USA > Indiana > History of the Church of the Brethren in Indiana > Part 32
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"Old Brother Johnny Leatherman," as he was commonly called, was not known as an eloquent speaker, but he was a good man and one of the best presiding elders of his day. He was loved by all his brethren. He was widely known in Indiana and in the Brotherhood. He served twice on the Standing Committee.
He was the father of eight children. One daughter became the wife of Elder H. D. Davy, of Ohio. Sister Leatherman died in 1850. From then until his death he made his home with his son, Joseph Leatherman. A daughter of Joseph married Aaron Miller, a brother of Elder John H. Miller. He has furnished important data for this account.
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SAMUEL LECKRONE
He was a native of Perry County, Ohio, born in 1848. He mar- ried Mary Hendricks in 1870. Of their six children, the oldest son, Charles, taught for a number of years in Manchester College. Samuel was called to the ministry in the Eel River church in 1876 and was or- dained in 1881, after the presiding elder had gone with the Old Orders, leaving the church without a head. He was immediately placed in charge and ministered to them for over thirty years. He was also elder of Beaverdam (twenty-two years), Roann, Landessville, and Wash- ington churches. He served on the Standing Committee once, 1895. A son, Homer, is a layman in the West Manchester church.
Elder Joseph Leedy and Wife
JOSEPH LEEDY
A native of Augusta County, Virginia, Joseph Leedy was born in 1815 and moved to Ohio when fifteen years old. Later he mar- ried Lydia Witter. They were the parents of five sons and three daugh- ters. They were good substantial members and he was called to the ministry in 1850.
Three years later they moved to Huntington County. Here they pioneered and prospered, living one mile south of Andrews. In fact, Joseph and his brother laid out the town of Andrews, along the old
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canal. His brother John, an elder, who moved in from Ohio, helped much in building up a church which became one of the leading con- gregations of the state.
Bro. Leedy travelled far, at his own expense, to preach the Gospel. He believed in higher education and in revivals, both opposed by many in that day. He was a district leader and once was on the Standing Committee. He was a member of the first Mission Board, serving from 1880 to 1884.
They retired in 1888. She died in 1897 and Bro. Leedy in 1903. His brother John, also an elder, had two daughters who married Ben- jamin and Henry Frantz, respectively. The former became a minister in the Old Order church and the latter a leading minister of the Church of the Brethren. Henry's son, Edward, is a former editor of the Gospel Messenger.
GALEN T. LEHMAN
Brother Lehman is a son of Ira M. and Mary Trostle Lehman and was born in Lee County, Illinois, on May 20, 1897. He married June Puterbaugh on June 6, 1922. They have two children, Dean and Kath- leen Mary. He was baptized July 4, 1910.
Brother Lehman graduated from the Franklin Grove High School (Illinois) and from Mount Morris College, 1921. He received his B. D. degree from Bethany in 1926. He attended Northwestern University one semester, 1924.
His experience has been largely in the pastoral field but he taught
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school, 1921-2, acted as field representative for Mount Morris, 1930-2. He has held pastorates at Batavia, Illinois, 1923-26; Conway, Kansas, 1926-30; Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 1932-37; Springfield, Illinois, 1937-42 ; and Huntington, Indiana, 1942-50. In four of the five districts in which he held pastorates he was a member of a district board and in the fifth he was treasurer of a board, which indicates a recognition of his administrative talents.
Brother Lehman served on the Standing Committee in 1934, 1946 and 1947, he has been elder of several churches, director of the Annual Conference, 1945, a dean in four camps. In Middle Iowa he served as moderator in the district conference of 1937.
Brother Lehman has been a strong pastor and effective preacher. His pastoral and administrative experience fitted him for his present Regional work. He was Chairman of the Central Regional Council, 1946-1950, and is now Assistant Director for the Central Region with his office at Manchester College. He lives at North Manchester.
CHARLES A. LIGHT
Charles A. Light is the son of Banks and Annie (Young) Light and was born in Seneca County Ohio, Oct. 31, 1888. He attended grade school at their home in Ohio. Then the family moved to Nappanee, Ind. He attended the Academy at Manchester College, and later took
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summer terms and Normal Training at the same place; also had ex- tension courses from Indiana University in Indiana, and Western State and Michigan Normal, both in Michigan. Since 1912 he has divided his time between farming and teaching, and spending 10 years in office work in Sturgis, Mich., until 1945. Since then he spent five years di- recting the Brethren Service Center in Nappanee, Ind.
