Page 88 - History of UB Church by A. Funkhouser Ver 1
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converted in 1902, licensed in 1907, and has been an itinerant seven years. His charges have been
West Frederick, Elk Garden, Swoope, and Manassas.
MILES: James W. Miles was born in Frederick county, Maryland, in 1818, was converted in
1835, and was licensed in the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1841. He joined the United Brethren
Church in 1843 and its conference the next year. He was ordained 1846 and in 1850 was presiding
elder of the territory that became the Parkersburg Conference, with which he was identified after
its organization. His second wife, Mary E. Jackson was a cousin to Stonewall Jackson.
MILLER: Charles Miller was born in York county, Pennsylvania, December 6, 1824. He professed
religion at the age of seventeen and joined the Evangelical Association. In 1850 he was ordained.
Some time earlier than this he was sent to Virginia as a missionary. He located at Purgitsville,
Hampshire county, West Virginia, where he was married to Miss Louisa High of that place and
reared a large family. Soon after coming here Mr. Miller connected himself with the United
Brethren, and in 1874 became an ordained elder. He was an exceptional man. Although a local
preacher, he frequently traveled a circuit thus serving several large charges in reach of his home.
As a preacher he was clear, logical, and scriptural. As a layman he was much respected and wielded
a good influence. He provided well for his family, yet gave a tenth to the cause of the Church. He
was forty-five years a minister.
MITCHELL: William Davis Mitchell was born in Montgomery county, Va., was educated at
Roanoke, converted in 1894, and licensed in 1905. He has been an itinerant 14 years, serving
Roanoke, Staunton, Harrisonburg, Cumberland, and Inwood.
NEGLEY: J. A. Negley was born at White Hall, Virginia, December 23, 1831, and died at Arthur,
Grant county, West Virginia, December 27, 1898. He was converted when about twenty-three years
old, and joined the Virginia Conference in 1872. His circuits were Clarke, New Haven, Berkeley,
Front Royal, Lost River, Moorefield, and Franklin. His education was meager, yet he often preached
with great power, the plainness and simplicity of his utterances being readily understood by his
hearers. He therefore often succeeded where others might have failed. His last year in the ministry
was perhaps his best, since there were more than one hundred conversions to report. As a token of
its appreciation the Conference ordered that a monument be placed over his grave at Mount
Carmel church, Grant county.
NIHISER: J. W. Nihiser was born in Shenandoah county, and died at Keedysville, Maryland,
February 26, 1893, aged sixty-six years. He was a brother to the Rev. Richard Nihiser, and it was
through the influence of the latter that he joined the church. Very early in life he took an active
part in the work of his class. He was a fine singer at revival meetings and was powerful in prayer.
As an exhorter he was surpassed by few. He traveled South Branch, Alleghany, New Creek,
Franklin, Augusta, Dayton, and Winchester circuits, on most of which he had extensive revivals. For
several years he had been on the supernumary list, making his home with his son, Dr. W. M.
Nihiser.
OBAUGH: William B. Obaugh, son of Mr. and Mrs. S. H. Obaugh, was born near Churchville, Va.,
December 6, 1892, and studied at the Shenandoah Collegiate Institute and Bonebrake Seminary.
He was licensed in 1916, has spent three years on Fountain and Edinburg circuits, and was
graduated from Bonebrake Seminary 1922.
PERRY: John W. Perry was born at Chewsville, Maryland, in 1825, studied at Mount Pleasant
College, and joined conference in 1850. He was a member of the Parkersburg Conference from
1857 to 1889, when he removed to Philadelphia to be with his son.
RACEY: Calvin Jackson Racey, son of Morgan and Rebecca Racey, was born at Old Fields, Hardy
county, W. Va. He studied two years at the Shenandoah Collegiate Institute, was converted in
1883, licensed in 1905, and ordained in 1912. Mr. Racey taught 12 years in his native county,
holding a Number One certificate at the age of eighteen. He has been an itinerant 18 years, having
served West Frederick, Winchester, Swoope, Pendleton, Elk Garden, and Westernport. His wife was
Cora S. High, and he has four children.
RACEY: Lee Allen Racey was born near Moorefield, W. Va., March 28, 1869, and is a son of
Morgan and Rebecca Racey. He was ordained in 1903, and has been an itinerant 23 years. He has
served Prince William, Elk Garden, Franklin, Tom's Brook, South Branch, Pleasant Valley,
Chapter XX 88 Biographical Sketches of
MInisters
West Frederick, Elk Garden, Swoope, and Manassas.
