USA > Pennsylvania > History of the Church of the Brethren of the Western District of Pennsylvania > Part 30
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44
423
BRETHREN OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
Elder Silas Hoover.
Brother Hoover's power to reach the unsaved is, however, not confined to the pulpit, as the following circumstance demon- strates: Elias Hoover, a Civil War veteran, and a brother of the evangelist, who lives on the Laurel Hill mountain, manifested a desire to become a Christian. Elder Hoover went to his home and taught the will of the Lord, not only to him, but to his household, with the result that the father and five of his chil- dren were baptized then and there. This took place several years ago.
Some years after his call to the ministry he was ordained to the eldership. In 1883 he moved to Ohio, and was the pastor of the Jonathan Creek congregation five years. Here his defense of the Gospel aroused the opposition of other denominations, which resulted in a debate. Concerning this and other debates in the Jonathan Creek congregation I quote from the "History of the Church of the Brethren of Northeastern Ohio," page 57: "The church being much isolated and surrounded by strong de- nominations of other persuasions caused the ministers frequently to be called upon to defend the doctrine declared by them as main- tained by the church. This led to a number of public discussions. Of the earlier of these we have no authentic data."
424
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF THE
"In February, 1886, a discussion lasting four days was held in the Helser house between Elder Silas Hoover, then pastor of the church, and Rev. Rufus Zartman, D. D., of the German Reformed Church, on the subject of baptism. The meetings were attended by large audiences and much interest was manifested in the dis- cussion."
After giving an account of another debate, between Bro. Quincy Leckrone and Elder Thomas Martin, the historian con- cludes with: "In all these discussions the doctrines of the church were ably maintained and favorable impressions made, which has resulted in much good to the church."
In 1888 Elder Hoover moved to Salisbury, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, where he served the Elk Lick congregation four years as pastor. In 1892 he moved to the Middle Creek congre- gation, where he has lived since then. For all these years he has been one of the elders of this church.
Elder Hoover has represented his congregation many times as delegate at District Meeting; also in Annual Meeting. He also represented his State District on the Standing Committee at the St. Joseph Conference in 1911.
Elder Hoover is now serving his sixth year as chaplain of the Somerset County Home. He has officiated at many funerals, both in and outside of his congregation. He also solemnized many mar- riages. In the eldership Elder Hoover has been contemporary with Elders Josiah Berkley, Valentine Blough, H. A. Stahl and R. T. Hull.
DAVID D. HORNER.
Elder D. D. Horner, son of David Horner, was born in Som- erset County, Pennsylvania, October 6, 1826. His parents were of German descent. He grew to manhood on his father's farm in Westmoreland County. His school privileges were few, yet he became fairly well educated in the " old-fashioned way." He used the English language in his preaching, being blessed with a very pleasing voice and expression. His ideals were high.
He was married October 9, 1851, to Miss Mary Myers, Elder Michael Myers officiating. To this union, which continued fifty- nine years, were born two sons, Frank, who died in infancy, and Myers, who was married to Miss Ida Huffman, and died at the age of thirty. His widow is still living. Their two children, Law- rence and Sadie, were reared by Grandfather Horner.
Besides being a farmer Brother Horner was also a miller. After farming some years he erected a gristmill, which is still known as Horner's mill. He usually hired a man to run his mill. He was
425
BRETHREN OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
well known throughout the community and county and was high- ly esteemed and respected.
Brother Horner became a member of the Church of the Breth- ren when about twenty-eight years of age and a few years later he was called to the ministry in the Indian Creek congregation. March 27, 1880, he was ordained to the eldership, Elder C. G. Lint officiating. His entire religious life was spent in the same congregation, where his best work was done. He held but a few series of meetings, but baptized many persons and solemnized many marriages and officiated at numbers of funerals. He frequent- ly represented his congregation as delegate in the various meet- ings. He was a very good counselor and always attended the sanctuary services when able. He was a liberal contributor to the church treasury and to the poor, as well as to the missionary cause, he and Sister Horner giving an endowment of $1,300 to the General Mission Board. He enjoyed going to Sunday-school and many times he tried to impress upon the young the importance of the Sunday service. He held the family altar in high esteem. He died March 30, 1910, aged 83 years, 5 months and 24 days, and is buried in the cemetery near the County Line church.