On Dec. 22, 1912 he was united in marriage with Mabel E. Swi- hart, to whom were born two sons, Allen and Arnold; and three daugh- ters, Alene, Anna and Alice. Brother Light was baptized in 1902; was licensed to the ministry in 1914 and ordained to the eldership in 1918. From 1914 to 1945 he served the English Prairie Church in the free ministry ; then for three years he was part-time pastor of the Yellow Creek Church. Since 1950 he is serving as full-time pastor of the Blue River Church. He served his district on the Standing Committee once, and is now a member of the Mission-Ministerial Board of the District. He has done some evangelistic work and is a useful man in the Church he loves.
FREDERICK P. LOEHR
Frederick P. Loehr was a German of small stature. He had been educated for the Lutheran ministry, but at the age of 27 united with the Church of the Brethren. In 1830 he married Judith Baer. To them were born sixteen children, twelve of whom grew to maturity. He was called to the ministry about 1840. We do not know when he first came to Northern Indiana, but he was a member and minister of the Solo- mon's Creek church when it was organized in 1856. In 1865 he moved to Bloomingdale, Michigan, where he spent the remainder of his days. He there lived in the Van Buren church which was then a part of Northern Indiana.
Brother and Sister Loehr were good singers. He had an excellent bass voice, while his wife was just as good in soprano. They often sang together at love feasts. "Home Sweet Home" was one of their favorites. Some of the brethren in those days objected to bass singing, but Brother Loehr said that the Lord had given him his voice, and he would have to use it. He was a good writer too. He was a regular contributor to several of the papers that were then springing up. He was aggressive in every good work, and was considered quite a safe counsellor. He was twice a member of Standing Committee. He believed that the Lord would bless every good work, whether in the Church of the Breth- ren or not. He encouraged education and took great interest in Salem College when it was started at Bourbon in 1870. He was one of the first to hold children's meetings. The children were always anxious to hear "grandpa." He died at Bloomingdale October 11, 1880, in his 78th year. His wife died in 1897, aged 83.
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PETER LONG
Peter Long was a native of Somerset County, Pennsylvania. While yet a boy he moved with his parents to Holmes County, Ohio, where he grew to manhood. He married Sarah Kaub. About 1860 he was called to the ministry. In 1863 he and eight others moved to La- grange County, Indiana. He became a leading factor in the building up of the English Prairie church. He donated the ground both for the meetinghouse and the cemetery. He was ordained to the elder- ship about 1878 and was presiding bishop of the English Prairie con- gregation for thirty years. He became active in the work of the dis- trict, serving as a member of Standing Committee one year. After the death of his first wife he was married to a daughter of Elder Abraham L. Neff. He died April 20, 1908, in his 77th year. His son-in-law Noah M. Shutt, succeeded him to the eldership.
JOHN METZGER
This man was one of the great pioneer figures of Indiana. Born to parents of Dutch ( Holland) extraction, in 1807, in Pennsylvania, he moved to Dayton when twelve years old. At twenty-one he married Hannah Ulery and they soon joined the Church of the Brethren. Six years later they moved to Tippecanoe County, among the earlier set- tlers.
The next year, 1835, he was called to the ministry. and preached his first sermon to six persons in a saw-mill. He had many trying ex- periences, including threats of men whose wives came into the church against their wishes.
In 1843 he was ordained and soon became the elder of Middle Fork, now Rossville. Here he labored till he moved to Cerro Gordo, Illinois, in 1861. There he became known throughout the Brotherhood. In 1878 he built a church at Cerro Gordo at his own expense. His wife died in 1887 and in 1890 he married the widowed daughter-in-law of Elder George Wolfe and moved to Laverne (Lordsburg), California. Here he lived till 1896 when he returned to Cerro Gordo where he died. His last address was given at a District Meeting in California two months before he died. He had been a minister sixty-one years, on Standing Committee eighteen times, six while in Indiana, and held many other important positions.
His son, J. W. Metzger, was a minister in the Middle Fork church, serving as their elder many years. He moved to California and died a few years after his father's death.
A brother of John Metzger, Jacob, lived in the Eel River church where he was elder for many years. He went with the Old Order group in 1881.
