USA > Pennsylvania > History of the Church of the Brethren of the Western District of Pennsylvania > Part 29
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We are told that of the present generation of the descend- ants of Christian Hochstetler, nearly all are members of the Christian Church. Doctor James W. Snyder, a descendant of Christian, resides at Mt. Eden, Kentucky, next to the ground on which stood the church that Christian helped to build.
E. K. HOCHSTETLER.
E. K. Hochstetler was born in Greenville Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, March 4, 1857. He grew up on the farm
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Elder E. K. Hochstetler.
with his brothers and sisters, and on April 29, 1878, he united with the Church of the Brethren.
In the Meyersdale congregation he was elected to the ministry July 4, 1879, and was installed the same day. December 31, 1880, he was ordained to the eldership. Since the organization of the Greenville congregation he has been the elder of the congrega- tion and the only active minister in the same. For several years he was elder of Indian Creek congregation, and has at present the oversight of the Summit Mills congregation.
HENRY P. HOSTETLER.
Henry P. Hostetler was born July 12, 1816. He was reared ยท on a farm and was engaged in farming all his life. In addition to farming he and his sons also operated a pottery for a number of years. His ancestors were members of the Amish Church. His education was such as the subscription schools of those early days furnished, and was in the German language. He was united in marriage to Elizabeth Koontz. Nine children were given into their care, three dying quite young. For many years they lived on a farm on the east bank of the Quemahoning Creek, about two miles south of its junction with the Stony Creek. While living here
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he was called to the ministry in the Quemahoning congregation, in 1852 or 1853. Some time during the seventies he moved to Paint Township, a mile east of Foustwell. Here he lived some years, moving finally to a farm near Rummel, same township. These farms are in the Shade congregation, so the last twenty years' services were in this congregation. He was a kind, well-wishing brother, and did what he could, but since his services were entirely in the German, he did little preaching the last years of his life, because there was no demand for the German. In the Quema- honing congregation he was contemporary with Tobias Blough, Jonathan W. Blough, Isaiah Beam, Emanuel J. Blough and Jacob P. Speicher.
He died June 19, 1898, aged 81 years, 11 months and 7 days, and is buried in the Berkey cemetery.
Brother Hostetler's great-grandfather, Jacob, emigrated from Switzerland in 1738. His grandfather's name was Joseph. His father, Peter Hostetler, was born in Berks County, Pennsylvania, March 13, 1775, and died at Johnstown, April, 1843.
JASON B. HOLLOPETER.
Jason B. Hollopeter, son of E. W. and Libbie (Beer) Hollo- peter, was born on a farm near Rockton, Clearfield County, Penn- sylvania, August 23, 1886. Brother Jason holds the unique dis- tinction of not missing a single day of district school until he graduated at the age of sixteen. After that he attended Mary- land Collegiate Institute (now Blue Ridge College, New Wind- sor, Maryland), graduating from the English scientific course in 1905. After leaving school he engaged more extensively in bee culture, specializing in queen rearing.
Brother Hollopeter united with the church in 1899, being bap- tized by Elder H. A. Stahl, while conducting a series of meetings in the old Rockton church. He was married to Sister Pearl Ray, oldest daughter of Brother and Sister P. P. Ray, of Tyrone, Penn- sylvania, on June 1, 1911. He was elected to the deacon office in 1907; elected minister June 11, 1911; advanced to the second degree in 1912, all in the Rockton congregation. His labors in the min- istry have been confined to his home church. He continues in the bee business for a living.
THE HOLSINGER FAMILY.
Rudolph Holsinger came to America in 1731. Jacob Hol- singer, his son, was born on the ocean (1731). This Jacob was the father of four sons and one daughter; viz., George, John, Jacob, David and Annie. Elder Levi T. Holsinger, of Brethren, Michigan, is a great-grandson of George.
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The second son, John, was born July 21, 1768, and according to Holsinger's History was an elder. He was married to Elizabeth Mack, who was born October 13, 1776. From this line have come a number of ministers and elders. John L. Holsinger, of Agra, Oklahoma, is a grandson. The sons of John were: John M., George M., Daniel M., and Alexander M. Of these, George M. and Daniel M. were elders.
