USA > Pennsylvania > Two centuries of the Church of the Brethren in western Pennsylvania, 1751-1950 > Part 54
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(1) SAMUEL U. SHOBER (April 7, 1853-March 27, 1919) was the son of George and Leah (Berkley) Shober, who lived in Brothersvalley Township, Somerset County. For five years he taught in the public schools and then became a farmer. On September 26, 1872, he was married to Sarah Kimmel, daughter of Daniel and Emeline (Landis) Kimmel. Four children were born to this union: Laura J., wife of Homer Knepper, Marling M., and Ulysses, all deceased, and Clinton K., who lives in Somerset; Clinton has two sons, Elder Ralph E. and Everett. Emil, a son of Ralph E., is a minister. Mrs. Samuel U. Shober lived until January 8, 1938. Elder Shober was baptized in 1869. He was called to the ministry November 6, 1897, in the Brothersvalley con- gregation and ordained as an elder October 3, 1908. Elder Shober assisted the other ministers of his local congregation in preaching at the various meetinghouses. He also was elder of the Bolivar congrega- tion for a number of years and served on the District Mission Board.
(3) RALPH E. SHOBER (April 20, 1900-) got his early religious training in the home of his parents, Clinton K. and Ada (Reiman) Shober, and in the Brothers- valley congregation, into which fellowship he was baptized May 12, 1911. There he was called to the ministry August 3, 1920, and ordained Au- gust 10, 1921. His ordination to the eldership took place May 29, 1929. Brother Shober was gradu- ated from the State Teachers College at Cali- fornia, this state, and has since studied at Juniata College, the University of Pittsburgh, and the United Presbyterian Seminary. After teaching school about ten years, he took up pastoral work, serving from 1927 to 1937 in Connellsville. His next parish was Frederick City, Maryland, where he worked until going to the Ninth Street
Ralph E. Shober
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church, Roanoke, Virginia, in 1946. His present field of service is Rocky Mount, Virginia. He has served on numerous district boards in sections in which he lived, has represented on Standing Committee four times, and has been elder of several churches. Brother Shober was married to Mary Kathryn Cupp on June 7, 1921. They are the parents of three sons: Emil Edgar, a minister in Middletown, Maryland; Dr. Ralph Wayne; and Dwight Whitney.
CECIL O. SHOWALTER (January 22, 1901-) was the son of David H. and Margaret (Rodeffer) Showalter. His early life was spent on his father's farm near Timber Ridge, Virginia. He attended Bridgewater and Daleville academies and was graduated from Bridgewater College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1930. In December 1924 Cecil was called to the ministry; on August 20, 1925, he was ordained to the full ministry, and on September 28, 1930, to the eldership. While pursuing his studies he served the Antioch, Mount Zion, and Rileyville churches, Vir- ginia, and the Batavia church, Illi- nois. He was graduated from Beth- any Biblical Seminary with a Bach- elor of Divinity degree in May 1934. While he was a student in the semi- nary he became interested in the field of temperance and produced the lecture with projected pictures, A New Approach to Alcohol Education, which since has been shared with over eighty thousand people in schools, colleges, churches, and An- nual Conferences. Brother Showal- Cecil O. Showalter ter served the Keyser church, West Virginia, from 1934 to 1940. While there he helped to establish Camp Galilee and served as its manager. For a year he lived in Luray, Virginia, working in that district and also caring for the Nokesville church part of the time. On April 1, 1941, he came to the Sipesville church, where he remained until September 1, 1950, when he went to pastor his home church, the Mill Creek church in Virginia. He was married to Glenna M. Crumpacker on May 2, 1928. They have a daughter, Gloria Ann, and a son, Cecil, Jr.