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THURL METZGER
Bro. Metzger was born in 1916 to Bro. and Sister Howard M. Metzger in the Eel River congregation. He graduated from the Sidney High School in 1934 and from Manchester College in 1938. He taught at Atwood five years and also at Kewanna and Lucerne. He spent three and a half years in Civilian Public Service during the Sec- ond World War. Much of this time was spent at an agricultural sta- tion in Northern Minnesota.
After the war he was in the heifer project, about a year in Poland in 1946-47 and the rest of the time at New Windsor, Maryland. From 1948 to July, 1950, he was engaged in farming and spent some time on the heifer project. Since July, 1950, he has been a full-time employee in that project. His wife was Ruth Landis, daughter of Elder Moyne Landis. He has just returned from a trip to Japan and Korea in the in- terest of Brethren relief work in Korea.
Elder David Metzler and Wife
METZLER
David Metzler is a native of Elkhart County, Indiana and was raised in the Mennonite faith. He was baptized into the Church of the Brethren by Elder I. J. Rosenberger in 1892. He was elected to the ministry March 30, 1899. One year later he was advanced and was or- dained to the eldership in 1904, soon afterwards was given charge of
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his home congregation, the Nappanee Church. He was in charge for one year, then after an interval of two years, was in charge for eight years; then after another interval of two years was again placed in charge and remained for twenty-five years.
He was married to Lucinda Holloway, March 1, 1890, to whom were born two sons, Burton and John. They also adopted a daughter, Hazel. Brother Metzler resided on a small farm just south of Nappa- nee, where he spent most of his life, moving to Nappanee just a short time before Sister Metzler's death. He had a limited education but was always an untiring student. He has been a forceful speaker, ex- celling in doctrine, having few equals in presenting in a plain, interest- ing manner the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith. He was a wise counsellor and a strong administrator, as is evidenced by the many churches over which he had oversight at various times.
He was always an outstanding leader in Northern Indiana. He represented his district 14 times on the Standing Committee; was moderator of District Meeting 10 times ; was a member of the District Mission Board for six years and of the Ministerial Board for 12 years ; he was also a member of many important committees, both in the Dis- trict and from Annual Meeting.
He was pastor at Rossville, Ind., 3 years and at Fruitland, Idaho, 2 years. He gave much time to evangelistic service in the church, having held eighty meetings. He was always quiet and unassuming in manner but a power in the pulpit, hence he won many friends. He now lives a retired life at the home of his son, John, on his old home farm.
Burton Metzler, son of David Metzler, was born at Nappanee, January 20, 1894. He was baptized by Daniel Wysong in 1911. He graduated from the Nappanee High School in 1912; from Manchester College with the A. B. degree in 1920; from Bethany Biblical Seminary with the B. D. degree in 1921 ; from the Princeton Theological Semin- ary with the Th.B. degree in 1924; and from the Southern Baptist Seminary with the Ph.D. degree in 1928. He taught in Public School for two years, and did part-time farming along with pastoral work at Wakarusa for one year ; also was pastor at the Middlebury church for three years. He taught in Bethany Biblical Seminary 1925-1933, and since 1937 has been Professor of Philosophy and Religion in McPherson College.
On September II, 1921 he and Alma Stump of North Liberty, Indiana, were married. To them were born two daughters and one son. He was called to the ministry September 20, 1917, and ordained to the eldership in September 1930. He has served on Standing Com- mittee twice ; was a member of various district boards and was mod- erator of District Meeting. He has served on the General Board of
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Christian Education, The General Brethren Service Committee, and is now a member of the General Brotherhood Board.
JOHN D. METZLER
John D. Metzler, second son of David Metzler, was born in Kosci- usko County, Indiana, July 16, 1898. After graduation from High School he entered Manchester College, receiving the A. B. degree. He did graduate work in Indiana University, Ohio State University, and University of Chicago. He also had a year at Bethany Biblical Seminary.
On June 6, 1922 he was united in marriage with Margaret Eldridge of Fruitland, Idaho. They are the parents of two sons and one daughter. Brother Metzler taught High School from 1920 to 1940, a short time in Oregon and Idaho, but most of the time in Indiana. He was called to the ministry at Nappanee in 1921, and ordained to the eldership in 1933. He did part-time pastoral service at Payette, Idaho for one year; two years in the Mt. Pleasant Church, seven years in the Camp Creek church, and two years in the Bremen church, all in Northern Indiana. He served a term on the Board of Christian Education and three years as Executive Secretary of Northern In- diana. He also served twice as a member of Standing Committee.
