USA > Indiana > History of the Church of the Brethren in Indiana > Part 34
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Abraham L. Neff was a native of Franklin County, Virginia, born January 9, 1830. He was the son of John and Nancy Neff. He came to Indiana in 1852. Two years later he married Lydia White- head. To them were born four sons and one daughter. They united with the church in 1862. In 1871 he was called to the ministry in the Solomon's Creek church, advanced in 1878 and ordained in 1888. In 1886 he moved to West Goshen and remained sixteen years. While here he had presiding charge for some time. In 1902 he moved to Syracuse where he spent the remainder of his life. His wife died in 1912, and he followed her four years later. He was earnest in his church work and respected by those who knew him. His grandson, Raleigh Neff, is a minister in the Bethany congregation.
Abe Neff, son of Henry M. and Nettie Neff, was born in Elkhart County, Ind. in 1895. He was baptized in the bounds of the Rock Run Church in 1910 and has been a foremost leader in the New Paris Church of which he was a charter member. He was a member of the Brethren Service Committee for five years, and also Sec .- treas. of the District Men's Work for 4 years. He made a trip by air with a plane
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load of heifers to Venezuela for the General Brethren Service Commit- tee.
BENJAMIN NEFF
Born in Franklin County, Virginia, 1824, he came to Wabash County in 1856. Two years later he married Elizabeth Fisher. They had two sons and two daughters. One son later became known as a great scholar, writer, and traveler, James M. Neff.
Benjamin was called to the ministry in 1868 at Roann, where he was later ordained. He was a pioneer in Sunday school work. He married Fanny Kingery Young in 1878. He died in 1899.
DAVID NEFF
Born in Franklin County, Virginia, 1827, David Neff came to Indiana, in 1849. He traveled mostly by wagon, in company with Mar- tin Winger, the great-grandfather of Otho Winger. He located near Roann, then part of the Mexico territory. He married Peter Fisher's daughter, Hannah, in 1852. Here both joined the church and became part of the new congregation then known as Squirrel Creek, later changed to Roann.
He was called to preach in 1865 and ordained in 1872. Around 1880 he took charge of the church and continued for about twenty years. He preached many funerals in adjoining churches and was active in the district. He served on the Standing Committee three times.
Three times married, he had a daughter of the first wife who mar- ried Elder Dorsey Hodgden. A son, J. Henry, a deacon for fifteen years, was called to preach by the Roann church in 1896. David lived to be eighty-six, being blind for some years before he died.
J. Henry Neff moved to Sugar Creek in 1898 where he lived there- after except for a year at Rockford, Illinois and three years at Man- chester. He married Carrie Minnich, granddaughter of Elder Isaac Lawshe. He died in 1916, being elder of Pleasant View (organized 1913) and Sugar Creek.
George G. and Mildred (Sherman) Neff. George was born near New Paris in 1903. He was baptized on Thanksgiving Day in 1916; graduated from Manchester College in 1925. He has always been active in the home church and with his wife serves as Adult Ad- visor of the District C.B.Y.F. He has always been active in community and county activities. Mildred was born in Nappanee in 1909. She was baptized in the West Goshen Church in 1921. They were married in 1928. She has been unusually active in the home church at New Paris and served as music director at numerous evangelistic meetings, and as District Music Director for six years. They have two chil-
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dren, one a student at Manchester College and the other at Pur- due University.
HENRY NEFF
The name Neff is very common in Elkhart and Kosciusko Coun- ties. One family of the Neffs is especially noted for its number of preachers it has given the church. The father of this family was Henry Neff, Sr.
He was born in Botetourt County, Virginia, about the beginning of the last century. He was married there to Anna Frantz. About 1833 he moved to Southern Indiana. In 1840 he moved to Elkhart County, settling at first in the northern, and later, in the southern part of the county. Here he raised a family of six boys and three girls. The old home place is three miles southwest of New Paris.
He had united with the church and had been elected to the ministry in Virginia. He took a great interest in the work of the church in In- diana. He was a colaborer with Elder John Leatherman in the over- sight of the Turkey Creek church. He did much to build up the church at home and elsewhere. He died suddenly in 1868 at the Union Center Church. His widow died in 1881.