George M. was married to Sarah Snyder. His biography will be taken up separately. Daniel M. was born October 22, 1812, and was married to Polly Reitz, or Ritz. Elder Henry R. Hol- singer was their oldest son.
GEORGE M. HOLSINGER.
Elder George M. Holsinger was born May 26, 1804, near Woodbury, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. His father, John Hol- singer, was a grandson of Rudolph Holsinger, who came to Amer- ica in 1731, and his mother's name was Elizabeth Mack, likely a granddaughter of Alexander Mack. Of his boyhood and education nothing is stated, but it is very probable that he was reared on a farm and given such educational advantages as were available in his day.
Brother Holsinger was married to Sarah Snyder, August 23, 1827. To this union the following children were born: Thomas S., John S., Levi S., Joseph H., Christian S. and Elizabeth. They resided near Bakers Summit, Bedford County, until 1841, at which time, with his family and belongings, he moved across the Cove Mountain to a farm three miles west of Alum Bank, same county. He had been a deacon before moving to his new field of activity. With a few members that already were living here, there was soon a small colony of Brethren, and about 1843 Brother Holsinger and Moses Rogers were elected to the ministry. That fall they began the erection of a log meetinghouse, which was finished in 1844.
This house was the only one in use until 1870, when the Hol- singer house was erected within two miles of the old Mock meet- inghouse. Until 1871 this band of members belonged to the Yel- low Creek congregation. That year it was separated from it and named Dunnings Creek. In this congregation two of his sons, Thomas S. and Joseph H., were elected to the deacon office and two others, John S. and Christian S., to the ministry. For a number of years there have been no Holsingers living in the congregation and few that are related to them.
At the present time there are three grandsons and three great- grandsons of George M. Holsinger in the ministry; viz., Levi F., of New Enterprise, Pennsylvania, David R., of Laton, California,
.
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William H., of Williamsburg, Pennsylvania, I. Edward, of Avalon, Pennsylvania, Leonard F., of Pottstown, Pennsylvania, and Virgil C., of Williamsburg, Pennsylvania.
Elder Holsinger died, after an illness of thirty-seven hours, of a disease not precisely known, April 24, 1862, aged 57 years, 11 months and 27 days. He had been a faithful minister and his de- parture was deeply felt in the vicinity in which he lived. He was buried in the Mock church cemetery.
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Elder John S. Holsinger and Wife.
JOHN S. HOLSINGER.
John S. Holsinger, second son of George M. Holsinger, was born near Bakers Summit, Bedford County, Pennsylvania, Sept. 7, 1829. He was reared on the farm and was given an education that qualified him to teach school, following the profession of teaching a number of years.
He was married to Miss Esther Rogers, daughter of Ellis Rogers, May 19, 1853. A number of children were born to them, but all died in infancy, except one son, Ellis, who reared a family of daughters.
With his parents he moved to what is now the Dunnings Creek congregation, in 1841. At the age of twenty-one, in 1850 or 1851, he was elected to the ministry in that congregation, and
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ordained to the eldership January 15, 1871. He moved to Tippe- canoe County, Iowa, in 1858, and returned to his native home in 1861. He had charge of this congregation from 1871 to 1893, when he moved to Prince William County, Virginia, four miles from Nokesville, where, with his son, he settled on a large farm.
Elder Holsinger soon became one of the prominent elders in the District of Western Pennsylvania. "He was a strong man in counsel and was called near and far to settle difficulties in churches. His official standing was good. His counsel was sought for." He was one of the most active elders at the District Meet- ings, and his voice was also heard in our Annual Conferences. He traveled much among the churches of the District, especially the weaker ones. He was much in demand at love feasts, elec- tions and ordinations. "He was a staunch defender of the faith. He was decidedly of the legal and logical turn of mind, rather than emotional and imaginative. Before the decline of his powers, he had charge of several churches in Virginia."
Referring to the District Meeting Minutes of Western Penn- sylvania, we find that once he was clerk of the meeting, three times moderator, and four times he represented the District at Annual Conference. He also served on important committees. He died November 8, 1910, aged 81 years, 2 months and 1 day. His wife and son preceded him in death. He leaves a daughter- in-law and six granddaughters. He was buried in the Valley cem- etery, near his home. Funeral conducted by the home ministers from Heb. 9: 27.
DANIEL HOLSOPPLE.
