry  Traut,  Jeremiah  Traut.  Balser 
Traut,  Henry  Holtzapfel,  John  Gomery,  Stephen  Koch,  Jacob 
Koch,  John  Hildebrand,  Daniel  Ritter,  George  Balser  Gantz, 
John  Preisz,  Joseph  Kaempfer,  Magdalena  Traut,  Anna 
Gomer)%  Maria  Hildelirand,  and  Joanna  Gantz.  and  the  si.x 
who  had  been  baptized  in  the  morning,  making  in  all  twenty- 
three  persons,  seventeen  brethren  and  six  sisters.  Thus  we 
have  the  first  organization  of  the  Tunker  church,  the  first 
baptism  administered,  and  the  first  communion  celebrated  in 
America,  all  on  the  same  day,  and  that  on  the  natal  day  of  our 
Redeemer,  in  the  seventeen  hundred  and  twenty-third  year  of 
his  own  dispensation"    (Holsinger,  pages   123  to   128). 

"Who  can  lift  the  \eil  and  record  this  hour's  holy  serv- 
ice? What  thoughts,  what  emotions,  what  religious  experi- 
ences, what  covenanted  pledges,  what  rejoicings,  moved  lips 
and  hearts  and  head!  To  God  only  is  known  the  ecstasy  of 
that  communion.  '  Ye  know  not  now,  but  yc  shall  know  here- 
after.' l)lcssed  beginning  of  the  church  in  America!  May  her 
latter  days  be  like  her  first! 

"  The  congregation  was  now  organized.  The  .Sj)irit  of 
the  Master  was  upon  them.  The  next  autumn  the  congre- 
gation decided  to  undertake  a  general  visitation  to  all  their 
brethren  in  the  whole  countrv.    October  23,  1724,  thev  started. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  33 

Their  first  visit  was  to  Brother  John  Jacob  Preisz  on  the 
Indian  Creek.  Thence  they  traveled  to  Falckner's  Swamp  and 
held  services  at  the  house  of  a  Brother  Albertus,  where  a 
meeting  was  held  with  breaking  of  bread;  so  also  at  Oley,  and 
then  at  the  Schuylkill  (Coventry).  Here,  on  November  8, 
they  also  held  a  love  feast,  no  doubt  at  the  house  of  Martin 
Urner.  At  this  place  two  persons  were  baptized.  These  two 
were  Peter  Heffley  and  Owen  Longacre.  Andrew  Sell  had 
been  baptized  at  Germantown.  There  were  thus  nine  members 
at  Coventry, 

"  This  was  the  end  of  their  contemplated  missionary  tour. 
At  Coventry^  however,  news  was  received  that  in  the  Cones- 
toga  country  were  a  number  of  awakened  souls.  The  breth- 
ren decided  to  continue  their  journey  to  the  Conestoga.  The 
party  divided  for- the  night.  Those  who  were  afoot  spent  the 
night  at  John  Graff's  and  the  riders  at  Jacob  Weber's.  On  the 
10th  they  united  at  Rudolph  Nagele's,  who  was  at  this  time  a 
Mennonite.  From  Nagele's  they  went  to  visit  Conrad  Beissel 
and  Michael  W'olfahrt,  who  at  that  time  were  living  a  solitar)^ 
or  hermit  life.  On  the  night  of  the  10th  they  lodged  with 
Stephen  Gallionde.  The  next  day  they  pushed  on  to  Henry 
Hohn's.  On  the  12th  a  meeting  was  held  at  this  man's  house. 
Beissel  was  present.  The  revival  spirit  was  powerfully  man- 
ifested. The  theme  of  the  brethren  was  baptism,  the  hope  of 
fallen  man. 

"  At  the  close  of  the  meeting  five  precious  souls  asked  for 
baptism — Henry  Hohn  and  wife,  John  Mayer  and  wife,  and 
Joseph  Shafer.  They  were  baptized  in  the  apostolic  manner 
by  Peter  Becker  in  Pequa  Creek.  This  ceremony  was  so  im- 
pressive, that  a  sixth,  Veronica,  wife  of  Isaac  Frederick,  was 
also  baptized.  And  now  a  strange  event  must  be  recorded ! 
Conrad  Beissel  saw  all  this.  He  knew  it  was  his  duty  to  be 
baptized.  But  he  had  such  an  exalted  opinion  of  his  own  re- 
ligious experiences  in  his  hermit  life  that  he  could  not  submit 
to  baptism  at  the  hands  of  Peter  Becker,  whom  he  regarded 
as  inferior  to  himself  in  religious  thought.  In  this  perplexity 
he  suddenly  remembered  that  Jesus  had  submitted  to  John, 


34  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

'  to  fulfill  all  righteousness.'  Consequently  after  Sister  Fred- 
erick came  up  out  of  the  water,  '  Beissel  came  down  from  his 
spiritual  pride,  humbled  himself  before  his  friend,  Peter 
Becker,  and  was  by  him  baptized  on  the  same  day  in  apostolic- 
wise,  under  the  water.' 

"  That  evening  a  love  feast  was  held  at  Brother  Hohn's 
house.  This  was  November  12,  1724.  The  following  Sunday 
a  meeting  was  held  at  Sigmund  Landert's  house,  and  Landert 
and  his  wife  were  baptized.  This  is  the  beginning  of  the 
church  in  Lancaster  County.  Since  the  distance  was  so  great, 
the  Germantown  members  advised  these  to  select  a  preacher 
and  form  a  separate  congregation.  Conrad  Beissel  was 
chosen.  Then  the  kiss  of  peace  was  given  and  the  brethren 
returned  to  Germantown. 

"  From  1722  to  1732  the  meetings  were  held  in  the  homes 
of  the  members — generally  at  Becker's,  Gomery's,  Gantz's. 
Traut's  or  Kalklesser's  "    (Bruml)augh,  pp.   160  to  165). 

"  Quite  a  revival  followed  the  organization  for  a  year  or 
more.  Their  services  were  so  largely  attended  that  they  found 
it  difficult  to  provide  accommodations  for  all  the  people.  The 
meetings  were  also  full  of  interest,  and  followed  with  good 
results.  Many  of  the  young  people,  and  especially  their  own 
children,  were  converted,  which  was  very  encouraging  to 
parents,  as  well  as  to  the  ministers.  Nor  was  the  revival  con- 
fined to  this  one  neighborhood,  but  it  spread  over  the  entire 
colony.  They  also  held  frequent  love  feasts,  which  were 
something  so  much  out  of  the  regular  order  of  religious 
services  that  they  attracted  much  attention,  and  created  deep 
interest  and  investigation  of  religious  subjects  and  study  of 
the  Scriptures.  All  this  research  would  invariably  result 
favorably  to  the  Tunker  cause.  It  always  does.  In  this  case 
it  was  the  occasion  of  numerous  accessions  to  the  congrega- 
tion organized,  and  of  establishing  others  in  the  adjacent  com- 
munities. And  still  more,  the  inspiration  was  sent  abroad  in 
numerous  letters,  and  a  special  ei)istle  was  prepared  in  the 
name  of  the  church  in  America  to  the  church  in  Germany, 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  35 

giving  a  full  account  of  the  glorious  work  the  Lord  was  per- 
forming among  them  following  their  reconciliation. 

"  After  several  years  of  activity,  the  interest  abated  in 
the  country.  Meanwhile  the  inspiration  was  working  up 
among  individual  members  in  the  mother  church  in  Schwar- 
zenau  "  (Holsinger,  pp.  128,  129). 

As  stated  in  Chapter  I,  the  persecutions  of  the  brethren  in 
Germany  became  so  severe,  that  in  the  year  1729  a  second 
party  of  them  decided  to  emigrate  to  Pennsylvania,  where  they 
could  worship  God  as  they  felt  the  Holy  Scriptures  taught. 
They  landed  at  Philadelphia,  after  a  rough  voyage,  lasting 
seventy-one  days,  on  September  15,  1729.  "  The  following 
persons  were  among  the  number :  Alexander  Mack  and  his 
three  sons,  John,  Valentine  and  Alexander;  Hans  Gunde, 
Andrew  Bony,  John  Naas,  Antony  Deardorff,  Jacob  More, 
Rudolph  Harley,  Johan  Peter  von  Laushe,  Jacob  Bossert, 
Jacob,  Henry,  and  Christopher  Kalkgloesser,  Johannes  Kip- 
ping, Wilhelmus  Knepper,  Jacob  and  Matthias  Schneider, 
John  Pettikoffer,  Hans  and  George  Koch,  Reinhart  Hammer, 
with  their  wives  and  others. 

"  This  increase  in  membership,  and  especially  to  their 
number  of  Alexander  Mack  and  other  founders  of  the  church, 
wonderfully  encouraged  the  church  in  America.  This  in- 
spiration became  contagious,  and  resulted  in  the  organization 
of  several  new  congregations.  Among  them  were :  Oley,  in 
1732;  Great  Swamp,  1733;  Amwell,  New  Jersey,  1733;  Co- 
calico,  1735;  White  Oak,  1736;  Little  Conowago,  1738  and 
Biw  Conowago,  1741  "   (Holsinger,  p.  134). 

"  When  Mack  came  in  1729,  the  number  of  members  was 
so  increased  that  it  was  difficult  to  find  a  house  large  enough 
for  the  meetings. 

"  In  1732  Christopher  Saur,  the  printer,  erected  where 
No.  4653  Germantown  Avenue  now  is,  a  commodious  house, 
60x60  feet. 

"  The  second  story  of  the  house  was  constructed  with 
partitions  hinged  to  the  joist,  so  that  when  necessity  required 
they   could  be   swung  open   and  a  large  audience   room  was 


36  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

secured.  Here  the  Brethren  vvorshii)ed  until  1760,  when  the 
second  Christopher  Saur  was  an  elder  of  the  church.  His  in- 
creasing family  and  increasing  husiness  demanded  all  the  room 
in  the  house,  and  obliged  the  Ijrethren  to  arrange  for  another 
place  of  meeting." 

"  Among  the  Brethren  was  one  named  John  Pettikoffer. 
He  is  said  to  have  been  a  ])0()r  man.  Brother  Peter  Schilhcrt 
gave  him  a  half  acre  of  ground  upon  which  to  erect  a  house. 
Pettikoffer  begged  the  money  f(jr  the  erection  of  a  house  on 
this  ground,  which  was  nearly  two  miles  above  what  was  then 
Germantown  and  about  eight  miles  from  Philadelphia.  P)e- 
cause  of  this  begging,  historians  say  the  town  was  named 
Beggarstown.  In  1739  Pettikoffer  and  his  wife  removed  to 
Mphrata,  where  his  wife  died  in  1748,  and  where  he  died 
Sei)tember  11,  1769.  It  was  a  long  time  before  Peter  Schilbert 
could  gain  possession  of  the  ground  he  had  given  to  Pettikof- 
fer. But  it  finally  was  his,  and  by  deed  dated  August  12, 
1760,  Peter  Schilbert  donated  to  Christopher  Sower,  Alex- 
ander Mack,  Peter  Leibert,  and  George  Schreiber,  the  Petti- 
koffer house,  and  eighty  rods  of  ground  for  a  burial  place,  in 
trust  for  the  German  Ba])tist  T^rethren's  Church  of  German- 
town  forever. 

"  The  house  was  remodeled,  the  partitions  removed,  and 
here  the  Ikcthrcn  worshiped  until  1770,  when  the  increased 
membershi])  re(|uired  a  larger  house.  At  the  rear  of  the 
Pettikoffer  house  a  substantial  stone  meetinghouse  was  begun 
and  completed  in  the  same  year,  and  was  dedicated  before 
July  1.  For  the  erection  of  this  house  the  members  themselves 
gave  the  entire  amount.  The  building  is  of  stone  and  is  still 
standing.  It  is  about  thirty-two  feet  s(|uare,  with  an  attic 
in  which  were  stored  the  recjuisites  for  the  love  feasts.  This 
attic  was  reached  l)y  a  stairway  on  the  outside,  long  since  re- 
moved. P>ut  the  stone  work  still  betrays  the  location  of  the 
large  s(|uare  door  through  which  it  was  entered.  About  1880 
Sister  Lehman  and  a  few  others  had  the  meetinghouse  re- 
modeled. The  old  attic  was  removed,  the  exterior  jjlastered, 
and    new    appointments    jtrovided    throughout.      On    May    16, 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  37 

1897,  a  fine  addition  to  the  meetinghouse  was  dedicated.  This 
addition  was  the  gift  of  Jacob  Z.  Davis,  a  direct  descend- 
ant of  Alexander  Mack.  The  dedicatory  exercises  on  this 
occasion  were  conducted  by  Elder  George  N.  Falkenstein, 
who  was  at  that  time  pastor,  and  the  dedicatory  sermon  was 
preached  by  Dr.  Martin  Grove  Brumbaugh,  from  Psalms 
122:  1-9. 

"  During  the  Revolutionary  War,  when  all  of  Elder 
Sower's  property  was  confiscated,  this  meetinghouse  narrowly 
escaped.  Sower  was  one  of  the  trustees  in  whose  name  the 
property  was  held.  For  this  reason  it  was  seized.  But  Breth- 
ren Fox  and  Leibert,  trustees  with  Sower,  explained  that  the 
building  and  ground  were  not  Sower's,  but  the  congregation's ; 
that  he  was  simply  one  of  the  trustees  in  whose  name  the  title 
temporarily  rested.  Finally  the  representations  of  the  mem- 
bers availed  and  the  building  was  spared,  although  the  yard 
about  it  was  occupied  by  the  cavalry  in  the  Germantown 
battle. 

"  When  the  meetinghouse  was  occupied,  in  1770,  the  old 
Pettikofifer  house  became  an  Old  Folks'  Home,  in  which  the 
poor  of  the  congregation  were  sheltered,  clothed,  and  fed  at 
the  expense  of  the  congregation.  This  is,  no  doubt,  the  oldest 
home  for  the  poor  established  by  the  Brotherhood. 

"  The  ground  for  a  cemetery  was  not  so  used  until  the 
yellow  fever  scourge  swept  Philadelphia.  Then  the  Brethren 
mercifully  opened  their  ground  for  burials.  This  was  in 
1793.  There  was  need  of  more  ground  and  the  congregation 
purchased  for  430  pounds  sterling  the  adjoining  lot,  on  which 
was  an  old  log  hut,  once  the  W^eaver  residence,  and  a  good 
dwelling  house,  now  the  parsonage.  No.  6611  Germantown 
Avenue.  Half  the  purchase  money  was  paid  by  voluntary 
subscription  in  1793,  and  the  remainder  on  April  1,  1805  " 
(Brumbaugh,  pp.  165  to  170). 

These  seem  to  be  the  congregations  in  Pennsylvania  and 
New  Jersey  before  the  Revolution:  Germantown  (Beggars- 
town),  eight  miles  from  Philadelphia,  December  25,  1723; 
Coventry,  in  Chester  County,  September  7,  1724;  Conestoga, 


38  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

in  Lancaster  County,  November  12,  1724;  Oley,  fifty-five 
miles  northwest  of  Philadelphia,  in  Berks  County,  1732;  Great 
Sw^amp,  Bucks  County,  1733;  Amwell,  New  Jersey,  1733; 
Cocalico,  in  Lancaster  County,  1734;  White  Oak,  in  Lancaster 
County,  1736;  Little  Conewago,  York  County,  1738;  Big  Con- 
ewago,  York  County,  1741;  Northkill,  in  Berks  County,  in 
1748;  Big  Swatara,  Lancaster  County,  in  1756;  Little  Swatara, 
b  Berks  and  Lancaster  Counties,  in  1757;  Codorus,  in  York 
County,  in  1758;  Bermudian,  in  York  County,  in  1758;  and 
probaljly  Stony  Creek  (Brothers  Valley),  Somerset  County, 
in  1762;  also  Antietam,  in  Franklin  County,  Pennsylvania,  and 
Washington  County,  Maryland,  in  1752. 

We  also  find  settlements  of  Brethren  in  Morrison's  Cove, 
Blair  and  Bedford  Counties  before  the  Revolution. 

Thus  we  find  them  gradually  moving  westward,  settling 
valley  after  valley,  until  they  reached  the  foot  of  the  Alle- 
ghany Mountains,  which,  for  a  while,  seemed  to  retard  their 
westward  progress.  A  number  followed  these  valleys  south- 
westward,  thus  settling  in  Maryland  and  Virginia.  But  before 
the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century  a  number  of  these  hardy 
pioneers  ventured  to  scale  the  Alleghanies  to  see  what  lay 
beyond.  Their  early  activities  will  be  the  subject  of  the  next 
chapter. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Early  Settlements  of  the  Brethren  in  Western 
Pennsylvania. 

"  Westward  the  course  of  empire  wends  its  way  "  is  an 
old  saying,  verified  in  all  history,  and  as  we  are  writing  the 
history  of  the  Brethren  in  Western  Pennsylvania,  we  naturally 
look  to  the  East  as  the  place  where  our  forefathers  came  from. 
As  has  been  noted  in  Chapter  II,  the  first  Brethren  churches 
in  America  were  located  near  the  City  of  Brotherly  Love. 
Among  them  were  the  churches  at  Germantown  and  Coventry, 
in  Pennsylvania,  and  Amwell  in  New  Jersey.  From  these 
beginnings  the  Brethren  moved  westward  through  the  counties 
of  Eastern,  or  rather  Southeastern  Pennsylvania,  to  the  Sus- 
quehanna River,  thence  sought  out  the  fertile  valleys  lying 
between  the  numerous  ridges  and  mountains  of  Central  Penn- 
sylvania, such  as  the  Cumberland  Valley,  Morrison's  Cove, 
Stone  Valley,  Sinking  Valley,  and  others,  thus  reaching  the 
most  noted  chain  of  the  Appalachian  System,  the  Alleghanies. 
It  would  seem  that  for  some  time  these  high  mountains  had 
formed  a  barrier  to  the  westw^ard  flow  of  emigration.  During 
this  lull,  however,  the  stream  continually  gathered  force  and 
some  time  in  the  eighteenth  century,  probably  soon  after  the 
middle  of  it,  the  tide  had  risen  to  such  strength  that  the  Breth- 
ren began  to  scale  the  obstructing  mountains,  and  commenced 
the  settlements  in  Western  Pennsylvania.  In  crossing  the 
mountains  a  number  of  dififerent  routes  w^ere  used,  a  few  of 
which  we  will  note:  The  National  Pike,  the  Somerset  and 
Berlin  Roads,  the  Johnstown  and  Bedford  Road,  the  Kittan- 
ning  and  Ebensburg  Pike — these  and  some  others  were  used 
by  the  early  settlers  in  Western  Pennsylvania. 

When  the  State  was  divided  into  three  districts,  the  Al- 


40  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

leghanies  formed  the  dividing  line  between  Middle  and  Wes- 
tern Pennsylvania.  That  part  of  the  Middle  District,  em- 
braced in  what  is  known  as  the  Dunnings  Creek  valley  of  Bed- 
ford County,  was  attached  to  the  Western  District  several 
years  later,  for  the  convenience  of  meeting  in  the  Annual  Dis- 
trict Conferences  of  the  Church. 

CONEMAUGH. 

The  early  settlements  usually  took  names  from  appella- 
tions applied  to  physical  peculiarities  of  the  region.  We  will 
first  take  up  the  most  northern  section,  which  in  its  early  his- 
tory covered  the  territory  embraced  along  the  lower  course 
of  the  Stony  Creek,  in  Somerset  County,  nearly  all  of  Cam- 
bria County  and  a  part  of  Indiana  County.  This  settlement,  as 
well  as  the  church  later  organized  here,  was  named  Cone- 
maugh,  after  its  principal  river,  the  Conemaugh.  It  is  not 
known  at  this  time  who  were  the  first  Brethren  to  brave  the 
dangers  and  hardships  of  this  new  wilderness  country,  and 
carve  for  themselves  homes  out  of  the  virgin  forest.  It  is 
quite  possible  that  a  church  was  organized  here  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  eighteenth  century.  If  not,  it  was  early  in  the 
nineteenth. 

The  region  now  embraced  by  the  Shade  Creek  and  Scalp 
Level  congregations  w'as  at  that  time  also  a  part  of  the  Cone- 
maugh congregation.  One  of  the  first  families  mentioned  as 
living  in  this  territory  is  that  of  Philip  Hoflfman,  who  moved 
from  Morrison's  Cove,  and  who  was  a  brother-in-law  of 
Martin  Miller,  a  minister  of  Morrison's  Cove,  and  father  of 
I'Jdcr  Jacob  Miller,  who  for  many  years  exercised  the  over- 
sight of  what  now  comprises  Woodbury,  Yellow  Creek  and 
Dunnings  Creek  congregations,  in  Bedford  County. 

Philip  Hoflfman  had  two  sons,  Jacob  and  John,  and  the  fol- 
lowing daughters :  Mary,  Catharine,  Susan.  Barbara.  Mattie. 
Elizabeth,  Christina,  Frany  and  Sally.  Probably  all  the  Hofif- 
mans  in  Shade  and  Scalp  Level  churches  are  descendants  of 
these  two  brothers.  John  married  Susan  Wcrtz,  and  died 
early  in  life,  leaving  three  interesting  sons:   .Samuel,  Jacob, 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  41 

who  served  the  church  many  years  as  a  deacon,  and  Aaron, 
who  moved  to  Indiana,  where  he  became  a  minister,  but  died 
in  the  prime  of  Hfe.  The  descendants  of  Jacob  are  also  very 
numerous.  Among  the  descendants  of  the  Hofifman  daughters 
might  be  named  the  Holsopples,  Fyocks,  Seeses,  Beabeses, 
Shaffers,  Statlers,  and  others. 

THE   GLADES. 

As  to  the  beginning  of  settlements  by  the  Brethren  in 
"  The  Glades,"  now  Somerset  County,  here  is  a  quotation 
from  Dr.  Brumbaugh  :  "  The  first  movement  of  the  Brethren 
across  the  Alleghany  Mountains  in  Pennsylvania  was  to 
Briiederdall,  Brothers  Valley,  in  what  is  now  Somerset  Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania.  About  1762  this  congregation  began  under 
George  Adam  Martin.  He  was,  at  this  time,  a  Seventh  Day 
Baptist,  and  the  congregation  at  the  beginning  held  to  the 
same  doctrine.  They  soon,  however,  returned  to  the  practice 
and  faith  of  the  Brethren  Church.  The  number  of  members, 
in  1770,  was  seventeen;  Elder  George  Adam  Martin  and  wife, 
Henry  Roth,  Sr.,  wife  and  daughter,  Henry  Roth,  Jr.,  and 
wife,  George  Newcomer,  Philip  Aswald,  wife  and  daughter, 

Abraham  Gebel  and  wife,  Philip  Kimmel  and  wife,  

Wildebarger  and  wife. 

"  George  Adam  Martin  had  a  curious  history.  He  was 
converted,  and  joined  the  church  at  Coventry.  He  was  born 
near  Lundsthal,  in  Germany,  in  1715,  and  came  to  America 
at  an  early  day.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Reformed  congre- 
gation under  Peter  Miller  in  the  Tulpehocken  country.  He 
was  baptized  in  1735,  and  was  ordained  by  Elder  Peter  Becker, 
in  1739.  He  lived  first  in  the  Coventry  church,  later  in  the 
Conestoga  church.  Thence  he  removed  to  Little  Conewago.  He 
served  the  Conewago  congregation.  In  this  district  he  had  some 
misunderstanding  with  the  Brethren  and  removed  to  the  An- 
tietam  congregation,  then  almost  wholly  in  Maryland.  Here, 
in  1762,  he  adopted  the  Seventh  Day  view  and  preached  to  the 
Bermudian  church.  The  same  year  he  removed  to  Stony 
Creek.  He  married  one  of  the  Knippers  (Kneppers)  and  was 
the  father  of  many  children. 


42  HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH    OF  THE 

"  He  has  left  a  long  account  of  his  activity  in  the  church, 
and  gives  a  reason  for  his  change  of  faith.  It  was  he  that  sug- 
gested to  Martin  Urner  the  18th  of  Matthew  at  the  baptismal 
service,  and  it  was  he  that  attended  the  Zinzendorf  Synod  at 
Oley,  and  returning,  suggested  to  Elder  Urner  the  holding 
of  the  first  Annual  Meeting  in  1742." 

Next  I  will  quote  from  Elder  H.  R.  Holsinger's  "  History 
of  the  Tunkers  and  the  Brethren  Church."  "  In  the  spring 
of  1783  a  young  Tunker  deacon,  by  the  name  of  John  Keagy, 
emigrated  from  York  County,  Pennsylvania,  to  the  back- 
woods of  Somerset  County  (then  Bedford),  into  the  valley 
lying  between  the  Alleghany  and  Negro  Mountains,  and  lo- 
cated at  a  point  about  thirteen  miles  south  of  the  ancient  vil- 
lage of  Berlin.  At  the  time  of  his  arrival  there  were  living  in 
the  vicinity  a  few  scattered  members  of  the  same  denomina- 
tion. One  of  these  was  John  Burger,  who  lived  on  the  farm 
now  known  as  the  Buechlcy  estate..  In  the  fall  of  the  same 
year  some  ministering  brethren  from  the  east  visited  Brother 
Keagy,  hunted  up  the  other  members  in  the  valley,  and  held  a 
love  feast  at  the  home  of  John  Burger,  and  organized  the  little 
band  into  a  church.  Keagy  was  promoted  to  the  ministry,  and 
another  brother  was  elected  deacon.  This  was  the  first  com- 
munion meeting  held  by  the  Tunkers  west  of  the  Alleghany 
Mountains. 

"  Peter  Livengood,  John  dinger,  Michael  Buechley,  and 
Christian  Hochstetler,  all  of  them  members  of  the  Amish 
Church,  had  preceded  Keagy.  The  four  families  soon  after 
united  with  the  Tunkers,  and  Livengood,  Buechley  and  Hoch- 
stetler were  called  to  the  ministry.  From  this  time  onward 
the  church  grew  rapidly,  extending  her  borders  southward 
into  Maryland,  and  across  the  neck  into  West  Virginia,  and 
northward  to  the  Conemaugh.  Sometime  afterward  a  separate 
church  was  organized  on  the  south  called  Sandy  Creek;  and. 
later  on,  Conemaugh  was  struck  off  into  a  separate  congrega- 
tion. Keagy  was  ordained  bishop  in  1700,  and  in  the  fall  of 
1806  he  emigrated  to  the  vicinity  of  Dayton.  Ohio.  Michael 
Meyers,    who   had   emigrated    from    Lebanon    County    in   his 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  43 

youth,  was  ordained  to  take  the  place  of  Elder  Keagy,  and 
was,  consequently,  the  second  elder  living  in  this  valley.  He 
presided  over  an  extensive  membership  for  thirty  years.  He 
died  in  the  spring  of  1836.  In  the  fall  of  the  same  year  Peter 
Cober  and  John  Forney  were  ordained.  John  Forney  died 
in  1847,  and  Jacob  Meyers,  son  of  Elder  Michael  Meyers,  was 
ordained  to  the  eldership. 

"  The  farm  occupied  by  John  Burger  at  the  time  of  the 
organization  above  referred  to  is  now  covered  by  the  beautiful 
town  of  Meyersdale,  and  contains  two  Tunker  churches  (one 
Conservative  and  one  Progressive),  and  more  members  to 
the  square  acre  than  any  other  territory  in  the  United  States. 

"  An  incident  occurred  in  a  part  of  the  territory  de- 
scribed above,  which  is  worth  recording.  The  Tunkers  were, 
from  the  beginning,  great  missionary  people  in  their  own  way, 
Their  method  was  peculiar  to  themselves.  They  called  it 
visiting  neighboring  churches,  and  in  olden  times  all  the 
churches  of  Pennsylvania  constituted  the  neighborhood,  or 
mission  field.  It  was  quite  common  for  ministers  from 
Franklin,  Cumberland,  and  other  eastern  counties  to  visit,  once 
a  year,  the  churches  beyond  the  Alleghanies.  During  one  of 
these  mission  tours,  Elder  George  Price,  grandfather  of  Elder 
Isaac  Price,  and  others  had  been  visiting  the  churches  in  the 
'  Glades.'  On  their  homeward  journey  they  found  it  necessary 
to  stop  at  a  hotel.  They  were  politely  informed  by  the  land- 
lord that  the  house  was  promised  for  a  dance  that  night,  and 
he  feared  they  could  not  be  made  comfortable.  But  it  was 
growing  late  and  it  was  seven  miles  to  the  next  tavern,  where 
the  accommodations  were  not  so  good  for  man  or  beast.  They 
seemed  inclined  to  remain.  The  landlord  remarked  that  his 
accommodations  were  ample,  if  the  music  and  dancing  would 
not  disturb  them.  One  of  the  old  men  remarked  that  neither 
the  music  nor  dancing  would  keep  him  awake,  if  nothing  of 
a  more  annoying  kind  should  follow ;  and  so  they  all  said. 

"  After  supper  the  landlord  came  to  their  room  and  stated 
that  the  leader  of  the  dancing  party  desired  to  see  them.  He 
was  invited  up,  and,  after  a  brief  interview,  he  requested  that 


44  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

a  few  of  his  friends  might  also  be  permitted  to  enjoy  their 
company.  This  was  readily  acceded  to,  and  after  a  number 
had  collected  in  the  room,  it  was  proposed  to  postpone  the 
dance,  and  the  old  man  was  invited  to  ])reach  ;  and  preach  and 
pray  they  did,  Init  further  deponent  saith  not.  Eternity  may 
reveal  the  results,  but  the  Lord  has  declared  that  '  bread  cast 
upon  the  waters  shall  not  return  to  him  void  '  ;  and  from  the 
numerous  crumbs  scattered  abroad  by  the  pioneer  Tunker 
preachers  a  wonderful  sentiment  has  obtained,  and  a  numerous 
meml)ership  is  scattered  over  the  territory  included  between  the 
Alleghany  Mountains  and  the  Ohio  River." 

FAYETTE  COUNTY. 

Elder  George  Wolfe  and  family,  who  were  c^f  German 
descent,  moved  from  Lancaster  County,  across  the  Alleghany 
Mountains,  and  settled  near  Uniontown,  the  county  seat  of 
Fayette  County,  in  the  year  1787.  \\'hat  is  the  extent  of  his 
ministerial  labors  is  not  known,  but  he  remained  here  thirteen 
years.  In  1800  Elder  W'olfe  with  his  family  started  down  the 
Ohio  Ri\er,  landing  in  Muhlenburgh  County,  Kentucky, 
where  they  lived  a  number  of  years,  and  then  went  on  to  Illi- 
nois, 

WASHINGTON  COUNTY. 

Elder  John  Wise,  who  grew  to  manhood  and  spent  much 
of  his  life  in  this  county,  is  authority  for  what  I  will  here  re- 
cord. At  the  Des  Moines  (Iowa)  Annual  Meeting,  in  1908. 
the  last  one  he  ever  attended,  I  had  a  lengthy  interview  with 
him  concerning  the  early  histor}^  of  Western  Pennsylvania. 
He  was  then  past  86  years  of  age,  but  his  mind  was  clear  and 
he  made  his  statements  without  hesitation.  He  told  me  that 
the  Ten  Mile  congregation  was  organized  about  1759  or  1760. 
He  also  said  that  a  man  by  the  name  of  Helft  was  the  first 
elder.  The  old  brick  meetinghouse,  he  said,  was  built  in  1832. 
I  give  these  statements  as  I  received  them  from  I'.lder  Wise. 
If  these  statements  are  correct,  as  I  supi)ose  they  are,  this  ])uts 
the  Ten  Mile  congregation  at  the  head  as  the  oldest  congrega- 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  45 

tion  in  Western  Pennsylvania,  and  the  brick  meetinghouse  as 
the  first  one  erected  west  of  the  Alleghany  Mountains. 

GREENE  COUNTY.— The  Eckerly  Brothers. 

We  find  the  following  account  of  them  in  Sherman  Day's 
"  Historical  Collections  of  Pennsylvania,"  published  in  1843 : 

"  These  men,  '  Dunkards  '  by  profession,  left  the  eastern 
and  cultivated  parts  of  Pennsylvania,  and  plunged  into  the 
depth  of  the  western  wilderness.  Their  first  permament  camp 
was  on  a  creek  flowing  into  the  Monongahela  River  in  the 
southwestern  part  of  Pennsylvania  (Greene  County),  to  which 
stream  they  gave  the  name  of  '  Dunkards  Creek,'  which  it 
still  bears. 

"These  men  of  peace  employed  themselves  in  exploring 
the  country  in  every  direction  in  which  one  vast  uncultivated 
waste  spread  around  them.  From  Dunkards  Creek  these  men 
removed  to  Dunkards  Bottom  on  Cheat  River,  where  they 
made  their  permanent  residence,  and  with  a  savage  war  raging 
at  no  considerable  distance,  they  spent  some  years  unmolested 
— indeed,  it  is  probable,  unseen. 

"  In  order  to  obtain  some  supplies  of  salt,  ammunition 
and  clothing,  Dr.  Eckerly  recrossed  the  mountains  with  some 
peltry.  On  his  return  from  \Mnchester  to  rejoin  his  broth- 
ers, he  stopped  on  the  South  Branch  of  the  Potomac  at  Fort 
Pleasant  and  aroused  the  curiosity  of  the  inhabitants  by  re- 
lating his  adventures,  removals  and  present  residence.  His 
avowed  pacific  principles,  as  religious  principles  have  every- 
where else  done,  exposed  him  to  suspicion,  and  he  was  de- 
tained as  a  confederate  of  the  Indians,  and  as  a  spy  come  to 
examine  the  frontier  and  its  defences. 

"  In  vain  did  Dr.  Eckerly  assert  his  innocence  of  any  con- 
nection with  the  Indians — that,  on  the  contrary',  neither  he  nor 
his  brothers  had  ever  seen  any  Indians  since  their  residence 
west  of  the  mountains.  He  could  not  obtain  his  liberty  until, 
by  his  own  suggestion,  he  was  escorted  by  a  guard  of  armed 
men  who  were  to  reconduct  him  a  prisoner  to  Fort  Pleasant, 
in  case  of  any  confirmation  of  the  charges  against  him. 


46  HISTORY    OF    THE    CHURCH     OF    THE 

"  These  arbitrar)^  proceedings,  though  in  themselves  very 
unjust,  it  is  probalile  saved  the  Hfe  of  Dr.  Eckerly,  and  his 
innocence  was  made  manifest  in  a  most  shocking  manner. 
Approaching  the  cabin  he  had  left  v^here  he  anxiously  hoped 
to  find  his  brothers,  himself  and  his  guard  were  presented 
with  a  heap  of  ashes.  In  the  yard  lay  the  mangled  and  putrid 
remains  of  the  two  brothers,  and,  as  if  to  add  to  the  horrors 
of  the  scene,  beside  the  corpses  lay  the  hoops  on  which  the 
scalps  had  been  dried.  Dr.  Eckerly  and  the  now  sympathizing 
men  buried  the  remains,  but  a  forlorn  and  desolate  man  re- 
turned to  the  South  Branch.  This  was  among  the  opening 
scenes  of  that  lengthened  tragedy  which  was  enacted  through 
upwards  of  thirty  years." 


CHAPTER   IV. 

Western  Pennsylvania. 

As  a  district  Western  Pennsylvania  embraces  fully  one- 
third  of  the  area  of  the  whole  State.  When,  in  compliance 
with  Annual  Meeting  recommendations,  the  State  was  divided 
into  three  State  Districts,  in  1866,  the  Alleghany  Mountains 
naturally  became  the  line  between  Middle  and  Western  Penn- 
sylvania. Since  then,  in  1874,  for  the  sake  of  convenience,  the 
Dunnings  Creek  congregation,  located  in  the  western  part  of 
Bedford  County,  was  added  to  the  District. 

The  counties  composing  the  District  are  Erie,  Crawford, 
Warren,  McKean,  Mercer,  Venango,  Forest,  Elk,  Cameron, 
Lawrence,  Beaver,  Butler,  Clarion,  Armstrong.  Jefferson, 
Clearfield,  Washington,  Allegheny,  W^estmoreland,  Indiana, 
Cambria,  Greene,  Fayette,  Somerset  and  a  part  of  Bedford 
Counties  in  Pennsylvania,  and  parts  of  Marshall,  Wetzel  and 
Monongalia  Counties  in  West  Virginia.  Since  transferring  the 
Ryerson  Station  congregation,  which  at  one  time  comprised 
a  large  part  of  Greene  County,  Pennsylvania,  and  parts  of 
Marshall  and  Wetzel  Counties,  West  Virginia,  to  the  Second 
District  of  West  Virginia  in  1913,  the  only  congregation  out- 
side of  the  State  belonging  to  the  District  is  the  Mt.  Union,  in 
Monongalia  County,  West  Virginia.  At  one  time  the  Sandy 
Creek  congregation,  Preston  County,  West  Virginia,  extended 
into  the  District,  but  since  the  Markleysburg  congregation 
was  organized,  in  1879,  the  State  line  is  the  line  between  the 
two  congregations.  It  would  seem,  too,  that  prior  to  1849  the 
"  Glades  "  church  of  Somerset  County  extended  into  Garrett 
County,  Maryland.  Prior  to  1883  the  Glen  Hope  Mission  in 
Clearfield  County,  now  the  Chess  Creek  congregation,  be- 
longed to  Middle  Pennsylvania. 


48  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

The  congregations  and  the  counties  in  which  they  are 
located  are  as  follows :  In  Bedford  County,  Dunnings  Creek ; 
in  Somerset  County,  Majjle  CAen,  Elk  Lick,  Summit  Mills, 
Meyersdale,  Greenville  (partly  in  Bedford  County),  Berlin, 
Brothers  Valley,  Somerset,  Middle  Creek,  Stony  Creek, 
Quemahoning,  Rummel,  Shade  and  Scalp  Level  (the  latter 
partly  in  Cambria  County)  ;  Somerset  and  Stony  Creek  con- 
gregations have  been  consolidated  with  Brothers  Valley ;  in 
Fayette  County,  Markleysburg,  Trout  Run  and  Georges 
Creek;  along  the  Fayette  and  W^estmoreland  line  and  j^artly 
in  both  counties,  Indian  Creek  and  Jacobs  Creek ;  in  Mononga- 
lia County,  West  Virginia,  Mount  Union ;  in  Westmoreland 
County,  Ligonier  Valley  and  Greensburg;  in  W^ashington 
County,  Ten  Mile;  in  Allegheny  County,  Pittsburgh;  in  Cam- 
bria County,  Conemaugh,  Johnstown,  West  Johnstown,  Mor- 
rellville  and  Pleasant  Hill ;  Conemaugh  has  been  consolidated 
with  Johnstown ;  in  Indiana  County,  Manor,  Montgomery  and 
Bolivar,  the  latter  partly  in  Westmoreland  County ;  in  Clear- 
field County,  Chess  Creek  and  Rockton ;  in  Jefferson,  She- 
mokin  (disorganized)  ;  in  Armstrong  County,  Cowanshan- 
nock,  Red  Bank,  Glade  Run,  Brush  Valley  and  Plum  Creek, 
part  of  which  is  in  Indiana  ;  Brush  Valley  was  consolidated 
with  Glade  Run  and  Cowanshannock  with  Plum  Creek ;  in 
Clarion  County,  Clarion  (disorganized).  The  District  Meet- 
ing Minutes  also  show  that  there  was  a  congregation  named 
Fayette.  It  appears  first  in  1889,  when  it  is  represented  by 
letter.  From  then  to  1897,  when  it  was  dropped  from  the  list 
of  churches,  it  was  not  once  represented  by  delegate. 

Altogether  there  have  been  forty- four  congregations.  At 
the  present  time  there  arc  thirty-five,  with  prospects  of  several 
new  ones  soon.  About  the  time  that  the  Clarion  and  Cowan- 
shannock congregations  were  pros])cr()us  and  active,  we  had 
scattered  members  in  nearly  all  of  the  northern  and  western 
counties  of  the  District.  Now  there  are  fifteen  counties  with- 
out an  organize<l  church. 

Emigration  to  .States  farther  west  has  been  one  cause  of 
weakening  many,  and  disorganizing  a   few,  of  our  congrega- 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  49 

tions.  Today  many  of  our  members,  both  lay  members  and 
officials  (or  their  descendants)  are  found  in  practically  every 
State  where  organizations  exist.  A  number  of  congregations 
have  been  organized  by  members  from  this  District.  Since 
churches  are  no  longer  established  in  our  territory  through 
emigration,  we  will  have  to  pursue  a  different  method  if  we 
ever  hope  to  dot  the  northern  portion  of  the  State  with 
churches  of  the  Brethren.  Our  Home  Mission  Board  must  be 
supplied  with  sufficient  money  to  constantly  keep  a  number  of 
strong  missionary  evangelists  in  the  field,  opening  new  points, 
and  erect  houses  of  worship  as  fast  as  promising  points  are 
found. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Congregations. 

BERLIN. 

Much  of  the  history  of  this  congregation  is  given  in  the 
history  of  the  Brothers  Valley  congregation,  by  Elder  W.  G. 
Shrock.  It  is  therefore  needless  to  repeat  it  here.  When,  in 
1849,  the  county  was  subdivided  into  four  large  congregations, 
that  division  of  which  Berlin  was  the  central  point  and  chief 
town  naturally  took  the  name  "  Berlin."  Though  this  section 
was  also  known  by  the  names  of  "  Glades  "  and  "  Brothers 
Valley,"  its  correct  name  was  "  Berlin  "  and  this  is  the  name 
used  in  the  Minutes  of  the  District  Meetings  until  the  further 
division-  in  1880.  Berlin  congregation,  at  that  time,  was 
bounded  by  the  Elk  Lick,  Middle  Creek,  Quemahoning,  Shade 
Creek  and  Dunnings  Creek  (the  latter  in  Bedford  County) 
congregations,  and  embraced  Brothers  Valley,  Stony  Creek 
and  parts  of  Somerset  and  other  townships. 

Beginning  with  the  settlement  of  the  first  Brethren  in 
the  "  Glades,"  in  about  1762,  under  Elder  George  Adam 
Martin,  to  1880,  a  period  of  one  hundred  and  eighteen  years, 
the  church  enjoyed  a  healthy  and  substantial  growth.  As 
evidences  of  its  influence  and  aggressiveness  we  note  its  growth 
in  numbers,  the  erection  of  large,  substantial  meetinghouses, 
early  organization  of  Sunday-school,  its  strong  ministry  and 
the  fact  that  so  many  who  had  been  reared  in  other  denom- 
inations united  with  its  communion — a  number  becoming  pil- 
lars in  the  church.  It  is  also  a  well-established  fact  that  the 
valley  and  the  township  took  their  names  from  the  Tunkers, 
who  invariably  called  themselves  "  Brethren "  ;  hence  the 
name  Brethren's  Valley,   or  Brothers'  Valley.     A  postoffice 


52  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

in  the  township,  by  tlic  name  of  I'.rotlierton,  was  in  existence 
a  number  of  years. 

So  far  as  can  l)e  ascertained  the  following  elders  presided 
over  the  Berlin  congregation :  Michael  Meyers,  Peter  Cober, 
John  Forney,  Sr.,  Jacob  Meyers  and  Jacob  Blough.  Other 
active  elders  and  ministers  were:  John  P.  Cober,  Solomon 
Knepper,  Daniel  P.  Walker,  Ephraim  Cober,  George  Schrock, 
\\^illiam  Sevits,  Peter  Musser,  Henry  R.  Holsingcr,  Joseph 
W.  Beer,  Solomon  J.  Baer  and  Michael  Weyandt. 

Here  I  take  the  liberty  to  quote  from  Elder  H.  R.  Hol- 
singer's  "  History  of  the  Tunkers  "  :  "  The  church  increased 
in  numbers,  from  time  to  time,  until,  in  1880,  it  had  a  mem- 
bership of  over  four  hundred.  Then  it  was  deemed  proper 
to  subdivide  the  territory.  This  was  accomplished  at  a  council 
meeting  appointed  for  the  ])urpose  on  October  9,  1880.  Com- 
mittees were  appointed  to  name  the  boundaries  and  report  to 
the  next  council  meeting,  on  the  23rd  of  the  same  month. 

"  The  meeting  of  the  23rd  was  i)resided  over  by  Elder 
P.  J.  Brown,  of  Ohio.  The  committee  on  boundaries  reported 
the  lines  of  four  separate  congregations,  and  the  report  was 
unanimously  adopted,  with  a  few  amendments. 

"The  names  adopted  by  the  several  branches  were:  1. 
Berlin  church,  embracing  the  town  of  Berlin,  the  meetinghouse 
known  as  Peter  IJeeghly's  (Schmaltz  Thai),  and  the  appoint- 
ment at  Custer's.  The  officers  were :  Ministers,  Dr.  John  P. 
Cober  and  H.  R.  Holsinger;  deacons,  John  J.  Bittner,  Jacol) 
Musser,  Joseph  G.  Coleman  and  Peter  Beeghl}-.  with  a  mem- 
bership of  one  hundred  and  fifty. 

"2.  Stony  Creek  church.  The  territory  occupied  by  this 
congregation  is  Ijounded  on  the  south  by  the  I'erlin  church,  on 
the  east  by  Dunnings  Creek,  on  the  north  by  Shade,  and  on  the 
west  by  Brothers  Valley  and  .Somerset  churches.  Josiah 
Kimmel,  Abram  J.  Miller,  and  Josejih  L.  Kimmel  were  t!ie 
deacons.  There  were  no  ministers,  but  a  momborship  of  about 
seventy-five,  with  two  meetinghouses. 

"3.  Somerset  church.  This  congregation  is  surrounded  by 
Brothers    Valley,    vStony    Creek,    Quemahoning    and    Middle 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


53 


Creek  churches.  Micliael  Weyandt  and  Solomon  J.  Baer, 
ministers ;  Wilham  N.  Trent  and  Philip  F.  Cupp,  deacons ; 
with  a  meml)ershi[)  of  aliout  seventy-five,  and  one  meeting- 
house. 

"  4.  Brothers  Valley.  This  congregation  is  bounded  by 
the  other  three  congregations,  and  Quemahoning  on  the  north. 
Its  officers  were  Elder  Jacob  IMough,  George  Schrock,  William 
Sevits,  and  Daniel  P.  Walker,  ministers ;  and  Lewis  J.  Knep- 
per,  William  G.  Schr(jck,  John  S.  Meyers,  and  Samuel  F. 
Reiman,  deacons.  It  had  a  membership  of  about  one  hundred, 
and  two  houses  of  worship." 


Garrett    Church,    Berlin    Congregation. 


The  new  congregation  comprised  parts  of  Brothers  Val- 
ley and  Summit  Townships  and  the  towns  of  Berlin  and 
Garrett.  This  congregation  was  one  of  the  centers  of  the 
Progressive  clement.  January  1,  1881,  John  H.  Knepper  was 
called  to  the  ministry,  and  as  nearly  as  can  be  ascertained 
Brethren  W.  H.  Cober  and  Alvin  Cober  were  also  elected  be- 


54  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

fore  the  division  was  effected.  In  the  division  the  Progres- 
sives took  probably  about  half  the  membership.  The  Con- 
servatives held  the  meetinghouse  at  Peter  Beeghly's,  and  their 
officials  were  Elder  John  P.  Cober,  minister,  W.  H.  Cober, 
and  Deacons  Peter  Beeghly  and  Joseph  G.  Coleman.  Elder 
Cober  reorganized  the  church  and  for  a  number  years  the 
preaching  was  done  principally  by  the  ministers  from  the 
Brothers  Valley  and  Summit  Mills  congregations,  jointly.  In 
1893  (March  23)  Dr.  R.  T.  I'oUard  moved  into  the  congre- 
gation, and  helped  along  with  the  ministerial  duties. 

In  September,  1899,  Warren  W.  Blough  was  elected  to 
the  ministry,  and  for  a  number  of  years  did  the  ])reaching, 
being  the  partially  supported  pastor.  Brother  Daniel  W.  Long 
was  elected  in  1908,  and  accepted  the  call.  Other  brethren 
called  to  the  ministry  at  dififerent  times,  but  who  did  not  ac- 
cept the  call  of  the  church  were:  Jerome  H.  Judy,  Lee  W. 
Pollard,  William  L.  Judy  and  William  H.  Miller.  Since 
Elder  Blough  moved  West  in  1909,  the  pastoral  work  has  been 
done,  first,  by  Galen  K.  Walker;  second,  by  J.  J.  Shaffer; 
third,  by  Brethren  Pollard  and  Long;  fourth,  by  Elder  D.  H. 
Walker.  April  1,  1915,  the  present  pastor,  B.  F.  Waltz,  took 
up  the  work.  Garrett  now  has  preaching  every  Sunday  and 
Beachdale  every  two  weeks.  Brother  Long  has  moved  into 
the  Meyersdale  congregation. 

The  following  elders  have  had  charge  of  the  church ; 
John  P.  Cober,  Joel  Gnagey,  R.  T.  Pollard,  J.  J.  Shaffer  (1911 
and  1912),  and  R.  T.  Pollard  again.  Deacons  have  been  elected 
as  follows :  Francis  Brant,  Levi  Lee,  Jerome  H.  Judy,  Henry 
Yoder,  Hiram  Brant,  William  Cassel,  John  Long  and  John 
Fisher.  In  1901  William  H.  Miller,  a  deacon,  moved  in  from 
the  Plum  Creek  congregation.  With  the  exce]>tion  of  Francis 
Brant  this  is  the  present  board  of  deacons. 

The  first  Beachdale  (Schmaltz  Thai)  meetinghouse  was 
built  many  years  ago.  At  different  times  two  additions  were 
built  to  it  and  in  18S1  it  was  arrani^cd  suitable  for  love-feast 
purposes.  In  1911  a  fine  new  church,  costing  about  $4,000. 
was  erected  to  take  the  place  of  the  old  one.     It  was  dedi- 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


55 


Beachdale    Church,    Berlin    Cong:reg'ation. 

cated  by  J.  H.  Cassady,  September  24,  1911.  In  1895  a 
church  was  erected  in  Garrett,  which  was  dedicated  by  Dr. 
Martin  G.  Brumbaugh,  our  present  Governor.  Thus  the  con- 
gregation now  has  two  good  meetinghouses,  two  Hve  Sunday- 
schools,  two  weekly  prayer  meetings,  two  teacher  training 
classes,  and  one  Sewing  Circle,  with  a  membership  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty-eight.  The  church  is  in  a  fine  working  con- 
dition. 


BOLIVAR  CONGREGATION. 

It  would  appear  that  Bolivar  church  was  organized  as 
a  separate  congregation  about  1887.  Elder  George  Hanawalt 
had  the  oversight  of  the  church  until  1900,  when  Joseph  Hol- 
sopple  received  the  appointment.  In  1887,  or  a  little  later, 
Robert  B.  Bowser  moved  in,  having  been  elected  to  the  min- 
istry in  the  Brush  Valley  arm  of  the  Glade  Run  congrega- 
tion. He  was  a  fluent  speaker,  but  somewhat  capricious. 
When  he  came  to  Bolivar  the  members  were  captivated,  and 
called  him  as  pastor.  He  held  a  revival  and  baptized  quite  a 
number  of  converts,  and  seemed  to  be  getting  along  nicely, 
when  it  was  discovered  that  he  had  not  been  advanced  to  the 


56  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

second  degree  of  the  ministry'  and  had  not  been  authorized 
to  baptize.  A  council  was  called  and  the  case  considered.  It 
was  found  that  old  Brother  Jacob  Dell,  a  minister  in  the 
second  degree,  had  been  present  at  the  baptism  and  had  given 
his  consent,  and  as  the  applicants  had  come  forward  in  good 
faith,  the  council  confirmed  the  work,  and  Brother  Bowser 
was  advanced  to  the  second  degree.  After  some  more  compli- 
cations, caused  by  Stephen  Hildebrand,  a  Progressive  min- 
ister, moving  in  and  holding  meetings,  and  baptizing  a  few 
I)eoi)le,  Brother  Bowser  began  to  deride  some  of  the  principles 
of  the  church,  and  it  became  necessary  for  the  church  to  call 
in  some  elders  to  see  him.  This  resulted  in  his  withdrawal 
and  an  effort  to  carry  the  membership  with  him  to  the 
Winebrennarians,  the  church  to  which  his  wife  belonged. 
This  was  about  1891. 

This  left  the  work  in  bad  shape.  Elder  Joseph  Holso])ple, 
who  now  had  the  oversight,  met  with  i)artial  success  at  recon- 
struction. Some  of  the  officers,  who  had  become  weary,  took 
hold  of  the  work  again.  During  all  this  time  a  fairly  suc- 
cessful Sunday-school  was  maintained.  Silas  S.  Blough  faith- 
fully preached  for  them  until  he  was  called  to  the  Pittsburgh 
Mission.  This  was  the  last  years  of  the  i)ast  century.  After 
this  Abraham  Fyock,  of  Johnstown,  Pa.,  took  up  the  work. 
Elder  Jonathan  D.  Myers,  of  Iowa,  now  moxed  in.  and  l-Jdcr 
Holsopple,  being  handicapped  l)y  bodily  infirmities,  after  hold- 
ing an  election  for  deacon,  resigned.  Elder  Myers  soon  moved 
away,  and  the  oversight  devolved  on  Elder  Abraham  Fyock. 
who  continued  the  pastorate.  William  liaird,  in  1880,  and 
Abraham  Yager,  in  1885,  were  elected  deacons. 

The  deed  for  the  church  lot  was  made  January  9,  1887, 
to  Hiram  Musselman,  James  Thompson,  Michael  Shetler  and 
Jacob  Dell.  April  8.  1888,  James  Thomp.son  and  James  I. 
Brett  were  elected  deacons,  and  W.  M.  O'Leary,  minister. 
October  3,  1891,  Jacob  Dell  and  A.  D.  Lichtenfels  were  elect- 
ed deacons.  October  2,  1902,  Elvin  McGraw  and  W.  J. 
Brendlinger  were  elected  deacons,  and  on  April  7,  1906,  R. 
T.  Brendlinger,  and  April  3,  1908,  Chal  D.  Brendlinger,  James 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  57 

N.  Betts  and  Harry  T.  Montgomery  were  elected  to  the  same 
office.  In  1898  Michael  Shetler  was  restored  to  the  deacon  of- 
fice. November  17,  1906,  W.  J.  Brendlinger  was  elected  to 
the  ministry.  April  1,  1911,  C.  A.  McDowell  became  the 
pastor  of  the  congregation,  and  was  ordained  to  the  elder- 
ship July  19,  1913,  by  W.  M.  Howe  and  J.  J.  Shafifer.  David 
L.  Little,  who  had  been  baptized  here,  moved  to  the  Aughwick 
congregation,  where  he  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  1910. 
He  returned  to  the  Bolivar  congregation  in  1912,  and-  is  now 
living  at  Vandergrift. 

Elders  had  charge  as  follows :  Joseph  Berkey,  from  1878 
to  1886;  George  Hanawalt,  from  1886  to  1900;  Joseph 
Holsopple,  from  1900  to  1903;  J.  D.  Meyers,  from  1903  to 
1904;  Abraham  Fyock,  from  1904  to  1908;  S.  U.  Shober,  from 
1908  to  1912;  W.  M.  Howe,  from  1912  to  1914,  and  H.  S. 
Replogle,  from  1914  to  the  present. 

The  first  Sunday-school  was  opened  by  Theophilus 
Heiple  in  May,  1886,  with  John  L.  Brendlinger,  superinten- 
dent, and  Abraham  Yager,  assistant. 

Considerable  of  the  early  histor}^  of  this  congregation 
is  contained  in  the  history  of  the  Ligonier  Valley  congre- 
gation, as  they  at  the  beginning  were  one. 

A  Sunday-school,  numbering  nearly  one  hundred  and 
fifty,  is  maintained  the  wdiole  year;  also  a  Christian  Workers' 
Meeting,  a  ^Sisters'  Aid  Society  and  a  weekly  prayer  meeting. 
In  the  spring  of  1915  Elder  C.  A.  McDowell  moved  to  the 
Quemahoning  congregation,  taking  up  pastoral  work  at  Sipes- 
ville. 

As  noted  in  the  Ligonier  history,  the  meetinghouse  at 
Bolivar  was  erected  in  1886. 


BROTHERS  VALLEY. 

By  Elder  W.  G.  Schrock. 

The  history  of  the  Brothers  Valley  congregation  dates 
from  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  century.  At  this  time 
some  members  of  the   Church   of  tlie   Brethren   settled  west 


58  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

of  the  Alleghany  Mountains,  in  what  was  then  known  as  the 
Stony  Creek  and  Brothers  Valley  "  Glades."  Among  them- 
selves they  named  their  new  home  "  Rrueders  Thai  " — Broth- 
ers Valley.  This  name  may  have  originated  with  the  Indians, 
who  called  them  the  "  White  Brothers  of  the  Valley."  Later 
on,  when  new  townships  were  created,  the  principal  part  of 
the  "  Glades "  was  taken  up  and  named  Stony  Creek  and 
Brothers  Valley.  Stony  Creek,  the  principal  stream,  drain- 
ing nearly  all  of  this  vast  territory,  has  its  source  in  Pius 
Spring,  in  Berlin.  This  may  account  for  the  name  of  the  new 
township,  taken  from  Brothers  Valley  in  1792,  heing  called 
Stony  Creek.  Thus  we  account  for  the  different  names, 
"  Glades,"  "  Berlin  "  and  "  Brothers  Valley,"  the  last  one  the 
most  endearing  of  all. 

First  Settlers,   1762. 

Among  the  first  settlers  that  came  from  the  East  across 
the  Alleghany  Mountains  into  Somerset  County,  about  1762 
or  1763,  was  a  colony  of  Brethren,  who  settled  in  the  northern 
part  of  what  was  then  called  "  The  Glades."  By  our  church 
historian  it  is  named  Stony  Creek  church.  The  colony  al- 
luded to  above  consisted  of  seventeen  members,  and  was  led 
by  and  under  the  care  of  Elder  George  Adam  Martin.  In 
Dr.  Brumbaugh's  "  History  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  " 
we  have  this  statement:  "About  1762  this  congregation  be- 
gan under  TLlder  George  Adam  Martin.  The  number  of  mem- 
bers in  1770  was  seventeen ;  namely,  George  Adam  Martin  and 
wife,  Henry  Roth,  wife  and  daughter,  Henry  Roth,  Jr.,  and 
wife,  George  Newcomer,  Philip  Aswald,  wife  and  daughter, 
Abram  Gebel  and  wife,  Philij)  Kimmel  and  wife,  and  a  Broth- 
er Wildel)arger  and  wife."  Elder  Martin  was  baptized  in 
1735,  and  ordained  by  Elder  Peter  P)eckcr  in  1739.  His  wife's 
maiden  name  was  Knijjpcr  (Kne])per).  He  was  a  man  of 
strong  convictions,  a  fine  scholar,  a  natural  orator  and  a  ready 
writer,  well  adapted  by  nature  for  a  pioneer  leader. 

From  1763  to  1770  a  general  Indian  outbreak  caused 
much  trouble  amcmg  the  first  settlers  on  this  side  of  the  nidun- 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  59 

tain,  and  it  is  surmised  that  the  colony  was  scattered  and 
driven  out  for  the  time  being.  At  least  we  have  no  further 
record  of  them.  However,  it  is  probable  that  some  very  fa- 
miliar names,  somewhat  modernized  in  spelling  and  pro- 
nunciation, such  as  the  Rhoadeses,  Cables,  Kimmels,  Knep- 
pers,  and  others,  have  come  down  to  us  from  these  pioneers. 
All  these  names  are  found  upon  our  church  records,  and  their 
descendants  are  living  in  our  congregation  at  the  present  time. 

1770  to  1825. 
From  1770  to  1825  this  church  has  no  written  record, 
and  all  we  know  is  by  tradition.  Many  of  the  church  fath- 
ers, who  were  earnest  workers  for  the  Master  during  this 
period,  have  left  us  no  data  for  writing  up  a  church  history 
of  Brothers  Valley.  There  is  a  wide  gap  between  the  time 
when  Elder  Martin  passed  away  and  1825,  of  which, very  little 
is  known  to  the  present  generation,  however  important  and  in- 
teresting it  might  be  to  coming  generations.  During  this 
period  the  church  increased  in  membership,  both  by  immi- 
gration and  conversions.  In  less  than  seventy-five  years,  from 
the  time  the  first  Brethren  crossed  the  mountains,  they  were 
found  in  many  parts  of  Somerset  County  and  even  beyond. 
If  we  can  in  the  least  rely  upon  tradition,  the  church's  activity 
centered  around  Berlin  later.  That  probably  accounts  for 
the  first  meetinghouse  being  built  in  that  vicinity,  and  the 
congregation  being  called  Berlin.  Up  to  1825  this  large  ter- 
ritory was  without  system  and  unorganized.  Yet  we  have 
reasons  to  believe,  novvithstanding  the  disadvantages  those 
pioneer  preachers  labored  under,  that  it  was  marvelous,  in- 
deed, how  the  church  must  have  prospered,  while  many  of  the 
old  churches  of  today,  with  improved  modern  methods  of 
work,  scarcely  hold  their  own. 

1825  to  1849. 

It  is  a  question  in  the  mind  of  the  writer  who  succeeded 
Elder  Martin  in  the  eldership.  From  the  best  information  ob- 
tainable, Michael  Meyers,  a  resident  minister  near  Berlin,  was 
ordained  about  the  year  1800,  and  had  the  oversight  of  the 


60 


HISTORY    OF   THE    CHURCH    OF  THE 


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The    Old    <;r<>ve    Clmroh,    Berlin    Conirreffation,    Built    1845. 


church  for  a  quarter  of  a  century,  or  longer.  It  would  seem  that 
the  next  in  order  of  time  to  he  ordained  were  Peter  Coher  and 
John  h^orney,  Sr.,  in  1837.  This  brings  us  up  to  1849,  when 
Somerset  County  was  divided  into  four  local  congregations.  In 
that  early  day  of  the  history  of  the  church  itinerant  ])rcaching 
was  largely  in  vogue  in  most  of  the  churches.  Members  were 
regularly  visited  by  ])reachers,  and  all  the  services  were  held 
in  private  houses,  barns  or  schoolhouses,  and  nearly  all  con- 
ducted in  the  German  language.  The  Word  preached  was 
greatly  blessed  of  God,  so  that  private  houses  for  worship 
could  in  many  places  no  longer  accommodate  the  people.  To 
solve  this  problem  the  Brethren  built  a  large  meetinghouse,  in 
1845,  in  sight  of  Berlin,  and  called  it  the  Grove  house.  In  this 
house  regular  services  were  held  for  sixty-two  years.  Here 
the  first  District  Meeting  of  the  District  convened  November 
5,  1866,  and  the  first  Sunday-school  Convention  of  the  District 
convened  here  September  23  and  24,  1879.  Many  succeed- 
ing similar  meetings  were  held  here. 

In  1849  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  entire  Brotherhood 
was  held  in  the  Grove  house.  At  this  meeting  a  committee  was 
appointed  to  consider  the  propriety  of  dividing  the  county  into 
separate  congregations.  The  committee  was  made  up  of  the 
following  brethren:  Peter  Long,  Andrew  Spanogle  and  John 
Holsinger  of  Pennsylvania,  George  Hoke  and  Henry  Kurtz 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  61 

of  Ohio,  and  Joseph  Arnold  and  Jacob  Byser  of  Virginia.  In 
the  history  of  Elk  Lick  is  an  account  of  the  work  done  by  this 
committee,  which  met  at  Berkley's  Mills.  Berlin  congregation, 
as  this  division  was  named,  contains  Garrett,  Beachdale  and 
Berlin,  and  was  bounded  on  the  south  by  Elk  Lick,  on  the 
north  by  Shade,  on  the  west  by  Middle  Creek,  and  on  the 
east  by  the  Bedford  County  line,  with  Berlin  as  the  center  of 
activity. 

1849  to  1880. 

From  1849  to  1880  the  following  elders  presided  over  the 
Berlin  church:  Peter  Cober,  Jacob  Meyers,  and  Jacob  Blough. 
Elder  Blough  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  1851,  and  ordained 
in  1868.  Samuel  Meyers  and  Jacob  Good  may  have  been 
deacons  prior  to  1849,  and  served  in  said  office  up  to  their 
death.  The  following  ministers  assisted  in  the  work  of  the 
church  during  this  period :  John  P.  Cober,  Ephraim  Cober, 
Solomon  Knepper,  George  Schrock,  William  Sevits,  Michael 
Weyandt,  Solomon  Baer,  Peter  Musser,  Daniel  P.  Walker, 
Henry  R.  Holsinger  and  Joseph  W.  Beer.  Deacons  elected 
prior  to  1880:  Lewis  J.  Knepper,  Jacob  Meyers,  Joseph  G. 
Coleman,  John  J.  Bittner,  Dr.  John  Beachley,  Valentine 
Blough,  Jacob  Lichty,  Jacob  Musser,  John  S.  Myers.  Peter 
Beeghly,  Josiah  Kimmel,  William  N.  Trent  and  Philip  F. 
.  Cupp.  Most  of  the  ministers  named  first  served  in  the  deacon 
office. 

1880  to  1915. 

In  1880  the  old  Berlin  congregation  was  divided,  as  is 
noted  in  the  history  of  that  congregation.  The  same  year  an 
election  was  held  for  church  officers.  George  Schrock  and 
William  Sevits  were  ordained  to  the  eldership;  W.  G.  Schrock 
and  Samuel  F.  Reiman  were  elected  to  the  ministry,  and  John 
J.  Blauch  and  Daniel  H.  Walker,  deacons.  The  organization 
now  was :  Elders,  Jacob  Blough,  George  Schrock,  and  William 
Sevits;  ministers,  Michael  Weyandt,  Daniel  P.  Walker,  W. 
G.  Schrock  and  S.  F.  Reiman ;  deacons  John  J.  Blauch,  D. 
H.  Walker,  and  the  above-named  brethren  still  living  who  had 
served  prior  to  1880. 


62 


HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Elections  for  church  officials  have  been  as  follows :  For 
ministers— in  1886,  D.  H.  Walker  and  Philip  F.  Cupp ;  1897, 
Perry  U.  Miller,  Samuel  U.  .Shober  and  Ira  D.  S.  Walker: 
19 — ,  George  Reitz  (was  not  installed)  ;  1906,  Galen  K.  Walker 
and  John  H.  Fike  (latter  not  installed)  ;  1912,  Lewis  S.  Knep- 
per  and  Ralph  W.  Reiman.  Dr.  Peter  Musser,  a  minister, 
had  moved  into  the  congregation  from  Virginia  during  the 
seventies,  but  moved  back  again  before  the  division.    Ephraim 


Rayman    C'hurcli.    HrotluTs    Valley    Con£:regation. 

Cober.  an  able  minister,  who  was  reared  here  and  called  to  the 
ministry,  moved  to  Sabetha.  Kansas,  many  years  ago.  Elder 
Joseph  J.  .Shaffer  moved  into  the  congregation  from  the  .Sjiade 
Creek  congregation  in  1009,  and  Ananias  J.  I'eeghly  also 
moved  here  frf)m  Soullicrn  Illinois,  in  1909.  ]'>rother  Beegh- 
ly  was  for  a  number  of  years  an  active  deacon  in  the  Que- 
mahoning  congregation,  but  moved  to  Illinois  and  was  called 
to  the  ministry,  and  then  returned  to  his  native  county. 

Deacons  were  elected  as  follows:  In  1883,  Cyrus  H. 
Walker  and  Perry  U.  Miller;  188().  Jacob  O.  Kimmel.  George 
J.  Shrock,  Christian  Reitz.  John  F.  Reiman  and  Jeremiah  J. 
Reiman;   1896,  George  Reitz  and   Mahlon   S.   Reiman;   1897, 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


63 


Pike    Church,    Brothers    Valley    Congrregration. 


Uriah  F.  Rayman,  Jacob  M.  Knepper,  Emanuel  M.  Knepper 
and  Sherman  Peck;  1904,  CHnton  K.  Shober,  Jacob  C.  Rei- 
man,  Allen  F.  Mostollar  and  George  S.  Reiman  ;  1912,  William 
W.  Cupp,  Alvin  Knepper,  Edward  S.  Schrock  and  H.  N. 
Mostollar. 

Ordinations:  In  1886,  Michael  Weyandt ;  1895,  W.  G. 
Schrock  and  S.  F.  Reiman;  1899,  D.  H.  Walker;  1908,  P.  U. 
Miller  and  S.  U.  Shober. 

In  1903  a  large  brick  love-feast  house  was  erected  at 
Brotherton,  to  take  the  place  of  the  old  Pike  meetinghouse, 
which  had  been  in  use  for,  perhaps,  nearly  a  half  century,  and 
by  the  side  of  which  the  Brethren  have  buried  their  dead  for 
many  years.  This  new  church,  being  centrally  located,  also 
takes  the  place  of  the  old  Grove  meetinghouse  for  love  feasts 
and  other  large  gatherings.  In  the  spring  of  1907  the  old 
Grove  house  was  razed  to  the  ground,  and  a  neat  brick  church 
now  occupies  the  place.  In  addition  to  the  Grove  and  Broth- 
erton houses,  the  congregation  has  the  Salem  house  on  the 
Ridge,  and  the  Rayman  house,  near  Friedens,  and  a  share  of 
the  Summit  house  at  Geiger  Station,  on  the  line  between  the 


64 


HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


New    Grove    ('liur<>li,    |{rotll<'^^^    \  alley    Congregation — J>:i.v    of    IJedioation. 


lirothcrs  Valley  and  Middle  Creek  congregations,  lloth  con- 
gregations have  half  interests  in  this  house.  The  first  Summit 
house  was  built  in  1885,  and  dedicated  on  Januar}'^  31.  1886, 
by  Elder  James  Quinter.  Tiiis  modest  structure,  after  being 
in  use  twenty-eight  and  a  half  years,  was  replaced  by  a  fine, 
modern  brick  edifice,  in  1914.  The  new  house  is  equipped  for 
communion  purposes  and  has  Sunday-school  classrooms,  and 
is  among  the  best  in  the  county.  Elder  J.  H.  Cassady,  of 
Huntingdon,  preached  the  dedicatory  sermon  August  23,  1914, 
to  a  crowded  house. 

The  first  .Sunday-school  in  the  congregation  was  organ- 
ized in  the  Pike  church,  in  1865  or  18^)6,  and  the  superintend- 
ents wpre  \\^  G.  Schrock  .-Mid  Lewis  J.  Knep]ier.  At  present 
there  are  evergreen  .Sunday-schools  at  Brotherton.  Raymans. 
Salem  and  .Summit — the  last  a  half  interest.  Teacher  training 
classes.  Christian  Workers'  Meetings,  and  teachers'  meetings, 
receive  special  attention.  Temperance  work  also  receives  due 
attention,  with  a  k)cal  temperance  committee.  The  writer, 
with  a  number  of  others,  is  especially  interested  in  the  tem- 
perance movement. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  65 

The  present  officials  are :  Elders,  W.  G.  Schrock,  D.  H. 
Walker,  S.  U.  Shober,  P.  U.  Miller  and  J.  J.  Shaffer;  minis- 
ters, A.  J.  Beeghly,  Lewis  S.  Knepper  and  Ralph  \V.  Reiman ; 
deacons,  John  S.  Meyers,  John  F.  Reiman,  Jeremiah  J.  Rei- 
man, George  Reitz,  M.  S.  Reiman,  J.  M.  Knepper,  E.  L.  Knep- 
per, Sherman  Peck,  J.  C.  Reiman,  A.  F.  Mostollar,  G.  S. 
Reiman,  C.  K.  Shober,  W.  W.  Cupp,  A.  R.  Knepper,  E.  S. 
Schrock  and  H.  N.  Mostollar. 

Inasmuch  as  the  church  kept  no  records  until  1880.  it 
was  impossible  to  give  a  clear  and  systematic  outline  of  data 
and  facts  in  regular  order.  Any  errors  or  omissions  in  the 
above  are  due  to  oversight  or  want  of  better  information. 

BRUSH  VALLEY. 

This  congregation  was  located  in  Washington  Township, 
Armstrong  County,  and  constituted  what  was  formerly  the 
"  John  Settlement "  of  the  Glade  Run  congregation.  The 
Glade  Run  congregation  was  divided  in  1881,  and  the  new  con- 
gregation, named  Brush  Valley,  was  organized  the  same  year, 
being  first  found  on  the  list  of  congregations  the  following 
year.  The  congregation  had  one  meetinghouse.  Some  time 
in  the  eighties  Robert  B.  Bowser  was  elected  to  the  ministry, 
but  after  having  labored  only  a  few  years  removed  to  the 
Bolivar  congregation. 

In  the  division  the  majority  of  the  members  went  with 
the  Progressives,  and  in  1892  the  few  that  yet  remained  loyal 
were  consolidated  with  their  mother  congregation.  Glade  Run, 
and  Brush  Valley  ceased  to  exist  as  a  separate  organization. 
At  the  time  of  the  organization  this  church  had  about  eighty 
members. 

CHESS  CREEK  (Formerly  Glen  Hope). 

This  congregation  is  situated  in  the  southern  part  of 
Clearfield  County,  Pennsylvania.  The  first  members  located 
here  were  Charlotte  and  Amelia  Kitchen,  and  Elizabeth  Smead 
in  the  Chess  Creek  settlement  about  1868,  and  Charles  Lewis, 
near  Gazzam.     These  members  called  for  preaching.     Mark 


66  HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

Minser,  of  the  Montgomery  congregation,  responded.  Peter 
Beer  and  J.  W.  Spicher  also  preached  here  at  an  early  day. 
J.  B.  A\ampler  and  J.  \V.  Smouse  did  some  evangelistic  work 
here.  Josei)h  Wilt,  of  the  Middle  District,  also  labored  here 
in  the  vicinity  of  Glen  Hope,  and  took  an  active  interest  in 
having  a  meetinghouse  erected  in  1885.  Preaching  was  kept 
up  here  for  some  years,  but  some  of  the  members  died  and 
others  moved  away,  so  that  there  were  no  meetings  held  for  a 
long  time. 

At  the  District  Meeting  in  the  Johnstown  church,  1886, 
George  Patterson,  a  minister,  and  Charles  Lewis,  a  deacon, 
appeared  as  delegates  from  Glen  Hope,  the  new  congrega- 
tion organized  in  1883.  They  asked  to  be  attached  to  the 
Western  District  of  Pennsylvania.  Their  desire  was  granted, 
and  Elders  Mark  Minser  and  Peter  Beer  were  appointed  a 
committee  to  attend  to  their  wants. 

Elder  Peter  Beer  had  the  oversight  of  this  congregation 
from  its  organization  till  his  death  in  1892,  when  the  work 
dev(jlved  on  his  son,  J.  H.  Beer.  When  he  resigned  the  Mis- 
sion Board  gave  the  work  into  the  hands  of  Elder  Jacob  Hol- 
sopple,  who  tried  to  work  up  the  Glen  Hope  point  and  also 
looked  into  the  prospects  at  Rose  Bud,  where  there  were  still 
a  few  faithful  members.  Looking  over  the  whole  field  he 
reported  that  Chess  Creek  settlement  was  decidedly  the  most 
promising  point,  and  in  1902  the  congregation  was  authorized 
to  move  the  building  to  Five  Points.  This  was  done  in  1903. 
Elder  Holsopple  died  in  1905,  and  the  Mission  Board  appoint- 
ed I'.ldcr  S.  P.  Zimmerman  over  the  work. 

In  addition  to  those  above  named  the  following  brethren 
have  served  in  the  ministry:  S.  A.  Beeghley,  T.  G.  McMasters 
and  A.  R.  Kitchen.  Those  who  have  held  the  office  of  deacon 
are :  John  Eckles,  Charles  Lewis,  Newel  Davis.  T.  G.  Mc- 
Masters, Joseph  Patterson,  A.  L.  Kitchen,  D.  C.  Michael,  J.  Z. 
Kitchen.  Jacob  Beeghley.  The  present  board  of  deacons  is: 
Newel  Davis,  A.  L.  Kitchen,  J.  Z.  Kitchen  and  John  Haag. 
Tn  1915  Elder  Zimmerman  was  superseded  by  J.  W.  Fyock 
as  elder  in  charge. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  67 

CLARION  CHURCH. 

This  congregation  was  located  in  Clarion  County,  but  was 
not  confined  to  this  county,  as  there  were  members  scattered 
westward  in  Butler,  Lawrence,  Mercer,  Crawford,  Venango, 
and  even  in  Erie  Counties.  In  the  early  forties  of  the  past 
century  some  members  from  Huntingdon  and  Mifflin  Counties 
moved  to  Clarion  County.  Not  finding  a  Brethren  Church 
here  they  called  for  a  preacher  from  the  East.  Elder  Andrew 
Spanogle,  of  Mifflin  County,  responded  to  their  call,  and  after 
making  several  missionary  tours  he  moved  out  himself. 
Brother  Spanogle  w^as  a  missionary  in  a  double  sense.  While 
he  carried  the  Gospel  to  these  pioneers,  he  also  bought  a 
woolen  mill  and  built  a  gristmill,  thus  encouraging  sheep-rais- 
ing and  agriculture. 

Brother  Spandgle  was  a  man  of  good  report  and  apt  to 
teach,  so  his  labors  in  the  ministry  were  quite  successful.  We 
do  not  know  when  the  organization  was  effected.  Elder 
Spanogle  moved  here  in  1847.  So  did  John  Goodman  and 
several  other  families.  Spanogle  moved  back  to  Huntingdon 
County  in  1849.  In  the  meantime  Brother  John  Goodman 
had  been  elected  to  the  ministry.  About  1852  David  Eshel- 
man  moved  in,  and  a  year  later,  his  son  Andrew,  a  deacon, 
settled  at  Salem,  same  county.  About  this  time  it  seems  the 
church  was  organized.  Elder  Eshelman's  preaching  was  most- 
ly in  German.  Brother  Goodman  was  a  careful  reasoner  and 
very  accurate  in  his  eiforts.  Elder  Eshelman  died  at  Mohrs- 
ville,  Pennsylvania,  at  the  age  of  seventy-two.  Brother  Good- 
man moved  to  Bond  County,  Illinois,  where  he  died. 

Elder  Eshelman  often  preached  at  Red  Bank,  Fryburg, 
and  other  points.  He  traveled  long  distances  on  horseback. 
In  1860,  he  in  company  wuth  Joseph  Shumaker,  attended  love 
feast  at  Shade  and  Conemaugh.  George  Wood  was  elected  to 
the  ministry  about  1855,  being  the  second  minister  elected. 
Soon  after  Elders  Goodman  and  Eshelman  moved  away  he 
was  ordained  to  the  eldershij).  G.  W.  Shively  was  called  to 
the  ministry  soon  after  Brother  Wood.    These  two  labored  to- 


68  HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

gether  a  long  time.    Brotlicr  Shively  was  disabled  by  paralysis 
before  the  death  of  Elder  W^ood. 

During  the  troublous  times  of  the  early  eighties  this 
church  suffered  irreparable  loss.  Disloyal  preachers  from 
other  places  came  in  and  tried  to  get  an  estrangement  worked 
up  between  the  elder  and  the  younger  members.  One  of 
these  succeeded  in  getting  the  majority  of  the  members  on 
his  side ;  then  he  suddenly  decamped  one  night  to  escape 
violent  treatment.  Elder  W'ood  now  labored  to  regain  the  con- 
fidence of  the  misled  members,  but  they  were  so  thoroughly 
influenced  against  him  that  they  had  no  more  confidence  in 
either  party.  Brother  C.  A.  Wood  was  elected  to  the  min- 
istry some  time  before  the  death  of  his  father.  He  made 
several  unsuccessful  efTorts  to  raise  money  to  i)ut  a  new  roof 
on  the  old  meetinghouse.  The  church's  influence  was  so  much 
disturbed  that  he  could  not  get  satisfactory  audiences,  and  so 
became  discouraged  and  united  with  the  Church  of  God  and 
now  preaches  in  Cleveland,  Ohio.  About  half  of  the  mem- 
bers went  with  the  Progressives,  but  they  have  not  made  a 
success  of  the  work.  The  loyal  membership  dwindled  down 
until  there  were  only  a  few  members  left.  Joseph  Holsopple 
and  J.  H.  Beer  at  dififerent  times  had  charge  of  the  work. 
H.  A.  Stahl  was  sent  there  by  the  Mission  Board,  but  lie 
found  only  a  few  disheartened  members  left,  some  having 
died  and  others  united   with  other  churches. 

The  following  brethren  were  called  to  the  ministry  at 
dififerent  times,  but  did  not  lal)or  in  the  office:  Henry  Cornish, 
Rali)h  Boyer,  Kd.  Mail  and  John  Swab.  The  following  names 
have  been  handed  in  as  deacons  :  Henry  Kline,  Ed.  Mail.  Isaiah 
Weder  and  John  Swab.  The  following  named  visiting  min- 
isters did  more  or  less  ])reaching  for  them:  G.  W.  Brum- 
baugh, Samuel  Lidy,  J.  \V.  Ikumbaugh.  Leonard  Eurr}', 
Jose])h  licrkey,  Hiram  Musselman.  Samuel  lirallier,  Peter 
Beer,  Jesse  P.  Hetrick  and  Samuel  Wilt.  This  is  a  sad  his- 
tory to  record,  but  it  shows  us  plainly  the  result  of  division 
and  strife. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  69 

CONEMAUGH. 

The  Conemaugh  congregation,  brief  mention  of  which  is 
made  in  Chapter  III,  ranks  as  one  of  the  oldest  in  the  District. 
According  to  the  best  inff)rmation  obtainable,  some  members 
had  located  here  before  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century. 
Elder  Peter  Maugen  (Morgan)  moved  here  from  Hagerstown, 
Maryland,  about  1797,  and  bought  a  tract  of  land  from  Lud- 
wig  Wissinger.  For  this  tract  of  land,  containing  120  acres, 
he  secured  a  warrant,  dated  April  4,  1798,  in  which  article  the 
tract  of  land  is  called  Society  Hill.  It  was  then  situated  in 
Quemahoning  Township,  Somerset  County,  but  is  now  in  Stony 
Creek  Township,  Cambria  County.  June  8,  1799,  he  paid  a 
surveyor  forty  shillings  for  surveying  said  tract.  Elder  Mau- 
gen was  one  of  the  first  ministers  who  settled  in  this  part  of 
the  State. 

According  to  Howard  Miller's  "  Record  of  the  Faith- 
ful "  this  church  was  organized  in  1810.  It  then  embraced  the 
northern  part  of  Somerset  County,  all  of  Cambria  County  and 
the  eastern  part  of  Indiana  County,  or  in  other  words,  it  in- 
cluded all  the  territory  now  occupied  by  Johnstown,  West 
Johnstown,  Morrellville,  Pleasant  Hill,  Scalp  Level,  Rummel, 
Shade  Creek  and  a  part  of  Manor  congregations,  with  a  total 
membership  of  approximately  2,550.  In  addition  to  this  the 
Brethren  (Progressives)  have  in  this  same  territory  organ- 
izations in  Johnstown,  Moxham,  Morrellville,  Rosedale,  Vinco, 
Pike,  Windber,  Conemaugh  with  about  1,750  members. 

John  Mineely,  an  eighteen-year  old  son  of  "  Erin,"  in 
order  to  escape  military  service  came  to  America,  and  in 
October  6,  1809,  married  Elder  Maugen's  daughter  Elizabeth. 
Young  Mineely  united  with  the  church  and  became  one  of  its 
earliest  and  most  active  ministers  and  elders.  He  settled  above 
Conemaugh  on  a  tract  of  land,  which  for  years  was  called 
Mineely  Hill,  later  Giffin  Hill,  and  now  Locust  Grove. 

Levi  Roberts,  of  W'elsh  ancestry,  who  had  come  here 
with  his  parents  in  1803,  filled  the  offices  of  deacon,  minister 
and  elder  in  succession,  and  was  for  many  years  one  of  the 
prominent  elders,  not  only  in  his  home  church,  but  also  over 


70  HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH   OF   THE 

Western  Pennsylvania.  Elder  Roberts  usually  walked  to  his 
places  of  preaching. 

Jacob  Stutzman,  who  came  here  from  Franklin  County,  of 
German  descent,  and  married  Susan  Ullery,  also  became  one 
of  the  earnest  and  sincere  early  elders  of  the  Conemaugh 
church.  He  settled  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Stony  Creek,  on 
a  farm  that  is  now  occupied  by  the  eighth  ward  of  the  city  of 
Johnstown.  Here  he  erected  a  house  30x40  feet,  two  stories 
high,  and  fitted  out  the  upper  story  for  holding  meetings  and 
love  feasts.  His  services  were  in  the  German  language. 
These  three  elders,  of  three  different  nationalities,  labored  to- 
gether many  years,  and  it  is  said  they  nearly  always  agreed 
on  points  of  doctrine  and  church  government.  At  one  time, 
however,  they  disagreed  on  a  certain  point  of  doctrine.  The 
dispute  was  continued  for  about  a  week,  when  they  settled  the 
difference  among  themselves,  manifesting  a  good  spirit. 

Daniel  Ullery  is  rei)resented  as  having  been  an  elder  in 
1818. 

Samuel  Lidy,  who  lived  on  the  banks  of  the  Conemaugh 
River,  just  above  where  the  town  of  East  Conemaugh  now 
stands,  came  on  the  scene  of  action  a  little  later.  Peter  Lutz, 
an  able  preacher,  lived  near  Vinco.  It  is  said  that  he  some- 
times went  to  church  barefooted,  which  was  not  uncommon  in 
those  days.  He  moved  to  the  West  in  1844,  and  in  1856  was 
located  at  Keokuk,  Iowa.  David  Albaugh,  when  well  advanced 
in  years,  moved  here  from  l^>lair  County.  He  was  a  minister. 
He  died  March  2,  1867,  aged  79  years,  6  months  and  7  days, 
and  is  buried  in  Angus  burying  ground.  Jacob  O.  Waters 
was  elected  here  and  followed  Elders  Stutzman  and  Roberts 
in  the  oversight  of  the  church  until  he  moved  to  Iowa,  where 
he  died  in  the  Dry  Creek  church,  Linn  County,  October  20, 
1872,  aged  69  years,  3  months  and  26  days.  Samuel  Berkey 
was  probably  elected  in  the  Shade  arm  of  the  Conemaugh 
church,  but  after  marrying  Mary  Stutzman,  daughter  of  Eld- 
er Jacob  Stutzman,  lived  on  Benshoff  Hill,  wliore  he  died 
January  29,  1852.  aged  26  years  and  5  months.  Abraham 
Stutzman,  son  of  the  elder  Stutzman,  was  called  to  the  min- 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  71 

istry,  and  subsequently  to  the  eldership,  and  after  Elder 
Waters  moved  West,  became  the  elder  in  charge,  until  he,  too, 
moved  to  Ohio. 

Other  ministers  elected  (perhaps  not  in  the  order  given) 
were:  Eli  Benshoff,  Henry  Goughnour,  1855,  Lewis  Cobaugh, 
1855;  Aaron  Berkebile,  Solomon  Benshoff,  May  20,  1855; 
John  M.  Harshberger  and  Charles  Roberts,  Joseph  S.  Burk- 
hart,  Stephen  Hildebrand,  July  4,  1865 ;  William  Byers,  1866 ; 
Samuel  Shaffer,  David  Hildebrand,  Benjamin  Goughnour, 
1875 ;  Dicen  F.  Ramsey  and  Daniel  W.  Crofford,  May  3,  1877. 

Besides  the  above,  Samuel  Brallier  and  Daniel  Brallier 
moved  in  from  the  Manor  congregation,  George  Hanawalt, 
from  near  McVeytown,  Pennsylvania,  and  Wesley  A.  Adams 
from  the  Middle  Creek  congregation. 

John  Mineely  died  June  2,  1852,  aged  nearly  69  years, 
and  was  buried  on  his  farm.  Eli  Benshoff  died  April  24, 
1855,  aged  49  years,  6  months  and  3  days,  and  is  buried  on 
Benshoff  Hill.  Jacob  Stutzman  died  in  1859,  at  the  age  of 
82  years.  He  was  buried  in  Benshoff  Hill  cemetery.  Levi 
Roberts  died  December  6,  1860,  aged  81  years,  9  months  and 
27  days.  He  is  buried  in  the  Angus  burying  ground.  Lewis 
Cobaugh  died  November  17,  1869,  aged  36  years,  2  months  and 
11  days. 

Henry  Goughnour  moved  to  Iowa ;  Aaron  Berkebile  also 
moved  West.  Charles  Roberts  moved  to  Iowa,  and  subse- 
quently united  with  another  denomination.  Daniel  Brallier 
moved  to  Altoona.  Joseph  S.  Burkhart  had  moved  to  Shade 
Creek,  but  moved  back  again. 

It  would  seem,  from  the  best  information  at  hand,  that  the 
elders  who  had  the  oversight  of  the  church,  in  their  order 
were:  Peter  Maugen,  John  Mineely,  Levi  Roberts,  Jacob 
Stutzman,  Jacob  O.  Waters,  Abraham  Stutzman.  and  Samuel 
Brallier  and  Solomon  Benshoff. 

The  following  are  known  to  have  served  the  old  Cone- 
maugh  church  in  the  capacity  of  deacons :  Levi  Roberts,  Wil- 
liam Roberts,  Jacob  Good,  Daniel  Diamond,  Jacob  Giffin, 
Joseph  Cobaugh   (captain),  John  Strayer,  George  Berkebile, 


72  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

Daniel  Goughnour,  Samuel  Lidy,  Christian  (ioughnour,  Jacob 
Hoffman,  Stephen  Hildebrand,  Stephen  Stutzman,  David  Hil- 
debrand,  Jacob  Ribblett,  David  Stutzman,  Joscj)b  Burkhart, 
Christian  Good,  John  A.  Strayer,  Jonathan  Berkcbile,  David 
Berkebile,  A.  D.  Goughnour,  Jacob  Wertz,  vSamuel  Gough- 
nour, Josiah  Goughnour,  John  M.  Harshberger,  Archibald 
Wissinger,  B.  F.  Wissinger,  John  Wissinger,  Jacob  Berkey, 
Samuel  Knavel,  Benjamin  Benshoff,  Jacob  McCartney, 
Frederick  Grove,  Daniel  Stutzman,  L.  R.  Brallier,  and  Jesse 
Berkebile. 

More  than  sixty-five  years  ago  the  first  meetinghouse  was 
built  at  what  was  called  Horner's,  on  the  line  between  Jack- 
son and  Taylor  Townshii)s.  This  was  not  a  love-feast  house, 
and  not  a  very  large  one.  The  next  meetinghouse  was  erected 
on  Benshoff  Hill,  about  sixty-three  years  ago  (in  1853).  The 
next  church  built  was  the  one  on  Giffin  Hill.  A  union  church 
vi^as  built  at  Headrick's  cemetery  in  1870,  in  which  the  Breth- 
ren had  a  share.  Tliis  church  was  used  mostly  for  funerals. 
Later  the  Pike  church  was  built.  In  the  course  of  time  the 
old  Horner  house  was  replaced  by  a  large  love- feast  house, 
50x80  feet.  Benshoff  Hill  and  Gifi^n  Hill  also  were  either 
remodeled  or  rebuilt. 

So  far  this  history  refers  to  activities  prior  to  1879.  The 
church  had  prospered  wonderfully,  the  membership  having 
grown  to  about  525  members,  and  the  crowds  at  the  love 
feasts  at  the  Horner  church  were  something  wonderful.  "  On 
love-feast  occasions  members  came  here  from  Bedford,  Som- 
erset and  Indiana  Counties;  many  of  them  came  on  foot  or 
on  horseback  from  a  distance  the  day  before  the  feast  and  re- 
mained until  the  day  after  the  feast.  Sometimes  there  were 
a  hundred  or  two  hundred  and  fifty  who  came  from  a  dis- 
tance and  were  given  meals  and  lodging  in  the  meetinghouse. 
On  such  occasions  two  bullocks  and  two  barrels  of  flour  were 
consumed.  The  cost  of  one  of  these  feasts  was  estimated 
at  $96  worth  of  meat,  flour,  feed,  etc."  (Quotation  from 
"  The  Conemaughers.") 

For  several  years  there  were  clamors  for  a  division  of  this 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  7Z 

large  congregation,  but  every  time  it  failed  to  carry.  But 
June  12,  1879,  it  was  decided  to  divide  into  two  congrega- 
tions. This  was  done  August  7,  1879.  Conemaugh  retained 
two  regular  appointments,  four  preachers,  eight  deacons  and 
nearly  two  hundred  members.  The  new  congregation,  named 
Johnstown,  had  six  or  seven  regular  appointments,  six  preach- 
ers, eight  deacons  and  between  three  hundred  and  four  hun- 
dred members. 

For  a  few  years  after  the  division  things  moved  along 
nicely  enough,  but  the  days  of  trouble  and  dissension  came 
in  the  early  eighties,  and  by  the  time  all  was  over  the  Cone- 
maugh church  had  but  a  remnant  of  members  left,  with  one 
meetinghouse  and  one  minister. 

For  a  number  of  years  regular  meetings  and  love  feasts 
were  held  at  Horner's.  After  C.  F.  Detweiler  moved  to 
Johnstown,  in  1884,  he  helped  along  considerably  with  the 
work  for  some  time.  Other  of  the  Johnstown  ministers  also 
preached  there,  but  the  membership,  still  getting  smaller,  after 
several  attempts  Conemaugh  was  consolidated  with  Johnstown, 
October  16,  1890,  and  the  former  was  dropped  from  the  list, 

Several  years  later  meetings  were  entirely  discontinued, 
the  house  was  sold  and  torn  down,  and  the  dear  old  sacred  spot 
lives  only  in  the  memories  of  the  older  generation.  Not  even 
a  picture  is  obtainable.  But  we  are  glad  to  be  able  to  say  that 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren  had  not  died  in  the  Conemaugh 
Valley,  as  will  be  manifest  when  reading  the  histories  of  the 
Johnstown  and  West  Johnstown  congregations. 

COWANSHANNOCK. 

The  Cowanshannock  congregation  originally  covered  all 
of  Armstrong  County  east  of  the  Allegheny  River  as  well  as 
a  large  part  of  Indiana  County.  It  is  almost  impossible  at 
this  late  date  to  ascertain  the  names  of  the  first  Brethren  who 
settled  here,  or  from  where  they  moved.  It  seems  almost 
certain,  however,  that  the  Rairighs  were  among  the  first.  They 
moved  from  Virginia.  Other  names  that  occur  quite  early  are 
Wells,  Shumaker,  Whitacre,  Beer,  Helman,  White,  Kimmel, 
Secrist,  Beck,  Spicher,  Cravener,  Fry,  and  others. 


74  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

It  seems  certain  that  the  first  preaching  done  there  was  by 
Elders  Levi  Roberts  and  John  Mineely,  of  the  old  Cone- 
maugh  congregation,  and  that  among  the  first  persons  bai)tized 
were  some  of  the  Rairigh  family,  notably  George.  This,  Sis- 
ter Clark  thinks,  was  somewhere  between  1820  and  1830. 
George  Rairigh  was  the  first  minister  elected  to  the  ministry 
in  this  section,  which  occurred  probably  a  few  years  before  the 
congregation  was  organized,  though  it  might  have  taken  place 
at  the  time  of  the  organization.  Brother  Rairigh  was  not  an 
educated  man,  being  scarcely  able  to  read  his  text  at  the  time 
of  his  call  to  this  holy  calling.  But  his  industry-,  perseverance 
and  loyal  devotion  to  the  cause  knew  no  bounds.  This  helped 
him  to  overcome  many  of  the  difficulties  that  loom  up  in  the 
way  of  missionary  effort.  By  his  intense  earnestness  and 
self-sacrifice  he  opened  mission  stations  at  a  large  number  of 
points,  so  that  it  re(|uired  twenty-six  weeks  to  give  meetings 
to  each  point. 

When  it  comes  to  the  date  of  the  organization  of  the  con- 
gregation we  have  three  different  years  given.  Miller's 
"  Record  of  the  Faithful  "  gives  1830,  the  "  History  of  Arm- 
strong County  "  gives  the  date  of  organization  1832,  and  Hol- 
singer  thinks  it  was  in  1834.  Meetings  continued  to  be  held  in 
the  homes  of  the  members,  or  perhaps  also  in  schoolhouses, 
until  about  1845,  when  the  first  meetinghouse  was  erected  on 
land  given  by  John  Whitacre.  It  was  a  frame  structure,  with 
a  kitchen  at  the  rear  end,  and  was  continuously  in  use  until 
about  1881,  when  the  present  house  was  built.  At  the  time  the 
second  house  was  built  William  Rairigh  gave  additional  ad- 
jacent land.  The  present  house  is  claimed  by  the  Progressive 
Brethren,  tht^ugh  not  much  used  by  them. 

In  the  course  of  some  years  Brother  Rairigh  was  ordained 
to  the  eldership  and  others  were  called  to  the  ministry.  Sev- 
eral brethren  by  the  name  of  Shumaker  were  installed  north  of 
the  Mahoning  River.  Joseph  Shumaker  was  ordained  to  the 
eldership  and  proved  an  efficient  worker  and  an  effective 
speaker.  Levi  Wells,  Samuel  Rairigh,  and  subsec|uently 
Robert  Whitacre,  were  installed  and  did  some  good  work.    In 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  75 

addition  to  Elders  Roberts  and  Mineely,  above  named,  it  is 
but  proper  to  name  other  brethren  who  came  here  from  a  dis- 
tance, and  did  some  preaching:  Jacob  Stutzman,  James  Quin- 
ter,  James  Kelso,  and  Graybill  Meyers.  Later  the  church 
elected  Lewis  Kimmel,  Solomon  Beer  and  J.  W.  Beer. 

The  church  prospered  and  gained  in  numerical  strength 
until  it  was  thought  good  to  divide  the  original  congregation 
into  three  congregations.  This  was  done  in  1862.  The  north- 
ern part  was  called  Red  Bank,  the  central  part  retained  the  old 
name,  Cowanshannock,  and  the  southern  part  was  named 
Plum  Creek,  all  named  from  principal  streams  of  water  and 
townships  in  which  they  are  located. 

Prior  to  this,  about  1842,  Samuel  Lidy  moved  into  the 
eastern  part  of  Indiana  County  to  minister  to  the  spiritual 
wants  of  a  number  of  members  who  had  moved  from  Cambria, 
Bedford  and  Somerset  Counties.  In  the  interest  of  peace 
and  good  understanding  as  to  territorial  lines,  there  was  an 
agreement  arrived  at  that  Elder  Lidy  should  have  the  oversight 
of  the  church  on  the  south  side  of  the  old  Purchase  Line  from 
Cherry  Tree,  on  the  Susquehanna  River,  westward  to  the 
point  where  the  said  line  crosses  the  Mahoning  Road  leading 
from  Indiana  to  Punxsutawney,  thence  along  said  road  south- 
ward to  Philadelphia  Street,  in  Indiana  Town,  thence  from 
said  street  along  the  Blairsville  Road  to  Blacklick  Creek,  which 
is  the  original  boundary  between  the  original  Conemaugh 
congregation  and  the  territory  now  under  consideration. 

About  1852  there  was  another  arrangement  that  the  coun- 
try east  of  the  Mahoning  Road  and  north  of  Purchase  Line 
should  be  erected  into  a  new  congregation  called  Montgomery. 
Solomon  Beer  died  and  J.  W.  Beer  became  an  influential  min- 
ister. He  moved  to  the  West,  but  after  several  years  he  re- 
turned and  devoted  some  time  to  literary  work.  He  pub- 
lished a  work  entitled,  "  The  Passover  and  the  Lord's  Supper." 

In  addition  to  the  ministers  already  named  there  were 
elected  to  that  sacred  office,  at  diflferent  times,  Brethren  J. 
B.  \\^ampler,  J.  A\^  Wilt,  S.  W.  Wilt,  J.  W.  Smouse  and 
Eugene  H.  Smith.     These  all  proved  themselves  able  men  in 


76  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

the  pulpit,  and  the  old  Covvanshannock  congregation  gained 
a  reputation  as  a  preacher  factory. 

Then  came  the  days  of  the  division,  when  all  the  last- 
named  ministers  except  J.  W.  Wilt,  and  perhaps  two-thirds  of 
the  memhership,  went  with  the  Progressives.  Brother  Wilt 
moved  to  Altoona,  Pennsylvania,  was  ordained  and  labored 
for  that  congregation  many  years.  The  membership  gradually 
decreased  until  only  a  few  remained.  All  the  officials  had 
either  died  or  left,  leaving  those  remaining  without  an  organ- 
ization. Several  years  ago  these  members  were  recommended 
to  the  care  of  the  Plum  Creek  congregation  by  action  of  the 
District  Meeting. 

A\'ithin  the  last  few  years  efforts  have  been  made  to  re- 
vive the  work  at  Cowanshannock.  In  1913  Elder  L.  R.  Hol- 
singer  did  some  preaching  there  in  connection  with  his  work 
at  Red  Bank.  In  the  fall  of  that  year  a  Sunday-school  was 
organized  with  Brother  Robert  McMillan,  superintendent. 
Brother  McMillan  having  moved  to  Marion  Centre,  Brother 
Edgar  Kimmel,  of  the  Plum  Creek  congregation,  was  chosen 
to  take  his  place,  and  since  February,  1914,  has  been  doing 
faithful  work  for  them.  Few  brethren  are  making  the  sac- 
rifice that  Brother  Kimmel  has  made  the  i)ast  two  years,  driv- 
ing weekly  from  Plum  Creek  to  Cowanshannock  and  l)ack. 
T'ut  he  is  seeing  the  fruits  of  his  labors.  During  the  last  few 
years  Elders  L.  R.  Holsinger,  H.  S.  Rcplogle,  G.  K.  W^alker 
and  H.  B.  Heisey  have  done  considerable  preaching  there, 
and  a  number  have  been  baptized.  The  jjrescnt  membership  is 
ten  and  a  number  more  are  applicants.  Unless  the  two  branch- 
es of  the  church  unite  it  is  ])r()bal)lc  a  new  mcetinghf)usc  will 
be  built  in  the  near  future. 

Going  back  to  the  early  days  of  Cowanshannock,  wc  are 
told  that  for  many  years  the  meetings  were  held  either  in  the 
houses  or  barns  of  Jacob  Beer.  Edward  W'clls.  John  .Secrist, 
Peter  Beck,  Joseph  Spicher,  George  Rairigh,  Chr>'stal  Craven- 
er.  Jesse  Shumaker.  William  Rairigh.  Daniel  Fry  and  Tobias 
Kimmel.  The  Cowanshannock.  or  Slate  Hill,  cemetery  is  a 
mile  southeast  of  the  church  and  is  still  used  as  a  burying 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  11 

ground  by  the  Brethren  and  others.  The  land  occupied  by  the 
cemetery  was  given  by  Elder  George  Rairigh,  and  his  father, 
John  Rairigh,  was  probably  the  first  to  be  buried  there. 

At  the  time  the  first  house  was  built  the  trustees  were 
Levi  Wells,  William  Rairigh  and  John  Rairigh,  and  to  them 
the  deed  for  the  plot  of  ground  was  made  by  John  Whitacre 
and  Elizabeth,  his  wife.  The  second  plot  of  ground  was  deed- 
ed to  Philip  Harmon,  Jesse  Rairigh  and  William  K.  Rairigh, 
trustees  of  the  Brethren  (or  German  Baptist)  Church,  by 
Elizabeth  Rairigh,  of  Cowanshannock  Township,  Armstrong 
County.  It  was  made  on  December  22,  1881.  The  only  early 
deacons  whose  names  have  come  to  me  are  John  Rairigh, 
Leonard  White,  Edward  W'ells  and  Jacob  Wells. 

DUNNINGS  CREEK  CONGREGATION. 

By  Elder  John  B.  Miller. 

This  congregation  comprises  St.  Clair  and  Napier  Town- 
ships, Bedford  County,  Pennsylvania,  and  lies  along  the  east- 
ern foothills  of  the  Alleghany  Mountains.  April  1,  1841, 
George  M.  Holsinger,  a  deacon,  and  George  Stull,  a  lay  mem- 
ber, moved  from  Morrison's  Cove  to  Dunnings  Creek.  They 
found  John  Garber,  a  fine  man  and  a  minister  in  the  first  de- 
gree, but  too  timid  to  preach,  and  four  or  six  other  members. 
These,  with  some  others  that  moved  here,  formed  a  small 
colony  of  Brethren.  About  1843  George  M.  Holsinger  and 
Moses  Rogers  were  elected  to  the  ministry,  and,  I  think, 
Robert  Callahan,  deacon.  In  the  fall  of  1843  they  began  the 
building,  of  a  log  meetinghouse,  which  was  completed  in  1844. 
This  house  is  still  standing  at  the  graveyard,  but  is  not  fit  to 
hold  any  services  in.  This  house  is  in  St.  Clair  Township. 
The  land  (three-fourths  of  an  acre)  and  the  timber  for  the 
house  were  given  by  Friend  Christian  Mock  for  five  dollars. 
Mock's  wife  was  a  member. 

Until  George  M.  Holsinger  and  Moses  Rogers  had  gotten 
some  practice,  much  of  the  ])reaching  was  done  by  Brethren 
Martin   Miller,  Christian   Long,  the  Brumbaughs,  Holsingers 


78  HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Tlic   Old    Mock    Church,    Diinnintrs    Creek    ConirrcKation, 
erected  in  1843  and  1844. 

and  Snovvl)crgers.  But  as  this  preaching  was  in  the  Cicrman 
language,  which  was  not  so  well  understood  in  this  valley, 
they  found  it  advantageous  to  call  upon  the  Conemaugh 
lirethren  for  English  i)reaching.  Levi  Roberts,  nearly  seventy 
years  old,  and  Peter  Lutz,  not  nearly  so  old,  would  walk  twen- 
ty miles  across  the  Alleghanies  to  preach  for  them.  John 
Minecley,  a  crijjple,  would  come  horseback  about  every  four 
weeks  and  have  about  three  services  each  time. 

There  was  a  Mennonite  preacher,  by  the  name  of  Snyder, 
whose  wife  belonged  to  the  Brethren,  and  when  their  daughter 
also  united  with  them  he  became  so  angry  that  while  she  was 
asleep  he  shaved  one  side  of  her  head  close  to  the  skin. 

About  the  year  LSSO  or  1851  John  S.  Holsinger  was  elect- 
ed to  the  ministry,  and  his  brother,  Thomas  S.  Holsinger,  to 
the  deacon's  office.  In  1858  John  B.  Furry  was  elected  min- 
ister and  John  Rogers  deacon.  John  B.  Furry  died  in  18(j3 
and  Moses  Rogers  moved  to  Iowa.  April  24,  1862,  George 
M.  Holsinger  died.  January  2,  1864,  Gideon  Rogers  and  John 
Rogers  were  elected  sjjcakers.  August  26,  1865,  Joseph  Hol- 
singer and  John  B.  Miller  were  elected  deacons.  In  1870 
wc  built  the  Holsinger  meetinghouse.   This  is  a  love-feast  house. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


79 


Holsinger    Church,    Dunnings    Creek    Congregration. 


Before  this  we  held  our  love  feasts  in  barns.  January  15, 
1871,  John  B.  Miller  was  elected  speaker  and  George  Calla- 
han and  Christian  S.  Holsinger  deacons.  John  S.  Holsinger 
was  ordained  to  the  eldership  and  the  Dunnings  Creek  church 
was  organized.  From  1841  to  1871  we  were  a  branch  of  the 
Yellow  Creek  church. 

Most  of  these  years  we  held  our  own  councils,  love  feasts, 
etc.  In  1858  John  S.  Holsinger  moved  to  Iowa,  lived  there 
some  years,  and  then  returned.  In  1875  John  B.  Miller  was 
advanced  to  the  second  degree,  Christian  S.  Holsinger  was 
elected  speaker,  and  Archibald  Wissinger  and  Albert  Black- 
bum  were  elected  deacons.  June  13,  1885,  Levi  Rogers  was 
elected  speaker,  and  Henry  Wentz,  Robert  Callahan  and 
Elias  Snowberger  deacons.  June  23,  1889,  David  B.  Rowzer 
and  Michael  S.  Miller  were  elected  deacons.  In  1893  Elder 
John  S.  Holsinger  moved  to  Brentsville,  Prince  William  Coun- 
ty, Virginia,  where  he  died  November  8,  1910.     September  7, 

1894,  George  H.  Miller  was  elected  to  the  ministry.    June  8, 

1895,  John  B.  Miller  was  ordained  to  the  eldership.  March 
16,  1901,  Thomas  B.  Mickle  and  O.  S.  Corle  were  elected 
speakers  and  James  C.  Smith,  Lewis  Gorden  and  Samuel  D. 
Lape  deacons.  October  15,  1901,  Levi  Rogers  was  ordained 
to  the  eldership. 


80 


HISTORY    OF   THE    CHURCH    OF   THE 


New    Paris    Church,    Uunnings    Creek    Congregration. 

In  about  1874  we  were  transferred  from  the  Middle  Dis- 
trict to  the  Western  by  permission  of  both  Districts.  In  1893 
we  built  the  Point  meetinghouse,  and  in  1905  we  built  one  in 
New  Paris.  Our  territory  extends  twelve  miles  east  and  west 
and  twenty-five  miles  north  and  south,  and  is  a  hard  territory 
to  work.  One  reason  our  membership  has  remained  small  is 
that  we  have  lost  very  heavily  by  emigration.  Over  100  cer- 
tificates have  been  granted,  our  members  having  scattered  from 
\'irginia  to  California.     Nearly  100  of  our  members  have  died. 

October  9,  1912,  Elder  John  B.  Miller,  the  writer  of  the 
above,  died. 

June  27,  1909,  Andrew  D.  Rowzer  and  Jesse  Smith  were 
elected  deacons.  October  3,  1913,  George  M.  Smith  and 
William  P>lackburn,  and  May  14,  1915,  E.  F.  Callahan  and 
Jordan  Mock,  were  elected  to  the  same  ofifice.  April  1,  1912, 
Elder  Abraham  Fyock  moved  into  our  congregation  from 
Johnstown.  On  July  14,  1915,  Elder  Levi  Rogers  died.  Both 
Elder  Miller  and  Elder  ivogers  had  shown  much  interest  in 
the  success  of  this  work.  Pictures  and  l)iographies  of  both 
ai)pear  in  their  ])ropcr  ])laces.  .Surely  our  standard  bearers 
are  falling! 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  81 


Dunnings    Creek    Ministers — I>eft    to    Risht,    I^evi    Rogers,    Abraham    Fyock, 
George   H.   3Iiller   and   Tliomas   B.   3Iickle. 

On  September  15,  1915,  Brother  Thomas  B.  Mickle  was 
ordained  to  the  eldership.  The  officials  at  present  are :  Eld- 
ers, Abraham  Fyock  and  Thomas  B.  Mickle ;  minister, 
George  H.  Miller;  deacons,  Elias  Snowberger,  David  B. 
Rowzer,  Michael  S.  Miller,  George  M.  Smith,  Jesse  C.  Smith, 
Andrew  Rowzer,  William  Blackburn,  E.  F.  Callahan  and 
Jordan  Mock.  They  have  three  Sunday-schools,  with  a  total 
enrollment  of  about  one  hundred  and  fifty.  Their  member- 
ship is  nearly  ninety. 

ELK  LICK  CONGREGATION. 

By  Elder  Conrad   G.  Lint. 

The  history  of  the  German  Baptist  Brethren  Church 
(now  the  Church  of  the  Brethren)  in  \Vestern  Pennsylvania 
dates  back  to  as  early  as  the  year  1760  or  1762,  when  the 
Brethren  began  to  emigrate  from  the  eastern  part  of  the  State. 
Crossing  the  Alleghany  Mountains  they  settled  in  what  was 
known  as  "  the  Glades,"  or  Stony  Creek,  just  west  of  the 
mountains.  The  territory  spread  westward  and  northward, 
parallel  with  the  mountain  range,  and  southward  a  distance 
of  twelve  miles  to  the  Casselman  River,  west  of  Meyersdale, 


82  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

They  also  settled  on  the  Elk  Lick  and  Flaugherty  Creeks,  the 
former  flowing  eastward  and  emptying  into  the  Casselman 
River  west  of  Meyersdalc,  and  the  latter  flowing  westward  and 
cmj)tying  into  the  Casselman  River  possibly  450  yards  above 
the  former,  the  Casselman  flowing  westward  into  the  Ohio. 

On  the  three  streams  mentioned  the  Brethren  began  the 
work  of  clearing  ground  for  homes  and  establishing  places  of 
worship.  The  Brethren  in  the  "  Glades,"  as  well  as  those  "  on 
the  river,"  held  their  meetings  in  common  and  alternately,  one 
vSunday  in  the  "  Glades  "  and  the  next  Sunday  "  on  the  river." 
The  meetings  were  held  in  barns  and  dwellings  and,  occasion- 
ally, in  schoolhouses,  the  points  of  worship  being  as  many  as 
twelve  and  fifteen  miles  apart;  and  to  the  credit  of  the  old 
veterans  of  the  cross  it  can  be  said  that  not  only  did  the  min- 
istry attend  these  alternate  meetings  regularly,  but  many  of  the 
laity,  of  both  sexes.  They  would  walk  the  entire  distance,  and, 
as  my  mother  has  fre(|uently  told  me,  in  their  bare  feet  for 
most  of  the  distance.  They  would  start  from  home  early  in 
the  morning  and  return  in  the  evening,  the  rule  being  that 
after  the  services  refreshments  were  served  and  horses  cared 
for  free  at  the  place  where  the  meeting  was  held,  the  expense 
being  borne  l)y  the  family  residing  at  that  point. 

T  have  in  my  possession  a  "  Farsomliings  Briefly,"  which 
I  prize  very  highly  on  account  of  its  age,  having  been  published 
about  seventy-five  years  ago.  It  contains  a  roster  of  the  for- 
mer church  fathers,  and  other  information,  among  it  being 
(he  names  of  the  heads  of  forty  families,  twenty  residing  in 
the  "  ( ilades  "  and  twenty  "  on  the  river." 

That  those  of  this  generation  may  know  who  they  were, 
we  co[)y  their  names  in  the  order  that  they  appear  in  the 
"  Briefly  " :  .Samuel  Meyer.  David  Biechly.  John  Schrock, 
Jacob  Miller.  John  Groner,  Elias  Buechly,  Jacob  Cober,  David 
Lichty,  John  Miller,  .Samuel  Barkley,  Jacob  Schrock,  Chris- 
tian Gnagey.  Henry  TIauger,  John  Lichty,  George  Schrock. 
William  Miller.  John  Cober,  John  Barkley.  Samuel  Forney, 
.Samuel  Miller.  Peter  Cober,  David  Liebengood,  Widow  Good. 
Samuel  Flickinger,  Jacob  Meyer,  Jacob  Fike,  Tobias  Musser, 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  83 

John  Meyer,  John  Buechley,  Widow  FUckinger,  Widow  Weg- 
ley,  John  Fike,  Jacob  Blough,  Samuel  Lichty,  Jonathan  Kim- 
mell,  Jacob  Lichty,  Daniel  Walker,  Jacob  Barkley,  Peter  Mil- 
ler, Daniel  Lichty.  It  was  in  the  houses  of  these,  or  in  their 
barns,  that  the  meetings  were  held  throughout  the  year.  This 
was  known  as  the  Big  Glades  church,  and  was  presided  over 
by  Michael  Moyer,  St.,  John  Forney,  Sr.,  and  Peter  Cober. 

In  the  year  1845  the  Berlin  Brethren  built  a  meetinghouse 
north  of  Berlin,  known  as  the  Grove  church,  and  in  1846  the 
Elk  Lick  Brethren  built  the  house  now  used  by  the  congrega- 
tion known  as  Summit  Mills.  The  agitation  for  the  division  of 
"  Glade  "  and  "  River"  congregations  began  as  early  as  1844, 
and  after  the  division  came  these  congregations  were  known 
as  Berlin  and  Elk  Lick.  The  fact  of  the  matter  is  that  the 
final  division  of  the  congregation  was  made  in  the  year  1849, 
when,  after  the  two  houses  of  worshiji  were  buiif,  at  the  An- 
nual Meeting  held  at  Berlin  a  committee  was  apjiointed  to 
officiate  in  the  matter,  and  it  was  this  committee  that  in  the  year 
1849  drew  the  lines  that  now  define  the  l)oundaries  of  the  con- 
gregations of  Berlin,  Quemahoning,  Middle  Creek  and  Elk 
Lick.  They  were  presided  over  as  follows :  Berlin,  Elder 
Peter  Cober;  Quemahoning,  Elder  John  Forney,  Sr.  (this  is 
an  error,  as  Elder  Forney  died  in  1846. — Historian)  ;  Middle 
Creek,  Elder  Henry  Myers ;  Elk  Lick,  Elders  John  Berkley, 
Jr.,  and  Jacob  Lichty.  In  the  Elk  Lick  congregation  there 
were  two  ministers  older  than  those  mentioned,  who  were 
associated  with  the  work  in  that  section  before  the  division  was 
made.  They  were  John  Livengood  and  John  Buechley,  the 
latter  dying  in  1844.  John  Berkley,  Jr.,  died  in  1865.  John 
Berkley,  Jr.  and  Jacob  Lichty  were  the  first  bishops  of  the  Elk 
Lick  congregation,  and  to  assist  them  in  the  ministry,  Breth- 
ren John  B.  Myers  and  Samuel  Berkley,  the  latter  a  brother 
of  the  bishop,  were  elected  to  the  ministry. 

Elk  Lick  at  this  time  had  about  125  earnest,  faithful  mem- 
bers, all  heads  of  families,  and  it  was  a  very  rare  thing  for  a 
single  person  to  belong  to  the  church.  In  1846,  as  noted  al- 
ready, a  large  meetinghouse,  40x110  feet,  was  erected  along 


84 


HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


First   Salisbury    Church,   Elk   Lick    C'onKTcsatiou. 


the  Elk  Lick  Creek,  near  Summit  Mills,  not  far  from  where 
the  Annual  Meeting  was  held  in  1841.  In  1851  a  meeting- 
house was  erected  along  Flaugherty  Creek,  in  Meyers  Mills, 
now  Meyersdale ;  one  on  the  Casselman  River,  near  Salis- 
bury, now  \\' est  Salisbury ;  one  on  the  headwaters  of  the 
Flaugherty  Creek,  in  Greenville  Township,  and  another  at 
Berkley's  Mills,  in  Summit  Township.  Thus  it  will  be  seen 
that  by  the  year  1854  the  Brethren  had  five  meetinghouses  in 
which  to  hold  services,  and  one  schoolhouse  located  in  the 
"  Peck  Comer,"  in  Addison  Township,  now  Elk  Lick  Town- 
ship, where  there  is  now  also  a  meetinghouse.  The  holding  of 
church  serxices  in  dwellings  and  barns  had  now  become  a 
thing  of  the  past.  In  the  year  1852  Brethren  Elias  K.  Buech- 
ley  and  David  Livengood,  who  died  in  1870,  were  called  to 
the  ministry.  In  1854  John  P>.  Meyers  moved  to  Ohio,  and  early 
in  1855  Elder  Jacol)  Lichty  died.  During  the  same  year  Con- 
rad G.  Lint,  Peter  Berkley  (died  in  1865)  and  William  M. 
Horner  (died  in  1872)  were  elected  to  the  ministry.  This  or- 
ganization continued  until  1877,  covering  a  period  of  some 
thirty  years  of  great  faithfulness  and  pr()si)erity,  as  well  as 
many  changes. 

In  1849  the  debate  on  the  subject  of  "  Baptism  "  took  i)lace 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  85 

at  Summit  Mills  church  between  Rev.  Harry  Knepper,  of  the 
German  Reformed  Church,  and  Elder  James  Ouinter.  In  1859 
the  Annual  Meeting  was  held  at  the  same  place,  and  in  1873  at 
Meyersdale.  In  the  year  1865  Elder  Berkley  died,  and  in  1867 
Conrad  G.  Lint  was  ordained.  The  ministers  serving  during 
this  time,  not  already  named,  were  David  Beeghley  (moved 
away  in  1865),  John  Cross  (moved  away  in  1862),  Elias  K. 
Buechley  (moved  away  in  1862),  Jonathan  Kelso,  Jonas 
Lichty,  Silas  C.  Keim,  Joel  Gnagey,  H.  R.  Holsinger  (came 
in  1871,  left  in  1873),  Joseph  W.  Beer  (came  in  1871,  left  in 
1876),  Joseph  B.  Sell,  and  James  Quinter  (came  in  1873,  left 
in  1876). 

Nathaniel  Merrill,  a  minister,  moved  into  the  congrega- 
tion, and  after  residing  here  some  years,  moved  away.  Elder 
Paul  Wetzel  also  lived  in  the  congregation  some  years.  James 
Kelso,  an  elder,  moved  into  the  congregation  in  the  sixties 
and  died  here.  John  B.  Myers  moved  to  Ohio.  Joseph  B. 
Sell  moved  to  the  same  State. 

It  is  hardly  possible  to  get  a  full  list  of  the  earliest  dea- 
cons, but  we  will  begin  naming  them  as  far  back  as  I  can  re- 
member: David  Buechley,  Emanuel  Lichty,  Jonathan  Lichty, 
John  J.  Fike,  W'illiam  Horner,  William  N.  Buechly,  John 
Hollida,  Samuel  Weimer,  C.  G.  Lint,  Peter  Berkley,  Elias 
Berkley,  Samuel  P.  Miller,  Jonathan  Kelso,  Silas  C.  Keim, 
Jonas  Peck,  Henry  Rambolt,  Elijah  Faidly,  Samuel  J.  Fike, 
Samuel  J.  Lichty,  Jonas  Lichty,  James  Murray,  S.  A.  Maust, 
John  Gnagey,  William  G.  Lint,  and  Ezra  Berkley. 

The  membership  in  1877  was  about  six  hundred.  At  this 
lime  the  membership  consisted  not  only  of  heads  of  families, 
1)ut  young  people  were  now  numbered  in  the  fold.  The  writer 
remembers  of  having  baptized  a  little  girl,  up  to  this  time  the 
youngest  yet  baptized  by  our  people  at  this  place.  It  was 
Sadie  Maust,  who  is  now  the  faithful  companion  of  a  worthy 
elder  in  the  South  Waterloo  (Iowa)  congregation.  Coming 
away  from  the  water  an  aged  deacon  tapped  me  gently  on  the 
shoulder  and  said,  "  Brother  Lint,  you  must  quit  preaching 
against  infant  baptism." 


86  HISTORY    OF   THE    CHURCH    OF   THE 

In  tlie  year  18/7  the  Elk  Lick  congregation  was  divided 
int(j  three  congregations;  viz.,  Elk  Lick  congregation,  placed 
under  the  charge  of  Elder  Jonathan  Kelso;  Summit 
Mills,  placed  under  the  charge  of  Elders  Jonas  Lichty  and 
Joel  Gnagey,  and  Meyersdale,  placed  under  the  charge  of 
Elder  C.  G.  Lint. 

A  few  interesting  occurrences  antedating  this  brief  his- 
tory follow.  Along  about  the  year  1780,  or  maybe  1790.  eight 
persons  were  baptized  in  the  Flaugherty  Creek,  in  a  milldam, 
near  what  is  now  Keystone  Street,  in  Meyersdale,  by  a  min- 
ister from  X'irginia,  and  whose  name  was  either  Bowman  or 
Garber. 

The  "  Big  Meeting,"  as  it  was  then  called,  was  held  in 
1811  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Freeman  Snyder,  in  Elk  Lick 
Townshi)),  then  owned  and  conducted  by  Brother  John 
Buechley. 

Among  the  first  love  feasts  in  this  section  was  one  held 
in  the  dwelling  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Brother  Jacob  W. 
Peck,  in  Summit  Townshi]),  then  owned  by  a  brother  named 
Flory. 

A  prominent  member  of  the  churcli  in  this  place  many 
years  ago  was  John  I'erkley.  Sr.  He  had  been  a  member 
of  another  church  (German  Reformed,  I  think).  Becoming 
accjuainted  with  the  doctrines  taught  by  our  church,  he  united 
with  us,  and  in  conse(|uence  of  this  he  was  made  to  suffer 
considerable  ])crsccution.  He  was  (|uite  a  ])oet.  antl  com- 
posed a  number  of  (Jerman  hymns,  which,  however,  were 
never  ])ul)Hshed,  owing  to  his  having  sent  them  to  lulitor 
Kurtz,  fomidcr  (if  ihe  Ciosf>el  J'isitor,  who,  at  a  time  of  re- 
moving his  iirinting  otTicc,  either  lost  or  mislaid  the  man- 
uscript. 

Brother  Berkley  was  also  remarkable  for  having  been 
the  ancestor  of  a  long  line  of  ministers  and  elders  of  the 
church,  many  of  whom  are  living  today,  and  are  well  known 
throughout  the  Brotherhood.  There  were  three  sons  to  begin 
with;  viz.,  Jonathan,  John,  Jr..  and  Samuel.  Five  grandsons 
were  ministers;  viz.,  David  D.  Horner,  Ephraim  Cober.  Cor- 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


87 


nelius  Berkley,  Peter  Berkley  and  Josiah  Berkley.  Eight 
great-grandsons,  all  living,  are  ministers ;  viz.,  William  G. 
Schrock,  Samuel  U.  Shober,  Jacob  T,  Myers,  Tobias  T.  Myers, 
Norman  W.  Berkley,  Albert  U.  Berkley,  Samuel  J.  Berkley, 
and  Harvey  Eikenberr}^  Lewis  S.  Knepper  is  a  great-great- 
great-grandson.  Missionaries  Eliza  B.  and  Sadie  Miller  are 
great-great-granddaughters.  If  there  are  others  they  have 
not  come  to  my  notice. 


ELK  LICK,  AFTER  THE  DIVISION. 

As  already  stated,  in  1877  the  old  Elk  Lick  congregation 
was  divided  into  three  separate  congregations ;  viz..  Elk  Lick, 
Summit  Mills  and  Meyersdale.  At  that  time  the  ministers 
were  Jonathan  Kelso,  Silas  C.  Keim,  Nathaniel  Merrill,  and 
Joseph   B.   Sell,   who   moved   into  the   congregation   in    1877, 


Present   Salisbury    Church,   Elk   Lick   Congrregration. 

and  out  in  1878.  The  following  ministers  were  elected : 
Howard  Miller,  in  1877;  Jacob  W.  Peck  and  Lewis  A.  Peck, 
June,  1880;  Howard  H.  Keim,  January  2,  1886;  N.  George 
Keim,  1882;  John  N.  Davis,  May  5.  1886;  George  E.  Yoder, 


88  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

1906;  Eli  J.  Egan,  1909.  Nathaniel  Merrill  was  a  minister 
in  the  Garrett  County,  Maryland,  congregation,  near  Barton, 
a  mission  pont  of  the  Elk  Lick  church.  He  moved  to  Elk 
Lick  about  1875  and  remained  till  1888.  Being  a  poor  man 
he  was  given  some  support  for  his  preaching.  Howard  Mil- 
ler also  received  some  compensation,  but  Silas  Hoover  was  the 
first  brother  to  receive  a  fixed  amount  per  year.  He  labored 
here  from  1885  to  1889;  W.  A.  Gaunt,  from  1894  to  1904;  T. 
S.  Pike,  from  1905  to  1906;  D.  K.  Clapper,  from  1909  to 
1910;  E.  J.  Egan,  from  1911  to  1913;  B.  F.  Waltz  became 
pastor  in  1915. 

Jacob  W.  Peck  moved  into  the  Summit  Mills  congrega- 
tion in  1880;  Jonathan  Kelso  moved  West  in  1886;  Jonas 
Lichty  moved  West  in  1888 ;  Howard  Miller  and  N.  G.  Keim 
moved  away  in  1883;  Howard  H.  Keim  moved  to  Indiana  in 
1891,  and  now  lives  in  Washington.  G.  E.  Yoder  moved  out 
in  1909  and  back  in  1913.  Brother  J.  C.  Beahm  moved  into 
the  congregation  in  1912. 

The  following  deacons  have  been  elected :  S.  J.  Liven- 
good  (date  unknown)  ;  S.  J.  Lichty  and  J.  W.  Beachy,  1871  ; 
A.  P.  Beachy  and  J,  J.  Keim,  1875 ;  J.  W.  Peck  and  Hezekiah 
Hawn,  1877;  Zenas  Hollada,  1881;  H.  H.  Reitz  and  S.  A. 
Beachy,  1887;  James  Maust  and  Emanuel  Yoder,  1899;  G.  E. 
Yoder,  F.  A.  Maust,  and  M.  S.  Maust,  1905;  W.  J.  Wought 
and  Francis  Shunk,  1910.  Deacon  J.  E.  Wamplcr  moved  into 
the  congregation  in  1914. 

The  following  elders  have  had  charge  of  the  church ; 
Jonathan  Kelso,  from  1877  to  1886;  Silas  Hoover,  from  1888 
to  1889;  Joel  Gnagey,  from  1889  to  1890;  John  C.  Johnson, 
from  1890  to  1894;  W.  A.  Gaunt,  from  1894  to  1904;  T.  S. 
Fike.  from  1905  to  1908;  L.  A.  Peck,  from  1908  to  1914. 
W.  M.  Howe  is  the  present  elder. 

In  1851  or  1852  the  first  meetinghouse  in  what  is  now  the 
Elk  Lick  congregation  was  built  in  West  Salisbury,  on  the 
river,  at  a  cost  of  $600.  The  present  two-story  building,  in 
Salisbury,  was  erected  in  1878,  at  a  cost  of  $3,200. 

The  l^lk  Lick  congregation  has  early  been  active  in  Sun- 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  89 

day-school  work.  From  the  time  of  the  division  of  the  old 
Elk  Lick  congregation  the  Sunday-school  has  been  evergreen. 
Many  have  been  added  to  the  church  through  this  medium. 
The  Elk  Lick  Sunday-school  has  for  several  years  been  a 
Front  Line  School. 

In  missionary  endeavor  the  church  has  been  equally  active. 
She  was  one  of  the  first  to  become  active  in  the  support  of 
the  Danish  Mission.  In  1880  the  church,  by  unanimous  vote, 
declared  herself  heartily  in  favor  of  the  Danish  Mission  Move- 
ment, and  she  still  continues  her  interest  in  the  lost  on  the 
other  side  of  the  billowy  deep. 

In  1888  the  congregation  was  divided  and  the  Maple  Glen 
congregation  was  organized  out  of  the  territory'  lying  west 
of  the  Negro  Mountains. 

The  present  officials  are:  B.  F.  Waltz,  pastor;  W.  M. 
Howe  (non-resident),  elder  in  charge;  G.  E.  Yoder,  elder; 
J.  C.  Beahm,  minister;  S.  A.  Beachy,  J.  J.  Keim,  Frank 
Maust,  James  Maust,  Morris  Maust,  H.  H.  Reitz,  Francis 
Shunk,  \\'ilson  Wrought  and  Emanuel  Yoder,  deacons. 

GEORGES  CREEK. 

This  congregation  is  located  in  Fayette  County,  prin- 
cipally in  and  around  the  towns  of  Masontown  and  Union- 
town.  The  first  minister  known  to  have  settled  in  this  territory 
was  John  Ache  (Aughey),  who  was  born  in  Germany,  but  was 
of  French  descent.  It  is  not  known  when  he  settled  here. 
He  bought  a  farm  of  240  acres  a  mile  and  one-fourth  south 
of  Masontown.  For  a  number  of  years  the  meetings  were 
held  in  his  dwelling  and  barn.  The  love  feasts  were  also 
held  here. 

The  next  minister  to  move  in  was  Joseph  Leatherman, 
who  settled  four  miles  south  of  Uniontown.  Next  came 
Peter  Longanecker,  who  settled  one  and  one-half  miles  west  of 
Masontown  in  1804.  Next  Brother  James  Fouch  (Pfautz) 
settled  near  Brother  Leatherman's.  Then  came  James  Kelso, 
a  minister,  from  Western  Maryland.  The  dates  of  the  ar- 
rival of  these  different  brethren  are  not  given. 


90 


HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Fairview    Church,    Georjfes    Creek    Congregration. 


The  membership  contnuied  to  grow,  and  in  1835  Broth- 
er Ephraim  Walters,  by  free  gift,  deeded  a  parcel  of  his  farm 
(one  acre)  to  the  Georges  Creek  congregation  to  erect  a  meet- 
inghouse upon.  It  took  time  and  labor  to  prepare  material 
for  the  new  church,  as  there  were  no  lumber  yards  in  those 
days.  They  had  to  go  to  the  forest  and  cut  the  timber  and 
have  it  sawed  and  dried.  This  they  did  by  appointing  certain 
days  to  came  together  and  donating  work.  In  1836  they 
erected  a  frame  house,  40x50  feet.  In  this  church  they  wor- 
shiped till  July  30,  1887,  when  at  a  special  council  it  was 
decided  to  rebuild.  The  present  brick  structure  was  erected 
in  1888,  but  owing  to  a  severe  storm  which  unroofed  the 
house  it  was  not  dedicated  until  1889.  Elder  John  M.  Mohler 
delivered  the  dedicatory  sermon,  and  the  first  council  was 
held  in  the  new  house  March  30,  1889.  At  this  council  the  fol- 
lowing members  were  present:  Elder,  John  C.  Johnson;  min- 
ister, Alpheus  DeBolt ;  deacons,  Ephraim  Walters,  David  F. 
Johnson,  James  M.  Newcomer.  Samuel  C.  Johnson.  Jacob  M. 
Johnson ;  lay  members,  Lentellas  Maust,  Allen  S.  Walters, 
Joseph  Mack,  John  V.  Johnson,  Alfred  Johnson,  Joseph 
Townsend,    Alfred     Hibbs,    Thomas    Hasson,    Jefferson    A. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  91 

Walters ;  sisters,  Sarah  Walters,  Elizabeth  Johnson,  Susanna 
Maust,  Catharine  DeBolt,  Matilda  Durr,  Elizabeth  Moser, 
Malinda  Walters,  Cora  Renshaw  and  Nancy  Debolt. 

vSeveral  families  in  the  neighborhood  of  Brethren  Leather- 
man  and  Fouch  had  come  into  the  church.  This  was  about 
ten  miles  from  the  church  (the  Fairview),  and  made  it  in- 
convenient for  them  to  attend  the  services,  so  in  1843  they 
decided  to  erect  a  log  house  in  their  neighborhood  and  have 
services  there  occasionally.  Brother  \\  illiam  Moser  leased 
the  lot  for  the  church  as  long  as  they  worshiped  without  pay. 
This  house  was  20x30  feet  and  was  named  the  Grove  church. 
As  the  services  at  the  Fairview  house  were  held  only  twice  a 
month  it  was  soon  decided  to  hold  services  alternately  every 
Sunday  at  both  places.  In  time  the  church  increased  in  num- 
bers and  the  building  could  no  longer  accommodate  the  audi- 
ences. In  1864  a  new  house  40x50  feet,  with  a  kitchen  at- 
tached, was  erected  and  love  feasts  were  also  held  here  from 
then  on.  Here  they  worshiped  until  the  division  in  the  church 
when,  most  of  the  memljers  here  going  with  the  Progressives, 
the  church   fell  into  their  hands. 

As  early  as  1844  there  were  a  few  members  living  near 
Morgantown,  West  Virginia.  By  1883,  thirty  members  were 
living  in  that  District  and  a  meetinghouse,  40x60  feet,  was 
erected  and  dedicated  the  same  year  and  the  first  love  feast 
held  at  the  same  time.  In  1901  the  members  living  around 
Morgantown  were  formed  into  a  separate  congregation  and 
named  Mount  Union  congregation. 

In  1903,  there  being  about  fifty  members  in  and  around 
Uniontown,  it  was  thought  wise  to  have  a  house  of  worship, 
and  a  brick  church,  40x60  feet,  with  basement,  was  built,  and 
dedicated  the  same  year  by  Elder  Henry  C.  Early. 

In  1839  Brethren  John  Umstead  and  James  Ouinter  vis- 
ited the  churches  of  Western  Pennsylvania.  The  Georges 
Creek  brethren  were  much  impressed  with  Brother  Quinter 
and  asked  him  to  move  into  their  congregation.  This  he  did 
in  1842,  moving  upon  a  small  farm  the  brethren  had  bought 
for  him.     Here  he  lived  fourteen  years,  teaching  school  in  the 


92 


HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Vnioiitown   Clmroli,    (Jporges   Crook   CoiiKrcKation. 


winter  and  in  llic  summer  doing  some  farming  along  with  his 
l)reaching. 

We  do  not  know  w  hen  the  church  was  organized,  but  it 
was  prior  to  1834.  Ilcnvard  Miller's  "  Record  of  the  Faith- 
ful "  says  it  was  organized  in  1790.  During  the  fifties  and  six- 
ties of  the  ])ast  century  the  membership  numbered  two  iiun- 
dred  and  twenty-five  and  very  large  crowds  of  people  gathered 
at  the  Lairview  house  at  times  of  love  feast.  Fifteen  hundred, 
and  on  rare  occasions,  as  many  as  three  thousand  would  gather 
on  Sundays.  The  love  feast  lasted  till  ten  and  eleven  o'clock 
at  night.  The  ])rcsent  membershi])  is  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
five,  the  larger  j)art  living  in  and  around  Uniontown.  Here 
the  services  consist  of  Sunday-school,  Christian  Workers' 
Meeting  and  two  preaching  services  on  Sundays,  prayer  meet- 
ings on  Wednesday  nights,  Sisters'  Sewing  Society  on  Thurs- 
day, and  teachers'  meeting  on  Friday  nights.  Each  meeting 
place  has  a  local  secretary  and  treasurer. 

The  following  elders  have  served  this  congregation :  John 
Ache;  Joseph  Latherman.  came  in  1800.  died  in  1848;  Peter 
Longanecker.  c.-mie  in  1804.  died  in  1853;  James  Fouch.  elect- 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  93 

ed  in  1769,  ordained  in  1814,  died  in  1850;  James  Kelso; 
James  Quinter,  came  in  1842,  removed  in  1856;  Jacob  Mack, 
came  in  1820,  ordained  in  1837,  died  in  1867;  Joseph  I.  Cover, 
elected  in  1858,  ordained  in  1865.  removed  in  1885  ;  John  C. 
Johnson,  elected  in  1878,  ordained  in  1883,  removed  in  1906; 
Jasper  Barnthouse,  ordained  in  1896,  moved  in  in  1903 ; 
Alpheus  DeBolt,  elected  in  1883,  ordained  in  1902;  John  H. 
Baker,  ordained  at  Fostoria,  111.,  lived  here  some  years. 

Ministers  not  elders :  Samuel  Blocher,  Isaiah  Custer, 
Oliver  Miller,  1858;  John  D.  Cans,  Andrew  J.  Sterling,  1878; 
William  Johnson,  Charles  R.  Umbel,  March  24,  1883;  Samuel 
C  Cover,  1887;  Nathaniel  Merrill,  Ross  E.  Reed,  J.  A.  Click, 
Burzy  B.  Ludwick,  1905  ;  Francis  F.  Durr,  1905,  and  Silas 
Fike.  H.  H.  Glover  and  Wallace  Johnson  were  elected  June 
12,  1915. 

Deacons:  Samuel  Ache,  Ephraim  Walters,  Sr.,  David 
Longanecker,  Ejihraim  Walters,  Jr.,  Daniel  Moser,  William 
Moser,  John  DeBolt,  Abram  Hibbs,  Nicholas  B.  Johnson, 
Ephraim  Walters,  David  Hibljs,  Samuel  Newcomer,  Samuel 
Cover,  John  Sterling,  John  L.  Williams.  John  J.  Cover,  David 
F.  Johnson,  Alpheus  DeBolt,  Jacob  J.  Johnson,  Joseph  I. 
Johnson,  Emanuel  Maust,  Andrew  S.  Fisher,  Samuel  C.  John- 
son, Samuel  C.  Cover,  James  P.  Merriman,  James  M.  New- 
comer, Harrison  Glover,  Alfred  Johnson,  Andrew  J.  Moser, 
Henry  H.  Glover,  Miller  Reed,  Robert  Ross,  Joseph  G.  Cover, 
Jacob  W.  Galley,  John  C.  Cover,  John  A.  W^alters,  Charles  E. 
Moser,  Owen  C.  Goodwin,  William  Townsend,  George  B. 
Seese,  Daniel  F.  Lepley,  George  Freeman,  John  W.  DeBolt 
and  John  Helmick.    James  Fearer  was  elected  June  12,  1915. 

In  1909  the  congregation  was  incorporated  by  charter, 
and  the  following  directors  were  elected :  Samuel  C.  Johnson, 
Alfred  Johnson,  David  F.  Johnson,  Andrew  S.  Fisher,  James 
P.  Merriman,  Joseph  G.  Cover  and  Charles  E.  Moser. 

It  is  known  that  in  addition  to  the  elders  above  named, 
Elder  George  Wolfe,  Sr.,  moved  from  Lancaster  County  to 
Fayette  County,  and  settled  about  ten  miles  from  Uniontown, 
in  1787.     He  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  ordained  elder  who 


94 


HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH   OF   THE 


settled  west  of  the  mountains.  Of  his  church  work  while 
here  history  is  silent.  He  lived  here  thirteen  years,  and  in 
1800  he  and  his  family  sailed  down  the  Ohio  River  on  rafts 
of  their  own  construction  and  settled  in  Muhlenberg.  Ken- 
tucky. This  fact  would  indicate  that  his  place  of  residence 
while  living  in  Fayette  County  was  not  far  from  the  Mon- 
ongahela  River. 

The  congregation  maintains  three  Sunday-schools,  one 
Sisters'  Aid  Society,  two  Christian  Workers'  Societies,  one 
prayer  meeting  and  a  teachers'  meeting.  The  officials  of  the 
church  are:  Jasper  Barnthouse,  elder  in  charge  of  the  congre- 
gation and  pastor  at  Uniontown ;  Alpheus  Del'olt,  elder ;  S. 
W.  Fike,  H.  H.  Glover  and  Wallace  Johnson,  ministers ;  S. 
C.  Johnson,  Alfred  Johnson,  George  Freeman,  Owen  Good- 
win, Josiah  Thomas,  J.  P.  Merriman,  J.  G.  Cover,  William 
Townsend,  D.  F.  Johnson  and  James  Fearer,  deacons. 


Silas   W.    Fike   and    >Vlfe. 


GLADE  RUN. 

j'liis  congregation  is  located  in  North  RutTalo  Townshiit, 
Armstrong  County,  and,  according  to  Rrothcr  Howard  Mil- 
ler's "  Record  of  the  l^'aithful,"  had  its  beginning  back  in 
1820,   with   eight   members.     There  arc  no   records   in   exist- 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  95 

ence,  so  we  must  content  ourselves  with  such  information  as 
can  be  obtained  from  the  recollection  of  members  now  living, 
which,  though  meager,  still  is  interesting.  Adam,  David  and 
Joseph  Bowser  and  their  wives,  and  Elizabeth  Swigart  were 
among  the  first  members.  James  Toy  was  the  first  minister 
known  to  have  been  located  here. 

In  addition  to  Brother  Toy,  above  mentioned.  Brother 
David  Goolinger  was  elected  and  preached  in  the  Glade  Run 
and  Brush  Valley  houses  for  several  years.  Also  Crissman 
John  was  elected  in  the  "  John  Settlement,"  which  later  be- 
came the  Brush  Valley  congregation.  He  moved  to  the  Mont- 
gomery congregation  (one  authority  says  to  Clarion  County), 
and  subsecjuently  to  North  Dakota.  It  would  seem  that  the 
church  never  had  a  resident  elder,  but  the  following  breth- 
ren are  known  to  have  labored  here  more  or  less :  George 
Rairigh,  Graybill  Meyers,  Joseph  Shumaker,  David  Eshelman, 
John  Wise,  Leonard  Furry,  J.  W.  Brumbaugh,  G.  W.  Brum- 
baugh, J.  S.  Holsinger,  Joseph  Berkey,  J.  W.  Beer,  Lewis 
Kimmel  and  others.  The  following  pastors  have  served  this 
congregation  in  the  order  named :  Jesse  Hetrick,  David  Het- 
rick,  F.  D.  Anthony.  C.  O.  Beery,  K.  B.  Moomaw,  C.  O. 
Beery,  returned,  L.  M.  Keim,  A.  J.  Culler  (brief  period  during 
school  terms),  H.  S.  Replogle,  R.  D.  Murphy  (for  a  few 
months),  and  G.  K.  Walker,  the  present  pastor.  For  a  num- 
ber of  years  the  pastors  had  charge  of  both  Plum  Creek  and 
Glade  Run  congregations,  and  have  lived  in  the  parsonage  at 
the  Plum  Creek  house  for  the  past  sixteen  years  at  least. 

In  1876  J.  B.  Wampler  took  charge,  and  continued  till 
the  division,  when  about  two-thirds  of  the  members  went  with 
him  to  the  Progressives.  The  Glade  Run  house  was  used  in 
common  for  some  time  after  the  division,  when  we  came  in 
full  possession  of  it. 

The  following  named  deacons  have  faithfully  served  the 
congregation :  Jacob  Swigart,  Samuel  Bowser,  Daniel  Wilcox, 
James  Bowser,  William  J.  Bowser,  Jacob  M.  Bowser,  Edward 
Bowser,   A.   D.   Bowser,   A.   A.    Bowser,   Roy   Morrison   and 


96 


HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Glade    liiin    Church. 


Orman  Bowser.  The  last  seven  named  constitute  the  present 
board  of  deacons. 

There  have  been  three  houses  of  worship,  all  near  the 
same  place.  The  first  one  was  erected  in  1861.  This  was  re- 
built in  1881,  and  during  a  series  of  meetings  in  1894  or  1895 
was  burned  to  the  ground.  The  present  i)lain.  neat  and  modest 
structure  was  erected  in  1895.     The  church  cemetery  adjoins. 

The  church  maintains  a  live  Sunday-school,  which  for  the 
past  fifteen  years,  at  least,  has  been  evergreen.  Most  of  the 
thirty  additions  to  the  church  last  year  came  through  the  Sun- 
day-school. The  territory  is  well  worked.  Every  six  months 
a  series  of  meetings  is  held.  Practically  all  the  members' 
children  are  in  the  church.  Love  feasts  are  held  semiannual- 
ly. The  church  is  in  a  flourishing  condition  and  has  a  bright 
future;  no  difficulties  to  drag  on  and  on.  A  strong  mutual 
bond  of  unity  and  good  will  prevails.  They  stick  close  to 
the  soil  and  attend  strictly  to  their  own  business.  The  fact 
that  the  congregation  is  so  well  united  speaks  well  for  all 
who  lived  and  labored  here.  The  members  are  willing  and 
liberal   contributors  to  both   foreign  and  home  mission  work. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA  97 

Present  number  of  members  is  two  hundred.  A  good 
Christian  W^orkers'  Meeting,  dating  from  July,  1914,  meets 
regularly  every  Sunday.  It  is  properly  officered  and  the 
young   folks   take  a  good  interest  in  it. 

GREENSBURG  CHURCH. 

Prior  to  the  coming  of  the  Brethren  to  the  city  of  Greens- 
burg,  meetings  were  held  by  ministers  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  in  a  schoolhouse,  located  on  Swede  Hill.  These 
Brethren  lived  in  the  Jacobs  Creek  congregation.  They  made 
frequent  visits  to  this  schoolhouse,  bearing  the  message  of  the 
cross  to  those  who  were  there  assembled.  Some  of  these 
ministers  are  still  living,  using  the  opportunities  which  come 
to  them,  and  proclaiming  the  message  of  the  same  sweet  story. 
Others  have  gone  to  share  the  reward  of  their  labors  in  the 
glory  world.  Heaven  alone  can  reveal  the  good  things  done 
by  them. 

In  the  year  1903  Brother  Homer  P.  Galentine,  then  22 
years  old,  came  to  Greensburg  and  began  working  at  the 
carpenter  trade.  He  did  not  know  of  any  Brethren  in  Greens- 
burg ;  neither  did  he  feel  satisfied,  for  he  had  no  church  home. 
He  longed  to  hear  the  Gospel  preached  as  he  had  been  used 
to  hearing  the  Brethren  preach  in  Somerset  County,  where 
he  was  born,  and  where  he  united  with  the  church  in  May, 
1892,  during  a  meeting  conducted  by  Elder  Silas  Hoover,  of 
the  Middle  Creek  congregation. 

Many  people,  instead  of  using  what  they  have,  and  search- 
in  their  own  home  for  the  coveted  gems,  will  go  to  some 
strange  land  to  find  them.  But  not  so  with  this  brother.  He 
searched  in  his  home  city  to  find  the  gem  most  precious  to  him. 
His  coveted  gems  were  others  of  like  precious  faith  and  a 
church.  \\'hile  at  work  he  would  converse  with  others  in 
regard  to  their  religious  belief.  One  day  he  was  told  of  a 
brother  who  was  at  work  in  a  planing  mill.  He  at  once  went 
to  search  for  him.  Here  he  found  Brother  Meyers  Moore,  a 
young  man  whose  former  home  was  near  Trent.  .Somerset 
County,  having  been  baptized  there  by  Robert  T.  Hull. 


98  HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

These  two  brethren,  as  the  disciples  of  old,  used  the  op- 
portunities which  presented  themseves  to  speak  to  others 
whom  they  hoped  to  influence  for  Christ.  After  some  per- 
sonal eiiforts  they  found  two  souls  who  saw  the  beauty  of  the 
Gospel  of  Christ  as  understood  by  the  Brethren,  and  who 
asked  for  baptism.  Accordingly,  they  went  to  Pittsburgh, 
where  these  two  sisters  were  baptized  by  Brother  M.  J. 
\Veaver. 

This  was  the  beginning  of  the  work  of  the  Brethren  in 
Greensburg.  They  were  hopeful  for  great  things  now,  with 
the  aid  of  these  additional  workers.  As  yet  they  had  no 
preaching,  but  they  were  beginning  to  plan  for  that.  As  a 
result  of  their  earnest  desires,  at  the  close  of  a  beautiful  sum- 
mer day  of  1908,  they  assembled  at  Brother  Galentine's  home 
to  talk  the  thoughts  of  their  hearts.  They  talked  of  their  own 
spiritual  welfare  and  the  spiritual  welfare  of  others.  "  What 
is  best?  "  "  How  shall  we  i^roceed?  "  were  questions  to  which 
they  sought  answers.  Their  fervent  prayers  and  earnest 
hopes  were  that  a  Church  of  the  Brethren  would  be  planted 
in  Greensburg. 

They  realized  that  they  themselves  needed  to  be  instru- 
ments in  the  Lord's  hands  to  answer  their  prayers.  And  as 
"  the  Macedonian  call  "  went  to  Paul,  so  now  the  call  goes 
from  Greensburg,  "  Come,  brethren,  and  help  us."  The  call 
was  extended  to  ]^>rother  Robert  T.  Hull  to  hold  a  series  of 
meetings  for  them.  They  secured  permission  to  preach  in 
the  Union  Mission  Chapel,  on  West  Pittsburg  Street,  where 
Brother  Hull  preached  ten  sermons,  beginning  September  21, 
1908.  The  workers  were  greatly  strengthened  by  this  series 
of  meetings. 

After  this  they  secured  i)ermission  to  hold,  regularly, 
twice  a  month,  services  in  this  Union  Mission  Chapel.  Broth- 
er Whitehead  was  the  next  brother  to  preach  in  Cireensburg. 
November  22,  1908,  he  i)rcached  two  sermons.  The  attend- 
ance was  seventeen  and  thirty-five,  respectively.  The  place 
could  not,  as  yet.  be  called  a  mission  point  of  the  Church  of 
the  Brethren,  for  it  was  not  recognized  by  organization,  there- 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


First  Greensburg   Church. 


fore  the  brethren  here  were  bearing  all  the  financial  burden. 
Brother  Hull  was  secured  to  preach  regularly.  There  were 
times,  however,  when  Brother  Hull  could  not  be  there,  and  not 
being  able  to  secure  another  minister,  there  were  frequent  dis- 
appointments. This,  however,  did  not  discourage  the  mem- 
bers here.  They  pushed  on  and  Brother  Hull  held  another 
series  of  meetings,  which  resulted  in  a  number  being  added  to 
the  fiock.  In  December,  1909,  Brother  W.  M.  Howe  con- 
ducted another  series  of  meetings,  and  as  time  rolled  on  their 
labors  were  greatly  blest.  In  less  than  another  year  another 
series  of  meetings  was  held,  by  Brother  D.  K.  Clapper,  of 
Meyersdale.  These  meetings  occasioned  great  joy,  for  many 
that  were  dear  were  made  happy  in  Jesus. 

Though  these  brethren  had  a  place  to  worship,  they  felt 
the  need  of  a  church  building  which  they  could  call  their  own. 
They  felt  the  need  of  having  a  place  where  more  liberty  of 
speech  would  be  granted  them — liberty  "  to  declare  the  whole 
counsel  of  God,"  Accordingly  they  purchased  three  lots  on 
the  corner  of  Mace  and  Stanton  Streets  for  $2,500,  and  erect- 
ed a  small  building  thereon  costing  $500.     Here  Brother  W. 


100  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

M.  Howe  organized  a  Sunday-school,  October  25,  1910,  with 
an  enrollment  of  twenty.  In  November,  1910,  the  little  church 
was  dedicated  by  Elder  J.  F.  Dietz,  of  Johnstown. 

Some  time  during  1910  these  brethren  asked  the  Mission 
I'oard  of  Western  Pennsylvania  for  recognition  and  for  sup- 
port for  a  pastor,  lioth  requests  were  granted  by  the  Board, 
and  Brother  M.  J.  Broughcr,  of  the  Middle  Creek  congre- 
gation, was  called  to  take  up  the  i)astorate  January  1,  1911. 
Another  series  of  meetings  was  held  by  H.  S.  Replogle,  in 
April,  1911,  during  which  twelve  souls  were  added  to  their 
number. 

To  the  District  Meeting  held  in  the  Maple  Spring  house 
of  the  Quemahoning  congregation,  April  19,  1911,  the  Mis- 
sion Board  i)resented  the  following  petition  :  "  We,  the  Mis- 
sion Board  of  Western  Pennsylvania,  petition  District  Meeting 
in  behalf  of  the  Brethren  at  Greensburg,  that  they  be  given 
the  privilege  to  solicit  Western  Pennsylvania  for  funds  to 
build  a  new  church  at  that  place."  The  petition  was  granted. 
The  meeting  also  a])pointed  Elders  D.  H.  Walker  and  W.  M. 
Howe  to  organize  the  (ircensburg  church.  This  was  done  May 
1,  1911.  Of  the  thirty-two  members  in  the  city,  twenty-three 
were  present.  The  church  was  built  in  the  fall  of  1911,  and 
dedicated  February  11,  1912.  Dr.  C.  C.  Ellis  preaching  the 
sermon  on  the  occasion.  This  is  one  of  the  l)est  and  most 
modern   churchhouses   in   the   District. 

Since  that  time  the  church  has  been  moving  on  in  a 
marvelous  way.  There  has  been  a  continuous  growth  in  mem- 
bership, sinners  being  added,  not  only  during  revivals,  but  at 
the  regular  services.  In  August.  1913,  the  Ministerial  Meet- 
ing and  .Sunday-school  Convention  of  the  District  were  held 
here.  And  in  ]')\4.  tlic  liiblc.  Missionary,  and  !~^un(lay-schooI 
Institute  met  at  the  same  place. 

liretbren  wbo  have  assisted  in  evangelistic  nu-clings  here 
since  the  organization  are:  Silas  Hoover.  D.  W  .  Kurtz,  J.  II. 
Cassady,  P.  J.   P.lough   and   Cicorge  W.   Fiory. 

A  few  statistics  will  be  of  interest.  .Since  tlie  organiza- 
tion of  tbe  clnircb.  Mav  1.  P'll,  to  Mav  .'^,  I'M  5,  the  follow- 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         101 


Greensburg:    Church,    Pa. 


ing  are  items  of  work  done:  Five  series  of  meetings  were  held, 
twenty-five  business  meetings  and  six  love  feasts  were  held, 
548  sermons  were  preached,  ten  were  received  by  letter  and 
259  by  baptism,  nine  letters  were  granted,  forty-eight  were 
anointed  and  nine  couples  were  married.  Of  deaths  within 
the  congregation,  including  those  not  members  and  children, 
there  were  twenty-eight.     Present  membership  is  248. 

Brethren  J.  H.  Cassady,  W.  M.  Howe  and  P.  J.  Blough 
have  assisted  Brother  M.  J.  Brougher  in  the  eldership.  Since 
serving  as  pastor  Brother  Brougher  has  been  ordained  to  the 
eldership.      Brother   Blough   is   the   present   elder   in    charge. 


102 


HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


The  deacons  are:  H.  P.  Galantine,  James  Osterwise, 
Walter  Moore,  John  Osterwise,  William  Barnes  and  Meyers 
Moore.  Their  Sunday-school  numbers  270,  and  they  have  a 
large,  active  Sisters'  Aid  Society.  They  also  have  Christian 
Workers'  Meetings,  prayer  meetings,  teachers'  meetings  and 
teacher  training  class. 


GREENVILLE. 

When  on  September  18,  1913,  the  Meyersdale  congrega- 
tion was  divided  into  two  congregations,  the  southeastern  part 
of  the  county  and  the  adjoining  portion  of  Bedford  County 
were  organized  into  a  separate  congregation  and  named  Green- 
ville. The  first  members  to  settle  here  were  the  Klingamans, 
Hoclistetlers,  Longs  and  Arnolds,  in  about  1812.  The  Klinga- 
man  farm  was  the  one  now  occupied  by  Samuel  K.  Hoch- 
stetler.      Grandfather    Klingaman's    house   was    built    with    a 


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m 

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Hochstetlcr    Cliiirrli,    (Jroonvilh'    ("«nKr«'«:ati«»n. 

large  rf)om  in  which  meetings  were  regular!}-  licld.  This  was 
prior  to  1838.  Tiierc  was  preaching  before  this,  iirobably  in 
the  barns. 

The  first  meetinghouse  in  this  section  was  erected  on  tlie 
George  Klingaman.  Sr.,  farm  in  1854.  lM)r  some  years  pre- 
vious to  this  meetings  were  held  in  the  schoolhouse  on  the 
George  Arnold   farm.     The  second  meetinghouse  was  built  on 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         103 

the  same  site  in  1892,  and  was  arranged  to  hold  love  feasts  in. 

Most  of  the  first  preaching  done  here  was  by  Brethren  Eli 
Steele,  Jacob  Berger,  Peter  Cober  and  others.  Later  on  the 
Elk  Lick  and  Meyersdale  ministers  filled  the  pulpit.  On  July 
4,  1879,  E.  K.  Hochstetler  was  elected  to  the  ministry.  He  is 
the  only  minister  to  reside  in  this  congregation  in  Somerset 
County.  At  Hyndman,  Bedford  County,  there  is  a  meeting- 
house and  about  a  dozen  members,  with  Thomas  A.  Harden 
as  minister  and  Benjamin  Harden  and  Thomas  Lewis  deacons. 

Deacons  who  have  served  this  church  are :  George  Klinga- 
man,  Jr.,  Samuel  K.  Weimer,  Joel  Yutzy  (1878),  Nelson 
Crissinger,  Ed.  Myers,  William  Shultz  and  A.  O.  Beal. 
Samuel  Hochstetler  moved  into  the  congregation  in  1895.  In 
1865  Brother  Klingaman  moved  out. 

The  first  Sunday-school  was  organized  in  1878.  At 
present  they  keep  a  Sunday-school  during  the  summer. 
Preaching  services  are  held  every  two  weeks  and  councils 
quarterly  at  the  Hostetler  church. 

The  present  official  board  consists  of :  E.  K.  Hochstetler, 
Elder;  Thos.  Harden,  minister;  S.  K.  Hochstetler,  J.  S. 
Hochstetler,  A.  O.  Beal,  Nelson  Crissinger,  Joel  Yutzy,  Wil- 
liam J.  Shultz,  Benjamin  Harden  and  Thomas  Lewis,  deacons. 

INDIAN  CREEK. 

Before  any  organization  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
existed  in  the  Indian  Creek  Valley,  lying  between  Laurel 
Hill  Mountains  and  Chestnut  Ridge,  prior  to  1849,  the  mem- 
bers would  meet  in  the  homes  and  hold  services.  When  the 
weather  permitted  meetings  were  held  in  barns.  Love  feasts 
also  were  held  in  barns.  These  love-feast  occasions  were 
always  of  great  interest.  Services  began  in  the  morning.  At 
noon  the  people  were  given  dinner  and  the  horses  were  fed. 
Large  kettles  of  hot  cofifee  were  served.  In  the  afternoon  more 
services  were  engaged  in,  and  in  the  evening  the  love  feast  was 
observed.  This  custom  of  hospitality  was  maintained  many 
years  after  the  church  was  built  and  the  organization  effected. 
Elder  John  Berkley,  of  Somerset  County,  seems  to  have  had 


104  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

tlie  care  of  the  members  and  would  assist  them  in  their  com- 
munions. 

Though  there  was  no  organization  at  first  and  the  meet- 
ings were  irregular,  yet  the  work  grew  steadily,  and  in  18^9 
a  site  was  selected  for  a  church  on  land  owned  by  Jacob 
Mack.  W  here  the  Indian  Creek  Road  crosses  the  county  line 
road,  dividing  Westmoreland  and  Fayette  Counties,  the  large 
meetinghouse  40x80  was  erected.  This  house  stands  on  the 
Fayette  County  side.  It  was  dedicated  by  J.  S.  Hauger  and 
I.  Quinter.  At  this  time  the  congregation  extended  south- 
east to  the  top  of  the  Laurel  Hill  Mountains,  northwest  to  the 
top  of  Chestnut  Ridge,  west  l)eyond  Connellsville,  or  more 
than  twenty  miles  beyond  the  church,  and  east  beyond  Ligo- 
rier,  a  distance  of  fifteen  or  more  miles.  No  established  line 
existed  between  Indian  Creek  and  Jacobs  Creek  jirior  to  1883. 
In  that  year  a  boundary  was  fixed,  making  the  boundary  line 
between  Donegal  and  Mt.  Pleasant  Townships,  Westmoreland 
County,  and  between  Salt  Lick  and  1  kill  skin  Townships  in 
Fayette  County,  the  congregational  line.  In  the  fall  of  1913 
Trout  Run  congregation  was  detached  from  the  remainder 
of  Indian  Creek. 

The  County  Line  house,  noted  before,  was  in  continuous 
use  until  1897,  when  a  larger  one  with  basement  under  part 
of  it  was  erected  to  take  its  place.  In  1870  another  church 
was  built  about  ten  miles  north  of  the  County  Line  house. 
This  house  was  known  as  the  Nicely  church.  In  1906  a  church 
was  erected  in  the  western  part  of  the  congregation,  on  Chest- 
nut Ridge,  called  I'Jbcthel.  Then,  in  1907.  still  another  was 
built  in  the  eastern  i)art  on  the  Laurel  Ridge,  called  Trout 
Run.    This  now  belongs  to  the  Trout  Run  congregation. 

In  naming  the  ministers  who  lived  and  labored  in  this 
congregation,  or  even  long  before  it  was  a  congregation,  in 
its  earliest  histor>%  it  is  impossible  to  give  them  in  the  order, 
as  no  records  are  in  existence.  It  is  thought  that  Elder  John 
Nicholson.  Sr.,  who  is  said  to  have  been  an  elder  thirty-five 
years,  was  among  the  first  ministers  to  reside  there,  as  he  is 
known  to  have  preached  a  funeral  there  about  1838.     Jacob 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         105 


\ 

^^H|^pN!|^jiw^l^[||^liP  <*      "%  3 

'W^rTW. 

:^^ 

^^giig^ 

County  Line  Church,   Indian   Creek  Congregation. 

M.  Thomas,  Jacob  Myers,  Samuel  Fike,  John  Berkley,  Jacob 
S.  Hauger  and  Tobias  Myers  were  among  the  earlier  visiting 
elders.  Besides  Elder  John  Nicholson,  other  resident  ministers 
in  the  early  history  of  the  church  were:  Emanuel  Beeghly,  D. 
Flack,  Jacob  S.  Murray,  William  S.  Murray,  Michael  Myers, 
Joseph  Berger,  Samuel  Lohr,  Isaac  Shoemaker,  William  A. 
Murray,  James  A.  Murray,  Jonathan  Horner,  Samuel  Deeds, 
John  M.  Nicholson,  Jacob  A.  Murray,  David  D.  Horner, 
Josiah  Berkley,  Jeremiah  M.  Miller,  Dr.  James  M.  Bennett, 
F.  F.  Murray,  Jeremiah  Foust,  N.  B.  Christner,  Amos  Christ- 
ner.  From  here  the  dates  are  known.  Isaiah  B.  Ferguson, 
September  3,  1892;  William  Bond,  May  1,  1894;  Robert  A. 
Nedrow  and  Herman  H.  Ritter,  November  1,  1897;  William 
Knopsnyder,  September  21,  1901  ;  Elmer  F.  Nedrow  and  Irwin 
R.  Fletcher,  March  31,  1906;  J.  Lloyd  Nedrow  and  Samuel 
Solomon,  October  7,  1911.     The  latter  did  not  accept  yet. 

In  1859  a  deed  was  secured  for  the  land  upon  which  had 
been  built  the  County  Line  church.  An  organization  was  ef- 
fected with  Joseph  Berger  as  elder.  The  next  elder  was 
D.  D.  Horner,  March  29,  1880.     When  Elder  Horner  began 


106  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

to  feel  the  weight  of  years  he  called  for  the  ordination  of 
Robert  A.  Nedrow,  which  was  done  September  21,  1901.  He 
served  until  he  moved  to  other  fields  of  labor.  Since  then 
Elder  E.  K.  Hochstetler,  of  Sand  Patch,  has  been  elder. 

As  nearly  as  can  be  ascertained  the  deacons  who  served 
the  church  from  the  beginning  to  the  present  time  are :  Joseph 
K.  Miller,  Joseph  Berger,  Peter  Sipe,  John  Flack,  John  Hor- 
ner, George  Lepart,  Daniel  Myers,  Eli  Berger,  Samuel  Lohr, 
Michael  Berger,  Cain  Christner,  Robert  Ferguson,  Daniel 
Sheets,  Samuel  Christner,  J.  M.  Miller,  William  Beal  and 
James  Galentine,  October  2,  1886;  John  M.  Nedrow,  and  Jacob 
Eutsey,  September  19,  1896;  James  Lohr,  September  21,  1901 ; 
I.  B.  Foust,  George  F.  Miller,  J.  Lloyd  Nedrow,  Harry  Miller 
and  Ezra  Myers,  March  31,  1906  (the  last  two  named  failed 
to  accept)  ;  W.  E.  Barnes,  H.  W.  Ritenour  and  Benjamin 
Keefer,  October  7,  1911. 

JACOBS  CREEK. 

The  Jacobs  Creek  congregation  comprises  Mount  Pleas- 
ant, East  Huntingdon  and  Hempfield  Townships  in  Westmore- 
land County,  and  Bullskin,  Lower  Tyrone  and  Connellsville 
Township  in  Fayette  County,  Pennsylvania.  Its  length  north 
and  south  is  twenty-four  miles  and  its  breadth  east  and  west 
is  ten  miles.  The  first  members  located  here  early  in  the  nine- 
teenth century.  Brother  Louis  Snyder,  Sr.,  came  to  Fayette 
County  in  1825  and  located  near  the  present  town  of  Dawson, 
which  was  then  known  as  "  the  neck,"  because  of  the  neck- 
like shape  of  the  stri])  of  land  between  the  Youghiogheny 
River  and  the  Jacobs  Creek.  Brother  Snyder,  wife  and  son, 
being  the  only  members  in  that  locality,  he  at  once  arranged 
to  have  Brethren  ministers  make  preaching  tours  to  this  neigh- 
borhood, and  thus  the  Brethren  began  to  multiply  in  Fayette 
and  Westmoreland  Counties. 

It  seems  that  Martin  .Stuckman  (one  authority  says  his 
name  was  Jacob)  was  the  first  minister  to  labor  here,  and 
that  he  alone  ])reached  here  for  several  years  from  1825. 
Elders  Michael  Meyers,  Samuel  L.  Blocher  and  John  Wise 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         107 

were  strong  pillars,  who  assisted  in  organizing  and  working 
up  the  membership.  The  date  of  the  organization  is  not 
known.  The  statement  in  Brother  Howard  Miller's  "  Record 
of  the  Faithful  "  that  the  congregation  was  organized  in  1811 
with  thirty  members  is  probably  an  error. 

Following  these  ministers  were  Joseph  Garver,  William 
A.  Murray,  who  was  elected  in  the  Indian  Creek  congregation, 
Martin  Coder,  elected  September  21,  1867,  but  who  did  not 
serve,  George  Shumaker,  the  founder  of  the  "  Shumakerites," 
or  "  Georgeites,"  Isaac  Shumaker,  John  Nicholson,  elected  in 
the  Indian  Creek  congregation,  Hiram  Messenger,  David 
Ober,  a  Brother  McCaddon,  Joseph  Fulkert,  Abram 
Myers,  Frederick  B.  Weimer,  1873;  Abram  Summy,  Septem- 
ber 21,  1867;  Joseph  Myers  (never  served),  Cyrus  E.  Myers, 
September  27,  1887;  Henry  Brooks,  March  24,  1888;  John 
K.  Richer  and  H.  Smith  Myers,  1877;  A.  D.  Christner,  Oc- 
tober, 1894;  Frank  B.  Myers,  November  25,  1909;  Harry 
Meredith,  L.  R.  Fox,  Earl  Gearhart  and  Emanuel  Neider- 
heiser,  March  27,  1915. 


Jacobs    Creek   Ministers.      Front    Ro\v,    I^eft    to    RiRht,    Karl    Gearhart,    L,.    R. 
Fox,  B.  B.  Ludwick,   J.   K.  Eicher.     Back   Row,   E.  E.  Neiderheiser 
and    Harry    Meredith. 


108 


HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


OKI    Stone    Church,    Jucobs    Creek    CoiiKreKation. 


