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History of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, Virginia Conference

by A. P. Funkhouser

CHAPTER VII

PLANTING THE CHURCH IN VIRGINIA

The German immigration to America made its earliest home in the southeast of Pennsylvania. The county of Lancaster, in that state, is, more than any other, the first seat of United Brethrenism.

Like all other immigrants, the German wanted plenty of elbow room. To be nearer than half a mile to a neighbor was considering crowding. A mile was thought near enough to be comfortable. And there seemed to be plenty of elbow room, for the continent appeared to stretch interminably westward.

So, as their numbers increased, the German families flocked over the colonial boundary into Maryland, and thence into that part of the Valley of Virginia lying between Winchester and the vicinity of Harrisonburg. The district next the Potomac, on the Virginia side, was rather avoided because of the litigation between Lord Fairfax and Joist Hite, and the consequent difficulty of getting good titles. The country south of Harrisonburg was at first peopled only by the Scotch-Irish, but it was not long until German settlers moved onward as the more restless Scotch-Irish pressed still farther to the south and west.

The German settlers were partial to good lands, such as the limestone belts in the Valley of Virginia. Also, they were unwilling to make a home unless it could be near a good spring. Furthermore, they were conservative. They did not want change. They wanted to do as they had been used to doing, and they held to the old even at the cost of becoming unprogressive. And so far as they adhered tenaciously to their mother tongue they remained foreigners in feeling.

Among the Germans coming to the Shenandoah country were families who had taken part in the great meetings in Pennsylvania and Maryland. Some of them were

related to Geeting, Newcomer, and others of the early preachers. So the preachers they had known north of the Potomac followed them and held great meetings in the Valley, particularly near Mount Jackson.

The site of Keedysville, near Antietam Creek in Maryland, was the home of George Geeting, Otterbein's chief adviser. His home was also a headquarters for Boehm, Newcomer, and other preachers. At Beaver Creek, a dozen miles eastward across the mountains, was where Newcomer lived. Farther east were the Kemps and others. A few miles farther north were the Draksels, Mayers, Baers, Browns, Hersheys, Russells, and others, while on the Virginia side of the Potomac and within a day's ride were Ambrose, Strickler, Senseny, the Niswanders,—Isaac and Abraham, and the three Duckwalds,—Ludwig, Henry, and Frederick. Still others were the twin brothers,—Henry and Christian Crum. Thus there were gathered at Antietam, as a central point, those who were fired with a common spirit. The great religious experiences they had enjoyed were told in a wonderful way to the throngs attracted by interest and novelty.

Strong congregations were soon formed around Winchester, at Sleepy Creek, and east of the Blue Ridge in Loudoun county. The last named locality was often visited by Bishop Newcomer. But by reason of emigration this flock passed out of existence more than a century ago.

Before 1815 there was quite an exodus of these people across the Alleghanies into Ohio and the west of Pennsylvania. It came thus that the Miami, the first daughter conference, was organized largely by the preachers who had come from the East, for up to this time, the whole work was embraced in the Eastern, or original, conference. The families who settled in the west of Pennsylvania, especially in Westmoreland county, were active and loyal, and laid the foundations for the present prosperous United Brethren Church in that favored region.

Almost the only record we have of the early work of these circuit riders is found in Newcomer's Journal, pub-

lished in 1835. It was not intended for publication, and its brevity is often disappointing to those who would like more complete information. The Journal, after its publication, was evidently sold by the itinerants.*

When eighty-one years old, Newcomer attempted a trip into Virginia. Sunday, March 1, 1830, he rode to the home of Michael Thomas at Boonsboro, nine miles from his own house, and lodged there for the night. Next morning he was too ill to go on and he returned. Wednesday, he wrote thus: "This forenoon I tried to write in my journal, but alas! I find that I am not able to perform the task, so 1 lay down my pen. The Lord alone knows whether I shall be able to resume it again. The Lord's will be done. Amen. Hallelujah."

It is this record of Newcomer that gives early circuits in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and Ohio. It is not by any means a complete record, as it gives only the tours by himself and his companions, for he seldom traveled alone.

