USA > Pennsylvania > History of the Church of the Brethren of the Western District of Pennsylvania > Part 28
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EARL GEARHART.
Mr. and Mrs. Fremont Gearhart, of Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania, were members of the First Reformed Church. To them were born four sons and one daughter. Earl was next to the youngest and was born in Mt. Pleasant July 30, 1893.
He attended the public schools until he was fifteen years of age, when he had to stop school on account of the death of his mother, and other circumstances. He received employment with the L. E. Smith Glass Company, of Mt. Pleasant, where he is still employed.
He accepted Christ as his Savior when he was twenty years old at an evangelistic meeting conducted by Dr. W. W. Hall, a union evangelist, and soon after united with the Church of the Brethren by baptism. On March 27, 1915, he was elected to the ministry in the Jacobs Creek congregation, where he now labors.
(Portrait on Page 107.)
JOEL GNAGEY.
Of the few aged elders of Western Pennsylvania, who are still active in the work of the church, is Elder Joel Gnagey, of the Summit Mills congregation, Somerset County. He was born Feb- ruary 9, 1836, in Summit Township. He is the son of Christian and Barbara (Blucher) Gnagey. Both his parents were brought up in the Amish faith. The father united with the Church of the Brethren in 1844, but the mother lived and died in that faith.
Brother Gnagey was reared on his father's farm. He attended subscription schools, and later a few terms of public school. The school facilities were poor, and therefore his education is some- what limited. It was principally German, but he reads and writes the English as well.
He was united in marriage to Miss Catharine Fike, daughter of John Fike, January 31, 1858, Brother Samuel Berkley officiat- ing. The same year he and his wife were baptized in the Elk Lick Creek at Summit Mills by Elder E. K. Buechly. It was not long
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Elder Joel Gnagey and Wife.
until he was called to the office of deacon. This office he faith- fully filled until 1864, when he was elected to the ministry. Sev- eral years later he was advanced to the second degree and in 1886 he was ordained to the eldership. All this took place in the same congregation. After the division of the original Elk Lick congre- gation into three churches, in 1877, Elder Gnagey's field of activ- ities was principally in the Summit Mills congregation.
For more than half a century Elder Gnagey has been preach- ing a free Gospel. In addition to being the elder of his home con- gregation he has, at various times, had charge of the Berlin, Elk Lick and Maple Glen congregations. His preaching has all been in the German language. He is assisted in the ministry by Brethren J. W. Peck and S. J. Berkley.
Elder Gnagey has been a regular attendant at our District Meetings, and has frequently represented his congregation in the same. By nature he is quiet and unassuming, and his voice is seldom heard in the meetings of the District. Still he is an ear- nest and zealous brother and alive to every good work. He never aspired to public office and takes very little part in politics. Some- thing of Elder Gnagey's ancestry and progeny may be in place here.
Christian Gnaegi, the ancestor of the entire Gnagey family in America, and great-grandfather of Elder Joel Gnagey, was a na- tive of Switzerland, and emigrated to this country between 1750 and 1760. He settled in what is now Somerset County, Pennsyl- vania, and in 1774 entered by tomahawk claim 500 acres of land, which now form the site of Meyersdale. He later settled in Har-
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rison County, Ohio, where he died April 6, 1812, at an extreme age. His children's names were: Johannes, Christian, Jacob, Joseph, Magdalena, Mary, Barbara, Anna, Catarina and Gertrude.
Johannes, son of Christian Gnaegi, was born in Somerset Coun- ty and was a farmer and a member of the (Amish) Mennonite Church. He married Elizabeth Stutzman, and their children were: Anna, Catarina, Christian, Barbara and Elizabeth. After the death of the mother of these children Mr. Gnaegi married Eliz- abeth Miller, by whom he was the father of Jacob, Sarah, Susan- nah, Gertrude and Veronica.
Christian Gnagey, son of Johannes and Elizabeth Gnagey, was born June 16, 1790, in Summit Township, and was, like his father, a tiller of the soil. For a number of years he was a member of the Amish Church, but the last thirty-six years of his life he was a faithful member of the Church of the Brethren. He married Barbara Blucher, December 5, 1813. Their children were: Sarah, Elizabeth, John, Jonathan, Emanuel, Christian, Jacob, Barbara, Benedict, Andrew, and Joel, the subject of this sketch. Mrs. Gnagey died May 6, 1836, and is buried on the home farm. His second wife was Caroline Walter, whom he married November 5, 1843. His death occurred June 11, 1880.