Ministers  who  moved  into  the  congregation  in  recent 
years  were  Levi  Stoner,  1897;  Samuel  Cline,  1904;  J.  J. 
Rodaheaver,  1907;  B.  R.  Ludwick,  1912.  Ministers  who  are 
known  to  have  moved  out  of  the  congregation:  John  Nichol- 
son in  the  sixties  moved  West;  William  A.  Murray  also  moved 
West  in  the  sixties ;  Frederick  B.  Weimer  moved  to  Ohio, 
1888;  Cyrus  E.  Myers  moved  to  Plum  Creek;  H.  Smith 
Myers  united  with  the  Progressives ;  Levi  Stoner  moved  to 
(Jhio;  J.  J.  Rodaheaver  moved  to  Detroit,  Michigan;  Frank 
B.  Myers  moved  to  Ncmadji,  Minnesota.  Present  ministerial 
force:  John  K.  Kicher,  elder;  B.  B.  Ludwick,  pastor;  L.  R. 
Fox,  Harry  Meredith,  I'.manuel  Nciderheiser  and  Earl  Gear- 
hart,  ministers. 

Those  known  to  have  served  in  the  eldership  are :  Abram 
Myers,  1858;  John  Nicholson,  Abram  Summy,  1868;  H.  Smith 
Myers,  1889;  Jc.hn  K.  l«:ichcr.  1S97.  Brother  Eichcr  is  the 
present  elder. 

Deacons    known    to   have   served   this   congregation   are : 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         109 


Mt.    Joy    Church,    Jacobs    Creek    Congrreg:ati<»n. 


Samuel  Ciallatin,  Ludwick  Snyder,  Jacob  Snyder,  William 
Stahl,  Daniel  Fletcher,  Samuel  Horner,  John  Weaver,  Christly 
Wertz,  Samuel  Garver,  Peter  Shaffer,  Jacob  Freed,  Joseph 
Freed,  Samuel  Christner,  who  moved  in  from  Indian  Creek, 
Joseph  Christner,  1886;  Jacob  L.  Myers,  1875;  John  Gallatin, 
Isaac  Horner,  1879;  John  Summy,  November  16,  1895;  Nor- 
man Neiderheiser  and  Esli  Coder,  June  29,  1901 ;  Lawrence 
Christner  and  Frank  B.  Myers,  June  28,  1908;  Milton  Metz 
and  Peter  Shaffer,  1914. 

Present  board  of  deacons :  Isaac  Horner,  Jacob  L.  Myers, 
Joseph  Christner,  John  Summy,  Norman  Neiderheiser,  Peter 
Shaffer,  Joseph  Shaffer,  Robert  Berg,  John  Greenawalt, 
Lawrence  Christner  and  C.  Milton  Metz. 

From  the  beginning  until  about  1845  the  preaching  was 
done  in  private  homes.  At  that  time  several  schoolhouses 
were  secured  for  worship,  but  the  homes  were  still  favorite 
places  for  worship  for  many  years  later.  In  1858  Lewis 
Snyder,  Jr.,  donated  to  the  congregation  a  plot  of  ground 
for  a  meetinghouse.  Here  was  erected  the  same  year  a  stone 
church,  40x50  feet.  This  old  stone  church,  two  miles  north 
of  Dawson,  is  still  in  a  good  state  of  preservation.    At  present 


110  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

the  church  is  unoccupied,  but  there  is  a  movement  on  foot  to 
remodel  it,  and  resume  worship  there. 

It  seems  that  about  the  time  this  church  was  erected,  or 
soon  after,  the  membership  shifted  northward  into  Westmore- 
land County,  and  Mt.  Pleasant  became  the  center  of  activity. 
The  homes  of  the  members  were  again  opened  for  worship. 
Mt.  Joy  schoolhouse,  one  and  a  half  miles  northeast  of  Mt. 
Pleasant,  and  Laurel  Run  schoolhouse,  five  miles  northeast 
of  the  same  town,  were  occupied  every  four  weeks.  In  two 
decades  the  interest  ■  and  membership  had  so  grown  that  in 
1878  the  Mt.  Joy  church  was  begun,  and  dedicated  the  follow- 
ing year.  The  present  places  of  preaching  are  Mt,  Joy  church, 
Laurel  Run  schoolhouse,  Mammoth  Union  church,  Bridge- 
port Union  Sunday-school  chapel,  and  Wadsworth  school- 
house.  The  Mt.  Joy  church  was  the  first  Brethren  church, 
erected  in  Westmoreland  County.  Services  were  also  held  in 
a  schoolhouse  near  Greensburg  (now  within  the  bounds  of 
the  Greensburg  church)  many  years;  also  in  the  White  Rock 
and  Bear  Rock  schoolhouses  prior  to  1904. 

A  notable  incident  occurred  in  the  Mt.  Joy  house  some 
years  ago.  While  Brother  Frederick  B.  Weimer  was  reading 
his  text  from  Matthew  3:  16,  a  dove  flew  in  the  open  window 
and  lit  on  the  Bible  from  which  he  was  reading.  Brother 
Weimer  with  his  hand  pushed  the  dove  gently  aside  and 
finished  reading  his  text,  when  the  dove  flew  out  the  windovv 
through  which  it  had  entered.  The  occasion  was  the  usual 
Sunday  service.  Brother  Weimer  seemed  to  be  more  than 
usually  endowed  with  the  S])irit  that  day.  At  the  close  of 
the  discourse  he  gave  an  invitation  and  fifteen  persons  came 
forward  and  asked  for  l)aptism.  Brother  Ludwick.  who  gives 
this  incident,  received  it  from  two  persons  who  were  eye- 
witnesses to  the  scene. 

Since  Brother  B.  B.  Ludwick  became  the  pastor  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1912,  the  congregation  has  taken  on  new  life.  The 
present  membershij)  is  307.  One  Sunday-school  with  an  enroll- 
ment of  261,  a  Christian  Workers'  Society,  a  Sisters'  Aid  So- 
ciety, Bible  Normals  and  singing  classes  are  maintained. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         HI 


JOHNSTOWN. 

As  stated  in  the  history  of  the  Conemaugh  congregation, 
the  old  Conemaugh  congregation  was  divided  August  7,  1879, 
and  soon  after  that  the  Johnstown  congregation  was  organized. 
The  membership  was  over  300.  Solomon  Benshoff  was  the 
elder.  He  was  assisted  in  the  ministry  by  George  Hanawalt, 
Benjaman  Goughnour,  Stephen  Hildebrand,  John   M.  Harsh- 


Somersct    Street   Brethren    (luircli,    Johnstown,    Pa. 

berger,  Daniel  W.  Crofford  and  W.  A.  Adams.  The  deacons 
were:  Stephen  .Stutzman,  Jacob  Berkey,  Jacob  Wertz,  Benja- 
min Benshofif,  Samuel  Knavel,  L.  R.  Brallier,  Daniel  Stutz- 
man, Archibald  Wissinger  and  Jesse  Berkebile. 

The  only  meetinghouses  they  had  were  the  Benshoff  Hill 
and  the  Gififen  Hill.  As  neither  of  these  was  suitable  for 
holding  love  feasts  it  became  necessary  to  build  a  new  meet- 
inghouse where  such  services  could  be  accommodated. 

Now,  there  being  a  large  membership  in  and  around  the 
city  of  Johnstown,  and  no  meetinghouse  in  the  city,  it  was 


112 


HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Old    Walnut   Orove  Cliurcli,   Johnstown   Congregation. 


finally  decided  to  build  a  large,  two-story  brick  church  on 
Somerset  Street,  arranged  for  holding  love  feasts.  This 
church  was  dedicated  October  31,  1880,  and  the  first  love  feast 
was  held  November  4,  same  year.  To  these  meetings  Elders 
James  Quinter  and  D.  N.  ^^^orkman  were  invited.  The 
church  was  supposed  to  cost  $6,000,  but  when  it  was 
finished  it  had  cost  a  little  more  than  twice  that  amount.  It 
was  found  difficult  to  pay  this  heavy  church  debt,  as  most  of 
the  members  had  already  given  what  they  considered  their 
share. 

In  the  midst  of  this  financial  strain  came  the  Progressive 
movement  of  the  early  eighties.  These  were  trying  times, 
of  which  we  do  not  care  to  write.  Suffice  it  to  state  that, 
after  all  was  over,  five  ministers,  three  deacons  and  seventy- 
five  members  had  gone  with  the  Progressives.  The  big  new 
church  also  went  with  them,  with  the  i)roviso  that  they  as- 
sume the  debt  on  it.  This  was  done  in  1883.  This  left  the 
Johnstown    congregation    with    251    members,    several    active 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         113 

ministers,  a  good  working  body  of  deacons,  but  no  communion 
house  and  no  elder.  Elder  Joseph  Berkey  was  chosen  acting 
elder,  and  in  1884  the  Walnut  Grove  meetinghouse  was  erect- 
ed, suitable  for  communion  purposes,  additional  ministers  and 
deacons  were  elected,  and  the  church  started  out  on  an  era  of 
prosperity  which  it  continues.  In  1883  the  Ouemahoning  and 
Shade  ministers  assisted  in  the  preaching,  in  order  to  relieve 
Brother  Hanawalt,  whose  health  was  poor. 

The  following  ministers  were  elected :  Ananias  W.  Myers 
and  Solomon  E.  Dorer,  November  29.  1883 ;  Abraham  Fyock 
and  Xorman  \\\  Berkley,  September  29,  1887  (the  latter  was 
not  installed)  ;  John  F.  Dietz  and  John  C.  Harrison,  Septem- 
ber 14,  1893;  Silas  S.  Blough  and  Albert  U.  Berkley,  June 
28,  1894. 

Deacons  were  elected  as  follows :  Abraham  Fyock  and 
Jacob  Mineely,  Nov.  29,  1883 ;  George  Wissinger,  David 
Fyock  and  Jerry  E.  Long,  September  29,  1887;  Ephraim 
Strayer,  Cornelius  W.  Hershberger  and  Benjamin  .Stewart, 
June  28,  1894;  Clayton  Berkley  and  G.  W.  Zimmerman,  both 
deacons,  moved  into  the  congregation  in  1884. 

Samuel  A.  Moore,  a  minister,  also  lived  here  several 
years,  having  moved  here  from  Bedford  County.  In  1883  he 
was  given  a  letter  to  the  Ouemahoning  church,  though  he 
had  already  lived  there  several  years.  H.  S.  Myers,  a  first 
degree  minister,  was  received  by  letter  June  10.  1886.  He  was 
given  a  certificate  March  28,  1888,  and  received  back  Decem- 
ber, 1889.  Joseph  S.  Burkhart  was  received  by  letter  May  17, 
1888.  George  S.  Rairigh  was  received  by  letter  September 
8,  1891. 

June  10,  1886,  George  Hanawalt  and  David  Hildebrand 
were  ordained  to  the  eldership,  and  June  28,  1894,  George  S. 
Rairigh.  September  9,  1886,  Elder  George  Hanawalt  and 
family  were  granted  letters,  having  moved  to  Westmoreland 
County.  Elder  George  S.  Rairigh  moved  to  the  Eastern  Shore 
of   Maryland  in   1896. 

Regular  services  had  been  held  in  the  Methodist  church 
in  Roxbury  for  a  number  of  years,  the  Conemaugh  church 


114  HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

having  decided  to  hold  services  at  "  Whiskey  Spring,"  Feb- 
ruary 7,  1878.  During  1893  houses  of  worship  were  erected 
at  Roxbury  and  Maple  Grove.  For  many  years,  probably 
more  than  fifty,  meetings  were  held  on  Yoder  Hill,  Upper 
Yoder  Township — first  in  homes,  next  in  the  schoolhouses  and 
later  in  a  union  church.  In  1896  the  Brethren  erected  a  new 
house  of  worship  there.  There  were  also  services  held  in  a 
hall  in  Morrellville.  Johnstown  congregation  now  had  five 
houses  of  worship. 

The  ministerial  force  was  augmented  by  the  addition  of 
Brother  E.  F.  Clark,  whose  letter  was  received  March  12, 
1896. 

The  congregation  having  now  grown  to  a  large  mem- 
bership, it  was  divided  into  two  separate  congregations  Jan- 
uary 1,  1899.  The  eastern  part  of  the  old  congregation  re- 
tained the  old  name  and  the  part  west  of  the  river  (Stony 
Creek)  was  called  West  Johnstown. 

Ministers  were  elected  as  follows :  Samuel  H.  Fyock,  De- 
cember 28,  1899;  Samuel  W.  Pearce  and  Cnrnelius  W.  Hersh- 
berger,  March  29,  1900;  David  Ribblett  and  W.  Clay  Wertz, 
June  30,  1904;  John  W.  Mills,  Peter  C.  Strayer  and  James 
W.  Fyock,  June  29.  1905  ;  David  F.  Shumaker  and  Lori  B. 
Hershberger,  June  21,   1910. 

The  following  deacons  were  elected:  Milton  Metzger  and 
William  Harrison,  December  28,  1899 ;  Vincent  E.  Mineely, 
David  Ribblett,  Peter  C.  Strayer  and  Samuel  Brallier,  May 
19,  1904;  Lori  B.  Hershberger,  Noah  Beeghley,  Orlando 
Hershberger,  Michael  Kyle  and  John  Berkebile,  1906 ;  James 
Wilson,  March  28,  1907;  William  Keiper,  Samuel  Varner, 
Harvey  Shumaker,  Harvey  Berkebile  and  Solomon  Harrison, 
June  21,  1910;  George  B.  Wertz,  19 — ;  George  C.  Schmucker, 
Joseph  E.  Reininger  and  John  Hoover,  July  23,  1913;  Logan 
Gossard  and  Samuel  Gossard.  July  23.  1914. 

Samuel  A.  Beeghly.  a  minister,  moved  into  the  congrega- 
tion, and  May  18,  1899.  he  was  granted  a  certificate,  having 
moved  out.  Dr.  S.  G.  Miller  also  labored  here  a  while  and 
was  given  a  letter  in  1901.     S.  H.  Fyock,  having  united  with 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         115 

the  Progressives,  was  dropped  June  30,  1904.  J.  C.  Harrison 
and  family,  having  moved  to  Tennessee,  were  granted  letters 
May  9,  1905.  Elder  D.  S.  Clapper  and  family  were  received 
by  letter  May  22,  1906,  and  in  a  year  or  so  moved  to  Scalp 
Level.  W.  M.  Howe,  having  been  employed  as  pastor  of  the 
congregation,  was  received  May  14,  1907.  After  serving  the 
church  seven  years  in  that  capacity,  he  moved  to  Meyersdale, 
about  September  1,  1914.  Elder  S.  S.  Blough  and  family 
were  received  December  26,  1907,  and  given  letters  April  30, 
1908.  William  Kinsey,  a  young  minister,  had  moved  in  and 
was  advanced  June  21,  1910,  and  later  moved  out.  Galen  K. 
Walker  moved  here  in  1911,  and  moved  to  Plum  Creek  con- 
gregation in  the  spring  of  1914.  Lewis  G.  Shafifer  handed  in 
his  letter  September  25,  1913,  though  he  had  lived  here  be- 
fore. 

The  following  deacons  moved  in :  John  Eckles.  Aaron 
Blough,  David  F.  Shumaker,  Joseph  Shank  and  S.  S.  Lint. 
The  last  two  moved  out  again.  John  Custer  was  reinstated 
to  the  deacon's  office  November  11,  1909. 

On  December  28,  1899,  Abraham  Fyock  was  ordained  to 
the  eldership,  and  April  1,  1912.  he  moved  to  the  Dunnings 
Creek  church.  May  27,  1902,  Silas  S.  Blough,  who  has  had 
charge  of  the  Pittsburgh  Mission  since  1900,  was  ordained  to 
the  eldership.  June  21,  1910,  W.  M.  Howe  was  ordained,  and 
May  3,  1914,  Samuel  W.  Pearce,  Cornelius  W.  Hershberger 
and  Galen  K.  Walker. 

December  15,  1910,  W.  Clay  Wertz  was  granted  a  cer- 
tificate, and  February  1,  1914,  J.  W.  Mills  and  family  moved 
out  of  the  congregation. 

A  meetinghouse  was  built  in  Conemaugh  in  1900,  the 
Giffin  Hill  (Locust  Grove)  house  was  rebuilt  in  1903,  and 
a  church  was  bought  in  Moxham  in  1904. 

September  1,  1914,  Brother  M.  Clyde  Horst  became  the 
pastor  of  the  Walnut  Grove  church  of  the  congregation.  In 
May  of  the  same  year  Elder  Walker  moved  out  to  accept  the 
pastorate  of  the  Plum  Creek  congregation.  May,  1915,  Chas. 
Cable,  C.  C.  Custer  and  Gilbert  Shumaker  were  elected  dea- 


116 


HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Coik-iiuiiikIi    (  liiircli,    .l<>liii>t«MMi    (onj; rotation. 


cons.  On  October  21,  1915,  at  the  Locust  Grove  house,  Frank 
F.  Fyock,  WilHam  G.  Wilson  and  William  C.  Berkebile  were 
elected  deacons.  In  1915  the  Moxliam  church  was  sold  and  a 
larj^er  and  more  convenient  one  was  Ixjught  from  the  Luth- 
erans. 

The  i)resent  official  hoard  consists  of :  Elders,  C.  W. 
Harshberger  and  S.  \V.  Pearce ;  jiastor  at  Walnut  (kove.  M. 
Clyde  Horst;  ministers,  j.  S.  Burkhart.  J.  M.  Harshhcrger. 
L.   G.   Shaffer,   L.   B.   Harshberger,  D.   F.   Shumaker,   P.   C. 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


117 


c3    £ 
S    e    9? 

^1  £ 


a  > 


s  g  s 


118  HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

Strayer  and  D.  C.  Ribblett ;  deacons,  V.  E.  Mineely,  Geo.  Wis- 
singer,  Jno.  Eckels,  W.  H.  Keiper,  H.  A.  Berkebile,  A.  J. 
Strayer,  M.  M.  Kyle,  G.  B.  Wertz,  Aaron  Blough,  G.  C. 
Schmucker,  Jno.  Hoover,  C.  Berkley,  H.  Shumaker,  J.  E.  Rin- 
inger,  Chas.  Cable,  C.  C.  Custer,  G.  Shumaker,  Samuel  Bral- 
lier,  S.  Gossard,  L.  Gossard,  Jacob  Ribblett,  Jno.  Berkebile, 
Jas.  Wilson,  S.  Varner,  A.  Varner,  I.  L.  Harsliberger,  O.  D. 
Rhodes,  F.  F.  Fyock,  W.  C.  Wilson  and  W.  C.  Berkebile. 
The  congregation  has  five  houses  of  worship,  and  five  Sunday- 
schools,  with  a  total  enrollment  of  about  1,100.  There  are  two 
Christian  Workers'  Societies  and  three  Sisters'  Aid  Societies ; 
also  a  Young  Women's  League  and  a  Young  Men's  Organiza- 
tion. 

In  1915  work  was  begun  on  a  new  church  in  W'alnut 
Grove,  which  will  be  completed  in  the  spring  of  1916.  Ground 
was  broken  for  the  new  building  May  19,  1915,  and  the  corner 
stone  was  laid,  with  appropriate  services,  August  22,  1915. 
The  cost  of  ground  and  building  will  be  about  $40,000.  The 
size  of  the  church  is  80x94  feet,  with  a  parsonage  attached, 
30x34  feet. 

This  church  will  have  all  modern  conveniences.  Besides 
the  fine  auditorium,  which  seats  five  hundred,  there  are  twenty- 
six  class  rooms,  nearly  all  of  which  can  be  opened  into  the 
auditorium,  enlarging  the  seating  capacity  to  about  1,300, 
nearly  all  in  full  view  of  the  speaker.  Back  of  the  pulpit  is 
the  ba[)tistry,  and  two  adjacent  classrooms  will  serve  as  dress- 
ing rooms  at  l)ai)tismal  services.  In  the  basement  is  a  very 
large  dining  room  for  use  at  conventions,  and  in  which  the 
love  feasts  will  be  held.  In  the  basement  also  are  the  kitchen, 
pantry,  nursery,  boys'  reading  room.  Ladies'  Aid  .Society's 
room,  etc.  There  is  also  a  library  room  and  rest  and  cloak 
rooms. 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         119 


120  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

LIGONIER   VALLEY    CONGREGATION. 

The  territory  originally  embraced  by  the  Ligonier  Valley 
church  was  a  wide  triangular  section  of  Westmoreland  Coun- 
ty, bordering  on  Somerset,  Cambria  and  Indiana  Counties,  ex- 
tending from  Water  ford  to  Cokeville,  and  including  the  above- 
named  ])oints,  as  well  as  New  Florence,  Wild  Cat,  Bolivar, 
and  that  i)art  of  Indiana  County  of  which  Garfield  is  the 
center.  The  first  settlers  around  Water  ford  w^ere  members 
who  had  moved  across  the  Laurel  Hill  from  the  Quemahon- 
ing  church,  and  for  a  number  of  years  they  were  served  by 
preachers  from  the  same  congregation.  These  first  members 
were  John  Hauger,  Henry  Meyers  and  wife,  Joseph  Miller 
and  wife,  David  Horner,  Franey  Horner,  Nancy  Fletcher, 
Polly  Peterson.  Thcophilus  Hciple,  Samuel  Knupp,  Fannie 
Bricker,  Josiah  Heijile  and  wife,  Jacob  L.  Wolford  and  wife, 
and  perhai)s  several  others.  Meetings  were  held  in  the  school- 
houses.  Ministers  who  made  frequent  trii)s  to  this  valley  were 
Tobias  Blough,  Jonathan  W.  Blough,  iMiianuel  J.  Blough  and 
Iac(jb  W.  Speicher.  Probably  the  first  minister  elected  from 
among  their  own  number  was  Dr.  Samuel  G.  Miller,  in  1877. 
In  August,  1878,  Theophilus  Heiple  was  elected  minister  and 
Jacob  Bridge  and  G.  Yager,  deacons. 

The  ])reaching  at  Bolivar  and  Wild  Cat  schoolhouse  was 
done  principally  by  ministers  from  Cambria  and  Somerset 
Counties,  i)rominent  among  whom  were  Jose])h  Berkey. 
Emanuel  J.  Blough,  Stephen  Hildebrand  and  others. 

An  organization  was  effected  at  a  love  feast  held  about 
September,  1876  or  1877,  at  Decker's,  near  Wild  Cat  Creek, 
which  embraced  WM  Cat  schoolhouse,  Bolivar  and  Water- 
ford.  William  A.  Beery  (colored)  was  elected  to  the  min- 
istry in  1888.  and  removed  the  same  year,  to  Johnstown, 
where  he  died  in  1890.  Jacob  Dell  was  called  to  the  ministry 
in  1882.  Daniel  ShalTer  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  1881. 
and  moved  to  California  in  1884.  Jacob  Bridge  was  called  to 
the  ministry  in  1883.  After  Dr.  Miller  had  labored  earnestly 
and  enthusiastically  for  several  years  he  moved  to  Scalp  Level. 
Pennsvlvania.       Brother    Dell     labored    successfully    several 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         121 

years,  but  being  an  employe  of  the  railroad  company,  he  was 
moved  to  Allegheny  County,  where  he  was  killed  in  Duquesne, 
in  1908,  by  being  run  down  by  an  engine. 

Elder  George  Hanawalt  moved  from  Johnstown  to  near 
Water  ford  in  1886,  and  was  given  the  oversight  of  the  church. 
The  Bolivar  end  of  the  congregation  had  been,  to  a  degree, 
under  the  care  of  the  Shade  Creek  Brethren,  who  had  en- 
couraged them  to  try  to  build  a  meetinghouse,  on  the  Garfield 
side  of  the  river.  When  Elder  Hanawalt  came  among  them 
this  house  was  ready  for  the  seats  and  pulpit.  He  helped  them 
to  finish  it  (all  but  the  plastering),  and  in  several  weeks  in 
May,  1886,  it  was  dedicated,  with  George  Hanawalt,  Joseph 
Berkey,  Hiram  Musselman,  Jacob  Holsopple  and  Joseph  Hol- 
sopple  present.  Elder.  Hanawalt  preaching  the  dedicatory  ser- 
mon, assisted  by  the  others.  Elder  Hanawalt  labored  hard 
among  this  scattered  membership  to  build  up  a  strong  and 
prosperous  church. 

A  mission  was  opened  at  Cokeville,  which  at  one  time 
numbered  thirty  members.  Several  love  feasts  were  held  and 
an  effort  was  made  to  build  a  meetinghouse.  When  Elder 
Hanawalt's  age  and  strength  no  longer  permitted  him  to  make 
his  visits  to  Cokeville,  the  District  took  it  up.  but  afterwards 
neglected  the  charge,  and  the  members  died  and  moved  away, 
until  finally  all  was  lost. 

Shortly  after  the  building  of  the  Bolivar  meetinghouse 
the  congregation  was  divided.  Bolivar,  Wild  Cat  and  Coke- 
ville were  made  a  new  congregation,  called  Bolivar,  and 
Waterford  retained  the  old  name.  This  seems  to  have  taken 
place  some  time  during  1887  or  1888.  A  meetinghouse,  30x50 
feet,  was  built,  or  at  least  begun,  in  Waterford,  in  1888. 
Theophilus  Heiple  moved  to  Somerset  County  in  1898.  June 
20,  1901,  William  C.  Hanawalt.  a  young  minister  who  had 
moved  into  the  congregation  from  Huntingdon,  was  advanced 
to  the  second  degree  of  the  ministry,  and  William  E.  Wolford 
was  elected  deacon.  December  22.  1901,  a  certificate  was  grant- 
ed to  Dr.  S.  G.  Miller,  who  had  moved  here  from  Johnstown 
a  year  or  so  before.    June  21,  1902,  Harvey  M.  Hanawalt  and 


122 


HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Waterford    Cliuroh,    Lig-onier    Valley    Cong'reg:ation. 

William  E.  Wolford  were  elected  to  the  ministry  and  Samuel 
W.  Miller  and  John  A.  Wolford  to  the  deaconship.  September 
14,  1902,  William  C.  Hanawalt  and  Harvey  M.  Hanawalt  were 
granted  certificates,  and  November  30,  of  the  same  year,  Elder 
George  Hanawalt  was  granted  his  letter.  The  whole  Hanawalt 
family  moved  to  Lordsburg,  California,  after  having  lived  here 
sixteen  years.  The  members  and  friends  very  much  regretted 
seeing  them  leave. 

At  the  1903  District  Meeting  Elder  Robert  A.  Nedrow 
was  appointed  elder  in  charge.  April  21,  1907,  Joseph  Miller 
was  elected  deacon.  April  9,  1909,  Elder  Nedrow  resigned 
the  eldership  because  he  was  moving  to  Elizabethtown.  June 
24,  1909,  Elder  Perry  J.  Blough  was  chosen  to  take  the  over- 
sight of  the  church.  March  12,  1910,  Joseph  Miller  was  grant- 
ed a  certificate.     Some  time  prior  to  March  12,  1910,  J.  W. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         123 

Sanner,  a  minister,  moved  in  from  the  Middle  Creek  church. 
Elder  J.  D.  Myers,  an  elder,  also  lived  in  this  church  a  short 
v^'hile,  moving  out  in  1906.  When  Elder  Hanawalt  moved 
into  the  congregation,  in  1886,  there  were  twenty  members  in 
and  around  Waterford.  From  that  time  until  May  15,  1913, 
eighty-five  were  received  by  baptism  and  letter.  Thirty-four 
letters  were  granted  and  seventeen  died.  The  church  main- 
taines  a  flourishing  Sunday-school,  and  a  good  Christian 
Workers'  Meeting,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  a  number  of 
its  most  active  members  have  gone  to  other  fields.  Deacons 
Samuel  W.  Miller  died  March  22,  1907,  and  Jacob  L.  Wol- 
ford,  December  8,  1913. 

The  present  organization  is:  Elder,  P.  J.  Blough ;  min- 
isters, W.  E.  Wolford  and  J.  W.  Sanner;  deacons,  John  Wol- 
ford  and  Herman  Wolford. 

MAPLE  GLEN. 

This  congregation  comprises  what  was  formerly  the  Peck 
church  of  the  Elk  Lick  congregation.  Some  of  the  charter 
members  were :  John,  Jonas,  Elias,  Daniel  and  Moses  Peck 
and  Moses  W.  Miller  and  their  wives.  At  a  council  meeting 
held  at  the  Peck  church,  April  20,  1888,  Brethren  L.  A.  Peck 
and  J.  N.  Davis  were  elected  as  a  committee  to  represent  the 
Peck  church,  a  branch  of  the  Elk  Lick  congregation,  at  a 
meeting  held  at  the  home  of  Elder  J.  N.  Davis,  July  6,  1888, 
with  a  committee  of  three  from  the  Elk  Lick  church,  Salis- 
bury ;  viz.,  A.  P.  Beachy,  H.  H.  Reitz  and  David  Lichty.  The 
purpose  of  this  meeting  was  to  establish  a  dividing  line  in  the 
Elk  Lick  congregation,  in  which  the  Peck  church  was  to  be 
made  a  separate  congregation. 

This  committee  decided  to  commit  its  report  to  a  council 
of  the  whole  Elk  Lick  congregation,  which  was  to  be  held 
August  18,  1888,  to  ratify  or  reject  the  work  of  this  committee 
herein  reported. 

At  this  council  it  was  decided  by  unanimous  vote  to  di- 
vide the  congregation,  which  at  this  time  numbered  210  mem- 


124 


HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         125 

bers.  After  the  division  160  were  assigned  to  Elk  Lick,  and 
fifty  to  the  Peck  church.  After  the  Peck  church  became 
separate  from  Elk  Lick  the  name  was  changed  to  Maple  Glen. 

Among  the  charter  members  of  the  new  congregation 
were:  John  Peck  and  wife,  William  Peck  and  wife,  Lewis 
A.  Peck  and  wife,  Solomon  Hershberger  and  wife,  Hezekiah 
Hahn  and  wife,  John  N.  Davis  and  wife,  Zenas  HoUada  and 
wife,  and  Abraham  J.  Folk  and  wife.  Very  few  of  the  charter 
members  are  now  living  and  reside  in  this  congregation. 

At  the  time  of  the  organization  the  ministers  were :  J.  N. 
Davis  and  L.  A.  Peck.  .The  deacons  were :  Hezekiah  Hahn, 
Zenas  Hollada,  W  illiam  Peck  and  Abraham  J.  Folk.  Elder 
Joel  Gnagey  was  chosen  as  presiding  elder  of  this  congrega- 
tion, and  served  until  September  27,  1896,  when  Brethren  J. 
N.  Davis  and  L.  A.  Peck  were  advanced  to  the  eldership.  The 
membership  at  present  numbers  ninety-four. 

February  28,  1913,  Elder  J.  N.  Davis  died.  Brother  P.  S. 
Davis  was  called  to  the  ministry  September  6,  1914. 

In  1850  a  house  was  erected  for  both  school  and  church 
purposes.  It  is  not  known  that  this  house  was  specially  dedi- 
cated, l)ut  in  it  the  members  and  friends  worshiped  and  held 
their  Sunday-school  until  they  built  the  Maple  Glen  meet- 
inghouse in  1880.  In  1881  this  house  was  dedicated,  the  ser- 
mon on  the  occasion  being  preached  by  Elder  John  H.  Myers, 
of  Markleysburg. 

The  Maple  Glen  church  has  two  cemeteries,  one  called 
the  Maple  Glen  cemetery,  near  the  church,  and  the  other, 
called  the  Peck  cemetery,  about  a  mile  from  the  church,  also 
owned  by  the  church. 

They  organized  their  first  Sunday-school  in  1876,  and 
have  continued  it  ever  since.  They  now  have  a  Front  Line 
School. 

The  following  deacons  have  been  elected :  Hezekiah  Hawn, 
elected  in  1877,  now  deceased ;  Zenas  Hollada,  in  1881  ;  A. 
J.  Folk,  in  1886,  now  deceased;  Jonas  Hershberger,  in  1890, 
now  living  at  Waterloo,  Iowa ;  Samuel  A.  Christner,  in  1896, 


126  HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

now  deceased;  S.  J.  Davis,  in  1903;  P.  S.  Davis  and  Marshall 
Holiada,  in  1910,  and  Simon  M.  Folk,  in  1914. 

The  present  official  board  is:  Mlder,  L.  A.  Peck;  minister, 
P.  S.  Davis;  deacons,  S.  J.  Davis,  S.  M.  Folk,  M.  HoUada, 
Z.  Holiada  and  W.  J.  Peck. 

MANOR  CONGREGATION. 

By  Joseph  Holsopple. 

The  Manor  congregation  embraces  all  of  that  part  of  In- 
diana County  lying  between  the  Purchase  Line  on  the  north, 
Blacklick  Creek  on  the  south,  the  Mahoning  and  Blairsville 
Road  on  the  west,  and  on  the  east  it  extends  into  Cambria 
County,  no  boundary  being  fixed. 

Among  the  first  Brethren  that  settled  here  were  Christian 
Fry  and  wife,  Barbara  (Shultz).  David  Fyock,  who  was,  a 
vSeventh  Day  Baptist,  and  his  wife,  Mary  (Hoffman),  who 
was  a  member,  John  Fyock  and  wife  Catharine  (Hofifman), 
and  Adam,  Cieorge,  and  David  Helman.  These  all  moved 
from  the  Shade  Creek  congregation,  Somerset  County. 
Emanuel  Brallier  and  wife  Mary  (Lidy),  a  Brother  Soyster 
and  wife,  John  Nisewonger  and  wife,  and  Solomon  Wise  and 
wife  came  here  from  east  of  the  Alleghanies.  The  first  of 
these  settlers  likely  came  prior  to  the  time  the  Fyocks  and 
Bralliers  moved  in.  which  was  about  the  year  1840.  Elder 
George  Rairigh.  of  the  Cowanshannock  congregation,  and 
Levi  Roberts  and  John  Mineely.  of  the  Conemaugh  congrega- 
tion, ministered  to  the  si)iritual  needs  of  these  people  in  early 
days. 

Samuel  Lidy,  a  minister  in  the  second  degree  in  the  Cone- 
maugh congregation,  now  moved  into  this  territory  near  Nolo, 
and  July  13,  1845,  they  held  a  meeting  in  David  Brown's  barn, 
about  two  miles  east  of  Greenville,  in  the  Manor  Settlement, 
and  elected  David  Brown  as  the  first  deacon  of  the  Manor 
church.  It  was  probably  at  this  meeting  that  the  church  was 
organized,  and  by  an  agreement  between  Elder  Rairigh  and 
Brother  Lidy  the  boundary,  as  given  above,  was  fixed,  and 
Samuel  Lidy,  who  was  then  ordained,  was  given  the  oversight. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         127 

Ministers. 

About  1845  Adam  Helman  was  elected  to  the  ministry, 
but  he  soon  moved  to  Somerset  County.  July,  1847,  Levi  Fry 
was  called  to  the  ministry  of  the  Word.  Soon  after  this,  in 
1847,  Adam  Helman  returned  from  Somerset  County,  and 
settled  on  the  farm  where  his  father-in-law.  Christian  Fry, 
lived,  a  mile  or  so  east  of  Indiana.  Rivalry  and  jealousy 
sprang  up  between  these  two  brothers-in-law  that  gave  the 
elder  much  concern.  One  thing  after  another  occurred,  until 
Brother  Helman,  in  1863,  moved  to  Ohio,  where  he  died  at  a 
ripe  old  age. 

David  Ober  was  elected  to  the  ministry  May   13,   1855, 
ordained  to  the  eldership  about   1870,  and  died  March   14, 
1886.      Samuel    Brallier   was   elected   to   the   ministry   about 
September  26,  1858,  and  later  moved  to  the  Conemaugh  con- 
gregation, where  he  was  ordained  to  the  eldership.     Joseph 
Holsopple   was   elected   to   the   ministry'  June    17,    1866,   and 
ordained  to  the  eldership  June  9,  1892.     Daniel  Brallier  was 
elected  to  the  ministry  June  13,  1868,  Caleb  Secrist,  1873,  and 
Isaac  Secrist,  June  23,  1882.     Brother  Brallier  moved  to  Al- 
toona,  Middle  District  of  Pennsylvania,  where  he  was  an  elder 
for  a  number  of  years,  and  where  he  died  a  few  years  ago. 
Caleb  Secrist  moved  to  Kansas,  and  subsequently  to  Talbot 
County,  Marj^land.     Isaac  Secrist  died  on  his  farm,  adjoining 
the  Crooked  Creek  church  property.     About  1886  Frank  F. 
Holsopple  was  elected  to  the  ministry,  but  about  1888  he  left 
his  home  church  to  attend  Juniata  College.     While  there  he 
was  married,  and  never  returned  to  live.    June  9,  1892,  John 
W.  Fyock  was  elected  to  the  ministry,  and  in  1909  ordained 
to  the  eldership.     James  \\'iddowson,  a  graduate  of  Juniata 
College,  also  was  elected  to  the  ministry  .and  has  preached 
some  very  acceptable  sermons,  but  is  giving  his  attention  to 
teaching,  having*  taught  in  Indiana,  Cambria  and  Huntingdon 
Counties,   Pennsylvania,  as  well   as   in   New   York,   Colorado 
and  Maryland.    May  6,  1900.  his  brother,  Frank  Ridley  Wid- 
dowson,  was  also  elected  to  preach,  but  did  not  see  fit  to  accept. 


128  HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Three   of   Manor's   Ministers,    left   to    rig:ht,    D.   R.   Berkey,    Jolm   W.    Fyock 
and    Walter    N.    Myers. 


having  taken  uj)  the  medical  profession,  Ijeinj^  a  graduate  from 
the  University  of  I'ennsylvania.  Walter  N.  Myers  was  elected 
in  1901,  and  ordained  to  the  eldership  June  19,  1910. 

Ministers  who  were  elected  elsewhere,  and  lived  and 
served  here,  were  a  brother  by  the  name  of  Jacob  Soyster, 
who  came  from  Morrison's  Cove  in  1850,  and  died  February 
20,  1855,  aged  74  years.  7  months  and  2  days;  Mark  Minser. 
an  elder,  placed  his  membership  here  September  12,  1880.  and 
at  the  death  of  Elder  Ober,  came  into  the  oversight  of  the 
church ;  Ira  C.  Holsopple  was  elected  in  New  Jersey,  came  to 
his  home  congregation  and  labored  so  acceptably  that  he  was 
called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Coventry  (Chester  County) 
church,  the  second  church  organized  in  America,  where  he  is 
much  loved  and  highly  respected. 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         129 

Deacons. 

The   following   table   shows  the   names   of   deacons,   and 
when  elected,  so  far  as  known  : 

David  Brown,    July  13,  1845, 

Emanuel    Brallier,    October  4,  1846, 

Levi   Fry October  4,  1846,    minister. 

Samuel    Brallier,    October  12,   1854,    minister. 

George    Helman,    October  12,  1854,    moved  to  Ohio. 

Henry    Mapes,    

William   Stuver,    September  23,  1859,    moved  to  Johnstown. 

John    Gillin October  7,  1860, 

Henry   Wissinger,    ....  September  19,   1861,    moved  to  Montg'm'ry. 

Joseph  Holsopple October  25,  1863,    minister. 

Daniel  S.  Brallier,    ....  April  29,  1866,    minister. 

George   Wise.    April  29,  1866, 

Jacob    Fyock,    April  29,  1866, 

George  W.  Burkhart,    .  May  16,   1869,    moved  to  Altoona. 

D.  H.   Ruffner,    May  16,  1869, 

Hiram   Shaffer,    May  16,  1869,    moved  to  Shade. 

Levi    Good,    moved  to  Nebraska. 

Isaac    Secrist,    minister. 

L.    R.    Brallier,    April  14,  1872,    moved  to  Johnstown. 

H.    F.    Berkebile,    April  14,  1872, 

S.   S.   Creswell,    April  14,  1872, 

Jacob   Helman May  28,  1882, 

Joseph    H.   Chapman,    .   May  28,   1882, 

B.    F.   Wissinger,    May  28,   1882,    moved  to  Jolinstown. 

J.   M.    Fyock 

E.  B.    Widdowson,    .  .  . 

John    Fyock,    July  1,  1887.    minister. 

John  Minser,    July  1,   1887, 

A.  C.  Ober,   June  1,  1893, 

Jacob   Shaffer 

Nelson    Fyock 

Richard    Learn,    left   the   church. 

Daniel    Burkhart,    

E.  E.   Holsopple,   May  22,  1915, 

Joseph   Widdowson,    .  .  May  22,  1915, 

Mark   Fyock,    May  22,   1915, 

Meetinghouses, 

The  Manor  meetinghouse,  two  miles  southeast  of  Green- 
ville, was  erected  in  1854,  and  remodeled  and  rebuilt  in  1886. 


130  HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Purchase   Line    Church,    Manor    Congregation. 


The  Purchase  Line  house  was  built  in  1868,  and  was  re- 
modeled, rebuilt  and  enlarged  in  1899.  The  Belsano  house, 
near  the  town  of  Belsano,  was  built  in  1873.  A  few  years 
later  a  church  was  built  at  Crooked  Creek,  but  some  of  the 
members  moving  away  weakened  the  work  there.  We  also 
have  an  interest  in  the  union  house  in  Diamondville,  where 
monthly  appointments  are  kept  up.  We  also  have  the  Penn 
Run  house,  which  we  bought  from  the  United  Presbyterians 
in  1905  at  a  cost  of  $562.50.  This  was  repaired  and  an  ad- 
dition built  to  it,  making  the  entire  cost  about  $1,000. 

In  numbers  the  Manor  church  is,  perhaps,  no  excei)tion 
from  the  ordinary.  Sometimes  it  grows  in  numbers,  then 
dwindles  down.  In  1862  there  were  some  over  125  members, 
but  about  that  time  there  was  an  exodus  of  the  Helmans, 
Wassams,  Nisewongers,  Mapeses,  and  others,  until  the  mem- 
bership was  less  than  100.  About  1874  there  was  a  reaction 
favorable.  Numbers  were  baptized,  but  because  of  the  close- 
ness of  financial  matters,  many  of  our  members,  who  de- 
pended on  emj)loymcnt  for  subsistence,  went  to  the  railroads 
and  shops  for  emfiloyment.  This  drew  numbers  to  Johnstown. 
Altoona,  and  other  railroad  points,  until  more  than  one-third 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


131 


of  our  members  were  transplanted  to  the  congregations  at  the 
points  named. 

Taking  a  retrospect,  I  can  point  out  members  helping  con- 
gregations in  nearly  all  of  the  Western  States  from  the  Ohio 
to  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  possibly  farther  west.  There 
are  nearly  a  dozen  of  our  boys  preaching  elsewhere.  One  of 
our  young  brethren,  Quincy  Holsopple,  and  one  of  our  young 
sisters,  Olive  Widdowson,  are  on  the  India  Mission  Field. 

We  have  four  Sunday-schools,  two  Christian  Workers' 
Societies  aifd  one  Sisters'  Aid  Society.  The  present  officials 
are :  Elders,  Joseph  Holsopple,  inactive  on  account  of  age, 
J.  W.  Fyock  and  W.  N.  Myers;  minister,  D.  R.  Berkey ; 
deacons,  H.  F.  Berkebile,  Joseph  Chapman,  J.  M.  Fyock, 
Mark  Fyock,  Nelson  Fyock,  S.  L.  Fyock,  E.  E.  Holsopple,  H. 
A.  Holsopple,  J.  D.  Minser,  A.  C.  Ober,  Jacob  Shaffer  and 
Joseph  Widdowson. 


Penn    Run   Church,   Manor   Congrregration. 


132  HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

MARKLEYSBURG. 

Markleysburg  congregation  is  located  in  Fayette  County, 
Pennsylvania.  It  was  a  part  of  the  Sandy  Creek  congrega- 
tion, located  partly  in  Fayette  County,  Pennsylvania,  and 
partly  in  West  Virginia,  but  was  cut  off  from  it  in  1879,  and 
in  October  of  the  same  year  was  organized  into  a  separate  con- 
gregation. 

Ministers  who  lived  and  labored  in  this  territory  Ijefore 
the  division  of  the  Sandy  Creek  congregation :  Elder  Jacob 
Thomas,  Alexander  Thomas,  John  Boger,  Larkin  Hall,  a  fine 
scholar  and  great  debater,  who  had  an  all-night  debate  with 
the  learned  school-teacher,  Jacob  Rush,  who  afterwards  be- 
came a  minister  in  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  John  L.  Hook, 
who  lived  just  across  the  line  in  Maryland,  Michael  J.  Thomas, 
Christian  Harader,  Philip  J.  Brown,  Andrew  Umbel,  Michael 
Thomas,  Jacob  Beeghly,  Samuel  C.  Umbel,  William  Thomas, 
and  James  A.  Ridenour. 

Probably  a  few  of  the  foregoing  labored  in  the  Markleys- 
burg congregation.  In  addition  to  these  there  were:  Solomon 
Bucklew,  John  H.  Myers,  Jeremiah  Beeghly,  Jasper  Barnt- 
house.  Marshal  J.  Weller,  Marlin  J.  Maust,  Silas  Fike.  and 
Jacob  J.  Rodehaver. 

Two  young  brethren,  Ortha  P.  Thomas  and  Roy  Umbel, 
were  elected  to  the  ministry,  but  were  not  installed  into  ofhce. 
Christian  Harader  moved  to  Iowa,  where  he  died.  Philip  J. 
Brown  moved  to  Ohio  and  died  there.  Larkin  Hall  died  in 
Marshall  County,  Iowa,  whither  he  had  moved.  James  A. 
Ridenour  moved  to  Ohio,  and  afterward  united  with  the 
Progressives.  Solomon  l>ucklew,  in  1887,  moved  to  Illinois, 
returned  in  1914,  and  left  again  in  1915.  John  H.  Myers 
moved  to  Somerset  in  1893  and  returned  in  1903,  and  died 
August  11,  1913.  Jasper  Barnthouse  moved  to  Uniontown  in 
1903.  J.  J.  Rodehaver  moved  to  Mount  Pleasant,  Marlin  J. 
Maust  to  Everett  and  Silas  Fike  to  Georges  Creek. 

The  following  brethren  have  served  in  the  deacon's  of- 
fice: Francis  Shirer,  Christian  Thomas,  Michael  Umbel,  George 
J.  Thomas,  Moses  R.  Thomas,  Abraham  Miller,  Milo  Thomas, 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        133 

Elijah  Umbel,  Sylvanus  Thomas,  Andrew  Chrise,  W.  H. 
Thomas,  Lloyd  Umbel,  Amos  Umbel,  Marcellus  W.  Fike, 
Francis  J.  Thomas,  Andrew  Dennis  and  Joseph  A.  Weller. 

Solomon  Bucklew  was  the  first  elder  in  charge.  When 
Jacob  Beeghly  and  John  H.  Myers  were  ordained,  in  1880,  he 
resigned.  Jasper  Barnthouse  was  ordained  in  1896.  Samuel 
C.  Umbel  was  called  to  the  eldership  in  1906  and  is  the  present 
elder.  Jeremiah  Beeghly,  an  aged  elder,  also  lives  in  the  con- 
gregation. 

In  the  division  of  the  Sandy  Creek  congregation  the 
Bethel  meetinghouse  fell  to  the  Markleysburg  side.  This 
house  was  built  in  1865.  The  Pleasant  View  house  in  Mark- 
leysburg was  erected  in  1879.  The  first  sermon  in  this  house 
was  preached  by  Elder  Jacob  Thomas,  by  special  request, 
when  he  was  eighty-five  years  of  age.  This  was  Saturday 
evening,  October,  1879.  The  next  day  Elder  H.  R.  Holsinger 
delivered  the  dedicatory  sermon.  The  Asher  Glade  house  was 
built  in  1890  and  dedicated  by  Jeremiah  Thomas.  Union 
chapel  was  built  in  1892.  One  Methodist,  one  Lutheran  and 
one  Brethren  (Jeremiah  Thomas)  minister  took  part  in  the 
dedicatory  services.  Sand  Spring  house  was  built  in  1898, 
and  dedicated  by  Elder  Jeremiah  Thomas. 

Four  Sunday-schools  are  in  session  in  the  congregation, 
though  not  entirely  conducted  by  the  members  of  the  church. 
There  is  one  Christian  Workers'  Meeting.  To  assist  the  two 
aged  elders,  S.  C.  Umbel  and  Jeremiah  Beeghly,  and  Brother 
M.  J.  Weller,  Elder  J.  J.  Shaffer  was  appointed  by  the  elders 
of  the  District  in  1915.  The  names  of  the  present  deacons 
follow:  Andrew  Chrise,  A.  Dennis,  M.  W.  Fike,  A.  Miller, 
A.  M.  Thomas,  Harry  Thomas,  F.  J.  Thomas,  M.  R.  Thomas, 
S.  Thomas,  Amos  Umbel,  Elijah  Umbel,  Lloyd  Umbel,  M. 
T.  Umbel,  and  Joseph  Weller. 

MEYERSDALE  CONGREGATION. 

By  C.  G.  Lint. 
When    Meyersdale    became    a    separate    congregation    in 
1877  it  had  one  minister  and  three  meetinghouses — Meyers- 


134  HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

dale,  Berkley's  Mills  and  Hochstetler,  or  Greenville.  In  1878 
John  R.  Lichty  and  Harvey  M.  Ficrklcy  were  called  to  the  min- 
istry, the  latter,  however,  declining  the  call.  In  1880  E.  K. 
Hochstetler,  Samuel  P.  Maust  and  Uriah  D.  I>rougher  were 
called  to  the  ministry  and  installed.  The  sainc  year  the  IVf)- 
gressive  element  hegan  asking  f(jr  i)rivilcgcs  that  the  memher- 
ship  at  large  could  not  consent  to,  and  four  of  these,  showing 
a  strong  spirit  of  insuhordination,  were  disowned  from  fel- 
lowship. In  the  spring  of  1881  twenty-eight  withdrew  their 
fellowship.  These,  with  the  four  previously  disowned,  thirty- 
two  in  all,  were  organized  into  a  church  hy  H.  R.  Holsinger, 
and  placed  under  his  care  for  a  season. 

The  local  membership,  having  passed  through  a  severe  or- 
deal, now  numbering  less  than  200,  decided  the  same  year  to 
build  a  meetinghouse  upon  the  site  of  the  old  one,  large  enough 
for  love-feast  purposes.  In  1882  the  old  house  was  razed  and 
the  present  structure  erected.  In  the  fall  we  held  a  very 
pleasant  love  feast.  Elder  D.  P.  Sayler  officiating.  The  work 
of  the  church  now  moved  along  very  pleasantly,  now  and  then 
adding  to  its  membership.  In  1887  we  had  a  two  weeks'  meet- 
ing, conducted  by  Elder  John  S.  Flory,  upon  which  occasion 
sixty-five  were  added  to  the  church. 

The  Hyndman  church  was  bought  from  the  Evangelical 
Association.  Brother  Thomas  Hardin  and  D.  K.  Clapper 
were  elected  ministers  at  that  place.  John  R.  Lichty  moved  to 
Idaho  Falls,  Idaho.  In  1891  Brother  D.  K.  Clapper  moved  in- 
to the  congregation,  and  in  1906  he  moved  into  Meyersdalc. 
Brother  IC.  F.  Clark,  after  having  lived  in  Meyersdale  several 
years,  moved  to  Washington,  District  of  Columbia,  in   1905. 

In  1913  the  congregation  was  divided  and  Greenville 
made  a  separate  congregation.  E.  K.  Hochstetler,  who  was  or- 
dained to  the  eldership  November  4.  1905,  became  the  elder 
of  the  new  congregation. 

In  the  summer  of  1914  Elder  W.  M.  Howe  became  the 
pastor  of  the  congregation  and  located  in  Meyersdale.  Be- 
sides the  large,  evergreen  .Sunday-school  in  Meyersdale,  the 
church  has  a  large  interest  in  two  mission  union  schools. 


136  HISTORY    OF   THE  CHURCH    OF   THE 

In  addition  to  these,  there  are  a  Christian  Workers'  So- 
ciety, a  Sisters'  Aid  Society,  teachers'  meetings  and  a  Friday 
night  Bible  class  for  all.  May  5,  1915,  S.  P.  Maust  and  D.  K. 
Clapper  were  ordained  to  the  eldership. 

The  officials  of  the  church  are:  W.  M.  Howe,  pastor  and 
elder  in  charge;  other  elders,  C.  G.  Lint,  S.  P.  Maust  and  D. 
K.  Clapper;  minister,  D.  W.  Long;  deacons,  B.  B.  Dickey, 
J.  M.  Gnagey,  H.  L.  Griffith,  M.  C.  Horner,  C.  A.  Just, 
Harvey  Miller,  S.  J.  Miller,  E.  J.  Schrock,  Joseph  Shellbear 
and  Philip  Thomas. 

During  the  latter  ])art  of  1915  Elder  J.  H.  Cassady  held 
a  series  of  meetings,  during  which  nearly  a  hundred  united 
with  the  church.  Since  the  church  has  a  regular  pastor  new 
life  is  manifesting  itself. 

Only  the  first  part  of  this  history  was  given  by  Elder  Lint. 

MIDDLE  CREEK. 

When,  in  1849,  the  church  in  Somerset  County  was  di- 
vided into  four  congregations,  the  western  part  was  named 
Middle  Creek.  It  is  a  large  territory,  extending  from  Con- 
fluence to  the  mountains,  a  distance  of  about  thirty  miles, 
while  in  width  it  is  about  sixteen  miles. 

At  that  time  Henry  Myers  was  elder  and  Jacob  S.  Hauger 
was  minister.  Brother  Hauger  had  been  elected  in  1835. 
Myers'  services  were  in  the  German  language,  while  Hauger 
used  both  German  and  English.  The  first  election  after  the 
organization  resulted  in  calling  Brethren  Solomon  Lichty  and 
Martin  L.  Myers.  Since  no  records  were  kept  in  those  days 
it  is  difficult  to  know  in  what  order  the  following  brethren 
were  elected:  Adam  F.  Snyder,  Jonathan  Lichty,  Abraham 
Hostetler  and  John  Dull ;  Jacob  D.  Miller  and  his  son,  Edward 
S.  Miller,  1854;  Michael  Kimmcl  in  1850;  Valentine  Blough 
and  William  S.  Myers  in  1867;  Tobias  Myers  and  Cornelius 
Berkley;  John  Schrock,  and  W'illiam  Miller.  Of  the  above, 
Brethren  Dull,  W.  S.  Myers  and  A\'.  Miller  did  not  preach. 
Following  these  were :  Jacob  T.  Myers,  1871  ;  John  H.  Myers 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         137 

and  Wesley  A.  Adams,  1875 ;  Isaiah  C.  Johnson  and  George 
W.  Lowry,  June,  1883 ;  Herman  A.  Stahl  and  Robert  T.  Hull, 
June  20,  1890;  John  W.  Wegly,  1897;  H.  H.  Kimmel  and  W. 
H.  Meyers,  1900;  M.  J.  Brougher  and  Jacob  W.  Sanner,  June, 
1906;  Samuel  A.  Meyers,  May  29,  1911,  and  Rufus  D.  Case- 
beer,  May  20,  1915.  Brethren  C.  A.  Just  and  Emerson  Pyle 
were  at  different  times  elected,  but  did  not  see  fit  to  accept  the 
call.     Brother  Pyle  has  since  been   installed. 

Besides  these  there  have  moved  into  the  congregation, 
at  dififerent  times,  Josiah  Berkley,  Silas  Hoover,  Uriah  D. 
Brougher,  N.  B.  Christner,  I.  B.  Ferguson,  Joseph  Beam,  A. 
D.  Christner  and  B.  B.  Ludwick.  The  following  have  moved 
out  of  the  congregation :  Henry  Myers,  Jacob  S.  Hauger, 
Solomon  Lichty,  Martin  L.  Myers,  Jonathan  Lichty,  Abra- 
ham Hostetler,  John  Dull,  Edward  S.  Miller,  Tobias  Myers, 
J.  T.  Myers,  John  H.  Myers,  W.  A.  Adams,  I.  B.  Ferguson, 
A.  D.  Christner,  M.  J.  Brougher,  J.  W.  Sanner,  I.  C.  Johnson 
and  B.  B.  Ludwick. 

The  following  brethren  are  said  to  have  served  in  the 
eldership :  Henry  Myers,  Jacob  S.  Hauger,  Solomon  Lichty. 
Martin  L.  Myers,  Jonathan  Lichty,  Adam  F.  Snyder,  Josiah 
Berkley,  Valentine  Blough,  Silas  Hoover,  U.  D.  Brougher, 
H.  A.  Stahl  and  R.  T.  Hull. 

In  the  number  of  meetinghouses  Middle  Creek  easily 
stands  first  in  the  District.  The  first  one  was  erected  before 
the  congregation  was  organized.  It  was  a  love-feast  house, 
40x60  feet,  and  was  built  at  Middle  Creek  in  1848.  This 
church  was  in  constant  use  forty-five  years  and  was  replaced 
by  a  more  modern  structure  in  1893.  Another  early  church 
was  the  one  at  Pleasant  Hill,  in  Mil  ford  Township.  This 
seems  to  have  been  a  union  church  at  first.  A  new  one  took 
its  place  in  1906.  The  Plank  Road  (or  Grove)  church  in 
Somerset  Township  was  another  old  one.  It  is  no  longer  in 
use.  The  Hauger,  or  Union  house,  was  located  two  and  a 
half  miles  from  Rockwood.  This  is  not  in  use  now.  In  1856 
a  church  was  built  on  land  donated  by  Jacob  D.  Miller,  several 
miles   north   of   Somerset,   and   called   the   Fairview   church. 


138 


HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


<;eiger    Church,    Middle    Creek    ami    Itrothers    Valley    Congresrations 
the    Yard    Was    Graded    and    Sidewalks    Were    Laid. 


-Before 


This  was  abandoned  many  years  ago,  the  Summit  church,  at 
Geiger,  taking  its  place.  A  house  was  bought  at  Kingwood, 
in  U])|)er  Turkeyfoot  Township,  now  called  Fairview.  Since 
1905  the  second  building  has  been  in  use  at  this  point. 

Next  we  name  the  Center  church,  in  Middle  Creek  Town- 
ship, the  Laurel  Hill  Creek  church,  in  Jefferson  Township, 
Summit  church,  named  above,  in  Somerset  Township,  Scull- 
ton  church,  in  Upper  Turkeyfoot  Township,  Moore  church, 
in  Jefferson  Township,  Husband  church,  in  Lincoln  Town- 
ship, and  last  the  new  church  at  the  Pike,  dedicated  in  1915, 
and  taking  the  place  of  the  Plank  Road  and  Laurel  Hill  Creek 
churches.  A  further  notice  of  both  meetinghouses  erected 
at  Geiger,  which  are  owned  jointly  by  Middle  Creek  and 
I'rothers  Valley  congregations,  is  found  in  the  history  of  the 
latter  congregation.  The  congregation,  therefore,  has  at 
j)resent  eight  churchhouses  and  a  half  interest  in  another. 
vSeven  Sunday-schools  are  in  operation. 

At  tlic  time  of  the  organization  there  were  three  deacons: 
Jacob  Lichty,  Jacob  Miller  and  Simon  Hauger.  Other  old 
deacons  who  were  pr()1)ably  called  to  the  office  in  the  con- 
gregation were:  John  ^I.  Kimmcl,  Cornelius  Berkley,  \\'illiam 
S.  Myers,  Hiram  llauger  and  Jacob  ("lood.     Present  deacons: 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         139 

Joseph  W.  Meyers,  E.  B.  Knepper,  A.  A.  Miller,  Herman 
Baer,  D.  F.  Walker,  Madison  Brougher,  John  Rees,  William 
Saylor,  William  Bittner,  Joseph  F.  Meyers,  Mahlon  Meyers, 
Peter  Speicher,  Nelson  Saylor  and  William  Miller.  Present 
ministers :  Josiah  Berkley,  Silas  Hoover  and  R.  T.  Hull, 
elders ;  J.  W.  Wegley,  H.  H.  Kimmel,  H.  W.  Meyers,  S.  A. 
Meyers,  and  R.  D.  Casebeer,  ministers. 


MONTGOMERY. 

This  congregation,  territorially,  covers  all  that  part  of 
Indiana  County  north  of  the  old  Purchase  Line  and  east  of  the 
Mahoning  Road,  which  leads  from  the  town  of  Indiana  to 
Punxsutawney.  There  are  now,  or  have  been,  members  be- 
longing to  this  congregation  living  in  Jefferson  County. 

It  was  about  tbe  year  1845  when  Samuel  Spicher  and 
George  Rairigh,  Jr.,  with  their  wives,  moved  here  from  Arm- 
strong County.  They  soon  called  for  preaching  and  Elder 
George  Rairigh,  Sr.,  and  Elder  Joseph  Shumaker.  from  the 
Cowanshannock  congregation,  responded  to  the  call  and  had 
some  conversions.  Other  members  soon  moved  in,  so  that 
by  the  year  1852  an  organization  was  efifected,  and  Peter  Beer, 
then  a  promising  young  brother,  with  perseverance  and  good 
judgment,  was  elected  to  the  ministry.  Brother  Beer  minis- 
tered to  the  spiritual  needs  of  the  people  with  such  diligence  as 
his  limited  temporal  resources  justified,  till  1876,  when  he 
moved  to  Clearfield  County  and  worked  up  the  Rockton  con- 
gregation. 

The  organization  was  efifected  at  the  home  of  Cornelius 
Rowley,  and  as  stated  above,  Peter  Beer  was  elected  to  the 
ministry  and  Jonathan  Berkey  to  the  deacon  ofifice.  J.  W. 
Spicher  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  1854;  Mark  Minser, 
a  minister,  moved  in  from  Jefiferson  County  in  1868 ;  George 
S.  Rairigh  was  elected  in  1879 ;  M.  H.  Spicher  was  elected  in 
1893.  Brother  Minser  was  ordained  in  1877.  He  moved  to 
the  Manor  congregation  in  1880,  placing  his  letter  there  Sep- 
tember  12,   but  by   the   request   of   the   Montgomery  congre- 


140  HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH   OF   THE 

gation  he  continued  the  oversight  of  that  congregation.  After 
his  death,  in  1895,  Elder  J.  Harvey  Beer  had  the  oversight  un- 
til 1903. 

George  S.  Rairigh  moved  in  1891,  to  the  Johnstown  con- 
gregation, where  he  was  ordained  to  the  eldership,  and  sub- 
sequently moved  to  the  Eastern  Shore  of  Maryland,  where 
he  became  connected  with  the  work  of  the  Eastern  District 
of  Pennsylvania  and  did  valuable  work  in  the  Brooklyn  Mis- 
sion. Brother  M.  N.  Spicher  moved  to  Prince  William  Coun- 
ty, Virginia,  and  thence  to  the  Eastern  Shore,  Maryland.  This 
left  the  congregation  with  only  one  resident  minister,  J.  W. 
Si)icher.  But  the  faithful  old  brother  was  anxious  for  the 
prosperity  of  the  congregation  and  called  for  the  election  of 
ministers.  The  result  was  that  D.  R.  Berkey  and  Oran  Fyock 
were  called  in  1907. 

Elder  Brice  Sell,  of  the  Middle  District  of  Pennsylvania, 
had  the  oversight  for  a  number  of  years  until  1912,  when 
Oran  Fyock  was  ordained  and  is  the  present  elder.  J.  W. 
Spicher  died  in  1909  and  1).  R.  Berkey  moved  to  the  Manor 
congregation  in  1912,  so  Brother  Fyock  is  the  only  minister 
at  this  time. 

The  following  deacons  have  been  elected:  Samuel  Rairigh 


OId«MontK<>i>i<'ry    Cliiircli,    .M(>ntt;:<>nii>r.v    ConcrrKiition. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


141 


and  Henry  Spicher;  Daniel  Rairigh,  in  1876;  W.  G.  Walker, 
in  1877;  A.  H.  Brilhart,  in  1891;  Frank  Fyock  and  John 
Rairigh,  in  1892;  D.  R.  Berkey,  in  1904;  Harry  Brilhart,  in 
1908. 

The  first  meetinghouse  was  erected  in  1873,  named  Mont- 
gomery, after  the  township  in  which  it  is  located.  This  house 
was  remodeled  in  1906  and  is  the  only  one  in  the  congrega- 
tion. The  present  memhership  nunibers  eighty- four.  A  good 
Sunday-school  is  maintained,  with  an  enrollment  of  eighty. 
It  was  organized  some  time  before  the  church  was  built  and 
was  held  in  a  township  schoolhouse. 

MORRELLVILLE. 

This  is  one  of  the  new  congregations  carved  out  of  the 
W^est  Johnstown  congregation.  A  number  of  years  ago  some 
members  settled  in  this  ]iart  of  the  city,  and  a  meeting  place 
was  secured  and  meetings  were  held.  In  1902  a  substantial 
meetinghouse  was  erected  on  D  Street,  between  Fairfield  and 
Barron  Avenues.  More  members  moved  in,  successful  series 
of  meetings  were  held,  regular  preaching  services  were  con- 


MorrellviHe   Church. 


142  HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

ducted  twice  a  Sunday,  and  an  evergreen  Sunday-school  was 
carried  on.  There  was  one  resident  minister,  Solomon  E. 
Dorer,  and  from  January  8,  1903,  to  December  31,  1908, 
Harvey  S.  Replogle,  a  young  minister  and  school-teacher,  also 
resided  there.  A  part  of  this  time  Brother  Replogle  served  as 
pastor  and  the  congregation  grew  encouragingly.  Brother 
Leonard  R.  Holsinger,  after  he  was  elected  to  the  ministry, 
January  13,  1910,  continued  living  here  till  February,  1911. 

The  membership  continued  to  grow  till  it  was  decided  to 
secure  a  pastor  for  Morrellville  alone,  and  Brother  John  W. 
Mills  took  up  the  pastoral  work  February  1,  1914.  When 
the  congregation  was  organized,  March  15,  1915,  the  mem- 
bership was  nearly  250,  and  the  official  board  consisted  of 
Solomon  E.  Dorer,  John  W.  Mills  and  James  F.  Ream,  min- 
isters in  the  second  degree,  and  John  Wissinger,  Amos  Camp- 
bell and  William  I.  Strayer,  deacons. 

An  election  was  held  for  deacons,  on  March  15,  1915, 
and  Jehu  Allison,  P.  M.  Edminston,  Charles  Kimmel  and 
Albert  Howard  were  chosen. 

In  the  si)ring  of  1915  the  meetinghouse  was  arranged  so 
as  to  be  suitable  for  holding  love  feasts.  The  .Sunday-school 
is  evergreen  and  a  Christian  Workers'  Meeting  and  a  Sisters' 
Aid  Society  are  being  maintained  ;  a  teacher  training  class 
is  also  maintained. 

MOUNT  UNION. 

The  Mount  Union  congregation  is  the  result  of  home  mis- 
sion activities  by  the  Brethren  near  the  middle  of  the  nine- 
teenth century.  The  dates  and  names  of  the  first  workers  are 
not  known.  Ministers  from  the  Sandy  Creek  congregation 
came  across  Cheat  Mountain  and  held  services  in  "  Cheat 
Neck."  \\'orkers  from  the  Second  District  of  West  Virginia 
came  down  into  the  Monongahela  River  Valley.  Emigrants 
from  Pennsylvania  settled  on  the  newer  lands  of  West  Vir- 
ginia, and  their  ministers  visited  them  occasionally  and  held 
services.     The  influences  of  the  (icorges  Creek  congregation 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


143 


finally  prevailed,  and  Monongalia  County  became  a  part  of 
that  congregation. 

Services  were  held  in  schoolhouses  and  churches  of  other 
denominations,  but  in  1883  the  Mount  Union  church  was  built 
for  the  central  point,  three  miles  north  of  Morgantown.  Eld- 
er James  Ouinter  preached  the  dedicatory  sermon. 

A  list  of  the  early  members  is  not  available,  but  some  of 
the  members  since  1870  were:  John  Ganz,  minister;  Oliver 
Miller,  James  Hamilton  and  family,  R.  C.  Ross,  deacon ;  J.  F. 
Ross,  Harriet  Reed,  Rebecca  Hoard,  Ross  E.  Reed,  minister ; 
Joseph  Bixler  and  family,  Millard  Reed,  Omozine  Reed,  Eliza- 
beth Ross  and  Silas  Pugh  and  family. 

Some  of  the  ministers  laboring  in  this  field  were  Joseph 
I.  Cover,  Andrew  J.  Sterling,  J.  C.  Johnson,  J.  H.  ]\J^yers, 
Solomon  Bucklew,  Alpheus  DeBolt,  Jeremiah  Thomas,  Jasper 
Barnthouse,  John  A.  Click  and  Obed  Hamstead. 

When  the  Mount  Union  house  was  built,  in  1883,  there 
were  about  thirty-five  members  in  the  county,  and  eighteen 
years  later,  in  1901,  there  were  only  about  that  number.  So, 
at  the  March  council,  a  vote  was  taken  to  organize  a  new  con- 
gregation, and  see  if  the  work  would  not  prosper  better.  The 
vote  was  ratified  by  the  Fairview  council  a  little  later,  and  the 


Mount   Union    Church,   Mt.   Union    Congregation. 


144 


HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Wiles    Hill   Church,    Mount   Union    Congregation. 

new  congregation  was  formally  organized  on  September  14. 
1901,  under  the  name  of  Mount  Union.  Virgil  C.  Finnell  and 
Walter  J.  Hamilton  were  elected  to  the  ministry,  Miles  Ham- 
ilton and  Silas  Pugh  were  elected  deacons  to  assist  R.  C.  Ross 
and  Jose|)h  I.  Johnson,  who  had  served  the  Georges  Creek 
congregation,  and  Elder  Jasper  P>arnthouse  was  chosen  for 
bishop  and  presided  over  the  congregation  for  a  number  of 
years. 

During  the  summer  of  1901  John  A.  Glick.  of  Uniontown, 
Pennsylvania,  ])rcachcd  in  the  M.  P.  church  on  Walnut  Street, 
Morgantown,  one  Sunday  evening.  A  number  of  young  mem- 
bers from  Mount  Union  were  present.  One  of  them,  \V.  J. 
Hamilton,  got  a  vision  of  a  Brethren  church  in  town.  At  the 
following  council  in  January  he  i)ro])()sed  the  opening  of  a 
mission  in  Morgantown.  A  committee  com])oscd  of  himself, 
R.  E.  Reed  and  Millard  Reed,  was  ajipointed  to  secure  a  room. 
Nothing  was  available,  so  he  persuaded  his  father.  Miles  Ham- 
ilton, and  his  uncle,  Francis  Hamilton,  to  buy  a  lot  and  build 
a  room  24x32  feet  for  Sunday-school.     1Mius  the  Wiles  Hill 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         145 

Mission  was  opened  in  July,  1902.  A  little  later  Thomas  H. 
Miller  and  family  located  in  town.  He,  being  a  minister,  was 
a  great  help  to  the  new  work.  Sylvanus  M.  Annon  and  family 
also  moved  to  Morgantown,  and  became  a  great  pillar  in  the 
mission.  He  was  ordained  to  the  eldership  while  residing 
here. 

On  September  11,  1909,  Arthur  Bailey  and  Ezra  A. 
Wolfe,  two  of  the  new  converts,  were  elected  as  deacons. 
A  brick  churchhouse,  36x40  feet,  was  then  erected,  and  dedi- 
cated by  Elder  H.  C.  Early,  August  14,  1910.  Two  ministers, 
William  E.  Hamilton  and  Arthur  Bailey,  were  elected  at  the 
love  feast  the  evening  before,  as  Brethren  Miller  and  Annon 
had  moved  away.  John  Osborn  and  Frank  Pugh  were  elected 
deacons  on  December  13,  1911.  Walter  J.  Hamilton  moved 
away  in  1912,  and  on  March  8,  1913,  Daniel  E.  Shaffer,  J.  M. 
Fletcher  and  John  Osborn  were  elected  to  the  ministry. 
Arthur  Bailey  was  ordained  to  the  eldership,  and  in  the  spring 
of  1915  Elder  Solomon  Bucklew  moved  into  the  congregation, 
becoming  both  the  elder  in  charge  and  the  pastor. 

There  are  two  Sunday-schools,  a  Christian  Workers'  So- 
ciety, prayer  meeting,  teacher  training  class  and  teachers'  meet- 
ings. The  present  official  board  consists  of  Elders  Solomon 
Bucklew  and  Arthur  Bailey ;  ministers,  Ross  Reed,  William  E. 
Hamilton,  Daniel  E.  Shaffer;  deacons,  Silas  Fugh,  Ezra  A. 
Wolfe,  Frank  Fugh,  Miles  Hamilton. 

PITTSBURGH. 

At  the  District  Meeting  held  in  the  Shade  Creek  congrega- 
tion, August  22,  1899,  S.  S.  Blough  was  directed  to  go  to 
Fittsburgh,  to  look  up  a  city  mission  field,  the  District  Meet- 
ing assuring  him  a  support.  On  May  27,  1900,  Brother 
Blough,  who  in  the  meantime  had  selected  a  location  and  had 
moved  his  family  to  Fittsburgh,  taught  the  first  Sunday- 
school  lesson,  in  the  front  room  of  his  own  home  at  Number  8 
Camp  Street,  on  Herron  Hill.  There  were  present  Samuel 
C.  Cover,  Mrs.  Etta  V.  Cover,  Cyrus  Replogle,  Joseph  Rep- 


146  HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

logle,  Sylvanus  Rishel,  S.  S.  Blough,  Mrs.  Mary  W.  Blough 
and  Carman  G.  Blough,  then  four  and  one  half  years  of  age. 
Two  services  each  Sunday  forenoon  were  held  until  Novem- 
ber, 1900,  in  the  missionary's  home. 

Soon  it  dcxeloiied  that  there  were  other  Brethren  in 
rittsburgh,  and,  because  the  most  of  them  were  located  in,  or 
near  to,  Hazelwood  District,  it  seemed  wise  for  Brother 
I>lough  to  move  to  Lytle  Street,  Hazelwood.  On  November 
18,  1900,  the  first  meeting  in  Moore's  Hall,  on  Hazelwood 
Ave.,  in  Hazelwood,  was  held.  In  the  meantime  night  meet- 
ings once  a  month  had  been  held  at  the  home  of  Brother  D. 
F.  Troxel,  in  Wilmerding,  and  at  other  homes  of  brethren  and 
friends  throughout  the  city,  and  although  the  regular  meet- 
ing place  of  the  mission  on  Hazelwood  Ave.  was  very  unat- 
tractive, because  of  its  location  over  a  livery  stable  and  imme- 
diately adjacent  to  an  undertaker's  room,  there  was  much 
faithfulness  manifest  on  the  part  of  the  members  in  these 
humble  l)eginnings. 

During  the  months  of  .Sei)tember  and  October,  1901, 
Sister  Elizabeth  Howe  conducted  s]>ecial  Bible  class  work  and 
otherwise  assisted  in  the  work  of  the  mission. 

A  committee,  consisting  of  .Elders  Joseph  Holsopple,  D. 
H.  W'alker  and  W.  A.  Gaunt,  was  appointed  by  the  Elders' 
Meeting  held  at  Johnstown,  in  1902,  to  go  to  Pittsburgh  and 
organize  the  members  into  a  congregation.  The  committee 
met  the  church  July  5  and  6.  1902.  Two  sermons  were 
preached,  one  by  Elder  Gaunt,  the  other  by  Elder  Holsopple, 
with  twenty-five  and  forty-seven  present,  respectively.  At 
2  o'clock  P.  M.  a  special  meeting  was  held  for  the  purpose  of 
eflfecting  an  organization.  After  some  explanatory  remarks, 
setting  forth  the  principles  of  the  church,  as  founded  upon  the 
Gospel,  by  Elder  Holsojiplc.  the  members  present,  by  vote, 
decided  to  organize  the  congregation.  The  following  twenty- 
seven  members  constituted  the  charter  membership :  Robert 
H.  Forney,  Sol  \\'orkman,  Mary  Workman,  S.  C.  Workman. 
S.  E.  Workman,  William  Imler.  Leah  Imler,  Melissa  Steel, 
Mar>'   A.   Dell.   D.   F.   Troxel.   deacon;   John   E.   Wareham, 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         147 

deacon ;  Sadie  Wareham,  Margaret  Collins,  A.  O.  Horner, 
deacon;  C.  S.  Carr,  S.  S.  Blough,  elder;  Mary  W.  Blough, 
Cyrus  B.  Replogle,  Minnie  Replogle,  Huldah  Guyer,  Leah 
Benner,  J.  Herman  Royer,  S.  D.  Humphreys,  J.  Ward  Richer, 
Edward  Tonner,  James  Miller,  Mrs.  Silas  Wareham.  The 
organization  was :  Elder,  S.  S.  Blough  ;  secretary,  S.  C.  Work- 
man; treasurer,  S.  S.  Blough.  Attendance,  forty-five.  In  the 
evening  Elder  Walker  preached  the  first  sermon  to  an  organ- 
ized church  of  the  Brethren  in  the  city  of  Pittsburgh,  with 
thirty-four  present. 

After  three  years  in  Moore's  Hall  on  Hazel  wood  Ave., 
the  place  of  meetings  was  moved  to  a  hall  in  the  Hazelwood 
Trust  Company's  Building,  on  the  corner  of  Hazelwood 
Avenue,  November,  1903,  and  remained  in  this  building  until 
the  church  on  Squirrel  Hill  was  ready  for  occupancy.  On 
January  10,  1904,  the  Christian  Workers'  Meeting  was  or- 
ganized, and  January  14,  1914,  a  Children's  Hour  or  Meeting 
was  started,  this  latter  growing  into  a  Junior  Christian  Work- 
ers' Meeting.  In  these  activities,  as  well  as  in  the  general  wel- 
fare of  the  work,  as  visitors.  Sisters  Alice  Smith,  in  1904; 
Ida  C  Shumaker,  in  1905  ;  Sister  VanSickle,  in  1906 ;  Grace 
Gnagey,  in  1907.  1908  and  1909,  and  Sister  Sadie  Wareham, 
since  1909,  have  left  permanent  results  upon  the  growing  con- 
gregation. The  Sisters'  Aid  Society  was  organized  in  Jan- 
uary, 1905. 

On  April  30,  1903,  Elders  D.  H.  Walker  and  P.  J.  Blough 
were  sent  by  the  Mission  Board  and  were  authorized  by  the 
District  Meeting  to  purchase  a  lot  for  a  church  building  in 
Pittsburgh.  The  deal  was  made  and  closed  May  4,  1903,  the 
price  paid  being  $2,250  cash.  The  location  on  Greenfield 
Avenue  and  Mont  Clair  Street,  on  Squirrel  Hill,  was  then 
thought  to  be  an  unusually  good  and  convenient  one,  but  has 
since  proved  to  be  even  better  than  was  at  first  thought.  The 
District  Meeting  of  1903  granted  the  Mission  Board  the  priv- 
ilege to  build  the  house,  but  as  only  very  scant  funds  were 
available,  it  was  not  built  until  1904.  With  the  advice  of  the 
Mission  Board,  Elder  S.  S.  Blough  supervised  the  construction 


148 


HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


ProposjMl   Alteration   and   Addition   to   the    Pittsburgh   Church,    Pa. 


of  the  house,  which  was  completed  in  the  fall  of  1904.  The 
total  cost  of  the  lot  and  building  was  $9,600. 

The  new  church  was  dedicated  October  2.  1904,  Elder 
W.  J.  Swigart  preaching  the  dedicatory  sermon.  In  the  even- 
ing the  first  love  feast  in  the  new  church  was  held.  Elder 
Swigart  officiating. 

After  Elder  Blough  had  acted  at  first  as  missionary  and 
then  as  pastor  and  elder  in  charge  for  seven  years,  during 
which  time  the  work  grew  from  a  mere  handful  of  members 
to  over  100.  and  four  moves  had  been  made,  including  the  one 
to  the  new  church,  he  tendered  his  resignation  to  the  Mission 
Board  and  preached  his  valedictory  on  May  5,  1907,  on  the 
theme.  "A  Benediction"  (2  Thess.  2:  16-17).  Elders  Walk- 
er and  daunt  now  filled  the  ])ulpit  two  months,  when  M.  J- 
Weaver  was  secured  to  take  up  the  pastorate.  FJder  Walker 
became  the  elder  in  charge.     Brother  Weaver  moved  into  the 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         149 

parsonage  about  July,  1907,  with  his  sister  Amanda  as  house- 
keeper, as  well  as  helper  in  the  work,  especially  with  the  chil- 
dren. 

In  November,  1909,  Brother  Weaver  brought  his  new 
wife  to  Pittsburgh,  and  soon  her  helpfulness  in  all  the  varied 
activities  of  the  congregation  was  manifest.  During  Brother 
Weaver's  ])astorate  the  congregation  relinquished  its  depend- 
ence upon  the  Mission  Board,  and  became  self-supporting 
in  1910.  In  the  fall  of  1910  an  entire  reorganization  of  the 
activities  of  the  congregation  was  effected  by  the  adoption  of 
a  formal  constitution,  which,  with  slight  modifications,  has 
been  followed  ever  since.  This  constitution  provides  for  the 
annual  election  of  all  officers  of  the  congregation,  including 
Sunday-school  superintendent,  assistant  superintendent,  super- 
intendent of  cottage  prayer  meetings,  superintendent  of  Chris- 
tian Workers'  Meetings,  superintendent  of  women's  work, 
superintendent  of  children's  work,  secretary  of  peace,  sec- 
retary of  temperance,  secretary  of  missions,  secretary  of  social 
service,  secretary  of  publications  and  denominational  litera- 
ture, general  secretary,  treasurer,  and  three  trustees.  These  of- 
ficers are  to  report  directly  to  the  quarterly  councils. 

In  June,  1912,  the  congregation  was  called  upon  to  relieve 
Brother  \\'eaver  of  his  charge,  he  having  been  called  to  the 
pastorate  of  the  Everett  church,  in  Middle  Pennsylvania. 
This  separation  was  an  unusually  difficult  experience  to  the 
congregation,  as  Brother  and  Sister  Weaver  had  lived  very 
helpfully  into  the  lives  of  all,  their  consecration  to  the  service 
of  the  Lord  and  his  people  being  always  in  evidence.  During 
his  incumbency  of  one  month  less  than  five  years.  Brother 
Weaver  baptized  fifty-two  persons,  and  a  goodly  number  were 
added  to  the  membership  by  letter.  From  the  time  the  church 
was  built  these  evangelists  have  conducted  revival  meetings  in 
the  congregation :  A.  W.  Harrold,  D.  H.  Walker,  C.  O.  Beery, 
D.  K.  Clapper,  Jasper  Barnthouse,  H.  S.  Replogle,  J.  H. 
Cassady,  M.  C.  Swigart  and  P.  J.  Blough. 

After  the  departure  of  Brother  Weaver,  Brother  Carman 
C.  Johnson,  who,  since  the  fall  of  1900,  had  been  connected 


150  HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

with  the  congregation,  took  charge  of  the  pulpit  for  about  a 
month,  until  Brother  Herman  B.  Heisey  arrived  to  take  the 
pastorate  temporarily.  When  Brother  Heisey  left  for  his  va- 
cation, i^reparatory  to  his  leaving  for  India,  Brother  Johnson 
again  filled  the  pulpit  for  a  fev^  weeks  until  Brother  S.  W. 
Bail  was  chosen  to  the  tem])orary  pastorate,  pending  the  se- 
lection of  a  permanent  i)astor.  lirother  liail  served  the  con- 
gregation faithfully  until  February  1,  1913,  during  which  time 
he  was  married  and  took  u})  his  residence  in  the  parsonage. 
On  Sunday,  L>bruary  2.  1913.  Brother  T.  Rodney  Cofifman, 
formerly  of  Hagerstown,  Maryland,  and  Tyrone  and  Parker- 
ford,  Pennsylvania,  was  installed  as  the  first  ])ermanent  pastor 
of  the  congregation,  I'Llder  D.  H.  Walker  delivering  an  his- 
torical address  and  giving  the  charge.  The  roll  of  church 
membership  numbered  175  when  Brother  Coffman  took  charge 
of  the  congregation.  .Since  that  date  the  churcli  has  enjoyed 
a  healthy  growth. 

In  May,  1914,  Brethren  \\  alter  Mosicr.  John  Kann  and 
James  Replogle  were  installed  into  tlic  deacon's  office. 

Plans  are  comjjleted  for  the  enlargement  and  remodeling 
of  the  church  in  the  near  future. 

PLEASANT  HILL  (Benshoff  Hill). 

The  territory  emlfraced  in  this  congregation  is  A\^est 
Taylor,  Middle  Taylor,  and  a  part  of  Jackson  Townships  and 
Rosedale  Borough,  Camljria  County,  and  is  a  ])art  of  the  old 
Conemaugh  congregation,  but  more  recently  of  the  \\'est 
lohnstown  congregation.  This  is  one  of  the  oldest  settlements 
of  the  Brethren  in  the  Conemaugh  Valley.  Among  the  oldest 
families  of  members  on  this  hill  are  the  P.enshofifs,  Stutzmans. 
Cioughnours,  Knavels,  Strayers  and  \'arncrs,  and  ])erhaps 
several  others. 

The  first  meetinghouse  (the  second  in  the  Conemaugh  Val- 
ley) was  erected  in  1852  or  1853  on  land  donated  by  Lewis 
BenshofT  and  Jacob  Knable.  The  deed  for  this  property  was 
made  December  3,  1852,  by  Lewis  Benshofif  and  wife,  Christi- 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         151 


< 

A 

i 

^,.,™ 

I-. 

»3 
.1 

Pleasant    Hill    Church. 


anna,  and  Jacob  Knable  and  wife,  Elizabeth,  to  Eli  Benshoff, 
George  Knable  and  Jacob  Stutzman,  Jr.,  committee  for  the  con- 
gregation of  "  Baptist  Brethren,"  of  Cambria  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania, for  a  meetinghouse  and  graveyard.  It  contains  135 
perches. 

This  house  was  remodeled  in  1881  and  continued  to  serve 
the  needs  of  the  church  until  1909,  when  the  present  brick- 
case  building  was  erected.  The  present  church  has  a  gallery 
and  a  finished  basement,  arranged  into  Sunday-school  class- 
rooms. In  the  fall  of  1914  a  large  number  of  the  seats  were 
provided  with  movable  tables  for  communion  purposes.  Two 
love  feasts  a  year  are  held. 

Here  the  whole  community  has  buried  its  dead  for  a 
hundred  years  or  thereabout.  Two  cemeteries  are  filled  and  a 
third,  comprising  a  number  of  acres,  already  contains  many 
graves.  Here  may  be  seen  the  graves  of  the  old  church  fa- 
thers, including  Elder  Jacob  Stutzman,  Eli  Benshoff.  Samuel 
Berkey,  and  probably  others  who  used  to  minister  at  the  altar 
in  holy  things. 

^^^hile  this  dear  old  sacred  spot  has  been  the  scene  of  some 


152  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

wonderful  rexival  meetings,  it  lias  also  been  the  scene  of  con- 
siderable strife  and  contention  which  resulted  in  the  painful 
division  of  the  church  in  the  early  eighties.  We  are  glad, 
however,  that  a  s])lendid  feeling  exists  at  present. 

When  the  \\  est  Johnstown  congregation  was  divided  into 
three  congregations  February  14,  1915,  Pleasant  Hill  (which 
is  one  of  the  three)  congregation  received  about  100  members, 
including  ministers  in  the  second  degree,  Elmer  D.  Blue  and 
Haddon  Q.  Rhodes,  and  Deacons  Emanuel  Rhodes,  William 
Harrison  and  Milton  G.  Metzger.  These,  with  Elder  Jerome 
E.  Blough,  who  was  chosen  to  preside  over  the  church,  consti- 
tute the  present  official  board.  Brother  Rhodes'  family  reside 
in  Huntingdon,  while  he  is  a  student  at  Juniata  College  for 
several  years. 

The  church,  which  at  ])resent  numbers  125,  sustains  a 
Sunday-school  of  159,  a  Christian  Workers'  .Society  and  a 
large   Sisters'  Aid   .Society. 

On  December  12,  1915,  Brother  J.  L.  Bowman  was  elected 
to  the  ministry,  and  now  constitutes  a  part  of  the  ministerial 
force. 

PLUM  CREEK. 

The  Plum  Creek  congregation  was  erected  out  of  the 
southern  part  of  the  old  Cowanshannock  congregation,  and 
was  organized  in  1862.  So  far  as  church  boundaries  are  con- 
cerned it  embraces  all  that  i)art  of  Armstrong  County  east  of 
the  Allegheny  River  and  south  of  the  Cowanshannock  congre- 
gation, together  with  \\'ashington,  Armstrong,  Young,  Cone- 
maugh  and  parts  of  Black -Lick,  Center,  and  AMiite  Townships 
in  Indiana  County.  The  main  body  of  members,  however, 
is  located  in  the  valley  of  Dutch  Run,  Washington  Township, 
Indiana  County,  and  Plum  Creek  Township,  Armstrong  Coun- 
ty- 

So  far  as  known  the  first  members  to  settle  here  were  the 
Frys,  Wissingers  and  Fishers  from  Somerset  County.  To- 
bias Kimmel  and  wife,  of  Westmoreland  County,  settled  in 
Plum  Creek  Township  in  1837.    The  farm  on  which  these  in- 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         153 

ftuential  pioneers  reared  a  large  family,  about  all  of  whom 
became  worthy  members  of  the  church,  is  still  owned  by  a 
descendant  of  the  same  family. 

Lewis  Kimmel,  who  was  elected  in  the  Cowanshannock 
congregation  in  1858,  was  the  first  minister.  In  June,  1865, 
Jacob  Kelso  was  elected  to  the  ministry,  and  in  1878  he  moved 
to  Beatrice,  Nebraska.  Other  ministers  elected  were :  R.  T. 
Pollard,  November,  1878,  B.  W.  Miller  and  C.  B.  Kimmel, 
about  1887  (Brother  Kimmel  did  not  accept  it),  and  Frank 
Ankeny.  Cyrus  E.  Myers,  who  was  elected  to  the  ministry 
in  Westmoreland  County,  September  27,  1887,  moved  into  the 
congregation. 

Lewis   Kimmel   was   ordained   to   the   eldership   in    1872. 

R.  T.  Pollard  was  ordained  in  ■ ,  and  H.  S.  Replogle  in 

1910. 

This  is  one  of  the  first  congregations  to  support  its  pastor. 
The  following- is  a  list  of  the  pastors:  From  1897  to  1899, 
F.  D.  Anthony;  from  July,  1899,  to  September,  1901,  C.  O. 
Beery;  from  September,  1901,  to  November,  1902,  Kenton  B. 
Moomaw;  from  November.  1902,  to  April,  1905,  C.  O.  Beery; 
from  April,  1905,  to  April,  1908,  L.  M.  Keim;  from  June, 
1908,  to  September,  1908,  A.  J.  Culler;  from  November,  1908, 
to  April,  1913,  H.  S.  Replogle;  from  December,  1913,  to 
February,  1914,  R.  D.  Murphy,  and  since  May,  1914,  Galen 
K.  Walker.  These  pastors  also  served  the  Glade  Run  congre- 
gation at  the  same  time.  The  parsonage  was  erected  in  1899, 
and  Brother  Beery  was  the  first  pastor  to  occupy  it. 

The  deacons  who  served  the  Plum  Creek  congregation 
are:  Jacob  Kelso,  Tobias  Kimmel,  William  Wilcox,  George 
Clark,  Peter  Kimmel,  Henry  Miller,  William  Miller,  S.  H. 
Wilcox,  George  Zimmerman.  The  present  deacons  are :  J.  W. 
Miller,  Samuel  Kimmel.  W.  H.  Miller  (moved  to  Garrett, 
Pennsylvania),  C.  B.  Kimmel,  J.  L.  Ankeny,  Murray  R.  An- 
keny, M.  H.  Kelly,  R.  Blain  Miller,  Jerry  F.  Kimmel  and 
Howard  M.  Kimmel. 

This  congregation  was  among  the  first  to  introduce  Sun- 
day-schools.    They  organized  a   Sunday-school   in   a  school- 


154  HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Plum    Creek    Church    and    Parsonage. 

house  in  1860,  before  their  church  was  buih,  and  have  kept 
it  up  since  then.  They  have  an  evergreen  Sunday-school  with 
an  enrollment  far  in  excess  of  their  church  membership.  A 
live  Christian  Workers'  Meeting  is  maintained,  two  love  feasts 
a  year  are  held,  and  a  number  of  special  services  are  held  in 
addition  to  the  regular  preaching  services.  The  membership 
numbers  137  and  is  made  up  largely  of  young  people. 

The  first  church  was  built  in  1863.  This  was  remodeled 
in  1892.  The  elders  in  charge  have  been:  Lewis  Kimmel,  J. 
F.  Dietz,  H.  S.  Replogle  and  G.  K.  Walker. 

Plans  are  about  completed  for  the  remodeling  of  the 
church,  which  will  give  a  number  of  Sunday-school  class- 
rooms. 

QUEMAHONING  CHURCH. 

Prior  to  1849  all  of  Somerset  County,  with  the  exception 
of  the  Shade  Creek  congregation  in  the  northeastern  part  of 
the  county,  was  in  one  congregation,  called  the  "  Glades." 
As  stated  elsewhere,  that  year  the  Annual  Meeting,  which  con- 
vened in  the  large  Grove  meetinghouse,  north  of  Berlin,  ap- 
pointed a  committee  to  look  into  the  advisability  of  districting 
this  large  territory  into  smaller  congregations.    The  committee 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         155 

met  the  same  summer  at  Berkley's  Mills  and  divided  the  coun- 
ty into  four  congregations ;  viz.,  Elk  Lick,  Berlin,  Middle 
Creek  and  Quemahoning. 

The  territory  embraced  in  this  congregation  stretches 
from  the  top  of  the  Laurel  Hill  Ridge  on  the  west  to  the 
foothills  of  the  Alleghanies  on  the  east,  and  from  within  three 
miles  of  Somerset  on  the  south  to  the  Cambria  County  line  on 
the  north.  It  comprises  Conemaugh,  Jenner,  Quemahoning. 
Lincoln,  and  parts  of  Shade  and  Somerset  Townships,  the  area 
being,  probably,  about  300  square  miles. 

Some  of  the  families  living  in  this  territory  prior  to  1855 
were:  John  Forney,  Sr.  (the  name  of  the  husband  only  is 
given,  but  in  every  case  the  wife  is  included),  John  Horner, 
Sr.,  Jonathan  Berkley,  Christian  Schmucker,  John  Baer,  Sr., 
Joseph  Beeghly,  Benjamin  Blough,  John  Blough,  Sr.,  Michael 
Forney,  John  Forney,  Jr.,  Daniel  Baer,  Solomon  Horner, 
Michael  Horner,  Peter  P.  Blough,  Daniel  Shaffer,  Lena  For- 
ney (Jacob  Forney's  widow),  Peter  C.  Blough,  John  Miller, 
Samuel  Miller,  Joseph  Meyers,  Josiah  Meyers,  John  Horner, 
Jr.,  Isaiah  Beam,  Solomon  Horner  (Smith),  Daniel  Forney, 
Elias  Forney,  Jonathan  Blough,  Tobias  Blough,  David  Horner, 
David  Crofford,  Peter  Forney,  Abraham  Blough,  William 
Blough,  Aaron  Michael,  Jacob  Koontz,  .Solomon  Baer,  Ezra 
Berkley,  Jacob  Schmucker,  and  others.  About  the  first  eight- 
houses  (or  barns)  before  the  first  meetinghouse  was  built, 
een  families  named  above  regularly  held  the  meetings  in  their 

After  the  division  of  the  county  the  members  of  this  ter- 
ritory convened  in  council  in  Brother  David  Crofford's  large 
barn  to  consider  whether  the  division  was  acceptable  to  them. 
This  barn  was  torn  down  several  years  ago  to  avoid  being 
flooded  by  the  Manufacturers'  Water  Company's  large  dam. 
Very  little  is  known  about  the  business  transacted  at  this  meet- 
ing, but  it  is  known  that  strong  objections  were  raised  to  being 
cut  off  from  the  "  Glades,"  as  it  would  deprive  them  of  the 
efficient  services  of  the  Berlin  preachers.  But  upon  being 
promised  that  those  brethren  would  continue  to  do  a  part  of 
the  preaching,  they  agreed  to  the  division,  and  the  organiza- 


156 


HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         157 

tion  was  effected.     All  the  services  were  then  conducted  in 
German. 

About  the  time  of  the  division,  the  brethren  who  dealt  out 
the  Word  of  Life  were  Peter  Cober,  Henry  Meyers,  Ephraim 
Cober,  Jacob  S.  Hanger,  John  P.  Cober,  Jonathan  Berkley 
and  Christian  Schmucker.  In  the  division  the  last  two  fell 
on  the  Quemahoning  side.  Prior  to  this  time,  in  1840,  John 
Forney,  Sr.,  had  moved  from  near  Berlin  to  a  farm  on  the  west 
bank  of  the  Quemahoning  Creek,  in  Conemaugh  Township. 
He  was  an  elder  of  about  four  years'  experience.  Here  he  la- 
bored till  August  31.  184().  when  he  died,  aged  69  years,  9 
months  and  21  days.  This  was  over  three  years  before  the 
division,  and  therefore  disproves  the  statement  sometimes  made 
by  writers  that  he  was  given  the  oversight  of  the  Quemahoning 
congregation  after  its  organization.  I  would  rather  believe 
that  he  was,  to  a  degree,  given  charge  of  the  work  in  this  end 
of  the  county  prior  to  the  division.  For  a  number  of  years 
after  the  organization  there  was  no  resident  elder,  but  in  due 
course  of  time  Jonathan  Berkley  and  Christian  Schmucker 
were  ordained.  One  authority  says  Berkley  first,  and  another, 
equally  reliable,  claims  Schmucker  was  first  ordained.  We 
know  for  a  certainty  that  Christian  Schmucker  was  ordained 
at  a  love  feast  at  Michael  Forney's,  May  28,  1854  ("  Life  of 
John  Kline,"  page  343).  He  died  the  same  year,  December  27, 
aged  52  years,  7  months  and  19  days.  Elder  Berkley  died 
nearly  two  years  later,  November  17,  1856,  aged  62  years,  and 
11   months. 

About  1851  the  first  election  for  minister  was  held,  and 
Tobias  Blough  was  chosen.  In  1852  or  1853  Henry  P.  Hos- 
tetler  was  elected.  Up  to  this  time  all  the  preaching  was  in 
German,  but  the  demand  for  English  preaching  becoming 
pretty  strong,  an  election  was  held  in  1854  and  Christopher 
Isaiah  Beam,  whose  services  were  altogether  in  English,  was 
elected.  In  1855  John  Forney,  Jr.  (German  and  English),  was 
elected,  and  in  1856  Jonathan  W.  Blough  (German  and  En- 
glish) and  Solomon  Baer  (German)  were  elected.  Some  time 
in  the  summer  of  1857,  Michael  Forney,  just  before  emigrating 


158 


HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


to  a  section  in  Southern  Illinois,  where  there  was  no  preacher, 
was  licensed  hy  the  church  to  preach.  This  was  special  and 
not  by  election.  In  the  spring  of  1858  John  Forney,  Jr.,  moved 
to  Northern  Illinois.  Both  these  brethren  became  prominent 
pioneer  elders  in  the  West.  John  was  born  April  25,  1815, 
and  died  February  6,  1895,  aged  79  years,  9  months  and  11 
days,  having  been  the  father  of  nineteen  children.  At  the 
time  of  his  death  his  living  descendants  were  sixteen  children, 
103  grandchildren  and  twenty-five  great-grandchildren,  while 
three  children,  twenty-one  grandchildren  and  two  great-grand- 
children had  died  before  him.  He  is  buried  near  Abilene, 
Kansas.  Michael  was  born  January  14,  1811,  and  died  March 
20,  1894,  aged  83  years,  2  months  and  6  days. 


Five  of  Quemahoning's  Ministers.     Left  to  Rig:lit,  Ba<'lv  Kow,  Isaiah  IJ.   For- 

g:uson,    Norman    H.    Bloii};li,    Cliarles    AV.    Hlouft'li.      Front    Row, 

Elders  Samuel   P.   Zimmerman  and  Perry  J.  Blougrh. 


In  1865  Emanuel  J.  Blough  (English  and  German)  and 
Jacob  P.  vSpeicher  (German)  w-ere  elected.  These  were  the 
last  brethren  elected  who  could  use  the  (ierman.  In  October, 
1874,  Samuel  P.  Zimmerman  was  elected;  June  27,  1882, 
Joseph  Ijcam ;  September  22,  1890,  John  J.  Darr;  October  21, 
1893,  Jacob  S.  Zimmerman  ;  September  4,  1897,  Perry  J.  Blough 
and  Jacob  M.  Blough  ;  June  2,  1907,  Norman  H.  I>lough  and 
Oscar  W.    I  lamer;   November  2,   1910,   Charles  W.   Blough, 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


159 


Newton  Beabes  and  E.  Percy  Blough.    The  last  named  brother 
has  not  yet  been  installed. 

Tobias  Blough  died  November  21,  1884,  aged  73  years,  1 
month  and  13  days.  Henry  P.  Hostetler  died  June  19,  1898, 
aged  81  years,  11  months  and  7  days.  He  died  in  the  Shade 
church,  whither  he  had  moved  about  a  quarter  of  a  century 
before.  Solomon  Baer  moved  to  the  Brothers  Valley  church, 
where  he  labored  many  years.  Jacob  P.  Spicher  died  Novem- 
ber 20,  1903,  aged  85  years,  10  months  and  17  days.  By  the 
adoption  of  the  line  between  us  and  the  Middle  Creek  congre- 
gation, Joseph  Beam  fell  to  the  latter  congregation.  Jacob  S. 
Zimmerman  moved  to  Waterloo,  Iowa,  in  1900.  Jacob  M. 
Blough  went  to  the  India  mission  field  in  1903.  Emanuel  J. 
Blough  died  August  29,  1910,  aged  79  years,  9  months  and 
23  days.  Jonathan  W.  Blough  died  October  16,  1912,  aged 
86  years,  11  months  and  8  days.  Besides  the  foregoing  min- 
isters, the  following  have  lived  in  the  congregation  at  different 
times:  Samuel  A.  Moore  (didn't  have  his  letter  placed  here), 
Amos  D.  Christner,  Francis  Bowen,  Jerome  E.  Blough  (from 
April  1,  1900,  to  December  8,  1910),  and  Isaiah  B.  Ferguson. 


Fine    Grove    Church,    Quemahoning:    Congrregation. 


160  HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

Of  these  Brother  Ferguson  remains.  Tobias  Blough  was  or- 
dained in  1857;  Emanuel  J.  Blough,  January  1,  1882;  Jonathan 
W.  Blough,  June  30,  1900;  and  Samuel  P.  Zimmerman  and 
Perry  J.  Blough,  September  3,  1904. 

The  first  meetinghouse  in  the  congregation  was  built  in 
1855  near  the  Ouemahoning  Creek,  in  Jenner  Township,  on 
land  donated  by  Elias  Forney,  and  was  named  Pine  Grove. 
This  was  a  half  mile  north  of  the  place  where  the  church  was 
organized  and  the  first  love  feast  held.  This  house  was  in 
constant  use  for  fifty-six  years,  the  last  service  having  been 
held  July  23,  1911.  Here  I  quote  from  my  diary:  "  Today  was 
the  last  meeting  in  the  old  Pine  Grove  meetinghouse.  The  day 
was  beautiful  and  the  house  crowded,  with  some  on  the  out- 
side. The  speakers  were :  Jonathan  W.  Blough,  S.  P.  Zim- 
merman, I.  B.  Ferguson,  Jerome  E.  Blough,  A.  J.  Beeghly,  S. 
S.  Blough,  E.  E.  Blough  and  J.  M.  Blough.  The  moderator, 
P.  J.  Blough,  also  spoke.  Carman  G.  Blough  read  a  poem  of 
twenty  eight-line  verses,  entitled  '  Old  Pine  Grove,'  composed 
by  myself.  We  four  brothers  sang  a  quartet  entitled  '  The 
Little  W'hite  Church,'  to  the  tune  of  '  The  Little  Brown 
Church,'  the  verses  having  been  arranged  to  suit  the  occasion. 
It  was  a  great  meeting.  People  present  from  far  and  near. 
Very  sad ;  so  much  weei)ing.  The  influence  that  has  gone  forth 
from  this  ])lace  can  not  be  measured."  The  dam  before 
mentioned  now  covers  the  dear,  sacred  spot. 

In  1860  a  church  was  built  in  the  southern  end  of  the 
congregation,  near  Sipcsville,  on  land  purchased  from  Abra- 
ham Baker.  In  1875  the  first  love-feast  house  (40x70  feet 
with  basement  under  the  entire  building)  was  erected  in  Cone- 
maugh  Township,  near  the  present  town  of  Jerome,  on  land 
donated  by  Daniel  Fry.  The  dedicatory  services  were  held  by 
Elder  Graybill  Myers  and  a  love  feast  held  at  the  same  time. 
The  present  name  of  this  house  is  Maple  Spring.  Prior  to  this 
time  the  love  feasts  were  held  in  barns.  In  1878  the  fourth 
meetinghouse  was  built  in  the  extreme  northern  end  of  the 
congregation,  at  the  foot  of  Tire  Hill,  on  land  donated  by 
John  Kaufman,    h'.lder  Joseph  Ik'rkey  preached  the  dedicatory 


162 


HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Old    Maple    Spring-    (Fry)    Church,    Queniahoning^    ConRreKatioii. 


sermon.  In  1888  the  old  house  at  Sipesville  was  rej^laccd  by  a 
new  one  suitable  for  love  feasts.  Elder  C.  G.  Lint  preached 
the  dedicatory  sermon.  In  1890  a  church  was  erected  at 
Blough  Station,  on  land  donated  by  Jacob  B.  Blough,     Elders 

D.  H.  Walker  and  E.  J.  Blough  conducted  the  dedicatory 
services.  Name  of  house,  Sugar  Grove.  In  1893  the  Baer 
schoolhouse,  in  Somerset  Township,  was  converted  into  a 
church  and  dedicated  by  Elder  E.  J.  Blough,  S.  P.  Zimmerman 
and  U.  D.  Brougher,  September  10,  1893.  In  1895  Perry  J. 
Blough  built  and  furnished  a  church  room  above  his  ware- 
house in  Hooversville,  which  was  dedicated  by  Jeremiah 
Thomas,  September  14,  1895!  For  eight  years,  to  the  day, 
preaching  and  Sunday-school  were  held  here.  September  13, 
1903,  a  new  love-feast  house  was  dedicated  in  Hooversville, 
J.  M.  Blough  delivering  the  sermon  on  the  occasion,  shortly 
before  leaving  for  India.  In  1905  the  old  Maple  Spring  house 
was  replaced  by  a  new  and  more  modern  edifice,  which  was 
dedicated  by  Elder  George  S.  Rairigh,  March  4,  1906.  In 
1914  the  Tire  Hill  house  was  remodeled  and  improved,  and 
January  24,  1915,  it  was  rededicated  by  II.  .S.  Rcploglc,  Jerome 

E.  Blough  and  S.  P.  Zimmerman. 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


163 


Hooversville    Church,    Quemahoning:    Cong;reg:ation. 


Our  first  Sunday-school  was  organized  at  Pine  Grove,  in 
the  spring  of  1880.  with  Aaron  Blough,  superintendent,  P.  J. 
Blough,  assistant  superintendent,  and  Jerome  E.  Blough,  secre- 
tary, but  because  of  opposition  it  was  discontinued  at  the 
close  of  the  second  summer.  During  1886  and  1887  a  Sunday- 
school  was  carried  on  for  a  short  time  in  the  Sipesville  house, 
with  Josiah  P.  Meyers,  superintendent,  and  J.  J.  Darr,  secre- 
tary. After  some  years,  however,  schools  were  opened  in  all 
our  churches.  \\'hile  we  were  somewhat  slow  in  taking  up 
Sunday-school  work,  we  were  in  the  lead  in  local  Sunday- 
school  Conventions  in  Western  Pennsylvania,  and  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  the  only  church  to  hold  such  meetings.  The 
first  one  was  held  in  the  Pine  Grove  house  in  August,  1897. 

We  have  suffered  very  much  from  emigration.  Many  of 
our  strong,  promising  members  have  gone  to  other  fields.  Hun- 
dreds of  active  church  workers  scattered  over  .the  Brotherhood 
can  trace  their  ancestry  back  to  this  old  church. 

The  following  deacons  have  served  in  this  congregation  : 
John  Blough,  Sr.,  Abraham  Miller,  Tobias  Blough,  John 
Forney,  Jr.,  Jonathan  W.  Blough,  Michael  Forney,  Jacob  P. 
Speicher,  Emanuel  J.  Blough,  Daniel  Baer,  Josiah  P.  Meyers, 


164 


HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


rreseiit    3Iai>Io    Spriiifj    Churcli,    <2ueiii:iliwiiinK     Conjjreualion. 


Daniel  Sliaffer,  C.  C.  Gnagey,  William  (1.  Lint.  Jacob  L. 
W'olford,  John  J.  lilcjugh,  Joseph  Schmuckcr.  Jacol)  Koontz. 
Samuel  E.  licrkey,  Aaron  Blough,  Joseph  Forney,  Joseph 
Shank,  John  J.  Darr,  Henry  Casebeer,  Tobias  Berkley, 
Michael  H.  Meyers,  Peter  Speichcr,  William  H.  Blough, 
Ananias  J.  Beeghly,  John  W.  Rummel,  Norman  H.  Blough.  Ed- 
ward E.  Miller,  Peter  Trimj^ey,  Francis  J.  Maust,  Ephraim 
Speicher,  Jacob  Lichty,  Henry  Wentz,  D.  S.  Gnagey,  S.  S. 
Lint,  W.  H.  Koontz,  John  E.  Kaufman,  Herman  A.  Rummel, 
Henry  J.  Spaugy,  Samuel  E.  Critchficld,  Rufus  D.  Casebeer 
and  Samuel  D.  Lapc. 

The  Baer  meetinghouse  was  sold  some  years  ago,  Pine 
Grove  was  disposed  of  as  noted  before,  and  Sugar  Grove  has 
no  services,  so  that  at  i)resent  we  use  only  four  churches.  In 
the  si)ring  of  19LS  l^lder  C.  A.  McDowell  became  the  pastor 
of  the  southern  ])art  of  the  congregation,  and  located  at  Sipes- 
ville.  This  congregation  undertook  the  support  of  a  mission- 
ary in  India  in  1894,  being  the  second  in  the  District  to  pledge 
itself  to  so  no])le  a  work.  Local  Sunday-school  Conventions 
and  Bible  Institutes  are  held  annually.     Four  evergreen  Sun- 


166  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

day-schools,   two  Christian  \\'orkcrs'  Societies  and  a  prayer 
meeting  are  in  operation. 

The  present  official  board  consists  of:  S.  P.  Zimmerman, 
P.  j.  Plough  and  C.  A.  McDowell,  elders;  L  B.  Ferguson,  J. 
J.  Darr,  N.  H.  Plough,  C.  W.  Plough  and  Newton  Peabes, 
ministers ;  Henry  Wentz,  Ephraim  vSpeicher,  Tobias  Perkley, 
W.  H.  Plough,  F.  J.  Maust,  J.  W.  Pummel,  Ed.  Miller,  W. 
H.  Koontz,  H.  J.  Spaugy,  S.  S.  Lint,  H.  A.  Rummel,  J.  E. 
Kaufman,   S.   E.   Critchfield,  and  S.  D.  Lape,  deacons. 

RED  BANK. 

AV'hen  the  Cowanshannock  congregation  was  divided  in 
1862  into  three  congregations,  the  part  north  of  the  Mahoning 
Creek  was  organized  into  the  Red  Pank  congregation.  The 
membership  is  principally  in  Mahoning  Township.  Some  of 
the  early  settlers  in  this  section  were  the  Shumakers,  who 
came  from  Virginia  about  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury, Philip  Shumaker,  a  son  of  John  Shumaker,  of  West- 
moreland County,  settled  in  Mahoning  Township  in  1814,  on 
four  hundred  acres.  .He  and  his  wife  were  among  the  first 
members.  His  Uncle  George  had  moved  into  the  same  county 
about  1800.  He  was  the  head  of  a  large  family,  of  whom  a 
number  were  members  of  the  Brethren.  George,  himself, 
also  may  have  been  a  member. 

It  is  pretty  certain  that  Elders  Levi  Roberts  and  John 
Mineely,  on  some  of  their  missionary  tours,  preached  for  these 
people.  A  little  later  George  Rairigh  and  John  Goodman  also 
did  considerable  preaching  there.  Under  the  preaching  of 
these  faithful  men  the  number  of  believers  steadily  increased, 
and  in  the  course  of  time  men  from  among  their  own  number 
were  called  to  the  ministry.  Joseph  Shumaker  was  probably 
the  first  one  to  be  elected.  One  authority  says  he  was  elected 
in  1838.  and  another  one  in  1841.  As  the  former  date  is  prior 
to  his  marriage,  I  am  inclined  to  believe  that  the  latter  is  the 
more  nearly  correct.  George  Shumaker  also  was  early  called 
to  preach.    Some  say  that  one  of  George's  brothers  also  was  a 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         167 

preacher.  Troubles  came  among  the  ministers  and  George 
withdrew  from  the  fellowship  and  started  a  new  sect  called 
"  The  Brethren  in  Christ,"  but  also  known  by  the  names  of 
"  Georgeites  "  and  "  Shumakerites."  Peter  Shumaker,  who 
also  went  off  with  his  brother,  erected  in  1847  a  two-story 
meetinghouse  on  his  farm.  The  lower  story  \^ias  used  as  a  res- 
idence. Here  the  "  Brethren  in  Christ  "  worshiped  for  years. 
After  about  a  quarter  of  a  century  the  organization  went  out 
of  existence,  and  Shumaker  united  with  the  Baptists. 

Philip  Shumaker,  brother  of  Joseph,  was  one  of  the  early 
deacons.  Other  Armstrong  ministers  assisted  in  the  preaching, 
especially  after  the  death  of  Joseph  Shumaker,  which  occurred 
December  17,  1860.  Levi  Wells  and  Lewis  Kimmel  were 
among  these.  The  Hetrick  family  was  another  influential 
family  in  this  congregation.  Jesse  P.  Hetrick  was  elected  to 
the  ministry  on  June  30,  1865,  and  Joseph  Hetrick  to  the  dea- 
con office.  Brother  Hetrick  became  quite  active  in  the  ministry, 
having  at  one  time  charge  of  Red  Bank,  Glade  Run  and 
Cowanshannock  congregations.  He  left  the  congregation  to 
become  the  pastor  of  the  Philadelphia  church  in  1874.  Elder 
John  Wise  moved  to  Oakland,  Red  Bank  congregtion,  in  April 
1866,  and  preached  there  several  years.  Elder  J.  W.  Beer  also 
had  the  oversight  a  while.  A  great  deal  of  the  preaching  was 
done  by  traveling  ministers  named  in  connection  with  the  other 
northern  congregations. 

During  the  division  probably  about  a  score  of  members 
went  with  the  Progressive  Brethren.  This  considerably  weak- 
ened the  cause.  About  1884  Jacob  Flenard  was  called  to  the 
ministry  and  on  May  26.  1889.  David  A.  Hetrick.  Brother 
Hetrick  labored  successfully  a  number  of  years,  but  on  account 
of  his  time  being  needed  on  the  farm  he  could  not  give  the 
work  the  requisite  attention. 

After  this  congregation  had  struggled  along  as  best  it 
could  for  a  number  of  years.  Brother  L.  R.  Holsinger  was 
located  there  in  February,  1911,  being  supported  jointly  by 
the  congregation  and  the  Home  Mission  Board.  He  labored 
earnestly  and  persistently,  and  during  his  three  and  a  half 


168  HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

years'  stay  a  marked  trajis formation  took  place  in  all  lines  of 
church  work.  A  number  of  series  of  meetings  were  held  and 
the  membership  was  about  tripled.  Delegates  were  sent  by 
the  congregation  to  District  and  Annual  Meetings.  March  7 , 
1911,  Brother  H.  S.  Replogle  was  chosen  elder  in  charge,  and 
I'rother  Holsinger  was  advanced  to  the  second  degree  of  the 
ministry.  On  July  19,  1913,  Brother  Holsinger  was  ordained 
to  the  eldership. 

An  election  for  deacons  on  July  7,  1911,  resulted  in  call- 
ing Brethren  Arthur  Hetrick,  Murray  E.  Shumaker  and  Adam 
C.  Shumaker  to  tluit  office.  Peter  1  Ictrick  and  Jacob  Wells  are 
old  deacons,  still  living.  (Jther  deacons  not  already  named 
were  E.  Z.  Shumaker,  M.  N.  Hetrick  and  George  Bish. 

A  parsonage,  costing  aljout  $1,500,  was  erected  in  1913, 
on  a  half  acre  of  land.  In  August,  1914,  Elder  Holsinger 
moved  to  Pottstown,  Pennsylvania,  and  in  September  of  the 
same  year  Brother  Herman  B.  Heisey  became  the  pastor.  On 
July  22,  1915,  Brother  Heisey  was  ordained  to  the  eldership. 
The  membership  is  continually  growing.  Church  attendance 
is  excellent.  It  nearly  always  surpasses  the  number  of  mem- 
bers enrolled.  A  strong  home  and  foreign  missionary  spirit 
is  being  created.  A  Front  Line,  wide-awake  Sunday-school 
has  been  maintained  for  several  years,  and  a  weekly  teachers' 
meeting  and  .Seal  Course  Class  arc  held. 

In  the  summer  of  1915  a  baptistry  was  constructed  to  the 
rear  of  the  church.  The  same  summer  the  church  was  raised 
three  feet,  the  basement  was  excavated  and  four  attrac- 
tive .Sunday-school  rooms  fitted  uj).  The  record  attendance  at 
.Sunday-school  is  122.  and  it  is  said  to  be  the  best  in  the 
neighborhood.  There  is  a  .Sisters'  Aid  .Society  and  a  Christian 
Workers'  .Society.  A  missionary  and  temperance'  committee 
was  appointed  July  8,  1915.  Three  dates  are  given  for  the 
erection  of  the  first  church  building,  1845,  1853  and  1857, 
It  was  replaced  by  a  new  one  in  1888.  The  ground  was  given 
by  Philip  .Shumaker.  The  cemetery  is  a  little  distance  north- 
west of  the  church,  one-half  of  the  ground  being  given  by 
Philip  Shumaker  and  the  other  half  bv  Peter  Shumaker. 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         169 


170  HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

ROCKTON  CONGREGATION. 

This  congregation  extends  over  a  number  of  townships 
in  the  northern  part  of  Clearfield  County.  It  also  takes  in  a 
part  of  Jefferson  County;  indeed,  there  is  no  boundary  line 
fixed,  all  the  members  in  the  State  in  the  north,  and  for  a 
great  distance  east,  naturally  belonging  to  this  congregation. 

During  the  early  sixties  of  the  past  century,  Peter  Beer, 
who  then  lived  in  the  Montgomery  congregation,  often  went 
on  preaching  tours  to  Boons  Mountain  and  other  points  in  this 
section.  Mark  Minser  and  other  ministers  frequently  as- 
sisted I'rother  Beer  in  ministering  to  the  needs  of  the  mem- 
bers and  friends. 

In  1876  Brother  Beer  and  family  moved  to  a  farm  near 
Rockton,  Clearfield  County,  and  preached  for  the  people  in 
their  homes,  in  camps,  in  schoolhouses,  and  other  places  avail- 
able, over  the  country.  Sometimes  a  Lutheran  church  was 
opened  for  this  purpose.  While  conducting  a  series  of  meet- 
ings, assisted  by  J.  B.  W'ampler,  of  Armstrong  County,  the 
church  door  was  closed  against  these  pioneers.  Nothing  daunt- 
ed, however,  the  meetings  were  continued  in  a  barn.  Such 
were  some  of  the  early  efforts,  troubles  and  discouragements 
experienced  by  the  workers  in  this  territory. 

However,  a  respectable  congregation  was  the  result  of 
their  perseverance.  In  1877,  the  Montgomery  congregation, 
then  under  the  care  of  Mark  Minser.  in  council  gave  permis- 
sion to  form  and  organize  the  Rockton  congregation.  The 
officers  who  were  ])rescnt,  as  far  as  known,  were  Peter  Beer, 
minister,  and  Charles  Brown,  deacon.  These  were  resident 
near  Rockton.  J.  B.  Wampler,  then  a  minister  in  Armstrong 
County,  also  was  present.  The  first  officers  of  the  Rockton 
congregation  were:  Minister  and  later  elder,  Peter  Beer; 
deacon  and  treasurer,  Charles  Brown ;  clerk,  Levi  Spicher. 
At  first  the  brethren  held  a  union  Sunday-school,  but  in  1886 
a  Brethren  Sunday-school  was  opened  at  Rockton,  which  con- 
tinues. 

After  the  organization  the  work  continued  to  prosper  un- 
der  the   efficient   ministration   of    Brother   Beer,   resulting   in 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         171 


Old    Kockton     Church,     Ilockton    Congregation. 


the  erection  of  a  church  Imilding  at  Rockton.  hi  1884.  This 
was  a  wooden  structure,  30x40  feet,  until,  some  time  later,  an 
addition  was  built  for  a  room  in  which  to  prepare  the  things 
needed  at  love- feast  occasions.  This  made  the  old  meeting- 
house 30x54  feet.  After  thirty  years  of  service,  the  old  build- 
ing, no  longer  suitable,  and  being  in  a  bad  state  of  repair,  was 
replaced  by  a  new  and  more  modern  structure.  The  new  build- 
ing, which  was  dedicated  in  1914,  is  a  plain  brick  structure, 
36x52  feet,  with  a  stone  basement,  having  a  number  of  vSun- 
day-school  classrooms  provided. 

Besides  the  Rockton  house,  there  are  three  other  places 
of  worship,  as  follows:  Sunnyside,  built  in  1894;  Bethel  house, 
built  in  1895,  and  Greenville  house,  built  in  1899,  making  four 
houses  of  worship  in  the  congregation.  However,  from  lack 
of  ministerial  help,  the  work  at  Sunnyside  has  been  tempo- 
rarily abandoned,  and  the  work  at  Bethel  much  neglected. 

In  1899  a  number  of  members  from  the  Rockton  church 
moved  to  Maryland,  and  later,  in  1905,  the  elder,  J.  Harvey 
Beer,  also  moved  to  the  Eastern  Shore  of  Marjdand.  The 
removal  of  so  many  of  the  brethren  and  sisters  from  this  con- 


172 


HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


New     Kockton     Cluiroh,     lioi-kton     <"«»nj;reffation. 


grcgation  was  a  loss  tliat  it  lias  taken  years  to  replace  with 
new  workers. 

The  following  ordinations  and  elections  of  ministers  and 
deacons  have  taken  ])lace:  Peter  I'ccr  was  ordained  to  the 
eldership  in  ISSS;  died  June  23.  KS92. 

j.  Harvey  lleer,  elected  to  the  ministry,  1885,  ordained 
to  the  eldershi]),  1892,  and  moved  to  Maryland.  1905. 

Warren  Charles,  elected  to  the  ministry  in  1887,  near 
Greenville.     Not  now  an  actixc  minister. 

George  Cleaver,  elected  to  the  ministry  in  1887.  ordained 
to  the  eldershij)  in  1912.  at  ])resent  the  oldest  minister  in  the 
congregation,  at  Greenville   (66). 

J.  A.  Brilhart  elected  to  the  ministry  in  1892;  relieved  of 
his  ministry  in  1897,  after  having  united  with  another  denom- 
ination. 

W.  N.  ?>ru])aker.  elected  in  1897,  and  is  now  an  active 
minister  at  Rockton. 

E.  F.  Clark,  elected  in  1897.  soon  rcmoN  ed  to  lohnstown, 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


173 


Greenville   t'hurch,   Uockton  Congregation. 


then  to  Meyersdalc,  and  now  lives  in  A\'ashington,  District 
of  Columbia. 

J.  B.  Shafifer,  elected  in  1905,  granted  letter  in  1909.  and 
is  now  with  the  Brethren  at  Table  Grove,  Illinois. 

W.  F.  Bilger.  elected  in  1905,  and  granted  a  letter  in 
1908;  not  active  in  the  ministry. 

Urban  Cleaxcr,  elected  in  1911,  resides  at  Greenville. 

Jason  B.  Hollopeter,  elected  in  1911,  resides  at  Rockton. 

The  following  have  served  as  deacons :  Levi  Speicher. 
i;.  P.  Huey.  Gilbert  Thomas.  V.  V.  Clouser,  E.  \\'.  Hollopeter, 
Oran  Fyock,  Urban  Cleaver,  Abraham  Th.omas,  J.  B.  Hol- 
lopeter, and  John  Kreps. 

This  is,  indeed,  a  hard  field  to  work  because  of  the  vast 
extent  of  the  territory,  it  being  almost  thirty  miles  from  the 
Bethel  meetinghouse  to  the  Sunnyside  house,  with  Rockton 
about  centrally  located  as  to  distance  from  each  of  the  other 
places.     More  workers  are  needed. 

The  present  official  board  is  composed  of  the  following 
brethren:  Elder,  George  D.  Cleaver;  ministers,  \\\  N.  Bru- 
baker.  Urban  Cleaver  and  Jason  B.  Hollopeter ;  deacons,  E. 
W.  Hollopeter,  B.  P.  Huey  and  J.  M.  Kreps.    The  membership 


174  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

is  about  seventy.  Three  evergreen  Sunday-schools  are  doing 
good  work.  The  total  enrollment  is  270.  Three  teacher 
training  classes,  with  an  enrollment  of  twenty-five,  are  training 
for  better  work.  The  annual  offerings  amount  to  $150,  of 
which  $40  goes  for  mission  work.  There  are  one  Christian 
Workers'  Meeting,  one  i)rayer  meeting  and  two  teachers'  meet- 
ings. 

RUMMEL. 

As  stated  in  the  history  of  the  Shade  Creek  congregation, 
a  division  of  that  large  congregation  was  formally  effected  on 
Januarv'  1.  101(),  tliough  the  votes  for  the  division  were  taken 
during  the  preceding  month  at  the  various  appointments.  So, 
on  January  6,  1916,  the  members  of  the  Rummel  congrega- 
tion met  to  organize.  Brother  R.  D.  Mur])hy  presided  at  the 
meeting  and  a  full  corps  of  officers  and  missionar\^  and  tem- 
perance committees  were  elected.  IClder  P.  J.  Blough  was 
elected  elder  in  charge.  The  membershi])  consists  of  224  resi- 
dent members  with  the  following  officials :  Ministers,  R.  D. 
Murphy,  A.  G.  Faust,  C.  S.  Knavel  and  Foster  B.  Statler;  dea- 
cons, Jacob  C.  Knavel,  Samuel  W.  Knavel,  Elmer  Knavel  and 
Lewis  Penrod.  They  have  the  Rummel  and  the  Highland 
meetinghouses.  The  former  is  a  love- feast  house.  They  have 
two  Sunday-schools,  an  Aid  Society  and  a  Christian  Workers' 
Society. 

RYERSON  STATION. 

The  territory  included  in  this  congregation  is  Greene 
County,  I'cnnsylvania,  and  Marshall  and  W^etzel  Counties, 
W^est  Virginia.  It  is  not  definitely  known  when  and  by  whom 
the  first  ])reac]iing  by  the  Brethren  was  done  here.  But  from 
the  best  information  obtainable.  Brethren  Michael  Meyers  and 
Jacob  Murray,  from  Fayette  County,  who  bestowed  much 
labor  here  in  the  early  forties,  were  the  first  to  preach  the 
doctrine  here.  Henry  Fletcher,  from  Fayette  County,  was 
the  first  resident  minister  here.  He  remained  only  a  few  years 
when  he  moved  into  another  congregation  in  West  Virginia. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         175 

Elder  John  Wise,  then  of  the  Ten  Mile  congregation,  or- 
ganized this  congregation  about  1848  (Miller's  "  Record  of 
the  Faithful  "  says  1842,  with  forty  members),  and  served  as 
its  elder  until  some  time  after  the  "  Division,"  or  between  thir- 
ty and  forty  years.  In  1850  his  brother,  Adam  Wise,  moved 
here  from  the  Ten  Mile  church,  and  in  1851  was  chosen  to  the 
ministry,  and  after  the  removal  of  Brother  Fletcher  was  the 
(jnly  minister  for  some  time.  Then  some  time  after  this  Breth- 
ren James  A.  Murray  and  William  Murray,  ministers  of  Fay- 
ette County,  moved  in.  October  28,  1857,  Jacob  A.  Murray 
was  called  to  the  ministry  and  Jeremiah  Murray  and  Henry 
Wise  to  the  deacon's  ofihce.  C.  J.  Showalter  also  was  chosen 
minister,  date  not  known.  Other  deacons  elected  were  :  Samuel 
Murray,  Wenman  Wade,  William  Weimer,  George  Murray, 
Charles  Keller  and  Henry  Wise,  Jr.  Henry  Wise  was  also 
elected  to  the  ministry,  and  Thomas  Showalter  moved  in. 

In  the  early  history  of  the  congregation  services  were  held 
in  the  members'  homes,  the  ones  most  frequently  used  being 
those  of  Brethren  Adam  Wise,  Charles  Keller,  John  Chambers, 
a  Brother  White  and  vSolomon  Chambers.  Later  on  school- 
houses  were  used  for  public  worship.  In  a  minute  of  the 
council  of  the  congregation  held  in  the  Hineman  schoolhouse, 
February  3,  I860,  it  is  stated  that  services  were  to  be  held 
regularly,  but  alternately,  every  two  weeks  at  the  Hineman 
schoolhouse  and  the  Mud  Lick  schoolhouse. 

February  4,  1871,  the  church  decided  to  build  a  meeting- 
house. The  building  committee  were  Adam  Wise,  James  A. 
Murray,  Henry  Wise,  John  Henry,  James  Matheny,  Jackson 
Whitlach  and  William  Weimer.  Some  time  was  lost  in  secur- 
ing a  site  acceptable  to  all.  As  the  membership  covered  so 
much  territory,  it  was  impossible  to  build  it  convenient  for  all. 
June  7  they  accepted  a  lot  on  land  of  C.  J.  Showalter,  one 
mile  from  Aleppo,  and  five  miles  from  Ryerson  Station,  in 
Green  County,  Pennsylvania.  The  new  house  was  dedicated  in 
1872,  Elder  John  Wise  preaching  the  dedicatory  sermon  from 
the  text,  "  My  house  shall  be  called  a  house  of  prayer,"  to  a 
large  congregation.     At  this  time  several  appointments  were 


176  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

kept  u[)  at  different  places  not  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
church.  Among  tliem  were:  Hart's  Run,  in  Greene  County, 
Bowman  Ridge,  in  Marshall  C<junty,  and  Knob  Fork,  in 
Wetzel  County. 

The  mcmhcrshii)  was  highly  respected  by  those  without. 
None  were  rich,  yet  many  were  thrifty  farmers,  and  very  few 
depended  upon  the  charities  of  the  church. 

Early  visiting  ministers  to  this  congregation  were : 
Michael  Meyers,  Jacob  Murray,  a  Brother  Mauk,  or  Mock, 
James  Ouinter,  John  Berkley,  Jacob  S.  Hauger,  Jacob  M. 
Thomas.  John  Wise  and  others. 

Prior  to  1884  \\  illiam  Murra}'  had  moved  to  Ohio,  Jacob 
Murray  to  Iowa,  and  later  to  Ohio,  and  C.  J.  Showalter  and 
Thomas  .Showalter  to  West  Virginia.  The  greatest  trial  of 
this  church  came  when  the  Progressive  movement  divided  the 
church,  late  in  1884,  the  youngest  two  ministers,  Henry  Wise 
and  James  A.  Murray,  the  meetinghouse  and  all  the  members 
around  it  going  with  tlicm.  They  moved  the  house  to  Aleppo. 
I'Llder  Adam  Wise  and  Deacon  Wenman  Wade,  and  some  scat- 
tered members  in  isolated  places  were  all  that  remained  loyal  to 
the  church.  After  John  Wise  moved  West,  Elder  J.  C.  Johnson 
looked  after  the  welfare  of  the  members.  In  1886  the  Dis- 
trict sent  Elders  John  S.  Holsinger  and  Jacob  Holsopple  to  see 
to  the  needs  of  the  church.  At  a  council  November  13, 
Adam  Wise  was  ordained,  and  Andrew  Chambers  was  elected 
to  the  ministry.  Later  I^lder  Holsinger  returned  and  Brother 
Chambers  was  advanced  in  the  ministry  and  lienjamin  Wise 
was  elected  deacon.  Elder  Adam  Wise  was  the  only  resident 
elder  the  congregation  ever  had. 

I>rothcr  Chambers  took  uj)  the  work  with  little  delay,  and 
regular  services  were  held  at  three  ])oints;  viz.,  Nauvou,  Knob 
Fork  and  Hart's  Run.  (  )n  account  of  the  age  and  feel)leness 
of  ICIder  Wise,  Brother  Chambers  did  most  of  the  baptizing, 
though  he  was  in  the  (irst  degree.  In  bS'U  Brother  Chambers 
moved  to  Midland,  \'irginia,  and  now  for  several  years  no 
regular  services  were  held,  but  short  series  of  meetings  were 
held  nearly  every  year  by  lb-other  Chambers,  while  on  visits  to 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         177 


Baptismal    Scene,    Kyerson    Station    ConureKatioii,    iieiir    >niithfielfl,    W.    Va., 

Augrust    23,    1914.      Administrator,    Andrew    Chambers,     Washington, 

D.  C.     Candidate,  31innie  Shuman,  Age  15.     Number  Baptized, 

Eiglit,   Ranging  from  11   to   55   Years. 

his  native  State.  At  Smithfield,  West  Virginia,  in  May,  1896, 
at  one  of  these  series  of  meetings,  ten  persons  were  baptized, 
and  there  was  a  splendid  opportunity  to  build  up  a  strong  con- 
gregation if  a  minister  could  have  been  located  there.  In  time 
many  of  these  moved  to  other  localities. 

James  O.  Wade  and  his  wife,  Jennie,  wdio  had  moved  to 
Littleton,  W^est  Virginia,  were  instrumental  in  having  a  meet- 
inghouse built  at  that  place,  which  was  dedicated  June  27, 
1909,  Brother  V.  C.  Finnell  preaching  the  dedicatory  sermon. 
Before  that,  some  preaching  had  been  done  there  by  A.  Cham- 
bers and  H.  A.  Stahl.  January  19,  1897,  Elder  Adam  Wise 
died,  and  Deacons  Wade  and  B.  Wise,  having  also  died,  the 
church  was  without  an  oflicial. 

H.  A.  Stahl,  by  direction  of  the  Home  Mission  Board  of 
Western  Pennsylvania,  made  frecjuent  visits  to  the  few  scat- 
tered members  and  preached  for  them,  baptizing  some  at  dif- 
ferent times.  Other  ministers,  among  them  W.  J.  Hamilton 
and  S.  W.  Bail,  also  preached  for  them.  After  the  last  deacon 
had  died,  Brethren  James  Q.  W'ade  and  Henr}^  Shuman  were 


178  HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

elected  to  that  office,  September,  1898.  Several  years  ago. 
Brother  W.  F.  Wade,  who  had  been  baptized  near  Knob  Fork, 
February  22,  1897,  and  who,  while  living  in  another  congrega- 
tion, had  been  elected  to  the  ministry,  returned,  and  is  now  the 
only  resident  minister. 

Probably  the  first  Sunday-school  organized  in  this  church 
was  one  at  Hart's  Run  schoolhouse,  by  Adam  Wise,  in  1856. 

In  1913,  by  the  consent  of  both  Districts,  this  congrega- 
tion was  transferred  to  the  Second  District  of  West  Virginia. 
The  membership  is  now  principally  in  that  State. 

SCALP  LEVEL. 

This,  as  a  separate  congregation,  dates  from  February  19, 
1912,  when  the  old  Shade  Creek  congregation  was  divided.  At 
that  time  the  membership  was  230.  This  congregation  em- 
braces part  of  Paint  Township,  Somerset  County,  and  parts 
of  Richland  and  Adams  Townships,  Cambria  County,  and  the 
boroughs  of  Windber,  Paint  and  Scalp  Level.  It  has  two 
meetinghouses,  the  Scalp  Level,  and  the  Windber.  For  many 
years  this  community  has  been  a  stronghold  for  the  Church  of 
the  Brethren. 

The  first  members  to  live  within  the  bounds  of  the  present 
vScalp  Level  congregation  came  from  the  East  some  time  near 
the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century.  They  were  Philip  and 
Barbara  (Miller)  Hoffman.  vSister  Hoffman  was  a  sister  of 
I'Jdcr  Martin  Miller,  of  Morrison's  Cove.  Bedford  County, 
who  liad  the  oversight  of  a  territory  now  comprising  about 
seven  congregations.  Brother  Hoffman  settled  on  a  farm  a 
few  miles  southwest  of  where  Windber  is  now  located.  Here 
he  died  early  in  tlic  tliirtics  of  the  past  century.  His  widow 
occupied  the  farm  till  1838.  when  it  passed  into  the  hands 
of  Jonas  Weaver.  Sister  Hoffman  now  made  her  home  with 
her  son-in-law,  Christian  Thomas,  between  Windber  and  Rum- 
mel,  where  she  died  the  same  year,  at  the  age  of  seventy-two 
years. 

The  first  meetinghouse  in  Scalp  Level  was  l)uilt  in  1867. 
This  building  was  replaced  by  a  new  and  larger  one  in  1892. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        179 


180  HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

Several  years  l)ef()re  the  Shade  congregation  was  divided  this 
house  was  arranged  suitably  tor  holding  love  feasts,  and  in 
1915  it  was  raised,  an  addition  built  to  it,  and  the  basement 
fitted  up  with  classrooms.  The  rededication  took  place 
August  15.  and  the  discourse  was  delivered  by  Elder  J.  H. 
Cassady,  of  Huntingdon. 

The  house  in  W'indbcr  was  erected  in  1905,  and  about 
1913  it  was  raised  and  the  basement  made  into  Sunday-school 
classrooms. 

In  the  division  the  following  officials  fell  to  Scalp  Level: 
Elders,  Peter  Knavel  and  David  S.  Clapper;  deacons,  Peter 
Hofl'man,  Noah  J.  Hofifman,  Norman  S.  Berkey,  Aaron  S, 
Hofifman.  Harvey  Berkey,  James  Cassady,  C.  E.  Schuldt  and 
T.  N.  Park.  March  24,  1914,  John  H.  Lehman,  George  H. 
Fyock,  Harvey  Knavel  and  Sylvester  B.  Hofifman  were 
elected  deacons. 

Prior  to  the  division  holders  J.  J.  Shaffer  and  I).  M. 
Adam  each  served  a  number  of  years  as  pastor,  living  in  Scalp 
Level.  The  congregation  also  pledged  itself  to  support  vSister 
Anna  Z.  Blough  in  India.  This  support  is  now  given  jointly. 
Joint  missionary,  temperance  and  Sunday-school  meetings  are 
also  held.  In  April,  1913,  Elder  Harvey  S.  Replogle  became 
the  pastor  of  the  congregation.  June  30,  1914,  Elder  D,  S. 
Clapper  died.  This  is  one  of  the  leading  churches  in  mis- 
sionary and  Sunday-school  activities.  The  first  Sunday-school 
in  the  congregation  was  organized  in  the  spring  of  1878, 
Hiram  Musselman  being  the  leading  spirit  in  the  enterprise. 

This  congregation  maintains  two  evergreen  Sunday- 
schools,  two  Christian  Workers'  Societies,  two  Sisters*  Aid 
Societies,  teachers'  meetings  and  teacher  training  classes.  The 
church  officials  are:  Elder  in. charge,  Peter  Knavel;  pastor. 
Elder  H.  S.  Replogle ;  deacons,  Harvey  Berkey.  N.  S.  Berkey, 
George  Fyock,  A.  S.  Hofifman,  N.  J.  Hofifman.  Peter  Hofif- 
man, Sylvester  1'.  Hoffman,  Harvey  Knavel.  J.  H.  Lehman,  T. 
N.  Park  and   l-..  C.  Schuldt. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         ISl 


U'iiiilher    Cliurcli,    Scalp    Level    Cone:reg:iitlon. 


SHADE  CREEK. 

This  congregation  is  an  (ji"f spring  of  the  old  Conemaugh 
congregation,  having  heen  detached  from  it  and  organized 
into  a  separate  congregation  ahout  1851  (some  think  it  was 
several  years  earlier).  In  a  ]irevious  chapter  mention  is  made 
of  Philip  Hofifman's  family,  who  were  among  the  first,  if  not 
the  first,  members  in  this  territory.  Much  more  might  be  writ- 
ten about  this  i)ious  family  if  space  ])ermitted.  Some  more 
of  this  history  will  ])r(jl)ably  cluster  about  several  of  the  bio- 
graphies to  follow. 

Brief  mention  must  be  made  of  another  early  family  whose 
descendants  also  had  much  to  do  in  sha]nng  the  early  des- 
tinies of  this  large  congregation.  This  was  Daniel  Berkey 
and  his  wife,  Elizabeth  (Poorman)  Berkey.  They  moved 
from  a  farm  in  Jenner  Township,  several  miles  south  of  the 
])resent  town  of  Jerome,  to  a  farm  of  188  acres,  three  miles 
south  of  the  present  town  of  Windber.  This  was  probably 
early  in  the  thirties.  This  homestead  is  now  owned  and  oc- 
cupied by  Josiah  Blough,  whose  wife  is  a  great-granddaughter 
of  these  early  pioneers.     When  Mr.  Berkey  took  possession 


182 


HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Deacon   Daniel  Berkey  and   Wife. 


of  tliis  farm  there  were  about  thirty  acres  of  the  land  cleared, 
and  a  small  log  house  stood  upon  it.  In  about  1840  he  built 
a  large  brick  house,  the  brick  being  made  on  the  farm.  This 
house  stood  until  about  twenty-two  years  ago,  and  was  known 
as  "  The  Old  Brick  Farmhouse."  Mr.  Berkey  added  to  his 
property  until  he  owned  over  400  acres  in  one  tract,  as  well  as 
other  farms  elsewhere. 

It  must  be  stated  that  Elders  Jacob  Stutzman,  Levi 
Roberts,  John  Mineely,  Samuel  Lidy  and  others  did  effective 
mission  work  in  different  parts  of  this  territory,  and  men  and 
women  were  born  into  the  kingdom.  Mr.  Berkey  and  his  wife 
also  became  members  and  he  w^as  called  to  be  a  deacon.  The 
meetings  were  held  in  farmhouses  and  l)arns  until  1858.  when 
a  large  love-feast  house  was  erected  on  a  jnirt  of  Brother 
Berkey 's  farm,  called  the  Berkey  church.  When  Brotlier 
Berkey  died,  in  1868.  he  was,  at  his  rccjucst.  buried  near  the 
church,  his  being  the  first  grave  in  the  Berkey  cemetery. 

Brother  and  Sister  Berkey  were  the  parents  of  thirteen 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        183 

children,  of  whom  four  sons  died  quite  young.  The  remainder 
reached  a  good  old  age.  Among  their  descendants  may  be 
named  the  Berkeys,  Croffords,  Berkebiles,  Custers,  Living- 
stons, Ripples,  Fousts,  Frys,  Shatters,  Seeses  and  others. 

This  congregation  covered  Paint,  Ogle  and  a  part  of 
Shade  Tov^mships  in  Somerset  County,  and  parts  of  Richland 
and  Adams  Townships  in  Cambria  County,  and  Paint,  Scalp 
Level  and  Windber  Boroughs. 

Ministers, 

Christian  Lehman  was  the  first  minister  elected  in  this 
arm  of  the  Conemaugh  congregation.  This  took  place  proba- 
bly in  the  thirties.  The  next  election  resulted  in  the  calling  of 
"  Big "  Peter  Berkey  and  his  son,  Samuel,  a  young  single 
brother.     This  took  place  several  years  before  the  middle  of 


Shade  Creels  Ministers  Before  Division.     L,eft  to  Rig:ht,   Charles   S.   Knavel, 
Foster   B.    Statler,    Alvin    G.    Faust   and   William   H.    Fry. 

the  century.  The  first  two  preached  in  the  German,  and  the 
young  brother  in  the  English.  Samuel  Berkey  moved  to 
Benshofif  Hill  before  the  organization  of  the  congregation. 
After  the  organization  we  find  the  following  elections : 
Joseph  Berkey  (German  and  English),  about  1851;  Jacob 
Holsopple   (English  and  German),  1861;  Hiram  Musselman 


184  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

(Englisli),  1862;  l*elcr  \).  Statler  (German),  1872.  This  was 
the  last  l)rother  elected  who  used  the  (iennan.  I'eter  Kiiavel, 
September  14,  1874;  Daniel  Holsopple,  1884;  Jerome  I"2. 
Blough  and  Hiram  Lehman,  July  10,  1887;  James  F.  Ream, 
Joseph  J.  Shaffer  and  Daniel  D.  Shaffer,  July  4,  1893;  Mahlon 
J.  Weaver,  1899;  Lorenzo  J.  Lehman  and  Lewis  G.  Shaft'er, 
June  19,  1900;  A\'illiam  H.  I*>y  and  Josiah  L.  Weaver,  March 
31,  1902;  Ross  D.  Murphy  and  Alvin  (i.  Faust,  November  24, 
1904;  Charles  S.  Knavel  and  Frank  Shaft'er.  June  19,  1906; 
Clarence  ICarl  Shaffer,  Ajiril,  1910;  Foster  B.  Statler  and 
James  IL  Muri)hy,  November  14,  1*M4.  Brethren  Frank  Shaf- 
fer, C.  E.  .Shaft'er  and  James  \i.  Mur])hy  have  not  yet  accepted 
the  call. 

Ministers  who  m(ncd  into  the  cons>"regation  are:  Joseph 
S.  Burkhart,  Henry  P.  Hostetler,  who  was  the  last  brother  to 
])reach  in  (Jerman,  Dr.  S.  G.  Miller,  hVancis  S.  Bowcn, 
David  S.  Clapper,  D.  M.  Adams,  and  .S.  C.  Thompson.  These 
moved  out :  Jose])h  S.  Burkhart,  to  Johnstown ;  Dr.  Miller,  to 
Bolivar;  J.  E.  Blough  moved  to  Prince  William  County,  Vir- 
ginia, in  1892,  back  again  in  1899,  and  to  Quemahoning  in 
1900;  J.  J.  .Shaft'er  also  moved  out,  and  after  being  gone 
several  years  returned  in  1907,  and  in  1909  moved  to  Brothers 
Valley ;  F.  S.  Bowcn  moved  to  Quemahoning  and  later  to 
Bedford  County;  J.  F.  Ream  moved  to  Ouakertown.  I'ucks 
County,  1908,  and  some  years  later  to  Cramer,  Indiana  Coun- 
ty;  M.  J.  Wea\er  moved  to  Pittsburgh,  and  later  to  ICverett ; 
L.  G.  Shaffer  moved  to  Johnstown  ;  L.  J.  Lehman  moxed  to 
California;  J.  L.  Weaxer  moved  to  Bellefontaine,  Ohio;  D. 
M.  Adams  moved  to  Illinois,  and  S.  C.  Thompson  to  \'irginia. 
R.  D.  Murphy  is  em])loyed  by  the  General  Mission  P>oar(l.  but 
has  liis  membershi])  here. 

Deacons. 

The  following  deacons  have  serxed  the  church,  so  far  as 
known:  Daniel  I'erkcy,  John  Custer.  Jacob  Bcrkcy,  Jacob 
TToffman,  David  J.  .Shaffer,  Hiram  .Shaffer,  Aaron  .Shaffer, 
Josejih    i'.crkebile,    Peter    Kna\el.    .^amuel    C.    Knaxel.    Peter 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         185 

Hofifman,  Jacob  E.  Foust,  Samuel  E.  Berkey,  Noah  J.  Hoff- 
man, Jacob  C.  Knavel,  Norman  S.  Berkey,  Jacob  Fox,  Aaron 
S.  Hoffman,  Scott  Murphy,  Samuel  \\\  Knavel,  Ira  Manges, 
Harvey  Berkey,  Elmer  Knavel,  Calvin  C.  Weaver,  O.  F. 
Fyock,  James  Cassidy,  C.  E.  Schuldt,  T.  N.  Park,  William 
Berkebile,  Edgar  Knavel  and  Lew^is  Penrod. 

Elders. 

The  elders  ordained  in  the  congregation  in  their  order 
are:  Christian  Lehman,  Joseph  Berkey,  Hiram  Musselman  and 
Jacob  Holsopple,  on  January  1,  1886;  Peter  Knavel,  in  1902; 
J.  J.  Shaff'er,  in  1908  and  W.  H.  Fry,  on  July  14,  1912.  Elders 
D.  S.  Clapper  and  D.  M.  Adams  moved  into  the  congregation. 

Pastors. 

The  regularly  chosen  and  paid  pastors  have  been ;  J.  J. 
Shaffer,  from  March  2,  1907,  to  April  6,  1909;  D.  M.  Adams, 
from  October  19,  1909,  to  October  3,  1911;  S.  C.  Thompson, 
from  January  1,  1914,  to  April  1,  1915;  A.  G.  Foust,  from 
May  1.  1915.  Elders  Shaffer  and  Adams  served  the  congre- 
gation before  it  was  divided,  and  so  were  pastors  of  what 
later  became  the  Scalp  Level  congregation,  also. 

Meetinghouses. 
We  have  already  spoken  of  the  Berkey  church.  The 
second  meetinghouse  was  built  in  Scalp  Level,  on  land  of 
Hiram  Musselman,  in  1867.  This  church  was  replaced  by  a 
new  one  in  1892,  and  since  changed  into  a  love-feast  house. 
Next  was  the  Ridge,  or  Shaffer  church,  on  land  of  Aaron 
Shaffer,  in  1872.  This  has  also  been  replaced  by  a  new 
church  in  1912.  Then  followed  the  Rummel  (also  called 
Borders  and  Greenland)  house,  on  land  bought  from  the 
Rose  farm,  in  1873  or  1874.  Rummel  was  rebuilt  in  1903, 
enlarged  and  remodeled  in  1914,  and  changed  into  a  love-feast 
house  in  1915.  In  1886  a  meetinghouse  was  built  in  Ogle 
Township,  on  the  Alleghany  Mountains,  on  land  of  Jacob  Fox. 
Next  the  Keiper  schoolhouse,  in  Adams  Township,  was  bought 
and  converted  into  a  church,  and  called  Cross  Roads.     A  new 


186  HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


fb  — 


■=  5  «~ 


"Ill- 


_s  c  _•  -^~ 


t.    M   i  5= 

i  ~  ^  ~ 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


187 


^^^H^^ 

^^^E^^^ 


Kerkey     Cemetery,     Shade     Creek     Congregation. 

(1)  Shows    Grave    of    Daniel    Berkey    and    Wife. 

(2)  Sliows    Grave    of    Petei-    Berlvebile    and    "Wife. 

(.3)  Shows  Large  Part  of  Cemetery.  Ministers  Ituried  Here  Are  Joseph 
r.erkey.  Hiram  Miisselman,  Henry  Hosteller,  Daniel  Holsoi)i)le,  D.  D. 
Shaffer,   Hiram   Lehman  and  D.  S.  Clapper. 


church  was  erected  here  in  1901,  and  in  1911  it  was  torn  down 
and  moved  to  Morningland,  or  Hagevo.  In  1905  the  W'indber 
church  was  built,  and  it  has  since  been  elevated  and  the  base- 
ment fitted  out  with  Sunday-school  classrooms.  The  Hagevo 
church  was  built  in  1912.  The  Berkey  church  was  remodeled 
in  1881  and  rebuilt  in  1897. 

In  the  various  church  activities  this  congregation  has 
stood  in  the  front  ranks.  It  was  among  the  first  to  see  and 
appreciate  the  need  of  Sunday-schools.  The  Scalp  Level 
Sunday-school  was  among  the  first  in  this  part  of  the  Brother- 
hood. In  1903  the  congregation  pledged  itself  to  support 
Sister  Anna  Z.  Blough,  as  missionary  on  the  India  mission 
field,  being  the  first  congregation  in  the  District  to  do  this. 
The  congregation  grew  to  about  500,  when,  February  10,  1912, 


188  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

it  was  divided  into  two  separate  congregations,  the  larger  and 
southern  part,  with  a  membership  of  about  275,  retaining  the 
old  name.  The  remainder  of  the  territory,  of  which  Windber 
and  Scalp  Level  are  the  strongholds  with  a  membership  of 
230,  was  named  Scalp  Level. 

The  Berkey  cemetery  is  one  of  the  oldest,  and  in  it  are 
buried  the  remains  of  nearly  all  the  departed  ministers  of 
the  congregation. 

The  present  official  board  consists  of  W.  H.  Fry,  elder; 
A.  G.  Foust,  jiastor;  Charles  vS.  Knavel,  Foster  B.  Statler 
and  R.  D.  Murj)hy,  ministers.  The  deacons  are:  Joseph  Ber- 
kebile,  J.  E.  Foust,  J.  C.  Knavel,  Ira  J.  Manges,  Samuel  W. 
Knavel,  C.  C.  Weaver,  O.  F.  Fyock,  Elmer  Knavel,  Edgar 
Knavel,  William  Berkebile  and  Lewis  Penrod.  Their  five 
Sunday-schools  have  a  total  enrollment  of  553.  They  have 
one  Christian  Workers'  Society  and  one  Sisters'  Aid  Society. 

This  congregation,  was  again  divided  on  January  1,  1916, 
the  vote  having  been  taken  at  the  different  appointments  dur- 
ing the  month  of  December.  The  part  left  has  211  resident 
members,  three  meetinghouses.  Berkey,  Ridge  and  Hagevo; 
one  elder  and  minister,  W.  H.  I'^ry;  and  the  following  dea- 
cons :  Joseph  Berkebile,  J.  E.  Foust,  Ira  J.  Manges,  C.  C. 
Weaver,  O.  F.  Fyock,  Edgar  Knavel  and  William  Berkebile. 
It  will  be  seen  that  the  Shade  Creeek  congregation  has  en- 
joyed a  steady  and  healthful  growth  during  all  these  years. 
vShe  has  three  Sunday-schools,  and  her  three  mectingliouses 
are  practically  new. 

SHEMOKIN. 

It  seems  that  the  members  in  Jefferson  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania, were  organized  into  a  congregation  with  twelve  mem- 
bers, in  1878,  and  that  the  congregation  was  named  Shemokin. 
There  was  no  resident  minister  and  no  meetinghouse  and  the 
organization  was  of  short  duration.  In  1882  there  were 
eleven  members  reported.  In  1885  we  find  the  name  for  the 
last  time  among  the  list  of  congregations. 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        189 

SOMERSET. 

When  the  old  BerUn  congregation  was  divided  into  four 
separate  congregations,  October  9,  1880,  this  was  one  of  the 
four.  Its  boundaries  were  Brothers  Valley,  Stony  Creek, 
Ouemahoning  and  Middle  Creek  congregations.  Its  official 
board  consisted  of  Ministers  Michael  Weyandt  and  Solomon 
J.  Baer,  and  Deacons  William  N.  Trent  and  Philip  F.  Cupp. 
This  territory  had  a  membership  of  about  seventy-five  and  one 
meetinghouse,  the  Trent. 

During  the  Progressive  agitation  this  congregation  became 
considerably  weakened,  so  much  so  that  the  remaining  mem- 
bers did  not  deem  it  best  to  continue  as  a  separate  congregation. 
So,  on  October  17.  1883,  Somerset  and  Brothers  Valley  con- 
gregations were  consolidated,  and  have  remained  so  ever  since. 

This  territory,  once  so  weakened,  has  since  become  a  real 
stronghold  for  the  Church  of  the  Brethren. 

STONY  CREEK. 

The  Stony  Creek  congregation  was  organized  on  the  13th 
day  of  November,  1880.  Elders  present  were  Joseph  Berkey, 
Jonas  A.  Lichty,  John  P.  Cober  and  H.  R.  Holsinger.  Joseph 
Berkey  was  appointed  chairman  of  the  meeting.  J.  L.  Kimmel 
and  A.  J.  Miller  were  elected  to  the  ministry.  J.  G.  Kimmel 
and  Jonathan  J.  Kimmel  were  elected  deacons.  Josiah  Kimmel 
had  been  elected  deacon  under  the  old  Berlin  congregation, 
which  was  divided  into  four  separate  congregations. 

H.  R.  Holsinger  was  chosen  to  preside  over  said  con- 
gregation. Benjamin  Musser  was  elected  secretary,  and 
Samuel  Landis  treasurer.  That  completed  the  organization, 
with  seventy-five  members. 

Said  congregation  met  in  council  at  the  Kimmel  church, 
on  the  12th  day  of  March,  and  decided  to  move  the  said 
church  to  a  more  convenient  place  for  the  members.  A  place 
was  selected  at  the  Berlin  road  to  the  Stoystown  pike,  on  the 
farm  of  J.  G.  Kimmel,  and  it  was  agreed  to  build  an  addition 
of  fifteen  feet  to  the  old  church.  This  was  done  the  same 
year. 


I'X)  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

The  building  committee  consisted  of  J.  G.  Kimmel,  Wil- 
liam Stull  and  Josiah  Kimmel.  The  church  was  dedicated  on 
the  25th  of  September,  1881.  Dedicatory  services  were  con- 
ducted by  S.  H.  Bashor  and  H.  R.  Holsinger.  It  was  dedi- 
cated in  the  name  of  the  "  Home  Church,"  and  followed 
by  a  series  of  meetings  by  Bashor.  Fourteen  were  baptized. 
J.  L.  Kimmel  and  A.  J.  Miller  were  ordained  to  the  eldership 
at  the  same  time  by  H.  R.  Holsinger. 

In  the  di\ision  this  meetinghouse  and  a  number  of  the 
officials  and  members  went  with  the  Progressives.  This  so 
cri])|)led  the  work  that  the  members  remaining  loyal  to  the 
Conser\ati\'e  body  of  the  church  asked  to  l)e  taken  back  to  the 
Brothers  Valley  congregation,  and  so  we  find  the  name  dro|)ped 
from  the  list  of  congregations  in  1889. 

SUMMIT  MILLS. 

This  is  one  of  the  three  congregations  carved  out  of  the 
old  Elk  Lick  congregation  in  1877.  At  its  organization  at 
that  time  Jonas  Lichty  and  J(K'1  Gnagey  were  elders  and  J.  A. 
Miller  was  a  minister.  The  deacons  were:  S.  S.  Flickinger, 
William  Lichty,  J.  M.  Lichty,  J.  B.  Schrock,  S.  D.  Gnagey, 
.S.  A.  Maust,  John  X.  Davis  and  J.  J.  Like. 

Brethren  A.  D.  Gnagey  and  Daniel  M.  Like  were  elected 
to  the  ministry  in  1879  and  S.  J.  Berkley  Sei)tem1)cr  22,  1912. 
J.  W.  Peck  moved  into  the  congregation  in  1880  and  G.  E. 
^'oder  in  1909.  Brother  Yoder  was  ordained  in  1912  and 
moved  away  in  1913.  D.  M.  Fike  moved  West  in  1882  and 
Jonas  Lichty  in  1888.  A.  D.  Gnagey,  who  is  now  editor  of 
The  Brethren  E-i'an</elist,  and  J.  A.  Miller  went  with  the 
Progressive  Brethren  in  the  division. 

These  deacons  were  elected:  S.  K.  Hochstetler,  Noah 
Gnagey  and  P.  M.  Saylor,  1885;  D.  S.  Gnagey.  1897;  Hiram 
.Saylor,  C.  D.  Lichtv  and  S.  J.  Berkley.  September.  1904;  Wil- 
li.'Mii  I'ullem  and  lolm  P.  .Saylor,  1913.  S.  .'^.  Lint  moved  in  in 
1898  or  1899.  and  D.  S.  Gnagey  in  1906:  The  following  dea- 
cons moved  away:  S.  A.  Maust  and  J.  J.  Fike,  1880;  William 
Lichty.  1882;  J.  N.  Davis,  1885;  S.  S.  Flickinger,  1886;  S. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         191 


Summit    Mills    Church,    Erected    in   1846. 

K.  Hochstetler,  1896;  D.  S.  Gnagey,  1899  and  S.  S.  Lint,  1900. 
J.  M.  Lichty  died,  1900. 

The  membership  is  composed  principally  of  prosperous 
farmers.  The  church  has  enjoyed  a  healthy  growth  and  at 
present  numbers  140.  Summit  Mills  meetinghouse  was  erect- 
ed in  1846  and  Cross  Roads  in  1886.  The  former  is  a  very 
large  church  and  seats  680  communicants.  In  this  church  the 
Annual  Meeting  was  held  in  1859. 

It  would  seem  that  the  Sunday-school  was  organized  as 
early  as  1872,  and  has  been  alive  since  the  organization  of  the 
congregation.  Two  Sunday-schools  are  maintained.  The 
church  is  also  alive  to  the  missionary  cause,  both  home  and 
foreign. 

During  the  trying  times  of  the  early  eighties  quite  a  num- 
ber of  members  were  lost,  families  were  divided  and  hearts 
were  made  sad.  At  present  few  of  the  Brethren's  children  of 
proper  age  are  out  of  the  church. 


THE   TEN   MILE   CONGREGATION. 

This  is  one  of  the  pioneer  churches  of  Western  Pennsyl- 
vania. The  first  settlement,  by  the  Brethren,  in  what  is  now 
Washington  County,  Pennsylvania,  was  made  in  the  year 
1800    (Elder  John  Wise   thought   as   early   as    1760),   when 


192  HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Old   Stone   Church,   Ten  Mile   Congres:ation.     The  Oldest   Church   in    Western 
Pennsylvania,  Erected  in  1833. 

several  families  of  members  left  their  homes,  east  of  the 
mountains,  and  located  on  large  tracts  of  virgin  soil  in  the 
southeastern  part  of  the  county,  where  they  later  organized 
themselves  into  the  Ten   Mile  congregation. 

Among  tlic  first  arrivals  we  find  families  l)y  the  names  of 
Helft,  Garber,  Ciraybill,  Spahn,  I'igler,  W'ise,  Thomas,  Tanner. 
Miller,  Lane,  Leasor,  Gutterey  and  Swihart. 

For  nearly  a  third  of  a  century,  not  having  a  church  build- 
ing in  which  to  worshi]),  they  held  their  monthly  preaching 
services  in  the  homes  of  the  brethren,  in  rotation,  it  being  the 
custom  for  those  who  must  travel  any  distance  to  the  place  of 
meeting  to  remain  for  dinner.  Lonc  feasts  were  held  much 
after  the  same  manner,  except  that  the  feasts  were  alternated 
between  a  much  smaller  number  of  homes. 

In  1832  they  erected  a  brick  meetinghouse  near  the  forks 
of  Daniel's  Run,  one  mile  from  its  junction  with  North  Ten 
Mile  Creek.  This  building  stands  today  and  is  one  of  the 
oldest  Brethren  churches  in  America.  Its  furnishings  are  in 
keeping  with  its  age.  In  the  rear  of  the  audience  room  is  the 
kitchen,  where  may  be  seen  the  open  firei)lace.  where  the  cook- 
ing for  love-feast  occasions  was  performed.  In  the  cupboards 
beside  it  arc  the  l)rass  candle-holders  which  were  once  used 
to  give  light.      (Tallow  candles  wqvc  used  exclusively  in  this 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         193 


OUl    Brick   Church,   Ten   Mile    Congregration,    Showing   Part   of  the    Cemetery. 


church  until  1863,  when  the  members  voted  to  secure  oil 
lamps.)  The  pulpit  is  a  long  table  on  a  raised  platform,  and 
from  it  many  strong  and  able  ministers  have  proclaimed  the 
Word. 

By  the  year  1838  its  membership  numbered  about  fifty, 
with  Elder  Helft  as  elder  and  Jacob  Garber  and  Henry  Tanner 
as  ministers.  Other  resident  ministers  who  have  served  the 
congregation  are :  Elder  John  Spahn,  Sr.,  Andrew  Wise, 
George  Wise,  Elder  John  Wise,  Elder  Samuel  Moore,  Daniel 
Lane,  George  B.  Shidler,  J.  M.  Tombaugh,  A.  J,  Sterling,  N. 

B.  Christner,  Elder  Jerry  Bottorff,  D.  W.  Hostettler,  Virgil 

C.  Finnell,  Samuel  \\'.  Bail,  Joseph  C.  Swihart  and  Russell  T. 
Idleman. 

Some  of  those  who  have  served  in  the  deacon's  office  are : 
Henry  Wise,  Joseph  G.  Grable,  George  G.  Crumrine,  Wil- 
liam Holder,  Adam  Spahn,  Reuben  Bail,  Solomon  W.  Tom- 
baugh, James  G.  Grable,  and  Silas  Johnson.    In  1842  the  con- 


194 


HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Fireplace,    Ten   Mile   Church. 


gregation  had  some  fifty-two  converts  as  the  direct  result  of  a 
series  of  meetings  conducted  hy  Brother  James  Quinter. 
Brother  Quinter  did  a  great  amount  of  ])reacliing  in  this  con- 
gregation. Decemher  4,  1856,  tlie  members  "  decided  to  meet 
in  social  ser\  ices,"  and  in  March,  1859,  the  first  Sunday-school 
in  the  congregation  was  organized. 

The  churcli  continued  to  grow,  and  in  the  si)ring  of  1859 
Pirethren  John  Leatherman,  Daniel  Ward  and  S.  W.  Tom- 
baugh  were  elected  a  building  committee  for  a  new  church 
in  the  north  end  of  the  congregation.  This  church  was  built 
in  1860  and  was  called  Pigeon  Creek.  The  first  communion 
service  held  in  this  house  was  October  20,  1860.  Before  the 
passing  of  another  decade  their  elder,  Brother  John  Wise,  had 
moved  from  the  congregation,  and  the  church,  being  without 
able  leadership,  the  work  began  to  show  signs  of  decay.  This 
was  followed  by  the  factional  disturbances  which  terminated 
in  the  withdrawal  of  a  large  number  of  the  younger  members 
to  join  the  Progressive  Brethren,  who,  in  1887.  built  another 
church  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Ten  Mile  house. 

Here  I  quote  from  a  communication  from  .Sister  Hannah 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         195 


Interior    View.      Ten    Mile    C'huroli. 


Smith,  in  an  issue  of  The  Gospel  Messenger  of  March  16, 
1886.  She  wrote  from  the  Ten  Mile  church  as  follows:  "I 
was  bai)tized  in  October,  1809.  In  sixteen  years  seventy  were 
baptized,  eleven  expelled,  forty-four  died,  eighteen  received 
letters,  ten  were  reclaimed,  twenty  went  with  the  Progressives, 
six  joined  other  denominations,  and  a  number  of  others  moved 
away  without  applying  for  certificates.  Present  number  of 
members  about  forty.  We  have  no  resident  minister.  The 
ministers  from  the  Georges  Creek  and  Markleysburg  congrega- 
tions supply  the  preaching."  Her  address  was  Zollarville,  Pa. 
Again  Elder  Wise  lived  in  the  congregation  for  a  time, 
but  a  great  part  of  the  time  the  pulpits  were  filled  more  or  less 
regularly  by  brethren  from  the  adjoining  congregations,  until 
1889,  when  Brother  Nelson  B.  Christner  became  their  pastor, 
and  remained  until  1894.  Brother  Wise  preached  again  for 
less  than  a  year,  and  they  were  left  without  a  shepherd  until 
1897,  when  Elder  Jerry  Bottorfif  came  to  their  assistance.  Un- 
der his  loving,  tactful  leadershi]),  and  by  hard,  persistent  ef- 
fort, the  church  was  revived  and  encouraged  until  it  seemed 
that  the  congregation  would  again  prove  its  ability  as  a  soul- 


196  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

winning  agency.  All  these  hopes  were  blighted,  however, 
when.  May  8,  1900,  Brother  Bottorff,  while  returning  from 
North  Dakota,  where  he  had  been  visiting  for  his  health, 
passed  to  his  reward,  and  left  them  without  any  one  to  direct 
their  energies.  Except  for  the  few  months  during  which 
Brother  D.  W.  Hostetler,  now  of  Indiana,  served  as  pastor, 
they  were  without  a  resident  minister  for  the  next  four  or  five 
years.  Emigration,  desertion,  death  and  division  had  by  this 
time  reduced  their  number  to  a  mere  handful,  many  of  whom 
were,  by  reason  of  old  age,  no  longer  able  to  assist  in  the  active 
work  of  the  church. 

April,  1904,  Virgil  C.  Einnell  became  their  pastor  and 
served  them  four  years.  During  the  fourth  quarter  of  1904 
the  home  department  of  the  Ten  Mile  congregation  was  organ- 
ized with  thirty-three  members.  This  was  either  the  first  or 
second  home  department  in  the  District.  March,  1905,  the  con- 
gregation was  incorporated. 

In  1901  Brother  Samuel  W.  Bail  was  elected  to  the  min- 
istry, but  was  not  installed  until  1906.  The  same  year  Brother 
Joseph  Swigart  was  elected  and  installed.  In  1909  Brotlier 
Russell  T.  Idleman  and  wife  located  in  the  congregation,  and 
have  been  in  charge  of  the  work  ever  since.  In  November, 
1914,  Brother  Idleman  was  ordained  to  the  eldership.  In 
1911  Brethren  Marshall  Sterling  and  Robert  Lane,  the  last  two 
deacons  of  the  congregation,  with  others,  moved  to  California, 
and  in  1914  Brother  Bail  located  in  Arcadia,  Florida,  thus 
leaving  but  a  small  meml)ership  remaining.  The  other  min- 
ister ])roved  unfaithful.  From  1911  to  1914  Elder  W.  M. 
Howe  served  as  elder.  Perhaps  the  only  hope  of  the  congre- 
gation is  the  uniting  of  the  "  Conservative  "  and  "  Progres- 
sive "  elements.  For  much  of  the  information  here  given  I  am 
indebted  to  Brother  \  irgil  C.  I'^inncU,  who  spent  some  years 
in  the  work  there. 

TROUT  RUN. 

The  Trout  Run  congregation  occupies  a  unique  position, 
l)oth  religiously  and  geographically.  Geographically,  it  consists 
of  a  narrow  territory  on  tiie  western  slope  of  the  Laurel  Hill 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         197 

Mountain,  Fayette  County,  about  twenty  miles  long,  extending 
north  and  south,  and  from  three  to  four  miles  wide.  Religious- 
ly, it  is  a  pioneer  congregation  of  the  twentieth  century. 
The  Middle  Creek  congregation  lies  on  the  east,  with  the 
Somerset  and  Fayette  County  line  as  the  congregation  line. 
The  Indian  Creek  congregation  is  on  the  west,  with  the  natural 
community  line,  often  called  the  "  frost  line,"  as  the  boundary, 
separating  "  the  mountain  "   from  "  the  settlement." 