WILLIAM M. HORNER.
William M. Horner was born April 9, 1825, near Meyersdale, Pennsylvania. His father, whose name also was William, was married twice. His first wife was Catharine Miller, daughter of Henry Miller, and his second wife was Barbara Lichty. Brother Horner, the subject of this notice, was a farmer all his life. He lived on the same farm where he was born, and died there.
He was married to Catharine Miller, a daughter of Joseph and Catharine Miller, April 5, 1847, Elder John Berkley perform- ing the ceremony. Three children were born to this union: Emma Younkin, 1848; Joseph, 1850, and Milton C., in 1854. Joseph died at the age of twenty, at the time of the typhoid fever epidemic in 1870. The youngest son, Milton C., a retired farmer, lives in Meyersdale.
Brother Horner was called to the ministry in the Elk Lick congregation with C. G. Lint and Peter Berkley, June 26, 1855. He was a very good brother, and took an active part in every line of church work, but never preached very much. He was a leader of song in the meetings. In private he was able to de- fend and discuss the doctrines of the church.
Brother Horner also took an active part in the affairs of the township, serving in the capacity of supervisor several years. He died August 10, 1872, at the age of 47 years, 4 months and 1 day, and was buried on his farm beside the grave of his son, Joseph.
426
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF THE
William M. Horner.
However, before his widow died she had both bodies removed to the Union cemetery, Meyersdale, upon a family lot by the side of her son Milton's lot. Sister Horner, who was born August 20, 1822, died at the age of 72 years, and is buried in the same place.
MELVIN CLYDE HORST.
About 150 years ago three brothers by the name of Horst came from Switzerland to America and settled at Groffdale, Penn- sylvania. Elder A. B. Horst, of Northeastern Ohio, is a descend- ant of one of these early settlers, Brother Horst married Miss Naomi Martin. He is one of the active elders of Northeastern Ohio, having been ordained to the eldership in the Black River church in 1905. Later he moved to Bellefontaine, Ohio, to take charge of the First City church. He returned in 1912, and now has charge of the Black River congregation. He is the present chairman of the District Mission Board.
M. Clyde Horst, son of Elder A. B. and Naomi Horst, was born March 3, 1885, in East Union Township, Wayne County, Ohio. He was reared on the farm and enjoyed the full benefit of the public schools. He began teaching school at the age of eight- een, but being called to the ministry the following year he de-
427
BRETHREN OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
M. Clyde Horst, Wife and Daughter.
termined to prepare himself for his life work and entered Canton College and Bible Institute at Canton, Ohio, graduating there- from in the academy and sacred literature courses.
Brother Horst was called to the ministry in the Black River congregation, Ohio, September 24, 1904, and advanced to the second degree October 14, 1905. The last year in school, 1906-7, he had charge of the Greenwood church, Perry. County, Ohio. He was united in marriage to Sister Emma Edith Horner, daughter of William and Ella (Culp) Horner, June 8, 1907. Sister Horst also is a native of Ohio, having been born near Lodi, Medina County, June 20, 1884. She was reared on a farm and in ad- dition to the public schools attended Canton College. She was baptized in August, 1904.
Brother Horst's pastoral life dates from August 1, 1907, when
428
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF THE
he took pastoral charge of the South Bend church, Indiana. Dur- ing his seven years' work in that city about 100 were added to the membership, and the Sunday-school was more than doubled. On September 1, 1914, he took charge of the Walnut Grove church of the Johnstown congregation, Pennsylvania, where he is at present located. Brother Horst is a frequent representative at District and Annual Meetings. He was assistant doorkeeper at the Seattle (Washington) Conference, in 1914.
ROBERT THOMPSON HULL.
Robert T. Hull was born May 25, 1861, in Mineral County, West Virginia. His father, Benjamin Hull, was born and reared in the same county, and is still living at the age of eighty years. His mother, Dorcas Hull, died in her forty-eighth year. She was a very religious woman and well versed in the Scriptures, and early taught Robert to pray and to reverence holy things. At the age of twelve or thirteen he became ashamed to kneel at his bedside and pray in the presence of others, and so finally gave it up.