Daniel Holsopple, the seventh and youngest child of Isaac and Christena (Hoffman) Holsopple, was born in Paint Town- ship, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, August 29, 1852. Christena, his mother, was the seventh daughter of Philip and Barbara (Miller) Hoffman, who were the parents of the first family of members of the Church of the Brethren living in the limits of the Shade Creek congregation.
While a boy on his father's farm he had a mind looking to- ward inventions of better implements for the needs of husbandry, but being left practically alone to eke out of the farm a living for father and mother, with such appliances as he found around the farm, he had no time to experiment upon his ideas.
However, he got a pretty good opportunity to attend the pub- lic schools. His brother Isaac, who died while teaching his sec- ond term, was Daniel's last teacher. Daniel was now fifteen years old, and as teachers were scarce, the superintendent; who had ob- served his deportment and work in his brother's school, without
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Daniel Holsopple.
solicitation or examination gave him license to finish the term. But since he was the only one in the family to carry on the farm there was no more opportunity to pursue his studies nor time to engage in teaching.
Brother Holsopple's first wife was Miss Christiana Straub. She died in 1871, leaving a small infant which soon followed its mother. His second wife was Sister Elizabeth Rummel. No chil- dren blest this union, but they took into their home William Hol- sopple and Carrie Ripple, whom they reared as they would have their own.
After marriage he settled on his father's farm, about a mile east of Rummel. He followed farming and lumbering for a num- ber of years, until he had cut and marketed the timber from 400 or 500 acres of land, when he bought another timber tract and moved his sawmill there. When the panic of the early nineties struck the country and the lumber business became dull, finding his services were in demand in the ministerial field, to which he had been called in 1884, he responded to that demand.
He took an active part in the affairs of the township, serving as school director of Paint Township a number of years. Under
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his direction and management the schools were very prosperous.
He took much interest in all lines of church work. He was a faithful student. of the Word; his sermons showed evidences of preparation, and were delivered with a deep sense of reverence.
His devotion to the best interests of the church was recog- nized and he rose rapidly to prominence in his home congregation, as well as in the District. He kept a complete record of all ser- mons preached, both in regular appointments and at series of meetings, so, as he himself said, as not to repeat the same sermon at the same place too frequently. He held a number of successful series of meetings, being called outside of his District. Neg- lecting and overtaxing himself while suffering with kidney disease he broke down in the midst of a series of meetings, went home, and died the victim of the most excruciating pains. His death took place January 30, 1895, at the age of only 42 years, 5 months and 1 day. His funeral was conducted in the Berkey church by Hiram Musselman, Hiram Lehman, and others, and his body was laid to rest in the adjoining cemetery.
His widow made herself.a home at Rummel, where she busied herself in usefulness to those in need and trouble, and while thus engaged she was called from her duties by the pale messenger. So the family is blotted out from time and sight, but in memory they are still enshrined. Carrie (Ripple) Berkebile, the girl they reared in their home, a fine Christian mother, also passed to " that bourne from whence no traveler has ever returned," some years ago.
JACOB HOLSOPPLE.
Jacob Holsopple, oldest son of Isaac and Christena (Hoffman) Holsopple, was born on a farm in Conemaugh Township, on the west side of Stony Creek, a mile below Hollsopple, Pennsylvania, March 15, 1833. His father, Isaac, was the oldest son of Henry and Susannah (Lefever) Holsopple, who probably was a descendant of a member of the church who communed at the first love feast held by the Brethren in America. This, however, has not been verified. The name always carried the German form, Holtzapfel, until the generation to which our subject belongs.
From Conemaugh Township his father moved to the Jonas Weaver farm (recently sold to the Berwind-White Coal-Mining Company), two miles southwest of Windber, and when Jacob was five years old the family moved to a clearing on 441 acres of heav- ily-timbered land, one mile east of Rummel, Paint Township. No road fit to travel (only paths) communicated with the Holsopple clearing for years. Many a time Jacob and his younger brother mounted a horse loaded with a bag containing several bushels
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Elder Jacob Holsopple and Wife.
of grain, taking it to their Uncle Jacob Messabaugh's mill to get it converted into flour for family use. Much skill was required to guide the horses along the narrow paths, so that both sacks and riders were not stripped off by the brush and trees along the way. When the spring sugar boiling was past, the boys and older sisters were kept busy picking the brush broken down by the win- ter snows from the still-standing trees from the hay and grain fields. Clearing the land of the heavy timber and converting it into fields was hard work. The boys needed no football or baseball to give exercise or diversion; neither did the girls have need of pianos and organs for pastime. When the hard day's work was done the children were glad to go to rest for the night, and in the morning they rejoiced in the privilege of going forth to make new conquests in their daily routine.