This  territory  was  in  the  Indian  Creek  congregation  until 
the  summer  of  1913,  and  its  early  history  is  interwoven  with 
that  congregation.  Little  is  known  about  the  work  of  the 
Brethren  in  this  region  prior  to  1860,  but  services  were  held 
in  diflferent  schoolhouses  after  the  Civil  War.  For  many  years 
a  Sunday-school  was  conducted  in  the  Mt.  Hope,  or  Nedrow, 
schoolhouse.  Out  of  this  mission  came  a  number  of  devoted 
workers,  such  as  I.  B.  Ferguson,  Robert  A.  Nedrow,  Elmer  F. 
Nedrow,  J.  Lloyd  Nedrow  and  Grace  (Nedrow)   Heisey. 

A  tragedy  occurred  in  connection  with  this  mountain 
mission,  which  will  long  be  remembered.  It  was  on  January 
19,  1896,  a  still  night,  and  the  people  were  returning  home 
from  services,  when  out  of  the  darkness  came  the  sound  of 
breaking  timber,  and  a  green  tree  crashed  across  the  road, 
carrying  death,  sufifering  and  sorrow.  Daniel  Sheets,  a  deacon, 
was  instantly  killed,  while  his  wife,  who  sat  by  his  side,  was 
left  unharmed,  to  care  for  their  two  children,  Lawrence,  aged 
nine,  and  Mary,  aged  seven.  Kurtz  Baker  and  Kate  Saylor 
were  mortally  wounded. 

The  Trout  Run  schoolhouse  was  used  for  church  pur- 
poses for  several  years,  and  the  ministers  of  the  Indian  Creek 
congregation  did  the  preaching.  The  Trout  Run  and  Mt.  Hope 
Missions  were  consolidated  in  1907,  when  the  Trout  Run 
church  was  built.  The  building  is  a  substantial  frame  struc- 
true,  30x40  feet,  and  was  dedicated  May  25,  1907,  by  Elder 
D.  K.  Clapper. 

John  M.  Nedrow  and  wife,  who  had  been  elected  to  the 
office  of  deacon,  and  J.  Lloyd  Nedrow,  the  third  of  their  sons 
to  be  called  to  the  ministry,  became  leading  workers  in  the 


I9H  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

new  cliurcli.  In  May,  1912,  Walter  J.  Hamilton,  a  minister  in 
the  second  degree,  left  Morgantown,  West  Virginia,  and  lo- 
cated on  a  farm  about  a  mile  from  Trout  Run.  A  year  later, 
his  father.  Miles  Hamilton,  a  deacon,  located  in  the  same  com- 
munity. 

During  the  summer  of  1913  a  petition  was  presented  to 
the  Indian  Creek  congregation  asking  that  about  fifty  members 
around  the  Trout  Run  church  and  the  Longwood  Mission  be 
permitted  to  organize  into  a  sc])arate  congregation.  The  ])e- 
tition  was  granted  and  the  organization  was  effected  on  Oc- 
tober 11,  1913,  with  Elder  Silas  Hoover  as  bishop. 

On  November  28,  1914,  J.  Lloyd  Xedrf)w  and  wife  were 
forwarded  to  the  second  degree  of  the  ministry,  and  Eli  Foust 
and  Josei)hus  V>.  Pritts  were  called  to  the  deacon  office.  The 
deacons   and    their   wives   were   installed   the  next   day. 

The  Longwood  Mission  had  its  beginning  as  follows: 
Brother  Jacob  Sanner  made  occasional  visits  to  Josephus  R. 
Pritts,  his  wife's  father,  and  they  would  announce  preaching 
for  him  in  the  Longwood  schoolhouse.  Sometimes  he  would 
preach  for  a  week  and  baptize  the  converts.  Then,  William 
Bond,  of  the  Indian  Creek  congregation,  preached  every  five 
or  six  weeks,  and  a  little  later  W.  J.  Hamilton  assisted  in  the 
work. 

When  the  new  congregation  was  organized  this  point  was 
given  regular  services.  The  mcmbershi])  and  interest  have 
grown  until  |>lans  are  now  being  matured  for  the  erection  of 
a  new  churchhouse  during  1916. 

The  present  official  board  consists  of  Walter  J.  Hamilton 
and  J.  TJoyd  Nedrow.  ministers,  and  John  M.  Nedrow,  Jose- 
phus B.  Pritts  and  Eli  Foust,  deacons.  Two  Sunday-schools, 
a  Christian  Workers'  Society  and  a  midweek  service  are  main- 
tained. 

WEST  JOHNSTOWN. 

As  has  been  already  stated  in  the  history  of  the  Johnstown 
congregation,  that  congregation  was  dixided  into  two  separate 
congregations  on  January  1.  1899.    That  i)art  lying  west  of  the 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


199 


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200 


HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        JUl 


Viewmont    Church,    AVest    Johnstown    Congregation. 


Stony  Creek  and  Hinckston  Run  became  the  AX'est  Johnstown 
congregation.  The  new  congregation  comprised  Ferndale, 
Roxbury,  Kernville,  \A'estmont,  Brownstown,  Cambria  City, 
Minersvilie,  Rosedale,  Coopersdale,  Morrehville,  and  Upper 
Yoder,  Lower  Yoder,  A\'est  Taylor.  Middle  Taylor  and  part 
of  Jackson  Townships.  It  had  a  membership  of  several  hun- 
dred, and  three  meetinghouses ;  viz.,  Roxbury,  Upper  Yoder 
(now  Viewmont)  and  Benshoff  Hill  (now  Pleasant  Hill),  and 
a  meeting  place  in  Morrellville.  The  ministers  were  Solomon  E. 
Dorer,  Ananias  W.  Myers,  John  F.  Deitz  and  Albert  U. 
Berkley.  The  deacons  were  Stephen  Stutzman,  Jacob  Berkey, 
Jerry  E.  Long,  William  Harrison  and  Jesse  Berkebile. 

At  a  council  held  January  26,  1899,  at  which  Elders  Hiram 
Musselman  and  David  Hildebrand  were  present,  the  organiza- 
tion was  efifected.  Elder  Musselman  was  given  charge  of  the 
congregation,  and  Norman  W.  Berkley,  who  had  been  elected 
to  the  ministry  September  29,  1887,  was  installed  into  office. 
During  the  year  Samuel  A.  Beeghley,  a  young  minister,  moved 
into  the  congregation,  and  on  December  28,  1899,  he  was 
given  a  certificate. 


202  HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

Election  of  Ministers:  December  28,  1899,  C.  A.  Mc- 
Dowell and  Frank  L.  Myers;  January  13,  1910,  Leonard  R. 
Holsinger,  William  L.  Brougher,  Vernon  J.  Dietz  and  John  P. 
Coleman  (brethren  Brougher  and  Dietz  were  not  installed); 
December  12,  l')ll,  J.  C.  W.  Beam,  Elmer  D.  Blue,  William 
H.  Rummcl,  Iladden  Q.  Rhodes  and  Lemon  F.  Findley. 
Brother  Findley  was  not  installed  and  soon  after  moved  to 
Ohio.  On  January  8,  1903,  Brother  Harvey  S.  Replogle,  a 
minister,  was  received  by  letter,  and  December  31,  1908,  he 
was  granted  a  letter,  having  ])ecome  the  pastor  of  the  Plum 
Creek  congregation.  In  February,  1911,  L.  R.  Holsinger, 
having  accepted  the  pastorate  of  the  Red  Bank  congregation, 
was  granted  his  certificate.  April  1,  1911,  Brother  C.  A.  Mc- 
Dowell, having  taken  up  the  jiastoral  work  of  the  Bolivar  con- 
gregation, was  also  granted  a  certificate.  December  8,  1910. 
Jerome  E.  I'lough,  a  minister,  moved  into  the  congregation 
from  Ouemahoning.  In  1912,  James  F.  Ream,  a  minister, 
moved  into  the  congregation  from  Quakertown,  Pennsylvania. 
February  1,  1914,  John  W.  Mills,  having  become  the  pastor 
in  Morrellville,  moved  into  the  congregation. 

During  the  summer  of  1908,  Brother  John  H.  Cassady 
and  family  moved  into  the  congregation,  Brother  Cassady 
having  become  the  first  pastor  of  the  church.  After  more 
than  six  years  of  active  and  fruitful  work,  which  was  divided 
among  the  four  churches  of  the  congregation,  they  moved  to 
Huntingdon,  Pennsylvania,  September  1,  1914.  After  being 
without  a  pastor  for  ten  months,  Brother  Edgar  M.  Detwiler 
took  up  the  pastoral  work,  July  1,  1915.  His  efforts  will  be 
given  to  the  work  at  Roxbury. 

Election  of  deacons:  October  24,  18V>'>,  \\  illiam  H.  kuni- 
mel,  Edward  Mosholder,  Clement  F.  Livingston,  Amos  Camp- 
bell, Emanuel  Rhodes  and  Cloyt  A.  McDowell;  May  7,  1901. 
Harry  W^eller  and  Peter  Stutzman  (neither  installed)  ;  June, 
1904,  Edmund  Livingston  and  J.  C.  W.  Beam ;  March  19, 
1908,  Henry  Hofecker;  April  2,  1908,  Henry  B.  Kaufman; 
January  13,  1910.  Andrew  Blough,  Henry  E.  .Snyder,  \\'illiam 
I.  Strayer,  Samuel  N.  McDowell  and  Harvey  R.  Livingston; 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        203 

May  4,  1911,  H.  W.  Lape,  Isaiah  Hershljerger  and  David  A. 
Rummel ;  February  8,  1912,  Samuel  Lambert,  Michael  L.  Hofif- 
man,  Ephraim  Hershberger,  Elmer  Rummtl  and  Levi  Kauf- 
man. Daniel  Rhodes  and  John  Stutzman  have  been  elected, 
l)ut  not  installed.  Samuel  A.  Fitt,  Milton  Metzger  and  John 
Wissinger  moved  into  the  congregation  as  deacons. 

Ordination  of  elders:  June  28,  1900.  John  F.  Dietz ;  May 
4,  1911.  John  H.  Cassady ;  May  4.  1915,  n!  W.  Berkley,  Albert 
U.  Berkley  and  Jerome  K.  Blough. 

In  1899  the  Roxbury  house  was  enlarged  and  arranged 
for  holding  love  feasts.  In  1902  a  meetinghouse  was  built  on 
D  Street,  in  Morrellville.  In  1909  a  new  meetinghouse  was 
erected  at  Pleasant  Hill,  the  Roxbury  house  was  enlarged  and 
remodeled,  with  a  large  number  of  Sunday-school  classrooms, 
and  some  work  was  also  done  on  the  Morrellville  and  View- 
mont  houses.  In  the  winter  of  1914  and  1915  a  parsonage  was 
erected  on  the  Roxbury  church  property.  In  1915  the  View- 
mont  house  had  a  basement  put  under  it,  and  more  room  was 
thus  secured  for  the  Sunday-school. 

In  addition  to  the  four  evergreen  Sunday-schools  held  in 
our  four  churches,  Sunday-schools  have  for  a  number  of 
years  been  conducted  in  Mill  Creek  and  Kaufman  Ridge 
schoolhouses.  in  which  our  members  held  the  principal  offices. 

This  congregation  has  been  active  in  all  lines  of  church 
work.  Since  the  enlargement  of  the  Roxbury  house,  they 
have  held  the  District  Meeting,  the  Ministerial  Meeting  and 
Sunday-school  Convention  twice,  the  Sunday-school,  Mission- 
ary and  Bible  Institute  twice,  and  the  Cambria  County  Sun- 
day-school Convention,  besides  other  special  meetings.  Several 
series  of  meetings  are  held  annually,  and  the  growth  of  the  con- 
gregation has  been  gratifying.  During  the  six  years  ending 
September  1.  1914,  893  were  received  into  the  church.  At 
this  time  the  total  membership  was  considerably  over  one  thou- 
sand. 

On  February  14,  1915,  the  large  congregation  was  unani- 
mously divided  into  three  congregations :  West  Johnstown, 
Morrellville  and  Pleasant  Hill. 


204  HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

The  congregation  has  two  evergreen  Sunday-schools,  two 
Sisters'  Aid  Societies,  two  teacher  training  classes,  seal  course 
class,  Christian  Workers'  Societies  and  prayer  meetings,  and 
missionary  and  temperance  committees,  which  furnish  frequent 
programs. 

The  official  board  is :  Elder  in  charge,  N.  W.  Berkley  ; 
other  elders,  A.  U.  Berkley  and  J.  E.  Blough ;  pastor,  E.  M. 
Detwiler;  ministers,  J.  C.  W.  Beam,  W.  H.  Rummel  and  J.  P. 
Coleman ;  deacons.  Andrew  Blough,  H.  A.  Pitt,  Ephraim 
Hershberger,  Isaiah  Hershberger,  Henry  Hofecker,  M.  L. 
Hoffman,  H.  B.  Kaufman,  Levi  Kaufman,  W.  H.  Lape, 
Samuel  Lambert,  Edmund  Livingston,  J.  E.  Long,  Ed.  Mos- 
holder,  D.  A.  Rummel  and  Elmer  Rummel. 


CHAPTER  VI. 
Missionary  Activities. 

UNORGANIZED. 

The  fact  that  in  the  early  history  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  they  had  no  Mission  Boards  and  handled  no  mission- 
ary money  is  no  evidence  that  they  lacked  the  missionary  spirit. 
The  exact  opposite  seems  to  be  true.  Many  of  the  ministers 
were  filled  with  that  spirit  in  such  measure  as  to  put  some  of 
our  modern  ministers  to  shame.  This  is  true,  especially,  when 
we  take  into  consideration  their  mode  of  travel,  the  long  dis- 
tances traveled,  and  the  fact  that  they  gave  their  time  and 
services  free,  and  in  addition  to  that  bore  all  expenses  of  the 
trips  themselves. 

Members  of  the  older  and  better  organized  churches 
moved  into  a  new  settlement,  and,  missing  the  uplift  of  preach- 
ing services  to  which  they  were  accustomed,  they  would  send 
word  back  to  the  ministers  to  come  and  preach  for  them  and 
their  neighbors.  These  holy  men  of  God  would  start  out  on 
their  trip,  either  afoot  or  on  horseback,  often  over  rough  and 
winding  mountain  paths,  through  dense  forests  infested  by 
wild  and  dangerous  animals,  and  often  more  dangerous  In- 
dians, wading  or  fording  rivers  and  streams  "  where  bridge 
there  was  none,"  to  carry  the  Message  of  Hope  and  Salvation 
to  the  rugged  pioneers.  Frequently  they  went  by  twos,  per- 
haps partly  as  a  means  of  safety  and  company,  but  also  because 
it  was  apostolic. 

Meetings  were  held  in  the  dwellings  or  barns  of  the  mem- 
bers, and  the  neighbors  were  called  in  to  enjoy  the  blessings 
of  religious  services.  These  soldiers  of  the  cross  preached 
the  unadulterated  Word  with  a  zeal  and  earnestness  that  made 
sinners  tremble.     Additions  by  conversions  and  immigration 


206  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

soon  swelled  the  number,  and  the  result  was  an  organized 
church  with,  ])erhai)s,  a  minister  or  two  and  several  deacons 
from  among  their  own  number.  This  was  the  method  of  mis- 
sion work  employed,  and  who  will  say  it  was  not  practical 
and  effective?  lieginning  at  (iermantown  and  following  the 
line  of  emigration,  churches  si)rung  into  existence  throughout 
New  Jersey,  I\'nnsylvania,  Maryland.  Virginia,  Tennessee, 
Kentucky  and  Ohio,  and  finally  over  the  larger  i)art  of  the 
United  .'stales  and  parts  of  C"anada.  In  fact,  the  same  things 
are  being  duplicated  at  the  present  time,  with,  ])erhaps,  more 
modern  methods. 

Not  all  mission  work  was  done,  however,  in  connection 
with  emigration.  Ministers  would  go  on  missionary  trips  that 
extended  over  weeks  and  sometimes  months.  They  went  from 
settlement  to  settlement,  holding  meetings  and  love  feasts. 
These  men  endured  hardness  as  good  soldiers  of  Christ.  Of- 
ten they  had  to  exjxjse  themselves  to  the  severest  weather. 
The  lives  of  many  were,  no  doubt,  shortened  through  unavoid- 
able ex])osure.  It  would  be  interesting  to  name  the  Lfjrd's 
ambassadors  of  these  ])ioneer  days,  but  for  fear  of  missing 
some  who  are  entitled  to  notice,  we  will  not  attemi^t  it.  Suf- 
ficient is  it  that  their  names  are  emblazoned  on  the  honor 
roll  in  the  gallery  of  heaven.  The  scarcity  of  the  Word,  and 
the  long  intervals  between  visits,  made  the  ])eople  the  more 
anxious  for  the  old  .Stor}-  of  the  Cross.  Their  hunger  and 
thirst  for  the  T'read  and  Water  of  Life  as  indicated  in  their 
eager,  upturned  faces  and  close  attention  to  the  heavenly  mes- 
sage soon  made  the  tired  minister  forget  the  ]ierils  of  the 
journey. 

Coming  now  to  Western  I'ennsyKania  we  find  that  for  a 
number  of  years  the  newly-organized  congregations  were  reg- 
ularlv  visited  by  i)reachcrs  from  I'.astcrn  and  Middle  Penn- 
sylvania, as  well  as  from  Maryland  and  Virginia.  In  (urn, 
some  of  our  ministers  made  journeys  to  ( )hio  lor  the  same 
purpose.  Within  the  District  the  same  method  was  largely 
employed.  The  ministers  of  the  strong  congregations  assisted 
the  weaker  and  more  isolated  ones.     Thus  we  find  our  early 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        207 

ministers  traveling  and  preaching  in  almost  all,  if  indeed,  not 
all,  the  counties  of  the  District.  The  Lord  hlessed  their  labors 
and  numerous  churches  were  organized. 

ATTEMPTS  AT  ORGANIZED  EFFORTS. 

John  Wise,  an  active  elder  and  evangelist  of  Western 
Pennsylvania,  presented  to  the  Annual  Conference  in  1858 
the  first  request  to  have  a  General  Mission  Board,  so  as  to 
have  a  more  unified  missionary  effort.  The  paper  was  returned, 
but  Brother  Wise  was  not  silent.  He  interested  three  con- 
gregations in  his  own  District,  and  with  I'rother  P.  J.  Brown 
he  was  sent  out  on  an  evangelistic  tour. 

In  1870  the  folowing  query  was  ])resented  to  the  District 
Meeting :  "  A  request  to  have  this  Annual  Meeting  adopt  some 
measure  by  which  we  can,  as  a  body  of  Christians,  send  two 
ministers,  a  bishop  and  another  minister,  to  California,  as  mis- 
sionaries for  one  year,  to  aid  the  church  there  in  spreading  the 
Gospel  of  Christ ;  also  to  bear  their  expenses  and  support  their 
families  while  they  are  gone.  Answer:  Forwarded  to  Annual 
Meeting  with  this  amendment,  that  they  1)e  ordained  when 
sent  by  the  church  at  large." 

The  Annual  Meeting,  which  was  held  at  Waterloo,  Iowa, 
that  year,  granted  the  request,  and  Brethren  Jacob  Miller,  of 
Portage,  and  D.  Sturgis,  of  South  Bend,  Indiana,  were  sent. 
Provisions  were  made  for  the  expenses  of  the  committee, 
which  it  was  sui)i)osed  would  be  about  $300. 

In  1871  several  different  papers  and  plans  were  presented 
on  the  Home  Mission  question.  "Answer:  W'e  can  not  unite 
upon  any  system  of  missionary  labor,  and  therefore  recom- 
mend each  congregation  to  enable  all  its  ministers  to  respond 
to  all  proper  calls,  if  able,  and  if  not  able,  to  call  on  the  more 
wealthy  branches  to  assist  them." 

FIRST   MISSION   BOARD    ORGANIZED. 

In  1872  was  presented  "  A  resolution  by  the  Plum  Creek 
congregation,  instructing  their  delegates  to  labor  in  District 
Meeting  with  the  brethren  assembled,  for  the  adoption  of  a 


208  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

practical  home  mission,  to  be  under  the  control  of  the  District 
Meeting."  In  conformity  with  this  resolution,  a  plan  was  pro- 
posed for  adoption.  On  motion  of  John  Wise  the  plan  was 
referred  to  a  committee  consisting  of  H.  R.  Holsinger,  Lewis 
Kimmel  and  A.  J.  Sterling. 

On  the  second  day  of  the  meeting  "  The  committee  on 
home  mission"  reported  the  following: 

"  Whereas,  This  District  Meeting  has  been  repeatedly 
appealed  to  for  a  more  practical  plan  for  conducting  home 
mission :  Therefore,  we  adopt  the  following : 

"  1st.  That  each  member  voluntarily  pay  into  the  treasury 
of  the  congregation,  quarterly,  the  sum  of  ten  cents,  or  more, 
to  be  quarterly  handed  over  to  the  District  Treasurer,  for  the 
purpose  of  supporting  the  home  mission  and  defraying  other 
expenses  of  the  District. 

"  2nd.  The  ministering  brethren  to  be  sent  out  are  to  be 
selected  by  the  congregations,  nominating  one  or  more  breth- 
ren from  their  own.  or  other  branches  in  this  District,  and 
from  this  number  the  delegates  i)resent  shall  elect  two  or 
more  ministers  for  the  ensuing  year. 

"  3rd.  The  District  Meeting  shall  fix  the  support  of  the 
evangelists  for  the  ensuing  year,  and  designate  their  field  and 
time  of  labor. 

"  4th.  Applications  for  ministerial  aid  may  be  made  by 
congregations,  through  their  delegates,  or  otherwise,  to  a  com- 
mittee of  six  brethren,  two  of  whom  shall  be  appointed  at  each 
annual  District  Meeting  and  serve  for  the  term  of  three  years." 

This  plan  was  adopted  almost  unanimously,  and  it  is  re- 
garded as  one  of  the  most  important  actions  taken  by  the 
District  since  its  organization.  The  meeting  then  proceeded 
to  elect  by  l)allot  and  casting  lots  a  committee,  or  a  Mission 
I>oard,  resulting  as  follows:  C.  G.  Lint  and  Joseph  Berkey, 
three  years;  H.  R.  Holsinger  and  Lewis  Kimmel.  two  years; 
J.  P.  Hetrick  and  J.  L  Cover,  one  year.  The  meeting  author- 
ized the  committee  to  take  such  action  in  the  home  mission 
cause  as  in  their  judgment  emergencies  may  require.  Hiram 
Musselman,  .Scalp  Level,  was  elected  treasurer  for  one  year. 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        209 

In  1873  J.  P.  Hetrick  and  J.  I.  Cover  were  reelected  mem- 
bers of  the  Mission  Board.  Stephen  Hildebrand  and  Joseph 
Berkey  were  chosen  evangehsts  for  1873.  The  treasurer  re- 
ported a  balance  of  $51.75  in  the  treasury. 

A  call  had  come  to  the  Board  for  help  on  the  borders  of 
the  Montgomery  church  in  Clearfield  County.  Just  to  show 
how  cautious  they  were  in  expending  the  mission  money  I 
will  here  give  their  report  for  1873: 

"  We,  the  brethren  whose  names  are  hereunto  set  and 
who  were  by  the  District  Meeting  appointed  to  inquire  into  the 
call  from  the  Montgomery  Branch,  Clearfield  County,  Penn- 
sylvania, find  that  the  place  is  situated  at  the  foot  of  Boom's 
Mountain,  distance  from  Peter  Beer  sixty-six  miles,  or  from 
Brother  Berkey 's  112  miles.  From  Brother  Berkey 's  to  Broth- 
er Beer's  there  is  no  likely  cost,  but  from  Brother  Beer's  to 
Boom's  Mountain  it  will  cost  at  least  $5  each.  They  can  not 
serve  for  less  than  $2  per  day.  We  rate  them  to  ride  thirty 
miles  i)er  day.  We  do  not  allow  them  pay  for  Sunday 
preaching,  vmless  sickness  or  death  calls  them  home.  Recapit- 
ulation :  Wages  per  day.  $2;  whole  distance  (to  and  from), 
224  miles;  time  going  and  returning,  seven  and  one-half  days. 
Remuneration  and  expense  of  traveling  for  both,  $25  ;  amount 
in  treasury,  $51.75  ;  less  $25,  balance  in  treasury,  $26.75.  This 
Ijalance  will  support  them  at  the  above  rates  nearly  seven  days 
each.  H.  R.  Holsinger,  J.  P.  Hetrick,  J.  I.  Cover,  committee 
present.     Rest  absent.     Dale  City,  June  2,  1873." 

In  1874  the  funds  for  the  Mission  Board  and  the  funds 
for  the  current  expenses  of  the  District  were  separated  and 
the  latter  raised  by  special  solicitation. 

In  1878  a  change  was  asked  for  in  the  following  paper: 
"  We  the  Brethren  in  council  assembled  on  the  16th  day  of 
May,  1878,  deem  it  proper  to  ask  this  District  Meeting  to  re- 
consider the  home  mission  question,  either  to  improve  or 
drop  it.  On  motion  the  chair  appointed  a  committee  of  three 
to  revise  and  improve  the  present  plan.  The  committee  re- 
ported the  following :  Whereas,  The  District  Meeting  has  been 
solicited  to  amend  the  plan  for  conducting  the  home  mission, 


210  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

therefore  we  adojit  tlic  followiiii^ :  T^rst.  That  the  Missionary 
Board  hereafter  shall  consist  of  three  members  instead  of  six, 
who  shall  be  elected  by  the  District  Meeting  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  heretofore  and  for  the  same  length  of  time.  Second. 
That  the  Missionary  Board  shall  see  to  it  that  some  suitable 
person  or  persons  be  ai)])ointcd  in  each  church  to  call  upon  the 
members  (|uarterly  to  receive  contributions  to  the  home  mission 
fund,  which  contribution  shall  be  ])rom])tly  forwarded  to  the 
home  mission  treasurer  for  the  purpose  of  sui)plying  the  home 
mission  of  Western  Pennsylvania.  Third.  That  the  Mission 
Board  have  power  to  send  some  elders  or  ministers  to  assist 
such  churches  as  are  not  active  in  the  work,  to  endeavor  to 
1)uild  up  an  interest,  es])ecially  among  the  officials  of  such 
churches.  That  hereafter  the  Mission  Board  shall  have  the 
power  to  ap[)oint  evangelists  in  the  manner  following:  Each 
congregation  to  nominate  some  elder  or  minister  from  its  own 
or  any  other  congregation  as  a  board  of  evangelists  for  the 
year  from  which  the  Mission  I'oard  shall  elect  their  evangelists 
as  circumstances  may  demand.  Fifth.  That  api)lication  for 
ministerial  aid  may  be  made  l)y  the  congregation  through  their 
delegates  or  otherwise  to  the  home  mission,  consisting  of  three 
brethren,  one  of  whom  shall  be  appointed  at  each  annual  Dis- 
trict Meeting  to  serve  for  the  term  of  three  years.  A.  J. 
Sterling.  Joseph  Berkey  and  J.  W.  Beer,  committee.  Approved 
by  the  meeting."  New  members  on  this  mission  Board  were 
Silas  C.  Keim.  three  years.  Joseph  I.  Co\  er,  two  years,  and 
C.  G.  Lint,  one  year. 

In  1879  four  papers  were  presented  to  the  meeting,  several 
of  them  urging  the  laity  to  be  more  liberal  in  their  contributions 
for  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  to  outside  people,  and  the 
others  asking  Annual  Meeting  to  adopt  the  "  Brethren's  Work 
of  Evangelism." 

In  addition  to  the  brethren  already  named  the  following 
also  served  on  the  Home  Mission  Board  up  to  1881  :  John 
Wise,  James  Quinter,  J.  C.  Johnson,  Stei)hen  Hildebrand,  H. 
R.  Holsinger  and  J.  W.  B>eer.     The  exangelists  were:  Joseph 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        211 

W.  Beer,  Joseph  I.  Cover,  H.  R.  Holsinger,  John  Wise  and 
John  B.  W'ampler. 

Up  to  the  year  1881  the  annual  receipts  for  home  missions 
were  small.  Some  years  the  treasury  was  reported  to  be 
empty  and  in  no  year  did  the  amount  reach  $75.  So  we  need 
not  be  surprised  at  the  following  paper  from  the  Dunnings 
Creek  church  in  1881  : 

"  Inasmuch  as  the  home  mission  work  has  not  been  as  suc- 
cessful as  would  be  desired,  we  ask  the  Western  District  of 
Pennsylvania  to  consider  the  following  proposition  or  reso- 
lution : 

Resolved,  That  the  Home  Mission  Board  be  composed 
of  lay  members  and  deacons — that  no  minister  be  required  to 
serve  as  a  member  of  the  Board.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the 
Board  to  solicit  funds  and  appoint  and  send  evangelists.'  " 

This  resolution  was  passed  at  the  Quemahoning  church 
May  25,  1881,  but  was  not  placed  on  the  printed  Minutes. 
At  this  meeting  the  members  of  the  Mission  Board  whose  term 
was  unexpired  tendered  their  resignations,  which  were  ac- 
cepted. In  accordance  with  the  above  resolution  the  following 
brethren  were  elected :  Thomas  S.  Holsinger,  three  years ; 
Mahlon  W.  Keim,  two  years  and  Philip  F.  Cupp,  one  year. 
The  organization  was :  Brother  Holsinger,  Foreman ;  Brother 
Cupp,   Secretary ;  Brother  Keim,  Treasurer. 

In  1884  papers  were  jiresented  from  Brush  Valley,  Cow- 
anshannock  and  Glade  Run  congregations,  setting  forth  that 
they  were  without  resident  ministers,  and  praying  District 
Meeting  to  look  after  their  spiritual  wants.  These  papers  were 
put  into  the  hands  of  Brethren  Joseph  Holsopple,  Hiram  Mus- 
selman  and  J.  J.  Blauch  for  an  answer.  This  is  their  report : 
"  We,  your  committee,  beg  leave  to  recommend  Elders  C.  G. 
Lint,  J.  C.  Johnson  and  Lewis  Kimmel  as  a  '  committee  of 
supplies  '  to  attend  to  the  wants  of  these  congregations."  The 
report  was  unanimously  accepted. 

The  following  year,  in  response  to  a  more  urgent  call  for 
help   from  the  Cowanshannock  church,  the  "  supply  commit- 


212  HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

tee  "  was  increased  by  adding  Elders  Joseph  Berkey  and  Mark 
Minser. 

In  August,  1885,  the  supply  committee  visited  the  above- 
named  congregations  and  rendered  them  the  help  they  were 
calling  for,  and  in  1(S(S()  the  number  of  this  committee  was  re- 
duced to  two  members ;  viz.,  Joseph  Berkey  and  John  S.  Hol- 
singer.  The  same  year  (1886)  the  duties  of  the  Home  Mis- 
sion Board  were  thus  defined :  First.  To  notify  ever)'  con- 
gregation in  the  District  that  they  are  expected  to  pay  quar- 
terly into  the  mission  treasury  "  as  the  Lord  has  prospered 
them."  Second.  To  send  ministers  in  response  to  the  call  of 
isolated  members,  as  evangelists,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to 
preach  the  Gospel  in  its  primitive  purity  as  preached  and 
practiced  by  the  Brethren.  Third.  They  shall  pay  the  ex- 
penses of  the  evangelists  out  of  the  funds  of  the  treasury  of 
their  Board.  Fourth.  They  shall  also  pay  the  expenses  of 
the  supply  committee.  At  the  same  meeting  the  treasurer  re- 
ported an  indebtedness  of  thirty-one  cents. 

The  treasurer's  re])()rt  for  1886  shows  the  total  receipts  to 
have  been  $207.98,  and  the  expenditures  $169.74.  This  was 
by  far  the  most  money  that  had  passed  through  the  hands  of 
tbe  Mission  P.oard  in  a  single  year  up  to  this  time. 

In  addition  to  Brethren  Holsinger,  Keim  and  Cupp,  above 
mentioned,  the  following  brethren  served  on  the  Mission  Board 
prior  to  1895:  Charles  .S.  Grififith,  ]*bili]i  Sbumaker,  Christian 
B.  Kimmel  and  William  J.  Bowser. 

In  1894  the  Manor  congregation  presented  to  the  District 
Meeting  a  new  plan  for  carrying  on  the  mission  work  of  the 
District.  After  being  discussed  it  was  entered  upon  the 
Minutes,  to  be  disposed  of  the  following  year.  In  1895,  after 
being  amended,  it  was  passed  as  follows : 

"  First.  District  Meeting  sliall  select  a  committee  of  five 
bretbren  in  full  synipatby  witli  mission  work  and  the  order  and 
usages  of  tbe  cburcb.  i)art  of  wliom  sball  be  ministers,  part 
deacons,  and  part  lay  members,  and  no  more  than  two  of 
either.  This  committee  sball  be  known  as  tbe  Mission  Board 
of   the   German   Baptist    Bretbren   of   Western   Pennsylvania. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        213 

Their  term  of  office  shall  be  five  years,  except  those  first 
chosen,  one  of  whom  shall  serve  for  one  year,  one  for  two 
years,  one  for  three  years,  one  for  four  years  and  one  for 
five  years. 

"  Second.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  this  Board  to  organize 
by  electing  one  of  their  number  foreman,  one  to  act  as  secre- 
tary, and  one  as  treasurer. 

"  Third.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  said  Mission  Board  to 
meet  at  least  every  six  months,  and  oftener  if  necessary. 

"  Fourth.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  this  Board  to  select 
annually  for  mission  work  two  or  more  brethren,  well  es- 
tablished in  the  faith  of  the  Gospel  as  practiced  by  the  German 
Baptist  Brethren  church,  one  of  whom  shall  be  an  elder;  these 
brethren  shall  hold  themselves  in  readiness  to  respond  to  the 
demands  made  upon  them  by  the  Mission  Board,  for  which 
labors  they  shall  receive  their  expenses  and  such  compensation 
for  their  time  as  the  Board  may  see  right  and  proper. 

"  Fifth.  It  shall  l)e  the  i)rivilege  of  the  Mission  Board  to 
fill  any  vacancies   that   may   occur   in   their  number. 

"  Sixth.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Board  to  consider 
all  calls  for  preaching,  to  aid  weak  churches,  and  to  improve 
all  opportunities  for  opening  up  new  points  in  Western  Penn- 
sylvania. 

"  Seventh.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  said  Board  to  receive 
funds  by  donations,  bequests  and  endowments,  from  indi- 
viduals and  churches,  as  provided  for  by  the  Annual  Meet- 
ing, and  their  work  shall  be  confined  within  the  funds  in  hand. 

"  Eighth.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  this  Board  to  introduce 
the  Gospel  Messenger  and  distribute  tracts  within  their  work, 
and,  if  necessary,  at  the  expense  of  the  mission  funds. 

"  Ninth.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  said  Mission  Board  to 
keep  complete  minutes,  or  records,  of  all  their  work  done, 
including  money  received  and  expended,  number  of  sermons 
preached,  and  results,  number  of  families  visited,  and  report 
annually  to  the  District  Meeting. 

"  It  was  resolved  that  we  hereby  repeal  all  former  mis- 
sion methods  and  adopt  the  foregoing,  and  also  that  all  un- 


214 


HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


t.  i- " 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        215 

appropriated  funds  in  the  hands  of  the  present  Board  shall 
pass  into  the  new  treasury." 

Members  of  the  new  Mission  Board  were  appointed  as 
follows :  J.  W.  Myers,  deacon,  one  year ;  P.  U.  Miller,  deacon, 
two  years;  H.  A.  Stahl,  minister,  three  years;  \V.  G.  Schrock, 
minister,  four  years;  P.  J.  Blough,  lay  member,  five  years. 

With  a  few  slight  changes  this  plan  has  now  been  in  opera- 
tion twenty  years.  The  i)rincipal  change  is  i)ermitting  the  full 
Board  to  be  ministers.  The  present  Board  is  composed  of 
five  elders. 

During  these  years  much  faithful  and  far-reaching  work- 
has  been  done.  The  missionary  sentiment  has  grown  very 
encouragingly.  The  first  few  years  evangelists  were  appoint- 
ed who  were  sujiposed  to  render  assistance  to  weak  and  iso- 
lated churches,  and  mission  points.  The  names  of  Brethren 
G.  S.  Rairigh,  Jasper  Barnthouse,  D.  H.  Walker,  H.  A.  Stahl, 
J.  H.  Beer  and  E.  K.  Hochstetler  appear  as  evangelists. 

The  Mission  Board  has  given  more  or  less  help  to  Clarion, 
Cowanshannock,  Ryerson  Station,  Ten  Mile,  Cokeville,  Bol- 
ivar, Boucher,  Glen  Hope,  Rose  Bud,  Chess  Creek,  Pitts- 
burgh, Red  Bank,  Hyndman,  Greensburg,  and  possibly  a  few 
other  places.  For  want  of  more  funds  a  number  of  other 
calls  had  to  go  unheeded,  and  opportunities  for  building  up 
churches  have  thus  passed  by.  Many  times  the  treasury  was 
empty  and  urgent  letters  had  to  be  written  to  delinquent 
churches,  urging  them  to  remit  their  pro  rata  share. 

April  9,  1901,  the  Board  made  a  call  for  $1,000  a  year. 
May  4,  1903,  a  lot  on  Greenfield  Avenue  and  Mont  Clair 
Street,  Pittsburgh,  was  bought  for  $2,250  cash,  and  in  1904  a 
church  and  parsonage  combined  was  erected,  and  on  October  2 
of  the  same  year  it  was  dedicated.  Beginning  with  May,  1900, 
Elder  S.  S.  Blough  labored  here  seven  years,  during  which  time 
the  work  grew  from  a  mere  handful  of  scattered  members  to  a 
strong  organization  of  more  than  one  hundred.  During 
Brother  Weaver's  pastorate  the  Pittsburgh  congregation  re- 
linquished its  dependence  upon  the  Mission  Board,  and  became 


216  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

self-supporting  in  1910.     This  is  now  one  of  the  leading  con- 
gregations of  the  District. 

From  the  beginning  of  the  Greensburg  Mission  the  Board 
has  furnished  very  substantial  help  to  the  work,  and  while 
they  did  not  build  the  meetinghouse  there,  they  gave  their  sanc- 
tion and  influence  to  it,  and  on  April  18,  1911,  they  petitioned 
District  Meeting  as  follows :  "  We,  the  Mission  Board  of 
Western  Pennsylvania,  petition  District  Meeting  in  behalf 
of  the  Brethren  at  Greensburg,  that  they  be  given  the  priv- 
ilege to  solicit  the  congregations  of  Western  Pennsylvania  for 
funds  for  the  erection  of  a  new  meetinghouse  at  the  above 
place."  The  way  the  work  has  grown  and  prospered  in 
Greensburg  has  scarcely  been  equaled  in  the  history  of  our 
church.  It  will  be  but  a  few  years  till  the  work  there  will 
be  self-supporting.  The  churches  and  missions  receiving  help 
from  the  Mission  Board  during  1914  were  Bolivar,  Chess 
Creek,  Cowanshannock,  Greensburg  and  Red  Bank.  New 
openings  are  being  investigated.  The  total  receipts  the  past 
year  were  $2,263.22,  and  the  expenditures  $2,171.77. 

Besides  the  five  brethren  first  chosen,  the  following  have 
served  on  the  Mission  Board :  W.  G.  Lint,  C.  A,  Just, 
W.  H.  Fry,  D.  H.  Walker,  J.  B.  Miller,  V.  E.  Mineely, 
H.  L.  Griffith,  M.  J.  Weaver,  J.  J.  Shafifer,  S.  U.  Shober,  H.  S. 
Replogle,  W.  M.  Howe  and  G.  K.  Walker.  Elder  P.  J. 
Blough  has  served  continuously  for  twenty  years,  and  at  the 
last  District  Meeting  was  elected  for  the  next  five  years.  All 
this  time  he  was  treasurer  for  the  Board. 

CONGREGATIONS   SUPPORTING   MISSIONARIES- 

In  1903,  largely  through  the  efforts  of  Brother  M.  J- 
Weaver,  the  Shade  Creek  congregation  pledged  itself  to  sup- 
port .Sister  Anna  Z.  Blough  on  the  India  mission  field.  Since 
the  division  of  the  cf)ngrcgation.  Shade  Creek  and  Scalp  Level 
unite  in  her  support.  Missionary  meetings  are  regularly  held 
by  these  two  congregations. 

In  1904.  the  Quemahoning  congregation  decided  to  sup- 
port   a    missionary    (a    minister)    in    India.      Brother   J.    W. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        217 

Swigart  was  selected  to  be  its  representative,  but  before  time 
for  sailing  he  died,  October  17,  1904,  aged  26  years  and  8  days. 
In  1906  Brother  Charles  H.  Brubaker  became  their  represent- 
ative. After  nearly  four  years  of  service  in  the  field  he  died 
October  20,  1910,  aged  37  years,  1  month  and  25  days.  In 
1911  Brother  Quincy  A.  Holsopple  accepted  the  call  from 
Quemahoning  and  is  now  happy  in  the  work. 

SUNDAY-SCHOOLS  SUPPORTING  MISSIONARIES. 

In  addition  to  the  above,  the  Sunday-schools  of  the  Dis- 
trict are  supporting  Sisters  Ida  C.  Shumaker  and  S.  Olive 
Widdowson  in  India,  and  have  asked  Sister  V.  Grace  Clapper 
to  represent  them  in  China. 

WHAT  WE  COULD  DO. 

While  at  first  thought  we  may  l)e  inclined  to  congratu- 
late ourselves  upon  what  we  have  accomy)lished  and  what  we 
are  doing  in  the  support  of  workers  on  the  foreign  field,  on 
the  other  hand  it  seems  very  little  compared  with  what  we 
could  do.  Instead  of  our  Home  Mission  Board  having  $1,500 
a  year  (last  year's  $2,263.22  was  exceptional)  for  work  in  the 
District,  they  could  have  $7,000  annually.  That  would  be 
only  about  a  dollar  a  member.  And  instead  of  supporting 
four  in  the  foreign  field  we  could  support  one  hundred.  That 
would  mean  only  about  four  dollars  per  member.  Looking 
at  it  in  another  light,  do  we  not  have  seventy-five  members 
in  the  District  who  could  easily  support  each  a  missionary? 
By  a  little  more  effort  the  Sunday-schools  would  support 
five.  That  would  leave  only  twenty  to  be  supported  by  the 
congregations.  From  observation  it  is  evident  that  the  two 
congregations  that  are  supporting  each  a  missionary  have  made 
more  rapid  growth  since  they  undertook  the  support  than  they 
did  before.  Others  ought  to  try  it  and  receive  the  blessing. 
There  are  at  least  ten  congregations  that  could  each  support 
a  worker  in  the  foreign  field.  That  would  leave  only  ten  to 
be  apportioned  among  the  other  twenty-four  congregations. 
What  do  you  say?    Is  it  possible?    It  is  worthy  of  a  prayerful 


218  HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

consideration  and  a  trial.  It  is  truthfully  said  that  the  church 
that  is  not  a  missionary  church  will  be  doomed  to  extinction. 
May  it  not  be  the  same  with  the  congregation  that  is  not  alive 
to  the  cause  of  missions,  both  home  and   foreign? 

And  what  can  be  said  of  the  number  of  our  own  sons 
and  daughters  who  have  gone  to  the  fields  across  the  seas? 
In  all,  seven  have  gone.  Of  these,  two  had  to  return  and  take 
up  work  in  America  again.  Only  five  on  the  field  and  several 
of  those  broken  down  by  overwork!  My  dear  young  brethren 
and  sisters — brethren,  especially — will  not  many  of  you  decide 
to  give  your  talents  and  energies — yes,  your  lives,  if  need  be — 
to  the  work  on  the  foreign  field?  From  this,  the  largest  Dis- 
trict, numerically,  in  the  whole  Brotherhood,  instead  of  having 
five  foreign  missionaries,  we  should  have  fifty.  Should  men 
be  more  ready  to  go  everywhere  for  the  government  or  large 
and  rich  corporations,  where  large  salaries  are  ofifered,  than 
for  the  Governor  of  all  the  world  to  win  souls  for  him? 
Think  and  pray  over  it. 

Our  missionary  chapter  would  be  incomplete  without  the 
biographies  of  the  brethren  and  sisters  who  have  gone  to  the 
foreign  mission  field  from  our  State  District.  These  we  will 
give  in  the  order  in  wiiich  they  entered  upon  their  work. 

JACOB   M.  BLOUGH. 

Jacob  M.  Ijlough  is  the  youngest  child  of  Elder  Emanuel 
J.  and  Sarah  (Barndt)  Blough,  and  was  born  near  Stantons 
Mills,  Jenner  Township,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania,  De- 
cember 12,  1876.  His  grandfather  was  Elder  Jacob  Blough, 
of  the  Brothers  Valley  congregation.  He  comes  from  Swiss- 
German  ancestry.  He  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm,  where 
he  was  taught  the  dignity  of  labor.  He  attended  the  Walter 
j)ublic  school  thirteen  years.  He  was  an  apt  student  and  ap- 
plied himself  diligently  to  his  books,  graduating  from  common 
school  in  1892.  He  had  one  term  of  nine  weeks  at  Normal 
and  in  1894  he  began  teaching.  Three  years  he  taught  near 
home  and  one  year  in  the  Hooversville  primary  grade. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


219 


KIder    Jacob    M.    Blough   and    Wife. 


At  eighteen  he  was  given  Hberty  to  make  his  own  way, 
which  he  did  largely  through  teaching.  He  graduated  from 
the  Juniata  College  English  course  in  1899,  and  from  the 
classical  course  in  1903.  The  last  four  years  he  was  assistant 
teacher  in  mathematics,  English  and  Latin. 

All  the  Sunday-school  privileges  he  had  were  two  sum- 
mers ('80  and  '81)  at  the  Pine  Grove  meetinghouse  when  yet 
a  little  boy.  At  the  same  place,  during  a  series  of  meetings 
held  by  Elder  George  S.  Rairigh,  when  he  was  but  fifteen, 
he  heard  the  call  of  the  Lord,  being  baptized  by  S.  P.  Zim- 
merman in  the  Quemahoning  Creek,  February  8,  1892.  This 
brought  about  a  great  change  in  his  life.  The  following  sum- 
mer he  taught  a  Sunday-school  class  in  the  Maple  Spring 
Sunday-school.  In  '94  he  led  his  first  Bible  class  and  ofifered 
his  first  public  prayer.  On  September  4,  1897,  he  was  elected 
to  the  ministry  by  the  Quemahoning  congregation,  and  exactly 
'  one  year  later  was  advanced  to  the  second  degree. 

While  in  college  he  took  an  active  part  in  all  religious 
and  society  work.  In  1899,  with  a  few  others,  he  organized 
the  Student  Volunteer  Piand  for  Missions.  He  was  its  leader 
and  greatest  inspiration.  He  became  a  volunteer  in  1899. 
He  was  teacher  of  mission  study  class  several  years.  While 
he    was    president    of    the    Young    People's    Missionary    and 


220  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

Temperance  Society,  at  Juniata,  a  movement  was  started  to 
send  and  support  a  missionary,  and  he  was  the  society's  choice. 
In  1902  he  was  sent  to  the  Toronto  Student  Volunteer  Con- 
vention. 

June  26,  1903,  he  was  married  to  Sister  Anna  Z.  Det- 
weiler.  At  the  Bellefontaine  Conference,  in  1903,  he  was  ap- 
pointed missionar}^  to  India,  h^resh  from  college,  full  of  en- 
thusiasm for  his  Master's  service  in  foreign  lands,  he,  with 
his  wife  and  others,  sailed  for  India  in  the  fall  of  1903. 

Upon  their  arrival  in  India  they  located  at  Jalaipor  for 
language  study  till  November,  1904,  when  they  were  trans- 
ferred to  Bulsar,  where  he  took  charge  of  the  Boys'  Orphan- 
age. Here  he  continued  till  December,  1910.  On  the  field 
his  work,  including  his  language  study,  was  thorough.  His 
scholarly  habits  have  made  him  the  natural  choice  to  edit  the 
Gujerati  Sunday-school  Quarterlies,  used  not  only  by  our  own 
mission,  but  some  neighboring  missions.  This  position  he 
has  held  from  1907  to  the  present.  He  was  advanced  to  the 
eldership  in  1907.  He  was  a  member  of  the  field  committee 
from  1907  to  1911,  and  from  1912  to  the  present.  Of  this 
committee  he  was  secretary  four  years  and  chairman  three 
years.  He  was  also  the  first  president  of  the  India  Mission 
Board — elected  in  1908  and  ser\ed  till  December,  1010,  and 
from  1912  to  the  present. 

During  1911  they  liad  iheir  first  furlough.  Of  this  he 
made  splendid  use,  touring  thoroughly  his  own  State  District 
of  Western  Pennsylvania — willing  to  go  to  the  lonely  places 
in  small  congregations,  as  well  as  to  address  larger  ones  like 
on  Missionary  Day  at  .St.  Jose])h  Conference  of  1911.  At  this 
Conference  he  rc])rcsentcd  the  District  of  India  on  the  Stand- 
ing Committee  and  also  served  as  Writing  Clerk.  His  fur- 
lough afforded  him  very  little  rest.  Besides  canvassing  his 
home  District  he  traveled  extensively  in  the  W'est,  as  well  as 
in  Middle  Pennsylvania,  lie  also  assisted  in  three  Bible  terms, 
or  institutes.  WHierever  he  went,  he  strengthened  the  cause 
of  missions  in  India.  Largely  through  him  (rather  them) 
money  was  secured  to  establish  the  Bible  School  at  Bulsar. 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        221 

On  their  return  trip  they  spent  some  time  in  Palestine 
from  January,  1912,  and  located  at  Anklesvar  in  February, 
to  take  Brother  Stover's  place  while  he  took  his  second  fur- 
lough. In  May,  1913,  they  returned  to  Bulsar,  where  he  be- 
came the  first  principal  of  the  Bible  Teachers'  Training  School 
in  June  of  the  same  year.  He  was  the  editor  of  the  Gujerati 
church  paper  during  '13  and  '14.  He  was  the  president  of  the 
India  Sunday-school  Mission  in  Gujerat  in  '13  and  '14.  He 
served  on  many  committees  in  the  mission  and  neighboring 
missions. 

Because  of  the  death  of  Sister  Ouinter,  and  a  number 
of  others  being  on  furlough,  some  of  whom,  being  sick,  were 
unable  to  return,  the  work  became  unusually  heavy  upon  the 
ones  on  the  field.  It  was  during  this  strain  that  Brother  Jacob's 
health  began  to  give  way.  During  the  summer  of  '14  several 
months  were  si)ent  •  on  the  mountains  with  the  hope  of  re- 
gaining lost  vitality.  The  hoped-for  strength,  however,  failed 
to  come,  yet  they  returned  to  Bulsar,  and  opened  the  school 
work,  hoping  for  the  best.  It  was  not  long,  however,  until  he 
broke  down  finally,  and  had  to  give  up  all  work.  They  were 
sent  to  Landour,  on  the  Himalaya  Mountains,  for  treatment 
and  a  rest. 

After  remaining  here  about  ten  months,  resting  and  tak- 
ing treatment,  they  returned  to  Bulsar,  occupying  their  new 
•home,  and  he  again  took  up  his  teaching  in  the  Bible  School, 
though  not  entirely  well.  By  exercising  great  care,  and  taking 
things  calmly  and  slowly,  he  was  enabled  to  finish  the  first 
term  of  school  without  any  bad  results,  and  he  hopes  even- 
tually to  regain  his  health  and  strength— all  this  through  the 
[)rayers  of  the  faithful. 

MRS.  ANNA  Z.  BLOUGH,  NEE  DETWEILER. 

Christian  F.  Detweiler  was  born  in  Huntingdon  County, 
Pennsylvania.  Salome  C.  Zook  was  born  in  Mifflin  County, 
Pennsylvania.  Both  were  reared  in  the  Amish  Mennonite 
faith,  the  latter's  father  having  been  a  minister.  With  an 
Amish  Mennonite  colony  they  settled  in  Knox  County,  Ten- 


222  HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

nessee,  about  1872,  and  while  there  both  united  with  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren.  On  December  1,  1872,  was  born  to 
them  a  daughter,  whom  they  named  Anna.  In  1880  the 
family  moved  to  Montgomery  County,  Ohio,  while  Anna  went 
to  Pennsylvania  to  live  and  grow  to  womanhood.  Two  years 
later  her  mother  died,  leaving  seven  children.  Later  her 
father  married  again,  and  made  a  home  for  his  children  at 
Johnstown,  Pennsylvania.  She  was  baptized  at  Johnstown, 
in  1886,  before  she  was  fourteen,  by  Elder  Jacob  Holsopple. 
Being  without  a  mother  from  the  time  she  was  ten  years 
of  age,  and  without  a  father  from  sixteen,  she  was  early  in 
life  thrown  upon  her  own  resources.  As  a  child  her  oppor- 
tunities for  a  good  education  were  limited,  but  through  the 
kind  hospitality  of  Elder  and  Sister  J.  B.  Brumbaugh  it  was 
made  possible  for  her  to  go  to  Huntingdon,  and  attend  Juni- 
ata College.  By  working  for  her  board  she  was  enabled  to 
attend  the  college  several  years.  Three  summers  she  spent 
at  the  seashore,  as  waitress ;  one  year  she  worked  in  Phila- 
delphia, two  years  in  a  factory  in  Huntingdon,  two  years  as 
kitchen  matron  and  one  year  as  dining-hall  matron  at  the  col- 
lege. During  1892  and  1893  she  was  matron  in  the  Orphans' 
Home,  in  Huntingdon.  This  variety  of  vocations  gave  her  a 
broad  training  that  has  aided  her  greatly  in  her  life  work, 
though  often,  during  these  years,  she  felt  her  burden  heavy 
to  bear. 

While  in  Huntingdon  she  attended  the  Bible  terms  for  a 
number  of  years.  It  was  also  her  privilege  to  be  an  active 
worker  in  the  Girls'  Band  in  the  college,  and  the  Organized 
Girls' -Mission  Bands  in  the  church.  In  1900  she  became  a 
volunteer.  She  attended  the  mission  study  classes  in  the 
college,  and  took  up  the  teachers'  training  work  in  the  Sun- 
day-school. Thus  she  used  every  opportunity  for  obtaining  a 
better  knowledge  of  the  Bible,  as  well  as  preparing  herself 
for  a  missionary  whenever  the  call  should  come.  She  was 
sent  as  delegate  to  the  .Students'  Volunteer  Convention  at 
Toronto  in   1902. 

The  call  for  her  to  be  a  missionary  came  in  1903,  when 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        223 

the  Shade  Creek  congregation,  Somerset  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania, asked  her  to  be  their  representative  in  India.  On  June 
26,  1903,  she  was  married  to  Jacob  M.  Blough, 

They  attended  the  Annual  Conference,  at  Bellefontaine, 
Ohio,  where  she  received  her  appointment,  with  her  husband, 
to  the  India  mission  field. 

They  sailed  for  India  October  13,  1903.  The  first  year 
and  a  part  of  the  second  were  spent  in  language  study.  Six 
years  she  helped  in  the  orphanage  work  at  Bulsar.  During 
their  furlough  in  1911  she  accompanied  her  husband  and  as- 
sisted in  a  number  of  meetings,  especially  in  Western  Penn- 
sylvania. Since  her  return  to  the  field  her  principal  work  has 
been  with  the  women  of  the  community.  Because  the  Lord 
has  blessed  her  with  continual  good  health,  her  services  have 
been  of  inestimable  value  to  the  mission.  Her  labors  of  love 
and  kindness  in  India,  though  little  is  said  of  them  publicly, 
have  touched  every  missionary,  and  she  has  endeared  herself 
to  every  one  who  has  come  in  touch  with  her. 

IDA   C.   SHUMAKER. 

Ida  Cora,  fourth  child  of  Alexander  Eston  and  Lydia 
Elizabeth  (Lint)  Shumaker,  was  born  October  27,  1873,  in 
Meyersdale,   Somerset   County,   Pennsylvania. 

"  When  but  twelve  years  old,  while  attending  a  revival 
in  the  Meyersdale  congregation,  conducted  by  Elder  John  S. 
Flory,  of  Virginia,  she  confessed  Christ  and  united  with  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  by  baptism  administered  by  him. 
This  opened  a  new  field  of  service,  into  which  she  threw  her 
whole  heart.  From  childhood,  for  thirty-one  years,  she 
missed  only  two  Sundays  from  Sunday-school — one  when 
she  was  sick  and  the  other  on  account  of  high  water.  When 
but  eleven  years  of  age  she  took  charge  of  the  infant  class 
of  the  Meyersdale  Sunday-school,  kept  it,  and  taught  the 
scholars  to  the  point  when  all  but  two  of  those  enrolled  had 
confessed  Christ."  This  class,  over  which  she  presided  for 
nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century,  and  which  numbered  nearly,  or 


224 


HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Ida   Cora    Shiiniakcr. 


altogether,  one  hundred  pupils,  was  a  model  after  which  many 
teachers  of  other  schools  in  the  neighhorhood  copied. 

She  was  a  faithful  attendant  of  the  Meyersdale  schools. 
Being  possessed  of  more  than  an  ordinary  amount  of  intel- 
ligence for  one  of  her  years,  she  and  a  girl  friend  composed 
the  first  graduating  class  that  hnishcd  the  prescribed  course  in 
the  Meyersdale  High  School.  May  7,  1889.  The  following 
school  term  she  was  elected  by  the  board  of  education  to  take 
charge  of  one  of  the  ])rimary  grades  in  the  local  schools,  and 
for  twenty-one  consecutive  terms  she  successfully  presided 
over  the  same  grade,  and  gave  it  up  only  to  enter  the  higher 
profession — that  of  a  missionary  to  the  heathen  across  the 
sea.  During  this  time  she  taught  a  model  school  for  three 
summers,  and  during  another  summer  gave  lectures  to  teach- 
ers. During  the  time  that  Sister  vShumaker  taught  in  the 
public  schools  of  her  native  town,  she  refused  many  flattering 
offers  to  teach  in  the  public  schools  of  several  of  the  larger 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        225 

towns  and  cities  of  Pennsylvania.  In  the  same  proportion 
that  she  was  successful  in  public  school  work  she  was  also 
successful  as  an  earnest,  tireless  and  active  worker  in  the 
church  and  Sunday-school. 

Year  after  year  she  attended  the  Annual  Conference  of 
her  church,  where  she  demonstrated  to  the  thousands  of  Sun- 
day-school and  church  workers  the  methods  and  means  for 
successful  work  in  the  primary  department  of  the  Sunday- 
school.  Though  busy  with  other  work,  for  a  number  of 
years  she  found  time  to  edit  the  primary  department  of  the 
Brethren  Teachers'  Monthly.  She  always  received  more  calls 
to  speak  at  conventions  of  Sunday-schools,  public  schools  and 
general  church  gatherings  than  she  could  answer.  She  was 
one  of  the  speakers  at  the  Pennsylvania  State  Sunday-school 
Convention  in  1909.  At  the  Somerset  County  Sunday- 
school  Convention,  held  at  Windber,  where  Jacob  Riis,  of 
New  York,  the  noted  lecturer,  met  her,  and  saw  her  work  with 
the  children,  he  remarked  that  he  had  met  two  persons  who 
knew  how  to  handle  children. 

Several  years  before  her  appointment  to  the  foreign  field 
she  si)ent  her  public  school  vacation  in  the  Pittsburgh  Mis- 
sion, where  the  church  now  has  a  flourishing  congregation. 
This  experience  has  proved  helpful  to  her  in  her  chosen  call- 
ing. 

In  1909  the  Sunday-school  Convention  of  Western  Penn- 
sylvania chose  her  as  their  representative  in  the  foreign  mis- 
sion field  of  India,  and  pledged  themselves  to  support  her. 
At  the  time  of  her  appointment  she  had  charge  of  the  primary 
and  beginners'  department  of  the  Meyersdale  Sunday-school, 
and  was  home  department  visitor  to  twenty-nine  members,  to 
reach  all  of  whom  more  than  ten  miles  had  to  be  traveled. 
After  her  appointment  by  the  Annual  Conference,  in  1910, 
she  dropped  all  these  lines  of  endeavor  as  rapidly  as  possible, 
and  in  company  with  R.  D.  Murphy,  District  Secretary, 
toured  the  schools  of  Western  Pennsylvania  in  behalf  of  her 
mission  to  India. 

Early  in  October,  1910,  she  started  on  her  journey  to  the 


226  HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

Far  East,  and  when  she  left  Meyersdale  the  populace  of  the 
town  and  surrounding  country  turned  out  en  masse  at  the 
railway  station  to  bid  her  Godspeed.  Never,  in  the  history  of 
the  town,  was  there  such  a  demonstration  at  the  departure  of 
anyone.  Upon  entering  the  India  mission  field  she  was  lo- 
cated at  Bulsar,  where  she  has  been  working  ever  since.  Since 
learning  the  language  she  has  been  teaching  and  waiting  on 
the  sick,  besides  having  ui)on  her  shoulders  the  cares  and 
responsibilities  of  the  Girls'  Orphanage,  of  which  she  is  over- 
seer. She  assists  Brother  Blough  in  editing  the  Gujerati 
Sunday-school  Quarterly,  having  charge  of  the  primary  de- 
partment. These  quarterlies  have  an  encouraging  circulation 
outside  of  our  missions,  which  testifies  to  their  helpfulness 
and  thoroughness. 

She  has  had  an  honor  and  privilege  accorded  to  none  oth- 
er of  our  missionaries— that  of  being  asked  to  continue  each 
week  during  a  second  year  at  the  government  schools  her 
lectures  on  educational  principles  and  methods  of  teaching 
before  high  school  students  and  prospective  teachers.  None 
is  happier  in  service  than  Ida,  and  of  none  is  labor  more  ap- 
preciated. Her  annual  letters  to  the  Sunday-schools  are 
messages  full  of  love,  faith,  trust  and  patience,  accompanied 
with  pleas  for  the  continued  prayers  of  her  supporters  in  the 
home  land,  as  well  as  for  more  volunteers. 

Sister  Shumaker  is  a  niece  of  Bishop  Conrad  G.  Lint, 
who  for  a  half  century  has  had  charge  of  the  Meyersdale 
congregation,  and  who  was  at  one  time  well  known  throughout 
the  Brotherhood  as  an  evangelist  of  note,  but  who  has  now 
for  some  years  been  inactive,  owing  to  blindness  and  other 
infirmities  of  age. 

QUINCY  A.  HOLSOPPLE. 

Information  .Su]»plied  by  llis  heather. 

Quincy  A.  H()ls(»ii]»k'  was  born  near  the  center  of  Indiana 
County.  Pennsylvania,  November  7,  1885,  in  a  new  i)lank- 
frame  house,   which  was   first  occupied  on  Thanksgiving  of 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        227 


Quincy   A.    llolsopple   and    Wife. 


the  previous  year.  He  is  the  only  one  of  his  family  and  an- 
cestry that  was  not  born  in  a  log  house,  so  far  as  is  now- 
known.  His  great-grandfather's  people  were  Hollanders,  who 
wrote  their  name  Holzapfel.  Three  families  of  that  name 
crossed  the  Atlantic  before  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  one 
of  them  probably  was  in  the  line  of  Quincy 's  ancestry,  and 
possibly  includes  the  Heinrich  Holzapfel,  who  communed  at 
the  first  love  feast  held  by  the  Brethren  in  Germantown, 
Pennsylvania.  The  name  Henry  was  borne  by  Quincy's  great- 
grandfather and  occurs  frequently  in  the  line  of  his  ancestry. 


228  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

Henry's  wife  probably  was  of  French  descent,  as  her  name, 
Lefevre,  would  indicate. 

Our  subject's  grandfather,  Isaac,  was  born  in  York 
County,  in  1800,  and  was  taken  to  Greenbrier  County,  Vir- 
ginia, at  the  age  of  five  years,  whence  his  father  Henry  went 
to  the  service  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  never  returned. 
Though  but  twelve  years  of  age  he  was  compelled  to  shoulder 
great  res[)onsibility  in  his  family  of  eight.  The  mother  and 
children,  none  over  fourteen  years  of  age,  stood  a  poor  chance 
in  a  community  of  chea[)  labor.  No  wonder  they  decided  to 
return  to  Pennsylvania,  where  they  arrived  in  1815.  After 
wintering  in  York  County,  early  in  the  spring  of  1816  she 
took  her  journey  westward  to  the  banks  of  the  Stony  Creek, 
near  Hollsopple,  Pennsylvania.  Here  she  was  the  happy  pos- 
sessor of  a  farm  given  her  by  a  relative. 

Isaac  Holzapfel  was  brought  u{)  in  the  (German  Re- 
formed faith  and  married  Christena  Hoffman,  daughter  of 
Philip  Hoffman,  who  was  the  first  member  of  the  Church  of 
the  Brethren  in  what  afterwards  became  the  Shade  Creek 
congregation.  Although  the  i)arents  belonged  to  different 
faiths,  none  of  the  children  were  baptized  in  infancy.  Three 
of  tlieir  four  sons  became  ministers  in  the  Church  of  the 
I>retliren,  and  the  husbands  of  two  of  the  daughters  held  of- 
fices in  the  same  church. 

On  the  fourth  of  March,  1860,  Joseph  Holsopple,  son  of 
the  above,  married  Catharine,  daughter  of  Elder  Christian 
Lehman.  The  ceremony  was  ])crformed  by  Elder  Joseph 
Berkey,  who  also  baptized  them  in  June  of  the  same  year.  As 
they  had  well  considered  the  matter  in  all  its  relations  there 
was  no  need  that  marriage  be  a  failure.  All  their  children, 
eleven  in  number,  are  in  the  church  of  their  parents.  Five  of 
the  sons  are  preachers,  two  are  deacons,  and  two  are  Sunday- 
school  teachers.  One  son-in-law  is  a  deacon.  The  youngest 
of  these  sons  is  Quincy.  He  was  born  into  the  kingdom  in  the 
fall  of  1899,  being  baptized  by  Elder  C.  O.  Beery.  Quincy 
was  a  good  boy  and  did  his  work  willingly.  In  school  he  was 
diligent  and  usually  stood  at  the  head  of  his  classes.     While 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        229 

his  flights  have  not  been  as  high  as  some  others,  he  kept  longer 
on  the  wing,  and  generally  found  a  good  place  to  light.  He 
graduated  from  the  public  school  before  he  was  old  enough  to 
get  a  diploma. 

After  spending  one  year  in  Juniata  College,  teachers' 
course,  he  taught  his  home  school.  With  funds  thus  replen- 
ished he  returned  to  Juniata.  In  the  fall  of  1904  he  decided 
to  go  to  the  Brethren  Publishing  House  and  learn  to  operate 
a  linotype.  While  being  employed  in  Elgin  he  was  called  to 
the  ministry,  in  1906,  at  the  age  of  twenty  years.  The  same 
year  he  returned  to  Juniata,  where  he  remained  until  he  com- 
pleted the  arts  course.  During  his  college  life  he  fostered  the 
idea  of  becoming  a  foreign  missionary.  This  desire  probably 
first  came  as  the  result  of  the  earnest  prayers  of  his  parents. 

In  January,  1911,  the  call  to  the  foreign  mission  field 
came  in  a  tangil)le  form  in  a  letter  from  an  elder  in  the  Que- 
mahoning  congregation,  asking  him  to  be  the  representative  of 
that  church  in  India,  as  a  missionary.  Considering  this  matter 
carefully  and  prayerfully,  he  came  to  a  favorable  conclusion, 
and  offered  to  go.  Resigning  his  position  as  teacher  in  the 
Huntingdon  High  School,  and  accepting  a  position  in  the 
linotype  department  of  the  Publishing  House,  in  Elgin,  he 
was  enabled  to  cancel  his  college  indebtedness.  He  was  in 
Elgin  from  April  1  to  September  1. 

While  these  things  were  transpiring  he  became  acquainted 
with  Sister  Kathren  Royer,  daughter  of  Elder  Galen  B. 
Royer,  Secretary  of  the  General  Mission  Board.  Common 
interests  attracted  them  to  each  other,  resulting  in  matrimony 
July  12,  1911.  Both  were  accepted  as  missionaries  at  the  An- 
nual Conference  held  at  St.  Joseph,  Missouri,  1911.  After 
spending  some  time  getting  acquainted  with  the  good  people 
of  the  Quemahoning  church,  their  benefactors,  and  the  dear 
brethren  and  sisters  at  other  points,  they  set  sail  for  India,  in 
company  with  Brother  J.  I.  Kaylor  and  wife,  on  the  same 
mission. 

Since  in  India  he  has  lived  a  very  busy  life.  They  spent 
ten   months   in   regular   language   study,    completing   a   year's 


230  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

course  in  that  time.  After  that  tliey  Hvcd  a  rather  migratory 
life.  They  have  Hved  at  Jalalpur,  Bulsar,  Anklesvar  and  are 
now  at  Umalla.  This  m<j\ing  lias  interrupted  their  study 
much,  but  their  daily  ccjntact  with  the  i)eoi)le  and  their  regular 
work  carries  with  it  a  practice  in  the  use  of  the  language,  so 
that  progress  is  made  without  formal  study.  His  work  at 
present  includes  the  sui)erintendency  of  the  Boys'  School,  the 
Industrial  Shop,  the  training  department,  as  well  as  various 
phases  of  the  religious  life  of  the  community.  In  all  this  work 
Sister  Holsopple  is  his  true  companion  and  helpmate.  In 
addition  she  has  special  duties  which  make  hers  a  busy  life. 
November  23,  1914,  there  was  born  unto  them  a  little  mis- 
sionary whom  they  have  named  Frances  Elizabeth. 

S.  OLIVE  WIDDOWSON. 

On  a  farm  near  Clymer.  Indiana  County,  Pennsylvania, 
lives  the  family  of  Brother  and  .Sister  E.  I>.  Widdowson. 
They  were  married  October  2,  1862,  and  both  are  substantial 
members  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  Sister  Susan  being  a 
daughter  of  Elder  David  Ober,  who  for  many  years  had 
charge  of  the  Manor  congregation.  To  them  were  born  six 
sons  and  three  daughters.  Sister  S.  Olive,  the  eighth  child, 
was  born  on  September  22,  1881. 

Olive  was  diligent  in  public  school,  from  which  she  grad- 
uated at  the  age  of  sixteen.  After  one  year's  study  in  Juniata 
College  she  taught  one  term  of  common  school  in  her  home 
county.  Next  she  completed  the  Normal  English  course  in 
Juniata,  and  a  year's  additional  study  at  the  same  institution 
after  which  she  taught  in  the  grammar  school  at  Cross  Fork, 
Potter  County,  one  year,  and  three  years  in  grammar  school  of 
Royersford,  Pennsylvania.  While  teaching  she  worked  on 
courses  of  psychology.  i)edagogy  and  English  in  tlie  l^niversi- 
ty  of  Pennsylvania.  Having  decided  that  she  wanted  special 
training  for  Bible  teaching  she  entered  Dr.  \\niite's  Bible 
Teachers'  Training  School  of  New  York  City  in  1909.    Here 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


231 


Olive   Widdowson. 


she  completed  the  three  years'  course  in  religious  pedagogy, 
graduating  in  the  spring  of  1912, 

While  at  Juniata,  in  1889,  she  accepted  Christ  as  her 
personal  Savior  and  united  with  the  Church  of  the  Brethren, 
being  baptized  by  Elder  W.  J.  Swigart.  This  step  changed 
her  purposes  in  life,  for  now  she  sought  to  serve  the  Lord 
whom  she  loved.  He  led  her  to  Bible  preparation,  when  she 
had  planned  being  a  public  school  teacher.  While  taking  her 
course  at  Bible  Teachers'  Training  School  she  became  very 
anxious  to  be  led  into  the  place  where  she  might  be  of  much 
use  to  those  in  need  of  light  and  help  and  the  Lord  opened 
the  way.  When  at  the  annual  Sunday-school  Convention  of 
Western  Pennsylvania  in  1912,  the  call  was  extended  to  Sister 
Olive  to  represent  the  Sunday-schools  of  that  large  District 
on  the  India  mission  field,  she  readily  consented.  She  is  sup- 
ported by  the  schools  of  the  District,  and  her  annual  mes- 
sages  are  anxiously  awaited  and  much   appreciated.     With 


232  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH   OF   THE 

others  she  sailed  for  India  in  the  fall  of  1912,  after  she  had 
visited  the  Sunday-schools  of  the  District. 

Since  on  the  field  much  of  her  time  has  been  used  in  ac- 
quiring the  language,  and  the  work  is  just  beginning  to  open 
to  her.  Sister  Olive  is  quiet,  unassuming,  patient,  loving,  and 
too  modest  to  speak  of  her  w^ork.  Here  I  take  the  liberty  to 
quote  from  her  letter  dated  May  1,  1914:  "My  chief  work 
since  I  have  been  here  has  been  getting  the  language  and  a 
knowledge  of  the  ways  and  customs  of  the  people.  I  have 
been  doing,  of  course,  all  that  I  am  able  to  do  of  active  work, 
with  my  limited  knowledge  of  the  language,  but  that  is  not 
material  for  a  strong  history  of  mission  work.  I  do  not  think, 
with  the  experience  that  I  have  had,  that  a  person  who  has 
had  only  a  couple  of  years  of  mission  work  is  competent  to 
give  material  for  a  book  such  as  you  are  compiling.  One 
can  write  in  letters  the  different  phases  of  work  as  they  ap- 
j)ear  to  you  after  seeing  them  for  the  first  time,  but  for  val- 
uable information  and  to  do  justice  to  the  reader,  the  in- 
formation given  for  a  book  seems  to  me  should  be  given  out 
of  sufficient  experience  to  test  it." 

HERMAN  B.  HEISEY. 

Herman  B.  Heisey,  oldest  son  of  John  H.  and  Susan  L. 
(Riever)  Heisey,  was  born  on  a  farm  near  Middletown,  Dau- 
])hin  County,  Pennsylvania,  December  19,  1890.  His  parents 
were  of  German  descent.  He  had  one  brother.  Herman  in 
his  childhood  was  left  an  orphan,  his  mother  dying  when  he 
was  three,  and  his  father  when  he  was  five  years  of  age.  W. 
J.  Riever,  an  uncle  living  at  Lebanon,  kindly  gave  Herman  a 
good  home. 

In  Lebanon  he  attended  the  public  schools  until  after  he 
had  reached  his  teens,  when  he  made  his  home  in  Johnstown 
some  years.  While  in  Johnstown  he  went  to  school  in  the 
winter,  while  during  vacation  he  worked  for  the  Steel  Com- 
pany, first  as  car  tracer  and  then  as  weighmaster.  He  had 
a  great  desire  for  an  education,  and  was  an  apt  student.  He 
also  took  a  course  of  study  in  the  International  Correspon- 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        233 


Herman   B.    Heisey. 

dence  School.  He  entered  Juniata  College,  Huntingdon, 
Pennsylvania,  and  graduated  from  the  sacred  literature  course 
and  took  postgraduate  work  in  the  divinity  course.  He  took 
practically  all  of  the  divinity  or  theological  studies  given  in 
the  course,  but  lacked  some  classical  studies  necessary  for  the 
B.  D.  degree.  However,  he  completed  social  science,  phi- 
losophy, and  other  classical  studies  that  are  knit  with  thorough 
theological  branches. 

"  The  spiritual  influences  of  his  foster  home  were  good. 
His  uncle  was  a  Lutheran,  and  his  grandmother,  Sarah  A. 
Biever,  of  Palmyra,  Pennsylvania,  a  member  of  the  Church 
of  the  Brethren.  At  fifteen  Herman  was  deeply  impressed 
that  God  would  call  him  to  service  in  the  ministry,  and  on 
some  foreign  field.  He  sought  the  Word  to  determine  with 
what  body  to  unite.  When  seventeen  years  old  he  confessed 
Christ   and   united   with   the  Johnstown   congregation   of   the 


234  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

Church  of  the  J3rcthrcn,  Samuel  \V.  Pearce  administering 
baptism.  When  at  Juniata  he  was  called  to  the  ministry  when 
nineteen  years  old,  and  the  following  year  advanced  to  the 
second  degree.  During  the  first  vacation,  after  being  in  the 
ministry,  he  preached  at  home  nearly  every  Sunday.  At  the 
close  of  his  college  work  he  accepted  the  pastorate  at  Saxton, 
Pennsylvania,  continuing  there  until  it  became  necessary  to 
prepare  for  his  work  in  India." 

On  May  28,  1912,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  (irace 
Nedrow,  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  Nedrow.  At  the  York 
Conference  he  and  his  wife,  along  with  a  number  of  others, 
were  approved  as  missionaries  to  India.  They  sailed  to  their 
chosen  field  of  labor  the  following  fall,  and  began  work  on 
the  language  in  earnest.  Unfortunately  Brother  and  Sister 
Hcisey  were  handicapped  in  their  language  study  because  of 
poor  health.  So  they  returned  to  America  in  1914,  and  after 
some  months  spent  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State,  they 
located  in  the  Red  Rank  congregation.  Western  Pennsylvania, 
September  1,  1914,  where  Brother  Heisey  has  since  been  the 
pastor.     Here  he  was  ordained  to  the  eldership  in  1915. 

MRS.    HERMAN   B.   HEISEY,   NEE   NEDROW. 

Grace  (Nedrow)  Heisey,  tenth  child  of  Brother  John  and 
Sister  Mary  (Ferguson)  Nedrow,  was  born  near  Jones  Mills, 
Westmoreland  County,  Pennsylvania,  on  August  4,  1887.  In 
their  l)eautiful  home,  nestled  among  the  mountains,  they 
reared,  besides  Grace,  four  sons  and  five  daughters,  of  four- 
teen children  that  were  born  unto  them.  From  the  tender  age 
of  five  years  she  was  a  faithful  and  regular  attendant  of  the 
country  public  school. 

The  Christian  atmosphere  permeating  the  home  of  Dea- 
con Nedrow  left  its  imj^rint  on  the  children.  Three  of  the 
sons  are  ministers.  At  the  age  of  fourteen,  when  her  uncle. 
Isaiah  B.  Ferguson,  was  conducting  a  series  of  meetings  in  the 
Nedrow  schoolhouse.  Indian  Creek  congregation.  Grace  con- 
fessed Christ  and  united  with  the  Church  of  the  Brethren, 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        235 


Sister    Herman    B.    Heisey. 

being  baptized  by  Brother  Ferguson.  When  twenty,  she  spent 
some  months  in  Pittsburgh,  and  delighted  in  the  church  work 
she  was  permitted  to  do  there.  A\'hen  a  young  woman  the 
desire  of  her  heart  was  realized,  as  she  stepped  witliin  the 
walls  of  Juniata  College  in  1911  and  began  study  there.  She 
was  a  student  in  the  Normal  English  course  and  took  work  in 
the  English  Bible  while  attending  this  institution.  Here,  no 
doubt,  her  missionary  convictions  were  intensified.  It  was 
while  at  the  college  that  she  met  Brother  Herman  B.  Heisey, 
and  May  28.  1912.  was  united  in  marriage  to  him. 

She,  with  her  husband,  was  approved  by  the  Annual 
Conference  in  1912.  and  together  with  others  they  sailed  to 
their  chosen  field  of  labor  in  India  in  the  fall.  After  reach- 
ing India  and  becoming  located  they  took  up  language  study, 
in  which  they  made  commendable  progress.  It  was  not  very 
long,  however,  until  sickness  laid  hold  upon  their  bodies,  which 


236  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

greatly  hindered  them  in  their  work.  For  some  months  they 
battled  with  the  disease,  hoping  to  overcome  it,  but  getting  no 
better,  it  was  finally  decided  best  to  return  to  America.  This 
they  did  in  1914,  and  after  some  months  spent  in  the  East 
they  took  up  the  pastorate  of  the  Red  Bank  congregation. 
Armstrong  County,  Pennsylvania,  where  they  are  now  located 
and  doing  good  work. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Our  Sunday-School  Activities. 

Aside  from  the  Sunday-school  conducted  in  tlie  German- 
town  church  as  early  as  1738,  it  seems  that  Western  Penn- 
sylvania stands  in  the  front  rank  in  Sunday-school  endeavor. 
It  is  difficult  to  ascertain  just  where  and  when  the  first  Sun- 
day-school in  the  District  was  organized,  but  we  are  told  that 
Elder  Adam  Wise  organized  a  Sunday-school  in  Hart's  Run 
schoolhouse  in  the  Ryerson  Station  congregation,  Greene 
County,  in  1856.  In  1860  a  Sunday-school  was  organized  in 
what  is  now  the  Plum  Creek  congregation,  in  a  schoolhouse.  In 
1863  the  Georges  Creek  congregation  began  Sunday-school 
work,  with  S.  C.  Johnson,  superintendent.  In  1865  or  1866 
the  Brethren  in  the  Berlin  congregation  began  their  Sunday- 
school  activities  in  the  Pike  church.  It  is  known  that  other 
congregations  were  early  engaged  in  Sunday-school  work,  but 
no  dates  have  come  to  hand. 

We  chronicle  with  regret  that  in  a  number  of  congrega- 
tions strong  opposition  to  Sunday-schools  was  manifest  for  a 
number  of  years.  The  good  old  brethren  and  sisters  looked 
upon  the  Sunday-school  as  an  innovation,  and  as  a  place  to 
foster  pride  rather  than  receive  helpful  Bible  instruction. 
But  by  and  by  the  tide  turned  and  Sunday-schools  sprang  up 
in  every  congregation  and  in  almost  every  meetinghouse.  It 
has  long  been  satisfactorily  proven  that  the  Sunday-school  is 
the  nursery  of  the  church.  A  very  large  percentage  of  our 
additions  to  the  church  are  from  the  ranks  of  the  Sunday- 
school  scholars.  It  seems  strange  to  us  now  that  such  a 
helpful  institution  should  have  been  so  long  neglected. 

The  first  Sunday-school  convention  in  Western  Pennsyl- 
vania was  held  in  the  old  Grove  meetinghouse,  near  Berlin, 


238  HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

Somerset  County,  September  23  and  24,  1879.  Brother 
Howard  Miller  was  moderator  of  the  convention.  The  speak- 
ers named  are  W.  G.  Schrock,  Nathaniel  Merrill,  Wesley  A. 
Adams,  Philip  F.  Cupp,  J.  B.  Wampler,  M.  Hady,  Silas  Hoov- 
er, Isaiah  C.  Johnson,  N.  B.  Critchfield  and  Sister  Amanda 
Musselman.  No  doubt  a  number  more  took  an  active  in- 
terest in  the  convention.  One  year  later  a  second  convention 
was  held  at  the  same  place,  but  I  have  no  record  of  it,  more 
than  that  H.  R.  Holsinger  was  moderator. 

This  was  eighteen  years  before  the  Annual  Conference 
had  given  its  sanction  to  such  meetings.  The  trying  times 
of  the  early  eighties  passed  and  no  more  conventions  were 
held  for  seventeen  years,  but  Sunday-school  sentiment  was 
rapidly  growing.  In  1897  the  convention  spirit  burst  out 
anew  and  a  convention  was  held  in  the  Walnut  Grove  house 
of  the  Johnstown  congregation,  August  31  and  Scptcmljer  1. 
A  large  minute  book  was  bought,  in  which  the  minutes  of  that 
meeting  and  all  subsecpient  ones  have  been  faithfully  recorded. 

Brother  .S.  .S.  Blough  was  the  secretary  of  that  meeting, 
and  it  will  be  of  interest  to  note  the  "  Preface  "  of  this  Minute 
Book.     Here  it  is  in  full : 

"  During  the  last  two  decades  the  Sunday-school  work 
has  been  growing  in  interest  and  in  the  number  of  schools. 
Ever  since  the  first  schools  were  organized  by  the  German 
Baptist  Brethren  in  Pennsylvania  and  by  Robert  Raikcs  in 
England,  the  cause  has  had  its  warm  supporters. 

"  Our  fraternity  (the  German  Baptist  Brethren)  has  been 
taking  an  active  part  in  dispensing  knowledge  to  the  children 
through  her  .Sunday-schools  for  many  years.  We  recognize 
that  the  future  welfare  of  the  church  depends  upon  the 
training  of  the  young.  As  results  we  have  better  knowledge 
of  God's  Word,  a  deeper  spirituality  among  the  young,  and 
many  conversions  from  the  .'^unday-scbool  into  fuller  fellow- 
ship with  Christ. 

"  The  churches  of  W'estcrn  Pennsylvania  aim  to  do  their 
duty  in  all  things,  and  therefore  in  the  Sunday-school  work. 
A  number  of  the  workers  have  felt  for  a  number  of  years   that 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        239 

a  better  organization  of  the  work  would  prove  beneficial.  It 
was,  however,  thought  prudent  to  await  the  decision  of  the 
church  upon  the  holding  of  Sunday-school  meetings,  which 
was  given  at  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Brotherhood  held  at 
Frederick  City,  Maryland,  June  8,  9  and  10,  1897. 

"  The  decision  reads  as  follows :  '  W'e  reconsider  and  de- 
cide, that  Sunday-school  meetings  to  advance  the  Sunday- 
school  cause,  may  be  held,  provided  they  be  kept  within  the 
bounds  of  Christian  propriety,  and  be  conducted  in  harmony 
with  the  principles  held  by  the  Brotherhood.' 

"  The  Brethren  being  willing  to  abide  by  this  decision,  a 
number  of  Sunday-school  workers  felt  that  a  delay  in  ad- 
vancing the  work  would  not  be  wise.  Accordingly,  after  some 
consultation  with  elders,  ministers,  and  others,  it  was  decided 
to  proceed  with  the  work  at  once. 

"  By  permission  of  the  elder  in  charge,  and  at  council  of 
the  members  at  A\^alnut  Grove,,  together  with  the  suggestions 
of  members  from  other  congregations,  a  meeting  was  appoint- 
ed at  Walnut  Grove,  in  the  bounds  of  the  Johnstown  congre- 
gation, for  August  5,  1897.  One  of  the  things  to  be  considered 
at  this  meeting  was  the  advisability  of  holding  a  Sunday- 
school  meeting  for  Western  Pennsylvania.  A  number  of  con- 
gregations were  accordingly  informed,  some  of  which  had 
representation  at  this  meeting. 

"  After  discussing  the  matter,  it  was  decided,  by  motion, 
to  hold  a  Sunday-school  meeting,  such  as  our  Brotherhood 
sanctioned,  at  said  Walnut  Grove  church,  Johnstown,  August 
31,  and  September  1,  1897. 

"  As  a  committee  on  program,  C.  C.  Johnson,  of  Union- 
town,  and  S.  S.  Blough  and  J.  F.  Dietz,  of  Johnstown,  were 
elected,  and  as  a  committee  on  arrangements,  J.  A.  Wertz,  E. 
Strayer  and  A.  D.  Brubaker. 

"  Congregations  were  encouraged  to  send  delegates,  and 
the  result  was  our  first  meeting,  which  was  considered  a  suc- 
cess by  all  present. 

"  May  the  work  still  go  on.  May  zeal  and  prudence  char- 
acterize the  workers,  and  mav  God  bless  the  work.     Brethren, 


240  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

may  those  who  continue  to  have  charge  of  these  meetings  see 
that  the  wishes  of  the  Brotherhood  in  her  decision  are  obeyed. 
(Signed)   S.  S.  Blough,  Secretary." 

At  this  convention  twenty-three  Sunday-schools  were 
represented  by  thirty-six  regular  delegates.  The  organization 
was :  Moderator,  C.  C.  Johnson ;  assistant  moderator,  Joseph 
Holsopple ;   secretary,  S.   S.   Blough ;  assistant  secretary,   Ira 

C.  Holsopple ;  treasurer,  S.  P.  Zimmerman.  Five  topics  and  a 
number  of  queries  were  discussed.  On  the  minutes  we  find 
the  following  names  of  ministers :  J.  B.  Brumbaugh,  Joseph 
Holsopple,  C.  C.  Johnson,  S.  S.  Blough,  S.  P.  Zimmerman, 
P.  U.  Miller,  J.  C.  Johnson,  A.  D.  Christner,  S.  H.  Fyock, 
W.  H.  Rummel,  F.  L.  Myers,  C.  W.  Hershberger,  Ira  C. 
Holsopple,  F.  D.  Anthony,  A.  J.  Beeghly,  M.  J.  Weaver,  \V. 
H.  Fry,  J.  A.  Myers,  P.  J.  Blough,  J.  F.  Dietz,  W.  G.  Schrock, 

D.  C.  Moomaw  and  I.  C.  Johnson.  Several  of  these  were  not 
ministers  then.  At  this  meeting  S.  S.  Blough  was  appointed 
District  Sunday-school  Secretary  for  a  term  of  three  years. 
His  duties  do  not  seem  to  have  been  defined. 

From  that  time  annual  Sunday-school  meetings,  or  con- 
ventions, as  they  are  now  called,  have  been  held,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  one  year,  1902.  These  meetings  have  been  held  as 
follows,  with  the  names  of  the  moderators:  In  1898.  in  the 
Meyersdale  church,  with  W.  A.  Gaunt,  moderator;  1899,  Elk 
Lick,  P.  J.  Blough,  moderator;  1900,  Shade  Creek,  P.  J. 
Blough,  moderator;  1901,  Middle  Creek,  J.  M.  Blough  was 
elected  moderator,  ])ut  the  convention  decided  that  the  moder- 
ator must  hold  his  membership  in  the  District,  so,  as  Brother 
Blough  held  membership  in  Fluntingdon,  he  withdrew  in  favor 
of  the  assistant  moderator,  J.  J.  Shafifer;  1903,  Shade  Creek, 
L.  J.  Lehman,  moderator;  1904,  Maple  Spring,  Quemahoning 
congregation,  W.  A.  Gaunt,  moderator;  1905,  Garrett,  J.  J. 
Shafifer,  moderator;  1906,  \\'alnut  Grove.  W.  W.  Blough, 
moderator;  1907.  Meyersdale.  W.  W.  Blough.  moderator; 
1908.  Pike,  Brothers  Valley,  H.  S.  Replogle,  moderator;  1909. 
Roxbury,  West  Johnstown,  M.  J.  Weaver,  moderator;  1910. 
Elk  Lick,  G.  K.  Walker,  moderator;  1911,  Scalp  Level,  H.  S. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        241 

Replogle,  moderator;  1912,  Walnut  Grove,  H.  S.  Replogle, 
moderator;  1913,  Greensburg,  H.  S.  Replogle,  moderator; 
1914,  Meyersdale,  H.  S.  Replogle,  moderator;  1915,  Roxbury, 
H.  S.  Replogle,  moderator. 

It  would  be  interesting  to  note  the  character  of  the  topics 
discussed  and  the  business  transacted  at  these  meetings,  but 
for  want  of  space  we  will  be  compelled  to  confine  ourselves 
principally  to  the  work  as  it  pertains  to  the  activities  of  our 
District  Secretaries  and  our  Sunday-school  Mission  Board.  It 
is,  indeed,  most  gratifying  to  note  the  progress  and  advance- 
ment in  all  departments  of  the  schools,  and  especially  in  the 
missionary  cause. 

As  the  first  District  Secretary,  Brother  Blough  was  very 
much  handicapped,  as  the  Brotherhood  had  no  blanks.  The 
first  year  he  printed  his  own  statistical  blanks  on  a  Simplex 
writer.  The  ink  faded  on  some  of  them  and  the  people  had 
trouble  to  determine  what  he  wanted,  but  the  response  was 
right  good.  Thirty-one  Sunday-schools  reported  1,675 
scholars.  The  second  and  third  years  he  had  his  blanks  print- 
ed and  the  results  were  better. 

In  1900  Brother  H.  A.  Stahl  was  elected  District  Secre- 
tary and  S.  vS.  Blough  assistant.  At  the  same  meeting  Breth- 
ren Jerome  E.  Blough,  E.  K.  Hochstetler  and  Jas.  F.  Ream 
were  appointed  a  committee  to  define  the  duties  and  privileges 
of  the  District  Secretary.  This  committee  submitted  the  fol- 
lowing, which  was  adopted  by  the  convention  the  next  year : 

"1.  He  shall  distribute  blanks  of  the  present  form  to  each 
local  Sunday-school  Secretary  in  the  District,  who  shall 
properly  fill  them,  and  send  one  back  to  him,  and  send  the 
other  with  the  delegate  to  the  Sunday-school  meeting. 

"  2.  He  shall  report  to  the  District  Sunday-school  meet- 
ing, and  likewise  to  the  General  Sunday-school  Secretary  of 
the  Brotherhood,  under  appropriate  headings,  the  information 
thus  received. 

"  3.  He  shall  send  to  the  Gospel  Messenger,  for  publica- 
tion, a  report  of  the  meeting,  the  leading  thoughts  advanced 


242  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

on  the  topics  on  the  program,  and  the  general  work  and  con- 
ditions of  the  schools  of  the  District. 

"  4.  It  shall  be  his  privilege,  in  his  annual  report  to  the 
meeting,  to  offer  any  suggestions  that,  in  his  judgment,  would 
be  for  the  betterment  of  the  schools  of  the  District. 

"  5.  We,  your  committee,  would  recommend  that  all  neces- 
sary expenses  growing  out  of  this  work,  together  with  the 
traveling  expenses  of  the  secretary,  to  and  from  the  meeting, 
be  paid  out  of  the  District  Sunday-school  fund. 

"Committee:  J.  E.  Blough,  E.  K.  Hochstetler,  J.  F. 
Ream." 

For  three  years  Brother  Stahl  did  his  work  faithfully,  the 
reports  being  more  complete  and  encouraging  every  year.  He 
had  not  been  instructed  to  do  any  visiting  of  the  schools.  His 
expenses  for  blanks,  stationery,  postage  and  railroad  fare  for 
the  three  years  were  $20.75. 

In  1903  Brother  L.  J.  Lehman  was  elected  secretary,  and 
the  same  meeting  gave  him  the  privilege  of  visiting  the  Sun- 
day-schools of  the  District,  and  that  all  his  expenses  be  paid 
by  the  District.  However,  he  was  expected  to  donate  his 
time.  He  visited  many  of  the  schools  at  his  own  expense. 
Local  Sunday-school  conventions  were  organized  and  en- 
couraged in  the  local  congregations,  and  as  many  as  nine  (and 
one  year  eleven)  were  held  in  a  single  year.  In  this  work  Sis- 
ter Ida  C.  Shumaker  was  a  great  help.  She  had  charge  of  the 
cradle  roll  work  and  Brother  Lehman  of  the  home  depart- 
ment and  teacher  training. 

The  1905  convention  obligated  itself  to  remunerate  the 
District  Secretary  for  his  time  for  one  month  each  year  at  the 
rate  of  one  dollar  per  day,  and  that  the  Sunday-schools  take 
at  least  one  collection  a  year  for  that  purpose. 

The  1907  convention  continued  Brother  Lehman  as  sec- 
retary and  gave  him  Brother  Ross  D.  Murphy  as  assistant. 
When  Brother  Lehman  went  to  California  in  the  same  year 
he  resigned  and  Brother  Murphy  succeeded  him. 

In  visits  to  the  different  schools,  in  conference  with  Sun- 
dav-school   officers  and   teachers  and   in   local   Sunday-school 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        243 

conventions  Brother  Lehman  had  in  view  these  five  specific 
things :  More  evergreen  Sunday-schools,  more  trained  teachers, 
more  home  departments,  more  cradle  rolls  and  more  older 
members  in  Sunday-school  work.  He  issued  the  first  statis- 
tical report  of  the  Sunday-schools  for  the  year  ending  Decem- 
ber 31,  1903.  In  the  1904  report  Brother  Lehman  made 
these  statements :  "  There  are  sixty-seven  churchhouses, 
eighty-eight  preaching  places,  but  only  fifty-seven  Sunday- 
schools.  Why?  Not  half  of  our  schools  are  evergreen.  One 
school  out  of  every  nine  has  a  teachers'  meeting.  Only  one 
school  in  the  entire  District  has  a  home  department.  During 
the  year  five  local  Sunday-school  meetings  were  held." 

From  the  1905  report  I  glean  the  following:  Eight  years 
ago  the  office  of  District  Sunday-school  Secretary  was  cre- 
ated in  Western  Pennsylvania.  There  were  then  thirty-seven 
Sunday-schools  in  the  District  (reported).  The  next  year 
forty-eight  schools  reported,  twelve  of  which  were  union 
schools.  In  1900  forty-five  schools  were  in  session,  and  in 
1901,  fifty-five  schools  reported;  in  1902,  fifty-three;  in  1903, 
fifty-five;  in  1904,  fifty-seven  and  in  1905,  sixty.  There  are 
now  seventy-six  churchhouses,  eighty-three  preaching  places 
and  sixty  Sunday-schools.  During  1905  local  Sunday-school 
meetings  were  held  in  the  following  congregations :  Quema- 
honing  (and,  by  the  way,  Quemahoning  congregation  was  the 
first  congregation  to  hold  local  Conventions,  in  August,  1897), 
Rockton,  and  Brothers  Valley  each  held  one ;  Shade  Creek, 
Johnstown  and  Dunnings  Creek  each  two.  Georges  Creek, 
Mt.  Union  and  Ten  Mile  united  in  the  Tri-county  Sunday- 
school  Convention. 

Work  in  normal  training  lessons  was  conducted  at  Wal- 
nut Grove,  Moxham,  Windber,  Berkey,  Pittsburgh,  Pigeon 
Creek,  and  Ten  Mile.  Pigeon  Creek  reports  an  enrollment  of 
thirty  in  the  home  department,  and  Ten  Mile  fifty  in  the 
home  department  and  nine  in  the  cradle  roll.  The  sixty 
schools   reported   4,033  scholars. 

The  1908  convention  chose  Brother  R.  D.  Murphy  as 
District  Field   Secretary,   and  Brother  William  Judy,   as  as- 


244  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH   OF   THE 

sistant.  The  same  meeting  passed  the  following  motion : 
That  the  District  Secretary  and  his  assistant  shall  visit  each 
Sunday-school  in  the  District,  and  that  they  use  their  own 
discretion  as  to  the  time  spent  in  so  doing.  All  former  rulings 
are  to  be  discarded.  Salary,  one  dollar  a  day  and  expenses." 
To  meet  these  expenses  the  meeting  decided  that  the  schools 
shall  contribute  at  the  rate  of  three  cents  apiece  for  every 
scholar  enrolled.  At  the  1910  Convention  the  salary  of  the 
field  secretary  was  raised  to  two  dollars  per  day. 

The  need  of  a  constitution  having  been  felt  for  some  time 
Brother  Murphy  presented  one  to  the  1910  convention  for  ex- 
amination, and  if  agreeable,  for  adoption.  M.  J.  Weaver, 
W.  M.  Howe,  H.  S.  Replogle,  J.  J.  Shaffer,  P.  J.  Blough, 
Ida  C.  Shumaker  and  R.  T.  Hull  w^ere  appointed  a  committee 
to  examine  the  constitution.  It  having  been  found  satisfac- 
tory, it  was  adopted  by  the  convention. 

CONSTITUTION  of  the  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  ASSOCIA- 
TION of  the  CHURCH  OF  THE  BRETHREN  of  WESTERN 
PENNSYLVANIA. 

CONSTITUTION. 
Article    1. — Name. 
Tliis   organization   shall  he   known   as   the  Sunday-School   As- 
sociation of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  of  Western  Pennsylvania. 
Article  2. — Members. 
All  the  members  of  the  Sunday-schools  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren   of   Western    Pennsylvania   shall   constitute    the   member- 
ship of  the  association. 

Article  3. — Purpose, 
The  purpose  of  the  association  shall  be  to  establish  a  uniform 
standard  of  excellence  for  the  schools  of  the  District  and  to  unite 
the  forces  in  bringinp;  every  school  into  the  front  line  to  the  end 
that  souls  might  be  more  speedily  brought  to  Christ. 
Article  4. — Officers. 
The    officers    of   the   association    shall    consist    of   a    president, 
vice-president,    secretary,    assistant    secretary,    treasurer,    superin- 
tendent of  home  department,  superintendent  of  cradle  roll,  super- 
intendent   of   teacher   training   and    superintendent    of   adult    Bible 
class,  all  of  whom  shall  be  members  of  the  Church  of  the  Breth- 
ren. 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        245 

Article  5. — Duties  of  Officers. 
President. 
Section  1. — It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  president  to  be  chair- 
man of  the  executive  committee  and  call  meetings  of  the  same 
when  necessary,  to  appoint  two  auditing  committees  of  three  mem- 
bers each  to  audit  the  reports  of  the  District  and  missionary 
treasurers,  and  appoint  a  nominating  committee  of  three  members, 
one  of  whom  shall  1)e  the  field  secretary  and  the  other  two  not 
members  of  the  executive  committee. 

\'ice-President. 
Sec.  2. — It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  vice-president  to  perform 
the  duties  of  the  president  in  case  of  absence  or  inability. 

Secretary. 
Sec.   3. — It   shall   be   the   duty   of  the    secretary   to   record   the 
minutes  of  the  annual  convention  and  the  business  meetings  of  the 
executive  committee  and  to  send  a  report  of  the  annual  convention 
to  the  Gospel  Messenger. 

Assistant  Secretary. 
Sec.  4. — It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  assistant  secretary  to  per- 
form the  duties  of  the  secretary  in  case  of  absence  or  inability. 

Treasurer. 
Sec.  5. — It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  treasurer  to  receive  and  dis- 
burse   all    funds   as    directed   by   the    executive    committee    and   to 
solicit  each  school  for  their  annual  contribution. 
Department  Superintendents. 
Sec.  6. — It  shall  be   the   duty  of  the   department   superintend- 
ents;   viz.,    cradle    roll,    home    department,    teacher    training,    and 
Adult  Bible  class,  to  have  general  supervision  of  their  respective 
departments   in   all   the   schools   of   the   District,   to   organize   such 
respective  departments  in  schools  which  have  none  and  to  furnish 
helpful  suggestions  to  the  local  superintendents. 
Article  6. — Election  of  Officers. 
The  officers  of  the  association  shall  be  elected  annuallj'  at  the 
convention  and  assume  their  duties  at  once. 

Article    7.— Executive    Committee. 
Members. 

Sec.   1. — The  executive  committee  shall  consist  of  the  officers 
of  the  association  and  the  field  secretar3^ 

Duties. 

Sec.  2. — It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  executive  committee  to  ar- 
range   for   the   annual    convention,    to   provide   a   program    for   the 


246  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

same,  to  elect  the  field  secretary  and  direct  his  work,  to  fill  any 
vacancy  occurring  during  the  year  and  to  solicit  through  the  treas- 
urer such  an  amount  of  money  from  the  schools  as  the  association 
deems  wise  to  be  used  in  the  work. 

Article  8. — Powers   of   the   Association. 

It  shall  ])e  the  power  of  the  association  to  determine  the 
amount  of  money  to  be  solicited  from  each  school,  to  determine 
the  salary  of  the  field  secretary  and  to  accept  or  reject  the  report 
of  the  nominating  committee. 

BY-LAWS. 

Law  1. — Each  school  shall  be  allowed  two  delegates  at  the 
convention  regardless  of  the  total  enrollment. 

Law  2. — Each  school  having  more  than  one  hundred  in  the 
total  enrollment  shall  be  allowed  one  additional  delegate  for  every 
one  hundred  or  fraction  thereof  above  the  first  one  hundred  mem- 
bers. 

Law  3. — The  delegates  shall  constitute  the  voting  power  of 
the  association,  but  any  Sunday-school  worker  shall  be  allowed 
to  take  part  in  the  discussion  of  any  question  before  the  associa- 
tion. 

Law  4. — All  delegates  shall  be  members  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren. 

Law  5. — The  standard  of  excellence  shall  consist  of  ten 
points;  viz.,  (1)  School  open  all  the  year.  (2)  Statistics  reported 
promptly.  (3)  Contributions  to  the  District  Work,  (a)  FieW 
secretary  Fund,  (b)  Mission  fund.  (4)  Cradle  roll.  (5)  Home 
department.  (6)  Teacher-training  class.  (7)  Organized  adult  Bi- 
ble class.  (8)  Teachers'  meetings.  (9)  School  represented  at  An- 
nual Convention.  (10)  Average  attendance  one-half  the  main 
school  enrollment. 

Law  6. — Each  school  attaining  the  ten  points  of  the  standard 
of  excellence  shall  be  called  a  I'ront  Line  School  and  shall  be 
presented  a  diploma  secured  l)y  the  executive  committee. 

Law  7. — Each  school  attaining  any  eight  points  of  the  standard 
of  excellence  shall  be  called  a  Banner  School,  and  each  one  at- 
taining any  six  points  a  Star  School,  and  both  shall  be  presented 
certificates  accordingly. 

Law  8. — Expenses  of  all  officers  incurred  by  correspondence 
shall  be  paid  out  of  the  treasury. 

Law  9. — Any  Sunday-school  of  the  District  may  call  upon  the 
superintendent  of  any  department  to  assist  in  organizing  work  in 
that  department  in  their  school,  j^roviding  the  necessary  expenses 
are  provided  for. 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        247 

Law  10. — No  school  shall  be  considered  an  up-to-date  school 
that  does  not  contribute  regularly  to  the  temperance  movement 
of  the  Brotherhood. 

Law  11. — The  total  enrollment  of  all  the  departments  is  includ- 
ed in  contributing  per  member  to  the   field   secretary  fund. 

Law  12. — It  shall  require  a  two-thirds  majority  of  all  the  dele- 
gates present  at  the  convention  to  amend  this  constitution. 

From  the  field  secretary's  report  to  the  convention  in 
1911,  among  other  things  we  note  the  following:  Twenty-two 
per  cent  of  the  schools  now  have  teacher-training  classes ; 
fifty-eight  per  cent  have  cradle  rolls;  thirty-four  per  cent  have 
home  departments ;  sixty-three  per  cent  are  evergreen ;  twen- 
ty-two per  cent  have  nine  months  school ;  fifteen  per  cent  have 
six  months  school.  This  is  the  first  year  that  all  schools  re- 
ported. In  1909  we  had  6,000  Sunday-school  scholars,  and  in 
1910  we  had  7,700,  an  increase  of  1,700,  while  the  increase  of 
the  entire  Brotherhood  was  only  4,400.  An  appeal  was  made 
for  one-tenth  of  the  scholars  of  the  Brotherhood  next  year, 
or  9,700.  In  1909  the  schools  contributed  $2,804,  and  in  1910, 
$4,137.  The  schools  are  urged  to  give  more  liberally  for  mis- 
sions and  the  support  of  missionaries.  The  printing  of  a 
Sunday-school  Bulletin  was  also  recommended  by  the  secre- 
tary. 

In  1911  the  following  schools  were  granted  certificates 
of  recognition :  Meyersdale,  Walnut  Grove,  Plum  Creek,  Scalp 
Level,  Windber,  Rummel,  Penn  Run,  Roxbury,  Pittsburgh 
and  Greensburg. 

In  1912  the  following  schools,  having  reached  the  Front 
Line  position,  were  granted  certificates :  Summit,  Elk  Lick, 
Locust  Grove,  Red  Bank,  Moxham,  Conemaugh,  Purchase 
Line,  Rockton,  Garrett  and  Viewmont.  First  seals  were  given 
to  the  ten  schools  having  reached  the  Front  Line  Standard 
last  year. 

In  1913  the  following  schools  were  granted  Front  Line 
certificates :  Sipesville,  Bolivar,  Mt.  Joy,  Pike,  Trout  Run, 
Morrellville  and  Rayman.  First  year  seals  were  given  the 
schools  that  a  year  ago  had  attained  to  the  Front  Line  Stand- 
ard.    The  second  year  seals  were  not  presented  at  the  con- 


248  HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

vention,  but  it  was  stated  that  of  all  the  schools  that  had  two 
years  ago  reached  the  Front  Line  Standard,  none  had  fallen 
below  the  standard. 

An  interesting  rei)ort  was  given  of  the  Ziirich,  Switzer- 
land,, convention  by  the  field  secretary,  which  he  had  at- 
tended. 

In  1914  Glade  Run  and  Elbethel  had  reached  the  Front 
Line  Standard.  All  the  schools  previously  mentioned  as  hav- 
ing reached  Front  Line  were  given  their  respective  seals. 

January,  1914,  Brother  Murphy  having  been  called  into 
the  employ  of  the  General  Mission  Board,  Brother  I.  E. 
Holsinger  was  called  by  the  executive  board  to  become  the 
secretary  of  the  District.  Although  continuing  his  school 
work,  he  has  visited  in  sixty-eight  schools,  held  twelve  Sun- 
day-school conventions,  and  divided  the  entire  District  into 
eleven  circuits  and  organized  the  same  for  more  extensive 
work  in  behalf  of  the  Sunday-schools. 

Mission  work  of  the  Sunday-schools :  The  first  intima- 
tion that  we  find  in  regard  to  mission  work  by  the  Sunday- 
schools  is  contained  in  the  sixth  item  of  the  report  of  the  com- 
mittee on  resolutions  of  the  1906  convention.  The  committee 
were  H.  S.  Replogle,  Myra  Hofifman  and  Walter  J.  Hamilton, 
and  it  reads  as  follows :  "  We  recommend  that  steps  be  taken 
by  the  Sunday-schools  of  Western  Pennsylvania  toward  rais- 
ing a  fund  for  the  support  of  a  missionary  in  the  foreign  field." 

Two  years  prior  to  this,  however,  the  committee  on  reso- 
lutions inserted  as  their  fourth  item  the  following :  "  Since  our 
dear  brother.  J.  W.  Swigart,  has  consecrated  his  life  for  work 
in  the  foreign  field,  and  is  soon  to  depart  for  liis  chosen  field 
of  labor,  being  supported  by  a  congregation  (Quemahoning) 
of  this  District,  be  it  Resolved,  That  our  ])raycrs  and  good 
wishes  accompany  him,  that  he  may  be  abundantly  blessed  in 
the  winning  of  souls  for  Christ."  The  committee  were  V.  C. 
Finnell,  C.  O.  Beery  and  S.  S.  Blough. 

At  the  1907  convention  a  letter  from  Brother  J-  M. 
Blough  to  the  convention  so  stirred  the  meeting  that  it  was 
decided   to  ajjpoint   a   committee  to  look    for  some  one   who 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        249 

would  represent  the  schools  on  the  foreign  field,  and  to  look 
after  his  support.  The  committee  on  selection  and  support  of 
missionaries  is  P.  J.  Blough,  W.  M.  Howe  and  D.  K.  Clapper. 

In  1908  the  committee  reported  $146.54  in  the  treasury, 
but  they  had  not  found  a  missionary.  In  1909  they  reported 
that  Sister  Ida  C,  Shumaker  had  decided  to  go  to  India  as  a 
missionary,  representing  the  Sunday-schools  of  the  District. 
During  the  summer  of  1910  she,  in  company  with  Brother 
Murphy,  visited  the  schools  of  the  District,  becoming  ac- 
quainted with  the  people  and  creating  missionary  sentiment, 
and  at  the  convention  that  year  she  made  her  missionary  re- 
port.   The  coming  fall  she  sailed  for  her  chosen  field  in  India. 

In  1911  the  following  suggestions  by  the  missionary 
committee  were  passed  by  the  convention :  "  Suggestion  1 :  In 
view  of  the  increased  missionary  spirit  in  the  Sunday-schools 
of  our  District,  as  evidenced  by  our  enlarged  treasury,  and 
believing  that  our  contributions  will  never  be  less,  but  rather 
more,  we,  your  missionary  committee,  would  suggest  that  at 
this  convention  we  appropriate  $40  to  supply  a  home  for  a 
native  evangelist  and  $120  to  build  a  room  for  a  Bible  Student 
and  family  at  Bulsar,  India. 

"  Suggestion  No.  2 :  In  view  of  the  awakened  condition 
of  our  Sunday-schools,  which  is  shared  by  many,  and  be- 
cause of  stated  convictions,  we  are  free  to  suggest  that  our 
Sunday-schools  arrange  to  support  another  missionary  in  the 
foreign  field,  and  that  we  elect  and  ask  Brother  Ross  D, 
Murphy  to  arrange  to  represent  us  in  India  or  China,  as  he 
himself  may  choose." 

The  way  did  not  open  for  Brother  Murphy  to  go  to  the 
foreign  field,  but  the  Mission  Board  found  two  others  of  our 
number  who  were  ready  to  go ;  viz.,  Quincy  A.  Holsopple  and 
Olive  Widdowson,  of  Clymer,  Pa.  The  recommendation  of 
the  committee  that  we  ask  Sister  Widdowson  to  represent  us 
in  India  was  unanimously  accepted.  Brother  Holsopple  is 
supported  by  the  Quemahoning  congregation,  he  to  take  the 
place  left  vacant  by  the  death  of  Brother  Charles  H.  Bru- 
baker.     Sister  Widdowson  sailed  for  India  in  1912. 


250  HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

In  1913  the  convention  decided  that  we  will  support  a 
third  missionary^  and  it  becoming  known  that  Sister  V.  Grace 
Clapper,  of  Scalp  Level,  is  a  volunteer,  after  one  or  more 
years'  preparation,  for  China,  the  convention  decided  to  send 
her  as  soon  as  she  is  prepared  to  go.  The  1914  convention 
gave  her  some  assistance  to  continue  her  preparation. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Sketches  of  Our  Sunday-School  Secretaries. 

It  seems  appropriate,  and  eminently  fair,  that  a  few  pages 
be  given  to  the  Hfe-work  of  our  District  Secretaries.  All  but 
one  are  still  with  us  and  are  adding  to  their  biography  from 
day  to  day.  This  will,  no  doubt,  be  written  by  another  hand 
in  the  years  to  come.  We  will  consider  them  in  the  order  in 
which  they  served. 

SILAS  S.  BLOUGH. 

Silas  S.  Blough  was  born  in  Quemahoning  Township, 
Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania,  April  27,  1868,  and  is  the 
second  son  of  Elder  Emanuel  J.  and  Sarah  (Barndt)  Blough. 
He  grew  to  manhood  on  his  father's  farm,  and  all  his  common 
school  education  he  received  in  the  Walter  School,  in  Jenner 
Township.  In  addition  to  attending  the  county  normals,  he 
spent  a  number  of  years  in  Juniata  College,  graduating  in  the 
normal  English  course  in  1893.  He  taught  common  school 
ten  terms  in  Somerset  and  Cambria  Counties,  Pennsylvania, 
and  two  terms  of  Normal.  While  pastor  of  the  Batavia 
church,  Illinois,  he  took  a  seminary  course  in  Bethany  Bible 
School,  Chicago.  To  take  this  work  he  traveled  over  25,000 
miles  on  the  interurban  railroad. 

Since  1911  he  has  been  teacher  of  the  Bible  department  in 
Manchester  College,  Indiana.  Along  with  his  teaching  he  has 
taken  considerable  school  work,  graduating  in  the  A.  B. 
course  in  1915.  During  one  and  one-half  years  of  this  time 
he  also  served  the  Manchester  church  in  the  capacity  of  elder 
and  pastor. 

As  a  boy  he  enjoyed  onl)'  two  summers  of  Sunday-school 
in   the   old   Pine   Grove   church.      But   he   was   always   taken 


252  HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH   OF   THE 


Elder   Silas   S.  Blough  and   'Wife. 

regularly  to  the  preaching  services,  and  while  yet  in  his  teens 
he  and  his  brother,  E.  E.  Blough,  united  with  the  church,  be- 
ing baptized  in  the  Quemahoning  Creek.  After  reaching  ma- 
turity he  spent  some  years  in  Scalp  Level  and  Johnstown,  and 
on  June  17,  1894,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Sister  Mary 
Alice  Wertz,  daughter  of  John  A.  Wertz,  of  Johnstown, 
Professor  W.  J.  Swigart  officiating.  He  had  already  become 
an  active  Sunday-school  and  church  worker,  and  June  28, 
1894,  he  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Johnstown  con- 
gregation. He  took  his  turns  in  filling  the  appointments  till 
1900.  In  the  s[)ring  of  that  year,  with  his  family,  he  moved 
to  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania,  having  been  sent  by  the  Plome 
Mission  Board  of  Western  Pennsylvania  to  take  up  mission 
work  there.  Of  his  work  in  Pittsburgh  mention  is  made  in 
the  history  of  that  church.  He  was  ordained  to  the  eldership 
in  the  Johnstown  church  May  27,  1902. 

From  1908  to  1911  he  was  pastor  of  the  "Ratavia  church, 
Illinois.  Since  that  time  they  have  lived  in  North  Manchester, 
Indiana.  He  has  held  a  number  of  evangelistic  meetings,  as 
well  as  Sunday-school  and  Bible  Institutes.  He  has  assisted 
in  sixteen  Bible  terms  and  Sunday-school  Institutes,     He  has 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        253 

preached  on  an  average  of  more  than  three  sermons  every  two 
weeks  for  more  than  twenty-one  years.  He  was  the  first  Dis- 
trict Sunday-school  Secretary  of  Western  Pennsylvania,  from 
1897  to  1900. 

Elder  Blough  repeatedly  served  as  secretary  of  District, 
Sunday-school  and  other  meetings  of  the  District.  He  rep- 
resented his  State  District  on  the  Standing  Committee  at  the 
Los  Angeles  and  Seattle  Annual  Conferences,  and  is  elected 
on  the  same  committee  for  1916  to  convene  at  Winona  Lake, 
Indiana.  In  1914  he  was  appointed  on  the  Sunday-school 
Board  of  the  Brotherhood. 

HERMAN  A.  STAHL. 

Herman  A.  Stahl  was  born  March  18,  1859,  near  Somer- 
set, Pennsylvania.  He  was  the  second  son  of  Ananias  and 
Barbara  (Miller)  Stahl.  He  had  two  brothers  and  one  sis- 
ter. His  two  brothers  died  long  ago,  but  his  sister,  who  is 
Mrs.  W.  H.  Myers,  survives,  and  lives  in  Preston,  Nebraska. 
His  father  was  a  faithful  member  of  the  Lutheran  Church, 
while  his  mother  was  a  faithful  member  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren. 

His  father  was  drafted  in  the  early  stage  of  the  War  of 
the  Rebellion,  and  while  in  the  army  took  fever  and  died  and 
was  buried  at  Washington,  District  of  Columbia.  This  left 
the  young  widow  with  four  little  children  to  care  and  pro- 
vide for.  After  struggling  on  for  five  years  the  Lord  called 
her  home,  and  four  little  orphans  were  left  to  the  mercies  of 
kind  neighbors.  Little  Herman  secured  homes  for  his  sister 
and  little  brothers,  and  last  of  all  he  got  a  home  with  Brother 
D.  H.  Hauger,  at  Somerset,  where  he  remained  for  over  eight 
years.  Here  he  received  religious  training,  and  was  given 
school  facilities.  He  now  learned  the  carpenter  trade,  at 
which  he  worked  during  the  summer.  For  three  winters  he 
followed  school-teaching. 

He  was  born  into  the  kingdom  of  God's  dear  Son  on 
April  30,  1877,  being  baptized  by  Silas  Hoover  during  one  of 


254  HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH   OF   THE 


£lder   Herman   A.    Stahl. 


Stephen  H.  liashor's  meetings  in  the  Middle  Creek  congrega- 
tion. 

Brother  Stahl  and  Sister  Kathryn  Boyd,  daughter  of 
Brother  Chauncey  and  Sister  Sally  Boyd,  were  united  in  mar- 
riage on  Octoher  16,  1881, 'by  Elder  Jcjsiah  lierkley,  of  Somer- 
set County.  To  this  union  four  children  were  born;  viz.,  Or- 
ville  A.,  Mamie,  Ruth  and  Anne  Lucile.  Mis  son  and  daugh- 
ter, Mamie,  preceded  him  to  the  spirit  world.  His  son 
Orville  taught  two  terms  of  school,  then  attended  Juniata  Col- 
lege, Huntingdon,  and  graduated  in  1906.  At  Brother  J.  M. 
Blough's  farewell  meeting  he  was  so  impressed  by  the  mis- 
sion cause  that  he  volunteered  to  be  a  missionary  in  the  for- 
eign field.  He  was  i)re])aring  and  planning  to  get  ready  to 
go  in  1910,  but  in  November,  1906,  he  fell  a  victim  to  that 
dread  disease,  typhoid  fever.  Thus  the  mission  field  was 
deprived  of  the  services  of  another  bright  and  earnest  young 
brother. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        255 

After  his  conversion  Brother  Stahl  became  an  earnest 
church  worker,  and  the  church,  noticing  his  zeal  and  earnest- 
ness, saw  fit  to  call  him  to  the  office  of  deacon  in  1885.  After 
serving  in  that  capacity  five  years  he  was  called  to  the  minis- 
try on  June  20,  1890.  He  took  up  the  ministry  with  his  char- 
acteristic zeal  and  determination  to  succeed,  and  it  was  not 
long  until  his  services  were  in  demand  as  an  evangelist.  He 
lived  in  the  Middle  Creek  congregation,  where  he  did  much 
preaching  when  at  home,  but  much  of  his  time  was  spent  in 
the  churches  in  evangelistic  meetings.  In  this  kind  of  work  he 
was  quite  successful.  His  first  series  of  meetings  was  held  in 
1891  in  the  Indian  Creek  congregation,  Westmoreland  Coun- 
ty. His  evangelistic  services  extended  over  Pennsylvania, 
Maryland,  Virginia,  West  Virginia,  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois, 
Iowa,  Missouri  and  Nebraska,  but  he  did  more  work  in  the 
former  than  in  any  other  State.  His  records  show  that 
through  his  meetings  1,191  persons  were  added  to  the  church. 

He  also  preached  many  funerals  and  married  many 
couples.  Since  he  was  in  the  ministry  few  District  Meetings, 
Ministerial  Meetings  or  Sunday-school  Conventions  were  held 
in  the  District  that  he  did  not  attend.  Not  very  many  im- 
portant measures  passed  these  meetings  upon  which  he  did  not 
express  his  opinion.  He  frequently  acted  in  the  capacity  of 
clerk  or  some  other  office  at  these  meetings.  When  the 
present  organization  of  the  Mission  Board  was  effected 
Brother  Stahl  was  elected  a  member  of  that  Board  for  three 
years.  In  all  he  served  on  that  Board  over  ten  years,  and  for 
a  number  of  years  was  secretary  of  the  same.  Having  a  good 
deal  of  time  to  devote  to  church  work,  he  was  often  sent  by 
the  Board  to  look  after  the  interests  of  weak  churches.  So 
we  find  him  laboring  considerably  in  the  Ryerson  Station, 
Clarion  and  other  isolated  churches. 

He  was  the  second  District  Sunday-school  Secretary  of 
the  Western  District  of  Pennsylvania,  being  elected  for  a 
period  of  three  years  in  1900.  At  that  time  the  District  did 
not  provide  any  means  to  pay  traveling  expenses,  so  whatever 
visiting  Brother  Stahl  felt  like  doing  he  had  to  do  at  his  own 


256  HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

expense.  He  may  be  termed  one  of  the  pioneers  in  the  work, 
which  at  this  time  means  so  much  to  the  welfare  and  progress 
of  our  Sunday-schools. 

Brother  Stahl  was  ordained  to  the  eldership  in  the  Middle 
Creek  congregation  on  May  20,  1911.  His  health  was  not 
good  for  a  number  of  years,  and  on  Easter  Sunday,  April  12, 
1914,  he  took  his  bed  with  that  dread  disease,  cancer  of  the 
stomach.  He  had  a  desire  to  get  well,  and  before  he  had  to 
take  his  bed  he  called  Elder  Joel  Gnagey  and  Brother  J.  W. 
Wegley  to  anoint  him,  on  March  1,  but  the  Lord  willed  it 
otherwise,  and  April  28,  1914,  he  fell  asleep,  aged  55  years, 
3  months  and  10  days.  He  had  made  all  his  funeral  arrange- 
ments, and  according  to  his  request  Elder  W.  M.  Howe 
preached  his  funeral,  and  interment  was  made  in  the  Middle 
Creek  cemetery. 

LORENZO  JACOB  LEHMAN. 

Lorenzo  J.  Lehman  is  the  oldest  son  of  Hiram  and  Lizzie 
(Knavel)  Lehman,  and  grandson  of  Elder  Christian  Lehman. 
He  was  born  in  Richland  Township,  Cambria  County,  Penn- 
sylvania, October  5,  1873.  His  boyhood  was  spent  on  his 
father's  farm,  and  he  attended  the  Blough  public  school  and 
made  good  use  of  his  time.  As  a  profession  he  chose  teach- 
ing, and  he  made  a  success  of  it.  He  taught  thirteen  years  in 
his  native  State,  in  Lordsburg  College,  California,  three  years, 
and  in  Los  Angeles,  California,  until  he  had  a  nervous  break- 
down.    In  1898  he  graduated  from  Juniata  College. 

He  united  with  tiie  church  in  1888,  being  baptized  by  Eld- 
er Peter  Knavel,  in  Scalp  Level.  November  12.  He  was 
elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Shade  Creek  congregation,  Penn- 
sylvania, June  19,  1900,  and  installed  July  1,  the  same  year,  by 
Elder  Hiram  Musselman.  He  was  advanced  to  the  second 
degree  of  the  ministr};,  January  1,  1903,  at  the  Berkcy  church, 
Elder  David  Hildebrand  officiating.  One  week  after  his  in- 
stallation, July  8.  1900,  Brother  Lehman  preached  his  first 
sermon,  in  the  Rummel  church,  his  subject  being,  "  Work  and 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


257 


£lder    Lorenzo    J.    Lehman    and    Wife. 

Reward  "  (2  Cor.  6:1).  Brother  Lehman  served  the  Shade 
Creek  church  a  number  of  years  as  its  efficient  secretary. 

The  Sunday-school  was  always  an  inviting  field  for  Broth- 
er Lehman's  energies.  From  a  faithful  scholar  in  the  Scalp 
Level  school  he  rose  to  the  position  of  assistant  superintend- 
ent. From  1903  to  1907  he  faithfully  performed  the  duties 
of  District  Sunday-school  Secretary  of  Western  Pennsyl- 
vania. Many  still  remember  his  appeals  for  more  schools,  bet- 
ter attendance  and  a  larger  scope  of  work.  A  brief  account  of 
his  work  in  the  interest  of  the  schools  is  found  in  the  Sunday- 
school  chapter. 

Impaired  health  induced  him  to  locate  in  California  in 
1907.  Here  he  met,  and  on  March  30,  1909,  married.  Sister 
Ella  Forney,  youngest  daughter  of  Elder  Edmund  Forney,  of 
Lordsburg,  California.  Brother  and  Sister  Lehman  and  two 
children  are  living  on  their  ranch  at  Reedley,  California, 
where  they  are  engaged  in  gardening  and  fruit-growing.  On 
December  12,  1915,  Brother  Lehman  was  ordained  to  the 
eldership  in  the  Reedley  chtirch. 


258 


HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH   OF   THE 


ROSS  D.  MURPHY. 

Ross  D.  Murphy,  son  of  Deacon  Scott  and  Mary  (Rum- 
mel)  Murphy,  was  born  near  EUon,  Cambria  County,  Penn- 
sylvania, September  6,  1882.  On  his  father's  side  his  an- 
cestors were  Irish  and  on  his  mother's,  German.  He  was 
reared  at  Rummel,  Somerset  County,  where  he  received  his 
common  school  education.  He  received  the  B.  E.  degree  in 
Juniata  College  in  1906,  and  the  A.  B.  degree  in  1912.     The 


Ross    J).    Murphy. 

same  year  he  received  from  the  State  Superintendent,  Dr. 
Nathan  C.  Schaefifer,  without  examination,  a  permanent  cer- 
tificate. As  soon  as  he  was  old  en<jugh  he  began  teaching 
school,  which  profession  he  followed  eight  years,  teaching  in 
Paint  Townshij)  and  Scalp  Level  Borough.  He  also  taught 
two  summer  normals. 

At  the  age  of  eighteen,  in  1900,  at  Rummel,  Ross  united 
with  the  church,  being  ba])tized  by  Elder  J.  J.  Shafifer.  His 
activities  in  Sunday-school  and  general  church  work  brought 
him  to  the  notice  of  the  church,  so  that  when  the  Shade  Creek 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        259 

congregation  needed  more  ministers,  November  24,  1904, 
Brother  Ross  was  one  of  the  young  men  called.  (A.  G. 
Faust  was  the  other  one.)  Being  at  Juniata  at  the  time,  he 
was  not  immediately  installed.  He  preached  his  first  sermon 
in  the  Morning  Land  schoolhouse,  in  June,   1905. 

Brother  Murphy  served  the  Plum  Creek  and  Roaring 
Spring  congregations  as  pastor  at  different  times.  He  was 
the  efficient  District  Sunday-school  Secretary  of  Western 
Pennsylvania  from  1909  to  1914.  While  in  this  capacity,  his 
District  sent  him  as  delegate  to  the  World's  Sunday-school 
Convention,  in  1913,  held  in  Zurich,  Switzerland.  He  was 
one  of  2,600  delegates,  and  the  only  one  of  our  brethren  sent 
by  a  State  District.  Upon  his  return  he  gave  his  convention 
talk  seventy-five  times. 

In  the  fall  of  1913  Brother  Murphy  was  called  by  the 
General  Mission  Board  to  travel  among  the  churches  of  the 
Brotherhood  in  the  interests  of  the  mission  work  of  the 
church,  giving  missionary  talks  and  creating  missionary  sen- 
timent in  general.  March  1,  1914,  he  began  this  work  and  to 
the  present  time  (August,  1915)  he  has  covered  Northern 
Illinois,  all  of  Indiana,  Northwestern  and  Southern  Ohio  and 
Middle  Pennsylvania. 

Of  the  growth  of  the  Sunday-school  work  in  the  District 
during  the  time  he  was  secretary,  I  will  let  Brother  Murphy 
speak. 

YEARS  OF  GROWTH. 

Ross  D.  Murphy. 

The  affairs  of  human  endeavor,  like  the  waves  of  the 
sea,  flood  and  ebb  in  their  forward  and  onward  course.  It 
is  common  for  organizations  and  movements  to  fall  and  rise, 
to  swing  from  success  to  apparent  failure.  It  should  not  dis- 
turb us  or  even  make  us  afraid  when  depressions  meet  us  in 
the  work  of  the  Lord ;  neither  should  an  unusual  or  unprayed- 
for  success  make  us  suspicious  that  spurious  methods  have 
been  projected  into  a  worthy  cause. 


260  HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH   OF   THE 

During  the  five  years,  from  1909  to  1914,  the  Sunday- 
schools  of  the  District  enjoyed  an  unexpected  period  of 
growth.  These  years  of  flood-tide  movement  ushered  in  a 
great  epoch  of  activity.  New  Hfe  sprung  up  in  desert  places. 
Schools  that  were,  according  to  their  own  statements,  merely 
existing,  took  on  a  new  coat  of  green  and  began  an  earnest 
revival  for  a  summer  growth.  Live  schools  became  more 
alive.  If  the  church  ever  entered  upon  the  Sunday-school 
era  of  her  activity  these  were  the  initial  years.  Deacons  and 
lay  members,  who  had  fallen  into  the  habit  of  remaining  out- 
side during  the  Sunday-school  session  until  i)reaching  time, 
talking  about  the  weather  and  the  crops,  now  came  in  and 
put  their  strong  shoulders  to  the  work  and  made  it  go.  Min- 
isters accepted  the  responsibility  of  the  Sunday-school  as  well 
as  that  of  the  church. 

As  field  secretary  for  the  schools  of  the  District  a  part 
of  the  summer  of  1909  was  spent  in  visiting  the  schools.  Be- 
ing the  first  attempt  along  this  line  only  about  half  of  the 
schools  were  reached.  During  each  of  the  f (allowing  four 
summers,  however,  at  least  two  and  a  half  months  were  spent 
in  the  field,  in  which  time  all  the  schools  were  reached  each 
summer.  The  object  of  these  tours  among  the  schools  was 
twofold;  first  to  learn  the  ])roblems  confronting  the  schools, 
and  second,  to  work  out  with  them  a  solution  to  master  these 
problems. 

The  problem  of  getting  and  holding  the  young  people  was 
largely  solved  by  introducing  the  organized  class  movement. 
The  home  department  took  the  school  out  into  the  homes. 
Teacher  training  classes  produced  better  teachers.  And  so 
the  story  of  new  things  went  on  until  some  wondered  what 
next.  Another  problem  of  the  District  was  a  closer  unity 
of  effort.  One-half  of  the  schools  did  not  know  how  the 
other  half  worke'd,  and  so  the  delegates  of  the  1910  conven- 
tion adopted  a  constitution.  Tt  provided  a  board  of  nine  of- 
ficers. l'"ach  oflioer  had  i)rcscril)C(l  duties,  and  also  the  l-)oard 
in  general.  The  i)lan  worked  well.  A  standard  of  excellence 
also  was  adopted.     The   first  year  ten   schools   reached   the 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        261 

standard.  This  was  quite  an  encouragement  to  others  and 
the  second  year  ten  others  reached  the  mark.  Each  of  these 
schools  was  presented  a  certificate  of  recognition  for  their 
high  attainment. 

It  has  ever  been  true  that  as  soon  as  a  people  help  them- 
selves to  the  Gospel  at  home  their  vision  will  enlarge  until 
peoples  of  other  lands  are  included.  India  was  the  field  but 
who  was  to  go? — not  some  one  who  failed  to  do  things  at 
home.  We  sent  the  best  we  had,  Sister  Ida  C.  Shumaker,  a 
woman  of  exceptional  ability  in  teaching  children,  known  not 
only  in  the  District,  but  also  in  the  Brotherhood.  It  was  a 
little  hard  to  see  her  go,  but  God  always  wants  the  best  we 
have.  Not  satisfied  with  one  missionary  on  the  field,  the  fol- 
lowing year  we  sent  another  noble  sister  to  the  field,  Olive 
Widdowson.  The  more  we  gave  to  the  support  of  these  two 
workers  the  more  we  had  in  our  own  treasury  at  home. 

The  names  of  a  number  of  persons  active  during  these 
five  years  could  be  mentioned,  but  where  begin  and  where 
leave  off?  The  president  of  the  Board  did  a  noble  work 
and  so  did  the  other  officers  from  year  to  year,  and  so  did 
those  who,  out  in  the  schools,  blazing  the  firing  line,  tramping 
the  byways,  gathering  those  in  not  in,  persuading  men  and 
women  to  study  the  Word,  organizing  classes,  conducting 
training  classes — and  above  all,  praying. 

I.  EDWARD  HOLSINGER. 

I.  Edward  Holsinger  was  born  at  New  Enterprise,  Penn- 
sylvania, August  10,  1878.  He  is  the  oldest  son  of  Elder  Levi 
F.  Holsinger,  of  the  New  Enterprise  congregation,  Bedford 
County,  and  spent  his  childhood  and  youth  with  his  parents 
on  the  farm. 

The  life  on  the  farm,  though  not  distasteful  to  him,  failed 
to  satisfy  a  desire  to  advance  intellectually,  and  he  took  up 
the  work  of  teaching  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years,  in  the  rural 
schools  of  his  home  community.  vSuccessful  and  happy  in 
educational  work,  he  pushed  ahead,  and  through  persever- 
ance, graduated  in  the  normal  course  at  Juniata  College  in 


262  HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH   OF   THE 


Prof.   I.   Edward    Holsingrer. 

1902.  and  in  the  college  (classical)  course  in  1909.  Along 
with  filling  the  position  of  high  school  principal,  he  pursued 
graduate  study  at  the  University  of  I'ittsburgh,  and  received 
the  master  of  arts  degree  in  June.  1913.  together  with  a  special 
master's  diploma  in  education  frcjm  this  institution.  He  is 
continuing  his  graduate  study  for  the  doctor  of  philosophy 
degree,  and  is  at  the  ])resent  time  principal  of  the  Avalon 
High   School. 

Brother  Holsinger  united  with  the  church  at  the  age  of 
thirteen  years,  and  has  been  more  or  less  active  ever  since. 
Early  in  his  life  he  took  an  active  interest  in  Christian  Work- 
ers' Meetings  and  Sunday-school  work.  He  had  extensive 
experience  as  organizer,  teacher  and  trainer  of  teachers,  and 
was  frecjuently  president  of  religious  organizations  at  college 
and  elsewhere.  In  1907  he  was  elected  to  the  ministry.  Since 
that  time  he  has  been  used,  when  his  school  work  permitted, 
in  religious  and  ministerial  service. 

In  January,  1914.  at  the  unanimous  call  of  the  executive 
board  of  the  Sunday-schools  of  Western  Pennsylvania,  he 
accepted  the  place  made  vacant  as  District  Sunday-school  Sec- 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        263 

retary,  by  the  resignation  of  Ross  D.  Murphy.  Since  that 
time  he  has  been  devoting  his  summer  months  and  many  week- 
end vacations  to  the  Sunday-schools  of  the  District.  Although 
continuing  his  school  work,  he  visited  in  sixty-eight  Sunday- 
schools,  held  twelve  Sunday-school  conventions,  and  organ- 
ized the  entire  District  into  eleven  circuits  for  more  intensive 
work  in  behalf  of  the  schools.  "  Western  Pennsylvania  is 
alive  and  becoming  even  more  alive  spiritually,"  he  says,  "  and 
it  is  a  real  joy  to  pass  in  and  out  among  the  workers  of  this 
great  District.  They  let  nothing  stand  in  the  way  of  hearty 
cooperation  with  the  secretary  in  almost  all  parts  of  the 
field." 

Sunday-School  Mission  Board. 

PERRY  J.  BLOUGH. 

P.  J.  Blough,  son  of  Elder  Jonathan  W.  and  Susan 
(Boger)  Blough,  was  born  near  Hooversville,  Quemahoning 
Township,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania,  March  22,  1859. 
His  sisters  were  Mary  J.,  Ellen,  Sarah  and  Annie.  He  also 
had  one  little  brother,  Andrew.  His  brother  and  sisters,  Mary 
J.  and  Sarah,  are  dead.  Perry  was  reared  on  the  farm  and 
given  the  best  educational  advantages  that  the  public  schools 
afforded.  This  was  supplemented  by  several  terms  in  county 
normal,  and  Juniata  College,  of  which  he  has  been  a  trustee 
a  number  of  years.  He  taught  five  terms  of  school,  after 
which  he  entered  the  store  business.  He  was  merchant  in 
Hooversville  twenty-seven  years.  He  has  been  president  of 
the  First  National  Bank  of  Hooversville  from  its  organiza- 
tion in  1902 ;  also  of  the  Farmers'  Trust  and  Mortgage  Com- 
pany of  Johnstown  from  its  organization  in  1911.  He  has 
been  a  director  in  the  Berlin  Mutual  Cooperative  Fire  Insur- 
ance Company  about  ten  years. 

While  attending  Juniata  College,  at  the  age  of  twenty  he 
united  with  the  church,  being  baptized  by  Elder  H.  B.  Brum- 
baugh. The  next  spring  the  first  Sunday-school  in  the  Que- 
mahoning   congregation    was    organized    at    the    Pine    Grove 


264  HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH   OF   THE 


Elder   Perry  J.  BIoiikIi  and    Wife. 

church  and  Brother  Blough  was  elected  assistant  superintend- 
ent. This  position  he  held  two  years  in  addition  to  teaching 
a  class.  When  he  located  in  Hooversville  he  was  the  only 
member  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  in  the  town.  Not 
being  satisfied  without  church  privileges,  he  fitted  out  a  good- 
sized  upper  room  at  his  own  expense  and  organized  the  first 
Brethren  Sunday-school  in  the  town.  He  was  its  first  super- 
intendent. By  this  time  other  members  had  come  in  and 
regular  preaching  services  were  held  in  this  church  room  for 
about  ten  years,  when  the  present  church  was  erected. 

Brother  Blough  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Que- 
mahoning  church  on  September  4.  1897.  and  exactly  a  year 
later  he  was  advanced  to  the  second  degree.  He  was  ordained 
to  the  eldership  on  .September  3,   1904. 

Elder  Blough  is  one  of  the  elders  of  his  home  congrega- 
tion, and  in  addition  he  has  at  this  time  the  oversight  of  the 
Ligonier,   Greensburg  and  Rummel  congregations.     He  is  a 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        265 

regular  attendant  at  all  the  various  meetings  of  the  District 
and  seldom  misses  an  Annual  Conference. 

Brother  Blough  chose  for  his  life  companion  Sister  Emma 
Shafifer,  daughter  of  Deacon  Hiram  and  Frances  (Berkebile) 
Shaffer,  being  married  by  Elder  Hiram  Musselman  Novem- 
ber 30,  1884.  Sister  Blough  was  born  February  2,  1865.  She 
also  was  an  active  Sunday-school  and  church  worker.  Three 
sons  and  one  daughter  were  bom  to  this  union.  The  sons,  E. 
McGary,  E.  Grant  and  E.  Percy,  are  graduates  of  Juniata 
College  and  members  of  the  church,  all  of  them  having  united 
before  eleven  years  of  age.  After  twenty-seven  years  of  hap- 
py married  life  Sister  Blough  was  called  away  June  17,  1912. 
She  is  buried  in  the  Maple  Spring  cemetery. 

Elder  Blough  has  held  a  number  of  official  positions  in  the 
District.  He  represented  Western  Pennsylvania  on  the  Stand- 
ing Committee  in  1908,  at  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  and  in  1913  at 
Winona  Lake,  Indiana.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  Gen- 
eral Temperance  Committee  from  its  organization  at  Des 
Moines,  Iowa,  in  1908,  and  has  been  editor  of  the  Temperance 
Bulletin  for  the  last  three  or  four  years.  He  served  as  secre- 
tary of  the  Somerset  County  Anti-Saloon  League  several 
years. 

When  the  present  plan  of  the  Home  Mission  Board  of  the 
District  was  organized,  in  1895,  Brother  Blough  was  chosen 
a  member  and  treasurer  of  the  Board.  This  position  he  has 
held  continuously  ever  since,  twenty-one  years.  No  one  is 
better  acquainted  with  the  responsibilities  of  the  Mission 
Board  than  is  Brother  Blough.  Since  the  organization,  at  the 
Sunday-school  Convention  in  1907,  of  the  Missionary  Com- 
mittee of  the  Sunday  School  Association  of  Western  Pennsyl- 
vania, he  has  been  its  chairman.  He  has  done  some  very  ac- 
ceptable evangelistic  work  in  the  District.  He  preaches  an- 
nually about  100  sermons,  a  number  of  which  are  on  doc- 
trinal subjects.  For  more  than  thirty-five  years  he  has  been  a 
leader  in  sacred  music. 


266  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

DANIEL   K.   CLAPPER. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  at  Yellow  Creek, 
Bedford  County,  Pennsylvania,  November  8,  1864.  His 
parents  were  Samuel  and  Nancy  (Kagarise)  Clapper,  and 
w^ere  of  German  descent.  The  father  died  in  1881,  and  the 
mother  is  still  living. 


Elder    Daniel    K.    Clapper. 

Brother  Clapper's  schooling  was  confined  to  the  public 
country  schools  of  his  day.  His  father  dying  when  he  was 
but  sixteen  years  of  age,  he  became  his  mother's  main  help 
on  a  thirty-five  acre  mountain  farm. 

On  February  16,  1881,  during  one  of  Stephen  H.  Bash- 
or's  revival  meetings  at  New  Enterprise,  Pennsylvania, 
w^hen  a  little  past  sixteen  years  of  age.  he  gave  his  young  life 
to  God.  being  l)a])ti/.ed  by  l^ldcr  Charles  Buck.  January  25, 
1885,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Sister  Rachel  Hoover, 
daughter  of  Jonathan   Hoover,  a  deacon  in  the  Raven  Run 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        267 

congregation,  Elder  J.  B.  Fluke,  of  Loysburg,  performing  the 
ceremony. 

From  1885  to  1890  Brother  Clapper  was  a  tiller  of  the 
soil.  November  26,  1890,  he  entered  the  service  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania Railroad  Company,  on  the  Bedford  division,  as 
freight  brakeman.  He  was  promoted  to  the  position  of  flag- 
man and  conductor.  The  time  he  served  as  flagman  was  really 
his  school  term.  For  eight  years  he  carried  his  books  with 
him  in  his  caboose  and  home.  These  consisted  of  school- 
books,  biographies,  philosophical  and  theological  works,  a 
Bible  Compendium  and  the  Bible. 

Brother  Clapper  was  called  to  the  ministry'  at  Hyndman. 
Pennsylvania,  in  the  Meyersdale  congregation  (now  the 
Greenville  congregation),  September  25,  1890,  and  about  a 
year  later  he  was  advanced  to  the  second  degree.  He  con- 
tinued railroading  for  seven  years  after  being  called  to  the 
ministry,  preaching  almost  every  Sunday,  and  holding  a  num- 
ber of  very  successful  series  of  meetings.  For  more  than  a 
year  he  filled  the  regular  appointments  for  the  Mission  Board 
of  Western  Maryland,  at  Mt.  Savage,  same  State,  in  the 
home  of  Brother  Mowry,  where  several  were  baptized. 

In  1907  came  the  call  for  fuller  consecration  to  the  Lord's 
service.  This  marks  an  important  epoch  in  Brother  Clapper's 
life.  On  the  one  side  was  a  good  position  with  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad  Company  at  $2.50  a  day.  On  the  other  side 
was  the  Lord's  work,  with  no  assurance  of  any  support  from 
the  church.  '  Finally,  after  much  prayer,  he  decided  to  trust 
the  Lord  for  the  meals,  and  on  Sunday  morning,  April  1, 
1907,  at  six  o'clock,  he  put  his  caboose  away  for  the  last  time, 
and  on  April  3  he  moved  his  family  to  Meyersdale,  in  order 
that  he  might  devote  himself  fully  to  evangelistic  w^ork. 

January  1,  1908,  he  was  called  by  the  Meyersdale  church 
to  take  the  pastoral  oversight.  This  continued  for  about  a 
year  and  a  half,  during  which  time  he  also  served  the  Elk  Lick 
congregation  as  pastor,  in  connection  with  his  work  at  Meyers- 
dale. After  his  pastorate  at  Meyersdale  several  years  were 
given   to   general   evangelistic   work,   reaching  west   to   Pitts- 


268  HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

burgh,  north  to  the  Montgomery  congregation,  east  to  York 
and  south  to  Mill  Creek,  Virginia.  Up  to  the  close  of  1913 
approximately  three  hundred  souls  had  come  to  the  church 
through  his  meetings. 

January  1,  1914,  he  began  work  for  the  District  Mission 
Roard  of  Middle  Maryland,  as  District  Evangelist.  During 
the  year  320  sermons  were  preached,  467  homes  were  visited, 
2,394  miles  were  traveled,  and  fifty-nine  were  added  to  the 
church.  Up  to  October  25,  there  had  been  seventy-eight  con- 
versions in  1915.     He  has  hired  to  the  same  Board  for  1916. 

Brother  Clapper  has  attended  two  Bible  terms  at  Juniata 
College.  He  also  claims  the  honor  of  being  the  second  man 
in  .Somerset  County  to  secure  an  international  diploma  in  the 
teacher  training  course  as  prescribed  by  the  Sabbath-school 
Association  of  Pennsylvania.  He  may  be  termed  a  self-made 
man.  He  is  humble  and  unassuming,  and  is  being  wonder- 
fully used  by  the  Lord.  He  continues  to  reside  at  Meyers- 
dale,  where  he  was  ordained  to  the  eldership  May  5.  1915. 

At  the  Sunday-school  Convention  of  1907,  when  a  com- 
mittee on  selection  and  sup])()rt  of  missionaries  on  the  foreign 
field  was  created.  Brother  Clapper  was  elected  one  of  that 
committee.  During  the  eight  years  he  served  on  this  commit- 
tee he  was  the  treasurer  of  the  same.  Because  his  evangelistic 
work  takes  him  out  of  the  District,  he  expressed  a  desire  to  be 
relieved  of  this  responsibility,  and  at  the  1915  convention 
Brother  M.  J.  Brougher  was  elected  his  successor. 

WILLIAM   MOHLER  HOWE. 

William  Mcrbler  Howe  was  born  May  3,  1867,  at  Mait- 
land,  Mifflin  County,  Pennsylvania,  on  a  farm  among  the- 
mountains,  five  miles  cast  of  Pewistown  Junction.  He  was 
the  tenth  child  in  a  family  of  six  sons  and  six  daughters, 
nine  of  whom  grew  to  manhood  and  womanhood  and  all  be- 
came members  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren. 

He  was  the  son  of  hJder  William  and  .Sarah  (Mohler) 
Howe,    who    were    godly,    industrious    and    excmi)lary    to    a 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        269 


Elder  AVilliam  Mohler  Howe. 

marked  degree.  It  was  with  long  hours  of  toil  each  day  that 
they  succeeded  in  providing  for  their  large  family,  hut  they  al- 
ways had  time  for  the  family  altar,  with  the  children  all 
present,  twice  each  day.  Brother  W.  M.  Howe  has  two 
hrothers  in  the  office  of  deacon,  two  sisters  that  are  wives  of 
ministers,  and  a  brother,  E.  M.  Howe,  in  the  ministry,  while 
his  sister,  Elizabeth  (Howe)  Brubaker,  of  Illinois,  was  prom- 
inent in  city  mission  work  in  Chicago,  Illinois,  Pittsburgh, 
Pennsylvania,  and  Brooklyn,  New  York. 

After  his  early  years  of  training  in  the  country  schools  he 
was  sent,  in  the  spring  of  1883,  to  Juniata  College,  where  he 
took  a  stand  for  Christ  and  was  baptized  on  May  13  in  the 
Juniata  River.  That  fall,  at  the  age  of  sixteen,  he  taught 
his  first  term  of  school,  returning  to  Juniata  College  in  the 
sfjring  of  '84.  This  program  of  teaching  and  study  con- 
tinued until  he  was  graduated  from  the  normal  English  de- 
partment of  the  above  institution  in  1886.  His  teaching 
career  covered  six  years  in  Pennsylvania  and  four  years  as 


270  HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH   OF  THE 

principal  of  schools  and  high  school  teacher  at  New  Iberia, 
Louisiana. 

While  on  a  visit  to  his  home  in  the  summer  of  1893  he 
was  elected  to  the  ministry  on  a  Saturday  morning  after  the 
Friday  night  communion  services,  was  installed  at  the  morning 
service  the  next  day,  and  preached  his  first  sermon  that  even- 
ing from  the  text,  "  I  can  do  all  things  through  Christ  who 
strengtheneth  me." 

After  another  year  of  teaching  in  the  South,  Brother 
Howe  returned  to  Juniata  College  for  some  Bible  work.  The 
middle  of  the  school  year  found  him  assisting  his  brother  in 
his  country  store  in  Maitland,  Pennsylvania,  and  that  fall 
(1895)  he  accepted  the  pastorate  of  the  Amwell  church,  New 
Jersey.  Before  going  to  this  first  charge  he  was  advanced  to 
the  second  degree  of  the  ministry.  In  the  fall  of  1896  he 
became  pastor  of  the  Sand  Brook  church  in  New  Jersey,  and 
in  the  spring  of  1898  he  moved  to  Norristown,  Pennsylvania, 
where  he  was  pastor  till  the  spring  of  1904. 

In  New  Jersey  Brother  Howe  supported  himself  in  part 
by  working  on  the  farms  and  in  the  orchards  of  that  State. 
Likewise  while  in  Norristown  he  spent  some  time  on  the  farm 
and  served  for  years  as  clerk  in  the  People's  National  Bank 
and  in  the  Norristown  Covering  Company,  besides  spending 
one  year  in  evangelistic  endeavor. 

On  October  4,  1898,  Brother  Howe  was  married  to  Sis- 
ter Edith  R.  Newcomer,  of  Waynesboro,  Pennsylvania,  and 
to  this  union  were  born  his  daughter,  Ruth,  and  his  son 
Joseph. 

In  March,  1905,  after  a  pastorate  of  eleven  months  at 
Tyrone,  Pennsylvania,  Brother  Howe  was  called  to  the  Brook- 
lyn Mission,  New  York,  to  assist  Elder  J.  Kurtz  Miller,  while 
having  the  privilege  of  attending  Dr.  White's  P>ible  Teacher 
Training  .School  in  New  York  City,  from  which  institution  he 
was  graduated  in  June.  1907. 

It  was  in  Brooklyn  that  .Sister  Howe's  health  failed,  and 
she  died  on  the  way  to  Johnstown.  Pennsylvania,  at  the 
home  of  Brother  Howe's  mother,  at  Maitland,  Pennsylvania. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        271 

Brother  Howe  was  pastor  of  the  Johnstown  congregation 
from  May  1,  1907,  to  August  31,  1914.  On  June  1,  1910,  he 
was  married  to  Sister  EHzabeth  Wertz,  daughter  of  John  A. 
Wertz,  of  Johnstown,  and  to  this  union  were  born  two  daugh- 
ters, Martha  and  Mary. 

On  June  21,  1910,  Brother  Howe  was  ordained  to  the 
eldership  in  the  Johnstown  congregation.  He  has  from  the 
beginning  of  his  ministry  done  more  than  a  Httle  evangeUstic 
work  and  Bible  teaching  in  many  of  our  State  Districts  and 
in  most  of  our  colleges.  Since  September  1,  1914,  he  has 
been  pleasantly  located  as  pastor  of  the  Meyersdale,  Pennsyl- 
vania, congregation,  where  his  efforts  are  meeting  with  more 
than  ordinary  success. 

Elder  Howe  has  for  a  number  of  years  been  a  member  of 
the  Home  Mission  Board  of  \\'estern  Pennsylvania.  When  a 
committee  on  selection  and  support  of  missionaries  on  the 
foreign  field  was  created,  in  1907,  Elder  Howe  was  elected  a 
member  of  that  committee,  and  it  is  he  who  annually  reads  the 
letters  at  our  District  Sunday-school  Convention  from  the 
two  missionaries  supported  by  our  Sunday-schools.  He  is 
also  a  member  of  the  committee  of  our  "  District  Bible,  Mis- 
sionary and  Sunday-school  Institute,"  and  is  secretary  of  the 
same.  He  represented  Western  Pennsylvania  on  the.  Stand- 
ing Committee  at  the  St.  Joseph  (Missouri)  Annual  Con- 
ference, in  1911.  Elder  Howe  has  frequently  filled  offices 
at  the  various  meetings  of  the  District. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Education. 

The  fact  that  Western  Pennsylvania  has  no  church  col- 
lege within  her  borders  is  no  proof  that  our  people  are  not  ad- 
vocates of  education.  Before  the  system  of  free  schools  had 
been  adopted,  our  members  patronized  the  subscription 
schools,  and  a  number  of  our  brethren  taught  in  them. 

The  public  school  system  found  in  many  of  our  brethren 
ardent  supporters.  Influential  brethren  were  elected  on  the 
township  and  borough  school  boards.  Our  young  brethren 
and  sisters  c}ualified  themselves  to  teach  in  the  schools. 

We  had  a  number  of  prominent  teachers  among  our  min- 
isters years  ago.  Elder  John  Wise  taught  school  thirty-two 
terms.  He  was  considered  well  educated  for  his  day.  Elder 
James  Quinter.  a  teacher  of  more  than  ordinary  attainments, 
taught  six  terms  of  district  school  in  Dogwood  Hollow  Dis- 
trict, Nicholson  Township,  Fayette  County,  Pennsylvania.  As 
very  little  has  been  written  of  this  period  of  Brother  Quinter's 
life,  permit  me  to  quote  from  "  Reminiscences  of  Elder  James 
Quinter,"  by  William  Johnson,  in  the  "  Brethren  Family  Al- 
manac of   1910  "  : 

"  It  was  my  privilege  to  attend  those  six  terms  of  school, 
and  there  are  but  few  living  at  present  that  could  give  a  bet- 
ter account  of  the  fourteen  years  he  lived  in  Fayette  County 
than  myself.  We  had  a  chance  to  know  him  as  a  preacher,  a 
school-teacher,  and  as  a  neighbor — in   fact,  in  every  way. 

"  We  want  to  tell  something  about  the  school  which  he 
taught ;  also  about  his  teaching.  Four  terms  of  the  school 
were  held  in  the  Mennonite  churchhouse.  I  can  not  give  the 
size  of  the  house,  but  now,  after  a  period  of  sixty-three  years, 
I  can  name  eighty-five  scholars  who  attended.     This  goes  to 


274  HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

show  that  the  house  was  large  and  that  it  was  full.  It  was  the 
first  for  the  District,  and  was  located  in  what  was  called 
'  Dutch  Corner.'  Quite  a  number  of  the  scholars  were 
grown-up  young  men  and  women,  who  had  never  attended 
school.  Some  of  them  could  read  German,  but,  so  far  as 
English  was  concerned,  they  knew  but  very  little  about  it. 
Some  of  us  who  lived  on  the  outskirts  of  the  '  Dutch  Cor- 
ner '  had  been  to  school,  and  we  felt  as  though  we  were  a^ 
little  ahead  of  the  rest. 


Prof.  Jacob  Martin  Ziick. 

Foimdcr  of  .Juniata  College,  ronnsylvania. 

"  Well,  it  was  witli  this  school  that  I'rothcr  Quinter  had 
to  do,  but  he  went  to  work  with  a  will,  and,  though  the  con- 
ditions were  unfavorable,  lie  succeeded.  The  house  was  seat- 
ed with  slab  benches.  The  scholars  had  dififerent  kinds  of 
books.  One  had  the  '  Life  of  Francis  Marion  '  for  a  reader, 
another  would  have  '  The  Rise,  Progress,  and  Downfall  of 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        275 

Aristocracy,'  and  so  on.  All  those  that  could  read  would 
have  two  lessons  a  day  from  the  New  Testament,  two  chapters 
at  each  lesson.  A  number  of  young  men  and  young  women 
had  to  begin  with  the  alphabet,  but  it  was  only  a  short  time 
until  they  were  able  to  read.  They  wanted  to  learn,  and  they 
applied  themselves. 

"  All  the  young  men  and  boys,  who  were  old  enough, 
were  put  to  work  in  arithmetic.  At  first  some  of  them  could 
not  read  the  problems,  but  they  managed,  in  some  vv^ay,  to  find 
out  what  was  required  in  the  problem ;  then  went  to  work. 
You  can  imagine  what  a  time  Brother  Quinter  had,  but  he  was 
ec|ual  to  the  task.  The  scholars  all  liked  him  as  a  teacher,  and 
tried  to  do  their  best. 

"  This,  perhaps,  was  the  most  peculiar  school  Brother 
Quinter  ever  taught,  and  I  doubt  whether  any  other  man  could 
have  succeeded  as  well  as  he  did.  The  boys  and  girls  were  not 
bad,  but  were  full  of  fun  and  merriment.  Some  amusing 
things  would  happen  almost  every  day,  and  sometimes  they 
were  brought  about  purposely.  Brother  Quinter  could  enjo}^ 
innocent  fun,  and  would  often  smile  when  something  amusing 
happened.  He  permitted  the  school  to  enjoy  a  little  fun  for  a 
short  time,  and  then  called  them  to  order.  He  did  not  attempt 
to  suppress  the  merriment,  but  when  he  said.  '  Stop,'  that 
would  end  it.  All  would  go  to  work  as  though  nothing  had 
happened.  He  could  readily  control  the  school  because  the 
pupils  wanted  to  please  him. 

"  Anything  that  was  amusing  would  bring  a  smile,  but 
if  a  scholar  would  do  somethng  mean,  or  would  be  found 
guilty  of  playing  a  trick  at  the  expense  of  some  one  else, 
Brother  Quinter's  face  would  flush,  and  the  guilty  party  would 
be  punished  accordingly. 

"  I  still  remember  a  number  of  amusing  things  that  hap- 
pened in  the  Dogwood  Hollow  school,  and  could  tell  some 
which,  perhaps,  would  show  the  worth  of  the  man,  but  I  will 
now  drop  the  school  and  talk  of  him  as  a  neighbor." 

Brother  Quinter  lived  in  Fayette  County  from  1842  to 
1856.     In  addition  to  teaching,  he  was  also  selected  by  the 


276 


HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


board  of  directors  of  Nicholson  Township  to  examine  the 
teachers  of  that  township  with  reference  to  their  quaHfications 
for  teaching. 

Elder  Lewis  Kimmel,  of  Armstrong  County,  graduated 
from  Allegheny  College,  Meadville,  Pennsylvania,  in  1859. 
He  taught  twelve  successive  winters  in  Plum  Creek  Town- 
ship and  Elderton  Borough.  In  Elderton  he  had  108  scholars 
on  the  roll  and  an  average  attendance  of  ninety-seven.  In 
the  spring  of  1860  he  opened  a  select  school  in  Rural  Village. 
This  he  closed  in  1862  when  the  war  took  his  students  away. 


^j^^M 

JgP-.-' 

l^'J9i 

(■yinnusiuin,    Jiinhtta    Collegre,    IIuntiiiK<l<>ii<     I'u- 

In  the  fall  of  1873  he  opened  a  select  school  in  his  own 
house.  In  the  following  spring  the  school  was  taken  to  the 
Plum  Creek  church,  and  Howard  Miller  became  assistant 
princii)al.  holder  Kimmel's  son,  Quinter,  says  the  school 
opened  with  six  pupils.  It  increased  until  there  were  over 
100  pupils.  In  the  s])ring  of  1877  it  was  united  with  Juniata 
College.  Of  this  school  Elder  S.  Z.  Sharp,  in  "  Two  Cen- 
turies of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,"  says:  "  In  1874  I-Lldcr 
Eewis  Kimmel.  assisted  by  Howard  Miller,  began  a  school 
in  the  Plum  Creek  meetinghouse,  one  mile  from  IClderton, 
Pennsylvania.  He  gave  to  the  institution  tlie  name  of  the 
Plum  Creek  Normal  School.  Only  three  students  were  en- 
rolled the  first  day,  but  the  two  principals  were  accomplished 
teachers  and  the  school  soon  gained  a  large  patronage,  and  in 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


277 


the  spring  of  1875  had  an  enroUment  of  about  100,  a  large 
proportion  of  whom  were  teachers  or  those  preparing  to 
teach.  The  character  of  the  school  was  maintained  on  a  high 
moral  and  religious  plane.  Its  unfavorable  location  and 
opposition  induced  the  friends  to  abandon  it  at  the  end  of  four 
years." 


Library,  Juniata  Collegre,  Huntingdon,  Pa. 

Another  attempt  to  establish  an  educational  institution 
must  be  noticed.  I  quote  again  from  Elder  Sharp's  address, 
page  319:  "In  1872  an  educational  meeting  was  held  in  the 
Western  (should  be  Middle)  District  of  Pennsylvania,  at 
Martinsburg.  At  this  meeting  it  was  decided  to  establish  a 
school  of  a  higher  grade  at  Berlin,  Somerset  County,  Penn- 
sylvania. In  this  enterprise  H.  R.  Holsinger  was  a  prominent 
factor.  The  character  of  the  school  was  to  be  such  as  to  main- 
tain the  distinctive  features  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren. 
Tire  plan  was  to  raise  $100,000  by  subscription,  of  which  no 
part  was  to  be  due  and  payable  until  the  whole  amount  was 
subscribed.  Brother  Holsinger  sent  for  S.  Z.  Sharp  to  ac- 
company him  on  a  tour  of  taking  subscriptions  and  to  lecture 
on  the  advantages  of  higher  education  to  the  church.     In  less 


278 


HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


279 


than  ten  days  nearly  $20,000  was  subscribed.  Why  some 
brethren  subscribed  so  freely  may  be  illustrated  by  an  inci- 
dent. Passing  a  mill  owned  by  a  wealthy  brother,  not  favor- 
able to  higher  education.  Brother  Holsinger  remarked,  '  This 
brother  won't  subscribe,  but  courtesy  demands  that  we  offer 
him  the  opportunity.'     The  brother  read  the  heading  of  the 


The    Stone   Churcli,    Huntingrdon,    Pa. 

subscription  and  then  subscribed  $500,  and  with  a  mischie- 
vous smile  handed  the  paper  to  other  Brethren  present,  say- 
ing, '  Schreibt  hertzhaftig  Brueder,  ihr  brauchts  niemals  be- 
zahlen.'  ('  Subscribe  heartily,  brethren,  you  never  need  to 
pay  it.')  On  bidding  good-by  to  Brother  Holsinger,  we  re- 
marked that  he  had  incorporated  the  death  sentence  of  Berlin 
College  into  the  heading  of  the  subscription  paper,  and  so  it 
happened.  Sixty  thousand  dollars  was  at  last  subscribed,  but 
the  hundred  thousand  never  was  reached  and  the  project  went 
no  further." 

But  our  young  people  wanted  a  college  education.  We 
had  the  Summer  County  Normals,  but  they  were  not  suf- 
ficent.    We  also  had  within  our  District  several  State  Normal 


280  HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH   OF   THE 

Schools,  but  the  best  thinking  brethren  felt  that  it  would  be 
so  much  better  to  have  our  sons  and  daughters  educated  in 
a  church  school,  where  they  would  receive  moral  and  re- 
ligious training  as  well  as  mental.  So,  when  the  Huntingdon 
Normal  (now  Juniata  College)  was  established  in  1876,  our 
churches  were  among  the  first  to  patronize  the  institution. 
Ever  since  then  Juniata  College  has  received  abundant  sup- 
port from  our  District,  both  in  students  and  money.  Of  stu- 
dents we  have  furnished  more  than  550,  and  of  moral  and  fi- 
nancial support  a  very  great  deal.  Since  the  establishment 
of  Juniata  College  about  fifty  young  brethren  who  attended 
that  institution  from  our  District  have  been  called  to  the  min- 
istry. Not  quite  all  of  these  have  accepted  the  call.  Besides 
these,  all  along  our  past  history  men  have  been  called  from  the 
ranks  of  the  teachers  to  preach  the  Gospel.  Besides  Juniata 
College,  nearly  all.  if  not  all,  of  our  other  church  colleges 
have  at  different  times  been  patronized  in  a  small  degree. 
This  is  true  also  of  our  State  Normal  Schools.  Many  others 
who  did  not  patronize  any  of  the  above  institutions  qualified 
themselves  to  teach  by  attending  the  Summer  County  Normals. 
Many  of  our  brethren  and  sisters  have  in  the  past  held,  and 
are  now  holding,  provisional,  professional  and  permanent  cer- 
tificates, and  are  filling  important  positions  as  teachers,  both 
in  the  rural  districts  and  the  towns  and  cities,  and  are  rec- 
ognized as  leaders  in  the  educational  world.  While  many 
are  engaged  as  teachers,  ministers,  pastors  and  missionaries, 
others  are  filling  positions  of  trust  and  usefulness  in  the  other 
vocations  and  professions.  Yes,  we  are  an  education-loving 
people. 


CHAPTER  X. 

District  Meetings. 

The  Annual  Meeting  of  1866,  held  in  the  Antietam 
church,  Franklin  County,  Pennsylvania,  recommended  that 
each  State  form  itself  into  convenient  District  Meetings. 
These  meetings  shall  he  formed  hy  one  or  two  representatives 
from  each  organized  church,  and  we  recommend  that  each 
church  he  represented  in  the  District  Meeting,  either  by  rep- 
resentatives or  by  letter. 

In  compliance  with  this  recommendation  Pennsylvania 
was  divided  into  three  Districts,  Eastern,  Middle  and  Western. 
At  this  time  the  Alleghanies  were  the  dividing  line  between  the 
Middle  and  the  Western  Districts.  Since  that  time,  in  1874, 
the  line  was  changed  so  as  to  take  in  the  Dunnings  Creek 
congregation,  for  the  sake  of  convenience. 

The  first  District  Meeting  of  the  District  was  held  in  the 
Grove  meetinghouse,  near  Berlin,  November  5,  1866.  The 
officers  of  the  meeting  were :  Moderator,  John  W  ise ;  Cor- 
responding Secretary,  Joseph  I.  Cover;  C.  I.  Beam,  Assistant 
Clerk.  The  District  at  this  time  was  composed  of  eighteen 
churches.  These  were  represented  as  follows :  Berlin,  John 
P.  Cober  and  Jacob  Blough ;  Elk  Lick,  David  Livengood  and 
Cornelius  Berkley ;  Middle  Creek.  Jacob  D.  Miller  and  John 
C.  Schrock;  Quemahoning,  Tobias  Blough  and  C.  I.  Beam; 
Shade,  Hiram  Musselman  and  Jacob  Hoffman;  Conemaugh, 
Stephen  Hildebrand ;  Manor,  Levi  Fry  and  Samuel  Brallier ; 
Montgomery,  Peter  Beer  and  Henry  Speicher ;  Plum  Creek, 
Jacob  Kelso ;  Cowanshannock,  not  represented ;  Red  Bank, 
John  Wise  and  Jesse  P.  Hetrick ;  Clarion,  not  represented ; 
Glade  Run,  Chrissman  John ;  Indian  Creek.  D.  D.  Horner  and 
John   Horner ;  Jacobs   Creek,   William  A.   Murray ;   Georges 


282  HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

Creek,  Joseph  I.  Ccner;  Ten  Mile,  Daniel  Lane;  and  Ryerson 
Station,  not  represented,  twenty-four  delegates.  This  meet- 
ing deliberated  on  thirteen  queries.  Elders  John  Wise  and 
Ephraim  Cober  were  elected  delegates  to  Annual  Meeting  of 
1867. 

May  27  and  28,  1867,  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the 
Plum  Creek  church,  Armstrong  County,  with  twenty-three 
delegates  present.  Moderator,  C.  G.  Lint ;  Corresponding 
Secretary,  J.  P.  Hetrick ;  Clerk,  J.  I.  Cover.  Nine  cjueries 
were  considered. 

May  4,  1868,  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the  Conemaugh 
church,  Cambria  County,  with  eighteen  delegates  present. 
Moderator,  C.  G.  Lint;  Clerk,  J.  P.  Hetrick;  Assistant  Clerk, 
Lewis  A.  Cobaugh ;  Corresponding  Secretary,  Joseph  W. 
Beer.  Nine  queries  were  handled.  Delegates  to  Annual  Meet- 
ing, C.  (i.  Lint,  Abraham  Stutzman  and  Jacob  Blough. 

April  26,  1869,  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the  Elk  Lick 
church  with  seventeen  delegates  present.  Moderator,  John 
Wise;  Secretary,  Lewis  A.  Col)augh ;  Corresponding  Secre- 
tary, C.  G.  Lint.  Ten  queries  were  discussed.  Elias  K. 
Buechley  and  John  Wise  were  elected  delegates  on  the  .Stand- 
ing Committee. 

May  9,  1870,  District  Meeting  convened  in  the  Shade 
church,  Somerset  County,  with  twenty-three  delegates  en- 
rolled. Moderator,  John  Wise ;  Corresponding  Secretary.  C. 
G.  Lint;  Secretary,  J.  I.  Cover;  delegates  to  Annual  Meeting 
John  Wise  and  Joseph  Berkey. 

