USA > Pennsylvania > Two centuries of the Church of the Brethren in western Pennsylvania, 1751-1950 > Part 40
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 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57
(3) CORNELIUS BERKLEY (December 29, 1824-January 30, 1888), a son of Bishop John Berkley, began his life near Meyersdale. For more of his life and work, read the history of the Somerset church. He was laid to rest near the Middle Creek church, where most of his life was lived.
(3) PETER BERKLEY (January 27, 1833-October 17, 1865) was a brother to Cornelius. He was a talented and devoted young minister in the Elk Lick church when he was called home, leaving a wife, Sallie (Meyers) Berkley, and three young sons.
(3) JOSIAH BERKLEY (1835-July 2, 1917), the youngest of the sons of Bishop John Berkley, chose Westmoreland County as his home. He was called to the ministry in the Indian Creek congregation in 1861. Later, however, he moved within the Middle Creek congregation, where he was ordained as an elder in 1877. He became the elder-in-charge upon the death of Elder Adam F. Snyder. In 1858 he was married to Anna Miller, a daughter of Jacob L. Miller. She died December 26, 1902.
(4) NORMAN WILLIAM BERKLEY (August 19, 1860-May 1920) was a great-grandson of the first John Berkley, his grandfather having been Jacob Berkley, and his parents Israel and Annie (Lint) Berkley. There were thirteen children in Israel's family, three of whom were ministers. After acquiring a good education he taught in the public schools and was also the principal of the Roxbury school in Johnstown for a while. Later he was employed by the Lorain Steel Company. Laura Belle Davis became his wife in March 1883. Brother Berkley was installed into the ministry on January 26, 1899, and on May 4, 1915, he was ordained as an elder. He served as elder-in-charge of the West Johnstown congregation. His wife lived until 1939.
(4) ALBERT U. BERKLEY (February 11, 1862-October 5, 1919), a brother of the above, went with his parents to live near Johnstown when only four. He was wed to Lovina Hershberger on April 11, 1886. One daughter, Mrs. Mabel Lambert, is a loyal member of the Roxbury church. Her sister, Ivy, who was the wife of Brother John P. Coleman of the same church, passed away May 9, 1950. A son, John M., also lives in Johnstown. Brother Albert Berkley was baptized at the age of sixteen. His ministry began on June 18, 1894, and he was ordained to the eldership on May 4, 1915. He was the first superintendent of the Roxbury Sunday school. Many church buildings echoed with his fiery sermons during protracted meetings. Sister Berkley passed away January 1, 1917.
469
Part Three: Biographies
(4) SAMUEL J. BERKLEY (March 7, 1877 -? ) was the youngest preach- er in the Israel Berkley home. After finishing his public school work, he attended Juniata College one year. He served as principal of the Eighth Ward School in Johnstown for a while, after which he became employed by the Cambria Steel Company. He chose as his wife Lizzie M. Lichty. They established their home on June 30, 1901, in Johnstown. Later they moved to the Summit Mills church, where he was elected to the ministry on September 22, 1912.
LAWRENCE BIANCHI (December 8, 1885-August 7, 1948) was born in northern Italy of Roman Catholic parentage. As a youth, Lawrence sought personal contact with his Lord while he learned and plied
Back row: Lawrence Bianchi, Anne Di Muzio, Sister Bianchi Front row: Olga D'Amico, Mary Scaglioni, Esther Di Muzio
his trade of stonemason in his own and several other countries. He finally came to America as a young man, to seek greater freedom and fortune. Here he met and married Minnie Fisher, who became, in every sense of the word, a helpmeet, to stand by in prosperity and adversity, and played no small part in making it possible for her hus- band to carry on his work. America offered opportunities in various ways, of many of which Brother Lawrence was not proud. On the street of St. Joseph, Missouri, he finally experienced what he so much desired as a young man in Italy; a new life began to unfold for our brother, and he began telling the story of "Jesus' love that sought him." He worked with the Salvation Army for some years; then he broke with the Army, feeling that in so doing he would be more free to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. Brother Bianchi and his accordion be-
470
Part Three: Biographies
came known over a large section of Pennsylvania and Maryland. At last through devoted friends he was led of the Spirit into the fellow- ship of the Church of the Brethren through baptism at Windber. Very soon after this he was commissioned by the Windber church to continue his ambassadorship to his Italian brethren and wheresoever his Lord should direct. Going to the mission at Cumberland, Maryland, for three days and staying thirty days, with fifty-seven converts, he became a much-loved evangelist in the Church of the Brethren. Many hours spent in prayer seemed to be the secret of his power.
