USA > Pennsylvania > Two centuries of the Church of the Brethren in western Pennsylvania, 1751-1950 > Part 49
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DANIEL F. LEPLEY (February 14, 1864-May 17, 1926) was a son of Adam C. and Nancy Lepley of Greenville Township, Somerset County. He was reared in a home of the German Reformed faith, and at the age of fifteen became a member of that church. Some years later he attended a love feast and communion service of the Church of the Brethren. He pondered in his heart the things which he had seen and heard and at the age of twenty-four he united with the church, to which he gave a life of service and sacrifice. On March 13, 1887, he was united in marriage with Emma Rachel Lichty of Meyersdale. To this union were born three children: Jacob, who died in infancy; Paul V .; and Anna Bertha. They, with their mother, who was a true,
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faithful companion to Brother Lep- ley, survive together with his four brothers and five sisters.
On October 2, 1920, Brother Lepley was elected and installed in- to the ministry. In this office he proved faithful, and on April 21, 1926, he was ordained to the elder- ship. These offices were given to him by the Georges Creek congregation, of which he was a member for many years. The work and services that Brother Lepley gave to the church can never be fully told. Only he and his God know what he did and only God knows what his life has meant to humanity. Using his own time as supervisor, and his own money, with the exception of $1,900, Brother Lepley built the Fairchance (mis- sion) church, which cost a little Daniel F. Lepley over $7,500, and after its erection contributed more than $1,000 per year until his death for the maintenance of the work. In his early married life he asked Sister Lepley if she could keep the home and feed and clothe the family on one third of his income in order that he might give the other two thirds to the work of the Kingdom of God. This they did for many years, and at the close of his life they were giving almost all of their income, keeping for themselves only enough to feed and clothe their bodies. Prayer was the secret of his great life.
(1) CHRISTIAN LICHTY emigrated from Germany and settled in Somerset County. A member of the German Baptist Church, he reared a large family and lived to a ripe old age. His sons were: Jacob, Daniel, John C., Samuel, David, Joseph, and Emanuel. There were also the following four daughters: Hannah, wife of Jacob Myers; Susan, wife of Jacob Fike; Magdalena, wife of Samuel Myers; and Elizabeth, wife of Michael Meyers, Jr. From this family many eminent church leaders were descended.
(2) DANIEL C. LICHTY (May 1806-August 14, 1869) was one of the main pillars in the early Elk Lick congregation. He was the son of Christian Lichty. Daniel Lichty was perhaps more widely known throughout the Brotherhood than any other one man from that branch of the church, living as he did so near the big meetinghouse in which the Annual Meeting was held in 1859. During love feasts his home was an asylum for all from the greatest to the least. He was not a minister, but he served as one who loved his fellow men. He was mar- ried to Rachael Miller in 1828; they were the parents of ten children, three of whom died while very young.
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(2) JACOB LICHTY (April 28, 1790-February 14, 1854), a son of Christian Lichty, married Barbara, daughter of Elder Michael Myers, Sr. His second wife was the widow of William Miller. He was a minister in the Elk Lick congregation about twenty-eight years, the last five of which he served as bishop.
(3) JONATHAN LICHTY ( ?- 1887), son of Jacob Lichty, was a min- ister in the Middle Creek congregation. He moved to the West about 1857.
(3) JONAS LICHTY (September 25, 1830-November 21, 1893) was the grandson of Christian Lichty and the son of John C. Lichty. He had a brother, Solomon, who moved west about 1853, after having been ordained as an elder in the Middle Creek congregation. Jonas was educated under the subscription school system. On December 1, 1851, he was married to Mary Miller. He reared five sons and four daughters on the farm on which he himself grew up. In May 1860 he was elected to the ministry at a council held in Joseph Fike's barn, and was or- dained as an elder about 1877 or earlier. He preached in German during the earlier part of his ministry. When the Elk Lick congregation was divided in 1877, Elder Lichty was the one put in charge of the Summit Mills congregation. He was called outside his home church for much work. After the death of his first wife, he went to Waterloo, Iowa, to live. There in 1890 he married Sallie Schrock. Brother Lichty was an exemplary Christian, loved for his kindness and sociability.
(4) WILLIAM H. LICHTY, son of Elder Jonas Lichty, was born and reared in Somerset County. He moved to Waterloo, Iowa, and there became a minister and elder.