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He spent four years as Material Aid Director for the General Brethren Service Committee at New Windsor, Maryland, and since 1947 has been Director of CROP organization for Relief, with headquarters in Chicago.
John D. Metzler Jr., son of John D. Metzler, and grandson of David Metzler, was born at Payette, Idaho, March 15, 1923. He with his parents came to Indiana, and after completing High School, he graduated from Manchester College with the A. B. degree. He re- ceived one year training at Bethany Biblical Seminary. On October 28, 1944, he was married to Anita Flowers, to whom were born two daughters. He was licensed to the ministry in the Nappanee Church in 1946 and advanced in 1949. He did a year of student pastoral work in Middle Indiana. He spent three years working for the Brethren Serv- ice Committee in Elgin, and in 1949, took his family to Puerto Rico, where he is principal of the Brethren Academy.
JOHN METZLER
John Metzler was a native of Mahoning County, Ohio, born March 24, 1833. He married Elizabeth Stauffer in 1857. To them were born four sons and three daughters. He was called to the ministry in the Baugo church in 1870 and ordained in 1883. Of his work in the church, his son has the following to say :
"When he took the oversight of this congregation we had no church house. During his charge two churches were built, the one in the country, the other in Wakarusa. During this time our first Sunday School was organized. The church has had its seasons of prosperity and adversity. During his active ministry he was called to do consider- able work beyond the limits of the Baugo congregation, holding series of meetings, assisting in councils, preaching funerals and solemnizing marriages, and having charge of other churches. His diary shows that in the twenty years, from 1872 to 1893, he preached about 284 funeral sermons, solemnized 127 marriages and baptized about 104 persons. I knew him to leave his reaper in the harvest field and the threshing ma- chine in his own barn to go and preach funerals, while he lived on an eighty-acre farm and was burdened with considerable indebtedness. Yet the Lord prospered him better than some who made the things of this world their chief aim. He always took our church paper and looked for its arrival with anxiety, being disappointed if the mails did not bring it at the usual time." He died April 12, 1912, aged 79 years and 19 days.
His son, Christian Metzler, also was born in Mahoning County, Ohio, May 26, 1864. He had a limited education, completing the grades and receiving one year High School. He taught school for 22 years and then turned his attention to farming. August 18, 1899 he
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was united in marriage with Mary E. Miller, daughter of Elder Alexander Miller, a prominent elder in the Union Center church. They were the parents of two daughters and one son. One daughter, Nina, married T. G. Weaver, a young minister, who has since become a leader both in Northern and Middle Indiana. Brother Metzler was elected to the deacon's office in 1891. On December 7, 1901 he was elected to the ministry and ordained to the eldership in 1908 by Elders I. D. Parker and Levi Hoke. He always engaged in the free ministry, assisting at the Baugo church until the Wakarusa Church was organized in 1915, when he assisted there. He was elder in charge from its beginning until 1934. He was District Sunday School Secretary for Northern Indiana from 1902 to 1906. He was a member of the District Mission Board for 18 years, and its treasurer as well. He did some evangelistic work as he had opportunity. He died at Wakarusa in 1951.
MRS. CHARLES MICK
Mrs. Charles Mick was born in 1879. She was baptized as a mem- ber of the Yellow Creek Church in 1894. She was a charter member of the Goshen City Church, and an officer of their Ladies' Aid for 50 years, since it was organized. She was very active in all lines of church activities ; was District President of Women's Work for six years and member of District Joint Boards.
JACOB MILLER
The first minister of the Church of the Brethren to preach in Indi- ana was Elder Jacob Miller. More remarkable than this is the fact that he was also the first minister of the Brethren in Virginia and also in Ohio. His descendents have been many, and among them some very able ministers of the church. The account of his life should be read with more than ordinary interest.
Jacob Miller was born in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, in 1735. His parents were natives of Germany. He united with the church early in life and soon afterwards was called to the ministry. He married while yet young and moved to Franklin County, Virginia, in 1765. Here he raised a family of nine sons and three daughters.
It is agreed that Jacob Miller was the first minister of the church in Southern Virginia. Elder D. H. Zigler, in his "History of the Breth- ren in Virginia," says that perhaps John Garber was the first minister. He says, however, that Elder Garber moved into Northern Virginia in 1775, but it is quite certain that Elder Miller moved into Southern Virginia ten years earlier.
