USA > Pennsylvania > Two centuries of the Church of the Brethren in western Pennsylvania, 1751-1950 > Part 52
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local congregation but also preached in the Red Bank, Glade Run (Center Hill), and Brush Valley churches. It was not long after he took up his residence in Garrett until a Sunday school was established and a church was organized, Dr. Pollard becoming the first pastor. The Garrett meetinghouse resulted from these beginnings. He also served as elder of the Berlin congregation. Although his interest in the church never waned, the practice of medicine consumed most of his time in his later years, and preaching was left largely to others.
JAMES QUINTER (February 1, 1816-May 19, 1888), the second child and only son of John and Mary (Smith) Quinter, was born in Phila- delphia. Nearly twenty years of this great leader's life were spent in the Western District: first as an outstanding young evangelist, in 1839; second, as pastor of the Georges Creek congregation, 1842 to 1856, with district-wide activity in evangelism; and third, again as a resident leader from 1873, when he came to Dale City (Meyersdale) as owner and publisher of the Christian Family Companion and Gospel Visitor (he changed the name to the Primitive Christian in January 1876), until he moved to Huntingdon in 1877. Brother Quin- ter still retained his interest in this district after moving to Hunting- don, being called back to preach many church dedications. He was president of the Church Extension Union of the Western Pennsylvania District, organized sometime in 1878 at Meyersdale, as a general mission service. When the Domestic and Foreign Mission Board was organized in 1880, Brother Quinter was made treasurer; in that office he served until 1884. In the capacities of pastor, evangelist, teacher, educator, author, publisher, debater, and man of God he had few equals in his generation. He died on his knees, as he began to lead Annual Conference in prayer, at North Manchester, Indiana, a fitting close to so great a life.
GEORGE RAIRIGH, SR. (August 22, 1793-October 10, 1856), a son of John Rairigh, was born on a farm about a mile north of Sagamore, Armstrong County. His wife was Elizabeth Blair, a Southern lady. On their farm they had a log house and a log barn. In the barn Elders Levi Roberts and John Mineely and other pioneer ministers preached the Word of Life. Love feasts also were held there. Elder Rairigh was the first preacher elected in the Cowanshannock congre- gation. It is said he preached his first sermon in his own barn. When called to the ministry he could not read his text; his devoted wife read it for him. She taught him to read the German language, and when the people wanted English preaching she also taught him the English. What he lacked in education he more than made up in piety, industry, devotion, perseverance and earnestness. He was a home missionary in the fullest sense of the word. While his faithful wife managed the farm and did the spinning, he was about his Father's business. It is said that it required twenty-six weeks to hold meetings in turn at the mission points that had been opened by this earnest and self-sacrificing minister. His field was Armstrong and adjoining counties. He traveled some on horseback, but mostly afoot. He is said to have made two missionary journeys on foot to the state
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of Ohio. He went in all kinds of weather, and when necessary swam the streams. It was but natural that so strenuous a life could not endure very long; he died from a bronchial infection when a little past sixty-three, and was buried in the Cowanshannock cemetery .- Information from Blough's history
JAMES F. REAM (August 25, 1858-June 8, 1939) was born to Gar- rett and Sara (Horner) Ream near Goshen, Indiana. The family moved to Scalp Level in 1865. In 1882 Brother Ream married Chris- tina Holsopple, daughter of Elder Jacob and Polly (Lehman) Hol- sopple, and the same year united with the church. The Reams had nine children. He was very active in church work, held many offices in the Sunday school, loved music, and was a song leader for many years. He was called to the ministry by the Shade Creek congregation on July 4, 1893. There he served until 1908, when he and his family moved to Quakertown, Bucks County. After several years, they moved to a farm in Indiana County, near Cramer. As a volunteer minister he was also active in the Morrellville church and frequently represented at District Meetings. For a number of years he was the district treasurer. Brother and Sister Ream celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on October 25, 1932. His wife is now living with a daughter near Cramer.
FRANK R. REHM (July 12, 1901-) was born in Rector, Westmore- land County. Later he moved to Waterford, same county. There in 1918 he united with the Waterford Church of the Brethren. He was licensed to the ministry, July 30, 1923, and one year later was ordained. He worked with Brother W. E. Wolford in Waterford for ten years, then moved to Herminie in 1933 and transferred his membership to the Greensburg church. In December 1950 the Ministerial Board ar- ranged for Brother Rehm and Brother J. E. Faust to become nonresident pastors of the Ten Mile church, and they are still serving there at the present time.
