USA > Indiana > History of the Church of the Brethren in Indiana > Part 24
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DR. AND MRS. O. G. BRUBAKER
Dr. O. G. Brubaker was born in Howard County May II, 1875, to George and Mary Hamilton Brubaker. His mother was a daughter of Elder Hiel Hamilton, an active pioneer preacher. She lived to be over one hundred years old.
Dr. Brubaker graduated from Mount Morris College in 1899. After teaching a few years, he entered Rush Medical College and grad- uated in 1906. He practiced at Mount Morris and later at Burlington, Indiana. He first married Alice May Stitzel of Lanark, Illinios. She
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Dr. O. G. Brubaker
Mrs. Cora Mae Brubaker
died after a few years, leaving him with three small children. He later married Cora Mae Cripe, daughter of elder George W. Cripe who lived near Pyrmont when she was born. When she was eight, her parents moved to Cerro Gordo, Illinois, where she grew up. She graduated from the high school at sixteen and spent some time in mission work in Chicago. So, when the call came to her husband to go to China in 1913, she readily answered the call.
They labored together in China till 1920, when they returned and have lived in North Manchester most of the time since. Dr. Brubaker is a nose, eye, ear, and throat specialist. They have been very active in the work of the local church and have kept up an active interest in the mission fields of the church.
Winnie Cripe
Born to Jonathan and Mary Ellen Rupel Cripe, September 13, 1884, Winnie Cripe was representative of two prominent Brethren families of Northern Indiana, the Cripes of Elkhart County and the Rupels of St. Joseph County. Her mother died when she was three but she was reared by a good Christian step-mother, Ella Bussard. Her
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father was an elder and very earnest worker. He died in 1907. Her sister, Una, married Lafayette Steele. Her brother, Charles C., has been a life-long minister and leader in Northern Indiana. So, it is not sur- prising that Winnie also turned to church work. From fifteen on she was active in Sunday School work. In 1908 she entered Bethany and became interested in the Chinese Sunday School. In 1911 she went to China and served there till 1934 when she passed away and was buried at Liao Chow in China.
JOSEPHINE POWELL
Josephine Powell was born near Williamsport, Indiana, June 6, 1871. Her parents were members of the Missionary Baptist Church. She spent much of her childhood with her grandmother who took a great interest in her. She united with the church of her parents but, learning of the Brethren through their mission at Williamsport, she joined them in 1896.
She entered Manchester College and spent several years in earnest preparation for her work. She was one of the early members of the Volunteer Mission Band. In 1906 the Mission Board appointed her to India where she served till 1920. She is still living in California although in impaired health.
Catherine Neher and Minerva Metzger
For over one hundred years the name Metzger has been common in Clinton County, Indiana. Elder John Metzger was one of the faith- ful missionaries of the Brethren in the early days. Other Metzgers have been active through the years. Minerva Metzger was born to Aaron C. and Catherine Metzger and was raised near the old Middlefork church, five miles southwest of Rossville. Here she united with the church in 1889 at the age of thirteen. She spent several years at Mount
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Morris College and one term at Manchester. After teaching a few years she studied at Indiana University, graduating in 1909. Then she spent a year at Bethany and was appointed to the China field in 1910. She served until 1941 when she returned. On December 4, 1941, she passed away and was buried at Rossville, Indiana, her old home community.
Lillian E. Grisso
Lillian E. Grisso was born to Eli and Lydia Ohmart Grisso Feb- ruary 16, 1889, at Laketon, Indiana. She attended the Laketon High School and then studied at nearby Manchester College, graduating in 1915. She continued her preparation further at Cook County Hospital, Chicago, where she took a year of nurses' training, and at Bethany Biblical Seminary. She sailed for India in December, 1917, and has been on the field ever since, except for furloughs to the homeland. She has worked in several stations on the field, largely in educational and medical work. On one furlough she collaborated with others at Man- chester College in writing a highly successful text in social studies for the upper grades. She is now, 1951, on furlough from the field and p'ans to go back for another term.