GALEN M. BITTNER (February 13, 1905-) is the son of William E. and Cora Bittner of Milford Township, Somerset County. He was graduated from Juniata College and received a Master of Arts degree from Pennsylvania State College in 1940. The Middle Creek congrega- tion elected him to the ministry while he was attending college. He was united in marriage with Valma Barnhart on December 18, 1931. After teaching school a few years, he entered the insurance business in Greensburg. He is a member of the church there and serves in various ways, preaching when he is needed.
Blough Family
(1) CHRISTIAN and HANS (JOHN) BLOUGH (BLAUCH or BLEICH) were two brothers who, with their families, emigrated to America from Switzerland in 1750 on the ship Brotherhood. They settled in Lebanon County. In 1767, (2) Christian and (2) Jacob Blough, sons of the first Christian Blough, crossed the Allegheny Mountains and settled among the Indians and wild animals in what is now Somerset County. Jacob, the younger, chose a homestead in Conemaugh County, near Quema- honing. More about his family will appear elsewhere. Christian hewed out a home in the wilderness about one and one-half mile from where Berlin now stands. For the following one hundred thirty years mem- bers of his family farmed it, selling it finally to S. F. Rieman. When Christian came here with his wife, Magdalene (Bender) Blough, only a few others had preceded them, such as the Philip Wagerlines (Weghleys) and the Abraham A. Kimmels. Later, Christian purchased an adjoining improvement from a man named Matthias, increasing his tract to three hundred thirty acres. Christian died in 1777 at the age of thirty-four, leaving his young wife with the following children: Jacob, Christian, John, Peter, Henry, Magdalene, and David. The 1796 census carried only the names of Jacob and John.
(3) JACOB BLOUGH, the oldest son of Christian Blough, became the owner of the farm. He married Magdalena Gnagey. They were the parents of a large family. Elder Jacob Blough was one of their sons; he died in 1832. From this first Christian Blough have descended many outstanding church leaders in various denominations. Many were of the Mennonite faith. The Church of the Brethren has been greatly blessed through him. Some not mentioned hereinafter are: Uriah Blough, Illinois; A. P. Blough, Iowa, served on the General Mission Board for many years; Warren Blough, ordained elder here, going to Nebraska later; Anna Blough, missionary to China; Homer Blough,
471
Part Three: Biographies
former pastor of the Roxbury church; Nettie Blough, who married Dr. J. E. Miller, assisting him in his work as minister, educator, and author. The list is long and impressive.
(4) JACOB BLOUGH (November 30, 1805-June 27, 1886) was the third and last Blough to till the soil of the first homestead. He married Barbara Saylor on June 18, 1826. Jacob's heritage of faith was United Brethren; his wife's was Mennonite. After studying the Scriptures together, they chose to unite with the German Baptist Church. He was first a deacon; about 1851 he was elected to the ministry and was ordained as an elder in 1868. He was not eloquent in speech, but possessed a fine Christian spirit. He also loved music and was talented in singing, which gift was bestowed upon many in succeeding genera- tions. In addition to being a preacher and a farmer, he was a fine mechanic, manufacturing threshing machines with the help of his older sons. Jacob fathered eleven sons and daughters. Valentine and Emanuel were elders; John a deacon. Eleven grandsons were ministers.
(5) VALENTINE BLOUGH (February 14, 1828-July 13, 1898), the oldest son of Elder Jacob Blough, possessed a keen mind. He qualified himself to teach, which he did for nine years. He was a promoter of the first church papers in this section. Through some of those first papers which he saved, including the Gospel Visitor, which are still in the posses- sion of his descendants, much material was secured for this history. He married Catharine Cober on November 30, 1851. They lived on a farm in Somerset Township near the Geiger church. A daughter, Tillie, married Elder W. M. Wine, of Delaware. A grandson, Rufus Casebeer, was elected to the ministry. Valentine was called to the ministry in 1867, and later was ordained as an elder. He was used in these offices over a wide area in local churches, holding numerous offices in the district also. His preaching was in either German or English.
