Page 167 - History of UB Church in Hburg Region
P. 167
History of U.B. Churches in Harrisonburg-Staunton Region December 26, 2024
transition from Dayton to Winchester. On May 17th, the college property in Dayton was sold at public
auction to the highest bidder for $107,875,000. Shenandoah College will open in Winchester in
September with an enrollment between 285 and 325 plus, as compared with 198 last year in Dayton.
Under the efficient administration of President Racey, the College last year operated without a deficit
and with a balance of approximately $6,000 at the end of the school year. This is the more remarkable
in that the entire appropriation from the general church ($25,000) went to reduce the indebtedness
created prior to his administration. The HHFA has granted the loan of $713,000 for the two dormitories,
and work on these will begin this fall. To lighten the load of Mr. Racey, the Executive Committee has
named the Rev. Kenneth Kyre as Assistant to the President. To Keith Williams, architect, for his careful
and conscientious planning and to Howard Shockley & Sons for their master craftsmanship, proving
themselves workers that need not be ashamed, we owe a debt of gratitude we can never pay!”
At the September 1960 meeting of the Board of Missions, Rev. Andrew C. Agnew “presented
plans for the second floor in the west end of the Dayton Church to cost $3,500 for Sunday school uses.
This was approved and recommended to the Conference for action. Questions of sound-proofing were
raised and suggestions made that this be considered.” Dr. U. P. Hovermale died at his home in Sarasota,
Florida on Tuesday morning, October 4, 1960. From 1926 to 1930, he was Pastor at Dayton U.B.
Church. During his administration as Superintendent, Virginia Conference was the first conference in
the Denomination to pay a full benevolence budget after the great depression of the early 1930s. Mrs.
Anna Lee Mauzy Collis, widow of Joseph R. Collis died on December 14, 1961, at her homestead at
Siler, Va. Funeral Services were held in St. Luke’s Church in Martinsburg, where she had served with
her husband from 1938 to 1952. Interment was by the side of her husband in Dayton Cemetery, who
died on December 4, 1952. Ministers participating there were: Andrew Agnew and Dr. J. Paul Gruver.
The 1963 Ministers’ Mid-Year Retreat was held at Dayton EUB Church. Mrs. Josie
Glossbrenner Hammack, 96, widow of the Rev. A. S. Hammack, died Sunday morning, August 4, at her
home in Dayton where she spent the last 57 years of her earthly life. Dr. Hammack was Superintendent
of the Virginia Conference for 13 years, from 1909 to 1922. Burial was in Oak Hill Cemetery near Mt.
Solon beside the body of her husband who preceded her in death in 1932. In 1963 Dayton reported
having refinished pews, $1,205; new tile floor, $896; new carpet, $532; and 50 new Samson chairs,
$200. Mrs. J. R. Rhodes, President of the Virginia Branch WSWS from 1920 to 1935 and Honorary
President since that time, died on January 2nd at Alamance Hospital in Burlington, N.C., at the age of 89.
Mrs. Rhodes lived in Dayton for 40 years.
The 1966 Lay Delegates to Annual Conference from Dayton EUB Church were Miss Priscilla
Harman and Mrs. L. P. Hill, Sr. At that Conference, the Superintendent reported: “Last August 1st the
Rev. H. Fred Edge became the Pastor of the Dayton-Otterbein Churches to succeed Dr. J. Paul Gruver,
who became the Director of Religious Activities on the campus of Shenandoah College.” In 1968
Conference approved the merger of the former Dayton EUB Church and the former Dayton Methodist
Church, which has approval of both churches and whose details have been worked out by Committees
and approved by both churches.
The following U.B. and EUB pastors are buried at Dayton, Va.: Henry Burtner (joined
Conference in 1820; died in 1857 at age 57); William H. Burtner (joined Conference in 1864; died in
1894 at age 60); J. W. Howe (joined Conference in 1858; died in 1903 at age 73); William R. Berry
(joined Conference in 1878; died in 1906 at age 50); George P. Hott (joined Conference in 1879; died in
1914 at age 60); W. L. Childress (joined Conference in 1894; died in 1936 at age 69); W. H. Smith, Sr.