Twelve children were born to Elder and Sister Gnagey, as follows: Amanda, Ellen B., Anna, Ida, Eliza, William, John E., Emma, Sadie, Grace and Della.
WALTER J. HAMILTON.
Walter J. Hamilton, the oldest son of Miles and Alice A. Ham- ilton, was born August 18, 1884, near Halleck, West Virginia. The first sixteen years of his life were spent in this rustic home, with the exception of the summer of 1896. Nine months of this year were spent in Henry County, Indiana, near the Beech Grove Church of the Brethren- In a placid stream near this church, on August 16, Brother I. B. Wike administered the rite of trine im- mersion to him, two days before he was twelve years of age.
The following November, the parents, with the three children, Walter J., aged twelve, Bertha Pearl, aged seven, and Lester Zimri, aged four, returned to their West Virginia home. A few weeks later Pearl and Lester were taken from the home by that dread disease, diphtheria, and laid to rest in the Halleck churchyard. These cruel wounds in mother earth were finally concealed by the myrtle and the ivy that bow before the slabs of clouded marble, but not so the bleeding heart of the lonely boy. This cup of sor- row had much to do with the shaping of his religious life. After he was thirty years of age he embalmed their memory in his poem, entitled "Heart-Throbs."
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Walter J. Hamilton.
On April 1, 1901, the family moved near the Mount Union church and the following Sunday Walter began his public religious life by taking up the work of Sunday-school superintendent. Sep- tember of the same year he was installed into the ministry. Five years later, to the day, he was forwarded to the second degree.
Four winters were spent teaching in the rural schools. Al- most two years were spent in the West Virginia University, and then came six years of merchandising. After trading the college student's lamp for the occupation of merchant, he decided to take a partner in the firm, and on May 1, 1907, he was united in mar- riage to Cora L. Goodwin. To this union have been given two daughters.
In May, 1912, Brother Hamilton and his family located on a farm near Trout Run, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, where they still reside. The winters are spent teaching rural schools.
Brother Hamilton's life is being spent in small congregations and new churches, where the pioneer is needed to " blaze the trails." He enjoys Sunday-school work, but the chosen field, if the health of the family would permit, is that of the evangelist. Special power seems to be manifested in revival work, he having held as high as five series of meetings at the same church. As a writer Brother Hamilton has developed considerable ability.
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GEORGE HANAWALT.
Henry George Hanawalt came to America about the year 1753, and settled near Waynesburg, Cumberland County, Pennsyl- vania, now McVeytown, Mifflin County. His second son, George, married Susannah Rothrock, and occupied the Hanawalt home- stead. Joseph Rothrock Hanawalt was born January 4, 1810, and married Mary Swigart, a close relative of the large Swigart con- nection in Mifflin County. His second wife was Eve Kauffman. He was the father of sixteen children, of whom four sons were called to the ministry. Joseph R. Hanawalt was a minister in the Spring Run congregation thirty-seven years, and an elder twenty-six years.
George, whose biography we are writing, was one of the four. He was the oldest of the children, and was born April 2, 1831. George was of a literary inclination, and was, as far as known, the . first of our Brethren's sons in the high schools of his day. By some of the good old Brethren this was much regretted, fearing he would become worldly and be lost to the church. His father, how- ever, thought it would help him to further qualify himself to make teaching a success.
About that time the county was invaded by some teachers from the New England States who became county superintend- ents. Visiting his schools they greatly helped and encouraged him, and for sixteen years he became a leader among the teach- ers of the county, and his helpful and fatherly disposition encour- aged the school work in Central Pennsylvania very visibly. Many of the Brethren's sons and daughters, as well as those of the Amish Mennonites, became prominent teachers, and most of the country schools were taught by plain country people.
In 1859 and 1860 George and Solomon Z. Sharp and two lady teachers very successfully conducted the McVeytown Academy, where eight years before he had taken his advance schooling, pre- paratory to teaching. During that term, S. Z. Sharp, whose influ- ence as an educator has been largely felt in our church, became a member of the church.
George married Miss Caroline McKee, a Centre County farm- er's daughter, in 1856. She soon declared herself favorable to the Brethren's doctrine, and but for her delicate condition would have been baptized. She died June 8, 1858. Her baby daughter died two months later. George married Miss Barbara Replogle, daughter of Daniel Replogle, of New Enterprise, Pennsylvania, February 9, 1860. She died June 8, 1873, leaving eight motherless children under twelve years of age. June 4, 1874, he married Miss Lucinda Stutzman, daughter of Samuel Stutzman, of near Johnstown,
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Elder George Hanawalt.