May  8,  1871,  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the  Manor 
church,  Indiana  County,  with  twenty-three  delegates  in  at- 
tendance. Moderator,  John  Wise;  Clerk.  Joseph  Holsopple. 
Six  queries  were  jiresented  for  consideration.  Delegates  to 
Annual   Meeting,  John  Wise  and  Joseph   Berkey. 

May  1  and  2,  1872,  District  Meeting  convened  in  tlie 
Pigeon  Hill  house  of  the  Ten  Mile  church.  Washington  Coun- 
ty, with  twenty-three  delegates  present.  Moderator.  C.  G. 
Lint ;  Clerk,  J-  P-  Hetrick.  Thirteen  queries  were  acted  upon. 
I'.ldcrs   T<^hn  Wise  and  C.  G.  Lint  were  elected  delegates  to 


BRETHREN    OF  WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        283 

Annual  Meeting,  the  former  being  named  for  the  Standing 
Committee. 

May  21,  1873,  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the  Georges 
Creek  church,  Fayette  County,  with  twenty-three  delegates 
present.  Moderator,  John  Wise ;  Clerk,  J.  P.  Hetrick ;  del- 
egates to  Annual  Meeting,  John  Wise  and  Joseph  Berkey. 

May  13,  1874,  District  Meeting  convened  in  the  Middle 
Creek  church,  Somerset  County.  Moderator,  John  Wise; 
Clerk,  C.  G.  Lint;  delegates  to  Annual  Meeting,  James  Quin- 
ter  and  John  Wise.  Dunnings  Creek  church  was  transferred 
from  Middle  District  to  Western  District. 

April  28,  1875,  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the  Mont- 
gomerty  church,  Indiana  County,  with  nineteen  delegates. 
Moderator,  James  Ouinter;  Clerk,  H.  R.  Holsinger;  delegate 
to  Annual  Meeting,  James  Quinter. 

May  10,  1876,  District  Meeting  convened  in  the  Jacobs 
Creek  church,  Westmoreland  County,  with  twenty-two  del- 
egates in  attendance.  Moderator,  James  Quinter;  Clerk,  C. 
G.  Lint.  James  Ouinter  was  elected  on  the  Standing  Com- 
mittee, and  John  Wise,  delegate. 

May  8,  1877,  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the  Berlin 
church,  Somerset  County,  with  twenty-five  delegates  in  at- 
tendance. Also  two  new  congregations  were  formed  during 
the  year;  viz..  Summit  Mills  and  Meyersdale.  Moderator 
Joseph  Berkey ;  Clerk,  J.  I.  Cover ;  Delegate  on  Standing 
Committee,  John  Wise ;  delegate  to  Annual  Meeting,  J.  I. 
Cover. 

May  16  and  17,  1878,  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the 
Indiah  Creek  church,  Westmoreland  County,  with  thirty  del- 
egates present.  Moderator,  C.  G.  Lint;  Clerk,  J.  I.  Cover; 
delegates  to  Annual  Meeting,  C.  G.  Lint  and  J.  L  Cover. 
Rockton,  Shemoken  and  Ligonier  Valley  congregations  were 
added  to  the  list  of  churches. 

May  20  and  21,  1879,  District  Meeting  convened  in  the 
Dunnings  Creek  church,  with  twenty-nine  delegates  in  attend- 
ance. An  unusual  amount  of  business  came  before  the  meet- 
ing— twenty-one    items.      Moderator,   Joseph    Berkey ;    Clerk, 


284  HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

Joseph  Holsopple;  Reading  Clerk,  H.  R.  Holsinger.  This  is 
the  first  record  of  a  Reading  Clerk.  Member  on  the  Standing 
Committee,  Mark  Minser;  delegate  to  the  Annual  Meeting, 
Silas  C.  Keim. 

April  20,  1880,  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the  Red 
Bank  church,  Armstrong  County,  with  twenty-three  delegates 
in  attendance.  Johnstown,  a  new  congregation,  was  added  to 
the  list.  Moderator,  H.  R.  Holsinger;  Clerk,  J.  W.  Beer; 
Reading  Clerk,  Daniel  Crofiford.  Sixteen  items  of  business 
were  passed  upon  at  this  meeting.  Member  on  the  Standing 
Committee,  Lewis  Kimmel ;  delegate,  H.  R.  Holsinger. 

May  24  and  25,  1881,  District  Meeting  convened  in  the 
Quemahoning  church,  Somerset  County.  This  meeting  was 
a  record  breaker  in  the  number  of  churches  represented,  in 
the  number  of  delegates  enrolled,  in  the  number  of  sessions 
held  (five)  and  in  the  amount  of  business  transacted,  as  well 
as  the  importance  of  the  same.  The  old  Berlin  congregation 
was  divided  into  four  congregations,  thus  forming  three  new 
ones ;  viz..  Brothers  Valley,  Somerset  and  Stony  Creek. 
Markleysburg  was  also  added.  P^orty-five  delegates  were  in 
attendance.  Moderator,  J.  I.  Cover;  Clerk.  Joseph  Holsopple; 
Reading  Clerk,  E.  K.  Hochstetler ;  member  on  Standing  Com- 
mittee, C.  G.  Lint ;  delegate,  J.  L  Cover. 

May  16  and  17,  1882,  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the 
Jacobs  Creek  church,  with  forty-seven  delegates  on  the  list 
Brush  Valley  church  was  added  to  the  list  of  congregations. 
Another  warm  meeting  consisting  of  six  sessions.  Moderator, 
T.  L  Cover;  Clerk,  J.  S.  Holsinger;  Reading  Clerk,  John  H. 
Myers ;  member  on  Standing  Committee,  J.  L  Cover ;  dele- 
gate, J.  S.  Holsinger. 

Ai)ril  24,  1883,  District  Meeting  convened  in  the  Meyers- 
dale  church,  Somerset  County,  with  thirty-eight  delegates  en- 
rolled. Of  the  thirty  congregations  now  composing  the  Dis- 
trict, eleven  failed  to  represent  by  delegate  this  year.  Modera- 
tor, J.  S.  Holsinger;  Clerk.  Joseph  Holsopple;  Reading  Clerk, 
.S.  C.  Umbel ;  member  on  Standing  Committee.  J.  S.  Holsinger. 

May  20.   1884,   District   Meeting  was  held   in   the   Shade 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        285 

church,  Somerset  County,  thirty-two  delegates  in  attendance. 
Somerset  church  is  disorganized  and  becomes  a  part  of  the 
Brothers  Valley  church.  Moderator,  C.  G.  Lint ;  Clerk,  W. 
G.  Schrock ;  Reading  Clerk,  R.  T.  Pollard ;  member  on  Stand- 
ing Committee,  C.  G.  Lint. 

May  12,  1885,  District  Meeting  convened  in  the  Manor 
church,  Indiana  County,  with  thirty-one  delegates  deciding  the 
queries.  The  Shemoken  church  is  recommended  to  the  care 
of  the  committee  of  supplies  and  the  Mission  Board  of  the 
District.  Moderator,  J.  S.  Holsinger;  Clerk,  W.  G.  Schrock; 
Reading  Clerk,  H.  H.  Keim ;  member  on  Standing  Committee, 
J.   S.  Holsinger. 

June  1,  1886,  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the  Johnstown 
church,  Cambria  County,  with  thirty-two  delegates  from  the 
various  churches  present.  Moderator,  C.  G.  Lint ;  Clerk, 
Joseph  Holsopple ;  Reading  Clerk,  J.  H.  Myers ;  member  on 
Standing  Committee,  C.  G.  Lint. 

May  17,  1887,  District  Meeting  convened  in  the  Middle 
Creek  church,  with  thirty-five  delegates  enrolled.  Moderator, 
C.  G.  Lint;  Clerk,  W.  G.  Schrock;  Reading  Clerk,  H.  H. 
Keim ;  member  on  Standing  Committee,  J.  C.  Johnson. 

May  8,  1888,  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the  Elk  Lick 
church,  Somerset  County,  and  the  enrollment  of  delegates 
was  thirty-seven.  Moderator,  J.  C.  Johnson;  Clerk,  Joseph 
Holsopple;  Reading  Clerk,  W.  H.  Cover;  member  on  Stand- 
ing Committee,  J.  S.  Holsinger. 

May  15,  1889,  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the  Plum 
Creek  church,  Armstrong  County,  with  an  enrollment  of 
thirty-five  delegates.  Stony  Creek  church  was  dropped  from 
the  list  of  congregations,  but  three  new  ones  were  added;  viz.. 
Fayette,  Glen  Hope  and  Maple  Glen.  Moderator,  J.  C. 
Johnson ;  Clerk,  Joseph  Holsopple ;  Reading  Clerk,  J.  N. 
Davis ;  member  on  Standing  Committee,  Valentine  Blough. 

April  30,  1890,  District  Meeting  convened  in  the  Quema- 
honing  church,  with  thirty-seven  delegates  in  attendance.  The 
remnant  of  the  old  Conemaugh  congregation  having  been 
taken  over  by  the  Johnstown   congregation,   it  was   dropped 


286  HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

from  the  list,  but  liolivar  was  added.  Moderator,  George 
Hanawalt;  Clerk,  W.  G.  Schrock ;  Reading  Clerk,  W.  H. 
Cover;  member  on   Standing  Committee,  Hiram  Musselman. 

April  11,  1891,  District  Meeting  was  held  with  the  Breth- 
ren of  the  Summit  Mill  church,  and  thirty-three  delegates 
were  enrolled.  Moderator,  J.  S.  Holsinger;  Clerk,  \V.  G. 
Schrock;  Reading  Clerk,  George  W.  Lowry ;  member  on 
Standing  Committee,  J.  C.  Johnson. 

May  11,  1892,  District  Meeting  convened  in  the  Johns- 
town church  with  a  representation  of  thirty-six  delegates. 
Brush  Valley  congregation  was  dropped  from  the  list.  Mod- 
erator, J.  C.  Johnson;  Clerk,  \V.  G.  Schrock;  Reading  Clerk, 
D.  H.  Walker;  member  on  Standing  Committee,  J.  C.  John- 
son. 

April  26,  1893,  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the  Shade 
church,  with  thirty-four  delegates  present.  Moderator,  J. 
S.  Holsinger ;  Clerk,  Daniel  Holsop])le ;  Reading  Clerk,  D. 
H.  W^alker ;  member  on  Standing  Committee,  J.  .S.  Holsinger. 
July  5,  1893,  a  special  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the  Middle 
Creek  church  for  the  pur])ose  of  making  ])reparations  for  the 
Annual  Conference,  which  is  to  l)e  held  in  this  District  in 
1894.  There  were  twenty-five  delegates  in  attendance,  and 
the  same  officers  that  served  in  the  spring  also  served  at  this 
meeting.  The  following  brethren  were  elected  on  the  com- 
mittee on  location :  J.  S.  Holsinger,  C.  G.  Lint,  Stephen  Stutz- 
man,  Joseph  Holsop])le,  Valentine  Blough  and  \\\  G.  Schrock. 

May  2,  1894,  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the  Jacobs 
Creek  church,  with  thirty-five  delegates  on  the  roll.  Moder- 
ator, J.  C.  Johnson;  Clerk,  Daniel  Holso])i)le ;  Reading  Clerk, 
W.  G.  Schrock;  member  on  Standing  Committee,  David  Hil- 
(Icbrand. 

May  8,  1895,  District  Meeting  convened  in  the  Brothers 
Valley  church,  with  thirty-six  delegates  present.  Moderator, 
J.  C.  Johnson ;  Clerk,  S.  S.  !^)lough  ;  Reading  Clerk.  Jasper 
Barnthouse ;  member  on  .Standing  Committee,  C.  G.  Lint. 

May  29,  1896,  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the  Markleys- 
burg   church,   l-'ayette  County,   with   thirty-three  delegates  in 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        287 

their  seats.  Moderator,  G.  S.  Rarigh ;  Clerk,  W.  G.  Schrock ; 
Reading  Clerk,  Jasper  Barnthouse ;  member  on  Standing  Com- 
mittee, G.  S.  Rairigh. 

May  12,  1897,  District  Meeting  convened  in  the  Meyers- 
dale  church,  with  thirty-four  delegates  on  the  list.  It  would 
seem  that  the  Fayette  church  has  gone  out  of  existence. 
Moderator,  C.  G.  Lint ;  Clerk,  W.  G.  Schrock ;  Reading  Clerk, 
D.  H.  Walker;  member  on  the  Standing  Committee,  C.  G. 
Lint. ' 

May  4,  1898,  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the  Rockton 
church,  Clearfield  County,  with  thirty  delegates  enrolled. 
Moderator,  Jasper  Barnthouse ;  Clerk,  S.  S.  Blough ;  Reading 
Clerk,  H.  A.  .Stahl ;  member  on  the  Standing  Committee,  W. 
A.  Gaunt. 

August  23,  1899,  District  Meeting  convened  in  the  Shade 
church,  with  thirty-five  delegates  on  the  roll.  A  siege  of 
smallpox  in  Windber  and  surrounding  country  prevented  the 
meeting  from  being  held  at  the  usual  time,  and  so  this  year 
we  had  no  delegate  on  the  Standing  Committee.  West  Johns- 
town was  added  to  the  list  of  congregations.  Moderator,  C. 
G.  Lint ;  Clerk,  S.  S.  Blough ;  Reading  Clerk,  D.  H.  Walker. 

May  9,  1900,  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the  Markleys- 
burg  church,  with  thirty-three  delegates  in  attendance.  Mod- 
erator, Jasper  Barnthouse ;  Clerk,  S.  S.  Blough ;  Reading 
Clerk,  P.  J.  Blough ;  delegate  on  the  Standing  Committee, 
Jasper  Barnthouse. 

May  1,  1901,  District  Meeting  convened  in  the  Fairview 
house  of  the  Georges  Creek  church,  with  thirty-eight  delegates 
enrolled.  Moderator,  C.  G.  Lint ;  Clerk,  S.  S.  Blough ;  Read- 
ing Clerk,  W.  A.  Gaunt ;  delegate  on  Standing  Committee, 
C.  G.  Lint. 

April  23,  1902,  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the  Maple 
Spring  house  of  the  Ouemahoning  church,  with  an  attendance 
of  thirty-six  delegates.  Moderator,  Jasper  Barnthouse;  Clerk, 
S.  S.  Blough;  Reading  Clerk,  P.  J.  Blough;  delegate  on  the 
Standing  Committee,  Joseph  Holsopple.  Pittsburgh  church 
was  organized  this  year,  July  6,  1902. 


288  HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH   OF   THE 

May  6,  1903,  District  Meeting  convened  in  the  Meyers- 
dale  church,  with  thirty-six  delegates  acting.  Moderator. 
Jasper  Barnthouse;  Clerk,  S.  S.  Blough ;  Reading  Clerk,  J. 
F.  Uietz ;  delegate  on  Standing  Committee,  C.  G.  Lint. 

April  27,  1904,  District  Meeting  assembled  in  the  Walnut 
Grove  house  of  the  Johnstown  church,  and  the  attendance  of 
delegates  was  forty.  Moderator,  Jasper  Barnthouse;  A\''riting 
Clerk,  J.  J.  Shaffer;  Reading  Clerk,  J.  F.  l^ietz  ;  delegat£s  on 
the  Standing  Committee,  D.  H.  Walker  and  Jasper  Barnt- 
house. Cowanshannock  congregation  was  dropped  out  of  the 
list  of  active  congregations. 

May  17,  1905,  District  Meeting  convened  in  the  Middle 
Creek  church,  with  thirty-six  delegates  constituting  the 
voting  body.  Moderator,  D.  H.  Walker ;  A\Viting  Clerk,  J.  J. 
Shaffer;  Reading  Clerk,  Jasper  Barnthouse;  member  on 
Standing  Committee,  C.  G.  Lint. 

May  9,  1906,  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the  Penn  Run 
House  of  the  Manor  church,  with  thirty-six  delegates  in  at- 
tendance. Moderator,  Jasper  Barnthouse;  Writing  Clerk, 
S.  S.  Blough ;  Reading  Clerk,  J.  F.  Dietz ;  delegate  on  the 
Standing  Committee,  D.  H.  Walker. 

April  3,  1907.  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the  Berkey 
house  of  the  Shade  church,  with  an  enrollment  of  thirty-eight 
delegates.  The  Clarion  congregation  was  dropped  from  the 
list.  Moderator,  Jasper  Barnthouse;  Writing  Clerk,  H.  S. 
Replogle ;  Reading  Clerk,  J.  F.  Dietz ;  delegate  on  the  Stand- 
ing Committee,  S.  S.  Blough. 

April  22.  1908.  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the  County 
Line  house  of  the  Indian  Creek  church,  with  thirty-eight  del- 
egates present.  Moderator.  S.  S.  Blough ;  ^^'riting  Clerk.  J. 
J.  Shaffer;  Reading  Clerk.  M.  J.  W' eavcr ;  member  on  the 
Standing  Committee.  P.  J.  Blough. 

Ai)ril  14,  1909,  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the  .Salisbury 
house  of  the  Klk  Lick  church,  with  an  enrollment  of  thirty- 
eight  delegates.  Moderator,  Jasjier  Barnthouse ;  \\^riting 
Clerk,  M.  J.  Weaver;  Reading  Clerk,  H.  S.  Replogle;  mem- 


BRETHREN   OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        289 

bers  on  the  Standing  Committee,  Jasper  Barnthouse  and  J.  J. 
Shaffer. 

March  30,  1910,  District  Meeting  convened  in  the  Rox- 
bury  house  of  the  West  Johnstown  church.  Forty-two  del- 
egates were  enrolled.  Moderator,  P.  J.  Blough ;  Writing 
Clerk,  J.  J.  Shaft"er ;  Reading  Clerk,  H.  S.  Replogle ;  delegates 
on  the  Standing  Committee,  D.  H.  Walker  and  J.  F.  Dietz. 

April  19,  1911,  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the  Maple 
Spring  house  of  the  Quemahoning  church,  and  the  number  of 
delegates  present  was  forty-three.  Glen  Hope  congregation 
changed  its  name  to  Chess  Creek.  Moderator,  Jasper  Barnt- 
house; A\"riting  Clerk,  H.  S.  Replogle;  Reading  Clerk,  M.  J. 
Weaver;  delegates  on  the  Standing  Committee,  W.  M.  Howe 
and  Silas  Hoover. 

April  1^  1912,  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the  assem- 
bly room  of  the  Somerset  County  courthouse.  Middle  Creek 
church,  with  forty-four  delegates  in  attendance.  Moderator. 
Jasper  Barnthouse ;  \\' riting  Clerk.  H.  S.  Replogle ;  Reading 
Clerk,  M.  J.  Weaver.  Two  new  congregations  were  added  to 
the  number;  viz.,  Grecnsburg  and  Scalp  Level;  delegates  on 
the  Standing  Committee.  J.  H.  Cassady  and  H.  S.  Replogle. 

March  26,  1913.  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the  Walnut 
Grove  house  of  the  Johnstown  church,  with  fifty-three  del- 
egates in  attendance.  Ryerson  Station  congregation  was,  by 
the  consent  of  both  Districts,  transferred  to  the  Second  Dis- 
trict of  West  Virginia.  Moderator,  Jasper  Barnthouse 
Writing  Clerk,  H.  S.  Replogle ;  Reading  Clerk,  G.  K.  Walker 
delegates  to  the  Annual  Meeting,  P.  J.  Blough  and  Levi 
Rogers. 

April  15,  1914,  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the  Scalp 
Level  house  of  the  Scalp  Level  church,  with  fifty-nine  del- 
egates enrolled.  Two  new  congregations,  Greenville  and  Trout 
Run,  were  added  to  the  number  of  congregations,  making  the 
number  thirty-two.  Moderator,  J.  H.  Cassady ;  Writing  Clerk, 
H.  S.  Replogle;  Reading  Clerk,  J.  J.  Shaffer;  delegate  on  the 
Standing  Committee,  J.  J.  Shaffer. 

April   7,   1915,  District  Meeting  was  held  in  the  Maple 


290  HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

Spring  church  of  the  Quemahoning  congregation,  with  fifty- 
three  delegates  enrolled.  During  the  year  the  West  Johns- 
town congregation  was  divided  into  three  congregations,  and 
so  two  new  congregations,  Morrellville  and  Pleasant  Hill, 
were  added  to  the  list.  Moderator,  W.  M.  Howe;  Writing 
Clerk,  H.  S.  Replogle;  Reading  Clerk,  M.  J.  Brougher;  del- 
egates on  the  Standing  Committee,  D.  H.  Walker  and  M.  J. 
Brougher. 


CHAPTER  XL 

Annual  Conferences. 

According  to  the  best  information  available  seven  Annual 
Meetings  of  the  Brotherhood  have  been  held  in  Western  Penn- 
sylvania, and  all  in  Somerset  County  within  a  comparatively 
small  area. 

The  first  one  was  held  in  the  barn  of  Bishop  John  Buech- 
ly,  in  Elk  Lick  Township,  in  1811.  In  the  Minutes  of  the  An- 
nual Meetings  from  1778  to  1909  this  meeting  is  missed. 
There  seems  to  be  no  doubt,  however,  of  the  meeting  having 
been  held  there  that  year.  There  is  a  family  tradition  that 
Sister  Flickinger.  who  was  a  daughter  of  Bishop  Buechly, 
was  four  years  old  when  the  meeting  was  held  in  her  fath- 
er's barn,  and  she  was  born  November  27,  1806. 

The  second  one  was  held  at  Glade  in  1821.  At  this  meet- 
ing seven  papers  were  passed  upon.  I  notice  but  two  of  these. 
The  question  was  asked  whether  brethren  may  have  distil- 
leries. Answer :  It  was  considered  to  leave  it  by  what  was 
concluded  some  thirty  years  ago,  that  no  brother  would  be 
allowed  to  have  a  distillery,  or  to  distil  ardent  spirits.  An- 
other question  was  whether  persons  who  had  been  but  once 
immersed  might  be  received  into  the  church.  Answer:  It 
was  considered  that  a  threefold  immersion  is  the  true  bap- 
tism; but  if  such  persons  would  be  content  with  their  bap- 
tism, and  yet  acknowledge  the  Brethren's  order  as  right,  we 
would  leave  it  over  to  them,  and  receive  them  with  the  laying 
on  of  hands  and  prayer. 

The  third  Annual  Meeting  in  the  county  was  held  at  the 
home  of  Brother  William  Miller,  not  far  from  Meyersdale, 
on  May  28,  and  29,  1841.  Fifteen  queries  were  disposed  of 
at  this  meeting.     One  query  was  whether  the  Brethren  prac- 


292 


HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


The   Itisliop    John   Biiechly   Burn    in    Whirh    the    Annual    Meeting'    A\'us    Ilelil 

in    1811. 

ticed  feet-washing  strictly  according  to  the  Gospel.  Answer: 
Considered,  after  much  conversation  and  reflection,  that  feet- 
washing,  as  ])racticed  hitherto  by  the  Brethren,  is  according 
to  the  Word,  and  that  the  mode,  as  far  as  we  could  learn 
until  now,  could  in  no  wise  be  improved.  Another  question 
was,  whether  the  Brethren  have  a  right  to  admit  friends,  who 
are  not  members,  to  sit  down  with  them  at  the  Lord's  supper, 
if  there  is  room.  Answer:  Considered,  that  making  a  proper 
distinction  between  the  supi)er  and  the  communion  of  the  body 
and  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  there  could  l)e  no  objection  to  admit 
friends  to  the  sui)i)er,  when  there  is  room.  Still  another: 
Whether  a  deacon  may  give  testimony  to  what  a  teacher  (min- 
ister) has  said  while  there  is  one  or  more  teachers  present 
that  have  not  spoken,  and  request  him  to  speak?  Answer: 
Considered  that  he  may,  if  requested. 

The  following  brethren's  names  are  signed  at  the  close  of 
the  Minutes:  Daniel  Cicrber,  David  Pfoutz.  Christian  Long. 
Daniel  Arnold,  ( ieorge  Ilokc,  Abraham  Yandt,  John  Hart, 
John  Price,   Daniel   Reichard,  Henry  Kurtz. 

The  fourth  one  was  held  in  the  drove  meetinghouse,  near 
Tierlin,  in  1849.  This  was  a  great  meeting  in  a  number  of 
ways.  I'Vjrty-six  (jueries  were  considered  and  i)assed  upon. 
We  care  to  notice  only  a  few.  Article  21.  Is  the  Lord's 
sujjper  a  di\ine  or  sacred  ordinance?  and  if  so,  have  the  chil- 
dren of  Clod  a  right  to  invite  such  as  are  not  members  to  cat 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        293 

with  them  at  the  same  table  and  time?  Answer:  Considered, 
to  be  a  divine  and  sacred  ordinance  (as  all  the  Lord's  ordi- 
nances are),  and  should  be  eaten  by  the  members  only. 

Article  35.  Whether  it  would  not  be  more  consistent 
with  the  Word,  if,  at  the  communion,  the  administrator  would 
give  the  bread  and  cup  to  the  sisters,  and  they  divide  it,  like 
the  brethren,  among  themselves,  and  the  administrator  to  pass 
along,  to  keep  order?  Answ^er:  Considered,  unanimously,  to 
go  on,  in  celebrating  the  communion,  as  heretofore. 

Article  39.  \\'hether  it  would  not  be  more  according  to 
the  Gospel,  in  the  observance  of  feet-washing,  for  the  brother, 
at  the  head  of  the  table',  to  wash  and  wipe  the  feet  of  the 
brother  on  his  right  hand,  and  that  brother  to  wash  and  wipe 
the  feet  of  the  next,  and  so  on,  around  the  table?  Answer: 
Considered,  that  as  this  question  has  so  often  been  before  the 
council,  and  that  the  manner  of  its  observance  could  not  be 
amended,  we  are  still  of  the  opinion,  that  the  command  is  fully 
obeyed,  if  we  wash  our  feet  among  one  another,  as  rendered 
by  the  German  translation ;  but  we  would  recommend  to  each 
brother  and  sister,  at  the  earliest  opportunity,  to  obey  the 
command  to  wash,  and  that  in  washing,  the  members  should 
change  frecjuently. 

At  this  meeting  Brethren  Peter  Long,  Andrew  Spanogle. 
and  John  Holsinger,  of  Pennsylvania ;  Joseph  Arnold  and 
Jacob  Byser,  of  Virginia,  and  George  Hoke  and  Henry  Kurtz, 
of  Ohio,  w^ere  appointed  a  committee  to  assist  in  dividing  the 
large  Glades  church  into  several  congregations. 

The  names  of  the  following  ordained  elders  appear  at 
the  close  of  the  Minutes:  George  Hoke,  J.  Showalter. 
Henry  Kurtz,  Peter  Nead,  A.  Spanogle,  J.  Molsbaugh,  Peter 
Long,  John  Kline,  Jacob  Saylor,  Samuel  Wampler,  Peter 
Kober,  Jacob  Meyer,  Daniel  Yundt,  George  Shafer,  John  Hol- 
singer. Jac.  Stutzman,  D.  Shoemaker,  Jos.  Arnold  and  Thos. 
Clarke. 

The  fifth  one  held  in  the  District  convened  in  the  Summit 
Mills  meetinghouse,  in  the  Elk  Lick  congregation,  in  1859. 
"  As  usual,  a  large  number  of  persons  assembled  on  Saturday, 


294  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

and  a  meeting  for  worship  was  held  in  the  afternoon.  On 
Lord's  Day,  the  congregation  being  very  large,  arrangements 
were  made  for  having  divine  service  performed  in  three  dif- 
ferent places  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  place  designed 
for  the  General  Council  Meeting.  These  meetings  were  all 
well  attended,  and  good  attention  given  to  the  Word  preached. 

"  On  Monday  morning  the  Council  Meeting  was  organ- 
ized by  appointing  the  following  Standing  Committee :  John 
Kline,  Jacob  Thomas,  Isaac  Pfoutz,  Daniel  P.  Sayler,  John 
H.  Umstad,  Peter  Long,  John  P.  Ebersole,  Henry  Davy, 
Jacob  Miller,  John  Metzger,  Samuel  Layman,  David  Ritten- 
house,  James  Quinter,  and  John  Berkley.  Daniel  P.  Sayler 
and  James  Quinter  were  appointed  Clerks,  and  Daniel  P. 
Sayler,  Moderator. 

"  The  delegates  then  i)resented  themselves,  and  the  papers 
addressed  to  the  Council  were  received  ;  and  while  business 
was  preparing,  public  worship  was,  as  usual,  held  on  Monday. 

"  There  were  represented,  in  this  Council  Meeting,  eighty- 
seven  congregations.  The  delegates  representing  these  con- 
gregations were  divided  into  thirteen  sub-committees,  and  to 
them  were  committed  the  queries  designed  to  come  before  the 
General  Council,  in  order  that  they  might  report  ui)on  them. 

"  On  Tuesday  morning  the  brethren  assembled  for  .busi- 
ness. The  meeting  was  opened  with  singing  and  prayer.  Aft- 
er this  the  object  of  the  meeting  was  explained.  The  com- 
mittees then  began  to  make  their  reports,  and  it  was  ascer- 
tained that  the  following  queries  were  before  the  meeting. 
These  were  considered  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  examined  in 
the  light  of  the  Scriptures,  and  answered  as  herein  stated  :  " 

Thirty-seven  items  of  business  were  passed  upon.  Article 
5.  Inasmuch  as  the  ceremony  used  by  the  Brethren,  in  re- 
ceiving members  into  the  church,  is  thought,  by  a  large  pro- 
portion of  the  r.rc'thren.  to  be  of  too  great  length,  might  it  not 
be  shortened?  And,  instead  of  the  cjuestions  being  asked  in 
the  water,  would  it  not  be  more  consistent  to  ask  them  in 
the  house,  or  on  the  bank  of  the  river  or  stream?     Answer: 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        295 

We  do  not  consider  it  good  to  make  any  alterations  from  the 
present  practice  of  the  Brethren. 

The  sixth  Annual  Conference  held  in  Western  Pennsyl- 
vania, convened  in  Meyersdale,  June,  1873.  The  Standing 
Committee  met  and  organized  on  Monday,  June  2,  and  on 
Tuesday  morning  the  General  Council  Meeting  was  opened.  At 
this  meeting  twenty-nine  articles  were  passed  upon.  A  notice- 
able feature  of  this  meeting  is  that  committees  were  sent  to 
eight  dififerent  congregations  to  assist  in  the  adjustment  of 
difficulties.  The  Standing  Committee  was  composed  of  the 
following  elders :  Henry  Garst,  B.  F.  Moomaw,  S.  Garver, 
M.  Cossner,  D.  P.  Sayler,  D.  Long,  David  Gerlach,  Jacob 
Price,  John  Wise,  H.  D.  Davy,  John  Brillhart,  Jacob  Garver, 
D.  B.  Sturgis,  John  Baker,  Joseph  McCarty,  E.  Eby,  John 
Metzger,  Henry  Strickler,  R.  Badger,  C.  Harader,  and  J. 
Quinter. 

The  last  Conference  to  convene  in  this  District  was  held 
in  May,  1894,  at  Meyersdale.  The  General  Conference  was 
opened  at  9  A.  M.,  May  29,  1894.  The  Minutes  of  this  meet- 
ing cover  seventeen  large  printed  pages.  Two  questions  of 
unfinished  business  were  disposed  of,  and  twelve  articles  of 
new  business  were  presented.  The  report  of  the  General 
Church  Erection  and  Missionary'  Committee  is  both  lengthy 
and  interesting.  That  year  the  receipts  for  missionary  pur- 
poses from  all  sources,  were  $9,748.39.  The  Annual  Meeting 
collection  was  $423.56.  At  this  meeting  W.  B.  Stover  and 
Mary  Stover,  his  wife,  of  Waynesboro,  Pennsylvania,  A.  W. 
Vaniman  and  Alice  Vaniman,  his  wife,  of  Topeka,  Kansas, 
and  Bertha  Ryan,  of  Chicago,  Illinois,  were  approved  as  mis- 
sionaries to  India.  The  understanding,  however,  was  that 
only  three  of  them  be  sent  at  the  present. 

The  Standing  Committee  was  composed  of  thirty-six  eld- 
ers, as  follows:  J.  W.  Eller,  W.  H.  Nafif,  Levi  A.  Wenger, 
D.  B.  Arnold,  W.  A.  Gaunt,  Eph.  W.  Stoner,  Geo.  K.  Sap- 
pington.  S.  A.  Miller,  F.  P.  Cassel,  C.  L.  Pfoutz,  H.  B.  Brum- 
baugh. David  Hildebrand,  Tobias  Kreider,  Samuel  Sprankel. 
L.    H.    Dicky,   Wm.    Harshbarger,   D.    Bechtelheimer,   A.    H. 


296  HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH   OF   THE 

Puterbaugh,  S.  Bucklew,  Jos.  Amick,  J.  H.  Moore,  J.  Rufus 
Gish,  M.  T.  Baer,  G.  W.  Clemens,  S.  M.  Miller,  John  Zuck, 
Abraham  Wolfe,  Isaac  F.  Rairigh,  S.  M.  Forney,  Geo.  E. 
Wise,  Chas.  M.  Yearout,  B.  B.  Whitmer,  E.  Eby,  Abraham 
Molsbce,  John  Metzler,  and  L.  W.  Teeter.  Enoch  Eby  was 
Moderator;  L.  W.  Teeter,  Reading  Clerk  and  J.  H.  Moore, 
Writing  Clerk. 

It  is  seen  from  the  few  articles  noted  in  the  foregoing 
that  many  years  ago  the  single  mode  of  feet-washing,  sisters 
breaking  bread,  and  asking  the  questions  out  of  the  water, 
were  contended  for.  We,  today,  wonder  at  the  liberality  of 
the  Brethren  years  ago  in  admitting  persons  to  membership 
who  had  been  baptized  by  single  immersion ;  also  in  per- 
mitting friends  not  members  to  partake  of  the  Lord's  supper. 
In  the  matter  of  temperance  we  have  lost  nothing,  but  gained, 
because  we  are  taking  an  active  part  in  driving  the  saloon 
from  our  fair  land. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Ministerial  Meetings. 

In  the  matter  of  holding  Ministerial  Meetings  Western 
Pennsylvania  is  well  in  the  lead  among  the  Districts  of  the 
Brotherhood.  The  first  call  for  such  a  meeting  came  from 
the  Johnstown  congregation  to  the  District  Meeting  of 
1892  in  the  following  petition:  "  A\'e,  the  Johnstown  church 
of  Cambria  County,  Pennsylvania,  petition  District  Meeting, 
assembled  in  the  Johnstown  congregation,  to  grant  said  church 
the  privilege  of  holding  a  Ministerial  Meeting  in  the  fall  of 
1892  in  the  Walnut  Grove  house."  Answer  to  petition : 
"  Petition  granted." 

In  accordance  with  the  above  petition  and  answer  the  first 
Ministerial  Meeting  of  the  Western  District  of  Pennsylvania 
convened  in  the  Walnut  Grove  church  of  the  Johnstown  con- 
gregation, November  2  and  3,  1892,  with  J.  C.  Johnson,  Mod- 
erator and  Joseph  Holsopple,  Clerk.  The  next  meeting  was 
held  November  23  and  24,  1893,  in  the  Berkey  church  of  the 
Shade  Creek  congregation,  with  J.  C.  Johnson,  Moderator  and 
George  W.  Lowr>^  Secretar}^  Succeeding  meetings  were 
held  as  follows:  October  11  and  12,  1894,  Indian  Creek;  J.  C. 
Johnson.  Moderator;  George  \\\  Lowr)%  Secretar}'.  October 
30  and  31,  1895,  Elk  Lick;  J.  C.  Johnson,  Moderator;  W.  G. 
Schrock,  Secretary.  October  20  and  21,  1896,  Walnut  Grove; 
George  S.  Rairigh,  Moderator;  S.  S.  Blough,  Secretary.  Oc- 
tober 6  and  7,  1897,  Middle  Creek ;  D.  H.  Walker,  Modera- 
tor; J.  F.  Dietz.  Secretary.  October  25  and  26,  1898,  Shade 
Creek;  D.  H.  Walker,  Moderator;  S.  S.  Blough,  Secretary, 
October  17  and  18,  1899,  Maple  Spring,  Quemahoning  con- 
gregation; D.  H.  Walker,  Moderator;  S.  S.  Blough,  Secretary. 
October  9  and  10,  1900,  Jacobs  Creek;  W.  A.  Gaunt,  Mod- 


298  HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH   OF   THE 

erator;  S.  S.  Blough,  Secretary.  October  22  and  23,  1901, 
Holsinger  church.  Dunnings  Creek  congregation;  organization 
is  not  at  hand.  November  12  and  13,  1902,  Walnut  Grove; 
D.  H.  Walker,  Moderator;  H.  A.  Stahl,  Secretary. 

By  this  time  the  burden  of  holding  these  meetings,  on 
account  of  the  large  attendance,  becoming  great,  for  three 
years  no  congregation  called  for  the  meeting.  In  1903  the 
Sunday-school  Convention,  by  action  of  District  Meeting,  was 
ordered  to  be  made  self-supporting,  by  charging  for  the  meals 
served.  This  proving  satisfactory,  a  similar  action  was  taken 
in  1906  in  regard  to  the  Ministerial  Meeting,  with  the  pro- 
vision that  both  meetings  be  held  at  the  same  time  and  place. 
This  i)lan  has  been  working  well  ever  since,  and  meetings 
have  been  held  annually  as  follows:  July  31  and  August  1, 
1906,  Walnut  Grove;  Joseph  Holsopple,  Moderator;  H.  A. 
Stahl,  Secretary.  August  21  and  22.  1907,  Meyersdale;  Jas- 
per Pjarnthouse.  Moderator;  J.  J.  Shafifer,  Secretary.  August 
24  and  25.  1908.  Pike  church.  Brothers  Valley  congregation; 
W.  M.  Howe,  Moderator;  W'illiam  Kinsey,  Secretary.  Au- 
gust 24  and  25,  1909,  Roxbury  church.  West  Johnstown  con- 
gregation;  J.  H.  Cassady,  Moderator;  H.  A.  Stahl,  Secretary. 
August  23  and  24.  1910.  Elk  Lick;  M.  J.  Weaver,  Moderator; 
H.  A.  Stahl,  Secretary.  August  22  and  23.  1911,  Scalp  Level ; 
W,  M.  Howe,  Moderator ;  H.  S.  Reiilogle.  Secretary.  August 
20  and  21,  1912,  Walnut  Grove;  D.  H.  W^alker,  Moderator; 
Alvin  G.  Foust,  Secretary.  August  19  and  20,  1913,  Greens- 
burg;  J.  H.  Cassady.  Moderator;  G.  E.  Yoder,  Secretary. 
August  18  and  19,  1914,  Meyersdale;  J.  H.  Cassady,  Moder- 
ator; L.  R.  Holsinger.  Secretary.  August  17  and  18,  1915, 
Roxbury;  W.  M.  Howe,  Moderator;  M.  J.  Brougher,  Secre- 
tary. 

I  am  sure  that  all  who  have  been  in  attendance  at  these 
meetings  are  ready  to  testify  that  they  have  received  great 
benefit  from  them.  Manv  and  varied  have  been  the  subjects 
discussed.  Great  inspiration  comes  to  a  large  body  of  min- 
isters and  other  workers  in  meeting  together  to  discuss  great 
and  vital  Bible  doctrines  and  best  methods  of  accomplishing 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        299 

the  Lord's  work.  One  who  is  accustomed  to  attending  these 
meetings  can  scarcely  see  how  so  many  of  the  ministers  of  the 
District  can  be  satisfied  to  absent  themselves  from  these  means 
of  growth  and  development. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Bible,  Missionary  and  Sunday-School  Institute. 

"  The  Bil)le,  Missionary  and  Sunday-school  Institute  of 
the  Western  District  of  Pennsylvania  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  was  organized  at  Scalp  Level,  Pennsylvania,  August 
23,  1911. 

"  This  institute  is  to  be  held  annually,  beginning  on  the 
second  Monday  evening  of  December  of  each  year  and  closing 
on  the  following  Friday  evening.  The  committee  for  the 
year  1911  was  as  follows:  J.  H.  Cassady,  Chairman;  J.  L. 
Weaver,  Secretary ;  G.  K.  Walker,  Treasurer,  and  G.  E. 
Yoder  and  H.  S.  Replogle." 

The  first  institute  was  held  in  the  Roxbury  church  of 
the  West  Johnstown  congregation,  December  4-9,  1911,  having 
been  held  one  week  before  the  set  time  on  account  of  Elder 
J.  M.  Blough,  who  was  one  of  the  instructors,  and  who  could 
not  be  present  later.  The  instructors  were  as  follows :  Sun- 
day-school Work,  R.  D.  Murphy;  Bible  (Galatians),  W.  M. 
Howe ;  Bible  Doctrine,  D.  W.  Kurtz ;  Missionary,  J.  M. 
Blough.  and  Travels  (illustrated),  W.  R.  Miller.  Forty-five 
ministers  were  in  attendance. 

At  the  Ministerial  Meeting  at  Walnut  Grove,  August  21, 
1912,  a  decision  was  passed  by  which  the  Bible  Institute  Com- 
mittee should  consist  of  three  members,  one  being  elected  each 
year.  At  the  same  meeting  the  following  committee  was  elect- 
ed :  J.  H.  Cassady,  three  years,  W.  M.  Howe,  two  years  and 
H.  S.  Replogle,  one  year. 

The  second  institute  was  held  in  the  Meyersdale  church 
December  9-13,  1912.  The  instructors  were  Dr.  D.  Webster 
Kurtz,  Elder  T.  T.  Myers  and  Elder  Wilbur  B.  Stover,  who 


302  HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

was  home  on  furlough.  Thirty-four  ministers  were  in  at- 
tendance. 

The  third  institute  was  held  in  the  Scalp  Level  church, 
December  29,  1913  to  January  4,  1914.  The  instructors 
were  Dr.  Kurtz,  again,  and  Elder  I.  Bennett  Trout,  and  some 
of  the  home  ministers — P.  J.  Blough,  R.  D.  Murphy,  W.  M. 
Howe  and  H.  S.  Replogle.  Brother  George  W.  Flory,  of 
Covington,  Ohio,  gave  his  address,  "  The  Red  Dragon."  The 
number  of  ministers  present  was  thirty. 

The  fourth  institute  was  held  in  the  Greensburg  church, 
December  14-18,  1914,  and  the  instructors  from  a  distance 
were  P.  B.  P'itzwater  and  T.  T.  Myers.  Only  sixteen  min- 
isters were  present. 

The  small  attendance  of  ministers  and  Sunday-school 
workers,  and  the  fact  that  a  number  of  congregations  held 
local  institutes  brought  up  the  question  at  the  1915  District 
Meeting  of  the  propriety  of  discontinuing  the  District  Insti- 
tute and  urging  the  holding  of  more  local  institutes.  The 
vote,  however,  favored  continuing  them. 

The  fifth  institute  was  held  in  the  Roxbury  church  of  the 
West  Johnstown  congregation,  and  ])roved  a  great  success  in 
every  way.  Tt  convened  from  December  27  to  31,  1915,  and 
the  outside  instructors  were  Elders  Galen  B.  Royer  and  Albert 
C.  Wieand.  Field  Secretary  1.  E.  Holsinger  gave  a  talk 
each  day  on  Sunday-school  work.  Elders  M.  Clyde  Horst, 
M.  J.  Brougher,  P.  J.  Blough  and  W.  M.  Howe  also  gave  one 
address  each  on  a  vital  subject.  Attendance  of  ministers, 
forty-three. 

These  institutes  are  proving  themselves  a  means  of 
thorough  instruction  and  a  source  of  great  inspiration.  While 
the  night  sessions  are  attended  by  large  crowds,  the  day  ses- 
sions sometimes  are  only  fairly  vi^ell  attended,  and  it  is  felt 
that  a  much  larger  number  of  ministers  and  Sunday-school 
workers  should  avail  themselves  of  this  means  of  growth 
and  development. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 
Biographies. 

JOHN  ACHE. 

John  Ache  (Aughey)  was  born  in  Germany,  but  was  of  French 
descent.  Of  his  ancestry  nothing  is  known  now.  In  1728  he  first 
settled  in  Lancaster  County,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  married  Eliz- 
abeth Venerlich.  Here  he  also  united  with  the  church  and  was 
elected  to  the  ministry.  Xot  many  years  after  his  election  to  the 
ministry  he  moved  to  Fayette  County,  Pennsylvania,  and  purchased 
the  Ache  farm,  containing  240  acres,  situated  one  and  one-fourth 
miles  south  of  Masontown.  Here  he  lived  until  his  death  in  1808. 
He  was  the  first  member  of  the  Georges  Creek  congregation  and 
its  first  elder.  He  held  the  meetings  in  his  home  for  a  number  of 
years.  During  the  summer  the  meetings  were  held  in  his  large 
barn.  After  the  Brethren  quit  holding  the  love  feasts  in  their 
dwellings,  they  usually  held  them  in  the  Ache  barn  also. 

DAVID  ALBAUGH. 

David  Albaugh,  a  minister,  moved  into  the  Conemaugh  con- 
gregation from  Blair  County,  Pennsylvania,  when  he  was  well  ad- 
vanced in  years.  He  had  been  a  useful  and  influential  member  of 
the  Frankstown  church  in  his  native  county.  He  was  a  brother  of 
excellent  character,  and  kind-hearted.  He  labored  in  the  Cone- 
maugh congregation  until  his  death,  which  occurred  March  2, 
1867,  at  the  age  of  79  years,  6  months  and  7  days.  The  funeral 
services  were  conducted  by  Brethren  Solomon  Benshofif,  William 
Byers  and  Stephen  Hildebrand,  and  his  body  was  laid  to  rest  in 
the  Angus  cemeterj',  near  the  old  Horner  meetinghouse. 

FRANK  ANKENEY. 

Jacob  and  Elizabeth  Ankeney,  who  reside  near  Elderton,  Arm- 
strong County,  Pennsylvania,  are  among  the  substantial  citizens 
of  that  county  and  he  is  a  deacon  in  the  Plum  Creek  congregation. 
Brother  Ankeney  is  a  member  of  a  large  and  influential  family  of 
Somerset  County,  from  where  he  moved  when  but  a  child.  They 
are  the  parents  of  the  following  children:  Robert,  died  1896;  Flor- 
ence,  Murray,   Frank,  Harry  and  Mary. 

Frank  was  born  at  Elderton,  Armstrong  County,  September  5, 


304  HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Frank   Ankeney. 

1889.  In  addition  to  his  public  school  education,  he  attended  the 
Elderton  y\cademy,  graduating  therefrom  in  1909.  In  the  fall  of 
the  same  year  he  entered  Juniata  College.  After  having  spent 
two  years  in  college  he  taught  school  during  the  winter  of  1911-12. 
He  returned  to  Juniata  in  the  fall  of  1912  and  graduated  in  the 
college  classical  course  in  the  spring  of  1914. 

Brother  Ankeney  was  elected  to  the  ministry  while  in  col- 
lege in  1911,  by  the  Huntingdon  church.  After  finishing  his  work 
at  Juniata,  he  was  educational  secretary  in  the  Central  Y.  M.  C.  A. 
of  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania,  in  1914-15.  During  tlu-  term  of  1915- 
16  he  is  principal  of  the  Elderton  High  School. 

JASPER   BARNTHOUSE. 

Jasper  Barnthouse,  onlj'  son  of  William  and  Polly  (I'^ike) 
Barnthouse,  was  born  October  7,  1861,  in  Garrett  County,  Mary- 
land, near  the  Pennsylvania  and  West  Virginia  lines.  He  is  a 
grandson  of  Jacob  and  Mary  Fike.  His  grandparents  on  both 
sides  are  of  German  descent. 

Jasper  was  born  and  reared  on  the  farm,  and  by  occupation 
he  was  a  farmer  for  about  twenty  years.     He  received  a  common 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         305 


Elder    Jasper    Barnthuuse    and    Wife. 


school  education.  In  1883  he  began  teaching  school  and  taught 
twelve  winters.  His  first  school  was  near  Frostburg,  Maryland. 
Five  winters  he  taught  the  home  school  (Asher  Glade)  and  five 
years  the  adjoining  one  (Sand  Spring),  and  the  other  term  was  in 
the  McCabe  school. 

Brother  Barnthouse  and  Anna  Belle  Umbel,  daughter  of  Isaac 
and  Mary  Catharine  Umbel,  were  married  March  30,  1890,  Elder 
Samuel  C.   Umbel,  the  bride's  uncle,   performing  the   ceremony. 

At  the  age  of  seventeen,  in  December,  1878,  while  teaching  the 
Sand  Spring  school,  and  during  a  meeting  held  in  the  same  school- 
house,  Jasper  gave  his  young  heart  to  God,  being  baptized  by 
Elder  William  Bucklew,  in  the  Buflfalo  Creek.  He  was  called  to 
the  ministry  in  the  Markleysburg  congregation,  June  11,  1884,  ad- 


306  HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

vanccd  to  the  second  degree  of  the  ministry  in  tlic  winter  of  18S5, 
and  ordained  to  the  eldership  July  11,  \W6,  in  tlie  same  congrega- 
tion, by   Elders   C.   G.   Lint  and  Josiah   T.erkley. 

Elder  Barnthouse  has  been  one  of  the  most  active  of  our  min- 
isters. For  a  number  of  years  he  spent  considerable  time  in  the 
evangelistic  lield,  holding  in  all  seventy-one  series  of  meetings. 
These  meetings  were  held  in  Pennsylvania,  Maryland  and  West 
V^irginia.  lie  has  baptized  616  persons.  This  does  not  include 
those  where  he  held  series  of  meetings  and  some  other  minister 
baptized  the  applicants,  which  was  freciuently  done.  I'p  to  date 
(January  1,  1916)  he  solemnized  103  marriages,  anointed  106  sick 
persons  and  preached  222  funerals.  Altogether  he  has  preached 
4,074  sermons. 

Elder  Barnthouse  labored  in  the  Markleysburg  congregation 
until  1904,  when  he  removed  to  I'niontown,  Georges  Creek  congre- 
gation, becoming  the  pastor  of  the  church  in  that  town.  This  po- 
sition he  has  filled  ever  since.  At  different  times  he  has  been  in 
charge  of  the  Markleysburg,  Georges  Creek,  Indian  Creek,  Ten 
Mile,  Pennsylvania,  Bear  Creek,  Maryland  and  Mount  Union,  West 
\'irginia,  congregations.  He  served  as  Moderator  of  Distrin 
Meeting  eleven  times  and  was  delegate  on  the  Standing  Committee 
four  times. 

SOLOMON  J.  BAER. 

Solomon  J.  Baer,  son  of  John  Baer,  was  born  December  31, 
1827.  He  was  born  and  reared  on  his  father's  farm,  near  Sipcs- 
ville,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania.  His  education  was  limited, 
though  he  taught  two  years  of  German  school  and  two  of  English. 

He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Agnes  Cober,  daughter  of 
Elder  Jolm  P.  Colier,  in  1850.  .After  marriage  they  moved  on  his 
father's  farm  with  his  parents.  Here  he  lived  till  1866,  when,  with  his 
family,  he  moved  to  a  farm  five  miles  east  of  Somerset,  in  Som- 
erset Township,  on  the  Soinerset  and  Bedford  Pike,  near  where 
Wills  cliurch  is  now  located. 

Brother  and  Sister  llaer  were  tlie  i>arents  of  ten  sons  and  one 
daughter,  I^osie.  Rosie  was  drowned  in  the  Johnstown  Hood.  A 
number  of  the  sons  were  school-teachers,  and  all  of  the  children 
were  faitlilul  workers  in  their  respective  ciuirclies.  l""ive  have  been 
officially    connected    almost    from    boyhood. 

In  1856,  while  living  in  the  Quemahoning  congregation,  he 
was  called  to  the  ministry,  with  his  colaborer,  Jonathan  W. 
Blough.  His  preaching  was  in  the  German  language.  When  the 
Berlin  congregation  was  divided,  in  1880,  Brother  Baer  and  Mi- 
chael Weyand  were  the  ministers  of  one  of  the  new  congregations; 
viz.,  Somerset. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        307 

In  1884,  his  second  oldest  son,  Israel  Baer,  and  wife,  Hattie 
(Seibert),  and  his  three  brothers,  William,  Daniel  and  Peter,  set- 
tled near  Beaver  City,  Furnas  County,  Nebraska,  and  became  the 
nucleus  for  a  Brethren  church,  which  in  1913,  at  the  time  of  Brother 
Baer's  death,  numbered  over  100  members.  Elder  Christian  For- 
ney held  the  first  series  of  meetings,  in  Brother  Baer's  sod  house. 
Israel  was  elected  deacon  at  this  same  meeting-,  1884,  and  was  very 
faithful,  and  a  great  help  to  the  pastors  who  have  served  this 
church. 

Sister  Fern  Willard  Baer,  of  Johnstown,  Pennsylvania,  who 
is  a  successful  teacher  in  the  schools  of  her  city,  an  elocutionist 
of  rare  ability,  and  an  active  temperance  worker,  is  a  grand- 
daughter. Sister  Baer  has  been  from  her  childhood  a  valued 
helper  in  the  work  of  the  Cambria  County  Woman's  Christian 
Temperance  Union.  She  has  traveled  and  given  readings  in  a  num- 
ber of  counties  of  the  State.  As  a  reciter  Sister  Baer  has  won  a 
number  of  medals. 

Brother  Baer  died  March  5,  1885,  aged  57  years,  6  months  and 
4  days,  and  was  buried  in  the  Pike  cemetery,  at  Brotherton,  where 
lie  his  wife,  who  died  in  1915,  and  his  sons,  John  and  Henry,  and 
his  daughter,  Rosie. 


Newton   E.   Beabes. 


308 


HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


NEWTON  EMERT  BEABES. 

Newton  E.  Beabes,  son  of  Xoali  and  Susan  (  l>lough)  Beabes, 
was  born  in  Quemahoning  Township,  Somerset  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania, January  1,  1890.  He  was  reared  on  the  farm  and  attended 
the  public  schools  until  he  was  nineteen  years  of  age. 

In  addition  to  his  common  school  education,  Brother  Beabes 
was  a  student  in  Juniata  College  tivc  terms.  Me  has  taught  five 
terms  of  school  and  is  engaged  in  teaching  in  the  Hooversville 
Borough   schools  at  present. 

During  a  series  of  meetings  held  in  the  Sipesville  church,  Que- 
mahoning congregation,  Newton  gave  his  heart  to  God  and  was 
baptized.  He  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Quemahoning 
congregation,  November  2,  1910.  On  December  25,  1915,  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Ada  Meyers,  of  Hooversville,  1)y  Rev.  W.  E.  Sun- 
day. 


Prof.  J.  C.  licahin. 


J.   C.   BEAHM. 

The  family  of  Elder  H.  A.  and  .\nnie  Beahm,  wlio  lived  and 
died  in  Virginia,  will  always  stand  out  prominently  because  of  the 
number  of  ministers  it  produced.  In  all  there  were  six  sons  and 
four  daughters,  as  follows:  S.  P..  1.  X.  11.,  J.  C,  W.  E.,  B.  C, 
G.  W.,  Bcttie  (Sours),  Ella  (Shick).  Lucy  (Price),  and  Adria 
(Varner).  B.  C.  and  Adria  are  dead.  S.  P.  and  I.  N.  IT.  are  eld- 
ers, J.  C,  W.    E.  and  G.   W.   are  ministers.     Ella's  first  marriage 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         309 

was  to  Professor  C.  E.  Arnold.  After  his  death  she  married  Elder 
Shick,  who  also  died. 

Professor  J.  C.  Beahm,  one  of  the  sons,  was  born  in  Rock- 
ingham County,  Virginia,  December  20,  1864.  He  took  the  B.  E. 
course  at  Bridgewater  College,  Virginia,  and  the  B.  A.  and  M.  A. 
courses  at  Oskaloosa  College,  Iowa.  He  taught  six  years  in  the 
public  schools  of  Virginia,  seven  years  in  the  Prince  William 
Academy,  at  Brentsville,  Virginia,  ten  sessions  in  the  public 
schools  of  Maryland.  He  located  in  Elk  Lick,  Somerset  County, 
Pennsylvania,  in  1912,  and  has  taught  four  years  in  high  school 
work  in  Somerset  County,  being  at  present  principal  of  the  Bos- 
well  High  School.     Brother  Beahm  is  a  born  teacher. 

But  he  is  also  an  able  minister.  He  was  elected  to  the  min- 
istry in  Bedford  County,  Virginia,  in  189L  He  married  Miss  Em- 
ma Shockley,  of  Patrick  County,  Virginia,  in  1896,  who,  though  the 
daughter  of  a  minister  in  another  denomination,  has  united  with 
her  husband's  church,  and  is  a  noble  Christian  mother. 

CHRISTOPHER   ISAIAH    BEAM. 

C.  Lsaiah  Beam,  son  of  Jacob  Beam,  and  grandson  of  Chris- 
topher Beam,  whose  father  emigrated  from  Scotland  before  the 
Revolutionary  War,  and  settled  on  land  in  Somerset  County, 
some  of  which  is  now  in  possession  of  the  Mausts,  was  of  sturdy 
Scotch  ancestry. 

Jacob  Beam  was  married  to  a  Miss  Anderson.  They  moved 
to  the  "  Western  Reserve,"  probably  Holmes  County,  Ohio,  where 
their  children  were  born  and  reared.  When  Isaiah,  who  was  born 
December  28,  1817,  was  eight  years  old  his  mother  died,  leaving 
him  to  be  pushed  about  anywhere.  He  made  his  way  in  the  world  as 
best  he  could,  sometimes  teaching  school,  sometimes  carrying 
mail,  and  once  for  a  while  he  was  a  conductor  on  the  old  Portage 
Railroad. 

When  he  was  26  years  of  age  he  paid  a  visit  to  his  uncles, 
Abraham  and  Hiram  Beam,  in  Somerset  County.  He  remained 
for  some  time,  became  acquainted  with  the  family  of  Joseph  Mey- 
ers and  married  his  oldest  daughter,  Catharine,  about  the  year 
1845.  The  second  year  of  his  married  life  he  lived  in  a  house 
owned  by  John  Forney,  Sr.,  and  ever  after  they  were  the  best  of 
friends.  Forney  was  rather  German  and  Beam  was  entirely  En- 
glish, and  their  associations  together  were  mutually  helpful,  For- 
ney acquiring  the  English  language,  and  Beam  the  Pennsylvania 
Dutch.  While  living  with  Brother  Forney  he  learned  of  the  Breth- 
ren, and  in  1847  he  united  with  the  church.  He  was  Methodist,  but 
is  known  to  have  said  that  he  knew  there  ought  to  be  a   church 


310  HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

like  the  Brethren  when  yet  with  the  Methodists  in  Ohio.  After 
leaving  the  Forney  farm  he  bought  eight  acres  of  land  upon  which 
he  erected  a  house  and  lived  until  1858,  when  John  Forney  moved 
West,  and  Brother  Beam  bought  his  farm.  This  farm  is  a  mile 
south  of  Jenners,  in  Jcnner  Township.  Here  he  lived  till  death. 
May  9,   1868,  aged  50  years,  4  months  and  11   days. 

Brother  Beam  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  1854.  being  the 
first  English  minister  in  the  Quemahoning  cliurch,  where  he  re- 
garded every  member  as  his  friend,  and  all  the  preachers  as  his 
associates.  Nothing  gave  him  greater  pleasure  than  the  associa- 
tion of  the  Brethren  ministers,  and  when  visiting  ministers 
stopped  to  spend  the  night  in  his  home,  which  was  no  uncommon 
occurrence,  he  was  well  pleased.  His  love  for  the  church  was 
ardent,  and  it  was  a  great  pleasure  for  him  to  attend  the  meetings. 

His  usual  mode  of  travel  was  horseback.  He  often  rode  to 
Bedford,  Westmoreland,  Cambria  and  Fayette  Counties,  and  to 
Maryland.  He  was  an  inveterate  reader,  and  the  New  Testament 
was  his  choice  Book.  At  the  first  District  Meeting  of  Western 
Pennsylvania,  held  in  the  Grove  meetinghouse,  in  1866,  Brother 
Beam  was  one  of  the  Clerks. 

Brother  and  Sister  Beam  were  the  parents  of  nine  children, 
six  of  whom  grew  up  and  married.  One  son  (died  recently),  a 
son-in-law,  and  two  grandsons  are  in  the  ministry  in  the  Church 
of  the  Brethren. 

JOSEPH    BEAM. 

Joseph  Beam,  oldest  son  of  C.  Isaiah  and  Catharine  (Meyers) 
Beam,  was  born  in  Jenner  Township,  Somerset  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania, May  22,  1848.  Joseph  grew  up  on  his  father's  farm  much 
as  other  farmer  boys  do,  enjoying  only  such  school  facilities  as 
the  common  township  schools  afiforded,  with  perhaps  several 
terms  of  Summer  Normal  School.  He  early  qualified  himself  to 
teach  school  and  taught  nearly  half  a  score  of  terms  of  school  in 
Jenner  and  Conemaugh  Townships,  Somerset  County,  and  one  term 
in  Indiana  County.  His  studious  habits  and  careful  reading  gave 
him  a  wide  range  of  general  knowledge.  He  was  a  deep  thinker 
and  considerable  of  a  critic,  especially  in  his  younger  days.  It 
was  not  uncommon  for  him  to  offer  friendly  criticism  to  the  min- 
ister after  listening  carefully  to  his  sermon.  This  was  done  with 
a  view  of  being  helpful  to  those  who  had  not  had  the  opportuni- 
ties of  an  education  as  he  had. 

He  also  studied,  and  in  the  later  years  of  his  life  did  much 
surveying,  some  of  it  being  done  for  coal  companies.  Many  years 
he  also  pursued  farming,  having  lived  on  several  farms  in  Jenner 
and  Jefferson  Townships.     At  the  time  of  his  death,  and  for  some 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         311 

time  previous,  he  was  mail  carrier  between  Bakersville  and  Kuhn, 
and  it  is  probable  that  the  disease  (pneumonia)  that  caused  his 
death  was  contracted  by  exposure  to  the  bad  weather  while  per- 
forming his  daily  duties. 

Brother  Beam  was  twice  married.  His  first  wife  was  Miss 
Sarah  Ream,  who  died  in  1875.  Of  this  union  he  is  survived  by 
four  children — Charles,  Pierce,  Samuel,  and  Mrs.  Dorsey  Keefer. 
His  second  wife,  who  survives  him,  was  Miss  Mary  Ellen  Shaulis. 
Of  this  union  he  is  survived  by  four  children — Robert,  James, 
William  and  Mrs.  Anna  Swank.  His  first  marriage  was  in  al)out 
1868  and  his  second  March  28,  1879. 

Brother  Beam  was  baptized  in  1867,  and  on  June  27,  1882,  he 
was  called  to  the  ministry  by  the  Quemahoning  congregation.  His 
ministerial  labors  were  principally  in  this  congregation,  until 
the  beginning  of  the  present  century  when  the  present  line  was 
adopted  between  the  Quemahoning  and  the  Middle  Creek  congre- 
gations. The  adoption  of  this  line  placed  him  with  the  Middle 
Creek  Brethren,  and,  though  this  was  not  of  his  seeking,  he  la- 
bored in  that  congregation  the  remainder  of  his  lifetime. 

Brother  Beam  wrote  a  biography  of  his  father  less  than  nine 
months  before  his  death.  In  the  close  of  his  letter  at  that  time 
he  said:  "I  am  always  very  busy  and  today  I  am  in  a  hurry.  1 
have  jotted  this  for  you,  and  if  you  can  get  anything  out  of  it, 
I  am  sure  you  are  welcome  to  it.  If  you  wish  anything  more  let 
me  know." 

He  died  January  12,  1915,  aged  66  years,  7  months  and  20  days. 
His  funeral  was  conducted  by  Norman  H.  Blough  in  the  Sipesville 
meetinghouse,  and  interment  was  made  in  the  adjoining  cemetery. 

J.  C.  W.  BEAM. 

J.  C.  W.  Beam,  son  of  John  and  Nancy  Jane  (Fisher)  Beam, 
was  born  in  Franklin  Borough,  Cambria  County,  Pennsylvania, 
January  29,  1869.  The  family  located  in  Millville  Borough,  now  a 
part  of  the  city  of  Johnstown,  where  Brother  Calvin  received  his 
education,  finishing  the  course  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  when  he 
entered  the  Cambria  Steel  Company's  employ  as  a  mill  hand.  He 
has  been  in  this  company's  employ,  in  various  departments,  ever 
since. 

Brother  Beam  comes  from  an  old  family,  the  Beams  being 
able  to  trace  their  lineage  to  the  fatherland.  His  brothers  and 
sisters  are:  Albert  S.,  George  F.,  Charles  E.,  Mary  Katharine,  Jo- 
sephine May,  Elizabeth  Lucinda,  Estella  Viola,  Emma  Dewdrop, 
and  Bertha  Alice. 

Brother  Beam  and  Caroline  Mishler,  daughter  of  William  and 


312  HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

Leah  Mishler,  were  united  in  marriage  l)y  S.  W.  Miller,  justice 
of  the  peace.  To  this  union  were  born  the  following  children: 
Nellie  Mae,  Alliert  S.,  William  R.,  Samuel  L.,  John  M.,  Harry  F., 
and  James  C.  The  "last  two  are  dead.  All  are  members  of  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren. 

Brother  Beam  was  reared  in  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  but 
at  the  age  of  sixteen  he  united  with  the  Somerset  Street  Pro- 
gressive Brethren  Church,  being  baptized  by  Elder  R.  Z.  Replo- 
gle.  He,  however,  was  not  satisfied,  and  on  September  1,  1899. 
he  united  with  the  Johnstown  Church  of  the  Brethren,  being  bap- 
tized by  Elder  A.  P'yock. 

About  fourteen  years  ago  the  family  located  in  Rox])ury,  now 
a  part  of  the  West  Johnstown  congregation,  and  began  active  work 
in  the  church  and  Sunday-school.  Since  then  he  has  been  almost 
continuously  either  superintendent  or  teacher,  or  both.  In  June, 
1904,  he  was  elected  deacon,  and  December  12,  1911,  to  the  min- 
istry, all  in  the  West  Johnstown  congregation.  About  a  year 
later  he  was  forwarded  to  the  second  degree,  where  he  now  labors. 

Brother  Beam  has  served  the  church  as  Messenger  agent  a 
number  of  years.  He  posseses  a  good  library,  is  a  great  reader  and 
a  close  student. 

(Portrait   on   Page  199.) 

PETER  BEER. 

Peter  Beer  was  born  June  23,  1829,  in  Armstrong  County, 
Pennsylvania,  and  was  of  German  descent,  his  mother's  name 
being  Elizabeth  Berkey.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren.  He  was  an  orphan,  and  had  the  experiences  such  as 
children  generally  have  in  humble  and  limited  circumstances.  His 
facilities  for  an  education  and  self-improvement  were  much  cir- 
cumscribed, but  he  had  the  advantage  of  a  rugged  nature,  and 
was  endowed  with  mental  as  well  as  physical  force.  He  was  quick 
to  see  his  advantages  under  unfavorable  conditions,  and  was  not 
averse  to  making  use  of  his  physical  powers.  He  labored  much 
in  log  camps,  and  in  the  springtime,  when  the  floods  came,  he 
would  assist  in  building  rafts  of  the  timber  prepared  in  the  dead  of 
the  winter  and  floating  them  down  the  Susquehanna  River  to  mar- 
ket. While  thus  employed  he  often  came  in  contact  with  associ- 
ates of  rude  character.  One  time  on  his  return  trip  from  the  East- 
ern market,  a  drunken  mob  was  fighting  with  a  man  who  belonged 
to  another  crew.  The  boss,  a  large  man,  and  whose  name  also  was 
Beer,  came  up,  sent  the  fighters  right  and  left,  and  soon  succeeded 
in  getting  his  man  away  from  the  mob.  A  little  later  Brother  Beer 
came,  with  his  axe,  to  take  tlie  train  for  home.     Some  one  called 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        313 


KUler    I'eter   IJeer   and    M  ife. 


out,  "  Hurry  up,  Beer,"  at  which  this  drunken  gang,  mistaking 
Brother  Beer  for  the  other  man  by  the  same  name,  began  to  at- 
tack him  with  clubs,  axes  and  brickbats.  No  one  being  near  to 
help  him,  he  threw  down  his  axe,  and  began  to  keep  them  back 
by  striking  them  with  his  clenched  hands,  at  the  same  time  going 
toward  the  train,  which  was  now  moving  oflf  without  him.  He  final- 
ly got  hold  of  the  moving  train,  and  drew  himself  up,  out  of  their 
reach,  with  many  cuts  and  bruises,  finally  reaching  a  place  of 
safety.     Thjs  was  Brother  Beer's  last  trip  down  the  river,  rafting. 

By  trade  Brother  Beer  was  a  carpenter,  and  many  are  the 
houses  and  barns  that  bear  the  imprint  of  his  labors,  and  many  the 
timbers,  that,  if  they  could  speak,  would  bear  testimony  to  his 
physical  abilities. 

In  1855  he  was  married  to  Caroline  Brilhart,  of  Georgeville, 
Indiana  County,  by  W.  S.  Blackburn.  The  family  lived  in  Indiana 
County  until  1876,  when  they  moved  to  a  farm  near  Rockton, 
Clearfield  County,  where  he  lived  the  remainder  of  his  days. 
Brother  and  Sister  Beer  were  blest  with  four  daughters  and  three 
sons.  Six  of  the  family  are.  now  living,  and  all  but  one  are  mem- 
bers of  the  church.  Elder  J.  Harvey  Beer,  of  Denton,  Maryland, 
is  a  son. 

Brother  Beer  died  of  dropsy  and  heart  trouble,  June  23,  1892, 


314  HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

being  63- years  of  age.  He  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  Rockton  ceme- 
tery, and  beside  hini  was  laid  his  widow,  who  died  July  12,  1912. 
Funeral  services  were  conducted  by  Geo.  S.  Rairigh. 

Brother  Beer  was  baptized  in  1859  by  Brother  Shumaker,  of 
Armstrong  County,  and  elected  to  the  ministry  about  a  year  later. 
He  was  ordained  to  the  eldership  in  June,  1885,  by  Elders  John  S. 
Holsinger  and  Mark  Minser.  He  was  the  first  minister  and  elder 
of  the  Rockton  congregation.  Spiritually  Elder  Beer  was  no  less 
efficient  than  he  was  physically.  He  made  his  mental  and  physical 
powers  contribute  to  his  efforts  in  furthering  the  cause  of  the 
Master.  He  w.as  naturally  not  eloquent  in  speech,  but  he  labored 
hard,  and  with  the  skill  of  an  architect  he  l)uilt  his  sermons,  and  de- 
livered them  with  the  same  methodical  system. 

Elder  Beer  always  stood  for  non-conformity,  and  lived  it  him- 
self, which  fact  stands  as  a  monument  to  his  family  and  his  con- 
gregation. He  was  not  afraid  to  preach  the  entire  Word,  for  fear 
of  offense,  but,  with  power,  he  gave  forth  the  message,  and  de- 
clared the  doctrines  of  the  Bible  with  no  uncertain  sound.  His 
strong,  friendly  grasp  of  the  hand,  with  his  "  God  bless  you,"  was 
remembered  long  after  his  departure  from  this  world. 

Besides  traveling  extensively  over  the  large  territory  embraced 
in  his  congregation,  and  opening  many  points  for  preaching,  Elder 
Beer  also  did  much  work  in  the  Glen  Hope  congregation.  This 
work  he  did  willingly,  traveling  on  foot  from  place  to  place.  Once 
a  sister  asked  him  why  he  made  such  a  sacrifice.  His  answer  was: 
"  I  have  not  long  to  live.  I  must  do  what  I  can  while  time  is  given 
me."  He  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  the  Glen  Hope  and  Rock- 
ton congregations,  where  he  spent  so  much  of  his  time  in  volun- 
tary  missionary  work,   firmly  established. 

In  1892,  when  he  was  in  failing  health,  by  nnich  effort  he 
was  able  to  attend  the  District  Meeting,  held  in  the  Johnstown 
congregation.  It  was  his  desire,  at  this  meeting,  to  arrange  for 
the  ordination  of  his  oldest  son,  Harvey,  to  the  oversight  of  the 
Rockton  congregation.  He  succeeded  in  getting  this  arrangement 
made. 

At  this  meeting  a  question  came  up  for  discussion,  on  which  a 
difference  of  opinion  was  plainly  manifest,  and  remarks  were  made 
with  some  warmth.  Elder  Beer  got  the  floor,  and  in  his  character- 
istic, cool  manner  said:  "  Brethren,  if  you  cannot  agree  together, 
some  of  you  come  out  with  us.  and  spend  your  extra  energies  in 
giving  the  Gospel  to  the  hungry  souls,  that  live  on  the  frontier, 
and  I  can  find  work  for  all  of  you,  so  isolated,  that  you  need  not 
fall  over  one  another."  This  was  good  advice,  for,  indeed,  the 
Rockton  congregation  is  on  the  frontier  and  the  members  are 
isolated. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        315 

ELI  BENSHOFF. 

Eli  Benshoff,  son  of  Paul  and  Barbara  Benshoff,  was  born 
October  21,  1805.  His  parents  owned,  and  lived  on,  the  farm  now 
owned  by  Brother  Emanuel  Rhodes,  in  Middle  Taylor  Township, 
Cambria  County,  a  few  miles  from  Johnstown.  From  this  family 
the  neighborhood  received  the  name  Benshoff  Hill  which  it  has 
carried  for  probably  a  hundred  years  or  more.  Here  Eli  was  born 
and  reared  to  manhood. 

November  15,  1825,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Strayer, 
daughter  of  Peter  and  Catharine  Strayer.  They  bought  and  moved 
onto  a  farm  a  half  mile  nearer  town,  on  the  hill  above  where  Mi- 
nersville  is  now  located.  He  also  owned  the  land  now  occupied 
by  Minersville.  At  this  latter  place  he  engaged  in  milling.  In 
this  business  he  was  in  partnership  with  Samuel  Berkey,  a  prom- 
ising young  minister  and  teacher. 

Brother  and  Sister  Benshoff  were  the  parents  of  three  children; 
viz.,  Rachel,  born  April  20,  1827,  who  was  married  to  John  Teeter, 
and  who  reared  a  family  of  ten  children.  She  passed  away  many 
years  ago.  Some  of  her  descendants  are  members  of  the  church. 
Elizabeth,  l)orn  May  27,  1829,  died  in  childhood.  Benjamin,  born 
February  12,  1832.  He  was  married  to  Catharine  Snyder,  and 
reared  a  family  of  thirteen  children.  Benjamin  was  baptized  by 
Elder  Levi  Roberts,  April,  1857,  and  was  a  deacon  for  some  years. 
In  the  division  he  went  with  the  Progressives.  Besides  the  above. 
Brother  and  Sister  Benshoff  adopted  and  reared  a  nephew,  John 
Wissinger,  whose  mother  (a  sister  of  Mrs.  Benshoff)  had  died 
when  he  was  four  weeks  old.  This  John  Wissinger  repaid  his  fos- 
ter parents  for  the  Christian  training  they  gave  him  by  becoming 
a  dutiful  Christian  young  man.  He  married  a  Miss  Snyder  and 
reared  a  large  family.  For  nearly  forty  years  he  has  been  a  faith- 
ful deacon.     At  present  he  lives  in  Morrellville. 

Brother  Benshoff,  as  nearly  as  can  be  ascertained,  was  called 
to  the  ministry  in  the  old  Conemaugh  church,  about  1850.  He  was 
highly  respected  in  the  community  in  which  he  lived.  In  the  fall 
he  took  a  long  trip,  contracting  a  severe  cold,  which,  during  the 
winter,  developed  into  lung  trouble,  causing  his  death  April  24, 
1855,  aged  49  years,  6  months  and  3  days.  He  is  buried  in  Ben- 
shoff Hill  cemetery. 

Elder  Solomon  Benshoff,  of  whom  mention  is  made  elsewhere, 
was  his  brother. 

JOSEPH   BERGER. 

Joseph  Berger  was  born  July  20,  1805,  in  Somerset  County, 
Pennsylvania,  and  was  reared  near  Meyersdale.  He  married  Mary 
Hess,  and  they  were  among  the  first  members  of  the  Jacobs  Creek 


316  HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

congregation.     He  was  a  deacon  in  1849  and  shortly  after  that  was 
called  to  the  ministry,  and  later  to  the  eldership. 

His  family-  consisted  of  six  sons  and  two  daughters.  His 
l)reaching  was  principally  in  his  home  congregation,  and  usually 
in  the  German  language.  After  he  had  preached  a  sermon  in  the 
German  he  would  make  an  announcement  for  one  in  the  future  to 
be  conducted  by  some  English-speaking  preachers.  He  continued 
to  serve  the  church  as  elder  until  a  few  years  prior  to  his  death. 

D.  R.  BERKEY. 

D.  R.  Berkey  was  born  in  Clearfield  County,  Pennsylvania, 
June  9,  1871.  At  the  age  of  four  years  he  was  left  homeless,  and 
was  brought  up  mostly  among  strangers  with  very  little  religious 
training. 

While  attending  a  revival  meeting  at  Conemaugh,  Pennsylvania, 
conducted  by  Elder  George  S.  Rairigh,  he  was  made  to  feel  the  need 
of  a  Savior,  and  was  baptized  by  Brother  John  C.  Harrison. 

In  the  Montgomery  congregation,  Indiana  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania, he  was  called  to  the  deacon  office  in  June,  1904.  He  was 
elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  same  congregation  November  10, 
1907,  and  was  advanced  to  the  second  degree  one  year  later.  In 
1912  he  moved  to  the  Manor  congregation,  where  he  now  labors 
in  the  Christian  ministry.  He  also  preaches  for  the  Chess  Creek 
congregation  under  the  direction  of  the  Mission  Board  of  Western 
Pennsyhania. 

(Portr.nit   on   Tage  128.) 

JOSEPH  BERKEY. 

Andrew  and  Catharine  (Fyock)  Berkey  lived  near  the  Shade 
Creek,  Paint  Township,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania.  They 
were  members  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church.  Mr.  Berkey 
was  called  to  the  ministry  in  that  denomination,  but  did  not  exer- 
cise in  the  office.  To  this  union  were  born  twelve  children — five 
sons  and  seven  daughters.  Of  this  large  family  of  children,  Jos- 
eph  was  the  fifth   son   and  eleventh   child. 

Joseph  Berkey  was  born  December  10,  1822.  The  educational 
advantages  of  those  days  were  few,  yet  he  learned  to  read  both 
the  German  and  English  languages.  From  his  father  he  learned 
cabinet-making,  painting  and  milling  as  well  as  farming. 

He  married  Miss  Mary  Berkebile.  They  were  the  happy  par- 
ents of  the  following  children:  Elizabeth  Gordon,  Hannah  Shaffer, 
Hiram  J..  Daniel  J..  Caroline  Shaflfer,  Mary  .Ann  Peldey,  Frank, 
and  Ellen  Wertz.  Of  these  all  are  living  but  Sister  Pebley.  Dan- 
iel  J.   is   a   deacon   and    liannah   is   a    deaconess.      Not   many   years 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         317 


Elder    Joseph    Berkey. 


after  their  marriage  they  united  with  the  Church  of  the  Brethren. 
They  bought  and  moved  onto  a  large  tract  of  timbered  land,  near 
where  the  present  town  of  Hagevo  is  located,  and  near  the  foot- 
hills of  the  Alleghany  Mountains.  Here  he  cleared  away  the  tim- 
ber sufificiently  to  erect  his  humble  dwelling.  Here  he  carved  out 
a  fruitful  farm  and  reared  his  family. 

Brother  Berkey  was  a  powerful  man  phj-sically,  and  a  mod- 
ern Nimrod,  as  well  as  a  successful  fisherman.  Whenever  the 
family  was  in  need  of  fresh  meat  he  would  shoulder  his  rifle  and 
start  for  the  woods,  and  it  wasn't  long  until  he  returned  with  a 
deer,  a  bear  or  some  other  wild  game.  He  knew  the  haunts  of 
the  wild  beasts  and  the  favorite  fishing  places  on  the  Shade  Creek. 

Brother  Berkey  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Shade  Creek 
congregation  in  1851  or  1852  and  rapidly  grew  into  prominence. 
When  the  War  of  the  Rebellion  broke  out  Brother  Berkey  became 
much  concerned  about  the  Brethren  who  were  drafted  into  the 
service  of  their  country  and  asked  that  the  church  raise  the  money 
to  buy  their  freedom.  This  the  church  felt  unable  to  do.  Brother 
Berkey,  himself  being  drafted,  decided  to  go  with  his  brethren  to 
the  front  and  take  care  of  them.  They  refused  to  bear  arms  but 
offered  to  do  anything  else  honorable.     After  being  marched  from 


318  HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

place  to  place  for  months,  and  scarcely  knowing  what  to  do  with 
these  non-combatants,  they  were  tinally,  at  Brother  IJerkey's  sug- 
gestion, consigned  to  a  hospital  camp  in  Philadelphia,  where  they 
rendered  valuable  service.  It  was  while  here  that  Brother  Berkey 
had  the  sight  of  one  eye  injured  by  a  drop  of  whitewash  falling 
into  it.     Later  in  life  this,  probably,  led  to  his  blindness. 

Brother  Berkey's  first  wife  died,  and  some  years  later  he  was 
married  to  Mrs.  Catharine  Custer,  in  whose  home  they  lived  until 
her  death.  The  last  eleven  years  he  made  his  home  with  his  son- 
in-law  and  daughter.  Brother  and  Sister  Aaron  D.  Shaffer,  where 
he  died.  After  leaving  the  farm  he  did  much  painting  and  grain- 
ing and  some  carpentering.  While  thus  engaged  he  had  a  severe 
fall,  whicli  nearly  cost  him  his  life,  and  from  which  he  recovered 
slowly.     He  often  said  that  fall  made  him  ten  years  older. 

Brother  Berkey  was  early  in  his  ministerial  life  called  to  the 
eldership,  and  he  soon  distinguished  himself  as  a  pillar  in  the 
church,  filling  many  pulpits,  assisting  in  elections  and  ordinations, 
doing  committee  work  and  organizing  churches.  Besides  having 
the  oversight  of  a  growing,  prosperous  home  congregation,  at  dif- 
ferent times  he  had  charge  of  neighboring  churches.  Regarding  the 
ordinances  of  the  church  he  readily  became  authority,  and  his  help- 
ful counsel  and  judicious  advice  were  much  in  demand.  lie  was  a 
faithful  Bible  student  and  a  forceful  preacher.  His  sermons  were 
impressive,  argumentative,  and  strongly  doctrinal.  They  were  de- 
livered with  such  a  spirit  that  the  listener  could  not  help  l)Ut  con- 
clude that  he  was  deeply  interested  in  his  sulijcct.  lie  had  little 
use  for  a  timepiece,  put  preached  as  he  was  led  by  tlic  Spirit,  re- 
gardless of  the  length  of  the  sermon. 

During  the  fifty-seven  years  of  his  ministry,  Elder  Berkey 
traveled  many  miles  on  foot  and  horseback,  through  the  wilds  of 
the  Alleghany  Mountains,  through  all  kinds  of  weather,  to  do  the 
bidding  of  his  Master.  Besides  his  lal)ors  in  his  own  congrega- 
tion and  District,  he  traveled  through  many  of  the  States  of  the 
East  and  Middle  West.  He  was  often  selected  to  represent  his 
church  as  delegate  at  Annual  and  District  Conferences.  In  1.S72 
he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  first  Home  Mission  Board  of  the 
District,  being  elected  for  a  term  of  three  years.  Twice  he  was 
Moderator  of  District  Meeting  and  three  times  his  District  elected 
him  delegate  on  the  Standing  Committee. 

Elder  Berkey  was  a  friend  of  the  young,  and  showed  a  ten- 
der concern  for  their  welfare.  I'p  to  the  last  day  of  his  life  the 
church  and  what  to  do  for  it  was  the  chief  subject  of  conversation. 
The  last  seven  years  of  his  life  were  spent  in  blindness.  After  he 
had  retired  from  his  long,  active  life,  he  had  hoped  to  spend  the 
remainder    of    his    days    in    reading    and    meditation,    but    he    was 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        319 

doomed  to  disappointment.  He  came  to  his  daughter's  home,  in 
Johnstown,  and  two  eye  specialists  were  called  to  examine  his 
eyes.  When  through  with  the  examination  he  asked  them  what 
the  verdict  was.  They  were  compelled  to  tell  him  that  there  was 
no  hope — that  he  never  would  see  again  in  this  life.  The  disap- 
pointment was  so  great  that  he  burst  into  tears.  He  returned  to 
his  home  and  bore  his  affliction  with  Christian  fortitude.  He 
preached  a  number  of  years  after  he  was  blind.  His  familiarity 
with  his  Bible  enabled  him  to  quote  numerous  passages  of  Scrip- 
ture and  tell  where  to  find  them. 

When  his  son-in-law,  Brother  Shaffer,  was  dangerously  ill 
with  pneumonia.  Elder  Berkey  worried  very  much,  wondering 
what  would  become  of  him  should  Brother  Shafifer  die.  The  chil- 
dren and  friends  tried  to  comfort  him,  assuring  him  there  were 
plenty  of  other  homes  open  for  him,  but  he  would  not  be  com- 
forted. He  prayed  to  die.  When,  on  the  morning  of  April  29, 
1909,  Brother  M.  K.  Johns  had  assisted  him  from  his  bed  and  back 
again,  he  expressed  the  hope  that  that  would  be  the  last  time 
any  one  needed  to  help  him,  and  folded  his  hands  across  his 
breast,  and  in  a  short  time  the  spirit  had  gone  to  God.  His  age 
was  86  years,  4  months  and  19  days. 

Funeral  services  were  conducted  in  the  Berkey  meetinghouse 
by  Elders  S.  P.  Zimmerman  and  D.  S.  Clapper,  from  Amos  4:  12, 
and  interment  was  made  in  the  adjoining  cemetery.  Several  hours 
after  the  funeral  of  Elder  Berkey  his  son-in-law,  Aaron  D.  Shafifer, 
died.  He  was  buried  at  the  same  place,  the  funeral  being  con- 
ducted by  the  same  brethren. 

PETER   BERKEY. 

"Big"  Peter  Berkey,  as  he  was  familiarly  known  in  order  to 
distinguish  him  from  another  man  of  the  same  name,  lived  in  Paint 
Township,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania.  He  was  a  farmer.  He 
was  reared  in  the  Mennonite  faith.  He  married  Sarah  Wolford. 
She  was  reared  in  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Both  became  faith- 
ful members  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  in  the  early  days  of 
the  church  at  Shade  Creek,  before  that  church  became  a  separate 
congregation.  Brother  Berkey  was  called  to  the  ministry  and  for 
a  number  of  years  served  the  church  in  that  capacity.  He  was  a 
splendid  1)rother,  but  was  not  what  might  be  termed  a  great  public 
speaker.  It  is  said  that  he  preached  more  efifectually  with  his  tears 
than  with  his  words.  Perhaps  he  never  preached  a  sermon  with- 
out shedding  tears.  His  services  were  in  German.  He  reared  a 
very  influential  family,  who  were  useful  church  workers.  One 
daughter,  Susan,  was  married  to  Lewis  Cobaugh,  who  was  a  fine 
speaker  for  a  number  of  years;  Rachel  married  Stephen  Stutzman, 


320  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

a  prominent  deacon  in  the  Concniau.^li  congregation,  later  in  the 
Johnstown  congregation,  and  still  later  in  the  West  Johnstown 
congregation;  Samuel,  a  young  minister  of  more  than  ordinary 
ability,  but  who,  unfortunately,  died  young:  and  Jacob,  for  many 
years  a  deacon  in  the  Shade  and  Johnstown  congregations. 

Peter  Berkey  was  born  in  1795  and  died  in  1862.  Sister 
Berkey  was  born  in  1805  and  died  in  1883.  Both  are  buried  in 
Grand  View  cemetery,  Johnstown.  Brother  Berkey  and  his  son, 
.^anniel,  were  elected  to  the  ministry  in  what  is  now  the  Shade 
Creek  congregation   on   the   same  day. 

SAMUEL  BERKEY. 

Samuel  Berkey,  oldest  son  of  Peter  and  Susan  (W^olford) 
Berkey,  was  l)orn  in  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania,  August  29, 
1825.  He  died  after  an  illness  lasting  but  six  days,  January  29, 
1852,  at  the  age  of  26  years  and  5  months,  and  is  buried  in  Pleas- 
ant Hill  cemetery  (Benshoft).  He  was  a  man  of  more  than  ordi- 
nary ability.  A  farmer  boy,  reared  under  the  inlluence  of  the 
church,  he  early  gave  his  heart  to  the  Savior. 

He  was  a  fine  school-teacher,  being  one  of  the  first  who  taught 
grammar  in  this  part  of  the  State.  He  was  elected  to  the  ministry 
while  a  single  man,  and  quite  young.  This  was  unusual  for  those 
days,  as  men  pretty  well  advanced  in  life  were  generally  the 
ones  called  to  do  the  church's  work. 

He  was  married  to  Mary  Stutzman,  daughter  of  Elder  Jacob 
Stutzman,  October  6,  1846.  He  was  a  contrilnitor  to  the  Gospel 
\'isitor,  and  an  agent  for  the  same.  Shortly  before  his  death  he 
recommended  that  the  Visitor  be  published  monthly  and  that  mat- 
ter that  was  not  original  be  admitted  to  its  columns.  In  his  teach- 
ing he  was  thorough,  in  his  preaching,  eloquent,  and  in  his  de- 
fense of  the  New  Testament  doctrines,  uncom])romising.  He 
preached  in  the  English  language. 

"  During  his  short  lifetime  he  did  one  thing  that  will  long  he 
remembered.  .\  certain  man,  named  McCleary,  a  minister  in 
another  denomination,  challenged  Brother  Berkej'  to  debate  on 
the  ordinances  of  the  Brethren  Church.  Brother  Berkey  accepted 
the  challenge  and  defeated  the  learned  minister.  But  when  the 
man  began  to  quote  Greek  and  Latin,  which  Brother  Berkey  had 
never  studied,  he  proposed  to  send  for  a  minister  who  was  learned 
in  those  languages.  Rev.  McCleary  answered,  '  .'Ml  right,  bring 
any  Dunker  minister  here  that  you  can  get.'  Then  Brother 
I'erkey  wrote  to  Elder  James  Quinter.  who  consented  to  come. 
A  meeting  was  arranged  for  and  held  in  the  Horner  meetinghouse 
of  the  old  Conemaugh  congregation.  Elder  Quinter  debated  with 
Rev.  McCleary  three  days  before  a  large  audience  who  came  from 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         321 

far  and  near.  Elder  Quinter  defeated  him  on  every  proposition 
the  first  and  second  days.  On  the  third  day  Rev.  McCleary  re- 
sorted to  personal  abuse  and  made  such  slanderous  remarks  that 
his  own  church  members  were  disgusted  and  ashamed.  Elder 
Quinter  demonstrated  that  the  Brethren  are  following  the  teach- 
ings of  the  Gospel  in  observing  the  ordinances  of  feet-washing, 
the  Lord's  Supper,  etc.,  and  also  that  the  Brethren  are  not  all 
ignorant    fanatics." 

JOHN   BERKLEY,  JR. 

Elder  John  Berkley  was  born  one  mile  east  of  Berkley's 
Mills,  Somerset  County,  .Pennsylvania,  in  1798.  He  was  a  son 
of  John  Berkley,  Sr.,  of  whom  mention  is  made  in  the  history  of 
the  Elk  Lick  congregation.  Elder  Berkley  had  the  following 
brothers:  Jonathan,  an  elder;  Samuel,  a  minister;  Jacob,  Solomon 
and  Ludwick.  John  grew  to  manhood  on  his  father's  farm.  His 
opportunities  for  an  education  were  few,  and  all  the  education  he 
received  was  in  the  German  .language. 

He  was  married  to  Susan  Miller,  of  Brothers  Valley  Township. 
They  early  united  with  the  church.  They  were  the  parents  of  fovir 
sons:  Levi,  who  died  early  in  life,  Cornelius,  Peter  and  Josiah. 
The  last  three  named  were  ministers.  The  daughters  were,  Eliza, 
married  to  Tobias  Myers,  and  Susan,  married  to  Abraham  Lichty. 

F'or  the  main  facts  in  this  biography  I  am  indebted  to  J.  M. 
Berkley,  a  grandson  of  Elder  Berkley.  I  quote  from  his  letter: 
"  He  was  of  a  congenial  and  affable  disposition,  of  well-balanced 
temperament  and  judicial  mind — a  man  that  was  unldemished  and 
unsullied  by  the  frivolities  and  vanities  of  life.  It  is  said  of 
him  that  he  was  of  a  humorous  nature  and  yet  was  never  known 
to  engage  in  a  loud  laugh.  A  smile  or  a  grin  was  the  only  ex- 
pression noticeable  at  any  time. 

"  He  was  admitted  to  the  ministry  in  1847  and  promoted  to 
the  office  of  bishop  in  1849  of  the  then  Glade  church,  and  at  the 
division  of  that  District  he  became  the  bishop  of  the  Elk  Lick 
church.  (I  am  inclined  to  believe  these  dates  are  too  late. — 
Author.)  He  had  the  scriptural  qualifications  to  a  pronounced 
degree — so  much  so  that  he  was  called  out  of  his  District  to 
many  places  in  official  visits.  He  was  called  as  far  as  Ohio, 
which  in  those  early  days  was  not  an  easy  trip  to  make. 

"  It  is  said  of  him  that  he  had  good  natural  attainments  of  a 
public  speaker.  To  illustrate:  One  of  the  citizens  of  Meyer's 
Mills,  belonging  to  the  Lutheran  Church,  when  on  his  way  to 
hear  old  Berkley  preach,  and  being  asked  why  he  went  to  his 
church,  replied  that  though  he  did  not  understand  one  word  that 
Bishop    Berkley   preached,   yet   he   received   more   inspiration    from 


322  HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

his  sermons  than  any  man  he  ever  heard.  His  life,  his  conduct, 
liis  expressions  of  face  were  ever  an  inspiration  to  all  with  whom 
he  came  in  contact,  whether  in  or  out  of  the  pulpit. 

"  While  his  education  was  very  limited,  he  had  ambitions  far 
beyond  his  attainments.  He  was  one  of  the  pioneers  in  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  public  school  system,  which  at  that  time  was  in 
an  embryo  state.  He  was  an  advocate  and  promulgator  of  the 
public  school  system  in  his  community  when  it  was  not  popular 
to  be  lined  up  with  the  advancement  of  knowledge.  It  is  said  that 
he  subscribed  the  first  twenty-five  dollars  toward  the  erection  of  a 
public  schoolhouse  in  Meyersdale. 

"  His  three  sons,  Cornelius.  Peter  and  Josiah,  who  entered 
the  ministry,  were  all  good  and  useful  men  in  the  church.  Peter 
had  the  best  education,  and  was  the  most  forceful,  but  died  young. 
The  associate  ministers  of  the  subject  under  consideration  were 
Paul  Wetzel,  C.  G.  Lint,  William  Horner,  David  Livengood  and 
his  son,  Peter.  He  fell  asleep  February  2,  1865,  aged  67  years,  5 
months  and  2  days,  and  is  buried  in  Union  cemetery  at  Meyers- 
dale.  Funeral  sermon  by  M.  Kimmel  and  others  from  1  Cor.  4:  1. 
He  was  a  minister  about  thirty  years. 

"  The  foregoing  is  a  short  biography  (all  I  can  write)  of  the 
life  and  works  of  grandfather,  Bishop  John  Berkley." 

Though  Elder  Berkley  died  a  year  before  the  State  was  di- 
vided into  Districts  and  District  Meetings  were  held,  we  find 
his  name  five  times  as  a  member  of  the  Stamliiig  Committee  o\  the 
Annual   Meeting. 

JONATHAN  BERKLEY. 

Jonathan  Berkley  was  a  son  of  John  Berkley,  Sr.,  and  was  born 
on  his  father's  farm  near  Berkley's  Mills,  Somerset  County,  Penn- 
sylvania, December  17,  1793.  His  education  was  such  as  the  coun- 
try schools  afforded  in  his  day,  and  was  principally  in  the  German 
language,  though  he  could  read  and  write  the  English  fairly  well. 

He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Lichty,  daughter 
of  John  Lichty,  of  near  Salisbury.  Miss  Lichty  was  born  Novem- 
ber 23,  1800.  .'\fter  marriage  they  bought  the  farm  near  Sipesville, 
in  Lincoln  Township,  now  known  as  the  Ephraim  Speicher  farm. 
F"ifteen  children  were  born  to  this  union.  Five  of  them  passed 
to  the  spirit  world  in  their  boyhood  and  girlhood  days:  viz.,  Sam- 
uel, Edward,  Joel,  Mary  and  Anna.  Those  that  grew  to  manhood 
and  womanhood  are  the  following:  Susannah,  married  to  Daniel 
Baer;  Sarah,  married  first  time  to  David  Horner  and  second 
time  to  George  Schrock;  Jonathan,  married  to  Lizzie  Snyder; 
Ezra,  married  to  Lydia  Miller;  l\lizal)eth,  married  to  Simon  Hang- 
er;   Dinali,    married    to    John    Keim;    Caroline,    married    to    Jonas 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         323 

Flickinger;  Catharine,  married  to  Daniel  Flickinger;  Lydia,  mar- 
ried to  Wesley  Saylor,  and  John,  married  to  Anna  Miller.  Of 
these  three  are  living:  Mrs.  Jonas  Flickinger  and  John  J.,  of  Water- 
loo, Iowa,  and  Mrs.  Wesley  Saylor,  of  Central  City,  Nebraska. 

Brother  Berkley,  in  addition  to  being  a  farmer,  had  also 
learned  the  cooper  trade.  He  was  also  capable  of  making  the 
shoes  for  his  large  family. 

Brother  and  Sister  Berkley  were  charter  members  of  the 
Quemahoning  congregation,  and  for  a  number  of  years  regularly 
opened  their  doors  for  holding  meetings.  He  was  called  to  the 
ministry,  and  after  the  death  of  Elder  John  Forney  he  was  or- 
dained to  the  eldership.  He  was  zealous  in  church  work.  He 
would  not  miss  church  services  when  health  permitted  him  to  at- 
tend. His  mode  of  traveling  was  horseback.  He  would  often  ride 
fifteen  miles  to  fill  appointments  and  return  the  same  day.  The 
appointments  were  scattered  over  a  large  territory  in  those  days. 

There  were  no  meetinghouses  and  the  meetings  were  held  in 
houses,  barns,  and  appointments  were  scattered  all  over  the 
Quemahoning  congregation.  All  the  children  that  grew  to  ma- 
turity became  members  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  and  Jon- 
athan was  a  deacon.  Ezra  died  in  Waterloo,  Iowa.  All  the  rest 
died  in  Pennsylvania. 

Elder  Berkley  died  November  17,  1856,  aged  62  years,  and  11 
months.  His  funeral  was  preached  by  Elder  Jacob  Hauger,  from 
Philippians  1:  21,  and  he  was  buried  in  the  family  burying  ground 
on  the  old  farm.  Sister  Berkley  died  October  24,  1889,  aged  88 
years,  11  months  and  1  day,  after  having  lived  in  lonely  widow- 
hood thirty-three  years.  She  is  buried  by  the  side  of  her  hus- 
band. 

SAMUEL  BERKLEY. 

Another  son  of  John  Berkley,  Sr.,  was  Samuel.  He  was  born 
and  reared  on  the  Berkley  homestead.  He  was  born  October  1, 
1810.  On  April  25,  1830,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Katherine  Hauger. 
The  date  of  his  election  seems  to  be  lost.  He  labored  in  the  Elk 
Lick  congregation.  He  died  May  9,  1859,  at  the  comparatively 
young  age  of  48  years,  7  months  and  8  days.  His  widow  died 
May  6,  1874,  leaving  six  children,  viz.;  Rebecca,  Perry,  Lydia, 
Elizabeth,   Ezra  and  Sally. 

CORNELIUS    BERKLEY. 

Cornelius  Berkley,  son  of  Elder  John  and  Susan  (Miller) 
Berkley,  was  born  on  a  farm  one  mile  north  of  Meyersdale,  Penn- 
sylvania, December  29,   1824.     He  grew  to  manhood  on   the  farm. 


324  HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH   OF   THE 


Cornelius    Berkley. 

His  educational  privileges  were  limited  to  the  schools  as  they 
then   existed. 

On  March  5,  1848,  he  was  married  to  Susan  Myers,  daughter 
of  Samuel  Myers,  of  Berlin.  In  early  life  they  made  a  profession 
of  faith  and  were  received  into  the  church.  They  moved  on  a 
farm  along  the  plank  road  lietween  Somerset  and  Lavansville, 
into  a  conununity  where  at  that  time  the  Dunkor  faitli  was  held 
in  contempt,  and  was  even  laughed  at.  This  wa.s,  however,  be- 
cause it  was  not  understood.  Brother  Berkley's  faith  and  perse- 
verance were  strong,  and  in  a  few  years  the  family,  by  their 
Christian  influence  and  labors,  had  gathered  a  lot  of  friends  about 
them,  the  result  being  that  a  meetinghouse  was  built  on  a  i)art  of 
his  farm. 

Not  many  years  after  tliat  he  was  elected  to  the  ministry. 
Though  feeling  keenly  the  lack  of  l)etter  educ?ition,  yet  he  took 
the  yoke  upon  himself,  and  in  his  crude  way  began  preaching 
the  unadulterated  Gospel.  By  persistent  efifort  he  became,  in  a 
measure,  efficient,  and  by  his  devout  and  righteous  life  was  meas- 
urably successful.  He  worked  hard  during  the  week  on  the  farm, 
and  on  Sundays  he  would  saddle  his  horse  and  go  out  in  the 
mountains  and  preach,  thereby  accomplishing  much  good. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        325 

From  the  farm  they  moved  to  Meyersdale,  where  they  lived 
for  some  years.  The  last  ten  years  they  lived  close  to  the  Middle 
Creek  church,  where  he  continued  to  preach. 

He  died  January  30,  1888,  aged  63  years,  1  month  and  1  day. 
He  is  buried  in  the  cemetery  of  the  Middle  Creek  church,  by  the 
side  of  a  little  stream  of  mountain  water,  in  which  he  buried  many 
persons   in   Christian  baptism. 

PETER  BERKLEY. 

Peter  Berkley,  the  third  son  of  Elder  John  Berkley,  was  born 
near  Meyersdale,  January  27,  1833.  He  was  married  to  Sally 
Meyers,  daughter  of  Samuel  Meyers,  of  near  Berlin,  October  29, 
1854.  In  1855  he  united  with  the  church,  and  in  June  of  the  same 
he  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Elk  Lick  congregation,  with 
C.  G.  Lint  and  William  Horner.  It  is  said  that  he  was  fairly 
well  educated  and  gave  promise  of  becoming  a  prominent  minister, 
but  death  claimed  him  when  yet  a  young  man.  He  died  Octo- 
ber 17,  1865,  aged  32  years,  8  months  and  20  days.  He  left  a  young 
widow   and   three   sons,    Emanuel,    Harvey   and    Mahlon. 

JOSIAH  BERKLEY. 

Josiah  Berkley,  son  of  Elder  John  and  Susan  (Miller)  Berk- 
ley, was  born  near  Meyersdale,  Somerset  County.  Pennsylvania,  in 
1835.  His  brothers  were:  Levi,  Cornelius  and  Peter,  and  his 
sisters,  Eliza  Myers  and  Susan  Lichty.  He  united  with  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  in  1854,  being  baptized  by  Elder  Elias 
K.  Buechley.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Anna  Miller,  daugh- 
ter of  Jacob  L.  Miller,  of  Middle  Creek,  in  1858.  One  daughter 
was  born  to  this  union. 

In  1859  they  moved  to  the  Indian  Creek  congregation,  West- 
moreland County.  In  1861  he  was  called  to  the  ministry  of  the 
Word  in  the  same  place.  In  1865  they  moved  back  to  Middle 
Creek  congregation.  Somerset  County,  where  he  still  resides.  He 
was  ordained  to  the  eldership  in  1877,  and  after  the  death  of 
Elder  Adam  F.  Snyder,  became  the  elder  in  charge  of  the  Middle 
Creek  congregation.  His  wife  died  December  26,  1902.  For  over 
half  a  century  Elder  Berkley  has  preached  a  free  and  saving 
Gospel.  The  most  of  his  ministerial  labors  were  done  in  his 
home  congregation,  yet  in  his  best  years  he  traveled  a  good  deal 
among  the  churches  of  the  District,  attending  love  feasts,  and 
doing  other  church  work.  He  is  an  earnest,  well-wishing,  and 
willing  preacher.     He  is  in  his  eightieth  year. 


326  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

NORMAN  WILLIAM  BERKLEY. 

Norman  W.  Berkley,  of  In'riulalc,  Johnstown,  Pennsylvania, 
is  a  descendant  of  one  of  the  old  families  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  in  Western  Pennsylvania.  His  father,  Israel  Berkley, 
was  a  son  of  Jacob  Berkley,  who  was  a  brother  of  Elder  John 
Berkley,  one  of  the  early  ministers  in  Somerset  County.  Israel 
Berkley  married  Miss  Annie  Elizabeth  Lint,  daughter  of  Gillian 
Lint,  and  sister  of  Elder  C.  G.  Lint,  of  Meyersdale. 

To  this  union  were  born:  Clayton,  Xorman  \V.,  Albert  U., 
Harry  E.,  Charles.  Jacob,  SamucJ  J.,  a  niin'ster,  Israel,  Minnie 
Margaret,   Emma,  Eliza  and  Annie. 

Norman  W.  Berkley  was  born  at  llcrkloy's  Mills,  SoMiersct 
County,  Pennsylvania,  August  19,  1860.  He  was  educated  in 
the  public  schools  of  Cambria  County,  and  normal  schools  of 
Cambria  and  Somerset  Counties:  he  also  took  a  business  course 
at  Juniata  College,  and  a  course  of  mechanical  drawing  and 
electric  motors  and  dynamos  through  I.  C.  S.  of  Scranton. 

Ten  years  of  his  life  were  spent  in  teaching  school  in  the 
various  boroughs  now  included  in  the  city  of  Johnstown.  lie 
resigned  his  position  as  principal  of  the  Roxbury  schools  in 
1890  to  enter  the  employment  of  the  Lorain  Steel  Company  as 
a  timekeeper.  After  about  two  years  in  the  time  department, 
he  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  planer  department  where,  for 
eighteen  years,  the  arduous  duties  of  a  foreman  of  a  large  number 
of  men  rested  upon  him.  In  1890  he  was  transferred  to  the  gen- 
eral ofifice  in  charge  of  the  distributing  department.  In  1915  his 
responsibilities  were  again  increased  by  being  placed  at  the  head 
of  the  time  and  distributing  departments  as  chief  timekeeper, 
which  position  he  is  now  still  engaged  in. 

In  March.  1883,  Brother  Berkley  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Laura  Belle  Davis,  oldest  daughter  of  Chauncey  and  Re- 
becca Davis,  of  Johnstown.  No  children  were  born  to  them. 
l)Ut  a  motherless  orphan  girl.  Mrs.  Mao  (Speichcr)  Emnicrt.  was 
adopted  by  them  and  educated. 

Early  in  life,  when  only  a  boy.  he  was  baptized  into  Christ 
and  began  his  religious  work.  There  being  no  Sunday-school  of 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  the  M.  E.  Sunday-school  was  attended 
until  1893,  when  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  at  Roxbury  was 
built.  Ever  since  then  he  has  actively,  as  pupil,  teacher,  chor- 
ister and   superintendent,  been  connected  with  this  school. 

On  till'  day  of  the  organization  of  the  West  Johnstown  con- 
gregation, January  26.  1899.  having  l)een  previously  elected  in 
the  Johnstown  congregation.  Brother  Berkley  was  installed 
into   the    ministry    by    Elders    Hiram    Musselman    and    David    Hil- 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


327 


debrand.     He  was  advanced  to  the  second  degree  in   1900,  and  on 
May  4,   1915,  he  was  ordained  to  the  eldership   by   Elders  W.   M. 
Howe    and    H.    S.    Replogle.      In   June    of   the    same    year   he   was 
cliosen   elder  in   charge  of  the   West  Johnstown   congregation. 
(Portrait  on   Page  190.) 

ALBERT  U.  BERKLEY. 

Albert  U.  Berkley,  third  son  of  Israel  and  Annie  (Lint)  Berk- 
ley, was  born  February  11,  1862,  at  Berkley's  Mills,  Somerset 
County,  Pennsylvania.  With  his  parents  he  moved  to  near  Johns- 
town, Cambria  County,  in  1866.  He  was  reared  on  the  farm  and 
received  his  education  in  the  schools  of  the  county. 

On  April   11,   1886,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to   Miss   Lovina 


Elder    .Albert    U.    Berkley   and    Wife. 

Hershberger,  daughter  of  Hiram  and  Sarah  (Roseman)  Hersh- 
berger,  of  Johnstown.  To  this  union  were  born:  Mabel  F.,  married 
to  Curtis  C.  Lambert,  and  residing  in  Johnstown;  N.  William 
and  an  infant  (both  deceased).  Ivy  May,  at  home,  and  John  M., 
married  to  Miss  Roxy  Heater,  also  living  in  the  city.  For  many 
years  Brother  Berkley  was  engaged  in  the  dairy  business,  selling 
milk  in  the  city,  but  the  last  several  years  he  has  retired  from 
active  secular  business.  Ever  since  1866  he  has  lived  at  and  in 
Johnstown,  their  present  residence  being  at  37  Derby  Street. 

Brother  Berkley  united  with  the  Conemaugh  Church  of  the 
Brethren  March  20,  1878.  His  wife  was  baptized  March  18,  1896. 
In  the  Johnstown  congregation  he  was  called  to  the  ministry  June 
18,  1894.  In  1899  he  was  elected  to  the  eldership  in  the  West 
Johnstown  congregation,  but  did  not  see  fit  to  accept.     On  May  4, 


328  HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH   OF   THE 

1915,  he  was  ordained  to  the  eldership  in  tlie  West  Jolinstovvn 
church. 

Brother  Berkley's  Sunday-school  actixitics  began  in  the  Meth- 
odist Sunday-school  in  Roxbury,  as  a  pupil.  When  the  Church  of 
the  Bretiiren  opened  a  Sunday-school  in  Roxbury  he  was  the  first 
superintendent.  He  has  frequently  been  Sunday-school  teacher. 
He  has  no  record  of  his  work  in  the  ministry,  but  he  has  liad 
his  share  of  baptisms,  anointings  and  funerals. 

Since  retiring  from  business  he  has  done  some  accci)table 
work  in  tlie  evangelistic  field.  In  tlie  nine  scries  of  meetings 
he  held  in  the  past  few  years.  170  accepted  Clirist.  He  frequent- 
ly represents  his  church  in  District  and  Annual  Meetings.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  Bible  Institute  Committee. 


Samuel  J.  Berkley  and  Wife. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        329 

SAMUEL  J.   BERKLEY. 

Samuel  J.  Berkley,  son  of  Israel  and  Annie  E.  (Lint)  Berkley, 
was  horn  at  Johnstown,  Pennsylvania,  March  7,  1877,  and  was 
reared  on  the  farm  near  the  city.  He  attended  school  in  Roxbury, 
now  the  eighth  ward,  Johnstown,  until  he  was  old  enough  to  teach. 
He  also  attended  Juniata  College  in  1895-7.  He  followed  teach- 
ing five  years.  He  was  principal  of  one  of  the  eighth  ward  schools, 
Johnstown.  After  leaving  the  schoolroom  he  worked  several 
years  in  the  auditing  department  of  the  general  office  of  the  Cam- 
bria Steel  Company. 

Brother  Berkley  was  united  in  marriage  to  Sister  Lizzie  M. 
Lichty,  of  Meyersdale,  Pennsylvania,  June  30,  190L  After  residing 
in  Johnstown  several  years,  they  moved  upon  a  farm  near  Meyers- 
dale,  in  1905,  where  they  are  now  residing. 

Brother  Berkley  united  with  the  church  at  Johnstown,  March 
13,  1894.  He  was  elected  deacon  September  21,  1911,  minister 
September  22,  1912,  and  advanced  to  the  second  degree  Octol)er 
19,  1913,  all  in  the  Summit  Mills  congregation,  where  he  now 
serves. 

JACOB   BLOUGH. 

Jacob  Blough  was  horn  on  the  old  Blough  homestead,  one 
mile  north  of  Berlin,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania,  November 
30,  1805.  He  was  a  son  of  Jacob  and  Magdalene  (Gnagey)  Blough, 
and  grandson  of  Christian  Blough,  who  settled  on  this  same 
farm  about  1867.  The  Bloughs  are  of  Swiss  descent,  several 
brothers  having  come  from  Switzerland  to  the  United  States 
November  3,  1750,  and  settled. in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State, 
presumably  in   what  is  now   Lebanon   County. 

From  there,  two,  who  probably  were  brothers,  emigrated  to 
Somerset  County,  Christian  eettling  near  Berlin,  as  stated  above, 
in  1767,  and  Jacob,  who  settled  on  the  Quemahoning  Creek  near 
its  junction  with  the  Stony  Creek.  From  these  two  branches 
or  families  came  practically  all  the  Blauchs,  Blouchs  and  Bloughs 
in  the  United  States  and  Canada  west  of  the  Alleghany  Moun- 
tains. In  the  eastern  and  southern  parts  of  the  State,  however, 
is  a  large  number  of  descendants  of  those  who  remained  when 
the  two  came  to  Somerset  County.  Cliristian,  mentioned  above, 
was  only  seven  years  of  age  when  be  landed  in  this  country. 
At  the  age  of  about  twenty-four,  with,  his  young  wife,  he  settled  on 
several  hundred  acres  of  woodland  in  Brothers  Valley  Township, 
near  Berlin.  Here  he  died  in  1877,  when  only  about  thirty-four 
years  of  age,  leaving  his  widow  and  a  number  of  children  in  rather 
poor  circumstances.     He  was  buried  on  the  farm,  where  there   is 


330  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

now  a  family  graveyard  in  which  some  of  tlie  family  have  been 
buried    for    five   generations. 

Jacob  Blough,  Sr.,  had  five  sons  and  about  the  same  number 
of  daughters,  all  of  whom  emigrated  to  Ohio,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  David,  who  died  young,  Jacob,  Jr.,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  and  one  daughter,  Anna,  who  was  never  married. 

Jacob  Blough  grew  up  a  farmer,  and  on  June  18,  1826,  was 
married  to  Miss  Barbara  Saylor,  daughter  of  John  Saylor,  of  near 
Meycrsdale.  Barbara  Saylor  was  born  May  10,  1810.  Jacob's 
parents  were  members  of  the  United  Brethren  Church,  and  for 
many  years  the  meetings  of  that  denomination  were  held  in  their 
barn,  and  their  home  was  the  stopping  place  for  the  circuit  riders 
or  preachers  on  their  way  to  Ohio  and  back.  Miss  Saylor's  par- 
ents were  Mennonites,  so  the  selection  of  a  church  home  became 
quite  a  question  for  the  young  couple.  They  decided  to  study  the 
Scriptures  and  let  them  determine  the  choice.  Becoming  satis- 
fied that  the  faith  and  practice  of  the  Brethren  were  substan- 
tiated by  the  Bible  they -were  baptized  into  the  communion  of 
that  church  several  years  after  their  marriage. 

Brother  Blough  had  an  ordinary  German  school  education. 
He  was  also  able  to  read  and  write  English.  He  served  the 
church  as  deacon  some  years,  when  he  was  elected  to  the  min- 
istry in  about  1851.  He  was  ordained  to  the  eldership  in  1868, 
in  which  capacity  he  labored  faithfully  until  age  incapacitated 
him.  Elder  Blough  was  not  what  one  would  term  a  great  preacher. 
His  sermons  were  seldom  long.  Perhaps  his  greatest  sermons 
were  found  in  the  pious,  godly,  self-denying  life  he  lived.  Here 
I  quote  from  his  "  Memorial,"  written  liy  Elder  W.  G.  Schrock, 
after  his  death:  "He  was  a  ciuiet,  Init  ])cr.sistcnt  and  zealous 
worker  in  the  church  he  loved  so  dearly  to  the  end,  and  his  seat 
was  never  vacant  in  the  sanctuary  except  on  account  of  sickness. 
His  life  was  characterized  by  untiring  patience,  and  his  house 
always  given  to  hospitality.  He  occupied  a  very  convenient  and 
central  i)1acc  in  the  congregation,  and  it  was  here  that  the  breth- 
ren in  their  travels,  especially  ministers,  found  a  home  and  wel- 
come retreat.  Wliilc  the  green  turf  may  encircle  his  lonely  grave 
in  the  years  to  come,  and  the  marble  slab  mark  his  resting-place, 
he  built  for  himself  a  more  enduring  monument  in  the  hearts  of 
those  who  knew  him  best,  by  his  patient  continuance  in  well- 
doing, as  well  as  his  peculiar  self-denying  principles  he  prac- 
ticed  in   his   lifetime. 

"His  labors  of  love  are  ended,  but  he  still  continues  to 
live  in  the  hearts  of  the  people.  The  high  esteem  in  which  he  was 
held  by  the  people  was  shown  in  the  unusually  large  crowd  of 
people  that  followed  his  remains  to  their  last  resting  place.     Thus 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        331 

passed  away  a  Christian  worker,  after  having  spent  almost  an 
entire  lifetime  in  the  service  of  his  Master.  Elder  Blough  leaves 
an  aged  widow,  eleven  children,  fifty-seven  grandchildren  and 
thirty-one  great-grandchildren  to  mourn  their  loss.  All  his  chil- 
dren became  members  of  the  church  in  their  young  days,  and  it 
fell  to  his  lot,  in  his  old  age,  to  first  break  the   family  circle." 

In  addition  to  being  a  farmer  and  preacher  he  was  also  a 
line  mechanic.  With  the  help  of  his  older  sons  he  was  for  years 
the  manufacturer  of  thrashing  machines,  which  were  among  the 
first,  if  not  the  first,  in  the  country.  He  also  operated  a  cider 
press  to  which  the  farmers  from  far  and  near  brought  their  ap- 
ples to  have  them  converted  into  cider. 

Elder  Blough  was  a  lover  of  music,  being  a  sweet  singer. 
This  is  a  gift  that  has  been  bestowed  upon  his  posterity  all  down 
the  line.  Most  of  his  traveling  was  done  on  horseback.  He 
made  several  trips  to  the  West  to  visit  his  brothers  and  sisters  and 
cousins,  as  well  as  his  children,  a  number  of  whom  settled  in 
the  West.  Grandfather  and  Grandmother  Blough  were  the  par- 
ents of  eleven  children,  as  follows:  Valentine,  Emanuel  J.,  Philip, 
Andrew,  John  J.,  Lydia,  married  to  Tobias  Buechly;  Susannah, 
married  to  Herman  Boger;  David,  Mary,  married  to  Jacob  Baer; 
Joseph,  and  Annie,  married  to  Joseph  Gnagey.  Valentine  and 
Emanuel  were  elders,  and  John  was  a  deacon.  Eleven  of  his 
grandsons    (several    by    marriage)   are    ministers. 

He  lived  and  died  upon  the  same  farm  where  he  was  born. 
He  died  June  27,  1886,  aged  80  years,  6  months  and  27  days,  and 
was  buried  in  the  family  burying  ground  by  the  side  of  his  father 
and  grandfather.  Funeral  services  were  conducted  in  the  Grove 
meetinghouse  by  Elders  Joel  Gnagey,  Jonas  Lichty,  George 
Schrock  and  Michael  Weyand  from  Revelation  14:  13. 

He  and  his  companion  lived  together  sixty  years  and  nine 
days.  She  lived  in  lonely  widowhood  until  May  24,  1892,  when  she 
died  at  the  age  of  82  years,  and  14  days.  Her  funeral  also  was 
conducted  in  the  Grove  house  by  the  home  ministers,  and  she  was 
buried  by  the  side  of  her  husband. 

Elder  Blough  lived  a  short  distance  from  the  Grove  meeting- 
house, in  the  Brothers  Valley  congregation.  Their  home  was 
a  great  place  for  brethren  to  put  up  at  over  love  feasts  and  other 
meetings.  When  the  Annual  Meeting  was  held  there,  in  1849,  he 
gave  the  boj's  instructions  that  when  the  Virginia  Brethren  would 
arrive  their  horses  should  be  put  in  the  stables  (others  were  turned 
into  the  fields),  telling  them  they  could  know  them  by  the  sheep's 
grey    suits    they    wore. 


332  HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

TOBIAS  BLOUGH. 

When    Tobias    Blough,    youngest    son   of   John    and    Christena 
(Miller)   P.lough  was  born,  the  father  wrote  the  following  prayer: 


den   %     dacj  QcT{}lef^    Jn/    laht'  /^fl  ^^ 
7st  ^^77^  einev  rphn    cicJ p  Die  arrnc- 
yrrUreliQc  melt  (jebof^if'en  fctn  nqwa 
i)et('t     TobiaT  hiauci)  riott  rnohh^ 
ij)7?adc   rcevfcTi    y<  eincraprorrjrncr? 

^u   ernem  Pehc^is  e^yde  arvert 


Prayer-  I'roplipoy. 

Translated  this  reads:  "The  8th  day  of  October,  in  tiic  year 
1(S11,  is  to  us  a  son  born  into  this  wearisome  world.  His  name  is 
Tobias  Blough.  May  God  grant  him  grace  to  lead  a  pious  and 
a  holy  life,  to  a  blissful  end.     Amen." 

From  his  life  work  it  is  evident  that  this  prayer-])rophecy 
was  answered  to  the  fullest  extent.  II is  grandfather.  Christian 
Blanch,  landed  in  this  country,  from  tlie  Canton  of  Rerne,  Swit- 
zerland, November  3,  1750,  being  at  tliat  time  only  seven  years  of 
age.  His  father  was  a  member  of  the  Amish  Church,  and  he  made 
some  cfTort  to  persuade  Tobias  to  embrace  the  same  faith.  How- 
ever, when  he  and  his  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Maria 
Blough,  became  acquainted  with  the  doctrines  and  practices  of 
the  Brethren,  they  attached  themselves  to  the  church  when  yet 
young.  He  was  born  on  a  large  farm,  now  owned  by  his  son- 
in-law,  Henry  Spaugy,  in  Qucmahoning  Township,  Somerset  Coun- 
ty, several  miles  northwest  of  ITooversville.  TTcre  he  lived,  reared 
his  family,  and  died  November  21,  18«'-!4,  aged  73  years.  1  month 
and  13  days.     He  is  buried  in  the  Maple  Spring  church  cemetery. 

Elder  Blough  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  18.S1,  being  the 
first    minister    elected    in    the    Qucmahoning    church    after    its    or- 


BRETHREN    OF  WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        333 

ganization.  Six  years  later  he  was  ordained  to  the  eldership,  and 
for  a  quarter  of  a  century  he  was  the  only  elder  in  the  congrega- 
tion. His  services  were  in  the  German  language.  "  He  had  a 
warm  attachment  to  the  church,  and  was  a  zealous  worker  in 
his  field  of  labor.  As  an  able  and  earnest  exhorter  he  was  prom- 
inent as  far  as  he  was  known,  and  had  he  traveled  more  exten- 
sively he  might  have  become  conspicuous  among  his  German 
friends.  He  was  firm  in  his  views  of  what  he  conceived  to  be  right 
and  not  soon  moved  from  his  purpose.  He  had  a  great  and  ten- 
der concern  for  the  prosperity  and  purity  of  the  church,  and 
upon  realizing  that  the  care  of  the  church  was  becoming  too  much 
for  his  weakened  body,  he  suggested  to  the  church  the  propriety 
of  choosing  an  assistant  in  the  eldership,  which  accordingly  was 
done  on  New  Year's,  1882,  after  which  he  slowly  failed  until  his 
last  spell  of  sickness,  which  rapidly  reduced  him,  until  November 
21,  when  he  breathed  his  last,  in  the  hope  of  a  glorious  resur- 
rection." (Quoted  from  "A  Memoir"  by  his  neighbor  and  co- 
worker, Emanuel  J.  Blough.) 

He  was  one  of  the  horseback  preachers,  and  living  at  the 
place  and  in  the  age  in  which  he  did,  his  services,  especially  at 
funerals,  were  in  great  demand.  He  also  preached  considerably 
for  other  denominations,  especially  during  the  war  times.  There 
were  few  churches,  and  not  many  schoolhouses,  in  his  end  of  the 
county  in  which  his  eloquence  was  not  heard.  He  was  also  called  on 
committee  work  in  surrounding  churches.  He  was  one  of  the 
delegates  from   Quemahoning  to  the   first  District  Meeting. 

During  his  last  illness  one  of  his  colaborers  asked  him  whether 
he  had  a  desire  for  the  anointing.  His  answer  was  "  No,  I  am  pre- 
pared to  die  without  the  anointing.  You  need  not  go  to  that 
trouble." 

Elder  and  Sister  Blough  were  the  happy  parents  of  ten  chil- 
dren: Annie  Bowman,  Noah,  who  moved  to  the  West  many  years 
ago;  Elizabeth  Lohr,  Mary  Berkey,  Labias,  Josiah,  now  of  the 
State  of  Washington;  Uriah,  and  Rebecca  Spaugy.  Besides  the 
above,  two  children  died  young.  The  rest  grew  to  manhood  and 
womanhood,  but  all  have  passed  away  except  Mary,  Josiah  and 
Rebecca.  Two  of  the  sons-in-law,  Samuel  E.  Berkey  and  Henry 
J.  Spaugy,  were  called  to  the  office  of  deacon.  A  number  of  his 
descendants  are  members  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren. 

JONATHAN  W.  BLOUGH. 

Jonathan  W.  Blough  was  born  November  8,  1825,  in  a  small 
log  cabin  in  Quemahoning  Township,  one  and  a  half  miles  west  of 
Hooversville,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania,  and  died  in  Hoovers- 


334 


HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH   OF   THE 


Klder   Jonathan    W .   BIoiikIi,    >Vite,    DaiiKhter,    Kllen   Shaffer,    (irandson,    Her- 
bert   K.    Sliaffer,    and    (ireat-srandtlauKhter,    I^eah    Hazel    Shaffer. 

villc,  October  16,  1912,  lacking  only  twenty-two  days  of  lieintj  S7 
years  of  age.  He  was  a  son  of  Peter  C.  and  Christiana  (I'";iitli) 
lilough,  being  the  sccf)nd  child  of  a  family  of  ten  children. 

His  opjiortunities  for  an  education  were  meager,  being  onlj- 
those  afforded  by  a  four  months'  subscription  school.  That  he 
applied  himself  diligently  is  evident  from  tlie  following  "  Letter 
of  Merit "  given  him  h'eliruary  4,  1(S41,  liy  his  teacher,  Daniel 
StufFt:  "  Jonathan  I'lough  has  been  a  regular  attendant  of  my  school 
and  has  been  under  my  care  for  the  space  of  two  months.  He  has 
made  excellent  progress  in  learning,  such  as  writing,  reading, 
aritlinictic,  etc.,  and  al)ovt'  all,  liis  most  excellent  behavior."  He 
learned  both  Gcrnian  and  English.  He  always  took  much  interest 
in  education,  l)eing  one  of  the  earliest  patrons  of  the  Huntingdon 
Normal  School  (now  Jun-ata  College),  having  had  a  son,  Elder 
Perry  J.  Blough,  in  attendance  tliere.  His  oldest  daughter,  Mary  J., 
a  fine  Christian  lady,  was  the  llrst  cook  in  the  same  school.  In 
literary  and  del)ating  societies  he  delighted  even  before  the  church 
sanctioned    such    meetings. 

He  was  married  I'^ebruary  22,  1.S52,  to  Susanna  Boger,  who  was 
liorn    in    West   Virginia   July   31.    1.S25.      Her   father   was   Christian 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         335 

Boger,  a  deacon,  and  her  grandfather,  John  Boger,  an  elder.  On 
her  mother's  side  she  was  a  granddaughter  of  John  Forney,  Sr. 
She  united  with  the  church  in  her  early  teens. 

By  occupation  Brother  Blough  was  a  farmer,  having  lived  on 
the  same  farm  from  1855  to  1900,  when  he  removed  to  Hoovers- 
ville.  In  June  after  their  marriage  he  united  with  the  church,  and 
two  years  later  was  elected  to  the  deaconship,  and  in  June,  1856,  he 
was  elected  to  the  ministry,  being  the  first  minister  installed  in 
the  Pine  Grove  meetinghouse,  which  he  had  helped  to  build  the 
year  previous.     June  30,   1900,  he   was  ordained  to  the  eldership. 

Their  home  was  blest  with  two  sons  and  foiir  daughters,  of 
whom  one  son,  P.  J.  Blough,  of  Hooversville,  named  above.  Sister 
Ella  Shaffer,  of  Hooversville,  Pa.,  and  Sister  Annie  Herring,  of 
Xokesville,  Va.,  survive.  Theirs  was  a  model  Christian  home,  and 
the  spiritual  atmosphere  pervading  the  home  had  the  efifect  of 
bringing  the  children  early  to  the  Savior.  Brother  and  Sister 
Blough  journeyed  together,  hand  in  hand,  sharing  each  other's 
joys  and  sorrows,  for  fifty-nine  years  and  six  days,  when,  February 
8,  1911,  she  fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  leaving  her  aged  companion  to 
travel  the  remainder  of  the  journey  alone.  Elder  Blough  was  a 
well-preserved  man  physically,  and  it  was  only  during  the  last 
few  years  that  he  failed  very  perceptibly,  while  his  mental  powers 
were  unimpaired  to  the  end.  September  29  kind  brethren  carried 
him  to  the  church  across  the  street,  where  he  enjoyed  his  last  com- 
munion. 

For  fifty-six  yars  Elder  Blough  preached  a  free  and  a  saving 
Gospel.  Living  near  the  eastern  boundary  of  a  large  congregation 
made  his  ministerial  labors  ciuite  strenuous.  Many  and  long  were 
the  horseback  rides  taken  to  fill  appointments  and  to  do  general 
church  work.  During  half  a  century  his  counsels  helped  to  solve 
the  church  problems  and  direct  the  church  into  new  lines  of  church 
activities.  He  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  the  church  grow  from 
an  humble  beginning  until  it  numbered  well  on  to  400,  and  also  had 
the  pleasure  of  helping  to  erect  all  the  houses  of  worship  in  the 
congregation,  and  seeing  Sunday-schools  established  in  all  of  them. 

He  was  among  the  first  to  recognize  the  need  of  Sunday- 
schools,  and  it  was  largely  through  his  efforts  that  the  first  Sunday- 
school  (Pine  Grove)  in  the  congregation  was  organized.  Down  to 
the  last  years  he  enjoyed  being  in  the  Bible  class,  and  taking  part 
in  the  discussion  of  the  Scriptures.  He  scarcely  ever  erred  in 
his  explanations  of  difficult  passages.  He  was  a  deep  thinker,  and 
a  persistent  Bible  student.  This  enabled  him  to  quote  many  pas- 
sages of  Scripture  in  his  sermons.  Most  of  his  work  was  done  in 
the  home  church,  and  he  was  not  widely  known  outside  of  the 
State  District.     He  was  frequently  delegate  to  the  church  confer- 


336  HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

ences.  The  first  twenty  or  twenty-five  years  he  preached  in  the 
German  language,  but  when  there  was  no  longer  any  need  for  such 
services  he  did  what  few  men  have  done — changed  entirely  to 
the  English.  He  was  a  staunch  supporter  of  our  church  publications 
and  missionary  activities. 

Funeral  services  were  conducted  in  the  Hooversville  cnurch 
by  Elders  S.  P.  Zimmerman,  W.  M.  Howe  and  J.  E.  Blough.  In- 
terment was  made  in  the  Maple  Spring  cemetery  by  the  side  of  his 
wife,  and  near  the  graves  of  his  coworkers,  Elders  Tobias  Blough 
and  Emanuel  J.  Blough.  Five  of  his  grandsons  and  another  young 
brother   carried   him   to  his  last  resting  place. 

VALENTINE  BLOUGH. 

Valentine  Blough,  oldest  son  of  Elder  Jacob  and  Sister  Bar- 
bara (Saylor)  Blough,  was  born  on  the  old  Blough  homestead, 
near  Berlin,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania,  February  14,  1828. 
He  grew  to  manhood  on  his  father's  farm.  He  made  proper  use  of 
every  opportunity  to  gain  an  education,  both  in  the  German  and 
English  languages.  He  qualified  himself  to  teach  school,  and  fol- 
lowed that  profession  nine  years  in  the  schools  of  his  county. 

He  was  married  to  Miss  Catharine  Cober,  daughter  of  Samuel 
Cober,  November  30,  1851.  Besides  teaching  he  was  a  successful 
farmer  all  his  life.  He  lived  on  several  farms,  but  the  greater 
part  of  his  married  life  he  lived  on  a  large  farm  in  Somerset 
Township,  near  Geiger  Station,  three  miles  northeast  of  Somerset. 
Me  and  Sister  Blough  early  united  with  the  Church  of  the  Breth- 
ren in  the  Brothers  Valley  (then  Berlin)  congregation,  and  it  was 
there  that  he  was  called  to  the  office  of  deacon.  This  office  he 
filled  faithfully,  and  after  he  had  moved  into  the  Middle  Creek  con- 
gregation he  was  called  to  the  ministry  of  the  Word  in  the  autumn 
of  1867.  He  "  made  full  proof  of  his  ministry  "  and  soon  became 
quite  popular,  l)oth  in   his  own   and   in   surrounding  congregations. 

Living  in  the  extreme  northern  end  of  a  congregation  covering 
a  large  area  made  his  ministerial  labors  arduous.  In  order  to 
reach  some  of  the.  appointments  it  was  necessary  to  leave  home 
the  day  before.  Sunday  was  usually  one  of  the  hardest  and  busiest 
days  of  the  week  for  Brother  Blough.  Yet  it  can  l)c  truthfully  said 
of  him  that  he  was  prompt  and  punctual  in  all  his  church  work. 
With  him  llie  Master's  business  received  first  attention.  Living 
convenient  to  the  Qucmahoning  and  Brothers  Valley  congrega- 
tions, he  was  frequently  called  upon  to  preach  funerals  and  assist 
in  other  church  work  there. 

,\  number  of  years  before  his  death  he  was  ordained  to  the 
eldership,  and  was  associated  witli  FIcUts  Josiali   I'erklcy  and  .Silas 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        337 

Hoover  in  that  office.  He  preached  in  both  the  German  and  the 
English  languages,  but  mostly  in  the  latter,  especially  so  during 
the  latter  part  of  his  ministry.  His  preaching  was  forceful  and 
earnest,  and  his  services  were  in  demand.  He  held  some  series 
of  meetings.  Elder  Hoover  wrote  at  the  time  of  his  death:  "  In 
the  death  of  Elder  Blough  the  church  has  lost  a  faithful  elder — 
always  at  his  post,  apt  to  teach,  sound  in  doctrine.  He  was  a 
strong  advocate  and  defender  of  the  doctrine  of  the  church  and 
her  principles.  In  him  the  community  lost  a  good  citizen,  the 
wife  an  affectionate  husband  and  the  children  a  kind  father."  He 
frequently  represented  his  church  in  Annual  and  District  Meet- 
ings. He  served  on  numerous  committees  of  the  District,  and  in 
1(S89  he  represented  Western  Pennsylvania  on  the  Standing  Com- 
mittee of  the  Annual  Meeting  at  Harrisonburg,  Virginia.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  locating  committee  of  the  last  Annual  Meeting 
held   in  Western   Pennsylvania,   at   Meyersdale,   in    1894. 

Elder  and  Sister  Blough  were  the  parents  of  these  children: 
Sarah,  married  to  Henry  Casebeer,  a  deacon;  James,  for  a  score 
of  years  a  popular  school-teacher,  now  a  retired  farmer  and  sur- 
veyor; Tillie,  married  to  Elder  W.  M.  W^ine,  of  Woodside.  Dela- 
ware; Wilson  and  Clara.    The  last  two  died  in  childhood. 

Elder  Blough  was  a  man  of  pronounced  temperate  habits  and 
extremely  hygienic  in  his  manner  of  life,  with  the  result  that  at 
the  age  of  seventy  his  body  was  as  erect  and  his  step  as  quick  as 
most  young  men  are  in  their  teens.  His  mind  was  strong,  and  he 
had  so  arranged  his  temporal  afifairs  that  he  might  have  devoted 
much  of  his  time  to  church  work,  when  he  was  suddenl}'  called 
from  his  strenuous  life  on  earth  to  the  "  home  above." 

He  fell  asleep  in  Jesus  July  13,  1898,  aged  70  years,  4  months 
and  29  days.  His  funeral  was  held  in  the  Summit  church  by  his  co- 
laborers,  Josiah  Berkley  and  Silas  Hoover,  from  John  11:  23.  In- 
terment was  made  in  the  Schrock  cemetery. 

Among  father's  papers  I  came  across  a  letter  written  by  Uncle 
Valentine  to  father  during  the  trying  times  of  the  War  of  the 
Rebellion.  This  letter  shows  the  character  of  Elder  Blough,  and 
at  the  same  time  gives  us  wlio  are  younger  some  faint  idea  of  the 
anguish  of  mind,  the  loss  of  property  and  general  suffering  en- 
dured by  our  brethren  and  others  during  those  four  years  of  war- 
fare.    Here  is  his  letter: 

Berlin,    Somerset    County,    Pennsylvania. 

October   the   29th,   A.   D.   1862. 
Emanuel  Blough  and  Wife: 

Beloved  brother  and  sister  in  the  Lord:  I  received  your  letter, 
dated  October  the  26th,  and  we  rejoice  to  hear  that  you  are  all 


33.S  HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

well,  and  thanks  be  to  God  the  Father  and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
that  we  all  enjoy  the  same  great  and  inestimable  blessing.  We 
were  waiting  for  some  time  for  you  to  pay  us  a  visit,  but  as  you 
mentioned  nothing  in  your  letter,  I  presume  you  do  not  intend 
to  come  to  us  this  fall.  We  would  be  very  glad  if  your  circum- 
stances will  permit,  if  you  (and  your  family)  would  come  and  see 
us  yet  before  winter. 

I  suppose  you  would  like  to  hear  something  concerning  the 
drafting  in  our  neighborhood.  Most  of  the  brethren  in  our  Dis- 
trict, who  were  subject  to  be  drafted,  received  exemption  for  con- 
scientious scruples  to  take  up  arms,  and  some  of  those  who  failed 
to  attend  were  drafted  and  came  into  serious  difiiculties.  I  know, 
however,  of  only  three  or  four  in  our  District  who  had  the  mis- 
fortune to  be  hit  by  the  draft,  namely:  Daniel  Kimniel,  George 
Hostetler  and  Ulard  Pew  (almost  my  nearest  neighbors).  Our 
neighborhood  (except  the  nearest  neighbors  who  all  escaped)  was 
swept  almost  to  a  man.  Besides  those  mentioned  above  were  John 
•  Pew  (who  lives  on  the  old  farm),  Henry  Fox,  Samuel  Rhoads, 
Joseph  and  Herman  Shaffer,  Alexander  Fluntcr,  Solomon  Seibert, 
M.  Mason,  Samuel  Frank  and  Jeremiah  Snyder,  all  living  within 
a  few  miles  of  ns.  liut  I  hear  they  are  most  all  at  home  again. 
Some  got  exemption,  and  some,  perhaps,   hired   sul)Stitutes. 

Brother  John  got  exemption  on  account  of  his  broken  leg, 
and  I,  on  account  of  conscientious  scruples  to  bear  arms.  What 
my  tine  will  be  !  do  not  know  yet.  I'ut,  blessed  I)e  God  that  it 
will  be  only  a  penalty  in  money,  and  if  it  should  prove  to  be  so 
much  that  it  would  take  a  great  part  of  the  perishable  things  of  this 
world,  which  were  given  to  me  by  God.  I  hope  the  Lord  will  grant 
me  grace  and  Christian  fortitude  that  I  maj'  be  enabled  to  give  it 
without  murmuring,  and  be  enabled  to  say  with  Job  of  old,  "The 
Lord  has  given  and  the  Lord  has  taken  away,  blessed  be  the  name 
of  the  Lord."  and  Hrmly  rely  on  his  promise,  that  in  six  tribula- 
tions, he  will  be  with  his  children  and  in  the  seventh  he  will  not 
forsake  them. 

Perhaps  the  time  is  not  far  distant  wlien  we  will  need  these 
things  no  more.  If  we  only  have  part  in  that  iniieritance  which  is 
imperislial)le  and  undeliled,  rcser\ed  in  heaven  for  those  who  love 
him.  I  am  >onu'times  amazed,  when  1  retlect  on  tlie  glory,  joy, 
endless  felicity  and  eternal  rest  of  heaven,  that  our  affections  are 
so  often  set  on  things  of  the  earth  which  are  sometimes  taken  from 
us  in  a  moment,  and  not  on  things  above  which  will  last  through- 
out the  ceaseless  ages  of  eternity. 

It  appears  to  me  at  present,  when  I  view  everything  around 
us,  that  gloom  and  darkness  are  gathering  around  us  as  dense 
as   midnight    darkness,   and    sin    and    wickedness   are   increasing   so 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        339 

fast,  that  I  often  think  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  and  am  afraid 
that  direful  judgments  may  perhaps  visit  our  entire  land.  And  I 
fear  there  is  danger  that  the  salt  of  our  land  will  lose  its  savor. 
Wherewithal  shall  it  then  be  preserved?  However,  there  is  yet 
hope.  As  long  as  Lot  was  in  Sodom,  his  presence  saved  the  city, 
and  when  the  people  of  Nineveh  humbled  themselves  and  cried 
mightily  unto  God,  the  judgments  of  God  were  averted  and  the  city 
was  saved.  Therefore,  we,  who  know  that  the  fervent  prayer 
of  a  righteous  man  availeth  much,  ought  to  remember  the  ruler 
of  our  distracted  country  at  a  throne  of  mercy.  Perhaps  our  diffi- 
culties may  be  adjusted  and  peace  restored,  and  devastation,  blood- 
shed and  crime  may  take  their  flight  from  our  shores. 

And,  particularly,  ought  we  to  pray  for  us  and  our  dear  breth- 
ren and  sisters.  No  doubt  many  of  them  do  not  enjoy  the  com- 
forts of  this  life  which  we  have  hitherto  enjoyed.  And  if  it  should 
be  the  will  of  our  heavenly  Father  that  our  faith  should  be  tried, 
that  we  may  stand  fast  and  immovable,  and  if  need  be,  sacrifice  our 
life  for  Christ's  sake,  knowing  that  "  if  this  earthly  house  of  our 
tabernacle  is  dissolved,  we  have  a  house  not  made  with  hands, 
eternal   in   the  heavens." 

How  often  do  we  rejoice  on  Saturday  evening,  after  a  long 
week  of  hard  labor,  trials,  temptations  and  difficulties  with  which 
we  have  to  contend,  in  anticipation  of  Sunday,  a  day  of  rest,  when 
we  expect  to  assemble  ourselves  together  with  our  dear  brethren 
and  sisters,  and  sing  praises  to  our  God.  How  much  more  consol- 
ing will  it  be  when  our  journey  of  this  life  will  be  o'er  and  we  have 
peace  with  God,  and  can  lay  our  heads  down  to  sleep  in  Christ,  re- 
joicing in  anticipation  of  the  glorious  resurrection  morn,  when 
soul  and  body  will  be  reunited,  and  we  can  meet  our  friends  who 
died  in  Christ,  and  see  Christ,  our  Redeemer,  face  to  face! 

This  ought  to  encourage  us  to  brave  the  storm  of  persecution 
and  try  to  follow  Christ,  or  his  footsteps,  regardless  of  a  sinful 
world.  But  I  will  come  to  a  close.  Remember  us  at  a  throne  of 
mercy. 

Your  brother  in  love, 

Valentine  Blough. 

EMANUEL   J.    BLOUGH. 

Emanuel  J.  Blough,  second  son  of  Elder  Jacob  and  Barbara 
(Saylor)  Blough,  was  born  one  mile  north  of  Berlin,  Somerset 
County,  Pennsylvania,  November  6,  1830,  and  grew  to  manhood  on 
the  farm  with  his  brothers  and  sisters.  He  made  good  use  of  the 
school  privileges  of  his  day,  studying  both  German  and  English. 
He  became  proficient  in  the  three  R's  and  spelling,  and,  perhaps. 


340  HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH   OF   THE 


Elder    £manuel    J.    Blougrh    and    Wife. 


a  few  other  branches,  and  taught  school  two  years.  For  some 
years  he  assisted  his  father  and  older  brothers  in  the  manufacture 
of  thrashing  machines. 

He  and  Miss  Caroline  Landis  were  married  October  16,  1853, 
Elder  John  Berkley  performing  the  ceremony.  They  bought  and 
moved  on  to  a  large  farm  in  Quemahoning  Township,  a  few  miles 
northwest  of  Hooversville.  His  wife  died  November  3,  1856, 
leaving  a  little  two-year-old  daughter,  Amy.  On  October  2,  1859, 
he  was  married  to  Miss  Sarah  Barndt,  oldest  daughter  of  Nicholas 
Barndt,  by  Elder  Tobias  Blough.  Their  children  are  Jerome  E., 
Jemima  E.,  Silas  S.,  Elijah  E.  and  Jacol)  M. 

In  1868  he  sold  his  farm,  and  after  a  fruitless  prospecting  trip 
through  the  West,  he  bought  a  large  farm  in  Concmaugh  Town- 
ship, on  the  Quemahoning  Creek.  Here  he  lived  till  1872,  when  he 
moved  to  a  farm  in  Jenner  Townsliip,  near  Stantons  Mills,  where 
he  lived  the  remainder  of  his  life. 

Elder  Blough  took  great  interest  in  education,  and  for  some 
years  served  on  the  township  school  bdard.  After  his  call  to  the 
ministry,  however,  no  persuasion  of  his  neighbors  could  induce  him 
to  accept  a  township  office.  When  asked  for  a  reason,  he  told 
them  he  already  had  a  higher  office  than  the  township  had  to  offer. 
He  made  great  sacrifices  in  order  that  his  children  might  have  all 
the  educational  advantages  possible.  All  four  of  his  sons  became 
successful  teachers,  teaching  altogether  forty  terms  of  public 
school,  while  three  of  them  are  at  present  teaching  in  higher  in- 
stitutions of  learning.  His  four  sons  and  son-in-law  were  called 
to   the   ministry   and    eldership. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         341 

His  uniting  with  the  church  in  his  single  days,  which  was  a 
very  rare  thing  in  his  time,  is  evidence  of  his  early  piety.  Early 
in  his  married  life  he  was  elected  deacon  in  the  Quemahoning 
congregation,  and  in  1865  he  was  called  to  the  ministry.  In  order 
to  be  able  to  take  his  whole  family  to  church  he  early  provided 
himself  with  a  suitable  conveyance.  Later  on,  when  his  ministerial 
labors  frequently  made  it  necessary  to  go  to  the  distant  meeting 
places  to  fill  appointments,  which  deprived  the  family  of  church 
privileges,  he  did  a  very  wise  thing — bought  a  farm  close  enough 
to  the  Pine  Grove  meetinghouse  that  the  children  could  walk  to 
church  when  he  was  away.  Though  that  was  a  move  void  of  any 
financial  gain,  it  is  very  certain  that  it  resulted  in  untold  spiritual 
benefit  to  the  children,  all  of  whom  united  with  the  church  in  their 
young  days. 

With  Elder  Blough  the  needs  and  work  of  the  church  held 
first  place.  It  was  nothing  unusual  for  him  to  leave  his  plow  in  the 
furrow  and  go  to  preach  a  funeral,  visit  a  sick  member,  baptize 
a  penitent  soul,  carry  the  message  of  salvation  to  the  isolated 
in  his  own  congregation  or  across  the  Laurel  Hill  Ridge  to  the 
scattered  members  there,  solemnize  a  marriage  or  assist  neigh- 
boring congregations  in  special  church  work.  If  the  mother  and 
children  could  do  the  work  in  his  absence,  all  right,  and  if  not, 
it  had  to  wait  till  he  returned.  He  was  prompt  in  keeping  ap- 
pointments.    No  weather  was  too  severe  for  him  to  go. 

On  January  1,  1882,  Brother  Blough  was  ordained  to  the  elder- 
ship of  the  Quemahoning  congregation.  During  his  administra- 
tion, extending  over  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century,  he  had  the 
satisfaction  of  seeing  the  church  prosper.  The  membership  was 
largely  increased,  meetinghouses  were  built  and  rebuilt  until  there 
were  seven,  three  of  which  were  love-feast  houses;  Sunday-schools 
were  conducted  in  these  churches,  strong  brethren  were  called  to 
the  ministry  and  deaconship^  and  the  missionary  spirit  had  so 
grown  and  developed  that  the  congregation  pledged  the  support  of 
a  brother  on  the  India  field. 

Elder  Blough  was  an  early  advocate  and  supporter  of  Sunday- 
schools,  and  it  was  largely  through  his  efifort  that  the  first  one  in 
the  congregation  was  organized  at  Pine  Grove  in  1880.  His  name 
was  on  the  class  book  at  his  death.  He  was  a  close  student  of  the 
Word;  he  also  read  many  religious  and  historical  works,  as  well  as 
debates  and  books  of  travel.  He  was  a  regular  subscriber  and 
occasional  contributor  to,  and  a  constant  reader  of,  our  church 
papers  from  the  beginning  of  the  Gospel  Visitor,  and  for  some 
time  was  agent  for  the  same. 

Early  in  his  married  life  he  established  the  family  altar.  He 
also    found    much    comfort    and    strength    in    secret    prayer.      His 


342  HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH   OF   THE 

children  often  discovered  him  wrestling  with  God  when  the  dark 
clouds  were  overhanging  and  threatening  the  peace  of  the  church. 
These  seasons  of  secret  devotion  were  a  source  of  great  comfort 
to  him. 

He  cared  little  for  publicity,  being  content  to  do  his  duties  in 
a  quiet  way.  He  sought  no  honors,  but  when  responsibility  was 
placed  upon  him  he  did  his  best  willingly. 

He  was  not  widely  known  outside  of  his  State  District,  though 
he  made  several  trips  to  the  West  to  visit  his  brothers  and  sisters 
and  two  to  Virginia  to  his  sons.  He  frequently  represented  his 
church  in  District  and  Annual  Conferences.  It  was  when  alighting 
from  the  train  in  Johnstown,  when  returning  from  the  Annual 
Conference  at  Mexico,  Juniata  County,  Pennsylvania,  in  1885,  that 
he  was  run  down  by  a  train,  crippling  him  for  life.  This  accident 
nearly  cost  him  his  life,  causing  him  great  suffering  for  manj' 
months. 

He  kept  no  record  of  his  ministerial  labors,  believing,  no  doubt, 
that  the  record  was  kept  in  heaven.  It  is  known,  however,  that 
he  preached  many  funerals,  solemnized  many  marriages  and  bap- 
tized many  converts.  He  was  frequently  called  to  preach  funerals 
for  outsiders  and  members  of  other  denominations.  His  labors 
were  given  free.  He  preached  in  tlie  German  or  English  lan- 
guage as  the  occasion  demanded.  During  the  latter  part  of  his 
ministry  the  German  was  not  rccjuired.  He  had  full  faith  in  the 
anointing  service.  He  did  a  great  deal  of  it,  and  he  himself  re- 
ceived it  three  times,   every  time   with   much   blessing. 

His  home  was  noted  for  its  hospitality.  It  was  open  to  beg- 
gar, tramp  and  peddler  as  well  as  to  friend  and  brother.  No 
worthy  call  was  turned  down  if  it  was  within  his  power  to  help. 
He  was  willing  to  make  sacrifices  in  order  to  assist  tlic  mis- 
sionary cause  and  the  erection  of  churches.  He  stood  t'irnily  on 
the  principles  of  the  church,  yet  in  administering  discipline,  len- 
iency, rather  than  severity,  was  his  motto. 

When  he  was  well  up  in  the  seventies  his  eyesight  failed  him 
and  for  a  while  he  was  blind.  This  was  a  great  affliction,  because 
it  deprived  him  of  his  reading,  of  which  he  was  so  fond.  How- 
ever, he  bore  his  affliction  with  commendable  patience.  During  the 
period  of  his  blindness  he  continued  to  preach,  either  quoting  his 
text  from  memory  or  having  it  read  by  another.  After  the  cat- 
aract was  sufficiently  developed,  it  was  removed,  and  once  more 
his  sight  came  to  him.  He  was  overjoyed  when  he  could  once 
more  look  into  the  faces  of  his  dear  companion,  children  and 
friends.  Though  it  was  somewhat  tiresome  he  was  again  able  to 
read. 

Elder  Blough  was  a  lover  of  music,  and  early  in   the  morning 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         343 

his  voice  could  be  heard  hymning  praises  to  the  Father  above. 
He  had  a  constant  concern  for  sinners.  His  last  sermon  in  the 
Pine  Grove  church,  May  27,  1910,  vv^as  preached  from  Matthew  11: 
28,  29  and  30 — an  appeal  to  sinners.  It  was  this  concern  for  the 
lost  that  enabled  him  to  consent  to  let  his  j-oungest  son,  Jacob 
M.,  go  to  the  India  mission  field.  He  had  hoped  to  live  to  see  his 
son  and  daughter-in-law  once  more,  and  as  the  time  for  their  fur- 
lough grew  nearer  he  became  quite  anxious,  but  the  good  Father 
willed  it  otherwise,  and  after  an  illness  of  six  weeks  he  passed  to 
his  reward,  August  29,  1910,  at  the  age  of  79  years,  9  months  and 
23  days. 

The  funeral  services  were  in  charge  of  Elder  P.  J.  Blough, 
who  was  assisted  by  the  home  ministers  and  Elder  A.  Fyock  and 
George  Hanawalt.  Interment  was  made  in  Maple  Spring  ceme- 
tery, where  he  had  so  often  stood  by  the  open  grave  and  prayed 
God's  benediction  upon  the  mourners.  Here  Elder  Tobias  Blough 
was  buried  and  Elder  Jonathan  W.  Blough  has  since  been  laid.  It 
seems  appropriate  that  these  three  old  soldiers  of  the  cross,  who 
for  a  number  of  years  lived  on  adjoining  farms,  and  who  had  so 
peaceably  labored  together  so  many  years,  should  be  buried  al- 
most side  by  side  in  the  same  cemetery,  awaiting  the  resurrection 
morning. 

At  his  death  he  was  kindly  remembered  hy  the  Blough  Asso- 
ciation in  the  following  resolution:  "Whereas,  We  learn  with 
extreme  sorrow  of  the  death  of  Rev.  Emanuel  J.  Blough,  father 
of  Rev.  Jerome  E.  Blough,  tliird  vice-president  of  our  association, 
and  brother  of  John  J.  Blough,  first  vice-president  of  our  associa- 
tion, therefore  be  it  resolved,  That  our  secretary  l)e  instructed 
to  convey  our  condolence  to  the  friends  of  the  bereaved  family. 

"  While  he  will  be  missed  in  the  home  and  family  and  in  the 
church  which  he  so  faithfully  served,  we  can  rejoice  that  his  life 
has  been  devoted  to  the  cause  of  spreading  Christianity,  and  that 
he  has  done  what  he  cnuld  to  enlist  men  in  the  army  of  Christ, 
thus  helping  to  purify  this  world  of  sin.  We  commend  his  noble 
life  to  all  the  members  of  the  Blough  family. 

Signed   by    Committee, 

Abraham     W.    Blanch, 
Nathaniel    Blough, 
Charles   M.    Blough, 

Very  respectfully, 

Tillman   K.   Saylor,   Secretary. 

The  sentiments  of  this  resolution  can  well  be  endorsed  by  all 
who   knew    him. 


344  HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH   OF   THE 

JEROME  E.  BLOUGH. 

Jerome  E.  Bloiigh,  oldest  son  of  Elder  Emanuel  J.  and  Sarah 
(Barndt)  Blough,  was  born  near  Hooversville  in  Quemahoning 
Township,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania,  August  22,  1861. 
When  seven  years  old  the  family  moved  to  Conemaugh  Township, 
and  in  1S72,  to  near  Stantons  Mills,  Jenner  Township,  where  he 
grew  to  manhood  on  the  farm  with  his  brothers  and  sisters. 

The  schoolroom  always  had  great  attractions  for  Brother 
Blough.  After  finishing  the  grades  in  the  Walter  public  school 
he  attended  five  terms  of  Normal  School  in  Stoystown,  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  part  of  a  term  of  Summer  Normal  in  Front  Royal,  Vir- 
ginia. He  always  held  first  class  and  professional  certificates. 
He  began  teaching  school  in  1880  and  taught  twenty  winter  terms 
in  succession,  ranging  in  length  from  five  to  eight  months.  He 
taught  ten  terms  in  Jenner,  Concniaugli  and  Paint  Townships, 
Somerset  County;  three  terms  in  Richland  Township,  Cambria 
County,  Pennsylvania,  and  seven  terms  in  the  Cannon  Branch 
school,  Manassas  District,  Prince  William  County,  Virginia. 

In  addition  to  teaching  he  has  at  different  times  engaged  in 
carpentering,  contracting,  undertaking,  farming,  bookselling, 
clerking,  and  is  at  present  writing  this  history. 

On  December  22,  1881,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mollie  M. 
Dietz,  daughter  of  Jacob  W.  and  Sarah  (Miller)  Dietz.  Elder 
Joseph  Berkey  performing  the  ceremony.  To  this  union  three 
daughters  were  born;  viz.,  r>ertha  A.  Keim,  Clara  M.  Paden  and 
Cora  L.  Keim.  Tliey  have  lived  two  years  in  the  Quemahoning 
congregation;  from  1SS4  to  1S92,  in  Paint  Township  (iive  years  of 
which  time  in  Scalp  Level);  from  1892  to  1899  in  Prince  William 
County,  Virginia;  from  1899  to  1900  near  Geistown,  Cambria 
County,  Pennsylvania;  from  1900  to  1910  with  his  father,  where  he 
was  reared,  in  Jenner  Township;  since  December  8,  1910,  in 
Johnstown. 

Under  the  preaching  of  .Stephen  H.  Bashor  he  gave  his  heart  to 
God,  being  baptized  by  him  in  Stanton's  Millrace,  March  26,  1877. 
On  July  10,  1887,  with  Hiram  Lehman,  he  was  called  to  the  min- 
istry in  the  Shade  Creek  congregation,  and  was  installed  by  Elder 
John  S.  Holsinger.  In  the  Midland  congregation,  Virginia,  he  was 
advanced  to  the  second  degree  of  the  ministry  by  Elders  S.  F. 
Sanger  and  S.  H.  Myers,  May  13,  1893.  He  was  ordained  to  the 
eldership  May  4,  1915,  in  the  West  Johnstown  congregation,  Elders 
W.  M.  Howe  and  H.  S.  Replogle  oflficiating.  He  was  elected  elder 
in  charge  of  the  Pleasant  TTill  congregation  in  the  summer  of 
1<)1.S. 

As    a    child,    all    the    opporlunity    he    had    to    attend    .Sunday- 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         345 


Elder   Jerome   K.    Blough    and    AVife. 

school  was  the  Hopewell  Methodist  Sunday-school  for  several 
months  one  summer.  When  the  Pine  Grove  Sunday-school  was 
organized,  in  1880,  he  was  elected  secretary-treasurer;  he  also  was 
a  teacher.  Ever  since  then  he  has  embraced  every  opportunity  to 
attend  Sunday-school.  He  has  labored  ten  years  in  the  Scalp 
Level  school,  six  years  in  the  Cannon  Branch,  five  years  in  the 
Pine  Grove  and  five  in  the  Roxbury,  usuallj'  as  an  officer  or 
teacher.  He  has  been  active  in  local  and  District  Sunday-school 
conventions. 

Elder  Blough  is  a  lover  of  music,  has  taught  a  number  of  sing- 
ing classes  and  has  been  a  leader  in  song  thirty-five  years.  He 
has  frequently  represented  his  congregation  in  District  and  An- 
nual Conference.  He  has  always  been  among  the  leaders  in  his 
community  in  advancing  the  best  interests  of  church,  school  and 
state.  He  is  a  promoter  of  the  missionarj'  activities  of  the  church, 
and  a  strong  temperance  advocate.  For  a  number  of  years  he 
has  been  District  Treasurer  of  the  Annual  Meeting  Fund.  He  has 
been  church  correspondent  almost  continuously  for  more  than 
thirty  years,  and  has  written  considerably  for  the  essay  depart- 
ment of  our  church  periodicals. 

NORMAN  H.  BLOUGH. 

Norman  H.  Blough  is  the  only  son  of  Hiram  and  Eliza  (Fry) 
Blough,  and  was  born  near  Thomas'  Mill,  Somerset  County, 
Pennsylvania,  January  25,  1875.  His  sisters  are  Emma  Merley, 
Ida  Lohr,  Ella  Stevens  and  Sadie  Kaufman.  His  education  in 
the    public    schools   was    supplemented    by    several    terms    of   local 


346 


HISTORY    OF   THE    CHURCH    OF   THE 


Norman    H.    Hlougrh    and    Wife. 


normal      work.        He      tauylit      ciglit      terms      of      pul)lic      school. 

For  nine  years  he  operated  a  sawmill  and  threshing  outfit. 
While  thus  engaged  he  met  with  an  accident  which  cost  him  his 
left  arm.  The  past  eight  years  he  has  conducted  a  retail  and  whole- 
sale feed  store  in  Davidsville,  Somerset  County. 

During  a  series  of  meetings  held  in  the  Maple  Spring  church 
by  Elder  D.  H.  Walker,  when  fifteen  years  of  age,  he  united  with 
the  church,  being  baptized  by  Elder  S.  P.  Zimmerman.  Ever 
since  then  he  has  been  active  in  Sunday-school  work,  having 
served  as  superintendent  of  Maple  Spring  Sunday-school  several 
terms,  and  for  the  past  fifteen  years  he  has  been  Bible  class 
teacher. 

Brother  Blough  was  elected  deacon  in  the  Quemahoning  con- 
gregation in  the  spring  of  1903,  and  on  June  2,  1907,  he  was  called 
to  the  ministry  in  the  same  congregation,  where  he  now  labors. 

On  March  11,  1903,  he  and  Sister  Grace  I.  Hershberger,  daugh- 
ter of  Brother  and  Sister  Solomon  Hershberger,  then  residing  at 
Brentsville,  Virginia,  were  married  by  Elder  J.  C.  Murray,  then  of 
Washington,  District  of  Columbia. 

CHARLES  W.  BLOUGH. 

Charles  W.  Blough,  son  of  Simon  D.  and  Agnes  (Beam) 
Blough,  was  born  near  the  present  town  of  Jerome,  Conemaugh 
Township,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania,  November  8,  1889. 
His  ancestors  for  a  number  of  generations  back  were  faithful 
members  of  the  church.  His  grandfather,  C.  I.  Beam,  was  a  min- 
ister, and  his  great-grandfather,  Christian  Lehman,  was  an  elder. 
Charles  was  reared  on  the  farm.     On  account  of  the  deatli  of  his 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        347 

father  when  he  was  young,  his  education  was  somewhat  neglected, 
because  his  services  were  needed  on  the  large  farm. 

He  united  with  the  church  at  the  age  of  ten  and  a  half  years, 
and  began  teaching  in  Sunday-school  at  the  age  of  fourteen.  He 
has  been  a  Sunday-school  teacher  almost  continuously  ever  since. 

On  November  25,  1909,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Sister 
Amanda  Kaufman,  daughter  of  Deacon  John  E.  and  Elizabeth 
(Kaufman)  Kaufman.  He  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the 
Quemahoning  congregation  November  2,  1910,  and  advanced  to 
the  second  degree  December  8,  1912.  Brother  Blough  takes  his 
share  of  the  preaching  in  the  congregation,  having  preached  on 
an  average  thirty  sermons  a  year  since  his  installation. 

(Portrait   on   Page  158.) 

ELMER  D.   BLUE. 

Elmer  D.  Blue,  fourth  son  of  David  and  Margaret  (Swan) 
Blue,  was  born  at  Chambersville,  Indiana  County,  Pennsylvania, 
March  20,  1880.  Brother  Blue's  parents  were  born  in  Ireland,  sail- 
ing from  Belfast  to  the  United  States  at  different  times,  not  having 
known  each  other  in  their  native  country.  In  their  church  aftilia- 
tions  the  Blues  are  Presbyterians,  and  in  this  faith  Elmer  received 
his  early  Sunday-school  and  church  training. 

The  family  is  prominent  in  educational  circles.  Of  the  nine 
children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  David  Blue,  six  were  school-teachers, 
teaching,  altogether,  well  on  toward  one  hundred  terms.  Elmer 
worked  on  the  farm  in  the  summer  and  went  to  school  in  the 
winter.  By  applying  himself  diligently  to  the  common'  school 
curriculum  he  was  able,  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  to  pass  out  of 
it  into  the  ranks  of  the  school-teacher.  The  profession  being  crowd- 
ed in  his  native  county,  he  began  teaching  in  Cambria  County  in  the 
fall  of  1898,  and  taught  six  successive  years.  He  was  permitted  to 
enjoy  two  terms   (twenty  weeks)   of  Summer  Normal. 

Brother  Blue  entered  the  United  States  civil  service  as  mail 
carrier,  in  the  Johnstown  postoffice,  in  1906,  where  he  is  still  em- 
ployed. On  October  15,  1901,  he  and  Sister  Laura  A.  Rhodes, 
daughter  of  Emanuel  and  Mary  (Knavel)  Rhodes,  were  united  in 
marriage  by  Elder  J.  F.  Dietz.  Brother  and  Sister  Rhodes  are 
pioneer  members  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  in  Taylor  Town- 
ship. Brother  Rhodes  is  a  deacon.  Sister  Rhodes  comes  from  one 
of  the  oldest  Brethren  families  in  this  section.  Brother  and  Sister 
Blue  are  the  happy  parents  of  the  following  children:  Nina,  Marie, 
Vesta  Pearl,  Donna  Gertrude,  Blair  Rhodes,  Merle  Sloan,  Dwight 
Byron  and  Loren  Elmer.  The  oldest  three  are  members  of  the 
church. 


348  HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

Brother  Blue  was  baptized  into  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  on 
July  5,  1903,  by  Elder  H.  S.  KepiOj^le,  his  wife  having  been  a  mem- 
ber from  her  cliildhood.  Brother  Blue  has  been  active  in  church 
and  Sunday-school  work,  and  on  December  12,  1911,  he  was  elected 
to  the  ministry  in  the  West  Johnstown  congregation,  being  in- 
stalled on  January  4,  1912.  About  a  year  later  he  was  advanced 
to  the  second  degree.  When  the  Pleasant  Hill  congregation  was 
organized  in  February,  1915,  he  and  his  brother-in-law,  Hadden 
Q.  Rhodes,  were  the  only  resident  ministers.  The  past  year  Broth- 
er Blue  has  been  in  charge  of  the  Pleasant  Hill  church  as  resident 
pastor. 

(Portrait    on    Page   l!l<l.) 

J.  L.  BOWMAN. 

J.  L.  Bowman  was  born  near  Jones  Mills,  Westmoreland 
County,  Pennsylvania,  March  1,  1866.  He  is  the  son  of  Daniel  and 
Agnes  (Lohr)  Bowman,  who  were  members  of  the  Baptist  Church. 
In  a  quiet  and  uneventful  way  his  childhood  and  youth  were  passed 
in  his  parental  home.  At  the  age  of  eight  he  entered  the  public 
school  at  Jones  Mills.  After  completing  the  common  schools,  he 
attended  Summer  Normals  at  Stahlstown,  and  at  Springfield, 
Pennsylvania.  He  began  teaching,  and  for  a  number  of  years 
taught  in  Donegal  Township,  Westmoreland  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania. In  1890  he  entered  the  Southwestern  State  Normal  School 
at  California,  Pennsylvania,  from  which  institution  he  later  grad- 
uated with  honor,  being  chosen  as  one  of  the  three  contestants 
from  the  literary  society  to  which  he  belonged. 

Two  events  of  unusal  importance  occurred  shortlj'  after  his 
graduation.  One  was  his  call  to  the  ministry  in  the  Brethren 
(Progressive)  Church  of  which  he  was  then  a  member;  the  other 
was  his  marriage  to  Miss  Martha  Logan,  daughter  of  William  and 
Sarah  Logan.  In  his  choice  of  a  companion  he  made  no  mistake, 
as  subsequent  developments  proved  by  the  faithful  way  she  has 
stood  by  him  in  all  his  labors.  Much  of  his  success  in  the  min- 
istry was  due  to  her  untiring  labors. 

After  his  call  to  the  ministry  he  felt  very  keenly  the  need  of 
wider  and  more  careful  preparation  for  his  work,  so  he  decided 
to  enter  Juniata  College,  from  which  institution  he  was  graduated 
three  years  later  in  the  sacred  literature  course.  After  his  grad- 
uation he  held  three  pastorates,  one  of  seven  years  at  Vinco,  Cam- 
bria County,  Pennsylvania,  one  of  four  years  at  Berlin,  Somerset 
County,  Pennsylvania,  and  one  of  one  year  at  Louisville,  Ohio. 
All  of  his  pastorates  were  marked  by  a  number  of  additions  to  the 
church.  At  Louisville,  Ohio,  he  was  compelled  to  quit  preaching 
for  a  while  on  account  of  a  severe  attack  of  throat  trouble.     From 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        349 


J.    li.   Bowman. 

Louisville  they  came  back  to  Cambria  County,  Pennsylvania, 
where  they  are  now  located  on  their  farm  in  Jackson  Township, 
farming  in  the  summertime  and  teaching  in  the  winter.  He  has 
taught  school  for  more  than  twenty-five  years,  in  three  counties 
and  under  five  superintendents. 

On  December  12.  1915,  he  united  with  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  at  Pleasant  Hill,  Cambria  County,  Pennsylvania.  After 
much  study  he  became  convinced  of  the  soundness  and  safeness  of 
the  doctrine  and  polity  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  and  ac- 
cepted them  without  reservation,  and  was  received  into  the  church 
by  the  elder  in  charge,  Jerome  E.  Blough,  assisted  by  Brethren 
S.  W.  Pearce  and  Elmer  D.  Blue.  At  the  same  meeting  he  was 
called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  the  election 
and    installation    being   conducted   by    Elders    Blough    and    Pearce. 