ANDREW JAY REPLOGLE (September 26, 1895-) is a nephew of Harvey S. Replogle and the son of Andrew S. and Barbara (Guyer) Replogle. He united with the church at the age of fourteen. He was a student at the Elizabethtown Academy from 1913 to 1916. On December 21, 1916, he was married to Etta M. Kough, daugh- ter of William H. and Anna (Gleim) Kough of Carlisle. They have one foster daughter, Mrs. Miles Whetstone. From January 1918 to September 1922 he was employed in the United States Civil Service in Washington, D. C. During this time he was active in the work of the Washington City church. During a vacation spent at the Young People's Conference held at Edgewood Grove, Somerset, in 1922, he and Mrs. Replogle dedicated their lives to definite Christian service. He was graduated from Blue Ridge Academy in June 1924, then en- tered Juniata College and was graduated in June 1927 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He has since taken graduate work at the University of Pittsburgh. On March 21, 1923, he was licensed to the ministry in the Pipe Creek congregation and was installed into the full ministry two years later. His pastoral work consisted of
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Andrew Jay Replogle and Wife
summer pastorates with the Birdville church in this district and at Long Green Valley, Eastern Maryland. In 1930 he went to the Cherry Lane church near Everett. On June 25, 1933, he was ordained as an elder. On July 1, 1939, he moved to the charge which consisted of the Maple Glen, Salisbury, Garrett, and Beachdale churches. On Sep- tember 1, 1950, the Replogles assumed the work of the pastorate at the Rummel church, where they now serve. He has been active in county Sunday-school work as an officer in Bedford and Somerset counties.
HARVEY S. REPLOGLE (September 27, 1871-June 1, 1940) grew up in the New Enterprise area. He was graduated from Juniata College in 1896. That year, on August 22, he was elected to the ministry. After spend- ing several years in the teaching profession and preaching when he was called upon, he entered the pastoral ministry. He served at Morrellville, Plum Creek, and Glade Run. For more of his work in our district, read the histories of the Scalp Level and Windber church- es. For the last nineteen years of his life, he was pastor of the Green Tree church in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Ross D. Murphy wrote of him at his passing: "Brother Replogle was not a scholarly preacher, but he did know how to meet the needs of those who were in sorrow and upon whom the burdens of life rested heavily. In the sick room he knew how to pray, and where the messenger of death had called a loved one his presence was a spiritual blessing. As a fellow worker in district projects, on committees and boards-and he served on many-he was always considerate, more concerned with the success
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of the cause at hand than any opinion he himself might hold and offer." Sister Replogle, who was Josephine Arnold of Bedford County, whom he married in 1904, is still living. There were two daughters and a son in the home.
(1) EMANUEL RHODES (November 26, 1846-August 27, 1922) was a son of Daniel and Margaret (Carbaugh) Rhodes of Strongstown, Indiana County. He came to Johnstown shortly after the Civil War.
Emanuel Rhodes and Wife
He was an active member of the Church of the Brethren for forty- six years and spent twenty-seven of those years in the office of deacon, was treasurer of the building committee that erected the new church building in 1909, and was a Sunday-school teacher for many years. Emanuel Rhodes was united in marriage with Mary Ann Knavel, daughter of John and Susan (Stutzman) Knavel. Brother and Sister Rhodes were the parents of ten children, two of whom died at an early age. Seven of them are members of the Church of the Brethren. One son, H. Q. Rhodes, is pastor of the Morrellville church. Two other sons hold the office of deacon at Pleasant Hill. A daughter, Laura, was married to Elder Elmer D. Blue. A granddaughter, Vesta Blue, became the wife of Elder Homer Hess. A great-grandson, Fred Hess, is a licensed minister. Sister Rhodes was born on February 25, 1850, at what is now known as Pleasant Hill. Her parents were among the first settlers of this community, where they owned and operated a large farm. Land for the first church and cemetery near the present site of the Pleasant Hill church was deeded to a committee by Jacob Knavel and wife, Elizabeth (Benshoff) Knavel, and Lewis Benshoff, grandparents and great-uncle of Sister Rhodes. Sister Rhodes spent
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the most of her life in this community. Through the years she devoted much time to the church as the wife of a deacon.
