USA > Pennsylvania > History of the Church of the Brethren of the Western District of Pennsylvania > Part 41
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Elder Walker married Mary A. Knepper, daughter of Lewis J. and Magdalene Knepper, December 10, 1868. Sister Walker was born June 9, 1850, and died June 15, 1883. Their children are as follows: William P., Miller L., Ira D. and Galen K. On July 3, 1884, Elder Walker married for his second wife Ella R. Knepper, born March 12, 1840, daughter of Lewis and Magdalene Knepper. Their children are Dillie V., Clara E., Emma E., Myrl J., Mary, Charlotte, Alma and April May.
GALEN K. WALKER.
Galen K. Walker, the subject of this sketch, was born in Stony Creek Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania. He is a de- scendant of a numerous family, scattered throughout Somerset County and elsewhere.
He is the son of Elder D. H. Walker, of Geiger, Pennsylvania, and is one of a family of six sons and seven daughters. He can trace his ancestry back to Wittenberg, Germany, five generations, to his great-great-grandfather Walker, who migrated to this coun- try about 1777. His grandfather, Daniel P., and his father, Daniel H., were ministers in the Church of the Brethren.
Brother Walker was born June 15, 1883, near Shanksville, Somerset County. His mother died in his infancy. When he was only three days old, an innocent, helpless babe, without a mother to care for him, providentially the way opened and a kind-hearted Christian lady offered her services to nurse, train, and educate the child for God and usefulness in life.
His mother, Mary A. Knepper, the daughter of Brother Lewis J. Knepper, was truly a devoted and pious sister. So this foster son fell into the hands of foster parents, Elder W. G. Schrock and Sister Rebecca Walker Schrock, of sacred memory. The writer of this biography heard the subject of the above notice declare, "Money could never pay the debt of love I owe to my foster parents for what they have done for me."
Brother Walker was brought up on the farm, three miles north of Berlin, now owned by Brother E. L. Knepper. He attended the country school at Sandy Hollow and the normal in Berlin, and taught three terms in the country. Later he spent about three years in Juniata College, Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, graduating in the normal English course in the summer of 1905.
Upon his return from college the school board at Berlin elect- ed him to the second principalship in the Berlin schools. Some time during the school term he resigned his school work and became an assistant cashier in the First National Bank of Berlin, where he served five years. In March, 1911, Brother Walker went to Johns-
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Elder Galen K. Walker, Wife and Child.
town, Pennsylvania, and served in the Farmers' Trust and Mort- gage Company as assistant treasurer.
He soon came in possession of a home in Moxham, Johnstown, and immediately settled down in married life. On November 28, 1911, he was married to Fern Elizabeth Coppock, daughter of Elder Jacob Coppock, of Tippecanoe City, Ohio. The happy fam- ily of two is now three, a son, Robert, being born January 4, 1913.
Brother Walker was elected to the ministry October 20, 1906, installed March 30, 1907, and forwarded to the second degree April 17, 1908, all in the Brothers Valley congregation. He was or- dained to the eldership in the Johnstown congregation May 3, 1914. Up to this time he did considerable church work and preaching, mostly in the Berlin congregation, at Garrett and Beachdale. While acting as pastor at the latter place a fine brick church was built and dedicated.
For several years the subject of this sketch had a firm con- viction to engage in pastoral work fully, and devote his time wholly to that. To leave a good position, and dispose of their new home, seemed at first a little trying. Not so now. But in the autumn of 1913 he resigned banking activities and accepted the pastorate of the Plum Creek and Glade Run churches, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. He occupies at present the convenient and beautiful parsonage at Plum Creek, near Elderton, Pennsylvania. Elder Walker is a member of the Home Mission Board.
Written by Elder W. G. Schrock.
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B. F. Waltz and Wife.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WALTZ.
Benjamin Franklin Waltz was born May 13, 1889, on a farm near Manheim, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He was the tenth child in the family of eleven. The German parents were devout Christians and always had family worship. His mother was a Catholic before uniting with the Church of the Brethren. All the zeal of her former faith was used in her new one, and likewise transmitted to her children.
The father died when Benjamin was two years old. No longer being able to farm, Lancaster City finds the mother with her chil- dren. Here in a Catholic community the youngest children went to school. In order that her boy might be brought up properly in a good environment he was placed in the country, for his board, a number of summers.