SAMUEL    BRALLIER. 

By  Sadie   Brallier   Nofifsinger. 

Above  the  list  of  many  children,  upon  the  old  family  record, 
which  has  long  been  treasured  as  a  sacred  relic,  and  whose  margin 
is  now  yellow  with  the  rust  of  years,  can  be  traced  a  name  and 
date  which  are  significant  of  a  long  and  vigorous,  likewise  a  benefi- 
cent and  useful  life.  It  reads  as  follows:  "Samuel  Brallier,  born 
September  2,  1824;  died  October  1.  1894." 


350  HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

Perhaps  it  was  the  blending  of  the  sturdy  Franco-German 
blood  which  laid  the  foundation  for  the  strong  physique,  also 
the  strong  characteristics  of  his  after-life.  At  any  rate  his  per- 
sonal traits  early  asserted  themselves;  for  at  a  very  tender  age, 
while  still  residing  with  his  parents  in  the  pleasant  though  quaint 
home  in  Morrison's  Cove,  where  he  was  born  and  thus  far  reared, 
we  find  him  taking  upon  himself,  in  a  peculiarly  marked  manner, 
the  position  of  firstborn,  and  intelligently  and  tenderly  assuming 
the  duties  of  elder  brother,  whom  a  large  family  of  children  learned 
to  look  up  to  as  their  ideal  of  both  friend  and  counselor. 

When  about  ten  years  old,  I  think,  he  moved  with  his  parents 
to  near  Belsano,  Cambria  County.  Here  is  where  the  remainder 
of  his  childhood  was  spent.  Here  he  attained  unto  the  duties  and 
responsibilities  of  manhood,  before  his  time.  Delving  deep  into 
the  problem  of  business  activity,  going  to  mill,  following  the 
plow,  joining  the  harvesters,  and  driving  the  team,  sometimes  for 
almost  twenty  miles  a  day,  before  he  had  attained  his  teens,  he 
forced  himself  to  be  recognized  as  quite  a  unit  in  family  industry 
and  maintenance. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-seven  he  married  Susannah  Good,  a 
sweet  girl  of  seventeen.  To  this  union  fourteen  children  were 
given.  My  father's  educational  advantages  were  extremely  mea- 
ger, according  to  the  grosser  mode  of  calculating,  not  exceeding 
four  months  of  district  schooling.  Yet  some  of  the  very  earliest 
recollections  which  my  memory  conjures  are  of  seeing  him  pore 
over  some  ponderous  book,  of  which  his  library  contained  not  a 
few  of  no  mean  value.  Did  I  say  he  was  an  uneducated  man  I 
should  belie  not  the  lesser  of  his  merits;  for  herein  lay  his  genius 
— a  genius  to  which  not  every  man  is  born.  Decidedly  he  was  a 
self-taught  man — a  patron  of  that  system  which  has  for  its  foun- 
dation the  clearer  vision;  the  system  which  is  circumscribed  neither 
by  environment  nor  age.  And  he  delved  away  and  profited  by  his 
task  until  he  attained  unto  a  degree  of  knowledge  at  which  men 
marveled,  and  which  also  equipped  him  to  be  an  astute  disccrner  in 
matters  of  moment. 

Soon  after  their  marriage,  my  father  and  mother  together 
united  with  the  church;  and  this  was  the  beginning  of  an  epoch 
of  concentrated  thought  and  effort  which  signalized  the  trend  of 
my  father's  entire  after-life.  With  the  earnestness  and  assiduity 
which  were  his  due,  he  considered  all  things  as  dross  compared 
with  the  duties  of  his  spiritual  vocation,  in  a  literal  sense  being 
willing  to  spend  and  be  spent  for  the  Master's  use.  In  regular 
succession  he  rose  from  one  official  position  to  another,  until  he 
wielded  the  supreme  authority  of  the  bishopric.  Here  the  full 
measure   of  his   manhood   asserted   itself;    and   though    it   must   be 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         351 

admitted  that  his  views  were  somewhat  radical,  out  of  sympathy 
with  a  strenuous  and  unbiased  will,  perforce,  it  must  be  said,  not- 
withstanding, that  his  deliberations  were  tempered  with  wisdom 
and  his  judgments  with  mercy;  and  whatever  else  might  betide, 
the  truth  must  be  upheld  at  any  cost;  compared  with  which  pre- 
cept, popular  aggrandizement  or  personal  ease  was  as  nothing. 
\\  hen  he  was  in  the  meridian  of  his  power  and  usefulness  I  was 
but  a  little  child;  yet  I  can  well  remember  how  he  was  sought  by 
young  and  old  alike,  in  troublous  epochs,  for  his  wise  counsels; 
and  there  were  times  when  his  face  alone  reflected  inspiration  and 
cheer  sufficient  for  the  task  at  hand;  as  a  dazzling  bit  of  sunshine 
while  storm  besets  the  earth,  or  as  the  serene  face  of  a  pilot  when 
the  sea  is  angriest.  I  used  to  think  that  he  must  have  caught  a 
sound  of  that  strain  which  the  shepherds  heard,  for  this  was  the 
motto  of  his  life:  "Peace  on  earth,  good  will  to  men." 

Yet,  let  no  one  suppose  that  he  was  "  carried  to  the  skies  on 
flowery  beds  of  ease."  Nay,  verily.  Perhaps  few  men  have  trod 
a  rougher  or  thornier  path — partly  by  making  other  men's  dis- 
asters his  own  personal  calamities;  partly  by  other  men  making 
his  calamities  their  exceeding  joy.  Either  through  lack  of  discern- 
ment or  lack  of  sympatlu'  the  world  ofttimcs  suffers  the  hero  to 
depart  uncrowned. 

While  his  travels  did  not  extend  over  a  large  portion  of  the 
geographical  map,  yet  his  labors  were  by  no  means  confined  to 
his  home  congregation.  He  was  a  valiant  Sunday-school  pro- 
moter, as  he  also  was  a  pioneer  supporter  of  missions.  He  en- 
couraged the  sick,  lifted  the  downtrodden,  and  entered  devoutly 
into  the  spirit  of  that  which  the  Apostle  James  defines  as  "  pure 
and  undefiled  religion."  He  was  obedient  to  the  church,  adhered 
to  her  counsels,  defended  her  doctrines,  extolled  her  faith  and 
promoted  her  good.  He  was  instant  in  season  and  out  of  season. 
There  was  no  call  so  inopportune  as  to  admit  of  postponement  or 
neglect.  I  have  still  the  vivid  remembrance  of  a  messenger  who 
knocked  at  our  door  one  winter  night.  It  was  to  summon  my 
father  to  the  bedside  of  a  woman  ill  with  typhoid  fever,  who  the 
doctors  said  was  dying.  She  wished  to  be  baptized  immediately. 
The  hour  was  one  o'clock  and  the  night  was  cold.  I  still  remem- 
ber how  I  shuddered  when  my  father  gave  the  messenger  instruc- 
tions to  haste,  in  advance,  and  cut  the  ice  at  a  certain  point  in  the 
river;  for  I  was  but  a  child  and  feared  that  both  himself  and  the 
sick  woman  would  surely  perish.  Through  feverish  questionings 
I  kept  awake,  for  it  was  a  ride  of  weary  miles.  At  four  o'clock  our 
father  returned,  nothing  worsted.  His  staunch  voice  and  cheery 
face  were  assuring.  Let  me  add  that  the  sick  woman's  recovery 
was  speedy  and  complete. 


352  HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH   OF   THE 

The  adversities  and  sorrows,  incident  to  the  factious  relations 
of  his  Fraternity,  bowed  him  down  with  grief;  for  troublous  times 
were,  indeed,  upon  him,  and  the  stand  he  took  for  God  and  a  con- 
science void  of  offense,  rendered  him  locally  unpopular,  to  a  de- 
gree, and  laid  him  bare  to  unjust  criticism  and  unfounded  calum- 
ny. Yet  he  swerved  not  from  his  post,  knowing  that  One  was  also 
spoken  against,  whose  ambassador  he  was.  Through  this  perilous 
epoch  Elder  Quinter  was  his  staunch  friend  and  counselor,  and 
such  men  as  Brethren  Hays  and  Wise  held  up  his  hands  and  sus- 
tained him  with  their  prayers  and  sympathy.  Yet  the  ravages  of 
grief,  because  of  an  apparently  unrequited  service,  unmanned 
him,  in  a  manner  and  to  an  extent  which  was  pitiful  to  see.  Not- 
withstanding the  crucible  in  which  God  should  prove  him,  he  laid 
not  his  armor  down,  and  when  the  heat  was  at  its  fiercest,  the 
most  pathetic  thing  of  all  was  to  hear  him  entreat  God  to  forgive 
his  persecutors  and  slanderers.  This  monument  to  his  memory 
shall  survive  any  of  bronze  or  marble. 

He  was  a  living  exemplification  of  tliat  truth  uttered  l)y  our 
Savior:  "The  poor  ye  have  always  with  you."  He  surely  had.  I 
can  remember  how  our  house  was  literally  besieged  with  unfortu- 
nate sojourners.  In  fact,  it  was  famous  for  miles  around  as  a  sort 
of  wayside  inn,  free  to  poor  travelers.  To  be  exact,  such  were  re- 
ferred to  "  the  great  yellow  house,"  with  perfect  and  accustomed 
freedom.  He  never  turned  any  such  away,  neither  suffered  them 
to  be  so  turned,  empty-handed.  He  must  have  considered  it  his 
due  recompense  to  remember  that  angels  had  been  thus  entertained 
unawares.  Yet  my  father  possessed  the  native  tact  of  inspiring  the 
principles  of  honesty  and  self-respect  within  those  unfortunates; 
and  more  than  once  gave  those  that  were  sound  in  l)ody  the  priv- 
ilege of  paying  their  way  by  chopping  wood,  gathering  sheaves, 
etc.  His  high  sense  of  duty  had  not  permitted  him  to  do  other- 
wise. 

On  the  morning  of  October  1,  1894,  we  were  summoned  to  his 
bedside,  wliore  the  angel  of  death  almost  preceded  us.  .Already 
tlic  chilly  dew  was  upon  his  forehead,  and  in  his  eyes  was  reflected 
the  light  from  the  eternal  shore.  With  his  two  little  children,  and 
the  wife  of  his  later  years,  we  surrounded  his  bedside  with  sorrow 
unspeakable.  His  lips  moved  and  we  bent  our  ears  to  catch  the 
whisper:  "  If  I  must  die,  oh,  let  me  die  in  peace  witli  all  man- 
kind." O  Peace!  the  keynote  of  his  faith;  the  principle  he  had  sus- 
tained throughout  his  life,  and  which  was  so  dear  to  him  at  the 
entrance  of  the  life  beyond! 

Thus  lived  and  died  Samuel  Rrallicr,  the  veteran  ambassador 
of  Jesus  Christ  and  dauntless  soldier  of  the  cross.  Oh,  T  re- 
joice to  believe  that  the  gracious  Father,  into  whose  care  he  com- 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        353 

mended    his    spirit,    tenderly    received    him    into    everlasting    rest. 
Johnstown,  Pa. 

JACOB  BRIDGE. 

Jacob  Bridge  and  his  wife,  Mary,  were  residing  in  Bolivar,  and 
when  the  Brethren  began  preaching  in  that  place  became  inter- 
ested in  the  meetings,  and  in  the  doctrine  that  was  preached. 
Brother  Bridge  was  an  educated  man,  having  been  educated  for  a 
Catholic  priest.  He  was  able  to  read  the  Scriptures  in  the  original 
Latin  and  Greek. 

When  he  married  he  was  expelled  from  the  priesthood,  and 
some  time  later  united  with  the  Methodist  Church.  Finding  the 
doctrines  preached  by  the  ministers  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
substantiated  by  the  Gospel,  he  and  his  wife  were  baptized  in 
1879  bj^  J.  W.  Smouse,  an  evangelist  of  those  days. 

He  was  elected  deacon  in  1881,  minister  in  1883,  and  advanced 
fo  the  second  degree  in  1885,  and  died  in  the  faith  in  Bolivar  in 
1894,  at  a  good  old  age. 

URIAH  D.  BROUGHER. 

Uriah  D.  Brougher  was  born  in  Brothers  Valley  Township, 
Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania,  April  9,  1847.  His  parents  were 
Daniel  and  Lydia  (Hersh)  Brougher.  His  father  died  before  he 
was  born.  He  remained  with  his  mother  until  he  was  about  five 
or  six  years  old,  when  he  made  his  home  with  William  Hay,  where 
he   lived  at  intervals  for  about  ten   years. 

He  attended  the  public  schools  of  Brothers  Valley  Township 
and  Berlin  Borough.  He  never  followed  school-teaching,  but  con- 
ducted a  great  many  singing  classes,  not  only  in  his  own  Frater- 
nity, but  for  nearly  all  denominations  in  the  county.  He  had  taken 
lessons  from  the  best  instructors  he  could  find  and  followed  the 
profession  for  about  a  dozen  years. 

His  parents  were  Lutherans,  and  William  Hay,  with  whom  he 
lived  until  he  grew  to  young  manhood,  belonged  to  the  Reformed 
Church.  On  January  9,  1868,  he  was  married  to  Barbara  Hostetler, 
at  the  home  of  John  Klingaman,  near  Meyersdale,  by  Elder  Elias 
K.  Beeghly,  of  Waterloo,  Iowa.  Several  years  after  his  marriage 
he  united  with  the  church,  and  was  elected  to  the  ministry  at  Mey- 
ersdale when  he  was  about  thirty  years  of  age.  About  three  years 
before  his  death  he  was  ordained  to  the  eldership. 

His  field  of  labor  comprised,  principally,  the  Meyersdale  and 
Middle  Creek  congregations.  He  never  conducted  many  series 
of  meetings.  He  followed  the  occupation  of  blacksmith  for  a  num- 
ber of  years,  after  which  he  went  to  farming.     He  died  December 


354 


HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


6,  1907,  and  is  buried  in  the  Somerset  cemetery.  His  age  was 
60  years,  7  months  and  27  days.  His  funeral  was  conducted  by 
Elders  D.  H.  Walker  and  Silas  Hoover  in  tlie  Reformed  church 
in  Somerset.  The  church  was  crowded  and  many  people  could 
not  get  inside. 

He  was  a  great  Sunday-school  worker,  and  while  living  in 
Meyersdale  he  was  superintendent  a  number  of  years  of  a  large 
thriving  Sundaj'-school.  As  an  elder  he  did  considerable  commit- 
tee work  amonu:  the  churches. 


KIder   !Mulil<>n   J.   ItroiiKlior,    AVifc   iiiul    Child. 


MAHLON  J.  BROUGHER. 

Mahlon  J.  Brougher,  son  of  Deacon  Madison  and  Maggie 
(Meyers)  Brougher,  was  born  October  27,  1885,  on  his  father's 
farm  near  Kingwood,  in  the  Middle  Creek  congregation,  Somerset 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         355 

County,  Pennsylvania.  There  he  grew  to  manhood  as  a  farmer 
boy,  attending  the  public  schools  in  the  winter  and  helping  on 
the  farm  in  the  summer.  He  also  attended  the  County  Normals, 
and  began  teaching  in  the  common  schools  at  the  age  of  seventeen. 
He  taught  eight  terms  of  school. 

He  united  with  the  church  in  his  young  days,  and  in  June, 
1906,  he  and  Jacob  VV.  Sanner  were  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the 
Middle  Creek  congregation.  Within  a  year  he  was  advanced  to 
the  second  degree.  Brother  Brougher  assisted  in  the  work  of  the 
ministry  in  his  home  congregation  until  January  1,  1911,  when  he 
began  preaching  for  the  Greensburg  church.  On  May  1,  1911,  he 
became  the  pastor  of  the  Greensburg  church,  which  position  he 
still  holds. 

Brother  Brougher  was  united  in  marriage  to  Sister  Mary  Wol- 
ford,  of  Waterford,  Westmoreland  County,  Pennsylvania,  May  11, 
1911.  To  this  union  a  daughter,  Gladys  Evelyn,  was  born  March 
22,  1913.  Sister  Brougher  is  a  daughter  of  John  Wolford,  a  dea- 
con in  the  Ligonier  congregation.  She  was  born  October  27, 
1888,  and  began  teaching  school  at  the  age  of  seventeen.  She 
taught  five  terms  in  Ligonier  Township,  Westmoreland  County. 

In  June,  1913,  Brother  Brougher  was  ordained  to  the  elder- 
ship. Brother  and  Sister  Brougher  have  done  an  excellent  work 
in  Greensburg,  as  the  history  of  that  congregation  will  show.  In 
addition  to  his  pastoral  duties  Brother  Brougher  has  conducted 
eighteen  evangelistic  meetings  with  good  results.  He  has  offi- 
ciated at  fifty  funerals,  thirteen  weddings,  and  has  assisted  in  fifty- 
three  anointings  and  three  Bible  Institutes.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Sunday-school  Mission  Board  of  the  District.  He  was  one  of 
the  delegates  from  his  District  on  the  Standing  Committee  of  the 
Annual  Conference  at  Hershey,  Pennsylvania,  in  1915. 

W.  N.  BRUBAKER. 

W.  N.  Brubaker,  son  of  Jacob  H.  and  Mary  Brubaker,  was 
born  at  Rockton,  Clearfield  County,  Pennsylvania,  October  22, 
1870.  Brother  Brubaker  has  worked  at  whatever  work  came 
to  hand,  which  comprised  nearly  all  the  occupations  of  his  neigh- 
borhood. 

He  united  with  the  church  in  his  early  teens,  and  was  called 
to  the  ministry  in  the  Rockton  congregation  in  1897.  He  is  one 
of  the  active  ministers  of  that  congregation.  His  ministerial  du- 
ties are  confined  principally  to  his  home  congregation. 

SOLOMON  BUCKLEW. 

Elder  Solomon  Bucklew  was  born  in  Preston  County,  West 
Virginia,  August  25,  1840.    He  united  with  the  church  in  1860,  and 


356  HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


^ 

1 

#^lu 

^■Hj 

1 

Elder    Solomon    IJucklew    and    Wife. 


the  same  year  was  elected  to  the  deacon  oflicc.  In  1S62  lie  was 
married  to  Elizabeth  Slrawser,  and  in  1864  he  was  elected  to  the 
ministry.  He  was  soon  forwarded  to  the  second  decree,  and  ap- 
proximately in   1866  he  was  ordained   to  the  eldcrsliip. 

The  work  being  great  and  only  a  few  to  work,  he  was  pushed 
out  far  and  near  to  labor  for  the  salvation  of  souls.  He  was  called 
to  hold  many  series  of  meetings.  i)rincipal]y  in  West  Virginia, 
Middle   and   Western    Pennsylvania. 

In  1876  he  moved  from  the  Cheat  River  congregation.  West 
Virginia,  to  the  Sandy  Creek  congregation,  same  State.  After 
this  congregation  was  divided,  and  the  Marklcysburg  congregation 
was  organized.  Elder  Bucklew  was  given  the  oversight  of  the  new 
congregation.  When  Brethren  J.  H.  Myers  and  Jacob  Reeghley 
were  ordained  to  the  eldership,  he  resigned  although  he  continued 
to  labor  considerably  in  Maryland  and  Western  Pennsylvania.  Tn 
1884  he  moved  to  Marklcysburg,  where  he  lived  and  labored  three 
years,  when,  in  1887,  he  sold  out  and  moved  to  Canton,  Illinois, 
where    he    lived    twenty-three    years.       I  lis    wife's    failing    health 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         357 

caused  him  to  leave  Illinois  and  move  to  a  daughter,  living  in 
Southwestern  Iowa,  where  she  soon  died.  Feeling  lonely,  Elder 
Bucklew  now  made  a  visit  to  the  East,  laboring  for  the  churches  as 
he  passed  over  the  old  homeland,  and  in  1914  he  again  located  in 
Markleysburg,  Pennsylvania,  where  for  a  year  he  did  most  of 
the  preaching.  February  6,  1914,  he  was  married  to  Mary  C. 
Sterner  by  Elder  Jeremiah  Beeghley.  Elder  Bucklew  was  blessed 
with  a  strong  physical  body  and  a  powerful  voice,  and  was,  and 
still  is,  a  fearless  defender  of  the  Gospel. 

In  the  spring  of  1915  he  located  in  the  Mount  Union  congre- 
gation. 

THE  BUECHLEY  (BEEGHLY)  FAMILY. 

The  Buechley  family  has  played  an  important  part  in  the  work 
of  the  church  in  Western  Pennsylvania.  Michael  Buechley  settled 
in  the  vicinity  of  what  is  now  Meyersdale,  Somerset  County,  as 
early  as  1774.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Amish  Church,  and  with  a 
nunil)L'r  of  other  families  of  the  same  denomination  Had  come 
from  the  eastern  part  of  the  State.  This  Michael  Buechley  is  in 
all  probability  the  ancestor  of  all  the  Buechleys,  Beachleys,  Beek- 
leys  and  Beeghlys  in  Western  Pennsylvania,  Maryland  and  the 
West.  According  to  Holsinger's  History,  Buechley  and  a  number 
of  other  Amish  families  united  with  the  Brethren,  probably  about 
1785,  and  Brother  Buechley  was  called  to  the  ministry,  as  well  as 
Brethren  Peter  Livengood  and  Christian  Hochstetler. 

Nothing  is  known  of  his  ministerial  labors,  but  his  children's 
names  are  known.  They  were:  Jacob,  John,  Joseph,  Abraham, 
Michael,  Barbara,  wife  of  Christian  Moyer,  Mary,  wife  of  Michael 
Moyer,  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Joseph  Flora,  Hannah,  wife  of  John 
Cober,  and  Susannah,  wife  of  John  Forney.  These  names  have  con- 
tinued to  be  prominent  in  the  church.  Brother  Buechley  died  in 
1812.  For  some  j^ears  his  descendants  remained  in  Somerset 
County,  but  graduallj^  many  of  them  emigrated  to  other  fields  of 
labor. 

Of  his  sons  at  least  two  were  elders — Jacob  and  John.  At 
least  two  of  his  sons-in-law  were  elders — Michael  Moyer  and  John 
Forney.  Of  John's  family  we  have  David,  a  son,  and  Martin,  a 
grandson,  and  John  W.  Beeghly,  who  lives  in  Ohio.  Of  Jacob's 
family  we  find  five  generations  in  the  ministry,  as  told  in  Elder 
Jeremiah  Beeghly's  biography.  In  Abraham's  family  we  find 
Elder  Elias  K.  Buechley,  formerly  of  Meyersdale,  and  late  of 
Waterloo,  Iowa.  Of  Joseph's  family  we  have  Josiah  Beeghly,  of 
Maryland  (deceased),  and  Ananias  J.  Beeghly,  of  Friedens,  Penn- 
sj'lvania.  If  there  were  an^^  more  ministers  in  the  family  they  have 
not  come  to  my  notice.     Biographies  of  these  servants  of  the  Lord 


358  HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

would    be    interesting,    but   it    seems    almost    impossible    to    secure 
them. 

Concerning  Elder  John  Buechley,  1  tind  the  following:  Susan- 
nah Buechley  died  November  21,  1856,  aged  88  years,  8  months  and 
7  days.  She  left  six  children.  She  was  the  consort  of  the  late 
Brother  John  Buechley,  who  was  a  well-known  minister  and  died 
about  twelve  years  ago.  He  lived  and  labored  in  the  Elk  Lick 
congregation. 

JEREMIAH  BEEGHLY. 

Jeremiah  Beeghly  is  a  son  of  Elder  Jacob  Bceghly,  Jr.,  and  a 
grandson  of  Elder  Jacob  Beeghly,  Sr.,  and  was  I)orn  in  Somerset 
County,  Pennsylvania,  February  26,  1834.  In  1839  the  family 
moved  to  Maryland.  Here  he  grew  to  manhood,  and  while  yet 
in  his  teens  united  with  the  church. 

Tn  1854  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Anna  Harden.  This 
union  wa§  blessed  with  four  sons  and  five  daughters.  One  son  died 
in  infancy.     The  rest  grew  to  manhood  and  womanhood,  and  all 


j:i<Ut    Jeremiah    lieeKhly    and    Wife. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


359 


united  with  the  church.  The  third  son,  James  W.  Beeghly,  is  an 
elder  in  the  Oakland  congregation,  Maryland.  One  grandson, 
Samuel  A.  Beeghly,  was  also  a  minister  in  the  Church  of  the  Breth- 
ren for  a  number  of  years. 

Elder  Beeghly  was  called  to  the  deaconship  in  1857  and  to  the 
ministry  in  1858.  In  1876  he  was  ordained  to  the  eldership.  At 
different  times  and  for  a  number  of  years  he  had  charge  of  the 
Bear  Creek  and  Maple  Grove  congregations  in  Western  Maryland. 
Elder  Beeghly  did  his  active  church  work  while  living  in  Maryland. 
He  represented  his  District  on  the  Standing  Committee  in  1878,  in 
North  Manchester,  Indiana,  and  in  1891  in  Hagerstown,  Maryland. 

In  1910  Elder  Beeghly  moved  to  the  home  of  his  son-in-law, 
Andrew  Chrise,  a  deacon,  in  Markleysburg,  Pennsylvania,  where 
they  at  present  reside.  Elder  and  Sister  Beeghly  have  traveled 
life's  journey  together  for  more  than  sixty-one  years,  and  while 
they  have  retired  from  all  business,  and  he  is  not  able  to  preach 
any  more,  he  is  still  willing  to  do  what  he  can  on  the  side  of  right 
and  good,  awaiting  the  summons  to  the  kingdom  triumphant. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  in  Elder  Beeghly's  family  five  gener- 
ations are  represented  in  the  ministry — his  grandfather,  his  father, 
himself,  his  son  and  his  grandson. 


Ananias  J.  Beeghly. 


360  HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

ANANIAS  J.  BEEGHLY. 

Ananias  J.  liccghley,  son  of  Brother  Daniel  and  Sister  Mary 
Beeghly,  was  born  in  Somerset  Co-unty,  Pennsylvania,  May  30, 
1872.  Brother  Beeghly  is  a  descendant  of  one  of  the  oldest  Breth- 
ren families  of  Somerset  County. 

Brother  Beeghly's  education  was  confined  to  the  i)ul)lic  schools 
of  his  county.  By  occupation  he  is  a  farmer.  He  was  married  to 
Miss  Cora  M.  Gnagey,  daughter  of  Deacon  Christian  C.  and  Mar- 
garet Gnagey,  February  22,  1894.  They  located  in  the  Sipesville 
arm  of  the  Qucmahoning  congregation,  where  thej-  lived  twelve 
years. 

He  united  with  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  when  but  twelve 
years  old.  Being  called  to  teach  in  the  Sunday-school  in  his  teens 
he  became  more  and  more  interested  in  that  department  of  church 
work,  and  served  as  superintendent  about  ten  years.  On  April  22, 
ISW,  he  was  called  to  the  deacon  office  in  the  Quemahoning  con- 
gregation. In  this  capacity  he  labored  cheerfully  until  October 
2(i,  1906,  when  with  his  family  he  moved  to  Richland  County,  Illi- 
nois, settling  in  the  Big  Creek  congregation.  There  he  was  elected 
to  the  ministry  on  October  31,  1908.  Although  feeling  his  ina- 
bility he  took  courage  in  the  thought  of  Romans  8:  28.  He  was 
advanced  to  the  second  degree  of  the  ministry  September  4,  1909. 

Returning  to  Somerset  County  December  17,  1909,  they  located 
in  the  Brothers  Valley  congregation,  near  Friedens.  His  first 
evangelistic  effort,  June,  1915,  inspired  him  to  desire  to  do  more 
work  for  Christ. 

JOSEPH  S.  BURKHART. 

Joseph  S.  lUirkhart  is  a  son  of  Ephraim  and  Catharine  (Hilde- 
brand)  Burkhart,  and  was  born  in  Jackson  Township,  Cambria 
County,  Pennsylvania,  December  22,  1829.  The  Burkharts  are  of 
German  descent  and  Brother  Joseph  distinctly  remembers  his 
grandparents  as  typical,  industrious  Germans. 

When  Joseph  was  a  hoy  there  were  no  public  schools.  His 
father  had  subscribed  for  an  older  brother  and  sister  to  attend  a 
subscription  school  for  several  months.  The  sister  becoming  sick 
and  missing  seven  days,  the  teacher  allowed  little  "  Josie  "  to  go 
those  seven  days.  That  was  his  first  schooling,  but  he  had  already 
learned  to  read  at  home.  He  made  use  of  every  opportunity  to 
get  an  education,  and  after  growing  up  he  taught  school  a  while. 
However,  preferring  an  outdoor  life,  he  did  not  teach  very  long. 

One  unusual  incident  in  the  boyhood  period  of  Brother  Burk- 
hart had  much  to  do  in  after-life  in  determining  his  life  activities. 
His  aged  grandmother  made  her  home  at  their  place  one  winter, 
and  as  her  sight  was  poor  she  had  her  little  grandson  daily  read- 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        361 

ing  the  Bible  to  her  while  she  was  engaged  in  her  knitting.  In  this 
way  he  not  only  acquired  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures, 
but  by  faithful  reading  his  mind  became  so  occupied  by  thoughts 
of  God  and  heaven  and  good  people,  that  he  felt  called  of  the  Lord 
to  give  him  his  young  heart,  and  had  it  been  as  common  then  as 
now  for  children  to  unite  with  the  church,  he  would  have  been  bap- 
tized. But  in  those  days  there  were  no  Sunday-schools  and  only 
grown  people  belonged  to  the  church,  so  Joseph  had  to  quench 
the   Spirit's   call. 

Something  took  place,  however,  that  has  always  remained 
with  him,  and  many  a  time  when  he  was  inclined  to  go  wrong 
it  called  him  back  to  the  path  of  rectitude.  Reading  so  much  of 
God  and  heaven  naturally  had  the  effect  of  making  him  think  a 
great  deal  about  heaven  as  a  beautiful  and  good  place  to  be.  So  one 
night  he  had  a  vision,  or  a  dream  (he  hardly  knows  which),  that 
he  was  talking  with  Gnd,  and  that  he  asked  him  to  be  taken  to 
heaven.  But  the  answer  came,  "  No,  not  yet.  I  have  much  work 
for  you  to  do  yet  before  you  can  come  to  heaven."  The  remem- 
brance of  this  incident  has  followed  Brother  I'urkhart  through 
life  and  many  a  time  has  spurred  him  on  in  his  religious  duties. 
As  a  reader  for  his  grandmother,  she  always  called  him  her  "little 
preacher,"  and  told  him  he  certainly  would  sometime  become  an 
ambassador   for    God. 

On  December  21,  1854,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Catharine  Sproul,  daughter  of  Andrew  and  Mary  (Ripple)  Sproul, 
of  Stoyestown,  Somerset  County,  by  Reverend  Lock.  They  set- 
tled down  to  housekeeping  in  Adams  Township,  Cambria  County, 
in  which  township  (though  at  several  different  places)  they 
lived  until  the  fall  of  1914,  when  they  moved  to  Walnut  Grove, 
Johnstown,  in  order  to  be  nearer  their  children  and  the  church. 
Brother  Burkhart  has  l)een  a  farmer,  though  he  says  he  has  been 
sort  of  "  Jack-of-all-trades." 

Brother  Burkhart  served  his  country  during  the  War  of  the 
Rebellion,  serving  in'  front  of  Petersburg,  Virginia,  from  Sep- 
tember, 1864,  to  June,  1865.  When  he  returned  from  the  war 
the  hearing  of  his  left  ear  was  entirely  gone.  For  many  years  the 
other  ear  served  him  well,  but  it  gradually  gave  way,  until  now 
for  about  ten  years  he  has  been  entirely  deaf.  For  a  number  of 
years  the  doctors  have  warned  him  not  to  preach  and  not  to  use 
his  voice  unnecessarily,  for  fear  of  losing  it  too.  His  eyesight  is 
becoming  dimmed,  so  that  he  says  his  satisfaction  is  not  much  in 
this  life  any  more. 

Brother  Burkhart  united  with  the  church  about  1866,  and  in 
1867  he  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Conemaugh  congrega- 
tion.    He  was  active  and  aggressive  in  the  work  the  church  placed 


362  HISTORY   OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

ui)on  liim,  and  did  a  great  deal  of  preaching  before  the  above- 
mentioned  infirmities  became  a  hindrance.  He  held  a  number  of 
successful  series  of  meetings  in  the  time  when  these  means  of 
grace  were  not  very  common.  He  held  views  far  in  advance  of 
the  general  church  thought,  but  to  which  the  church  Conference 
has  now  acceded.  He  attended  but  few  Annual  and  District  Meet- 
ings, believing  the  expense  of  them  was  too  great  in  compari- 
son with  the  good  done  in  them.  During  his  active  ministry  he 
did  his  full  share  of  the  preaching,  marrying,  baptizing  and 
preaching  of  funerals.  He  almost  knew  his  Bible  by  heart,  and 
was  a  strong  defender  of  the  Bible  doctrines  as  practiced  by  the 
church.  Several  years  while  living  in  the  eastern  part  of  Adams 
Township,  his  membership  was  in  the  Sliadc  Creek  congregation. 
Brother  and  Sister  Burkhart  were  blessed  with  six  children, 
four  of  whom  grew  to  maturity  and  are  living.  John,  Ephraim  and 
Jennie  Harshberger  live  in  Johnstown,  the  latter  being  the  wife 
of  Elder  Cornelius  W.  Harshberger,  and  the  mother  of  Lori  B. 
Harshberger,  a  talented  young  minister.  Sister  Flora  Trout,  of 
near  Petersburg,  Virginia,  is  a  daughter.  The  children  were  given 
splendid  educational  facilities,  and  the  sons  were  for  a  number  of 
years  successful  teachers.  These  dear  old  saints  have  traveled 
life's  journey  together  hand  in  hand,  sharing  each  other's  joys 
and  sorrows  for  nearly  sixty-one  years,  and  still  are  keeping  house 
for  themselves.  In  a  recent  visit  I  found  them  sitting  at  the  supper 
table,  one  at  the  head  and  the  other  at  the  foot,  content  and  happy. 
While  it  is  rather  laborious  to  hold  a  conversation  with  Brother 
Burkhart,  as  it  must  be  done  by  means  of  a  slate  and  pencil,  it  is 
exceedingly  pleasant  and  profitable  to  converse  with  the  aged  sis- 
ter. Her  mind  is  good,  her  expression  clear,  and  she  is  a  woman 
above  the  ordinary  in  intelligence  and  information.  Both  are  in 
the  eighty-sixth  year  of  their  pilgrimage,  and  seemingly  are  good 
for  a  number  more. 

(I'nrtr.Tit    on    P.-iso   117.) 

RUFUS  D.  CASEBEER. 

Rufus  D.  Casebecr,  son  of  Deacon  Ilcnry  and  Sarah  (  Bluuyli) 
Casebeer,  was  born  November  19,  1882,  in  Somerset  County,  i'ciin- 
sylvania.  He  is  a  grandson  of  Elder  Valentine  Blough.  and  a 
great-grandson  of  Elder  Jacob  Blough.  He  was  reared  on  the 
farm,  and  followed  that  occupation  until  several  years  ago,  when 
they  moved  to  Somerset.  Tic  taught  school  one  term.  ]\c  united 
with  the  church  in  1900. 

On  December  25,  1906.  he  was  married  to  Sister  Carrie  Maust, 
daughter  of  Brother  and  Sister  Daniel  Maust.  He  was  elected 
deacon   in   the   Quemahoning  congregation   in    1907.     On    May    13, 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        363 

1915,  he  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Middle  Creek  congrega- 
tion, and  took  up  the  work  September  19,  1915. 

In  order  to  make  some  preparation  for  the  work  whereunto 
the  Lord  has  called  him,  they  have  gone  to  Bethany  Bible  School, 
Chicago,  where  they  are  now  students.  Brother  Casebeer  has  been 
an  active  Sunday-school  worker  for  a  number  of  years. 

JOHN  HARRY   CASSADY. 

Elder  J.  H.  Cassady  was  born  on  a  farm  in  Grant  County, 
West  Virginia,  October  24,  1871.  His  early  life  was  spent  on  a 
farm.  He  began  teaching  school  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  and 
taught  every  winter  and  worked  on  the  farm  during  the  summer. 
Besides  his  public  school  education,  he  went  to  Fairmont  State 
Normal  two  terms.  January  25,  1896,  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Meribah  Virginia  Idleman,  of  Maysville,  West  Virginia. 

He  became  a  member  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  on  De- 
cember. 25,  1890,  during  a  series  of  meetings  conducted  by  Elder 
Silas  Hoover,  of  Pennsylvania.  He  was  elected  to  the  deacon 
office  at  the  Luneys  Creek  church,  West  Virginia,  in  1897.  He 
continued  teaching  at  Bayard,  West  Virginia,  until  the  fall  of 
1900,  when,  with  his  family,  he  moved  to  Juniata  College,  Hunt- 
ingdon, Pennsylvania,  where  he  entered  the  school  to  prepare  him- 
self better  for  his  chosen  profession,  teaching. 

His  intention  was  to  complete  the  teachers'  course,  which  he 
did  in  the  spring  of  1902,  and  then  to  continue  in  that  profession. 
But  when  this  course  was  completed  it  did  not  yet  satisfj',  and  he 
began  to  plan  to  take  the  college  course.  But  when  the  financial  prop- 
osition of  caring  for  a  family  and  going  to  school  four  more  long 
years,  faced  them,  it  hardly  seemed  possible.  But  it  was  under- 
taken, and  after  a  most  strenuous  four  j-ears,  during  which  time 
it  often  seemed  the  battle  must  be  given  up.  the  goal  was  reached. 
He  graduated  and  took  his  degree. 

During  this  time,  on  March  23,  1903,  the  Huntingdon  church 
elected  him  to  the  ministry.  This  brought  him  face  to  face  with 
another  problem.  All  his  preparation  of  seven  years  in  school  has 
been  for  teaching.  Now  shall  that  ambition  be  given  up?  It 
was  only  after  much  prayer  and  thought,  and  a  hard  struggle 
that  he  accepted  the  ministry,  and  this  with  the  intention  of  con- 
tinuing in  his  chosen  profession. 

After  graduating,  in  1906,  he  secured  the  principalship  of  the 
Yeagertown  public  schools,  where  he  moved  and  remained  two 
years.  During  his  two  years  of  teaching  in  Yeagertown  he  did 
some  preaching  at  Lewistown.  In  the  spring  of  1908  he  received  a 
call  to  become  pastor  of  the  West  Johnstown  church.     Although 


364 


HISTORY   OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


£Ider    John    H.    Cussady    and    Wife. 


the  call  to  give  up  his  chosen  profession  and  enter  a  new  field 
could  hardly  be  thought  of  at  this  time,  lie  and  his  wife  put  it  into 
the  hands  of  the  Lord  and  accepted  the  call  of  the  church  at  a 
greatly  reduced  salary  from  what  he  was  getting  as  a  teacher. 

They  took  up  their  pastoral  duties  August  1.  1908,  and  moved 
to  Johnstown.  There  he  found  a  splendid  body  of  working  mem- 
bers, but  very  niych  disorganized.  There  being  four  church- 
houses  in  the  congregation  made  the  work  of  organization  very 
hard.  But  with  a  determination  to  win  he  entered  upon  the  work. 
He  spent  bis  time  in  traveling  over  the  congregation  and  i)rcach- 
ing  by  turns  at  all  four  of  the  houses.     This  was  a  hard  task. 

During  the  six  years  of  his  pastorate  in  Johnstown  he  preached 
1,313  sermons.  He  held  sixty-one  weeks  of  evangelistic  meet- 
ings in  the  congregation,  and  thirty-nine  weeks  at  churches  out- 
side of  the  congregation.  There  were  285  members  in  the  con- 
gregation when  he  became  pastor.     During  the  six  years  893  were 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        365 

added.  He  has  anointed  and  assisted  in  anointing  over  100  per- 
sons. 

From  August  1,  1908,  when  he  began  his  pastoral  work  in 
Johnstown,  to  December  31,  1915,  he  had  preached  1,462  sermons, 
and  in  his  pastoral  and  evangelistic  work  has  received  and  brought 
to  Christ  2,120  people.  He  resigned  as  pastor  of  the  West  Johns- 
town church  September  1,  1914,  to  accept  a  call  to  become  pastor 
of  Juniata  College  and  the  Huntingdon  church.  During  his  stay 
in  Johnstown  he  was  ordained  to  the  eldership,  May  4,  1911. 

Elder  Cassady  took  a  leading  part  in  the  work  of  the  church 
of  the  Western  District  of  Pennsylvania,  serving  as  Moderator  of 
the  District  and  Ministerial  Meetings  a  number  of  times.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  Bible  Institute  Committee  from  the  beginning, 
believing  it  would  serve  a  good  purpose.  He  represented  the  Dis- 
trict on  the  Standing  Committee  at  the  York  Conference,  in  1912. 
Middle  Pennsylvania  was  also  represented  by  him  at  Hershey, 
in  1915. 

Sister  Cassady,  who  also  was  born  and  reared  in  West  Vir- 
ginia, taught  school  a  number  of  years.  She  received  her  educa- 
tion in  the  public  schools  and  Juniata  College.  It  was  through  her 
influence  and  willingness  to  assume  the  heavy  burden  of  caring 
for  the  family  that  her  husband  was  induced  to  go  to  Juniata  Col- 
lege. Then,  during  the  six  years  in  Juniata,  she  was  a  most  faith- 
ful helpmate,  not  only  in  the  care  of  the  family,  but  in  many  little 
ways  she  helped  in  the  financial  struggle,  besides  taking  part  in 
many  of  the  church  activities  at  the  same  time.  In  the  splendid 
work  accomplished  in  Johnstown  she  was  very  active  in  all  the 
departments  of  church  work.  Her  husband  being  away  much  in 
evangelistic  work,  she  assumed  the  responsibility  of  much  of  his 
work,  while  still  caring  for  the  family.  They  now  have  a  family 
of  six  children;  viz.,  Maynard,  Helen.  Mildred,  Robert,  Paul  and 
John,  Jr.     The  three  older  ones  are  members  of  the  church. 

ANDREW   CHAMBERS. 

Andrew  Chambers  was  born  near  Cameron,  West  Virginia,  De- 
cember 23,  1858.  He  attended  the  country  schools  on  an  average 
of  four  months  a  year.  At  the  age  of  nineteen  he  took  the  teach- 
ers' examination  and  taught  three   sessions,  one   session  a  year. 

He  was  married  to  Miss  Anna  R.  Meisenhelder.  To  this  union 
were  born  two  sons  and  three  daughters.  All  are  living  except  the 
oldest  son,  Scott.  While  serving  as  railway  postal  clerk  on  the 
Southern  railroad  he  lost  his  life  in  a  wreck,  near  Danville,  Vir- 
ginia, September  27,  1903.  Sister  Chambers  died  March  25,  1900. 
A  little  more  than  seven  years  later  Brother  Chambers  was  mar- 
ried to  Mrs.  L.  J.  Covalt,  of  Moundsville,  West  Virginia. 


366 


HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Andrew   Chambers. 


In  March,  1882,  lie  united  with  the  Church  of  the  Brethren. 
On  his  father's  birthday  anniversary,  November  13,  1886,  lie  was 
called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Ryerson  Station  congregation,  West- 
ern District  of  Pennsylvania,  and  on  October  17,  1891,  lie  was  ad- 
vanced to  the  second  degree.  Elder  John  S.  Holsinger  officiating 
on  both  occasions. 

Being  a  natural  debater,  Andrew,  prior  to  uniting  with  the 
church,  read  all  the  discussions  on  the  distinctive  principles  of 
the  church  that  he  could  obtain.  Among  these  were  the  Quinter 
and  McConnell  debate,  Miller  and  Walker  debate  and  Stein  and 
Ray  debate.  Living  in  a  neighborhood  of  Disciples  and  Mormons 
and  but  few  Brethren,  he  often  became  the  defender  of  the  Breth- 
ren faith.  His  first  public  debate  was  held  in  the  spring  of  1883 
(before  he  was  a  minister),  with  an  old  and  experienced  Disciple 
minister.  The  proposition  discussed  was:  "Trine  Immersion  Is 
the  Only  Mode  of  Baptism  Taught  and  I'racticed  by  the  Apos- 
tles and  the  Primitive  Church."  The  debate  proved  a  surprise  to 
his  opponent  and  his  brother  ministers  in  attendance,  and  he  later 
acknowledged  his  defeat. 

In  1888  he  held  a  discussion  witii  ICldcr  Craig,  of  the  Reor- 
ganized Church  of  Latter  Day  Saints  (Mormons).     Only  one  prop- 


BRETHREN    OF  WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        367 

osition  was  discussed:  "The  Durability  of  the  Christian  Church.'' 
Elder  Craig  was  so  worsted  that  he  refused  to  discuss  the  organ- 
ization of  his  church,  though   challenged  to   do  so. 

In  March,  1894,  he  moved  to  Eastern  Virginia,  much  to  the 
regret  of  the  scattered  members  of  the  Ryerson  Station  congre- 
gation. While  residing  among  them  and  during  his  visits  to  them 
he  baptized  more  than  forty  members.  While  living  in  Virginia 
he  did  liis  share  of  the  preaching  along  with  the  other  home  min- 
isters, and  held  an  occasional  series  of  meetings. 

Much  of  Brother  Chambers'  life  has  been  spent  in  dififerent 
occupations.  In  West  Virginia  he  spent  the  greater  part  of  his 
time  in  the  lumber  business,  handling  a  sawmill  and  running  a 
thrashing  outfit.  In  Virginia  he  first  located  near  Brentsville, 
Prince  William  County.  In  a  j-ear  or  so  he  located  at  Midland, 
Eauquier  County.  Three  years  he  traveled  for  a  machinery  com- 
pany. Afterwards  he  built  a  Hour  mill  at  Midland  which  he  op- 
erated for  some  tinie.  In  l907  he  moved  to  Washington,  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia,  and  is  now  in  the  employ  of  the  government. 
This  does  not  give  him  much  time  for  preaching.  He  is  hoping  for 
the  time  when  he  will  be  able  to  devote  all  his  time  to  church  work. 

Brother  Chambers  is  a  great  reader  and  student,  and  is  the 
possessor  of  an  extensive  library.  He  takes  much  interest  in 
gathering  up  church  history,  and  it  is  principally  through  his  ef- 
forts that  the  writing  of  the  history  of  the  Ryerson  Station  con- 
gregation was  possible.  He  also  furnished  a  number  of  illus- 
trations for  this  work.  It  was  the  pleasure  of  the  writer  of  this 
work  to  associate  with  Brother  Chambers  in  church  and  nther 
activities  in  Virginia  five  years. 

Brother  Chambers  died  April  6,  1916.  since  the  above  was  written. 

NELSON  B.  CHRISTNER. 

Nelson  B.  Christner,  youngest  son  of  Gabriel  and  Magdalene 
(Dickey)  Christner,  was  born  in  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania, 
July  22,  1851.  Having  moved  with  his  parents  to  Westmoreland 
County,  he  received  an  education  enabling  him  to  teach  school, 
which  profession   he   followed   successfully  for  a   number   of  years. 

He  was  married  to  Mary  A.  Wissinger,  March  12,  1870,  by 
Elder  D.  D.  Horner,  and  the  following  October  both  were  bap- 
tized by  the  same  minister.  He  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in 
the  seventies,  when  yet  a  young  man  in  the  Indian  Creek  con- 
gregation. 

He  lived  and  labored  in  Westmoreland,  Somerset  and  Washing- 
ton Counties,  Pennsylvania,  Washington  County,  Tennessee,  and 
Melvin  Hill,  North  Carolina.  He  also  lived  a  year  in  South  Car- 
olina.    He  had  moved  to  the  South  in  search  of  health. 


368  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

Besides  teaching  he  was  engaged  in  farming  and  the  mercan- 
tile business,  but  with  him  the  Lord's  work  received  first  atten- 
tion. He  made  great  sacrifices  to  fill  appointments,  and  it  was 
seldom  that  he  disappointed  his  audience. 

He  died  in  July,  1904,  aged  only  53  years.  He  was  buried  in 
the  Middle  Creek  cemetery.  Brother  and  Sister  Christner  had  a 
large  family  of  children,  but  the  pale  messenger  came  and  stole 
them  away,  one  by  one,  until  the  greater  part  of  them  had  gone 
to  the  other  side,  while  their  bodies  lie  buried  in  different  ceme- 
teries. Their  cup  of  trouble,  disappointment  and  sorrow  was 
often  filled  to  overflowing. 

DAVID  STEELE  CLAPPER. 

In  writing  the  biography  of  this  godly  elder  I  feci  that  I  can 
do  no  better  than  to  quote  from  the  columns  of  a  daily  Johns- 
town paper  as  well  as  the  Gospel  Messenger:  "The  Reverend  D. 
S.  Clapper  was  born  near  Clear  Ridge,  Bedford  County,  Penn- 
sylvania, September  2,  1846,  being  the  son  of  Elder  Henry  and 
Hannah  Clapper.  In  1869,  at  the  age  of  twenty-three,  he  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Sue  Teeter.  His  early  training  and 
home  influences  were  deeply  religious  and  at  an  early  age  he  united 
with  the  Church  of  the  Brethren.  The  Reverend  Mr.  Clapper  was 
a  gentle  man,  not  offensive  in  his  devotion  to  his  church,  but  al- 
ways endeavoring  to  be  consistent,  charitable  and  Christian  in  his 
conduct.  The  writer  of  this  came  to  know  him  only  a  couple 
of  years  before  the  end,  but  in  his  brief  acquaintance  found  the 
mellow  old  gentleman  earnest  and  interesting.  Mr.  Clapper  was 
one  of  the  last  of  the  old  school  of  Brethren  clergymen,  and  he 
lived  to  see  his  faith  assume  a  new  name  and  a  more  compact  or- 
ganization and  to  see  a  new  generation  of  trained  clergymen  come 
into  the  field.  The  children  who  survive  and  are  helping  their 
aged  mother  to  l)ear  the  blow  of  separation  from  her  life  partner 
are:  John  11.,  of  Riverside,  Washington;  Willard  L.,  of  Hartman, 
Colorado;  Laura,  wife  of  Fred  Burkett,  of  Everett;  Iva,  wife  of 
D.  B.  Brallier,  of  Tatesville;  Nellie,  of  Altoona;  V.  Grace  and  Har- 
riet, at  home,  and  Lena,  wife  of  Harry  C.  Crist,  of  Paint  Borough. 
Mr.  Clapper's  six  daughters  were  all  at  his  bedside  when  he  died. 
The  only  children  absent  from  the  funeral  were  his  two  sons  in 
the   Northwest." 

Here  I  quote  from  the  Gospel  Messenger: 

"  The  Homegoing  of  Elder  David  Steele  Clapper. 

"  On  the  farm  of  Elder  Jacob  Steele,  for  many  years  the  effi- 
cient elder  of  the  Hopewell,  or  what  is  now  known  as  the  Yellow 
Creek  churcli,  was  built  the  church  Unown  far  and  wide  as  "Steele's 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         369 


Elder    David    S.    Clapper. 


church.'  Near  this  church  was  born  a  grandson  of  Elder  Steele. 
a  son  of  Elder  Henry  Clapper,  September  2,  1846.  They  named 
him  David  Steele  Clapper.  The  early  religious  training  and  the 
strong,  inherited  qualities,  caused  David  to  give  his  heart  to  God 
at  the  age  of  seventeen,  and  he  proved  faithful  to  the  age  of  67 
years,  9  months  and  27  days,  when  he  went  peacefully  to  sleep  at 
his  home  in  Scalp   Level,  Pennsylvania,  June  30,   1914. 

"  To  Brother  and  Sister  Clapper  were  born  ten  children,  eight 
of  whom  have  grown  to  maturity.  Six  daughters  and  two  sons, 
who  are  still  trying  to  live  a  life  for  the  Master,  gave  their  lives 
to  Jesus  before  they  were  fifteen  years  of  age.  Sister  Clapper,  who 
has  been  a  faithful  mother  and  helper  for  Brother  Clapper  in  all 
the  varied  experiences  of  life,  still  lives.     Two  brothers  and  three 


370  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

sisters  survive  him.  Among  these  are  Elder  John  Clapper  and 
Sister  Elizalaeth,  wife  of  Elder  Michael  Keller,  both  of  Earned, 
Kansas. 

"  Brother  Clapper  served  the  church  faithfully  in  the  ministry 
for  almost  forty-three  years.  He  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in 
1(S71,  and  given  the  full  ministry  in  1887.  Few  men  were  more 
ready  to  be  used  by  the  Lord  than  Brother  Clapper.  He  never 
needed  to  be  urged,  but  was  always  ready  to  do  service.  He  found 
a  pulpit  almost  anywhere.  Whether  it  was  in  a  grove,  in  a  school- 
house,  or  in  a  church,  it  made  no  difiference.  If  a  few  hearers 
were  together,  he  was  ready  to  tell  the  story  of  a  free  salvation. 
He  opened  a  num])er  of  new  fields  for  our  own' church. 

"  Brother  Clapper  was  one  of  the  early  missionaries  of  the 
church.  He  wore  out,  in  his  travels,  a  number  of  buggies  and 
horseshoes  for  the  church,  and  this  too,  at  his  own  expense.  He 
was  delighted,  a  few  years  ago,  when  his  second  youngest  daugh- 
ter, Grace,  broke  the  glad  news  to  him  of  her  interest  in  the  un- 
christcd  of  China,  and  of  her  surrender  to  the  Lord,  to  be  used 
in  that  needy  field.  The  Sunday-schools  of  Western  Pennsylva- 
nia have  asked  Sister  V.  Grace  Clapper  to  represent  them  on  the 
China   field. 

"  Brother  Clapper's  sermons  were  mostly  doctrinal.  He  was 
an  able  defender  of  the  practices  of  the  ISrethren  Church.  He  was 
one  of  the  strong  advocates  of  the  non-conformity  principles  to 
the  end.  In  his  last  meeting  with  us,  as  officials,  he  plead  earnestly 
for  the  order  of  the  church. 

"  The  Bible  was  his  principal  Textbook.  He  was  well  versed 
in  the  Scriptures,  and  his  conversation  was  largely  on  the  Scrip- 
tures and  the  work  of  the  church.  He  was  a  pleasant  conversa- 
tionalist and  was  very  fond  of  company.  His  home  was  always 
a  'welcome  place  for  strangers. 

"  He  always  plead  strongly  for  the  family  altar  in  the  home, 
and  well  he  could,  for  his  home  had  its  regular  altar  from  the 
first  day  of  its  beginning  to  the  last.  I'rothcr  Clapper  found  time, 
during  his  busy  life  on  the  farm,  during  his  earlier  life,  to  conduct 
twenty-two  scries  of  meetings  and  to  bring  nearly  two  hundred 
souls  into  the  kingdom.  His  home  work  was  first  with  the  Yellow 
Creek  and  Everett  churches,  Pennsylvania.  A  few  years  were 
spent  in  Kansas.  During  the  last  eight  years  he  lived  in  the  .Scalp 
Level  church. 

"  Last  December  he  contracted  a  cold,  from  which  he  coidd  not 
get  free.  This  finally  developed  into  that  dreaded  disease,  con- 
sumption. He  was  always  a  strong  believer  in  the  anointing,  and 
twice  during  his  illness  he  was  anointed.  PTis  one  desire  was  to 
be  able  to  be  healed,  that  he  might  do  more  for  the  church,  but 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        371 

he  always  said,  '  His  will  l)c  done.'  The  writer  has  known  Elder 
Clapper  from  his  boyhood  days.  The  same  determination  which 
was  so  manifest  in  his  struggle  for  life  to  the  last  was  one  of  the 
strong  qualities  throughout  his  career. 

"The  respect  with  which  he  was  held  was  manifest  in  the 
large  number  of  friends  and  neighbors  of  other  denominations 
besides  our  own  people  at  his  funeral  in  the  Scalp  Level  house.  The 
funeral  services  were  conducted  by  the  writer,  assisted  by  Breth- 
ren Albert  Berkley  and  W.  II.  Fry.  He  was  laid  to  rest  in  the 
Berkey  cemetery.  H.  S.  Replogle. 

"  Scalp  Level,  Pa.,  July  24,  1914." 

GEORGE  D.   CLEAVER. 

George  D.  Cleaver,  the  subject  of  this  brief  sketch,  was  born 
July  30,  1848,  in  Clearfield  County,  Pennsylvania.  Here  he  lived 
,with  his  parents  until  1869.  Being  now  of  age,  he  went  to  Bed- 
ford County,  where  he  was  married,  and  lived  ten  years.  In  1879 
he  returned  to  Clearfield  County  with  his  family  and  has  lived 
there  ever  since.  He  became  a  member  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  in  1886,  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Rockton  congre- 
gation in  1887,  and  ordained  to  the  eldership  in  1912.  As  resident 
elder  of  the  Rockton  congregation  he  succeeded  Elder  J.  H.  Beer, 
who  in  turn  had  followed  his  father,  Peter  Beer.  Elder  Cleaver  is 
the  only  elder  in  Clearfield  County. 

LEWIS  COBAUGH. 

Lewis  Cobaugh,  third  son  and  sixth  child  of  Brother  Fred- 
erick and  Sister  Susan  (Benshoff)  Cobaugh,  was  born  in  Taylor 
Township,  Cambria  County,  Pennsylvania,  September  6,  1833.  On 
his  mother's  side  his  ancestors  were  German,  and  on  his  father's 
side,  Swiss,  his  grandfather  having  emigrated  from  Switzerland. 
His  boyhood  and  youth  were  spent  on  his  father's  farm,  where  he 
acquired  a  knowledge  of  husbandry  which  enabled  him  to  under- 
take the  management  of  the  farm  at  the  age  of  16,  when  his  father 
died.  When  he  became  of  age  he  bought  this  farm.  In  addition  to 
the  education  received  in  the  district  school,  he  applied  himself  dil- 
igently to  the  study  of  theology  and  the  acquirement  of  German 
and  French  in  addition  to  English,  which  was  his  mother  tongue. 
He  taught  school  several  terms.  His  interest  in  educational  mat- 
ters continued  unabated,  and  for  many  years  he  filled  the  office 
of  school  director. 

He  followed  the  occupation  of  his  father  (farmer)  until  March, 
1869,  when,  with  his  family,  he  moved  to  Johnstown,  and  associated 
himself  in  business  with  Judge  Mahlon  W.  Keim,  conducting  a  gen- 
eral  merchandise  store  and  operating  a  tannery.     These   were  in 


372  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

a  flourishing  condition  when  death  suddenly  cut  short  his  earthly 
career. 

September  17,  1854,  he  was  married  to  Susan  Berkey,  daughter 
of  Peter  and  Sarah  (Wolford)  Berkey,  of  Paint  Township,  Somer- 
set County,  Pennsylvania,  by  Elder  Christian  Lehman.  In  the 
spring  of  1855  he  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Conemaugh 
congregation.  On  the  same  day  his  wife  was  baptized.  He  had 
become  a  member  of  the  church  at  about  the  age  of  sixteen.  His 
careful  and  thorough  home  study  enabled  him  to  prepare  himself 
for  the  ministry,  and  he  ultimately  became  one  of  the  most  elo- 
quent and  successful  ministers  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  in 
his  day.  His  ministerial  labors  took  him  over  parts  of  Cambria, 
Indiana,  Somerset  and  Bedford  Counties.  He  represented  his  con- 
gregation in  the  District  Meeting  and  he  was  clerk  of  the  same. 
His  services  were  principally  in  the  English  language,  though  upon 
request  he  sometimes  used  the  German.  His  travel  was  prin- 
cipally on  horseback  and  by  buggy,  and  his  services  were  all 
without  remuneration. 

He  was  the  father  of  four  children:  Peter  A.,  Sarah  J.,  Han- 
nah B.  and  Paul  J.  He  died  Nov.  17,  1S69,  after  living  eight 
months  in  the  city,  and  before  his  new  house,  which  he  had 
erected,  was  finished.     He  is  buried  in   Grand  View   cemetery. 

DOCTOR  JOHN  P.  COBER. 

John  P.  Cober,  son  of  Elder  Peter  Cober,  was  born  on  the 
Cober  homestead,  near  Berlin,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania. 
March  26,  1803.  He  lived  his  entire  life  in  Brothers  Valley,  and 
was  an  enterprising  citizen.  He  received  such  schooling  as  was 
available  in  his  day,  which  was  principally  in  German. 

He  was  married  to  Miss  Rosie  Anne  Putnam.  They  early 
identified  themselves  with  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  and  con- 
tinued faithful  to  the  end. 

To  Brother  and  Sister  Cober  were  l)orn  six  sons  and  four 
daughters.  Several  of  the  daughters  were  the  wives  of  officials 
of  the  church.  Professor  Wesley  H.  Cober  (Cover),  who  was  a 
prominent  schoolman  in  Somerset  County,  and  at  one  time  a  prom- 
ising young  minister,  was  his  grandson. 

Besides  being  a  farmer  and  minister.  Brother  Cober  was  a 
physician  of  considerable  note.  His  services  were  in  demand  far 
and  wide.  It  is  said  of  him  that  he  purchased  Dr.  Fahrney's 
doctor  books,  and  that  after  his  day's  work  on  the  farm  was  com- 
pleted and  his  sermons  were  prepared,  he  would  study  medicine 
in  these  books.  He  raised  many  of  the  herbs  used  in  his  medi- 
cines in  his  own  garden.  He  had  two  large  gardens,  side  by  side — 
one  in  which  he  raised  garden  vegetables  and  in  the  other  one  his 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        373 

herbs.     Brother  Cober  was  doubly  helpful  to  the  sick.     He  could 
give  them  medical  help  and  spiritual  counsel  and  encouragement. 

His  ministerial  labors  were  confined  principally  to  his  home 
congregation  and  several  of  the  neighboring  ones.  He  died  July 
31,  1884,  aged  81  years,  4  months  and  5  days.  As  a  minister,  elder 
and  doctor,  he  traveled  extensively  on  horseback,  and  had  a  large 
circle  of  acquaintances  and  friends.  While  his  education  and 
preaching  were  in  German,  he  spoke  English  fluently. 

PETER  COBER. 

Peter  Cober  was  born  on  a  farm  near  Berlin,  Somerset  Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania,  May  24,  1776,  where  he  always  lived,  and  died 
October  20,  1854,  aged  78  years,  4  months  and  26  days.  He  was 
married  to  Elizabeth  Landis,  to  which  union  were  born  five  sons 
and  two  daughters.  "  It  is  thought  that  his  father's  name  was 
also  Peter,  and  there  is  considerable  reason  for  supposing  him  to 
have  been  Lutheran  or  Reformed  in  his  church  relations." 

He  filled  all  the  offices  in  the  church  from  deacon  to  elder,  but 
not  many  dates  are  available.  He,  with  John  Forney,  was  ordained 
to  the  eldership  at  Berkley's,  "  having  a  good  report  from  those 
without  as  well  as  from  those  within."  Elder  Peter  Forney,  of 
Glendale,  Arizona,  writes  that  he  often  heard  his  father  say  that 
he  (John  Forney)  and  Peter  Cober  were  elected  to  the  deacon- 
ship  at  the  same  time,  then  chosen  to  the  ministry,  advanced  to 
the  second  degree,  and  ordained  to  the  eldership  together,  and 
they  worked  together,  shoulder  to  shoulder,  as  long  as  they  lived, 
without  a  clash. 

Elder  Cober  was  considered  an  al>le  minister,  and  traveled 
considerably  on  horseback,  preaching  in  several  counties,  often 
three  sermons  a  Sunday.  He  was  one  of  the  first  bishops  in  the 
Berlin  congregation.  He  did  a  good  deal  of  preaching  in  the 
Quemahoning  congregation,  even  after  it  was  a  separate  con- 
gregation. His  services  were  in  the  German  language,  and  he  was 
considered  an  able  man  in  the  ministry  in  his  day. 

Here  I  quote  from  his  obituary:  "  Elder  Peter  Cober  died 
October  20,  1854,  in  his  79th  year.  He  has  been  an  able  minister 
in  our  church  for  the  last  forty  years  and  one  of  our  bishops  for 
about  twenty  years.  We  suflfered  great  loss  in  his  removal.  Yet 
we  trust  our  loss  is  his  gain.  He  leaves  a  widow,  twelve  children, 
forty-two  grandchildren  and  twelve  great-grandchildren.  Funeral 
text.  Rev.  14:  13." 

THURSTON  RODNEY  COFFMAN. 

T.  Rodney  Cofifman  was  born  in  Bakersville,  Washington 
County,   Maryland,  June  27,    1873.     His  parents  were   Samuel   and 


374  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Klder    T.    Rodney    Coffman. 

Susan  Coffman.  His  father's  people  were  United  Brethren,  and 
his  mother's  were  German  Reformed.  But  both  of  his  parents 
became  members  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren. 

Rodney  attended  the  public  schools  and  took  the  teachers' 
examination.  Later  he  took  a  business  course  at  Wolf's  Business 
College,  Hagerstown,  Maryland.  After  graduating  he  solicited  for, 
and  taught  in,  the  college  for  three  years. 

On  November  4,  1896,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Blanche  E. 
Fahrney,  after  which  he  farmed  for  his  father  four  years.  On 
May  8,  1897,  he  and  his  wife  were  baptized  by  Elder  D.  Victor 
Long,  and  on  the  following  Thanksgiving  Day,  November  25,  he 
was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Manor  congregation,  Maryland. 
He  took  his  turns  with  the  other  ministers  in  the  regular  preach- 
ing services.  Besides,  he  filled  appointments  at  three  mission 
points  in  West  Virginia;  viz.,  Johnsontown,  Broad  Line  and  Martins- 
burg.  In  September,  1900,  he  was  advanced  to  the  second  degree  of 
the  ministry. 

After  his  call  to  the  ministry  he  took  some  Bible  work  better 
to  prepare  himself  for  the  Lord's  work.  October  16,  1900,  he  ac- 
cepted   the    call    from    the    Tyrone    church.    Middle    Pennsylvania. 


BRETHREN    OF  WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        375 

Here  he  labored  three  and  one-half  years.  His  next  call  was  to  the 
Parker  Ford  church,  Eastern  Pennsylvania,  which  he  accepted. 
At  this  place  h-e  labored  for  the  growth  of  the  church  and  the 
salvation  of  souls  for  nine  years.  While  serving  here  he  was  or- 
dained to  the  eldership  December  10,  1911,  by  Elders  J.  T.  Myers 
and  J.  P.  Hetrick.  It  was  during  this  pastorate  that  Elizabeth, 
their   only  child,   was   born    into   their   home. 

In  the  fall  of  1912  he  received  the  call  from  the  Pittsburgh 
church,  which  he  accepted,  and  was  installed  as  the  pastor  on 
Sunday,  February  2,  1913,  by  Elder  D.  H.  Walker,  the  elder  of 
the  church.    This  position  he  still  holds. 

Elder  Cofifman  has  met  with  gratifying  sucess  in  the  evangel- 
istic field.  His  intention  was,  when  he  finished  his  school  work, 
to  read  medicine,  but  being  elected  to  the  ministry  he  has  given 
his  time  to  the  church  as  pastor  and  evangelist. 

JOHN  P.  COLEMAN. 

John  P.  Coleman,  son  of  Millard  F.  and  Mary  (Gardner) 
Coleman,  was  born  in  tlie  city  of  Johnstown,  Pennsylvania,  May  17, 
1888.  He  attended  the  pul)lic  schools  of  the  city  until  nearly  thir- 
teen years  of  age,  finishing  the  common  schools.  When  John  was 
but  nine  years  old  liis  father  died,  leaving  a  widow  with  six  chil- 
dren to  support. 

His  help  being  much  needed,  he  started  to  work  as  a  mes- 
senger boy  in  the  purchasing  department  of  the  Lorain  Steel 
Company  in  the  fall  of  1900.  In  November,  1901,  he  took  up  a 
business  course  in  Rowe  College,  working  in  the  day  and  going  to 
school  at  night,  graduating  in  June,  1903.  In  October  before  grad- 
uating he  secured  the  position  as  stenographer  in  the  office  where 
he  had  been  working,  and  later  became  clerk  in  the  same  depart- 
ment. He  now  has  charge  of  the  stationery  department,  takes 
care  of  the  correspondence  and  writes  up  orders  for  material 
needed,  in  the  same  department. 

John  was  for  some  years  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Church, 
but  on  October  7,  1909,  he  became  a  member  of  the  West  Johns- 
town church  of  the  Brethren,  and  became  active  in  church  and 
Sunday-school  work.  On  January  13,"  1910,  he  was  elected  to  the 
ministry.  He  has  filled  various  positions  in  Sunday-school,  having 
been  superintendent  of  the  Roxbury  Sunday-school  from  July,  1912, 
to  the  close  of  1915.  For  a  number  of  years  he  has  been  church 
C^^T^^-  (Portrait   on   Page  199.) 

PHILIP  F.  CUPP. 

Philip  F.  Cupp,  son  of  Jolin  and  Elizabeth  (Shaver)  Cupp,  was 
born  in  .Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania.  June  16,  1842.    His  parents 


376  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

were  members  of  the  Lutheran  Church.  He  was  afforded  oppor- 
tunities to  secure  an  education  that  placed  him  in  the  foremost 
ranks  as  a  public  school-teacher  of  his  day.  He  taught  ten  win- 
ter terms  of  school,  one  in  Jenner  and  nine  in  Somerset  Town- 
ship. Besides  being  a  teacher  he  followed  farming,  living  near 
the  present  town  of  Listie,  in  Somerset  Township. 

He  was  married  to  Kate  Speicher,  daughter  of  Jacob  P.  and 
Sallie  (Schrock)  Speicher.  Some  time  after  his  marriage  he 
united  with  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  and  became  an  active 
worker  in  the  same.  "  He  served  the  church  in  the  capacity  of 
deacon  about  eight  years.  His  influence  as  a  deacon  was  far- 
reaching,  and  his  great  desire  and  prayer  was  to  live  peaceably 
with  all  men.  He  seemed  to  have  a  special  knack  in  settling  difiti- 
culties  between  brethren,  and  a  reconciliation  was  generally  ef- 
fected. More  tlian  one  church  scandal  was  likely  prevented 
through  his  tact  in  such  matters." 

After  serving  the  church  as  deacon  about  eight  j^ears  he 
was  called  to  the  ministry.  His  ministerial  lal)ors  extended  over 
a  period  of  eleven  or  twelve  years.  Most  of  his  preaching  was 
done  in  his  home  congregation  (the  Brothers  Valley).  He  always 
filled  his  appointments  when  his  health  would  permit.  His  man- 
ner of  life  was  a  continual  sermon  to  all  who  knew  him.  He  was 
a  great  lover  of  music  and  was  a  leader  of  singing  in  his  congre- 
gation for  many  years.  He  often  sang  when  in  the  field  at  work 
and  when  traveling  on  the  road.  His  love  and  sympathy  extended 
not  only  to  his  fellow-men,  but  even  the  domestic  as  well  as  the 
wild  animals  seemed  to  know  him. 

He  was  superintendent  of  the  Trent  Sunday-school  of  the 
Brothers  Valley  congregation  for  a  number  of  years.  In  fact,  it 
was  he  who  organized  the  first  Brethren  Sunday-school  in  Som- 
erset Township.  This  was  about  the  year  1879.  He  was  always 
sure  to  have  not  only  his  family  to  attend,  but  as  many  of  his 
neighbors  and  friends  as  he  could  persuade.  He  always  kept  a 
conveyance  of  some  kind,  and  this  was  generally  filled  with  people 
whom  he  persuaded  to  go  along  to  church  and  Sunday-school.  He 
was  at  home  in  the  Sunday-school,  and  there  is  where  he  did 
his  most  effective  work  for  the  Master  in  his  early  Christian  life. 
His  name  appeared  on  the  program  of  the  first  Sunday-school  con- 
vention of  the  Western  District  of  Pennsylvania,  held  in  the  Grove 
meetinghouse,  September  23,  1879. 

His  interest  in  education  never  abated.  He  gave  his  chil- 
dren all  the  advantages  along  that  line  that  he  could,  and  so  we 
find  them  all  entering  the  ranks  of  the  pedagogue,  one  after  an- 
other, as  they  were  old  enough.  Three  of  them  were  also  grad- 
uates from  Juniata  College. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


377 


He  closed  his  earthly  career  at  the  age  of  54,  in  the  spring  of 
1897,  and  is  buried  in  the  Husband  cemeter}-  at  Somerset.  His 
was  a  short  but  useful  life,  indeed. 


John  J.   Darr. 


JOHN  J.  DARR. 

John  J.  Darr,  son  of  John  and  Catharine  (Ellenberger)  Darr, 
was  borji  in  what  is  now  Lincoln  Township,  Somerset  County, 
Pennsylvania,  April  20,  1850.  The  Darr  home  was  near  the  Case- 
beer  Lutheran  church  of  which  the  parents  were  members.  Here 
John  J.  attended  Sunday-school  from  the  age  of  six  to  twenty- 
two.  He  served  this  school  as  secretary  a  number  of  years  until 
the  time  he  left  the  school. 

Brother  Darr  married  Mary  Gnagey,  daughter  of  Deacon  Chris- 
tian C.  Gnagey,  September  2,  1873,  Elder  J.  W.  Beer  officiating. 
He   is   a   prominent   farmer   of   Lincoln   Township.     Their   children 


378 


HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


are:  Annie  M.  (Shaffer),  Charles  Franklin,  Sadie  A.  (Weighley), 
Harry  Wilson,  Edwin  Garfield,  Alvin  C,  Park  G.  and  Carrie  P. 
(Glessner).  Besides  farming  Brother  Darr  taught  eleven  terms  of 
school  in  his  county.  Being  a  great  friend  of  education,  he  gave 
excellent  opportunities  to  his  children  along  educational  lines,  and 
five  of  them  were  school-teachers. 

Brother  Darr  was  baptized  in  March  of  1873,  in  the  Quema- 
honing  congregation,  by  Jacob  P.  Speicher,  being  the  only  one  of 
his  father's  family  to  belong  to  the  Brethren.  He  served  the 
church  as  deacon  a  number  of  years,  and  on  September  22,  1890,  he 
was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  same  congregation,  where  he 
has  labored  ever  since.  He  served  his  township  in  the  capacity  of 
school  director  six  years. 


£lder   John    X.    JJiivis   and    AVife. 


JOHN    N.   DAVIS. 

I  quote,  in  part,  from  the  Mcyersdale  Republican:  "John  N. 
Davis  was  for  more  than  half  a  century  a  conspicuous  figure  in  the 
affairs  of  Elk  Lick  Township,  Somerset  County.  He  was  born 
April  8,  1835,  and  grew  to  manhood  without  any  educational  ad- 
vantages. He  was  about  eighteen  years  of  age  before  he  received 
any  schooling.  Samuel  J.  Livengood  (father  of  the  present  editor 
of  the  Republican)  was,  during  the  early  fifties,  teacher  of  the 
school  at  Blaugh's  Saw  Mill,  on  Tub  Mill  Run,  when  his  atten- 
tion was  attracted  to  young  Davis,  in  whom  he  recognized  much 
native  ability.  He  encouraged  the  young  man,  hitherto  untutored, 
to  start  to  school,  and  to  strive  to  obtain  an  education.  Young 
Davis  consented,  but  went  to  school  only  one  month.     But  in  that 


BRETHREN    OF  WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        379 

time  he  got  such  a  good  start,  and  acquired  such  a  thirst  for 
knowledge,  that  he  continued  to  be  a  student  the  rest  of  his  life,  or 
until  his  mind  began  to  fail. 

"  The  writer  often  heard  his  father  say  that  John  N.  Davis 
was  a  pupil  he  was  proud  of,  and  a  man  who  deserved  a  great  deal 
of  credit  for  the  education  he  acquired  in  spite  of  his  limited  op- 
portunities. Although  he  attended  public  school  for  but  one 
month,  Mr.  Davis'  afterward  went  to  a  Summer  Normal  at  Berlin 
for  one  term.  Here  he  fitted  himself  to  pass  the  teachers'  ex- 
amination, and  for  many  years  he  was  a  successful  teacher  in  his 
native  township.  Xot  content  with  becoming  proficient  in  the  three 
'  R's ' — '  Readin',  'Ritin'  and  'Rithmetic ' — the  only  three  essen- 
tials of  those  pioneer  days  of  public  education,  Mr.  Davis  studied 
other  branches,  and  among  other  things  fitted  himself  to  be  a  sur- 
veyor. He  also  acquired  a  fair  knowledge  of  geology  and  was  well 
informed  on  many  topics. 

"  In  1863  he  enlisted  in  Co.  K,  171st  Pennsylvania  Regiment, 
and  served  nine  months  in  the  field  in  the  defense  of  his  country. 
At  the  expiration  of  his  nine  months'  enlistment,  he,  with  many 
others  of  his  regiment,  reenlisted  for  as  long  a  time  as  might  be 
necessary  to  keep  General  Lee's  army  from  invading  Pennsjdvania. 
y\s  Lee  was  soon  driven  back  to  '  Dixie,'  with  no  prospect  of  a  sec- 
ond invasion  of  Pennsylvania,  Mr.  Davis  was  mustered  out  and 
returned  home  to  engage  in  lumbering  and  shook-making,  but 
was  later  again  drafted  for  military  service.  Not  finding  it  conven- 
ient to  leave  his  business  to  take  up  arms  again,  and  being  a  non- 
combatant  in  religion,  he  employed  a  substitute  at  a  cost  of 
$2,200  to  take  his  place  in  the  army.  .After  the  war  he  continued 
at  lumbering,  farming  and  surveying.  He  was  one  of  the  pioneers 
in  dealing  in  timber  and  mineral  lands  in  the  Negro  Mountains. 
He  bought  15,000  acres  of  mountain  land,  which  he  disposed  of  to 
Eastern  capitalists,  and  acted  as  agent  for  the  purchasers  for  a 
number   of  years  afterward. 

"  It  was,  however,  as  school  director  that  Mr.  Davis  shone 
above  all  other  respects.  For  many  years  he  served  on  the 
school  board  of  Elk  Lick  Township,  acting  as  township  superin- 
tendent a  good  portion  of  the  time.  He  encouraged  the  young 
teachers,  and  the  interests  of  the  public  schools  were  always  close 
to  his  heart. 

"  In  his  young  manhood  Mr.  Davis  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Dinah  Schrock,  seven  years  his  jtmior,  who  survives  him. 
During  the  last  few  years  of  his  life,  when  he  was  practically  help- 
less, he  was  tenderly  cared  for  by  his  wife  and  their  youngest  son, 
James  and  his  wife,  who  live  on  the  parental  home." 

Elder  Davis  united  with  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  at  Summit 


380  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

Mills,  in  March,  1865.  He  was  elected  deacon  at  the  same  place 
in  October,  1879.  He  moved  into  the  Elk  Lick  congregation  in  Au- 
gust, 188X).  By  letter  he  and  wife  became  charter  members  of 
the  "  Peck  church  "  of  the  above  congregation,  which  by  division 
was  changed  to  Maple  Glen  congregation.  Prior  to  this  division 
he  was  elected  to  the  ministry.  May  5,  1886.  He  was  advanced  to 
the  second  degree  of  the  ministry  September  17,  1887,  and  ordained 
to  the  eldership  September  27,  1896.  He  was  a  faithful  minister 
and  elder,  taking  an  active  part  in  the  affairs  of  the  District.  His 
activities  were  contuied  principally  to  his  home  and  neighboring 
churches.  Some  years  ago  he  was  one  of  an  Old  Folks'  Home 
Committee. 

Elder  and  Sister  Davis  were  the  parents  of  twelve  children, 
nine  of  whom  survived  him;  also  thirty-one  grandchildren.  En- 
dowed by  nature  with  a  brilliant  intellect,  he  was  a  great  mental 
and  moral  force  in  the  community  in  which  he  lived  until  seven 
(jr  eight  years  before  he  died,  when  failing  memory  conpelled  him 
to  retire  from  the  ministry.  He  died  l*"el)ruary  28,  1913,  aged  11 
years,  10  months  and  20  days.  l<~uneral  services  were  conducted 
in  the  Springs  Mennonite  church  by  J.  C.  Beahm,  L.  A.  Peck  and 
G.  D.  Miller  (Mennonite),  and  interment  was  in  Springs  cemetery. 

ALPHEUS  DeBOLT. 

Alpheus  DeBolt  is  the  son  of  Brother  John  and  Sister  Char- 
ity (Walters)  DeBolt,  who  lived  on  the  banks  of  the  Mononga- 
hela  River,  near  Masontown,  Fayette  County,  Pennsylvania.  Here 
he  (John)  owned  and  operated  a  gristmill  and  sawmill.  John 
DeBolt  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Church  of  the  lirethren, 
he  being  a  faithful  deacon. 

Alpheus  was  born  February  23.  1844.  .\  few  years  after  this  the 
father  sold  the  mill  and  bought  a  farm  near  the  h'air  View  church, 
about  one  and  a  fourth  miles  southeast  of  Masontown,  where  he 
died.  When  Alplieus  was  twenty  years  old,  during  the  Civil  War, 
he  was  drafted  to  go  to  the  army.  His  father  paid  the  commuta- 
tion fee  of  three  hundred  dollars  and  he  was  released. 

In  1868  he  was  married  to  Miss  Catharine  Sterling,  (laughter 
of  Deacon  Jonathan  Sterling,  Elder  Joseph  I.  Cover  solemnizing 
the  ceremony.  On  New  Year's  Day,  1872,  they  united  with  the 
church,  being  baptized  liy  the  same  officiating  minister. 

His  zeal  and  faitlifulness  as  a  lay  member  commending  itself 
to  the  church,  he  was  called  to  the  office  of  deacon  on  October  7, 
1881.  After  serving  the  church  in  this  capacity  about  two  years  he 
was  called  to  the  ministry  March  24,  1883.  June  14,  1902,  he  was 
ordained  to  the  eldership  liy  Elders  Josiah  Berkley  and  W.  A. 
Gaunt. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


381 


Elder   Alpheus   DeBolt   and   Mite. 

To  Brother  and  Sister  DeBolt  were  given  seven  children,  of 
whom  three  died  quite  young.  The  others,  having  been  brought 
up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord,  are  members  of  the 
church.  The  hospitality  of  Brother  DeBolt  and  his  family  is  note- 
worthy. It  is  given  in  gospel  measure,  heaped  up,  pressed  down 
and  running  over. 

By  his  earnest  and  careful  study  of  the  Bible  Brother  DeBolt 
has  acquired  a  substantial  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures,  which, 
coupled  with  his  natural  ability,  makes  him  a  fluent  conversation- 
alist. His  sermons  are  forceful.  In  his  ministerial  duties  he  is 
greatly  assisted  by  his  wife,  whose  Christian  character,  hospital- 
ity and  charitableness  are  of  a  high  standard.  Her  seat  in  the  sanc- 
tuary is  seldom  vacant  when  health   permits. 


JACOB    DELL. 

Jacob  Dell  was  born  on  a  farm  near  Bakerstown,  Allegheny 
County,  Pennsylvania,  January  1,  1829.  Reared  as  a  farmer's  son 
he  received  a  common  school  education.  In  1850  he  married  Miss 
Mary  Harmon.  They  raised  a  large  family  of  children.  The  fam- 
ily resided  in  Bolivar,  Westmoreland  County,  from  1850  till  1893, 
when  they  moved  to  Duquesne,  Allegheny  County. 

For  many  years  he  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 


382  HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

(-"liurcli,  but  about  1879  he  and  his  wife  were  baptized  into  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  by  J.  W,  Smouse,  who  was  at  that  time 
an  active  evangelist,  and  was  holding  a  meeting  in  Bolivar.  In 
1882  he  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Bolivar  congregation. 
Here  he  labored  as  opportunity  and  al)ility  permitted  until  he 
moved  away.     He  was  a  faithful  and  willing  brother. 

He  had  served  his  country  in  the  War  of  the  Rebellion  and  by 
trade  he  was  a  brick  moulder,  lie  canio  to  bis  death  in  the  Car- 
negie Steel  Works  yard  by  being  run  down  l)y  a  train  May  8, 
1899,  at  the  age  of  70  years,  4  months  and  7  days.  He  was  buried 
at    Derry,    Westmoreland    County. 

CHRISTIAN  F.  DETWEILER. 

Christian  F.  Detweiler  was  born  April  28,  1845,  in  Huntingdon 
County,  Pennsylvania.  His  parents  were  Amish  Mcnnonites  and 
Christian  was  reared  in  that  faith.  He  was  married  to  Salome  C. 
Zook,  whose  parents  also  were  mcnilicrs  of  tlie  same  church.  Her 
father   was  a   minister   and   lived   in    Mifllin    County. 

Christian  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  and  in 
the  Kishacoquillas  Seminary.  He  began  teaching  at  the  age  of 
sixteen  and  continued  to  teach  for  about  Iwehc  years.  From 
Mifflin  County,  Pennsylvania,  he  moved  to  Kno.x  County,  Tennes- 
see, vvitii  a  colony  of  Amish  Mennonites  in  1872.  While  living 
there  he  united  with  the  Church  of  the  15rethren.  being  baptized 
by  Elder  S.  Z.  Sharp.  A  few  years  later  his  wife  also  united  with 
the  Brethren,  being  baptized  by  Elder  Jesse  Crosswhite.  About  the 
year  1876  or  1877,  he  was  elected  to  the  ministry. 

In  1880  he  removed  to  Montgomery  County,  Ohio,  into  the 
Bear  Creek  church.  From  thence,  two  years  later,  he  moved  to 
Madison  County,  Indiana.  After  living  there  one  year  his  wife 
died,  leaving  him  with  seven  children,  the  oldest  of  whom  was 
fourteen  years  and  the  youngest  eighteen  months  of  age.  One  year 
later,  in  1884,  he  removed  to  Johnstown,  Pennsylvania,  and  became 
an  active  minister  in  the  Johnstown  congregation.  The  same  year 
he  married  Esther  B.  Miller,  a  niece  of  Elder  Jacob  Miller,  of 
Bedford  County.  To  this  union  three  children  were  born.  Here  he 
labored  faithfully,  doing  a  good  deal  of  preaching  in  the  old  Horner 
house  of  the  Conemaugh  congregation.  He  died  October  1,  1889, 
aged  44  years,  5  months  and  3  days,  and  was  buried  on  the  Hill 
owned  by  Jacob  W^ertz.  His  widow  and  younger  children  moved 
to  the  Eastern  Shore  of  Maryland,  and  subsequently  she  was  mar- 
ried to  Jesse  Layton.  His  children  arc  members  of  the  church,  one 
of  them,  Anna  /.  Blough,  having  Iieen  a  missionary  in  India  since 
1903. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        383 


Edgar    Marion    Detwiler   and    Wife. 

EDGAR  MARION  DETWILER. 

Edgar  M.  Detwiler  was  born  on  a  farm  near  New  Enterprise, 
Bedford  County,  Pennsylvania,  May  22,  1883.  He  is  the  son  of 
Elder  David  T.  and  Susan  (Kagarise)  Detwiler.  His  father,  who 
has  had  the  oversight  of  the  New  Enterprise  congregation  since 
1912,  is  one  of  the  active  elders  of  the  Middle  District  of  Penn- 
sylvania, being  at  present  the  treasurer  of  the  Mission  Board,  and 
in  recent  years  has  held  quite  a  number  of  revival  meetings  in  his 
District.  After  many  years  of  ill  health  his  mother  quietly 
passed  away  on  December  21,  1915.  Though  her  suflfering,  at 
times,  was  great,  she  bore  it  all  with  Christian  patience,  never 
once  complaining  of  her  lot,  but  continually  manifesting  a  deep 
and  abiding  trust  in  her  Savior. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  and  reared  on  a  farm. 
He  received  his  early  education  in  the  public  schools  of  South 
Woodbury  Township,  Bedford  County,  graduating  therefrom  in 
1899.  He  began  teaching  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  and  taught  in 
all  nine  terms  in  the  public  schools;  six  in  Bedford  County  and 
three  in  Montgomery,     He  also  assisted  in  conducting  five  Sum- 


384  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

mer  Normals  for  teachers,  serving  as  the  principal  for  four  of 
them.  Early  in  life  Brother  Detwiler  was  inspired  with  the  desire 
for  a  higher  education  than  could  be  secured  in  his  local  com- 
munity. Acting  upon  this  desire  lie  interspersed  his  teaching 
with  attendance  at  Juniata  College,  Huntingdon,  Pennsylvania. 
He  was  graduated  from  the  normal  English  course  in  1906,  and 
from  the  college  course  in  1912.  While  a  student  he  was  active 
in  Y.  M.  C.  A.  and  other  phases  of  religious  work. 

In  the  spring  of  1906  the  District  Meeting  of  Middle  Pennsyl- 
vania elected  Brother  Detwiler  to  the  office  of  District  Sunday- 
school  Field  Secretary.  He  served  the  District  continuously  in 
this  capacity  until  removing  from  the  District  in  the  autumn  of 
1912.  It  was  during  his  term  of  service  that  the  Sunday-schools 
of  the  District  adopted  a  constitution,  and  effected  a  District 
organization  by  electing  departmental  superintendents. 

The  religious  life  of  Brother  Detwiler  properly  began  on  the 
29th  day  of  February,  18%,  when,  at  the  age  of  twelve  years,  he 
united  with  the  church.  On  December  29,  1906,  he  was  called 
to  the  ministry  by  the  New  Enterprise  church.  He  was  advanced 
to  the  second  degree  in  August,  190S,  in  the  same  congregation. 
After  completing  his  college  course,  he  took  charge  of  the  \or- 
ristown  church  as  their  pastor,  and  served  them  as  pastor  until 
he  was  called  to  take  pastoral  charge  of  the  Roxbury  church  of 
the  West  Johnstown  congregation  in  the  summer  of  1915. 

Brother  Detwiler  was  united  in  marriage  to  Sister  Anna  Grace 
Brumbaugh,  of  Clover  Creek,  Pennsylvania,  July  31,  1913.  Sister 
Detwiler  has  had  the  experience  of  a  number  of  terms'  teaching 
in  the  public  schools.  She  also  spent  several  terms  as  a  student 
at  Juniata  College.  They  are  happily  located  at  14  Sell  Street,  in 
the  new  parsonage. 

JOHN  F.  DIETZ. 

Elder  John  V.  Dictz  was  born  in  Somerset  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania, September  26,  1863.  During  his  earlier  boyhood  his  father 
was  in  the  milling  business,  and  he  was  yet  quite  young  when  he 
took  a  helping  hand  in  the  work.  It  soon  became  apparent  that  his 
aid  was  necessary  to  help  support  his  father's  growing  family, 
and  when  he  could  be  spared,  he  assisted  the  neighbors  in  their 
farm  work. 

Considerable  time  was  spent  on  the  F.  O.  Livengood  farm, 
located  on  the  beautiful  Casselman  River  in  Elk  Lick  Township, 
Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania.  Brother  Livengood  was  a  very 
fine  Christian  gentleman,  and  took  considerable  pains  to  give 
good  advice  and  assistance  in  the  proper  development  of  the  grow- 
ing   boy.      Elder    Dietz    has    a    kindly    regard    for    Brother    Liven- 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


385 


John   y.   liietj!   and    Wife. 


good,  and  remembers  him  with  the  most  filial  affection.  Later,  in 
turn,  he  worked  with  the  lumbennen  in  the  woods  and  in  the 
sawmill.  By  this  time  his  father  quit  the  milling  business  and 
went  to  farming.  Here  he  again  took  up  the  work  and  for  some 
time   helped  on   the   farm. 

At  tlie  age  of  eighteen  he  hired  himself  to  Elder  Peter  Knavel 
and  served  an  apprenticeship  at  the  carpenter's  trade.  He  remem- 
bers Elder  Knavel  very  kindly,  and  remarks  that  in  all  their  deal- 
ings and  association,  whether  it  pertained  to  business  or  church, 
there  never  was  an  unpleasant  word  between  them.  For  a  num- 
ber of  years  he  was  one  of  the  leading  contractors  and  builders  in 
the  Conemaugh  Valley. 

When  fourteen  years  old  he  attended  a  Normal  Training 
School.  At  seventeen  he  again  attended  a  similar  school  with 
the  express  purpose  to  prepare  for  teaching.  Having  passed  the 
examinations  successfully  he  taught  school  the  following  winter. 
By  hard  study,  unceasing  efforts,  and  attending  various  Normal 
Schools,  he  obtained  a  liberal  education.  In  all,  he  taught  eleven 
terms  of  school.  Whether  in  work  or  play,  school  or  church,  he 
soon  forged  himself  to  the  front  and  became  a  recognized  leader. 
He  has  one  of  the  best  private  libraries  in  the  Brotherhood,  pos- 
sessing many  books  of  splendid  selection.  These,  including  mis- 
cellaneous books,  pamphlets  and  so  forth,  number  possibly  two 
thousand. 

He  united  with  the  church  of  his  choice  when  nineteen  years 
of  age,  and  was  baptized  by  Elder  Hiram  Musselman  in  Paint 
Creek,  just  above   the   noted   Paint   Falls.     The   thermometer  reg- 


386  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

istered  below  zero,  and  the  ice  lay  fully  two  feet  thick  on  the 
bosom  of  the  stream.  He  regarded  Elder  Musselman  as  an  ideal 
brother  and  often  sought  his  companionship. 

During  his  membership  in  the  Shade  Creek  congregation, 
Brother  Joseph  Berkey  was  elder  in  charge,  and  while  Brother 
Dietz  lived  in  Roxbury,  knowing  that  Elder  Berkey  was  old, 
feeble  and  entirely  blind,  he  determined  to  have  one  more  conver- 
sation with  him.  On  a  cold,  stormy  winter  day,  he  drove  thirty- 
two  miles  to  converse  with  the  good  old  brother,  receiving  from 
him  a  splendid  history  of  his  long  and  useful  service  in  the  church. 
Brother  Dietz,  with  his  associates,  Elders  Jerome  E.  Blough  and 
James  F.  Ream,  and  others,  for  some  years  was  a  leader  in  the 
Sunday-school  work  at  Scalp  Level,  Pennsylvania.  He  was  for 
years  the  church  clerk  of  Shade  Creek  congregation. 

He  united  in  marriage  with  Jemima  E.  Blough,  daughter  of 
Elder  Emanuel  J.  and  Sarah  (Barndt)  Blough.  To  this  union  were 
born  eight  children,  four  sons  and  four  daughters;  namely,  Lottie 
Alverta,  Vernon  Jay,  Olive  Pearl,  Galen  Royer,  Norma  Lou  Etta, 
Elma  Blanche,  Emmert  Roy  and  John   Herschel. 

Brother  Dietz's  idea  of  a  companion  in  life  was  one  who  was 
consecrated  to  the  church  and  devoted  to  her  service.  In  this  he 
made  a  wise  choice,  for  in  the  many  duties  devolving  upon  him, 
she  always  proved  a  loving  companion  and  a  splendid  helpmate. 
He  did  much  baptizing  and  anointing  of  the  sick;  performed  many 
marriage  ceremonies  and  preached  many  funerals.  No  weather 
was  too  cold  or  inclement,  no  night  too  dark  and  no  distance  too 
great  when  the  Lord  called  to  service,  and  in  all  these  arduous 
duties  Sister  Dietz  neither  offered  a  complaint  nor  a  single  mur- 
mur, but  stood  faitlifully  by  the  work,  always  giving  it  her  en- 
couragement. 

Brother  and  Sister  Dietz  went  to  housekeeping  at  Scalp  Level, 
but  in  a  few  years  moved  to  Johnstown,  Pennsylvania,  where  he 
was  elected  to  the  ministry  September  14.  1893.  The  next  year 
he  was  advanced  to  the  second  degree  of  the  ministry,  and  on 
June  28,  1900,  he  was  ordained  to  the  eldership  in  the  West  Johns- 
town congregation.  He  was  the  first  resident  elder  of  the  West 
Johnstown  congregation,  and  served  it  in  that  capacity,  for  twelve 
years.  His  preaching  and  other  services  were  much  in  demand. 
He  served  the  church  in  many  important  positions,  attending  nu- 
merous Annual  Meetings,  and  many  District,  Elders',  Sunday- 
school  and  Ministerial  Meetings  and  various  other  conventions. 
His  wife  loved  to  accompany  him,  and  did  so  when  she  could. 
He  was  often  chosen  as  delegate  to  important  meetings,  and  in 
1910  represented  the  Western  District  of  Pennsylvania  on  the 
Standing  Committee  at  Winona  T-ake  Conference. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        387 

Elder  Dietz  stood  for  advanced  ideas  in  all  his  work,  believed 
in  an  educated  ministry,  w^as  a  firm  advocate  of  the  Brethren's 
schools,  encouraged  special  training  and  preparation  for  church 
work,  taught  and  exemplified  the  plain  and  simple  life,  upheld 
woman's  suffrage  and  prohibition,  and  believed  that  the  home  is 
the  greatest  institution  in  the  world. 

During  his  leadership  in  the  West  Johnstown  church,  scores 
were  added  to  the  fold,  one  new  church  was  built  and  three  remod- 
eled, a  number  of  brethren  were  elected  to  the  ministry,  more  than 
a  dozen  brethren  were  called  to  the  deaconship,  and  John  H.  Cas- 
sady  was  advanced  to  the  eldership.  Many  brethren  and  sisters 
shared  the  comforts  and  hospitality  of  their  home  at  number  41 
Sell  Street,  Johnstown,  Pennsylvania.  He  now  resides  in  Detroit, 
Michigan,  where  he  is  again  a  recognized  leader  in  his  chosen  field. 

SOLOMON  E.  DORER. 

Solomon  E.  Dorer  was  born  August  15,  1856,  in  Upper  Yoder 
Township,  Cambria  County,  Pennsylvania.  His  father,  Crispin 
Dorer,  came  from  Stantz,  Switzerland.  He  was  born  September 
19,  1829,  and  his  parents  were  Roman  Catholics.  He  emigrated 
to  this  country  in  1850,  and  worked  a  while  in  Blair  County. 
Coming  to  Johnstown  he  worked  for  Elder  Jacob  Stutzman, 
whose  farm  is  now  the  eighth  ward,  Johnstown.  Later  he  worked 
for  his  son,  Abraham  Stutzman,  who  persuaded  him  to  read  the 
New  Testament.  After  manj'  arguments  he  was  linally  converted 
and  was  baptized. 

He  was  married  October  18,  1855,  to  Miss  Catharine  Vickroj', 
daughter  of  Solomon  and  Polly  Ann  (Younker)  Vickroy.  Seven 
children  were  born  to  this  union.  Of  these  Solomon  is  the  only 
one  of  the  entire  family  now  living.  His  school  advantages  were 
limited.  After  he  was  fifteen  he  received  only  a  few  months  a 
year  of  winter  school,  and  at  eighteen  he  quit  school.  His  mother 
being  an  invalid  a  number  of  years  required  his  presence  with  her. 

He  was  started  to  Sunday-school  when  but  five  years  old,  at- 
tending at  different  times  the  Methodist,  Presbyterian,  Lutheran 
and  Baptist  schools,  because  the  Brethren  had  no  Sunday-schools. 
Brother  Dorer  holds  as  a  souvenir,  a  certificate,  certifying  that  he 
is  an  "Annual  Member  of  the  55th  Regiment  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Baptist  Sunday-school  Army,  Auxiliary  to  the  Pennsylvania  Bap- 
tist General  Association  for  Missionary  Purposes,"  signed  by  the 
president,  secretary  and  treasurer. 

Brother  Dorer  was  baptized  in  November,  1876,  at  the  age  of 
twenty.  He  was  elected  assistant  superintendent  of  a  union  Sun- 
day-school, January  1,  1877,  since  which   time  he  has  served  in  all 


388  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

capacities  in  the  Sunday-school.  At  present  he  is  teaclier  of  the 
Bible  Class  in  the  Morrellville  Sunday-school,  where  he  has  la- 
bored for  a  number  of  years. 

On  October  31,  1878,  Brother  Dorer  and  Miss  Maggie  Camp- 
bell, daughter  of  James  and  Lelia  (Murphy)  Campbell,  were  mar- 
ried. To  this  union  nine  children  were  born,  of  whom  seven  are 
living.  At  their  marriage  his  wife  was  not  a  member  of  the 
Church  of  the  l^)rethren,  but  later  became  such,  as  did  also  six 
of  the  children. 

On  November  29,  1883,  at  a  council  in  tlie  Walnut  Grove 
schoolhouse.  Brother  Dorer  and  A.  W.  Myers  were  elected  to  the 
ministry  in  the  Johnstown  congregation,  being  the  first  so  called 
after  tlie  deplorable  division.  When  Brother  Dorer  united  with 
the  church  the  Conemaugh  congregation  was  the  only  one  in 
the  Conemaugh  Valley.  Because  of  divisions  of  old  congre- 
gations and  organization  of  new  ones  Brother  Dorer  has  lived 
and  labored  successively  in  the  Conemaugh,  Johnstown,  West 
Johnstown  and  Morrellville  congregations.  When  Brother  Dorer 
took  up  the  ministry  the  work  was  hard,  but  the  Lord  gave  pros- 
perity. There  were  five  places  of  preaching  with  four  ministers. 
He  is  now  the  oldest  active  minister  of  the  Church  of  the  Breth- 
ren in  the  Conemaugh  Valley.  He  is  hoping  for  the  day  when 
every  churchhouse  will  be  the  center  of  one  congregation. 
(Portriiit   on   Page  199.) 

JOHN  K.  EICHER. 

John  Eicher,  the  father  of  Elder  J.  K.  Eicher,  in  his  early  days 
was  a  member  of  the  Mennonite  Church.  He  married  Miss  Bar- 
bara Kalb,  who  was  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  Church.  They 
made  their  home  on  a  farm  in  Mt.  Pleasant  Township,  West- 
moreland County,  Pennsylvania.  This  union  was  l)lessed  by  four 
sons  and  two  daughters,  all  of  whom  were  1)aptized  into  tlie 
Lutheran  Church  when  young. 

John  K..  the  third  son,  was  liorn  ()ctol)er  1,  1S44.  He  was 
reared  on  the  farm,  and  in  addition  to  the  common  school  advan- 
tages he  attended  a  few  summer  terms  at  Sewickley  .\cademy.  Be- 
ginning in  1864  he  taught  eleven  terms  of  common  winter  school 
and  two  terms  of  summer  school. 

Elder  Eicher  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Weaver 
in  1868.  He  united  with  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  in  1874,  and 
in  1877  he  was  called  to  tlie  niinistr}'  in  the  Jacobs  Creek  con- 
gregation. In  1880  he  was  advanced  to  the  second  degree,  and  in 
1897  he  was  ordained  to  the  eldership.  He  is  at  present,  as  he 
has  been  for  some  years,  elder  of  the  Jacobs  Creek  congregation. 
(Portrait  on  Page  107.) 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        389 

DAVID    ESHELMAN. 

David  Eshelman,  son  of  Isaac  Eshelman,  was  born  in  Dauphin 
County,  Pennsylvania,  June  22,  1799.  His  grandfather  was  David. 
His  great-grandfather,  Heinrich  Eshelman,  came  from  Switzer- 
land in  1727,  and  owned  property  in  Rapho  Township,  Lancaster 
County. 

Elder  David  Eshelman  married  Esther  Longanecker,  and  they 
had  six  children;  viz.,  Andrew  (a  deacon  and  father  of  Elder  M. 
M.  Eshelman,  of  Tropico,  California),  Catharine,  Samuel,  Nancy, 
Susannah  and  Hattie.  Brother  Eshelman  was  called  to  the  min- 
istry in  Mififlin  County,  and  moved  to  Salem,  Clarion  County, 
Pennsylvania,  about  1852  or  1853.  He  became  quite  active  in  the 
ministry,  and  he,  with  Elder  John  H.  Goodman,  was  a  leader  in 
building  up  the  church  in  Clarion  County. 

Elder  Eshelman  had  appointments  at  various  places  in  Clar- 
ion and  adjoining  counties.  Three  Sundays  of  each  month  he 
would  go  on  horseback  from  thirty  to  sixty  miles,  round  trip,  to 
his  appointments,  and  the  other  Sunday  he  preached  at  home. 
The  appointments  were  four  and  eight  weeks  apart,  and  he  gen- 
erally held  two  services  at  a  place  before  returning.  He  inva- 
riably traveled  horseback,  going  on  Saturday  and  returning  on 
Monday. 

He  preached  in  both  English  and  German.  He  belonged  to  that 
class  of  pioneer  preachers  who,  by  self-sacrifice,  went  about  preach- 
ing and  doing  good  without  pay  or  direction,  save  as  the  Spirit 
took  charge  and  urged  them  on,  thus  making  it  possible  for  the 
Brethren  Church  to  extend  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific.  He 
was  a  mild-mannered  man  and  made  friends  wherever  he  was 
known.     He  was  calm  under  great  provocation. 

Towards  the  close  of  his  life  he  moved  back  to  Mifflin  Coun- 
ty and  did  some  work  near  Lewistown.  His  last  days  were  spent 
at  Mohrsville,  Berks  County,  where  he  died  October  4,  1873, 
aged  74  years,  3  months  and  12  days.  Sister  Eshelman  died  near 
McVeytown,  aged  72  years  and  11  months.  Some  of  his  contem- 
poraries were  William  Howe,  Andrew  Spanogle,  Graybill  Myers, 
and  Joseph  R.  Hanawalt. 

ALVIN  GIRARD  FAUST. 

The  Foust  family  of  Somerset  and  Cambria  Counties  is  among 
the  older  ones.  They  belonged  to  a  number  of  different  denomi- 
nations. The  family  of  Jacob  Foust,  of  Scalp  Level,  was  largely 
Lutheran.  One  of  the  sons,  Jacob  E.,  married  Sister  Fannie  Berke- 
bile,  daughter  of  Peter  and  Hannah  Berkebile,  and  granddaughter 
of  Deacon  Daniel  Berkey,  and  so  naturally  united  with  the  Church 


390  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Alvin    G.    Faust    and    Wife. 

of  tlic  Jircthrcii  in  tlic  Shade  Creek  elmrch.  Jacoh  !•',.  I'Oust  is  a 
deacon.  Their  children  are  Ahhie,  Alice  (deceased)  Ariluir  (de- 
ceased), Alvin  G.,  Newton,  Sadie,  Hannah,  Clark,  I'.ertiia  (de- 
ceased), and  Ruth. 

Alvin  G.  Faust  (as  he  prefers  to  spell  the  name)  was  born  in 
Paint  Township,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania,  February  8,  1^'85. 
He  was  reared  on  the  farm  and  given  the  advantages  of  the  com- 
mon school  from  which  he  graduated  in  April,  1901.  He  also  at- 
tended four  terms  of  local  normal,  one  spring  term  (l'X)5)  at 
Juniata  College  and  two  years  (1908-09,  1909-10)  at  I'.ethany  Bible 
School,  Chicago,  Illinois.  In  the  fall  of  IWl  he  began  teaching 
school,  being  at  the  time  sixteen  years  of  age.  He  has  taught 
thirteen  terms  of  winter  school,  two  terms  of  which  he  was  prin- 
cipal of  the  Scalp  Level  schools.  He  taught  one  term  of  normal, 
spring  of  1907.  In  1906  he  was  granted  a  State  permanent  certifi- 
cate. 

On  August  9,  1908,  he  and  Sister  Maud  C.  Joiins,  daughter  of 
Moses  K.  and  Annie  (Thomas)  Johns,  were  united  in  marriage. 
Maud  Johns  is  a  great-great-granddaughter  of  Joseph  Johns,  the 
founder  of  Johnstown,  and  for  six  years  was  a  popular  school- 
teacher. In  addition  to  the  common  schools  she  attended  local 
normals,  Juniata  College  in  1906,  and  was  with  her  husband  in 
Bethany  Bible  School  two  years.  Brother  and  Sister  Faust  have 
one  son,  Nile  Eugene,  born  September  7,  1911. 

During  a  series  of  meetings,  held  in  the  .Scalp  Level  church  by 
H.  S.  Replogle,  Alvin  united  with  the  church,  being  baptized  by 
Jas.  F.  Ream.     He  was  elected  to  the  ministry  November  24,  1904; 


BRETHREN    OF  WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


391 


installed  March  25,  1905;  preached  first  sermon  June  25,  1905;  was 
advanced  April  7,  1908;  became  pastor  of  the  Shade  Creek  con- 
gregation in  May,  1915.  He  is  a  leader  in  music,  having  taken 
music  and  voice  culture  in  Bethany.  He  taught  a  number  of 
singing  classes.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  executive  board 
of  the  Sundaj^  School  Association   of  the   District  three  years. 


■.^■- 

1 

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f '  i  i^^^B 

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1 

Isaiah   B.    Ferg^uson. 

ISAIAH    B.    FERGUSON. 

Robert  and  Elizabeth  (Burkholder)  Ferguson  lived  in  Donegal 
Township,  Westmoreland  County,  Pennsylvania,  and  were  faith- 
ful members  of  the  Indian  Creek  Church  of  the  Brethren.  Their 
son,  Isaiah  B.,  was  born  at  the  same  place,  April  10,  1868,  and 
reared  on  the  farm. 


392  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

Brother  Ferguson  united  with  the  church  young  in  life  in  the 
Indian  Creek  congregation,  wlicrc  he  was  elected  to  the  ministry 
in  September,  1892.  One  year  later  he  was  advanced  to  the  second 
degree.  On  September  20,  1891,  he  and  Miss  Mary  Ann  Miller, 
daughter  of  Daniel  and  Rachel  (Peterson)  Miller,  were  united  in 
marriage.  No  children  were  given  to  bless  this  union,  but  they 
raised  Miss  Katie  Sporey,  who  is  now  the  wife  of  Brother  Mahlon 
J.  Blough. 

Brother  Ferguson  has  at  different  times  lived  in  the  Indian 
Creek  church,  Westmoreland  County,  and  in  the  Middle  Creek 
and  Quemahoning  churches,  Somerset  County.  Their  present 
home  is  in  Jenner  Township,  Somerset  County,  in  the  last-named 
congregation. 

Most  of  his  ministerial  labors  liave  been  done  in  his  home 
congregations,  though  he  has  done  evangelistic  work  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, Maryland,  West  Virginia  and  Ohio.  He  has  baptized  and 
married  a  number  of  people. 

THE  FIKE  FAMILY. 

By    Emra    T.    Fike,    Oakland,    Maryland. 

Among  the  "  Pennsylvania  Dutch  "  of  the  Western  District  of 
Pennsylvania,  should  be  reckoned  Peter  Fike,  Sr.,  who  was  born 
and  reared  near  Meyersdale,  Somerset  County.  After  his  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Magdalena  Arnold,  of  Burlington,  West  Vir- 
ginia, he  located  near  Maple  Grove,  Maryland.  After  living  there 
a  few  years  he  moved  to  Indian  Creek,  Fayette  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania, where  he  reared  his  family  of  ten  children  until  the  young- 
est one  was  eleven  years  of  age. 

Peter  Fike's  great  grandfather,  who  came  from  Hanover,  Ger- 
many, was,  no  doubt,  the  ancestor  of  all  the  Fikes  now  in  the 
United  States.  This  Fike,  who  came  from  Germany,  was  a  weaver 
by  trade  and  a  member  of  the  Amish  Church.  It  was  either  his 
son  or  his  grandson,  who,  through  the  influence  of  his  wife,  came 
into  the  Church  of  the  Brethren.  Since  that  time  the  greater  per- 
centage of  the  Fike  family  are  members  of  the  same  church.  At 
least  Peter's  father,  Christian,  and  his  mother,  Christina,  were  con- 
secrated members  of  the  Church  of  the   Brethren. 

In  A.  D.  1851  Peter  ninvcd  to  Sang  Run,  Maryland,  and 
three  years  later  he  moved  to  I'reston  County,  West  Virginia, 
where  much  of  the  country  was  an  unbroken  forest,  being  on  the 
edge  of   Hoy's   Wilderness. 

Here  grandfather  had  no  church  home,  he  and  his  family 
being  among  the  pioneer  members.  His  ten  children  soon  all  set- 
tled   around    him,    and    as    they    had    large    families,    nearly    all    of 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        393 

whom  were  members  of  the  church,  it  was  not  long  until  a  church 
organization  was  efifected.  Thus  it  is  that  the  German  Settle- 
ment congregation,  numbering  about  400  members,  is  composed 
almost  entirely  of  descendants  of  Peter  Fike,  and  as  he  came  from 
Western  Pennsylvania,  it  may  be  truthfully  said  that  this  congre- 
gation is  a  child  of  Western  Pennsylvania. 

Of  the  four  sons  of  Peter  Fike,  two,  Samuel  A.  and  Aaron, 
were  elders,  one,  Moses,  was  a  minister  in  the  second  degree,  and 
one,  David,  was  a  deacon.  This  family  is  unique,  in  that  more  than 
twenty  of  grandfather's  family  are  ministers  in  the  Church  of 
the   Brethren. 

JOHN    FORNEY,    SR. 

John  Fornej^  Sr..  was  born  six  miles  south  of  Mcyersdale, 
near  Salisbury,  Pennsylvania,  November  15,  1777.  There  he  grew 
to  manhood,  with  his  three  brothers,  Abraham,  Christian  and 
Peter,  and  some  sisters.  He  was  married  to  Susannah  Buechley, 
daughter  of  Elder  John  Buechley,  of  the  Elk  Lick  church.  To 
this  union  twelve  children  were  born,  nine  sons  and  three  daugh- 
ters. Three  sons,  Michael,  John,  Jr.,  and  Peter,  were  ministers 
and  elders,  and  two   sons,  Daniel  and   Elias,   deacons. 

In  1817  he  moved  with  his  family  to  a  large  farm  two  miles 
north  of  Berlin,  in  Brothers  Valley  Township.  Here  he  lived  and 
reared  his  family  till  about  1840,  when  he  moved  to  a  farm  on  the 
West  bank  of  the  Quemahoning  Creek,  in  Conemaugh  Township, 
where  he  died  August  31,  1846,  aged  69  years,  9  months  and  21 
days.  His  widow  died  July  27,  1862,  aged  75  3'ears,  11  months 
and  9  days. 

After  serving  in  the  office  of  deacon  for  some  years  he  was 
elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Berlin  church  about  1830  (exact  date 
not  known),  and  with  Peter  Cober  was  ordained  at  a  council  at 
Berkley's,  in  October,  1836,  "  having  a  good  report  from  those 
without  as  well  as  from  those  within."  In  1840  he  moved,  as  al- 
ready stated,  to  Conemaugh  Township,  being  the  first  and  only 
elder  in  this  arm  of  the  church  for  six  years,  when  he  went  to  his 
reward.  I  have  a  letter  from  Elder  Peter  Forne3^  Glendale, 
Arizona,  his  youngest  son,  written  April  4,  1914,  when  he  was  84 
years  old,  from  which  I  quote:  "  I  was  the  youngest  one  of  the  fam- 
ily, and  I  was  very  vain  and  foolish,  '  cared  for  none  of  those 
things,'  like  GalHo,  and  my  father  died  before  I  was  eighteen.  As 
to  where  he  was  born,  or  what  his  father's  and  mother's  names 
were,  or  of  what  nationality  he  was  I  know  absolutely  nothing. 
I  heard  him  say  that  he  and  Peter  Cober  were  elected  to  the 
deaconship  at  the  same  time,  then  chosen  to  the  ministry,  advanced 
to  the  second  degree,  and  ordained  to  the  eldership  together,  and 


394  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH   OF   THE 

they  worked  together,  shoulder  to  shoulder,  as  long  as  they  lived, 
without  a  clash.  Father's  preaching  always  was  sympathetic.  He 
seemed  to  be  tender-hearted.  I  do  not  know  that  I  ever  heard 
him  preach  without  shedding  tears  himself,  as  well  as  his  congre- 
gation. As  to  how  deep  or  shallow  he  was,  1  am  not  able  to  say. 
He  always  had  family  worship,  evening  and  morning,  and  asked  a 
blessing  and  returned  thanks  at  meals,  morning,  noon  and  even- 
ing. I  heard  him  say  that  by  request  he  preached  one  funeral 
in  English.  He  wrote  a  good  hand,  both  in  German  and  English. 
In  German  he  signed  his  name  Fahrney,  and  in  English,  Forney. 
He  always  kept  a  book  of  all  his  business  with  all  with  whom  he 
had  dealings.  He  was  some  kin  to  old  Dr.  Peter  Fahrney,  but 
how   near  1  know  not. 

"  He  had  several  trades,  carpenter  and  cooper.  In  his  young 
days  he  was  hewing  timber,  got  very  warm,  went  to  the  river, 
cut  the  ice,  lay  down  and  drank,  and  arose  an  afflicted  man  for 
his  lifetime.  I  have  heard  told  that  for  weeks  and  months  they 
thou.qlit  every  day  would  be  his  last.  Hut  he  linally  rallied,  but 
had  to  do  with  it  as  long  as  he  lived,  and  finally  it  turned  into 
dropsy. 

"  In  March,  1846,  he  was  called  to  preach  a  funeral  across 
Stony  Creek,  near  where  Hooversville  now  is  located.  He  went 
horseback.  Next  morning  when  he  dressed  himself  he  noticed 
that  his  feet  were  swollen  a  little.  He  pressed  his  thumb  on 
the  swelling  and  a  dint  remained.  'Why,'  said  he,  'they  say  that 
is  dropsy.'  He  finished  dressing  and  went  aliout  his  work  as 
usual.  The  next  morning  it  was  worse,  and  so  it  continued  day  by 
day  until  finally  his  legs  burst  open.  His  suffering  was  intense  at 
times,  and  lasted  till  he  died.  So  we  are  going  down  the  valley 
one  by  one.  My  letter  is  somewhat  fragmentary.  I  was  out  of 
fix  for  several  days,  so  I  could  not  write.  Under  the  circumstances 
1  did  the  best  I  could.  1  do  not  know  whether  my  scril)bling  will 
be  of  any  use  to  you  or  not." 

His  body  was  laid  in  a  lonely  grave  on  tiie  I'arni,  but  after 
the  farm  went  out  of  the  family's  hands  his  body  was  removed 
to  the  Blough-l'^ofney  burying  ground,  near  Berlin,  where  he  and 
his  wife  lie  buried  side  by  side. 

Few  men  have  the  honor  of  being  the  ancestor  of  so  long  a 
ifne  of  ministers.  Three  sons,  six  grandsons  and  three  great- 
prrandsons  by  the  name  of  Forney  were  and  are  ministers.  That 
was  eight  years  ago.     Probably  there  are  more  now. 

JAMES  FOUCH. 

James  Fouch  (Pfautz')  moved  from  the  Coventry  congregation, 
Lancaster  County,  and  settled  in  Georges  Township,  Fayette  Coun- 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        395 

(.y,  near  Leatherman's  farm.  Brother  Fouch  was  l)orn  in  1769  and 
elected  to  the  ministry  in  1795.  In  1814  he  was  ordained  to  the 
eldership.  He  was  a  successful  farmer,  besides  being  a  minister, 
and  died  in  1850,  aged  81  years. 

LEMUEL  ROYAL  FOX. 

In  the  year  1879  Henry  B.  Fox  and  Rachel  Martin  were  united 
ia  marriage.  To  this  union  were  born  four  sons  and  one  daugh- 
ter. Lemuel  R.,  the  third  son,  began  his  earthly  career  January 
8,  1885,  the  parents  at  this  time  living  on  a  farm  near  Mount  Pleas- 
ant, Westmoreland  County,  Pennsylvania.  The  parents,  being  of 
Pennsylvania  Dutch  ancestry,  followed  the  inbred  inclination  fo 
be  faimers,  and  Lemuel  naturally  followed  the  same  pursuit,  as- 
sisting h's  father  until  his  twenty-sixth  year,  since  which  time  he 
has  been  employed  in  a  factory. 

Owing  to  the  fact  that  from  the  time  Lemuel  was  sixteen  years 
of  age  his  entire  services  were  given  to  his  father  on  the  farm,  his 
education  was  limited  to  tlie  common  schools.  The  family,  living 
a  long  distance  from  the  church  and  the  father  not  being  a  mem- 
ber of  the  church  and  providing  no  church  conveniences,  Lemuel's 
early  church  training  was  much  neglected,  and  he  was  not  made  to 
feel  the  need  of  yoking  his  life  up  to  Christ's  work  until  com- 
paratively late  in  life. 

The  mother,  b.owever,  being  a  faithful  meml)er  of  the  Church 
of  the  Brethren,  had  instilled  Christian  principles  into  the  young 
man,  and  so  while  attending  a  series  of  meetings  held  in  the 
Greensburg  church  by  Elder  Daniel  Webster  Kurtz,  in  March, 
1913,  he  gave  his  heart  to  Christ,  and  was  baptized  April  2,  being 
past  twenty-eight  years  of  age. 

A  part  of  his  church  and  Sunday-school  work  was  done  in 
Greensburg.  After  his  marriage  to  Sister  Ida  Mary  Shaffer,  May 
29,  1914,  they  took  up  their  residence  in  the  Jacobs  Creek  congre- 
gation, where  he  takes  an  active  interest  in  the  Sunday-school 
and  church  work.  He  has  served  as  delegate  to  Sunday-school 
Convention,  District  Meeting  and  in  1915  to  Annual  Meeting. 
On  March  27,  1915,  he  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Jacobs 
Creek  congregation,  being  installed  by  Elder  M.  J.  Brougher. 
(Portrait   on   Page   107.) 

WILLIAM  H.  FRY. 

William  H.  Fry,  son  of  Josiah  D.  and  Harriet  (Lehman)  Fry, 
was  born  near  the  present  town  of  Jerome,  Somerset  County,  Penn- 
sylvania, November  26,  1868.  He  is  a  grandson  of  Elder  Chris- 
tian Lehman.  With  his  parents  he  moved  to  Richland  Township, 
Cambria  County,  where  he  grew  up  as  a  farmer's  son. 


396  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

]n  addition  to  liis  common  scliool  education,  he  had  two  terms 
of  Summer  Normal.  He  taught  two  terms  of  scliool,  from  '85 
to  '87.  By  occupation  Brother  hVy  is  a  carpenter,  having  followed 
the  trade  ever  since  1890,  with  tlic  exception  of  three  years. 

On  December  14,  1892,  in  the  Shade  Creek  congregation,  Wil- 
liam united  with  tlic  church.  He  has  lived  in  the  same  congre- 
gation ever  since.  January  1,  1895,  he  and  Miss  Minnie  Hostetler, 
daughter  of  Daniel  and  Mary  (Baer)  Hostetler,  were  united  in 
marriage.  On  March  31,  1902,  he  was  called  to  the  ministry  by 
the  Shade  Creek  congregation.  At  the  same  place  he  was  or- 
dained to  the  eldership,  July  4,  1912.  Elder  Fry  lives  near  the 
B<;rkey  church,  Paint  Township,  Somerset  County,  and  is  pretty 
centrally  located  in  the  large  congregation  over  which  he  has  had 
the  oversight  since  his  ordination. 

Elder  Fry  is  an  active  Sunday-school  worker,  having,  at  dif- 
ferent times,  been  superintendent  of  the  Scalp  Level,  Rummel  and 
Berkey  Sunday-schools.  While  he  was  yet  a  layman  he  served 
five  years  on  the  District  Mission  Board.  He  also  served  his  con- 
gregation in  the  capacity  of  church  clerk  six  years,  and  as  Mes- 
senger agent.  He  represented  his  church  as  delegate  to  both  .An- 
nual and  District  Meetings  a  number  of  times.  He  has  served 
on  home  mission  committee,  as  well  as  on  a  number  of  other  com- 
mittees. 

(Portrait   on   Page  183.) 

JOHN   B.   FURRY. 

John  B.  Furry,  son  of  Elder  Leonard  Furry,  of  Xcw  Enter- 
prise, Bedford  County,  Pennsylvania,  was  born  Julj'  24,  1829.  He 
united  with  the  church  in  his  early  days.  He  was  united  in  mar- 
riage, at  the  home  of  his  father,  to  Miss  h'lizalieth  Snowl)erger, 
daughter  of  lirother  Daniel  Snow])erger,  on  January  29,  1854.  In 
his  obituary  it  is  stated  that  he  was  a  faithful  minister  of  the  Word 
for  some  years.  He  died  December  18,  1863,  aged  34  years,  4 
months  and  27  days,  leaving  a  disconsolate  widow  and  five  small 
children.  They  w-ere  Sarah  A.,  Hannah  A.,  Daniel  S.,  Franklin  T\ 
and  Leonard.  The  text  used  at  his  funeral  was  Rev.  14:  12,  13.  The 
widow  some  years  later  was  married  to  Elder  John  V>.  Miller,  also 
of  Bedford  County.    She  died  July  12,  1905. 

ABRAHAM  FYOCK. 

Abraham  I'yock  is  the  third  son  and  ciiild  of  Jacoli  and  Mar- 
bara  (Reighard)  Fj'ock,  and  was  born  on  the  Fyock  homestead 
in  Conemaugh  Township,  Cambria  County,  Pennsylvania,  No- 
vember 30,   1844.     His  early  days  were   spent  on   the  farm   of  his 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         397 

father,  assisting  the  latter  in  its  management  and  thus  acquir- 
ing a  practical  knowledge  of  the  details  of  farm  life.  The  Fyocks 
are  of  German  ancestry. 

Upon  the  death  of  his  father  he  resided  with  his  brother, 
who  had  assumed  the  management  of  affairs,  until  he  had  attained 
his  eighteenth  year,  when  he  removed  to  Johnstown  and  obtained 
a  position  with  the   Cambria   Steel   Company  in  the  rolling  mill. 

Abraham  enlisted  in  Company  ¥,  198th  Pennsylvania  Volun- 
teers, in  1864,  Captain  Stackhouse  commanding.  He  served  in  all 
ten  months,  taking  an  active  part  in  the  battles  of  Petersburg, 
Five  Points  and  several  others.  He  was  present  with  his  regiment 
at  the  surrender  of  General  Lee.  At  the  close  of  the  war  he  was 
honorably  discharged  and  returned  to  Johnstown. 

The  same  year,  November  23,  1865,  he  married  Miss  Nancy 
Varner,  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Catherine  (Good)  Varner.  After 
marriage  they  moved  to  the  Fyock  homestead,  remaining  there 
until  1869,  when  he  purchased  a  farm  in  that  vicinity  and  moved 
upon  it.  Here  they  lived  and  reared  their  family  until  1892,  wlien 
he  sold  out  and  moved  to  Walnut  Grove.  Here  he  bought  a 
home  with  some  land  adjoining.  For  twenty  years  they  lived  in 
Walnut  Grove,  until  April  1,  1912,  when,  with  his  wife,  he  re- 
moved to  New  Paris,  Bedford  County,  where  he  at  present  resides. 

Their  children  are:  Samuel  H.,  Clarissa  J.  Wilson,  Sarah  A. 
Strayer,  Rachel  E.  Mills,  Emma  C.  (dead),  James  W.,  Lucy  E. 
(dead),  and  John  C. 

Brother  Fyock  was'elected  to  the  ministry  September  29,  1887, 
advanced  to  the  second  degree  September  26,  1889,  and  ordained 
to  the  eldership  December  28,  1899,  all  in  the  Johnstown  congre- 
gation. Elder  Fyock  is  a  faithful  and  willing  preacher  and  has 
done  his  best  work  in  his  home  congregation.  He  frequently 
serves  his  church  in  the  capacity  of  delegate  to  District  and  An- 
nual Conferences. 

Besides  serving  his  home  congregation  Brother  Fyock  did 
most  of  the  preaching  in  the  Bolivar  church  for  several  years. 
He  also  had  the  oversight  of  this  church  from   1904  to  1908. 

For  several  years  Elder  Fyock  has  been  a  member  of  the  Old 
Folks'  Home  Committee,  and  has  done  considerable  work  in  try- 
ing to  mould  sentiment  favorable  toward  an  institution  of  that 
kind.  He  is  a  firm  believer  in  the  necessity  of  a  home  for  the 
poor  and  aged  of  our  church.  Two  of  Elder  Fyock's  sons,  Samuel 
H.  and  James  W.,  and  one  of  his  sons-in-law,  John  W.  Mills,  have 
been  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Johnstown  congregation.  Sis- 
ter Fyock  died  in  the  spring  of  1914  while  on  a  visit  to  her  chil- 
dren in  Johnstown. 


398  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

JOHN   W.  FYOCK. 

John  W.  Fyock,  son  of  David  and  Margaret  (Wise)  Fyock, 
was  born  in  Green  Township,  Indiana  County,  Pennsylvania,  Jan- 
uary 22,  1861.  He  is  a  grandson  of  John  Fyock  and  a  great  grand- 
son of  David  Fyock,  who  moved  from  Somerset  County  at  an  early 
date. 

Brother  Fyock  was  reared  a  farmer,  which  occupation  he  still 
follows.  When  he  was  five  years  of  age  his  mother  died.  In  addi- 
tion to  the  public  school  he  was  a  student  of  Purchase  Line  Acad- 
emy, of  which  institution  he  is  a  trustee  at  this  time. 

Brother  Fyock  was  baptized  at  the  age  of  seventeen.  He  was 
elected  deacon  in  the  Manor  church,  July  1,  1887;  minister,  June 
9,  1892;  advanced  to  the  second  degree  in  1894;  ordained  to  the 
eldership  in  1909.  For  some  years  he  has  been  the  elder  in  charge 
of  the  Manor  congregation,  and  since  the  spring  of  1915  of  the 
Chess  Creek  congregation  also. 

Elder  Fyock  was  united  in  marriage  to  Sister  Elvira  E.  Minser, 
daughter  of  Elder  Mark  Minser.  To  this  union  six  children  were 
born,  of  whom  five  are  living.  All  are  meml)ers  of  the  church  and 
one  son  is  a  deacon. 

(Portrait   on   Page  128.) 


£lder    Oran    Fyock. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        399 

ORAN  FYOCK. 

Elder  Oran  Fyock  was  born  June  29,  1868,  in  Indiana  Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania.  Here  he  grew  to  manhood  and  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Bundy,  October  31,  1889.  Both  became 
members  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  in  the  fall  of  1894,  being 
baptized  by  Elder  Mark  Minser.  Three  years  later,  in  1897,  he  was 
elected  deacon,  and  in  1907  he  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  the 
Montgomery  congregation.  Brother  Fyock  is  the  only  minister 
in  the  Montgomery  congregation,  and  in  1912  he  was  ordained  to 
the  eldership. 

EARL  GEARHART. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fremont  Gearhart,  of  Mt.  Pleasant,  Pennsylvania, 
were  members  of  the  First  Reformed  Church.  To  them  were  born 
four  sons  and  one  daughter.  Earl  was  next  to  the  youngest  and 
was  born  in  Mt.  Pleasant  July  30,  1893. 

He  attended  the  public  schools  imtil  he  was  fifteen  years  of 
age,  when  he  had  to  stop  school  on  account  of  the  death  of  his 
mother,  and  other  circumstances.  He  received  employment  with 
the  L.  E.  Smith  Glass  Company,  of  Mt.  Pleasant,  where  he  is 
still  employed. 

He  accepted  Christ  as  his  Savior  when  he  was  twenty  years 
old  at  an  evangelistic  meeting  conducted  by  Dr.  W.  W.  Hall,  a 
union  evangelist,  and  soon  after  united  with  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  by  baptism.  On  March  27,  1915,  he  was  elected  to  the 
ministry  in  the  Jacobs  Creek  congregation,  where  he  now  labors. 
(Portrait  on   Page  107.) 

JOEL  GNAGEY. 

Of  the  few  aged  elders  of  Western  Pennsylvania,  who  are  still 
active  in  the  work  of  the  church,  is  Elder  Joel  Gnagey,  of  the 
Summit  Mills  congregation,  Somerset  County.  He  was  born  Feb- 
ruary 9,  1836,  in  Summit  Township.  He  is  the  son  of  Christian 
and  Barbara  (Blucher)  Gnagey.  Both  his  parents  were  brought 
up  in  the  Amish  faith.  The  father  united  with  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  in  1844,  but  the  mother  lived  and  died  in  that  faith. 

Brother  Gnagey  was  reared  on  his  father's  farin.  He  attended 
subscription  schools,  and  later  a  few  terms  of  public  school.  The 
school  facilities  were  poor,  and  therefore  his  education  is  some- 
what limited.  It  was  principally  German,  but  he  reads  and  writes 
the  English  as  well. 

He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Catharine  Fike,  daughter 
of  John  Fike,  January  31,  1858,  Brother  Samuel  Berkley  officiat- 
ing. The  same  year  he  and  his  wife  were  baptized  in  the  Elk  Lick 
Creek  at  Summit  Mills  by  Elder  E.  K.  Buechly.     It  was  not  long 


400 


HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


lOlder   Joel   tJnagey   and    >\ite. 


until  he  was  called  to  the  otftce  of  deacon.  This  office  he  faith- 
fully filled  until  1864,  when  he  was  elected  to  the  ministry.  Sev- 
eral years  later  he  was  advanced  to  the  second  degree  and  in  1886 
he  was  ordained  to  the  eldership.  All  this  took  place  in  the  same 
congregation.  After  the  division  of  the  original  Elk  Lick  congre- 
gation into  three  churches,  in  1877,  Elder  Gnagey's  Held  of  activ- 
ities was  principally  in  the  Summit  Mills  congregation. 

For  more  than  half  a  century  Elder  Gnagey  has  hccn  preach- 
ing a  free  Gospel.  Jn  addition  to  being  the  elder  of  his  home  con- 
gregation he  has,  at  various  times,  had  charge  of  the  Berlin, 
Elk  Lick  and  Maple  Glen  congregations.  His  preaching  has  all 
been  in  the  German  language.  He  is  assisted  in  the  ministry  by 
Brethren  J.  W.  Peck  and  S.  J.  Berkley. 

Elder  Gnagey  has  been  a  regular  attendant  at  our  District 
Meetings,  and  has  frequently  represented  his  congregation  in  the 
same.  By  nature  he  is  quiet  and  unassuming,  and  his  voice  is 
seldom  heard  in  the  meetings  of  the  District.  Still  he  is  an  ear- 
nest and  zealous  brother  and  alive  to  every  good  work.  He  never 
aspired  to  public  ofKice  and  takes  very  little  part  in  politics.  Some- 
thing of  Elder  Gnagey's  ancestry  and  progeny  maj'  be  in  place 
here. 

Christian  Gnaegi,  the  ancestor  of  the  entire  Gnagey  family  in 
America,  and  great-grandfather  of  Elder  Joel  Gnagey,  was  a  na- 
tive of  Switzerland,  and  emigrated  to  this  country  between  1750 
and  1760.  He  settled  in  what  is  now  Somerset  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  in  1774  entered  by  tomahawk  claim  500  acres  of  land, 
which  now  form  the  site  of  Meyersdale.     He  later  settled  in   Har- 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        401 

rison  County,  Ohio,  where  he  died  April  6,  1812,  at  an  extreme  age. 
His  children's  names  were:  Johannes,  Christian,  Jacob,  Joseph, 
Magdalena,    Mary,    Barbara,    Anna,    Catarina    and    Gertrude. 

Johannes,  son  of  Christian  Gnaegi,  was  born  in  Somerset  Coun- 
ty and  was  a  farmer  and  a  member  of  the  (Amish)  Mennonite 
Church.  He  married  Elizabeth  Stutzman,  and  their  children  were: 
Anna,  Catarina,  Christian,  Barbara  and  Elizabeth.  After  the 
death  of  the  mother  of  these  children  Mr.  Gnaegi  married  Eliz- 
abeth Miller,  by  whom  he  was  the  father  of  Jacob,  Sarah,  Susan- 
nah,  Gertrude  and  Veronica. 

Christian  Gnagey,  son  of  Johannes  and  Elizabeth  Gnagey,  was 
born  June  16,  1790,  in  Summit  Township,  and  was,  like  his  father, 
a  tiller  of  the  soil.  For  a  number  of  years  he  was  a  member  of 
the  Amish  Church,  but  the  last  thirty-six  years  of  his  life  he  was 
a  faithful  member  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren.  He  married 
Barbara  Blucher,  December  5,  1813.  Their  children  were:  Sarah, 
Elizabeth,  John,  Jonathan,  Emanuel,  Christian,  Jacob,  Barbara, 
Benedict,  Andrew,  and  Joel,  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  Mrs. 
Gnagey  died  May  6,  1836,  and  is  buried  on  the  home  farm.  His 
second  wife  was  Caroline  Walter,  whom  he  married  November  5, 
1843.     His  death  occurred  June  11,  1880. 

Twelve  children  were  born  to  Elder  and  Sister  Gnagey,  as 
follows:  Amanda,  Ellen  B.,  Anna,  Ida,  Eliza,  William,  John  E., 
Emma,  Sadie,  Grace  and  Delia. 

WALTER  J.  HAMILTON. 

Walter  J.  Hamilton,  the  oldest  son  of  Miles  and  Alice  A.  Ham- 
ilton, was  born  August  18,  1884,  near  Halleck,  West  Virginia.  The 
first  sixteen  years  of  his  life  were  spent  in  this  rustic  home,  with 
the  exception  of  the  summer  of  1896.  Nine  months  of  this  year 
were  spent  in  Henry  County,  Indiana,  near  the  Beech  Grove 
Church  of  the  Brethren.  In  a  placid  stream  near  this  church,  on 
August  16,  Brother  I.  B.  Wike  administered  the  rite  of  trine  im- 
mersion to  him,  two  days  before  he  was  twelve  years  of  age. 

The  following  November,  the  parents,  with  the  three  children. 
Walter  J.,  aged  twelve.  Bertha  Pearl,  aged  seven,  and  Lester  Zimri, 
aged  four,  returned  to  their  West  Virginia  home.  A  few  weeks 
later  Pearl  and  Lester  were  taken  from  the  home  by  that  dread 
disease,  diphtheria,  and  laid  to  rest  in  the  Halleck  churchyard. 
These  cruel  wounds  in  mother  earth  were  finally  concealed  by  the 
myrtle  and  the  ivy  that  bow  before  the  slabs  of  clouded  marble, 
but  not  so  the  bleeding  heart  of  the  lonely  boy.  This  cup  of  sor- 
row had  much  to  do  with  the  shaping  of  his  religious  life.  After 
he  was  thirty  j'ears  of  age  he  embalmed  their  memory  in  his 
poem,  entitled  "  Heart-Throbs." 


402  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Walter    .1.    Iluniilton. 

' 'ii  April  1,  l'X)l,  the  family  moved  near  tlie  Mount  I'nion 
church  and  tlic  following  Sunday  Walter  began  his  public  religious 
life  by  taking  up  the  work  of  Sunday-school  superintendent.  Sep- 
tember of  the  same  year  he  was  installed  into  the  ministry.  Five 
years  later,  to  the  day,  he  was  forwarded  to  the  second  degree. 

Four  winters  were  spent  teaching  in  the  rural  schools.  Al- 
most two  years  were  spent  in  the  West  Virginia  University,  and 
then  came  six  years  of  merchandising.  After  trading  the  college 
student's  lamp  for  the  occupation  of  merchant,  he  decided  to  take 
a  partner  in  the  firm,  and  on  May  1,  1907,  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Cora  L.  Goodwin.  To  this  union  have  been  given  two 
daughters. 

in  May.  l'>12,  TVothcr  Hamilton  and  liis  family  located  on  a 
farm  near  Trout  Run,  Westmoreland  Countj',  l^cnnsjdvania,  where 
they  still  reside.     The  winters  are  spent  teaching  rural  schools. 

Brother  Hamilton's  life  is  being  spent  in  small  congregations 
and  new  churches,  where  the  pioneer  is  needed  to  "blaze  the  trails." 
He  enjoys  Sunday-school  work,  Init  the  chosen  field,  if  the  health 
of  the  family  would  permit,  is  that  of  the  evangelist.  Special 
power  seems  to  be  manifested  in  revival  work,  he  having  held  as 
high  as  five  series  of  meetings  at  the  same  church.  As  a  writer 
Brother  Hamilton  has  developed  considerable  ability. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        403 

GEORGE    HANAWALT. 

Henry  George  Hanawalt  came  to  America  about  the  year 
1753,  and  settled  near  Waynesburg,  Cumberland  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania, now  McVeytown,  Mififlin  County.  His  second  son,  George, 
married  Susannah  Rothrock,  and  occupied  the  Hanawalt  home- 
stead. Joseph  Rothrock  Hanawalt  was  born  January  4,  1810,  and 
married  Mary  Swigart,  a  close  relative  of  the  large  Swigart  con- 
nection in  Mifflin  County.  His  second  wife  was  Eve  Kauffman. 
He  was  the  father  of  sixteen  children,  of  whom  'four  sons  were 
called  to  the  ministry.  Joseph  R.  Hanawalt  was  a  minister  in 
the  Spring  Run  congregation  thirty-seven  years,  and  an  elder 
twenty-six  years. 

George,  whose  biography  we  are  writing,  was  one  of  tbe  four. 
He  was  the  oldest  of  the  children,  and  was  born  April  2,  1831. 
George  was  of  a  literary  inclination,  and  was,  as  far  as  known,  the 
first  of  our  Brethren's  sons  in  the  high  schools  of  his  day.  By 
some  of  the  good  old  Brethren  this  was  much  regretted,  fearing  he 
would  become  worldly  and  be  lost  to  the  church.  His  father,  how- 
ever, thought  it  would  help  him  to  further  qualify  himself  to  make 
teaching  a  success. 

About  that  time  the  county  was  invaded  by  some  teachers 
from  the  New  England  States  who  became  county  superintend- 
ents. Visiting  his  schools  they  greatly  helped  and  encouraged 
him,  and  for  sixteen  years  he  became  a  leader  among  the  teach- 
ers of  the  county,  and  his  helpful  and  fatherly  disposition  encour- 
aged the  school  work  in  Central  Pennsylvania  very  visibly.  Many 
of  the  Brethren's  sons  and  daughters,  as  well  as  those  of  the  Amish 
Mennonites,  became  prominent  teachers,  and  most  of  the  country 
schools  were  taught  by  plain   country  people. 

In  1859  and  1860  George  and  Solomon  Z.  Sharp  and  two  lady 
teachers  very  successfully  conducted  the  McVeytown  Academy, 
where  eight  years  before  he  had  taken  his  advance  schooling,  pre- 
paratory to  teaching.  During  that  term,  S.  Z.  Sharp,  whose  influ- 
ence as  an  educator  has  been  largely  felt  in  our  church,  became 
a  member  of  the  church. 

George  married  Miss  Caroline  McKee,  a  Centre  County  farm- 
er's daughter,  in  1856.  She  soon  declared  herself  favorable  to  the 
Brethren's  doctrine,  and  but  for  her  delicate  condition  would  have 
been  baptized.  She  died  June  8,  1858.  Her  baby  daughter  died  two 
months  later.  George  married  Miss  Barbara  Replogle,  daughter 
of  Daniel  Replogle,  of  New  Enterprise,  Pennsylvania,  February 
9,  1860.  She  died  June  8,  1873,  leaving  eight  motherless  children 
under  twelve  years  of  age.  June  4,  1874,  he  married  Miss  Lucinda 
Stutzman,    daughter    of    Samuel    Stutzman,    of    near    Johnstown, 


404 


HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Elder    Georgre    Hanawalt. 


I'cniisylvaiiia.  She  helped  to  take  care  of  his  chihh-cii  and  bore 
unto  him  nine  more. 

He  united  with  the  church  in  June,  185S,  and  was  called  to 
the  ministry  in  June,  1864.  Soon  his  father  introduced  a  system 
of  itinerate  mission  work.  He  had  three  committees  of  two  preach- 
ers each,  who  preached  at  sixteen  different  points,  requiring  from 
five  to  twenty-five  miles  of  travel  to  the  several  appointments. 
They  made  three  circuits  in  forty-eight  weeks.  The  traveling  was 
mostly  done  on  horseback,  and  made  about  860  miles  a.  year. 
In  this  horseback  preaching  George  did  his  part  for  eleven  years. 

In  1879  the  family  moved  into  the  Conemaugh  congregation, 
Johnstown,  Pennsylvania,  which  at  that  time  had  a  membership 
of  about  500.  At  this  place  he  labored  during  the  transitional 
period  of  the  church,  the  time  which  tried  men's  souls.  .Mthough 
in  rather  delicate  health  he  labored  liard  in  the  Johnstown  church. 
He  took  an  active  part  in  building  the  new  church  in  Johnstown, 
now  owned  by  the  Brethren  Church,  as  well  as  in  settling  the 
troubles  that  arose  in  regard  to  the  disposition  of  church  prop- 
erty in  the  division  of  the  denomination.  He  also  assisted  in  build- 
ing the  Walnut  Grove  church,  doing  practically  all  of  the  solic- 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        405 

iting  of  subscriptions.  June  10,  1886,  he  with  George  S.  Rairigh, 
was  ordained  to  the  eldership. 

The  same  year,  after  becoming  much  attached  to  the  people 
of  Johnstown,  finding  his  family  filling  up  with  boys,  he  moved 
onto  a  large  farm  in  the  Ligonier  Valley,  Westmoreland  County. 
Here  he  found  some  scattered  members  of  the  church,  whom  he 
soon  organized  into  a  church,  which  is  called  Ligonier.  A  house 
of  worship  was  built  at  Waterford,  now  called  Boucher.  For  a 
while  he  also  preached  at  Bolivar  and  Cokeville.  Here  he  lived 
about  sixteen  years.  About  1902  his  health  failed,  and  after  a 
hard  spell  of  sickness  he  was  induced  to  go  to  California,  and  set- 
tled at  Lordsburg  on  account  of  the  college  there,  which  his  fam- 
ily patronized  for  some  five  years.  After  living  in  the  climate  and 
prosperity  of  the  Golden  State,  and  the  boys  having  engaged  in 
business,  the  family  declined  to  return  to  their  Pennsylvania  home. 
In  1910  he  made  his  last  visit  to  the  old  Keystone  State.  In  a 
letter  to  the  author,  dated  January  8,  1913,  in  which  he  gives 
many  valuable  historical  data,  he  comes  to  a  close  as  follows: 
"  I  am  nearly  eighty-two  years  old.  I  am  not  as  bright  as  I  once 
was.  My  health  is  getting  very  slim  and  my  memory  much  im- 
paired." 

Elder  Hanawalt  was  called  from  labor  to  reward  June  3,  1913, 
at  the  advanced  age  of  82  years,  2  months  and  1  day,  and  his 
body  lies  buried  in  the  Lordsburg  (California)  cemetery. 

JOHN  M.  HARSHBERGER. 

John  M.  Harshberger,  only  son  of  Moses  and  Katie  (Schrock) 
Harshberger,  was  born  in  Conemaugh  Township,  Cambria  Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania,  August  13,  1835.  His  parents  were  farmers  by 
occupation  and  in  their  religious  affiliations  were  members  of  the 
Amish  Church.  Through  his  father,  who  was  born  and  reared  at 
Meyersdale,  Pennsylvania,  Brother  Harshberger  can  trace  his 
lineage  to  Germany,  while  through  his  mother,  who  was  born  and 
reared  near  Berlin,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania,  he  can  trace  it 
to  Switzerland.  His  only  sister,  Polly,  was  married  to  Christian 
Shetler.     Both  she  and  her  husband  are  dead. 

On  December  26,  1858,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Katie 
Wertz,  daughter  of  Jacob  Wertz,  who  was  a  faithful  deacon  in  the 
old  Conemaugh  congregation,  by  Solomon  Benshofif.  They  lo- 
cated on  a  farm  in  Adams  (then  Richland)  Township,  Cambria 
County.  He  was  among  the  substantial  farmers  and  citizens  of 
that  township  until  November  6,  1909,  when  he  located  in  the  sev- 
enth ward,  Johnstown,  wbere  he  still  resides.  Besides  three  chil- 
dren, who  died  when  small,  the  following  are  living:  Cornelius  W., 


406  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

George    M.,    Ira   Landon,   Jacob    W.,    Malinda   Jane,    Minnie    Etta, 
Lizzie  and  Edith  May. 

Brother  and  Sister  Harghberger  united  with  the  church  at 
Shade,  being  baptized  by  Elder  George  W.  Brumbaugh,  in  about 
1861.  In  about  1867  he  was  elected  deacon  in  the  Conemaugh 
congregation,  and  in  about   1876  he  was  called  to  the  ministry. 

CORNELIUS  W.  HARSHBERGER. 

Cornelius  W.  Harshberger  was  born  May  15,  1860.  He  is 
a  son  of  John  M.  and  Katie  (Wertz)  Harshberger,  and  was  born 
and  reared  in  Adams  Township,  Cambria  County,  Pennsylvania. 
Here  he  grew  up  as  a  farmer,  which  occupation  he  followed  along 
with  his  teaching  until  the  spring  of  1915,  when  he  moved  to 
Johnstown. 

Elder  Harshberger  supplemented  his  public  school  education 
with  several  terms  of  Select  Normal  Schools.  He  holds  a  State 
permanent  teachers'  certificate  and  has  taught  thirty-three  terms 
of  public  school  in  Cambria  County.  He  ranks  among  the  lead- 
ing educators  in  his  county. 

On  June  15,  1882,  he  and  Miss  Jennie  M.,  daughter  of  Joseph 
S.  and  Katharine  Burkhart,  were  united  in  marriage.  Their  chil- 
dren are  Lori  B.,  Elda  Olive,  Vida  May  and  Waldo  B. 

Elder  Harshberger's  religious  life  dates  from  November,  1876, 
when  he  was  baptized.  He  was  elected  to  the  office  of  deacon  in 
the  Johnstown  congregation  June  28,  1894;  to  the  ministry  March 
29,  1900;  ordained  to  the  eldership  May  3,  1914,  all  in  the  Johnstown 
congregation.  Brother  Harshberger  is  an  active  Sunday-school 
worker,  and  prior  to  liis  election  to  the  ministry  he  served  the 
Maple  Grove  Sunday-school  many  years  as  superintendent. 
(Portrait  on  Page  117.) 
LORI  B.   HARSHBERGER. 

Lori  B.  Harshberger,  oldest  son  of  Elder  C.  W.  and  Jennie  M. 
(Burkhart)  Harshberger,  was  born  in  Adams  Township,  Cambria 
County,  Pennsylvania,  May  11,  1883.  He  was  reared  on  his  fa- 
ther's farm  until  the  age  of  twenty-one,  and  given  good  school 
facilities.  He  taught  school  four  terms,  since  which  time  he  has 
been  an  employe  in  the  Johnstown  postoffice.  He  married  Miss 
Daisy  Boyer,  daughter  of  William  Y.  and  Mary  (Siferd)  Boyer, 
October  30,  1904,  and  resides  in  Johnstown. 

Brother  Harsh])erger  united  with  the  church  in  .\ugust,  1900, 
in  the  Johnstown  congregation,  and  was  elected  to  the  office  of 
deacon  in  1906.  On  June  21,  1910,  he  was  called  to  the  ministry 
and  is  now  one  of  the  active  ministers  of  tlic  Johnstown  con- 
gregation. 

(Portrait  on  Page  117.) 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        407 

JACOB  S.  HAUGER. 

Jacob  S.  Hauger  was  born  October  26,  1805,  in  Somerset 
County,  Pennsylvania.  He  was  married  to  Catharine  Yowler,  May 
4,  1829.  He  was  an  active  member  of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian 
Church  till  July,  1834,  when  he  and  his  wife  united  with  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren,  being  baptized  by  Elder  Peter  Cober. 
The  same  year  he  was  elected  to  the  deaconship,  and  the  follow- 
ing year  he  was  called  to  the  ministry  of  the  Word,  fourteen  years 
before  Somerset  County  was  divided  into  four  congregations.  On 
May  26,  1854,  he  was  ordained  to  the  eldership  in  the  Middle  Creek 
congregation.  While  living  in  Somerset  County  he  was  an  active 
minister  and  elder,  and  was  called  on  to  do  much  church  work. 

About  1860  he  moved  to  Waterloo,  Iowa.  Here  he  lived  nine 
years,  when  he  moved  to  Dutchtown,  Illinois.  After  living  here 
fourteen  years  he  moved  to  Opdyke,  Jefferson  County,  same  State, 
where  he  died  August  13,  1887,  aged  81  years,  9  months  and  17 
days.  He  preached  239  funerals,  and  performed  113  marriage  cere- 
monies. 

DAVID   A.   HETRICK. 

D.  A.  Hetrick  was  born  near  Putneyville,  Mahoning  Town- 
ship, Armstrong  County,  Pennsylvania,  in  1848.  When  about  six 
years  of  age,  with  his  parents  he  moved  to  the  farm  upon  which 
he  now  resides.  He  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools 
of  the  township.  Brother  Hetrick  was  brought  up  on  the  farm, 
and  still  follows  the  occupation  of  farming. 

He  attended  church  services  in  the  Red  Bank  congregation, 
where  he  united  with  the  church  at  the  age  of  seventeen  under  the 
preaching  of  Elder  John  Nicholson.  In  the  same  congregation 
he  was  called  to  the  ministry,  on  May  26,  1889,  being  installed  by 
Elder  J.  C.  Johnson.  He  was  advanced  to  the  second  degree  of 
the  ministry  May  25,  1890,  Elder  James  A.  Sell  officiating.  Brother 
Hetrick  has  always  held  his  membership  in  the  same  congrega- 
tion. 

Brother  Hetrick's  ministry  extended  over  the  Red  Bank. 
Glade  Run  and  Brush  Valley  congregations,  Armstrong  County, 
and  the  Shemoken  congregation,  Jefiferson  County.  Two  years 
he  was  a  member  of  the  Home  Mission  Supply  Committee,  and  did 
a  great  deal  of  preaching. 

Brother  Hetrick  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
Coleman,  March  16,  1871.  To  this  union  thirteen  children  were 
born,  of  whom  nine  are  still  living,  all  being  members  of  the 
Brethren  church  except  the  youngest  two. 


408  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


KUler    David    HildebrancI    and    Wife. 


DAVID    HILDEBRAND. 

Ahram  Hildehrand,  of  Lancaster  County,  Pennsylvania,  later 
the  first  judge  of  lledford  County,  came  to  Caniliria  County  in 
1797,  and  secured  a  tract  of  land  on  the  hanks  of  the  Conemaugh 
River,  where  Camhria  City  was  afterward  built.  His  children  were 
named  Abram,  George  and  Catharine.  Abram  went  to  the  War 
of  1812  and  was  never  heard  of  afterward.  George,  who  was  born 
October  12,  1787,  was  ten  years  old  when  the  family  located  in 
the  Conemaugh  Valley.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Hannah  Lear,  in 
1807.  To  this  union  twelve  children  were  born;  viz.,  Abram, 
Jacob,  John,  Polly,  Lydia,  Catharine,  Christena,  Hannah,  Samuel, 
George,  Anna  and  Stephen.  Of  these  Stephen  still  lives  in  Johns- 
town, and  is  an  elder  in  the  Progressive  Brethren  Church.  The 
mother  of  these  children  died,  and  Brother  Hildebrand  married 
Anna  Dimond.  To  this  union  were  born  Daniel,  David,  and  Su- 
san. Brother  Hildebrand  died  December  16,  1877,  aged  90  years, 
4  months  and  2  days. 

David  Hildebrand  was  born  on  a  farm  in  what  is  now  called 
Echo,  East  Taylor  Township,  Cambria  County,  November  10,  1835. 
David  was  reared  on  the  farm  and  given  the  school  advantages 
of  that  day.  He,  at  various  periods  of  his  career,  was  engaged  in 
farming,  lumbering,  and  blacksmithing,  having  lived  at  Ashtola, 
Park  Hill,  Adams  Township,  and  Franklin  Borough. 

In  1856  he  was  married  to  Mary  Ann  Funk,  daughter  of  Jo- 
seph Funk.  To  them  were  born  four  children;  viz.,  Alice  (Vick- 
roy),  Louvenias,  Jennie  (Hildebrand)  and  iMnanucl.  His  first 
wife  died  in  January,  1872,  and  in  April,  1873,  he  was  married  to 
Hannah    W.    Wertz,    daughter    of    Jacob    W'ertz.      Two    children 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        409 

blessed  this  union,  Harry  and  Lorena  (Reighard).  His  second 
wife  died  in  1884,  and  in  1887  he  was  married  to  Sarah  Ann  Vick- 
roy,  Brother  C.  F.  Detweiler  officiating.  High  water  having  de- 
stroyed his  sawmill,  he  continued  farming  till  1900,  when  he 
moved  to  Franklin  Borough,  near  Johnstown,  and  for  a  while  en- 
gaged in  blacksmithing.  During  January,  1901,  he  earned  $125, 
but  overworked  himself,  became  sick,  and  was  under  the  doctor's 
care  for  the  first  time  since  1879.  He  was  elected  assessor  of 
his  borough  in  1902,  and  this  position  he  held  when  he  died. 

Brother  Hildehrand  united  with  the  old  Conemaugh  church 
of  the  Brethren,  in  1857.  July  4,  1865,  he  was  called  to  the  dea- 
conship,  and  about  1868  he  was  called  to  the  ministry.  July  10, 
1886,  Brother  Hildelirand  and  George  Hanawalt  were  ordained 
to  the  eldership  in  the  Jolmstown  congregation.  Elder  Hildebrand 
was  very  faithful  in  -his  ministerial  duties.  After  the  Walnut 
Grove  meetinghouse  was  built  (1884)  he  did  not  miss  a  communion 
service,  and  only  two  councils,  and  that  to  preach  funeral  ser- 
mons. 

After  moving  to  town,  and  the  Conemaugh  clnirch  having 
been  built,  he  took  especial  interest  in  that  point.  The  member- 
ship not  being  very  strong  there,  he  not  only  did  much  of  the 
preaching,  but  assumed  many  of  the  other  responsibilities,  such  as 
being  janitor  and  treasurer.  In  about  1911  he  put  a  baptistry  in 
the  church,  and  in  it  he  did  all  the  baptizing  up  to  his  death.  He 
is  known  to  have  preached  225  funerals  since  1879,  and  married 
fift3'-two  couples  in  the  past  twenty-five  years. 

Elder  Hildel)ran<l  had  the  experience  of  seeing  the  Cone- 
maugh congregation  rise  to  the  height  of  her  glory,  then  being 
divided  into  two  congregations,  and  a  little  later  passing  through 
the  trying  times  of  another  "  division."  But  through  it  all  he  re- 
mained true  and  faithful  to  the  Conservative  body  of  the  church 
He  had  the  joy  of  living  to  see  the  Johnstown  congregation  grow 
from  a  membership  of  271  to  nearly  600,  and  the  West  Johnstown 
congregation,  which  is  a  l^ranch  of  the  former,  to  more  than  1,000. 

Elder  Hildebrand  frequently  represented  his  church  in  Dis- 
trict and  Annual  Meetings.  He  also  represented  his  District  on 
the  Standing  Committee  in  1894  at  Meyersdale,  Pennsylvania.  He 
was  kind,  charitable  and  hospitable.  His  oldest  brother,  Daniel, 
and  his  father  and  mother  all  died  in  his  home.  He  had  great 
respect  for  the  rulings  of  Annual  Meeting,  and  urged  the  members 
to  respect  them. 

Elder  Hildebrand  died  suddenly  at  his  home  March  9,  1914,  aged 
78  years,  3  months  and  29  days.  Funeral  services  were  conducted 
in  the  Conemaugh  church  by  Alliert  Berkley  and  A.  Fyock,  and 
interment  was  made  in  Headrick's  cemetery. 


410  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

THE    HOCHSTETLER    FAMILY. 

Christian  Hochstetler,  son  of  Jacob  Hochstetler,  was  prob- 
ably born  in  Berks  County,  Pennsylvania.  In  the  early  hours  of 
September  11,  1750,  the  house  of  Jacob  Hochstetler  was  attacked 
by  the  Indians.  His  wife  and  one  son,  Jacob,  and  one  daughter 
were  killed  and  scalped.  Tlie  father  and  his  two  sons,  Christian 
and  Joseph,  were  made  captives.  This  event  was  a  part  of  the 
Tulpehocken  Massacre.  After  some  months  the  father  effected 
his  escape.  The  two  sons  were  held  as  captives,  Christian  al)out 
six  (some  say  ten)  years  and  Joseph  somewhat  longer.  Christian 
was  adopted  as  a  son  by  an  Indian  and  became  very  much  at- 
tached. After  the  death  of  his  adopted  father  he  returned  to  the 
whites. 

He  was  married  to  Miss  Barbara  Rupp.  Oi  his  conversion  the 
Hochstetler  History  says:  "A  short  time  after  his  return  and 
marriage  Christian  was  converted  and  joined  the  Dunker  Church 
and  soon  became  a  preacher  in  that  church."  According  to  Hol- 
singer's  History  he  was  a  member  of  the  Amish  Church  and  united 
with  the  lircthren  after  his  emigration  to  Somerset  County.  In 
1777  we  find  him  living  on  a  tract  of  land  two  and  one-half  miles 
southwest  of  where  the  town  of  Salisbury  is  now  located.  In  the 
Hochstetler  History  it  is  stated  by  W.  F.  Hochstetler,  who  took 
considerable  pains  in  gathering  his  data,  that  he  was  called  to  the 
ministry  in  Somerset  County,  but  that  he  united  with  the  church 
while  still  living  in  Berks  County,  and  probably  under  the  ministry 
of  Elder  George  Klein.  He  further  states  that  he  helped  to  lay 
the  foundation  of  the  church  in  Somerset  County. 

In  1795  he  left  Somerset  County  and  moved  to  Mt.  Eden, 
Shelby  County,  Kentucky.  Here  he  aided  in  erecting  a  church  edi- 
fice. His  son  Abraham  (born  1770,  died  1846)  and  his  son  Adam 
(born  1775,  died  1826)  became  ministers,  as  also  did  Joseph,  who 
was  a  son  of  Al)raham.  This  Joseph  Hochstetler  is  said  to  have 
been  one  of  the  greatest  preachers  in  his  community  in  his  day. 
Christian  eventually  moved  to  Montgomery  County,  Ohio,  where 
he  died  in  April,  1814. 

We  are  told  that  of  the  present  generation  of  the  descend- 
ants of  Christian  Hochstetler,  nearly  all  are  members  of  the 
Christian  Church.  Doctor  James  W.  Snyder,  a  descendant  of 
Christian,  resides  at  Mt.  Eden,  Kentucky,  next  to  the  ground  on 
which  stood  the  church  that  Christian  lielped  to  l)uild. 

E.  K.  HOCHSTETLER. 

E.  K.  Hochstetler  was  liorn  in  Greenville  Township,  Somerset 
County,   Pennsylvania,    Marcli   4,    1S57.      He   grew   up   on   tin-    farm 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        411 


Elder   K.    K.    Hochstetler. 

with  his  brothers  and  sisters,  and  on  April  29,  1878,  he  united  with 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren. 

In  the  Meyersdale  congregation  he  was  elected  to  the  ministry 
July  4,  1879,  and  was  installed  the  same  day.  December  31,  1880, 
he  was  ordained  to  the  eldership.  Since  the  organization  of  the 
Greenville  congregation  he  has  been  the  elder  of  the  congrega- 
tion and  the  only  active  minister  in  the  same.  For  several  years 
he  was  elder  of  Indian  Creek  congregation,  and  has  at  present  the 
oversight  of  the  Summit  Mills  congregation. 


HENRY   P.    HOSTETLER. 

Henry  P.  Hostetler  was  born  July  12,  1816.  He  was  reared 
on  a  farm  and  was  engaged  in  farming  all  his  life.  In  addition 
to  farming  he  and  his  sons  also  operated  a  pottery  for  a  number 
of  years.  His  ancestors  were  members  of  the  Amish  Church. 
His  education  was  such  as  the  subscription  schools  of  those  early 
days  furnished,  and  was  in  the  German  language.  He  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Elizabeth  Koontz.  Nine  children  were  given  into 
their  care,  three  dying  quite  young.  For  many  years  they  lived 
on  a  farm  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Quemahoning  Creek,  about  two 
miles  south  of  its  junction  with  the  Stony  Creek.   While  living  here 


412  HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF  THE 

he  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Quemahoning  congregation,  in 
1852  or  1853.  Some  time  during  the  seventies  he  moved  to  Paint 
Township,  a  mile  east  of  Foustwell.  Here  he  lived  some  years, 
moving  finally  to  a  farm  near  Rummel,  same  township.  These 
farms  are  in  the  Shade  congregation,  so  the  last  twenty  years' 
services  were  in  this  congregation.  He  was  a  kind,  well-wishing 
I)rother,  and  did  what  he  could,  but  since  his  services  were  entirely 
in  the  German,  he  did  little  preaching  the  last  years  of  his  life, 
because  there  was  no  demand  for  the  German.  In  the  Quema- 
honing congregation  he  was  contemporary  with  Tobias  Blough, 
Jonathan  W.  Blough,  Isaiah  Beam,  Emanuel  J.  Blough  and  Jacob 
P.  Speicher. 

He  died  June  19,  1898,  aged  81  years,  11  months  and  7  days, 
and  is  buried  in  the  Berkey  cemetery. 

Brother  Hostetler's  great-grandfather,  Jacob,  emigrated  from 
Switzerland  in  1738.  His  grandfather's  name  was  Joseph.  His 
father,  Peter  Hostetler,  was  liorn  in  Berks  County.  Pennsylvania, 
March   13,   1775,  and   died  at  Johnstown,  April,   1843. 

JASON  B.  HOLLOPETER. 

Jason  B.  Hollopcter,  son  of  E.  \V.  and  Libbie  (Beer)  Hollo- 
peter,  was  born  on  a  farm  near  Rockton,  Clearfield  County,  Penn- 
sylvania, August  23,  1886.  Brother  Jason  holds  the  unique  dis- 
tinction of  not  missing  a  single  day  of  district  school  until  he 
graduated  at  the  age  of  sixteen.  After  that  he  attended  Mary- 
land Collegiate  Institute  (now  Blue  Ridge  College,  New  Wind- 
sor, Maryland),  graduating  from  the  English  scientific  course  in 
1905.  After  leaving  school  he  engaged  more  extensively  in  bee 
culture,  specializing  in  queen  rearing. 

Brother  Hollopeter  united  with  the  church  in  1899,  being  bap- 
tized by  Elder  H.  A.  Stalil,  while  conducting  a  series  of  meetings 
in  the  old  Rockton  church.  He  was  married  to  Sister  Pearl  Ray, 
oldest  daughter  of  Brother  and  Sister  P.  P.  Ray,  of  Tyrone,  Penn- 
sylvania, on  June  1,  1911.  He  was  elected  to  the  deacon  office  in 
1907;  elected  minister  June  11,  1911;  advanced  to  the  second  degree 
in  1912,  all  in  the  Rockton  congregation.  His  labors  in  the  min- 
istry have  been  confined  to  his  home  cliurch.  He  continues  in 
the  bee  business  for  a  living. 

THE   HOLSINGER   FAMILY. 

Rudolph  Holsinger  came  to  America  in  1731.  Jacob  Hol- 
singcr,  his  son,  was  born  on  the  ocean  (1731).  This  Jacob  was 
the  father  of  four  sons  and  one  daughter;  viz.,  George,  Jolm, 
Jacob,  David  and  .^nnie.  Elder  Levi  T.  Holsinger,  of  Brethren, 
Michigan,  is  a  great-grandson  of  George. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        413 

The  second  son,  John,  was  born  July  21,  1768,  and  according 
to  Holsinger's  History  was  an  elder.  He  was  married  to  Elizabeth 
Mack,  who  was  born  October  13,  1776.  From  this  line  have  come 
a  number  of  ministers  and  elders.  John  L.  Holsinger,  of  Agra, 
Oklahoma,  is  a  grandson.  The  sons  of  John  were:  John  M., 
George  M.,  Daniel  M.,  and  Alexander  M.  Of  these,  George  M. 
and  Daniel  M.  were  elders. 

George  M.  was  married  to  Sarah  Snyder.  His  biography 
will  be  taken  up  separately.  Daniel  M.  was  born  October  22,  1812, 
and  was  married  to  Polly  Reitz,  or  Ritz.  Elder  Henry  R.  Hol- 
singer was  their  oldest  son. 

GEORGE  M.  HOLSINGER. 

Elder  George  M.  Holsinger  was  born  May  26,  1804,  near 
Woodbury,  Bedford  County,  Pennsylvania.  His  father,  John  Hol- 
singer, was  a  grandson  of  Rudolph  Holsinger,  who  came  to  Amer- 
ica in  1731,  and  his  mother's  name  was  Elizabeth  Mack,  likely  a 
granddaughter  of  Alexander  Mack.  Of  his  boyhood  and  education 
nothing  is  stated,  Init  it  is  very  j)robable  that  he  was  reared  on  a 
farm  and  given  sucli  eckicatiunal  advantages  as  were  available 
in  his  day. 

Brother  Holsinger  was  married  to  Sarah  Snyder,  August  23, 
1827.  To  this  union  the  following  children  were  born:  Thomas 
S.,  John  S.,  Levi  S.,  Joseph  H.,  Christian  S.  and  Elizabeth.  They 
resided  near  Bakers  Summit,  Bedford  County,  until  1841,  at  which 
time,  with  his  family  and  belongings,  he  moved  across  the  Cove 
Mountain  to  a  farm  three  miles  west  of  Alum  Bank,  same  county. 
He  had  been  a  deacon  before  moving  to  his  new  field  of  activity. 
With  a  few  members  that  already  were  living  here,  there  was  soon 
a  small  colony  of  Brethren,  and  about  1843  Brother  Holsinger  and 
Moses  Rogers  were  elected  to  the  ministry.  That  fall  they  began 
the  erection  of  a  log  meetinghouse,  which  was  finished  in    1844. 

This  house  was  the  only  one  in  use  until  1870,  when  the  Hol- 
singer house  was  erected  within  two  miles  of  the  old  Mock  meet- 
inghouse. Until  1871  this  band  of  members  belonged  to  the  Yel- 
low Creek  congregation.  That  year  it  was  separated  from  it  and 
named  Dunnings  Creek.  In  this  congregation  two  of  his  sons, 
Thomas  S.  and  Joseph  H.,  were  elected  to  the  deacon  office  and 
two  others,  John  S.  and  Christian  S.,  to  the  ministry.  For  a 
number  of  years  there  have  been  no  Holsingers  living  in  the 
congregation  and  few  that  are  related  to  them. 

At  the  present  time  there  are  three  grandsons  and  three  great- 
grandsons  of  George  M.  Holsinger  in  the  ministry;  viz.,  Levi  F., 
of   New   Enterprise,   Pennsylvania,   David   R.,  of   Laton,   California, 


414 


HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


William  H.,  of  Williamsburg,  Pennsylvania,  I.  Edward,  of  Avalon, 
Pennsylvania,  Leonard  F.,  of  Pottstown,  Pennsylvania,  and  \'irgil 
C,  of  Williamsburg,  Pennsylvania. 