Pennsylvania. She helped to take care of his children and bore unto him nine more.
He united with the church in June, 1858, and was called to the ministry in June, 1864. Soon his father introduced a system of itinerate mission work. He had three committees of two preach- ers each, who preached at sixteen different points, requiring from five to twenty-five miles of travel to the several appointments. They made three circuits in forty-eight weeks. The traveling was mostly done on horseback, and made about 860 miles a year. In this horseback preaching George did his part for eleven years.
In 1879 the family moved into the Conemaugh congregation, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, which at that time had a membership of about 500. At this place he labored during the transitional period of the church, the time which tried men's souls. Although in rather delicate health he labored hard in the Johnstown church. He took an active part in building the new church in Johnstown, now owned by the Brethren Church, as well as in settling the troubles that arose in regard to the disposition of church prop- erty in the division of the denomination. He also assisted in build- ing the Walnut Grove church, doing practically all of the solic-
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iting of subscriptions. June 10, 1886, he with George S. Rairigh, was ordained to the eldership.
The same year, after becoming much attached to the people of Johnstown, finding his family filling up with boys, he moved onto a large farm in the Ligonier Valley, Westmoreland County. Here he found some scattered members of the church, whom he soon organized into a church, which is called Ligonier. A house of worship was built at Waterford, now called Boucher. For a while he also preached at Bolivar and Cokeville. Here he lived about sixteen years. About 1902 his health failed, and after a hard spell of sickness he was induced to go to California, and set- tled at Lordsburg on account of the college there, which his fam- ily patronized for some five years. After living in the climate and prosperity of the Golden State, and the boys having engaged in business, the family declined to return to their Pennsylvania home. In 1910 he made his last visit to the old Keystone State. In a letter to the author, dated January 8, 1913, in which he gives many valuable historical data, he comes to a close as follows: "I am nearly eighty-two years old. I am not as bright as I once was. My health is getting very slim and my memory much im- paired."
Elder Hanawalt was called from labor to reward June 3, 1913, at the advanced age of 82 years, 2 months and 1 day, and his body lies buried in the Lordsburg (California) cemetery.
JOHN M. HARSHBERGER.
John M. Harshberger, only son of Moses and Katie (Schrock) Harshberger, was born in Conemaugh Township, Cambria Coun- ty, Pennsylvania, August 13, 1835. His parents were farmers by occupation and in their religious affiliations were members of the Amish Church. Through his father, who was born and reared at Meyersdale, Pennsylvania, Brother Harshberger can trace his lineage to Germany, while through his mother, who was born and reared near Berlin, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, he can trace it to Switzerland. His only sister, Polly, was married to Christian Shetler. Both she and her husband are dead.
On December 26, 1858, he was united in marriage to Katie Wertz, daughter of Jacob Wertz, who was a faithful deacon in the old Conemaugh congregation, by Solomon Benshoff. They lo- cated on a farm in Adams (then Richland) Township, Cambria County. He was among the substantial farmers and citizens of that township until November 6, 1909, when he located in the sev- enth ward, Johnstown, where he still resides. Besides three chil- dren, who died when small, the following are living: Cornelius W.,
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George M., Ira Landon, Jacob W., Malinda Jane, Minnie Etta, Lizzie and Edith May.
Brother and Sister Harshberger united with the church at Shade, being baptized by Elder George W. Brumbaugh, in about 1861. In about 1867 he was elected deacon in the Conemaugh congregation, and in about 1876 he was called to the ministry.
CORNELIUS W. HARSHBERGER.
Cornelius W. Harshberger was born May 15, 1860. He is a son of John M. and Katie (Wertz) Harshberger, and was born and reared in Adams Township, Cambria County, Pennsylvania. Here he grew up as a farmer, which occupation he followed along with his teaching until the spring of 1915, when he moved to Johnstown.
Elder Harshberger supplemented his public school education with several terms of Select Normal Schools. He holds a State permanent teachers' certificate and has taught thirty-three terms of public school in Cambria County. He ranks among the lead- ing educators in his county.
On June 15, 1882, he and Miss Jennie M., daughter of Joseph S. and Katharine Burkhart, were united in marriage. Their chil- dren are Lori B., Elda Olive, Vida May and Waldo B.