Just before the first annual conference at Kemp's, in September, 1800, Newcomer made a tour of the Virginia circuit. This time he was accompanied by Martin Boehm and his son, Henry. Another preacher, Christian Crum, lived at Pleasant Valley, eight miles northeast of Winchester, on what has since been known as the Jacob Hott place. For years this was the first stopping place of the German preachers, and here these three men held their opening service on the Virginia circuit. They arrived Monday night, September 1, and the elder Boehm preached. He preached again at Dr. Senseny's in Winchester, and a Methodist preacher followed with an exhortation. Wednesday, they held a meeting at Abraham Niswander's, near Middletown, and then rode to the house of A. Boehm, a relative to the bishop, where Newcomer preached and was followed by Henry Boehm. Thursday forenoon they preached at Jacob Funkhouser's west of Fisher's Hill, riding thence to Wood-

*The copy owned by A. P. Funkhouser was purchased by his paternal grandfather in 1837, as witnessed by his autograph signature and the date.

stock and lodging with one Zehrung, who, by the way, gave a lot for a church in Woodstock. This gift was made more than a hundred years ago. The bishop preached in a church at Woodstock Friday morning, and then they rode to Jacob Rhinehart's, where Newcomer preached. Saturday and Sunday there was a meeting at the widow Kagey's on Smith's Creek. Bishop Boehm preached in German and was followed by his son Henry in English. Then they rode to a Mr. Bender's, where Newcomer preached. After they had retired, Bender's wife began moaning aloud. They arose and prayed with her.

The preachers turned out very early Monday morning, September 8, and rode to the house of John Peters near New Market, where Newcomer and Boehm preached in German and Henry Boehm in English. After dismissing the people, the crowd continued to stand around in groups, crying and moaning, so another meeting was held. Bender's wife had followed them to this place, was converted, and made shoutingly happy. The preachers then rode to Homan's in Brock's Gap. In the afternoon they accompanied Strickler to his home sixteen miles away, arriving late at night. Their next stopping place was at Peter Bibey's in Augusta county. Passing through Staunton, they called on the Methodist pastor and went on to the house of Christian Hess.

On Saturday the 13th, a great meeting began at Henry Menger's on the side of the mountain, southwest of Swoope's Depot. In the afternoon they rode to a Mr. Harris's. Next day, returning through Staunton, they dined with the Methodist pastor, and then rode seventeen miles to Widore's. Tuesday morning Newcomer preached at Zimmerman's in Keezeltown, and then the party rode sixteen miles to John Peters' near New Market, where the bishop was again the preacher. Next day they crossed the mountain into Page, spending the night with Christian Fori, near the South Fork. Thursday, Bishop Boehm conducted a funeral service at Woodstock, and the night was spent with John Funkhouser west of Fisher's Hill. Satur-

day a sacramental meeting began at Niswander's near Middletown.

Continuing their return journey the party reached Newcomer's home, Tuesday the 23d, just two days before the opening of conference. The Boehms must have gone on to Kemp's, for there was not time to reach their own homes and be at conference on the first day, this being the time when Newcomer found them there.

The next visit to Virginia was two years later, in June, and it occupied eight days. Otterbein, Newcomer, Cram, and Strickler were the preachers and they traveled together. Their first point was a sacramental meeting at Jacob Funkhouser's west of Fisher's Hill. The services Sunday night were at Christian Funkhouser's. The place was appropriately called Funkhouser Hollow, since there were seven families of this name, all with farms adjoining. They all spoke the German language, built their houses alike, each one over a spring, professed the same religion, and yet each family had its own burial ground on a hillside. Their relationship has never been traced by any one of the present time. On this journey Otterbein preached nearly every night. Services were held at Crum's, at Geeting's, at Newtown, at Niswander's in Middletown, and at Winchester.

In October of the same year Newcomer and Geeting traveled the Virginia circuit, one or the other preaching every day for nineteen days and always in German. Their preaching places were much as before, Stoverstown (Strasburg) being one of the appointments. At Mengen's, their most southern point, was the great meeting for which they set out. To attend the two-day services the people came in some instances thirty to fifty miles.

"Year after year for almost thirty years Newcomer made visits to Virginia, continuing them almost to the time when Glossbrenner began his work as circuit rider.

"The meeting places were changed to suit local conditions. From Hoffman's the meetings were changed to Peter Myers near the present Pike Mennonite church.