RUSSELL K. SHOWALTER (January 17, 1898-), the son of David and Margaret (Rodeffer) Showalter, spent his early years on a farm near Bridgewater, Virginia. At fourteen years of age he was baptized. He is a graduate of Bridgewater College and Bethany Biblical Seminary. His home church, Mill Creek, Virginia, called him to the ministry in October 1920. In 1934 the Lebanon congregation, Virginia, ordained him as an elder. Over a period of twenty-seven years he has served
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in the pastorates of the following churches: Rosepine, Louisiana; Roa- noke, Virginia; Hickory Grove, Illi- nois; Muncie, Indiana; Sandy Creek, West Virginia. From 1945 to 1951 he worked with the Mount Joy church, moving from there to the joint pastorate of the Berlin, Gar- rett, Salisbury, and Maple Glen churches. He is active in district work and has worked in summer youth camps. On September 2, 1925, Anna Florence Cline of Mount Sid- ney, Virginia, became his wife. The Showalters are the parents of three children: Vernon C., Miriam J., and Margaret J.
DAVID F. SHUMAKER (December 9, 1858 -? ) is an uncle of Sister Ida Shumaker. His parents were Abraham and Mahala (Snyder) Russell K. Showalter Shumaker. He was a grandson of Elder Adam F. Snyder. Brother Shumaker was married to Emma J. Miller on February 2, 1882. They made their home in the vicinity of Meyersdale and Rockwood, where he was a miller by trade. Their family consisted of a daughter, Nellie, who died at the age of twenty, and two sons, Harvey W. and Gilbert A. In 1906 the family moved to Moxham, Johnstown. There he was called to the ministry June 2, 1910, and advanced July 23, 1913.
EZRA Z. SHUMAKER (February 20, 1863-November 15, 1945) was the son of Philip and Lavina (Shoffner) Shumaker of Armstrong County. He lived his entire life in Mahoning Township, being reared on his father's homestead farm. He received his education in the common schools of the locality. Farming was his life's work. Brother Shumaker was very active in community affairs, serving as township supervisor and school director for a number of years. He was an ener- getic, conscientious member of the Oakdale Church of the Brethren, near New Bethlehem. For a number of years he served as a district officer in church school work. In recognition of his interest and work in the Sunday school, the Pennsylvania State Sunday School Associa- tion presented him with a Fifty-Year Worker's Medal. Brother Ezra was superintendent of his local church school, Oakdale, for many years, until his last illness. He was married first to Mary Myers of Westmoreland County. His second wife, who survives him, was Viola Brocious, daughter of Levi and Catherine (Shick) Brocious. Brother Shumaker passed to his reward November 15, 1945, leaving four sons, one daughter, and his widow. With the passing of Brother Shumaker, the Oakdale church lost a devoted Christian brother and a faithful worker.
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IDA C. SHUMAKER (October 27, 1873-February 16, 1946) is among those great leaders whose lives and achievements defy the limitations of a single page of history. Her life story can be read more fully in the little book, Miss Ida, by Anetta C. Mow, and in the recently published book, Brethren Builders in Our Cen- tury. A daughter of Alexander E. and Lydia (Lint) Shumaker, who resided in Meyersdale, Ida was bap- tized in 1887. She began her teach- ing career at the age of nine when she was made the teacher of the beginners' Sunday-school class in the Meyersdale church. After she had experienced an unusual climb to recognition in teaching, through "Miss Ida," Ready for India girlhood and into womanhood, hav- ing taught in the public schools for twenty-one years, God laid His hand on her to claim her for India. For two years she struggled against the call until one day God spoke so clearly that she surrendered all. On October 26, 1910, she sailed for India, repre- senting the Sunday schools to. Memor of the district. Her first term was spent at Bulsar, LUA C.SHUMAKER GORN AL MUYCASUALE, PENNA U.S.A .OCTOBER 27.1873 and part of the second she was the only missionary at Jalalpor. Then she became the "children's missioner." A FRIEND OF CHILDREN She opened up the work at Trusty Five Yrans a MissionARY Wanki, and saw it grow into OF THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN a large congregation. Going to Khergam, she again IN SURAT DISTRICT started with nothing and in FELL ASLEEP IN JESUS fourteen years built a
FEBRUARY 16. 1946
BLESSED ARE THE BEAU TIHO DIỆ IN THE LOẠI
Grave of Ida C. Shumaker at Bulsar, India
church of five hundred members, now named for her, with a smaller one of about one hundred fifty members at Bamanvel, twelve miles away. Her zeal as an evangelist, her compassion on little chil- dren which bloomed into a girls' boarding school, the concern which established the numerous day schools- these and more attest to the
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truth of the verse of Scripture with which Sister Ida would thrill her American audiences when recounting the work in India, "What hath God wrought!" And what He wrought through this servant! Being retired at the age of seventy, Sister Ida traveled tirelessly among the churches at home to promote interest in missions, but India and its people beckoned. Money was raised through the women of the church to make it possible for her to return for the fiftieth anniversary cele- bration of the church in India. While there God took her spirit home, but her body rests there among the people whom she so dearly loved.