Elder Harshberger's religious life dates from November, 1876, when he was baptized. He was elected to the office of deacon in the Johnstown congregation June 28, 1894; to the ministry March 29, 1900; ordained to the eldership May 3, 1914, all in the Johnstown congregation. Brother Harshberger is an active Sunday-school worker, and prior to his election to the ministry he served the Maple Grove Sunday-school many years as superintendent.
(Portrait on Page 117.)
LORI B. HARSHBERGER.
Lori B. Harshberger, oldest son of Elder C. W. and Jennie M. (Burkhart) Harshberger, was born in Adams Township, Cambria County, Pennsylvania, May 11, 1883. He was reared on his fa- ther's farm until the age of twenty-one, and given good school facilities. He taught school four terms, since which time he has been an employé in the Johnstown postoffice. He married Miss Daisy Boyer, daughter of William Y. and Mary (Siferd) Boyer, October 30, 1904, and resides in Johnstown.
Brother Harshberger united with the church in August, 1900, in the Johnstown congregation, and was elected to the office of deacon in 1906. On June 21, 1910, he was called to the ministry and is now one of the active ministers of the Johnstown con- gregation.
(Portrait on Page 117.)
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JACOB S. HAUGER.
Jacob S. Hauger was born October 26, 1805, in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. He was married to Catharine Yowler, May 4, 1829. He was an active member of the Reformed Presbyterian Church till July, 1834, when he and his wife united with the Church of the Brethren, being baptized by Elder Peter Cober. The same year he was elected to the deaconship, and the follow- ing year he was called to the ministry of the Word, fourteen years before Somerset County was divided into four congregations. On May 26, 1854, he was ordained to the eldership in the Middle Creek congregation. While living in Somerset County he was an active minister and elder, and was called on to do much church work.
About 1860 he moved to Waterloo, Iowa. Here he lived nine years, when he moved to Dutchtown, Illinois. After living here fourteen years he moved to Opdyke, Jefferson County, same State, where he died August 13, 1887, aged 81 years, 9 months and 17 days. He preached 239 funerals, and performed 113 marriage cere- monies.
DAVID A. HETRICK.
D. A. Hetrick was born near Putneyville, Mahoning Town- ship, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, in 1848. When about six years of age, with his parents he moved to the farm upon which he now resides. He received his education in the public schools of the township. Brother Hetrick was brought up on the farm, and still follows the occupation of farming.
He attended church services in the Red Bank congregation, where he united with the church at the age of seventeen under the preaching of Elder John Nicholson. In the same congregation he was called to the ministry, on May 26, 1889, being installed by Elder J. C. Johnson. He was advanced to the second degree of the ministry May 25, 1890, Elder James A. Sell officiating. Brother Hetrick has always held his membership in the same congrega- tion.
Brother Hetrick's ministry extended over the Red Bank, . Glade Run and Brush Valley congregations, Armstrong County, and the Shemoken congregation, Jefferson County. Two years he was a member of the Home Mission Supply Con mittee, and did a great deal of preaching.
Brother Hetrick was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Coleman, March 16, 1871. To this union thirteen children were born, of whom nine are still living, all being members of the Brethren church except the youngest two.
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF THE
Elder David Hildebrand and Wife.
DAVID HILDEBRAND.
Abram Hildebrand, of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, later the first judge of Bedford County, came to Cambria County in 1797, and secured a tract of land on the banks of the Conemaugh River, where Cambria City was afterward built. His children were named Abram, George and Catharine. Abram went to the War of 1812 and was never heard of afterward. George, who was born October 12, 1787, was ten years old when the family located in the Conemaugh Valley. He was married to Miss Hannah Lear, in 1807. To this union twelve children were born; viz., Abram, Jacob, John, Polly, Lydia, Catharine, Christena, Hannah, Samuel, George, Anna and Stephen. Of these Stephen still lives in Johns- town, and is an elder in the Progressive Brethren Church. The mother of these children died, and Brother Hildebrand married Anna Dimond. To this union were born Daniel, David, and Su- san. Brother Hildebrand died December 16, 1877, aged 90 years, 4 months and 2 days.
David Hildebrand was born on a farm in what is now called Echo, East Taylor Township, Cambria County, November 10, 1835. David was reared on the farm and given the school advantages of that day. He, at various periods of his career, was engaged in farming, lumbering, and blacksmithing, having lived at Ashtola, Park Hill, Adams Township, and Franklin Borough.