CONRAD G. LINT (May 19, 1834-June 19, 1918) was a contemporary of H. R. Holsinger. From the latter's history the following account is taken:
"Conrad G. Lint was born . . . at Meyers' Mills, now Meyersdale, Somerset County. . .. His father was Gillian C. Lint, who was a blacksmith and a mechanic of some prominence in the community. Conrad learned the trade in his father's shop. So had P. J. Brown some years previous. Conrad also learned what was taught in the common schools of his day.
"When yet quite young [April 19, 1855], he was married to Miss Catherine Flickinger, daughter of Brother Samuel [and Elizabeth (Beeghly) ] Flickinger. ... Sister Lint proved to be a valuable help- mate to her husband. She had the esteem of the Christian people of the entire neighborhood.
"Soon after his marriage he joined the German Baptist Church [June 16, 1855], and on the same day on which he was baptized he was elected to the office of deacon, and one week later he was ad- vanced to the first degree of the ministry. He thereupon quit the smithing business, and devoted himself entirely to the ministry, read- ing many books, and applying himself diligently to the preparation for his duties.
"This close application to his studies soon exhibited marked im- provements, and in a few years Brother Lint became one of the ablest
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and most popular Tunker preachers in Somerset County. He was or- dained to the eldership in 1867, and from that time on took the name of Bishop Lint."
C. G. Lint was one of the most outstanding men in our fraternity during that period. He acquired a good education both in subscription schools and from the excellent library he possessed, for he had an ar- dent desire for learning and was discriminating in his literary tastes. His musical ability was developed and put to use in training others in evening classes until he decided to devote all his time to the ministry. His work was in what was then known as the Elk Lick district, where his mode of travel was horseback. In 1865, Bishop John Berkley died and Brother Lint was soon afterwards chosen to succeed him. From 1867 to October 5, 1912, he served actively and effectively in that capac- ity. His sermons were scholarly and deeply inspiring, and people trav- eled long distances to hear him. He also took an active interest in the affairs of the Brotherhood and was known by people far and wide. In committee work he was closely associated with the most outstanding men of his day.
ADA LITZINGER (February 16, 1898-June 19, 1942), born in Park Hill, was the oldest daughter of William and Lorena (Hilderbrand) Reighard. She united with the Conemaugh church at the age of thir- teen and became, through the ensuing years, a vital and consecrated worker in her church and communi- ty. After high school, she was graduated from Rowe Business College. She completed teacher-training courses, which she later taught, and received a dip- loma, with the six seals from the State Sabbath School Association. On February 12, 1919, she was married to Ralph B. Litzinger, who through her life and influence became a devout Christian worker, also. Their home was Christian in every respect, al- ways open to friend and stranger alike, and wielding Ada Litzinger a great measure of good in the community. In the church she taught a class and worked with the young reople, being a real guide to them. Through her interest in missions, the Conemaugh church is known widely for its generous giving to that cause. She served as the Cambria County Home Department superintendent for many years. When someone was lonely or in trouble, Sister Litzinger somehow always found the moments to help in some way. She was the mother of six appreciative children-Dale, Elaine Ochenrider, Wade, Zola Corica, Darlene, and Garth-who cherish dearly her memory.
(1) PETER LIVENGOOD (1731-1827) was a native of Switzerland who came to America about 1750. About 1775 he came to Elk Lick Town- ship, Somerset County. He was well educated, as were his forebears and also many of those after him. He was the father of fifteen children. A great-great-grandson, W. S. Livengood, is a prominent member of the Meyersdale church and community. Honorable William S. Liven- good, a great-great-great-grandson, is at present Secretary of Internal Affairs of Pennsylvania and a member of the Somerset church. It is
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probable that Peter Livengood united with the Church of the Brethren around 1783, having been at first of the Amish faith. Soon after be- coming a member of the church he was called to the ministry and later was ordained as an elder.
(3) DAVID LIVENGOOD (October 11, 1809-October 31, 1870) was a grandson of Peter Livengood and a son of John Livengood, who was also a minister, according to tradition. David was married to Nancy Meyers, a daughter of Elder Michael Meyers. They had six children. After her death on April 25, 1849, Brother Livengood took as his wife Sallie Meyers, who died in Nebraska in 1883. He was called to the ministry about 1853. He never did much oral preaching; his greatest ministry was in his living. He was one of the first to ban whiskey in his harvest fields because he knew it to be detrimental to the highest interests of the community.