(2) HADDON QUINTER RHODES (April 25, 1892-) is the youngest of eight living children of Emanuel and Mary (Knavel) Rhodes. He was united in marriage to Rose Lyberger in 1912. To this union four daughters and two sons were born. His first pastorate was at the Sipesville church, beginning in 1920. In 1922 he became the pastor of the Geiger church also and served them jointly until 1924. Starting as pastor of the Brothersvalley congregation on January 1, 1924, he meanwhile continued to serve the Geiger church also. He was ordained to the eldership in 1921, and represented the Western District of Penn- sylvania on the Standing Committee twice. In connection with serving as elder of the home congregations, he served in a similar capacity in the Greenville (Hostetler) congregation for twenty years, and in the County Line church for seven years. After serving the Geiger and Brothersvalley churches for twenty and eighteen years respectively, he became pastor of the Roaring Spring church in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. On September 1, 1951, the Rhodeses moved to the Morrellville church and began pastoral work there.
Haddon Quinter Rhodes
H. Lawrence Rice
H. LAWRENCE RICE (May 7, 1921-) was elected to the ministry by the Frederick City, Maryland, church in May 1938 and ordained as an elder in the spring of 1945. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bridgewater College in 1941 and a Bachelor of Divinity degree from Bethany Biblical Seminary in 1944, and has been a student in the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Virginia. Brother Rice has been pastor of the Oak Grove and Poages Mill churches, First
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Virginia, 1944-1947; the Pittsburgh church, June 1947 to September 1951; the Ninth Street church, Roanoke, Virginia, since September 1951. He has served on various district committees and boards in the districts in which he has been pastor. In August 1941 he was married to Mary Reed, a graduate of Bridgewater College and Bethany Biblical Seminary with a Master of Religious Education degree. They have two children, Eric and Stephen.
DAVID C. RIBBLETT (June 21, 1878-1937) was reared near the Locust Grove church. His parents were Jacob D. and Sebina (Yeager) Ribblett. He united with the church in October 1894 and was called to the ministry in 1904.
(1) SAMUEL RIEMAN (March 23, 1841-February 17, 1897) was three generations removed from German soil. His great-grandfather was Gottlieb Rieman, who settled in Somerset County sometime before 1768. George Rieman, his grandfather, was of the Lutheran faith. But his father, Jacob Rieman, married the Dunkard maid, Elizabeth Fike, a daughter of Christian Fike, and he also embraced her faith. Samuel F. was born in Stony Creek Township, Somerset County. After a com- mon school education was acquired, he qualified himself to teach. On January 21, 1865, he was married to Rebecca Schrock, daughter of Elder George and Susanna (Horner) Schrock. They settled on a farm in Brothers Valley Township, Somerset County. The children who came into this home were: Mahlon S. and George S., who married Dillie V. and Emma E. Walker, respectively, daughters of Elder D. H. Walker; Clara G., the wife of Elder J. J. Shaffer, who died in 1913; Elizabeth S., who became the second wife of Elder Shaffer; Alvin, who died in infancy. A grandson, Timothy W. Rieman, is a minister. In 1880 Brother Rieman was called to the ministry. His ordination to the eldership occurred in 1895. He was not a forceful speaker, but he was a man of sterling Christian character and a fine example to his family and the community.
(3) TIMOTHY W. RIEMAN (May 14, 1912-), the son of George and Emma (Walker) Rieman, was born near Berlin, Pennsylvania. He is the grandson of Elder D. H. Walker. His wife was the former Gwen Radebach, and they are the parents of three children. Brother Rieman received his education at Juniata College, Bethany Biblical Seminary, Pennsylvania State College, and Garrett Biblical Institute. He was serving the Waynesboro church in Virginia as pastor when Manchester College called him to its faculty; there he still serves as the religious adviser to the students.
LEVI ROBERTS (February 9, 1779-December 6, 1860) was a grandson of Richard Roberts, a native of Wales, who came to Virginia, married and had a large family. One son, Joseph, married Agnes Seabrooks of Maryland. They lived in the Woodcock Valley, where Joseph was mas- sacred by Indians when Levi was two years old. Levi married Elizabeth Goughnour on November 19, 1799. In 1803 they came to Cambria County and located in East Taylor Township when the area was still a wilderness abounding with ferocious animals. Three sons and three
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daughters grew to maturity. Levi Roberts was baptized about 1820. He was elected a deacon and in that office walked long distances to Elk Lick and Blacklick to notify members of love feasts. One trip re- quired four days of walking through wild territory. He was called to the ministry in 1825 and was ordained as an elder in 1844. He was an eminent preacher in his day and gave sacrificially of his time and strength to help plant the church in this district.
