Church of the Brethren in southern Ohio, Part 23

Author: Helman, H. H.
Publication date: 1955-00-00
Publisher: Brethren Publishing House
Number of Pages: 518


USA > Ohio > Church of the Brethren in southern Ohio > Part 23


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In 1924 he became a member of the White church of Southern Indiana. The First church, Akron, Ohio, licensed him in 1933 and installed him into the ministry on December 30, 1934.


His first pastorate was in the Silver Creek church, Northwestern Ohio, where he began in 1935, this being the same congregation in which his father began his ministry. In 1939 he became pastor at Grand Rapids, Michigan. In 1941, he moved to Northern Indiana to pastor the Cedar Lake and Pleasant Chapel churches, 1941-43; Cedar Lake only, 1943-45; and the Walnut church from 1945 to 1949. The Pleasant Chapel congregation ordained him an elder in 1942. While in the District of Northern Indiana he was a member of the Board


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of Christian Education. He and his wife head up the Com- mittee on Family Life for Southern Ohio.


Brother Long came to Southern Ohio in 1949 as pastor of the Union City church, where his work is continuing. In this district he has served on the Board of Christian Educa-


Kenneth Long and Wife


tion, on the committee to reorganize the district, and then on the newly formed District Board. He has also been the elder of the Pleasant Valley church.


On August 17, 1940, he married Grace Elizabeth Gans, of Yakima, Washington. She also came from an elder's home. She completed her high school work at Yakima and graduated from La Verne College, California, with the A.B. degree in 1934. She taught in the public schools of California and took special training in Bethany Biblical Seminary. While they were in pastoral work in Northern Indiana she served on the Women's Work Cabinet.


They have four children: Alice Lucile, Ann Elizabeth, Joe Kenneth, and John Richard.


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D. LEONARD LUTZ


D. Leonard Lutz was born April 28, 1908, at Pitsburg, Ohio, to Alpha and Susie Lutz.


He graduated from the Bethel Township high school, Miami County, in 1926. Recently he has spent two terms at Manchester College.


On December 3, 1938, he was married to Mary Oakes of West Milton, Ohio. They are the parents of two boys, David and Dennis.


The West Milton church called him to the ministry on March 2, 1943. The Barnum, Minnesota, church, of which he was the pastor at that time, ordained him an elder in August 1948.


He was a Sunday-school teacher in both the West Milton and the Beaver Creek church.


Leonard Lutz and Wife


After shepherding the Barnum church for seven and one- half years, he returned to his home district in the fall of 1954 to serve the Gratis church.


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OMER B. MAPHIS


Omer B. Maphis, the son of Franklin B. and Elizabeth Dafler Maphis, was born May 16, 1894, at Clayton, Ohio.


Omer Maphis and Wife


Completing his high school training at Brookville in 1912, he entered Manchester College, Indiana, that fall. He enrolled at Ohio State University, Columbus, in 1914, and later that year at Blue Ridge College, Maryland, graduating the next year with the A.B. degree. Advanced training was taken at the University of Illinois, Northwestern University, and Teachers' College, Columbia University, New York. In 1923 he took his B.D. degree from Bethany Biblical Seminary.


His marriage to Elsie Bauermaster took place in Chicago, Illinois, on June 5, 1918. They have three children, L. Kath- leen, Dorothy Jane, and John E.


Elected to the ministry by the Brookville church in 1914, he was ordained an elder by the Chicago church in 1923. He was the pastor of the Springfield mission church, this district, from 1915 to 1916. Besides his activities in the local churches


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in which he has resided he has also been the elder of the Beaver Creek church since 1952.


He served as librarian and bookstore manager for Bethany Biblical Seminary, Chicago, from 1917 to 1925. A part of this time he was also assistant professor of religious education. He was administrator of Bethany Hospital, Chicago, from 1923 to 1940. The following two years he was the sales director of the Brethren Publishing House, Elgin, Illinois. He then spent a year as a director of civilian public service camps. Following that year he was with the Hospital Supply Corporation, Chi- cago, then was the assistant administrator of the Norwegian American Hospital, Chicago, for a few months, and the administrator of the Deaconess Hospital, Freeport, Illinois, from 1944 to 1946. In January 1946 he became the adminis- trator of the Kenosha Hospital, Wisconsin. In August of 1950 he returned to this district as the administrator of the Greene Memorial Hospital, Xenia, Ohio, in which capacity he con- tinues. He holds membership in the American Hospital As- sociation.