At the age of fourteen he became wonderfully under convic- tion, without any one, whatever, speaking to him. - Every night when he retired he experienced a dreadful feeling and his mind was continually on the future, death and eternity. Finally he suc- ceeded in shaking off this feeling of penitence. Only a few weeks later he was hurt in lifting a heavy log. This was on Saturday. On Monday following he managed to go to school, but he be- came so ill that he could scarcely get home. On the way home he knelt in prayer along the roadside. After he got home he continued praying, and promised God that he would be baptized and obey him, until great joy filled his soul, assuring him that his sins were pardoned.
He had promised the Lord to be baptized as soon as he was able to go to church. He was being attended by the family phy- sician. This occurred in the early winter. In the spring he had so far improved that he was able to take short horseback rides, and he saw that at the present rate of improvement he would soon be able to make good his promise to God and be baptized. But no; he said to himself, "I am too young to be baptized now. I will wait until I am sixteen." Before he got home his horse stumbled, hurting the rupture afresh, and this was the last horse- back ride for three years.
Sixteen years came to Robert Hull, but it found him a helpless invalid, not able to feed himself, nor speak a word, nor help him- self much in bed. For about four years he never spoke. Finally he was
429
BRETHREN OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
raised through faith and prayer, and shortly after he was able to walk about the house he was baptized by Elder Silas Hoover, not waiting this time to be able to go to the church to be baptized, but having a small stream dammed up in the barnyard, where bap- tism was performed. Still he could not talk, until he attended a love feast a few months later, when, as he was about to break the bread of communion to his brother, his speech came to him.
Brother Hull was married to Mary Shaffer, daughter of Dea- con Daniel Shaffer, of Somerset County, Pennsylvania, on May 13, 1883, by Elder Silas Hoover. It might be stated here that Brother Shaffer had achieved some fame as a "faith healer." To this union were born a son and a daughter. The son, when sev- enteen, was accidentally shot to death in their home, by the fa- ther, as they were getting ready to go fox hunting. The daughter, Ida, is married to Alvin Darr.
Brother Hull was elected deacon about 1885; minister, June 20, 1890; ordained to the eldership, in June, 1913, all in the Middle Creek congregation, where he still resides. For the past twenty years Brother Hull has been more or less engaged in evangelistic work and has met with gratifying success. The past sixteen years he has held on an average of five and six series of meetings a year.
Brother Hull received only a common school education. For- tunately he was naturally studious and secured a good store of useful knowledge. He still lives on the farm he purchased from his father-in-law in 1884.
RUSSELL T. IDLEMAN.
The subject of this sketch was born in Grant County, West Virginia, in 1871, and grew to manhood among the hills and moun- tains of that picturesque country. The Alleghany Mountain lay directly west of the Idleman home, and in that direction they al- ways looked for the rains and snowstorms as they swept down the mountain sides. It was charming to stand upon the top of that mountain and gaze far eastward from mountain to moun- tain as far as the Shenandoah, and feel the impulse of the sublime view of the workmanship of a hand Divine. In these mountains, then covered with virgin forests, Brother Idleman loved to hunt the wild turkey, deer and other game, though not a skillful hunter.
Brother Idleman attended the public schools of his county, which were four-month terms. He applied himself closely to study and determined to become a teacher. So, after a few terms of Summer Normals and several terms at Juniata College, he spent about seventeen years in teaching and going to school, from 1890 to 1907.
430
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF THE
Elder Russell T. Idleman, Wife and Child.
During this time there was a growing interest in the Bible, for after uniting with the church, at the age of nineteen, the Christ was given a blessed home in his heart, and a few years later he was chosen to the deacon's office, and in 1899 he was elected to the ministry in the Greenland church, West Virginia.
In 1903 he began the study of the Bible course in Juniata Col- lege, graduating in the two-year course in 1906. After graduating he still taught school and preached in his home church. In 1909 Sister Amanda Weaver, daughter of Jacob A. and Lavina (Hoff- man) Weaver, of Scalp Level, agreed to share with him the bur- dens and joys of an humble servant of God and became his helper ..