When winter set in, about December, the children were al- lowed to spend thirty or forty days in a school of the most primi- tive kind. Schooling equivalent to eight or nine months is all that Jacob and his next younger brother got, yet in that time Cobb's spelling book, and a half dozen arithmetics were practically mas- tered. Their reader was the New Testament. They were also taught writing.
Jacob, having mastered, as was supposed, the three R's, began teaching school in 1853. This vocation he pursued for about fif- teen winters, farming in the summertime. He was a strong, rug- ged man, both mentally and physically. He had the foresight to plan logically, and the physical stamina to work up to his plans. To a man of that kind there always has been opportunity for suc-
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cess, even in the primitive fields of endeavor. When he found that teaching interfered with his other interests, he was not slow to abandon the schoolroom, and give more time and attention to that which promised more substantial and immediate returns.
In 1857 he was united in marriage to Polly, daughter of Elder Christian Lehman. They settled on a farm in Richland Township, Cambria County. His wife died in 1865, leaving four children. Some time later he married Catharine Wertz. Seven more chil- dren blessed the home. Knowing the value of an education, he was anxious that his children should have all the advantages along that line possible. At least four of them were students at Juniata College, and five were public school-teachers.
In 1861 he was elected to the ministry in the Shade Creek congregation. This was a new experience to him. He soon found that his knowledge of the Bible, as well as his theory and prac- tice of delivering public addresses, needed innumerable additions. Close and persistent application, however, soon made of him a preacher that claimed the attention of his audience. He traveled much and became acquainted in a number of congregations. He held some series of meetings. He hardly ever failed to attend the District Meetings, and often was present at the Annual Con- ferences. The last one he attended was held at Carthage, Missouri, June, 1904. At these meetings he preferred to be a learner rather than a speaker. He did not aspire to leadership, but was a good follower of what he considered good and right. He was a believer in the decisions of Annual Meeting. However, he was strongly opposed to the church becoming the owner of the publishing in- terests, fearing it would not be for the best.
January 1, 1886, he and Hiram Musselman were ordained to the eldership by Elders E. J. Blough and, I think, J. S. Holsinger, Elder Blough performing his part on crutches, which was a pitiful sight. In addition to being one of the elders of his home congre- gation, he had for a number of years the oversight of the Glen Hope congregation, in Clearfield County. He took much interest in this weakened congregation, and through his efforts their meet- inghouse was moved to a more suitable point.
He was an advocate of Sunday-schools, and was at home in the Bible class. His thorough knowledge of the Scriptures made him an authority on difficult passages of the Bible. In his preach- ing he was inclined to be deep and exhaustive rather than elocu- tionary. He was a firm believer in home mission work, and left a bequest to the Board at his death. He died February 15, 1906, at the age of 72 years and 11 months, and was buried in the cem- etery adjoining the Weaver Mennonite church, on the edge of his farm. Services by Brethren M. J. Weaver and A. Fyock.
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JOSEPH HOLSOPPLE.
Joseph Holsopple, second son of Isaac and Christena (Hoff- man) Holsopple, was born on the Hoffman farm, near the present town of Windber, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, January 24, 1835. Brother Holsopple was blessed with a brilliant intellect and a retentive memory. He distinctly recalls incidents that hap- pened when he was two and three years of age. He well re- members when the family moved to the Holsopple farm, one mile east of Rummel, March 31, 1838.
When Joseph should have started to school their nearest school was about four miles distant. In 1841 a new schoolhouse was erected on the Foust Mill Road, east of Runimel, and only three-fourths of a mile from Joseph's home. This house was built of hewed logs, the cracks being junked and daubed with mud. The whole cost of the building was forty dollars. The house was later lined with boards, making it more comfortable.