DR. A. RAYMOND COTTRELL
Dr. Cottrell was born near Pyrmont, March 21, 1884, to Eli and Catherine Wagoner Cottrell. He united with the church at eleven. His parents soon moved to North Manchester where his brother, D. Owen, graduated from the college with an A. B. Degree in 1903. Dr. Cottrell finished his high school work and went to the Brethren Publish- ing House at Elgin for three years. In 1906 he married Laura Murphy, of Greenville, Ohio. They spent a year in Bethany Bible School. Impressed with the need for medical missionaries they studied
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Dr. A. R. Cottrell
Mrs. Dr. Laura Cottrell
two years in Battle Creek and two more at the University of Illinois where they received their M. D. Degrees in 1912. After an internship of a year at the Deaconess Hospital, Spokane, Washington, they sailed for India in 1913. On their first furlough they took special work in London in tropical diseases. They served from 1913 to 1949 in India, except for a short time in China in 1932. Since 1949 they have been in Florida. Dr. Raymond's health has not been good. Dr. Laura died in 1951.
Brother and Sister J. I. Kaylor
Rosa Wagoner was born into a family known for their devotion to the church in Carroll and Tippecanoe counties, February 5, 1885. Her parents were Andrew and Susan Hufford Wagoner. She was baptized at thirteen by Brother L. T. Holsinger. She worked at the Mexico Orphans' Home and then came to Manchester, graduat- ing from the Bible Department in 1911. She was active in the Volun- teer Mission Band. Another active member was John I. Kaylor, of Bellefontaine, Ohio. They were married August 2, 1911. Already un- der appointment to India, they began their labors there the same vear.
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She worked at Ahwa and Vada stations. Only six years later she passed to her eternal home.
ELLA MILLER BRUBAKER
Ella Miller Brubaker is a descendant of Elder John Miller, one of the first residents and ministers of Elkhart Co. She was the fourth child of Elder John R. and Rachel Rupert Miller. She had a splendid Christian home and church, the Union Center congregation. Here she was baptized in 1893 by Elder I. D. Parker. She greatly desired to serve the church and spent several years in preparation, first at Manchester, later at Mount Morris. In the meantime she was engaged in city mis- sion work.
In 1906 she volunteered for foreign service and was sent to India. On the same ship was Brother C. H. Brubaker of Virden, Illinois. They were married the following year. Only four years later Brother Brubaker was called from his labors and Sister Brubaker and her chil- dren returned to America. For many years she lived in North Man- chester but is now living in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Mrs. I. E. Oberholtzer, I. E. Oberholtzer, Laura Shock
Laura Shock is a native of Huntington County, born August 4, 1886, to Ezra and Sarah Shock, members of the Huntington Country Church. She taught school for several years after completing her high school course. She got most of her college work at Manchester where she graduated in 1916. Looking forward to teaching as a career, she
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decided while in college to go to China and be the teacher of the mis- sionaries' children. She was approved by the Conference at Winona Lake in 1916 and sailed for China later in that year. Mrs. I. E. Ober- holtzer, one of her close friends, was on the same boat, bound for the same field, in company with her husband and others.
Sister Shock was on the China field till 1941, when she retired and has lived at Huntington since.
Ira W. Moomaw
Mabel Winger Moomaw
Mabel Winger was born to John M. and Mary Ann Winger near Marion on February 8, 1899. She was the youngest of seven children, the oldest son being Otho Winger and the next Oscar Winger, both widely known in the church. A sister, Cora, is the wife of L. W. Shultz, also well known as a teacher at Manchester and the manager of Camp Mack.
Mabel's parents moved to North Manchester in time for her to take her high school work in the academy of Manchester College. She graduated from the college in 1920. While a student, she became a member of the Volunteer Mission Band.
On September 1, 1920, she was married to I. W. Moomaw of Canton, Ohio. They entered Ohio State University and she received
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her A. M. degree in 1921. At the university she did social service work among Italian children. In December, 1921, they were appointed to the India field but did not get to go till 1923. Although her health was often not good, she and her husband labored very effectively in India till 1942. During the past nine years Brother Moomaw has con- ducted surveys of tenant farming communities in our Southern states, taught sociology and economics at Manchester College, lectured at Bethany Seminary for several quarters, and is now with an inter-mis- sion organization in New York City. His specialty is agricultural mis- sions. They live at Madison, New Jersey.