Elder  Holsinger  died,  after  an  illness  of  thirty-seven  hours,  of 
a  disease  not  precisely  known,  April  24,  1862,  aged  57  years,  11 
months  and  27  days.  He  had  been  a  faithful  minister  and  his  de- 
parture was  deeply  felt  in  the  vicinity  in  which  he  lived.  He  was 
l)nricd  in  the  Mock  church  cemeterv. 


Elder   John    S.    Holsingrer    and    Wife. 


JOHN    S.   HOLSINGER. 

John  S.  Holsinger,  second  son  of  George  M.  Holsinger,  was 
born  near  Bakers  Summit,  l'>edford  County,  Pennsylvania,  Sept. 
7,  1829.  He  was  reared  on  the  farm  and  was  given  an  education 
that  qualified  him  to  teach  school,  following  the  profession  of 
teaching  a  number  of  years. 

He  was  married  to  Miss  Esther  Rogers,  daughter  of  ICIlis 
Rogers,  May  19,  1853.  A  number  of  children  were  born  to  tiiem, 
but  all  died  in  infancy,  except  one  son,  Ellis,  who  reared  a  family 
of  daughters. 

With  his  parents  he  moved  to  what  is  now  the  Dunnings 
Creek  congregation,  in  1841.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one,  in  1850 
or  1851,  he  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in   that  congregation,  and 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        415 

ordained  to  the  eldership  January  15,  1871.  He  moved  to  Tippe- 
canoe County,  Iowa,  in  1858,  and  returned  to  his  native  home  in 
1861.  He  had  charge  of  this  congregation  from  1871  to  1893,  when 
he  moved  to  Prince  William  County,  Virginia,  four  miles  from 
Nokesville,  where,  with  his  son,  he  settled  on  a  large  farm. 

Elder  Holsinger  soon  became  one  of  the  prominent  elders  in 
the  District  of  Western  Pennsylvania.  "  He  was  a"  strong  man 
in  counsel  and  was  called  near  and  far  to  settle  difficulties  in 
churches.  His  official  standing  was  good.  His  counsel  was  sought 
for."  He  was  one  of  the  most  active  elders  at  the  District  Meet- 
ings, and  his  voice  was  also  heard  in  our  Annual  Conferences. 
He  traveled  much  among  the  churches  of  the  District,  especially 
the  weaker  ones.  He  was  much  in  demand  at  love  feasts,  elec- 
tions and  ordinations.  "  He  was  a  staunch  defender  of  the  faith. 
He  was  decidedly  of  the  legal  and  logical  turn  of  mind,  ratherthan 
emotional  and  imaginative.  Before  the  decline  of  his  powers,  he 
had  charge  of  several  churches  in  Virginia." 

Referring  to  the  District  Meeting  Minutes  of  Western  Penn- 
sylvania, we  find  that  once  he  was  clerk  of  the  meeting,  three 
times  moderator,  and  four  times  he  represented  the  District  at 
Annual  Conference.  He  also  served  on  important  committees. 
He  died  November  8,  1910,  aged  81  years,  2  months  and  1  day. 
His  wife  and  son  preceded  him  in  death.  He  leaves  a  daughter- 
in-law  and  six  granddaughters.  He  was  buried  in  the  Valley  cem- 
etery, near  his  home.  Funeral  conducted  by  the  home  ministers 
from  Heb.  9:  27. 

DANIEL   HOLSOPPLE. 

Daniel  Holsopple,  the  seventh  and  youngest  child  of  Isaac 
and  Christena  (Hofifman)  Holsopple,  was  born  in  Paint  Town- 
ship, Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania,  August  29,  1852.  Christena, 
his  mother,  was  the  seventh  daughter  of  Philip  and  Barbara 
(Miller)  Hoffman,  who  were  the  parents  of  the  first  family  of 
members  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  living  in  the  limits  of  the 
Shade  Creek  congregation. 

While  a  boy  on  his  father's  farm  he  had  a  mind  looking  to- 
ward inventions  of  better  implements  for  the  needs  of  husbandry, 
but  being  left  practically  alone  to  eke  out  of  the  farm  a  living  for 
father  and  mother,  with  such  appliances  as  he  found  around  the 
farm,  he  had  no  time  to  experiment  upon  his  ideas. 

However,  he  got  a  pretty  good  opportunity  to  attend  the  pub- 
lic schools.  His  brother  Isaac,  who  died  while  teaching  his  sec- 
ond term,  was  Daniel's  last  teacher.  Daniel  was  now  fifteen  years 
old,  and  as  teachers  were  scarce,  the  superintendent,  who  had  ob- 
served his  deportment  and  work  in  his  brother's   school,   without 


416  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Daniel  Holsopple. 

solicitation  or  examination  <;avc-  him  license  to  finish  tlic  term. 
But  since  he  was  the  only  one  in  the  family  to  carry  on  the  farm 
there  was  no  more  opportunity  to  pursue  his  studies  nor  time  to 
engage  in  teaching. 

Brother  Holsopple's  first  wife  was  Miss  Christiana  Straub. 
She  died  in  1871,  leaving  a  small  infant  which  soon  followed  its 
mother.  His  second  wife  was  Sister  Elizabeth  Rummel.  No  chil- 
dren blest  this  union,  but  they  took  into  their  home  William  Hol- 
sopple and  Carrie  Ripple,  whom  they  reared  as  they  would  have 
their  own. 

After  marriage  he  settled  on  his  father's  farm,  about  a  mile 
east  of  Rummel.  He  followed  farming  and  lumbering  for  a  num- 
ber of  years,  until  he  had  cut  and  marketed  the  timber  from  400  or 
500  acres  of  land,  when  he  l)ought  another  timber  tract  and  moved 
his  sawmill  there.  When  tlic  panic  of  the  early  nineties  struck 
the  country  and  the  lumber  business  became  dull,  finding  his 
services  were  in  demand  in  the  ministerial  field,  to  which  he  had 
been  called  in  1884,  he  responded  to  that  demand. 

He  took  an  active  part  in  the  afifairs  of  the  township,  serving 
as  school   director  of  Paint  Township  a   number  of  years.     Under 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        417 

his   direction   and   management  the   schools   were   very  prosperous. 

He  took  much  interest  in  all  lines  of  church  work.  He  was  a 
faithful  student  of  the  Word;  his  sermons  showed  evidences  of 
preparation,  and  were  delivered  with  a  deep  sense  of  reverence. 

His  devotion  to  the  best  interests  of  the  church  was  recog- 
nized and  he  rose  rapidly  to  prominence  in  his  home  congregation, 
as  well  as  in  the  District.  He  kept  a  complete  record  of  all  ser- 
mons preached,  both  in  regular  appointments  and  at  series  of 
meetings,  so,  as  he  himself  said,  as  not  to  repeat  the  same  sermon 
at  the  same  place  too  frequently.  He  held  a  number  of  successful 
series  of  ineetings,  being  called  outside  of  his  District.  Neg- 
lecting and  overtaxing  himself  while  suffering  with  kidney  disease 
he  broke  down  in  the  midst  of  a  series  of  meetings,  went  home, 
and  died  the  victim  of  the  most  excruciating  pains.  His  death  took 
place  January  30,  1895,  at  the  age  of  only  42  years,  5  months  and  1 
day.  His  funeral  was  conducted  in  the  Berkey  church  by  Hiram 
Musselman,  Hiram  Lehman,  and  others,  and  his  body  was  laid  to 
rest  in  the  adjoining  cemetery. 

His  widow  made  herself  a  home  at  Rummel,  where  she  busied 
herself  in  usefulness  to  those  in  need  and  trouble,  and  while  thus 
engaged  she  was  called  from  her  duties  by  the  pale  messenger. 
So  the  family  is  blotted  out  from  time  and  sight,  biit  in  memory 
they  are  still  enshrined.  Carrie  (Ripple)  Berkebile,  the  girl  they 
reared  in  their  home,  a  fine  Christian  mother,  also  passed  to  "  that 
bourne  from  whence  no  traveler  has  ever  returned,"  some  years 
ago. 

JACOB  HOLSOPPLE. 

Jacob  Holsopple,  oldest  son  of  Isaac  and  Christena  (Hoflfman) 
Holsopple,  was  born  on  a  farm  in  Conemaugh  Township,  on  the 
west  side  of  Stony  Creek,  a  mile  below  Hollsopple,  Pennsylvania, 
March  15,  1833.  His  father,  Isaac,  was  the  oldest  son  of  Henry  and 
Susannah  (Lefever)  Holsopple,  who  probably  was  a  descendant 
of  a  member  of  the  church  who  communed  at  the  first  love  feast 
held  by  the  Brethren  in  America.  This,  however,  has  not  been 
verified.  The  name  always  carried  the  German  form,  Holtzapfel, 
until  the  generation  to  which  our  subject  belongs. 

From  Conemaugh  Township  his  father  moved  to  the  Jonas 
Weaver  farm  (recently  sold  to  the  Berwind-White  Coal-Mining 
Company),  two  miles  southwest  of  Windber,  and  when  Jacob  was 
five  years  old  the  family  moved  to  a  clearing  on  441  acres  of  heav- 
ily-timbered land,  one  mile  east  of  Rummel,  Paint  Township.  No 
road  fit  to  travel  (only  paths)  communicated  with  the  Holsopple 
clearing  for  years.  Many  a  time  Jacob  and  his  younger  brother 
mounted    a    horse    loaded   with    a    bag    containing    several    bushels 


418 


HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Elder    Jacob    Holsopple    and    Wife. 


of  grain,  takinu;  it  to  their  Uncle  Jacob  MessaijauL;li's  mill  to 
get  it  converted  into  flour  for  family  use.  Much  skill  was  required 
to  guide  the  horses  along  the  narrow  paths,  so  that  both  sacks 
and  riders  were  not  stripped  ofif  by  the  brush  and  trees  along  the 
way.  When  the  spring  sugar  boiling  was  ])ast,  the  boys  and  older 
sisters  were  kept  busy  ])icking  the  l)rush  broken  down  by  the  win- 
ter snows  from  the  still-standing  trees  from  the  hay  and  grain 
fields.  Clearing  the  land  of  the  heavy  timber  and  converting  it  into 
fields  was  hard  work.  The  boys  needed  no  football  or  baseball 
to  give  exercise  or  diversion;  neither  did  the  girls  have  need  of 
pianos  and  organs  for  pastime.  When  the  hard  day's  work  was 
done  the  children  were  glad  to  go  to  rest  for  the  night,  and  in  the 
morning  they  rejoiced  in  the  privilege  of  going  fortli  to  make  new 
conquests  in  their  daily  routine. 

When  winter  set  in,  al)out  December,  the  children  were  al- 
lowed to  spend  thirty  or  forty  days  in  a  school  of  the  most  primi- 
tive kind.  Schooling  equivalent  to  eight  or  nine  months  is  all  that 
Jacob  and  his  next  younger  brother  got,  yet  in  that  time  Cobb's 
siielling  book,  and  a  half  dozen  arithmetics  were  practically  mas- 
tered. Their  reader  was  the  New  Testament.  They  were  also 
taught  writing. 

Jacob,  having  mastered,  as  was  supposed,  the  three  R's,  began 
teaching  school  in  1853.  This  vocation  he  i)ursued  for  about  fif- 
teen winters,  farming  in  the  summertime,  lie  was  a  strong,  rug- 
ged man,  both  mentally  and  physically.  He  had  the  foresight  to 
plan  logically,  and  the  physical  stamina  to  work  up  to  his  plans. 
To  a  man  of  that   kind  there  always  has  been  opportunity  for  sue- 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        419 

cess,  even  in  the  primitive  fields  of  endeavor.  When  he  found 
that  teaching  interfered  with  his  other  interests,  he  was  not  slow 
to  abandon  the  schoolroom,  and  give  more  time  and  attention  to 
that  which  promised  more  substantial  and  immediate  returns. 

In  1857  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Polly,  daughter  of  Elder 
Christian  Lehman.  They  settled  on  a  farm  in  Richland  Township, 
Cambria  County.  His  wife  died  in  1865,  leaving  four  children. 
Some  time  later  he  married  Catharine  Wertz.  Seven  more  chil- 
dren blessed  the  home.  Knowing  the  value  of  an  education,  he 
was  anxious  that  his  children  should  have  all  the  advantages  along 
that  line  possible.  At  least  four  of  them  were  students  at  Juniata 
College,  and  five  were  public  school-teachers. 

In  1861  he  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Shade  Creek 
congregation.  This  was  a  new  experience  to  him.  He  soon  found 
that  his  knowledge  of  the  Bible,  as  well  as  his  theory  and  prac- 
tice of  delivering  public  addresses,  needed  innumerable  additions. 
Close  and  persistent  application,  however,  soon  made  of  him  a 
preacher  that  claimed  the  attention  of  his  audience.  He  traveled 
much  and  became  acquainted  in  a  number  of  congregations.  He 
held  some  series  of  meetings.  He  hardly  ever  failed  to  attend  the 
District  Meetings,  and  often  was  present  at  the  Annual  Con- 
ferences. The  last  one  he  attended  was  held  at  Carthage,  Missouri, 
June,  1904.  At  these  meetings  he  preferred  to  be  a  learner  rather 
than  a  speaker.  He  did  not  aspire  to  leadership,  but  was  a  good 
follower  of  what  he  considered  good  and  right.  He  was  a  believer 
in  the  decisions  of  Annual  Meeting.  However,  he  was  strongly 
opposed  to  the  church  becoming  the  owner  of  the  publishing  in- 
terests, fearing  it  would  not  be  for  the  best. 

January  1,  1886,  he  and  Hiram  Musselman  were  ordained  to 
the  eldership  by  Elders  E.  J.  Blough  and,  I  think,  J.  S.  Holsinger, 
Elder  Blough  performing  his  part  on  crutches,  which  was  a  pitiful 
sight.  In  addition  to  being  one  of  the  elders  of  his  home  congre- 
gation, he  had  for  a  number  of  years  the  oversight  of  the  Glen 
Hope  congregation,  in  Clearfield  County.  He  took  much  interest 
in  this  weakened  congregation,  and  through  his  efforts  their  meet- 
inghouse was  moved  to  a  more  suitable  point. 

He  was  an  advocate  of  Sunday-schools,  and  was  at  home  in 
the  Bible  class.  His  thorough  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures  made 
him  an  authority  on  difficult  passages  of  the  Bible.  In  his  preach- 
ing he  was  inclined  to  be  deep  and  exhaustive  rather  than  elocu- 
tionary. He  was  a  firm  believer  in  home  mission  work,  and  left 
a  bequest  to  the  Board  at  his  death.  He  died  February  15,  1906, 
at  the  age  of  72  years  and  11  months,  and  was  buried  in  the  cem- 
etery adjoining  the  Weaver  Mennonite  church,  on  the  edge  of  his 
farm.     Services  by  Brethren  M.  J.  Weaver  and  A.  Fyock. 


420  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF  THE 

JOSEPH    HOLSOPPLE. 

Joseph  Holsopple,  second  son  of  Isaac  and  Christena  (Hoff- 
man) Holsopple,  was  born  on  the  Hoffman  farm,  near  the  present 
town  of  Windber,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania,  January  24, 
1835.  Brother  Holsopple  was  blessed  with  a  brilliant  intellect 
and  a  retentive  memory.  He  distinctly  recalls  incidents  that  hap- 
pened when  he  was  two  and  three  years  of  age.  He  well  re- 
members when  the  family  moved  to  the  Holsopple  farm,  one  mile 
east  of  Rummel,  March  31,  1838. 

When  Joseph  should  have  started  to  school  their  nearest 
school  was  about  four  miles  distant.  In  1841  a  new  schoolhouse 
was  erected  on  the  I<"oust  Mill  Road,  east  of  Rummel,  and  only 
three-fourths  of  a  mile  from  Joseph's  home.  This  house  was  built 
of  hewed  logs,  the  cracks  l)eing  junked  and  daubed  with  mud. 
The  whole  cost  of  the  l)uilding  was  forty  dollars.  The  house  was 
later  lined  with  boards,  making  it  more  comfortable. 

Here  Joseph  received  his  schooling,  which,  before  he  had 
reached  the  age  of  eighteen,  fitted  him  to  take  up  the  "  birch," 
in  1852.  He  knew  something  of  the  three  "  R's,"  but  had  to  study 
to  keep  ahead  of  his  classes.  He  Ijegan  teaching  at  a  salary  of  four- 
teen dollars  a  month,  but  going  across  the  line  into  Cambria 
County  his  services  soon  commanded  from  eighteen  to  twenty-five 
dollars  a  month.  After  the  passage  of  the  school  law  of  1854, 
creating  the  office  of  county  superintendent,  and  requiring  geog- 
raphy and  grammar  to  be  taught,  he  soon  prepared  himself  to  se- 
cure a  provisional  certificate.  It  was  not  long  until  he  made 
straight  ones  in  all  the  branches,  and  in  the  course  of  some  years 
he  was  given  a  permanent  certificate  bearing  the  signature  of  J.  P. 
Wickersham.  Teaching  in  the  winter  and  farming  in  the  sum- 
mer formed  the  foundation  of  a  livelihood  for  a  large  family 
of  small  children  committed  to  his  care.  He  taught  twenty-eight 
terms   of  school   in   Somerset,    Cambria   and    Indiana   Counties. 

Joseph  Holsopple  and  Catharine  Lehman,  daughter  of  Elder 
Christian  Lehman,  were  united  in  marriage  March  4,  1860,  Elder 
Joseph  Berkey  officiating.  Three  months  after  this  they  were  bap- 
tized by  the  same  minister.  In  April,  1862,  they  moved  to  Indiana 
County.  In  this  county  he  has  resided  ever  since.  His  present 
home  is  in  Penn  Run.  Brotlier  and  Sister  Holsopple  were  the 
parents  of  eleven  children— nine  sons  and  two  daughters.  A  num- 
ber of  the  sons  followed  their  father's  example,  and  I^ecame 
school-teachers.  Five  of  the  sons  are  ministers;  viz.,  William  W., 
Frank  F.,  Ira  C,  Hiram  L.  and  Quincy  A.  Three  of  the  sons 
and  one  son-in-law  are  deacons.  Sister  Holsopple  died  October  1, 
VX)7,    after    nK)re    than    forty-seven    years    of    happy    married    life. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        421 


Elder     Joseph     Holsopple    and     Wife. 


December  5,  1908,  he  was  married  to  Sister  Julia  Wysong,  a  widow, 
by  Elder  Perry  J.  Blough.     She  passed  away  October  5,  1914. 

Brother  Holsopple  was  an  influential  citizen.  He  served  nine 
years  as  township  auditor,  six  years  as  school  director,  assessor 
one  year,  frequently  was  on  the  election  board,  and  three  years 
as  county  auditor. 

Brother  Holsopple  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Manor 
congregation  June  1.7,  1866,  and  ordained  to  the  eldership  June  9, 
1892.  Elder  Holsopple  was  an  active  minister  until  a  few  years 
ago.  Possibly  his  best  efforts  vy^ere  given  in  his  home  congrega- 
tion, as  his  large  family  and  his  school  work  did  not  permit  him 
to  travel  much  and  hold  series  of  meetings.  In  missionary  zeal 
he  was  ahead  of  the  times.  Finding  missionary  sermons  not  ac- 
ceptable, he  and  his  wife  began  praying  for  the  missionary  cause, 
the  burden  of  their  prayers  being  that  "  the  earth  shall  be  filled 
with  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  as  the  waters  cover 


422  HISTORY    OF  THE  CHURCH    OF  THE 

the  sea."  In  due  time  he  could  read,  "  From  among  the  fruit  of 
your  loins  will  I  raise  up  ambassadors  for  me  in  your  stead  who 
shall  preach  the  Glad  Tidings  over  the  broad  land  from  ocean  to 
ocean,  and  not  only  so,  but  shall  cross  the  sea  and  witness  for  me 
in  heathen  lands."  The  plan  under  which  our  Home  Mission 
Board  works  was  principally  worked  out  by  him. 

As  elder  he  has  had  charge  of  the  Manor,  Bolivar  and  Clarion 
congregations.  He  frequently  represented  his  church  at  the  Dis- 
trict and  Annual  Meetings.  He  was  frequently  writing  clerk  of 
District  Meeting.  He  also  represented  his  District  on  the  Stand- 
ing Committee  at  Harrisburg,  in  1902. 

As  a  member  of  the  historical  committee  he  has  been  active. 
His  help  and  suggestions  have  been  helpful.  It  was  largely 
through  his  persistent  efforts  that  the  history  of  the  northern 
congregations  has  been  made  available. 

SILAS  HOOVER. 

Silas  Hoover,  son  of  Jacob  and  Eve  (Miller)  Hoover,  was 
born  near  Berlin,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania,  April  24,  1849. 
His  common  school  education  received  in  the  country  schools  was 
supplemented  by  several  terms  of  normal  work,  which  prepared 
him  for  teaching.     This  profession  he  followed  three  years. 

In  1870  Silas  Hoover  and  Lucy  A.  Auman  were  united  in  mar- 
riage, the  ceremony  being  performed  by  Elder  John  P.  Cober. 
Four  sons  and  three  daughters  blessed  this  union.  One  son,  John, 
is  a  deacon  in  the  Johnstown  church. 

Elder  Hoover  united  with  the  church  at  the  age  of  about 
seventeen,  being  baptized  by  Elder  Ephraim  Cober,  now  of  Sa- 
bctha.  Kansas.  When  he  was  about  twenty-three  years  of  age  he 
was  called  to  the  ministry.  Brother  Hoover  took  up  the  ministry 
promptly  and  soon  became  very  popular.  He  entered  the  evangel- 
istic field  and  great  success  crowned  his  efforts.  His  first  evan- 
gelistic meeting  was  held  in  tlic  Indian  Creek  congregation,  when 
twenty-nine  souls  accepted  salvation.  His  fame  spread  and  he  was 
called  far  and  wide  to  hold  "  protracted  meetings."  He  was  not 
only  among  the  earliest  evangelists,  but  he  has  remained  in  the 
field,  probably,  the  longest,  as  he  still  holds  rjieetings.  To  a  num- 
ber of  churches  he  was  repeatedly  called,  and  he  knows  of  several 
congregations  where  upwards  of  a  hundred  persons  united  with 
the  church  through  his  preaching.  Elder  Hoover  is  widely  known 
over  the  Brotherhood,  as  his  evangelistic  work  took  him  to  eight 
States  of  the  Union.  While  Brother  Hoover  has  no  record  of 
the  number  of  accessions  to  the  church  through  his  ministry,  the 
number  is  known  to  be  many  hundreds,  and  among  them  can  be 
found   a   number   of   our   present   most   active    ministers. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        423 


Elder   Silas  Hoover. 

Brother  Hoover's  power  to  reach  the  unsaved  is,  how^ever, 
not  confined  to  the  pulpit,  as  the  following  circumstance  demon- 
strates: Elias  Hoover,  a  Civil  War  veteran,  and  a  brother  of  the 
evangelist,  who  lives  on  the  Laurel  Hill  mountain^  manifested  a 
desire  to  become  a  Christian.  Elder  Hoover  went  to  his  home 
and  taught  the  will 'of  the  Lord,  not  only  to  him,  but  to  his 
household,  with  the  result  that  the  father  and  five  of  his  chil- 
dren were  baptized  then  and  there.  This  took  place  several  years 
ago. 

Some  years  after  his  call  to  the  ministry  he  was  ordained  to 
the  eldership.  In  1883  he  moved  to  Ohio,  and  was  the  pastor 
of  the  Jonathan  Creek  congregation  five  years.  Here  his  defense 
of  the  Gospel  aroused  the  opposition  of  other  denominations, 
which  resulted  in  a  debate.  Concerning  this  and  other  debates 
in  the  Jonathan  Creek  congregation  I  quote  from  the  "  History 
of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  of  Northeastern  Ohio,"  page  57: 
"  The  church  being  much  isolated  and  surrounded  by  strong  de- 
nominations of  other  persuasions  caused  the  ministers  frequently 
to  be  called  upon  to  defend  the  doctrine  declared  by  them  as  main- 
tained by  the  church.  This  led  to  a  number  of  public  discussions. 
Of  the  earlier  of  these  we  have  no  authentic  data." 


424  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

"  In  February,  1886,  a  discussion  lasting  four  days  was  held  in 
tile  Helser  house  between  Elder  Silas  Hoover,  then  pastor  of  the 
church,  and  Rev.  Rufus  Zartman,  D.  D.,  of  the  German  Reformed 
Church,  on  the  subject  of  baptism.  The  meetings  were  attended 
by  large  audiences  and  much  interest  was  manifested  in  the  dis- 
cussion." 

After  giving  an  account  of  another  debate,  between  Bro. 
Quincy  Leckrone  and  Elder  Thomas  Martin,  the  historian  con- 
cludes with:  "In  all  these  discussions  the  doctrines  of  the  church 
were  ably  maintained  and  favorable  impressions  made,  which  has 
resulted  in  much  good  to  the  church." 

In  1888  Elder  Hoover  moved  to  Salisbury,  Somerset  County, 
Pennsylvania,  where  he  served  the  Elk  Lick  congregation  four 
years  as  pastor.  In  1892  he  moved  to  the  Middle  Creek  congre- 
gation, where  he  has  lived  since  then.  I'^or  all  tiiese  years  he  has 
been  one  of  the  elders  of  this  church. 

Elder  Hoover  has  represented  his  congregation  many  times  as 
delegate  at  District  Meeting;  also  in  Annual  Meeting.  He  also 
represented  his  State  District  on  the  Standing  Committee  at  the 
St.  Joseph  Conference  in  1911. 

Elder  Hoover  is  now  serving  his  sixth  year  as  chaplain  of  the 
Somerset  County  Home.  He  has  officiated  at  many  funerals,  both 
in  and  outside  of  his  congregation.  He  also  solemnized  many  mar- 
riages. In  the  eldership  Elder  Hoover  lias  been  contemporary 
with  Elders  Josiah  Berkle3%  Valentine  Blough,  H.  A.  Stahl  and 
R.  T.  Hull. 

DAVID  D.  HORNER. 

Elder  D.  D.  Horner,  son  of  David  Horner,  was  born  in  Som- 
erset County,  Pennsylvania,  Octolier  6,  1826.  His  parents  were 
of  German  descent.  He  grew  to  manhood  on  his  father's  farm  in 
Westmoreland  County.  His  school  privileges  were  few,  yet  he 
became  fairly  well  educated  in  the  "  old-fashioned  way."  He  used 
the  English  language  in  his  preaching,  being  l)lessed  witli  a  very 
pleasing  voice  and  expression.     His  ideals  were  high. 

He  was  married  October  9,  1851,  to  Miss  Mary  Myers,  Elder 
Michael  Mj'ers  officiating.  To  this  union,  which  continued  fifty- 
nine  years,  were  born  two  sons,  Frank,  who  died  in  infancy,  and 
Myers,  who  was  married  to  Miss  Ida  Huffnian.  and  died  at  the  age 
of  thirty.  His  widow  is  still  living.  Their  two  children,  Law- 
rence  and   Sadie,   were   reared   by   Grandfather   Horner. 

Besides  l)cing  a  farmer  Brother  Horner  was  also  a  miller. 
After  farming  some  years  he  erected  a  gristmill,  which  is  still  known 
as  Horner's  mill.     He  usuallv  hired  a' man  to  run  his  mill.     He  was 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        425 

well  known  throughout  the  community  and  count\^  and  was  high- 
\y  esteemed  and  respected. 

Brother  Horner  became  a  member  of  the  Church  of  the  Breth- 
ren when  about  twenty-eight  years  of  age  and  a  few  years  later 
he  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Indian  Creek  congregation. 
March  27,  1880,  he  was  ordained  to  the  eldership.  Elder  C.  G. 
Lint  officiating.  His  entire  religious  life  was  spent  in  the  same 
congregation,  where  his  best  work  was  done.  He  held  but  a  few 
series  of  meetings,  but  baptized  many  persons  and  solemnized 
many  marriages  and  officiated  at  numbers  of  funerals.  He  frequent- 
ly represented  his  congregation  as  delegate  in  the  various  meet- 
ings. He  was  a  very  good  counselor  and  always  attended  the 
sanctuary  services  when  able.  He  was  a  liberal  contributor  to  the 
church  treasury  and  to  the  poor,  as  well  as  to  the  missionary 
cause,  he  and  Sister  Horner  giving  an  endowment  of  $1,300  to  the 
General  Mission  Board.  He  enjoyed  going  to  Sunday-school  and 
many  times  he  tried  to  impress  upon  the  young  the  importance 
of  the  Sunday  scr\ice.  He  held  the  family  altar  in  high  esteem. 
He  died  March  30,  1910,  aged  83  years,  5  months  and  24  days,  and 
is  buried  in  the  cemetery  near  the  County  Line  church. 

WILLIAM  M.  HORNER. 

William  M.  Horner  was  born  April  9,  1825,  near  Meyersdale, 
Pennsylvania.  His  father,  whose  name  also  was  William,  was 
married  twice.  His  first  wife  was  Catharine  Miller,  daughter  of 
Henry  Miller,  and  his  second  wife  was  Barbara  Lichty.  Brother 
Horner,  the  subject  of  this  notice,  was  a  farmer  all  his  life.  He 
lived  on  the  same  farm  where  he  was  l^orn,  and  died  there. 

He  was  married  to  Catharine  Miller,  a  daughter  of  Joseph 
and  Catharine  Miller,  April  5,  1847,  Elder  John  Berkley  perform- 
ing the  ceremony.  Three  children  were  born  to  this  union:  Emma 
Younkin,  1848;  Joseph,  1850,  and  Milton  C,  in  1854.  Joseph  died 
at  the  age  of  twenty,  at  the  time  of  the  typhoid  fever  epidemic 
in  1870.  The  youngest  son,  Milton  C,  a  retired  farmer,  lives  in 
Meyersdale. 

Brother  Horner  was  called  to  the  ministr}'  in  the  Elk  Lick 
congregation  with  C.  G.  Lint  and  Peter  Berkley,  June  26,  1855. 
He  was  a  very  good  brother,  and  took  an  active  part  in  every 
line  of  church  work,  but  never  preached  very  much.  He  was  a 
leader  of  song  in  the  meetings.  In  private  he  was  able  to  de- 
fend and  discuss  the  doctrines  of  the  church. 

Brother  Horner  also  took  an  active  part  in  the  afifairs  of  the 
township,  serving  in  the  capacity  of  supervisor  several  years.  He 
died  August  10,  1872,  at  the  age  of  47  years,  4  months  and  1  day, 
and  was  buried  on  his  farm  beside  the  grave  of  his  son,  Joseph. 


426 


HISTORY    OF  THE  CHURCH    OF   THE 


William    31.    Horner. 


However,  before  his  widow  died  she  had  both  l)udies  removed  to 
the  Union  cemetery,  Meyersdale,  upon  a  family  lot  by  the  side  of 
her  son  Milton's  lot.  Sister  Horner,  who  was  born  August  20,  1822, 
died  at  the  age  of  12  years,  and  is  buried  in  the  same  plaee. 

MELVIN   CLYDE    HORST. 

About  150  years  ago  three  brothers  by  the  name  of  Horst 
came  from  Switzerland  to  America  and  settled  at  Groffdale,  Penn- 
sylvania. Elder  A.  B.  Horst,  of  Northeastern  Ohio,  is  a  descend- 
ant of  one  of  these  early  settlers.  Brother  Horst  married  Miss 
Naomi  Martin.  He  is  one  of  the  active  elders  of  Northeastern 
Ohio,  having  been  ordained  to  the  eldership  in  the  Black  River 
church  in  1905.  Later  he  moved  to  Bellefontainc,  Ohio,  to  take 
charge  of  the  First  City  church.  He  returned  in  1912,  and  now 
has  charge  of  the  Black  River  congregation.  He  is  the  present 
chairman  of_  the  District  Mission  Board. 

M.  Clyde  Horst,  son  of  Elder  A.  B.  and  Naomi  Horst,  was 
born  March  3,  1885,  in  East  Union  Township,  Wayne  County, 
Ohio.  He  vi^as  reared  on  the  farm  and  enjoyed  the  full  benefit  of 
the  public  schools.  He  began  teaching  school  at  the  age  of  eight- 
een, but  being  called    to   the   ministry   the    following   year  he   de- 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


427 


M.    Clyde    Horst,    Wife    and    Daughter. 


termined  to  prepare  himself  for  his  life  work  and  entered  Canton 
College  and  Bible  Institute  at  Canton,  Ohio,  graduating  there- 
from in  the  academy  and  sacred  literature  courses. 

Brother  Horst  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Black  River 
congregation,  Ohio,  September  24,  1904,  and  advanced  to  the 
second  degree  October  14,  1905.  The  last  year  in  school,  1906-7, 
he  had  charge  of  the  Greenwood  church,  Perry  County,  Ohio.  He 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Sister  Emma  Edith  Horner,  daughter 
of  William  and  Ella  (Culp)  Horner,  June  8,  1907.  Sister  Horst 
also  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  having  been  liorn  near  Lodi,  Medina 
County,  June  20,  1884.  She  was  reared  on  a  farm  and  in  ad- 
dition to  the  public  schools  attended  Canton  College.  She  was 
baptized  in  August,  1904. 

Brother  Horst's  pastoral  life  dates  from  August  1,  1907,  when 


428  HISTORY    OF   THE  CHURCH    OF   THE 

he  took  pastoral  charp;e  of  the  South  I'.tMul  cluirch,  Indiana.  Dur- 
ing his  seven  years'  work  in  that  city  about  100  were  added  to 
the  membership,  and  the  Sunday-school  was  more  than  doubled. 
On  September  1,  1914,  he  took  charge  of  the  Walnut  Grove  church 
of  the  Johnstown  congregation,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  is  at 
present  located.  T.rother  Horst  is  a  frequent  representative  at 
District  and  Annual  Meetings.  He  was  assistant  doorkeeper  at  the 
Seattle  (Washington)  Conference,  in  1914. 

ROBERT  THOMPSON  HULL. 

Robert  T.  Hull  was  born  May  25,  1861,  in  Mineral  County, 
West  Virginia.  His  father,  Benjamin  Hull,  was  born  and  reared 
in  the  same  county,  and  is  still  living  at  the  age  of  eighty  years. 
His  mother,  Dorcas  Hull,  died  in  her  forty-eighth  year.  She  was 
a  very  religious  woman  and  well  versed  in  the  Scriptures,  and 
early  taught  Robert  to  pray  and  to  reverence  holy  things.  At 
the  age  of  twelve  or  thirteen  he  becapie  ashamed  to  kneel  at  his 
bedside  and  pray  in  the  presence  of  others,  and  so  finally  gave  it 
up. 

At  the  age  of  fourteen  he  became  wonderfully  under  convic- 
tion, without  any  one,  whatever,  speaking  to  him.  Every  night 
when  he  retired  he  experienced  a  dreadful  feeling  and  his  mind 
was  continually  on  the  future,  death  and  eternity.  Finally  he  suc- 
ceeded in  shaking  off  this  feeling  of  penitence.  Only  a  few  weeks 
later  he  was  hurt  in  lifting  a  heavy  log.  This  was  on  Saturday. 
On  Monday  following  he  managed  to  go  to  school,  but  he  be- 
came so  ill  that  he  could  scarcely  get  home.  On  the  way  home 
he  knelt  in  prayer  along  the  roadside.  After  he  got  home  he 
continued  praying,  and  promised  God  that  he  would  be  baptized 
and  obey  him,  until  great  joy  filled  his  soul,  assuring  him  that 
his  sins  were  pardoned. 

He  had  promised  the  Lord  to  be  baptized  as  soon  as  he  was 
able  to  go  to  church.  He  was  being  attended  by  the  family  phy- 
sician. This  occurred  in  the  early  winter.  In  the  spring  he  had 
so  far  improved  that  he  was  able  to  take  short  horseback  rides, 
and  he  saw  that  at  the  present  rate  of  improvement  he  would 
soon  be  able  to  make  good  his  jiromise  to  God  and  be  baptized. 
But  no;  be  said  to  himself,  "  I  am  too  young  to  be  baptized  now. 
I  will  wait  until  I  am  sixteen."  I'efore  he  got  home  his  horse 
stumbled,  hurting  the  rupture  afresh,  and  this  was  the  last  horse- 
back ride  for  three  years. 

Sixteen  years  came  to  Robert  Hull,  but  it  found  him  a  helpless 
invalid,  not  able  to  feed  himself,  nor  speak  a  word,  nor  help  him- 
self much  in  bed.  I'or  about  four  years  he  never  spoke,  l-'inally  he  was 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        429 

raised  through  faith  and  prayer,  and  shortly  after  he  was  able  to 
walk  about  the  house  he  was  baptized  by  Elder  Silas  Hoover,  not 
waiting  this  time  to  be  able  to  go  to  the  church  to  be  baptized, 
but  having  a  small  stream  dammed  up  in  the  barnyard,  where  bap- 
tism was  performed.  Still  he  could  not  talk,  until  he  attended 
a  love  feast  a  few  months  later,  when,  as  he  was  about  to  break 
the  bread  of  communion  to  his  brother,  his  speech  came  to  him. 

Brother  Hull  was  married  to  Mary  Shaffer,  daughter  of  Dea- 
con Daniel  Shaffer,  of  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania,  on  May 
13,  1883,  by  Elder  Silas  Hoover.  It  might  be  stated  here  that 
Brother  Shaffer  had  achieved  some  fame  as  a  "  faith  healer."  To 
this  union  were  born  a  son  and  a  daughter.  The  son,  when  sev- 
enteen, was  accidentally  shot  to  death  in  their  home,  by  the  fa- 
ther, as  they  were  getting  ready  to  go  fox  hunting.  The  daughter, 
Ida,  is  married  to  Alvin  Darr. 

Brother  Hull  was  elected  deacon  about  1885;  minister,  June  20, 
1890;  ordained  to  the  eldership,  in  June,  1913,  all  in  the  Middle 
Creek  congregation,  where  he  still  resides.  For  the  past  twenty 
years  Brother  Hull  has  been  more  or  less  engaged  in  evangelistic 
work  and  has  met  with  gratifying  success.  The  past  sixteen  years 
he  has  held  on  an  average  of  five  and  six  series  of  meetings  a 
year. 

Brother  Hull  received  only  a  common  school  education.  For- 
tunately he  was  naturally  studious  and  secured  a  good  store  of 
useful  knovyledge.  He  still  lives  on  the  farm  he  i)urchased  from 
his  father-in-law  in  1884. 

RUSSELL  T.  IDLEMAN. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  ])orn  ill  Grant  County,  West 
Virginia,  in  1871,  and  grew  to  manhood  among  the  hills  and  moun- 
tains of  that  picturesque  country.  The  Alleghany  Mountain  lay 
directly  west  of  the  Idleman  home,  and  in  that  direction  they  al- 
ways looked  for  the  rains  and  snowstorms  as  they  swept  down 
the  mountain  sides.  It  was  charming  to  stand  upon  the  top  of 
that  mountain  and  gaze  far  eastward  from  mountain  to  moun- 
tain as  far  as  the  Shenandoah,  and  feel  the  impulse  of  the  sublime 
view  of  the  workmanship  of  a  hand  Divine.  In  these  mountains, 
then  covered  with  virgin  forests.  Brother  Idleman  loved  to  hunt 
the  wild  turkey,  deer  and  other  game,  though  not  a  skillful  hunter. 

Brother  Idleman  attended  the  public  schools  of  his  county, 
which  were  four-month  terms.  He  applied  himself  closely  to  study 
and  determined  to  become  a  teacher.  So,  after  a  few  terms  of 
Summer  Normals  and  several  terms  at  Juniata  College,  he  spent 
about  seventeen  years  in  teaching  and  going  to  school,  from 
1890  to  1907. 


430 


HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Elder    Russell   T.    Idleman,    AVife  and    Child. 

During  this  time  there  was  a  growing  interest  in  the  Bible, 
for  after  uniting  with  the  churcli,  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  the 
Christ  was  given  a  blessed  home  in  his  lieart,  and  a  few  years 
later  he  was  chosen  to  the  deacon's  office,  and  in  1899  he  was 
elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Greenland  church,  West  Virginia. 

In  1903  he  Iiegan  the  study  of  the  Bible  course  in  Juniata  Col- 
lege, graduating  in  the  two-year  course  in  \^X)6.  After  graduating 
he  still  taught  school  and  preached  in  his  home  church.  In  1909 
Sister  Amanda  Weaver,  daughter  of  Jacob  A.  and  Lavina  (Hoflf- 
man)  Weaver,  of  Scalp  Level,  agreed  to  share  with  hiui  the  bur- 
dens and  joys  of  an  humble  servant  of  God  and  l)ecanie  his 
helper. 

After  their  marriage  they  located  in  the  Ten  Mile  congrega- 
tion, Washington  County,  Pennsylvania,  where  they  have  since 
lived  and  labored.  Though  the  field  is  a  hard  and  rather  discourag- 
ing one,  they  still  have  hope  that  by  faithful  continuance  in  well 
doing  this  old  historic  church  may  again  take  on  new  life.  In 
November,  1914,  Brother  Idleman  was  ordained  to  the  eldership 
and  given  the  oversight  of  the  church. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        431 

ELDER  JOHN  COVER  JOHNSON. 

By    His    Son,    Carman    C.    Johnson. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  as  the  second  son  of 
Joseph  and  Mary  Cover  Johnson  on  the  Adams  Bower  in  South 
Union  Township,  about  two  miles  from  Uniontown,  on  September 
1,  1839.  The  older  brother  died  in  infancy.  Brothers  and  sisters 
succeeding  in  their  order  were  Elizabeth,  Mary  Ann,  Nancy,  Jo- 
seph, Jacob,  Isaac,  Annie,  Elizamatilda,  Sarah,  and  Lydia  and 
Martha  as  twins.  With  the  exception  of  Martha,  who  died  in  in- 
fancy, all  these  children  grew  to  manhood  and  womanhood;  and  all 
of  them  with  the  exception  of  Isaac  became  active  members  of  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  in  the  Georges  Creek  congregation.  The 
mother  of  this  large  family  was  unusually  pious,  and  especially 
strong  in  her  religious  convictions,  so  much  so,  indeed,  as  to  win 
her  husband  from  his  Mennonite  faith  a  few  years  before  his 
death. 

The  early  death  of  the  father,  in  the  fall  of  1865,  at  the  age  of 
forty-nine  years,  threw  extensive  responsibility  upon  the  oldest 
son,  who  at  that  time  was  twenty-six  years  of  age.  Beside  the 
management  of  a  400-acre  farm,  there  were  the  crossroads  store, 
the  gristmill,  the  blacksmith  shop,  and  the  distillery,  this  latter 
representing  an  interest  in  which  the  Johnson  family  of  Fayette 
County  had  been  engaged  for  nearly  a  half  cejitury. 

On  June  13,  1866,  this  young  man  of  varied  interests  was 
married  to  Mary  Saylor  Miller,  daughter  of  Elder  Jacob  D.  and 
Barbara  Saylor  Miller,  at  the  home  of  the  bride's  parents  on  the 
farm  near  Somerset,  Pennsylvania.  By  the  fall  of  that  year  the 
young  couple  had  established  their  home  first  of  all  in  the  log 
house  in  the  yard  of  the  old  homestead  at  Johnson's  Crossroads, 
later  removing  to  the  birthplace  of  the  husband  on  Adams  Bower, 
where  a  new  house  had  been  Iniilt. 

During  these  years  the  quiet  influences  of  the  mother  and  wife 
were  at  work  upon  the  young  man,  gradually  inducing  him,  in 
view  of  his  membership  in  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  to  give  up 
the  distillery  and  a  tendency  toward  law  and  politics;  and  scarce- 
ly had  their  object  been  accomplished  until  he  was  elected  to  the 
ministry  of  the  church  in  the  Fairview  meetinghouse,  near  Mason- 
town,  Pennsylvania,  in  the  si>ring  of  1869,  his  uncle,  Joseph  I.  Cover, 
being  chosen  to  the  eldership  of  the  congregation  about  the  same 
time. 

These  were  the  days  of  little  education  among  the  residents 
of  rural  districts,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  having  enjoyed  the 
advantages  of  only  a  very  few  months  in  the  common  schools 
of    South    Union    Township;    but   literary    societies,    spelling    bees. 


432 


HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Elder    John    Cover    Johnson. 


and  debating  clubs  were  very  common,  and  in  these  the  name  of 
John  C.  Johnson  had  been  prominent  for  several  years,  thus  de- 
veloping his  natural  ability  as  a  speaker.  The  seriousness  with 
which  his  election  to  the  ministry  was  regarded  by  himself  and 
family  may  be  indicated  by  the  fact  that  arrangements  were  made 
immediately  for  transfers  of  certain  phases  of  the  family's  busi- 
ness to  the  younger  brothers,  and  for  the  removal  of  John  C. 
with  his  family  to  the  old  homestead. 

Here,  from  1869  to  1873,  the  young  minister  spent  much  time 
in  reading  and  study,  calls  for  his  services  as  a  preacher  and  de- 
bater coming  rather  frequently.  His  advancement  to  the  second 
degree  occurred  at  this  time. 

This  early  activity  as  a  minister  was  somewhat  interrupted  by 
a  general  store  venture  on  the  part  of  three  of  the  brothers,  John, 
Joseph  and  Jacob,  in  1873-74.  This  proved  to  be  a  loss  financially 
as  well  as  a  hindrance  to  the  ministerial  program,  but  truck  gar- 
dening and  a  dairy  to  Uniontown  helped  to  recover  the  losses. 
From  1874  to  1879  there  was  little  variation  in  the  program,  except 
that  during  this  period  an  Annual  Meeting  Committee  came  to  the 
Georges    Creek    congregation    to    settle    some    local    difficulty,    and 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        433 

John  C.  had  opportunity  to  reveal  his  knowledge  and  skill  in  mat- 
ters of  church  polit}'. 

The  purchase  of  another  store  in  1879,  the  sale  of  the  family 
farm,  and  the  removal  of  the  entire  family  to  Uniontown  in  1882, 
the  death  of  his  mother  in  1883,  the  departure  of  his  uncle.  Elder 
Joseph  I.  Cover,  from  Pennsylvania  to  become  editor  of  The  Vin- 
dicator for  the  Old  Order  Brethren  in  1883,  the  Progressive  and 
Old  Order  difficulties,  both  within  the  congregation  and  in  the 
Brotherhood  at  large  from  1883  to  '85,  particularly,  occupied  the 
attention  of  John  C.  in  the  period  of  storm  and  stress  in  the  history 
of  the  Brotherhood.  At  this  point  the  real  mettle  of  the  man  was 
tested  in  his  strong  stand  upon  the  middle  ground  between  "  Old 
Orderism "  and  "Progression"  in  his  own  congregation;  and  the 
story  of  his  struggles  against  the  leaders  of  the  Progressive 
movement  in  Western  Pennsylvania  was  written  permanently  into 
the  history  of  the  District.  In  the  midst  of  these  stormy  eighties, 
without  the  authority  of  council,  because  regular  council  meetings 
seemed  impossible  at  that  time,  and  largely  with  his  own  money, 
he  bought,  repaired  and  reded'cated  the  Old  Bethel  Baptist  church 
in  Uniontown,  serving  this  pulpit  almost  continuously  and  with- 
out pay  from  1884  until  1906,  when  he  removed  with  his  family  to 
Huntingdon,  Pennsylvania.  He  was  made  elder  of  the  Georges 
Creek  congregation  in  1885,  and,  besides  taking  care  of  practically 
all  of  the  services  in  the  Uniontown  church,  took  more  than  equal 
turns  at  the  Mount  Union,  the  Fairview,  the  Grove,  the  Hep- 
wood,  the  Sandy  Hill  and  other  appointments  within  his  congre- 
gation. During  his  eldership  of  this  congregation  three  new  meet- 
inghouses were  built,  the  Old  Order  and  the  Progressive  move- 
ments were  subdued,  the  activities  of  the  congregation  were  re- 
organized, several  mission  points  within  the  congregation  were 
opened  up,  and  the  membership  was  more  than  doubled. 

Among  the  important  services  rendered  by  Elder  Johnson  out- 
side his  own  congregation  may  be  mentioned  certain  rather  not- 
able series  of  meetings  in  Middle  Maryland,  in  New  Enterprise, 
Pennsylvania,  in  Huntingdon,  Pennsylvania,  and  in  z\ltoona,  Penn- 
sylvania, in  all  of  which  he  was  successful  mainly  because  of  his 
unique  method  of  presenting  the  doctrines  of  the  church  and 
because  of  his  personal  work  among  prospective  converts.  His 
debates  with  representatives  of  other  denominations,  while  never 
fully  reported,  were  very  frequent,  the  most  important  being 
between  himself  and  the  "  Campbellites "  or  "  Christians "  in 
Uniontown,  Pennsylvania,  and  in  the  Montgomery  church  in  In- 
diana County.  His  services  to  the  "  north  churches  "  particularly 
and   to   the   Brotherhood   in   general    in   the   courts    of   Armstrong 


434  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF  THE 

County,  Pennsylvania,  in  defense  of  the  church  property  of  the 
Brotherhood  against  the  claims  of  the  Progressives,  extended  over 
a  period  of  nearly  twenty  years,  and  his  explanations  of  the  gov- 
ernment and  polity  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  as  given  on  the 
witness  stand  from  time  to  time,  and  as  passed  on  to  the  State 
Supreme   Court,  would   make   a  large  volume   if  edited. 

He  served  on  the  Standing  Committees  four  Annual  Meet- 
ings as  representative  of  the  Western  District  of  Pennsylvania, 
was  moderator  of  the  District  Meeting  of  Western  Pennsylvania 
five  times,  was  one  of  the  original  promotors  and  was  frequently 
the  moderator  of  the  Ministerial  Meetings  of  Western  Pennsylva- 
nia, was  associated  directly  with  his  son  Carman  in  promoting  the 
first  regular  Sunday-school  meeting  of  Western  Pennsylvania  in 
1897,  and  was  at  different  times  elder  in  charge  of  the  following 
congregations  l)esides  Georges  Creek:  Ten  Mile,  Red  Bank,  Elk 
Lick,  and  Glade  Run,  also  acting  as  special  consulting  elder  for 
several  other  congregations.  Perhaps  all  too  truly,  for  his  own 
good,  he  seemed  not  to  consider  the  hardship  or  the  cost,  when 
one  of  the  many  and  frequent  calls  came  for  some  rite  or  busi- 
ness of  the  church,  cither  at  home  or  abroad;  and  his  numerous 
calls  for  marriage  or  funeral  services  or  for  some  legal  or  personal 
advice,  as  this  drew  heavily  upon  his  own  private  resources  in  time 
and  means. 

The  last  ten  years  of  the  life  of  this  vigorous  and  able  de- 
fender of  the  faith  of  the  fathers  were  hampered  by  unfortunate 
complications  with  the  Annual  Meeting  Committee  sent  to  the 
churches  of  Western  Pennsylvania  and  the  First  District  of  West 
Virginia.  As  Elder  Johnson  had  always  taken  such  an  active  part 
in  matters  of  church  polity,  he  had  perhaps  developed  a  kind  of 
pride  in  his  ability  to  comprehend  and  administer  affairs  of  this 
sort;  and  so  when  he  conceived  of  the  policy  of  the  committee  as 
being  antagonistic  to  him  personally,  whether  rightfully  or  wrong- 
fully, all  the  resistance  in  his  nature  became  active  against  the 
committee,  purely  on  technical  grounds.  This  naturally  produced 
a  misunderstanding  of  the  issues  and  motives  involved;  and  in  the 
unequal  struggle  Elder  Johnson's  loyalty  to  the  church  was  ques- 
tioned and  his  standing  in  the   Brotherhood  suffered  eclipse. 

At  last,  after  the  Annual  Meeting  Committee  was  finally  with- 
drawn, and  John  C.  Johnson  and  his  entire  family  of  eight  chil- 
dren were  found  to  be  still  most  loyal  to  the  church,  even  at  much 
sacrifice,  the  attitude  of  most  of  the  leaders  of  the  Brotherhood 
toward  him  became  quite  cordial,  his  membership  and  official  po- 
sition were  recognized,  and  he  died  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  con- 
fidence and  respect  of  a  large  circle  of  lirethren  and  sisters,  who 
recognized  in  him  a  man  of  absolute  devotion  to  the  Word  of  God, 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        435 

of  heroic  courage  in  liis  convictions,  of  unswerving  loyalty  to  the 
church  of  his  choice,  of  unsual  ability  as  a  religious  leader,  and 
altogether  a  man  of  strong  spiritual  force.  His  body  lies  buried  on 
the  eastern  slope  of  the  hill  in  the  cemetery  at  Huntingdon,  over- 
looking the  valley  of  the  Juniata  which  he  had  learned  to  love 
because  of  his  early  advocacy  of  the  Brethren's  Normal  College 
located  there;  and  it  should  be  said  in  closing  this  sketch  that  the 
idealistic  nature  of  the  man  had  helped  him  to  reconcile  his  leav- 
ing the  old  family  seat  in  Fayette  County  and  his  adoption  of 
Huntingdon  as  his  home,  because  Huntingdon  had  been  the  home 
of  Elder  James  Quintcr,  wliom  Elder  Johnson  loved  and  admired 
above  all  other  men. 

Elder  Johnson  died  in  Huntingdon,  April  3,  1908,  aged  68 
j^ears,  7  months  and  2  days. 

SAMUEL  COVER  JOHNSON. 

Samuel  Cover  Johnson,  oldest  son  of  eight  children  (four 
sons  and  four  daughters)  of  Nicholas  B.  and  Elizabeth  Cover 
Johnson,  was  born  four  miles  west  of  Uniontowu,  Fayette  Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania,  March  10,  1843.  Nicholas  was  reared  in  the 
Mennonite  faith,  but  through  the  influence  of  his  wife,  who  was  a 
strong  and  faithful  member  of  the  Brethren,  he  united  with  the 
church  of  her  clioicc  in  1850.  By  occupation  he  was  a  farmer,  but 
he  also  did  all  the  I)lacksmithing  and  carpentering  needed  on  the 
farm. 

Samuel  was  brought  up  a  farmer,  but  having  a  mechanical  turn 
of  mind  he  naturally  learned  the  use  of  the  tools  his  father  had 
on  the  farm,  and  as  he  grew  to  manhood  he  learned  the  better  use 
of  them.  When  Samuel  was  a  boy  the  school  terms  consisted  of 
only  four  months  a  year,  and  with  the  farm  work  and  Maple 
Sugar  boiling  he  did  not  get  even  the  full  benefit  of  that  short 
term.  However,  by  home  study  he  acquired  a  fair  education.  At 
the  age  of  twenty  he  studied  civil  engineering  and  has  done  much 
farm  surveying.  During  all  this  he  did  much  in  the  line  of  repair- 
ing small  jobs  of  machine  and  carpenter  work. 

In  1882  he  bought  five  building  lots  in  Uniontown,  and  he  and 
his  brother  Alfred  built  a  machine  shop  on  them  and  did  all  kinds 
of  repairing,  from  tlie  smallest  articles  to  sawmills,  stationary 
engines,  etc.  They  also  manufactured  a  few  lines.  Their  patent 
gas  heating  stove  was  the  best  and  most  economical  stove  in  the 
market.  This  partnership  continued  till  1903,  when  Samuel  sold 
out  his  interest  in  the  business.  Since  then  he  has  done  small 
repairing,  just  enough  to  keep  busy  and  in  good  health. 

In  1860,  during  a  two  weeks'  series  of  meetings  held  in  the 
Fair  View  meetinghouse,   near  Masoniown,   by   Elder  John  Wise, 


436  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


^^anl^lel     Cover     .Johnson. 


eight  persons  inanifcsted  a  desire  to  live  tiie  better  life.  These 
were:  Samuel  IJurr  and  Catliarine,  his  wife,  George  Urooks, 
James  Hamilton,  Elizabeth  \Valters,  Mary  raul,  Samuel  C.  John- 
son and  John  DeBolt.  These  eight  penitent  believers  were  bap- 
tized in  the  Monongahela  River,  at  McClaine  I'^erry,  March  26, 
1860,  when  Brother  Johnson  was  just  a  little  past  seventeen  years 
of  age.  The  day  was  very  cold,  the  thermometer  standing  at  ten 
degrees  above  zero. 

Brother  Johnson  has  been  an  active  Sunday-school  worker 
from  his  young  days.  In  1863,  when  the  Georges  Creek  congre- 
gation, in  quarterly  council,  organized  its  first  Sunday-school, 
Brother  Johnson  was  elected  superintendent.  To  this  office  he 
has  been  elected  twelve  times  since,  some  of  the  terms  being  for 
a  longer  time  than  a  year.  He  held  the  same  ofhce  at  a  union 
school,  at  Sandy  Hill,  two  miles  west  of  Uniontown.  He  fre- 
quently is  an  attendant  at   our   Sunday-school   conventions. 

Since  he  was  elected  deacon  in  1884  he  has  had  much  of  the 
church  work  to  look  after.  He  has  represented-his  church  at  Di"^- 
trict  and  Annual  Meetings  frequently.  He  has  attended  a  large 
majority  of  our  District  Meetings  from  the  first,  and  fourteen  An- 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        A2>7 

nual  Meetings,  including  the  one  at  Los  Angeles,  California.  He 
is  a  close  Bible  student  and  a  regular  church  attendant.  He  is 
now  in  his  seventy-third  year,  and  is  enjoying  reasonable  health 
and  strength.  As  he  passes  down  the  western  slopes  of  time  and 
the  shadows  lengthen,  he  sees  the  great  necessity  of  taking  strict 
care  of  the  little  things  that  make  up  the  full  Christian  life. 

At  the  District  Meeting  of  1912  he  was  appointed  a  member 
of  the  historical  committee,  to  take  the  place  of  Elder  Joseph 
Ho'lsopple,  who  had  resigned  on  account  of  age.  As  a  member 
of  that  committee  his  labors  have  been  very  valuable,  especially 
so  in  gathering  data  for  the  history  of  the  Georges  Creek  congre- 
gation, and  the  biographies  of  its  ministers. 

CARMAN   COVER  JOHNSON. 

Carman  C.  Johnson,  oldest  son  and  fourth  child  of  Elder 
John  Cover  Johnson  and  Mary  Saylor-Miller  Johnson,  was  born 
on  'the  Johnson  farm,  known  as  "Adams  Bower,"  in  the  Georges 
Creek  congregation,  near  Uniontown,  Pennsylvania,  on  July  19, 
1874.  He  attended  country  school  until  eight  years  of  age,  then 
the  grade  schools  and  Redstone  Academy  in  Uniontown  until  four- 
teen; then  for  four  years  he  worked  as  newsboy,  photographer, 
glass-house  boy,  arud  boot  and  shoe  clerk,  studying  some  at  night 
with  private  tutors,  until  the  fall  of  1892,  when  he  attended  the 
teachers'  course  of  the  then  Brethren  Normal  School  at  Hunt- 
ingdon, Pennsylvania,  being  graduated  therefrom  in  June,  1894. 

Coming  home  he  spent  a  year  in  his  father's  general  store  as 
clerk  and  bookkeeper,  returning  to  Huntingdon  in  the  fall  of  1895 
to  pursue  further  studies  in  the  newly-organized  Juniata  College, 
acting  at  the  same  time  as  teacher  of  English,  geography,  and  alge- 
bra in  the  preparatory  department.  The  year  '97-98  was  spent  en- 
tirely in  study  at  Huntingdon,  and  the  year  '98-99  in  Waynes- 
borough  as  clerk  to  Treasurer  Oiler  of  the   Geiser  Company. 

The  college  course,  with  a  number  of  religious  electives,  was 
resumed  in  '99,  and  finished  after  two  more  years  of  study  exclusive- 
ly in  1901.  Upon  graduation,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  called 
to  Porto  Rico  by  the  then  commissioner  of  education.  Dr.  M.  G. 
Brumbaugh,  to  become  assistant  commissioner  of  public  charities 
there;  but  a  call  to  the  Juniata  faculty,  even  at  one-fourth  the  sal- 
ary, was  accepted.  In  this  position  he  taught  sacred  and  secular 
history  and  social  sciences,  edited  the  Juniata  Echo,  and  acted 
as  principal  of  the  academy,  and  as  assistant-registrar,  spending 
short  terms  in  graduate  study  at  Harvard,  Cornell,  and  Chicago 
Universities  meanwhile,  until  called  to  a  professorship  of  history 
and  civics  in  the  Pittsburgh  High  Schools  in  1910.  He  taught 
there  two  years,  and  at  the  same  time  was  superintendent  of  the 


438  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Prof.  Carman  Cover  Johnson. 


Emma  Farm  Fresh-Air  and  Educational  Association;  then  hecame 
examiner  and  inspector  in  the  Pennsylvania  Bureau  of  Profes- 
sional Education  for  a  year;  then  resigned  to  return  to  the  Pitts- 
burgh schools,  and  soon  was  made  principal  of  the  North  School, 
where  he  is  now  spending  his  third  year,  doing  special  day  and 
night  work  in  the  fields  of  vocational,  civic  and  social  center 
work. 

Professor  Johnson  began  his  religious  work  early,  assisting 
his  father  on  his  preaching  circuits  as  a  singer,  and  at  home  as 
janitor,  Sunday-school  teacher,  usher,  and  Sunday-school  super- 
intendent— all  before  seventeen  years  of  age.  In  Uniontown, 
Huntingdon,  Waynesboro,  Chicago,  and  Pittsburgh,  where  he  has 
had,  or  now  has,  particular  interests,  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
was  and  is  his  real  concern.  He  has  written  for  the  church  and 
Sunday-school  literature  from  childhood  until  now,  regularly 
teaches  a  Sunday-school  class,  ])reachcs  occasionally  since  his  in- 
stallation at  Huntingdon,  in  1904,  has  taken  much  interest  in  the 
history  and  polity  of  the  church,  and  is  broadly  interested,  through 
committee  memliership  and  frequent  speaking  engagements,  in 
such  public  welfare  movements  as  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  the  Pittsburgh 
Christian    Social    Service    Union,    and    the    Associated    Charities. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        439 

Along  with  Elder  S.  S.  Blough,  Brother  Johnson  was  directly- 
responsible  for  the  first  Sunday-school  convention  of  the  Church 
of  the  Brethren  of  Western  Pennsylvania  in  1897;  and  along  with 
a  few  others  established  the  Sunday-school  convention  of  Southern 
Pennsylvania  in  1899.  He  was  moderator  of  the  Sunday-school 
convention  of  Middle  Pennsylvania  also  in  1909. 

Brother  Johnson  has  been  married  twice,  the  first  wife  being 
Ada  Catharine  Reichard,  daughter  of  Elder  W.  S.  Reichard,  of 
Hagerstown,  Maryland.  She  left  a  beautiful  record  of  unusual  in- 
terest in  church  and  Sunday-school  work,  being  of  great  assistance 
to  her  husband  during  the  scarcely  four  j^ears  of  their  married  life. 
The  present  Mrs.  Johnson  was  DeLana  Anne  Mohler,  of  Cov- 
ington, Ohio,  a  graduate  of  Juniata,  for  a  number  of  years  a 
teacher,  always  active  in  Sunday-school  and  church  work  (as  is 
the  tradition  of  her  family),  and  present  missionary  secretary  and 
Messenger  correspondent  of  the  Pittsburgh  congregation.  To  this 
latter  union  two  sons  have  been  born,  the  first.  Mack  Mohler 
Johnson,  dying  as  an  infant,  the  second,  Forbes  Mohler  Johnson, 
being  now  in  his  second  year.  The  new  home  at  5886  Burchfield 
Avenue,  on  Squirrel  Hill,  is  a  veritable  "  Hearthstone  "  for  many 
church  and  school  and  other  friends. 

SILAS   CLARK   KEIM. 

John  Keim,  earliest  ancestor  of  the  Keim  family  in  the  United 
States,  came  from  Germany  in  1697,  and  settled  near  Reading, 
Pennsylvania,  and  had  considerable  land.  Elizabeth  was  his  wife. 
Their  son,  Peter,  was  a  farmer  in  Berks  County,  but  not  much  is 
known  of  him. 

Nicholas  Keim  was  a  son  of  Peter.  He  headed  westward  and 
made  his  first  settlement  at  Ben's  Creek,  Cambria  County.  Later 
he  lived  at  Davidsville,  Somerset  County.  From  there  he  moved 
to  Elk  Lick,  where  he  purchased  considerable  land,  which  he  cul- 
tivated to  advantage  till  death  in  1832.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Amish  Church.  He  was  three  times  married  and  was  the  father 
of  twenty-four  children. 

Jonas  Keim  was  the  third  son  of  Nicholas  and  Mary  (Stutz- 
man)  Keim  and  was  born  within  six  miles  of  Johnstown,  Penn- 
sylvania, in  1803.  He  was  a  leading  citizen  of  Elk  Lick  Town- 
ship. He  represented  his  District  in  the  State  legislature  in  the 
forties  as  a  Whig.  He  was  associate  judge  of  Somerset  County; 
also  county  commissioner.  He  was  one  of  the  first  promoters  of 
free  public  schools,  and  taught  advanced  methods  of  farming  and 
dairying.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Sarah  Livengood,  and  to  this 
union  were  born  seven  sons  and  five  daughters.     He  died  in  1865. 

Silas  C,  the  fourth  son  and  fifth  child  in  this  family  of  twelve, 


440  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Silas    Clark    Keini 


was  born  October  6,  1835.  At  this  date  four  of  the  brothers  and 
two  of  the  sisters  arc  still  li\in,L;.  althoui^ii  at  least  three  are  past 
fourscore  years  of  age.  His  entire  life  was  spent  in  the  neigii- 
borhood  of  his  birth.  He  grow  up  on  the  farm  and  learned  to 
love  all  kinds  of  stock.  He  attended  the  jjublic  school  available  at 
that  time,  till  fourteen  years  of  age.  After  this  time  his  school- 
ing was  limited  to  six  weeks  each  winter  for  two  years.  But  a 
mind  such  as  he  had  will  seek  an  education.  IJooks  were  scarce, 
but  such  as  were  to  be  had  were  read  and  studied.  As  a  boy  he 
carried  to  his  work  in  his  pocket  a  small  dictionary,  learning  to 
spell  and  define  a  new  word  as  the  plow  team  'was  lazily  turning 
a  corner.     He  was  a  voracious  reader  and  knew  his   P>il)le  well. 

In  those  days,  before  the  I'rcthren  encouraged  Sunday-schools, 
few  unmarried  people  united  with  the  church.  Contrary  to  this 
custom,  Brother  James  Quinter,  tiien  a  young  preacher  in  South- 
western Pennsylvania,  was  •  called  over  to  Elk  Lick  to  baptize 
three  young  men,  the  youngest  of  whom  was  Silas,  then  aged 
eighteen.  A  letter  written  by  IJrother  Quinter  to  Brother  David 
Livengood  in  response  to  this  request  is  in  possession  of  Elder 
H.  H.  Keim,  son  of  Silas.  The  other  two  young  men  were  Mahlon 
W.  Keim,  brother  of  Silas,  and  Samuel  D.  Livengood. 

In  the  fall  of  1857  Samuel  P.eeghly  and  Silas  Keim  went  on 
horseback  to  attend  a  love  feast,  almost  sixty  miles  from  home, 
in   the   Beaver   Run   church,    Hampshire   C'ounty,   \'irginia.      During 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        441 

this  meeting  Silas  met  the  lady  who  later  became  the  wife  of  his 
bosom  and  the  queen  of  his  household.  January  12,  1858,  he  was 
married  to  Anna,  only  daughter  of  Elder  Joseph  and  Elizabeth 
(Sloan)  Arnold,  at  their  home  on  Patterson's  Creek,  the  father  of 
the  bride  officiating. 

They  set  up  housekeeping  on  the  farm  acquired  from  his  fa- 
ther, and  adjoining  the  Keim  homestead,  and  one  mile  west  of 
Salisbury.  After  seven  years  of  successful  farming  and  dairying 
the  farm  was  sold  and  the  family  moved  to  the  town.  Here  the 
family  lived  six  years,  or  until  a  new  and  larger  home  was  built. 
In  1872  the  new  house  on  Ord  Street  was  occupied,  the  father  dy- 
ing there  ten  years  later,  and  the  mother  residing  there  till  her 
death,  over  forty  years  after  its  occupancy.  Here,  at  dififerent 
times  and  with  dififerent  partners,  he  was  engaged  in  merchandis- 
ing, manufacturing  shooks,  "  droving,"  and  banking.  He  and  Ja- 
C0J3  D.  Livengood  opened  the  first  bank  in  Salisbury.  This  was  a 
private  bank,  and  because  of  the  ill  health  of  the  senior  member 
was  closed  in  1879. 

Brother  Keim  and  Elder  Joel  Gnagey  were  called  to  the  min- 
istry about  the  year  1862.  In  church  activities  he  was  always 
among  the  foremost.  He  was  an  early  advocate  and  ardent  sup- 
porter of  Sunday-schools  and  social  and  prayer  meetings.  He 
kept  open  house,  and  his  generous  hospitality  was  enjoyed  by  rich 
and  poor  alike,  and  never  was  any  one  in  need  of  food,  lodging 
or  clothing  known  to  be  turned  away  empty.  After  his  death  the 
mother  continued  this  ministry,  and  only  in  advanced  age,  when 
compelled  to  do  so,  did  she  fail  to  "  minister  to  the  necessity  of 
the  saints."  Many  a  preacher  has  remembered  a  visit  in  that 
home. 

Brother  Keim  was  always  forward  in  providing  for  the  edu- 
cation of  the  masses.  He  served  as  school  director,  was  deeply 
and  carefully  interested  in  the  selection  of  suitable  teachers,  and 
in  several  instances  rendered  material  aid  to  young  men  in  ob- 
taining a  higher  and  professional  education.  He  was  often  heard 
to  remark  that  he  would  rather  give  his  children  a  good  education 
than  to  leave  them  material  inheritance. 

Every  effort  to  encourage  schools  among  the  Brethren  met 
his  approval  and  support.  Though  always  progressive  in  busi- 
ness and  the  Lord's  work,  he  clung  to  the  middle  of  the  road 
theory  during  the  disturbance  of  the  early  eighties  and  kept  him- 
self in  the  love  of  Jesus.  When  the  Plum  Creek  Normal  was 
opened  at  Elderton,  Pennsylvania,  he  sent  two  of  his  sons  and 
encouraged  two  others  to  attend.  When  Brother  Zuck  opened  the 
Brethren    Normal    School    at    Huntingdon,    his    sons    were    among 


442  HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF  THE 

the  early  students.  He  supported  tlie  school  financially  and  en- 
couraged others  to  do  so. 

This  very  active  and  successful  career  was  cut  short  in  the 
middle  of  life.  At  the  age  of  forty-six,  just  as  his  children  were 
needing  him  most,  he  was  cut  down.  After  four  years  of  suffering 
from  the  effects  of  an  internal  injury  received  while  leading  a 
horse  at  the  halter  and  being  jerked;  and  after  spending  a  large 
sum  of  money  in  seeking  the  best  medical  skill,  in  the  very  prime 
of  life  he  fell  asleep,  March  10,  1882,  and  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  old 
Livengood-Keim  family  graveyard  on  the  farm  where  he  began 
housekeeping,  and  where  his  father  and  grandfather  are  awaiting 
the  resurrection  of  the  just.  Here  now  repose  the  remains  of  four 
or  five  generations  of  the  Keims. 

His  family  life  was  a  joy  to  him,  and  he  always  seemed  young 
when  among  his  children.  The  oldest  son,  Richard,  died  in  1875, 
at  the  age  of  seventeen,  soon  after  his  return  from  attending  the 
Plum  Creek  Normal.  A  little  more  than  a  year  after  the  father's 
death,  the  oldest  daughter,  Libbie,  came  home  sick  from  the  Hunt- 
ingdon Normal,  and  died  July  2,  1883. 

The  mother,  left  to  rear  licr  family  alone,  undertook  tire  work 
with  Christian  fortitude.  All  the  children  were  l)aptized  into  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  and  were  faithful  in  their  care  for  tlieir 
mother  to  the  very  last.  Mother  Keim  died  July  20,  1912,  at  the 
age  of  75,  and  was  l)orne  to  the  grave  by  her  six  sons. 

JAMES   KELSO. 

As  nearly  as  can  be  ascertained  I'rothcr  Kelso  moved  from 
Western  Maryland  to  Fayette  County  al>out  the  year  1824.  He 
was  then  a  minister  in  the  second  degree.  While  residing  in  the 
Georges  Creek  congregation  he  was  ordained  to  the  eldership. 
This  was  in  1854.  He  was  rather  an  able  and  active  preacher, 
and  his  sermons  were  uplifting  and  instructive.  His  good  judg- 
ment made  him  a  wise  and  helpful  counselor.  He  was  born  in 
1788. 

He  labored  in  this  congregation  until  about  1861,  when  he  re- 
moved to  the  Elk  Lick  congregation,  where  he  made  his  home  with 
his  son,  Jonathan,  the  remainder  of  his  life.  As  old  age  came  on 
he  was  much  afflicted  with  asthma. 

I  quote  from  his  ol)ituary:  "Elder  James  Kelso.  Sr.,  died 
February  1,  1867.  aged  79  years  and  15  days.  He  was  elected  to 
the  ministry  at  the  age  of  twenty-eight  years  and  ten  months. 
He  was  ordained  in  the  year  1854.  Few  of  the  brethren  have 
traveled  more  extensively  and  have  labored  more  zealously  for  the 
cause    of    their    Master    than    he.      He    was    a    member    more    than 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        443 

fifty  years.  The  latter  part  of  his  life  was  spent  in  reading,  medi- 
tation and  prayer.  He  died  of  a  pain  in  his  left  side  which  he 
contracted  while  on  a  tour  to  the  State  of  Ohio,  some  thirty  years 
ago.  He  was  never  entirely  rid  of  said  pain  until  it  terminated 
in  his  death.  Funeral  services  by  Elder  C.  G.  Lint."  He  is  buried 
in  a  marked  grave  in  the  Peter  Livengood  graveyard. 

Three  of  his  sons  were  ministers:  1.  Jacob  Kelso,  a  school- 
teacher in  Elk  Lick  Township.  He  married  Eliza  Lichty,  daughter 
of  Peter  Lichty.  He  afterward  moved  to  Armstrong  County, 
where  he  assisted  Brother  Lewis  Kimmel  in  organizing  the  first 
Sunday-school  at  Plum  Creek,  in  1860.  There  he  was  elected  to 
the  ministry  in  1865,  and  in  1878  he  moved  to  Beatrice,  Nebraska. 

2.  Jonathan  Kelso,  who  married  Susannah  Lichty,  daughter 
of  Elder  Jacob  Lichty.  After  her  death  he  married  William  Hor- 
ner's widow.  He  was  an  elder  in  the  Elk  Lick  congregation,  and 
was  first  elder  of  the  new  Elk  Lick  congregation.  He  moved  West 
in  1886.  He  moved  first  to  Kansas,  then  to  near  Carleton,  Ne- 
braska, where  he  died  in  1906,  in  his  S3d  year. 

3.  Joseph  Kelso,  who  was  elected  to  the  ministry  after  he 
moved  West. 

LEWIS  KIMMEL. 

Lewis  Kimmel  was  born  October  19,  1836,  near  Derry,  West- 
moreland County,  Pennsylvania.  His  parents  were  Tobias  and 
Barbara  (Breniser)  Kimmel,  both  members  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren.  They  were  of  German  descent.  His  chances  for  an 
education  were  not  the  best.  He  gave  "the  one  thing  needful  " 
his  early  attention,  being  baptized  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  in 
Crooked    Creek,   near   Cockern's    Mill,    by    Elder    Shumaker. 

He  was  married  to  Elizabeth  Wells,  daughter  of  Levi  Wells, 
September  22,  1859,  by  Elder  James  Quinter.  His  parents  moved 
from  Westmoreland  County  to  Armstrong  County  when  Lewis 
was  only  four  years  old.  He  lived  within  a  mile  of  Plum  Creek 
church  the  remainder  of  his  life. 

He  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  old  Cowanshannock 
congregation,  in  1858,  when  only  twenty-two  years  of  age  and  still 
a  single  man.  When  the  Plum  Creek  church  was  organized  he 
became  its  first  minister.  After  his  ordination  to  the  eldership,  in 
1872,  he  had  the  oversight  of  two  congregations  for  sojiie  years. 

In  his  younger  j-ears  he  held  a  number  of  series  of  meet- 
ings with  good  success.  His  ministerial  duties  called  him  away 
from  home  a  great  deal.  He  also  attended  the  Annual  and  District 
Conferences  in  his  younger  years,  and  frequently  represented  his 
congregation    in    District    Meeting.      He    represented   the    Western 


444  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


Elder    Lewis    Kimniel. 

District  of  PennstyJvania  on  the  Standing  Committee  at  Lanark, 
Illinois,  in  1880. 

He  was  a  strong  advocate  of  Sunday-schools.  In  harmony 
with  his  stand  on  this  question,  we  find  him  and  J.  Kelso  opening 
a  Sunday-school  at  the  Plum  Creek  church  as  early  as  1860.  He 
always  was  a  regular  attendant  at  Sunday-school  and  church  serv- 
ices. 

He  was  a  liberal  contributor  to  missionary  work.  He  also 
gave  consideralile  of  his  time  to  the  same,  being  chosen  a  mem- 
ber of  the  first  Mission  Board  of  the  District  in  1872.  His  school 
work  will  l)e  taken  up  in  another  chapter. 

He  died  within  a  mile  of  where  he  was  reared,  Aguust  7,  1907, 
aged  70  years,  9  months,  and  18  days,  and  is  buried  in  the  I'reth- 
rcn  cemetery. 

HARVEY  H.  KIMMEL. 
Tradition  says  that  many  years  ago  seven  brothers  by  the 
name  of  Kimmel  emigrated  from  the  Fatherland  to  England,  and 
later  to  America,  and  that  all  the  Kimmels  in  the  States  are  de- 
scendants of  these  brothers.  Somerset  County  is  fortunate  in  hav- 
ing a  very  large  share  of  these  descendants. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


445 


Samuel   A.   Meyers.      Harrey    H.    Kinimel. 


John  M.  Kimmcl  and  Elizabeth  Miller  were  married  many 
years  ago  and  were  among  the  substantial  citizens  of  Jefiferson 
Township,  and  he  was  an  active  deacon  in  the  Middle  Creek  con- 
gregation. 

Their  son,  Harvey  H.  Kimmel.  was  born  in  Jefferson  Town- 
ship, Somerset  County,  April  2,  1862,  was  reared  on  the  farm,  and 
has  since  followed  farming.  His  pul)lic  school  education  was  sup- 
plemented by  attendance  at  the  County  Normals,  and  he  taught 
nine  terms  in  the  schools  of  the  county. 

Brother  Kimmel  was  married  to  Miss  Nora  Will,  daughter  of 
J.  K.  and  Sarah  (Hunter)  Will,  in  1886,  and  to  this  union  were 
born  Charles  M.,  residing  in  Johnstown,  Pennsylvania,  and  a  faith- 
ful deacon  in  the  Morrellville  church;  Nina,  married  to  Brooks 
Horner;  and  John  J. 

At  the  age  of  seventeen  Brother  Kimmel  united  with  the 
church,  being  baptized  by  Elder  Solomon  Bucklew.  He  was  called 
to  the  deacon  office  in  1898,  to  the  ministry  in  1900,  and  advanced 
in  1901,  all  in  the  Middle  Creek  congregation,  where  he  now  la- 
bors-. He  is  an  active  Sunday-school  worker,  having  been  super- 
intendent and  teacher.  He  served  his  township  as  auditor  six 
years. 

A.   R.  KITCHEN. 

The  subject  of  this  brief  sketch  was  born  in  Clearfield  County, 
Pennsylvania,  May  8,  1858,  and  is  a  son  of  John  D.  and  Rachel 
(Bonewell)  Kitchen.  Brother  Kitchen  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Thurssey  J.  Montgomery  May  25,  1879,  in  Clearfield.  In  the 
Glen  Hope  (now  Chess  Creek)  congregation  he  was  called  to  the 


446  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 


A.  R.  Kitchen. 
Four    Generations    of    the     Kitchen     Family. 

ministry  about  1895,  Elders  Jacolj  Holsopplc  and  Harvey  Beer 
officiating.  He  has  been  a  member  of  tlie  church  some  twenty 
years.  He  is  the  only  resident  minister  in  tlie  Chess  Creek  con- 
gregation. 

CHARLES   S.   KNAVEL. 

Charles  S.  Knavel,  son  of  Samuel  and  Susan  (Statler)  Knavel, 
was  born  in  Paint  Townshij),  Somerset  County,  rennsylvania,  July 
23,  1882.  He  was  reared  on  the  farm  and  attended  the  Rummel 
public  school.  Having  a  thirst  for  knowledge  above  wliat  the  pub- 
lic schools  could  supply  he  attended  a  number  of  terms  of  local 
normal  school  and  qualified  himself  to  teach.  His  teaching  has 
been  done  in  Paint  Township  and  adjacent  boroughs.  He  holds  a 
State  permanent  certificate  and  is  now  teaching  his  sixteenth  term 
of  winter  school.     He  has  also  taught  normal  school. 

His  father's  family  was  made  up  of  the  following  cliildren: 
[•".hiier,  Harvey,  Charles  S.,  Edgar  and  Mary.  His  father  was  a 
deacon,  as  are  his  three  brothers,  his  uncle,  Jacob  C,  and  his 
cousin,  Samuel  W.  P>rother  Charles  was  elected  to  tlic  ministry 
in  the  Shade  Creek  congregation  June  \9,  1906.  He  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Sister  Abbie  Foust,  daughter  of  Deacon  Jacob  E. 
and  Fannie  (15erkel)ile)  Foust,  September  25,  VX)4.  One  child, 
Richard,  l)lesses  the  union.  Brother  Knavel  was  l^aptized  Sep- 
tember 18,  1901.  He  is  an  active  Sunday-scliool  worker  in  addition 
to  his  church  and  school  work. 

(Portrait    on    I'nKf  183.) 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        447 


Elder    Peter    Knavel. 


PETER  KNAVEL. 


Peter  Knavel,  oldest  son  of  Jacob  and  Hannah  (IJerkey) 
Knavel,  was  born  in  West  Taylor  Township,  Cambria  County, 
Pennsylvania,  January  15,  1848.  He  was  reared  on  his  father's 
farm,  and  given  the  ordinary  school  advantages  of  his  day.  There 
were  no  Sunday-schools  when  he  was  growing  to  manhood,  yet  he 
gave  his  heart  to  God  at  the  age  of  iifteen,  being  baptized  in  the 
Conemaugh  congregation. 

When  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age,  in  1866,  his  father  moved 
to  Paint  Township,  Somerset  County,  on  a  farm  near  the  Berkey 
meetinghouse.  Brother  Knavel  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Maria  Blough,  daughter  of  Yost  Blough.  Besides  being  a  farmer 
he  followed  contracting  and  building  many  years,  erecting  many 
houses  and  barns  in  the  community.  After  the  death  of  his  wife 
he  made  his  home  in  Paint  Borough. 

In  June,  1870,  he  was  called  to  the  deaconship  in  the  Shade 
Creek  congregation.  In  1874  he  was  elected  to  the  ministry  and 
June  10,  1902,  he  was  ordained  to  the  eldership.  He  served  in 
that  capacity  in   the  same   congregation  till  the  division   into  two 


448  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

congregations  in  1912,  when  he  became  tlie  senior  elder  of  the 
newly  organized  congregation,  Scalp  Level.  Elder  Knavel  is  active 
and  energetic  in  his  preaching  and  general  church  work  and  has 
traveled  extensively,  having  made  five  trips  to  the  Pacific  coast, 
and  spent  considerable  time  in  Southern  California  with  his  daugh- 
ters. 

He  is  a  regular  attendant  at  our  District  Meetings,  frequently 
acting  as  delegate.  He  has  also  attended  a  number  of  Annual 
Conferences. 

SOLOMON  KNEPPER. 

Solomon  Knepper,  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Stahl)  Knep- 
per,  was  born  near  Berlin,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania,  De- 
cember 11,  1820,  and  died  at  his  home,  two  and  one-half  miles 
south  of  Berlin,  February  17,  1854,  aged  33  years,  2  months  and  6 
days.  His  parents  were  Pennsylvania  Dutch,  but  were  undoubt- 
edly of  German  descent.  They  were  farmers  and  Solomon  was 
reared  a  farmer.  He  received  his  education  in  the  private  schools 
of  his  day  and  Berlin  Academy,  and  specimens  of  his  penman- 
ship, still  in  existence,  are  hard  to  equal,  both  in  style  and  beauty. 
He  taught  school  in  the  winter  and  farmed  in  the  summer. 

On  November  19,  1843,  he  was  married. to  Miss  Eve  Schrock, 
Elder  Jacob  Myers  performing  the  ceremony.  Two  sons  blessed 
this  union,  the  younger  dying  in  infancy.  The  other  son  is  Elder 
John  H.  Knepper,  who  has  been  for  a  numl)er  of  years  pastor  of 
the    First    Brethren   church   of  Altoona,    I'cnnsylvania. 

He  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  tlie  Berlin  congregation,  but 
the  date  has  not  been  preserved.  His  preaching  was  done  both 
in  English  and  German,  but  mostly  in  the  former.  It  is  said  that 
he  was  the  first  native  "  Dunker  "  preacher  of  Somerset  County 
who  could  preach  in  the  English  language.  He  was  very  active 
in  all  work  of  the  church.  He  was  called  upon  to  preach  many  fun- 
erals of  persons  not  menil^ers  of  the  church.  While  officiating 
at  a  funeral  service  he  contracted  a  severe  cold,  which  developed 
into  bronchitis,  causing  his  untimely  death.  He  was  buried  on 
the  old  Knepper  farm,  but  some  forty  years  ago  his  son,  John  H., 
had  the  body  removed  to  his  own  private  lot  in  the  Berlin  cem- 
etery. 

Brother  Knepper  and  B>rot]ier  ICphraim  Cober,  now  of  Sa- 
betha,  Kansas,  were  most  intimate  friends  and  neighbors,  and  co- 
workers in  the  church  in  those  early  days.  In  1855  his  widow  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Deacon  John  J.  Bittner,  Elder  Jacob  Blough 
officiating.  Her  death  took  place  in  1872,  and  she  was  laid  by  the 
side  of  Brother  Knepper. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        449 


Lewis   Schrock   Knepper. 

LEWIS   SCHROCK   KNEPPER. 

The  Knepper  family  can  I)e  traced  back  to  Germany,  when 
some  of  the  Kneppers  emigrated  to  the  United  States  and  settled 
in  Eastern  Pennsylvania  in  1698.  Afterwards  they  moved  farther 
west,  and  Lewis  J.  Knepper,  grandfather  of  the  above,  resided 
in  Brothers  Valley  Township,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania. 
He  was  a  teacher,  farmer  and  an  active  member  of  the  Church 
of  the  Brethren. 

Lewis  Schrock  Knepper,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  is  a  son 
of  Emanuel  L.  and  Emma  (Schrock)  Knepper,  and  was  born  on 
a  farm  near  Berlin,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania,  September 
11,  1889.  He  acquired  his  early  education  in  the  public  schools  of 
the  township  and  the  normal  schools  of  Berlin.  He  taught  in  the 
township  schools  three  years,  and  in  the  spring  of  1909  he  was 
enrolled  as  a  student  of  Juniata  College,  in  which  institution  he 
spent  almost  four  years.  While  there  he  was  graduated  from  the 
normal  English  and  business  courses,  besides  taking  some  addi- 
tional studies.  He  also  received  his  teacher  training  and  advanced 
teacher  training  diplomas  while  in  Juniata. 

He  was  married  on  June  25,  1913,  to  Miss  Grace  H.  Berkley, 


450  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

daughter  of  Lewis  and  Sarali  llcrklcy,  of  i'>rotlicrs  X'alley  Town- 
ship. On  October  12,  1912,  he  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  the 
Brothers  Valley  congregation,  but  was  not  installed  until  May 
15,  1915.  He  is  a  good  Sunday-school  worker,  having  been  one  of 
the  superintendents  of  the  Pike  Sunday-school  for  several  years. 
He  is  taking  up  the  work  of  the  ministry  faillifully  and  promises  to 
become  a  useful  man  in  the  church. 

WILLIAM  M.  KNOPSNYDER. 

William  M.  Knopsnyder,  second  son  of  Ahimas  and  Martha 
Ann  Knopsnyder,  was  born  near  Freed,  Fayette  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania, December  2,  1865.  He  was  reared  on  the  farm,  and  his  oc- 
cupations are  farming  and  lumbering.  His  i)arents  were  members 
of  the  Evangelical  Church. 

On  February  26,  1893,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Re- 
becca C.  Miller,  daughter  of  George  F.  and  Susan  Miller,  of  In- 
dian Head.  Their  cliurch  affiliation  .was  Brethren.  Brother  and 
Sister  Knopsnyder  l)ecame  members  of  the  Church  of  the  Breth- 
ren July  2,  1895,  and  in  Septeml)er,  1901,  he  was  elected  to  the 
ministry  in  the  Indian  Creek  congregation.  In  March,  1903,  he  was 
advanced  to  the  second  degree.  In  that  capacity  he  labors  in  the 
Indian   Creek   congregation. 

DANIEL   LANE, 

Daniel  Lane  was  one  of  tlic  ministers  of  the  Ten  Mile  con- 
gregation, and  died  November  10,  18S5,  in  liis  76th  year.  "  He  was 
a  faithful  and  tried  servant.  He  was  called  to  the  ministry  some 
years  ago,  but  never  made  his  ministerial  calling  so  much  of  a 
study  as  to  fit  himself  for  extensive  work,  Init  with  the  liumlile 
means  God  gave  him,  he  did  tlic  l)est  he  could,  in  helping  to  pro- 
mote the  Master's  cause.  The  Lord  will  abundantly  reward." 
I'uneral  discourse  was  preached  from  the  eleventh  chai)ter  of  John 
by  Elder  John  C.  Johnson. 

JOSEPH  LEATHERMAN. 

Joseph  Leatherman  was  born  in  1760.  I'Vom  Eastern  Mary- 
land he  moved  into  the  Georges  Creek  congregation  about  the 
year  1800.  His  home  was  about  four  miles  from  Uniontown, 
Fayette  County.  He  was  a  minister  of  considerable  ability;  he 
also  was  a  very  successful  farnier.  He  died  in  1848,  at  the  age  of 
88  years. 

CHRISTIAN    LEHMAN. 

Christian  Lehman,  son  of  Christian  Lehman,  was  born  March 
14,  1803,  on  the  I)anks  of  the  Stony  Creek,  about  four  miles  south 
of    Johnstown,    Pennsylvania.      His    parents    were    of    German    de- 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        451 

scent,  and  of  the  Mennonite  faith.  His  educational  advantages 
were  very  limited,  being  altogether  in  German.  However,  he 
learned  to  read  and  write  the  English. 

Elizabeth  Berkey,  daughter  of  Peter  Bcrkey,  Esq.,  was  born 
on  the  banks  of  the  Shade  Creek,  about  three  miles  above  its  junc- 
tion with  the  Stony  Creek,  March  1,  1808.  Her  parents  also  were 
of  German  extraction,  and  were  followers  of  the  religious  ideas 
of  Conrad  Beissel,  who  in  early  days  had  departed  from  the  com- 
munion of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  organized  by  Alexander 
Mack,  at  Schwarzenau,  Germany,  one  hundred  years  before  Eliza- 
beth was  born. 

When  these  two  noble  young  persons  had  entered  into  the 
holy  bonds  of  matrimony,  in  1824,  the  all-important  question  con- 
fronted them:  "  How  can  we  reconcile  our  denominational  dif- 
ferences so  that  we  can  worship  the  God  we  love  and  on  whose 
guidance  we  have  to  depend  for  success  in  life?  "  Very  wisely 
they  agreed  to  "  search  the  Scriptures."  The  result  was  a  united 
acceptance  of  the  faith  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  and  in  that 
faith  they  brought  up  all  their  children. 

To  Brother  and  Sister  Lehman  thirteen  children  were  born, 
as  follows:  Charles,  married  to  Hannah  Cripe;  Peter  C,  married 
to  Elizabeth  Wingard;  Daniel,  married  to  Rachel  Keim;  William 
(never  married);  Levi,  married  to  Catharine  Ripple;  Hiram,  mar- 
ried to  Lizzie  Knavel;  Mary  Ann,  married  to  Jacob  Thomas;  Eliza- 
beth, married  to  Daniel  Blough;  Polly,  married  to  Jacob  Hol- 
sopple;  Catharine,  married  to  Joseph  Holsopple;  Sarah,  married 
to  Daniel  Hofifman;  Caroline,  married  to  Levi  Blough;  and  Har- 
riet, married  to  Josiah  Fry.     All  the  above  children  are  dead. 

Brother  Lehman  lived  on  a  farm  in  Richland  Township,  Cam- 
bria County,  and  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  old  Conemaugh 
congregation,  probably  in  the  thirties.  When  the  Shade  Creek 
congregation  was  cut  ofif  Conemaugh,  and  erected  into  a  new  con- 
gregation, Brother  Lehman  was  ordained  its  first  elder.  This  was 
probably  about  1843,  or  later. 

In  this  ofifice  he  served  the  church  faithfully  until  his  death. 
All  his  preaching  was  in  German,  though  he  could  speak  and  read 
the  English.  He  was  not  what  might  be  called  a  very  fluent  speak- 
er, or  a  great  revivalist,  and  j^et  he  wielded  an  influence  over  the 
people  so  that  he  won  their  respect.  When  the  care  of  the  church 
was  committed  to  him,  he  felt  very  humble,  and  was  so  modest  and 
diffident  that  he  never  got  the  consent  of  his  mind  to  exercise  in 
the  matter  of  ofiiciating  at  love  feasts.  But  he  was  a  good  house- 
keeper and  filled  the  scriptural  requirements.  He  was  a  man  of 
reserved  nature,  yet  he  managed  to  say  yes  and  no  when  he  meant 
it. 


452  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

He  took  very  little  part  in  politics,  l^clievinjj;  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  and  the  world  to  be  separate  kingdoms,  and  that  God  would 
find  men  in  each  to  run  its  own  afifairs.  Hence  he  was  seldom  seen 
at  elections. 

He  made  his  living  by  farming  and  did  most  of  his  travel  on 
horseback.  He  had  but  one  buggy  and  one  spring  wagon,  and  that 
only  a  few  years  before  he  quit -farming.  He  died  June  28,  1874, 
aged  71  years,  3  months  and  14  days.  Sister  Lehman  died  August 
9,  1884,  aged  Id  years,  5  months  and  X  days,  iioth  are  buried  in 
the  farm  burying  ground. 

Elder  Lehman  reared  a  godly  family,  there  being  a  long  line 
of  church  officials  among  his  numerous  descendants.  One  son, 
two  sons-in-law,  and  nine  grandsons  have  been  called  to  the 
preaching  of  the  Word.  Much  of  the  above  was  compiled  by  his 
son,  Hiram,  and  the  manuscript  was  found  among  his  papers. 

HIRAM  LEHMAN. 

Hiram  Lehman,  son  of  Elder  Christian  and  Sister  Elizabeth 
(Berkey)  Lehman,  the  youngest  child  in  a  family  of  thirteen, -was 
born  June  24,  1849.  He  was  given  a  fair  common  school  education. 
He  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  Ivichland  Township,  Cam- 
bria County. 

He  was  married  to  Lizzie  Knavel,  daughter  of  Jacob  Knavel, 
of  Paint  Township,  Somerset  County,  by  I'-lder  Hiram  Mussel- 
man,  March  13,  1870. 

They  settled  on  a  farm  along  the  Scalp  Level  and  Johnstown 
Pike,  near  Geistown,  Richland  Township.  Here  their  familj',  con- 
sisting of  three  sons,  Lorenzo  J.,  Irvin  and  Maurice,  and  two 
daughters,  Clara  and  Alice,  was  reared  to  uianhood  and  woman- 
hood. Parts  of  the  farm  being  rocky,  much  hard  labor  was  re- 
quired to  fit  it  for  agricultural  purposes.  P.ut  Brother  Lehman  was 
never  afraid  of  hard  work.  He  might  be  termed  an  ideal  farmer. 
He  raised  good  crops,  delighted  in  well-bred  stock  and  was  con- 
siderable of  a  horticulturist. 

He  was  much  interested  and  concerned  about  the  welfare 
of  his  neighbors.  No  call  for  help  or  favors  was  refused  if  it  was 
possible  to  grant  it.  He  would  sometimes  voluntarily  go  to  the 
assistance  of  his  neighbors,  who  chanced  to  be  backward  with  their 
crops  or  harvesting.  He  was  very  prompt  to  meet  business  ob- 
ligations.    His  word  was  as  good  as  his  note. 

In  church  matters  he  was  just  as  prompt  and  systematic  as 
in  his  temporal  affairs.  He  was  a  regular  attendant  at  church 
services,  usually  taking  the  entire  family.  He  had  a  deep  love 
and  tender  regard  for  the  churcli  of  his  choice.     In   .Sunday-school 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


453 


>»gt"""' 

J 

' 

^^^1  zi^i  Mi 

(. 

^^^  1^1^  ^Qp^  SH 

a 

A  :<  m 

i> 

'^ 

^ 

.M 

Hiram   Lehman  and   Wife. 


work  he  felt  at  home.  Discussing  Bible  topics,  either  in  the  Sunday- 
school  or  in  the  home,  with  visitors,  was  his  delight.  These  traits  of 
character  in  his  life  were  noticed  by  the  membership  of  the  Shade 
Creek  church,  so  when  they  were  looking  about  for  ministers, 
July  10,  1887,  they  selected  him  as  one  of  their  choice,  though  he 
was  living  at  one  end  of  the  congregation.  (The  author  of  this 
work  was  the  other  one.)  Feeling  that  his  age  (38)  was  against 
him,  he  hesitated  at  first  to  accept  the  call.  But  after  weighing 
the  matter  seriously,  he  stepped  forward,  received  the  commission 
and  shouldered  the  responsibility  with  a  determination  to  succeed. 

Living  to  one  side  of  the  large  congregation  made  his  min- 
isterial duties  rather  laborious,  but  he  was  faithful  in  filling  his 
appointments,  whether  the  weather  was  fair  or  inclement.  He  fre- 
quently represented  his  congregation  at  the  District  Meetings,  and 
he  was  District  Treasurer  from  the  time  of  Elder  Musselman's 
death  until  he  passed  from  the  scenes  of  time.  He  never  cared  for 
popularit}^  desiring  rather  to  keep  in  the  background.  The  spring 
before  his  death  the  elders'  meeting  passed  him  for  ordination,  but 
it  was  not  attended  to  before  he  took  sick.  The  fall  before  he  had 
preached  the  annual  sermon  before  the  ministerial  convention, 
held  in  the  Dunnings  Creek  congregation. 

It  was  very  largely  through  his  efiforts  that  a  system  of  gath- 


454  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

cring  church  funds  with  more  of  an  equality  was  introduced  in 
his  congrcfration.  This  system  was  sut^.Ofcsted  by  Paul  to  the  Co- 
rinthians in  the  sixteenth  chapter  and  second  verse.  Tlie  plan 
worked  admiral)ly  and  was  used  many  years. 

Brother  Lehman  was  baptized  November  7,  1869,  in  the  Shade 
Creek  congregation.  Sister  Lehman  was  baptized  in  the  Cone- 
maugh  congregation,  by   Elder  Solomon   Benshoff,  in    1864. 

Brother  Lehman  died  July  23,  1902,  aged  53  years  and  29  days, 
and  was  buried  in  the  Berkcy  cemetery,  the  funeral  being  conduct- 
ed in  the  Scalp  Level  church  by  H.  S.  Replogle,  J.  E.  Blough  and 
others. 

THE  LICHTY   FAMILY. 

Among  the  many  sulistantial  and  enterprising  families  of  Som- 
erset County  and  some  of  the  Western  States  must  be  mentioned 
the  Lichty  family.  One  Christian  Lichty  emigrated  to  this  country 
from  Germany  some  time  in  the  eighteenth  century.  Among  his 
descendants  can  l)e  ccnnitcd  a  num1)er  of  ministers  and  deacons. 
Among  his  sons  was  John  C.  Lichty,  of  Elk  Lick  Township, 
Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania.  Two  of  his  (John  C.'s)  sons.  Sol- 
omon and  Jonas,  were  ministers.  Jonas  Lichty's  son.  W.  II. 
Lichty,  is  an  elder  in  the  South   Waterloo   (Iowa)   church. 

Jacob  Lichty,  another  of  Christian's  sons,  was  also  an  elder. 
So  was  Jacob's  son,  Jonathan,  who  was  called  to  the  ministry  in 
the  Middle  Creek  congregation  and  died  in   Morrill,   Kansas. 

JACOB  LICHTY. 
As  above  stated,  I'^lder  Jacob  Lichty  was  a  son  of  Christian 
Lichty.  He  was  born  in  Elk  Lick,  April  28,  1790.  His  first  wife 
was  Barbara  Myers,  daughter  of  folder  Michael  Myers,  and  his 
second  wife  was  the  widow  of  William  Miller.  Eld.  Lichty  lived 
and  labored  in  tlic  b'.lk  Lick  congregation.  He  was  a  minister 
about  twenty-eight  years  and  the  last  five  years  of  his  life  he  was 
an  overseer  or  bishop.  He  died  b\'l)ruary  14,  1854,  aged  63  years, 
9  months  and   16  days.     His  funeral  text  was   Matthew  24:  44. 

JONAS  LICHTY. 

Elder  Jonas  Lichty  was  I)orn  in  Elk  Lick  Towns'iii),  Somerset 
County,  Pennsylvania,  Septemlier  25,  1830.  He  was  the  son  of 
John  C.  and  Elizabeth  ( b'ike)  Lichty.  He  was  reared  on- his  fa- 
ther's farm  between  Salisbury  and  Meyersdale.  Me  was  educated 
under  the  subscription  school  system,  receiving  a  part  of  his  edu- 
cation in  a  little  log  house  within  several  rods  of  his  father's 
home. 

lie  was  married  to  Mary  Miller  Dect'mber  1,  1851.  To  this 
union  were  born  live  sons  and  four  daughters.     In  their  early  days 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


455 


Klder   Jonas    Lichty. 

they  bought  the  home  farm,  which  they  greatly  improved  in  the 
fertility  of  the  soil  and  in  buildings.  Elder  Lichty  was  considered 
an    up-to-date    farmer   and   took   pride    in    improving   his    stock. 

His  early  piety  is  indicated  by  the  fact  that  he  united  with  the 
church  while  yet  a  single  man,  which  was  something  unusual  for 
that  day.  Several  years  after  his  marriage  he  was  called  to  the 
deacon  office,  which  he  faithfully  filled.  In  May,  1860,  he  was 
elected  to  the  ministry  at  a  council  held  in  Joseph  Fike's  barn, 
not  far  from  his  home.  In  this  capacity  he  served  faithfully, 
preaching  principally  in  the  German  language.  In  1877,  or  probably 
several  years  before,  he  was  ordained  to  the  eldership,  and  when, 
in  1877,  the  old  Elk  Lick  congregation  was  divided  into  three 
congregations,  Elder  Lichty  was  one  of  the  elders  placed  in  charge 
of  the  Summit  Mills  congregation,  which  he  served  for  years.  In 
his  later  years  he  preached  mostly  in  the  English  language. 

Elder  Lichty  did  considerable  preaching  outside  of  his  congre- 
gation, traveling  on  horseback.  He  often  left  home  Saturday 
morning  and  returned  on  Monday.  One  time  while  away  from 
home  his  house  with  most  of  its  contents  was  burned  to  the  ground. 
Many  valuable  records,  books,  clothing,  household  goods,  etc., 
were  thus  burned  that  might  have  been  saved  if  he  had  been  at 


456  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

home.  His  companion,  however,  who  was  a  most  faithful  standby, 
was  glad  that  he  was  not  at  home,  lest  he  should  have  ventured 
into  the  burning  building,  and  thcrcb}'  received  injury,  or  perhaps 
lost  his  life. 

Thirty-six  years  Elder  and  Sister  Lichty  lived  together  in  happy 
wedlock.  Jn  her  latter  days  Sister  Lichty  suffered  severely  with 
an  inward  cancer.  Her  suffering  was  intolerable  and  her  death  was 
long  expected,  yet  she  bore  it  all  for  years  with  sweet,  gentle 
patience,  sustained  by  the  inward  power  of  grace  and  faith.  Both 
were  noted  for  their  piety  and  worth.  Their  home  was  always 
an  open  one  for  the  poor,  wayfaring  traveler. 

About  1888  he  removed  to  Waterloo,  Iowa,  where  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Mrs.  Sallie  Schrock,  of  the  same  place,  March  30,  1890, 
Here  he  lived  until  November  21,  1893,  when,  after  an  illness 
marked  by  Christian  patience  and  resignation,  he  passed  away  at 
the  age  of  63  years,  1  month  and  6  days.  Two  days  later  his  body 
was  laid  to  rest  in  the  cemetery  near  the  South  Waterloo  church, 
the  funeral  being  conducted  by  Elder  G.  B.  Royer,  using  as  a  text 
Romans  15:  13. 

Brother  Lichty  was  not  known  so  much  for  his  sermons  in 
preaching  as  in  living.  His  kindness,  sociability,  and  cheerfulness 
made  his  home  dear  to  his  family,  and  agreeable  to  all  who  were 
permitted  to  cross  its  threshold.  During  his  life  he  was  liberal 
to  the  charities  of  the  church,  and  he  took  much  pleasure  in  seeing 
the  Sunday-school  grow  in  numbers  and  organization.  His  great 
desire  was  that  the  church  might  prosper  and  many  souls  might  be 
gathered  into  God's  kingdom,  and  that  some  time  he  might  meet 
them  in  a  world  where  there  are  no  sorrow,  sickness,  sin  or  death. 

"  Thus    star   by   star   declines, 
Till  all  are  passed  away; 
As  morning  high   and   higher   shines 
To  pure  and  perfect  day; 
Nor  sink  those  stars  in  emptj'  night. 
They  hide  themselves  in  heaven's  own  light." 

SAMUEL  LIDY. 

It  is  said  that  when  Samuel  Lidy  was  a  boy  he  was  so  remark- 
ably defective  in  speech  that  at  the  age  of  sixteen  his  articulation 
was  so  indistinct  that  he  could  scarcely  be  understood.  This  with 
other  difficulties  of  his  daj^  prevented  him  from  getting  the  benefit 
of  any  but  the  most  rudimentary  education.  But  his  excellent 
character,  known  for  probity  and  Christian  consistency,  marked 
him  out  as  a  good  subject  to  be  named  for  "  Preacher  "  when  the 
Conemaugh  Brethren  looked  for  such  a  one. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        457 

His  early  experiences  or  labors  are  thus  related  by  himself: 
"  I  was  a  poor  reader  and  had  but  few  books,  but  I  had  the  Book 
of  books  which  my  wife,  Polly,  who  was  of  Yankee  extraction, 
helped  me  to  read  and  understand.  The  brethren,  as  is  customary, 
would  give  me  liberty,  but  1  seldom  used  it,  except  to  open  or 
close  meetings  by  lining  hymns  for  singing  and  prayer.  But  one 
Sunday  morning  I  learned  that  I  would  be  the  only  preacher  at 
the  appointment,  my  colleague  not  being  well.  This  was  a  new  ex- 
perience to  me.  It  was  with  a  heavy  and  sad  heart  I  made  my 
way  to  the  schoolhouse,  where  I  was  expected  to  talk  to  the  people. 
A  good  congregation  was  already  there  when  I  arrived.  When  the 
proper  time  came  I  opened  the  meeting  as  usual,  not  know  n^- 
what  next  I  would  offer  the  people.  I  recommended  my  case  to  the 
care  of  the  Lord  and  read  a  scripture  and  commenced  to  talk.  Soon 
it  appeared  that  my  understanding  was  enlarged  and  utterance  was 
given  me  beyond  my  own  or  anybody  else's  expectation.  I  soon 
learned  that  the  people  said  that  I  could  and  did  preach.  The  older 
brethren  heard  of  it,  and  were  more  persistent  than  ever  that  I 
should  take  the  subject  and  preach,  which  I  felt  more  ready  to 
do  than  before.  But  the  first  efifort  after  the  above  experience  was 
far  from  satisfactory  to  myself. 

"  On  the  whole  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  tirst  sermon 
the  Lord  preached  through  me  for  the  benefit  of  the  people,  while 
the  other,  from  whatever  source  it  came,  was  for  my  own  special 
good.  I  lived  on  the  banks  of  the  Conemaugh,  just  above  where 
the  town  of  East  Conemaugh  now  stands,  and  was  associated  in 
the  work  with  Elders  John  Mineely,  Levi  Roberts,  Jacob  Stutz- 
man  and  Jacob  Waters.  We  would  preach  alternately  at  the 
several  appointments  or  places  of  worship,  which  were  uniformly 
in  the  Brethren's  houses  or  barns,  or  schoolhouses  that  were 
located  favorably  for  our  use,  or  such  other  places  as  we 
could  secure.  Religion  was  at  a  low  ebb.  Philip  Hoffman  and 
Barbara,  his  wife,  had  moved  from  Morrison's  Cove  to  a  farm 
about  two  miles  south  of  Scalp  Level.  They  had  two  sons,  Jacob 
and  John,  and  nine "  daughters,  Mary,  Catharine,  Susan,  Barbara, 
Mattie,  Elizabeth,  Christina,  Franey  and  Sally.  They  were  all  at 
home  when  I  used  to  take  my  staff  in  hand  on  the  banks  of  the 
Conemaugh  and  walk  out  to  their  place,  crossing  the  Bedford 
Road  at  Horner's,  now  Geistown,  and  following  the  Glades  Road 
to  where  Scalp  Level  now  stands.  Turning  to  the  right  a  few 
miles  farther  on  I  reached  the  hospital)le  home  of  Brother  Hoff- 
man. The  distance  was  about  eleven  miles.  I  would  try  to  preach 
to  the  edification  of  the  church  in  his  house.  I  believe  they  all 
became  members  of  the  church." 

In  the  year   1840,    Emanuel    Brallier,    Elder   Lidy's   brother-in- 


458  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF  THE 

law,  moved  from  the  East  to  the  lUacklick  settlement,  in  Cam- 
bria Countj'.  Soon  after  this  two  brethren  by  the  name  of  h'yock 
moved  to  Indiana  County,  one  in  the  vicinity  of  where  Purchase 
Line  is  now  located,  and  the  other  a  few  miles  from  where  Manor 
is  now  located.  There  were  a  few  other  members  by  the  name  of 
Soyster  and  Brown  located  in  this  region.  About  1841,  Samuel 
Lidy,  impressed  with  the  missionary  spirit,  pulled  up  stakes  at 
Conemaugh  and  settled  at  what  he  conceived  to  be  a  convenient 
point  to  reach  these  memliers  scattered  over  a  large  territory, 
and  give  them  such  spiritual  food  as  he  was  able  to  impart.  The 
Manor  cluirch  was  organized  soon  after  he  moved  tlicrc  and  he 
was  given  charge  of  it. 

BISHOP    CONRAD    GILLIAN    LINT. 

Bishop  Conrad  Gillian  Lint,  who  for  over  tifty  years  served  as 
pastor  of  the  local  congregation  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  at 
Meyersdale,  was  born  May  19,  1834,  at  Meyers  Mills  (now  Meyers- 
dale),  Somerset  County.  Pennsylvania,  the  son  of  Gillian  Chris- 
tian and  Elizabeth  (Mochstetler)  Lint,  of  Swiss  and  German 
descent,  respectively. 

Christian  Lint,  grandfather,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania.  He  be- 
came a  farmer  in  Somerset  County,  and  later  in  life  removed  to 
Ohio,  where  he  died.  His  wife  was  Miss  Lichteberger,  of  West- 
moreland County.  They  had  children  as  follows:  Christian,  John, 
Jacob,  Conrad,  Daniel,  Elizabeth  (Mrs.  Baker),  and  Gillian  C. 
Jacob  bought  the  home  farm,  where  he  died  at  the  age  of  90. 

Gillian  C.  Lint  married  March  6,  1832,  Elizabeth  Hochstetler. 
who  was  born  April  18,  1812,  a  daughter  of  Jacob  Hochstetler,  Jr., 
of  Somerset  County.  The  following  children  were  the  issue  of  this 
marriage:  Conrad  Gillian  was  born  May  19,  1834;  Margaret  (Mrs. 
Samuel  Eoust),  l^orn  b'ebruary  14.  1836,  died  May  2,  1884,  at  Mey- 
ersdale; Eliza  (Mrs.  M.  D.  Miller),  .\pril  12,  1838;  .\nna  (Mrs. 
Israel  Berkley),  January  4,  1841;  William  Gillian,  March  14,  1843, 
died  July  1,  1903,  at  Meyersdale;  Mary  (Mrs.  Isaac  Miller),  .August 
4,  1844;  Daniel  Gillian,  Eebruary  1,  1847,  died  b'ebruary  9,  1905, 
at  Cross  Roads;  Zacheria,  October  1,  1848,  died  May  19,  1849, 
at  Meyersdale;  Lydia  (Mrs.  Alex.  E.  Shoemaker),  .April  24.  1850; 
Sarah  Jane,  November  5,  1852,  died  .August  25,  1854;  and  Edward, 
born  and  died  October  1,  1859.  Gillian  C.  Lint  died  May  20,  1893. 
His  wife,  Elizabeth,  died  June  25,  1881. 

Margaret  was  the  first  and  Conrad  Gillian,  or  Bishop  Lint,  as 
he  is  more  familiarly  called,  the  second  one  of  the  Lint  family  to  be- 
come identified  with  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  their  parents 
having  been   memljers   of   the    Reformed    Church. 


BRETHREN    OF  WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


459 


Bishop    C.    G.    Lint. 

Bishop  Lint  was  born  in  Meyers  Mills,  now  Meyersdale,  in  a 
log  house  which  stood  on  the  east  side  of  what  is  now  Center 
Street,  near  the  hlaugherty  bridge.  Having  arrived  at  school  age 
he  was  sent  to  the  excellent  subscription  schools  of  those  days, 
there  having  been  no  public  schools,  and  his  instructors  were  num- 
bered among  the  leading  educators  of  their  day,  and  were  con- 
sidered   eminent    authorities    in    their    line    throughout    the    entire 


460  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF  THE 

State.  Among  them  were  numbered  Alexander  Stutzman,  wlio 
later  became  a  leading  attorney  of  Somerset  Count j';  Joseph  Stutz- 
man, afterwards  the  first  school  superintendent  in  the  county  after 
the  installation  of  public  schools;  Christ  Stutzman,  M.  D.;  Frank 
Stutzman,  an  attorney-at-law;  W.  J.  Baer,  later  judge  in  the  court 
of  common  pleas;  C.  C.  Musselman,  afterwards  an  assemblyman; 
and  General  William  H.  Koontz.  Possessing  a  more  than  ordina- 
rily receptive  mind,  in  addition  to  an  ardent  desire  for  learning, 
the  bishop  industriously  applied  himself  to  his  books  and  the 
tasks  set  before  him,  with  the  result  that  he  kept  pace  with  the 
best  in  his  class,  and  early  in  his  teens  he  possessed  an  education 
of  no  mean  dimensions,  enal)ling  him  to  properly  and  clearly  state 
his  position  in  debate  at  the  numerous  literary  societies  held  in 
those  days.  Being  a  great  reader  of  choice  literature,  he  succeeded 
in  amassing  a  fund  of  information  that  stood  him  in  good  stead 
when  he  decided  to  take  up  the  work  of  the  ministry.  He  has 
a  large  and  excellent  library  of  works  of  reference  and  other  vol- 
umes, which  has  been  one  of  the  chief  delights  of  his  life,  and  until 
failing  eyesight  overtook  him  many  hours  were  daily  spent  in  por- 
ing over  its  multitudinous  pages  with  an  unabating  desire  for  im- 
provement in  the  line  of  his  profession. 

Before  the  expiration  of  his  school  days,  which,  of  course,  was 
early  in  young  manhood,  he  entered  the  blacksmith  shop  of  his 
father  as  an  apprentice.  At  this  strenuous  calling  he  labored  for  a 
period  of  almost  seven  years,  and  became  an  expert  in  the  work  of 
fashioning  iron.  It  is  said  he  had  few  if  any  peers  in  the  work 
of  the  anvil,  and  in  some  of  the  more  technical  points  of  the  trade 
he  was  more  than  usually  efficient  and  expert.  However,  his  work 
in  the  smithy  did  not  tend  to  dampen  the  young  man's  ardor  along 
educational  lines.  He  continued  his  pursuit  after  knowledge  in 
season  and  out  of  season.  His  evenings  were  spent  in  night  school 
or  in  the  seclusion  of  his  room  at  home,  reading  useful  and  in- 
structive books. 

On  June  16,  1855,  he  was  baptized  into  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  by  Elder  Jacob  Blough,  of  the  Berlin  District.  The  same 
day  he  was  elected  to  the  deacon's  office,  which  was  an  almost  un- 
heard of  proceeding  among  our  people.  Eight  days  later,  on  the 
24th  of  June,  he  was  elected  to  tlie  ministry,  which  goes  to 
show  the  great  confidence  and  trust  reposed  in  him  by  the  mem- 
bers of  the  congregation,  and  it  can  here  lie  stated  that  that  trust 
was  in  no  wise  l)etrayed.  The  fact  that  the  young  man  stood  well 
in  the  community  is  amply  attested  by  his  rapid  advancement  in  the 
church  after  becoming  identified  witli  tlie  same.  Having  just 
])asscd  the  twenty-first  milestone  of  his  existence,  and  a  member 
of   the   church    I)Ut   eight   days   when   he   was   chosen    for   the   min- 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN  .PENNSYLVANIA        461 

istry,  goes  to  show  that  the  church  must  have  had  implicit  confi- 
dence in  the  young  man's  ability  and  integrity,  and  subsequent 
events  have  proven  the  wisdom  and  far-sightedness  of  their  choice. 

About  the  time  of  his  election  to  the  ministry  Bishop  Lint  had 
completed  several  courses  in  vocal  music,  and  was  industriously 
engaged  in  teaching  the  art  in  the  evenings.  He  had  three  large 
and  interesting  classes  in  this  community,  but  closed  them  with  all 
possible  dispatch,  having  decided  to  devote  his  entire  time  and 
attention  to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  and  to  exert  every  means 
at  his  command  for  the  furtherance  of  the  noble  work  which  he  was 
so  early  called  upon  to  perform.  Preparation  for  the  same  was 
now  vigorously  pushed.  He  more  frequently  sought  the  night 
school,  redoubled  his  diligence  in  reading  church  history,  and  in 
numerous  other  ways  applied  his  time  and  talent  in  preparation  for 
the  work.  It  may  be  taken  for  granted,  therefore,  that  his  time 
was  pretty  well  taken  up  between  laboring  at  the  anvil  every  week- 
day, studying  evenings,  and  filling  several  widely-distributed  minis- 
terial appointments  on  Sunday. 

During  evenings  he  would  select  Scripture  texts  that  struck 
him  most  forcibly,  write  them  out  on  a  sheet  of  paper,  pin  the 
same  to  the  chimney  of  his  forge  in  the  blacksmith  shop,  and  dur- 
ing spare  moments  ponder  over  and  commit  them.  He  has  been  a 
diligent  student  of  the  Word  during  all  the  years  spent  in  the  min- 
istry, and  few  are  better  posted  than  he  concerning  the  things 
spoken  of  in  the  Bible.  Possessing  this  qualification  made  his 
sermons  interesting  and  pointed,  and  each  successive  occasion  of 
his  rendering  a  sermon  showed  no  diminution  in  numbers  attracted 
by  his  preaching..  The  following  incident  will  illustrate  the  inter- 
est manifested  in  his  sermons:  While  on  a  preaching  tour,  in  an 
adjoining  State,  he  announced  that  he  would  preach  a  sermon  on 
"The  New  Birth,"  and  some  one  wanting  this  sermon  in  print 
secured  the  services  of  a  reporter  to  report  his  sermon.  After  the 
services  the  reporter  was  asked  if  he  secured  the  entire  sermon, 
and  he  stated  that  he  became  so  interested  in  the  sermon  that  he 
forgot  to  write. 

Individuals,  aside  from  his  untiring  and  active  companion,  and 
to  whom  he  ascribes  great  honor  and  praise  for  the  ultimate  suc- 
cess attained  by  him  in  the  work,  were  Elder  Samuel  Berkley,  who 
died  in  1859;  Wm.  M.  Buechley  and  Peter  Meyers,  both  of  whom 
died  in   1870. 

The  District  in  which  Bishop  Lint  began  his  ministerial  work 
was  known  as  the  Elk  Lick  District,  a  scope  of  country  about  ten 
miles  wide  from  north  to  south,  and  probably  about  thirty  or  forty 
miles  in  length.  The  mcml)ership  at  that  time  was  about  175  in 
the  entire  District,  with  six  regular  preaching  stations.     The  bish- 


462  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

op  would  usually  start  out  early  on  Sunday  morning  on  horse- 
back to  lill  an  appointment,  the  roads  frequently  being  almost 
impassable,  and  the  weather  most  unpleasant.  He  would  return 
home  late  at  night,  sometimes  not  having  eaten  anything  during 
the  entire  day  except  the  early  meal  partaken  of  prior  to  start- 
ing upon   his  journey   in   the   morning. 

In  1865  Bishop  John  Berkley  died,  and  in  1867  Bishop  Lint 
was  chosen  as  his  successor  in  this  District,  the  membership  then 
having  grown  to  300.  This  was  the  bishop's  field  of  active  labor 
from  the  year  1867  to  October  5,  1912,  when,  on  account  of  fail- 
ing eyesight  and  infirmities  of  age,  he  resigned  as  elder  and  pastor 
of  the  church  which  he  had  served  so  efficiently  for  over  half  a 
century.  Perhaps  the  most  remarkable  feature  of  the  bishop's 
life,  however,  is  the  fact  that  but  few  ministers  are  honored 
with  more  than  a  half  century  of  active  work  in  the  ministry,  and 
of  fewer  still  can  it  be  said,  as  in  the  case  of  the  venerable  Bishop 
Lint,  that  he  has  during  all  these  years  presided  over  one  and  the 
same  congregation,  and  was  at  the  time  of  his  resignation  the  head 
of  the  identical  congregation  or  church  body  into  which  he  was 
baptized  and  elevated  to  the  ministry.  During  this  time  he  has 
officiated  at  more  than  500  funerals,  scattered  over  a  territory  as 
far  west  as  Somerfield  and  eastward  to  Wellersburg  and  has,  in 
his  time,  performed  approximately  200  marriage  ceremonies.  He 
has  served  on  the  Standing  Committee  of  Annual  Meeting  for 
about  eight  different  times,  and  has  been  placed  on  many  impor- 
tant church  committees.  In  committee  work  he  has  l)ecn  asso- 
ciated with  such  brethren  as  Daniel  P.  Sayler,  R.  H.  Miller, 
James  Quinter,  Enoch  Eby,  John  Wise,  David  Long  and  Moses 
Miller.  He  is  the  author  of  several  hymns  in  the  present  Brethren 
Hymnal.  Up  to  the  building  of  the  Summit  Mills  meetinghouse,  in 
1846,  services  were  conducted  in  private  residences,  and  the 
lirst  meetinghouse  in  what  is  now  Meyersdale  was  erected  in  1851, 
and  stood  upon  the  site  of  the  present  church,  on  the  south  side, 
and  not  more  than  fifty  yards  from  the  i)oint  where  Bishop  Lint 
was   l)orn   ancl   reared. 

P.isliop  Lint's  career  in  life  has  been  truly  remarkable  in  more 
ways  than  one.  Having  been  born  in  Meyersdale  and  resident  of 
that  community  for  a  period  covering  more  than  eighty  years, 
he  has  witnessed  the  growth  and  progress  of  the  town  from  almost 
insignificance  to  its  present  importance  and  affluence.  His  long 
residence  in  the  town  has  made  him  familiar  with  all  details  con- 
cerning the  town  and  its  peoi)lc  during  those  years,  and  he  pos- 
sesses   a    fund    of   reminiscences    that    is    truly   interesting. 

The  bisho])  is  a  man  of  excellent  traits  of  character,  beloved 
of  all  wht)  know  him  intimately.     He  is  of  a  pleasant  and  genia! 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


463 


disposition  and  charitably  disposed  toward  evildoers,  preferring 
to  show  them  the  error  of  their  way  by  kindly  chastisement  or 
friendly  argument.  In  preaching  he  has  always  "  hewn  to  the 
mark  and  let  the  chips  fall  where  they  may,"  all  of  which  has 
tended  to  broaden  and  round  out  his  robust  Christian  char- 
acter. In  his  political  relations  he  accords  allegiance  to  the 
Republican  party.  He  has  never  held  high  public  office,  although 
repeatedly  urged  to  do  so.  He  has  always  been  deeply  inter- 
ested in  educational  affairs  and  served  as  school  director  for  five 
terms  of  three  years  each,  from  1858  to  1873. 

He  married  on  April  19,  1855,  Catherine  Flickinger,  eldest 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Elizabeth  (Beeghly)  Flickinger.  She 
was  born  January  1,  1833.  No  children  have  been  born  of  this 
marriage   union.      At   this    writing   both   are   living. 

The  above  was  dictated  by  Bishop  Lint,  and  written  by  his 
nephew,  J.    M.   Gnagey. 


David  I>.   Little. 


DAVID  L.  LITTLE. 

David  L.  Little,  the  subject  of  this  brief  sketch,  was  born  at 
Lockport,    Pennsylvania,    September    12,    1878.      His    parents    are 


464  HISTORY    OF  THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

C.  B.  and  Marj'  E.  Little.  The  parents  are  Metliodists  and  Brother 
Little  was  brought  up  in  that  faith.  On  October  20,  1897,  he  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Eliza  G.  Kelly.  He  united  with  the 
church  while  living  at  Bolivar,  and  was  baptized  May  26,  1908. 
lie  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Aughwick  church.  Middle 
Pennsyvania,  May  26,  1910,  and  advanced  to  the  second  degree 
on  April  17,  1911.  By  occupation  he  is  an  engineer,  and  his  pres- 
ent location  is  at  Vandergrift  Heights,  Pennsylvania.  Brother 
i.iltlc  is  a  forceful  and  fearless  speaker,  and  should  live  where 
tiie    church    would    get    more    benefit    from    his    labors. 

THE  LIVENGOOD  FAMILY. 

Peter  Livengood  (Leibundgut,  as  he  spelled  his  name  in 
German),  the  pioneer  of  the  family  in  America,  was  born  in  Swit- 
zerland in  1731.  He  emigrated  to  America  about  1750  and  lived 
in  Berks  or  Lancaster  County  until  1775,  when  he  located  in  Elk 
Lick  Township,  Somerset  County.  He  was  a  man  of  good  ed- 
ucation in  German,  his  father  having  been  a  school-teacher  in 
Switzerland.  W.  S.  Livengood,  editor  of  the  Meyersdale  Repub- 
lican, Meyersdale,  a  great-great-grandson  of  his,  has  in  his  pos- 
session a  copy  of  his  "  Schreibuch  "  (Writing  Book),  in  which 
he  kept  his  family  records  and  business  accounts  covering  the  pe- 
riod from   1758  to   1814.     It  is  neatly  written  in   German  script. 

y\ccording  to  tradition  he  was  a  good  preacher.  Holsinger's 
History  is  authority  for  the  statement  that  he  was  a  member 
of  the  .\mish  Church,  that  he  and  a  number  of  other  Amish  folks 
united  with  the  Brethren  soon  after  1783,  and  that  he  was  then 
called  to  the  ministry.  He  was,  therefore,  past  fifty  when  called 
to  the  ministry.  His  death  occurred  in  1827  at  the  age  of  96. 
One   authority   states    that   in    Berks    County    he   married    Barbara 

,    was    the    father    of    fifteen    children,    that    his    wife    died 

in  her  ninetieth  year,  that  he  lacked  only  six  days  of  being  100 
years   of   age   when   he    died. 

Of  the  large  number  of  children  of  Elder  Peter  Livengood 
was  one  named  John,  the  youngest  in  the  family.  He  married  a 
Miss  Hardman,  and  their  children  were:  Daniel,  John,  David  and 
Jacob;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  John  Arnold;  and  Susan,  wife  of  Samuel 
Lichty.  Both  were  members  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  and 
tradition  has  it  that  he  was  a  minister.  Brother  Livengood  died 
February   19,   1839,  and  his  wife  ten  years  later. 

David  Livengood,  son  of  John  Livengood,  was  born  October 
11,  1809,  and  was  one  of  the  successful  farmers  of  Elk  Lick  Town- 
ship. Becoming  convinced  that  the  use  of  whiskey  as  a  beverage 
was   detrimental   to  the   best  interests  of  the  community,   he  was 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


465 


David    Liivengood. 


one  of  the  first  to  aliandon  its  use  in  the  harvest  field,  where  it  had 
been  considered  indispensal^le.  By  so  doing  he  incurred  the  dis- 
pleasure of  many  of  his  neighbors,  but  was  firm  in  his  adherence 
to  what  he  lielieved  to  be  right.  Despite  his  limited  education, 
he  was  a  man  of  wide  reading,  close  observation  and  liberal  views, 
especially  in  the  case  of  education,  of  which  he  was  an  ardent 
friend  and  supporter.  The  opportunities  for  the  acquisition  of 
knowledge  which  he  gave  his  children  were  regarded  with  dis- 
approval  by  his   conservative   neighbors. 

He  married  Nancy  Meyers,  born  August  11,  1812,  daughter  of 
Michael  Myers,  and  their  children  were:  Samuel  D.,  Jacob  D., 
Barbara,  wife  of  Daniel  Barchus;  Susan,  wife  of  Jacob  M.  Lichty; 
Anna,  wife  of  John  L.  Saylor,  and  Adaline,  wife  of  Michael  F. 
Smith.  The  mother  of  these  children  died  April  25,  1849,  and 
Brother  Livengood  subsequently  married  Sallie  Myers.  Brother 
Livengood  died  October  31,  1870,  aged  61  years  and  20  days.  His 
widow  died  in  Falls  City,  Nebraska,  in  the  spring  of  1883. 

Brother  Livengood  was  for  many  years  a  minister  of  the 
Elk  Lick  congregation  (called  about  1853),  but  he  was  what  they 
called  a  "  silent  preacher,"  as  he   never  preached,  but  always   sat 


466  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF  THE 

in  the  pulpit  and  assisted  with  the  services  by  Scripture  reading 
and  prayer.  He  was  a  very  just  and  pious  man  and  noted  for  his 
charity  and  other  good  qualities  that  endeared  him  to  his  neigh- 
bors. He  is  buried  in  a  cemetery  on  the  old  Peter  Livengood 
farm,  near  Salisbury. 

PETER   LONGANECKER. 

Peter  Longanecker  was  born  in  Lancaster,  Pennsylvania,  in 
1778.  He  united  with  the  church  in  the  Great  Swamp  congrega- 
tion in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State,  where  he  was  also  elected 
to  the  ministry.  He  afterward  settled  on  the  old  Longanecker 
farm,  one  and  one-half  miles  west  of  Masontown,  Faj'ette  Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania,  in  1804.  He  spoke  in  the  German  language  and 
was  not  a  fluent  speaker.     He  died  in  1853,  at  the  age  of  75. 

GEORGE  W.   LOWRY. 

George  W.  Lowry,  son  of  W.  P.  and  Susan  (Knopsnyder) 
Lowry,  was  born  .April  17,  1840,  on  a  farm,  now  known  as  the 
Knupp  farm,  near  Bakersville,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania. 
His  parents  being  Lutherans,  little  George  received  the  rite  of 
sprinkling  when  a  child.  When  he  grew  to  manhood  he  united 
with  the  Methodist  Church,  in  which  faith  he  lived  until  1878, 
when  he  united  with  the  Church  of  the  brethren  at  Indian  Creek, 
Westmoreland  County,  being  baptized  by  Stephen  Hildebrand, 
October   IS,   1878. 

Brother  Lowry  acquired  an  excellent  education,  and  for  twen- 
ty-one years  engaged  in  school-teaching.  He  taught  in  the  schools 
of  Somerset,  Westmoreland  and  Fayette  Counties.  The  fact  that 
he  remained  in  the  profession  so  long  at  the  low  wages  paid 
those  days,  is  evidence  that  he  enjoyed  the  work  and  that  his 
teaching  was  a  success.     He  taught  his  last  term  of  school  in  1887. 

At  a  June'  council,  in  1883,  in  the  Middle  Creek  congregation, 
he  was  called  to  the  ministry,  and  one  year  later  he  was  advanced 
to  the  second  degree.  He  was  considered  an  able  speaker,  and 
was  active  in  missionary  and  Sunday-school  work.  He  held  sev- 
eral series  of  meetings  with  fairly  good  success. 

After  he  left  the  schoolroom  he  worked  some  on  the  farm, 
at  the  same  time  doing  much  studying  so  as  to  prepare  himself 
the  better  for  the  work  of  the  ministry.  He  was  pastor  of  the 
Scullton  church  of  the  Middle  Creek  congregation  about  fifteen 
years,  but  moved  near  the  Middle  Creek  church  a  few  years  be- 
fore his  death,  which  occurred  October  21,  1897,  at  the  age  of  57 
years,  6  months  and  4  days.  His  funeral  services  were  in  the 
hands  of  Elder  John  F.  Dietz,  who  used  Daniel  12:  3  as  a  text. 
Interment  in  the  Middle  Creek  cemetery. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        467 

BERZY  B.  LUDWICK. 

Berzy  B.  Ludwick,  second  son  of  Daniel  and  Catharine 
(George)  Ludwick,  was  born  near  Hartsanville,  Grant  County, 
West  Virginia,  June  7,  1877.  Daniel  Ludwick  was  born  near 
Junction,  West  Virginia,  and  is  the  son  of  Daniel  Ludwick,  Sr., 
who  had  moved  from  Pennsylvania,  and  whose  father  came  from 
Germany.  Catharine  George,  Berzy's  mother,  was  born  in  Grant 
County,  West  Virginia,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Elder  William 
George,  who  is  of   English   descent. 

Daniel  Ludwick  and  Catharine  George  were  married  in  1874. 
To  this  union  seven  sons  were  born.  All  are  living  except,  the 
oldest,  who  died  in  infancj^  After  making  several  moves  they 
settled  on  a  257-acre  farm  two  miles  west  of  Junction,  West 
Virginia,  where  they  still  live.  Here  Berzy  worked  on  the  farm,  his 
duties  including  the  marketing  of  fruit  and  other  farm  produce. 
To  get  the  produce  to  market  he  often  started  at  three  A.  M. 
and  did  not  get  back  till  ten  P.  M.,  the  distance  being  from  thir- 
ty-five  to   fifty   miles,   round   trip. 

Berzy's  education  was  procured  by  attending  the  public  school 
from  two  to  four  months  a  year,  and  by  borrowing  books  and 
reading  them.  The  father  being  more  concerned  about  p'aying  for 
his  farm  and  getting  out  of  debt  than  about  the  education  of  his 
sons,  Berzy  was  not  allowed  the  full  length  of  any  school  term. 
But  he  made  the  best  use  of  his  opportunities,  often  studying  till 
midnight. 

During  a  meeting  held  at  the  Union  schoolhouse  near  Junc- 
tion, West  Virginia,  by  Elder  George  S.  Arnold,  he  united  with 
the  church,  being  baptized  January  17,  1893.  He  was  elected  dea- 
con in  the  Beaver  Run  congregation.  West  Virginia,  in  1894. 

After  becoming  of  age  he  took  up  the  carpenter  trade;  he 
also  worked  at  blacksmithing,  mining,  and  firing  a  locomotive. 
In  the  spring  of  1900  he  visited  Elder  R.  T.  Hull,  of  Somerset 
County,  who  persuaded  him  to  spend  the  summer  in  the  vicinity. 
During  this  time  he  became  acquainted  with  Miss  Lulu  C.  Baugh- 
man,  daughter  of  Henry  and  Mary  Baughman,  of  Somerset  Coun- 
ty. On  September  30,  1903,  he  and  Miss  Baughman  were  mar- 
ried, Elder  U.  D.  Brougher  officiating.  At  this  time  B.  B.  was 
working  in  L^niontown,  Pennsylvania,  and  there  they  took  up 
housekeeping,  November  16,  1903.  November  30,  1905,  Brother 
Ludwick  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Georges  Creek  con- 
gregation, and  in  January,  1908,  he  moved  his  family  to  Somerset, 
Pennsylvania,  having  purchased  an  interest  in  a  department  store. 
Here  he  clerked  in  the  store  six  days  in  the  week  and  preached 
nearly  every  Sunday. 


468  HISTORY    OF   THE   CHURCH    OF   THE 

In  1910  he  accepted  a  call  to  tlie  pastorate  of  the  Jacobs  Creek 
congregation,  though  he  did  not  move  his  family  there  until  Feb- 
ruary 19,  1911.  Four  years  of  successful  pastoral  work  have  been 
completed  and  he  is  chosen  for  another  year.  In  1910  Jacobs 
Creek  congregation  had  160  members,  two  preaching  places  and 
one  Sunday-school  with  an  average  attendance  of  forty-seven. 
Now  (December,  1915),  the  membership  is  310,  there  are  five 
preaching  appointments,  and  the  Sunday-school  averages  125  in  at- 
tendance. Four  young  brethren  have  been  called  to  the  min- 
istry, and  the  various  church  auxiliaries  are  doing  good  work. 
Brother  and  Sister  Ludwick's  family  consists  of  four  sons — Henry 
D.  (who  joined  the  church  when  nine  years  old),  Harry  A.,  Ray 
E.,  and  Berzy  B.,  Jr.,  and  one  daughter,  Mary  Catharine.  Dur- 
ing the  ten  years  of  his  ministry  he  has  preached  818  sermons, 
held  eighteen  series  of  meetings,  baptized  161  persons,  solem- 
nized sixteen  marriages,  assisted  in  twenty-nine  anointings  and 
preached  thirty-nine  funeral  sermons.  He  is  active  in  the  various 
meetings  of  tlie  District. 

(Portrait   on    Tasc  107.) 

SAMUEL    P.    MAUST. 

SamuVl  W  Maust,  son  of  rotor  and  I'llizabotli  (Savior)  Maust, 
was  born  June  26,  1848,  in  tlie  old  log  liouse  on  the  property  of 
the  Consolidation  Coal  Company,  in  Summit  Township,  Som- 
erset County,  Pennsylvania.  When  ten  years  of  age,  witli  his  par- 
ents he  moved  to  Elk  Lick  Townsliip,  on  the  old  Maust  farm,  wliich 
the  Mausts  have  owned  over  sinco  it  was  patontod.  Hero  ho  lias 
lived  ever  since. 

He  received  his  education  in  the  inil)lic  scliools,  sui)ple- 
niented  by  two  terms  of  Summer  Normal  of  four  and  six  weeks' 
length,  respectively.  When  twenty-one  he  taught  a  four  months' 
term  of  school.  However,  Rrotlier  Maust  lias  been  a  farmer  all 
his  life. 

On  December  21,  1871,  he  and  Miss  Lucinda  N.  Beachy  were 
united  in  marriage.  Sister  Maust  is  a  daughter  of  .A.  P.  and 
Christiana  Beachy.  The  following  spring  both  united  with  the 
church,  and  July  4,  1879,  he,  together  with  Brethren  I".  K.  Iloch- 
stetler  and  l^  D.  Brougher,  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  llie 
Mcj^ersdale  congregation.  .About  two  years  later  he  was  advanced 
to  the  second  degree  of  the  ministry,  and  on  May  5,  1915,  he  was 
ordained   to  the   eldership. 

Most  of  Brother  Maust's  ministerial  work  has  been,  and  is 
being  done  in  the  Meyersdale  and  surrounding  congregations.  lie 
has  kept  no  record  of  his  services,  but  he  feels  now  as  though 
a  good  part  of  his  work  was  going  to  and  coming  froin  services 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        4j9 


liltler    (Samuel    P.    Muust    and    Wife. 

on  horseback,  through  storm,  snow,  rain  and  sunshine — all  kinds 
of  weather.  A  good  part  of  Brother  Maust's  ministry  was  on 
the  outskirts  of  the  Meycrsdale  congregation,  which  had  a  largo 
territory  before  it  was  divided.  Elder  Maust  is  grateful  that 
he  was  accounted  worthy  of  the  high  calling  to  which  the  Lord 
called  him,  regrets  that  he  has  not  done  more,  and  is  still  will- 
ing to  do  what  he  can  to  further  the  Lord's  cause. 

CLOYD  A.  McDowell. 

C.  A.  McDowell  is  the  youngest  living  son  of  James  B.  and 
Ann  (Naylor)  McDowell.  James  B.  McDowell  came  to  this 
country  from  near  Ballymenna,  County  Antrim,  Ireland,  and  fol- 
lowed public  works,  mainly  railroad  work,  for  a  livelihood.  In 
1855  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ann  Naylor.  To  this 
union  five  sons  were  born,  of  whom  two,  John  and  Martin,  are 
deceased,  both  dying  young.  Samuel,  the  oldest,  a  deacon,  and 
Robert,  the  next  oldest,  who  is  also  a  member,  live  near  Johns- 
town. 

C.  A.  was  born  in  Westmoreland  County,  March  24,  1862,  and 
shortly  afterward, the  family  moved  to  Cambria  City,  which  is  now 
a  part  of  the  city  of  Johnstown,  where,  on  February  18,  1865,  the 
father  was  killed  on  the  Pennsylvania  railroad,  just  east  of  the 
station. 

The  family  continued  to  live  in  and  around  Johnstown,  where 
the  mother  became  a  member  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  and 
lived  to  the  age  of  78,  dying  March  21,  1912.  C.  A.  was  thrown 
upon  his  own  resources  very  early  in  life.     When  sixteen  he  found 


470 


HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 


£!der   C.  A.  McDowell  and   Wife. 

employment  with  the  Cambria  Iron  Company  (now  Cambria  Steel 
Company),  where  he  continued  to  work  about  twenty-five  years, 
the  last  eight  years  as  an  electrician.  His  schooling  was  limited 
to  less  than  half  of  what  might  be  termed  a  common  school  edu- 
cation of  his  day. 

On  April  3,  1884,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Eva  Hen- 
derson, daughter  of  Robert  and  Anna  Rebecca  Henderson,  of 
Johnstown.  They  are  the  parents  of  seven  sons  and  four  daugh- 
ters, all  living  but  one  son  who  died  in  infancy.  All  l)ut  the  young- 
est two  are  members  of  the  church. 

Brother  and  Sister  McDowell  united  with  tlic  church  at  Wal- 
nut Grove,  in  October,  1889,  being  baptized  liy  A.  W.  Myers. 
Several  years  he  served,  as  superintendent  of  the  Pleasant  Hill 
Sundaj'-school;  also  as  trustee.  He  was  called  to  be  a  deacon  in  the 
West  Johnstown  congregation,  October  24.  1899;  elected  to  the 
ministry  in  the  same  congregation,  December  28.  1899;  advanced 
January  1,  1901;  ordained  to  eldership  in  the  Bolivar  church, 
July  19.  1913,  by  Elders  W.  M.  Howe  and  J.  J.  Shaffer. 

Several  years  after  his  call  to  the  ministry  he  left  the  public 
works,  and  tried  farming.  He  sold  his  farm  in  1910,  and  on  April 
1,  1911,  he  took  up  the  pastorate  of  the  Bolivar  congregation. 
Here  he  remained  till  March  1,  1915,  when  he  took  pastoral  charge 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        471 

of  the  Sipesville  church  of  the  Quemahoning  congregation.  Dur- 
ing his  pastorate  at  Bolivar  he  baptized  forty-one  and  reclaimed 
nine. 

Elder  McDowell  has  done  some  fruitful  evangelistic  work. 
tie  held  his  first  meeting  in  October,  1910,  in  Bolivar.  Since 
that  time  he  has  assisted  in  about  a  score  of  meetings,  during 
which  107  were  baptized  and  sixteen  restored.  Elder  McDowell 
usually  attends  the  meetings  of  the  District  and  takes  an  active 
l)art    in    them. 

THOMAS  G.  McMASTERS. 

Thomas  G.  McMasters,  son  of  Dckil  and  Celine  (Darr)  Mc- 
Masters,  was  born  August  14,  1858,  in  Chest  Township,  Clear- 
field  County,  Pennsylvania.  His  parents  were  of  Irish  descent, 
but  American  born,  and  were  members   of  the    Baptist  Church. 

Brother  "  Tommy,"  as  he  was  familiarly  called,  was  married 
to  Miss  Emma  R.  Pennington  by  Manuel  Hildebran,  J.  P.,  of 
La  Jose,  Pennsylvania,  in  1881.  To  this  union  were  born  eleven 
children,  all  of  whom  are  members  of  the  church,  but  perhaps  the 
youngest  daughter.  Sister  McMasters  was  born  April  5,  1865, 
and  died  October  12,  1909,  aged  44  years,  6  months  and  7  days. 

Brother  McMasters  was  for  years  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
Church,  but  united  with  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  in  1891.  He 
was  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Glen  Hope  church,  July  16, 
1896.  He  was  one  of  the  principal  workers  of  his  church  and 
sometimes  represented  it  in  District  Meetings.  He  was  a  faith- 
ful, kind-hearted  brother  and  father.  He  was  the  same  wherever 
he  went,  and  he  had  a  kind  word  for  everybody.  His  zeal  for  the 
missionary    cause    and    the    Sunday-school    was    commendable. 

Fie  died  at  Brother  Geo.  Bishop's  home  in  La  Jose,  December 
31,  1913,  aged  55  years,  4  months  and  17  days.  He  was  buried  in  the 
cemetery  at  the  Chest  Creek  meetinghouse.  His  funeral  was 
preached  by  his  brother  minister,  A.  R.  Kitchen.  He  is  much 
missed  by  the  church  and  by  all  who  knew  him. 

HARRY    MEREDITH. 

Harry  Meredith,  son  of  George  and  Elizabeth  (Morris)  Mere- 
dith, was  born  in  Mount  Pleasant,  Westmoreland  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania, October  4,  1888.  George  Meredith  was  born  in  Stafiford- 
shire,  England,  October  4,  1848,  and  came  to  the  United  States  in 
April,  1881.  Elizabeth  Morris  was  born  in  Strabridge,  County  of 
Worcestershire,  England,  September  4,  1850,  and  came  to  the 
United   States    in    1883. 

Brother  Meredith's  educational  facilities  were  rather  limited. 
By  occupation  he  is  a  paper-hanger.  On  April  21,  1915,  he  mar- 
ried Miss  Stella  May  Krieger.     He  united  with  the  Church  of  the 


472  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

Brethren  in  Februarj',  1914,  being  one  of  fourteen  baptized  l)y 
Brotlier  P>.  B.  Ludwick.  Sister  Meredith  was  baptized  during  the 
summer  of  1915,  having  publiclj'  accepted  Jesus  at  the  close  of 
the  sermon  by  Elder  J.  II.  Lassady  on  the  closing  night  of  the 
Sunday-scliool  conventiun  held  in  the  Roxbury  house  of  the  West 
Johnstown  congregation.  March  27,  1915,  Brother  Meredith  was 
called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Jacobs  Creek  congregation,  where 
he  niiw  labors. 

(Portrait    on    Pasc   107.) 

NATHANIEL  MERRILL. 

Nathaniel  Merrill,  son  of  John  and  h^lcnora  (VVeitzeU)  Mer- 
rill, was  born  in  1844.  It  is  not  known  when  his  ancesto's  emi- 
grated from  Europe.  His  father  was  of  Fcotch  descent  and  his 
mother  of  German.  He  was  reared  in  Allegheny  (now  Garrett) 
County,  Maryland.  lie  was  given  a  fairly"  good  common  school 
education.  Besides  being  a  minister  he  was  a  farmer  i)art  ul 
the  time. 

He  was  married  to  Louisa  Blochcr,  in  lcS66,  by  Elias  Weit/ell. 
When  and  where  he  was  called  to  the  ministry  is  not  stated. 
He  was  a  Sunday-school  worker.  Brother  Merrill  was  consid- 
ered an  able  preacher  in  his  day,  and  he  was  much  loved  and 
highly  esteemed  by  all  who  knew  him.  I'or  some  years  he  lived 
in  Salisbury,  Pennsylvania,  and  assisted  in  the  work.  He  also 
labored  at  Uniontown,  Pennsylvania,  and  ftther  places  and  did  mis- 
sionary work  in  Hampshire  County,  West  Virginia.  He  held  some 
series  of  meetings.  He  died  in  Greeilsburg,  about  1893,  and  is 
buried  there. 

WILLIAM    S.    MEYERS. 

William  S.  Meyers  was  born  at  Berlin,  Somerset  County, 
Pennsylvania,  April  3,  1831.  Tie  was  the  third  son  of  Samuel  and 
Maggie   Meyers.     Eight   children   were   in    this   family. 

William  S.  was  at  home  helping  his  father  on  the  farm  until 
twenty-three  years  of  age.  On  September  7,  1851,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Elizabeth  Miller,  daughter  of  Peter  Miller.  In  October 
he  and  his  wife,  newly  married,  were  baptized. 

In  March,  1854,  he  purchased  a  farm  in  Milford  Township, 
Somerset  County,  and  moved  thereon,  wiiere  he  still  resides, 
with  his  youngest  son,  Mahlon  J.  Tliis  is  in  the  Middle  Creek 
congregation.  To  this  union  were  born  nine  children;  viz.,  Jo- 
seph W.,  a  deacon,  residing  on  an  adjoining  farm;  Susan  and 
Mary,  deceased;  Samuel  J.,  residing  on  a  farm  at  Milledgeville, 
Illinois;  Maggie,  now  deceased,  was  the  wife  of  Madison  Brough- 
er;  Annie,  married  to  J.  W.  Hostettler;  Mahlon  J.,  also  a  deacon, 
with  whom  he  now  resides;  Sadie,  married  to  Cyrus  Bitner,  liv- 
ing at  Garrett;  and  Lizzie,  deceased.     .All  but   Mary,  who  died  at 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        473 


AG£  3S 


.EYE 


W.    S.    Meyers. 

three  j'ears  of  age,  united  with  the  Church  of  the  brethren.  Eliz- 
aljeth,  his  wife,  died  March  14,  1906,  in  her  seventy-fifth  year. 
Brother  Mej'crs  has  now  twenty-eight  grandchildren  and  twenty- 
live    great-grandchildren. 

Brother  Meyers  was  elected  to  the  deacon  office  in  1855,  and 
in  1867  he  was  called  to  tlie  ministry,  all  in  the  Middle  Creek  con- 
gregation. He  has  lived  to  see  many  changes  in  his  home  con- 
gregation and  in  the  Brotlierhood  at  large.  He  is  now  almost 
eighty-five  years  old  and  is  enjoying  reasonably  good  health. 
Four  grandsons  have  been  elected  to  the  ministry;  one  of  these 
has  been  ordained  to  the  eldership,  and  a  fifth  has  l)een  elected 
to  the  deacon  office. 

Written  liy  his  eldest  grandson,  \\'.  H.  Meyers,  by  request  of 
the  subject  of  this  sketch. 

FRANK    L.   MEYERS. 

Frank  L.  Me3'ers,  son  of  Brother  Xoah  and  Sister  Elizabeth 
(Lohr)  Meyers,  was  born  in  Upper  Yoder  Township,  Cambria 
County,  Pennsylvania,  June  25,  1873.  He  was  reared  on  the  farm 
and  attended  the  Stutzman  public  school,  where  he  received  a  good 
common  school  education.  In  1890  he  began  teaching  school. 
Having  a  desire  for  a  better  education  he  entered  Juniata  Col- 
lege, where  he  spent  about  four  years,  graduating  in  1894. 

In  September,  1898,  he  and  Miss  Annie  Strayer  were  united 
in  marriage.  Dr.  C.  C.  Ellis,  of  Juniata  College,  officiating. 
December  28,   1899,  he   and   C.   A.   McDowell  were   called   to   the 


474  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

ministry  of  the  newly  organized  West  Johnstown  congregation 
He  taught  in  the  Kernville  Hill  and  Woodvale  schools  a  number 
of  years.  Me  was  a  successful  teacher  and  entered  upon  his 
ministerial  duties  with  commendable  zeal,  and  bid  fair  to  be- 
come a  useful  minister,  when  death  claimed  him  August  25,  1901, 
aged  28  years  and  2  months.  He  was  laid  to  rest  in  Grand  View 
cemetery.  The  large  number  of  people  that  attended  his  funeral 
and  followed  his  remains  to  the  cemetery  was  proof  of  the  high 
esteem  in  which  he  was  held. 

SAMUEL  A.  MEYERS. 

Samuel  A.  Meyers  was  born  in  the  Middle  Creek  congrega- 
tion, Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania,  June  9,  1887.  He  is  the 
youngest  of  the  three  sons  and  three  daughters  of  Deacon  Jo- 
seph W.  and  Elizabeth  Meyers.  He  was  reared  on  the  farm  and 
was  given  good  educational  advantages.  He  taught  in  the  pub- 
lic schools  of  Milford  Township  during  the  winter  and  worked  on 
his  father's  farm  during  the  summer  until  the  winter  of  1914-15, 
wlien  he  spent  one  term  in  Bethany  Bible  School,  of  Chicago, 
Illinois. 

He  was  baptized  in  the  spring  of  1899  by  Elder  Silas  Hoover. 
On  August  17,  1910,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Sister  Mary  M. 
Walker,  daughter  of  Elder  D.  II.  Walker.  Brother  Meyers  was 
elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Middle  Creek  congregation,  on  May 
20,  1911,  and  forwarded  to  the  second  degree  on  .August  30,  1913. 
lie   lal)ors   in    the   same   congregation. 

(Portrait  on   Page  445.) 

THOMAS  B.  MICKEL. 

T.  B.  Mickel  was  born  in  licdford  County,  Pennsylvania. 
February  16,  1871,  and  was  one  of  a  family  of  tlrrteen  children.  He 
was  reared  on  the  farm,  worked  some  at  the  carpenter  trade,  then 
returned  to  the  farm. 

He  was  married  to  Miss  Annie  M.  Blackburn  February  25, 
1892.  To  this  union  were  born  four  cliildren,  three  of  whom 
are  living;  namely,  Raymond,  a  student  al  Juniata  College,  Verna 
and  Ruth,  at  home. 

Brother  Mickel  was  born  into  the  fold  of  Christ  in  1893,  was 
elected  to  the  ministry  March  16,  1901,  advanced  to  the  second 
degree  October  28,  1005,  and  ordained  to  the  eldership  September 
10,  1915.  all  in  the  Holsinger  house  of  the  Dunnings  Creek  congre- 
gation.    He  is  one  of  the  present  elders  of  that  church. 

JACOB    D.    MILLER. 

Jacob  D.  Miller  was  born  June  6.  1809,  among  the  hills,  near 
Meyersdalc,  in  the  Elk  Lick  congregation,  Somerset  County, 
Pennsylvania,  and  died  at   the  home  of  his  son,   C.  J.   Miller,   near 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


475 


m 

**! 

% 

^^^        ^  - 

r 

.. 

A 

^1 

1 

Jacob   D.   Miller. 


Somerset,  on  March  17,  1896,  after  an  illness  of  eight  weeks,  at 
the  ripe  old  age  of  86  years,  9  months  and  11  days.  He  was 
the  oldest  of  a  family  of  eleven  children — six  sons  and  five  daugh- 
ters. 

He  was  married  to  Miss  Barbara  Saylor,  also  of  Elk  Lick, 
and  in  their  marriage  they  were  blessed  with  eleven  children — 
seven  sons  and  four  daughters.  All  but  one  of  the  children 
became  members  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  of  which  church 
both  Brother  and  Sister  Miller  became  members  shortly  after  their 
marriage. 

As  it  was  common  in  those  days  for  young  men  to  learn  some 
trade  besides  farming.  Elder  Miller  was  a  wagonmaker.  In  1847 
he  sold  his  farm  and  stock  near  Elk  Lick,  and  bought  a  farm  of 
600  acres  one  mile  from  Somerset.  On  this  farm,  known  as  the 
Charles  Ogle  farm,  he,  with  his  faithful  companion,  reared  his 
children  to  manhood  and  womanhood. 

In  1854  Brother  Miller  and  his  oldest  son,  Edward,  were 
elected  to  the  ministry  at  the  same  time,  in  the  Middle  Creek 
congregation.  Here  he  served  the  church  faithfully  as  a  minis- 
ter in  the  second  degree  until  the  end  of  his  life.     He  was  not  a 


476  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

liuent  speaker,  but  was  a  faitliful  and  earnest  worker  in  the  cause 
of  Christ,  filling  the  pulpit  to  the  best  of  his  ability,  and  fre- 
quently preaching  in  the  German  language.  As  a  counselor  and 
promoter  of  peace  he  will  long  be  remembered  in  the  large 
congregation,  out  from  which  so  many  members  moved  to  the 
West. 

In  1856  he  donated  the  plot  of  ground  where  a  churchhouse 
was  built  and  dedicated  to  the  services  of  God,  and  where  meet- 
ings were  held  instead  of  in  the  homes  of  the  Brethren,  as  was  then 
the  custom.  This  house  of  worship  was  called  the  I'airview  house, 
and  was  in  use  for  many  3'ears.  In  the  minds  of  many  pleasant 
memories  linger  of  the  days  when  Brother  and  Sister  Major 
preached  to  large  audiences;  also  Elders  D.  P.  Saylcr,  Graybill 
Meyers,  John  Wise,  Joseph   I.  Cover  and  others. 

In  those  days  of  civil  strife  in  the  nation,  then  of  recon- 
struction, then  of  division  within  the  church,  causing  great  strain 
in  family  and  church  relationship  all  over  the  Brotherhood,  West- 
ern Pennsylvania  found  great  comfort  in  the  sincerity  and  faith- 
fulness of  loyal  brethren  like  Jacob  D.   Miller. 

JOHN  B.  MILLER. 

John  B.  Miller,  son  of  Jacob  W.  and  Catharine  (Walter)  Mil- 
ler, was  born  in  Bedford  County,  Pennsylvania,  May  5,  1837.  By  oc- 
cupation he  was  a  farmer,  and  his  entire  life  was  spent  in  Bed- 
ford County,  living,  however,  at  several  different  places.  .After 
1873  he  lived  either  near  or  in  New  Paris.  His  early  educa- 
tional facilities  were  poor,  j'ct  by  close  application  he  became 
a   well   read  man,  and  an  acceptable   speaker. 

January  6,  1859,  he  was  married  to  Susannah  E.  Hoover, 
daughter  of  John  P.  Hoover.  To  this  union  were  born  three 
sons  and  three  daughters.  Sister  Miller  died  in  1868.  Some  time 
after  he  married  Elizabeth  Furry,  widow  of  John  B.  Furry,  and 
daughter  of  Daniel  Snowbcrger.  His  second  wife  died  July  12, 
1905. 

He  united  with  tlie  churcli  in  his  young  days  (1856),  and  for 
six  years  served  the  church  in  the  capacity  of  deacon.  January  15, 
1871,  he  was  elected  to  the  ministry,  in  1875  he  was  advanced 
to  the  second  degree  of  the  ministry,  and  June  8,  1895,  he  was  or- 
dained to  the  eldership. 

Elder  Miller  was  a  man  of  good  judgment  and  was  the  means 
of  winning  souls  for  the  kingdom.  In  his  earlier  years  in  the 
ministry  he  held  a  number  of  series  of  meetings  in  Pennsylvania 
and  other  States.  He  traveled  from  ocean  to  ocean.  He  attend- 
ed many  Annual  Conferences  as  delegate,  the  last  one  being 
at  York,  in  1912.     He  was  agent  for  our  church  publications  from 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        477 


Elder  John  B.   Miller. 

the  Gospel  Visitor  to  the  Gospel  Messenger,  being  agent  until 
death.  He  was  often  cjilled  to  preach  funerals,  for  which  he 
was  peculiarly  adapted.  He  was  of  a  cheerful  and  somewhat 
jovial  disposition,  and  was  capable  of  bringing  comfort  and  con- 
solation to  saddened  hearts.  He  also  solemnized  sixty-four  mar- 
riages. 

Elder  Miller  was  of  German  ancestr}^  but  he  preached  in 
English.  The  Lord  prospered  the  labors  of  his  hands,  and  he 
accumulated  considerable  of  this  world's  goods,  yet  he  counted 
himself  only  as  steward  over  the  things  that  God  had  entrusted  to 
.  him,  and  was  very  liberal.  He  gave  much  of  his  time  and  means 
for  the  benefit  of  the  church,  and  was  always  ready  to  help  the 
poor.  He  often  ^aid  that  the  Lord  never  prospered  him  till  he 
became  liberal  with  his  means.  He  always  was  a  member  of  the 
Dunnings  Creek  congregation,  and  was  a  strong  pillar  of  the 
same.  He  was  a  strong  believer  in  mission  work,  and  served  on 
the  Home  Mission  Board  one  term,  when  he  was  well  up  in 
years.  Many  will  remember  his  appeals  for  more  liberal  con- 
tributions to  the  mission  funds,  so  as  to  be  able  to  render  as- 
sistance in  the  many  needy  fields. 

He    died    October    9,    1912,    aged    75    years,    5    months    and    4 


47H 


HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 


days.  Funeral  services  were  conducted  liy  liis  colaborer.  Levi 
Rogers,  assisted  l)y  Elder  Levi  Holsingcr  and  Reverend  Conly, 
of  the  Evangelical  Church,  in  the  church  of  the  Brethren  in  New 
Paris,  and  interment  was  made  in   York  cemetery. 


Elder     Perry     V.     Miller. 


PERRY  U.  MILLER. 

P.  U.  Miller,  son  of  I'cter  C.  and  Ivehecca  Miller,  was  horn  in 
Somerset  County,  f^ennsyUania,  l)eceml)er  '>.  1S47.  Being  the  son 
of  a  farmer,  he  spent  his  boyhood  days  on  the  farm. 

The  War  of  the  Rebellion  affected  his  school  life  very  much. 
When  fourteen  years  of  age,  his  older  brothers  having  enlisted 
in  the  army,  he  was  deprived  of  all  school  advantages,  and  this 
continued  for  the  next  twelve  years.  At  the  age  of  twenty-six 
he  again  took  his  books  and  started  to  school.  By  his  industry 
and  perseverance  he  soon  had  a  teachers'  professional  certificate. 
He  began  teaching  in  1R74  and  taught  twonty-fne  terms  in  the 
same  school   district. 

While  teaching  he  assisted  in  the  organization  of  a  read- 
ing circle,  known  as  the  Chautauqua  Literary  and  Scientific  Cir- 
cle,  from   which   he   graduated   in    1886. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        479 

On  the  7th  of  February,  1869,  he  was  married  to  Elizabeth 
Walker,  daughter  of  Daniel  P.  and  Elizabeth  Walker,  Elder 
George  Schrock  officiating.  He  was  baptized  in  1871  by  D.  P. 
Walker.  His  Sunday-school  life  dates  from  about  1859.  He  still 
loves  to  labor  in  the  Sunday-school  in  behalf  of  the  children 
as  well  as  for  all  wlio  need  help. 

After  having  served  faithfully  as  deacon  in  the  Brothers  Val- 
ley congregation,  he  was  elected  to  the  ministry  on  November 
6,  1897.  He  was  advanced  to  the  second  degree  November  13, 
1898,  and  ordained  to  the  eldership  August  23,  1908,  by  Elders 
Silas    Hoover  and   S.    P.   Zimmerman. 

DR.  SAMUEL  G.  MILLER. 

Samuel  G.  Miller  was  born  near  Livermore,  Pennsylvania, 
March   4,    1831.      He   received   a   good    common    school    education, 


Dr.   Samuel  O.  MiUer. 


480  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

and  for  two  years  he  "taught  school.  He  attended  an  academic 
course  at  Glade  Run  Academy.  At  the  age  of  twenty-two  he 
studied  medicine  three  years,  and  attended  a  course  at  Cleve- 
land (Ohio)  Medical  College.  lie  began  practicing  medicine  in 
1854,  and  practiced  nine  years,  then  went  back  to  the  same  col- 
lege, took  another  course,  and  graduated.  Then  he  moved  to 
Bolivar,  Westmoreland  County,  and  has  been  practicing  ever 
since. 

Dr.  Miller  was  married  at  the  age  of  twenty-one.  He  was 
twice  married.  When  a  boy  he  united  with  the  Methodist  Church, 
and  in  1855  he  was  licensed  to  preach  in  that  denomination.  When 
the  Brethren  began  preaching  at  Bolivar,  he  became  interested 
in  their  doctrine,  and  he  and  his  wife  united  with  the  church  in 
1872.  being  among  the  earliest  converts.  In  1877  he  was  elected 
to  the  ministry  in  the  Bolivar  congregation,  being  the  first  resi- 
dent  minister   the    congregation   had. 

He  lived  at  different  times  in  Scalp  Level,  Ligonier  Valley, 
Johnstown,  and  other  places,  and  is  now  living  at  Livermore, 
Pennsyvania,  at  the  age  of  84  years.  Dr.  Miller  was  considered  a 
trustworthy  and  competent  physician,  and  a  well-informed  preach- 
er, but  for  a  number  of  years  has  done  very  little  preaching,  as 
ho  has  l)een  living  somewhat  isolated  from  any  of  our  churches. 
Last  fall,  at  a  love  feast  at  Bolivar,  he  declined  to  assist  in  the 
services,  feeling  the  weight  of  years.  A  few  more  years,  at  the 
best,  and  Brother  Miller  will  attend  no  more  earthly  communions. 

JOHN   W.   MILLS. 

John  W.  Mills,  son  of  William  W.  and  Barbara  Mills,  was 
born  in  Franklin  Borough,  Cambria  County,  Pennsylvania.  He 
received  part  of  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  that  bor- 
ough. y\s  a  boy  he  was  delighted  to  spend  his  summers  on  the 
farm.  At  fourteen  he  learned  the  trade  of  wire  drawing,  at  which 
he  made  good  progress.  While  working  in  the  wire  mill  the  great 
flood  of  1889  rolled  in  upon  the  town,  and  in  it  Brother  Mills  lost 
his  dear  father. 

This  left  a  sorrowing  mother,  four  sisters  and  a  little  baby 
brother,  who  was  too  young  to  have  any  recollection  of  his 
father.  In  those  days  of  sorrow  Brother  Mills  realized  what  re- 
sponsibilities rested  upon  him.  Though  young  in  years,  he  was  the 
only  support  of  the  family.  Many  a  time  he  wept  when  he  re- 
flected upon  his  responsibility.  He  loved  his  mother,  sisters 
and  little  brother  more  than  tongue  can  express.  The  wire  mill 
in  which  he  had  worked  had  been  swept  away  by  the  flood,  so 
he   had   to   seek  elsewhere   for  a  job.      He   secured   cnii)loyment   in 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        481 


John   W.   Mills  and    Wife. 


the  CoiTeniaugh  engine  house,  where  he  labored  a  number  of 
years,  giving  all  his  earnings  to  his  mother  until  he  was  twenty- 
two  years  of  age. 

He  was  a  member  of  the  United  Evangelical  Church,  of  which 
his  mother,  sisters  and  brother  are  still  members.  On  October  3, 
1893,  he  married  Lizzie,  daughter  of  Elder  Abraham  Fyock.  He 
attended  the  services  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  became  much 
•  interested  in  the  church  and  her  doctrines  and  finally  decided  to 
become  a  member,  and  was  baptized  one  evening  after  services, 
AT.  a  stream.  After  being  in  the  church  six  or  seven  months  he 
was  elected  to  the  ministrj^,  June  29,  1905,  in  the  Johnstown  con- 
gregation. 

At  this  time  he  was  running  a  locomotive  for  the  Cambria 
Steel  Company.  When  Sister  Mills,  who  had  been  at  the  council, 
informed  him  of  his  election  he  was  at  first  inclined  to  treat  it  as 
a  joke.  After  serious  reflection  he  decided  not  to  heed  the  call. 
Sickness  entered  their  home  and  fastened  itself  upon  their  baby. 
The   child   grew   worse.     A    physician    was    called.      He    could    not 


482  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

lielp  tlie  child,  and  gave  it  up  to  die,  saying  it  could  not  live 
more  than  a  few  hours.  His  mother  came  into  the  home  and 
stated  how  she  had  prayed  the  Father  in  regard  to  the  child, 
and  further  asserted  that  if  he  would  heed  the  call  of  God  through 
the  church,  the  child  would  get  well.  Tn  tears  he  decided  he 
would  try  to  preacli  the  Gospel.  From  that  time  the  child  began 
to  thrive  and  is  living  today.  Remember,  reader,  God  will  find 
us  some  way  when  we  refuse  to  heed  his  call. 

He  changed  from  locomotive  engineer  to  locomotive  machin- 
ist, working  seven  days  a^week,  and  trying  to  do  some  preach- 
ing along  with  his  work.  Believing  it  wrong  to  work  on  Sunday, 
he  and  his  foreman  had  a  consultation  on  the  matter.  As  it  was 
difificult  to  get  men  to  work  on  holidays.  Brother  Mills  offered 
to  work  on  all  holidays,  providing  he  did  not  need  to  work  on 
the  Lord's  Day.  The  ofifer  was  accepted.  That  was  a  happy  day 
for  Brother  Mills.  He  enjoyed  being  free  on  Sundays.  It  is 
not  strange  that  he  learned  to  preach. 

Again  there  came  a  test.  In  1914  the  members  of  the  Mor- 
rellville  church  of  the  West  Johnstown  congregation  extended  a 
call  for  him  to  become  their  pastor.  The  burden  lay  heavily  upon 
him.  He  remembered  EHsha,  and  decided  that  if  God  could  use 
a  man  from  the  plow  he  could  use  a  man  from  the  mill.  They 
moved  to  Morrellville  and  began  the  work  February  3,  1914.  God 
has  wonderfully  blessed  their  work.  The  church  and  Sunday- 
school  attendance  has  increased  very  mic!i.  The  Sunday-school 
became  l-'ront  Line  the  first  year.  The  membership  has  very  materi- 
ally enlarged. 

I'.rothcr  Mills  has  held  some  successful  series  of  meetings. 
In  three  protracted  efforts  nearly  threescore  jiersons  united  with 
the  church.  Brother  Mills  has  represented  his  church  at  the  va- 
rious meetings  of  the  District  as  well  as  at  Annual  Conference. 

JOHN    MINEELY. 

