USA > Ohio > Church of the Brethren in southern Ohio > Part 25
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PAUL MINNICH ROBINSON
Paul Minnich Robinson, son of John A. and Nora Minnich Robinson, was born in Denver, Colorado, on January 26, 1914.
He graduated from the Johnstown Central high school, Pennsylvania, and entered Juniata College, same state, graduating with the A.B. degree in 1935. His seminary training was received at Princeton Theological Seminary, New Jersey, from which he graduated in 1938, B.D. degree. Then going to the Lutheran Seminary, at Mt. Airy, Pennsylvania, he took the S.T.M. degree in 1941. Juniata College conferred on him the degree of D.D. in 1948, and Bridgewater College the LL.D. in 1953.
He was married at Johnstown, Pennsylvania, on June 29, 1938, to Mary Elizabeth Howe, daughter of William M. Howe. They have two children, Margaret Joanne and Thomas Barton.
His election to the ministry took place on September 2, 1931, at the Walnut Grove church, Western Pennsylvania. Ordained by the Ambler congregation, Pennsylvania, in 1939, he served in two pastorates: Ambler, Pennsylvania, and Hagerstown, Maryland, the first for three and a half years and the second for thirteen and one-half years. He was called from Hagerstown to become president of Bethany Biblical Seminary in 1953.
Brother Robinson has shared his endowments in many important positions in the Brotherhood: as a member of the committee which compiled the new hymnal; as president of the National Pastors' Association, as a member of the General Brotherhood Board, and as the vice-moderator of the 1955 Annual Conference.
He has had experience as a radio preacher, as a coun- selor, and as a writer, has traveled extensively in Europe and
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the Middle East, and has already received high recognition as a seminary president.
The family resides in Villa Park, a suburb of Chicago.
LAWRENCE RODAMER
Lawrence Rodamer was born August 27, 1912, at Constance, Kentucky, to Andrew and Flora Peeno Rodamer.
He completed high school at Hebron, Kentucky, and at- tended Eastern Kentucky State College, graduating in 1942. He secured the M.E. degree in 1952 at the University of Cincinnati.
On February 5, 1938, he was married to Hannah Weber, at Covington, Kentucky.
Licensed and then ordained a minister in 1946 by the Constance church, Kentucky, he is assisting in the ministry at this church.
By vocation he is a public-school teacher.
I. J. ROSENBERGER
I. J. Rosenberger was born April 20, 1842, near Tiffin, Ohio, to Daniel and Elizabeth Rosenberger.
He first became a schoolteacher and later turned to the active ministry, which soon consumed most of his time, much of it in evangelistic work.
He married Mary Workman of Wooster, Ohio. She died in 1913. In 1917 he married Melissa C. Young, widow of Abram Young.
The church at Loudonville, Northeastern Ohio, elected him to the ministry. He was ordained an elder by the Covington church. Most of his life was spent in the Covington church, but he was away from the congregation in evangelistic services most of the year. In 1918 he moved to Greenville.
His service to the district was rendered as a member of the Mission Board in its earliest days, as moderator of district
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meeting several times, and as delegate on Standing Com- mittee. At various times he was the elder of several churches in the district. He was also a writer, contributing to the Brethren publications and to the writing of tracts, and was the author of several books. He was a member of the Historical Committee which brought forth the 1920 edition of the Southern Ohio history.
His death occurred at Greenville, Ohio, in 1923.
GALEN B. ROYER
Galen B. Royer, born April 10, 1894, near Greenville, Ohio, is the son of Moses and Rebecca Minnich Royer.
He completed high school and enrolled in Manchester College, Indiana, taking his A.B. degree in 1917. He later attended Bethany Biblical Seminary.
On December 24, 1917, he married Nellie J. Credlebaugh. They had three children. After her decease he was married to Gladys Marie Cole, of Colgate, Ohio, in 1933. They have two children.
His election to the ministry by the Painter Creek church occurred in 1916. The Nappanee church, Northern Indiana, ordained him an elder in 1925.
Brother Royer has pastored the Huntington church, Middle Indiana, and the Oakland church, this district, and assisted at West Milton, Red River, and Bear Creek. For a while he was the director of religious education for Northern Illinois and Wisconsin.
The family resides in Dayton, where he is engaged in business.
WILLIAM E. ROYER
William E. Royer is the son of Samuel and Mary Royer, born to them on April 28, 1878, at New Madison, Ohio.
He attended school in Darke County. On November 28, 1901, he was married to Elizabeth Landis. He has engaged
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mostly in farming. For a time he lived at Bradford, where he was elected to the ministry in 1919. About ten years later he was advanced to the eldership. He moved to the Painter Creek church and then to the Pitsburg church, where he still resides.