WILLIAM S. LIVENGOOD (1860-) is a native of Elk Lick Township, Somerset County. Elected secretary of the Sunday school at Salisbury at the age of nineteen, he went to the first District Sunday School Con- vention, held near Berlin in 1879, and there met Miss Louise Eisfeller of Meyersdale (age sixteen). Fifty years later, at the Jubilee Sunday School Convention in Meyersdale, he declared that the first convention was a great success because it had led to the courtship and marriage of Miss Eisfeller and himself. Together they went to California, where he was engaged in newspaper work for a number of years, returning to Sal- isbury in 1910 to visit his brother, P. L. Livengood. At the suggestion of his brother, he purchased the Mey- ersdale Republican, a weekly news- paper, and successfully published it for a period of thirty-six years. To- day Brother Livengood, a member of the Church of the Brethren, at the advanced age of ninety-two is William S. Livengood still actively interested in the city of Meyersdale and its civic and religious activities.
DANIEL W. LONG, formerly of Garrett, now of Meyersdale, was elected to the ministry in 1908. While giving their son, John D., an opportunity to serve in a larger field, Brother Long has been content to witness in the local church and in the community. For the past twenty-five years he has been a school director of Summit Township, and the last twelve of these he has been in the capacity of president. He served as secretary of the school board for several years before being named president. At present Brother Long is the president of
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the Meyersdale joint school board. His wife was the former Suie Gnagy, and their Christian home on the farm has been a blessing to their children, to the church, and to the community.
JOHN D. LONG (August 14, 1914-) was nurtured in the home of Daniel W. and Suie (Gnagy) Long and in the Meyersdale church, where he was baptized in 1928. In 1932 he was called to the ministry and was installed in 1933. His ordination to the eldership occurred in 1941. In his preparation for his work he was graduated from Juniata College in 1937 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, from Bethany Biblical Seminary in 1941 with a Bachelor of Divinity degree, and from Yale Divinity School in 1945 with a Master of Sacred Theology degree. Brother Long was pastor of the Garrett, Salisbury, Beechdale, and Maple Glen churches from 1936 to 1938. Three years he served the University Park church, Maryland, beginning in 1941. Since 1945 he has been working with the Mack Memorial church, Dayton, Ohio. He is among the outstanding young leaders in the Brotherhood, having been chosen as a speaker at Annual Meetings and having been since 1949 a member of the General Brotherhood Board. His wife, whom he married in 1943, was Inez Goughnour of Des Moines, Iowa. For several years she was the editor of Our Young People and the Brethren Youth Quarterly. They have two children, David Warren and Mary Kathryn.
GEORGE W. LOWRY (April 17, 1840-October 21, 1897) cared for the Sculton church about fifteen years. He was well educated for his time and taught school for twenty-one years. A son of W. P. and Susan (Knopsnyder) Lowry, who were of the Lutheran faith, he joined the Methodists as a young man and then united with the Church of the Brethren on October 15, 1878. The Middle Creek church called him to the ministry in June 1883. An ex- cellent speaker, he was interested in promoting missions and Sunday schools.
Berzy B. Ludwick and Wife
BERZY B. LUDWICK (June 7, 1877-) is a son of Daniel Ludwick, Jr. His mother was Catharine, a daughter of Elder William George. Berzy was born on a farm in West Virginia. His education was secured in the public schools, a few months at a time, and by making the most of good books at his disposal. He was baptized in 1893. A few years later, while working in Keyser, West Virginia, he was instrumental in getting a Sunday school organized and began the first church services there. On September 30, 1903, he was married to Lulu C. Baughman of Somerset County. On November 30, 1905, he was called to the min-
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istry. He was the pastor of the Jacobs Creek and Markleysburg churches in our district, and also served in Wilmington, Delaware, and in the Greenland and Quakertown churches, beginning many new preaching points in the areas served. In 1920 Brother Ludwick received a degree from the National College of Chiropractic, and has practiced chiro- practic from time to time. Mrs. Ludwick died in 1940. She was the mother of six children, one of whom died young. In 1945 Brother Lud- wick married Ethel Thomas. Since 1947 they have been living near Keyser, West Virginia, where he practices his healing art and preaches as he is needed.