Brother Maphis has been a Sunday-school superintendent, teacher, trustee, and member of various boards and commit- tees in the local church. While he resided in Oak Park, Illinois, he was a member of the board of education. The Maphises reside at Xenia.


JOHN C. MARTIN


John C. Martin was born February 13, 1914, in Darke County, Ohio, to Harvey and Sarah Jackson Martin.


He became a member of the Oakland church in 1923, was elected a deacon by the East Dayton church in 1950, and was licensed to the ministry by the Eversole church in 1951. This latter church ordained him a minister in 1952. The Romine church, Southern Illinois, made him an elder in September 1953.


Brother Martin has been pastor of the Romine church since 1952. He has charge, as elder, of the Kaskaskia church.


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URIAH R. MCCORKLE


Uriah R. McCorkle was born April 7, 1876, at Palmyra, Pennsylvania, the son of William and Emma Heisey McCorkle.


He came with his parents to Ohio in 1880. In 1901 he moved to Berthold, North Dakota, and in 1903 located in Shelby County, Ohio, near the Loramie church.


On August 3, 1903, he was married to Rose Longanecker, daughter of Elder H. C. Longanecker. There were three chil- dren, one son and two daughters.


For ten years he taught school in North Dakota and Ohio. He was elected to the ministry by the Loramie congrega- tion and in 1918 he was ordained an elder.


Besides teaching he has also engaged in farming and has served for many years in the free ministry. He now lives on his farm within the bounds of the Poplar Grove church.


W. GLENN MCFADDEN


W. Glenn McFadden was born April 4, 1904, in Wayne County, Ohio, to Albert H. and Ida Mae Roger McFadden.


He received his high school training at Smithville, Ohio, and graduated from Manchester College in 1928. In 1944 he received the B.D. degree from Bethany Biblical Seminary. Further graduate work was taken at Garrett Biblical Institute, Evanston, Illinois, the Divinity School of the University of Chicago, and Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana.


On July 12, 1928, he was married to Eva Nancy Burk- holder, of Smithville, Ohio. They have three sons, Robert, Wilbur, and Ralph.


Brother McFadden was elected to the ministry in October 1925 by the Paradise church, Northeastern Ohio, and was ordained an elder by the Mansfield church, same district, in November 1936.


In the fall of 1929 he became part-time pastor of the Mansfield church while teaching school at Dalton, Ohio, and then in 1933 became a teacher in the Mansfield high school, continuing also as pastor of the church there. While in the


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seminary he served the Michigan City, Indiana, church, from 1939 to 1942.


In 1942 he came to this district as pastor at Troy. In 1950 he became pastor of the Elgin, Illinois, church.


While in Southern Ohio Brother McFadden was on the Board of Christian Education, once was moderator of district conference, and twice was our Standing Committeeman.


In Northeastern Ohio he was a member of the Board of Christian Education and a trustee of Camp Zion. In Northern Indiana he was the secretary of the Elders' Body.


A director of Bethany Biblical Seminary, Chicago, for some years, he is at present the chairman of the board of directors. For three years he has been the chairman of the regional home and family life committee.


WILLIAM EARL MCFARLAND


William E. McFarland was born near Union City, Indiana, on January 3, 1883, to Artemus and Rebecca McFarland.


Earl McFarland and Wife


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On March 4, 1905, he was married to Pearletta Onkst. They have three sons and two daughters.


Brother McFarland was elected a deacon in 1912 and a minister in 1915 by the Union City congregation, where he served for many years in the free ministry. In the local church he has also been the superintendent of the Sunday school.


A farmer for many years, in 1951 he moved to Dayton, within the bounds of the East Dayton church, and works with his son, James A., who is a building contractor.


C. F. McKEE


Charles F. McKee, the son of Samuel and Barbara Forney McKee, was born near Hagerstown, Maryland, on December 3, 1870.


His early education was received in the public schools of Washington County, Maryland. He attended Juniata College and then began teaching, later graduating from Ursinus Col- lege, Pennsylvania.


He married Iva Kaylor, daughter of Thomas and Hannah Kaylor, on March 12, 1897. They had one son, Robert, now an instructor in New York University, and one daughter, Dorothy, a teacher in the Dayton schools.


Brother McKee engaged in business following his teach- ing career, but later turned to the ministry. He was elected a minister by the Green Tree church, Pennsylvania, in 1907 and ordained an elder about 1917.


Before his election to the ministry he had supplied the pulpit at times in the Germantown and Royersford churches, Pennsylvania. He became pastor of the Green Tree con- gregation in 1907 and served there fourteen years. In June 1921 he came to this district as the leader of the Covington church, remaining eight years, after which he became the pastor of the Fort Mckinley church in August 1929. He ministered to this congregation sixteen years.