GLENN C. RUST
Glenn C. Rust, son of Melvin and Hannah Rust, was born near Eaton, Ohio, on September 25, 1908.
After completing high school at Monroe, Preble County, he enrolled in Manchester College, graduating, A.B. degree, with the class of 1931. He received his M.A. degree from Miami University, Ohio, in 1946. One year, 1927-28, was spent at Bethany Biblical Seminary.
Glenn Rust and Wife
He taught in Preble County for thirteen years and since 1944 has been in the Dayton schools as an instructor in in- dustrial arts.
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From 1931 to 1936 he was the supply pastor of the Castine church, this district, and since the latter date has been giving this church part-time service during the school term and full-time service during the summer.
A member of the Castine church since 1921, he was called to the ministry here in 1927 and was ordained an elder in 1936.
On August 16, 1930, he married Florence Wolford, of West Manchester, Ohio. They have four children: three daughters, Mrs. Barbara Jeanne Plunkett, Joyce Elaine, and Naomi Joan, and one son, Dean Carroll.
Brother Rust has contributed to the work of the District of Southern Ohio in many capacities: as reading clerk in 1948; as a delegate on Standing Committee in 1948; as a member of the Men's Work Cabinet from 1947 to 1951; for several years as a director of Camp Sugar Grove; as adult adviser to the Youth Cabinet; and now as a member of the District Board.
The Rusts reside at West Manchester.
WILLIAM K. SELL
William K. Sell, the son of George and Peggy Lambert Sell, was born in Randolph County, Indiana, on December 1, 1866.
He married Ida Mae Zumbrum on December 22, 1887.
In 1888 he united with the church at Union City. Later he moved into the Pleasant Valley congregation. This church elected him a deacon in 1906 and a minister on September 10, 1915.
He was the minister of the Pleasant Valley church for about two years and the Fostoria, Ohio, church for a short time, and was superintendent of the Brethren Home for three years.
His wife died in April of 1927. Later he married Susan Weimer of Greenville. They moved to North Manchester, Indiana, where he died on February 8, 1953.
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FRANK ORVAL SHANK
Frank Orval Shank was born February 5, 1890, at Geneva, Indiana. He married Emma Olinger, of Clayton, Ohio, on May 19, 1914. They have one daughter, Virginia L.
Brother Shank was called to the ministry in 1919 while at Bethany Biblical Seminary.
In 1954 he published a book, entitled The Great Day, a study in the Book of Revelation.
The Shanks live at Brookville, where he has a business.
F. O. Shank and Wife
Ray Shank and Wife
RAY O. SHANK
Ray O. Shank, the fourth child of Noah and Anna Sipe Shank, was born near Berne, Indiana, on December 14, 1892. When he was about four months old the family moved to Southern Ohio. He united with the church at Brookville in 1905.
His marriage to Beulah Kreider took place on August
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10, 1918. One son and three daughters were born to them.
On August 28, 1918, Brother Shank was called to the ministry by the Brookville church. Soon afterward, 1920, the Shanks enrolled in Bethany Biblical Seminary Training School. Later he enrolled in Lewis Institute, completing three years in the seminary and two and a half years in the institute.
They were then called to the pastorate of the West Charleston church, this district, which they served until 1927. This church ordained him an elder on June 26, 1926. In 1927 the call to the pastorate of the Salamonie church, Middle Indiana, was accepted. In 1930 they began their work in the Flora church, same district, continuing for five years. Re- turning to his home district, he was installed as pastor of the Oakland church in 1935, where he remained until 1939. After about eighteen months given to evangelistic meetings he accepted a call to the Covington church, where he min- istered for ten years, 1941 to 1951.
The family then moved to near Englewood, where he has been giving service to several congregations as elder and supplying pulpit calls where he can.
Brother Shank has held over one hundred evangelistic services. For the districts in which he has lived he has served as moderator, reader, secretary, member of the Men's Work Cabinet, member of the Mission Board, Ministerial Board, and District Board, and as a representative on Standing Committee.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN SHARP
Benjamin Franklin Sharp was born at Rose Hill, Darke County, Ohio, on February 4, 1862, the son of Joseph and Alpha Sharp.
He was united in marriage to Rebecca J. Rife on February 6, 1883. They had three children: Arthur J., Mrs. Lillian Onkst, and Mrs. Alvah Richards.
Brother Sharp united with the Eversole church in January of 1881. He was called to the ministry on April 20, 1891, by the Pleasant Valley church, and was ordained an elder by the Poplar Grove church on June 18, 1910.