When eleven years old he united with the Church of the Brethren during a series of meetings conducted by Elder Jesse Ziegler. He was baptized by Elder T. F. Imler in the ice-covered Little Conestoga in the middle of January.
When old enough he worked in a grocery store on Saturdays as well as through the week after school. In this way he worked his way through the four-year high school course. Living in a college town gave the boy a desire for greater attainments. Two years were spent in Elizabethtown College, and having taught one year in the country, he received the degree of bachelor of peda- gogy. This did not satisfy. Three more years were spent in Eliza- bethtown College and likewise a year in Franklin and Marshall College, when the degree of bachelor of arts was conferred by
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Elizabethtown and Franklin and Marshall Colleges. The follow- ing year the A. M. degree was conferred, he having completed his graduate work in ethics and sociology.
It was while he was taking his work at Franklin and Marshall College that he was called to the ministry, January 14, 1914, by the Lancaster City church. The same year he was elected as teacher of German and French in the DuBois High School, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania.
In April, 1915, he accepted the call of the Salisbury, Garrett and Beachdale churches, since which time he has been their pas- tor.
He was married June 3, 1915, to Mary E. Myers, of Shady Grove, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, whom he met while a stu- dent at Elizabethtown College. Her training, which she received in the college and schoolroom, is of great help to him in his work. Brother and Sister Waltz are at home in religious work. The pastorate, where they are now located, is manifesting a new spirit, and the Lord is adding unto the church such as should be saved.
JOHN WILLIAM WEGLEY.
John W. Wegley, son of Jesse and Susan Wegley, was born November 24, 1860, in Summit Township, Somerset County, Penn- sylvania. The father was born in Brothers Valley Township in June, 1822, and the mother, whose maiden name was Flickinger, was born in Summit Township in September, 1820. Four daugh- ters and two sons were born to that union, of whom John W. was the youngest. Both parents were members of the Church of the Brethren. In May, 1866, the mother died, and in the fall of 1867 the father brought home his second wife. Two sons and one daughter were born to this union. The father, who pursued farm- ing and teaming, died in September, 1890, in Wayne County, Ohio.
Part of Brother Wegley's boyhood was spent in Rockwood, where he was employed in the heading mill, sawmill, and cutting cord wood for the charcoal dealers and stove-wood for the vil- lagers. He also worked on the farm of John A. Miller, in Sum- mit Township, who at that time was a minister of the Church of the Brethren.
The educational opportunities in those days were rare when contrasted with those of the present time, especially so for the poor. In all Brother Wegley had about twenty-two months of winter schooling, scattered over eleven years, and thirty weeks of normal school. By close application and the burning of midnight oil he prepared himself to teach school. In the spring of 1879 he began teaching a ten-week primary school in Rockwood, and the
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same fall he began teaching winter school, which profession he followed sixteen years.
On March 25, 1883, he married Sarah Enos, daughter of Si- mon and Eliza Enos, of Black Township, Elder C. G. Lint of- ficiating. Sister Wegley's parents were members of the Church of the Brethren, and she had united with the church in 1877, at Mid- dle Creek, being baptized by Cornelius Berkley. In April, 1883, they moved on a small farm four miles west of Somerset, where they have lived ever since, and where through hard work and economy they have prospered, the farm having increased from twenty-three acres to 104. Their home was blessed with four sons and one daughter. One son died in infancy.
Brother Wegley united with the church at Summit Mills, Sep- tember 15, 1877, being baptized by a Brother Beeghley, of Mary- land. In the spring of 1897 he was elected to the ministry in the Middle Creek congregation, where he has ever since labored. He was one of the first superintendents of the Pleasant Hill Sunday- school, in which capacity he labored a number of years, as well as teacher. In addition to farming and teaching Brother Wegley has served as chaplain of the Somerset County Home, township assessor and school director.
LEVI WELLS.
The Wells family is one of the old families in Indiana County. Christopher Wells, grandfather of our subject, was born in En- gland. He came to Pennsylvania, and ultimately settled at White Oak Flats, Indiana County, where he cleared out for himself and family a farm. His family consisted of seven sons and three daughters.