Mary, the eldest daughter, married John Studebaker, a deacon in the Rock Run church. They later moved to Illinois. One of their sons, Daniel, became a preacher in the church. A daughter of John Stude- baker married Abram Lear, and became the mother of Elder J. W. Lear. A second daughter of Henry Neff, Sr., Elizabeth, married Adam Lentz and became the mother of Elders George W. Lentz and Charles Lentz, both well-known ministers in Missouri. The youngest daughter, Susie, married Levi Arnold. Their son Charles became elder of the Solomon's Creek, and later of New Paris churches. Charles Arnold's son, Levi, is a minister in Elkhart City.
Two of the sons of Henry Neff, Sr., were ministers : Daniel and Henry Jr. Daniel Neff was an elder in the Union Center church, along with John Burkholder and John Anglemyer. He had three sons who later became preachers. William was elected in the Bethel Church, or- dained here, but later moved to Beaverton, Michigan. James was elected in Solomon's Creek and was presiding elder there for some years until poor health compelled him to give up the work. Another brother, Jacob, a deacon, lived at Milford.
Henry Neff Jr. was called to the ministry in the Union Center church in 1892. He was ordained in 1904 and had charge of the Union Center church at the time of his death in 1906. He was fol- lowed in the ministry by his son, Charles, who later became the elder of the Maple Grove church for a number of years, finally moving to New Paris, where he now lives.
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DANIEL NEHER
A native of Virginia, Daniel Neher moved to Ohio and then to Clinton County where he was called to the ministry, 1846, and to the eldership, 1858. In 1871 he moved to Southern Illinois where he was active. His wife was Mary Metzger.
Joseph D., his son, was elected to the ministry at Middle Fork and died there after years of service.
Another son, Andrew, moved to Kansas where he was elected to the ministry. Another son, John F., moved west after being elected at Middle Fork, dying in Oklahoma.
LEVI AND BERTHA NEHER
Levi M. Neher, son of Joseph W. and Hannah (Cripe) Neher, was born in Wabash County, Indiana, October 15, 1872. He finished the grade school, graduated from a two-year commercial course at Manchester College, had at least one year at Mt. Morris College, and did some correspondence work in Mathematics and Mechanics. He taught school in Wabash county, two years, then moved to Fruit- dale, Alabama, where he taught three years, one of them being in the Citronelle College. He worked for a telephone company in Chicago for two years then moved to Milford where he organized and operated the telephone company, later adding a garage. In 1913 he moved to War- saw and continued in the auto business. He was elected to the ministry in 1898 and ordained to the eldership about 1913. During his residence in Milford he engaged in the free ministry and was largely instrumental in building the church-house in town, and organizing the work there. After moving to Warsaw he was active in the work at North Winona until his death, June 18, 1924.
Bertha Miller Neher Stine was born in Warrensburg County, Missouri, March 8, 1873. She was the daughter of Amos B. and Sarah (Cupp) Miller. While quite young her family moved to North Man- chester, Indiana where she grew to womanhood and spent much of her life. She attended High School there two years, walking two miles. Later she attended Mt. Morris College, graduating in 1893. She taught school for a time in Wabash county, and later a year at Fruit- dale, Alabama. July 17, 1894 she was united in marriage with Levi M. Neher, to whom were born four sons and one daughter, two of the sons later becoming physicians and surgeons, another son, Galen, dying of typhoid fever in the 1925 epidemic at Winona Lake. In 1908 she was given license to preach at Milford, rather unusual for that day, but with her unusual ability she spoke with great power, though with becoming modesty. In 1895 she was the author of a chil- dren's book, "Among the Giants," which had a wide circulation. In
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Bertha Miller Neher (Stine)
1907 she began writing for the Brethren Teacher's Monthly, never missing a lesson for 25 years. She was also editor and associate editor of the Northern Indiana News Letter for several years. She was pastor for a short time of the Winona Lake church and did some evangelistic work also. She made a trip to Palestine in 1927, and thrilled her audi- ences and readers upon her return. Brother Neher died in 1924, and June I, 1928 she married Elder A. M. Stine who formerly lived in Iowa. After several years of great affliction, she passed away at their home in North Manchester, September 14, 1948.
SAMUEL NEHER
Born in Clarke County, Ohio, elected to the ministry in Al- len County, Ohio, 1863, Samuel Neher moved to Wells County, Indi- ana, in 1873. Finding a work just started, he became active in Wells and Adams Counties. For thirty years he was the leader at Walnut Level and elder at Pleasant Dale, Blue Creek, and Hickory Grove. He rode on horseback far and near to cover his appointments. He died in 1906.