John  Mineely  was  born  in  Ireland  in  17S3.  liis  parents  were 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  He  came  to  America  when 
he  was  but  eighteen  years  of  age  in  order  to  escape  military  serv- 
ice. He  had  a  bright  intellect,  and  became  a  school-teacher  of 
note,  teaching  in  both  the  English  and  German  languages.  He 
taught  school  for  a  number  of  years. 

He  married  Elizabeth  Morgan,  daughter. of  Elder  Peter  and 
Margaret  (Groos)  Morgan,  October  6,  1809.  Their  children  were: 
Peter,  who  married  an  Irish  Catholic  lady:  Jacob,  who  married 
a  Miss  Arthurs;  John,  who  married  Susan  Custer:  Peggy,  who 
married    Jacob    Giflin,    into    whose    possession    the    Mineely    farm 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        483 

came;  Hannah,  who  was  married  to  a  Mr.  Ling;  Susan  and 
Mary,  who  were  never  married.  After  marriage  he  farmed  his 
father-in-law's  farm  on  the  Wertz  Hill  for  three  or  four  years, 
after  which  he  moved  to  a  farm  above  Conemaugh,  afterward 
called  Mineely  Hill,  then  Giffin  Hill,  now  Locust  Grove.  Here  he 
reared  his  family  and  lived  while  he  did  his  church  work  in 
the  Conemaugh  and  surrounding  congregations.  He  died  June 
2,  1852,  after  an  illness  of  eight  or  nine  weeks,  aged  nearly  69 
years,  and  is  buried  on  his  farm. 

We  do  not  know  when  he  was  elected  to  the  ministry,  but 
in  his  ministerial  labors  he  was  contemporary  with  Elders  Jacob 
Stutzman,  Levi  Roberts  and  Samuel  Lidy,  and  probably  not  a 
whit  behind  any  of  them  in  ability  and  zeal  for  the  cause  of  the 
Master.  He  was  the  first  minister  in  all  these  parts  to  wear  a  full 
beard.  He  dressed  plainly  and  was  a  very  consistent  member  of 
the  church.  His  services  were  in  demand  as  far  as  he  was  known. 
He  traveled  much  among  the  churches  of  Bedford,  Indiana, 
Armstrong,  Somerset,  Cambria  and  other  Counties.  He  was  not 
a  large  man  physically,  but  strong  and  had  a  powerful  voice. 
He  preached  earnestly,  fluently  and  in  a  plain,  simple  manner. 
He  often  walked  long  distances  to  preach.  He  never  carried  a 
gun  to  defend  himself,  because  he  believed  that  God  would  defend 
him  while  in  the  discharge  of  his  Christian  duties.  It  is  said  that 
once  as  he  was  walking  along  a  road  through  some  woods,  he 
looked  ahead  and  saw  what  he  thought  was  a  large  dog  driving 
some  cattle.  When  he  got  nearer  he  found  that  it  was  a  pan- 
ther, which  crouched  down  in  a  position  to  spring  upon  him. 
Having  no  weapon  with  him  to  defend  himself,  he  just  stood  still 
and  stared  the  panther  straight  in  the  eyes  for  a  while,  when  it 
ran  into  the  thicket.  He  stood  still  to  see  the  salvation  of  the 
Lord,  and  was  safe.  He  was  a  man  of  great  courage  and  deter- 
mination. Three  of  his  children,  Peggy,  John  and  Susan,  became 
members  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren.  He  tied  so  many  nuptial 
knots  that  his  youngest  two  daughters  witnessed,  that  one  of  them 
on  one  occasion  said  that  she  could  do  it  as  well  as  her  father,  if  he 
was  not  at  home. 

We  here  give  a  copy  of  his  naturalization  papers,  which  we 
believe   will   prove   interesting   to   coming  generations. 

Naturalization   Papers  of  John   Mineely. 

"BE  IT  REMEMBERED,  THAT  at  a  Court  of  Common 
Pleas,  held  at  Ebensburg,  for  the  County  of  Cambria,  in  the 
Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania,  in  the  United  States  of  America, 
on  the  first  day  of  October  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand 
eight   hundred  and   thirty-four,  John   Mineely,   a  native   of   Ireland, 


4P4  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

exhibited  a  petition,  praying  to  he  admitted  to  I)ecome  a  CITI- 
ZEN OF  THE  UNITED  STATES,  and  it  appearing  to  the  said 
court  that  he  had  declared  on  affirmation  before  same  court  on 
tlu-  tliird  (hiy  of  October,  A.  D.  1831,  that  it  was  bona  fide  his  in- 
tention to  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States,  and  to  renounce 
forever  all  allegiance  and  fidelity  to  any  foreign  prince,  jjotentate, 
state  or  sovereignty  whatsoever,  and  particularly  the  King  of 
the  United  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  of  whom  he 
was  at  that  time  a  subject;  and  tlie  said  John  Mineely,  having  on 
his  solemn  affirmation  declared  and  also  made  proof  thereof  by 
competent  testimony  of  Daniel  Ruber  and  Robert  P.  Linton,  Esq., 
citizens  of  the  United  States,  he  had  resided  one  year  and  upwards 
within  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  and  within  tlie  United  States 
of  America,  upwards  of  five  years  immediately  preceding  his  ap- 
plication; and  it  appearing  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  court,  that 
(luring  tiiat  time  he  had  behaved  as  a  man  of  good  moral  char- 
acter; attached  to  the  principles  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States,  and  well  disposed  to  the  good  order  and  happiness  of  the 
same;  and  having  declared  on  his  solemn  affirmation  before  the 
said  court,  that  he  would  support  the  CONSTITUTION  OF  THE 
IGNITED  STATES,  and  that  he  did  absolutely  and  entirely  re- 
nounce and  al)jure  all  allegiance  and  fidelity  to  everj'  foreign 
prince,  potentate,  state  and  sovereignty  whatever,  and  particularly 
to  the  King  of  the  United  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland, 
of  whom  he  was  before  a  subject,  and  thereupon  the  court  ad- 
mitted the  said  John  Mineely  to  Itecome  a  CI'l'IZEN  OF  THE 
UNITED  STATES,  and  ordered  all  the  i)n)cee(lings  aforesaid 
to  be  recorded  by  the  protlionotary  of  the  said  court,  which  was 
done  accordingly. 

"  In  witness  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  affixed 
the  seal  of  the  said  court  at  Ebensburg,  this  ninth  day  of  October, 
in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirty- 
f(,ur  and  of  the  SOVEREIGNTY  AND  I  NDEPEyDEXCE  of 
the  United  States  of  America,  the  iMfty-ninth. 

"A.     Bausman,     Prothdiiotary." 

MARK  MINSER. 

David  Minser,  of  Dutch  parentage,  whose  ancestors  came  to 
America  from  Holland,  settled  in  the  western  part  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. He  was  married  to  Mary  Howe,  whose  parents  came  from 
Germany,  lier  father  was  a  near  relative  of  General  Howe,  of 
Revolutionary  times.  These  were  the  parents  of  fourteen  chil- 
dren, ten  sons  and  four  daughters.  Ten  of  these  were  older  than 
Mark,  our  subject,  who  was  born  near  Harmony,  in  Butler  Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania,  September  5,  182S. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        485 


Elder  Mark  Blinser  and  Wife. 

His  father,  who  depended  on  day  labor  to  maintain  his  large 
family,  could  well  spare  little  Mark,  seven  years  old,  to  his  grand- 
mother, when  his  mother  died.  The  little  boy  delighted  to  make 
himself  useful  by  rendering  such  services  as  he  could  to  his 
grandparent.  Not  the  least  of  these  services  was  reading  the 
Bible  for  her.  This  was  Mark's  first  opportunity  of  training  for 
a  life  devoted  to  the  Master,  and  was  an  indispensable  help  to  the 
woman,  now  almost  blind. 

After  Mark's  grandmother  died  there  was  no  place  he  could 
call  home,  until  he  was  married  December  31,  1851,  to  Elizabeth 
Standley,  of  near  New  Castle,  Pennsylvania,  who  assisted  him  in 
erecting  a  home  of  their  own.  Of  the  ten  children  born  to  this 
union  nine  were  brought  up  to  maturity;  five  sons  and  four 
daughters.     One  son  died  in  infancy. 

Elder  Minser  started  out  in  life  with  no  capital  but  an 
abundance  of  will  power.     His  great  desire  was  for  an  education. 


486  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

though  the  only  opportunity  for  gratifying  this  desire  was  the 
private  school.  His  Bible  was  his  mainstay  and  principal  Text- 
book. This  he  diligently  studied.  The  financial  side  of  his  life  was 
a  hard  problem  to  solve,  he  working  iji  the  lumber  business.  He 
also  was  a  plasterer  by  trade.  Assisted  by  his  faithful  wife,  he 
worked  out  a  living  for  their  nine  children. 

He  had  an  interest  in  a  water-power  sawmill,  and  he  and  the 
boys  had  sawed  out  a  lot  of  lumber.  There  came  a  very  severe 
drought,  so  that  the  sawmill  as  well  as  the  flourmills  had  to  be 
closed  down  and  the  neighborhood  was  in  great  need.  As  Brother 
Minser  and  family  had  finished  eating  their  dinner  one  day  and 
everything  had  been  consumed,  the  mother  said,  "  What  shall  we 
do?  We  have  nothing  for  supper."  Brother  Mark  in  his  kind  way 
said,  "  The  Father  of  all  good  will  provide."  Not  knowing  what 
was  in  store  he  went  back  with  the  boys  to  stack  lumber.  They 
had  scarcely  begun  their  work  when  they  heard  the  sound  of 
wagons,  and  sure  enough,  two  loads  of  wheat  and  flour  came. 
The  owner  had  come  to  exchange  the  wheat  and  flour  for  lumber. 
The  deal  was  soon  made.  Not  having  had  dinner,  the  men  took 
a  sack  of  flour  to  the  house,  and  it  wasn't  long  until  a  steaming 
meal  was  prepared  and  all  rejoiced.  From  that  time  on  there  was 
plenty  for  the  family  as  well  as  for  the  ncigh))ors  until  the  drought 
was  over. 

Elder  Graybill  Myers,  a  very  active  evangelist  of  Middle 
Pennsylvania,  made  frequent  missionary  tours  through  the  Alle- 
gheny Valley  and  brought  many  into  the  fold  of  Christ.  During 
one  of  these  trips  he  baptized  Brother  Minser,  September  7.  1(S54. 
in  a  stream  in  Cope's  Settlement,  in  Clarion  County.  His  wife 
was  baptized  November  4,  1854.  He  was  called  to  the  ministry 
in  185H.  His  first  efifort  to  address  an  audience  was  at  Carley 
schoolhouse,  in  JeflFerson  County,  when  he  became  so  impressed 
with  the  responsibility  and  work  before  him  that  he  was  unable  to 
use  his  prepared  notes.  All  he  could  do  was  to  read  a  scripture 
and  close  the  meeting.  In  later  years  he  handled  the  Scriptures 
with  power,  bringing  many  into  the  kingdom,  principally  by  per- 
suasion. While  his  exegesis  was  not  so  deep,  it  was  convincing 
in  its  correctness.  For  thirty-seven  years  he  served  the  church 
faithfully  in   the  ministry. 

Brother  Minser  was  advanced  to  the  second  degree  of  the 
ministry  in  1867,  in  the  Montgomery  congregation,  Indiana  Coun- 
ty, while  still  living  in  JefTerson  County.  With  his  family  he 
moved  to  Indiana  County  in  1868,  and  became  very  active  in  church 
work  and  in  helping  the  sick  and  the  needy.  On  account  of  a  gun- 
shot wound  he  had  received  while  a  young  man,  he  could  not 
ride   horseback.      lie   walked   many   miles   to    fill   his   appointments. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        487 

He  considered  it  his  duty  to  do  his  Master's  bidding  and  was  al- 
ways prompt  in  his  work.  While  he  labored  in  the  Montgomery 
congregation  his  appointments  were  far  apart.  Upon  one  occa- 
sion, after  doing  a  week's  work,  he  walked  twenty  miles  on  Sat- 
urday to  fill  his  ap'pointinent.  The  next  day  he  walked  back, 
arriving  just  a  few  minutes  late.  He  walked  direct  to  the 
pulpit,  consulted  his  watch,  and  remarked,  "  I  am  almost  on 
time,"  and  began  addressing  the  waiting  audience,  with  all 
love,  never  murmuring  of  any  hardships.  Upon  another  occa- 
sion he  walked  nearly  eighteen  miles  to  fill  an  appointment, 
mostly  through  a  deep  forest.  While  on  his  way  he  became  very 
hungry  and  weak.  Nearing  the  top  of  a  hill,  he  found  that  a  re- 
cent forest  fire  had  left  many  fine  roasted  chestnuts  lying  on  the 
ground.  There  in  the  solitude  he  gave  thanks  to  his  Father,  and 
then  began  to  appease  his  hunger.  He  also  filled  his  pockets 
with  chestnuts,  that  ho  might  have  a  treat  for  the  children  where 
he  would  stop  for  the  night.  Such  acts  of  kindness  as  these 
were  his  delight. 

Brother  Minser  was  ordained  to  the  eldership  in  1877.  In  1880 
he  moved  onto  a  farm  in  the  Manor  congregation,  where,  upon  the 
death  of  Elder  David  Ober,  the  charge  of  the  Manor  congregation 
fell  upon  him.  Soon  after  this  move  the  Montgomery  brethren 
realized  their  loss  and  called  him  to  take  charge  of  their  con- 
gregation again.  He  never  needed  to  be  urged  to  do  his  duty. 
Answering  many  calls  to  do  mission  work,  h.e  opened  a  number 
of  new  fields  in  undeveloped  territory,  and  had  them  in  good  stand- 
ing when  he  gave  over  his  work. 

For' many  years  he  served  his  congregation  as  delegate  at 
District  Meetings,  and  in  1879  he  represented  the  District  on  the 
Standing  Committee,  at  Broadway,  Virginia. 

He  preached  many  funerals  and  performed  many  marriage 
ceremonies.  His  was  a  free  ministry  in  the  fullest  sense  of  the 
word.  He  never  received  any  remuneration  for  his  services, 
yet  he  did  his  work  cheerfully,  looking  for  his  reward  in  the 
world  to  come.  He  never  had  occasion  to  call  for  a  committee  to 
assist  in  adjusting  difficulties  or  dissatisfaction.  He  always  worked 
for  peace  and  harmony  in  the  church  as  well  as  in  the  neighbor- 
hood. His  piotto  at  council  was:  "Union  first  before  there  could 
be  a  communion."  He  was  frequently  called  to  assist  in  com- 
mittee work. 

As  his  health  failed  him  it  was  his  prayer  and  desire  to  travel 
and  preach  as  heretofore.  This  he  did  as  long  as  he  was  able. 
Shortly  before  he  took  his  bed  he  went  two  miles  to  church,  and 
from   there   to   a    council    at    the    Manor   house,    ten    miles   away. 


488  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

Being  scarcely  aljlc   to  walk,    Brother  Jacob   l'"yock   took  him   in  a 
conveyance. 

As  life  ebbed  away,  his  mind  wanderings  and  prayers  were 
for  the  peace  of  the  churcli  and  for  his  family.  He  peacefully  fell 
asleep  November  22,  liS95.  at  the  age  of  67  years,  2  months  and  17 
days.  Funeral  services  were  conducted  by  J.  H.  Beer,  assisted  by 
J.  W.  Spicher  and  Joseph  llolsopple.  Text,  Rev.  14:  13.  Inter- 
ment  in    Crooked    Creek   cemetery. 

SAMUEL  MOORE. 

Elder  Samuel  Moore  was  a  minister  in  the  Ten  Mile  congre- 
gation, and  died  April  21,  1866,  aged  36  years,  3  months  and  16 
days.  His  disease  was  chronic  broncliitis.  "  Our  esteemed  broth- 
er removed  to  Hancock  County,  Ohio,  early  in  the  spring  of  last 
year  and  enjoyed  a])parently  good  health  up  to  the  month  of 
•August,  when  he  took  ill,  and  after  a  jirotracted  illness  of  over  six 
months,  and  at  the  suggestion  of  his  pliysician,  lie  returned  back 
to  Pennsylvania  to  his  kind  relatives,  lie. left  a  widow  and  two 
small  children.  He  arranged  all  his  temporal  estate  for  the  benefit 
of  his  dear  companion.  I'^meral  ser\iccs  were  conduit l(1  by  holder 
Joseph  I.  Cover." 

PETER  MORGAN. 

He  is  also  known  as  I'eter  Maugen,  or  Maken,  but  his  will 
is  signed  Morgan.  He  came  from  HagcrstoH'U,  Marjdand.  about 
1797.  He  bought  a  .tract  of  land  containing  120  acres  from  Ludwig 
Wissinger  and  secured  a  warrant  for  the  land  dated  April  4,  179S. 
in  which  artick'  the  tract  is  called  "  Society  Hill."  At  that  time  it 
was  in  Quemahoning  Township,  Somerset  County.  Now  it  is  in 
Stony  Creek  Township,  Cambria  County.  June  8,  1799,  he  paid 
a  surveyor  forty  shillings  for  surveying  this  tract.  This  "  Society 
Hill  "  was  later  known  as  the  Jacob  Wertz  farm,  near  Walnut 
Grove.  He  was  married  to  Margaret  Groos.  They  had  six 
children:  Daniel,  Elizabeth,  married  to  John  Mineely;  Hannah, 
married  to  Jacob  Hoffman;  Mary,  Susannah  and  Catharine. 
Through  Mary  Hoffman,  born  May  18,  1818,  a  daughter  of  Jacob 
and  Hannah  HofTman,  who  was  married  to  Jacob  Wertz,  the  whole 
Wertz  family  descended. 

Elder  Morgan  was  one  of  the  first  ministers  who  settled  in 
this  part  of  the  State.  Not  much  is  remembered  by  the  present 
generation  about  his  ministerial  labors.  He  was  probablj'  well  up 
in  years  when  he  moved  here.  His  descendants  are  still  numerous 
in   and   around   Johnstown. 

THE    MURRAY    FAMILY. 

The   ancestor  of   tiie    Murray    family   in    .\merica   was   born   in 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        489 

Dublin,  Ireland,  and  was  a  man  with  a  good  education.  By  pro- 
fession he  was  a  school-teacher.  The  date  of  his  emigration  to 
America  was  not  obtained.  The  names  of  two  of  his  sons  are 
known,.  John  and  Jacob. 

John  Murray  was  married  to  Miss  Catharine  Saur,  Jr.,  of 
Philadelphia.  The  date  of  their  removal  across  the  mountains 
into  Western  Pennsylvania  is  not  remembered,  but  they  settled 
on  a  stream  called  Champion,  a  trilnitary  of  Indian  Creek,  Fay- 
ette Count}'.  John  was  appointed  justice  of  the  peace  by  the  Gov- 
ernor of  Pennsylvania,  which  office  he  held  till  death.  John  never 
became  a  member  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren.  Sister  Murray, 
being  a  member  of  one  of  the  early  prominent  families  of  the 
church,  was  a  faithful  and  influential  member  and  she  had  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  her  children  follow  her  example. 

Their  family  consisted  of  four  sons,  John  (died  at  the  age  of 
twenty-one),  Samuel  (also  died  in  bojhood),  Jacob  S.,  William  S., 
and  one  daughter. 

Jacob  S.  Murra}'  married  Susannah  .\ukerman,  and  to  them 
were  born  six  sons  and  six  daughters.  These  at  one  time  were 
all  members  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  but  in  the  division 
two  sons  and  two  daughters  and  their  families  went  with  the 
Brethren.  Three  of  the  sons  were  ministers  and  three  were  dea- 
cons, all  before  the  division.  The  father  of  this  remarkable  family, 
Jacob  S.  Murra3%  was  a  minister  in  Fayette  County  many  years. 
See  his  biography. 

Catharine  was  the  oldest  of  the  children.  She  married  Henry 
Felgar.  They  had  one  son  and  one  daughter.  The  son  died  at 
the  age  of  twelve.  The  daughter  was  married  to  Milton  Brooks. 
They  had  three  sons.  The  oldest  one,  Hcnrj'.  was  well  educated 
by  his  grandfather,  was  a  successful  teacher,  and  was  called  to 
the  ministrj^  in  the  Indian  Creek  congregation.  He  gave  prom- 
ise of  great  usefulness  in  the  church,  but  moving  in  high  society 
caused  his  ruin. 

Martha,  the  second  of  the  children,  was  married  to  John 
Davis,  a  Methodist.  They  had  three  sons  and  three  daughters. 
One  son  and  the  three  daughters  united  with  their  mother's 
church. 

John  was  the  first  son.  At  twenty-five  he  was  baptized  in 
Indian  Creek  by  Elder  James  Quinter.  Being  very  zealous  and 
well  informed  in  the  Scriptures,  he  was  called  to  be  a  deacon. 
He  married  Lizzie  Fulkerth.  In  1850  they  moved  to  the  Ryerson 
Station  congregation.  Three  sons  and  four  daughters  blest  their 
home.  The  three  sons,  Levi,  Joseph  and  James,  are  ministers  in 
the   Winebrennarian   Church.     John   died   in   his  sixty-fifth  year. 

James  A.  was  the  second  son.     He  married  Mary  Miller.     He 


4'JO  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

was  first  a  deacon,  and  a  few  j'cars  later  he  and  Jonathan  Horner 
were  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Indian  Creek  congregation. 
In  1859  they  also  moved  to  the  Ryerson  Station  congregation. 
They  had  three  sons  and  four  daughters.  James  A.  and  his  whole 
family  (except  his  wife)  went  with  the  Brethren.  This  move  was 
caused  largely  through  complications  and  dissatisfaction  arising 
out  of  the  erection  and  payment  of  a  new  church  building.  After 
the  division  he  did  not  do  much  preaching.  His  S£>n,  George,  was 
made  a  deacon,  and  Jacob  was  called  to  the  ministry.  He  died  in 
his  ninety-second  year. 

Samuel  A.,  the  next  son,  was  married  to  Agnes  Fulkerth.  They 
lived  first  in  the  Indian  Creek  congregation,  next  in  Jacobs  Creek, 
then  in  the  Ryerson  Station  congregation,  where  he  was  called  to 
be  a  deacon.  To  them  were  born  four  sons  and  four  daughters. 
He  died  in  his  eighty-eighth  year. 

William  A.  Murray  was  the  next  child.     See  his  biography. 

Next  came  Elizabeth.  She  was  married  to  Daniel  Myers. 
They  united  with  the  church,  and  be  was  called  to  the  deaconship, 
but  in  the  division  they  went  with  the  Brethren.  Of  their  three 
sons  and  one  daughter  who  reached  maturity,  one  son,  Michael,  is  a 
minister  in  the  Brethren  Church. 

The  next  daughter,  Sophia,  married  Peter  Lohr.  They  also 
cast  in  their  lot  with  the  Brethren,  and  their  children  belong  to 
different   denominations.     She  is  now  in   her  eighty-ninth   year. 

Sarah  is  the  next  daughter.  She  has  buried  her  third  husband. 
They  were:  James  Muir,  Jesse  Wegley  and  Jacob  Otto.  She  and 
her  children  are  members  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  and  one 
son  is  a  deacon.     She  is  in  her  eighty-sixth  year. 

Jeremiah,  the  next  to  the  youngest  son,  went  to  Greene  Coun- 
ty, and  there  married  Christena  Weimer,  who  was  a  member 
of  the  church.  There  he  united  and  was  elected  deacon.  They 
had  five  sons  and  five  daughters.  In  1864  he  moved  to  Black- 
hawk  County,  Iowa;  about  1872  he  moved  to  Southern  Kansas; 
about  forty  years  ago  he  moved  to  Oklahoma,  where,  so  far  as 
known,  he  still  lives,  being  about  eighty-five  years  old. 

The  youngest  son  is  Jacob  A.     See  his  biography. 

Julian,  the  youngest  in  the  family,  was  married  to  B.  F.  Wei- 
mer, who  united  with  the  church  in  Greene  County.  She  had 
joined  at  the  age  of  twenty.  After  their  marriage  thej'  moved  to 
the  Jacobs  Creek  congregation,  where  he  was  called  to  the  min- 
istry. There  he  labored  faithfully  and  with  marked  success. 
Later,  by  the  assistance  and  earnest  solicitation  of  the  Chippewa 
congregation.  Wayne  County,  Ohio,  he  moved  there.  Here  he 
received  a  heart}'  welcome,  and  in  a  few  years  was  ordained 
to  the  eldership.     He  took  a  deep  interest  in  the  ministerial  work 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        491 

of  Northeastern  Ohio.  He  died  in  1914.  To  them  were  born  three 
sons  and  three  daughters.  Sister  Weimer  is  in  her  seventy-fifth 
year.  It  will  be  observed  that  this  is  a  family  that  is  exceptionally 
long-lived. 

William  S.  Murray,  son  of  John  and  Catharine  (Saur)  Murray, 
was  married  to  Catharine  Flack,,  and  they  had  seven  sons  and  five 
daughters.  William  S.  was  one  of  the  earliest  ministers  in  the 
Indian  Creek  congregation.  Frederick  F.  Murray,  his  son,  also  was 
called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Indian  Creek,  congregation.  One  son, 
William,  was  a  minister  in  the  Brethren  Church. 

The  only  daughter  of  John  and  Catharine  (Saur)  Murray  was 
married  to  Jacob  K.  Miller.  They  had  quite  a  large  family, 
about  all  of  whom  became  members  of  the  Church  of  the  Breth- 
ren, and  one  son  was  a  minister  and  elder. 

Jacob  Murray,  first  mentioned,  had  four  sons  and  four 
daughters.  Two  of  the  daughters  married  into  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  and  were  members  of  the  same.  Henry  Fletcher,  the 
husband  of  one  of  these  sisters,  was  called  to  the  ministry  at  the 
time  of  the  organization  of  the  Ryerson  Station  congregation. 

JACOB  S.  MURRAY. 

It  is  to  be  deplored  that  not  more  of  this  faithful  minister 
of  the  Word  is  known.  I  cjuote  from  a  letter  by  Brother  Andrew 
Chambers,  of  Washington,  District  of  Columbia:  "  Elder  Jacob 
Murray,  of  the  County  Line  church,  Fayette  County,  Pennsylva- 
nia, bestowed  much  labor  on  the  Ryerson  Station  congregation, 
Greene  County,  in  the  early  forties.  Many  interesting  incidents 
connected  with  the  early  days  of  the  work  here  were  related  to  me 
by  my  parents.  They  said  Brother  Murray  was  so  interested  in 
the  work  here  that  he  worked  almost  day  and  night,  at  times, 
plowing  by  the  light  of  the  moon  when  the  rest  of  his  family  were 
asleep,  in  order  to  be  on  time  to  break  to  them  the  Bread  of  Life, 
and  that,  too,  'without  money  and  without  price.' 

"Brother  Murray  could  be  appropriately  called  a  'walking 
Bible.'  as  he  knew  much  of  the  Book  liy  memory.  He  was  very 
enthusiastic  in  his  preaching,  using  much  energy,  so  much  so  that 
they  would  notice  the  perspiration  from  his  face  run  down  his 
beard  and  drop  to  the  floor.  He  would  preach  a  sermon  to  a  sin- 
gle individual   the  same  as  to  a   congregation. 

"At  the  home  of  my  grandfather,  John  Chambers,  he  met  a 
Methodist  minister.  He  asked  the  minister  a  Bible  question  he 
could  not  answer,  upon  which  he  said,  '  Old  man,  where  did  you 
get  your  liquor?'  Brother  Murray  replied:  'Seeing  it  is  but  the 
third  hour  of  the  day  I  am  not  drunk  yet,'  and  using  those  words 


492  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

as  a  text  he  preached  the  minister  a  sermon  rij;ht  tliere.  Brother 
Murray  preached  in  the  Enj^lish  language,  as  none  of  the  people 
there  understood  the  German,  yet  his  words  had  the  German 
accent,  which  would  cause  some  to  laugh.  On  one  occasion,  while 
he  was  preaching  in  his  usual  enthusiastic  way  in  a  high  tone  of 
voice,  a  young  man,  standing  in  frcnit  of  him,  was  laughing.  Brother 
Murray,  pointing  his  finger  at  him,  and  without  lowering  his 
voice,  said:  'Young  man,  tliere  is  no  laughing  in  hell,'  and  con- 
tinued his  sermon  without  any  seeming  break  in  thought  or  tone, 
it  is  said  the  young  man  quit  laughing  at  once."  See  "  Tlie 
Murray    I'amily  "   for   liis  ancestry  and   progeny. 

JACOB  A.  MURRAY. 

Jacob  A.  Murra}',  joungest  son  and  eleventh  child  of  Jacob 
S.  and  Susannah  (Aukerman)  Murray,  was  born  in  hayette  Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania.  There  being  a  difference  of  six  years  in  the  ages 
of  little  Jacob  and  his  j'oungest  sister,  he  was  the  pet  of  the  large 
family.  Being  much  of  the  time  under  the  special  care  of  his 
motlier,  who  was  a  pretty  good  German  scholar,  she  taught  him 
the  German,  and  he,  having  learned  to  read  English,  taught  her 
the  English.  Besides  an  old  German  spelling  book,  the  only  book 
was  the  New  Testament,  so,  like  young  Timothy,  he  was  early 
taught  the  Holy  Scriptures.  So,  at  the  age  of  twelve  he  felt  the 
strongest  religious  impressions  of  his  life.  But  as  these  impres- 
sions were  given  no  encouragement  they  gradually  wore  away, 
and  it  was  not  till  many  years  afterward  that  he  united  with  the 
church. 

After  the  death  of  his  father  in  1S52  he  learned  the  car- 
penter and  cabinet  trade,  serving  as  apprentice  two  and  a  half 
years.  At  the  end  of  this  service  he  received  twenty-five  tlol- 
lars.  After  spending  six  months  as  clerk  in  a  store,  he  went  to 
his  Iirother's  in   Greene   County,  and  worked  at  his  trade. 

It  was  while  living  in  Greene  County,  in  the  Rycrson  Station 
congregation,  that  he  united  with  the  church  in  1.S56,  married  Miss 
Sarah  Banders,  and  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  1S57.  In  1S60 
he  moved  back,  to  the  Indian  Creek  congregation,  where  he  was 
advanced  in  1(S62.  In  1K63  he  was  drafted  to  go  to  the  army  as 
a  soldier.  It  cost  him  $v300  to  be  exempted  from  military  serv- 
ice. This  placed  him  in  almost  destitute  circumstances.  In  1864, 
he  and  his  brother,  Jeremiah,  and  their  families,  moved  to  Iowa, 
landing  at  Waterloo,  August  24,  financially  broke,  but  not  dis- 
couraged. Here  he  was  ordained  to  the  eldership  in  1872.  Elder 
Murray,  in  the  twenty-two  years  he  labored  here,  saw  the  mem- 
bership grow  from  about  forty  to  350,  after  manj'  had  moved 
farther   west,   and    from    booths   made   of   corn   fodder   in    which   to 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        493 

hold  love  feasts,  to  the  erection  of  the  South  Waterloo  churcli, 
40x80  feet  and  a  basement.  It  was  during  his  residence  here  that 
he  assisted  in  the  organization  of  the  Willow  Creek  (South  Da- 
kota)  congregation,  the   first  church  of  the   Brethren  in   the  State. 

In  1886  he  moved  to  Kimball,  South  Dakota.  Here,  with  the 
assistance  of  Elder  W.  G.  Cook,  several  churches  were  organized, 
several  brethren  were  called  to  the  ministry,  and  a  church  build- 
ing erected.  In  1890  he  returned  to  Waterloo.  From  Waterloo 
he  moved  to  Western  Tennessee,  about  thirty-seven  miles  east  of 
Memphis,  where  he  remained  two  years,  studying  the  cliaracter 
and  morals  of  the  people  and  doing  some  preaching  for  the  whites 
and  colored  folks.  He  preached  principally  for  the  white  people 
of  the  community,  and  l)y  the  help  of  some  Northern  people 
conducted  a  Sunday-school,  but  after  fruitless  efforts  to  secure 
help  from  the  General  Mission  Board  and  the  District  of  Tennes- 
see, he  dropped  the  work  and  moved  to  Rockford,  Illinois,  in 
1903.  In  1910,  with  his  companion  and  youngest  daughter,  he 
moved  to  the  Chippewa  church,  Wayne  County,  Ohio,  vvliere  his 
companion  died,  March  22,   1912. 

Elder  Murray's  family  consisted  of  two  sons  and  two  daugh- 
ters. He  is  now  in  his  eighty-second  year,  and  still  is  a  regular  at- 
tendant at  Sunday-school,  and  does  a  good  deal  of  preaching.  He 
has  preached  the  Gospel  in  twelve  States,  attended  thirteen  An- 
nual Meetings,  and  represented  his  District  on  the  Standing  Com- 
mittee at  Frederick  City,  Maryland,  and  Decatur,  Illinois.  He 
was   helpful    in    furnishing    data    for    this    work. 

WILLIAM  A.  MURRAY. 

William  A.  Murray,  the  son  of  Jacob  S.  and  Susannah  (  Auker- 
man)  Murray,  was  l)orn  in  h'ayette  County,  Pennsylvania,  Marcli 
12,  1824.  His  father  was  an  active  minister  in  tlie  Indian  Creek 
congregation.  William  was  married  in  Xoxemher,  1846.  to  Miss 
Eliza  Jane  McEnteer,  with  wliom  he  lived  to  the  time  of  her  death 
in  June,  1900.  Ten  children  were  l)orn  to  this  union.  In  March, 
1902,  Elder  Murray  was  married  to  Mrs.  Louisa  Gore. 

Elder  Murray  had  few  educational  advantages,  and  what  op- 
portunities he  had  it  is  said  he  did  not  appreciate,  as  he  would 
rather  look  after  a  flock  of  sheep  entrusted  to  his  care  than  go 
to  school.  His  education,  therefore,  was  limited.  Soon  after  he 
was  of  age  he  took  a  job  of  clearing  off  a'  piece  of  ground  for  his 
brother-in-law,  quite  a  distance  in  the  woods.  There,  by  himself, 
he  felt  the  power  of  conviction  and  made  the  full  surrender.  He 
was  soon  baptized.  His  devotion  and  piety  were  very  noticeable, 
and  before  he  was  married  he  was  sent  as  delegate  to  the  .\nnual 
Meeting  at  Wooster,  Ohio. 


494  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

He  being  a  Tunktr  and  his  wife  a  I'aptist,  there  might  easily 
have  been  room  for  disagreement.  But  wisely  they  had  agreed 
before  marriage  that  they  would  read  the  Scriptures  together, 
and  the  one  who  had  the  most  Scripture  in  his  favor  should  have 
the  preference.  His  wife  was  a  good  scholar  and  a  school-teacher. 
It  can  easily  be  guessed  that  the  investigation  was  quite  favorable 
to  William.  Not  long  after  their  marriage  William  was  called  to 
the  ministry  in  the  Indian  Creek  congregation.  He  took  hold  of 
the  work  and  soon  had  the  confidence  of  the  church  and  the  com- 
munity. This  he  did  not  win  by  his  excellency  of  speech  or  ora- 
tory, but  l)y  his  piety  and  sincerity. 

In  1(S55  he  moved  to  the  Ryerson  Station  congregation;  in 
1863  back  to  the  Jacobs  Creek  congregation,  near  Mount  Pleas- 
ant. About  four  years  later,  or  shortly  after  the  close  of  the  Civil 
War,  he  moved  to  the  Northeastern  District  of  Ohio,  living  at 
various  times  in  Stark,  Richland,  Ashland,  and  Wayne  Coun- 
ties, laboring  with  the  churches  located  in  those  counties. 

He  spent  much  time  in  evangelistic  work,  attended  a  number 
of  Annual  Meetings,  and  was  a  constant  reader  of  the  church 
periodicals,  having  taken  all  of  them,  from  the  Gospel  Visitor  to 
the  Gospel  Messenger.  He  spent  nearly  sixty  years  in  the  min- 
istry, preaching  up  to  within  a  few  weeks  before  his  death.  He 
found  the  greatest  pleasure  in  being  about  his  Master's  business. 

He  had  been  sick  scarcely  a  day  during  his  entire  life,  and  on 
the  night  of  his  death  went  to  l)ed'  as  usual.  Some  time  after 
retiring,  his  wife,  hearing  a  slight  disturl)ance  in  his  room,  went 
to  see  what  it  was  and  found  that  his  spirit  had  flown.  He  died 
April  14,  1910,  aged  86  years,  1  month  and  2  days.  l'\ineral  services 
were  conducted  by  D.  R.  McFadden  from  2  Timothy  4:  1-9,  and 
interment  was  made  in  Beech  Grove  cemetery. 

HIRAM  MUSSELMAN. 

Hiram  Musselman  was  born  at  Meyersdale,  Pennslyvania,  June 
5,  1827.  His  mother  was  Caroline  Walter.  He  grew  to  manhood  at 
Meyersdale,  being  given  only  a  common  school  education.  Brother 
Musselman  was  a  contractor  and  builder  for  the  most  part  of  his 
active  life.  Early  in  life  he  came  to  the  vicinity  of  Scalp  Level. 
He  was  called  far  and  near  to  erect  liouses,  barns,  schoollunises 
and  churches.     He  also  made   furniture  in  his  slio]). 

He  and  Miss  Frances  Yoder  were  united  in  holy  matrimony 
by  Elder  Christian  Lehman,  January  17,  1858.  They  took  up  house- 
keeping on  what  is  now  the  Albert  Berkey  farm  near  Windber. 
There  they  lived  for  a  numl)er  of  years,  but  later,  about  1S70, 
moved    into   Scalp    Level,    where   he    died.      About    1860  both    were 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


495 


Elder     Hiram    3Iusselman    and     Wife. 


baptized  by  Elder  Christian  Lehman.     He  was  chosen  to  the  min- 
istry  in    1862,   and   ordained  January    1,    1886. 

The  writer  remembers  hearing  Brother  Musselman  tell  how  he 
made  his  start  in  the  ministry.  He  said:  "  It  wasn't  very  long  after  I 
was  called  to  the  ministry,  and  I  had  not  made  any  attempt  to 
preach.  All  the  older  ministers  were  away,  some,  if  not  all  of 
them,  at  the  Annual  Meeting.  Brother  Jacob  Berkey's  children  had 
the  diphtheria.  One  of  them  died,  and  in  the  absence  of  the  older 
preachers  I  was  asked  to  preach  the  funeral.  I  scarcely  knew 
what  to  do.  To  refuse,  I  was  ashamed,  and  to  promise,  I  was 
afraid.  But  I  finally  agreed  to  undertake  it.  I  felt  my  weakness 
and  inability,  and  leaned  heavily  upon  God  for  help  in  my  great 
need.  The  hour  for  the  funeral  came,  and  I  trembled,  but  I  put 
my  trust  in  the  Lord,  and  started  out  with  the  sermon,  and  got 
along  with  it  remarkably  well  for  a  beginner.  I  was  surprised  at 
my  success,  and  the  people  congratulated  me.    Well,  that  was  good. 


496  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

I  liad  a  start.  After  this  it  should  yo  all  right.  In  a  few  days 
another  child  died  and  they  called  on  me  again.  This  time  I  felt 
it  would  be  comparatively  easy,  and  I  neglected  to  put  so  much 
dependence  upon  the  Lord,  but  trusted  more  on  Musselman.  with 
the  result  a  complete  failure.  It  was  very  humiliating,  but  it 
was  a  lesson  well  learned." 

Brother  Musselman  had  a  way  of  making  everybody  his 
friend.  He  was  rather  jovial,  always  cheerful,  and  met  people 
with  a  smile.  While  he  was  a  friend  to  everybody,  he  was  espe- 
cially so  to  the  young.  He  was  much  like  it  was  said  of  George 
Washington,  the  "  Father  of  his  Country."  The  Lord  saw  lit  to 
leave  him  childless  so  that  he  might  be  a  father  to  all.  It  was 
this  spirit  of  friendliness  and  helpfulness,  and  interest  in  the 
young  people,  perhaps,  more  than  his  sermons  that  won  for  him 
his  popularity. 

It  was  this  interest  in  the  children  and  young  people  that  early 
I)rompted  him  to  open  a  Sunday-school  in  the  Scalp  Level  church, 
in  1878.  He  was  the  first  superintendent,  and  filled  that  position 
for  a  number  of  years.  This  was  one  of  the  first  Brethren  Sunday- 
schools  in  all  these  parts.  He  also  bore  a  large  part  of  the  expense 
of  carrying  on  the  school.  Quite  frequently  would  he  buy  books 
as  presents  for  the  officers  and  teachers.  And  so  it  naturally  came 
to  pass  that  when  young  people  wanted  to  become  man  and  wife 
they  came  to  Brother  Musselman,  when  they  wanted  to  be  baptized 
they  came  for  Brother  Musselman,  and  when  death  invaded  the 
home,  he  was  usually  the  one  called  to  speak  words  of  comfort. 
He  seemed  to  be  peculiarly  adapted  for  this  kind  of  work.  Well, 
there  may  have  been  other  reasons  that  ])layed  some  part  in  this. 
He  lived  in  town,  and  hard  by  the  creek,  and  had  considerable  leis- 
ure. 

He  married  215  couples,  but  no  record  was  kept  of  the  bap- 
tisms, funerals  and  anointings.  For  a  number  of  years  he  did  the 
most  of  that  work.  For  some  years  he  gave  a  present  of  a  hymn 
book  to  all  whom  he  baptized,  and  in  his  will  he  made  provision 
to  give  Bibles  to  all  new  converts.  This  is  carried  out  as  far  as 
the  money  reaches.  The  hymn  most  used  by  him  at  baptism  was 
number  240  in  the  hynin  book,  the  first  verse  of  which   runs  thus: 

"  In  all  my  Lord's  appointed  way. 
My  journey   I'll   pursue; 
Hinder  me  not,  you  much-loved  saints, 
For  1   must  go  with  you." 

.After  he  was  a  minister  he  missed  few,  if  any.  District  and  An- 
nual   Meetings.      Beginning   in    1872,   he   served    the   District   in   the 


■      BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        497 

capacity  of  treasurer  continuously  for  more  tlian  twenty  years, 
with  the  exception  of  one  year.  He  represented  Western  Penn- 
sylvania on  the  Standing  Committee  of  the  Annual  Meeting,  held 
at  Pertle  Springs,  Missouri,  in   1890. 

He  did  considerable  traveling  over  the  District  in  the  interests 
of  the  church,  but  his  best  work  was  done  in  his  home  congrega- 
tion, where  he  was  always  ready  to  help  in  every  good  work,  both 
with  his  means  and  his  time. 

Elder  and  Sister  Musselman  reared  Lizzie  (Yoder)  Rodgers, 
and  they  live  together  at  the  present  time.  Beside  remembering 
many  of  his  relatives  in  his  will,  he  also  made  bequests  to  a  cem- 
eterj'  fund,  home  and  world-wide  missions  and  Juniata  College. 

He  died  December  9,  1900,  aged  73  years,  6  months  and  4  days, 
and  is  buried  in  the  Berkey  cemetery.  J.  J.  Shafifer  officiated  at  his 
funeral,   assisted   by  other  brethren. 

THE  MYERS  FAMILY. 

Tliis  name  seems  to  have  been  originally  written  "  Mover."  tiien 
"  Meyer,"  and  at  present  is  written  "  Meyers  "  and  "  Myers."  Some- 
time toward  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century  four  brothers, 
Michael,  Rudolph,  Henry  and  Christian  Meters  (Moyer),  came  to 
Somerset  County  from  what  is  now  Lebanon  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania. It  is  not  known  whether  they  came  at  the  same  time  nor 
whether  they  were  accompanied  by  their  parents.  There  was  a 
George  Myers  in  Elk  Lick  Township  as  early  as  1784.  Whether 
he  was  the  father  of  the  above  brothers,  or  a  brother,  I  cannot 
say.  One  Abram  Mj^ers  died  in  Elk  Lick  Township  in  1832,  whose 
sons  were  John,  Henry,  Michael,  Jacob  and  Samuel. 

It  is  possible  that  the  Myerses  were  not  Dunkers,  but  that 
Michael  and  Christian  became  such  through  the  influence  of  their 
wives.  It  is  the  descendants  of  these  two  families  we  want  to 
notice. 

Michael  Myers  married  Miss  Mary  Buechly,  daughter  of  Elder 
Michael  Buechly,  of  Elk  Lick,  near  Meyersdale.  The  date  of  his 
election  to  the  ministry  is  unknown,  but  Holsinger's  History  is 
authority  for  the  statement  that  when  Elder  John  Keagy  moved 
to  Ohio,  in  1806,  Brother  Myers  was  ordained  to  take  his  place. 
He  is,  therefore,  the  second' elder  ordained  in  this  valley.  He 
presided  over  an  extensive  membership  for  thirty  years  and  died 
in  the  spring  of  1836.  Five  of  Elder  Myers'  sons  were  called  to 
the  ministry  and  one  to  the  deacon  office;  viz., 

1.  Elder  Henrj'  Myers,  who  was  married  to  Anne  Lichty, 
daughter  of  Joseph  Lichty.  He  was  the  first  elder  in  the  Middle 
Creek  congregation,  where  he  served  till  he  moved  West,  about 
1854. 


498  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

2.  Elder  Jacol)  Myers,  who  was  married  to  IFannah  Liolity, 
daughter  of  Christian  Lichty.     See  his  liiography. 

3.  Elder  John  B.  Myers,  who  was  married  to  F>arhara  Miller, 
daughter  of  "Big"  Abraham  Miller.  He  was  elected  to  the  min- 
istry in  the  Elk  Lick  congregation  and  moved  to  Ohio  in   1854. 

4.  Elder  Martin  Myers,  who  was  married  to  Anna  Witt.  He 
was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Middle  Creek  congregation,  also 
moved  West,  and  died  in  Kansas. 

5.  Elder  Michael  Myers,  who  was  married  to  Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  Christian  Lichty.    See  his  biography. 

6.  Samuel  Mj^ers,  who  was  a  deacon. 

Coming  to  the  third  generation  we  have  two  cf  holder  Menry 
Myers'  daughters,  f^olly  and  Sally,  married  to  two  ministers;  viz.; 
Solomon  Lichty  and  David  Livengood,  respectively.  Of  Elder 
Jacob  Myers'  sons,  Tobias  was  an  elder  and  Jacob  a  deacon.  Of 
Elder  John  B.  Myers'  sons,  Abraham  and  Jacob  were  deacons.  Of 
Deacon  Samuel  Myers'  sons,  John  S.  was  a  deacon  and  William  S. 
a  (silent)  minister. 

In  tlie  fourth  generation  \vc  I'lnd  two  of  Elder  Tobias  Myers' 
sons,  Jacob  T.  and  Tobias  T.,  in  llie  eldersliip.  Two  of  William  S. 
Myers'  sons,  Joseph   W.  and   Mahlon,  are  deacons. 

in  the  I'iftii  generation,  two  of  Joseph  W.  Myers'  sons,  W.  H. 
and  Samuel  .\.,  are  ministers. 

Christian  Myers  (Mo3'er)  was  l)orn  in  Lebanon  County  in 
about  1763,  and  came  to  Somerset  County  in  the  eighties  of  the 
eighteenth  century.  Here  he  married  Miss  l>arbara  Huechly, 
daughter  of  Elder  John  M.  Buechly.  His  sons  were:  John,  Michael, 
Abraham,  Joseph,  Henry,  Jacob  and  Peter.  Of  this  generation, 
Abraham  was  the  only  minister.     See  his  biography. 

In  the  third  generation  we  find  Joseph  1'.,  son  of  Elder  .Abra- 
ham, called  to  the  ministry,  though  he  did  not  serve.  Abraham's 
daughter,  Mary,  was  the  wife  of  Elder  David  D.  Horner.  Henry's 
son,  Henry  Smith  Myer^.  is  an  elder  in  the  Brethren  Church, 
though  formerly  an  elder  in  the  Churili  of  tlie  Brethren.  John 
H.  Myers,  son  of  Joseph,  was  an  elder,  and  his  half-brother,  Josiah, 
was  a  deacon. 

Tn  the  fourth  generation.  Elder  Jonathan  D.  Myers,  of  Robins, 
Iowa,  is  a  son  of  Deacon  Josiah  Myers.  His  brother.  Michael,  was 
a  deacon.  Cyrus  E.  Myers,  a  minister,  is  a  son  of  Jacob  L.  Myers, 
and  T'^rank  Blaine  Myers,  a  minister,  is  a  son  of  Deacon  William  H. 
Myers. 

ABRAHAM  MYERS. 

Abraham  Myers,  son  of  Christian  and  Barbara  (Beachly)  My- 
ers, was  born  near  Berlin,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania,  in  1799. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        499 

He  was  married  to  Miss  Rebecca  Kimmel,  daughter  of  Solomon 
Kimmel,  of  Somerset  County.  When  about  twenty-three  years  of 
age  he  removed  to  Westmoreland  County,  settling  in  the  Ligonier 
Vallej%  about  two  miles  from  Ligonier.  He  was  a  prosperous 
farmer.  He  owned  an  excellent  farm  of  720  acres,  which  he  brought 
to  a  high  state  of  improvement  and  cultivation. 

His  call  to  the  ministry  in  the  Jacobs  Creek  congregation  took 
place  when  he  was  between  thirty  and  thirty-three  years  of  age. 
His  services  were  mostly  in  the  German,  thougli  he  could  also 
preach  in  English.  He  is  said  to  have  been  very  successful  in 
church  work. 

Elder  and  Sister  Myers  had  the  following  children:  Catharine, 
wife  of  D.  D.  Worman;  Mary,  wife  of  Elder  D.  D.  Horner;  Jo- 
seph B.,  Jacob  L.,  Abraham,  who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty;  John 
K.,  deceased;  Sarah,  wife  of  Isaac  Horner;  Anna,  wife  of  Christian 
Ebersole;  William  H.,  Barbara,  wife  of  Samuel  Kimmel,  and  Re- 
becca, wife  of  John  Berkley. 

Elder  Myers  died  February  2,  1872,  aged  12  years,  4  months  and 
1  day.  Sister  Myers,  who  was  born  October  3,  1810,  died  March 
10,  1895. 

CYRUS  E.  MYERS. 

Cyrus  E.  Myers,  son  of  Jacol)  L.  and  Catharine  (Horner)  My- 
ers, was  born  September  18,  1864,  near  Mt.  Pleasant,  Westmore- 
land County,  Pennsylvania.  He  was  reared  on  the  farm  and  given 
good  school  advantages.  In  addition  to  the  common  and  select 
school,  he  attended  the  Mt.  Pleasant  Institute.  He  taught  school 
and  spent  the  fall  term  of  1888  in  Juniata  College,  Huntingdon, 
Pennsylvania. 

He  was  married  to  Miss  Sudie  E.  Kimmel,  April  16,  1889,  and. 
they  began  their  married  life  on  a  farm  near  Mt.  Pleasant.  In 
1891  they  bought  a  farm  near  Shelocta,  Indiana  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania, where  they  have  followed  farming  ever  since. 

In  June,  1886,  he  gave  his  hand  to  the  church  and  was  bap- 
tized by  Elder  Abraham  Summy.  In  1887  he  was  called  to  the  niin- 
istrj'  in  the  Jacobs  Creek  congregation,  and  was  advanced  in  1900. 

JACOB  MEYERS. 

Jacob  Meyers  was  a  son  of  Elder  Michael  Meyers,  one  of  the 
first  elders  in  Somerset  County,  and  was  born  and  reared  near 
Berlin.  Here  he  lived  and  labored  a  number  of  years,  having 
served  in  the  eldership  for  some  time. 

He  died  July  7,  1852,  aged  57  years,  6  months  and  15  days. 
His  disease  was  gangrenous  erysipelas,  commencing  on  the  little 
finger  of  the  left  hand,  and  it  baffled  the  skill  of  all  the  physi- 
cians.    "  Shortly  before  he  died,  on  Saturday  evening  at  5  o'clock, 


500  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

he  gave  out  a  hymn  and  sang  it  with  his  family  and  neighbors,  and 
then  exhorted  them  all  very  sensibly  how  they  should  walk  and 
persevere  in  the  way  to  heaven,  and  at  7  o'clock  he  breathed  his 
last.  He  told  his  family  and  friends  that  there  was  a  crown  of 
righteousness  laid  up  for  him  and  all  the  righteous." 

The  above  is  gathered  from  his  obituary  notice  in  the  Gospel 
Visitor  of  that  time. 

JOHN   H.  MYERS. 

John  H.  Myers,  son  of  Joseph  and  Susannah  (Hochstctler) 
Myers,  was  born  in  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania,  July  17,  1845. 
He  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm,  and  received  a  fairly  good  edu- 
cation. In  1866  he  was  married  to  Miss  Annie  Barron,  also  of  Som- 
erset County. 

He  was  called  to  the  deacon  office  in  the  Middle  Creek  congre- 
gation in  1872,  and  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  same  church  in 
1875.  After  preaching  a  few  years  he  moved  to  Markleysburg, 
where  he  was  ordained  in  1880.  He  moved  back  to  Somerset  in 
1893,  lived  there  ten  years  and  in  1903  moved  to  Markleysburg 
again,  where  he  died  August  11,  1913.  He  was  an  invalid  a  num- 
ber of  years.  He  was  an  evangelist  of  note.  To  Brother  and  Sis- 
ter Myers  were  born:  Alice,  Ira  Benton,  deceased,  Sarah  Miriam, 
Dr.  Herbert  Paul  and  George  P.arron  (deceased).  His  widow  still 
resides   in    Markleysburg,    Pennsylvania. 

MARTIN  L.  MYERS. 

Martin  L.  Myers  was  the  youngest  son  of  Elder  Michael  My- 
ers, Sr.,  and  was  married  to  Anna  Witt.  I'or  the  following  sketch 
of  his  long  and  useful  life  I  am  indebted  to  William  H.  Welflcy, 
of  Somerset: 

"The  subject'  of  this  sketch,  the  last  and  youngest  survivor 
of  a  noted  family  of  preachers,  died  at  his  home  near  Morrill,  Kan- 
sas, April  4,  1895,  in  his  eighty-first  year.  He  was  born  and  reared 
in  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania.  His  education  was  limited  to 
less  than  six  months'  schooling.  Being  endowed  with  strong  will 
power,  he  educated  himself  i)y  his  own  efforts  to  the  position  of  a 
teacher.  He  taught  thirteen  terms  of  school  under  the  old  regime 
of  discipline,  I)eforc  the  free  school  system  came  in  vogue. 

"  Tn  1853  he  was  elected  county  surveyor  of  Somerset  County. 
He  was  a  farmer  and  continued  in  that  occupation  as  long  as  he 
was  able  to  do  the  physical  work. 

"  In  1863  he  moved  to  Carroll  C"ounty,  Illinois,  and  in  1882 
to  his  last  home  on   earth  at   Morrill,   Kansas. 

"  Elder  Myers  labored  in  the  ministry  a  full  half  century,  while 
eternity  alone  will  reveal  the  full  returns  of  his  ministerial  labors. 

"  Elder    Myers    was    somewhat    unique    in    his    psychological 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         501 

make-up.  The  most  observable  feature  was  that  of  a  patriarchal 
autonomy.  His  word  to  his  children  was  law,  and  while  the  chil- 
dren at  the  time  may  have  thought  his  mandates  rigorous  and  se- 
vere, they  discovered  later  on  that  there  was  always  a  mild  and 
tender  heart  within  and  a  silver  lining  in  the  cloud. 

"  His  early  ministry  was  a  success,  especially  as  long  as  he 
labored  in  the  German  language.  His  ministry  was  characterized 
by  the  same  unflinching,  indomital)le  and  indefatigable  spirit  of 
vim,  pusli  and  perseverance  as  were  his  secular  affairs. 

"  Fifteen  grown  sons  and  daughters  survive  him,  several  of 
whom  reside  in  and  near  Morrill.  Many  of  his  relatives  continue  to 
reside    in    Somerset    County,    Pennsj-lvania." 

MICHAEL  MYERS. 

lirother  Chambers  is  authority  for  the  following  incident  in 
the  ministry  of  Brother  Myers:  Once,  while  visiting  in  the  Ryer- 
son  Station  congregation,  he  had  two  appointments  for  preach- 
ing at  different  places  one  Lord's  Day.  In  order  to  reach  the  even- 
ing appointment  in  time  it  was  necessary  not  to  prolong  the  morn- 
ing service.  So  at  the  close  of  the  morning  sermon  he  called  on 
Brother  Fletcher  to  close  the  service.  Brother  Fletcher,  like  many 
of  the  home  preachers,  wanted  to  be  heard,  too,  whether  edifying 
to  the  congregation  and  the  minister  in  charge  or  not,  and  so 
started  in  on  what  promised  to  be  a  lengthy  talk.  Brother  Myers, 
being  a  singer  as  well  as  a  preacher,  began  singing  the  hymn,  "  O 
Thou  in  whose  presence  my  soul  takes  delight."  Brother  Fletcher, 
taking  the  advice  of  Faul,  '  Let  all  things  l)e  done  decently  and  in 
order,'  took  his  seat  at  once. 

I  learn  that  the  above  Michael  Myers  is  a  son  of  the  first  Elder 
Michael  Myers.  He  was  married  to  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Chris- 
tian Lichty.  He  moved  to  Westmoreland  County,  where  he  was 
called  to  the  ministry.  (He  might  have  been  called  in  Somerset 
County.)  He  was  considered  an  able  minister,  and  traveled  a  good 
deal  in  Westmoreland,  Fayette  and  Greene  Counties,  preaching. 

In  1854  he  moved  West.  His  wife  and  daughter  died  on  the 
way  of  cholera,  and  he  died  in  1855  in  Wisconsin. 

TOBIAS   MYERS. 

Tobias  Myers  was  born  near  Berlin,  Pennsylvania,  January  16, 
1826.  Brother  Myers  was  a  descendant  of  a  noted  family  that  came 
from  the  eastern  part  of  the  State  during  the  latter  part  of  the 
eighteenth  century,  and  settled  on  a  farm  adjoining  Berlin,  where 
his  father,  Jacob  Myers,  lived  and  died.  His  grandfather  was  Elder 
Michael  Myers. 


502  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

He  was  married  to  Eliza  Berkle}-.  l'"or  a  number  of  years  they 
lived  near  Berlin,  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Lewis  Berkley,  a 
nephew.  Some  time  in  the  fifties  he  moved  to  Milford  Township, 
where  he  was  elected  to  the  ministry,  in  1876  he  removed  to  Car- 
roll County,  Illinois,  in  1887  he  came  to  Sheldon,  Iowa,  where 
his  wife  died  in  1893.  Since  tliat  lime  he  lived  a  retired  life,  but 
spent  much  of  his  time  in  tlic  service  of  his  Master,  in  the  min- 
istry. 

Brother  Myers  was  elected  to  the  ministry  over  fifty  years  ago, 
and  served  in  the  eldership  nearly  forty  years.  He  did  not  have 
the  advantage  of  a  liberal  education,  but  was  a  close  observer  and 
a  constant  reader.  He  learned  in  the  school  of  experience  and 
closely  watched  happenings  in  everyday  life.  While  living  in 
I'hiladelphia,  with  his  sons,  he  did  considerable  preaching  in  the 
East,  especially  in  New  Jersey.  Some  years  ago  he  represented  the 
Eastern  District  of  Pennsylvania  on  the  Standing  Committee. 

"  Brother  Myers  was  an  extensive  traveler,  and  preached  in 
many  pulpits  of  the  Brotherhood.  He  was  a  remarkable  man  in 
many  respects.  He  was  favored  with  a  fine  physique,  walked  up- 
right, and  stood  erect  in  the  pulpit,  where  he  loved  to  be.  His  very 
appearance  made  a  good  impression  before  an  audience.  He  looked 
upon  the  bright  side  of  life,  and  was  not  inclined  to  worry  and 
complain.  He  enjoyed  life,  allowing  no  evil  forebodings  to  enter 
his  mind.  He  looked  forward  with  bright  anticipations  to  the  fu- 
ture, lie  was  an  optimist  in  the  true  sense  of  the  word.  He 
preached  twice,  one  Sunday,  only  a  few  weeks  before  his  death. 
He  was  never  sick,  and  up  to  the  last  was  in  excellent  health  and 
spirits,  for  one  of  his  age. 

"  .\bout  five  weeks  before  his  departure  he  came  to  Brother 
E.  L.  Knepper's  home,  full  of  ambition  for  the  sugar  season,  as 
he  was  an  expert  in  the  art  of  making  maple  syrup  and  sugar,  and 
usually  spent  the  spring  season  at  the  home  of  Brother  Knepper, 
his  nephew.  One  morning,  after  partaking  of  breakfast,  as  usual, 
and  while  sitting  in  his  chair,  he  was  stricken  with  paralysis. 
After  battling  vigorously,  for  six  days,  against  the  effects  of  the 
stroke,  he  sank  into  a  peaceful  death,  March  10,  1914,  aged  88  years, 
2  months  and  24  days." 

His  wife  and  three  sons  preceded  him  in  death.  He  is  survived 
by  his  one  son.  Elder  T.  T.,  and  three  daughters,  another  son, 
h:ider  J.  T..  dying  October  1,  1915.  in  Philadelphia. 

I'uneral  services  were  conducted  at  the  Knepper  home  by  Eld- 
ers J.  J.  Shaffer  and  W.  G.  Schrock  from  Acts  13:  36.  His  remains 
were  taken,  by  his  son,  T.  T.  Myers,  to  Sheldon,  Iowa,  and  in- 
lirred   by  the  side  of  his  wife  in  the  family  cemetery. 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        503 

WALTER  N.  MYERS. 

Walter  X.  Myers,  second  son  of  Adam  and  Frances  (Long) 
Myers,  was  born  September  30,  1869,  in  Cherry  Hill  Township,  In- 
diana County,  Pennsylvania.  He  has  always  lived  in  the  township 
in  which  he  was  born.  His  common  school  education  was  sup- 
plemented by  one  term  of  select  school. 

He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Jennie  Shank  on  September 
29,  1892.  He  and  his  wife  were  baptized  in  the  spring  of  1896  by 
Elder  Jasper  Barnthouse.  He  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  1901, 
advanced  to  the  second  degree  in  1902,  and  ordained  to  the  elder- 
ship June  19,  1910,  all  in  the  Manor  congregation,  where  he  still 
labors.  Elder  Myers  frequently  represents  his  congregation  at 
the  District  Meetings.  Their  only  daughter  also  is  a  member  of 
the  church. 

(Portrait   on    Page  128.) 


J.    Lloyd    Nedrow,    Wife   and    Child. 

J.  LLOYD  NEDROW. 

J.  Lloyd  Nedrow,  youngest  son  of  John  M.  and  Mary  Xedrow, 
was  born  on  the  top  of  the  Laurel  Hill  Mountain,  Westmoreland 
County,  Pennsylvania,  September  25,  1885.  He  had  good  educa- 
tional advantages,  so  far  as  the  public  schools  are  concerned,  from 
the  age  of  six  years  until  grown  up.  When  he  reached  the  age  of 
twenty-four  he  taught  two  terms  in  the  public  schools.  Being  the 
youngest  son  in  the  family  his  father  had  need  of  him  on  the 
farm  until  he  was  married. 

On  September  17,  1899,  he  united  with  the  church  in  the  Indian 
Creek  congregation,  since  which   time  he  has   tilled  such  positions 


504  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

in  Sunday-school  as  teacher,  chorister,  secretarj'  and  superintend- 
ent. On  March  31,  1^06,  he  was  elected  deacon,  and  on  October  7, 
I'^ll,  he  was  called  to  tlie  ministry  in  the  Indian  Creek  congrega- 
tion, and  was  advanced  to  the  second  degree  November  28,  1914. 
Since  the  organization  of  t'le  Trout  Run  congregation,  he  has 
been  one  of  the  ministers  of  that  congregation. 

December  24,  1911,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sadie 
M.  Reese,  of  I'ayette  Count}'.  lie  is  emi)loyed  at  the  "  Big 
S])rings  "  as  general  nianager  and  caretendcr,  where  he  has  lived 
nearly  four  yvars. 

EMANUEL   ELMER   NEIDERHISER. 

To  Xornian  Elmer  and  Keturah  (Hays)  Neiderhiser  were  born 
three  sons  and  ten  daughters,  of  whom  Emanuel  Elmer  is  the 
o'dest.  He  was  born  Xoven.ber  29,  1892,  at  Pleasant  Unity,  West- 
moreland Count}',  l\"nnsyl\an'a,  and  was  reared  on  the  farm.  His 
education  was  obtained  by  attending  eight  terms  of  public  school, 
since  which  time  he  has  been  employed  on  the  farm  and  at  several 
l)nl)lic  enterprises. 

iirother  Xeiderhiscr  was  reared  in  the  faith  of  the  Brethren, 
and  during  a  series  of  meetings  held  in  the  Mt.  Joy  house  of  the 
Jacobs  Creek  congregation,  by  Charles  O.  Beery,  he  yielded  his 
young  life  to  the  Master  and  was  baptized  June  18.  1905.  The  fa- 
ther, Elmer  Neiderhiser,  was  reared  in  the  Lutiieran  faith,  but 
alter  his  marriage,  he,  with  his  companion,  became  a  member  of 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  and  he  was  later  called  to  the  deacon- 
ship,  which  office  he  still  fills.  The  mother  was  brought  up  in  the 
faith  of  the  Brethren,  having  inherited  that  faith,  through  succes- 
sive  generations,   from    her   great-grandmother. 

On  May  30,  1912,  Brother  Neiderliiser  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Elma  Goldie  Seighman,  and  on  March  27,  1915,  he  was 
elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Jacobs  Creek  congregation,  where 
he  now  labors. 

(Portrait    on    Page  107.) 

DAVID   OBER. 

David  Obcr,  son  of  Henry  and  Elizabeth  (Hoover")  Ober,  was 
born  in  Fayette  County,"  Pennsylvania,  August  27,  1814.  His  par- 
ents were  of  German  descent,  and  were  memliers  of  the  River 
Brethren  Church.  His  opportunities  for  an  education  were  limited 
to  the  common  schools  of  the  county.  He  was  a  plasterer  by 
trade.  May  9,  1839,  he  was  married  to  Miss  (."atherine  Chrissinger. 
of  Westmoreland  County.     Nine  children   blessed  this  union. 

He  and  his  wife  united  witli  the  Church  of  the  P>rethren  in 
Fayette  County.  On  May  13,  1855,  he  was  called  to  the  office  of 
deacon,  and  later  to   the   ministry.     This  was   in    I'ayette   County. 


BRETHREN    OF   WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        505 

Here  he  labored  until  he  was  sixty-one  years  of  age,  when,  with 
his  family,  he  moved  to  a  farm  in  Cherry  Hill  Township,  Indiana 
County.  This  was  in  the  Manor  congregation.  Here  he  labored  the 
remainder  of  his  days.  It  seems  that  he  was  ordained  in  the  Manor 
congregation  about  1870.  His  services  were  altogether  in.  the  En- 
glish language,  and  extended  beyond  the  borders  of  his  home  con- 
gregation. He  was  always  ready  to  perform  his  part  of  the  work 
of  the  church,  and  was  very  punctual  in  attending  meetings. 

He  solemnized  quite  a  number  of  marriages,  frequently  offici- 
ated at  funerals  and  baptized  a  good  many  persons.  He  died  on 
his  farm  March  14,  1886,  and  was  buried  in  the  Crooked  Creek 
cemetery. 

SAMUEL  W.  PEARCE. 

Samuel  W.  Pearce,  son  of  Isaac  and  Jane  (Young)  Pearce. 
was  born  in  Indiana  County,  Pennsylvania,  April  27,  1867.  He 
came  to  Johnstown  when  but  a  child,  in  1878,  where  he  has  since 
resided. 

He  was  married  to  Miss  Minnie  Harshberger,  daughter  of 
John  M.  and  Katie  (Wertz)  Harshberger,  on  September  25,  18.. 
Their  married  life  so  far  was  spent  in  the  seventh  ward,  city  of 
Johnstown,  where  they  now  reside.  Their  children  are:  Ethel  F., 
Ivan  E.,  and  Velma  J. 

Brother  Pearce  united  with  the  Johnstown  Church  of  the 
Brethren  September  26,  1894,  and  since  that  time  has  been  an  active 
Sunday-school  and  church  worker.  In  the  same  congregation  he 
was  called  to  the  ministry  on  March  29,  1900.  Some  time  later  he 
was  installed  and  in  the  course  of  time  advanced  to  the  second 
degree  of  the  ministry,  and  on  Ma)'  3,  1914,  he  was  ordained  to 
the  eldership.  Since  Elder  Howe  has  removed  from  the  congrega- 
tion Brother  Pearce  has  been  elder  in  charge  of  the  large  congre- 
gation. 

(Portrait   on   Page  117.) 

JACOB   W.   PECK. 

Jacob  W.  Peck,  a  successful  farmer  of  Summit  Townsliip,  Som- 
erset County,  and  a  minister  in  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  de- 
scends from  one  of  the  old  families  of  the  county.  He  was  born 
in  what  was  formerly  Addison  (now  Elk  Lick)  Township,  June  18, 
1845,  and  is  the  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Maust)  Peck,  the 
grandson  of  John  Jacob  and  Annie  (dinger)  Peck,  and  the  great- 
grandson   of  John  Adam  and   Katarina   Fillabina    (Smith)    Peck. 

John  Adam  Peck,  the  great-grandfather,  was  born  in  Switz- 
erland, of  German  parents,  about  1750.  He  came  to  America 
in  the  ship  "  Hamilton."  sailing  from  Rotterdam,  on  October  6, 
1767,  landing  at  Philadcl])hia,  Pennsylvania.     On  April  12,  1772,  he 


506 


HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 


married  Katarina  Fillabina  Smith.  They  settled  on  a  farm  in  Ad- 
dison Township,  Somerset  County.  They  were  the  parents  of  six 
sons  and  two  daughters;  viz.,  John  Jacob,  John,  John  Daniel,  John 
George,  John  Peter,  Henry,  whose  given  name  was  most  likely 
John;  Catherine  and  Elizabeth. 

John  Jacob  Peck,  above,  was  born  at  Lancaster,  Pennsylvania, 
March  20,  1773.  He  was  a  farmer  and  helped  clear  the  homestead 
farm  in  Elk  Lick.  He  was  a  religious  man  and  a  member  of  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren.  He  married  Annie  dinger  December  22, 
1799.  To  them  were  born  the  following  children:  Susannah,  Mary 
D.,  John,  Sarah,  Catharine,  Jacob,  Jonas,  John,  Elias,  Lydia  D.. 
Eliza,  Moses  and  Daniel.    John  Jacob  Peck  died  March  2,  1852. 

John  Peck,  the  eighth  child  of  John  Jacob  and  Annie  Peck,  was 
born  in  Elk  Lick  September  18,  1813.  He  was  an  extensive  stock 
raiser  as  well  as  a  farmer  and  at  one  time  owned  a  farm  of  800 
acres.  He  also  was  a  member  of  the  Churcli  of  the  Brethren  and 
an  influential  citizen.  He  married  Elizabeth  Maust,  November  13, 
1837.  Miss  Maust  was  born  May  1,  1818,  and  was  a  daughter  of 
Abraham  Maust.  Their  children  are:  William,  Mahlon,  .Abraiiam, 
Jacob  W.,  Sarah  Ann,  Magdalena,  Lewis  .\.,  Elizabeth,  Jonas  and 
Susan.  Brother  Peck  died  May  1,  1890,  and  Sister  Peck  September 
22,  18%. 


JiU'ob    W.   Peck. 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         507 

Elder  Jacob  W.  Peck  was  educated  in  the  public  scTiools.  He 
has  been  a  farmer  all  his  life.  He  married  Elizabeth,  daughter  of 
Samuel  and  Elizabeth  (Beachley)  Flickinger,  December  29,  1872. 
Sister  Peck  was  born  November  29,  1849.  Their  children  are: 
Cora  Alice,  Lloyd  Dillon,  John  Elmer,  Emma  May,  Carrie,  Mis- 
souri, Sadie  Pearl,  and  Robert  Earl.  All  received  a  good  educa- 
tion and  all  are  members  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren. 

After  having  lived  on  several  other  farms,  Brother  Peck,  in 
1884,  bought  a  fine  192-acre  farm  near  Meyersdale,  where  he  still 
resides.  Brother  Peck  has  been  director  of  the  poor  for  Somerset 
County  and  was  president  of  the  board  that  erected  the  building 
for  the  insane.  Por  fifteen  years  he  was  townsliip  auditor;  he 
also  served  on  the  board  of  supervisors.  In  1900  he  was  United 
States  census  enumerator. 

Brother  Peck  was  baptized  in  Elk  Lick  Creek  by  Elder  Jacob 
Blough,  May  11.  1870.  On  May  1,  1876,  he  was  chosen  deacon.  He 
was  called  to  tlie  ministry  May  9,  1880,  and  advanced  to  the  sec- 
ond degree  Octoljcr  10,  1884.  Besides  preaching  at  the  two  regular 
preaching  points  in  the  Summit  Mills  congregation.  Summit  Mills 
and  Cross  Roads,  Elder  Peck  is  an  active  Sunday-school  worker. 
He  served  as  superintendent  of  the  Summit  Mills  Sunday-school 
twenty  years,  from  1880  to  1900. 

LEWIS   A.    PECK. 

By  P.   S.   Davis. 

Elder  L.  A.  Peck,  brother  of  Jacob  W.,  was  born  February  4, 
1853,  in  Elk  Lick  Township,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania,  on 
the  same  farm  where  he  has  lived  all  his  life  to  the  present.  He  is 
the  son  of  John  Peck,  whose  great-grandfather  was  a  pioneer  in 
this  locality,  having  come  from  Germany  and  located  first  in  York, 
this  State,  and  later,  by  a  trend  of  interesting  incidents,  located  in 
what  is  now  Addison  Township.  Here  he  died,  being  buried  on 
the  farm  now  owned  by  John  Cramer. 

Elder  Peck  was  baptized  at  Salisl)ury,  Pennsylvania,  June, 
1876,  by  Silas  Keim,  after  having  been  interrogated  by  the  mem- 
orable James  Quinter;  was  elected  to  the  ministry,  with  his  brother 
Jacob,  in  June,  1880;  forwarded  to  the  second  degree  April  24, 
1886;  ordained  to  the  eldership  September  27,  1886,  with  John  N. 
Davis,  each  to  officiate  alternately  at  councils.  After  Brother 
Davis  became  inactive,  the  care  and  oversight  of  the  church  rested 
on  Brother  Peck. 

Being  of  German  stock,  he  inherited  the  thrift  and  enterprise 
characteristic  of  that  race.  He  is  a  man  of  powerful  build  and 
strong  executive  ability,   combining  these   qualities  with   a  strong 


^08  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 


Kider    Lewis    A.    Pet-k   and    Wife. 

desire  for  the  adherence  of  the  church  to  the  principles  of  loyalty 
and  consistency  as  taught  in  the  Divine  Word.  He  has  kept  the 
church  in  a  healthy  condition  and  the  inevitable  result  is  a  steady 
growth. 

He  is  also  a  zealous  Sunday-scht)ol  worker,  having  been 
either  superintendent  or  teacher  continually  for  tlie  past  thirty 
years. 

Brother  Peck  has  his  second  wife,  the  first  union  being  blest 
with  three  children  as  well  as  the  second — three  sons  and  three 
daughters — all  being  members  of  the   Cliiircli   of  the   Uretliren. 

It  is  only  when  \isiting  in  his  home  that  you  come  in  touch 
with  his  true  nature.  His  commodious  house,  bounteous  table,  and 
strong  family  affiliations  are  all  corroborative  evidences  of  a 
good  "  housekeeper." 

IRWIN  R.  FLETCHER. 

Irwin  R.  Fletcher,  son  of  Daniel  and  Martha  Fletcher,  was 
born  in  P^ayette  County,  Fennsylvania,  November  15,  IHHO.  When 
yet  a  small  child  the  family  moved  to  Maryland,  but  returned  to 
Pennsylvania  when  Irwin  was  nine  years  of  age.  Here  he  has 
lived  ever  since. 

His  early  schooling  was  somewhat  delayed,  but  at  the  age  of 
about  ten  his  op])ortunities  im]>roved  and  he  entered  the  public 
school  in  Mt.  Pleasant  Townsliip,  Westmoreland  County.  He 
graduated  from  the  public  school  when  sixteen  years  old  in  the 
si)ring  of  1897.  After  assisting  his  father  in  the  operation  of  a 
sawmill  several  years,  he  took  six  weeks  of  i)rei)aratory  work, 
and   began   teaching  school   in   h'ayette  County  at   the  age  of  nine- 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         509 


Irvin   R.    Fletcher   and   Wife. 


teen.  After  teaching  two  years  he  worked  at  the  carpenter  trade 
and  in  a  store. 

On  December  25,  1903,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Sadie  G. 
Horner,  daughter  of  Myers  and  Ida  Horner,  and  granddaughter  of 
Elder  D.  D.  Horner.  After  working  in  Elder  Horner's  mill  a  year, 
he  purchased  it  and  operated  it  till  1906,  when  he  was  called  to  the 
ministry.  He  sold  his  mill  and  moved  u])on  a  farm  which  he  had 
purchased.  After  four  years  on  the  farm  he  has  gone  back  to 
teaching,  which  profession  he   has   followed  ever  since. 

During  a  series  of  meetings  held  by  Elder  D.  H.  Walker  in 
the  Jacobs  Creek  house  in  the  fall  of  1897,  he  united  with  the 
church,  being  baptized  by  Elder  J.  K.  Eicher.  He  early  became  in- 
terested in  Sunday-school  and  church  activities.  He  has  served 
in  the  capacity  of  Sunday-school  superintendent  a  number  of 
years,  both  before  his  election  to  the  ministry  and  since.  He  has 
represented  his  church  a  number  of  times  as  delegate  in  Annual 
and  District  Meeting. 

DR.  RICHARD  T.  POLLARD. 

Richard  Thomas  Pollard,  son  of  Thomas  and  Elizabeth  Pol- 
lard, was  born  in  Cornwall,  England,  November  24,  1848.  He 
comes  from  a  family  of  mine  workers,  and  from  his  youth  he 
worked  in  the  tin  and  copper  mines  of  his  native  country.  He 
had  none  of  the  advantages  of  an  early  education.  When  he  ar- 
rived in  America,  in  1868,  he  did  not  know  the  multiplication  ta- 
ble and  was  equally  backward  in  all  other  branches  of  learning. 


510  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

Upon  his  arrival  in  Aniorica  lie  lirst  went  to  Hibcrnia,  Morris 
County,  New  Jcrsej',  where  Ije  was  employed  in  the  mines  until 
1871,  when  he  came  to  Somerset,  entered  the  employ  of  W.  H. 
Welfley,  and  assisted  liim  in  his  photographic  work  for  one  year. 
For  several  years  he  mined  and  farmed  in  the  southern  part  of 
the   county. 

His  eagerness  for  an  education  caused  him  earnestly  to  apply 
himself  at  all  possible  times  to  improve  his  mind.  He  denied 
himself  all  pleasures  and  luxuries  in  order  to  secure  an  education. 
In  1875  he  came  to  Elderton,  Armstrong  County,  where  he  was  a 
student  in  the  Plum  Creek  Normal.  Five  years  he  was  engaged  in 
teaching  school. 

May  2,  1876,  he  married  Mrs.  Hannah  Kimmel,  widow  of  Peter 
Kimmel,  and  daughter  of  Elder  Sinmiaker,  of  Red  Bank  Town- 
ship, Armstrong  County.  To  tiiis  union  two  sons  were  born; 
viz.,  Thomas  S.,  a  miner,  and  Lee   W.,  a  dru.ggist. 

After  farming  some  years  in  Armstrong  Count}',  he  decided 
to  take  up  the  profession  of  medicine.  In  1889  he  entered  the 
l'>altimore  Medical  ("ollege,  graduating  in  1891,  ol)taining  his  diplo- 
!na  as  a  regular  practitioner  of  the  allopathic,  or  old  school  of 
medicine.  Dr.  Pollard  began  the  practice  of  metlicine  in  Hagers- 
ti)wn.  Mar\laii(l,  in  1891,  where  he  remained  two  years.  In  1S93 
he  nioxed  to  (iarrett,  Somerset  County,  Pennsj'lvania,  where  he 
has  practiced  very  successfully  ever  since.  lie  is  a  member  of 
the  State  and  County  Societies,  the  Pialtimore  &  Ohio  Railroad 
Surgeons'  .Association,  and  is  local  surgeon  for  the  Baltimore  & 
(  )Iii()    kailroad    Company   at    Garrett. 

lie  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Plum  Creek  congregation 
in  1879,  and  ordained  to  the  eldership  in  tiie  same  congregation 
some  years  later.  In  addition  to  his  church  work  in  his  home  con- 
gregation, he  preached  in  the  Red  Bank  congregation  regularly  two 
years;  he  also  served  the  Glade  Run  and  Brush  Valley  churches  a 
year  or  two.  He  did  not  live  in  Garrett  very  long  until  a  Sunday- 
school  was  opened  and  preaching  services  were  held.  The  Garrett 
meetinghouse  was  the  result  of  these  early  efforts.  For  some  years 
he  was  active  in,  the  ministry,  l)ut  since  his  profession  makes  such 
urgent  demands  upon  his  time,  he  docs  not  preach  much.  He  is 
the  elder  of  the  Berlin  congregation. 

Dr.  Pollard's  success  in  life  is  an  example  of  what  may  be 
accomplished  by  a  poor  boy  in  .America  when  possessed  of  pluck, 
push  and  perseverance. 

JAMES   QUINTER. 

James  Ouintcr  was  born  in  181(),  in  PIii!a(kli)liia,  rennsylxa- 
nia.      He   was   baptized   in   the    Coventry   cliurch   in    1831.      He   was 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


511 


called  to  the  ministry  in  1838.  In  1839  he  with  Brother  John 
Umstead  visited  the  churches  in  Western  Pennsylvania,  and  the 
brethren  of  the  Georges  Greek  congregation  were  much  pleased 
with  his  piety.  They  afterward  concluded  to  secure  his  services 
for' the  congregation,  and  succeeded  in  getting  him  to  come  in 
1842.  He  brought  with  him  his  mother,  sister  and  two  nephews. 
The  Brethren  bought  him  a  small  farm  upon  which,  with  hard 
labor,  he  made  a  meager  living,  but  supplemented  it  by  teaching 


£lder  James   Quinter. 


school  in  the  winter.  He  was  well  educated  and  a  very  forceful 
speaker.  In  warm  weather  he  would  take  his  coat  off  and  speak 
with  a  loud  voice  until  the  sweat  would  drop  from  his  face. 

In  1856  Brother  Henry  Kurtz,  then  editing  the  Gospel  Visitor, 
at  Poland,  Ohio,  prevailed  upon  him  to  assist  him  in  its  publica- 
tion. The  church  was  sorry  to  see  him  leave.  During  his  stay 
in  Fayette  County  the  Georges  Creek  congregation  greatly  pros- 
pered.     Neighboring   churches   also   were   helped. 

About  1873  Elder  Quinter  again  moved  into  Western  Pennsyl- 
vania,  locating  at    Meyersdale.     Here   he   published   the   Christian 


512  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

l-'amily  Companion  and  Gospel  Visitor.  Some  time  towards  the 
close  of  the  year  1876,  when  the  publishing  interests  were  re- 
moved to  Huntingdon,  Pennsylvania,  Elder  Quinter  and  family 
also  removed  there.  There  he  continued  to  live  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  the  Annual  Meeting  tent  at  North  Manchester, 
Indiana,  while  on  his  knees  in  prayer.  May  19,  1888.  He  was  buried 
from  his  home  in  Huntingdon.  May  23,  the  funeral  being  con- 
ducted by  Elders  H.  B.  Brumbaugh  and  W.  J.  Swigart,  assisted 
by  a  number  of  other  ciders  and  ministers.  He  was  buried  in 
Rivervicw  cemetery. 

Many  pages  might  be  written  al)Out  this  faithful  man  of  God, 
but  we  felt  only  like  considering  him  as  he  was  related  to  the 
cliurcli  work  of  our  District.  We  notice  him  in  another  chapter, 
as  an  educator.  Allusion  is  also  made  to  his  remarkable  meetings 
in  the  Ten  Mile  church.  During  his  last  residence  in  the  District  he 
was  prominent  in  the   District   Meetings,  holding  different  oftices. 

His  first  wife,  whom  he  married  September  17,  1850,  was  Mary 
.Ann  Moser,  daughter  of  Brother  Daniel  Moser.  To  them  was  born 
a   daughter,   Lydia   Isabella,   April   15,    1854. 

She  was  married  September  20,  1877,  in  the  T'ilgrim  chapel, 
Huntingdon,  Pennsylvania,  by  her  father,  to  Elder  Jacob  T.  My- 
ers, of  the  Green  Tree  congregation,  Montgomery  County,  Penn- 
sylvania. Elder  Myers'  native  county  is  Somerset.  A  son,  named 
for  his  grandfather,  James  Quinter,  was  born  to  them  January 
23,   1882,  and  a  daughter,  Grace  Quinter,  July  6,   1885. 

When  Elder  Quinter  moved  to  Ohio,  in  1856,  his  mother  and 
sister  remained  in  Fayette  Count)-.  Through  the  summer  and 
autumn  of  1857  his  wife  was  afflicted  with  consumption.  On  Sep- 
tember 2  she  was  anointed,  and  as  she  greatly  desired  to  see  her 
l)arents  again  he  accompanied  her  shortly  afterward  to  her  old 
home  in  Fayette  County,  where  she  died  October  9,  same  year.  His 
mother  and  sister  now  came  to  care  for  his  home  and  his  moth- 
erless little  daughter. 

-April  11,  1861,  he  was  married  to  Fanny,  daughter  of  Elder 
John  Studebaker.  To  them  two  daughters  were  born — Mary  N.. 
January  21,  1863.,  and  Grace,  June  10,  1870.  Grace  was  married  to 
F.  F.  Holsopple.  Mary  \.,  after  having  labored  in  Juniata  Col- 
lege a  number  of  years,  both  as  student  and  teacher,  sailed  as 
missionary  to  India  in  1903.  On  the  fiold  she  did  commendable 
work.  She  had  the  supervision  of  the  Widows'  Home  in  Jalal- 
por,  a  position  carrying  with  it  concern  for  the  welfare  of  some  of 
the  most  unfortunate  of  India's  wretched  ones.  She  was  home  on 
furlough  in  1910-1911,  and  spent  some  time  among  the  churches, 
where  her  messages  were  heard  gladly.  She  passed  to  her  reward 
January  14,  1914. 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         513 

GEORGE  RAIRIGH. 

The  Rairigh  family  has  taken  an  active  part  in  the  work  of 
the  church  in  Western  Pennsylvania,  as  well  as  in  a  number  of  the 
Western  States  and  the  Eastern  Shore  of  Maryland.  So  far  as 
known  all  the  Rairighs  and  Raricks  in  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
are  descendants  of  one  John  Rairigh,  who  with  his  wife  came  from 
Germany,  and  likely  settled  first  in  the  "  Valley  "  of  Virginia,  for 
they  moved  from  Virginia  and  located  between  Plumville  and 
Smicksburg,    Indiana    County,    Pennsylvania. 

Elder  George  Rairigh,  Sr.,  who  was  a  son  of  John  Rairigh, 
and  was  born  August  22,  1793,  located  on  a  farm  about  a  mile  north 
of  the  present  town  of  Sagamore,  Cowanshannock  Township,  Arm- 
strong County.  His  wife  was  Elizabeth  Bair,  a  Southern  lady. 
Whether  their  marriage  took  place  before  coming  to  Pennsylva- 
nia is  not  stated;  neither  is  it  known  definitely  where  they  united 
with  the  church.  On  their  farm  they  had  a  log  house  and  log 
barn.  In  the  barn,  which  is  still  in  use,  Elders  Levi  Roberts  and 
John  Mineely  and  other  pioneer  ministers  held  forth  the  Word 
of  life.     Love  feasts  also  were  held  there. 

Elder  Rairigh  was  the  first  preacher  elected  in  the  Cowan- 
shannock congregation.  The  date  is  not  known,  but  it  must  have 
been  near  the  close  of  the  twenties  of  the  past  century,  or  early 
in  the  thirties.  It  is  said  he  preached  his  first  sermon  in  his  own 
barn.  As  a  boy  he  had  no  educational  privileges.  When  called 
to  the  ministry  he  could  not  read  his  text.  His  devoted  wife  read 
it  for  him.  She  also  taught  him  to  read  the  German  language. 
W'hen,  later,  the  people  wanted  English  preaching  she  also  taught 
him  the  English.  What  Elder  Rairigh  lacked  in  education  he  more 
than  made  up  in  piety,  industry,  devotion,  perseverance  and  ear- 
nestness in  the  cause.  In  this  waj'  he  was  helped  to  overcome  the 
many  difficulties  that  loom  up  in  the  way  of  missionary  effort. 

Elder  Rairigh  was  a  home  missionary  in  the  fullest  sense  of 
the  word.  While  his  faithful  wife  managed  the  farm  and  did  the 
spinning,  he  was  about  his  Father's  business.  It  is  said  that  it 
required  twenty-six  weeks  to  give  meetings  in  turn  to  the*  mission 
points  that  had  been  opened  by  this  earnest  and  self-sacrificing 
minister.  His  field  was  Armstrong  and  adjoining  counties.  He 
traveled  some  on  horseback,  but  mostly  afoot.  He  is  said  to  have 
made  two  missionary  journeys  on  foot  to  the  State  of  Ohio.  He 
went  all  kinds  of  weather,  and  when  necessary  swam  the  streams. 
He  counted  not  his  life  dear  unto  himself.  LTnder  his  earnest 
preaching,  which  he  often  emphasized  by  striking  his  Bible,  many 
people  were  converted  and  baptized  by  him.  He  was  called  far 
and  wide  to  officiate  at  funerals,  for  which  calling  he  was  peculiarly 


514  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF   THE 

fitted.  He  was  a  rather  slight-built  man,  very  active,  and  it  is 
but  natural  that  so  strenuous  a  life  could  not  endure  very  long.  He 
contracted  a  bronchial  affection  from  which  he  died  October  10, 
1856,  aged  63  years,  1  month  and  20  days.  He  was  buried  in  the 
Cowanshannock   cemetery. 

Here  I  quote  from  the  Gospel  Visitor  of  that  time:  "The  day 
before  his  death  he  was  in  ordinary  health,  and  occupied  with 
such  work  as  he  still  felt  able  to  do.  Though  he  suffered  these 
twelve  years,  more  or  less,  of  bronchitis,  he  went  to  bed  at  his 
usual  time  without  particularly  complaining.  About  two  o'clock 
he  was  taken  with  violent  vomiting  of  blood,  and  before  a  light 
could  be  lit  his  spirit  had  fled  and  his  body  was  a  corpse." 

Their  children  were:  Samuel,  Peter,  George,  John,  Annie 
(married  Joseph  Whitacre),  and  Catharine  (married  David  Hel- 
man).  All  but  Annie  were  members  of  the  Church  of  the  Breth- 
ren. Samuel  was  a  minister  in  Cowanshannock.  He  moved  to 
Ohio,  and  later  to  Peabody,  Kansas,  where  he  died  in  the  Old  Or- 
der church.  John,  a  deacon,  moved  to  Ohio  and  later  to  Indiana. 
Three  of  his  sons,  Isaac  F.,  J.  \V.  and  J.  G.,  are  ministers.  George 
moved  to  Cherry  Tree,  Indiana  County.  Two  of  his  sons,  Isaiah 
and  George  S.,  were  preachers. 

Of  Elder  George  Rairigh's  great  grandsons  three  are  in  the 
ministry;  viz.,  S.  F.  Rairigh,  of  Denton,  Maryland,  a  son  of  Elder 
George  S.,  Ralph  Rarick,  of  Bethany  Bible  School,  a  son  of  Levi 
Rarick,  and  W.  Carl,  of  Colfax,  Indiana,  a  son  of  Elder  J.  W.  Rar- 
ick. 

JAMES  F.  REAM. 

James  F.  Ream,  son  of  Garrett  and  Sarah  (Horner)  Ream, 
was  born  near  Goshen,  Indiana,  August  25,  1858.  About  1865  the 
family  moved  to  Scalp  Level,  Pennsylvania,  where  James  grew  to 
manhood.  His  education  was  received  in  the  public  schools  of  that 
vicinity.  In  Garrett  Ream's  family  were  three  sons:  Jeremiah,  of 
Quakertown,  Pennsylvania,  James  F.  and  Alonzo  E.  (deceased). 
In  his  earlier  years  Brother  Ream  assisted  his  father  in  the  mer- 
cantile business  in  Scalp  Level. 

In  1882  Brother  Ream  and  Sister  Christina  Holsopple.  daugh- 
ter of  Elder  Jacob  and  Polly  (Lehman)  Holsopple,  were  united  in 
marriage.  To  this  union  the  following  children  were  born,  namely: 
Carrie,  Ira,  Emma,  Verna,  Roy,  Ruth,  Margaret,  Florence,  and 
Harold.  Brother  and  Sister  Ream  I)egan  housekeeping  in  Scalp 
Level,  where  for  about  twenty  years  he  was  engaged  in  the  har- 
ness-making business.  Later  they  lived  a  number  of  years  at 
Quakertown,  P>ucks  County,  Pennsylvania.  The  last  few  years 
they  have  resided  on  a  farm   in   Indiana  County,  near  Cramer. 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         515 

Brother  Ream  united  with  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  in  Scalp 
Level  in  1882,  being  baptized  by  Elder  Hiram  Musselman.  He  at 
once  began  to  be  active  in  Sunday-school  work  at  that  place.  He 
held  almost  every  official  position  in  Sunday-school  from  super- 
intendent down.  He  is  a  great  lover  of  music,  and  has  been  a 
leader  in  song  for  many  years.  On  July  4,  1893,  he  was  elected  to 
the  ministry  in  the  Shade  Creek  congregation,  where  he  labored 
until  1908,  when  they  moved  from  the  congregation  to  Bucks 
County. 

Brother  Ream  has  frequently  represented  his  congregation  at 
the  District  Meetings,  and  he  was  the  treasurer  of  that  meeting 
from  the  death  of   Hiram   Lehman  until  he  left  the   District. 

SAMUEL  F.  REIMAN. 

Samuel  F.  Reiman  was  born  in  Stony  Creek  Townsliip,  Som- 
erset County,  Pennsylvania,  March  23,  1841.  He  was  the  oldest 
son  of  Jacob  and  Elizalieth  (Fike)  Reiman,  to  whom  were  born 
seven  children. 

The  earlier  period  of  liis  life  was  spent  on  his  father's  farm, 
during  which  time  he  took  advantage  of  the  educational  privileges 
afforded  by  the  common  schools  of  his  day.  Later  he  attended 
some  of  the  normal  schools  of  the  county  and  qualified  himself  for 
the  work  of  teaching. 

On  January  21,  1865,  by  Elder  Daniel  P.  Walker,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Rebecca  Schrock,  daughter  of  Elder  George  and  Su- 
san (Horner)  Schrock,  and  sister  of  Elder  W.  G.  Schrock.  To 
this  union  were  born  Alvin  H.,  who  died  in  infancy;  Mahlon  S., 
married  to  Dillie  V.  Walker;  Clara  G.,  married  to  Elder  J.  J. 
Shaffer,  died  in  1913;  George  S.,  married  to  Emma  E.  Walker,  and 
Elizabeth  S. 

After  his  marriage  he  settled  on  a  farm  in  Brothers  Valley 
Township,  Somerset  County,  where  he  resided  until  his  death. 

Brother  Reiman  served  the  church  a  number  of  years,  as  dea- 
con, and  in  1880  he  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Brothers 
Vallej'  congregation.     In  1895  he  was  ordained  to  the  eldership. 

As  a  public  speaker  Elder  Reiman  won  no  special  distinction, 
but,  generally  speaking,  it  may  be  said  of  him  that  his  thoughts 
were  forceful,  conclusive,  and  convincing,  being  the  product  of  a 
heart  overflowing  with  love  for  the  souls  of  men.  He  possessed 
that  true  devotion  to  the  principles  of  the  church  of  his  choice 
that  comes  only  through  the  constant  study  of  God's  Word  and  a 
willingness  to  be  guided  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  In  all  his  religious 
work  he  was  sincere,  believing  that  the  true  Christian  should  prac- 
tice what  he  preaches.  To  him  pretense  and  outward  show  were 
only  a  "  form  of  godliness,"  not  having  "  the  power  thereof."     To 


516 


HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 


liim  honor  and  fame  were  not  the  product  of  an  ambitious  life,  but 
the  reward  of  a  life  of  sacrifice  and  humble  service  for  the  Master 
and  the  church. 

As  a  private  citizen  he  was  generous,  almost  to  a  fault,  to 
those  whom  he  considered  worthy,  and  to  every  one  in  need  he  was 
always  willing  to  extend  the  helping  hand  and  a  word  of  cheer 
and  comfort. 

His  two  sons  are  deacons,  and  liis  grandson,  Ralph  Reiman, 
is  a  young  minister.  Peacefully  he  passed  out  of  this  life  on  the 
morning  of  tlie  17th  of  February,  1897,  and  was  buried  in  the  Pike 
church  cemetery.  I'^ineral  services  were  conducted  by  iCIdt-r  Silas 
Hoover. 


Ralpli    WiilktT    |{<-inian. 

RALPH  WALKER  REIMAN. 
Ralph  W.  Reiman,  son  of  Deacon  Mahlon  S.  and  Dillie  V. 
(Walker)  Reiman,  was  born  September  26,  1X<M,  in  Brothers  Valley 
Township,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania.  His  sister,  Ruth,  was 
born  December  1,  1900.  Ralph  is  supplementing  his  common 
school  education  by  attending  Juniata  College.  He  was  called 
to  the  ministry  in  the  Brothers  Valley  congregation,  October  12, 
H>12,  and   installed  in   1915. 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        517 

HARVEY  SNOWBERGER  REPLOGLE. 

The  history  of  Western  Pennsylvania  is  closely  interwoven 
with  the  history  of  Morrisons  Cove,  and  the  Yellow  Creek  church, 
which  has  been  divided  and  subdivided  until  it  includes  nearly  all 
the  churches  of  Bedford  and  Blair  Counties.  The  home  of  this 
church  is  now  known  as  the  New  Enterprise  church.  Four  of  the 
leading  and  familiar  family  names  of  this  church  and  settlement 
are  the  Replogles,  Snowbergers,  Snyders  and  Brumbaughs. 

Isaac  B.  Replogle,  son  of  Daniel  and  Nancy  (Brumbaugh) 
Replogle,  was  married  in  1855,  to  Miss  Elizabeth,  daughter  of 
Elder  Andrew  and  Susan  (Snyder)  Snowberger.  To  this  union 
were  born  nine  children,  the  eighth  of  whom  is  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.  Harvey  Snowberger  Replogle  was  born  near  Waterside, 
Bedford  County,  Pennsylvania.  September  27,  1871.  He,  with  five 
brothers  and  one  sister,  was  left  motherless  at  the  age  of  three 
years.  Three  years  later  his  sister  Barbara  was  married  to  Elder 
Levi  F.  Holsinger.  They  took  little  Harvey  into  their  new  home, 
and  he  remained  with   them   until   he   was   twenty-four   years   old. 

Harvey  grew  up  on  the  farm  and  attended  the  public  schools 
until  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age.  A  more  studious  and  method- 
ical, and  at  the  same  time  a  more  bashful  boy  was  hard  to  find  in 
his  community.  He  was  too  bashful,  or  perhaps,  tender-hearted,  to 
say  his  "  piece  "  in  school.  Once,  when  he  had  come  into  a  cer- 
tain community  to  preach,  a  former  schoolmate  of  his,  living  near 
the  place  of  meeting,  inade  this  remark:  "  I  must  go  and  hear  him. 
I  wonder  whether  he  can  get  it  said.  In  school  he  always  pre- 
pared his  piece  but  never  got  it  said."  While  listening  to  the  ser- 
mon she  concluded  that  he  was  now  able  to  testify  for  the  Master. 

After  leaving  the  public  schools  he  attended  several  terms  of 
local  normal,  after  which  we  find  him  as  a  student  in  Juniata 
College,  where  he  graduated  from  the  normal  English  course  in 
1896.  He  began  teaching  in  1890  and  taught  country  schools, 
town  schools,  teachers'  local  normals,  two  terms  in  Derry  High 
School,  and  six  years  as  ward  principal  in  the  Johnstown  schools. 
While  following  this  profession  he  was  always  an  earnest  student 
and  a  conscientious  teacher. 

During  a  revival,  held  in  the  New  Enterprise  church  by  Elder 
Jesse  Calvert,  he  gave  his  heart  to  Christ  and  was  baptized  by 
Elder  J.  Z.  Replogle,  being  at  the  time  fifteen  years  old.  He  al- 
ways was  a  regular  attendant  at  church  and  Sunday-school.  Soon 
after  his  conversion  he  began  to  take  an  active  part  in  educational 
meetings  and  literary  societies,  and  then  became  active  in  the 
young  people's   meeting  of  the   church.     He   soon   showed   ability 


518  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

as  a  speaker  and  was  al\va3's  very  earnest  in  his  manner  of  ad- 
dress. 

On  August  22,  18*96,  only  a  few  niontlis  after  liis  liTaduation, 
he  was  called  to  the  ministry  by  liis  lionic  coui^regation,  and  was 
installed  the  same  day  l)y  Elder  James  A.  Sell.  Two  weeks  later, 
in  the  same  church,  he  preached  his  Hrsl  sermon,  using  the  theme, 
"  Conridence  in  God."  He  felt  that  the  call  was  from  the  Lord, 
and  it  was  his  ambition  to  succeed  in  the  holy  calling.  During  the 
first  year  he  preached  thirty-six  sermons.  Since  that  time  there 
has  been  no  year  in  which  he  preached  less  than  100  sermons, 
while  during  some  years  he  preached  as  many  as  300. 

Elder  Replogle  has  met  with  excellent  success  in  the  evan- 
gelistic field.  The  second  year  after  his  election  he  held  his  tirst 
revival  meeting,  in  the  Claar  church,  when  forty-two  confessed 
Christ.  Since  that  time  most  of  his  vacation  time  while  teaching 
was  spent  in  evangelistic  efforts.  The  Lord  has  blessed  these  ef- 
forts by  bringing  1,078  souls  to  Christ.  He  was  advanced  to  the 
second  degree  in  the  New  Enterprise  church,  September,  1899, 
and  ordained  to  the  eldership  in  the  I'lum  Creek  congregation, 
October  9,  1910. 

When  pastors  were  few  in  Western  I'ennsylvania  he  was 
called  to  be  the  pastor  of  the  Morrollvi'lc  church,  W'cst  Johns- 
town congregation,  and  served  them  two  years.  Then,  after  teach- 
ing one  year,  he  was  called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Plum  Creek 
and  Glade  Run  churches,  with  residence  at  Plum  Creek.  He  served 
those  congregations  nearly  live  years,  when  he  accepted  a  call 
from  the  Scalp  Level  congregation  to  become  its  first  pastor  since 
it  is  a  separate  organization.  He  has  been  serving  there  the 
])ast  three  years. 

Tn  1904  he  was  married  to  Miss  Josephine  Arnold,  who  also  is 
a  graduate  of  Juniata  College,  who  has  been  his  faithful  helper 
since  that  time  in  the  busy  pastoral  life.  His  abi'ity  as  a  Sunday- 
school  worker  has  always  been  recognized  in  Western  Pennsyl- 
vania, lie  has  been  chairman  of  the  association  since  its  organ- 
ization, in  1910.  He  has  served  the  District  as  Writing  Clerk  for 
six  years.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Home  Mission  Board,  and  the 
present  secretary  of  the  same;  he  is  also  president  of  the  Bible 
Institute  Committee.  He  represented  Western  Pennsylvania  on 
the  Standing  Committee  at  the  York  Conference  in   1912. 

HADDON  Q.  RHODES. 

Haddon  Q.  Rhodes,  youn.gest  son  of  Deacon  Emanuel  and 
Mary  (Knavel)  Rhodes,  was  born  in  Johnstown,  Pennsylvania, 
April  25,  1892.     He  was  reared  on  the  farm  in  Taylor  Township. 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


519 


and  received  his  education  in  the  Johnstown  public  schools.  He 
was  received  into  the  Pleasant  Hill  church  of  the  Brethren  by 
Brother  J.  H.  Cassady  in  December,  1908. 

On  March  17,  1912,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Rosie  Lybar- 
ger,  daughter  of  Shannon  Lybarger,  of  Hooversville,  Pennsylva- 
nia, by  Elder  S.  P.  Zimmerman.  He  was  elected  to  the  min- 
istry in  the  West  Johnstown  congregation  December  12,  1911, 
and  installed  the  following  year.  Brother  Rhodes  felt  the  need 
of  further  preparation  in  order  to  become  an  efficient  minister, 
so  with  his  family  he  located  in  Huntingdon,  in  1914,  where  he 
has  been  a  student  in  Juniata  College  ever  since.  On  his  mother's 
side  Brother  Rhodes  comes  from  one  of  the  oldest  Brethren  fam- 
ilies on  what  is  known  as  Benshoff  Hill.  The  Knavels  were  among 
the   early  settlers   in   that   community. 


Haddon   Q.    Rhodes. 


DAVID    C.   RIBBLETT. 

Jacob  D.  Ribblett  was  born  May  10,  1836,  in  Conemaugh 
Township,  Cambria  County,  Pennsylvania.  Sabina  Yeager  was 
born  March  7,  1841,  near  Greencastle,  Lancaster  County,  Penn- 
sylvania, and  came  to  Cambria  County  with  her  parents  when 
thirteen  years  old.     Jacob   D.   Ribblett  and   Sabina   Yeager   were 


520  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

married  Maj'  15,  1859,  by  Elder  Solomon  llcnshoff,  and  in  August, 
1862,  both  were  baptized  by  the  same  minister.  He  was  a  farmer 
all  his  life  and  never  indulged  in  tobacco  or  liquor.  He  was  called 
to  the  office  of  deacon  in  the  Conemaugh  congregation  in  August, 
1864,  and  is  still  active  in  the  office.  Their  home  is  near  the 
Locust  Grove  (Giffin  Hill)  church. 

David  C.  Ribblett,  their  son,  was  born  June  21,  1878.  He  was 
reared  on  the  farm  and  given  good  school  facilities.  He  united 
with  the  Johnstown  congregation  by  baptism,  in  October,  1894. 
Some  time  in  May,  1904,  he  was  elected  deacon,  and  on  June  30, 
1904,  he  was  called  to  the  ministry. 

LEVI  ROBERTS. 

His  grandfather,  Richard  Roberts,  was  a  native  of  Wales,  and 
located  in  Virginia,  where  he  married  and  had  a  large  family.  His 
son,  Joseph,  born  March  18,  1743  (O.  S.),  in  the  Woodcock  Valley, 
Huntingdon  County,  Pennsylvania,  was  massacred  by  the  Indians. 
Joseph  married  Agnes  Seabrooks,  of  Maryland.  She  died  August 
24,  1833,  aged  90  years,  and  is  buried  in  the  Angus  graveyard,  East 
Taylor  Township.  They  oame  to  the  Valley  before  the  Revolution- 
ary War,  and  five  of  their  children  grew  to  maturity;  viz.,  Richard, 
Nancy,  Jemima,  Mary,  and  Levi. 

Levi  was  born  February  9,  1779,  and  died  December  6,  1860, 
aged  81  years,  9  months  and  27  days,  and  is  buried  in  the  Angus 
graveyard.  Funeral  was  conducted  by  Lewis  Cobaugh  and  others, 
from  Rev.  22:  14.  When  Levi  was  two  years  old  his  father,  Jo- 
seph, was  cruelly  murdered  by  the  Indians.  On  November  19,  1799, 
he  married  Elizabeth  Goughnour,  daughter  of  David  Gough- 
nour,  of  Bedford  County.  In  1803  he  and  his  mother  and  his 
two  brothers-in-law,  Dimon  and  Shaffer,  came  to  Cambria  County 
and  located  on  what  is  now  known  as  the  Angus  farm,  in  East 
Taylor,  which  is  about  five  miles  north  of  Johnstown,  on  the 
Fbensburg  road.  Levi  purchased  a  tract  of  land  known  as  the 
"  Vineyard,"  which  had  been  warranted  in  the  name  of  Reuben 
Gregg,  and  patented  by  Reuben  Haynes,  of  Philadelphia.  When 
Levi  located  here  the  forests  abounded  with  wild  animals,  such 
as  panthers,  wolves,  bears,  deer,  wildcats,  foxes,  etc.  There  was 
but  one  family,  who  lived  about  a  mile  from  his  cabin,  and  an- 
other at  what  is  now  Conemaugh,  nearer  than  Johnstown.  He 
had  several  children,  but  only  three  sons  and  three  daughters 
lived  to  full  age.  Three  of  his  sons  and  one  daughter  survived 
their  father.  The  six  children  were:  William,  Nancy,  Susannah, 
Sarah,  Jacob  and  John.  His  son,  John,  who  was  born  January 
17,  1818,  and  died  in  Franklin  Borough,  January  24,  1906,  was 
elected  sheriff  of  Cambria  County  in  1855,  as  a  Democrat. 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         521 

In  1839  Levi  sold  his  farm,  and  five  years  thereafter  he  went 
to  Jefferson  County,  Iowa,  and  lived  there  with  his  children  for 
several  years,  but  returned  to  his  old  home  before  he  died. 

Levi  Roberts  united  with  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  in  about 
1820,  and  was  soon  chosen  to  the  office  of  deacon.  In  this  office 
he   served   faithfully. 

While  serving  the  church  in  that  capacity  he  walked  to  the 
Casselman  River  (Elk  Lick),  a  distance  of  about  thirty  miles,  to 
visit  some  members  and  notify  them  of  a  love  feast  to  be  held 
in  the  Conemaugh  church.  The  next  day  he  walked  home;  then 
on  the  following  clay  he  walked  to  Blacklick,  to  visit  another  fam- 
ily and  notify  them  of  the  love  feast  to  be  held,  and  the  next  day 
he  walked  home  again.  On  this  occasion  he  was  accompanied  by 
Brother  George  Hildebrand,  father  of  Elder  David  Hildebrand. 
They  walked  four  days  through  the  wild  forest  to  pay  their  of- 
ficial visit  to  two  families. 

After  serving  in  the  deacon's  office  acceptably  about  five  j-ears, 
he  was  called  to  the  ministrj^  in  1825.  In  this  office  he  was  as- 
sociated with  Elders  Jacob  Stutzman,  John  Mineely  and  Samuel 
Lidy.    He  was  ordained  to  the  eldership  in  1844. 

Elder  Roberts  was  a  prominent  preacher  of  his  day.  He  trav- 
eled far  and  wide  in  the  interests  of  the  Master's  cause.  It  is  said 
that  he  nearly  always  walked  to  his  appointments.  One  time 
while  on  his  way  to  the  home  of  Philip  Hoffman,  beyond  where 
the  town  of  Scalp  Level  now  is,  he  was  overtaken  by  night,  and  it 
being  too  dark  to  travel  he  obtained  a  live  coal  and  built  a  fire 
and  camped  for  the  night.  The  next  morning  he  found  that  he 
was  so  near  to  the  Hoffman  farm  that  he  could  hear  their  rooster 
crowing.  His  labors  extended  over  parts  of  Bedford,  Somerset, 
Indiana   and   Armstrong   Counties,   besides   his   home  county. 

GIDEON    ROGERS. 

Gideon  Rogers  was  born  in  Bedford  County,  Pennsylvania, 
September  16,  1826.  His  father,  Ellis  Rogers,  emigrated  with  his 
parents  from  York  County  at  an  early  date.  His  mother's  maiden 
name  was  Julia  Rowzer.  His  parents  were  members  of  the  Bap- 
tist Church,  but  his  mother  in  her  later  years  united  with  the 
Church    of   the    Brethren.      The    Rogerses    are    of    Scotch    descent. 

Brother  Rogers  was  the  fifth  of  a  family  of  eleven  children. 
The  opportunities  to  secure  an  education  in  those  days  were  very 
meager.  He  had  to  go  as  far  as  two  miles  and  more  to  attend 
a  subscription  school.  However,  naturally  aspiring  after  knowl- 
edge, he  stood  well  in  his  class,  and  by  the  time  he  attained  man- 
hood he  entered  the  ranks  of  the  school-teacher  for  several  years. 

His   early   piety   is   clearly   shown    by   the   fact   that   he   united 


522 


HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 


Gideon    Kogrers. 


witli  tlic  church  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  being  baptized  by 
Elder  Levi  Roljerts.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Ann  Snyder 
October  25,  1849,  by  El^er  Rol^erts.  His  wife  also  was  a  member 
of  the  church  before  their  marriage.  To  this  union  were  born  two 
children,  Elder  Levi  Rogers,  who  was  the  late  elder  of  the  Dun- 
nings   Creek  congregation,  and   Sister    Barbara   Callahan. 

On  January  2,  1864,  Gideon  and  John  Rogers  were  elected  to 
the  ministry.  He  made  good  proof  of  his  ministry.  The  Bible 
was  his  delight,  and  he  used  every  spare  moment  in  reading  its 
sacred  pages.  His  life  reflected  the  teaching  of  the  Great  Teacher. 
In  his  preaching  he  was  earnest  and  spiritual. 

Brother  Rogers  loved  to  think  on,  and  converse  about,  the 
doctrine  of  the  resurrection.  The  second  coming  of  Christ  was 
also  a  favorite  theme  of  his.  His  life  was  a  blessing  to  all  with 
whom  he  associated.  His  last  words  were:  "I  am  now  going 
home." 

He  was  never  a  strong  man  physically,  and  died  in  his  .sixty- 
first  year  of  that  dread  disease,  consumption. 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        523 


Elder  Levi  Rogers. 


LEVI   ROGERS. 

Levi  Rogers  was  born  at  Alum  Bank,  Bedford  County,  Penn- 
sylvania, September  7,  1854.  He  was  the  only  son  of  Elder  Gideon 
and  Mary  Ann  (Snyder)  Rogers.  His  only  sister,  Barbara,  was 
first  married  to  Robert  Callahan,  a  deacon,  and  is  the  second  wife 
of  Abraham  Fyock,  the  present  elder  of  the  Dunnings  Creek  con- 
gregation. 

Brother  Rogers  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm,  and  farm- 
ing was  his  occupation  all  his  life.  He  received  a  fairly  good  edu- 
cation and  was  one  of  the  leading  citizens  in  his  community. 
Brother  Rogers  was  blessed  with  a  fine  physique  and  strong 
physical  powers,   and  those   who  saw  him  at  the   late   Conference 


524  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

at  Hershej^  never  could  believe  that  in  a  little  more  than  a  month 
his  race  would  be  run.  Tall  and  towering  above  his  fellows,  he  yet 
was  humble  and  unassuming  as  a  little  child.  He  emulated  the 
good  traits  of  a  noble  parentage. 

Brother  Rogers  was  twice  married.  On  Septcml>er  9,  1875,  he 
was  married  to  Jane  Smith.  To  this  union  were  born  five  children. 
This  wife  and  children  are  all  deceased  except  one  son,  Sewell. 
His  second  companion  was  Elizabeth  Walter,  who  with  three 
children  survives.  Elder  John  S.  Holsinger  officiated  at  both 
marriage  ceremonies.  It  will  be  seen  that  Brother  Rogers  suf- 
fered  many  bereavements   and   experienced  many   sorrows. 

Levi  united  with  the  church  in  1875,  being  baptized  by  Elder 
Brice  Sell.  He  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Dunnings  Creek 
congregation,  June  13,  1885,  and  soon  afterward  advanced  to  the 
second  degree  of  the  ministry.  On  October  15,  1901,  he  was  or- 
dained to  the  eldership.  Ever  since  the  death  of  the  senior  elder, 
John  B.  Miller,  October  27,  1912,  Brother  Rogers  has  had  the 
oversight  of  the  church.  Elder  Rogers  was  prompt  and  active 
in  his  church  work,  and  his  labors  extended  beyond  the  borders 
of  his  home  congregation.  No  accurate  record  of  his  official  serv- 
ices at  funerals,  marriages  and  baptisms  was  found,  but  his  min- 
istrations upon  such  occasions  were  eagerly  sought  far  and  wide. 

Living  in  the  extreme  eastern  part  of  our  large  District  made 
it  laborious  for  him  to  attend  the  various  meetings  of  the  District, 
yet  he  was  usually  present  upon  these  occasions,  and  frequently  in 
the  capacity  of  delegate. 

He  served  his  District  on  the  Standing  Committee  at  the 
Winona  Lake  Conference  in  1913.  He  also  acted  on  other  com- 
mittees, and  was  a  member  of  the  "  Old  Folks'  Home  "  project 
at  the  time  of  his  death. 

The  following  incident,  which  took  place  at  our  last  District 
Meeting,  shows  the  character  of  the  man:  When  the  rebaptism 
question  was  ready  to  go  before  the  delegates  for  final  decision. 
Elder  Joseph  Holsopple,  an  octogenarian,  arose  and  wanted  to 
make  a  speech  on  the  question.  The  Moderator  kindly  informed 
him  that  the  time  for  the  discussion  of  the  question  was  passed 
and  that  he  was  ready  to  put  it  on  its  passage.  It  was  then  that 
Elder  Rogers  arose,  and  in  his  kindly  way  begged  that  the  old 
veteran  of  the  cross  should  be  allowed  to  give  his  speech,  at  the 
same  time  saying  that  it  might  be  the  last  District  Meeting  he. 
would  be  able  to  attend.  Little  did  any  one  think  then  that  that 
was  Elder  Rogers'  last  District  Meeting. 

Elder  Rogers  died  at  the  Nasbn  Hospital.  Roaring  Spring, 
Pennsylvania,  where  he  was  taken  to  undergo  an  operation  for 
stomach    trouble,  July    14,    1915,   aged  60  years,    10  months   and   7 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         525 

days.  The  funeral  services,  which  were  largely  arranged  for  by 
himself,  just  before  going  upon  the  operating  table,  were  fully 
carried  out.  Elder  A.  G.  Crosswhite  was  assisted  in  the  funeral 
services  by  Elder  C.  B.  Smith,  of  Kansas,  and  the  home  ministers. 
The  text  used  was  2  Tim.  1:  12,  and  interment  was  made  in  the 
Dunnings  Creek  cemetery. 

WILLIAM  H.  RUMMEL. 

William  H.  Rummel  was  born  March  28,  1873,  near  the  pres- 
ent town  of  Jerome,  in  the  Quemahoning  congregation,  Cone- 
maugh  Township,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania.  He  is  a  son 
of  David  and  Elizabeth  (Grady)  Rummel,  and  his  brothers  and 
sisters  are:  AUameda,  John  W.,  Kate  A.,  Herman  A.,  Sarah  M. 
(deceased),  Maggie  J.,  David  A.,  Samuel  C.  (deceased),  Mary  A., 
Elmer  F.,  Lucy  P.  (deceased),  and  Elsie  V.  John  W.,  Herman  A., 
David  A.  and  Elmer  F.  are  deacons  in  the  Church  of  the  Breth- 
ren.    The  parents  are  residing  in  Johnstown,  Pennsylvania. 

Brother  Rummel  was  reared  on  the  farm  and  was  given  such 
school  privileges  as  circumstances  permitted,  but  the  requirements 
of  a  large  family  on  a  farm  usually  cut  his  school  terms  short  at 
both  ends.  He  made  use  of  the  church  and  Sunday-school  privi- 
leges afforded  at  the  Maple  Spring  church. 

In  the  winter  of  1890  the  family  moved  to  the  eighth  ward 
of  the  city  of  Johnstown  (then  Roxbury),  and  the  sons  yet  at 
home  and  who  were  old  enough,  had  to  work  at  public  works. 
It  was  then  that  \\'illiam  began  to  work  for  the  Cambria  Steel 
Company,  in  the  axle  plant  department,  working  there  about  fif- 
teen years. 

During  this  time  he  became  acquainted  with  Mary  C.  Beegh- 
ley,  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Catharine  (Speicher)  Beeghley,  of 
Maryland,  and  was  united  to  her  in  marriage  by  Albert  U.  Berk- 
ley. Locating  in  Roxbury,  they  resided  there  until  1902,  when 
they  bought  and  moved  onto  a  farm  in  Upper  Yoder  Township 
and  have  since  been  engaged  in  farming. 

During  a  series  of  meetings,  held  in  the  Maple  Spring  church 
in  January,  1888,  by  Elder  D.  H.  Walker,  he  accepted  Christ  as  his 
personal  Savior,  and  was  baptized  in  Bens  Creek  by  Elder  S.  P. 
Zimmerman.  In  Roxbury  he  took  an  active  part  in  Sunday-school 
work,  being  superintendent,  as  well  as  teacher  at  times.  On  Oc- 
tober 24,  1899,  he  was  elected  deacon  in  the  West  Johnstown 
congregation;  December  12,  1911,  he  was  called  to  the  ministry, 
and  about  a  year  later  was  advanced  to  the  second  degree.  In  this 
position  he  is  faithfully  serving  the  church,  and  at  present  is  par- 
tially-supported pastor  and  assuming  part  of  the  responsibility  of 


526  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

the  Viewmont  church  of  the  Urctlircn  in  the  West  Johnstown  con- 
gregation.    He  is  an  active  Sunday-school  worker. 
(Portrait  on   Page   199.) 

CHRISTIAN   SCHMUCKER. 

Christian  Schmucker  was  born  May  8,  1801.  He  was  of  Ger- 
man descent.  When  a  young  man  he  was  married  to  Mary  Ann 
Miller,  daughter  of  Abraham  Miller,  of  Somerset  County.  Seven 
sons  and  four  daughters  were  born  to  this  union.  Brother  and 
Sister  Schmucker  were  among  the  charter  members  of  the  Que- 
mahoning  church.  In  their  home  the  cliurch  services  were  regu- 
larly held  every  thirty-six  weeks,  or  nine  months,  and  the  entire, 
gathering  was  served  with  a  free  dinner.  The  horses  also  were 
given  a  good  meal.  There  are  no  data  at  hand  to  tell  us  when 
he  was  elected  to  the  ministry.  According  to  John  Kline's  diarj' 
(page  343)  he  was  ordained  at  Michael  Forney's  home  during  a 
love-feast  season.  May  28,  1854,  by  John  Kline  and  James  Quin- 
ter.  He  did  not  live  long  after  he  was  in  the  full  ministry,  one 
authority  saying  he  died  December  27,  1853,  and  another,  in  1854, 
which  must  be  correct,  according  to  Elder  Kline.  His  age  is  given 
as  52  years,  7  months  and  19  days. 

Elder  Sclimucker  practiced  a  method  of  curing  for  consumii- 
tion  by  means  of  nine  twigs  cut  from  that  many  kinds  of  fruit 
trees,  dropped  in  a  spring  that  flows  toward  sunrise.  In  connec- 
tion he  would  read  a  portion  of  Scripture,  and  ofifer  up  a  fervent 
prayer  in  behalf  of  the  patient.  The  efficacy  of  the  cure  was  testi- 
fied to  l)y  some  of  the  patients. 

He  died  on  the  farm  where  he  had  reared  his  family.  He  died 
very  suddenly  of  ])aralysis,  and  was  buried  in  the  family  Inirying 
ground. 

His  chihlren  were:  Peter,  Rachel  Dickey,  Elizabeth  Saylor, 
Joseph,  a  deacon  in  the  Quemahoning  congregation  many  years, 
Jacob,  Noah,  Aaron,  Isaiah,  Mary,  and  Lydia  Usaw.  Many  of  his 
descendants  are  members  of  the  Church  of  the  l>rethren,  and  sev- 
eral are  deacons. 

GEORGE  SCHROCK. 

By   His  Son,  William   (i.   Schrock. 

Elder  George  Schrock,  a  prominent  citizen  and  well-known 
farmer  in  B>rothers  X'alley  Township,  was  born  in  1816  and  died 
in  1893.  He  could  trace  his  ancestry  for  four  generations  back  to 
Switzerland,  where  his  great-grandfather  was  born.  The  latter  mi- 
grated to  America  and  settled  in  Lancaster  County,  Pennsylvania, 
atjout  the  year  17(X). 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         527 

From  this  family  came  two  sons,  Casper  and  John,  who  set- 
tled near  Berlin  in  1765.  From  these  two  sons'  families  sprang 
all  or  perhaps  nearly  all  of  the  Schrocks  in  Somerset  County. 
Their  names  appeared  as  late  as  1796  on  the  tax  list  for  Brothers 
Valley  Township.  Casper  Schrock,  grandfather  of  the  subject  of 
this  notice,  lived  on  a  farm  some  distance  north  of  Berlin.  From 
this  large  family  came  Christian  Schrock,  father  of  Elder  George 
Schrock.  Nearly  all  the  Schrocks  then  north  of  Berlin  and  Stony 
Creek  can  be  traced  to  this  family. 

Christian,  one  of  the  sons  of  Casper  Schrock,  was  born  in 
1780  and  died  in  1847.  He  was  married  to  Franie  Good,  who  was 
born  in  1789  and  died  in  1880,  aged  91  years.  To  this  union  were 
born  four  sons  and  five  daughters.  All  lived  and  died  in  the  faith 
of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren.  They  settled  on  the  farm  now 
owned  by  Emanuel  L.  Knepper,  and  forged  out  a  home  for  them- 
selves in  the  heavily-timbered  forests  that  covered  all  this  vast  sec- 
tion of  country  at  that  time. 

Elder  George  Schrock,  one  of  the  sons  ^nd  the  subject  of  this 
special  notice,  came  from  the  above  named  family  and  was  born 
in  1816  near  Berlin,  Pennsylvania.  In  1838  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Susan  Horner,  daughter  of  David  Horner,  near  Meyers- 
dale.  To  this  union  was  born  one  son,  William  G.,  and  one  daugh- 
ter, Rebecca,  who  was  married  to  Elder  S.  F.  Reiman.  They  lived 
two  years  in  Westmoreland  County,  Pennsylvania,  but  returned 
in  1840  and  occupied  the  old  Schrock  homestead,  where  he  con- 
tinued farming  up  to  1851,  when  he  was  called  to  the  ministry. 
Several  years  prior  to  this  he  served  the  church  in  the  deacon  of- 
fice. He  proved  faithful  to  his  high  calling  and  became  a  willing 
and  able  worker  and  expounder  of  the  Word  of  God.  He  was  soon 
promoted  and  in  1880  ordained  to  the  full  ministry.  In  1865  he  was 
bereft  of  his  companion  by  death,  and  several  years  later  was  unit- 
ed in  marriage  to  Sister  Sarah  Horner,  who  outlived  him  by  a  few 
years. 

Elder  Schrock  had  few  advantages  to  gain  more  than  a  lim- 
ited education.  He  was,  however,  a  lover  of  books  and  accumu- 
lated quite  a  library,  and  was  able  to  read  well,  both  in  the  English 
and  German  languages.  He  had  large  natural  ability  and  a  strong 
inclination  for  literature.  He  patronized  our  church  literature  from 
the  beginning,  books  and  papers  brought  out  by  the  Church  of 
the  Brethren.  His  first  wife  was  a  splendid  reader  in  either  lan- 
guage. By  a  constant  course  of  reading  and  study  he  had  gained 
for  himself  a  rare  stock  of  useful  information.  His  natural  ability, 
strong  memory,  and  great  love  for  the  Bible  served  him  well  when 
he  took  up  the  work  of  the  ministry.  Another  advantage  he  pos- 
sessed ^bove  many  others  was  his  strong,  clear  voice,  both  in  song 


528  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

and  in  the  pulpit.  He  spoke  freely  and  at  times  fluently  without 
strain  or  even  notes,  in  the  German  language.  It  was  the  pre- 
vailing language  throughout  the  Glades  up  to  1880. 

During  the  prime  of  his  life  his  preaching  was  in  good  de- 
mand at  home  and  abroad.  He  solemnized  many  marriages,  con- 
ducted most  of  the  funerals  in  his  congregation,  and  often  in  the 
adjoining  churches,  and  sometimes  for  other  denominations.  In 
his  best  days  he  represented  the  church,  year  after  year,  in  Annual 
Meeting,  as  well  as  in  the  home  State  District. 

At  last,  when  age  and  falling  health  came,  lie  rt'<|ucsted  to  be 
relieved  and  the  work  of  the  Master  committed  to  younger  breth- 
ren, to  care  for  and  watch  over  the  flock.  He  passed  away  peace- 
fully to  his  reward,  January  25,  1894,  aged  11  years.  Father  Schrock 
was  laid  to  rest  in  the  beautiful  cemetery  at  Brotherton.  Serv- 
ices were  conducted  bj^  Elders  Daniel  Stauffer  and  Valentine 
Blough  in  the  presence  of  an  overflowing  audience  of  friends  and 
neighbors. 

JOHN  C.   SCHROCK. 

John  C.  Schrock  was  born  on  a  farm  near  Berlin,  Somerset 
County,  Pennsylvania,  July  23,  1818.  His  parents  were  Christian 
and  Fanny  Schrock.  He  was  reared  on  the  farm  and  that  was  his 
lifelong  occupation.     His   education   was   in   the   German   language. 

He  was  married  to  Lydia  Saylor.  They  moved  to  the  Middle 
Creek  congregation,  Somerset  Township,  where  he  was  elected  to 
the  ministry,  when  he  was  about  forty  years  of  age.  He  never 
traveled  much  outside  of  his  home  county,  his  labors  being  con- 
fined principally  to  his  home  congregation.  He  was  a  very  pious 
brother,  and  a  good  neighbor  and  father.  He  died  in  18^3  at  the 
age  of  75  years,  and  is  buried  in  the  Summit  cemetery. 

WILLIAM  G.  SCHROCK. 

Elder  W.  G.  Schrock  was  born  March  27,  1840,  near  Donegal, 
Westmoreland  County,  Pennsylvania.  He  is  one  of  a  family  of 
two  children,  a  son  and  a  daughter  of  Elder  George  and  Susan 
(Horner)  Schrock.  His  sister,  Rel)ecca,  was  married  to  Elder 
Samuel  F.  Rfeiman. 

His  descent  can  be  traced  back  five  generations  to  Switzer- 
land, to  his  great-great-grandfather,  who  emigrated  to  Lancaster 
County,  Pennsylvania,  about  1700.  Brother  Schrock  was  brought 
up  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  his  son-in-law,  iMnanucl  L.  Knep- 
per,  and  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  Brothers  Valley 
Township,  with  six  terms  in  the  normal  schools  of  Berlin,  then  con- 
ducted by  the  county  superintendents.  He  taught  school  a  number 
of  terms  and  attained  to  the  rank  of  a  professiotial  teacher. 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


529 


Elder    William    G.    Schrock. 


In  1860  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Rebecca  Walker,  daugh- 
ter of  Elder  Daniel  P.  Walker,  and  to  this  union  was  born  one 
daughter,  Emma  S.,  married  to  E.  L.  Knepper.  To  them  also  was 
born  one  son,  Lewis  S.,  married  to  Grace  Hay  Berkley.  He  grad- 
uated from  Juniata  College  and  is  a  minister  in  the  Brothers  Val- 
ley congregation.  His  daughter,  Emma,  also  took  a  select  course 
in  the  same  school. 

Brother  Schrock  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  fall  of 
1880,  and  was  soon  advanced  to  the  second  degree.  He  now  felt 
the  need  of  a  greater  preparation  in  the  higher  branches  and  Ian- 


530  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

guages.  To  tliis  end  he  spent  sonic  time  in  Juniata  College,  where 
he  acquired  ability  to  read  and  study  the  I'.ible,  not  only  in  the 
English,  but  also  to  some  extent  in  German,  Latin  and  Greek. 

Brother  Schrock  was  advanced  to  the  eldership  in  1895,  and 
then  took  charge  of  the  Brothers  Valley  congregation  for  a  num- 
])er  of  years  and  lately  resigned  in  favor  of  Elder  D.  H.  Walker. 
He  left  the  church  in  peace  and  good  working  order. 

Nearly  fifty  years  ago  Brethren  Schrock  and  Lewis  J.  Knepper 
organized  the  first  Sunday-school  in  the  Brothers  Valley  congre- 
gation, at  the  Pike,  and  became  the  first  superintendents.  Now 
the  church  has  four  evergreen  schools,  with  good  interest  in  each. 

In  1895  the  reorganized  Home  Mission  Board  of  Western 
Pennsylvania  elected  Elder  Schrock  chairman,  which  position 
he  held  six  years.  He  was  nearly  always  identified  with  progres- 
sive movements  in  his  community  as  well  as  in  the  District.  He 
was  writing  clerk  of  the  District  Meeting  ten  times,  besides  serv- 
ing on  a  numl)er  of  committees.  According  to  the  church  record 
l^.lder  Sclirock  served  his  church  as  delegate  to  Annual  and  Dis- 
trict Meetings  thirty-three  times.  He  had  a  strong  inclination 
to  read  nearly  every  ])ai)cr  and  l)0()k  on  liis  reading  table  and  in 
his  private  library,  which  at  one  time  numbered  over  a  thou- 
sand \()lumes. 

Elder  Schrock  gave  most  of  his  time  and  confined  his  labors 
in  the  ministry  to  his  home  church.  He  took  his  place  on  the  min- 
isterial program,  kept  a  lifelong  diary,  and  for  thirty-five  years 
could  locate  every  place,  text,  theme  and  date  of  every  sermon 
lie  preaclied.  The  record  gives  nearly  1.000  sermons  from  140 
topics.  In  his  younger  and  best  days  he  had  his  full  share  of  the 
work  in  liis  home  church,  preaching  funerals,  solemnizing  thirty- 
five  marriages,  and  doing  his  share  of  visiting  the  sick  and  afflicted. 
He  wrote  some  forty  articles  for  our  cliurch  papers,  mostly  for 
the  Christian  Eamily  Companion,  the  first  weekly  paper. 

Brother  Schrock  was  a  noted  traveler  throughout  the  United 
States,  and  visited  nearly  all  the  large  cities,  from  Boston,  on  the 
Atlantic,  to  the  Golden  Gate,  on  the  Pacific.  His  last  long  trip 
to  Seattle  and  the  coast  States  covered  nearly  8,000  miles.  He 
has  reached  his'seventy-fifth  milestone,  and  is  yet  well  preserved, 
both  in  body  and  mind. 

ISAAC  SECRIST. 

Isaac  Sccrist,  sixth  child  of  John  and  listher  Secrist,  was  born 
in  Armstrong  County,  Pennsylvania,  I"\d)ruary  6,  1844.  The  par- 
ents were  of  German  descent,  having  moved  from  Huntingdon 
County  soon  after  their  marriage.  For  several  generations  back 
his  ancestors  were  members  of  the  P.rethren.     Mother  Secrist  took 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        531 

much  pleasure  in  telliug  how  the  meetings  used  to  be  held  at  her 
father's  place  every  twelve  weeks.  When  Isaac  was  yet  young 
meetings  were  held  in  his  father's  home,  and  among  the  ministers 
to  preach  there  was  Joseph  Shumaker.  Robert  Whitacre  also 
preached  in  the  Secrist  settlement.  Isaac  had  a  pretty  fair  com- 
mon school  education  in  the  English  language.  It  is  thought, 
however,  that  in  the  home  the  Dutch  was  used. 

He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Sallie  Ann  Whitacre,  daughter 
of  Robert  Whitacre,  May  17,  1866,  by  Alexander  Jewart,  J.  P.  The 
first  five  years  after  marriage  they  lived  in  the  above-named  coun- 
ty. After  that  he  purchased  a  house  and  lot  in  Indiana  County, 
where  he  carried  on  a  harness  and  shoemaking  establishment. 
About  eight  years  later  he  bought  a  small  tract  of  land,  and  farmed 
some  in  summer  and  worked  at  his  trade  in  winter.  One  son  was 
born  into  the  home,  but  he  died  in  infancj-. 

Isaac  and  his  brother,  Caleb,  were  baptized  at  a  June  love 
feast  at  the  old  Manor  church  when  the  former  was  about  thirty 
years  of  age.  He  served  the  church  in  the  capacity  of  deacon  for 
some  years,  and  June  23,  1882,  he  was  elected  to  the  ministry,  and 
advanced  to  the  second  degree  June  16,  1883.  He  labored  in  the 
Manor  congregation  until  1890,  when  he  moved  to  Armstrong 
County  to  take  charge  of  the  Cowanshannock  church,  and  was 
installed  its  pastor  by  Elder  J.  C.  Johnson.  Here  he  labored  until 
March  14,  1893,  when  he  moved  back  again  to  the  Manor  church, 
and  took  his  turns  in  filling  the  pulpit  at  Crooked  Creek,  Pur- 
chase Line  and  old  Manor.  His  health  was  now  failing,  so  he 
could  do  but  very  little,  having  had  one  hemorrhage  during  the 
summer. 

He  attended  one  term  of  Juniata  P)iblc  study.  This  put  new 
energy  and  zeal  into  him,  but  he  felt  that  he  had  not  gone  early 
enough.  He  was  active  in  church  and  Sunday-school  work.  His 
mode  of  travel  was  usually  on  foot. 

A  short  time  before  his  death  he  walked  to  the  old  Manor 
church,  a  distance  of  eight  miles,  to  preach  and  teach  a  Sunday- 
school  class  of  twelve.  He  also  had  a  class  at  Crooked  Creek,  and 
in  order  to  teach  it  in  the  afternoon  he  walked  back  without  din- 
ner. He  had  not  much  more  than  begun  his  best  ministerial 
work  when  the  Master  called  him  up  higher.  He  is  not  known 
to  have  made  a  disappointment.  The  weather  was  all  right  at  all 
times.     Sunday-school  was  his  specialty. 

He  died  September  16,  1893,  aged  49  years,  7  months  and  10 
days.  Funeral  at  Crooked  Creek,  a  ten-minute  walk  from  his  resi- 
dence. Elders  Mark  Minser  and  Joseph  Holsopple  officiated,  as- 
sisted by  others.     Interment  was  made  at  the  same  place. 


532  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

WILLIAM    SEVITS. 

William  Sevits  was  born  (1812)  and  reared  in  Stony  Creek 
Township,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania.  He  was  a  son  of  Ben- 
jamin and  Catharine  Sevits.  He  was  brought  up  in  the  faith  of 
the  United  Brethren  Church.  At  the  age  of  twenty-three  (1835) 
he  was  married  to  Barbara  Miller.  They  united  with  the  church 
and  in  the  course  of  some  years  he  was  called  (probably  in  the 
fifties)  to  the  ministry  in  the  old  Berlin  church.  In  1880  he  and 
George  Schrock  were  ordained  to  the  full  ministry. 

Being  a  man  that  appreciated  his  home  very  much  he  never 
traveled  much  outside  of  his  home  congregation.  He  was  a  faith- 
ful home  preacher,  and  had  a  deep  concern  for  the  welfare  of  the 
church.  He  was  contemporary  with  l'"lders  Jacob  Blough,  John 
P.  Cober,  Daniel  P.  Walker,  and  George  Schrock,  for  whom  he 
had  a  great  attachment.  Indeed,  it  is  said  that  his  attachment  to 
Elder  Blough  was  so  great  that  he  asked  to  be  buried  side  by 
side  with  him  in  the  Blough-Forney  cemetcrA-,  in  preference  to 
being  buried  in  a  church  cemetery.  And  so  the  two  old  elders  who 
labored  so  faithfully  and  peaceably  together  for  so  many  years, 
with  their  faithful  companions,  are  sleeping  their  long  sleep  side 
by  side,  in  a  country  graveyard,  on  a  beautiful  rise,  on  the  edge  of 
a  nice  woods,  about  a  mile  from  the  old  Grove  meetinghouse, 
where  was  the  center  of  tlieir  church  activities.  Flder  John 
Forney's  body  sleeps  in  the  same  cemetery.  These  old  pioneers  of 
the  cross  labored  and  built  lictter  tlian  tliey  knew.  Today  we  are 
reaping  the  fruits  of  their  laliors.  ICldcr  Sevits  died  in  1889,  at  the 
age  of  11  years,  l-'uneral  services  were  conducted  by  Elder  D.  H. 
Walker. 

DANIEL  D.  SHAFFER. 

Daniel  1).  Shatter,  fifth  son  of  Deacon  David  J.  and  Rachel 
(Holsopple)  Shatifer,  was  born  where  the  town  of  Windl)er  is  now 
located,  in  Paint  Township,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania,  l-'eb- 
ruary  8,  1868. 

He  was  reared  on  the  farm,  but  his  father  also  operated  a 
sawmill  and  ])laning-mill,  and  many  of  Daniel's  younger  days 
were  passed  in  the  woods  and  in  the  mill.  15eing  naturally  some- 
what of  a  genius,  he  enjoyed  working  about  machinery.  He  also 
learned  the  carpenter  trade.  As  there  was  always  much  work  dur- 
ing the  winter  he  received  only  an  ordinary  common  school  edu- 
cation, though  he  was  a  diligent  pupil  when  in  school. 

May  7,  1889,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Marilla  Grush.  To  this 
union  were  born  six  children.  A  year  or  two  after  their  marriage 
both  united  with  the  church,  and  in  1893  he,  with  James  V.  Ream 
and   J.    J.    Shafifcr,    was    called    to    the    ministry.      Brother    ShafTer 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        533 

was  a  close  student  of  the  Scriptures,  and  took  up  the  work  of  the 
ministry  with  commendable  zeal,  preaching  not  only  from  the  pul- 
pit, but  privately  he  made  use  of  every  opportunity  to  persuade 
men  to  lead  a  Christian  life.  By  nature  he  was  kind  and  gener- 
ous, ever  ready  to  help  others.  His  mother,  who  is  an  octo- 
genarian, put   it   this  way:    "  Daniel  was   always   a   good   boy." 

While  working  at  his  trade  he  had  a  fall  from  a  building,  from 
which  he  never  fully  recovered.  His  mind  also  was  somewhat 
affected.  He  died  December  6,  1900,  aged  only  32  years,  9  months 
and  28  days.     He  is  buried  in  the  Berkey  cemetery. 

DANIEL  E.  SHAFFER. 

The  subject  of  this  brief  sketch  was  born  in  Thornton,  West 
Virginia,  April  5,  1856,  and  has  lived  practically  all  his  life  in  West 
Virginia.  His  parents'  names  were  J.  P.  and  Elizabeth  Shaffer. 
The  father  is  dead.  Brotlier  Shaffer's  education  was  confined  to 
the  public  schools. 

Brother  Shaffer  has  buried  two  wives  and  is  married  the  third 
time.  Five  children  have  come  to  bless  his  home,  of  which  num- 
ber three  are  deceased. 

In  his  early  church  life  he  was  affiliated  with  the  Methodists 
and  the  U.  B.  Church.  He  was  baptized  into  the  Mount  Union 
church  of  the  Brethren  at  Morgantown,  West  Virginia,  October 
12,  1912,  and  in  February,  1913,  he  was  elected  to  the  ministry, 
and  advanced  to  second  degree  in  1915.  Brother  Shaffer  has  re- 
sided in  Morgantown  the  past  five  years.  He  is  affiliated  with  the 
various  auxiliaries  of  the  church. 

JOSEPH  J.  SHAFFER. 

Joseph  J.  Shaffer  was  born  and  reared  on  a  farm  in  the  Shade 
Creek  congregation,  two  miles  east  of  Hooversville,  Somerset 
County,  Pennsylvania.  His  parents  were  Deacon  Hiram  and 
Frances  (Berkebile)  Shaffer.  Joseph  early  manifested  a  desire  for 
an  education.  By  means  of  the  Summer  Normals  he  fitted  him- 
self for  teaching.  He  united  with  the  church  at  the  age  of  four- 
teen, and  on  July.  4,  1893,  when  twenty  years  of  age,  he  was  called 
to  the  ministry  in  the  Shade  Creek  congregation.  After  his  call 
to  the  ministry  he  attended  Juniata  College,  graduating  in  the  nor- 
mal English  course  in  1896.  He  took  some  postgraduate  work  in 
1897.    All  these  years  he  took  special  Bible  study. 

While  in  college  he  did  some  preaching  at  Tyrone,  Warriors 
Mark  and  Ardenheim,  of  which  Prof.  Swigart  had  charge.  In  the 
autumn  of  1898  he  accepted  the  pastorate  of  the  Coventry  church, 
the  second  oldest  church  in  America,  being  the  first  pastor  of  that 
church.     After  a  year  at  Coventry  he  returned  to  the  Shade  con- 


534  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

gregation  and  was  principal  of  tlie  Windber  schools  two  years. 
During  this  period  he  also  preached  for  the  Shade  Creek  congre- 
gation. It  was  also  during  this  period  that  he  and  Miss  Clara 
Grace  Reinian,  daughter  of  Elder  S.  F.  Reiman,  of  Brothers  Val- 
ley, were  married. 

After  residing  a  short  while  in  Hooversville  they  located  on 
a  farm  near  Berlin,  in  the  Brothers  Valley  congregation.  He  was 
called  to  be  the  first  pastor  of  the  Shade  Creek  congregation, 
serving  from  March  2,  1907,  to  April  6,  1909.  While  here  he  was 
ordained  to  the  eldership  in  1908.  Since  1909  they  have  lived  in 
tlieir  present  home.  Here  December  7,  1913,  sadly,  unfortunately, 
and  unexpectedly  his  companion,  who  was  his  good  colaborer  in 
the  Lord's  work,  was  called  away  by  death,  leaving  three  sons 
and  three  daughters.  In  June,  1915,  he  was  married  to  Elizabeth 
Reiman,  his  former  companion's  sister. 

Beginning  with  1896,  Elder  Shaffer  has  done  extensive  evan- 
gelistic work,  and  when  not  engaged  in  pastoral  work  he  held  as 
many  series  of  meetings  a  year  as  he  could — one  year  as  many  as 
eight.  His  evangelistic  work  was  done  in  Pennsylvania,  Virginia. 
West  Virginia,  (  )lii(),  Maryland  and  Iowa.  Through  his  efforts 
many  were  1)r()uglit  into  the  cliurcli — as  many  as  100  in  one  year. 
He  held  thirty  series  of  nu'clings  in  and  around  Morrison's  Cove. 
At  some  i)oints  he  held  the  tliird  meeting  and  has  l)een  asked  to 
return. 

Elder  Shafifer  is  a  regular  attendant  at  all  the  various  meetings 
of  the  District  and  frequently  fills  important  offices  of  the  same. 
His  services  have  been  mucli  in  demand  as  secretary.  He  repre- 
sented his  District  on  the  Standing  Committee  at  the  Harrison- 
burg, Virginia,  and  Seattle  (Washington)  Conferences.  He  has 
been  a  member  of  the  Home  Mission  Board  for  a  number  of  years, 
and  eight  years  he  was  president  of  the  same.  He  is  at  present 
president  of  the  temperance  committee  of  the  District. 

Several  years  he  did  much  of  the  preaching  in  the  Berlin  con- 
gregation, having  had  charge  of  the  congregation  in  1911  and  1912. 
He  is  now  assistant  elder  of  the  Markleysburg  congregation. 

LEWIS  G.  SHAFFER. 

Professor  L.  G.  ShafTer  was  born  near  Hooversville,  Somerset 
County,  Pennsylvania,  April  11.  1877.  His  parents  are  Gillian  and 
Caroline  Shaffer.  His  mother's  maiden  name  was  Caroline 
Berkey,  daughter  of  Elder  Joseph  Bcrkey,  one  of  the  early  minis- 
ters of  the  Western  District  of  Pennsylvan'a. 

i'.rother  Shaffer  shared  with  his  four  brothers  and  seven  sis- 
ters the  hardsliii)S  of  early  life  on  the  farm,  and  altendcd  the  i)ul)- 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         535 


Prof.   Lewis   G.   Shaffer,   Wife   and   Child. 

lie  schools  in  the  winter.  He  was  the  first  pupil  to  graduate  from 
the  common  schools  of  Paint  Township,  graduating  in  1894,  receiv- 
ing his  diploma  from  the  county  superintendent,  Prof.  J.  M. 
Berkey.  During  the  summer  of  1894  he  attended  a  select  school, 
received  his  first  teachers'  certificate  and  began  teaching,  and  has 
taught  every  term  of  school  since,  except  the  w^inter  of  1898-99, 
when  he  was  attending  the  Indiana  State  Normal  School,  from 
which  institution  he  graduated  with  honors  in  1899.  He  shared  the 
honor  with  but  one  classmate  in  completing  the  three  years' 
course  of  nine  terms  in  but  five  terms. 

Professor  Shafifer  has  been  a  principal  of  schools  in  the  city 
of  Johnstown  for  twelve  years,  and  is  now  head  of  the  largest 
common   schools   in  the  city,  where   the   attendance  is  800  pupils. 

Brother  Shaffer  was  twice  married.  He  married  Miss  Addie 
Hofifman,  daughter  of  Brother  Daniel  and  Sister  Mary  (Kauf- 
man) Hofifman,  March  30,  1902.  His  first  wife  died  June  13,  1904. 
On  June  2,  1907,  he  married  Miss  Daisy  M.  Hofifman,  a  sister  to 


536  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

his  first  wife.  He  was  baptized  wlien  he  was  hut  eleven  years  old, 
in  1888,  and  on  June  19,  1900,  he  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in 
the  Shade  Creek  congregation,  and  later  advanced  to  the  second 
degree.  For  a  number  of  years  he  shared  with  the  other  minis- 
ters of  the  Shade  Creek  congregation  in  filling  the  pulpits  of  the 
home  congregation. 

When  he  moved  to  Jolmstown  to  take  up  his  scliool  work,  he 
was  called  on  by  the  Windber  churcli  to  do  all  the  preaching 
there,  which  he  did,  twice  each  Sunday,  for  nearly  three  years,  in 
connection  with  his  principalship  in  the  schools.  He  now  is  prin- 
cipal of  the  Meadowvale  schools,  Johnstown,  of  twenty-two  teach- 
ers, teaches  his  classes  during  the  day,  as  well  as  three  nights  of 
night  school  during  the  week,  and  preaches  regularly  in  the  Johns- 
town congregation. 

SAMUEL  U.  SHOBER. 

Samuel  U.  Shol)er,  oldest  son  of  George  W.  and  Leah  (Berk- 
ley) Shober,  was  born  April  7,  1853,  one  mile  west  of  Beachdale, 
Brothers  Valley  Township,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania.  He  is 
a  grandson  of  Jacob  and  Catharine  (Cable)  Shober,  the  former 
being  of  Swiss  parentage. 

George  W.  Shober  was  born  in  Berlin,  Pennsylvania,  Septem- 
lier  15,  1826,  and  when  yet  a  small  boy  went  with  his  parents  to 
Armstrong  County.  When  George  was  nine  years  old,  his  father, 
Jacob  Shober,  broke  through  and  fell  into  a  well  and  was  drowned. 
After  this  George  was  cared  for  by  Brother  Tobias  Kimmel  until 
he  was  almost  matured.  He  was  educated  in  the  subscription 
schools  of  his  day  and  followed  teaching.  He  also  learned  the 
fuller's  trade.  On  January  25,  1852,  he  was  married  to  Leah, 
daughter  of  Solomon  and  Catharine  (Boyer)  Berkley.  G.  W. 
Shober  died  June  15,  1897.  His  widow  is  still  living  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  eighty-three  years. 

Elder  S.  U.  Shober  obtained  his  intellectual  training  in  the 
common  schools  of  Brothers  Valley  Township,  and  Berlin  Normal. 
At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  began  teaching,  and  taught  five  winter 
terms.     During  the  summer  he  assisted  his  father  on  the  farm. 

On  September  26,^1872,  he  was  married  to  Sarah  Ellen  Kim- 
mel, daughter  of  Daniel  and  Emeline  (Landis)  Kimmel,  Elder 
Michael    Weyand   officiating.     Miss   Kimmel   was   born    September 

19,  1855.  Both  her  parents  were  born  in  Stony  Creek  Township, 
in  1829.  on  May  22,  and  April  3,  respectively,  and  were  members 
of  the   Church   of  the   Brethren.     Brother   Kimmel   died    February 

20,  1902.  Sister  Kimmel  still  lives,  and  is  in  her  eighty-seventh 
year. 

A  few  years  after  his  marriage  r>rolhor  Sholier  l)()ught  a  farm 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         537 


Elder  Samuel  U.  81i<iber  and   Wife. 

in  Brothers  \'alley  Township.  After  nine  years  he  sold  out  and 
l)OUght  a  farm  in  Somerset  Township,  and  continued  farming  ever 
since.  He  is  a  representative  citizen  and  progressive  farmer.  He 
has  also  held  public  positions,  such  as  school  director,  county 
auditor  three  years,  county  commissioner  six  years,  and  other 
minor  offices. 

Elder  Shober  was  partly  reared  in  the  Church  of  the  Brethren, 
and  partly  in  the  Reformed  Church,  and  at  the  age  of  sixteen,  on 
Ascension  Day,  1869,  he  was  baptized  i)y  Elder  Ephraim  Cober, 
at  Beachdale,  with  fifteen  others.  He  was  elected  deacon  in  the 
Brothers  Valley  congregation,  January  1,  1880,  and,  with  his  wife, 
installed  the  same  day.  On  November  6,  1897,  he  was  called  to 
the  ministry,  and  installed  December  18,  1897.  He  was  advanced 
to  the  second  degree  of  the  ministry,  November  13,  1898,  and  or- 
dained to  the  eldership  October  3,  1908,  and  is  serving  his  con- 
gregation in  the  ministry  at  five  different  points,  with  the  other 
ministers  of  the  congregation.  From  1906  to  1912  Elder  Shober 
had  the  oversight  of  the  Bolivar  congregation;  he  was  also  a 
member  of  the   District  Mission   Board  some  years. 

DAVID   F.  SHUMAKER. 

David  F.  Shumaker,  son  of  Abraham  and  Mahala  (Snyder)  Shu- 
maker,  was  born  in  Meyersdale,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania, 
December  9,  1858.  His  brothers  and  sisters  are:  Alex.  E.  (de- 
ceased), M.  A.,  Henry  J.,  Edward  L.  (deceased),  Charles,  Ellen 
(married  U.  M.  Housel)  and  Amanda  (Kneream)  (deceased).  The 
Shumakers  trace  their  ancestry  to  Germany.  His  Grandmother 
Snyder,  who  was  a  Miss  Nicholson,  was  of  English  descent.  Broth- 


538  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

cr   Shuniakcr   is   an    uncle    of    Sister    Ida    Shumaker,    missionary   to 
India.     Elder  Adam   1<".  Snyder  was  his  grandfather. 

l'"or  thirty-one  years  Brother  Shumaker  was  a  miller  b}'  trade, 
operating  in  a  number  of  the  best  mills  in  the  southern  part  of 
Somerset  County.  On  account  of  being  apprenticed  when  young 
his  education  was  much  neglected.  Meyersdale  and  vicinity  was 
his  home  until  1906,  when  the  family  moved  to  Moxhani,  Johns- 
town, Pennsylvania,  w^here  they  have  since  resided.  For  the  past 
ten  years  he  has  been  an  employe  of  the  Loraine  Steel  Company. 

David  1''.  Shumaker  and  Sister  Emma  J.  Miller,  daughter  of 
Manasseh  and  Eliza  (Lint)  Miller,  of  Meyersdale,  were  united  in 
marriage  February  2,  1882.  Sister  Shumaker  united  with  the  church 
when  fifteen  years  old  and  has  always  been  an  active  member. 
Brother  Shumaker  became  a  member  in  October  of  1887.  While 
living  at  Rockwood,  in  the  Middle  Creek  congregation,  he  was 
called  to  the  deacon  office  in  1897.  He  was  called  to  the  ministrj' 
in  the  Johnstown  congregation  on  June  2,  1910,  and  advanced  July 
23,  1913. 

To  Brother  and  Sister  Shumaker  were  l)orn  the  following 
children:  Nellie  Maud,  who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty;  Harvey 
W.,  and  Gilbert  A.  The  whole  family  is  active  in  church  and 
Sunday-school  work.  Both  sons  are  deacons  in  the  Johnstown 
congregation. 

(Portrait   on   Page  177.) 

JOSEPH  SHUMAKER. 

Joseph  Shumaker,  son  of  Philip  and  Elizabeth  (Rose)  Shu- 
maker, was  born  April  19,  1819.  He  was  married  to  Catharine 
Baughman  May  26,  1840.  Their  children  were:  Hannah,  Isaac, 
David,  Adam,  Maria,  Elizabeth,  Solomon,  Levi,  Mary,  an  infant 
son,  Daniel  and  John  W.  Joseph  Shumaker  died  December  17, 
1860,  less  than  three  months  after  his  youngest  son  was  born,  at 
the  age  of  41  years,  8  months  and  8  days.  The  oldest  child,  Han- 
nah, was  but  nineteen  years  of  age.  Thus  the  rearing  of  the  familj' 
devolved  largely  on  the  widow,  who  lived  till  September  14,  1914, 
dying  at  the  advanced  age  of  92  years,  6  months  and  13  days. 
Brother  Shumaker  had  but  a  very  poor  common  school  to  go  to 
for  his  education.     The   schoolhouse  was  a  log  structure. 

He  was  elected  to  preach  in  1841,  when  quite  a  young  man. 
Here  is  a  quotation  from  Elder  Joseph  Holsopple:  "Joseph  Shu- 
maker was  gifted  and  a  natural  elocutionist.  He  was  a  model 
preacher  and  labored  very  acceptably,  and  was  ordained  to  the 
eldership,  but  died  in  the  early  sixties  of  the  past  century.  The 
writer    remembers    seeing   him    at    a   love   feast    in    the    Shade    con- 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        539 

gregation  in  September,  1860.  In  the  morning  he  preached  from 
the  first  chapter  of  Hebrews,  subject,  '  The  Dignity  of  the  Son 
of  God.'  He  seemed  to  select  an  individual  in  the  rear  of  the 
audience  and  modulated  his  voice  to  reach  him.  So  natural  was 
his  elocution  that  a  certain  young  man  afterwards  remarked  to  me, 
'  The  preacher  talked  to  me  all  the  time.'  The  early  demise  of 
Elder  Shumaker  was  a  great  loss  to  the  Red  Bank  congregation 
and  also  to  the  Brotherhood  in  general." 

From  a  letter  from  his  son,  S.  T.  Shumaker,  I  quote:  "  I  know 
this  much,  the  Bible  he  carried  to  preach  from  was  German  and 
Fnglish,  and  I  know  he  could  read  either  language,  as  I  often 
heard  him.  I  think  he  preached  as  it  suited  his  congregation,  either 
German  or  English.  I  have  been  at  quite  a  lot  of  places  in  Arm- 
strong County  where  he  preached  in  farmhouses  and  barns,  as 
there  were  no  churches.  My  father  gave  his  life  for  the  church. 
He  would  ride  horseback  forty  miles  to  a  place  called  the  Cherry 
Tree,  where  he  preached.  He  called  it  The  Wilderness.  Father 
preached  most  every  Sunday.  He  died  young,  l)ut  he  got  his  sick- 
ness from  exposure."  Funeral  preached  1)y  Elder  John  Good- 
man, from  John  12:  26. 

An  interesting  history  of  the  Shumaker  family  might  be  writ- 
ten if  we  had  the  space.  It  is  said  that  seven  brothers  came  from 
Germany  about  1770,  and  first  settled  in  Virginia,  presumably  in 
Loudoun  County.  Their  names  were:  John,  Solomon,  Adam, 
George,  Simon,  Samuel  and  Daniel.  At  least  two  of  these  broth- 
ers, John  and  George,  moved  to  Western  Pennsylvania.  John  set- 
tled in  Westmoreland  County  about  1800  and  George  in  Armstrong 
County  near  the  same  time.  John  married  Mary  Ann  Baker,  bj^ 
whom  he  had  two  sons,  John  and  Philip,  and  three  daughters. 
George  married  Margaret  Miller,  and  their  children  were:  Isaac, 
John,  Peter,  Daniel,  George,  Jesse,  Joseph,  Catharine  (Blocher), 
Margaret  (Hind)  and  Hannah  (Uncapher).  Of  tliese  several  were 
ministers. 

ADAM    F.   SNYDER. 

Adam  F.  Snyder  was  born  in  Upper  Turkeyfoot  Township, 
Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania,  in  1806,  and  lived  there  all  his  life- 
time. His  ancestors  were  from  \'irginia  and  were  of  German  de- 
scent. He  was  a  man  of  ordinary  educational  attainments  and  well 
read  in  the  Scriptures.  He  first  was  a  member  of  the  Lutheran 
Church.  Catharine  Nicholsojj  was  born  in  Hagerstown,  Mary- 
land, also  in  1806.  Her  parents  were  members  of  the  Church  of 
the  Brethren.  These  two  young  people  were  united  in  marriage 
and  some  time  after  both  united  with  the  church. 

To  this  union  were  born  three  sons  and  six  daughters.     David 


540  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

united  with  the  church  at  Belmont,  Ohio,  and  is  at  present  an 
ordained  elder  at  Raisin,  California.  I'ranklin  united  with  the 
church  at  Franklin  Grove,  Illinois,  and  is  at  present  a  deacon  at 
that  place.  Alfred  also  was  a  deacon.  His  home  was  at  Ashland, 
Ohio,  where  he  died  about  a  year  aj^o.  Of  the  daughters,  Cath- 
ariiie,  Sarah  and  Mahala  (Mrs.  Shumaker)  are  dead.  Those  liv- 
ing are  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Berkley,  of  Somerset,  Mrs.  Annie  Faidley, 
of  Lincoln  Township,  Somerset  County,  and  Mrs.  Abbie  Shultz, 
of  Kingwood,  Somerset  County.  All  the  daughters  except  one 
were  members  of  the  church.  She  was  a  meml)er  of  the  Church 
of  God. 

Sister  Snyder  died  l""ebruary  2,  1873.  No  dates  are  availal>le, 
but  Brother  Snyder  served  the  church  successively  as  deacon,  min- 
ister and  elder.  All  his  life  was  spent  in  the  Middle  Creek  congre- 
gation.    He  was  a  farmer  by  occupation. 

Here  I  quote  from  his  obituary:  "Adam  F.  Snyder  died  Feb- 
ruary 27,  1891,  aged  85  years,  3  months  and  23  days.  He  married 
Catharine  Nicholson,  August  30,  1830.  He  was  elected  to  the  min- 
istry about  fifty  years  ago,  and  was  an  ordained  elder  twenty- 
eight  years.  His  ministerial  labors  were  principally  confined  to  his 
own  congregation.  He  was  a  strong  advocate  of  the  doctrines  and 
principles  of  the  Gospel,  as  understood  l)y  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  to  which  he  was  strongly  attaclied.  He  once  told  a 
l)rother  he  would  not  leave  the  church,  even  if  all  the  rest  of  the 
congregation  would  leave.  Funeral  services  were  conducted  by 
Valentine  P>lough  and  G.  W.  Lowry."  Interment  in  Mt.  Zion  cem- 
etery, about  one  mile  from  his  residence. 

JACOB  P.  SPEICHER. 

"  Jacob  P.  Speichcr  was  born  in  Concmaugh  Townsliip,  Som- 
erset County,  Pennsylvania,  January  3,  1818.  He  united  with  the 
church  when  quite  a  young  man,  and  was  always  faithful  and 
earnest  in  his  work  as  a  Ciiristian.  He  was  married  to  Sallie 
Schrock  when  twenty-two  years  of  age,  and  she  was  indeed  his 
helpmate  in  all  his  church  work,  as  well  as  a  careful  housekeeper. 

"  He  was  always  ready  to  extend  a  helping  hand  wherever  help 
was  needed,  and  no  one  ever  came  to  his  door  who  was  really  in 
need  that  was  turned  away  without  the  necessary  aid.  His  life 
was  always  kind  and  considerate  and  his  sympathy  for  others  was 
great.  His  one  great  desire  and  prayer  was  to  fulfil  the  law  of 
Christ,  and  his  mission  seemed  to  be  to  find  where  wortiiy  ones 
needed  help,  and  render  such  aid  as  was  in  his  power. 

"  Sometime  in  1861  he  was  chosen  deacon  and  was  indeed  an 
excellent  one.  But  he  held  this  ini])ortant  office  only  a  few  years, 
when  he  was  elected  to  the  ministry  (  1S65),  wliich  jiosition  he  held 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        541 

for  nearly  forty  years  until  his  death,  in  Somerset  Township,  No- 
vember 20,  1903,  aged  85  years,  10  months  and  17  days. 

"  His  warning  to  his  friends  and  brethren  was  always  given 
with  much  charity,  and  his  love  for  his  fellow-man  was  very  strong. 
It  seemed  to  be  his  desire  that  all  should  be  saved  and  that  every 
one  should  be  a  follower  of  the  great  Master.  His  prayers  were 
earnest  intercessions  for  his  fellow-beings,  and  admonitions  to 
those  around  him  were  timely  and  to  the  point. 

"  He  preached  in  the  German  language,  and  in  his  last  years 
it  was  quite  a  treat  to  listen  to  his  German  sermons,  because  they 
were  a  rare  thing  in  our  community.  He  preached  his  last  sermon 
in  the  Summit  church  about  two  years  before  his  death.  His 
wife  lived  a  little  more  than  five  years,  until  she  was  laid  by  his 
sidejn  the  Sipesville   cemetery." 

On  a  large  farm  adjoining  this  Sipesville  church  and  ceme- 
tery Brother  Speicher  had  lived  the  greater  part  of  his  married 
life,  and  here  his  family  grew  to  manhood  and  womanhood.  His 
two  sons  are  deacons  and  one  suii-in-law  was  a  min'stcr.  His  la- 
bors were  principally  in  the  Quemahoning  church,  that  being  his 
home  church. 

JOHN  W.  SPICHER. 

John  W.  Spicher,  son  of  Joseph  and  Elizabeth  (Wampler) 
Spicher,  was  born  in  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania,  October  8, 
1829.  In  his  father's  family  were  two  sons  and  five  daughters. 
When  John  was  quite  small  the  entire  family  moved  to  Armstrong 
County,  but  did  not  remain  here  very  long.  The  many  acres  of 
cheap  land  east  of  them  attracted  their  attention,  and  they  soon 
pushed  their  way  east  into  the  virgin  pine  forest,  and  settled  in 
what  is  now  Grant  Township,  Ind'ana  County.  With  others  that 
came  with  them  they  proceeded  to  build  up  homes  for  themselves. 
Here  John  W.  lal)ored  with  his  father  in  clearing  of¥  land,  so  they 
could  raise  grain  for  their  daily  l)read. 

When  grown  to  manhood  he  purchased  a  tract  for  himself, 
paying  for  it  principally  with  timber  that  he  cut  from  it  and  sold 
to  the  lumber  markets  on  the  Susquehanna  River.  On  this  farm 
which  he  had  cleared  out  he  lived  the  remainder  of  his  days. 

He  was  married  to  Catharine  King,  March  25,  1852.  One  son 
and  four  daughters  blessed  this  union.  His  wife  preceded  him  to 
the  spirit  world  one  year.  When  a  young  man  he  united  with 
the  church,  and  proved  himself  an  active  worker.  For  some  time 
this  band  of  Christians  was  ministered  to  by  ministers  from  Arm- 
strong County.  When  the  Montgomery  congregation  was  organ- 
ized. Brother  Spicher  continued  one  of  the  faithful  workers,  be- 
ing elected  to  the  ministry  in   1854,  soon  after  his  marriage. 


542  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

llrotlicr  Si)ichcr  would  labor  all  week  on  the  farm  to  provide 
temporal  thinj^s  for  his  family,  hut  was  always  ready  to  deliver 
a  spiritual  message  on  Sunday.  It  was  larj^ely  through  his  activ- 
ity that  the  Montgomery  meetinghouse  was  erected.  This  huild- 
"ing,  though  remodeled,  still  stands,  and  is  one  of  the  landmarks. 
Brother  Spichor  being  a  resident  minister,  much  of  the  church 
work  devolved  upon  him.  When  the  mission  at  what  is  now  the 
Chess  Creek  congregation  was  opened,  Brother  Spicher  did  his 
share  of  the  work,  making  the  trip  of  twenty  miles  mostly  on 
horsel)ack,  though  sometimes  he  would  walk  it,  never  receiving 
any  compensation. 

He  was  a  strict  adherent  to  .\nnual  Meeting  decisions.  He 
was  not  a  fluent  speaker,  ])ut  his  discourses  were  pointed  and  in- 
structive, his  preaching  being  principally  along  doctrinal  lines,  set- 
ting forth  the  power  gained  in  observing  the  plain  commands  of 
the  New  Testament.  He  was  an  ardent  Bible  student,  and  was 
well  read  in  the  wdiole  Bible,  being  always  ready  to  converse  on 
any  Bible  topic  that  might  arise.  In  council  he  was  always  safe, 
weighing  a  subject  carefully  before  giving  his  decision.  Although 
he  was  not  ordained,  it  may  be  truthfully  said  that  he  was  the 
leader  of  the  Mont.gomery  church  for  many  years,  and  under  his 
preaching  and  care  the  church  flourished.  His  latest  admonitions 
were  to  stand  by  the  church  and  to  observe  the  distinguishing 
features  for  which  she  has  always  stood. 

He  was  a  firm  l)clie\er  in  tithing,  and  for  many  years  he 
practiced  it,  also  giving  the  tenth  of  his  estate  to  the  church  when 
he  died.  The  end  came  A])ril  10,  1909,  aged  79  years,  6  months  and 
2  days.  Funeral  services  were  conducted  bj^  Elder  Brice  Sell,  and 
his  body  was  laid  to   rest  in   the   Montgomery  cemetery. 

PETER  B.  STATLER. 

Peter  B.  Statler,  son  of  Peter  and  Jacobena  Statler,  was  born 
in  Pittsburgh,  I^ennsylvania,  March  21,  1838.  The  parents  were 
of  sturdy  German  stock,  and  had  but  recently  emigrated  from  the 
Fatherland.  They  were  members  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  and 
their  children  were  brought  up  in  that  faith.  Soon  after  the  birth 
of  Peter  the  family  moved  to  a  farm  in  Richland  Township,  Cam- 
bria County,  I'cnnsylvania,  near  the  present  site  of  Windber, 
where  the  family  was  reared. 

His  early  educational  advantages  were  limited,  liul  later  in 
life  he  applied  himself  closely  to  home  study,  and  by  this  means 
he  became  able  to  read  and  write  both  the  English  and  German 
languages. 

November  22.  1860,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Sally  Holsopple, 
daughter   of    Mr.    Isaac    and    Sister    Christena    Holsopple,    of   Paint 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         543 

Township,  Somerset  County.  In  addition  to  being  a  farmer,  he 
also  engaged  in  the  lumber  business.  He  bought  his  father's 
farm,  and  with  the  exception  of  several  years'  residence  near 
Rummel,  Paint  Township,  he  spent  his  entire  life  on  this  farm.  Of 
the  seven  sons  and  three  daughters  born  to  this  union  two  sons 
died  in  infancy. 