JOSEPH SHUMAKER (April 19, 1819-December 17, 1860) was a minister in the Red Bank congregation. His parents were Philip and Elizabeth (Rose) Shumaker. On May 26, 1840, he was married to Catharine Baughman, who was left to rear a family of nine children alone when Brother Shumaker was called home. He was an eloquent speaker and a tireless laborer for the church. His early death was caused by exposure as he traveled to distant churches in his work for the Kingdom.
ADAM F. SNYDER (1806-February 27, 1891), a farmer by trade, spent his entire life within the bounds of the Middle Creek congrega- tion. He was married to Catharine Nicholson on August 30, 1830. Later both united with the church. They reared a family of three sons and six daughters. One son, David, became a minister and elder in California. Brother Adam Snyder served in the ministry about fifty years, twenty-eight of which he was an ordained elder.
C. C. SOLLENBERGER (February 8, 1891-) was born at Union, Ohio, a son of J. J. and Martha (Folkerth) Sollenberger. He was
C. C. Sollenberger and Wife
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baptized in January 1911 at Manchester College, called to the min- istry at the Salem church, Ohio, in 1912, and ordained as an elder at Morrellville in 1920. He was graduated from Manchester College in 1912, from Bethany Biblical Seminary in 1914, and from Juniata College in 1921. After serving the Circleville church, Ohio, he came to Morrellville in 1918, went to Pleasant Hill in 1924, served Walnut Grove as interim pastor in 1928, then went to Uniontown to serve from 1929 to 1941. He has since served the church at Ephrata, also in Ohio at Salem and Sidney, and at present is at Muncie, Indiana. He was on our District Mission Board fifteen years and on the Ministerial Board three years. He married Cora Mae Horst, a sister to M. Clyde Horst, on August 10, 1916. They are the parents of four children, Angela, Clarence E., Paul, and Carol.
(1) JACOB P. SPEICHER (January 3, 1818-November 20, 1903) was a minister and farmer. His home adjoined the first Sipesville meet- inghouse, then a part of the Quemahoning congregation. Here he did most of his preaching, which was in the German language. He was called to the ministry in 1865 and served for almost forty years. Brother Speicher had a kindly disposition, always helping those in need. His wife was Sallie Schrock. Two sons, Ephraim and Peter, and three daughters were born into this home.
(3) HARRY B. SPEICHER (April 4, 1884-), a son of Peter Speicher, has been identified with the camp movement almost from the inception of the idea. In November 1923 he was appointed on a committee to make plans for such a camp the following year. Camp Harmony was discovered and purchased a few months later, and, as president of the Board of Trustees, Brother Speicher was the receiver of the deed to hold until a corporation could be formed. In January 1928 he was elected camp manager, in which position he still serves. Brother Speicher was born in Somerset County. He attended Juniata College and received a Bachelor of Arts degree. Since then he has received a Master of Arts degree from the University of Pittsburgh. Through the years he has taught school and has served as principal of the Somerset Township, Garrett, Rockwood, and Boswell high schools, re- tiring finally in 1946. He is a member of the Somerset Church of the Brethren. He is also secretary of the Men's Work Organization of Western Pennsylvania. For thirteen years he had been president of the County Sunday School Association. While in college, he met Ada Brumbaugh of Martinsburg, whom he later married. The Speichers are the parents of one son and three daughters.