DAVID HUNSICKER MARKEY is the only son of the late Jonathan J. and Catherine Markey (earlier Merkey). At the age of eleven, David united with the Little Swatara Church of the Brethren. The family
David Hunsicker Markey and Wife
moved to Myerstown when he was twelve years of age. He prepared himself to teach school by attending Elizabethtown College, from which he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in education in 1923. He also completed his credits for his Master's degree in education in 1934 at the University of Pennsylvania. On July 4, 1919, David and Alice R. Reber, daughter of Elder Jonathan Reber of Centerport, were united in marriage. They lived at Centerport, where he taught the one-room school for two years; then, from 1923 to 1934, he was the supervising principal of schools in Perry Township, Berks County. In 1920 David was elected to the ministry by the Maidencreek congregation and was ordained as an elder in 1925. Here he served the church in the free ministry until 1934, when they moved to Reading. There he served as elder-in-charge and part-time pastor for most of the period from 1934 until 1944, when they called him to the full-time pastorate. On
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September 1, 1948, the Markeys moved to Johnstown, having accepted the pastorate of the Westmont church, which he is serving today. After a year the church elected Brother Markey to serve them as both elder and pastor. The Markeys have a family of four children: Helen Grace, wife of Reverend Stewart Kauffman, pastor of the Church of the Brethren at Everett; Ruth Naomi, married to Robert Boshart of Mish- awaka, Indiana; David J., pastor of the Carlisle Church of the Brethren since September 1, 1950; and Doris Irene, a senior at Southmont High School.
GEORGE ADAM MARTIN (1715-1794), born at Landsthal, Germany, was a unique and imposing character in the life of the colonial Brethren Church. He was bred a Reformed Presbyterian, was baptized into the Church of the Brethren by Martin Urner in 1737, and was ordained by Peter Becker in 1739 in the Coventry church. A little later he moved to Little Conewago, where he married a Knepper. Through a mis- understanding with his brethren, he underwent a heresy trial, in which he was excommunicated, but he "still had a strong following among the Baptists who were honest people, and began to think that he had been unjustly treated, and who, therefore, were disposed to stake their lives on his innocence. The most prominent of these were John Steiner, John Horn, Peter and Abraham Knepper, . . . Peter Zug, . .. etc." (Chronicon Ephratense, page 257).
Martin maintained innocence, but did openly oppose the "ban" and needless restrictions which nearly ruined the church in Europe; but legalism prevailed. Martin had to go, and with him sixty members of the congregation who supported his views. They formed the Ber- mudian church, apparently at once. He with Martin Urner and others had previously visited Antietam, and Conococheague, where many Germans of Brethren extraction had settled. He now sympathized with the Beissel movement at Ephrata, and led this Antietam group toward the Seventh Day doctrine.
Though he was welcomed as a local minister, his house was divided, some supporting the Beissel doctrine and others not. He had been sent to take charge of the Bermudian church, which also was divided. He then came to Bruederthal on Stonycreek (Brothersvalley) in 1762, seemingly the same year that he and George Horn had been at An- tietam. These are only a few of the places where his pioneering mis- sionary spirit was felt. It is impossible for us to follow all of his many activities here.
He was a brilliant student, a powerful preacher, and a logical reasoner, but he was more of a pioneer missionary and evangelist than a stable leader. In fact, he "was one of the greatest pioneer mission- aries in the Colonial era. His strange and mystical spirit may never be fully understood, but his passion for preaching the gospel of Christ to save a lost world was the dominant purpose of his life." He may be called radical and impulsive, but he was a liberal in interpretation of the Scriptures and a progressive in organization. He could not quite belong to the Brethren, yet he never really left them in spirit. One who knew him best then said that "he was the first among them, who arrived at holy harmony, and yet remained a Baptist" (Chronicon
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Ephratense, page 258). He was therefore a unifying element between the Brethren and the Ephrata society. Those who have studied him closely agree that his sincerity and love for the Lord's work remain unchallenged.
SAMUEL P. MAUST (June 26, 1848-1919), son of Peter and Eliza- beth (Saylor) Maust, was born in Somerset County, where he lived and farmed all his life. He married Lucinda N. Beachy on December 21, 1871. The following spring both were baptized. He was called to the ministry on July 4, 1879, and ordained as an elder on May 5, 1915. Most of his ministerial work was done on the outskirts of the Meyersdale congregation before it was divided.