Edward Wells, one of the sons, married Mary, or Polly, Rairigh, sister to Elder George Rairigh. He settled in the Cow- anshannock neighborhood, and became one of the pioneer mem- bers of that congregation, and a deacon in the same. Their chil- dren were: Levi, William, Jacob, Moses, Mary, Nancy, Betsey, and Katie. He is buried in the Cowanshannock cemetery.
His son, Levi, was born in Cowanshannock Township, Arm- strong County (one authority says he was born in Mahoning Township, Indiana County), January 18, 1812. He was married to Miss Catharine, daughter of Conrad Lukehardt, of South Mahon- ing Township, September 14, 1832. By occupation he was a farm- er and shoemaker. Their children were: Elizabeth (Kimmel), Margaret (Ritchey), Caroline (Condron), John, Isaiah, Edward, Messenger, Albert, David and Milton.
The date of Brother Wells' call to the ministry is not remem- bered, but it was in the Cowanshannock congregation where all his
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Levi Wells.
labors were given. His death occurred November 12, 1885, aged 73 years, 9 months and 24 days. His funeral was conducted by Elder R. T. Pollard, and interment was made in the Cowanshan- nock cemetery.
MICHAEL WEYAND.
Michael Weyand, son of Michael, Sr., and Mary Anne (Ream) Weyand, was born in Somerset Township, Somerset County, Penn- sylvania, in 1829. His parents being members of the Reformed Church, it is supposed that Michael was baptized in infancy in the same denomination. But after growing to manhood he identi- fied himself with the Evangelical Association, then known as the Albrights.
His education was such as the country schools of his day furnished. In his younger days he was a carpenter, but later he secured a farm, which he operated the balance of his life.
He was united in marriage to Sarah Walker, daughter of Elder Daniel P. Walker, by Elder George Schrock, in 1857. The follow- ing year he united with the Church of the Brethren, and in 1859 was called to the ministry. In 1886 he was ordained to the elder- ship of the Brothers Valley congregation. For about ten years
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he had charge of this large and flourishing congregation.
Brother Weyand's health was not the best at any time in his life. Being of an unassuming nature he lived a quiet life. He did not travel extensively, but was faithful in filling the appoint- ments in his home congregation. He was a supporter of Sunday- schools, as well as of mission work as carried on in his day. He frequently attended the Annual Conferences.
One daughter (now Mrs. John L. Johnson) blessed the home. His death occurred May 25, 1900, at the age of 71 years. He was buried in the Pike cemetery at Brotherton. Elder Silas Hoover preached his funeral discourse.
ADAM WISE.
Adam Wise was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, February 10, 1809, being the oldest of a family of eighteen chil- dren. His father was twice married. His grandparents came from Schwarzenau, Germany. His parents were followers of the Word, training their children in the duties of the Christian religion. Three of their sons, Adam, David and John, became ministers of the Gospel. On his mother's side his grandparents also were mem- bers of the Church of the Brethren.
On December 19, 1830, he was united in marriage to Synth Hupp. To them were born nine children-four sons and five daughters. Five of their children died in childhood of that dread disease, scarlet fever, four of them dying in one week. Henry, Frederick, Esther and Rachel grew to manhood and womanhood, and all were members of the Brethren Church. Henry is a min- ister and Frederick was a deacon. He died August 30, 1912, aged 70 years. On March 30, 1841, in the Ten Mile congregation, he and his wife united with the church. April 13, 1848, his wife died, and September 6, 1849, he was married to Elizabeth Bennington. To this union one daughter, Hannah, was born. She is living and is a member of the church. His second wife died in 1883. In 1887 he married Sarah Chambers, widow of Solomon Chambers.
His busy life as a church worker dates from 1850, when with his family he emigrated to Greene County, Pennsylvania, and lo- cated in the Ryerson Station congregation, where the following year he was called to the ministry, in which office he faithfully labored more than forty-five years, till death.
Before he had fully recovered from an attack of French measles, in his early manhood, he was caught in a rainstorm, causing a relapse which left him with a severe cough that clung to him through life. This, however, did not lessen his zeal and efforts in the Master's work. His ministerial work required him to make many regular trips over the broken country of Western
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Elder Adam Wise.