Through  his  faithful  study  of  the  Bible  he  became  convinced 
that  the  faith  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  was  substantiated  by 
the  Scriptures,  and  in  1864  he  and  his  wife  were  baptized.  At  a 
council  in  the  Berkey  church,  Shade  Creek  congregation,  previous 
to  the  June  love  feast,  in  1872,  he  was  elected  to  the  ministry. 
His  services  were  principally  in  the  German  language.  He  was 
a  strong  advocate  of  the  distinctive  Bible  doctrines  as  believed 
by  the  church  of  his  choice.  He  was  a  friend  of  Sunday-schools, 
and  a  worker  in  the  same.  Impaired  health  hindered  him  the 
last  four  or  five  years  from  being  as  active  in  his  ministerial  duties 
as  he  desired  to  be.  He  died  Nov.  27,  1881,  while  still  a  compara- 
tively young  man.  He  is  buried  in  the  Horner  cemetery.  His 
widow  kept  the  family  together,  and  reared  them  up  to  be  respect- 
able citizeris.  For  the  past  quarter  of  a  century  she  has  resided 
in  Scalp  Level,  Pennsylvania. 

FOSTER  B.  STATLER. 

Foster  B.  Statler,  son  of  Ephraim  and  Mary  A.  (Seese) 
Statlcr,  was  born  near  Windber,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania, 
April  23,  1895,  and  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm.  By  his  kind 
parents  he  was  given  excellent  school  facilities,  graduating  from 
the  grammar  grade  of  the  Windber  schools  in  1909,  and  from  a 
four  jrears'  high  school  course,  with  the  honors  of  his  class,  in  the 
spring  of  1913. 

In  the  spring  of  1913  the  family  left  the  farm  and  moved 
to  Middletown,  between  Windber  and  Rummel.  Foster  spent  the 
summer  and  fall  working  about  the  new  home.  In  February,  1914, 
a  vacancy  occurring  in  the  Windber  public  schools,  he  was  asked 
to  take  charge  of  the  fifth  grade  the  remainder  of  the  term.  This 
brought  to  him  a  love  for  teaching,  which  line  of  work  he  had  not 
previously  especially  cared  for.  He  now  expected  to  follow  teach- 
ing, but  during  the  last  week  of  school  an  opportunity  opened  for 
him  to  enter  the  emploj^  of  the  Windber  Trust  Conipan}^ 

During  a  series  of  meetings  held  in  Windber  by  Brother  B.  B. 
Ludwick,  he  gave  his  heart  to  Christ,  being  baptized  November 
23,  1911.  Since  then  he  finds  his  greatest  joy  in  the  work  of  the 
Sunday-school  and  Christian  Workers'  Society.  On  November  14, 
1914,  he  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Shade  Creek  congrega- 
tion, and  December   13  he  was  installed.     He   is  looking  forward 


544  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

to  lurtluT  preparation   in   school,  beiiij^  desirous  to  be   used  in  the 
best  way  and  in  the  place  the  Master  chooses. 

(Portrait    on    Page   183.) 

PETER  C.  STRAYER. 

Among  the  early  and  substantial  families  of  the  Conemaugh 
Valley,  Cambria  County,  Pennsylvania,  we  find  the  Strayer  fam- 
ily. Their  ancestors  came  from  Germany  many  years  ago.  Peter 
Strayer,  the  great-grandfather  of  our  subject,  moved  from  Bed- 
ford County  to  Cambria  about  ICO  years  ago.  He  had  a  number  of 
brothers  and  sisters.  His  first  wife  was  a  Miss  Nicely,  and  his 
second  one  a  Miss  Ream.  He  had  a  large  numl)er  of  children,  the 
oldest  one  being  .\dam. 

Adam  Strayer  married  Elizal)eth  Stull,  and  tlicir  children  were: 
Barbara  (Kring).  John  .\..  Eli,  Adam,  David,  Martha  (Dunmyer), 
Samuel,  Elizabeth  (Paul),  Jacob  and  Isabella.  Adam  Strayer  was 
a  farmer  and  resided  in  Richland  Township. 

John  A.  Strayer,  son  of  .\dam,  was  l)orn  March  14,  1830,  and 
died  at  Walnut  Grove,  October  1,  l'i07.  He  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Susannah  Dickc3'.  daughter  of  William  and  Julia  Dickey.  Sister 
Strayer  was  born  August  11,  1835,  and  died  in  tlie  seventeenth 
ward,  Johnstown,  November  4,  1910.  Their  children  are:  Syl- 
vester, Ephraim,  a  deacon  in  Brooklyn,  New  York;  Andrew  J., 
a  deacon;  Sadie,  married  first  time  to  Elmer  Lohr  and  the  second 
time  to  Joseph  Kantner;  John  D.,  l>enjamin,  Julia,  married  to  J.  W. 
Powell;  Elizabeth,  married  to  M.  G.  Metzger,  a  deacon;  Peter  C,  a 
minister;  and  Anna,  married  to  James  W.  Fyock,  a  minister.  Broth- 
er Strayer  and  wife  became  members  of  the  old  Conemaugh  church 
about  fifty  years  ago,  and  he  was  elected  deacon.  They  resided  a 
while  in  Richland  Township,  then  located  in  Taylor  Township, 
where  they  reared  their  family  on  a  large  farm.  .'Kbout  1890,  they 
moved  to  Walnut  Grove,  Johnstown,  where  they  lived  the  re- 
mainder of  their  days. 

Peter  C.  Strayer.  son  of  John  A.,  was  l)orn  in  Taylor  Town- 
ship, Cambria  County,  Pennsylvania,  September  9,  1875.  He  grew 
up  on  the  farm  and  attended  the  Strayer  school  until  1890,  when 
he  moved  with  his  parents  to  Walnut  Grove.  .'Vfter  attending  the 
Walnut  Grove  school  a  few  months  he  began  work  with  his  father 
at  the  carpenter  trade.  This  occupation  he  still  follows.  He  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Mary  E.  Wissinger,  daughter  of  Deacon 
Archibald  and  Sarah  ( Blough)  Wissinger,  June  9.  1898.  Sister 
Strayer  was  born  i-cbruary  20,  1877.  The  Wissingers  are  another 
old  family  of  Cambria  County.  Brother  and  Sister  Strayer  are 
the  parents  of  the  following  children:     Vera   (deceased),  Ivan  J., 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        545 

Orville   L.,   Paul   G.,   Everet  E.   (deceased),   Clyde   C,  Sarah  Anna 
and    Merna    May. 

During  a  series  of  meetings  held  by  Elder  Allen  Myers,  Peter 
gave  his  heart  to  God  and  was  baptized  October  15,  1900.  He  was 
elected  deacon  in  the  Johnstown  church.  May  19,  1904,  and  installed 
June  30,  of  the  same  year.  He  was  elected  to  the  ministry  June 
29,  1905,  but  not  installed  till  July  23,  1913.  Their  residence  is  in 
the  seventeenth  ward,  Johnstown. 

(Portrait   on   Page  117.) 

JACOB  STUTZMAN. 

Jacob  Stutzman  was  l)orn  in  Franklin  County,  Pennsylvania, 
in  1777,  and  died  in  Taylor  Township,  Cambria  County,  same  State, 
in  1859,  at  the  age  of  S2  years,  and  he  and  his  wife  are  buried  in 
the  Benshoff  Hill  cemetery.  His  grandfather,  Abram,  was  born  in 
Germany,  and  his  father,  .\bram,  was  born  in  Switzerland. 

Jacob  was  reared  iii  his  native  county,  and  learned  the  trade  of 
shoemaker  under  the  tuition  of  his  father,  and  when  a  young  man 
came  to  Cambria  County,  seeking  work  along  the  line  of  his  craft. 
In  those  early  days  it  was  the  custom  of  the  trade  to  travel  from 
house  to  house  seeking  employment,  and  it  was  while  thus  engaged 
that  he  became  acquainted  with  a  family  named  Ulery,  one  of  the 
daughters    (Susannah)     of    which    he    afterward    married. 

Jacob  was  an  industrious  worker,  and  of  a  thrifty  and  frugal 
disposition.  He  was  soon  (in  1813)  able  to  purchase  a  farm  of 
231  acres,  in  what  is  now  known  as  Osborn,  or  the  eighth  ward  of 
the  city  of  Johnstown.  Here  he  erected  a  two-story  house,  30x40 
feet,  and  fitted  out  the  second  story  for  holding  love  feasts  and 
meetings.  Here  he  reared  his  large  and  interesting  family.  He 
lived  upon  this  homestead  until  1853,  when  he  sold  it  to  his  son 
Stephen,  removed  to  Taylor  Township,  and  spent  the  remainder 
of  his  days  with  his  son  Samuel.  His  children  were:  Daniel,  a 
deacon,  Abraham,  a  minister,  Jacob,  John,  David,  Elizabeth,  mar- 
ried to  Abraham  Weaver;  Hannah,  who  was  married  to  George 
Knavel;  Susannah,  who  was  married  to  John  Knavel;  Mary,  who 
was  married  to  Samuel  Berkey,  a  minister,  and  subsequently  to 
Christian  Good;  Samuel  and  Stephen,  a  deacon. 

It  is  not  known  when  Brother  Stutzman  was  elected  to  the 
ministry,  but  he  was  one  of  the  first  preachers  in  the  Conemaugh 
Valley.  He  was  associated  in  the  office  of  elder  with  Levi  Roberts 
and  John  Mineely.  Three  of  his  sons  held  office  in  the  church. 
He  was  a  consistent  member  of  the  church  and  a  respected  citizen. 
He  was  earnest  and  sincere,  and  preached  most  in  the  German 
language.  Elder  Stutzman  was  one  of  those  early  pioneer  preach- 
ers, who  through  faithful,  patient  endurance  laid  the  firm  founda- 


546  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

tion  for  tlic  future  activities  of  the  churcli.  It  was  customary 
at  tliat  time  for  the  preacher  to  go  to  the  place  appointed  for 
preachiny,  on  Saturday,  remaining  with  the  family  over  night. 
At  these  visits  the  preachers  generally  engaged  in  discussing 
matters  pertaining  to  the  religion  which  they  represented,  and 
also  teaching  from  the  Scriptures.  Many  good  impressions  were 
thus  made. 

ABRAHAM   SUMMY. 

Abraham  Summy  was  born  in  Garrett  County,  Maryland, 
y\]M-il  20,  1829.  His  parents,  Christian  and  Eve  (Harshberger) 
Summy,  who  were  members  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  moved 
to  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania,  and  when  Abraham  was  about 
fourteen  years  of  age  they  moved  to  Westmoreland  County. 

On  July  3,  1849,  he  married  Miss  Susannah  Monticue,  To 
this  union  one  son  and  two  daughters  were  given.  April  .6,  1862, 
the  wife  died;  the  three  children  also  have  died  since.  On  August 
20,  1862,  he  married  Rachel  I'ulkerth,  and  to  this  union  four  sons 
and  three  dau.ghters  were  born.  The  second  wife  died  December 
25,  1900.     One  son  also  died. 

Elder  Summy  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Jacobs  Creek 
congregation  in  1867,  and  some  time  in  the  seventies  he  was  or- 
dained to  the  eldershi]).  His  labors  were  principally  in  the  Jacobs 
Creek  congregation.  Being  a  car]H'nter  he  was  much  from  home. 
He  would  work  all  week  at  his  trade,  and  on  Sundays  he  would 
fill  his  appointments,  frequently  riding  sixteen  miles  on  Sunday 
morning  for  that  jjurpose.  His  second  wife  was  a  great  help  to  him 
in  the  lionie  and  in  the  church,  willingly  liearing  her  part  of  the 
burdens. 

Elder  Summy  united  with  the  church  early  in  life,  and  was  a 
loyal,  faithful  and  earnest  worker.  He  was  elder  of  the  Jacobs 
Creek  congregation  more  tlian  f(jrty  years.  He  died  October  11, 
1910,  at  the  age  of  81  years,  5  months  and  21  days.  His  funeral 
was  conducted  in  the  Mt.  Joy  church  by  IClder  Silas  Hoover,  as- 
sisted  by   b'lders  Jasper   Barnthouse  and  J.    K.    I'.icher. 

JACOB  M.  THOMAS. 

Micliael  Thomas,  Sr.,  was  born  in  Couemaugh  Township,  Som- 
erset County,  Pennsylvania,  August  15,  1774.  He  was  of  Welsh 
descent.  Magdalena  Maust,  daughter  of  Abraham  Maust,  was 
born  near  what  is  now  Summit  Mills,  Somerset  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania, December  25,  1775.  She  was  of  German  descent.  Michael 
Thomas,  Sr.,  and  Magdalena  Maust  were  married  October  9,  1794. 
To  this  union  were  born  the  following  children:  Jacob,  Abraham, 
Michael.  Catharine,  Samuel,  Daniel,  John,  Joseph,  .'Xnna.  I'annie, 
George   and   Christian.      In    ISIO  tlie    family   moved    to   a    farm   near 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        547 


Elder    Abraham     Suniniy. 


548 


HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 


what  is  now  Markleysbiiro-,  l>'ayette  County,  Pennsylvania,  near 
the  West   Virj»:inia  line,  where  all  the  children  were   reared. 

It  is  not  known  when  or  where  Michael  Thomas,  Sr.,  united 
with  the  church,  l)ut  his  wife  w-as  the  first  person  ever  baptized  in 
the  Sa«dy  Creek  coui^reyation.  All  the  children  with  their  com- 
panions  l)ecame   faithful   members   of   the   church   of  their   parents. 

Jacob  M.  Thomas,  the  oldest  of  the  children,  was  l)orn  on  a 
farm  in  Conemaugh  Township,  March  15,  1795.  Jacob  grew  to 
manhood    on    his    father's    farm,    and    took    advantage    of   the    little 


KIder   .liicol)    M.   Tli4>nias. 


schooling  those  early  days  afforded.  In  IXIX  he  married  Miss 
Mary  Fike,  bought  a  farm  about  eight  miles  from  liis  father's 
home,  and  lived  there  the  rest  of  his  life.  h'dur  sons  and  six 
daughters  were  born  to  them.  Mis  first  wife  dying  he  married 
again.  As  a  Inisiness  man  and  farmer  he  was  successful,  being  the 
owner  of  a  good  175-acre  farm. 

Where  they  located  there  was  no  church  of  the  Hrethren  and 
no  minister.  They  welcomed  occasional  visits  of  ministers,  and 
their  home  was  open  for  their  services.  At  the  age  of  thirty-five 
he   united  with   the  church,  and   became   an   earnest    Bible   student 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        549 

from  the  start.  He  could  read  English  and  German  equally  well, 
had  a  wonderful  memory,  and  soon  was  possessed  of  a  store  of 
helpful  biblical  knowledge.  In  1836  he  was  called  to  the  ministry 
in  the  Sandy  Creek  congregation,  which  was  organized  the  year 
before.  His  earnest  contention  for  the  faith  stirred  the  people. 
The  congregation  grew  and  Brother  Thomas  grew  in  the  work. 
In  1841  he  was  ordained,  the  first  bishop  in  the  First  District  of 
West  Virginia,  and  perhaps  in  the  State. 

Under  his  preaching  and  fatherly  shepherding  the  member- 
ship increased  rapidly,  the  Salem  meetinghouse,  a  large  love-feast 
house,  was  built,  and  the  dissatisfaction  and  discomforts  of  hold- 
ing love  feasts  in  barns  and  homes  were  things  of  the  past.  His 
usefulness  extended  outside  of  his  home  territory.  Astride  his 
faithful  horse,  he  went  forth,  planting  gospel  seed  over  a  large 
part  of  Pennsylvania,  West  Virginia  and  Maryland.  On  some  of 
these  trips  he  was  accompanied  by  Elders  Samuel  Fike  and  Jacob 
Beeghly.  By  request  of  judges  and  lawyers  he  preached  in  the 
courthouses  of  three  counties.  He  was  a  leader  in  his  District, 
served  as  moderator  frequently,  and  represented  the  District  on 
the  Standing  Committee  several  times.  He  served  on  a  number  of 
important  church  committees. 

Earnestness  and  sincerity  characterized  all  his  actions.  His 
counsels  were  wise.  After  thoroughly  understanding  a  matter, 
and  having  given  it  due  consideration,  he  was  firm  in  his  convic- 
tions. Forty-five  years  he  preached  a  free  Gospel.  As  he  grew 
older  he  gave  practically  all  his  energies  to  the  Master's  work.  As 
a  recompense  for  his  devotion  and  labor  he  had  the  satisfaction 
of  seeing  many  souls  born  into  the  kingdom  and  congregations 
multiplied. 

About  ten  years  before  his  death  Elder  Thomas  was  very 
sick,  and  the  attending  physician  had  given  him  up.  He  called 
for  the  anointing  and  speedily  recovered,  to  the  amazement  of  the 
physician,  who  thought  he  had  felt  a  death  pulse.  His  strong, 
closely-built  body  gave  him  great  endurance. 

When  eighty-five  years  of  age.  Elder  Thomas,  1)}^  special  re- 
quest, preached  the  first  sermon,  the  Saturday  evening  before  the 
dedication,  in  the  large  church  in  Markleysburg.  He  was  blessed 
with  a  clear,  strong  voice;  his  delivery  was  exceedingly  earnest, 
e\  en  to  the  removal  of  his  coat  when  he  became  too  warm;  his 
discourses  were  largely  exegctical,  strongly  fortified  by  many 
proof  texts;  and  the  closing  was  warm  and  touching  in  admoni- 
tion. He  was  revered  by  old  and  young.  With  a  clear  mind  and 
an  abiding  trust  in  his  Lord  unto  the  end,  he  passed  peacefully 
to  his  long  rest,  November  21,  1881,  aged  86  years,  8  months  and 


550  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

6  tlaj's,  and   his  body  was  laid  in   tin-   family  cemetery  on   his  own 
farm. 

MICHAEL  THOMAS. 

Michael  Thomas  was  liorn  in  Somerset  C'onnty.  Pennsylvania, 
Jannary  LS,  1X04.  He  was  one  r)f  a  family  of  fifteen  children, 
t'velve  of  whom  attained  to  manhood,  and  whose  combined  ages 
aggregated  922  years  in  1<S9(S.  r.rotlur  Tliomas  was  twice  mar- 
ried, and  was  the  fatlicr  of  sixteen  cliildrcn,  100  grandchildren,  181 
great-grandchildren,  and  fourteen  great-great-grandchildren,  or  a 
total  of  311  descendants.  He  was  a  minister  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  for  many  years.  His  energy  and  labor  were  confined  to 
his  local  church.  He  died  and  was  buried  on  the  farm  on  which 
he  had  lived  many  years,  in  Fayette  County,  Pennsylvania,  July 
28,  1898,  in  his  ninety-fifth  year. 

ANDREW    UMBEL. 

.Andrew  L'nibcl,  son  oi  l>aac  and  Xaiicy  L'mbel,  was  l)orn  July 
9,  1802,  near  Markleysburg,  Pennsylvania.  Miss  .\nne  Thomas 
was  born  (X-tober  11,  1805.  They  were  married  January  22,  1825. 
They  united  with  the  churcli  in  their  young  days.  I'ive  sons  and 
three  daughters  were  born  to  this  union.  Three  of  the  sons  were 
deacons;  viz.,  Michael  T.,  Isaac  M.  and  j'.lijah.  Isaac  died  about 
four  years  ago.  The  other  two  are  still  active  deacons  in  the 
Markleysburg  congregation.  Samuel  C,  another  son,  is  at  pres- 
ent one  of  the  aged  elders  of  the  same  congregation.  Brother 
and  Sister  Umbel  were  born  and  reared  in  the  vicinity  of  Mark- 
leysburg, and  all  their  children  were  born  and  reared  in  the  same 
house.  Brother  Umbel  was  a  minister  in  the  Church  of  the  Breth- 
ren for  nearly  fifty  years.  By  trade  he  was  a  tanner,  and  worked 
in  the  same  yard  sixty  years. 

Brother  Umbel  preached  more  ])owerfully  l)y  his  consistent, 
upright  life  than  he  did  irom  the  ])ulpit.  He  was  very  charitably 
inclined,  giving  liberally  to  the  church  and  the  needy.  He  was 
opposed  to  taking  interest  on  money  loaned  out.  His  son,  S.  C. 
Umbel,  who  was  his  executor,  found  that  he  had  written  across  the 
back  of  the  notes  he  held  against  people,  "  This  note  is  without 
interest."  He  died  December  30,  1887,  aged  85  years,  5  months 
and  21  days,  and  is  buried  in  the  Umbel  cemetery  on  the  home 
farm.     His  last  words  in   this  world  were,  "  Praise   the   Lord." 

SAMUEL  C,  UMBEL. 

Samuel  C.  Umbel,  son  of  .Andrew  and  .\nne  (Thomas)  Umbel, 
was  born  May  20,  1835.  The  Umbels  are  of  English  descent. 
His  mother  was  of  Welsh  and  Irish  extraction.  On  December 
22,    1854,   he   was   united   in   marriage   to    Miss   Martha    L.    Brown, 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         551 


Killer    Samuel    C.    Inibel    and    AVife. 


daughter  of  Robert  S.  liruwii,  wlio  was  a  minister  in  tlie  Cliurch 
of  God.  June  12,  1M55,  both  united  with  the  Church  of  the  Breth- 
ren, in  the  Sandy  Creek  congregation,  being  Ijaptized  by  Brother 
Christian  Harader.  He  was  elected  to  the  ministry  March  14, 
1856.  In  1860  he  was  advanced  to  the  second  degree,  and  in  1906 
was  ordained  to  the  eldership.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  Brother 
Umbel  was  called  to  the  preaching  of  the  Word  before  he  was 
twenty-one  years  of  age  and  has  preached  more  than  fifty-nine 
j^ears. 

Elder  and  Sister  Umbel  are  the  parents  of  three  children — 
two  sons  and  one  daughter.  Elder  Umbel  reared  his  family  on  the 
farm,  but  gave  them  a  liberal  education,  and  his  sons  began 
teaching  at  the  ages  of  sixteen  and  fifteen,  respectively.  His  oldest 
son,  Demaerid,  died  in  Denver,  Colorado,  about  eight  years  ago. 
Their  daughter,  Emma  Arnett,  lives  in  Uniontown.  The  youngest 
son,  Robert  Emery,  was  elected  judge  of  Fayette  County  in  1900, 
served  his  first  term  of  ten  years,  and  is  now  serving  his  second 
term.  When  Elder  Umbel  was  young  the  school^  facilities  were 
poor.  Three  months  a  year  was  the  length  of  the  terms.  Thirtj^- 
five  years  he  worked  at  the  tanner's  trade.  Elder  Umbel  has  a 
large  territory'  to  cover  and  needs  help  very  much. 

DANIEL  P.  WALKER. 

Daniel  P.  Walker  was  born  in  Somerset  County,  Pennsylva- 
nia, in  the  spring  of  1808,  and  was  reared  near  Pine  Hill,  same 
county.  In  his  younger  days  he  taught  school  for  soine  time,  but 
most  of  his  life  was  spent  as  a  tiller  of  the  soil. 


552  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

'■  He  lived  for  many  years  in  the  Berlin  congregation,  now 
called  Brothers  Valley,  and  followed  the  quiet  and  peaceful  voca- 
tion of  farming,  except  in  early  life,  when  he  taught  school  for  a 
number  of  years. 

"  By  nature  he  was  a  strong-minded,  outspoken  man.  He  al- 
ways acted  from  principle  and  the  conscientious  and  honest  con- 
victions of  his  heart.  He  was  brought  up  in  the  Lutheran  faith  and 
connected  with  that  church  until  shortly  after  his  marriage  with 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  William  Horner,  when  he  united  with  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren.  He  held  this  membership  in  the  church 
about  fifty  years.  During  all  this  time  he  faithfully  served  the 
church  of  his  choice,  strongly  contending  for  '  the  faith  once  de- 
livered  to   the   saints.' 

"  He  served  in  the  capacity  of  deacon  for  some  years  and 
the  last  twenty-four  years  of  his  life  in  the  gospel  ministry." 

Brother  Walker  was,  therefore,  past  fifty  years  of  age  when 
called  to  the  ministry  of  the  Word,  l)ut  he  became  a  noted  worker 
in  the  church.  .Ml  his  children  liecame  members  of  the  church  at 
an  early  age,  and  l)ecame  active  workers  in  the  church.  One  son 
is  an  elder,  one  a  deacon,  three  sons-in-law  were  elders  and  one 
a  deacon;  also  four  grandsons  and  two  great-grandsons  were 
called  to  the  ministry. 

He  died  at  the  home  of  his  son-in-law,  John  J.  Blough,  De- 
cember 27,  1885,  at  the  age  of  11  years,  9  months  and  some  days. 
He  was  buried  in  the  Pike  cemetery.  Funeral  services  were  con- 
ducted by  Elders  Valentine  Blough  and  George  Schrock. 

Brother  Walker's  grandfather  came  from  Wittenberg,  Ger- 
many, in  about  1777,  and  settled  in  Somerset  County,  Pennsylva- 
nia. His  son,  Peter  Walker,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born 
near  Pine  Hill,  Somerset  County,  and  was  a  farmer.  The  chil- 
dren of  Daniel  P.  and  Elizabeth  (Horner)  Walker  were:  Sarah, 
Dinah,  Rebecca,  Cyrus  H.,  Carlotta,  William  H.,  Elizabeth  and 
Elder  Daniel  H. 

DANIEL  H.  WALKER. 

Daniel  H.  -Walker,  son  of  I'.ldcr  Daniel  P.  and  Sister  Eliza- 
beth (Horner)  Walker,  was  born  in  Stony  Creek  Township,  Som- 
erset County,  Pennsylvania,  July  5,  1850.  .\fter  passing  through 
the  common  schools  he  attended  normal  school,  and  prepared  him- 
self for  teaching,  which  profession  he  followed  five  years.  Since 
then  his  occupation  has  been  farming. 

He  united  with  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  June  15,  1869,  be- 
ing baptized  by  Elder  Ephraim  Cober.  He  was  called  to  the  dea- 
con's office  in  the  Brothers  \'allcy  congregation  Novetnber,  1880. 
and   was   installed   by   Elder   Solomon    Bucklcw.     June  3,   1886,   in 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


553 


Klder    Uaniel    H.    Walker. 


the  same  congregation  he  was  called  to  the  ministry  and  was  in- 
stalled by  Elder  Josiah  Berkley.  He  was  ordained  to  the  full 
ministry  in  the  old  Grove  church,  near  Berlin,  by  Elders  Josiah 
Berkley  and  J.  W.  Peck.  NovemI)er  11,  1898. 

He  entered  the  evangelistic  held  Dcccmljer  15,  1887,  holding 
his  first  series  of  meetings  in  the  Mount  Jacob  church,  Scullton, 
Somerset  County.  During  the  first  twenty-five  years  of  his  min- 
isterial labors  he  held  160  series  of  meetings  in  eight  different 
States  of  the  Union.  The  whole  number  of  sermons  preached  in 
that  time  was  2,540.  He  preached  156  funeral  sermons  and  sol- 
emnized a  number  of  marriages. 

He  served  on  the  Standing  Committee  four  times;  viz.,  at  Car- 
thage, Missouri;  Springfield,  Illinois;  Winona  Lake,  Indiana,  and 
Hershey,   Pennsylvania. 

He  was  given  charge  of  the  Brothers  \'alley  congregation  Jan- 
uary 20,  1906,  and  in  1907  he  took  charge  of  the  Pittsburgh  church. 

Elder  Walker  served  on  the  Home  Mission  Board  a  number 
of  years,  and  has  frequently  been  chosen  moderator  of  our  Dis- 
trict, ministerial  and  elders'  meetings.  In  the  spring  of  1915  he 
moved  to  Geiger  Station,  where  he  is  now  living  and  giving  much 
of  his  time  to  the  church. 


554  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

Elder  Walker  married  Mary  A.  Kncppcr,  daughter  of  Lewis  J. 
and  Magdalene  Knepper,  December  10,  1868.  Sister  Walker  was 
born  June  9,  1850,  and  died  June  15,  1883.  Their  children  are  as 
follows:  William  I'.,  Miller  L.,  Ira  D.  and  Galen  K.  On  July 
3,  1884,  Elder  Walker  married  for  his  second  wife  b'.lla  K.  Knepper, 
l)orn  March  12,  1840,  daughter  of  Lewis  and  Magdalene  Knepper. 
Their  children  are  Dillic  V.,  Clara  E.,  Emma  E.,  Myrl  J.,  Mary, 
Charlotte,  Alma  and  April  May. 

GALEN  K.  WALKER. 

Galen  K.  W  alkcr,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  in  Stony 
Creek  Township,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania.  He  is  a  de- 
scendant of  a  numerous  family,  scattered  througliout  Somerset 
County  and  elsewhere. 

He  is  the  son  of  bolder  D.  H.  Walker,  of  Geiger,  I'ennsylvania, 
and  is  one  of  a  family  of  six  sons  and  seven  daughters.  He  can 
trace  his  ancestry  back  to  Wittenberg,  Germany,  five  generations, 
to  his  great-great-grandfather  Walker,  who  migrated  to  this  coun- 
try about  1777.  His  grandfather,  Daniel  I'.,  and  his  father,  Daniel 
H.,   were   ministers   in   the   Church   of   the    brethren. 

Brother  Walker  was  born  June  15,  1883,  near  Shanksville, 
Somerset  County.  His  mother  died  in  his  infancy.  When  he  was 
only  three  days  old,  an  innocent,  helpless  babe,  without  a  mother 
to  care  for  him,  providentially  the  way  opened  and  a  kind-hearted 
Christian  lady  offered  her  services  to  nurse,  train,  and  educate  the 
child  for  God  and  usefulness  in  life. 

His  mother,  Mary  A.  Knepper,  the  daughter  of  Brother  Lewis 
J.  Knepper,  was  truly  a  devoted  and  pious  sister.  So  this  foster 
son  fell  into  the  hands  of  foster  parents,  Elder  W.  G.  Schrock  and 
Sister  Rebecca  Walker  Schrock,  of  sacred  memory.  The  writer 
of  this  biography  heard  the  subject  of  the  above  notice  declare, 
"  Money  could  never  pay  the  debt  of  love  I  owe  to  my  foster 
parents  for  what  they  have  done  for  me." 

]'>rothcr  Walker  was  brought  up  on  the  farm,  three  miles  north 
iif  llerlin,  now  owned  bj--  Brother  !•'.  L.  Knepper.  He  attended  the 
country  school  at  Sandy  Hollow  and  the  normal  in  Berlin,  and 
taught  three  terms  in  the  country.  Later  he  spent  about  three 
years  in  Juniata  College,  Huntingdon,  Pennsylvania,  graduating  in 
the  normal  English  course  in  the  summer  of  1905. 

Upon  his  return  from  college  the  school  board  at  Berlin  elect- 
ed him  to  the  second  principalship  in  the  Berlin  schools.  Some  time 
during  the  school  term  he  resigned  his  school  work  and  became  an 
assistant  cashier  in  the  First  National  Bank  of  Berlin,  where  he 
served  five  years.     In  March,  1911,  Brother  Walker  went  to  Johns- 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         555 


Elder   Galen   K.    Walker,   Wife  and   Child. 

town,  Pc'nns3l\  aiiia,  ami  served  in  the  Farmers'  Trust  and  Mort- 
gage Company  as  assistant  treasurer. 

He  soon  came  in  possession  of  a  home  in  Moxham,  Johnstown, 
and  immediately  settled  down  in  married  life.  On  November  28. 
1911,  he  was  married  to  Fern  Elizabeth  Coppock,  daughter  of 
Elder  Jacob  Coppock,  of  Tippecanoe  City,  Ohio.  The  happy  fam- 
ily of  two  is  now  three,  a  son,  Robert,  lieing  born  January  4,  1913. 

Brother  Walker  was  elected  to  the  ministry  October  20,  1906, 
installed  March  30,  1907,  and  forwarded  to  the  second  degree  April 
17,  1908,  all  in  the  Brothers  Valley  congregation.  He  was  or- 
dained to  the  eldership  in  the  Johnstown  congregation  May  3,  1914. 
Up  to  this  time  he  did  considerable  church  work  and  preaching, 
mostly  in  the  Berlin  congregation,  at  Garrett  and  Beachdale. 
While  acting  as  pastor  at  the  latter  place  a  fine  lirick  church  was 
built  and  dedicated. 

For  several  years  the  su])ject  of  this  sketch  had  a  firm  con- 
viction to  engage  in  pastoral  work  fully,  and  devote  his  time 
wholly  to  that.  To  leave  a  good  position,  and  dispose  of  their  new 
home,  seemed  at  first  a  little  trying.  Not  so  now.  But  in  the 
autumn  of  1913  he  resigned  banking  activities  and  accepted  the 
pastorate  of  the  Plum  Creek  and  Glade  Run  churches,  Armstrong 
County,  Pennsylvania.  He  occupies  at  present  the  convenient  and 
beautiful  parsonage  at  Plum  Creek,  near  Elderton.  Pennsylvania. 
Elder  Walker  is  a  member  of  the  Home  Mission  Board. 


Written   bv  Elder  W.  G.  Schrock. 


S56 


HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 


B.    F.    Waltz    and    Wife. 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  WALTZ. 

Ik'iijainin  I'Vanklin  Waltz  was  born  May  13,  1SS9,  on  a  farm 
near  Manhcim,  Lancaster  County,  Pennsylvania.  He  was  the  tenth 
child  in  the  family  of  eleven.  The  German  parents  were  devout 
Christians  and  always  had  family  worship.  His  mother  was  a 
Catholic  before  unitins?  witli  the  Church  of  the  lirethrcn.  All  the 
zeal  of  her  former  faith  was  used  in  her  new  one,  and  likewise 
transmitted  to  her  children. 

The  fatlier  died  wlien  15enjaniin  was  two  years  old.  No  longer 
being  able  to  farm,  Lancaster  City  finds  the  mother  with  her  chil- 
dren. Here  in  a  Catholic  community  the  youngest  children  went 
to  school.  In  order  that  her  boy  might  be  lirought  up  properly 
in  a  good  environment  he  was  placed  in  the  countrj',  for  his  board, 
a  number  of  summers. 

When  eleven  years  old  he  united  witli  the  Church  of  the 
I'.retliren  during  a  series  of  meetings  conducted  by  Elder  Jesse 
Zieglcr.  He  was  ])aptized  by  Elder  T.  1'.  Inikr  in  the  icc-covercd 
Little  Conestoga  in  the  middle  of  January. 

When  old  enough  he  worked  in  a  grocery  store  on  Saturdays 
as  well  as  through  the  week  after  school.  In  this  way  he  worked 
his  way  through  the  four-year  high  school  course.  Living  in  a 
college  town  gave  the  boy  a  desire  for  greater  attainments.  Two 
years  were  spent  in  Elizabethtown  College,  and  having  taught  one 
year  in  the  country,  he  received  the  degree  of  bachelor  of  peda- 
gogy. This  did  not  satisfy.  Three  more  years  were  spent  in  Eliza- 
bethtown College  and  likewise  a  year  in  I'Vanklin  and  Marshall 
College,   when   the   degree   of   bachelor   of   arts    was   conferred   by 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        557 

Elizabethtown  and  Franklin  and  Marshall  Colleges.  The  follow- 
ing year  the  A.  M.  degree  was  conferred,  he  having  completed  his 
graduate  work  in  ethics  and  sociology. 

It  was  while  he  was  taking  his  work  at  Franklin  and  Marshall 
College  that  he  was  called  to  the  ministry,  January  14,  1914,  by  the 
Lancaster  City  church.  The  saine  year  he  was  elected  as  teacher 
of  German  and  French  in  the  DuBois  High  School,  Clearfield 
County,  Pennsylvania. 

In  April,  1915,  he  accepted  the  call  of  the  Salisbury,  Garrett 
and  Beachdale  churches,  since  which  time  he  has  been  their  pas- 
tor. 

He  was  married  June  3,  1915,  to  Mary  E.  Myers,  of  Shady 
Grove",  Franklin  County,  Pennsylvania,  whom  he  met  while  a  stu- 
dent at  Elizabethtown  College.  Her  training,  which  she  received 
in  the  college  and  schoolroom,  is  of  great  help  to  him  in  his 
work.  Brother  and  Sister  Waltz  are  at  home  in  religious  work. 
The  pastorate,  where  they  are  now  located,  is  manifesting  a  new 
spirit,  and  the  Lord  is  adding  unto  the  church  such  as  should  be 
saved. 

JOHN  WILLIAM  WEGLEY. 

John  W.  Wegley,  son  of  Jesse  and  Susan  Wegley,  was  born 
November  24,  1860,  in  Summit  Township,  Somerset  County,  Penn- 
sylvania. The  father  was  born  in  Brothers  Valley  Township  in 
June,  1822,  and  the  mother,  whose  maiden  name  was  Flickinger, 
was  born  in  Summit  Township  in  September,  1820.  Four  daugh- 
ters and  two  sons  were  born  to  that  union,  of  whom  John  W.  was 
the  youngest.  Both  parents  were  members  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren.  In  May,  1866,  the  mother  died,  and  in  the  fall  of  1867 
the  father  brought  home  his  second  wife.  Two  sons  and  one 
daughter  were  born  to  this  union.  The  father,  who  pursued  farm- 
ing and  teaming,  died  in  September,  1890,  in  Wayne  County,  Ohio. 

Part  of  Brother  Wegley's  boyhood  was  spent  in  Rockwood, 
where  he  was  employed  in  the  heading  mill,  sawmill,  and  cutting- 
cord  wood  for  the  charcoal  dealers  and  stove-wood  for  the  vil- 
lagers. He  also  worked  on  the  farm  of  John  A.  Miller,  in  Sum- 
mit Township,  who  at  that  time  was  a  minister  of  the  Church  of 
the    Brethren. 

The  educational  opportunities  in  those  days  were  rare  when 
contrasted  with  those  of  the  present  tinle,  especially  so  for  the 
poor.  In  all  Brother  Wegley  had  about  twenty-two  months  of 
winter  schooling,  scattered  over  eleven  years,  and  thirty  weeks  of 
normal  school.  By  close  application  and  the  burning  of  midnight 
oil  he  prepared  him.self  to  teach  school.  In  the  spring  of  1879  he 
began  teaching  a  ten-week  primary  school  in  Rockwood,  and  the 


558  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

same  fall  he  hej^an  teachinj;  winter  school,  which  profession  he 
followed  sixteen  years. 

On  March  25,  1883,  he  married  Sarah  Enos,  daughter  of  Si- 
mon and  ICliza  Enos,  of  IMack  Township,  Elder  C.  G.  Lint  of- 
ficiating. Sister  Wegley's  parents  were  members  of  the  Church  of 
the  Brethren,  and  she  had  united  with  the  church  in  1877,  at  Mid- 
dle Creek,  being  baptized  by  Cornelius  Berkley.  In  April,  1883, 
they  moved  on  a  small  farm  four  miles  west  of  Somerset,  wliere 
they  have  lived  ever  since,  and  where  through  hard  work  and 
economy  they  have  prospered,  the  farm  having  increased  from 
twenty-three  acres  to  104.  Their  home  was  blessed  with  four 
sons  and  one  daughter.     One  son  died  in  infancy. 

Brother  Wegley  united  with  the  church  at  Summit  Mills,  Sep- 
tember 15.  1877,  being  baptized  by  a  Brother  Beeghley,  of  Mary- 
land. Ill  the  spring  of  1897  he  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the 
Middle  Creek  congregation,  where  he  has  ever  since  labored.  He 
was  one  of  the  first  superintendents  of  the  Pleasant  Hill  Sunday- 
school,  in  which  cujiacity  he  labored  a  number  of  years,  as  well 
as  teacher.  In  addition  to  farming  and  teaching  Brother  Wegley 
has  served  as  clia])lain  of  the  Somerset  County  Home,  township 
assessor  and   school  director. 

LEVI   WELLS. 

The  Wells  family  is  one  of  the  old  families  in  Indiana  Countj'. 
Christ()i)lier  Wells,  grandfather  of  our  sul)ject,  was  l>orn  in  En- 
gland. He  came  to  Pennsylvania,  and  ultimately  settled  at  White 
Oak  l-'lats,  Indiana  County,  wliere  he  cleared  out  for  himself  and 
family  a  farm.  His  family  consisted  of  seven  sons  and  three 
daughters. 

lulward  Wells,  one  of  the  sons,  married  Mary,  or  Tolly, 
Rairigh,  sister  to  I'.lder  Geor.ge  Rairi.gh.  He  settled  in  the  (."ow- 
ansiiannock  neigli])orhood.  and  became  one  of  the  pioneer  mem- 
l)ers  of  that  con.grc.gation,  and  a  deacon  in  the  same.  Their  chil- 
dren were:  Levi,  William,  Jacob,  Moses,  Mary,  Nancy,  P.etsey. 
and    Katie.      He   is  buried   in   the   Cowanshannock  cemetery. 

His  son,  Livi,  was  born  in  Cowanshannock  Tovvnshii),  .\rm- 
strong  County  (one  authority  says  he  was  born  in  Malioning 
Township,  Indiana  County),  January  IS.  1S12.  He  was  married  to 
Miss  Catharine,  daughter  of  Conrad  Lukehardt,  of  South  Mahon- 
ing Township,  Septeml)er  14,  1832.  I'>y  occui)ation  he  was  a  farm- 
er and  shoemaker.  Their  children  were:  I'.liz.ibeth  (  Kimmel), 
Margaret  (Ritchej'),  Caroline  (Condroiii,  John,  Isaiah,  Edward, 
Messenger,  Albert,  David  and  Milton. 

The  date  of  P.rother  Wells'  call  to  the  ministry  is  not  remem- 
bered, but  it  was  in  the  Cowanshannock  congregation  where  all  his 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         559 


Levi    Wells. 


labors  were  given.  His  death  occurred  Novemlier  12,  1885,  aged 
IZ  years,  9  months  and  24  days.  His  funeral  was  conducted  by 
Elder  R.  T.  Pollard,  and  interment  was  made  in  the  Cowanshan- 
nock  cemetery. 

MICHAEL  WEYAND. 

Michael  Weyand,  son  of  Michael,  Sr.,  and  Mary  Anne  (Ream) 
Weyand,  was  born  in  Somerset  Township,  Somerset  County,  Penn- 
sylvania, in  1829.  His  parents  being  mem1)ers  of  tlie  Reformed 
Church,  it  is  supposed  tliat  Michael  was  l)apti7-ed  in  infancy  in 
the  same  denomination.  liut  after  growing  to  manhood  he  identi- 
fied himself  with  the  Evangelical  Association,  then  known  as  the 
Albrights. 

His  education  was  such  as  the  country  schools  of  his  day 
furnished.  In  his  younger  da3^s  he  was  a  carpenter,  but  later  he 
secured   a   farm,   which   he   operated   the   balance    of   his    life. 

He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Sarah  Walker,  daughter  of  Elder 
Daniel  P.  Walker,  by  Elder  George  Schrock,  in  1857.  The  follow- 
ing year  he  united  with  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  and  in  1859 
was  called  to  the  ministry.  In  1886  he  was  ordained  to  the  elder- 
ship  of  the    Brothers   Valley  congregation.      For   about   ten   years 


560  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

he     had     charf^e     of     this     hir^t'     and     flourishing?     congregation. 

brother  Weyand's  health  was  not  the  best  at  any  time  in  his 
life.  Being  of  an  unassuming  nature  he  lived  a  quiet  life.  He 
did  not  travel  extensively,  but  was  faithful  in  filling  the  appoint- 
ments in  his  home  congregation.  He  was  a  supporter  of  Sunday- 
schools,  as  well  as  of  mission  work  as  carried  on  in  his  daj'.  He 
frequently  attended  the  Annual  Conferences. 

One  daughter  (now  Mrs.  John  L.  Johnson)  ])lessed  the  home. 
His  death  occurred  May  25,  1900,  at  the  age  of  71  years.  He  was 
buried  in  the  Pike  cemetery  at  Brotherton.  Elder  Silas  Hoover 
preached  his  funeral  discourse. 

ADAM  WISE. 

Adam  Wise  was  born  in  Washington  County,  Pennsylvania, 
February  10,  1809,  being  the  oldest  of  a  family  of  eighteen  chil- 
dren. His  father  was  twice  married.  His  grandparents  came  from 
Schwarzenau,  Germany.  His  parents  were  followers  of  the  Word, 
training  their  children  in  the  duties  of  the  Christian  religion.  Three 
of  their  sons,  Adam,  David  and  John,  became  ministers  of  the 
Gospel.  On  his  mother's  side  his  grandparents  also  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren. 

On  December  19,  1830,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Synth 
Hupp.  To  them  were  born  nine  children — four  sons  and  five 
daughters.  Five  of  their  children  died  in  childhood  of  that  dread 
disease,  scarlet  fever,  four  of  them  dying  in  one  week.  Henry, 
I*"rederick,  Esther  and  Rachel  grew  to  manhood  and  womanhood, 
.ind  all  were  members  of  the  Brethren  Church.  Henry  is  a  min- 
ister and  Frederick  was  a  deacon.  He  died  August  30,  1912,  aged 
70  years.  On  March  30,  1841,  in  the  Ten  Mile  congregation,  he 
and  his  wife  united  with  the  church,  .\prll  13,  1848,  his  wife  died, 
and  September  6,  1849,  he  was  married  to  Elizabeth  Bennington. 
To  this  union  one  daughter,  Hannah,  was  born.  She  is  living  and 
is  a  member  of  the  church.  His  second  wife  died  in  1883.  In  1887 
he  married   Sarah   Chambers,   widow   of  Solomon   Chambers. 

His  busy  life  as  a  church  worker  dates  from  1850,  when  with 
his  family  lie  emigrated  to  Greene  County,  Pennsylvania,  and  lo- 
cated in  the  Rycrson  Station  congregation,  where  the  following 
year  he  was  called  to  the  tninistry,  in  which  office  he  faithfully 
la))ored  more  than  forty-five  years,  till  death. 

Before  he  had  fully  recovered  from  an  attack  of  French 
measles,  in  his  early  manhood,  he  was  caught  in  a  rainstorm, 
causing  a  relapse  which  left  him  with  a  severe  cough  that  clung 
to  him  through  life.  This,  however,  did  not  lessen  his  zeal  and 
efforts  in  the  Master's  work.  His  ministerial  work  required  him 
to  make  many  regular  trips  over  the   broken   countrj-  of   Western 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         561 


Elder    Adam    AVise. 


Pennsylvania  and  the  hills  of  West  \irginia.  He  was  in  reality  a 
home  missionary.  His  heart  was  in  the  work  and  no  weather 
seemed  too  cold  and  stormy  to  keep  him  from  his  appointments. 
Knob  Fork.  Wetzel  County,  and  Chambers'  schoolhouse,  on  Bow- 
man Ridge,  Marshall  County,  West  Virginia,  were  each  twelve 
miles  distant  from  his  home,  yet  he  visited  them  once  a  month, 
preaching  from  two  to  three  sermons  each  visit.  When  we  con- 
sider that  these  trips  were  made  "  among  the  West  Virginia  Hills," 
on  horseback,  we  can,  perhaps,  realize  the  exposure  endured  and 
the  endurance  required  to  keep  up  these  appointments  during  the 
winter  season,  as  the  following  incident  shows: 

"  One  stormy  day  he  was  making  his  journey  to  his  Bowman 
Ridge  appointment.  When  about  three  miles  from  his  appoint- 
ment, Harmon  Greathouse  asked  him  to  come  into  his  house  and 
get  warm.  He  replied  that  he  was  not  cold,  but  felt  warm.  Mr. 
Greathouse  insisted  so  strongly  that  he  yielded.  Alighting  from 
his  horse  he  found  that  he  could  not  walk  without  assistance.  He 
afterward  said  that  had  he  continued  his  journey  without  warm- 
ing he  would  have  perished.  It  was  the  overcoming  effect  of  the 
cold  that  made  him  think  he  was  warm.  After  thoroughly  warm- 
ing himself  at  an  old-time  wood-fire  he  resumed  his  journey  and 


562  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

filled  his  appointment.  The  audience  was  a  small  one,  as  the 
people  felt  it  was  too  stormy  to  be  out.  Few  ministers  in  our  day 
have  endured  more  hardships  and  exposure,  in  all  kinds  of  weather 
in  filling  appointments,  and  all  without  money  and  without  price." 

"  His  biographj'^  would  be  incomplete  without  mentioning  his 
faithful  horse,  Old  Pete.  He  was  his  traveling  companion  more 
than  twenty-five  years,  carrying  him  over  the  hills  and  up  and 
down  the  valleys  to  the  mission  points  the  old  brother  had  estab- 
lished. I  well  remember  how,  in  my  l)oyhood  days,  we  were  so 
glad  to  see  him  come  to  preach  at  my  father's  house,  but  later  in 
the  Chambers  schoolhouse  on  Jknvman  Ridge.  He  always  had  a 
smile  and  kind  word  for  us  all,  and  generally  some  candy  for  us 
children,  (')n  one  of  his  trips  to  Knol)  l"'ork,  when  well  advanced 
in  years,  the  roads  being  icy,  his  horse  fell  with  him,  dislocating 
his  shoulder.  Though  he  had  it  replaced  he  never  had  full  use 
of  it  thereafter,  and  it  caused  him  more  or  less  suffering  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life.  He  survived  his  faithful  old  horse  a  number  of 
years"     (Andrew   Chambers). 

He  never  attended  a  college  or  seminary,  yet  he  was  a 
scholar  of  no  mean  ability,  having  a  fair  knowledge  of  both  the 
I'^nglish  and  German  languages.  He  taught  a  number  of  terms  of 
sul)Scription  as  well  as  public  school. 

No  record  was  kept  of  his  baptisms,  funerals  and  weddings, 
but  they  were  many.  In  his  early  church  work,  al)Out  1856,  he 
organized  the  first  Sunday-school  in  his  congregation,  at  Hart's 
Run  schoolhouse,  about  twenty  years  before  the  church  was  built. 
He  was  always  an  earnest  worker  for  the  Master,  giving  all  due 
attention  to  the  sick  and  dying,  and  comforting  and  encouraging 
the  living.  He  knew  how  to  sympathize  with  the  bereaved  as  his 
life  had  not  been  free  from  sorrow.  He  often  said  that  he  suf- 
fered many  bereavements  and  sorrows,  but  that  the  division  of  the 
church  caused  him  more  heartaches  and  sadness  than  all  his 
previous  troubles  combined — such  was  his  love  for  Christ  and  the 
church. 

On  November  12,  1886,  he  was  ordained  to  the  eldership.  Elder 
J.  S.  Holsingcr,  of  Bedford  County,  officiating.  He  was  the  first 
resident  elder  of  his  congregation.     This  charge  he  held  till  death. 

His  life  as  a  whole  was  an  active  one.  as  his  charge  consisted 
in  the  care  of  the  mission  points  he  had  established.  These  re- 
ceived his  earnest  help  and  efforts  as  long  as  he  was  able  to  travel, 
and  when  his  extreme  age  and  frailty  barred  him  from  visiting 
his  people,  their  care  and  needs  ever  bore  heavily  on  his  heart. 

The  evening  of  January  19,  1807,  he  spent  talking  with  his 
brother  Benjamin  and  his  son  Frederick  and  family,  until  9  o'clock. 
When  he  retired  his  son  tucked  the  covers  over  him,  asking  him 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        563 

how  he  felt.  He  said,  "All  right  for  the  night."  He  never  spoke 
again  on  earth.  His  son  expressed  it  thus:  "He  just  went  to 
sleep.  In  a  few  moments  he  was  home  with  God,  whom  he  served 
so  well." 

His  funeral  was  preached  by  Elder  Frederick  Weimer,  and 
interment  was  made  in  Quiet  Dell  cemetery,  near  the  Quiet  Dell 
Brethren  church.  To  him  it  could  appropriately  have  been  said: 
"  Thou  shalt  come  to  thy  grave  in  full  age,  like  as  a  shock  of  corn 
in  his  season,"  as  he  lacked  only  a  few  days  of  Ijeing  88  years  of 
age. 

JOHN  WISE, 

John  Wise  was  the  youngest  of  a  family  of  eighteen  children, 
and  was  born  May  18,  1822,  in  Washington  County,  Pennsylvania. 
John  was  the  youngest  brother  of  Adam  Wise,  whose  biography 
precedes  this  one.  John  made  use  of  the  opportunities  afforded 
him  for  an  education,  and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  was  teaching 
school,  The  fact  that  he  taught  thirty-two  terms  of  school  is 
proof  that  he  was  a  successful  teacher.  He  had  a  remarkable 
memory  and  it  served  him  to  the  last. 

He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Nancy  Grable  on  February*27, 
1847.  For  fifty-three  years  they  traveled  life's  journey  together. 
Six  sons  and  four  daughters  were  born  to  this  union.  Thirty  years 
after  their  marriage  (1877)  they  moved  to  Iowa,  and  later  to  Con- 
way Springs,  Kansas,  where  Brother  Wise  spent  the  most  of  his 
days.  Aside  from  school-teaching  he  engaged  in  farming,  but 
devoted  so  mucli  of  his  time  to  church  work  that  he  did  not  suc- 
ceed in  farming  and  died  a  poor  man. 

When  Brother  John  was  twenty  years  of  age  Brother  James 
Qutnter  had  charge  of  the  membership  in  the  Ten  Mile  congrega- 
tion, W'ashington  County,  and  a  great  revival  was  on.  At  this 
time  John  was  baptized,  being  the  first  single  member  in  the  con- 
gregation. There  were  over  fifty  accessions  to  the  church,  among 
them  being  his  sister.  Few  were  richer  in  good  works  than  Broth- 
er Wise.  All  through  life  he  was  aggressive,  and  the  day  he  was 
baptized  he  began  that  forward  march  in  the  work  of  the  king- 
dom: for  he  was  no  sooner  out  of  the  water  than  he  sought  others 
to  follow  Christ  as  he  had  done.  He  was  called  to  the  ministry 
October  18,  1843,  at  the  age  of  twenty-one.  The  ability  with  which 
he  handled  the  sword  of  the  Spirit  soon  placed  him  in  the  front 
rank  as  an  effective  minister.  To  the  very  day  eleven  years  after 
his  election  he  was  ordained  to  the  eldership.  In  this  capacity  he 
served  the  church  faithfully  for  fifty-five  years.  His  labors  were 
not  confined  to  his  home  congregations,  Ijut  were  Brotherhood- 
wide. 


564 


HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 


Kl«l»'r    .lolin    Mise. 


At  tlic  first  District  Mectin.n  licld  in  Western  Pennsylvania, 
November  5,  1866,  Elder  Wise  was  moderator.  l'"rom  that  time  for 
twelve  years  he  was  one  of  the  leading  men  in  the  District  work, 
nearly  always  holdinj^  some  office  at  the  District  Meetings.  As  an 
attendant  at  our  Annual  Conferences  he  had  few,  if  any,  equals, 
having  attended  forty.  His  first  one  was  in  York  County,  Penn- 
sylvania, in  1844,  when  he  rode  horseback  220  miles  across  the 
Alleghanies  to  be  present.  The  last  one  was  at  Des  Moines,  Iowa, 
in  1908,  just  sixty-four  years  later.  He  represented  his  District  on 
the  Standing  Committee  twenty-seven  times.  Once  he  was  Moder- 
ator (1885)  and  fifteen  times  he  served  as  Reading  Clerk.  His 
splendid  voice,  which  could  be  heard  all  over  the  audience,  fitted 
him  especially  for  the  latter  position.  "  In  addition  to  this  he 
was  sent  on  much  committee  work,  which  was,  a  numl)er  of  times, 
very  important.  He  was  on  the  committee  to  Tennessee,  appointed 
in  1866,  that  considered  the  disowning  of  Bishop  John  A.  I?ow- 
man  and  receiving  all  the  members  he  had  baptized,  into  the  church 
without  rebaptism.  He,  with  Brother  Ruple,  in  1881,  was  sent  to 
confer  with  the  River  Brethren  in  Canada  about  uniting  these  two 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         565 

bodies.  He  was  on  the  committee  to  Berlin,  Pennsylvania,  when 
the   H.   R.   Holsinger  difficulty  was  being  dealt   with." 

"  In  many  ways  he  was  a  leader  of  the  leaders  in  the  church. 
It  was  he  who  presented  to  Conference  in  1858  the  first  request 
to  have  a  General  Mission  Board,  so  as  to  have  more  united  mis- 
sionary effort.  The  paper  was  returned,  InU  Brother  Wise  was 
not  silent.  He  interested  three  congregations  in  his  own  District, 
and  with  Brother  P.  J.  Brown,  he  was  sent  out  on  an  evangelistic 
tour.  He  originated  the  paper  that  granted  Districts  the  right  to 
hold  ministerial  meetings.  He  was  a  whole-souled  Sunday-schcol 
man  and  pleaded  for  them  when  others  were  fearful.  In  1886,  when 
dedicating  the  churchhouse  at  Conway  Springs,  he  said,  '  I  do  not 
want  any  of  the  members  to  SEND  their  children  to  Sunday- 
school.     I  want  you  to  BRING  them.'" 

"  In  the  pulpit  he  was  especially  gifted.  He  had  a  full,  reso- 
nant voice,  fine  language  and  a  good  command  of  suitable  words 
to  express  his  thoughts  with  force.  As  a  debater  he  was  clear- 
cut  and  a  strong  man  to  oppose.  He  was  not  so  much  of  a  re- 
vivalist as  an  expounder  of  the  truth.  His  familiarity  with  the 
Book,  and  his  close  analysis,  made  him  a  splendid  preacher  of 
doctrine." 

A  few  years  before  he  died  he  became  blind.  He  spent  his 
winters  in  the  Old  Folks'  Home  at  Darlow,  Kansas,  and  his  sum- 
mer months  with  his  son  at  Conway  Springs,  Kansas.  He  'died 
June  26,  1909,  aged  87  j^ears,  1  month  and  8  days.  He  is  buried  at 
Conway  Springs,  Kansas. 

GEORGE  WOLFE. 

About  this  soldier  of  the  cross  we  know  but  little.  According 
to  the  age  of  his  son,  George,  who  was  born  in  Lancaster  County, 
Pennsylvania,  April  25,  1780,  we  would  judge  that  the  Elder  Wolfe 
was  born  near  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century  in  Lancaster 
County.  This  Elder  Wolfe,  Sr.,  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  or- 
dained elder  who  settled  west  of  the  mountains.  History  tells  us 
that  Elder  George  Wolfe,  Sr.,  moved  from  Lancaster  County  to 
Fayette  County  in  1787,  and  that  the  family  located  on  a  farm  ten 
miles  from  Uniontown.  .\ccording  to  tradition  their  home  was  in 
the  southwestern  part  of  the  count}',  and  not  far  from  the  Monon- 
gahela  River.  As  evidence  that  there  was  a  Brethren  settlement 
in  this  section,  and  especially  across  the  river,  in  Greene  County, 
we  find  Dunkard  Creek  in  the  southeastern  part  of  Greene  County, 
and  flowing  into  the  Monongahela  River.  It  is  altogether  like- 
ly that  this  stream  took  its  name  from  a  settlement  of  Brethren 
(Dunkards)  in  that  vicinity.  We  are  also  told  that  this  body  of 
members  was  scattered  by  the  Indians. 


566  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

Here  the  Wolfe  family  lived  thirteen  years  and  the  two  sons, 
Jacob,  who  was  the  oldest,  and  George,  grew  to  manhood.  They 
had  practically  no  educational  advantages.  In  1800  the  father  and 
sons  l)uilt  a  raft  on  which  they  loaded  the  family  and  their  be- 
longings, and  sailed  down  the  Monongahela  and  Ohio  Rivers,  till 
they  came  to  Muhlenberg  County,  Kentucky,  where  they  landed. 
There,  with  some  other  members  who  had  already  located  there, 
proI)al)ly  from  North  Carolina,  they  formed  a  splendid  church 
colony  in  the  wilderness.  Elder  Casper  Rolland  was  the  first 
minister  to  settle  in  the  State,  and  Elder  John  Hendricks,  of  North 
Carolina,  was  the  next. 

March  3,  1803,  George  Wolfe,  Jr.,  married  Miss  Anna  Hunsick- 
er,  the  only  unmarried  woman  in  the  community,  h'ive  years  lat- 
er, in  1808,  young  George  and  his  brother  Jacol)  emigrated  to  Illi- 
nois and  settled  in  Union  County.  Jacob  Wolfe  was  the  father  of 
Elder  George  Wolfe,  of  California.  The  next  year,  1809,  the  Elder 
George  Wolfe,  Sr.,  whose  home  was  still  in  Kentucky,  traveled 
through  Southwestern  Missouri  and  Southern  Illinois  on  a  preach- 
ing tour,  and  on  his  way  home  took  sick  at  the  old  town  of  Kas- 
kaskia,  about  fifty  miles  northwest  of  where  his  two  sons  were 
living,  and  died  and  was  b\iried  at  that  place.  His  death  was  prob- 
ably the  first  among  the  members  in  the  State.  In  1812  George, 
Jr.,  and  Jacob,  with  their  wives  and  about  ten  others,  were  bap- 
tized in  Clear  Creek  by  Elder  John  Hendricks,  of  Kentucky.  The 
same  year  George  was  called  to  the  ministry  and  Jacob  to  the 
deacon  ofifice.  In  1813  George  was  ordained  to  the  eldership  by 
Elders  John  Hochstetler  and  Hahn,  of  Kentucky.  This  was  the 
first  ordination  by  the  Brethren  in  Illinois. 

Elder  Wolfe  became  a  powerful  preacher,  preaching  fifty-three 
years  in  all,  nineteen  in  Union  County,  and  the  rest  in  Adams 
County,  where  he  moved  in  August,  1831.  While  living  in  the  lat- 
ter place  he  also  visited  the  churches  in  Morgan,  Sangamon  and 
Macoupin  Counties  every  year  for  thirty  years.  November  16, 
1865,  in  his  eighty-sixth  year  he  died,  and  was  l)uried  near  Liberty, 
Adams  County,  Illinois.  He  was  the  father  of  six  sons  and  two 
daughters. 

WILLIAM  EDWARD  WOLFORD. 

William  !■'.  Woiford,  youngest  son  of  Jacol)  Lohr  and  Catharine 
(Runiniel)  Woiford,  was  born  near  the  present  town  of  Jerome, 
Conemaugh  Township,  Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania,  September 
14,  1877.  His  father  was  for  many  years  a  deacon  in  the  Quema- 
honing  and  Ligonier  Valley  congregations.  When  William  was 
one  and  a  half  years  old  the   family  moved   to  Waterford,   West- 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA 


567 


^Villiutn  E.   Wolford   and   Family. 


moreland  County,  Pennsylvania.  There,  with  liis  brothers  and  sis- 
ters, he  grew  to  manhood. 

During  a  series  of  meetings  held  in  Waterford  by  H.  S.  Rep- 
logle,  in  1900,  William  gave  his  heart  to  God,  and  was  baptized. 
Feeling  that  he  had  missed  a  great  deal  by  delaying  his  return  to 
the  Father  so  long,  he  at  once  began  taking  an  active  part  in  the 
religious  activities  of  the  little  church,  and  on  June  20,  1901,  he  was 
elected  deacon.  One  year  and  one  day  later,  June  21,  1902,  he  was 
called  to  the  ministry.  In  1904  he  was  forwarded  to  the  second 
degree  of  the  ministry  l)y  Brethren  R.  A.  Nedrow  and  M.  J. 
Weaver. 

Brother  Wolford  received  only  a  common  school  education, 
and  because  of  lack  of  better  Bible  training  he  feels  that  he  can 
not  do  as  much  for  the  Lord's  cause  as  he  would  like  to.  How- 
ever, ever  since  he  has  been  a  Christian  he  has  aimed  to  teach 
and  preach  the  Word  in  its  purity,  that  men  and  women  might 
hear  and  live.  He  is  especially  interested  in  the  young  members, 
whom  he  tries  to  encourage  in  every  way,  for  he  realizes  what 
he  missed  by  spending  his  younger  days  in  sin.  He  feels  that  the 
Lord  has  called  him  to  stay  by  the  home  church. 

In  the  year  1896  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Clare  D.  Beam, 
daughter  of  John  T.  and  Lavina  C.  Beam.  To  them  were  born 
six  daughters  and  one  son.  In  1906  with  his  family  he  moved  to 
Reedley,  California.  While  there  he  helped  in  the  erection  of  the 
new  church  at  that  place,  served  as  superintendent  of  the  Sunday- 
school  a  year,  and  did  some  preaching  and  baptizing.  After  living 
there  eighteen  months  they  returned  to  Waterford,  where  they 
have    since    lived. 


568  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

GEORGE    WOOD. 

George  Wood  was  a  son  of  Bernard  and  Hannah  (Pulman) 
Wood,  and  was  born  in  Seneca  County,  New  York,  October  8, 
1819.  His  educational  advantages  were  limited,  yet  l)y  making  use 
of  every  opportunity  he  secured  an  education  that  enabled  liim 
to  teach  several  terms  of  subscription  school. 

He  was  married  three  times.  He  married  Julian  Noble,  Oc- 
tober 22,  1843.  She  died  while  yet  a  young  woman.  July  15,  1858, 
he  was  married  to  Mary  Helm.  His  third  marriage  took  place 
August  12,  1890,  and  was  to  Jane  Courtney.  He  was  the  father  of 
about  twenty  children,  of  whom  eleven  still  live. 

He  took  an  interest  in  the  affairs  of  the  township,  serving  as 
justice  of  the  peace  a  number  of  years.  However,  he  never  held  a 
lawsuit,  but  settled  many  a  trouble  by  arjjitration. 

He  was  elected  to  the  ministry  about  1855  in  the  Clarion 
church,  and  not  many  years  later  advanced  to  the  eldership.  His 
ministerial  labors  were  performed  principally  in  Clarion,  Venango 
and  Forest  Counties.  He  did  a  great  deal  of  horseback  travel- 
ing over  a  large  territory.  To  support  so  large  a  family  made 
it  difficult  to  attend  District  and  Annual  Meetings  very  frequently, 
but  he  did  so  as  much  as  he  was  able. 

He  died  July  31,  1895,  aged  75  years,  9  months  and  23  days. 
"At  Elder  Wood's  funeral  149  vehicles  left  the  Wood  home  in 
procession.  Passing  a  church  (the  funeral  being  on  Sunday)  the 
worshipers  with  their  pastor  joined  the  procession.  When  the 
cortege  arrived  at  the  churcli  where  the  funeral  services  were  an- 
nounced to  be  held,  there  was  found  a  concourse  of  people  large 
enough  to  fill  the  audience  room.  It  is  estimated  that  about 
800  found  entrance  into  the  church,  and  at  least  twice  that  num- 
ber had  to  content  themselves  to  remain  outside.  After  an  ad- 
dress by  the  writer  of  this,  all  this  large  concourse  of  people  had 
a  last  and  respectable  leave-taking  of  Elder  Wood's  remains,  after 
which  they  were  consigned  to  the  tomb,  between  two  wives  who 
were  already  sleeping  there,  all  awaiting  the  first  and  glorious 
resurrection"  (Joseph  Holsopple).  He  was  buried  in  the  Phippls 
cemetery,  where  the  P>rethren  meetinghouse  stood  at  the  time  of 
his  death. 

GEORGE  E.  YODER. 

On  January  20,  1884,  on  a  farm  in  the  southern  part  of  Somer- 
set County,  Pennsylvania,  there  was  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  F,manuel 
Yoder  a  son  who  was  named  George.  Being  a  healthy  child  he 
was  especially  noted  for  his  energetic  characteristics,  which  made 
him  very  misciiievous,  so  much  so  that  it  often  caused  his  parents 
and  grandfather  no  little  anxiety. 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        569 

At  an  early  age  George  was  taken  to  Sunday-school,  where  at 
about  the  age  of  eight  he  received  his  first  call  of  the  Spirit  to 
the  higher  life.  However,  like  many  others,  he  put  off  the  im- 
portant step  in  life  until  October,  1896,  when,  during  a  series  of 
meetings  held  by  Brother  Daniel  Stoufifer,  he  gave  his  young  heart 
to  God  and  was  baptized.  After  the  baptism  Brother  StoufTer 
pointed  him  out  as  the  preacher  of  the  bunch,  which  prophecy  was 
fulfilled  later. 

In  the  fall  of  1903  his  parents  decided  to  send  him  to  school, 
and  as  the  result,  one  September  day,  with  a  somewhat  heavy 
heart,  he  landed  at  Prince  William  Academy,  Virginia.  The  first 
year  he  completed  a  land  and  mine  engineering  course,  but  at  the 
sacrifice  of  his  strong  nervous  system.  He  suffered  a  nervous 
collapse  in  the  spring  of  1904,  from  which  he  has  not  j^et  fully 
recovered.  The  next  year  he  spent  in  school  again,  taking  some 
literary  work.  After  this  he  spent  several  years  with  his  father 
on  the  farm,  in  order  to  regain  his  broken-down  health. 

He  took  an  active  part  in  the  work  of  the  church  in  the  Elk 
Lick  congregation.  In  the  fall  of  1905  he  was  elected  to  the  dea- 
con office,  and  in  March,  1906,  he  was  called  to  the  ministry,  all 
in  the  Elk  Lick  congregation.  On  March  10,  1912,  in  the  Summit 
Mills  congregation,  of  which  he  was  then  pastor,  he  was  ordained 
to  the  eldership.  Beginning  May  1,  1909,  he  served  the  Sumhiit 
Mills  congregation  as  pastor  four  years,  when  he  again  went  to 
the  farm  to  regain  lost  health. 

He  then  took  the  pioneer  preacher's  plan — working  five  and 
six  days  in  the  week  and  preaching  on  an  average  two  sermons 
each  Sunday.  He  made  monthly  visits  to  Accident,  Maryland,  and 
to  Maple  Grove,  Maryland,  preaching  three  sermons  a  trip.  On 
off  Sundays  he  usually  preached  for  the  home  congregation  until 
Brother  B.  F.  Waltz  was  secured  as  pastor. 

In  November,  1915,  Elder  Yoder  accepted  a  call  to  the  pas- 
torate of  the  church  in  Norristown,  Pennsylvania,  expecting  to 
enter  upon  his  duties  January  1,  1916.  But  having  recently  passed 
through  a  severe  spell  of  sickness,  that  move  is  delayed  until 
health  returns.  Elder  Yoder  has  done  some  fruitful  work  in  the 
evangelistic  field. 

One  of  the  most  important  events  in  the  life  of  Brother  Yoder 
occurred  on  February  21,  1906,  when  he  was  united  in  holy  wed- 
lock to  Miss  Clara  Beachy,  of  Sugar  Creek,  Ohio.  Though  un- 
known at  the  time  of  their  marriage  that  she  was  to  be  a  "  preach- 
er's little  wife,"  yet  she  has  proved  herself  to  be  well  qualified 
for  that  life  of  sacrifice.  Though  not  without  sorrow  and  disap- 
pointment, yet  the  Lord  has  richly  blessed  them  and  made  their 
sojourn  most  pleasant. 


570  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

SAMUEL   P.  ZIMMERMAN. 

Samuel  P.  Zimmerman,  the  oldest  son  of  Peter  and  Sarah 
(Ream)  Zimmerman,  was  born  in  Brothers  Valley  Township, 
Somerset  County,  Pennsylvania,  January  31,  1844.  He  received 
such  education  as  was  available  for  farmer  boys  in  the  public 
schools  of  his  day.  His  religious  training  was  above  the  ordinary 
of  his  day,  his  father  being  a  very  pious  man,  and  very  strict  in 
the  oljservance  of  the  Lord's  Day.  He  was  brought  up  in  the  faith 
of  the  Reformed  Church. 

On  November  12,  1865,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Mary  C.  Beam,  oldest  daughter  of  Brother  C.  Isaiah  and  Sister 
Catharine  (Meyers)  Beam,  Brother  Jacob  D.  Miller  officiating.  In 
October,  1873,  he  united  with  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  and  a 
year  later  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Quomahoning  con- 
gregation, where  he  has  ever  since  labored. 

September  3,  1904,  he  and  P.  J.  Blough  were  ordained  to  the 
eldership.  Brother  Zimmerman  has  been  one  of  the  most  active 
and  zealous  of  the  Qnemahoning  ministers.  He  has  always  lived 
in  the  same  congregation.  He  first  lived  a  mile  south  of  Jenners, 
in  Jenner  Township,  but  in  order  to  have  better  church  facilities 
for  his  growing  family,  and  also  in  order  to  be  more  centrally 
located  in  his  large  congregation,  he  moved  to  a  farm  near  the 
present  town  of  Jerome. 

Brother  Zimmerman,  having  been  given  Sunday-school  ad- 
vantages in  his  boyhood,  and  knowing  the  value  of  the  same,  was 
largely  instrumental  in  starting  the  first  Sunday-school  in  the 
Maple  Spring  meetinghouse. 

Two  daughters  and  two  sons  blessed  Brother  Zimmerman's 
home.  The  two  daughters  are  deaconesses.  The  oldest  son  is  a 
minister,  and  has  for  fifteen  years  made  his  home  in  the  West, 
principally  in  Waterloo,  Iowa.  He  has  been  both  student  and 
teacher  in  Bethany  Bible  School,  has  held  a  number  of  series  of 
meetings,  and  at  the  Annual  Conference  of  1914,  at  Seattle,  Wash- 
ington, was  appointed  a  member  of  the  General  Sunday-school 
Committee  of  the. church. 

His  wife  died  September  15,  1896,  and  December  26,  1904,  he 
was  married  to  Sister  Agnes  Blough.  l>esides  being  one  of  the 
active  elders  in  his  home  church  he  has  for  several  years  been  the 
elder  in  charge  of  the  Chess  Creek  congregation,  where  he  has 
done  considerable  hard  work. 

Elder  Zimmerman  has  married  thirty-five  couples,  baptized 
235  applicants  and  officiated  and  assisted  in  the  jireaching  of  261 
funerals. 

(I'ortr.iit  on   Pagp  ir)8.) 


CHAPTER  XV. 
Ministers  Who  Have  Left  Us. 

On  the  following  pages  will  appear  the  names  of  ministers 
who  were  produced  in  our  District,  but  who  have  gone  elsewhere 
to  work  for  the  Master.  Some  were  elected  here,  while  others 
were  elected  after  leaving  us.  No  claim  is  made  for  the  complete- 
ness of  the  list. 

Wesley  A.  Adams,  reared  in  Somerset  County;  a  school 
teacher;  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Middle  Creek  congrega- 
tion in  1875;  moved  to  Johnstown,  Pennsylvania;  in  the  division 
went  with  the  Brethren  (Progressives);  a  merchant  and  a  local 
minister  in  Johnstown. 

Charles  Asquith,  moved  from  Western  Pennsylvania  to  Black- 
hawk  County,  Iowa,  and  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  South 
Waterloo  congregation. 

J.  H.  Baker,  born  in  Fayette  County,  September  23,  1846;  mar- 
ried Sarah  E.  Cover,  September  3,  1868;  a  member  more  than 
forty  years;  was  deacon,  minister  and  elder;  elder  nearly  twen- 
ty-five years;  moved  .to  Astoria,  Illinois,  1885;  preached  his  last 
sermon  from  his  wheel-chair  about  a  year  before  his  death;  often 
since  then  expressed  a  great  desire  to  be  able  to  go  to  the  church 
and  preach  one  more  sermon;  was  a  strong,  able  minister,  loved 
by  all;  died  in  Astoria,  Illinois,  September  5,  1915,  aged  68  years, 
11    months    and    12    days;    buried    in    Woodland    cemetery. 

Samuel  W.  Bail  is  a  native  of  Washington  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania, his  ancestors  having  been  members  of  the  Ten  Mile  church 
of  the  Brethren.  Samuel,  himself,  for  many  years  worshiped  here, 
and  in  1901  he  was  called  to  the  ministry.  In  1906  he  was  installed. 
He  spent  some  time  in  Dr.  King's  School  of  Oratory,  and  did  con- 
siderable traveling.  He  filled  the  pulpit  in  the  Pittsburgh  church 
for  a  time.     He  moved  to  Arcadia,  Florida,  in  1914. 

Jessie  L.  Beal,  reared  in  Somerset  County,  called  to  the  min- 
istry in  the  Indian  Creek  congregation,  moved  to  Blackhawk 
County,  Iowa,  and  served  in  the  ministry  in  the  South  Waterloo 
congregation,  Iowa. 

Josiah  Beeghly,  born  near  Berlin,  Somerset  County;  when 
quite  young  moved  with  his  parents  to  near  Accident,  Maryland; 
thirteen  years  a  deacon;  called  to  the  ministry  in  Maryland;  twen- 


572  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

ty-eight  years  a  minister;  stood  high  in  the  church;  died  near 
Sabetha,  Kansas,  July  22,  1898,  aged  11  years,  2  months  and  5 
days. 

Samuel  A.  Beeghly  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Glen 
Hope  congregation;  lived  around  Johnstown  several  years,  and 
when  last  heard  from  was  living  in  Connellvillc,  Pennsylvania,  and 
was  not  a  member  of  tlio  churcli. 

J.  Harvey  Beer,  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Rockton  con- 
gregation, 1885;  ordained  to  the  eldership,  1892;  moved  to  Eastern 
Shore  of  Maryland,  1905;  active. 

J.  W.  Beer,  born  in  Armstrong  County,  March  26,  1838;  bap- 
tized in  1859;  called  to  the  ministry  in  1861;  married  to  Hannah 
Elizabeth  Henegan,  by  Lewis  Kimmel;  ordained  in  1881;  all  the 
foregoing  in  his  native  county;  assistant  editor  of  the  Christian 
l-'amily  Companion;  for  a  while  pul)lisher  of  the  Progressive  Chris- 
tian; wrote  much  for  the  different  church  periodicals;  was  the  au- 
thor of  "  The  Jewish  Passover  and  the  Lord's  Supper,"  "A  Sum- 
mary of  Religious  l"'aith  and  Practice,  or  Doctrines  and  Duties," 
and  a  i)oem  entitled  "  I'aith  and  Practice  of  the  lirethren  Church"; 
threw  in  his  powers  with  the  Brethren  Church,  and  was  the  Mod- 
erator of  the  first  General  Conference  at  Ashland,  Ohio,  June  29 
and  30,  1882;  was  a  logical  and  forcible  speaker;  about  1892  he  be- 
came afflicted  with  epilepsy;  died  in  California. 

Dr.  James  Bennett  was  a  minister  in  the  Indian  Creek  con- 
gregation for  a  numlicr  of  years,  l)Ut  went  with  the  Brethren  in  the 
division. 

.'Karon  I'.erkebile,  reared  in  the  Concmaugh  congregation; 
called  to  the  ministry  there;  moved  to  Ohio;  died  some  years  ago 
while  on  a  visit  to  his  native  county;  father  of  Steven  P.  Berke- 
bile,  missionary  to  India. 

David  Berkebile,  reared  in  the  Conemaugh  congregation; 
moved  West  and  was  called  to  the  ministry. 

Richard  K.  I'.erkebile,  reared  in  the  Conemaugh  congregation; 
moved  West  and  was  called  to  the  ministry;  was  the  promoter 
of  the  work  in  the  St.  Louis  Mission  years  ago.  The  above  were 
brothers. 

Jacob  Berkey,  a  son  of  Jolm  iierkcy  who  died  in  Johnstown. 
He  moved  from  near  Scalp  Level  to  Goshen,  Indiana,  many  years 
ago.  Soon  after  his  arrival  there  he  was  called  to  the  ministry 
and  not  long  after  to  the  eldership.  He  was  very  active  in  the 
work  of  the  church.  He  traveled  much  on  horseback  when  the 
country  was  new.  He  never  failed  to  fill  his  appointments,  which 
were  \ery  much  scattered.  A  common  saying  among  the  people 
was:  "It  is  Berkey's  appointment;  he  will  be  here,  rain  or  shine, 
or   cold."      He   was    blessed    with    a    good    memory,   a   good    voice, 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         573 

used  good  language,  spoke  with  great  faith  and  confidence,  and 
made  good  impressions  on  the  people.  A  strong  man  physically, 
he  was  called  far  and  near  to  adjust  difficulties.  Though  of  lim- 
ited education,  he  knew  his  Bible  well,  and  preached  in  nearly  all 
the  courthouses  of  Northern  Indiana,  before'  judges  and  lawyers, 
with  their  approval.  Nature  had  done  much  for  Elder  Berkey. 
Though  he  knew  no  fear,  yet  he  was  tender  toward  the  erring, 
the  poor  and  the  needy,  and  had  many  friends.  It  is  said  that  he 
lectured  all  over  the  community  on  the  temperance  question.  He 
spent  his  last  years  in  the  mission  field  of  Texas,  and  his  fearless- 
ness finally  cost  him  his  life.  In  attempting  to  ford  a  swollen 
river  at  Elm  Crossing,  near  Gainesville.  Texas,  in  the  spring  of 
1882,  he  was  drowned  at  the  age  of  66  years.  His  wife  was  a  Miss 
Lint,  cousin  of  Elder  C.  G.  Lint. 

I.  L.  Berkey,  oldest  son  of  Elder  Jacol)  Berkey  above.  He 
was  born  near  Scalp  Level,  Cambria  County,  October  6,  1841.  With 
his  parents  he  moved  to  Goshen,  Indiana,  in  a  two-horse  wagon, 
landing  there  April  1,  1847,  after  having  been  on  the  road  one 
month.  He  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Rock  Run  congre- 
gation. Elkhart  County,  Indiana,  March  15,  1867,  and  called  to  the 
eldership  of  the  same.  October  26,  1880.     Still  active. 

Solomon  Benshoflf,  born  in  Cambria  County,  March  5,  1812; 
elected  deacon  in  the  Conemaugh  congregation  October  11,  1846; 
to  the  ministry  May  20,  1855;  later  to  the  eldership.  "  Elder 
Benshoff  was  one  of  the  staunch  men  of  his  count3\  and  was  an 
energetic  member  of  the  church.  When  the  division  occurred. 
Brother  Benshoflf  stood  in  with  the  Progressives,  and  was  the 
only  ordained  elder  in  that  part  of  the  State  who  became  a  charter 
member  of  the  Brethren  Church.  He  raised  a  family  of  twelve 
children,  all  of  whom  belong  to  the  church  of  their  father.  He 
died  March  31,  1894."     His  age  was  82  years  and  26  days. 

Albert  Perry  Blough,  son  of  Deacon  John  J.  Blough,  and 
grandson  of  Elder  Jacob  Blough,  was  born  near  Berlin,  Somerset 
County,  October  22,  1866.  Began  teaching  school  in  the  fall  of 
1882,  before  he  was  sixteen  years  of  age.  He  taught  five  terms 
in  his  native  State,  one  in  Illinois,  and  four  in  Iowa.  In  1887 
he  went  to  Northern  Illinois,  and  in  1888  to  Waterloo,  Iowa.  He 
was  married  to  Miss  Estelle  M.  Schrock  September  24,  1891.  He 
was  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  South  Waterloo  congregation, 
Iowa,  January  2,  1893,  ordained  to  the  eldership  November  20.  1898, 
and  the  same  da}^  elected  elder  in  charge  of  the  same  congrega- 
tion. In  this  position  he  is  now  serving  his  eighteenth  year.  Since 
September  1,  1911,  he  has  served  the  same  congregation  as  pastor. 
Elder  Blough  has  been  Moderator  of  District  Meeting  nine  times; 
also   Reading  Clerk  and  Writing  Clerk  several  times.     He  repre- 


574 


HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 


sented  his  District  on  the  Standing  Committee  of  the  Harrisl)urg 
(Pennsylvania)  and  first  Winona  Lake  (Indiana)  Annual  Con- 
ferences. He  has  often  served  on  District  committee  work,  and 
is  a  mcmljcr  of  the  District  Missionary  and  Ministerial  Board.  He 
was  a  meml)cr  of  the  Labor  Union  Committee  several  years,  and 
is  now  a  meml)(.'r  of  the  Permanent  Program  Committee  for  An- 
nual Meeting. 


KIder  Emanuel  J.  Blough's  Sons — I^eft  to   KiRht,  Klders  Jerome  E.,   Silas  S., 
Elijah    E.    and    Jacob    M. 


Iviijah  !•'..  lUough,  ,^on  of  Mldcr  i'.nianuel  J.  Ulough,  and  grand- 
son of  I'.lder  Jacob  Blough,  was  l>orn  in  Conemaugli  Township, 
Somerset  County,  April  21,  1871,  and  was  reared  in  jeiiner  Town- 
ship, same  county,  in  the  Quemahoning  congregation.  In  addition 
to  attending  the  country  school  and  county  normals,  he  spent  a 
number  of  years  in  Juniata  and  I'.ridgewater  Colleges.  He  taught 
public  school  four  years  in  Jenner  Townsh'p,  Somerset  County, 
Pennsylvania,  and  two  years  in  Prince  William  County,  Virginia. 
At  present  he  is  a  teacher  in   Hebron  Seminary.     He  was  l)aptized 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        575 

in  the  Quemahoning  Creek  in  the  spring  of  1886.  In  1893  he 
moved  to  Manassas,  Virginia.  December  22,  1896,  he  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Alice  Conner,  daughter  of  Elder  Abra- 
ham Conner.  He  was  elected  deacon  May,  1897;  minister,  Oc- 
tober 28,  1905;  ordained  elder  November  5,  1911,  all  in  the  Manas- 
sas congregation.  He  has  been  a  constant  member  of  the  Home 
Mission  Board  since  1902.  He  is  frequently  called  to  official  posi- 
tions in  the  various  meetings  of  the  District,  served  his  District 
on  the  Standing  Committee  at  Seattle,  Washington,  and  has  done 
considerable  evangelistic  work.  He  is  a  trustee  of  Hebron  Semi- 
nary, Nokesville,  Virginia.  In  addition  to  teaching  and  preach- 
ing, he  is  extensively  engaged  in  farming  and  dairying. 

Jacob  M.  Blough.     See  his  biography. 

Homer  E.  Blough.  son  of  Peter  J.  and  Catharine  (Horner) 
Blough  was  born  in  Quemahoning  Township,  Somerset  County, 
in  the  Quemahoning  congregation.  With  the  family  he  moved 
to  the  South  Waterloo  congregation,  Iowa,  and  was  called  to 
the  ministry. 

Silas  S.  Blough.     See  his  biography. 

Warren  W.  Blough,  brother  of  A.  P.  Blough,  mentioned  be- 
fore, was  born  near  Berlin,  Somerset  County,  December  23,  1873. 
He  was  reared  on  the  farm  and  in  1892  he  began  teaching  school, 
which  profession  he  followed  twenty-one  years,  sixteen  terms  in 
Pennsylvania  and  five  in  Nebraska.  He  and  Miss  Lucy  Baldwin 
were  united  in  marriage  August  15,  1896.  Both  were  baptized 
June,  1899.  In  September,  1899,  he  was  called  to  the  ministry  in 
the  Berlin  congregation,  and  in  1902  he  was  ordained  to  the  elder- 
ship. He  acted  as  pastor  of  the  Berlin  congregation  ten  years, 
until  1909,  when  he  moved  to  Falls  City,  Nebraska,  to  become  the 
pastor  of  that  church.  Has  been  pastor  there  ever  since.  In  his 
native  State  he  was  active  in  the  various  meetings  of  the  District, 
frequently  as  an  officer.  Since  living  in  Nebraska  he  has  done 
some  acceptable  evangelistic  work.  He  has  also  done  special  Bible 
teaching  and  spent  some  time  as  music  director. 

Robert  B.  Bowser,  born  and  reared  in  the  Glade  Run  con- 
gregation, Armstrong  County;  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Brush 
Valley  congregation  in  1886;  moved  to  the  Bolivar  congregation, 
where  he  preached  acceptably  for  a  while;  united  with  the  Wine- 
brennarians  and  preaches  for  them. 

Daniel  S.  Brallier,  a  minister  in  the  Manor  congregation,  elect- 
ed June  13,  1868;  moved  to  Altoona,  and  there  ordained  to  the 
eldership;   deceased. 

J.  A.  Brillhart,  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Rockton  con- 
gregation in  1892;  relieved  of  his  membership  in  1897,  after  hav- 
ing united  with  the  Mennonites. 


576  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

licnjaniin  V.  I'.ritt  was  horn  in  Illinois  while  his  part-iits  were 
there  on  a  visit,  July  8,  1857.  His  parents  lived  near  lireakneck 
Furnace,  Fayette  County.  When  B.  F.  was  ten  years  of  age  the 
family  moved  to  Illinois;  haptized  in  1878  hy  David  Wolfe;  called 
to  the  ministry  in  the  Liherty  church  in  1882;  second  degree  in 
Loraine   church,   1885;    died   at   Lil)erty,    Illinois,   June   2,    1900. 

Philip  J.  I'rown,  horn  in  Somerset  County,  Octoher  14,  1827; 
elected  to  tlic  ministry  in  the  Sandy  Creek  congregation,  Virginia; 
ordained  in  WajMie  County,  Ohio,  in  1879;  served  on  Standing 
Committee  at  Lanark,  Illinois,  in  1880;  in  the  division  he  went  with 
the  brethren,  and  after  tJiat  deplorahle  event  he  traveled,  preached 
and  lal:)ored  almost  incessantly  to  build  up  the  cause. 

Benjamin  Bucchly,  horn  in  Somerset  County,  moved  to  Water- 
loo, Iowa.     Minister. 

David  Bucchley,  horn  in  Somerset  County,  elected  in  the  Elk 
Lick    congregation:    moved    to    Waterloo,    Iowa,    in    1865. 

Elias  K.  Bucchley,  horn  in  Somerset  County;  elected  to  the 
ministry  in  the  Elk  Lick  congregation,  in  1852;  moved  to  Water- 
loo, Iowa,  in  1862. 

Emanuel  Buechley,  horn  in  Somerset  County,  probably  elected 
there;  lived  in  the  Ind'an  Creek  congregation  some  years;  moved 
to  Northeastern  Ohio. 

Martin  Buechley,  born  in  Somerset  County;  moved  to  Water- 
loo, Iowa;  was  elected  there. 

J.  H.  I'urnworth,  born  in  Somerset  County,  March  28.  1847; 
school-teacher  in  Pennsylvania;  moved  to  Millcdgeville,  Illinois,  in 
1869;  united  with  the  Dutchtown  congregation  in  1872;  moved  to 
Brown  County,  Kansas,  in  1874;  elected  to  the  ministry  in  1884; 
went  with  the  Brethren  in  the  division. 

William  Byers,  born  in  Bedford  County,  January  29,  1823; 
married  Rachel  Cain,  1842;  baptized  by  Lewis  Cobaugh,  October, 
1858,  in  the  Conemaugh  congregation;  elected  deacon  in  1861; 
elected  minister  in  June,  1866;  in  1882  he  went  with  the  Breth- 
ren; ordained  to  the  eldership  by  J.  !'>.  Wamplcr  in   1884;  deceased. 

Andrew  Chambers.     See  his  biography. 

George  W.  Chambers,  reared  in  Rj'erson  Station  congrega- 
tion; baptized  there;  moved  to  Midland,  \'irginia;  elected  there: 
movi'd  to  Mine  Run  con,gregation,  Oran,ge  County;  united  with  the 
Brethren. 

E.  F.  Clark,  elected  in  the  Rockton  congregation  in  18<^)7;  lived 
at  difTerent  times  at  Jolinstown,  Meyersdale,  l^astern  Shore  of 
Maryland,  and  is  now  located  in  Washington,  District  of  Colum- 
bia. 

Alvin  A.  Cober,  son  of  Israel  Cober,  born  near  lierlin;  elect- 
ed in  the  Berlin  congregation;  went  with   the    P)retl)ren:  later  en- 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        577 

tered  Ashland  College,  Ohio,  from  which  he  graduated,  and  then 
served  pastorates  in  Ohio  and  Indiana;  feeling  tlie  need  of  fur- 
ther preparation,  he  entered  an  institution  of  the  Ikiptist  Church 
from  which  he  graduated,  and  then  went  to  Porto  Kico  as  a  mis- 
sionary of  the  Baptist  Church,  where  he  served  till  his  health 
failed,  when  he  returned  to  the  States  and  now  holds  a  Baptist  pas- 
torate in  Dayton,  Ohio. 

Ephraim  Cober,  born  and  reared  near  Berlin,  where  he  was 
called  to  the  ministry.  Here  I  give  a  letter  from  his  hand,  writ- 
ten when  past  ninety  years  of  age:  "  Sabetha,  Kansas,  October 
12,  1915.  Dear  Brother  Blough:  I  received  your  card  and  shall 
answer  it  as  far  as  I  can.  I  was  born  at  Berlin,  Pennsylvania, 
September  6,  1825.  I  was  elected  to  the  ministry  on  the  thirteenth 
day  of  June,  1853.  I  preach  yet,  but  not  regularly.  About  fun- 
erals, baptisms  and  marriages,  I  have  no  record.  I  moved  away 
from  Somerset  County  in  1876.  Please  excuse  my  pencil  writ- 
ing. It  is  much  easier  for  my  eyes.  Yours  fraternally,  E.  Cober." 
It  will  thus  l^e  seen  that  Elder  Cober  has  preached  over  sixty- 
two  years.  Twenty-three  years  he  labored  acceptably  in  the  Ber- 
lin congregation,  where  his  services  were  much  in  demand.  A 
remarkable  record  is  Elder  Cober's. 

All)ert  B.  Cover,  grandson  of  Elder  John  P.  Cober,  born  and 
reared  near  Berlin;  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Berlin  Brethren 
(Progressive)  Church  in  1907;  ordained  to  the  eldership  at  the 
same  place,  August  9,  1908;  after  he  and  his  wife  graduated  from 
Ashland  College  in  1914,  he  took  up  pastoral  work  in  Louisville, 
Ohio. 

Joseph  I.  Cover,  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Immel)  Cover,  was 
liorn  January  25,  1833.  He  had  a  college  education.  He  was  elect- 
ed to  the  ministry  in  the  Georges  Creek  congregation.  May  22, 
1856;  ordained  at  the  same  place  in  1866.  He  was  a  very  fluent 
speaker  and  did  much  work  at  home  and  abroad.  He  frequently 
filled  official  positions  at  District  Meeting,  and  represented  the 
District  on  the  Standing  Committee  several  times.  After  moving 
to  Covington,  Ohio,  he  united  with  the  Old  Order  Brethren  in 
1882. 

Wesley  H.  Cover,  son  of  David,  and  grandson  of  Elder  John  P. 
Cober,  was  born  and  reared  near  Berlin.  He  was  called  to  the 
ministry  in  the  Berlin  congregation.  He  was  a  graduate  from 
Juniata  College,  and  gave  his  time  to  teaching,  both  public  and 
normal  school.  He  taught  in  Somerset  County  many  years,  and 
with  his  teaching  he  preached  as  occasion  afforded.  He  filled 
the  pulpit  of  the  Beachdale  church  regularly  for  some  time.  Later 
in  life  he  took  up  the  profession  of  law,  and  practiced  in  Altoona, 


578  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

Pennsylvania.  WIkii  liomc  on  a  visit  some  years  ago,  he  died  sud- 
denly. 

Samuel  C.  Cover  was  born  and  reared,  in  the  Georges  Creek 
congregation,  and  was  called  to  the  ministry  there,  June  12,  1887. 
Is  now  located  at  Canton,  Ohio. 

G.  W.  Crissman  moved  from  Armstrong  County,  and  was 
elected  to  the  ministry  in  Kansas;  died  at  St.  John,  Kansas. 

Daniel  VV.  Crofford,  a  resident  of  Johnstown;  elected  to  the 
ministry  in  the  Conemaugh  congregation,  May  3,  1877;  went  with 
the  Brethren  in  the  division;  now  resides  at  Fort  Lauderdale, 
Florida. 

William  A.  Crofford,  l)rother  of  the  above;  went  with  the 
Brethren;  elected  to  the  ministry  afterward;  resides  in  Johnstown; 
pastor  at  Listie. 

John  Cross  moved  into  the  Eik  Lick  congregation;  moved 
from   Elk  Lick  to  Northeastern  Ohio  in   1862;   deceased. 

John  Dull,  elected  in  the  Middle  Creek  congregation;  moved 
to  Waterloo,  Iowa. 

Francis  F.  Durr,  son  of  Samuel  and  Catharine  Durr;  born  in 
Fayette  County;  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Georges  Creek  con- 
gregation in  1905;  was  called  to  take  up  the  work  with  the  church 
at  Glendale,  Arizona;  is  there  now  and  active. 

David  Eshelman.     See  his  biography. 

Matthew  Mays  Eshelman,  son  of  Deacon  Andrew,  and  grand- 
son of  Elder  David  I-lshelman,  was  born  near  Lewistown,  Penn- 
sylvania, Septem])er  1,  1844;  lived  in  the  Clarion  congregation  from 
1853  to  1864;  enlisted  for  the  army  from  there  in  1862;  moved  to 
Illinois  in  1864;  baptized  near  V'irden,  June  4,  1873;  elected  dea- 
con at  Cherry  Grove,  June  4,  1874;  elected  minister  at  Lanark, 
September  10,  1878;  ordained  in  White  Rock  church,  Kansas,  1884; 
helped  to  build  McPherson  and  Lordsburg  Colleges;  author  of 
seven  books;  editor  of  The  Brethren  at  Work;  Bible-scliool  teach- 
er; lives  at  Tropico,  California;  still  active. 

Eli  J.  Egan,  elected  in  the  Elk  Lick  congregation  in  1909; 
served  the  same  congregation  as  pastor  from  1911  to  1913;  taught 
in  Hebron  .Seminar}';  now  located  at  Sliipnian,  N'ir.ninia;  active  in 
the  work. 

Daniel  M.  I'ike,  reared  in  Somerset  County;  elected  in  the 
Summit  Mills  congregation  in  1879;  moved  West  in  1882;  now  re- 
sides in  Los  Angeles,  California. 

Aaron  Fike,  born  in  Fayette  County;  moved  to  Eglon,  West 
Virginia,  and  was  called  to  the  ministry  and  eldership  in  that 
place. 

Moses  Fike,  born   in   Fayette   County,  moved  to   Eglon,   West 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         579 


Three    Flickinger    Sisters — Front    Row,    Left    to    Right,    Bishop    C.    G.    Lint, 

Catharine  Lint  and   J.   W.   Peck.     Back  Row,   Left  to   Right,   Eliza  Fike, 

Elder    I).    M.    Fike   and    Elizabeth    Peck. 

Virginia,  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  German  Settlement 
congregation  and  labored  there. 

Samuel  A.  Fike,  born  in  Fayette  County,  December  22,  1820, 
and  reared  there;  called  to  l^e  a  deacon  there;  moved  tP^Eglon, 
West  Virginia,  in  1854;  called  to  the  ministry  in  1856,  Elder  John 
Kline  officiating;  ordained  in  1861;  placed  in  charge  of  the  Ger- 
man Settlement  congregation,  which  charge  he  kept  forty-four 
years,  until  death;  much  of  the  time  had  charge  of  three  and  four 
congregations;  was  twice  on  the  Standing  Committee;  was  a  great 
pioneer  preacher;  traveled  mostly  on  horseback;  preached  263 
funerals;  solemnized  184  marriages;  baptized  207  persons;  died 
May  7,  1905,  aged  84  years,  4  months  and  15  days. 

John  Fillmore,  a  Western  Pennsylvania  brother,  and  prob- 
ably elected  there;  moved  to  Waterloo,  Iowa. 

Virgil  C.  Finnell,  liaptized  at  Buffington,  West  Virginia,  in 
the  Monongahela  River,  by  Elder  William  Murphy,  May  14,  1893; 
elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Mount  Union  congregation,  Sep- 
tember 14,  1901;  from  May  1,  1902,  to  April  1,  1904,  lived  and  la- 
bored in  Uniontown;  from  April  1,  1904,  to  1908  he  was  pastor 
of  the  Ten  Mile  congregation;  next  he  located  in  Flgin,  Illi- 
nois, and  was  in  the  employ  of  the  Publishing  House  several 
years;  next  he  was  the  pastor  of  the  Des  Moines  City  (Iowa) 
congregation;  there  he  was  ordained  in  1915;  has  done  a  lot  of 
Sunday-school  and  Bible  work;  is  now  director  of  religious  edu- 
cation in  a  number  of  the  Western  States. 


5P0  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

George  Mack,  reared  in  the  Indian  Creek  congregation,  moved 
to  Ohio  and  was  called  to  the  ministry.  His  widow,  who  was 
VA'y/.a.  Bucchly,  lives  at  McPherson. 

Jacob  Flenard,  a  minister  of  the  Cowanshannock  or  Red 
Bank  congregation,  and  moved  to  West  N'irginia. 

Christian  i'^orney,  born  and  reared  in  Somerset  County;  moved 
West  and  was  called  to  the  ministry;  went  with  the  brethren  in 
the  division. 

Edmund  borney.  Iiorn  and  roared  in  Somerset  County;  went 
West  and  was  elected  in  Illinois;  now  lives  in  Lordsljurg,  Cali- 
fornia. 

H.  J.  Forney,  born  near  I'.erlin;  moved  West  and  was  elected; 
now  located  at  Chenoa,  Illinijis. 

Hiram  b\)rney,  born  in  Somerset  Comity;  moved  West  and 
was  called  to  the  ministry;  now  pastor  of  Denver  church,  Colo- 
rado. 

John  Forney,  Jr.,  elected  in  the  Quemahonin.g  congregation; 
moved  West,  and  died  at  .\])i'ene,   Kansas. 

Benjamin  I'orney,  born  in  Jenner  Township,  Somerset  Coun- 
ty; now  resides  in   Lawrence,  Kan.'^as. 

Michael  borney,  born  in  Somerset  County;  licensed  to  preach 
in  the  Quemahonin.g  congre.galion ;  moved  West  and  died  in 
Southern  Illinois. 

I'eter  b'orney,  born  and  reared  in  Somerset  County;  called  to 
the  ministry  in  the  \\'e>t  and  for  a  number  of  years  lived  at  Glen- 
dale,  Arizona.  Ho  died  there-  December  25,  I*'15,  at  the  age  of 
87  years. 

Samuel  M.  I'orney,  born  and  reared  in  Somerset  County; 
moved  West  and  was  called  to  the  ministry,  and  died  at  Kearney, 
Nebraska.  All  the  a])ove-named  b'orneys  are  descendants  (John, 
Michael  and  Peter  are  sons)  of  Elder  John  I'orney,  Sr.,  of  the 
Quemahoning  congregation,  Somerset  County,  and  all  were  and 
are  active  pioneer  preachers  and  elders. 

Levi  Fry,  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Manor  congre.gation  in 
July,  1847;  went  with  the   I'.rclbron  in  the  divis'on. 

James  W.  I-'yock,  son  of  I'Jdcr  Abraham  and  Sister  Nancy 
(Varner)  Fyock,  .  was  born  near  Johnstown,  Cambria  County, 
I'ennsylvania;  married  Annie,  daughter  of  Deacon  John  A.  Stray- 
er;  united  with  the  church  at  Johnstown;  immediately  be.gan  teach- 
ing in  Sunday-school;  was  superintendent  of  Walnut  Grove  Sun- 
day-school several  years;  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Johns- 
town congregation  in  VX)S  and  installed  in  1*M0;  moved  to  Ohio 
in  1011;  now  located  at  Toledo,  Ohio,  where  he  superintends 
the  Sunday-school  and  assists  the  pastor,  N.  K.  McKinmiy,  in  the 
preaching.     Sister  b'yock  also  united  with  the  church   in  her  young 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        581 

days  (1891);  is  Cradle  Roll  superintendent  and  teaches  the  pri- 
mary class. 

Samuel  H.  Fj-ock,  elected  tn  the  ministry  in  the  Johnstown 
congregation,  Deceniher  2H.  18'J9;  united  with  the  Brethren  in 
1904. 

John  D.  Gans,  united  vvitli  tlie  Georges  Creek  congregation  in 
1860;  was  called  to  tlie  ministry  in  1862;  joined  the  Brethren; 
deceased. 

W.  A.  Gaunt,  pastor  of  the  VAk  Lick  congregation  from  1894  to 
1904;  moved  to  Huntingdon,  I'enn>y]vania;  elder  in  charge  of  the 
Riddleshurg  congregation. 

A.  D.  Gnagey,  horn  and  reared  near  Mej'ersdale;  elected  to 
the  ministry  in  the  Summit  Mills  congregation  in  1879;  went  with 
the  Brethren  in  the  division:  teaclier  in   Ashland  College,  Ohio. 

John  Goodman,  elected  in  the  Chirion  congregation  ahout 
1850;  moved  to  Bond  County,  Illinois,  where  he  died. 

Benjamin  Goughnour,  born  and  reared  in  Cambria  County; 
called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Conemaugh  congregation  in  1875; 
went  with  the  Brethren  in  the  division;  now  resides  in  Johns- 
town. 

Henry  Goughnour,  born  and  reared  in  Caml)ria  County;  called 
to  the  ministry  in  the  Conemaugh  congregation  in  1855;  moved  to 
Waterloo,  Iowa. 

Larkin  Hall,  labored  in  I*"ayette  County;  moved  to  Marshall 
County,  Iowa. 

Oscar  W.  Hamer,  born  and  reared  in  the  Quemalioning  con- 
gregation; elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  same,  June  2,  1907;  moved 
to  Waterloo,  Iowa;  active  there. 

Stuart  Hamer,  born  and  reared  in  the  Quemahoning  con- 
gregation; moved  to  Waterloo,  Iowa;  called  to  the  ministry  there; 
student  at  Mount  Morris,  Illinois. 

Christian  Harader,  labored  in  Sandy  Creek  congregation,  Fay- 
ette County;  moved  to  Iowa  and  died  there. 

George  Hanawalt.     See  his  biography. 

Harvey  M.  Hanawalt,  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Ligonier 
\'alley  congregation,  June  21,  1902;  moved  to  Lordsburg,  Cali- 
fornia, the  same  year. 

William  C.  Hanawalt,  lived  several  years  in  the  Ligonier  Val- 
ley  congregation,   and   moved   to    Lordsburg,    California,   in    1902. 

John  C.  Harrison,  born  and  reared  in  the  Conemaugh  congre- 
gation; called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Johnstown  congregation,  Sep- 
tember 4,  1893;  moved  to  Tennessee  in  1905;  now  lives  near  Wood- 
bury, Michigan. 

Jacob  S.  Hanger.     See  his  biography. 


5ii2  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

Adam  Hclman,  elected  in  the  Manor  conjj^regation  about  1845; 
moved  to  (Jhio  in  1863,  where  he  died  at  a  ripe  old  age. 

J.  Quinter  Hehiian,  born  and  reared  near  Indiana,  Manor 
congregation;  moved  West  and  was  called  to  the  ministry;  re- 
sides at  Greenville,  Ohio. 

Jesse  P.  Hetrick,  l)orn  in  Armstrong  County,  December  20, 
1843;  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Red  Bank  congregation, 
June  30,  1865;  was  called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Philadelphia 
church  in  1874;  ordained  in  October,  1879;  subsequently  to  the 
Coventry  congregation  (November,  1^'82);  is  now  elder  of  Royers- 
ford  congregation.  He  has  been  active  among  a  number  of  the 
Eastern  Pennsylvania  churches. 

Stephen  Hildel^rand,  born  and  reared  in  the  Conemaugh  con- 
gregation; born  September  3,  1829;  married  to  Mary  Goughnour, 
December  23,  1852,  by  l-llder  Levi  Roberts;  elected  deacon  in  1860; 
minister  July  4,  1865;  went  with  the  Hrethren  in  the  division;  or- 
dained by  them  in  1883;  did  some  evangelistic  work;  resides  in 
Johnstown;   is  almost  helpless. 

Christian  Hochstetler.     See  Hochstctlcr  family. 

Abraham  Hochstetler.     See  Hochstetler  family. 

Adam  Hochstetler.     See  Hochstetler  family. 

D.  R.  Holsinger,  reared  in  the  Dunnings  Creek  congregation: 
moved  West;  was  called  to  the  ministry;  now  elder  of  Oak  Grove 
church,  California. 

Christian  S.  Holsinger,  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Dunnings 
Creek  congrejfation  in  1875;  had  been  deacon  first;  moved  West, 
was  ordained  and  died  in  California. 

Henry  R.  Holsinger,  son  of  Elder  Daniel  Mack  and  Polly 
(Ritz)  Holsinger,  was  born  in  Morrison's  Cove,  Pennsylvania.  May 
26,  1833.  He  was  the  oldest  of  a  family  of  four  sons  and  four 
daughters.  His  father  and  grandfather  were  ministers  in  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren.  His  grandmother  on  his  father's  side 
was  Elizabeth  Mack,  daughter  of  William  Mack,  son  of  Alexander 
Mack,  Jr.  He  was  married  to  Susannali  Shoop,  June  1,  1864.  Two 
daughters  were  born  to  this  union,  Mrs.  P.  G.  Nowag.  of  Johns- 
town, Pennsylvania,  and  Mrs.  S.  J.  Holsinger,  of  Phixnix,  Arizona. 

He  was  baptized  in  the  spring  of  1855,  at  Clover  Creek,  Penn- 
sylvania, by  Elder  George  Brumbaugh.  He  was  elected  to  the  min- 
istry October  28,  1866;  advanced  to  the  second  degree  a  few 
months  afterwards,  and  ordained  to  the  eldership  Octolicr  21,  1880. 
He  served  an  apprenticeship  of  one  year  in  the  office  of  the  Gos- 
pel Visitor,  and  taught  several  winters  of  school.  For  about  a  year 
he  published  the  Tyrone  Herald  in  Tyrone,  Pennsjdvania,  and  in 
January,  1865,  he  began  regularly  to  pul)lish  the  Christian  Family 
Companion,    the    first   weekly    pajicr    publisiicd    in    the    interests    o: 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        583 

the  Church  of  the  Brethren.  His  advanced  ideas  published  in  the 
Companion  got  him  into  trouble  with  the  Annual  Meeting.  In 
1873  he  sold  out  his  paper  to  Elder  James  Quinter. 

In  1878  Brother  Holsinger  and  Elder  J.  W.  Beer  commenced 
the  publication  of  the  Progressive  Christian,  at  Berlin.  Pennsyl- 
vania, with  the  avowed  purpose  of  advocating  progressive  meas- 
ures and  reforms.  This  course  was  opposed  by  the  conservative 
body  of  the  church  and  meant  more  trouble  for  Brother  Holsinger, 
who  was  now  an  ordained  elder,  and  finally  resulted  in  the  division 
of  the  church  and  the  organization  of  the  Progressive  Brethren 
Church.  Of  this  trying  period  we  have  no  inclination  to  write  at 
this  time. 

The  Progressive  Christian  was  discontinued.  Elder  Holsinger, 
for  a  number  of  years,  was  very  active  in  promoting  the  cause  of 
the  Progressives,  and  finally  settled  in  California,  where  he  wrote 
"  A  History  of  the  Tunkers  and  the  Brethren  Church.''  He  died 
in  Johnstown  and  was  buried  in  Berlin,  Pennsylvania. 

John  S.  Holsinger.     See  his  biography. 

Leonard  R.  Holsinger,  born  at  New  Enterprise,  Bedford 
County;  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  West  Johnstown  con- 
gregation, January  13,  1910;  became  first  pastor  of  Red  Bank  con- 
gregation, beginning  of  1911;  ordained  to  the  eldership  while 
there;  became  pastor  of  Coventry  church,  in  August,  1914;  is  an 
evangelist. 

Frank  F.  Holsopple,  teacher,  minister  and  lecturer,  graduate 
of  Juniata  College,  and  for  a  number  of  years  teacher  in  the  same; 
born  and  reared  in  the  Manor  congregation,  and  called  to  the  min- 
istry there  about  1886;  moved  from  there  about  1888;  has  been 
pastor  at  Sergeantsville,  New  Jersey,  and  Parkerford.  Pennsylva- 
nia; employed  by  the  State  Anti-Saloon  League;  resides  in  Har- 
risburg,  Pennsylvania. 

Hiram  L.  Holsopple,  born  and  reared  in  the  Manor  congre- 
gation, Indiana  County;  moved  to  Missouri;  called  to  the  minis- 
try and  now  resides  at  Versailles,  Missouri. 

Ira  C.  Holsopple,  born  and  reared  in  the  Manor  congregation; 
Juniata  graduate;  moved  from  Indiana  County;  was  elected  to  the 
ministry  in  the  Sand  Brook  congregation.  New  Jersey,  June  8, 
1895,  was  pastor  of  the  Coventry  church  from  1899  to  1914;  re- 
sides in  Eastern  Pennsylvania. 

Quincy  A.  Holsopple.     See  his  biography. 

William  W.  Holsopple.  born  in  Indiana  County,  December 
10,  1863;  baptized  in  the  Manor  congregation  October,  1878;  moved 
to  the  Prairie  View  church,  Morgan  County,  Missouri,  in  1886; 
chosen  there  to  the  ministry  September  6,  1889;  advanced  in  1892; 
ordained  November  7,  1904;  elder  in  charge  of  the  same  congrega- 


5N4  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

tion   from    1<X}8   to    1912,   and    from    V)\A   to    1916.      The   above    live 
ministers  are  sons  of  Elder  Joseph  Irlolsopi^le. 

Abraham  Hosteller,  elected  in  the  Middle  Creek  congregation; 
moved  to  Waterloo,  Iowa. 

Aaron  Hoffman,  lioru  and  reared  in  llie  Sliade  Creek  con- 
gregation; moved  to   Indiana  and   was  there  called  to  the  ministry. 

Chrissnian  John,  elected  in  the  John  Seltlcment  of  tlic  Glade 
Klin  congregat'on;  moved  to  North  Dakota  and  lived  at  Herthold 
and  Dimond. 

Isaiah  C.  Johnson,  elected  to  the  ministry  in  tlie  Middle  Creek 
congregation;  lived  in  Waterloo,  Iowa,  a  number  of  years;  now 
lives  in  Mechanicsburg,  Pennsylvania. 

John  C.  Johnson.     See  his  l)'o;;rai)]iy. 

John  J.  Johnson,  born  near  Masontown,  I'aycttc  County, 
February  22,  1882;  son  of  John  1\  Johnson;  came  to  Illinois  in 
1890;  called  to  the  ministry  at  Astoria  in  1W9;  second  degree  on 
October  4,  l'^14. 

William  Johnson,  son  of  Peter  and  liarbara  Johnson,  born  in 
I'ayctte  County  about  1833;  united  with  the  church  in  the  Georges 
Creek  congregation,  July  30,  1865;  married  Rebecca  DeBolt;  was 
elected  to  the  ministry  in  1872;  lal)ored  there  only  a  short  time, 
when  he  moved  to  Northeastern  Ohio,  and  was  active  there  until 
he    removed    to    Wichita.    Kansas;    a    lluent    speaker;    still   living. 

John  Keagy,  when  a  young  deacon,  moved  to  southern  Som- 
erset County  from  York  County;  the  same  year,  1783,  he  was 
elected  to  tlie  ministry,  being  prol)aIily  the  first  minister  elected 
in  the  District;  ordained  in  1790;  emigrated  to  near  Dayton,  Ohio, 
in  1806. 

Howard  H.  Keim,  son  of  Silas  C.  Keim,  born  and  reared  in 
Elk  Lick;  l)aptizcd  Septeml)er  12,  1875,  by  Joel  Gnagey;  elected 
to  tlie  ministry  in  the  Elk  Lick  congregation,  June  2,  1886;  ad- 
vanced June,  1887;  married  Emma  Harshberger  in  1888;  moved  to 
Indiana  in  1891;  ordained  in  1897;  moved  to  Oregon  in  1910;  now 
resides  at  Ridgefield,  Washington. 

N.  George  Keim.  brother  of  the  above,  was  called  to  the  min- 
istry in  the  Elk  Lick  congregation  in  1882;  took  up  the  work  ac- 
ceptably, showed  promise  as  a  ])reaclier,  became  discouraged  be- 
cause of  dissensions  in  the  cluirch  and  (|uit;  married  in  1890;  taught 
school  twenty  years;  is  in  the  insurance  business  in  Elkins,  West 
Virginia;  a  member  of  the  State  Senate  1911  to  1915. 

Jacob. Kelso.     .Sec  James  Kelso. 

Jonathan   Kelson.     See  James  Kelso. 

Joseph  Kelso.     See  James  Kelso. 

J.  L.  Kimmcl,  born  in  Somerset  County,  Fel)ruary  18,  1856; 
united    with    the    churcli    in    1879;    elected    deacon    the    same    year; 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         585 

elected  minister  in  1880;  advanced  in  1881;  went  with  the  Breth- 
ren in  the  division;  graduate  of  Ashland  College  and  a  trustee  of 
the  same. 

Michael  Kimmel,  l)orn  and  reared  in  Somerset  County;  called 
to  the  ministry  in  the  Middle  Creek  congregation  in  1850;  later 
moveil  to  Illinois;  died  in  1888. 

John  H.  Knepper,  son  of  Solomon  Knepper,  a  young  minister, 
was  born  near  Berlin,  October  25,  1849;  called  to  the  ministry  in 
the  Berlin  congregation,  January  1,  1881;  advanced  February  22, 
1882;  went  with  the  Brethren  in  the  division;  ordained  July  3,  1887; 
stood  high  in  his  church;  died  in  Altoona,  1915. 

Levi  Learn,  a  successful  school-teacher,  moved  from  the 
Manor  congregation  to  Kalispcll,  Montana,  where  he  was  elected 
to  the  ministry;  he  lived  a  while  in  North  Dakota. 

Josiah  Lehman,  son  of  Peter,  and  grandson  of  Elder  Christian 
Lehman,  was  l)orn  in  Richland  Township,  Cambria  County,  April 
30,  1852;  moved  West  in  1869;  .elected  to  the  ministry  in  the 
Prairie  View  church,  Missouri,  and  was  ordained  there;  is  now 
elder  of  the  Guthrie  church,  Oklahoma. 

Lorenzo  J.  Lehman.     See  his  liiography. 

John    R.    Liclity   was   called    to   the    ministry   in   the    Elk    Lick 
congregation;  moved  to  Idaho    ['"alls,   Idaho;  joined  the   Brethren. 
Jonas  Lichty.     See  his  biography. 

Jonathan  Lichty,  son  of  Elder  Jacoli  Lichtj',  was  a  minister 
in  the  Middle  Creek  congregation;  moved  West,  i)robably  about 
1857;  died  in  Brown  County,  Kansas,  in  1887. 

Solomon  Lichty,  an  elder  in  the  Middle  Creek  congregation; 
moved  West  about  1853. 

William  H.  Lichty,  son  of  Elder  Jonas  Lichty,  was  born  and 
reared  in  Somerset  County;  moved  to  Waterloo,  Iowa,  and  was 
there  elected  to  the  ministry  and  ordained  to  the   eldership. 

Zachariah  T.  Livengood,  was  born  in  Somerset  County,  De- 
cember 13,  1849;  school-teacher;  baptized  April  3,  1874;  elected 
deacon  at  Dutchtown,  Illinois,  June  16,  1881;  elected  to  the  min- 
istry September  11,  1881;  went  with  the  I'.rethren  in  the  division. 

Harvey  R.  Livingston,  1iorn  and  reared  in  Somerset  County; 
school-teacher;  elected  deacon  in  the  West  Johnstown  congre- 
gation, January  13,  1910;  moved  to  California  and  was  called 
to  the  ministry;  located  at  Modesto,  same  State. 

Peter  Lutz,  a  minister  of  the  Conemaugh  congregation;  moved 
West  in  1844. 

Jacob  Mack,  a  descendant  of  the  founder  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  Alexander  Mack,  was  born  near  Masontown,  Fayette 
County.  His  father,  John,  was  a  grandson  of  Alexander  Mack  and 
came  from  Philadelphia.     He  joined  the  church  in  early  manhood 


586  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

and  was  married  to  Catharine  Longanecker.  Shortly  after  his 
marriage  he  was  called  to  the  ministry,  and  advanced  in  two  years. 
He  was  a  fluent  speaker  and  became  very  earnest  and  loud.  He 
moved  with  his  family  to  Illinois. 

H.  F.  Maust,  born  in  Somerset  County;  elected  to  the  ministry 
in  the  South  Waterloo  church,  Iowa;  moved  to  the  Butte  Valley, 
California,  where  he  is  now  located.     Active. 

Marlin  J.  Maust,  elected  in  the  Markleysburg  congregation; 
moved  to  Everett,  Bedford  County,  where  he  now  resides. 

Nathaniel  Merrill.     See  his  biography. 

Jeremiah  Miller  was  born  in  Fayette  County,  Pennsylvania,  on 
May  8,  1831,  and  was  reared  in  the  same  county.  He  was  mar- 
ried to  Anna  Fike,  May  30,  1852.  To  this  union  one  son  and  three 
daughters  were  born.  He  united  with  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
in  the  fifties,  and  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Indian  Creek 
congregation  about  1868.  In  1888  he  moved  to  Maryland,  where 
he  lived  until  his  death  on  May  13,  190*^.  Sister  Miller  died  De- 
cember 8,  1907.  Brother  Miller  did  not  preach  a  great  deal,  but 
did  a  great  deal  of  baptizing. 

Daniel  M.  Miller,  born  and  reared  in  Somerset  County;  moved 
to  Milledgcville,  Illinois;  an  elder;  deceased. 

Edward  S.  Miller,  oldest  son  of  Jacob  D.  Miller,  was  born  in 
Somerset  County,  November  22,  1832.  He  was  called  to  the  min- 
istry in  the  Middle  Creek  congregation  at  the  same  time  his  father 
was  called,  in  1854,  before  he  was  twenty-two  years  old.  He  was 
married  February  23,  1859,  to  Mary  Catharine  Brewer,  of  Mary- 
land. About  five  years  of  their  married  life  they  lived  at  Somerset. 
Then  they  moved  to  Hagerstown,  Maryland,  where  they  lived 
twenty  years.  In  the  division  he  went  with  the  Brethren.  They 
moved  to  Dayton,  Ohio,  in  1884,  where  he  resided  at  the  time  of 
his  death,  June  1,  1887,  aged  54  years,  6  months  and  12  days. 
"  He  was  chaste  in  his  language,  and  especialy  neat  in  all  his  per- 
sonal habits;  was  opposed  to  the  use  of  tol)acco  and  intoxicants, 
war,  intemperance  and  secret  societies." 

Jacob  Miller,  born  in  Somerset  County,  moved  to  Ohio  soon 
after  the  opening  of  the  nineteenth  century;  was  a  minister  in  the 
early  days  of  Ohio. 

John  A.  Miller,  born  and  reared  in  Somerset  County;  elected 
to  the  ministry  in  the  Summit  Mills  congregation  in  1879;  in  the 
division  he  went  with  the  Brethren. 

Howard  Miller,  teacher,  preacher,  writer  and  editor;  elected 
to  the  ministry  in  the  I-^lk  Lick  congregation  in  1877,  from  which 
he  moved  in  1883.  Much  could  be  written  about  his  life  work 
if  space  j)ermitted. 

Michael    Miller,   who   moved    from    Somerset   County   to   Ohio 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         587 

and  located  in  the  vicinity  of  Paris,  Stark  County,  previous  to 
1808,  was  probably  the  first  Tunker  preacher  in  the  State  of  Ohio. 

Oliver  Miller,  born  near  Morgantown,  West  Virginia;  united 
with  the  Georges  Creek  congregation  in  1860;  he  was  elected  to 
the  ministry  in  1862;  here  he  labored  a  short  time  when  he  moved 
to  Abilene,  Kansas. 

Samuel  H.  Miller,  born  and  reared  in  Somerset  County;  moved 
to  Blackhawk  County,  Iowa,  where  he  was  called  to  the  ministry; 
moved  to  Sunnyside,  Washington,  where  he  is  now  located. 

Samuel  M.  Miller,  also  a  Somerset  County  man,  moved  to 
Blackhawk  County,  Iowa,  and  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  the 
South  Waterloo  church;  deceased. 

Jacob  A.  Murray.     See  his  biography. 

James  A.  Murray.    See  the  Murray  family. 

James  Murray,  son  of  Elder  William  A.  Murray,  was  born  in 
Greene  County,  Pennsylvania,  March  19,  1855.  When  fourteen 
years  of  age  the  family  removed  to  Northeastern  Ohio.  With  the 
exception  of  about  four  years  spent  in  Iowa  and  Kansas  in  his 
early  manhood,  Northeastern  Ohio  has  been  his  permanent  home. 
On  Thanksgiving  Day,  1876,  he  married  Miss  Luie  Hess,  of  Fre- 
donia,  Kansas.  She  died  August  4,  1879,  leaving  him  with  one  son, 
Claude  H.,  who  is  also  a  minister.  In  1884  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Susan  Bechtel,  of  Blair  County,  Pennsylvania.  He  was  baptized 
July  8,  1877;  elected  minister,  October  11,  1878;  ordained  November 
14,  1903;  served  on  Standing  Committee  in  1906,  1908  and  1911. 
He  died  July  31,  1913,  aged  58  years,  4  months  and  12  days. 

Jacob  Murray,  son  of  James  A.  Murray;  reared  in  the  Ryerson 
Station  church,  Greene  County;  went  with  the  Brethren  and  is 
an  active  minister  and  evangelist  in  Greene  County.  He  was  called 
to  the  ministry  after  the  division. 

Levi  Murray,  son  of  John  Murray,  a  minister  in  the  Wine- 
brennarian    Church. 

Joseph  Murray,  his  brother,  is  also  a  minister  in  the  Wineljren- 
narion  Church. 

James  Murray,  another  brother,  preaches  for  the  same  de- 
nomination. 

William  A.  Murray.     See  his  biography. 

Frank  Blaine  Myers,  son  of  W.  H.  Myers,  was  born  and 
reared  at  Mt.  Pleasant,  Pennsylvania,  July  6,  1878;  graduated  in 
normal  English  course  in  Juniata  College,  in  1899;  spent  two  and 
one-half  years  in  Bethany  Bible  School;  elected  deacon  in  the  Ja- 
cobs Creek  congregation  in  the  spring,  of  1908;  called  to  the  minis- 
try November,  1909;  advanced  December  27,  1913;  from  August, 
1911,  to  March,  1912,  he  was  pastor  of  the  Winona  church,  Minne- 
sota; from  May,   1912,  to  November,   1914,  he  lived  in  the  Jacobs 


588 


HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 


Frank   Blaine   Myers    and    Wife. 


Creek  con,u;reji;ation;  in  Novemljer,  1914,  they  moved  to  Deer  Park 
congregation,  Minnesota;  he  was  married  to  Miss  Anne  Reeves, 
daughter  of  Alfred  H.  Reeves,  April  10,  1912. 

Henry  Myers,  son  f)f  Ivlder  Micliael  Myers,  Sr.,  liorn  and 
reared  in  Somerset  County;  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Middle 
Creek  congregation;  first  elder  of  the  same;  moved  West  in  1853. 

H.  Smith  Myers,  son  of  Henry  Myers,  of  Westmoreland  Coun- 
ty, was  an  eider  in^  the  Jacobs  Creek  congregation;  went  to  the 
Brethren  and  preaches  for  them  at  Scottdale  and  other  points. 

Jesse  Myers,  another  Somerset  man,  moved  to  W'aterloo, 
Iowa;  was  a  minister. 

John  B.  Myers,  son  of  Elder  Michael  Myers,  Sr.,  moved  from 
the  F,lk  Lick  church,  where  he  had  hien  called  to  the  ministry, 
to  Ohio,  in  1854. 

Jacob  T.  Myers,  son  of  Eider  Tobias  Myers,  was  born  Sep- 
tember, 1851,  and  reared  in  Somerset  County;  called  to  the  ministry 
in  the  Middle  Creek  congregation  some  time  in   1871.     .\bout   1872 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        589 

he  became  the  pastor  of  tlie  Gerniaiitown  church,  Philadelphia. 
While  thus  engaged  he  held  a  series  of  meetings  in  the  Green 
Tree  congregation,  the  latter  part  of  1876.  This  resulted  in  a  call 
from  Green  Tree  for  Brother  Myers  to  become  their  pastor.  This 
he  did  in  July,  1877.  This  pastorate  continued  till  July,  1905,  or 
a  period  of  twenty-eight  years.  He  still  continued  to  be  its  elder. 
From  September,  1905,  to  September,  1911,  he  served  tlie  Geiger 
Memorial  church  as  pastor.  He  was  ordained  to  the  eldership  in 
1905.  From  1911  to  1913  he  lived  at  his  home  near  Phrenixville, 
his  health  not  permitting  him  to  engage  too  actively  in  ministerial 
work.  In  1913  he  became  pastor  of  the  Parkerford  church,  where 
he  continued  till  his  death,  1915.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Belle 
Quinter  in   1877. 

Jonathan  D.  Myers,  son  of  Josiah  Myers,  was  l)orn  in  Somer- 
set County,  January  22,  1860;  moved  West  and  was  elected  to  the 
ministry  at  Ramona,  Kansas,  September,  1890;  ordained  in  1900; 
was  elder  of  the  Dry  Creek  congregation,  Iowa,  some  years, 
where  he  died  December  18,  1915.  He  took  sick  at  the  dedication 
of  the   Robins   church,  which   he   had  assisted   in   building. 

Martin  L.  Myers.     See  his  biography. 

Tobias  Myers.     See  his  biography. 

Tobias  T.  Myers,  son  of  Elder  Tobias  Myers,  was  born  in 
Somerset  County.  With  his  parents  he  moved  to  Northern  Illi- 
nois, where  he  was  called  to  the  ministry.  He  was  called  to  the 
pastorate  of  the  Philadelphia  church  about  April,  1891.  The  first 
six  years  of  Elder  Myers'  pastorate  of  the  Carlisle  and  Dauphin 
Street  church  there  were  171  baptized  and  sixty-two  received  by 
letter.  Elder  Myers  continued  to  serve  this  congregation  till  he 
was  called  to  the  chair  of  New  Testament  theology  in  Juniata 
College,  with  the  exception  of  one  year,  from  May,  1901,  to  May, 
1902.  In  1895  Elder  Myers  made  a  trip  through  the  Holy  Land. 
His  wife  was  Miss  Florence  Harshi)arger. 

Elmex  F.  Nedrow,  born  and  reared  in  the  Indian  Creek  con- 
gregation, was  called  to  the  ministry  there  on  March  31,  1906.  He 
lived  some  years  in  Elizabethtown,  Pennsylvania,  and  taught  in 
the  college.  Is  now  the  elder  of  the  Lake  Ridge  Mission,  New 
York. 

Robert  A.  Nedrow,  brother  of  Elmer,  was  called  to  the  min- 
istry in  the  Indian  Creek  congregation,  November  1,  1897;  ordained 
September  21,  1901;  moved  from  his  native  county  and  taught  in 
Hebron  Seminary  and  Elizabethtown  College;  now  resides  at 
Lake   Ridge,   New  York.     He  attended  Juniata  College. 

John  Nicholson,  Jr.,  was  a  son  of  Elder  John  Nicholson,  Sr., 
and  was  born  in  Fayette  County,  May  15,  1824.  His  father  was  an 
elder    in    the    church    thirty-five    years,    and    was    one    of    the    first 


590  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

preachers  in  tlie  Indian  Creek  congregation.  John  was  married 
to  Miss  C.  L.  Pullen,  of  New  York,  April  1,  1849.  He  was  installed 
into  the  ministry  in  the  Indian  Creek  congregation  by  Elder  Jacob 
S.  Hanger  in  October,  1853.  Here  he  preached  until  1864,  when 
he  moved  to  Northeastern  Ohio.  He  lived  and  preached  in  Col- 
umbiana, Stark,  Tuscarawas,  Holmes  and  Truml)ull  Counties  till 
in  1881  he  was  called  to  the  Amwell  church,  New  Jersey,  as  a  home 
missionary,  where  he  served  about  two  years;  thence  to  Black- 
hawk  County,  Iowa,  in  1883.  During  his  services  at  that  place 
the  division  in  the  b>aternity  occurred  and  b.lder  Nicholson  cast 
his  lot  with  the  Brethren.  He  at  once  l)ecame  active  in  organizing 
Brethren  churches  in  Iowa,  Indiana,  Nel)raska  and  other  States. 
In  October,  1893,  he  moved  to  Rosena,  California,  where  he  served 
as  pastor.  He  was  an  evangelist  of  al)ility.  "  He  has  probably 
preached  as  many  sermons,  and  was  instrumental  in  as  many  con- 
versions, as  any  man  of  his  age  in  the  l-Vaternity.  He  had  as 
many  as  forty-two  converts  at  one  meeting." 

George  PattersoTi,  a  minister  in  the  (Hen  Hope  congregation 
some  years;  united  with  the   Iirethren. 

Samuel  J.  Peck,  moved  from  Somerset  County  to  Illinois  in 
1868;  thence  to  b'alls  City,  Nebraska,  in  1880,  where  he  died  Feb- 
ruary 23,  1882,  aged  41  years,  11  months  and  8  days.  He  was  a 
minister  about  nine  years. 

Henry  I'letcher,  a  minister  in  the  l\ye^^on  Station  congre- 
gation, early  moved  to  West  Virginia. 

Joseph  Pysel,  born  near  Berlin,  Somerset  County;  when  young 
moved  to  Maryland;  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  same  State;  died 
at  McHenrys,  Garrett  County,  Maryland,  in  1898,  aged  past  75 
years. 

James  Quinter.     See  his  biography. 

I.  F.  Rairigh,  son  of  Deacon  John  B.  Rairigh,  who  moved  from 
near  Plumville,  Indiana  County,  to  Darke  County,  Ohio,  in  1863, 
and  t(j  Delaware  County,  Indiana,  about  1868;  was  marriejd  in  Ohio 
and  moved  to  the  Thornapple  church,  Michigan,  about  1867,  where 
he  was  called  to  the  ministry  and  eldership;  now  elder  of  the 
Woodland  (town)  church.  He  was  born  in  Indiana  County,  and  is 
a  grandson  of  h'lder  George  Rairigh. 

J.  G.  Rarick,  brother  of  the  al)(>ve,  was  elected  and  ordained 
in  the  Mississinewa  church,  Indiana,  and  has  had  charge  of  dif- 
ferent churches  and  mission  points. 

J.  W.  Rarick,  also  a  brother,  was  elected  and  ordained  in  the 
same  church,  and  in  addition  to  the  home  church  had  charge  of 
seven  churches  at  different  times.  Had  charge  of  the  Indianapolis 
Mission  from  its  beginning,  three  years.  Now  is  elder  of  the 
Four  Mile  and    Bethel  churches. 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        591 

George  S.  Rairigh,  liorn  and  reared  in  Indiana  County;  called 
to  the  ministry  in  the  Montgomery  congregation;  moved  to  the 
Johnstown  church  in  1891;  ordained  June  28,  1894;  moved  to  the 
Eastern  Shore  of  Maryland  in  1896;  became  associated  vi^ith  the 
work  of  the  church  in  the  Eastern  District  of  Maryland,  and  did 
valuable  work  in  the  Brooklyn  Mission;  represented  Western  Penn- 
sylvania on  the  Standing  Committee  in  1896;  did  a  great  deal  of 
evangelistic  work  in  which  he  was  very  successful;  when  asked 
for  a  record  of  his  meetings  and  the  results,  he  replied  that  he 
had  begun  keeping  account  of  his  ministerial  work,  but  when  his 
services  were  so  much  in  demand  and  his  humble  efforts  were 
crowned  with  success,  he  stopped  keeping  his  record,  fearing  it 
might  make  him  vain;  later  in  life  he  was  sorry  for  his  neglect; 
he  made  a  trip  to  the  Holy  Land;  died  at  his  home  in  1915. 

S.  F.  Rairigh,  son  of  the  above,  was  born  in  Indiana  County, 
moved  with  his  parents  to  Johnstown,  thence  to  Denton,  Mary- 
land, where  he  was  called  to  the  ministry. 

Dicen  F.  Ramsey,  born  and  reared  in  Cambria  County;  was 
called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Conemaugh  congregation,  May  3, 
1887;  went  with  the   Brethren  in  the  division.     Deceased. 

James  A.  Ridenour,  a  minister  in  the  Markleysburg  congre- 
gation; also  labored  in  other  parts  of  the  District;  moved  to  Ohio 
and  united  with  the   Brethren;  did   some  evangelistic   work. 

Herman  H.  Ritter,  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  India«  Creek 
congregation,  November  1,  1897;  is  now  an  elder  in  the  Mohawk- 
church,  Oregon. 

Charles  Roberts,  elected  in  the  Conemaugh  congregation; 
moved  to  Waterloo,  Iowa. 

J.  J.  Rodaheaver,  lived  and  labored  in  the  Markleysburg  and 
Jacobs  Creek  congregations;  moved  to  Detroit,   Michigan,  in   1910. 

Moses  Rogers,  oldest  son  of  Ellis  Rogers,  was  born  and 
reared  in  Bedford  County;  elected  in  the  Dunnings  Creek  congre- 
gation about  1843;  moved  to  the  Dry  Creek  congregation,  Linn 
County,  Iowa,  about  1864,  where  he  died  February  21,  1865,  aged 
49  years,  and  14  days. 

Caleb  Secrist,  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Manor  congre- 
gation in  1873;  moved  first  to  Kansas;  thence  to  Talbot  County, 
Maryland,  where  he  resides. 

W.  A.  Seibert,  born  and  reared  in  Somerset  County;  called 
to  the  ministry  in  the  Somerset  congregation;  went  with  the 
Brethren;  now  residing  in  Berlin. 

Joseph  B.  Sell,  lived  some  time  in  the  Elk  Lick  congregation; 
then  moved  to  Ohio. 

Levi  Shaffer,  moved  from  the  Elk  Lick  congregation  to  Water- 
loo, Iowa;  a  minister. 


592  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

J.  I!.  SliatTiT,  t-Ki-ti'd  to  tin-  inini>tr\'  in  the  l\ocktoii  congrega- 
tion in   l'>05;  is  now  with  the  church  at  Talile  Grove,  Illinois. 

Samuel  Shaffer,  elected  to  tlie  ministry  in  the  Conemaugh  con- 
gregation; went  with  the  iirethrcn;  now  residing  in  Johnstown; 
not  active. 

Isaac  Shoemaker,  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Jacolis  Creek 
congregation;  moved  West  and  died  in  Clinton  County,  Missouri, 
in   1X54,  in  liis  fifty-eighth  year. 

Daniel  Shomher,  moved  from  tlie  Manor  congregation  to  the 
West,  and  was  called  to  the  ministry  in   Kansas. 

Henry  Shoml)er,  moved  from  the  Manor  congregation,  and 
was  called  to  the  ministr\^  in  Kansas  or  Missouri. 

C.  J.  Showalter,  for  a  time  a  minister  in  tlie  Ryerson  Station 
congregation;  moved  to  West  X'irginia;  went  with  the  IJrethren  in 
the  division. 

("leorge  Shumaker.  early  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Red 
l!ank  end  of  the  C"owanshannock  congregation;  becoming  dissat- 
isfied he  became  the  originator  of  a  new  sect  which  went  by  the 
name  of  "  Shumakerites  "  or  "  ("loorgeites."  After  this  religious 
body  was  maintained  aI)OLit  a  (juarter  of  a  century,  it  went  out  of 
existence,  and  Sliumaker  went  to  the   I'.aptists. 

Eugene  II.  Smith  was  born  in  X'enango  County  April  6.  1858; 
a  school-teacher;  baptized  l)y  S.  W.  Wilt,  May  11,  1878;  married 
Miss  Mary  M.  I">y,  daughter  of  b.bk-r  Levi  b>y,  April  6,  1881; 
called  to  be  a  deacon,  December  ^.  1881  ;  installed  as  a  minister 
in  tlie  Covvanshannock  congregation,  (  )ctober  23,  1884,  by  Elders 
r.  j.  i'.rown  and  I.  H.  Wampler.  Went  with  the  ISretliren  and  is 
still  active. 

J.  W.  .Smouse,  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Cowanshannock 
congregation;  lal)ored  there  a  while;  did  some  evangelistic  work; 
went   with   the   brethren. 

David  Snyder,  son  of  Elder  Adam  Snyder,  born  and  reared  in 
S(jmerset  County;  moved  West  and  is  at  present  an  elder  at  Raisin, 
California. 

.'\ndrew  J.  -Sterling,  son  of  Deacon  John  and  Elizabeth  ( Dc- 
Rolt)  Sterling,  was  born  near  Masontown,  l-^iyette  County;  had  a 
good  education;  joined  the  thurch  in  the  Georges  Creek  congre- 
gation, March  21,  186*>;  elected  to  the  ministry,  in  1871;  his  labors 
were  of  a  \  ery  pleasing  character;  also  labored  in  the  Ten  Mile 
and    otlier    churches;    went    with    the    llrethren    in    the    division. 

John  S])eicher,  born  and  reared  in  Somerset  County;  moved 
from  there  to  Waterloo,  Iowa,  where  he  was  called  to  the  ministry. 

M.  N.  Spicher,  son  of  J.  W.  Spichcr,  of  the  Montgomery 
church,   was   elected    there   to   the    ministry    in    1893;    several    years 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        593 

later  he  moved  to  Prince  ^Villiam  County,  \'irginia,  thence  to  the 
Eastern  Shore  of  Maryland. 

Levi  Stoner,  a  minister  in  the  Jacobs  Creek  congregation, 
moved  to  Bremen,  Ohio. 

Francis  Stump  lived  in  what  is  now  Elk  Lick  Township,  Som- 
erset County,  from  1783  to  1799,  when  he  sold  his  farm.  The  deed 
reads,  "  between  Francis  Stump,  minister  of  the  Dunkard  So- 
ciety." He  undou1)tedly  moved  to  Kentucky,  at  about  the  same 
time  that  Elder  George  Wolfe,  Sr.,  moved  there  from  Fayette 
County,  as  we  find  both  of  them  associated  with  Brethren  Adam 
Hochstetler  and  Benjamin  Hoffman  in  the  work  there  in  the  be- 
ginning of  the  nineteenth  century.  Brother  Stump  was  a  descend- 
ant of   Elder   Peter   Becker,   of   Germantown,   Pennsylvania. 

Abraham  Stutzman.  son  of  Elder  Jacob  Stutzman,  was  born  and 
reared  in  what  is  now  the  eighth  ward,  Johnstown,  Cambria  Coun- 
ty. He  was  married  to  Sarah  Schrock.  He  was  elected  to  the  min- 
istry in  the  Conemaugh  congregation.  He  was  elder  of  the  same, 
as  his  father  liad  lieen  before  him.  He  preached  in  both  lan- 
guages, but  mostly  in  the  English.  W'itli  his  family  he  emigrated 
to  Ohio  in  1870,  where  he  died,  January  8,  1884.  He  preached 
forty-three  years. 

H.  W.  Strickler,  Ijorn  near  Connellsville,  Fayette  County,  on 
the  old  Strickler  home,  April  24,  1836.  He  is  a  son  of  Jacob  D.. 
and  a  grandson  of  Henry  Strickler,  Sr.,  who  settled  there  in  1752. 
H.  W.  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm,  till  1854,  when  he  came  to 
Illinois.  He  married  Mary  Jane  Hardy,  of  Mendon.  Illinois,  June 
6,  1856.  He  taught  singing  Sundays  and  nights  six  years.  He 
was  l)aptized  by  Elder  David  Woolf,  April,  1875;  elected  to  the 
ministry  in  the  Mill  Creek,  now  Liberty,  congregation,  Adams 
County,  November  29,  1875;  ordained  by  Elders  John  Wise  and 
John  Metzger  in  November,  1880,  in  his  own  house  near  Loraine, 
when  the  Loraine  church  was  organized.     Still  active. 

Michael  J.  Thomas,  born  in  Preston  County,  West  Virginia, 
January  1,  1832;  moved  with  his  parents  to  Fayette  County  when 
two  years  old;  married  Miss  Sarah  A.  Zimmerman,  May  10,  1863; 
called  to  the  ministry  in  1864;  to  the  eldership  in  1885;  served  in 
the  ministry  thirty-three  years,  the  first  twelve  in  Pennsylvania, 
Maryland  and  West  Virginia,  and  the  rest  in  Iowa;  moved  to  New 
Virginia,  Iowa,  in  1876;  died  August  23,  1897. 

James  M.  Tombaugh  was  born  in  Washington  County,  No- 
vember 10,  1857;  l^aptized  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  by  A.  J. 
Sterling;  called  to  the  ministr}^  in  the  Ten  Mile  congregation,  and 
advanced  there  l^y  P.  J.  Brown;  in  the  division  he  went  with  the 
Brethren;  moved  to  Ohio;  holds  the  degree  of  A.  B.,  from  Waynes- 
burg    (Pennsylvania)      College;    several    years    president    of    Ash- 


594  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

land  College;  in  1900  he  was  a  member  of  the  Brethren  Publica- 
tion IJoard. 

John  !!.  \Vam])ler,  born  in  Armstrong  COunty,  January  8,  1837; 
is  of  German  and  Scotch  nationality;  baptized  June  20,  1858;  mar- 
ried Eliza  Beer,  March  3,  1864;  September,  1868.  elected  deacon; 
called  to  the  ministry  June  20,  1874,  all  in  the  Cowanshannock  con- 
gregation; advanced  June  22,  1875;  ordained  March  15,  1884,  by 
Klders  P.  J.  Brown  and  J.  W.  Beer;  went  with  the  Brethren  in  the 
division;  an  evangelist;  a  writer;  author  of  several  maps  and 
charts  and  tracts;  died  at  his  home  at  Apollo,  Pennsylvania,  Febru- 
ary 26,  1913;  buried  in  Prospect  cemetery;  funeral  conducted  in 
his  home  by  David   L.  Little,  of  the  Church  of  the   I'rethren. 

Jacob  O.  Walters,  an  elder  in  the  Conemaugh  congregation, 
moved  to  Linn  County,  Iowa,  where  he  died  October  20,  1872; 
aged  69  years,  3  months  and  26  days. 

Josiah  L.  Weaver,  born  and  reared  in  the  Shade  Creek  con- 
gregation, Somerset  County,  a  Juniata  and  Bethany  Bible  School 
student,  and  a  school-teacher,  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the 
Shade  Creek  congregation  March  31,  1*X)2.  Has  for  several  years 
been  pastor  of  the  Bellefontaine  church,  Ohio. 

Mahlon  J.  Weaver,  a  brotlicr,  is  a  Juniata  graduate,  and  was 
called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Shade  Creek  congregation,  in  1899; 
July,  1907,  he  became  the  pastor  of  the  Pittsburgh  church;  in  June, 
1912,  he  became  the  pastor  of  the  Everett  church,  Bedford  Coun- 
ty, where  he  still  resides.  He  does  considerable  evangelistic  work. 
For  several  years  he  was  a  member  of  the  historical  committee, 
and  rendered  valuable  help.  These  brethren  are  sons  of  Jacob  A. 
and  Lavina  (Hoffman)   Weaver. 

B.  F.  Weimer.     See  the  Murray  family. 

W.  Clay  Wert/.,  son  of  Jolin  A.  Wertz,  was  born  and  reared 
in  the  Johnstown  church,  lie  is  a  Juniata  graduate  and  followed 
teaching  a  numl)er  of  years.  He  was  called  to  the  ministry  in 
the  Johnstown  congregation  on  June  30,  1*X)4.  In  I'MO  he  moved 
to  Waynesboro,  where  he  now  resides. 

Paul  Wetzel  lived  in  the  IClk  Lick  congregation  several  years 
during  the  seventies. 

Robert  Whitacrc,  1)orn  in  Lycoming  COunty,  January  24,  1821; 
is  of  German  and  Scotch  extraction;  moved  to  ;\rmstrong  C'ounty 
in  1823;  married  Miss  Sarah  Staufifer,  November  16,  1843;  both 
were  baptized  in  June,  1850,  by  h'lder  Tames  Quinter;  elected  dea- 
con in  1852;  minister  in  1856;  in  the  division  he  went  with  the 
I'rethren. 

Henry  Wise,  son  of  Elder  Adam  Wise,  of  the  Ryerson  Sta- 
tion congregation,  Greene  County,  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  the 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA         595 

same  congregation.  In  the  division  he  cast  in  his  lot  with  the 
Brethren  and  is  now  located  in  Parkersburg,  West  Virginia. 

John  Wise.     See  his  biography. 

James  Widdowson,  born  and  reared  in  the  Manor  church, 
Indiana  County,  is  a  graduate  of  Juniata  College,  and  is  giving  his 
attention  to  teaching,  having  taught  in  Indiana,  Cambria  and  Hunt- 
ingdon Counties,  Pennsylvania,  and  New  York,  Colorado  and 
Maryland.  He  was  elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Manor  church, 
but  has  not  been  of  much  help,  because  of  his  teaching;  teaches  in 
Maryland. 

David  Wise,  born  and  reared  in  the  Ten  Mile  congregation, 
was  elected  and  served  in  Ohio. 

Samuel  W.  Wilt,  elected  in  the  Cowanshannock  congregation; 
went  with  the  Brethren. 

Joseph  W.  Wilt,  also  elected  in  the  same  congregation,  moved 
to  Altoona,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  was  ordained,  and  where  he 
preached  a  number  of  years.  He  now  has  charge  of  the  Juniata 
Park  church. 

C.  A.  Wood,  son  of  Elder  George  Wood,  was  reared  and 
elected  to  the  ministry  in  the  Clarion  congregation;  united  with 
the  Church  of  God,  and  now  preaches  for  them  in  Cleveland, 
Ohio. 

J.  J.  Yoder,  was  l)orn  near  Berlin,  Somerset  County;  removed 
with  his  parents  to  Kansas;  he  is  an  elder,  living  on  College  Hill, 
McPherson,  Kansas;  is  a  member  of  the  General  Mission  Board; 
also  a  member  of  the  Mission  Board  of  Southwestern  Kansas  and 
Southern  Colorado. 

Jacob  S.  Zimmerman,  son  of  Elder  S.  P.  and  Mary  (Beam) 
Zimmerman,  was  born  in  Jenner  Township,  Somerset  County.  He 
united  with  the  church  at  Maple  Spring,  during  a  meeting  held  by 
Elder  D.  H.  Walker,  in  1888,  at  the  age  of  seventeen.  On  Oc- 
tober 21,  1893,  he  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  the  Quemahoning 
congregation.  Beginning  with  1889  he  taught  seven  terms  of 
school.  He  entered  Juniata  College  in  the  spring  of  1897  for  Bible 
study.  Though  he  remained  for  only  two  terms,  yet  it  was  there 
that  his  eyes  were  first  opened  to  the  great  truths  of  the  Bible. 
In  1900  he  moved  to  Waterloo,  Iowa,  which  he  still  calls  his  home, 
though  he  is  there  but  a  small  part  of  his  time.  He  served  the 
Mission  Board  of  Northern  Iowa,  Minnesota  and  South  Dakota 
as  District  Evangelist;  also  as  District  Secretary  during  1910  and 
1911.  He  entered  Bethany  Bible  School  in  1909,  and  has  taken 
three  years  of  work  there.  He  is  now  serving  his  third  year  as 
field  worker  for  that  institution.  The  year  1914  he  served  the  Dis- 
trict of  Washington  as  District  Missionary  Secretary.  At  the  Seat- 
tle  Conference  in   1914  he  was   chosen   a  member   of  the    General 


596  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

Sunday  School  iioard.  As  field  worktT  tor  l!cthany  he  is  out  all 
of  his  time  conducting  evangelistic  meetings  and  Bible  institutes. 
In  this  work  he  has  traveled  across  the  continent.  He  annually 
travels  from  4,000  to  7,000  miles.  In  1892  he  chose  for  his  life 
companion,  Kathryn  Cal)le,  who  has  remained  and  still  is  remain- 
ing "  by  the  stuff,"  making  it  possible  for  liim  to  be  out  in  the 
work. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 
Miscellaneous. 

STATISTICS. 

The  following-  statistics  are  compiled  from  reports  received 
during  1915  and  are  as  nearly  correct  as  possil^le.  The  member- 
ship of  the  District  is  7,650  in  the  thirty-five  congregations.  There 
are  124  ministers,  of  which  numl^er  fort3'-seven  arc  elders.  Of  this 
number  quite  a  few  are  not  active,  mostly  on  account  of  old  age. 
We  lack  but  a  few  of  having  30O  deacons.  There  are  seventy- 
nine  church  buildings,  which,  with  the  parsonages  and  all  church 
property,  are  valued  at  al)out  $280,000.  There  are  twenty-nine 
Christian  Workers'  Societies  and  twenty  Sisters'  Aid  Societies. 

Including  several  union  schools  we  have  seventy-five  Sunday- 
schools,  with  an  enrollment  as  follows:  Main  schools,  6,773; 
Cradle  Roll,  1,106;  Home  Department,  774;  total  enrollment,  8,653. 
The  statistics  for  1915  are  not  in  print  yet,  but  according  to  the 
1914  reports  our  District  ranks  first  in  the  number  of  schools,  in 
the  number  enrolled  in  teacher-training  classes,  in  the  number  of 
schools  holding  teachers'  meetings,  in  the  amount  of  the  total 
collections  for  the  year,  in  the  number  of  Cradle  Roll  pupils,  in 
the  number  of  pupils  converted  during  the  year,  and  in  the  number 
of  Front  Line  Sunday-schools. 

Age  of  Ministers. — It  is  a  matter  of  interest  to  note  the  age  of 
our  departed  ministers.  Of  the  127  whose  ages  are  given,  only  two 
died  under  thirty,  six  in  the  thirties,  twelve  in  the  forties,  fifteen 
in  the  fifties,  twenty-five  in  the  sixties,  thirty-four  in  the  seventies, 
thirty  in  the  eighties  and  three  in  the  nineties.  The  youngest  one 
was  Samuel  Berkey,  aged  26  years  and  5  months,  and  the  oldest 
one  was  Peter  Livengood,  who  is  said  to  have  reached  almost  one 
hundred.  The  average  age  of  these  127  is  68  years,  6  months  and 
25  days.  This  is  a  remarkably  high  average,  especially  when  we 
take  into  account  the  fact  that  ministers  have  to  expose  themselves 
to  all  kinds  of  diseases  and  weather. 

Our  Sisters. — Would  space  permit  it  would  be  a  pleasure  to 
write  a  strong  chapter  on  the  w^ork  of  the  sisters  of  our  great 
District.  In  the  early  settlement  of  the  country  they  willingly  en- 
dured the  hardships  of  pioneer  life,  often  suffering,  perhaps  more 
keenly  than   their   husbands,   the  privations   and  homesickness   in- 


598  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

cident  to  establishing  new  homes  in  the  forest.  The  willingness 
with  which  the  ministers'  wives  shouldered  the  cares  and  responsi- 
bilities of  the  homes,  while  their  husbands  went  everywhere 
jireaching  the  Gospel,  is  very  commendable. 

To  our  mothers  belongs  much  of  the  praise  for  giving  to  the 
Brotherhood  our  strong  and  self-sacrificing  ministers.  Many  a 
mother,  like  Hannah  of  old,  dedicates  her  unborn  son  to  the  Lord. 
While  he  is  growing  up  she  endeavors  to  train  him  for  the  Lord's 
service.  It  is  a  sad  comment  on  our  school-life,  and  society  in 
general,  that  frequently,  after  our  children  go  out  from  the  godly 
influences  of  the  home,  their  environments  are  such  as  to  dwarf 
their  spiritual  growth. 

Our  District  long  ago  began  to  recognize  woman's  place  in  the 
activities  of  the  church.  In  our  Sunday-schools,  prayer  meetings, 
councils.  Christian  Workers'  Societies,  ministerial  meetings,  Sun- 
day-school conventions,  Bible  institutes,  as  leaders  of  song,  dele- 
gates to  conferences  and  conventions,  and  other  responsible  posi- 
tions, she  has  long  ago  been  given  due  recognition;  also  as  mis- 
sionaries in  our  city  work  and  to  the  foreign  field.  In  all  of  these 
spheres  she  has  shown  herself  equal,  and  in  some  instances,  su- 
perior, to  her  brethren. 

In  the  Aid  Society  our  sisters  have  a  field  entirely  their  own, 
and  they  are  working  their  field  well.  Hundreds  of  dollars  are 
earned  every  year  by  the  Dorcases  with  their  needles,  and  many 
hearts  are  cheered  by  their  donations  and  other  acts  of  charity. 

Our  District  has  also  developed  a  respectable  number  of  evan- 
gelists and  writers.  Thousands  have  been  added  to  the  church 
through  the  evangelistic  efforts  of  many  of  our  ministers.  Many 
splendid  essays  from  the  pens  of  our  writers  have  appeared  in  our 
church  literature,  and  a  few  good  books  have  been  produced.  In 
holding  series  of  meetings  we  were  among  the  first.  As  early  as 
1842  Brother  James  Quinter  held  a  series  of  meetings  in  the  Ten 
Mile  congregation,  with  fifty-two  accessions  to  the  church. 

MINISTERS  OF  WESTERN  PENNSYLVANIA,  1916. 

Names  Address  Congregation  No.  of 

Yenr.<< 
Served 

Ankeiiey,  Frank.  K.  T).  2,  Sheloota,  Pa.,  Plum  Creek 5 

•Hailf'y,  Artlnir,  ^78  flrove  St.,  MorRanlown,   W.  Va.,  Mount  Union 5 

•Hamtlioiisp,   .Tasper,  8  W.   Oraiff   St..   Uniontown,   Pa.,   fleorges  Creek,    ..32 

T?eal)es,    Newton    E..    Hooversville,    Pa.,    Queniahoning,    5 

P,ealiin,   .T.  C,   Klk   Lick,   Pa.,   Klk   Lick 25 

P.eaiii,   .T.   ('.   W.,    Fourth   St.,   .Tolinstown.    Pa..    Weist   .Tolinstown 4 

P.ecKlil.v,  A.  .T..   n.   D.  2.  Friedens,   Pa.,   Rrothers  Valley 7 

♦IJeeuhlv,    .Tereniiali.    Marklevsl)iirn.    I'a.,    MarklcvslinrK 58 

Perkev,   D.    U..    II.   D.   .■?.   Marion   Oiiter.    Pa.,   Afanor 8 

♦Perklev,  Alltert  TT..  .'?7  T)erl>v  St..  .Tolinstown.   I'a..  West  Johnstown 22 

♦Herkley,   .Tosiah,    R.    n.   1,    Uorkwood.    I'a..    Middle   Creek 54 

♦Rerkley,   N.  W.,  420  Ferndale  Ave.,   .Tolinstown.   I'a..   West  Johnstown,    .15 
Berkley,  S.  J.,   R.  D.  2,  Meyersdale,  Pa.,   Summit  Mills 3 


BRETHREN    OF    WESTERN    PENNSYLVANIA        599 

Names  Address  Congregation  No.  of 

Years 

Served 

Blough,   Charles   W.,   R.  D.  1,   Hollsopple,   Pa.,   Quemahoning,    5 

♦Blough,  Jerome  B.,   R.  D.  5,  Johnstown,   Pa.,   West  Johnstown 29 

Blough,    Norman    H.,    Davidsville,    Pa.,    Quemahoning,    9 

*Blough,    Perry    J.,    Hooversville,    Pa.,    Quemahoning,    18 

Blue.   Elmer   D.,    R.   D.   1,   Johnstown,   Pa.,   Pleasant   Hill 4 

Bond,    William,    White,    Pa.,    Indian    Creek 

Bowman,   J.    L.,   R.   D.   1,   Conemaugh,    Pa.,   Pleasant   Hill 

♦Brougher,   M.   J.,   126  Washington   St.,    Greenshurg,   Pa.,    Greensburg,    ...10 
Brubaker,   W.    N.,    Rookton,    Pa.,    Rockton 18 

*Bucklew,  Solomon,  541  Highland  Ave.,  Morgantown,  W.  Va.,  Mt.  Union,  51 

Burkhart,   J.   S.,    R.   D.   3,   Box   10,   Johnstown,   Pa.,   Johnstown 49 

Casebeer,    Rufus    D.,   Somerset,    Pa.,   Middle   Creek 1 

♦Clapper,    D.    K.,    R.    D.    1,   Meyersdale.    Pa.,    Meyersdale 25 

*Cleaver,   Geo.   D.,   Curwensville,   Pa..    Pi-ockton 29 

Cleaver,  Urban,   R.  D..   Grampian,   Pa.,   Rockton,    4 

♦Coffman,   T.   R.,   1120  Greenfield  Ave.,   Pittsburgh,   Pa.,   Pittsburgh,    18 

Coleman,   J.   P.,  16  Osborn   St.,   Johnstown,   Pa.,   West  Johnstown 6 

Darr,   John  J..   R.   D.   6,    Somerset,   Pa.,   Quemahoning 25 

Davis,    P.    S.,    Springs,    Pa.,   Maple   Glen,    1 

*DeBolt,    Alpheus,    Masontown,    Pa.,    Georges    Creek 33 

Detwiler,  Kdgar  M.,  14  Sell   St.,  Johnstown,   Pa.,   West  Johnstown,    9 

Dorer,    Solomon,    161    Spring   St.,    Johnstown,    Pa.,   Morrellville 32 

♦Eicher,  J.  K.,  Mt.  Pleasant,  Pa.,  Jacobs  Creek 39 

Faust,  A.  G.,  R.  D.  1,  Windber,  Pa.,  Rummel,    11 

Ferguson,  I.  B.,   R.  D.  1,   Boswell,  Pa.,  Quemahoning 23 

Fike,    Silas   W.,   Blliottsville,    Pa.,    Georges   Creek 

Fox,   Lemuel   R.,   Mt.   Pleasant,   Pa.,   Jacobs   Creek,    1 

*Fry,  W.  H.,   R.   D.  1.  Windber,  Pa.,  Shade  Creek 14 

♦Fyock,  Abraham,   New   Paris,   Pa.,   Dunnings  Creek,    28 

♦Fyock,  J.  W.,   R.   D.  2,   Lovejoy,   Pa.,  Manor,    24 

*Fyock,   Oran,   R.   D.  1,   Rochester  Mills,   Pa..   Montgomery 9 

Gearhart,   Earl,   Mt.    Pleasant,   Pa.,   Jacobs   Creek 1 

Glover,  H.  H.,  81  Morris  St.,  Uniontown.  Pa.,  Georges  Creek,    1 

*Gnagey,    Joel,    Meyersdale,    Pa.,    Summit   Mills,    52 

Hamilton,   Wm.   E..  Morgantown,   W.   Va..   Mount  Union 5 

Hamilton,   W.   J..   Champion,   Pa.,   Trout   Run 14 

Harden,    Thomas,    Hyndman,    Pa..    Greenville 

♦Harshberger,  C.  W.,  Johnstown,  Pa.,  .Tohnstown,    16 

Harshberger,   J.   M..   722   Horner   St.,   Johnstown,   Pa.,   Johnstown 49 

Harshberger,    Lori    B.,    Johnstown,    Pa.,    Johnstown 6 

♦Heisev,  Herman  B.,  R.  D.  6.  New  Bethlehem,  Pa.,  Red  Bank 6 

Hetrick,   D.  A.,   New   Bethlehem.   Pa..   Red   Bank 25 

♦Hochstetler,   E.   K.,   Sand    Patch.    Pa.,   Greenville,    35 

Hollopeter,   .Tason    B.,    Pentz,    Pa.,    Rockton,    5 

Holsinger,   I.   E..    736   Taylor   Ave.,    Avalon,    Pa.,    Pittsburgh 9 

♦Holsopple,  .Toseph,   R.  D.  2,  Clvmer,   Pa.,  Manor 50 

♦Hoover,   Silas,   R.   D.   6,    Somerset,   Pa.,  Middle   Creek 44 

Horst,  M.  Clyde,  1026  Bedford   St..  Johnstown,   Pa.,   Johnstown 11 

*Howe,  W.  M.,  .S25  Beachlev   St..  Meversdale.   Pa.,  Meyersdale,    23 

♦Hull.   R.   T.,   Bakersville,    Pa.,   Middle  Creek 26 

♦Idleman,  R.  T.,  R.  D.  2,  Scenerv  Hill,  Pa.,  Ten  Mile 17 

Johnson,   C.   C,  5886  Burchfield  Ave.,   Pittsburgh,   Pa.,   Pittsburgh 12 

Johnson,    Wallace,    T'niontown,    Pa..    Georges    Creek,    1 

Kimmel,  H.  H.,   R.  D.  3,  Somerset,   Pa.,  Middle  Creek,    16 

Kitchen,  A.  R.,   R.   D.  2,  Mahaffey,   Pa.,   Chess   Creek 20 

♦Knavel,    Peter,    Scalp    Level,    Pa..    Scalp    Level,    42 

Knavel,  Chas.  S..  Rummel.  Pa..  Rummel 1 

Knepper,   L.   S..   R.   D.   2,   Berlin,    Pa.,    Brothers   Valley,    1 

Knopsnyder,    William,    Freed,    Pa.,    Indian    Creek,    14 

*Lint,    C.    G.,   Meyersdale,    Pa.,    Meyersdale 61 

Little,    David    L.,    Vandergrift    Heichts.    Pa..    Bolivar 6 

Long,    Daniel    W..    Garrett,    Pa..    Meyersdale 8 

Ludwick,    P..    B.,    Mt.    Pleasant.    Pa.,    Jacobs    Creek 10 

*Maust.  S.  P.,  Meyersdale,  Pa.,  Meyersdale 37 

♦McDowell,   C.   A..   R.   D.  2,   Somerset,   Pa.,   Quemahoning 16 

Meredith,   Harry.   .321   Eagle  St.,   Mt.   Pleasant,   Pa.,   Jacobs  Creek,    1 

Meyers,  W.  H.,   R.  D.  2,  Somerset,  Pa.,  Middle  Creek,   16 

♦Elder 


600  HISTORY    OF  THE    CHURCH    OF    THE 

XiiiiH'S  Address  ('<>ii.irr<';i;iti<iii  No.  of 

Years 
Served 

Mevers,   W.   S.,    R.    1>.    1,    Somerset,    I'a.,   Middle   ('r.-«k 40 

Mevers,   S.  A.,   II.   1).  1.   Somerset.   I'a..   Mid  He  Cret-U 5 

♦Mit'kle,   T.   B.,    K.    I).   1,   Alum    Ilaiilv,    I'a..    Dniiiiiiiirs   ("reek 15 

Miller,   15.  W.,   11.  D.  1,  Indiana,   I'a.,   IMnm   Creek U.S 

Miller,    (ieorge    II.,    S(  hellslmrK,    I'a..    1  (iiiinincrs  '  ("reek 21 

♦Miller,    I".   IJ.,    R.    I».   2,    I'.erlin,    I'a..    T-rotliers    Valley ..IS 

Miller,    S.   (J.,    Liverniore,    I'a •"«' 

Mills,    J.    W.,    D    St..    Johnstown,    I'a..    Morrelhille 11 

Miiri)liy,    R.    D.,    Rumniel,    I'.i..    Riiniincl 11 

Myers,   O.   K.,   R.   I).  2.   Indiana,    I'a..    I'lnm   ("reek 28 

"*Myers,  W.  N.,   R.   I).  3.   Clvnier.    I'a..   M.inor I'l 

Nedrow,   J.    Lloyd,    .Tones    Mills.    I'a..    Trout    Run 10 

Neiderliiser,   Emiiiannel,   Mount    I'leasant.    I'a..   .lacobs   Creek 1 

♦I'earce,   S.    W.,   724   Ilorner   St..   .lolmstown.    l';i.,   .Tolinstown Ifl 

I'eck,    J.    W.,    R.    L>.    2.    Meversdale,    I'a..    Suniniit    Mills 30 

*l'e(di   L.  A.,   Fort   Hill,   Pa.,   M.-iple  fllen ^(5 

I'letclier,    I.    R.,    Jones    Mills,    I'a..    Indian    ("reek 10 

♦I'ollard,    R.   T.,   t^larrett.    Pa..   I'.erlin 37 

Ream,  Jas.  F.,  R.  I).  2,  New  Florence.   Pa.,   .Morrellville 23 

Reed,    R.   E.,   Morgantown,   W.   Va..    Mount   I'nion 

Reinian,    Ralph    W.,    I'.erlin,    Pa..    Brothers    Valley 1 

♦Reiilogle,   H.   S.,    Scalp    Level,    Pa..    Scalp    Lf'vel 20 

Ribblett,   I>.   C,   K.   D.   2,   Johnstown,    Pa..   J<dinstown,    12 

Rnmmel,   W.   H.,   R.   D.   ,">  Johnstown,    Pa..    West    Johnstown 4 

Sanner,   Jacob   W..   Casselnian.    Pa..    Litronier   Valley 10 

♦Schrock,   W.    (!.,    Berlin,    Pa.,    P.rothers    Valley 3."i 

ShalCer,  D.  F.,  4(i2  Overhill   St..   Morgantown,   W.   Va..  Mount    Inion '■'> 

Shaffer,   L.   O.,   705   Horner   St.,   Jolinstown.    Pa..   Johnstown 1(> 

♦Shatter,  J.  J.,   R.   I).  2.   Berlin.   Pa..   P.rothers   Valley 2:; 

♦Shober,   S.   U.,   Somerset,    Pa.,    Brothers   Valley is 

Shumaker,    I>.   F.,   6fil   Cypress   Ave.,    ,Johnstf)wn.    I'.i.,    Johnstown (1 

Statler,   Foster   B.,   R.   1).   1.    Windber,    Pa..    Rnmmel 1 

Strayer,   P.  C,   R.   D.  3.  Johnstown.   P;i..   Johnstown '! 

♦Pmliel,    S.   C,   Markleysburg,    Pa..    jMarkleysburj.' (>l) 

♦Walker,   D.  IT.,   R.   D.  5,   Somer.set,   Pa.,   Brothers  Valley 30 

♦Walker,   O.    K.,    R.   D.   1,   Shelocta,    Pa..    I'lum    Creek !t 

Waltz,    i;..  F..    Klk    Lick,    Pa..    Klk    Lick 2 

Wegley,   J.   W.,   R.   D.   1,   Somerset.    Pa.,   Middle   Creek 1!> 

Weller,   jM.  J.,   FarminRton.   Pa..   Markleysburg 

Widdowson.    Jas.,    Dixonville,    Pa.,     

Wolford,   W.   F.,    Ligouier,    Pa..    Ligonier   Valley 14 

♦Voder,   (Jeo.   F.,   Flk    Li(k.   Pa..   Flk    Lick 10 

*Zimmerm:in,    S.    P.,    U.    1>.    L    Uollsopple,    Pii..    (juemaliiinintr 42 

♦  FIder. 


4147