(3) EARL EDMON SPEICHER (October 26, 1891-) was reared in Somerset County, a son of Peter and Jane (Sipe) Speicher. He was elected to the ministry in October 1918. He was graduated from Juni- ata College in 1914 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, attended Columbia University, Crozer Theological Seminary, and the University of Penn- sylvania, being graduated from the two latter with a Bachelor of Divinity and a Master of Arts degree respectively. Later he attended the University of Chicago, where he received a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1923. From 1918 to 1921 he taught English and sacred liter-
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ature in Daleville College, Virginia, acting also as president there in 1920 and 1921. In 1923 he joined the faculty of Northland College, Ash- land, Wisconsin, as an instructor in Bible. At present he is the dean of instruction there. His wife was Mary Widdowson of Penn Run, whom he married May 25, 1918.
ROSS SPEICHER (July 10, 1909-), the son of William A. and Clara (Broadwater) Speicher, was called to the ministry and licensed on April 30, 1945, in the Bear Creek congre- gation, Accident, Maryland. Before becoming pastor of the Maple Glen church in 1949, he served the Maple Grove congregation at Grantsville, Maryland. He is a trustee of Bridge- water College. On July 10, 1938, he was married to Helen Glotfelty. They are the parents of a daughter, Iva Kathryn.
JOHN W. SPICKER (October 8, 1829-April 10, 1909), born in Somer- set County, moved to
with his parents, Joseph and Eliza- beth (Wampler) Spicker, when quite small. Soon, however, they moved on to Indiana County. Here, with others, they cleared land and Ross Speicher built homes. John married Catharine King on March 25, 1852. They purchased a farm upon which they spent the remainder of their lives. There they reared a son and four daughters. Brother Spicker was called to the ministry in 1854. It was mainly through his work that the Montgomery meetinghouse was built. He also shared in the work of the Chess Creek mission, sometimes walking the distance of twenty miles to preach. A firm believer in tithing, he not only gave a tenth of his income, but also willed the tithe to the church from his estate. Though not a fluent speaker, he was a thorough Bible student. He was never an ordained elder, but the Montgomery church grew under his leadership for many years.
JOHN SPOHN (1775-1857), a son of Martin and Mary Magdalena (Leatherman) Spohn, was born in Maryland. When his father united with the Dunker Church is not known, but it is likely that his mother was a relative of Bishop Daniel Leatherman. Whether Martin became a Dunker minister or not, he doubtless was a very devout member, as is evidenced by his erecting the Spohn meetinghouse in Washington County about 1775. The coming of the Spohn family to Ten Mile is well told in the history of that congregation (Part II, Chapter 55). When John was a young man he married for his first wife, Judith Wise, a member of one of the outstanding families of this congregation. When he was
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elected to the ministry and ordained to the eldership is not known, but in the Church Book of Names, 1838, we find "John Spohn, Senior (Eld- er)." The History of Washington County (1882), by Crumrine, page 975, speaks of "Grandfather John Spohn" saying that "during his ministry the church began to assume definite shape as a church." Grandfather John Spohn had a son, Jonathan B. Spohn (1829-1869) who was also a minister in the Church of the Brethren. Elder Spohn moved to Marion County, Iowa, about 1855, where he died two years later. The above data was furnished by two great-great-granddaughters, Miss Lola Spohn and Mrs. Opal Spohn Sewell, of Marysville, Missouri.