Pennsylvania and the hills of West Virginia. He was in reality a home missionary. His heart was in the work and no weather seemed too cold and stormy to keep him from his appointments. Knob Fork, Wetzel County, and Chambers' schoolhouse, on Bow- man Ridge, Marshall County, West Virginia, were. each twelve miles distant from his home, yet he visited them once a month, preaching from two to three sermons each visit. When we con- sider that these trips were made "among the West Virginia Hills," on horseback, we can, perhaps, realize the exposure endured and the endurance required to keep up these appointments during the winter season, as the following incident shows:
" One stormy day he was making his journey to his Bowman Ridge appointment. When about three miles from his appoint- ment, Harmon Greathouse asked him to come into his house and get warm. He replied that he was not cold, but felt warm. Mr. Greathouse insisted so strongly that he yielded. Alighting from his horse he found that he could not walk without assistance. He afterward said that had he continued his journey without warm- ing he would have perished. It was the overcoming effect of the cold that made him think he was warm. After thoroughly warm- ing himself at an old-time wood-fire he resumed his journey and
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filled his appointment. The audience was a small one, as the people felt it was too stormy to be out. Few ministers in our day have endured more hardships and exposure, in all kinds of weather in filling appointments, and all without money and without price."
" His biography would be incomplete without mentioning his faithful horse, Old Pete. He was his traveling companion more than twenty-five years, carrying him over the hills and up and down the valleys to the mission points the old brother had estab- lished. I well remember how, in my boyhood days, we were so glad to see him come to preach at my father's house, but later in the Chambers schoolhouse on Bowman Ridge. He always had a smile and kind word for us all, and generally some candy for us children. On one of his trips to Knob Fork, when well advanced in years, the roads being icy, his horse fell with him, dislocating his shoulder. Though he had it replaced he never had full use of it thereafter, and it caused him more or less suffering the re- mainder of his life. He survived his faithful old horse a number of years" (Andrew Chambers).
He never attended a college or seminary, yet he was a scholar of no mean ability, having a fair knowledge of both the English and German languages. He taught a number of terms of subscription as well as public school.
No record was kept of his baptisms, funerals and weddings, but they were many. In his early church work, about 1856, he organized the first Sunday-school in his congregation, at Hart's Run schoolhouse, about twenty years before the church was built. He was always an earnest worker for the Master, giving all due attention to the sick and dying, and comforting and encouraging the living. He knew how to sympathize with the bereaved as his life had not been free from sorrow. He often said that he suf- fered many bereavements and sorrows, but that the division of the church caused him more heartaches and sadness than all his previous troubles combined-such was his love for Christ and the church.
On November 12, 1886, he was ordained to the eldership, Elder J. S. Holsinger, of Bedford County, officiating. He was the first resident elder of his congregation. This charge he held till death.
His life as a whole was an active one, as his charge consisted in the care of the mission points he had established. These re- ceived his earnest help and efforts as long as he was able to travel, and when his extreme age and frailty barred him from visiting his people, their care and needs ever bore heavily on his heart.
The evening of January 19, 1897, he spent talking with his brother Benjamin and his son Frederick and family, until 9 o'clock. When he retired his son tucked the covers over him, asking him
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how he felt. He said, "All right for the night." He never spoke again on earth. His son expressed it thus: "He just went to sleep. In a few moments he was home with God, whom he served so well."
His funeral was preached by Elder Frederick Weimer, and interment was made in Quiet Dell cemetery, near the Quiet Dell Brethren church. To him it could appropriately have been said: " Thou shalt come to thy grave in full age, like as a shock of corn in his season," as he lacked only a few days of being 88 years of age.
JOHN WISE.
John Wise was the youngest of a family of eighteen children, and was born May 18, 1822, in Washington County, Pennsylvania. John was the youngest brother of Adam Wise, whose biography . precedes this one. John made use of the opportunities afforded him for an education, and at the age of seventeen was teaching school. The fact that he taught thirty-two terms of school is proof that he was a successful teacher. He had a remarkable memory and it served him to the last.