Here Joseph received his schooling, which, before he had reached the age of eighteen, fitted him to take up the "birch," in 1852. He knew something of the three "R's," but had to study to keep ahead of his classes. He began teaching at a salary of four- teen dollars a month, but going across the line into Cambria County his services soon commanded from eighteen to twenty-five dollars a month. After the passage of the school law of 1854, creating the office of county superintendent, and requiring geog- raphy and grammar to be taught, he soon prepared himself to se- cure a provisional certificate. It was not long until he made straight ones in all the branches, and in the course of some years he was given a permanent certificate bearing the signature of J. P. Wickersham. Teaching in the winter and farming in the sum- mer formed the foundation of a livelihood for a large family of small children committed to his care. He taught twenty-eight terms of school in Somerset, Cambria and Indiana Counties.
Joseph Holsopple and Catharine Lehman, daughter of Elder Christian Lehman, were united in marriage March 4, 1860, Elder Joseph Berkey officiating. Three months after this they were bap- tized by the same minister. In April, 1862, they moved to Indiana County. In this county he has resided ever since. His present home is in Penn Run. Brother and Sister Holsopple were the parents of eleven children-nine sons and two daughters. A num- ber of the sons followed their father's example, and became school-teachers. Five of the sons are ministers; viz., William W., Frank F., Ira C., Hiram L. and Quincy A. Three of the sons and one son-in-law are deacons. Sister Holsopple died October 1, 1907, after more than forty-seven years of happy married life.
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Elder Joseph Holsopple and Wife.
December 5, 1908, he was married to Sister Julia Wysong, a widow, by Elder Perry J. Blough. She passed away October 5, 1914.
Brother Holsopple was an influential citizen. He served nine years as township auditor, six years as school director, assessor one year, frequently was on the election board, and three years as county auditor.
Brother Holsopple was called to the ministry in the Manor congregation June 17, 1866, and ordained to the eldership June 9, 1892. Elder Holsopple was an active minister until a few years ago. Possibly his best efforts were given in his home congrega- tion, as his large family and his school work did not permit him to travel much and hold series of meetings. In missionary zeal he was ahead of the times. Finding missionary sermons not ac- ceptable, he and his wife began praying for the missionary cause, the burden of their prayers being that "the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover
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the sea." In due time he could read, "From among the fruit of your loins will I raise up ambassadors for me in your stead who shall preach the Glad Tidings over the broad land from ocean to ocean, and not only so, but shall cross the sea and witness for me in heathen lands." The plan under which our Home Mission Board works was principally worked out by him.
As elder he has had charge of the Manor, Bolivar and Clarion congregations. He frequently represented his church at the Dis- trict and Annual Meetings. He was frequently writing clerk of District Meeting. He also represented his District on the Stand- ing Committee at Harrisburg, in 1902.
As a member of the historical committee he has been active. His help and suggestions have been helpful. It was largely through his persistent efforts that the history of the northern congregations has been made available.
SILAS HOOVER.
Silas Hoover, son of Jacob and Eve (Miller) Hoover, was born near Berlin, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, April 24, 1849. His common school education received in the country schools was supplemented by several terms of normal work, which prepared him for teaching. This profession he followed three years.
In 1870 Silas Hoover and Lucy A. Auman were united in mar- riage, the ceremony being performed by Elder John P. Cober. Four sons and three daughters blessed this union. One son, John, is a deacon in the Johnstown church.
Elder Hoover united with the church at the age of about seventeen, being baptized by Elder Ephraim Cober, now of Sa- betha, Kansas. When he was about twenty-three years of age he was called to the ministry. Brother Hoover took up the ministry promptly and soon became very popular. He entered the evangel- istic field and great success crowned his efforts. His first evan- gelistic meeting was held in the Indian Creek congregation, when twenty-nine souls accepted salvation. His fame spread and he was called far and wide to hold "protracted meetings." He was not only among the earliest evangelists, but he has remained in the field, probably, the longest, as he still holds meetings. To a num- ber of churches he was repeatedly called, and he knows of several congregations where upwards of a hundred persons united with the church through his preaching. Elder Hoover is widely known over the Brotherhood, as his evangelistic work took him to eight States of the Union. While Brother Hoover has no record of the number of accessions to the church through his ministry, the number is known to be many hundreds, and among them can be found a number of our present most active ministers. .
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