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Besides presiding over his home church he has been elder of the Greenville, Pleasant Valley, and Union City churches, serving the latter at the time of his decease.
He held a number of revival meetings and was the pastor of the Greenville church from 1922 to 1927.
Brother Sharp passed to his reward on May 23, 1931.
MARK SHELLHAAS
Mark Shellhaas, a native of Miami County, Ohio, was born April 30, 1904, to Bert and Mattie Shellhaas.
He secured his high school education at West Milton and his higher education at Wittenberg College and Ohio State University.
Mark Shellhaas and Wife
On August 15, 1929, he married Thelma Baird, of Win- chester, Indiana. They have two children, Charlotte and Philip.
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He was elected to the ministry by the Pleasant Hill church in 1925 and to the eldership by the Trotwood church in 1946.
For thirty-four years Brother Shellhaas has been a Sunday-school teacher in the local church. For seventeen years he was on the District Youth Cabinet and was also active in camp work. At present he is a member of the board of directors of Camp Sugar Grove.
He is the superintendent of the Trotwood schools.
ROBERT L. SHERFY
Robert L. Sherfy (1913-) was born at Colorado Springs, Colorado, the son of Ernest F. and Effie Strohm Sherfy, who have served for over five decades in the ministry of the church. Parsonage-born, he was elected to the ministry in December 1930 at the Daleville, Virginia, church and ordained to the full ministry at Bridgewater in November 1933. He was ordained an elder at the Frederick, Maryland, church in November 1936.
He married Evelyn Clark on July 17, 1935, at Johnson City, Tennessee. They have two children, Robert Dale and Ellen Janine.
Brother Sherfy did his high school work at Daleville Academy, Virginia. He took his college training at Bridge- water College, Virginia, and his seminary work at Bethany Biblical Seminary, graduating with the B.D. degree in 1940. He took a summer-school course in the rural church at Oberlin College, Ohio, in 1952.
His first pastorate was at Frederick, Maryland, 1934-37. He was with the Kokomo, Indiana, church from 1938 to 1941, and the First church, Canton, Ohio, from 1941 to 1944. In 1944 he became pastor of the New Carlisle church, this district, removing to the Harrisonburg, Virginia, church in January 1953.
Brother Sherfy served on the Board of Christian Education of both Northeastern Ohio and Southern Ohio, on the Min- isterial Board of the latter, as youth adviser for the two districts named, and as a district officer in each. He was a
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member of the committee to study the pension plan of the Brotherhood and was also on the committee that studied the peace education program of our church.
While at New Carlisle he was the president of the New Carlisle Council of Churches, and in 1952 was named the outstanding citizen of the village.
JAMES W. SIMMONS
James W. Simmons is a native of Miami County, Ohio, born to Crosby E. and Mary Harshbarger Simmons on December 17, 1919.
His education, after high school at Trotwood, included college training at Manchester College and seminary work
James Simmons and Wife
at Bethany Biblical Seminary and Garrett Biblical Institute, Evanston, Illinois.
On November 26, 1942, he was married to Betty Jean Smith. They have one son, Gary Michael.
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He was elected to the ministry by the Eversole church in November 1945. The Oakley church, Illinois, elected him to the eldership on September 24, 1954.
Brother Simmons was a summer pastor at Wolfe Creek, Kentucky, and while in the seminary ministered to the Bethel Center church, Middle Indiana. He is now the full-time pastor of the Oakley church, Southern Illinois. In that district he has served as vice-chairman of the Board of Administration and as secretary of the Ministry, Missions and Evangelism Committee, also as secretary of evangelism for the district. He represents the district on the Illinois Council of Churches and is secretary of the local ministerial association.
WILLIAM K. SIMMONS
William K. Simmons, the son of Aaron and Rebecca Marquis Simmons, was born on August 31, 1841. He was married to Malinda A. Sell in June 1865.
In June of 1866 he became a member of the church, was elected to the ministry in 1867, and was ordained "in the 80's."
He served on district committees setting up the district ministerial meetings, the district Sunday-school meetings, and the district Sunday-school institutes.
Brother Simmons presided over the Union City church from 1887 to 1912. He also had oversight of Bear Creek and Blue Creek, Indiana, and of Pleasant Valley, of this district.
Mrs. Simmons passed away on September 28, 1928, and he was deceased on March 9, 1934.
BUTLER SIZEMORE
Butler Sizemore comes from Flat Creek, Kentucky, where he was born on November 22, 1929. Completing two years of high school, he enrolled in the Bethany Seminary Training School for one and one-half year.