NETTIE BROWN SUMMER
Nettie Brown was born to Reuben Brown and wife on July 27, 1891, in Henry County, near Blountsville. She attended high school at Hagerstown and then entered Manchester for teacher training work in 1909. She taught two years. It was during this period that she was baptized during a meeting held by J. Edson Ulery. The next year was spent in a Sunday School normal course at Manchester and then she taught for two more years. She attended Bethany Seminary, 1914- 15. While working with Jewish people, she got a vision of mission work and went forward with her preparation at Bethany and then at Manchester where she graduated in 1919. She applied to go to India and was accepted by the Board. She spent the years 1920 to 1927 on the field in India. She married B. F. Summer, who also went out in 1920. They spent one term on the field and have lived in Chicago most of the time since 1927.
AMSEY F. BOLLINGER
Amsey Bollinger was born to Daniel D. and Elizabeth M. Bol- linger on February 10, 1898, at Shipshewana. He was the sixth child of a family of three sons and five daughters. The family migrated to Fruitland, Idaho, in 1913. He attended high school there and then en- tered Manchester College, graduating in 1922. This same year he married Florence Moyer, of Lansdale, Pennsylvania, whom he met at Manchester. Soon after their marriage they took up work in Greene County, Virginia, among the hill people, operating an industrial school. This work was carried on very successfully for seven years. He spent one year in Virginia Polytechnic Institute in further training. At the 1930 Conference, Hershey, Pennsylvania, the Mission Board asked them to serve in India and they accepted the call. They have been in India since 1930, except for furlough periods. Two of their three chil- dren have also gone to India. Virginia married Dr. Joe Schechter and they have gone to work on the India field. Richard and wife have gone to Woodstock School, India, where he had once been a student. Another son, Lowell is in the East, New York.
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MARY BRUBAKER BLICKENSTAFF
Mary Brubaker was the eighth child of twelve born to Elder Ellis S. and Mary S. Brubaker. She was born on June 29, 1891, near Peru but her parents soon moved to within one mile of the Wabash Country Church. She graduated from the Somerset High School in 1908 and was baptized the same year by her father. She read at an early age books by D. L. Miller, Wilbur Stover and David Livingston which likely had much to do with arousing in her an interest in lands and peoples across the seas. She studied two years in the Columbia School of Expression, Chicago, graduating in 1910. She spent the following two years in study and teaching at La Verne College. In 1912 she mar- ried Lynn A. Blickenstaff, then cashier of a LaVerne Bank. She lived in La Verne ten years before going to India with her husband in 1921 where she served till 1949. Their son, Dr. Leonard Blickenstaff, has been serving in the India field since 1940. Another son. David, is with the United Nations in New York. A third son, Stephen, is also in New York City. Mary and Lynn are in New York at present.
DR. HOWARD A. BOSLER
Dr. Bosler was born into a family of thirteen, he being the eleventh child of Brother and Sister A. H. Bosler of near Huntertown, Indiana. He accepted Christ at eleven, under the preaching of Elder George L. Studebaker. In boyhood he already had the desire to be a missionary. He entered Manchester College in 1919 with much ambition and little money. Sacrifices by the parents and help from friends made it possible for him to go on. He attended La Verne College a term in 1921, then continued at Manchester, receiving his degree in 1923. Of four years of teaching he taught the first and last in Indiana and the other two in Montana. In June, 1926, he married Edith Mae Gump, also of In- diana. He entered Indiana University Medical School in 1927 and by heroic efforts and sacrifices by both his wife and himself, he com- pleted his medical training in 1931. They were appointed to Africa by the Mission Board and they sailed for the field in August, 1931. They have been there since with some interruptions of their work due to war and sickness. Dr. Bosler has done an outstanding piece of work in the Garkida Leper Colony. In 1948 they treated 1,625 patients in this col- ony. The work has grown since that time.
EDITH GUMP BOSLER
Edith Gump was born to Brother and Sister Charles O. Gump on July 30, 1904, in Churubusco, not many miles from the home of her future husband. Her elementary schooling was secured at a little one- room school, a mile through the woods from her home. She graduated from the Churubusco High School and spent several years teaching and
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going to Manchester. She had known Howard Bosler for some time but the romance developed under the oaks of Manchester. They were married at her home June 12, 1926. In order to help her husband com- plete his medical work she returned home and taught school a year be- fore they went to Africa in 1931. Her life is the beautiful flowering of a rich heritage. Her great-grandfather, Jeremiah, her father, Charles, and her brother, Arlo, are all ministers. She, indeed, is the product of a fine Christian nurture. As stated in the sketch of Dr. Bosler, their service has been interrupted but we hope that soon they may resume their work in Africa.