(5) EMANUEL J. BLOUGH (November 6, 1830-August 29, 1910), like his brother Valentine, took every opportunity to increase his store of knowledge. He taught school two years. On October 16, 1853, he was married to Caroline Landis, who died in 1856. She left a small daughter, Amy, who later became the wife of A. C. Beam. On October 2, 1859, Sarah Barndt became Emanuel's wife. She gave him four notable sons, all elders in the church: Jerome E., Silas S., Elijah E., Jacob M., and also a daughter, Jemima, wife of Elder J. F. Dietz (see biography). Except for a few years of prospecting through the West, Emanuel's family lived in Conemaugh Township until 1872, when he moved to a farm in Jenner Township near Stanton Mills. He united with the church before his marriage. The Quemahoning church called him to the ministry in 1865. On January 1, 1882, he was ordained as an elder. Elder Blough was a man of deep consecration and devotion, putting the work of the church first in every instance. Traveling long distances to assist individuals and to hold meetings, he was widely known over the Brotherhood. He helped to organize the first Sunday school in the congregation at the old Pine Grove house. He was a good student and read much, being a constant reader of the Gospel Visitor and at times contributing to its pages. His greatest contribution to the church, how-
472
Part Three: Biographies
Jerome E., Silas S., Elijah E., and Jacob M. Blough
ever, was made through his fine family, to whom he gave every edu- cational advantage possible at the time, and who used these advantages well in the service of the Kingdom.
(6) JEROME E. BLOUGH (August 22, 1861-August 21, 1937) was the oldest son of Elder Emanuel J. Blough. This district as well as the Brotherhood will forever be indebted to his genius as a historian. He, with the aid of Joseph Holsopple, M. J. Weaver, J. F. Dietz, and Samuel C. Johnson, compiled the first district history, History of the Church of the Brethren of Western Pennsylvania. Brother Blough did the writing and the editing almost exclusively. After preparation in normal schools here and in Virginia, Brother Blough began teaching in 1880, continuing for twenty successive terms. In addition, at other times he was engaged in the varied professions of carpentering, con- tracting, undertaking, farming, bookselling, and clerking. He gave his heart to God on March 26, 1877. The Shade Creek congregation called him to the ministry July 10, 1887. He was advanced by the Midland congregation, Virginia, on May 13, 1893, while residing there. The West Johnstown congregation ordained him as an elder on May 4, 1915. Brother Blough was interested in Sunday school, being an officer in the one at Pine Grove from the beginning, and subsequently in others he attended, such as Scalp Level and Roxbury. He, like his ancestors, loved music and taught singing, also was a song leader for thirty-five years. He was active in many phases of district work and was a
473
Part Three: Biographies
Jerome E. Blough and Wife
contributor to church periodicals. Brother Blough was married to Mollie Dietz, a sister of Elder J. F. Dietz, on December 22, 1881. She passed away November 15, 1942. Their declining years were spent near the Roxbury church. Three daughters live to honor their memories: Bertha A. Keim, Clara M. Paden, and Cora L. Keim.
(6) SILAS S. BLOUGH (April 27, 1868-), a brother to Jerome E., is among those great leaders whose mental and spiritual power through
Silas S. Blough and Wife
the years never knows decline. He was graduated from Juniata College in 1893 and in 1896 with the Bachelor of English and the Master of English degree respectively. He served as the head of the Bible de-
474
Part Three: Biographies
partment at Manchester College from 1911 to 1918, receiving from that institution a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1915. He received a Bachelor of Divinity degree from Bethany Biblical Seminary in 1917 and has since studied at Dr. White's Bible School, New York, and the Divinity School of the University of Chicago. Brother Blough united with the Quemahoning congregation June 12, 1886. Elected to the ministry in the Johnstown congregation June 28, 1894, he was advanced March 28, 1895, and ordained as an elder May 27, 1902. He has been active in many phases of Sunday-school work, having served three years as our first district Sunday-school secretary. He has served on numerous other district boards here and elsewhere. On the Brotherhood level, he was a member of the General Sunday School Board five years, and of the General Ministerial Board four years, having brought the original report from a committee for its inception. His pastoral work began in 1900 with the mission church in Pittsburgh, which he founded and nourished for seven years. This work he continued for more than forty years with churches in Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Illinois, clos- ing it with the Pleasant Valley church, Ohio, when he retired at the age of eighty. He was the author of many leaflets and booklets, con- tributing much to church periodicals. The book, Studies in Doctrine and Devotion, still in use, was co-authored by him. Brother Blough was married to Mary A. Wertz on June 17, 1894. She has been an inspira- tion and helper through the years. Their two oldest sons, Carmon and Roy, are among those listed in Who's Who in America each year. J. Glen, another son, a minister and chemist, is an active worker in the Cin- cinnati church.