HERMAN A. STAHL (March 18, 1859-April 28, 1914), the oldest child of Ananias and Barbara (Miller) Stahl, of near Somerset, being left an orphan early in life, lived in the home of D. H. Hauger for eight years. He taught school three years and also learned the carpentry trade. He was baptized at Middle Creek on April 30, 1877. On June 20, 1890, he was called to the ministry, and was ordained as an elder on May 20, 1911. Brother Stahl did much preaching in his home congregation and was in great demand as an evangelist over an area covering many states. He served on the District Mission Board and for three years was the district Sunday-school secretary. He spent much time and energy in helping to build up the weaker churches. On October 16, 1881, he was married to · Herman A. Stahl Sally Boyd. They were the parents of four children, two of whom passed away before their father. The son, Orville, a graduate of Juniata Col- lege, was preparing to go to the mision field when typhoid fever cut him down.
FOSTER BOYD STATLER (April 23, 1895-) was born near Windber, the son of the late Ephraim and Mary Ann Statler. He worked as a bank clerk at the Windber Trust Company for two years. Juniata College graduated him in 1920 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and in 1946 conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity. He at- tended Princeton Theological Seminary and was graduated in 1924 with a Bachelor of Theology degree. While studying there he was the student pastor at Royersford, Pennsylvania. He served in 1917 as as- sistant to I. E. Holsinger, field secretary of the Sunday schools of Western Pennsylvania, assuming full responsibility for the work for the three years following. Brother Foster served at Morrellville from 1924 to 1926; then he moved to Huntingdon, where he served until 1937.
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Foster Boyd Statler
He was the pastor at Mount Mor- ris, Illinois, from 1937 to 1950, when he took up the work at Elkhart, Indiana, where he re- mains at this writing. He served as a member of the Gish Fund Committee of the Brotherhood and as a member of the executive committee of Bethany Biblical Seminary for nine years each. He was a member of the Central Re- gional Council for several years. On August 23, 1924, he was united in marriage to Grace Brown Strayer of Woodbury. They have one son, Harold Boyd Statler, born April 28, 1927, who is also in the ministry of the church and at present is a student at Bethany Biblical Seminary.
PETER B. STATLER (March 21, 1838-November 27, 1881) was born in Pittsburgh soon after his parents, Peter and Jacobena, of the Lu- theran faith, emigrated from Germany. Shortly after his birth, the parents moved to Richland Township, Cambria County. On November 22, 1860, he was married to Sally Holsopple, a daughter of Isaac Hol- sopple. They were the parents of seven sons and three daughters. In 1864 Brother and Sister Statler united with the Shade Creek con- gregation. In June 1872 he was elected to the ministry. He preached principally in the German language. By trade he was a farmer and a lum- berman. Some of his sons later became well known in the latter business.
RUTH BEEGHLY STATLER (May 19, 1906-) is the daughter of A. J. and Cora (Gnagy) Beeghly. At the age of nine she united with the Church of the Brethren. Residing in Somerset, the wife of Ernest S. Statler, she is the mother of two daughters, Mrs. Glenda Schultz and Mrs. Lois Vogel. Ruth Stat- ler is well qualified by her Christian training and experience to be the author of many enlightening, interest- ing, and inspiring publications. At all times she has endeavored to promote the work of the church, and her end- less devotion has been a challenge to many. Her work with the Pennsylvania
Ruth Beeghly Statler
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Council of Churches has been outstanding, as a member of the Executive Board of Migrant Work; also in the department of Women's Work on the Committee of Public Relations and the Christian World Mission Com- mittee. For nine years she was vice-president of Western Pennsylvania Women's Work and at present is director of peace and race relations. She is the chairman of the Historical Committee of Western Pennsylvania. With a special gift for illuminating the religious teachings of the Church of the Brethren, she has been writing for nearly two decades. Since her first poem was published in the Gospel Messenger in 1932, she has in- fluenced the minds and actions of the Church of the Brethren con- stituency. Among her many writings are plays, poems, hymns, magazine articles, short stories, and books. She has received wide acclaim for her two religious novels, Whither Thou Goest and House of Clay.