Betty Rogers Blickenstaff
Ella Elizabeth Rogers, better known as Betty, was born to Charles William and Ina Lorena Rees Rogers, December 2, 1913, in Converse, Indiana. Part of her girlhood days were spent in southern Ohio but the family moved back to Indiana. She completed her high school course at her new home, Lynn, and did an extra year of mostly com- mercial courses and acted as secretary in the school office.
Betty Rogers entered Manchester College in 1932 and enrolled in the two-year elementary teachers course. Here she lived in the homes of Lillian Grisso and Brother and Sister Adam Ebey, all India mis- sionaries. No doubt these contacts had much to do with her decision to prepare for mission work. While in the college she met, Leonard Blick- enstaff, son of Lynn and Mary Blickenstaff, India missionaries.
After leaving Manchester she taught school and then took her training in the School for Nurses, Ball Memorial Hospital, Muncie. On July 2, 1939, she was married to Leonard Blicken- staff who was completing his medical training at Indiana University Medical School. They sailed for India January 22, 1940. During a
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furlough, 1948-9, Betty finished her college course at Manchester. Shortly thereafter they returned to their field of service in India where they are engaged in their great ministry of healing. Her mother passed away on August 16, 1951, while Betty and her family were in India.
ANNA M. WARSTLER
The seventh child of a family of thirteen, Anna Margaret Warstler was born to Charles E. and Nancy Holsinger Warstler in Go- shen, Indiana, January 14, 1902. She was baptized at fourteen and always showed an intense interest in the work of the church. She graduated from Goshen High School in 1920. During the next ten years she taught school and attended Manchester, receiving her B. S. degree in 1930. For two years of this period she had taught Bible in
Anna Warstler
public schools scattered around Goshen. Her church activities were numerous, including interdenominational educational work.
She sailed for India in September, 1931 and is now serving her third term there. Her work is very largely educational, for which she had an excellent background before going to India.
JOSEPHINE KEEVER FLORY
Josephine Keever was the third in a family of four daughters and was born to Rudolph G. and Mae Dilling Keever, Monticello, Indiana, on May 5, 1914. Her father was a teacher and they lived in several Indiana communities, sometimes away from Brethren Churches. She was always active in the local church wherever she lived and was bap- tized at the Monticello church by Charles R. Oberlin, July 7, 1929. The occasion was a series of meetings by Brother Moyne Landis. She grad-
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Josephine Keever Flory
uated from the Urbana High School in 1932 and two years later en- tered Manchester College, a few miles from her home. She worked her way through college, largely, and graduated in 1938. An active mem- ber in the Manchester church, she held several positions of responsibil- ity. On June 2, 1940, in the Manchester Church she was married to Rolland C. Flory, of Grants Pass, Oregon, also a Manchester graduate.
Rolland and Josephine sailed for China in September, 1940. They were in the Philippine Islands at the time of Pearl Harbor, were cap- tured and interned by the Japanese, suffering much hardship. After their release, they determined to go to China, sailing in January, 1948. Again they were the victims of war and were forced to return to the United States. They will take six months of language training in Costa Rica and then go to our mission in Ecuador.
Velma Ober
Born on a farm northwest of Garrett, February 13, 1903, Mary Velma Ober is the daughter of Lincoln and Essie Coconower Ober.
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Except for the first two years of her life, and the next two (spent in Pennsylvania ) her home has been near Corunna and her church the Cedar Lake congregation where she joined at the age of nine. Soon after Dr. V. F. Schwalm, then a teacher in Manchester College, made an appeal for young people to consecrate themselves to mission service, Velma responded in her heart and directed her life toward this goal. She, after graduation from high school at Garrett, entered Manchester College in 1922 and was in and out, teaching and going to school till her graduation in 1930. In all, she spent twelve and a half years in teaching before her opportunity to go to China came in 1936. Where- ever she was located in these years she was actively promoting the work of the Kingdom. Her work in China was terminated by the war in Korea. She is now back in Indiana, but will soon sail for Africa to continue missionary service.
CLAUDE WOLFE
The day before the Armistice of November II, 1918, a son arrived in the home of Walter and Ada Jenkins Wolfe of Bunker Hill, Indi- ana. He was the fifth son of a family of six boys. His grandfather and great-grandfather were ministers in the Church of the Brethren.