(joined Conference in 1917; died in 1942 at age 55); Joseph R. Collis (joined Conference in 1915; died
in 1952 at age 65); and James A. Swain (joined Conference in 1935; died in 1968 at age 61).36 Widows
36 From the 1969 Virginia Conference Journal. 153
II.B.14 Dayton U.B. Church and SCI
transition from Dayton to Winchester. On May 17th, the college property in Dayton was sold at public
auction to the highest bidder for $107,875,000. Shenandoah College will open in Winchester in
September with an enrollment between 285 and 325 plus, as compared with 198 last year in Dayton.
Under the efficient administration of President Racey, the College last year operated without a deficit
and with a balance of approximately $6,000 at the end of the school year. This is the more remarkable
in that the entire appropriation from the general church ($25,000) went to reduce the indebtedness
created prior to his administration. The HHFA has granted the loan of $713,000 for the two dormitories,
and work on these will begin this fall. To lighten the load of Mr. Racey, the Executive Committee has
named the Rev. Kenneth Kyre as Assistant to the President. To Keith Williams, architect, for his careful
and conscientious planning and to Howard Shockley & Sons for their master craftsmanship, proving
themselves workers that need not be ashamed, we owe a debt of gratitude we can never pay!”
At the September 1960 meeting of the Board of Missions, Rev. Andrew C. Agnew “presented
plans for the second floor in the west end of the Dayton Church to cost $3,500 for Sunday school uses.
This was approved and recommended to the Conference for action. Questions of sound-proofing were
raised and suggestions made that this be considered.” Dr. U. P. Hovermale died at his home in Sarasota,
Florida on Tuesday morning, October 4, 1960. From 1926 to 1930, he was Pastor at Dayton U.B.
Church. During his administration as Superintendent, Virginia Conference was the first conference in
the Denomination to pay a full benevolence budget after the great depression of the early 1930s. Mrs.
Anna Lee Mauzy Collis, widow of Joseph R. Collis died on December 14, 1961, at her homestead at
Siler, Va. Funeral Services were held in St. Luke’s Church in Martinsburg, where she had served with
her husband from 1938 to 1952. Interment was by the side of her husband in Dayton Cemetery, who
died on December 4, 1952. Ministers participating there were: Andrew Agnew and Dr. J. Paul Gruver.
The 1963 Ministers’ Mid-Year Retreat was held at Dayton EUB Church. Mrs. Josie
Glossbrenner Hammack, 96, widow of the Rev. A. S. Hammack, died Sunday morning, August 4, at her
home in Dayton where she spent the last 57 years of her earthly life. Dr. Hammack was Superintendent
of the Virginia Conference for 13 years, from 1909 to 1922. Burial was in Oak Hill Cemetery near Mt.
Solon beside the body of her husband who preceded her in death in 1932. In 1963 Dayton reported
having refinished pews, $1,205; new tile floor, $896; new carpet, $532; and 50 new Samson chairs,
$200. Mrs. J. R. Rhodes, President of the Virginia Branch WSWS from 1920 to 1935 and Honorary
President since that time, died on January 2nd at Alamance Hospital in Burlington, N.C., at the age of 89.
Mrs. Rhodes lived in Dayton for 40 years.
The 1966 Lay Delegates to Annual Conference from Dayton EUB Church were Miss Priscilla
Harman and Mrs. L. P. Hill, Sr. At that Conference, the Superintendent reported: “Last August 1st the
Rev. H. Fred Edge became the Pastor of the Dayton-Otterbein Churches to succeed Dr. J. Paul Gruver,
who became the Director of Religious Activities on the campus of Shenandoah College.” In 1968
Conference approved the merger of the former Dayton EUB Church and the former Dayton Methodist
Church, which has approval of both churches and whose details have been worked out by Committees
and approved by both churches.
The following U.B. and EUB pastors are buried at Dayton, Va.: Henry Burtner (joined
Conference in 1820; died in 1857 at age 57); William H. Burtner (joined Conference in 1864; died in
1894 at age 60); J. W. Howe (joined Conference in 1858; died in 1903 at age 73); William R. Berry
(joined Conference in 1878; died in 1906 at age 50); George P. Hott (joined Conference in 1879; died in
1914 at age 60); W. L. Childress (joined Conference in 1894; died in 1936 at age 69); W. H. Smith, Sr.
(joined Conference in 1917; died in 1942 at age 55); Joseph R. Collis (joined Conference in 1915; died
in 1952 at age 65); and James A. Swain (joined Conference in 1935; died in 1968 at age 61).36 Widows
36 From the 1969 Virginia Conference Journal. 153
II.B.14 Dayton U.B. Church and SCI