PETER C. STRAYER (September 9, 1875-), the son of John A. and Susan (Fisher) Strayer, was born in Cambria County. On June 5, 1898, he was united in marriage with Mary Elizabeth Wissinger, daugh- ter of Archibald and Sarah (Blough) Wissinger. They were the parents of nine children, two of whom died in infancy. He was baptized October 15, 1900, elected to the ministry June 29, 1905, and ordained to the eldership September 10, 1931. He served the Maple Grove and Cone- maugh churches as pastor and later continued his services as teacher of the men's Bible class of the Walnut Grove church.
(1) JACOB STUTZMAN (1777-1859) was a native of Franklin County who came to Cambria County when he was a young man. His grand- father was Abram Stutzman, who was born in Germany. His father, also Abram, was born in Switzerland. Like his father, Jacob learned the trade of shoemaking. Later, in 1813, he purchased a farm which is now the Osborne section in the Eighth Ward in the city of Johnstown. Here he and his wife, Susannah (Ulery) Stutzman, built a large home and reared their family. This house also became the first house of worship in this section, being built with movable partitions on the second floor to accommodate crowds for preaching services and for love feasts. In 1853 the farm was sold to his son Stephen, and he went to spend the remainder of his days in Taylor Township with his son Samuel. Their children were the above mentioned; Abraham, a min- ister, about whom more follows: Daniel; Jacob; John; David; Elizabeth, wife of Abraham Weaver; Hannah, wife of George Knavel; Susan- nah, wife of John Knavel; and Mary, wife of Elder Samuel Berkey first and later married to Christian Good. Brother Stutzman was among the first preachers in the Conemaugh Valley. The value of his early work is attested to by the strong churches which have resulted in that area. He was sincere and consistent in his life and preaching and was highly respected as a citizen and neighbor.
(2) ABRAHAM STUTZMAN ( ?- January 8, 1884), the son of Elder Jacob Stutzman, was married to Sarah Schrock. He was elected to the ministry in the Conemaugh congregation and was the elder of the same, as his father had been before him. He preached in both German and English, but mostly in English. With his family he emi- grated to Ohio in 1870. He preached forty-three years.
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ABRAHAM SUMMY (April 20, 1829-October 11, 1910) was born in Maryland, but moved with his parents, Christian and Eve (Harsh- berger) Summy, to Somerset County when he was about fourteen. On July 3, 1849, he married Susannah Monticue. After Mrs. Summy's death, Rachael Fulkerth became his wife. Elder Summy was elected to the ministry in the Jacobs Creek congregation in 1867, and was ordained as an elder later in life. He had the oversight of the Jacobs Creek con- gregation for more than forty years. He was a carpenter by trade.
CECIL C. SWARTZWELDER (August 23, 1894-December 27, 1950) grew up at Natrona and united with our mission when he was twelve years of age. He was married to Gladys Wauguman in 1920. Both at- tended Bethany Training School in 1930. A deacon first, he was called to the ministry later. He was employed by the U. S. Post Office, Chi- cago, for the last twenty-five years of his life. Brother Swartzwelder was one of the founders of the York Center church, Illinois.
JACOB M. THOMAS (March 15, 1795-November 21, 1881) was one of the sturdy pioneers of the church, pushing out into no-man's land to claim it for the Lord. His grandfather was Alexander Thomas, the first of that family to settle here; he homesteaded in Conemaugh Town- ship and reared a large family. Michael, Sr., was born there in 1774; he married Magdalene Maust in 1794. Two sons, Jacob M. and Michael, became ministers. It is not known when Michael, Sr., was baptized, but the family moved to a farm near Markleysburg in 1810. His wife, Magdalene, was the first person to be baptized in the Markleysburg congregation. Jacob married Mary Fike, who bore him four sons and six daughters. After her death, he remarried. A grandson, Jeremiah Thomas, became an outstanding minister and leader in the church in West Virginia. Brother Jacob Thomas was thirty-five years of age when he was baptized. He became an earnest Bible student. In 1836 he was called to the ministry and was ordained to the eldership in 1841. He was instrumental in building the church at Salem, West Virginia, into a strong congregation. Not content to confine his efforts to one locality, he traveled extensively to lay firmer foundations. He was the first bishop in the state of West Virginia.
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