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He was married to Norma Hillsamer of Brethren, Michigan, on November 1, 1950. They have two children, Ruth Anne and Dennis Ray.
His election to the ministry occurred on October 5, 1951, in the Flat Creek church. For more than two years he has been serving the Mud Lick congregation of the Flat Creek parish.
SAMUEL Z. SMITH
Samuel Z. Smith was born near Bradford, Ohio, on June 20, 1866, the son of Joseph M. and Elizabeth Zerbe Smith.
His education was secured in the public schools and by private reading and study.
His first marriage was to Sarah Mohler, on January 14, 1886. Two children, Iva and Arthur, were born to them. Sister Smith died on August 31, 1893. On November 29, 1894, he married Cora Pittinger, who shared a long service in the ministry with him.
Brother Smith united with the church in 1886, was called to the ministry by the Pitsburg church in 1897, and was ordained an elder by the Sidney church in 1910.
He became pastor of the Sidney church in 1905 and con- tinued until 1925. Then he pastored the Springfield church for a short while and in about 1926 began as Brotherhood evangelist for the Home Mission Board. He passed away at Lonaconing, Maryland, while in evangelistic services at that place.
C. C. SOLLENBERGER
C. C. Sollenberger was born near Union, Ohio, on Feb- ruary 8, 1891. His parents were Jacob J. and Martha Folkerth Sollenberger. After graduating from the Randolph Township high school he then went to Manchester College. Then fol- lowed two years of teaching in the public schools and two years of study in Bethany Biblical Seminary, after which he returned to Manchester College, graduating in 1916.
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On August 10, 1916, he was married to Cora Mae Horst, of Spencer, Ohio.
While attending Manchester College he was baptized, and the following year, in 1912, his home church, the Salem church of Southern Ohio, called him to the ministry.
C. C. Sollenberger and Wife
After their marriage, he and his wife began their pastoral ministry in the Circleville church, Southern Ohio, working there from 1916 to 1918. They then moved to Johnstown, Pennsylvania, where they served the Morrellville church from 1918 to 1924. While there he was ordained to the eldership in 1920. His further ministry has been in the Pleasant Hill church, Western Pennsylvania, 1924-28; Walnut Grove (interim pastor), 1928-29; Uniontown, Western Pennsylvania, 1929-41; Ephrata, Eastern Pennsylvania, 1941-45; Salem, Southern Ohio, 1945-50; Sidney, Southern Ohio (interim pastor), 1950-51; and Muncie, Southern Indiana, his present pastorate, 1951 -.
While in Western Pennsylvania he was on the District Mission Board for fifteen years and on the District Ministerial Board for three years. He acted as Standing Committeeman
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several times and was moderator of district meetings. During his ministry he was the presiding elder of a number of churches, and also held many revival meetings.
They are the parents of three living children: Angela, wife of V. H. Stinebaugh, of North Manchester, Indiana; Paul of McPherson, Kansas; and Carol, a student in Manchester College.
WALTER C. STINEBAUGH
Walter C. Stinebaugh, born September 24, 1892, in Carroll County, Indiana, is the son of J. G. and Mary Reiff Stinebaugh.
After he completed high school he entered Manchester College, graduating in 1917. He was in Bethany Biblical Seminary from 1919 to 1921.
His first marriage was to Merl Spitler on August 4, 1915; she passed away in 1945. They had four children: Galen, Vernon, Mary Etta (Mrs. Donald Holsopple), and Martha. On April 20, 1947, he was married to Olive Bagwell, daughter of Elder E. B. Bagwell.
He was elected to the ministry on October 3, 1915, by the Lower Deer Creek church, Indiana. On December 30, 1922, the Walton church called him to be an elder.
In Middle Indiana he has served the Walton and Pipe Creek churches on part time, and Logansport, Salamonie, and Wabash City as regular pastor. In Southern Ohio he ministered to the Pitsburg church from 1944 to 1949. Previous to becoming a full-time pastor he was a public-school teacher.
He has worked on various boards and committees in Middle Indiana and on the Men's Work Cabinet in Southern Ohio.
GEORGE OTIS STUTSMAN
George Otis Stutsman, a native of Girard, Illinois, the son of Valentine B. and Tabitha Gerlach Stutsman, was born on June 3, 1885.
In 1905 he became a member of the church. He was
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married to Dorothy Snell of Virden, Illinois, on November 27, 1907. They have five living children and one deceased.
Elected to the ministry by the Girard church in October 1909, he was ordained an elder in 1915.