Besides leading these two churches he served the district on the Comity Committee and on the Ministerial Board. He was the elder of several churches in the district, and was for


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a term the president of the Dayton Ministerial Association. He had previously represented another district on Standing Committee.


Brother McKee was deceased on September 5, 1945. His companion preceded him in 1922.


C. F. McKee


Donald Mikula


DONALD MIKULA


Donald Mikula was born November 2, 1932, at Columbus, Indiana, to Michael Max and Donna Meredith Mikula.


Finishing his public school training in the Bethel Town- ship, Miami County, high school he entered Manchester College, remaining one year; afterward he attended night school at the University of Dayton. Then he entered Witten- berg College, Springfield, Ohio, where he is a senior.


On May 20, 1952, he was married to Carolyn Ann Wood- zell. They have a son, Stephen Mark.


The West Charleston church elected him to the ministry


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on July 12, 1953. While in college he is serving as pastor of the Bethel community church (Evangelical United Brethren) at Phoneton, Ohio.


BYRON L. MILLER


Byron L. Miller was born on a farm two miles southwest of Sidney, Indiana, or seven miles north of Manchester Col- lege, North Manchester, Indiana, on February 16, 1914. He


Byron Miller and Wife


spent all twelve years in the Sidney public schools. As a boy, he attended the Plunge Creek Chapel church. It burned in April 1927 and was not rebuilt. His parents then attended the Eel River church. As a young man he helped his grand- parents on the farm a great deal, and in 1931 when they moved into the Spring Creek congregation he attended there. Here he became active in many lines of church work. He was the president of the young people's department, was assistant superintendent of the Sunday school, was chorister of both


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church and Sunday school, sang in the church chorus, and directed the music for several evangelistic meetings in neigh- boring churches.


Under the pastoral leadership of Brother Moyne Landis he felt God's call to the ministry, was licensed on December 8, 1940, installed on December 28, 1940, and fully ordained on February 28, 1943, all in the Spring Creek church, Middle Indiana.


Feeling the need of training, Brother Miller attended the Bible Training School at Bethany Seminary, Chicago, Illinois, from 1941 to 1943. Here he met Zola A. Simpson of Altoona, Pennsylvania, who was later to become his wife. Feeling the need of college training, he attended Manchester College, 1943-46, graduating in the spring of 1946 with a B.S. degree. He then returned to Bethany Seminary. In the summer of 1946, he was married to Zola Simpson in the Juniata Park church, Altoona, Pennsylvania. Together they attended Bethany, where he graduated in 1949 with the B.D. degree. While completing his college and seminary course, Brother Miller was part-time pastor of the South Whitley church, South Whitley, Indiana, 1944-48.


In the fall of 1949 the Millers assumed the pastorate of the Painter Creek and Red River churches, Southern Ohio. Two girls bless the Miller home: Rowena, born in 1947, and Anita, born in 1950.


DEAN MILLER


Dean Miller is one of the recently licensed young men of this district, being elected to the ministry by the Eaton church on August 20, 1953.


The son of George and Esther Miller, he was born on April 12, 1935, at Dayton, Ohio.


He completed high school and then entered Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois, beginning his preparation for the active ministry.


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JAMES M. MOORE


James M. Moore, son of Elder J. H. Moore, long-time editor of the Gospel Messenger, and Mary S. Bishop Moore, was born on February 7, 1876, near Urbana, Illinois.


He married Ella Kessler, of Astoria, Illinois, on August 17, 1898. Two children were born to them.


James Moore and Wife


Brother Moore was baptized at Keuka, Florida, in 1887, and elected to the ministry on October 1, 1899, at the time of the organization of the Elgin Church of the Brethren. He was ordained an elder at the Batavia church, Illinois, in 1907.


His education was received in the public schools, Mount Morris Academy, and Bethany Bible School Training School. From 1905 to 1917 he was with Bethany Bible School, as student, trustee, and financial secretary.


After 1918 he gave his full time to pastoral work, first at Lanark, Illinois, 1918-22, then at Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, 1922-30. In 1930 he became the pastor of the First church, Chicago, continuing there until 1935. He went to Lititz, Penn-


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sylvania, in 1935 and was pastor there until 1945, when he came to Southern Ohio as pastor of the Poplar Grove church. Here he continued to serve efficiently, in spite of his years, until his death on January 28, 1955.