(6) ELIJAH E. BLOUGH (April 21, 1871 -? ), the third son in Eman- uel Blough's home, was educated in Juniata College and Bridgewater College. He was baptized in the Quemahoning congregation in 1886. On December 22 of that year he married Mary Alice Conner, a daughter of Elder Abraham Conner. Since 1893 they have lived at Manassas, Virginia. He was elected to the ministry on October 28, 1905, and ordained to the eldership on November 5, 1911. He was active in local and district work, was a teacher and trustee of the old Hebron Semi- nary, and did a considerable amount of evangelistic work. In addition to the above, he was a successful dairy farmer.
(6) JACOB M. BLOUGH, youngest of six children of Elder Emanuel J. and Sarah (Barndt) Blough, was born near Stanton's Mills, Jenner Township, Somerset County, on December 12, 1876. His grandfather, of Swiss-German ancestry, was Elder Jacob Blough of the Brothers- valley congregation. He was reared on a farm and attended the Walter school, graduating from common school in 1892. After a short normal course he began teaching in 1894, teaching three years in Jenner Town- ship and one year in Hooversville. After this he attended Juniata Col- lege, graduating from the Bachelor of English course in 1899 and from the Bachelor of Arts course in 1903. During his four years of regular college work he was an assistant teacher in Latin, English, and mathe- matics, and was also in charge of a hall in the dormitories.
During a series of meetings held by Elder George S. Rairigh in the Pine Grove house of the Quemahoning congregation he was converted
475
Part Three: Biographies
and baptized in the Quemahoning Creek on February 8, 1892, by Elder S. P. Zimmerman. The following summer he taught a Sunday-school class in the Maple Spring church. In 1894 he led his first Bible class. On September 4, 1897, he was elected to the ministry, with P. J. Blough, in the Pine Grove house; exactly one year later he was advanced to the second degree. Along with I. S. Long he was ordained to the eldership at Bulsar, India, in January 1907 by Elders S. N. McCann and W. B. Stover.
While in college he took an active part in all religious activities. In 1889 he helped in the Jacob M. Blough organization of the Student Volunteer Band. For several years he was the teacher of the mission-study class. In 1902 he was sent to the Student Volunteer Con- vention at Toronto, Canada. While he was president of the Young Peo- ple's Missionary and Temperance Society at the college its members decided to send a missionary of their own number, and in the election held in February 1903 he was chosen to be their representative. Having a college debt, he did not see his way clear to accept; however, the members of the society assumed the debt and so made it possible for him to accept and go as their missionary the same year. At the Annual Con- ference held at Bellefontaine, Ohio, he was appointed to India. On June 26, 1903, he was married to Anna Z. Detweiler, and together they sailed for India on October 13 of that year.
On the mission field the first task was to learn the Gujarati lan- guage. Being apt in language study, he soon began to speak it. After four months he began to teach a Sunday-school class of boys, and after six months he began to preach. After eleven months he was put in charge of the boys' orphanage at Bulsar, which work he con- tinued for six years. During his long service on the mission field he was engaged in many different kinds of work. He was the first editor of the Gujarati Sunday School Quarterly, for several years he was editor of our monthly church paper, for some years he was the literature missionary for the whole Gujarati language area for all churches, as such becoming the first editor of the united monthly magazine, Khristi Bandhu, and also edited new tracts and books for the Book and Tract Society. In 1913 he was chosen to open our Bible School at Bulsar and at three different times was the principal of it. For twenty-five years he had charge either of a boys' orphanage or a boarding school, and at the same time carried on the evangelistic work of a station.
Beside the regular work, there were many extra duties which came to him both inside and outside of the mission. For many years he was the chairman of the mission conference; sixteen times he served as moderator of the District Meeting; one year he was president of the Bombay Representative Christian Council; twice he was the chairman of the Union Hymnal Committee and was chairman of the Gujarati Bible Revision Committee; and besides these there were always mission committees on which he was asked to serve,
476
Part Three: Biographies
and always a church or churches of which he was the presiding elder. To all these responsibilities he gave careful attention.
He had four furloughs to America, during which he traveled extensively doing deputation work among the churches. During his second furlough he took seminary work at Juniata College leading to the Bachelor of Divinity degree in 1920. On his third furlough he spent the school year in the Kennedy School of Missions at Hartford, Connecticut, taking the Master of Arts degree in 1929. He took one month of his first furlough on his way back to India to visit Palestine and Egypt. This he found most helpful in his work, especially in the Bible School.