His son, David, a minister, since 1894, has lived most of his life in Indiana. He is now living in retirement at North Manchester, aged eighty-eight.
David's son, Oscar W., was born in Wells County in 1887. He was called to the ministry in 1907, ordained in 1927. From 1924 to 1932 he taught at Mount Morris and since that time has taught at Man- chester College. He was president of Mt. Morris one year.
J. W. NORRIS
A native of Kosciusko County, he was called to the ministry in 1904 in the Union church and ordained at Spring Creek in 1909. In
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Charles R. Oberlin and Wife
1910 he moved to Landessville. While living there, he opened up the work in Marion, 1911. With immediate success, a congregation was founded and a house erected. For five years he was on the district Mis- sion Board. He held many series of meetings and was quite successful as an evangelist. From 1916 to 1919 he served as pastor at Salamonie. In later years he lived in the Marion church and was working there when the church burned in 1936. Brother Norris died soon after this misfortune.
CHARLES OBERLIN
The subject of this sketch was born in Wilson County, Kansas, January 3, 1889, to Allen A. and Rebecca Royer Oberlin, both parents having come from Pennsylvania. He united with the church on Nov- ember 20, 1904, was called to the ministry in 1907 and became an elder in 1912. In 1910 he married Gertrude Shepler of Logansport. The Oberlin's have one adopted son, David.
Brother Oberlin attended Blue Ridge and Manchester Colleges. Following up the work of his father, who was one of the founders of the Logansport church, Brother Oberlin began what has proved to be an unusual record of pastoral service. He began as pastor of Logans- port in 1911 and is still in the pastoral work, vigorous and enthusiastic, forty years later. He was pastor of Logansport a total of eight years, Hartford City, 1917-1919, Andrews (and Logansport ) 1919-20; Mon- ticello, 1923-29; Peru, 1929-1946, evangelistic work, 1946-48; Mar- ion, 1948-51, and Buffalo, 1951.
Brother Oberlin has served many years on the boards of Middle Indiana (the only district in which he has served as pastor, for forty
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years) having served on the Ministerial or Ministerial-Mission boards for twenty-six years; ten times Reading Clerk, elected ten times to Standing Committee but could serve only eight ; and has served as elder of thirteen churches at various times. He has held a total of one hun- dred fifty-seven services of evangelistic meetings, helped to lead into the fellowship of Christ and the church fourteen hundred and twelve souls, and has preached nearly five thousand sermons. Surely, this is a monumental record of service.
ISAAC DILLON PARKER
The history of the Church of the Brethren for 1910 records the death of one of her able men, Elder I. D. Parker, who passed from labor to reward May 21. He was born January 22, 1847. He spent his boyhood days in labor on his father's farm near Loudonville, Ohio. At the age of 18 he was left an orphan and without money. But he did have possessions that were of more value than gold. At 16 he had ac- cepted his Saviour and found Him precious to his soul. The spare mo- ments of his youth were spent in hard study, and he was now pre- pared to begin teaching. His youthful experiences had developed within him pronounced convictions of right and an invincible determination to be useful in life.
He first taught in the country schools, improving his vacations by further preparation in private normal schools. Later he taught in a graded school and served one year on the faculty of the Salem College, at Bourbon, Indiana. Though this early attempt of the Brethren to start a school did not secceed, Brother Parker became an ardent supporter of the educational movement of the church.
He has been a friend to all our schools, and has contributed more or less to the support of all. He was one of the trustees of Ashland Col- lege that selected Elder R. H. Miller as president of that institution in 1880. He later served as president of the board of trustees of Man- chester College. It is due to his untiring industry and perseverance that the last-named institution remained a Brethren's School. When it seemed hopelessly in debt he entered the field and persevered until he had raised the money to cancel the debt and place the school as a free gift in the hands of the church. Some years later he performed a similar service for the Maryland Collegiate Institute. He was a firm advocate of placing our schools under church supervision.
In 1873 he was elected to the ministry, and ordained to the elder- ship a few years later by Elder James Quinter. He soon showed marked ability as a logical thinker and as an expositor of the doctrines of the church.