He was united in marriage to Nancy Grable on February 27, 1847. For fifty-three years they traveled life's journey together. Six sons and four daughters were born to this union. Thirty years after their marriage (1877) they moved to Iowa, and later to Con- way Springs, Kansas, where Brother Wise spent the most of his days. Aside from school-teaching he engaged in farming, but devoted so much of his time to church work that he did not suc- ceed in farming and died a poor man.
When Brother John was twenty years of age Brother James Quinter had charge of the membership in the Ten Mile congrega- tion, Washington County, and a great revival was on. At this time John was baptized, being the first single member in the con- gregation. There were over fifty accessions to the church, among them being his sister. Few were richer in good works than Broth- er Wise. All through life he was aggressive, and the day he was baptized he began that forward march in the work of the king- dom; for he was no sooner out of the water than he sought others to follow Christ as he had done. He was called to the ministry October 18, 1843, at the age of twenty-one. The ability with which he handled the sword of the Spirit soon placed him in the front rank as an effective minister. To the very day eleven years after his election he was ordained to the eldership. In this capacity he served the church faithfully for fifty-five years. His labors were not confined to his home congregations, but were Brotherhood- wide.
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2
Elder John Wise.
At the first District Meeting held in Western Pennsylvania, November 5, 1866, Elder Wise was moderator. From that time for twelve years he was one of the leading men in the District work, nearly always holding some office at the District Meetings. As an attendant at our Annual Conferences he had few, if any, equals, having attended forty. His first one was in York County, Penn- sylvania, in 1844, when he rode horseback 220 miles across the Alleghanies to be present. The last one was at Des Moines, Iowa, in 1908, just sixty-four years later. He represented his District on the Standing Committee twenty-seven times. Once he was Moder- ator (1885) and fifteen times he served as Reading Clerk. His splendid voice, which could be heard all over the audience, fitted him especially for the latter position. "In addition to this he was sent on much committee work, which was, a number of times, very important. He was on the committee to Tennessee, appointed in 1866, that considered the disowning of Bishop John A. Bow- man and receiving all the members he had baptized, into the church without rebaptism. He, with Brother Ruple, in 1881, was sent to confer with the River Brethren in Canada about uniting these two
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bodies. He was on the committee to Berlin, Pennsylvania, when the H. R. Holsinger difficulty was being dealt with."
"In many ways he was a leader of the leaders in the church. It was he who presented to Conference in 1858 the first request to have a General Mission Board, so as to have more united mis- sionary effort. The paper was returned, but Brother Wise was not silent. He interested three congregations in his own District, and with Brother P. J. Brown, he was sent out on an evangelistic tour. He originated the paper that granted Districts the right to hold ministerial meetings. He was a whole-souled Sunday-schcol man and pleaded for them when others were fearful. In 1886, when dedicating the churchhouse at Conway Springs, he said, 'I do not want any of the members to SEND their children to Sunday- school. I want you to BRING them.'"
"In the pulpit he was especially gifted. He had a full, reso- nant voice, fine language and a good command of suitable words to express his thoughts with force. As a debater he was clear- cut and a strong man to oppose. He was not so much of a re- vivalist as an expounder of the truth. His familiarity with the Book, and his close analysis, made him a splendid preacher of doctrine."
A few years before he died he became blind. He spent his winters in the Old Folks' Home at Darlow, Kansas, and his sum- mer months with his son at Conway Springs, Kansas. He died June 26, 1909, aged 87 years, 1 month and 8 days. He is buried at Conway Springs, Kansas.
GEORGE WOLFE.
About this soldier of the cross we know but little. According to the age of his son, George, who was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, April 25, 1780, we would judge that the Elder Wolfe was born near the middle of the eighteenth century in Lancaster County. This Elder Wolfe, Sr., is said to have been the first or- dained elder who settled west of the mountains. History tells us that Elder George Wolfe, Sr., moved from Lancaster County to Fayette County in 1787, and that the family located on a farm ten miles from Uniontown. According to tradition their home was in the southwestern part of the county, and not far from the Monon- gahela River. As evidence that there was a Brethren settlement in this section, and especially across the river, in Greene County, we find Dunkard Creek in the southeastern part of Greene County, and flowing into the Monongahela River. It is altogether like- ly that this stream took its name from a settlement of Brethren (Dunkards) in that vicinity. We are also told that this body of members was scattered by the Indians.
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