Sister Moore passed away on April 2, 1949, just following the observance of their fiftieth wedding anniversary.


Brother Moore attended thirty-nine Annual Conferences, acting in 1930 as moderator. Eight times he was a Standing Committeeman, twice the writing clerk and twice the reading clerk of the Conference.


DELMAR MOYER


Delmar Harrison Moyer, son of Harrison C. and Glenna Stebbins Moyer, was born July 13, 1924, near Dayton, Ohio.


After completing high school in Montgomery County, he entered Manchester College, receiving the A.B. degree in 1946. In 1949 he was graduated from Bethany Biblical Seminary with the B.D. degree.


He served as summer pastor of the Fairview church, Southern Indiana, in 1948, and has been the part-time pastor of the Oakley church, Southern Illinois, since 1949.


GLEN A. MOYER


Glen A. Moyer was born on a farm near Alvordton, Ohio, on June 20, 1895, the son of Mahlon and Emma Rittenhouse Moyer, of Pennsylvania Dutch descent.


He united with the Church of the Brethren in 1904.


He completed his high school work in 1915 in the Fayette schools, Fulton County, Ohio. He took the B.A. degree at Manchester College in 1920, the B.D. from Bethany Seminary in 1921, and the M.Th. in 1922. His education was interrupted by a call to the army in 1918. He chose noncombatant service and served in camp hospitals in Jackson, South Carolina, and Camp Beau Desert, France.


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Elected to the ministry in 1921, he was ordained an elder in 1924 by the Cincinnati church.


On June 20, 1921, he married Mabel Rasor. They have one daughter.


Glen Moyer and Wife


From September 1923 to January 1925 the Moyers had charge of the Cincinnati church. Following the Cincinnati pastorate he taught school at Wengerlawn, Montgomery County, from 1925 to 1928 and preached at the Prices Creek and West Branch churches. Then he taught for three years in the Monroe Township high school, continuing to preach at West Branch, and was also elder of the church the last two years.


He became the principal of the Lanier high school, Preble County, in 1931, and of the Butler Township school, Darke County, in 1945, where he still is employed.


Besides preaching in the above churches he has supplied many other congregations of the district. Locally he is very active in the Greenville church, having been a member of various committees and a church-school teacher.


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CLYDE MULLIGAN


Clyde Mulligan is a native of the Northwestern District of Ohio. His parents, Thomas and Catherine Weis Mulligan, were of the Lick Creek congregation. He was born near Evansport on April 23, 1898.


Clyde Mulligan and Wife


He began his life career by teaching in the public schools after taking training in Defiance College, Ohio.


His earlier activities in the church, after he became a member, were in the Sunday school as teacher and then as superintendent. On May 29, 1920, the Lick Creek church installed him into the ministry. The fall of 1921 he entered Manchester College; he graduated with the class of 1924, with the A.B. degree. In December of 1926 he was ordained an elder by the Olivet church.


His marriage to Bertha E. Mellott, of the Lick Creek con- gregation, took place on November 25, 1921; they attended Manchester College together. She completed two years of the A.B. course by the time he graduated. He acted as dean of


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the men's home during the last two years of his college training.


After graduation he was called to the pastorate of the Olivet church of Northeastern Ohio, serving there a little over ten years. It was during the latter part of this term that he attended for three consecutive summers the short-term Rural Church School at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.


In the fall of 1934 Brother Mulligan became pastor of the Hartville church, of the same district. In 1941 his health failed and he was obliged to give up pastoral work. By 1943 he was able to resume a limited preaching schedule and in 1945 he was called to the pastorate of the Woodworth church, where he continued for seven years. This made twenty-eight years among the churches of Northeastern Ohio. While in that district he was for thirteen years on the Board of Christian Education and for short periods a trustee of Camp Zion and dean of the intermediate camp. He was chairman of the Joint Boards of the district for two years. Two times he represented his district on Standing Committee.


In July of 1952 he was installed as pastor of the Happy Corner church, where he serves at the present time.


They have two living children, one son and one daughter, Robert James and Lois Eileen.


DARRELL R. MURRAY


Darrell R. Murray was born March 9, 1897, in Dayton, Ohio, the son of Daniel C. and Sarah Erbaugh Murray. He united with the West Dayton (now Mack Memorial) church in October of 1909. This same church called him to the ministry on April 27, 1916, and the Fort Mckinley church ordained him an elder on June 2, 1926.


He married Orpha Alice Michael, of Sidney, Indiana, on June 5, 1921. They have two sons, Robert Keith and Richard Allen.