MILES: James W. Miles was born in Frederick county, Maryland, in 1818, was converted in
1835, and was licensed in the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1841. He joined the United Brethren
Church in 1843 and its conference the next year. He was ordained 1846 and in 1850 was presiding
elder of the territory that became the Parkersburg Conference, with which he was identified after
its organization. His second wife, Mary E. Jackson was a cousin to Stonewall Jackson.
MILLER: Charles Miller was born in York county, Pennsylvania, December 6, 1824. He professed
religion at the age of seventeen and joined the Evangelical Association. In 1850 he was ordained.
Some time earlier than this he was sent to Virginia as a missionary. He located at Purgitsville,
Hampshire county, West Virginia, where he was married to Miss Louisa High of that place and
reared a large family. Soon after coming here Mr. Miller connected himself with the United
Brethren, and in 1874 became an ordained elder. He was an exceptional man. Although a local
preacher, he frequently traveled a circuit thus serving several large charges in reach of his home.
As a preacher he was clear, logical, and scriptural. As a layman he was much respected and wielded
a good influence. He provided well for his family, yet gave a tenth to the cause of the Church. He
was forty-five years a minister.
MITCHELL: William Davis Mitchell was born in Montgomery county, Va., was educated at
Roanoke, converted in 1894, and licensed in 1905. He has been an itinerant 14 years, serving
Roanoke, Staunton, Harrisonburg, Cumberland, and Inwood.
NEGLEY: J. A. Negley was born at White Hall, Virginia, December 23, 1831, and died at Arthur,
Grant county, West Virginia, December 27, 1898. He was converted when about twenty-three years
old, and joined the Virginia Conference in 1872. His circuits were Clarke, New Haven, Berkeley,
Front Royal, Lost River, Moorefield, and Franklin. His education was meager, yet he often preached
with great power, the plainness and simplicity of his utterances being readily understood by his
hearers. He therefore often succeeded where others might have failed. His last year in the ministry
was perhaps his best, since there were more than one hundred conversions to report. As a token of
its appreciation the Conference ordered that a monument be placed over his grave at Mount
Carmel church, Grant county.
NIHISER: J. W. Nihiser was born in Shenandoah county, and died at Keedysville, Maryland,
February 26, 1893, aged sixty-six years. He was a brother to the Rev. Richard Nihiser, and it was
through the influence of the latter that he joined the church. Very early in life he took an active
part in the work of his class. He was a fine singer at revival meetings and was powerful in prayer.
As an exhorter he was surpassed by few. He traveled South Branch, Alleghany, New Creek,
Franklin, Augusta, Dayton, and Winchester circuits, on most of which he had extensive revivals. For
several years he had been on the supernumary list, making his home with his son, Dr. W. M.
Nihiser.
OBAUGH: William B. Obaugh, son of Mr. and Mrs. S. H. Obaugh, was born near Churchville, Va.,
December 6, 1892, and studied at the Shenandoah Collegiate Institute and Bonebrake Seminary.
He was licensed in 1916, has spent three years on Fountain and Edinburg circuits, and was
graduated from Bonebrake Seminary 1922.
PERRY: John W. Perry was born at Chewsville, Maryland, in 1825, studied at Mount Pleasant
College, and joined conference in 1850. He was a member of the Parkersburg Conference from
1857 to 1889, when he removed to Philadelphia to be with his son.
RACEY: Calvin Jackson Racey, son of Morgan and Rebecca Racey, was born at Old Fields, Hardy
county, W. Va. He studied two years at the Shenandoah Collegiate Institute, was converted in
1883, licensed in 1905, and ordained in 1912. Mr. Racey taught 12 years in his native county,
holding a Number One certificate at the age of eighteen. He has been an itinerant 18 years, having
served West Frederick, Winchester, Swoope, Pendleton, Elk Garden, and Westernport. His wife was
Cora S. High, and he has four children.
RACEY: Lee Allen Racey was born near Moorefield, W. Va., March 28, 1869, and is a son of
Morgan and Rebecca Racey. He was ordained in 1903, and has been an itinerant 23 years. He has
served Prince William, Elk Garden, Franklin, Tom's Brook, South Branch, Pleasant Valley,
Chapter XX 88 Biographical Sketches of
MInisters