In 1856 he was married to Mary Ann Funk, daughter of Jo- seph Funk. To them were born four children; viz., Alice (Vick- roy), Louvenias, Jennie (Hildebrand) and Emanuel. His first wife died in January, 1872, and in April, 1873, he was married to Hannah W. Wertz, daughter of Jacob Wertz. Two children
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blessed this union, Harry and Lorena (Reighard). His second wife died in 1884, and in 1887 he was married to Sarah Ann Vick- roy, Brother C. F. Detweiler officiating. High water having de- stroyed his sawmill, he continued farming till 1900, when he moved to Franklin Borough, near Johnstown, and for a while en- gaged in blacksmithing. During January, 1901, he earned $125, but overworked himself, became sick, and was under the doctor's care for the first time since 1879. He was elected assessor of his borough in 1902, and this position he held when he died.
Brother Hildebrand united with the old Conemaugh church of the Brethren, in 1857. July 4, 1865, he was called to the dea- conship, and about 1868 he was called to the ministry. July 10, 1886, Brother Hildebrand and George Hanawalt were ordained to the eldership in the Johnstown congregation. Elder Hildebrand was very faithful in his ministerial duties. After the Walnut Grove meetinghouse was built (1884) he did not miss a communion service, and only two councils, and that to preach funeral ser- mons.
After moving to town, and the Conemaugh church having been built, he took especial interest in that point. The member- ship not being very strong there, he not only did much of the preaching, but assumed many of the other responsibilities, such as being janitor and treasurer. In about 1911 he put a baptistry in the church, and in it he did all the baptizing up to his death. He is known to have preached 225 funerals since 1879, and married fifty-two couples in the past twenty-five years.
Elder Hildebrand had the experience of seeing the Cone- maugh congregation rise to the height of her glory, then being divided into two congregations, and a little later passing through the trying times of another " division." But through it all he re- mained true and faithful to the Conservative body of the church He had the joy of living to see the Johnstown congregation grow from a membership of 271 to nearly 600, and the West Johnstown congregation, which is a branch of the former, to more than 1,000.
Elder Hildebrand frequently represented his church in Dis- trict and Annual. Meetings. He also represented his District on the Standing Committee in 1894 at Meyersdale, Pennsylvania. He was kind, charitable and hospitable. His oldest brother, Daniel, and his father and mother all died in his home. He had great respect for the rulings of Annual Meeting, and urged the members to respect them.
Elder Hildebrand died suddenly at his home March 9, 1914, aged 78 years, 3 months and 29 days. Funeral services were conducted in the Conemaugh church by Albert Berkley and A. Fyock, and interment was made in Headrick's cemetery.
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THE HOCHSTETLER FAMILY.
Christian Hochstetler, son of Jacob Hochstetler, was prob- ably born in Berks County, Pennsylvania. In the early hours of September 11, 1750, the house of Jacob Hochstetler was attacked by the Indians. His wife and one son, Jacob, and one daughter were killed and scalped. The father and his two sons, Christian and Joseph, were made captives. This event was a part of the Tulpehocken Massacre. After some months the father effected his escape. The two sons were held as captives, Christian about six (some say ten) years and Joseph somewhat longer. Christian was adopted as a son by an Indian and became very much at- tached. After the death of his adopted father he returned to the whites.
He was married to Miss Barbara Rupp. Of his conversion the Hochstetler History says: "A short time after his return and marriage Christian was converted and joined the Dunker Church and soon became a preacher in that church." According to Hol- singer's History he was a member of the Amish Church and united with the Brethren after his emigration to Somerset County. In 1777 we find him living on a tract of land two and one-half miles southwest of where the town of Salisbury is now located. In the Hochstetler History it is stated by W. F. Hochstetler, who took considerable pains in gathering his data, that he was called to the ministry in Somerset County, but that he united with the church while still living in Berks County, and probably under the ministry of Elder George Klein. He further states that he helped to lay the foundation of the church in Somerset County.
In 1795 he left Somerset County and moved to Mt. Eden, Shelby County, Kentucky. Here he aided in erecting a church edi- fice. His son Abraham (born 1770, died 1846) and his son Adam (born 1775, died 1826) became ministers, as also did Joseph, who was a son of Abraham. This Joseph Hochstetler is said to have been one of the greatest preachers in his community in his day. Christian eventually moved to Montgomery County, Ohio, where he died in April, 1814.
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