Brother Parker was one of our ablest evangelists. After his call to the ministry he gave up teaching, that he might spend more time in
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Elder I. D. Parker
church service. For fifteen years he directed the work on the farm, and held from six to eight meetings a year. Not only did he succeed finan- cially, but hundreds united with the church through his efforts. In 1893 he moved from Ashland, Ohio to the Elkhart City church in Indiana. During the first years of his service there over sixty persons were gathered into the church. His preaching was not of the sentimental kind, but full of reason, warning and persuasive appeals. At times in his great earnestness, he reached heights of genuine eloquence.
He was often selected to preach at the Annual Conference. He served four times on the Standing Committee, twice in an official ca- pacity. He thoroughly understood church polity and had much influ- ence in shaping the decisions of the Conference. He had few equals in placing on paper a statement in the best possible form. He frequently served on committees to churches. In this work he exercised great tact and forbearance, but was always faithful to the principles of the church.
He was thoroughly in sympathy with the missionary movements of the church and did much to gain financial support. In 1898 he became traveling Secretary for the General Mission Board. He traveled all over the Brotherhood and secured as much money as any brother ever
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did. He did much of the work in the transference of Elder James Gish's estate into the hands of the Board.
On Christmas Day, 1873 he was united in marriage to Sis- ter Jemima Moherman. He was a kind and indulgent husband and al- ways strove to make home happy. Though no children ever came to bless their home, yet many over the Brotherhood looked to him as their spiritual father.
For many months it was evident that Brother Parker was failing in health, yet he was ever hopeful and cheerful, and did not complain. He continued to do his share of preaching in the Goshen City church where he had resided for the past four years. On April 12 he and his wife went to their old home at Ashland. His health continued to fail. He attended his last public service May 15 at a love feast in the Maple Grove congregation. On the same day he received the anointing by the elders of the church. The next Thursday he was stricken with a chill, and on Friday with an acute pain in the chest. Medical assistance could not relieve him, for the messenger of death had called. On Sat- urday he peacefully passed to the great beyond. The funeral services were ably conducted by Elder Galen B. Royer, who had been so closely associated with Brother Parker for years in missionary endeavor. The news came with suddenness and sorrow to hundreds in the Brother- hood. Especially was he missed at the Winona Annual Confer- ence which assembled two weeks later. He was foreman of the program committee and had done much to insure the success of the great meet- ing at Winona in 1910.
GEORGE W. PHILLIPS
The subject of this sketch was one of the strongest leaders in Northern Indiana in recent years. He is a most forceful speaker. He was born in Elkhart County, Indiana, December 29, 1893. He was reared on a farm and attended a country school. He received his ac- ademic and normal training at Goshen College. Then for a number of years he continued his education, graduating from Manchester College with the A. B. degree in 1917, and the A. M. degree in 1921. In the meantime he spent two years in Bethany Biblical Seminary, and after some years of teaching and pastoral work he returned to Bethany and received the B. D. degree in 1935. He also did graduate work at In- diana University in the summer of 1926, at Bexley Hall Seminary and at Kenyon College at Gambier, Ohio, during 1933-34. While engaged in part-time pastoral work, he taught in the High School at Walton, Indiana for five years.
On May 26, 1917 Brother Phillips was married to Gertrude Schwalm, daughter of Elder H. M. Schwalm, who for many years was elder and principal minister in the Baugo church. She is a sister of
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History of the Church of the Brethren
Dr. V. F. Schwalm, President of Manchester College. They had no children of their own, but adopted a daughter, Dorothy, when she was an infant.
Brother Phillips was called to the ministry on December 1, 1917 while living in the Rock Run church, and was ordained to the elder- ship in 1922 in Middle Indiana. While attending Bethany Bib- lical Seminary he was summer pastor in the Rock Run church in 1920. In 1926 he and Sister Philips began full-time pastoral work at Danville, Ohio, where they remained for nine years. 1935-1950 they served as pastor of the Elkhart City church. Here they did a wonderful work, the church having grown to be the largest in Northern Indiana-to more than 600 members. They now serve the Bear Creek church, Southern Ohio.
Brother Phillips has served the church well, not only locally, but also in the district. He has served on the Standing Committee four times ; was a member of the Board of Christian Education in North- eastern Ohio and also in Northern Indiana when he returned; then he served very efficiently as a member of the Mission-Ministerial Board of Northern Indiana for a number of years. He has twice been moder- ator of District Meeting. He has been much in demand as a speaker at various district and ministerial gatherings and always acquits him- self well. He has been Northern Indiana's representative on the Cen- tral Regional Council since its organization, serving as its secretary and treasurer.