He received his training for the ministry at Bethany Biblical Seminary, Chicago. In 1934 he came to the Greenville church as pastor, remaining until 1939. Also he has served churches in Illinois, Kansas, and California. The Stutsmans retired from the active ministry in 1952 and are living at La Verne, California.
His extrapastoral activities have included those of trustee of Mount Morris College and of La Verne College; director of Hillcrest Homes, Inc., of La Verne; a member of the Heifers for Relief committee; officer of district conferences; elder of several churches; and member of the Standing Committee.
CHARLES H. STOCKSDALE
Charles H. Stocksdale was born March 1, 1887, in Darke County, Ohio. His father was Larkin Stocksdale.
He united with the church in 1901 and was elected to the ministry by the Poplar Grove church, this district, on December 3, 1910. He married Grace Noffsinger in 1906.
The Stocksdales lived in Michigan for a short time but spent most of their lives in the vicinity of Union City. He preached for the Pleasant Valley church for some time. They reside in Winchester, Indiana, but are members of the Union City congregation.
BENJAMIN O. STONER
Benjamin O. Stoner, born on April 22, 1906, to Samuel and Lina Norris Stoner, is a native of Ladoga, Indiana.
His training was received in the high school at Ladoga, Manchester College, A.B. degree, 1928, and the University of Chicago, M.A. degree.
He married Alberta Kolker, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, on
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May 27, 1933. They have four children: Mary, John, Martha, and Susan.
The Ladoga church, Southern Indiana, elected him to the ministry in 1929. He has ministered, part time, at the Hamilton and Constance churches.
He is in the life insurance business in Cincinnati. Cur- rently he is the teacher of a large men's class in a Presbyterian church.
JOHN M. STOVER
John M. Stover, son of Emanuel and Joanna Mohler Stover, was born at Bradford, Ohio, on January 28, 1871. He gradu- ated from the high school here and spent about one year at Mount Morris College, Illinois.
He married Katherine Rose Porter on April 15, 1896. A daughter, Olive, lives at Christiansburg, with whom Brother Stover now makes his home. Sister Stover was active in the Bradford church and a leader in the ladies' aid.
Brother Stover united with the Church of the Brethren in 1886 and was elected to the ministry by the Harris Creek congregation in 1897, which church ordained him an elder in October 1914.
Elder Stover served for many years as elder of the Bradford church. For some time he was elder of the Palestine church, now extinct. He has preached regularly at times at Harris Creek, Oakland, Bradford, Casstown, Columbus, and Palestine, and, upon occasion, at other churches in the district.
He was a long-time employee of the Pennsylvania Rail- road Company. As this is written he is in his eighty-fourth year. His poetic description of the creation, fall, and re- demption of man was published in 1950 under the title, An Epic of Human Destiny.
WALTER R. SWINGER
Walter R. Swinger was born near the Painter Creek church, in Darke County, Ohio, on April 27, 1890, the son of
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David and Lovena Swinger. He became a member of the Painter Creek church in October 1904.
He became a public-school teacher, following this pro- fession for two years.
W. R. Swinger and Wife
On November 26, 1914, he was married to Ruth M. Delk; they have three children, two sons and one daughter, all three being public-school teachers.
Licensed to preach in November of 1925 by the Painter Creek church, in December of the following year he was installed into the full ministry. He was ordained an elder by the Marble Furnace church on September 30, 1930.
His first preaching was for the Painter Creek and Red River churches. Then in 1929 the District Mission Board asked Brother and Sister Swinger to become pastors to the Marble Furnace, Strait Creek, and May Hill churches in Adams and Highland counties. Here they labored ten years, then moved to Pitsburg, where they now reside. During the first few years here Brother Swinger had pastoral charge of the Pitsburg Church of the Brethren, or until the congregation decided on
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a full-time pastor. He has not been inactive since then, but both he and Sister Swinger have regularly taught in the church school and he has filled preaching appointments where there was need. She was the first primary superintendent in the Painter Creek church school and was an efficient leader of congregational singing.
Brother Swinger is currently employed as foreman of the shop and mill work of the Rosser Lumber Company, Arcanum, Ohio.
ROY B. TEACH
Roy B. Teach, the son of David M. and Clara Dresher Teach, was born on June 19, 1887, in Clark County, Ohio, near Springfield.
Roy Teach and Wife
He came into the Donnels Creek church, being baptized in December of 1903. He took his high school training in the Lawrenceville schools, studied in the normal school depart-
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ment of Manchester College, then taught school for three years. He enrolled in Bethany Biblical Seminary in 1919 and gradu- ated with the B.S.L. degree in 1924.
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