(1) JOHN AMOS ROBINSON (July 11, 1889-), son of Thomas A. and Addaline (Gish) Robinson, was born at Baldwin, Kansas. He re- ceived his education at Bethany Biblical Seminary and from the depart-
John Amos Robinson and Wife
ment of law of the American Extension University. He married Nora Edna Minnich on July 16, 1912. To this union were born two sons, Paul Minnich and Donald Lee. Both have followed in their father's foot- steps. Brother Robinson was elected to the ministry on July 17, 1909, in Muscatine, Iowa, was advanced to the second degree on July 10, 1910, and was ordained to the eldership on December 5, 1916. He has held four pastorates during his ministerial career: First church, Denver, Colorado, 1911-1914; First church, Des Moines, Iowa, 1915-1919; Pleas- ant Hill, Ohio, 1919-1925; and Walnut Grove, Johnstown, 1929 until the present. In recognition and appreciation of these many years of service, the church held an anniversary service on December 4, 1949. This was one of the red-letter days in the life of the church during his pastorate.
He served in Southern Ohio as adult adviser of the young people,
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director of religious education, editor of the Southern Ohio Herald, and director of Sugar Grove Camp. In Western Pennsylvania he served as adult adviser to the Young People's Department, 1930-1941; member of the District Mission Board, 1930-1946; member of the Brethren Serv- ice Committee and chairman of the District Ministerial Board since 1946; and trustee of Camp Harmony. He was elected a member of the General Ministerial Board in June 1924 and served as secretary of the board from 1925 to 1931. He has served as reader at Annual Confer- ence, as Standing Committeeman seven times, as moderator of District Conference in Middle Iowa, Southern Ohio, and Western Pennsylvania a number of times. He was a member of the executive committee of the Eastern Region Advisory Council, 1941-1947, a member of the executive committee of the Pennsylvania Council of Churches, 1935- 1948, and a member of the Finance Committee since 1947. Brother Robinson is an outstanding evangelist, having conducted over one hundred fifty evangelistic campaigns. He is a tireless worker in the service of the church, never too busy to answer the call of the sick or of any one in trouble desiring his help. His advice is sought by other ministers of his own denomination as well as by those of other denominations.
(2) PAUL MINNICH ROBINSON (January 26, 1914-), a son of John A. and Nora (Minnich) Robinson, was born in Denver, Colorado. A graduate of Juniata College, in 1938 he was awarded a Bachelor of Theology degree by Princeton Theo- logical Seminary, and in 1940 a Mas- ter of Sacred Theology degree from the Lutheran Theological Seminary, Philadelphia. In 1949 Juniata hon- ored him with a Doctor of Divinity degree. He began his ministry in the Church of the Brethren in Ambler, where he served for three and one- half years. In 1940 he was called to the pastorate of the church in Hag- erstown, Maryland, where he still serves. He has been moderator of the District Conference of Middle Maryland three times and is a past president of the National Pastors' Association. He serves on the Gen- eral Brotherhood Board, being a member of the Christian Education Commission. He was also the chair- man of the worship division of the Hymnal Committee. He has repre- sented his church on the executive Paul Minnich Robinson committee of the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. He is vice-president of the Maryland-Delaware Council of Churches. He was chosen one of fifty-two ministers of all faiths from all over the world to be repre-
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sented by a sermon in the volume, Best Sermons of 1946, out of more than six thousand candidates. He is known as a radio preacher, is a frequent lecturer in colleges and church conferences, is in demand as an after-dinner speaker, is active in civic affairs in his own com- munity, and was a trustee of Bridgewater College. He was married to Mary Elizabeth Howe, daughter of the late Elder William M. and Elizabeth Wertz Howe. They have two children.
(2) DONALD LEE ROBINSON (January 29, 1929-) was born at Pleas- ant Hill, Ohio, the younger of two sons born to John A. and Nora E. Robinson. At the early age of one month he moved with his parents to Johnstown, Pennsylvania, where his father assumed the duties as pastor of the Walnut Grove congregation. He was graduated from the Central High School, Johnstown, in the spring of 1947. He was elected to the Christian ministry on May 18, 1947, at Walnut Grove, and entered Juniata College in the fall of the same year. Donald was installed into the full ministry on August 26, 1951.
(1) GIDEON ROGERS (September 16, 1826-1886) was born into the Scottish home of Ellis and Julia (Rowzer) Rogers, who emigrated from York to Bedford County. He struggled to attain learning and eventually was able to teach school. He married Mary Ann Snyder on October 25, 1849. A son, Levi, and a daughter, Barbara Callahan Fyock, were born to them. Brother Rogers united with the church at the age of twenty-one. He was called to the ministry on January 2, 1864, and was an effective preacher.