PAUL PHILLIPS
Paul Phillips was born and has always lived in the Rock Run con- gregation in Elkhart County, Ind. He was always active in his home congregation and in the district was president of the Men's Work for six years and has served as a member of the District Brethren's Service Committee all but two years since its organization. He is a brother of George A. Phillips.
AMSEY H. PUTERBAUGH
Elder Amsey Hascall Puterbaugh was born near Elkhart, Indi- ana, December 30, 1851. His parents were Henry and Mary Lloyd Puterbaugh. His father was a deacon. His grandfather, Elder George Puterbaugh, moved from Miami County, Ohio, to Carroll County, Illi- nois, in the early fifties. In 1870 he moved to Elkhart Valley church, where he spent his last years.
Amsey was an active and earnest young man. He attended Salem College, the Warsaw Normal and the National Normal Uni- versity of Ohio. He taught school seventeen years, including eleven years as principal of schools at Oswego. In this profession he had re-
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Amsey H. Puterbaugh
cognized ability. At one time he was offered the position as superinten- dent of Kosciusko County schools, but he declined to accept.
He united with the Church of the Brethren February 17, 1869. One year later he was called to the ministry. He magnified his holy calling, believing that it was a great privilege to be called into the Lord's service. He was ordained May 29, 1884. He served as pre- ยท siding elder of the Washington, Portage and Elkhart Valley churches. He was a trusted leader in his district. For eleven successive years he was writing clerk of the District Meeting, once he was moderator and twice he represented his district on Standing Committee.
He was a clear thinker and a forceful speaker. He had remark- able power in the pulpit. One of the noblest efforts of his life was the dedicatory sermon for Manchester College, September 1, 1902. This was among his last sermons, for disease was preying heavily upon him. His ability in homiletics was recognized throughout the Brother- hood. He often taught at Manchester Bible School for short periods. He edited "The Pulpit" in The Bible Student, and "The Preacher's Page" in The Gospel Messenger. He was a good judge of the merits of a book and served for years on the Gish Fund Committee.
In 1876 he married Rilla Clem of Milford, Indiana. Five children were born to them. His faithful wife bore her share of his trials and labors for the church. While faithful to his church, serving without re-
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muneration, he taught school and farmed for a living. In 1895 he moved from the Washington church, back to Elkhart Valley, the scenes of his childhood. Here he spent his last days and passed away February 28, 1903.
Brother Puterbaugh was a man respected by all. He was able, and always sincere. Life meant much to him. His Christian character was above reproach. His hope of eternal life was a pleasure to him, and to labor so as to be worthy of it was his highest joy.
RARICK
Elder George Rairigh (later changed to Rarick by part of the family) was prominent as an elder in Western Pennsylvania. His son, John, moved to Ohio and then to Delaware County. He died there and left three sons who were ministers: I. R. (Rairigh), J. W., and John.
Jacob was born in Pennsylvania in 1856. He married Rachel Snider, 1878, after coming to Delaware County. He was called to the ministry in the Mississinewa church in 1881 and ordained in 1890. He became quite prominent in the district, being an officer eight times and twice on the Standing Committee.
When the Brethren opened Manchester in 1895, he was one of the first students to enroll. From 1898 to 1905 he was elder of the Miss- issinewa church; from 1906 to 1908 he was pastor and elder at Indi- anapolis. He later moved to a farm, four miles north of Muncie. He preached in many of the surrounding churches.
Jacob's elder son, Ora E., was a deacon in the Muncie church and the other son, W. Carl, is a minister, called in the Indianapolis church in 1910 and ordained in 1915, in the White church, where he served as pastor, 1914-1917. He was born in 1885 and baptized in 1896 by President E. S. Young of Manchester College. He later was a student at Manchester and also at Bethany Seminary.
Ralph Rarick, a successful evangelist and pastor, now living in California, lived in North Manchester for a few years while he did evangelistic work. He wrote a history of the Mississinewa church in 1917. He was a son of Levi and Amanda Garver Rarick, born in 1893 at Royertown. He was called to the ministry at Bethany (No. Ind. ) in 1914.
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