Soon after Elder Miller moved to Southern Virginia he became acquainted with William Smith, an Englishman. Having learned of
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the doctrine of the Brethren, Smith requested baptism. He was later elected to the ministry. He lived in Floyd County, while Elder Miller lived in Franklin. "With staff in hand they would walk ten or twelve miles to the place of meeting. Previous to the regular service they would read a scripture and give explanation. Elder Miller would speak in the German and Elder Smith would speak in the English. Through their ministry, largely, the foundation for a number of large and flour- ishing organizations in the first District of Virginia was laid."-D. H. Zigler.
After serving the church in Virginia for a generation this pio- neer moved to Southern Ohio in 1800 and settled near Dayton, on the west side of the Miami River. The land was a dense forest, inhabited by many Indians. Elder Miller visited these children of the forest and sang and prayed for them. He gained not only their reverence and re- spect, but their promise of protection under all circumstances. They called him "the Good Man," the Great Spirit sent from the East.
Though advanced in years his missionary activity and zeal were none the less. He was the first preacher of the Brethren in Montgom- ery, Darke and Preble Counties, where now the Brethren churches are so prosperous. His work extended into other Ohio counties. Having heard that a few brethren had settled in Indiana, on Four Mile Creek, he came and preached for them occasionally. In 1809 he and Elder John Hart organized the first church in Indiana on Four Mile Creek.
After a faithful service in the ministry of over fifty years this great ambassador for Christ died at his Ohio home in 1816. He was buried in a cemetery near the Lower Miami Church. For half a century this cemetery was neglected and for twenty years it was cultivated. On July 5, 1916, one century after the death of Elder Jacob Miller, his grave was rediscovered and marked by Elders John Calvin Bright and Jesse O. Garst.
It would take a volume to give the history of Elder Jacob Miller and the descendents of his twelve children. This account will be limited to those who became leaders in the Church of the Brethren, particularly in Indiana. Of the sons, but three of them, Abraham, Aaron and David, will receive attention here.
Abraham Miller was born April 1, 1775, in Franklin County, Vir- ginia, and died at the age of 76. He was married to Nancy Huston, who bore him fifteen children. Nine of these raised large families. The eldest two sons were Jacob and James, both of them worthy ministers in Northern Indiana. On account of his ability and his large service for the church, a special biography of Jacob Miller, Jr. will be given. His brother, James, was his associate, who outlived Jacob many years and died in 1893 at an advanced age. He is said to have baptized over 2000 persons and to have officiated at many weddings.
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Aaron Miller was born in 1785 in Franklin County, Virginia, and moved with his parents to Ohio in 1800. His wife was Elizabeth Hard- man. They raised a family of eleven children. In 1818 they moved to Wayne County, Indiana, being among the first members of the Nettle Creek congregation. He was called to the ministry about this time. In 1829 he moved near South Bend, Indiana. His son, David Miller, Jr. was called to the ministry in the Portage church and became an able preacher and church worker. He is sometimes mistaken for his uncle, David Miller, Sr.
David Miller Sr. was born in Virginia and grew to manhood in Ohio, where he was also elected to the ministry. About 1817 he settled near Hagerstown, where he became the first minister and presiding elder of the Nettle Creek church. In 1830 he moved to St. Joseph County and became the first elder of the Portage Prairie congregation. He was a man universally loved because of his piety and generosity. He died at the age of 52. His son, Aaron Miller, Jr. followed him in the ministry and died at the age of 80. Thurston Miller, for years a minister at Laporte, Indiana, was a son of Aaron Miller, Jr.
Elder Isaac Miller, the blind preacher of Laporte, was a son of Tobias Miller, another son of Jacob Miller, Sr.
JACOB MILLER, JR.
It is due that a more extended account be given to a grandson, by the same name, of Elder Jacob Miller, Sr. He was born in Preble County, Ohio, March 6, 1812. He was the oldest of a family of sixteen children born to Abraham and Nancy Miller. He early moved with his parents to Franklin County, Indiana. In May, 1831, he was married to Sarah Backus. For some years he was a butcher in Cincin- nati. In 1833 they emigrated to German Township, St. Joseph County, Indiana. Here they built up a good home and became quite successful financially. They were the parents of twelve children, ten of whom grew to maturity.
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