George Hoffman moved to Augusta, taking his religion with him, and Mount Zion became an early preaching place. Peter Myers built a dwelling house with a large room in it for meetings, which were held regularly here for many years.

"In the spring 1809 Newcomer made a unique visit to Harrisonburg. He came as a committee to confer with Bishop Asbury and the Baltimore Conference of the Methodist Church on the subject of church union. This conference was held in the log church on the hill where the old burial ground still remains. Two bishops, Asbury and George, and sixty preachers were present. The day after it closed Newcomer, delighted with his cordial entertainment, rode down the Valley with Asbury and other preachers, among whom was Henry Boehm, son of the bishop.

"The last visit by Newcomer was in 1828, when he was seventy-nine years old. That summer he held eight camp meetings, three of them in Virginia. In company with William Brown, afterward bishop, and William B. Rhinehart, a sweet singer and later the first editor of the Religious Telescope, he made the usual stops until he came to a camp meeting on Mill Creek, two miles west of Mount Jackson. Such meetings were held here from 1825 to 1830 inclusive, on the farm of the great grandfather of A. P. Funkhouser. The camp spring is yet pointed out in the middle of Mill Creek. After the close of the meeting, the preachers went on to Rockingham and spent the night with Jacob Whitesell, who had married Brown's sister in Pennsylvania, and who had now an old mill on Dry River, a mile or two below Rawley Springs. Whitesell and his family later moved to Vigo county, Indiana, where his descendants are among the pillars of the strong church now in that section. The preachers then went to the camp meeting on Beaver Creek just opposite the home of the late John Whitmore. Mrs. Maria Paul attended this meeting, being then a girl, and remembered the bishop as tall, spare, and clean-shaven. During one of his discourses a large, fat man walked into the congregation and stood

leaning against a tree. His name was Koogler, and he-was a paper-shaver with a reputation not very savory. Newcomer pointed him out, remarking, 'Oh me, if that man would become converted, how much religion he could hold.'

"At the close of the camp meeting, Newcomer and his companions rode to Peter Whitesell's, where Brown preached in German and Newcomer in English. Simon, father of J. D. Whitesell of Harrisonburg, was then but eight years old, yet preserved to the end of his life a clear recollection of the visit. Whitesell's church had been built here the year previous. It was the first United Brethren church built in Virginia, and a most influential center for many years. This house of worship grew out of the meetings at Hoffman's and Peter Myers': Passing through Harrisonburg to the head of Brock's Gap, the party took dinner with Henry Tutwiler, a brother-in-law to Whitesell, and a tanner of buckskin. He was postmaster at Harrisonburg thirty-one years. Tutwiler was a zealous class leader of the Methodists, and was the father of one of the first graduates of the University of Virginia. Years afterward, he died shoutingly happy after a sudden illness, the day after holding a watch meeting on New Year's eve.

"The next day found Newcomer at a camp meeting on the land of Jacob Lentz, at the head of Brock's Gap four miles above Dovesville. Lentz had come from Loudoun county years before, bringing his United Brethrenism with him, and though he was more than thirty miles from the county seat, he was not too far away for his old friends to find him. Near him at Dovesville, was another United Brethren, Frederick Doub (Dove), who had come from Frederick county, Maryland. The postoffice was named after him. The descendants of the Lentzs and Doves, and the intermarried families now form a large element of the population here. The present Keplinger chapel, recently remodeled, was dedicated November 27, 1858, by Jacob Markwood, then a presiding elder."

The compiler of this volume finds among the papers

given him the statement that the first United Brethren conference,—presumably of Virginia,—was held June 3, 1794, in the stone house that was used as a law office of the late General John E. Roller. But as this meeting is not mentioned in the general histories of the church, it must have been a gathering of the Virginia preachers of that decade and perhaps a few from the other side of the Potomac. The first official conference in Virginia was held in the same town, March 2, 1809.

Mention has been made of the Whitesell church. As late as 1850 there were but two other church buildings of the United Brethren in Virginia. In 1860 the total membership in both Virginia and Maryland was not over 3,000.

There was for a long while a feeling that there should be no gathering of church statistics, and none were given out by the United Brethren Church until 1837. This prejudice seems to have grown out of the relation of David's sin in numbering the people.

A more complete account of Newcomer's travels in Virginia will be found in the next chapter.



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