Seven times he represented his district on the Standing Commit- tee, and at the Conference held at St. Joseph, Missouri, in 1911 he served also as writing clerk. Three times he gave the missionary ad- dress at the Annual Conference.
For forty-six years the people on College Hill, both in Juniata College and the Huntingdon church, supported him on the field. He retired from the field in April 1949, since which time he has been engaged in deputation work among the churches, mostly in Pennsyl- vania. A longer biography of Brother Blough appears in the recently published book, Brethren Builders in Our Century.
On June 15, 1952, he was married to Miss Amy Manges of Windber. They will reside in Windber.
ANNA D. BLOUGH, the third of seven children of Christian F. and Salome (Zook) Detweiler, was born at Knoxville, Tennessee, on December 1, 1872. Her parents were of Amish-Mennonite stock who had lived in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, until about 1872, when they moved with a colony to Tennessee. Here they joined the Church of the Brethren, in which denomination her father later became a minister. In 1880 the family moved to Ohio, and, later, to Indiana, where her mother died at Summitville. The father with the seven children returned to Pennsylvania, and the chil- dren were put out among the relatives near Belle- ville in Mifflin County. Later, the father married again and made a home for the children at Johns- town. Here Anna was baptized in 1886 by Elder Jacob Holsopple before she was fourteen years old.
Anna D. Blough
Having lost her mother when she was ten and her father when she was sixteen, Anna was thrown upon her own re- sources early in life, and her opportunities for an education were meager. Through the kindness of Elder and Mrs. J. B. Brumbaugh it became possi- ble for her to go to Huntingdon and attend Juniata College. By working for her board in the Brumbaugh home or in the college she was able to pursue her education for several years. Three summers she worked as a waitress in a hotel at the seashore; one year she worked in Philadelphia; two years, in a paper factory in Huntingdon; and three years, in Juniata College either as a kitchen or dining-room matron.
477
Part Three: Biographies
During 1892 and 1893 she was matron of the Orphans' Home in Hunt- ingdon. These various vocations gave her a wide experience and prepared her for her lifework, but it was a long, hard road to secure an education. Often the burden seemed heavy.
She always took an active part in the religious activities of the church and the college. She attended the special Bible terms a num- ber of years. She was the organizer of the Girls' Whatsoever Band in the church and was an active member of the Girls' Christian Band in the college. In 1900 she became a volunteer and joined the Student Volunteer group in the college, attending the mission-study classes for the students and passing the teachers' training studies in the Sun- day school. She used every opportunity to advance in both secular and Biblical studies in order to do Christian work. In 1902 she was sent by the Girls' Christian Band in the college to the Student Volun- teer Convention at Toronto, Canada.
In 1903, when at the Annual Conference held at Bellefontaine, Ohio, she was appointed missionary to India, her support was taken up by the Shade Creek congregation of Western Pennsylvania. On June 26, 1903, she was married to Jacob M. Blough, and together they sailed for India on October 13, the same year.
On the mission field she was first of all a homemaker. Her home was always open to all; everyone was welcome. It was her privilege to cater to many young missionaries who lived in her home while they were studying the language, and also to some others at various other times.
For forty-six years she served India's people and gave the last ounce of her strength for the welfare of others. Through all these years the Shade Creek church and the three churches-Scalp Level, Windber, and Rummel-formed out of Shade Creek had supported her. During this time she had four furloughs to America. She was scarcely ever sick, but in 1948 she began to fail because of high blood pressure. In 1949 on the ship on the way home she had a light stroke, but it did not paralyze her and she was able to visit her friends and various churches in America. On March 22, 1950, she had a hard stroke which left her helpless. She fell asleep in Jesus at Martinsburg, on December 2, 1950, at the age of seventy-eight, and was buried in the Maple Springs cemetery.
(4) TOBIAS BLOUGH (October 8, 1811-November 21, 1884) was a great-grandson of the first Christian Blough, a first cousin of Elder Jacob Blough, and a son of John and Christena (Miller) Blough. Born and reared on the farm in Quemahoning Township where he lived his entire life, he adopted the Amish faith. After his marriage to Miss Maria Blough they united with the German Baptists. He was the first minister elected in the Quemahoning congregation, being called in 1851. Six years later he was ordained as an elder and for the next twenty-five years was the only elder in the congregation. He was a staunch Christian, firm in his convictions, and an untiring worker in the church. A "horseback" preacher, he was constantly
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.