In 1936 Claude graduated from high school where he had shown considerable talent as an athlete. He entered Manchester in the fall where he took a course in preparation for teaching and coaching. He was an outstanding basketball star and a baseball player. He success- fully taught and coached at Converse, Indiana after graduating from college in 1940. In 1941 he was married to June Heestand of Ohio, grand-daughter of Elder A. I. Heestand, on outstanding preacher. The next year, 1942, they entered Bethany Seminary. In the meanwhile he had served as Superintendent of the Sunday School in his home church and felt the call to the ministry. He was licensed in 1941. Later he was ordained to the ministry. After graduating from Bethany in 1945, the Wolfes went to Ecuador, being located in Quito where he did Boys' Club work. They returned and spent a year in the Castaner project in Puerto Rico. By this time the Brethren decided to do mis- sion work in Ecuador and the Wolfes returned in 1948 where they re- mained till 1951. He is now Athletic Director of Manchester College.
RUBY FRANTZ RHOADES
Although born in Kansas, Ruby Frantz grew up at North Man- chester where her father moved some time after the death of her mother. She was born to Ira H. and Hattie Sellers Frantz at Beattie, Kansas, June 1, 1923. Her father was then pastor of the Richland Center church. After her mother died she lived with several friends and re- latives. Sometime after the father had re-established his home with the
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children, they moved to North Manchester. She was then eleven. Two years later, 1936, a new mother came into the home, Alta Williams, a trained nurse who became Ruby's confidante and counselor.
Ruby completed both her high school work and her college work while living within sight of the college. She showed marked ability as a writer and speaker. She won a peace oratorical contest on her oration, A Bag of Beans, later printed and used in declamation con- tests. She did social service and teaching in the hill country of Kentucky. On Thanksgiving Day, 1943, she was married to J. Benton Rhoades. They entered Bethany after spending another year of service in Kentucky. In 1946 they went to Ecuador, opening up a new field of service at Calderon, fifteen miles north of Quito. They are in their sec- ond term of service in this field.
Homer L. Burke Marguerite Burke
Cecil Burke
Eldon Burke
Albert and Lucy Mae Burke lived on a farm in Marshall County, Indiana, and were members of the Pine Creek congregation. Brother Burke was a deacon and Sunday-school teacher. Into this home Homer was born July 15, 1896. He attended the grade school and high school (Tyner), graduating in 1914. He took a summer training at Winona Normal and began to teach. After two years of teaching, he entered Manchester College in 1916 where he studied two years. These were important years in the formation of friendships and visions of service. He had united with the church at Pine Creek in 1912.
In 1918 Homer entered Northwestern Medical School in Chicago. Here he was instrumental in forming a group of medical mission vol- unteers whose fellowship was a great source of mutual help. He at- tended several conferences which helped deepen his purpose. He also taught a class at one of the Brethren missions in the city. In 1920 he was called to the ministry by the Center Church in Northern Indiana,
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then his home congregation. On January 1, 1923, he was married to Marguerite Schrock, who had been in nurses' training at Cook County Hospital.
The Burkes spent fifteen years of great usefulness on the African field, 1923-1938. Dr. and Mrs. Burke not only rendered a great med- ical service but they helped in the teaching of the Bible to the people. They even took out time to do some translating. Due to Marguerite's health they returned to America and the doctor practiced at Bremen. They are now in Puerto Rico, working in our hospital there.
MARGUERITE SCHROCK BURKE
The subject of this little sketch was born on September 21, 1898, in Elkhart County, Indiana, to Brother J. Harvey and Edith Gephart Schrock. She was the oldest of a family of thirteen children. At twelve she was baptized near the Pleasant Valley Church. As a child she often spoke of becoming a missionary.
She attended the elementary and high schools of her community and then entered Manchester College, 1915. She spent a year in Man- chester. Three years later, 1919, she entered Nurses' Training at Cook County Hospital, Chicago. While in training at the hospital, seeing the physical and spiritual needs of people, she felt a definite call to a life of service.
While in training in Chicago she met Homer L. Burke, also in training. They were married January 1, 1923. That same year they sailed for Africa. They were among the pioneer workers in our field in Africa. Marguerite had considerable health difficulties and they were finally forced to change their field of labor.
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