(2) LEVI ROGERS (September 7, 1854-July 14, 1915), the son of the above, grew up at Alum Bank, Bedford County. He had a fair educa- tion and was a prominent citizen. On September 9, 1875, he married Jane Smith. They had five children. His second wife was Elizabeth Walter, who, with three children, survived him. Brother Rogers was baptized in 1875, called to the ministry June 13, 1885, and ordained as an elder October 15, 1901. He had the oversight of the Dunnings Creek congregation from October 1912 until the time of his death. He also served on the Old Folks' Home committee.
BERNARD M. ROLLINS (March 27, 1908-), a son of Mr. and Mrs. Francis A. Rollins, was born in Garrett and later lived in Mount Pleasant; there he was licensed to the ministry when only nineteen years of age and was installed the following year. He studied at Juniata and Potomac State colleges, and holds an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from the American Bible College. He has done extensive evan- gelistic work, and has pastored the Keyser, West Virginia, and Frost- burg, Maryland, churches. For the past several years he has been pastor of the Juniata Park church. His wife was Eva V. Martin of Keyser, West Virginia.
CALVIN J. ROSE (October 1, 1890-December 4, 1918) was cut down by influenza when at the beginning of a promising career in the service of the church. A brother of Lewis D. Rose, he was reared in the Rummel church. He studied at Juniata and Elizabethtown colleges. His pastoral
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work included one year in the Klahr church in Middle Pennsylvania. He came to the Middle Creek church on May 1, 1918. In the few months he worked there he opened a mission in Rockwood, which has since grown into a strong church.
LEWIS DAY ROSE (November 15, 1883-) is the son of David J. and Katherine (Young) Rose of near Windber. He was baptized August 20, 1901, and was elected to the ministry September 2, 1917. He has since been ordained as a minister. His education was received at Elizabethtown, Ursinus, and Pennsylvania State colleges. After work- ing in public schools for a number of years, in 1921 he accepted the position of librarian of Elizabethtown College. He has served in this capacity ever since.
CLARENCE H. ROSENBERGER (September 6, 1914-) is the son of Elmer W. Rosenberger of Lansdale. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Juniata College in 1936 and a Bachelor of Divinity degree
Clarence H. Rosenberger and Wife
from Bethany Biblical Seminary in 1941. Further graduate work was done at Temple University, Philadelphia, and Garrett Biblical Institute, Evanston, Illinois. In 1938 he was licensed to the ministry in the Ger- mantown church, where he had been baptized at an early age. In 1940 the First church in Chicago granted him the permanent ministry. He was ordained to the eldership in 1944. While at Bethany Seminary, Brother Rosenberger was a student pastor at the Woodworth, Salem, and Osceola churches, Indiana. The Rosenbergers came to the Plum Creek-Oakdale charge in 1941 and served there until January 1946, when they took up the work with the Scalp Level congregation. In 1938 Brother Rosenberger married Ida Rae Neiderhiser, daughter of Norman E. Neiderhiser of Mount Pleasant. She was a graduate of
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Juniata College and has done work at Pennsylvania State College, Bethany Biblical Seminary, and Garrett Biblical Institute. There are three children in the home.
DORSEY E. ROTRUCK (April 16, 1908-) began life at Martin, West Virginia. His mother died when he was five years old. Jacob Rotruck, no relation, reared him as a foster son. After his father remarried in 1923, Dorsey went to live with him in Keyser, West Virginia. Dorsey was baptized in April 1928 in the Keyser church. There he was also called to the ministry on April 28, 1929. He was advanced to the full
Dorsey E. Rotruck and Family
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ministry on April 19, 1936, at the Hooversville church. Ordination to the eldership occurred October 26, 1941. After his call to the ministry, he attended Lewis Institute, Chicago Evangelistic Institute, and Bethany Biblical Seminary Training School. On April 1, 1934, he was married to Mildred Yoder of Scalp Level, whom he met at Bethany Hospital, where she was a student nurse. The training that she received at Camp Harmony Training School, Bethany Hospital, and Bethany Biblical Training School has been a great help in the work of the local church as well as in the district. Brother and Sister Rotruck served in the pastorate of the Manor congregation from April 27, 1936, to March 31, 1943. They then moved to the Tire Hill congregation, where they are still serving. He is a member of the District Mission Board and has been the district's Brotherhood Fund representative for three years. Brother and Sister Rotruck are the parents of three children, Carlene, Edward, and Martha, an adopted daughter.
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