After their marriage they located in the Ten Mile congrega- tion, Washington County, Pennsylvania, where they have since lived and labored. Though the field is a hard and rather discourag- ing one, they still have hope that by faithful continuance in well doing this old historic church may again take on new life. In November, 1914, Brother Idleman was ordained to the eldership and given the oversight of the church.
431
BRETHREN OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
ELDER JOHN COVER JOHNSON.
By His Son, Carman C. Johnson.
The subject of this sketch was born as the second son of Joseph and Mary Cover Johnson on the Adams Bower in South Union Township, about two miles from Uniontown, on September 1, 1839. The older brother died in infancy. Brothers and sisters succeeding in their order were Elizabeth, Mary Ann, Nancy, Jo- seph, Jacob, Isaac, Annie, Elizamatilda, Sarah, and Lydia and Martha as twins. With the exception of Martha, who died in in- fancy, all these children grew to manhood and womanhood; and all of them with the exception of Isaac became active members of the Church of the Brethren in the Georges Creek congregation. The mother of this large family was unusually pious, and especially strong in her religious convictions, so much so, indeed, as to win her husband from his Mennonite faith a few years before his death.
The early death of the father, in the fall of 1865, at the age of forty-nine years, threw extensive responsibility upon the oldest son, who at that time was twenty-six years of age. Beside the management of a 400-acre farm, there were the crossroads store, the gristmill, the blacksmith shop, and the distillery, this latter representing an interest in which the Johnson family of Fayette County had been engaged for nearly a half century.
On June 13, 1866, this young man of varied interests was married to Mary Saylor Miller, daughter of Elder Jacob D. and Barbara Saylor Miller, at the home of the bride's parents on the farm near Somerset, Pennsylvania. By the fall of that year the young couple had established their home first of all in the log house in the yard of the old homestead at Johnson's Crossroads, later removing to the birthplace of the husband on Adams Bower, where a new house had been built.
During these years the quiet influences of the mother and wife were at work upon the young man, gradually inducing him, in view of his membership in the Church of the Brethren, to give up the distillery and a tendency toward law and politics; and scarce- ly had their object been accomplished until he was elected to the ministry of the church in the Fairview meetinghouse, near Mason- town, Pennsylvania, in the spring of 1869, his uncle, Joseph I. Cover, being chosen to the eldership of the congregation about the same time.
These were the days of little education among the residents of rural districts, the subject of this sketch having enjoyed the advantages of only a very few months in the common schools of South Union Township; but literary societies, spelling bees.
432
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF THE
Elder John Cover Johnson.
and debating clubs were very common, and in these the name of John C. Johnson had been prominent for several years, thus de- veloping his natural ability as a speaker. The seriousness with which his election to the ministry was regarded by himself and family may be indicated by the fact that arrangements were made immediately for transfers of certain phases of the family's busi- ness to the younger brothers, and for the removal of John C. with his family to the old homestead.
Here, from 1869 to 1873, the young minister spent much time in reading and study, calls for his services as a preacher and de- bater coming rather frequently. His advancement to the second degree occurred at this time.
This early activity as a minister was somewhat interrupted by a general store venture on the part of three of the brothers, John, Joseph and Jacob, in 1873-74. This proved to be a loss financially as well as a hindrance to the ministerial program, but truck gar- dening and a dairy to Uniontown helped to recover the losses. From 1874 to 1879 there was little variation in the program, except that during this period an Annual Meeting Committee came to the Georges Creek congregation to settle some local difficulty, and
433
BRETHREN OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
John C. had opportunity to reveal his knowledge and skill in mat- ters of church polity.