CLOYD A. McDOWELL (March 14, 1832-1918) was a son of James B. and Ann (Naylor) McDowell, Irish immigrants. He was born in Westmoreland County but was reared in Cambria City. On April 3, 1884, Eva Henderson became his wife. They became the parents of seven sons and four daughters. In October 1889 they united with the Walnut Grove church. He was elected to the ministry on December 28, 1899, advanced in 1901, and ordained as an elder on July 19, 1913. Having previously been a day laborer and a farmer, on April 1, 1911, he became pastor of the Bolivar congregation, going to Sipesville on March 1, 1915.
EUGENE FLOYD MCDOWELL (September 5, 1927-) is the son of Campbell S. and Jessie P. McDowell. His early life was spent within four city blocks of the Morrellville church. Brother and Sister Mc- Dowell, along with Floyd's four brothers and one sister, were very active in church work. Elder Galen B. Royer baptized Floyd on March 15, 1936. Up until December 1944 he had never considered seriously the idea of entering the ministry, but the local church was having a week of spiritual emphasis with Jesse Zieg- ler of Chicago as the evangelist, and Floyd felt the call to the ministry. September 1945 found him at Juni- ata College. He was graduated in June 1949 with a Bachelor of Science degree in sociology. Along with five other Juniata students he worked as a "psychiatric aide" in an institu- tional service unit at the Spring Grove Mental Hospital, Catonsville, Maryland, during the summer of 1949. He entered Bethany Semi- Eugene Floyd McDowell nary in September 1950 to obtain his Bachelor of Divinity degree. His plans for the future include both pas- toral and church administrative activities.
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KENNETH EUGENE MCDOWELL (June 21, 1915-) is the son of Harry and Mary (Howard) McDowell of Johnstown. He was graduated from Juniata College in 1938. For several years he worked as an accountant. On May 18, 1947, he was licensed to the ministry and was ordained on June 1, 1949. He attended Bethany Biblical Seminary and gradu- ated in 1949. After graduation he accepted the call to the pastorate of the Blue Ridge church in Virginia. He married Edythe Bowman on August 14, 1941. They are the parents of two children. The McDowells were among those sent out from the Annual Conference at Richmond, Virginia, in 1952, to serve on the foreign field. He will manage the Inter-Mission Business Office in Bombay, India.
THOMAS G. McMASTERS (August 14, 1858-December 31, 1913) was called to the ministry in the Glen Hope church on July 16, 1896. His parents were Dekil and Celine (Darr) McMasters. He was married to Emma Pennington in 1881. They had eleven children. Blough wrote of him, "He was one of the principal workers of his church. . . . His zeal for the missionary cause and the Sunday-school was commendable."
HARRY MEREDITH (October 4, 1888-), a native of Mount Pleasant, is a son of George and Elizabeth (Morris) Meredith, who came here from England. On March 27, 1915, Brother Meredith was called to the ministry in the Jacobs Creek congregation. On the twenty-first of the following month he was married to Stella Mae Krieger. He served in the home congregation for several years, later moving to Greensburg. At present the family resides in Ithaca, New York.
NATHANIEL MERRILL (1844-1893) was a son of John and Elenora (Weitzell) Merrill. His father was of Scottish descent and his mother of German. He was reared in Allegheny (now Garrett) County, Mary- land. He was given a fairly good common school education. Besides being a minister he was a farmer part of the time. He was married to Louisa Blocher in 1866. When and where he was called to the ministry is not known. Brother Merrill was an able preacher in his day, much loved and highly esteemed by all who knew him. For some years he lived in Salisbury and assisted in the work there. He also labored at Uniontown and at other places, did missionary work in Hampshire County, West Virginia, and held some series of meetings. He died in Greensburg.
MILTON G. METZGER (June 1, 1865-May 1, 1936), son of George and Elizabeth Buechley Metzger, was reared on a farm near Hoovers- ville. On December 24, 1891, he was married to Elizabeth Strayer, daughter of John A. and Suzanna Dickey Strayer of Johnstown. Brother and Sister Metzger spent the greater part of their married lives on the farm in Middle Taylor Township. They were the parents of ten children, nine of whom are living and belong to the Church of the Brethren. Brother Metzger was installed into the deacon's office in 1893 at Walnut Grove. He attended Conemaugh for some years and later transferred to Pleasant Hill. He was church treasurer at the time of his death. He was always actively interested in community
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Milton G. Metzger and Wife
affairs, and served a period of years as school director and later as road supervisor. He was a charter member of the Cambria County Agri- culture Extension Association.
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