Brother Murray received his A.B. degree from Manchester College in 1921 and his M.A. from Ohio State University in 1930. He taught industrial arts in the academy of Manchester College from 1917 to 1921.


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In 1916 and 1917 he did some preaching in the Troy church. While attending Manchester College he was the pastor of Plunge Creek Chapel, Middle Indiana (1918-21). He pastored the Union City church from 1921 to 1923, then the Fort Mc- Kinley congregation from 1923 to 1928.


D. R. Murray and Wife


Having moved to Columbus and being employed as a teacher in the public schools he began preaching for the Brethren church there. This church, in June 1930, was organized as the Co-operative Brethren church including both Brethren and Church of the Brethren members. He was made pastor of the newly organized congregation in June 1930, and has served continuously to the present time. During this time he has also taught in the Columbus schools.


Since 1947 Brother Murray has also been preaching Sunday evenings for the Charleston church, near Chillicothe, Ohio.


R. H. NICODEMUS


Rutherford H. Nicodemus was born in Miami County, Ohio, on January 1, 1877, the son of Harrison and Paulina Linger Nicodemus.


He attended Manchester College and Bethany Biblical Seminary, from which he received the B.S.L. degree.


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His marriage to Nancy E. Swartzbaugh took place in 1899. They had two daughters, Pauline and Clara. After the decease of his first wife he married Gladys Upton in 1939.


Elected to the ministry in 1904, he was ordained an elder in 1908. He taught in Manchester College and in Bethany Biblical Seminary, and served in the ministry in Michigan. His service to the District of Southern Ohio was as pastor of our churches in Highland and Adams counties, and of the Sidney church for several years. He has retired and lives at Sturgis, Michigan.


JESSE NOFFSINGER


Jesse Noffsinger was born May 24, 1882, the son of Amos and Fianna Neidich Noffsinger.


Graduating from the Jefferson Township high school, Montgomery County, Ohio, he spent some time in Bethany Biblical Seminary. He engaged in teaching for several years and then turned to farming.


His marriage to Flora Dils took place on January 1, 1905. They had four sons: Robert, Paul, Ross, and Ray. Paul and Ross are ministers.


Brother Noffsinger acted as elder of the Stonelick church for about eight years and was for several years joint elder of the Lower Miami church.


He was active in the county farm organizations and was a leader in his community.


His death occurred on February 7, 1949. The widow still resides on the home farm.


JOHN S. NOFFSINGER


John S. Noffsinger was born near Dayton, Ohio, on December 21, 1886, to Amos and Fianna Neidich Noffsinger.


After graduation from the Jefferson Township high school, Montgomery County, he enrolled in Mount Morris College, Illinois, receiving the A.B. degree in 1913. Chicago University gave him the A.M. degree in 1915 and Columbia


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University, New York, the Ph.D. degree in 1925. Steed Institute of Technology gave him the honorary LL.D. degree in 1948.


He married Florence M. Wieand on August 3, 1912. She was the daughter of Elder Theodore Wieand of the Franklin Grove church, Illinois. They have one daughter, Pauline Joy, of Toronto, Ontario.


J. S. Noffsinger and Wife


His home congregation, the Lower Miami church, elected him to the ministry in 1905 and the Franklin Grove church, Northern Illinois and Wisconsin, ordained him an elder in 1915.


As a schoolteacher and administrator he served the public schools of Illinois and of the Philippine Islands. He was the president of Mount Morris College from 1915 to 1918. Later he was identified with many educational organizations and institutions, as executive director or president-among them the National Home Study Council, the National Council of Business Schools, the National Council of Technical Schools, the National Federation of Private Schools, and the National Council on Vocational Education.


For ten years he was a trustee of Juniata College, Pennsyl- vania, and for thirteen years the secretary-treasurer of the General Educational Board of the Church of the Brethren. He served the Brooklyn church, New York, as pastor and elder for four years. He represented his district three times on Standing Committee and was its reading clerk one year.


At the present time he is the executive director of Inter-


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national Voluntary Services, Inc., and in this capacity has visited underdeveloped areas throughout the world, finding where technical assistance is needed.


He is the author of the book, A Program for Higher Education in the Church of the Brethren.


Mrs. Noffsinger was born near Wooster, Ohio. She took her A.B. degree at Mount Morris College, Illinois, in 1917, and her A.M. degree at Columbia University, New York, in 1925, and then pursued further training in France. She taught in Hunter College and in Union Theological Seminary, New York City, and is now the president of Management Counsellors, Washington, D. C., in which city the Noffsingers reside.




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