The purchase of another store in 1879, the sale of the family farm, and the removal of the entire family to Uniontown in 1882, the death of his mother in 1883, the departure of his uncle, Elder Joseph I. Cover, from Pennsylvania to become editor of The Vin- dicator for the Old Order Brethren in 1883, the Progressive and Old Order difficulties, both within the congregation and in the Brotherhood at large from 1883 to '85, particularly, occupied the attention of John C. in the period of storm and stress in the history of the Brotherhood. At this point the real mettle of the man was tested in his strong stand upon the middle ground between "Old Orderism " and "Progression " in his own congregation; and the story of his struggles against the leaders of the Progressive movement in Western Pennsylvania was written permanently into the history of the District. In the midst of these stormy eighties, without the authority of council, because regular council meetings seemed impossible at that time, and largely with his own money. he bought, repaired and rededicated the Old Bethel Baptist church in Uniontown, serving this pulpit almost continuously and with- out pay from 1884 until 1906, when he removed with his family to Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. He was made elder of the Georges Creek congregation in 1885, and, besides taking care of practically all of the services in the Uniontown church, took more than equal turns at the Mount Union, the Fairview, the Grove, the Hep- wood, the Sandy Hill and other appointments within his congre- gation. During his eldership of this congregation three new meet- inghouses were built, the Old Order and the Progressive move- ments were subdued, the activities of the congregation were re- organized, several mission points within the congregation were opened up, and the membership was more than doubled.
Among the important services rendered by Elder Johnson out- side his own congregation may be mentioned certain rather not- able series of meetings in Middle Maryland, in New Enterprise, Pennsylvania, in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, and in Altoona, Penn- sylvania, in all of which he was successful mainly because of his unique method of presenting the doctrines of the church and because of his personal work among prospective converts. His debates with representatives of other denominations, while never fully reported, were very frequent, the most important being between himself and the "Campbellites" or "Christians" in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, and in the Montgomery church in In- diana County. His services to the "north churches " particularly and to the Brotherhood in general in the courts of Armstrong
434
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF THE
County, Pennsylvania, in defense of the church property of the Brotherhood against the claims of the Progressives, extended over a period of nearly twenty years, and his explanations of the gov- ernment and polity of the Church of the Brethren, as given on the witness stand from time to time, and as passed on to the State Supreme Court, would make a large volume if edited.
He served on the Standing Committees four Annual Meet- ings as representative of the Western District of Pennsylvania, was moderator of the District Meeting of Western Pennsylvania five times, was one of the original promotors and was frequently the moderator of the Ministerial Meetings of Western Pennsylva- nia, was associated directly with his son Carman in promoting the first regular Sunday-school meeting of Western Pennsylvania in 1897, and was at different times elder in charge of the following congregations besides Georges Creek: Ten Mile, Red Bank, Elk Lick, and Glade Run, also acting as special consulting elder for several other congregations. Perhaps all too truly, for his own good, he seemed not to consider the hardship or the cost, when one of the many and frequent calls came for some rite or busi- ness of the church, either at home or abroad; and his numerous calls for marriage or funeral services or for some legal or personal advice, as this drew heavily upon his own private resources in time and means.
The last ten years of the life of this vigorous and able de- fender of the faith of the fathers were hampered by unfortunate complications with the Annual Meeting Committee sent to the churches of Western Pennsylvania and the First District of West Virginia. As Elder Johnson had always taken such an active part in matters of church polity, he had perhaps developed a kind of pride in his ability to comprehend and administer affairs of this sort; and so when he conceived of the policy of the committee as being antagonistic to him personally, whether rightfully or wrong- fully, all the resistance in his nature became active against the committee, purely on technical grounds. This naturally produced a misunderstanding of the issues and motives involved; and in the unequal struggle Elder Johnson's loyalty to the church was ques- tioned and his standing in the Brotherhood suffered eclipse.
At last, after the Annual Meeting Committee was finally with- drawn, and John C. Johnson and his entire family of eight chil- dren were found to be still most loyal to the church, even at much sacrifice, the attitude of most of the leaders of the Brotherhood toward him became quite cordial, his membership and official po- sition were recognized, and he died in the enjoyment of the con- fidence and respect of a large circle of brethren and sisters, who recognized in him a man of absolute devotion to the Word of God,
435
BRETHREN OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
of heroic courage in his convictions, of unswerving loyalty to the church of his choice, of unsual ability as a religious leader, and altogether a man of strong spiritual force. His body lies buried on the eastern slope of the hill in the cemetery at Huntingdon, over- looking the valley of the Juniata which he had learned to love because of his early advocacy of the Brethren's Normal College located there; and it should be said in closing this sketch that the idealistic nature of the man had helped him to reconcile his leav- ing the old family seat in Fayette County and his adoption of Huntingdon as his home, because Huntingdon had been the home of Elder James Quinter, whom Elder Johnson loved and admired above all other men.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.