Page 89 - History of UB Church by A. Funkhouser Ver 1
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Winchester, Bayard, Great Cacapon, and Inwood. He relates that he was reared in a Christian
home, and does not remember the time when he did not consider himself a member of the church.
RAU: William Samuel Rau, son of John V. and Sarah E. Rau, was born August 19, 1858, at
Edinburg, Va., was converted in 1876, licensed in 1900, ordained in 1908, and has been an
itinerant 20 years. He has served Albemarle, Rockbridge, Elk Garden, Bayard, Augusta, Elkton,
Lacey Spring, and Shenandoah. He has built several parsonages and remodeled still more.
REXROAD: George W. Rexrode was born in Pendleton county, West Virginia, January 4, 1821,
and died near Port Republic, Virginia, March 25, 1898. He joined the Virginia Conference in 1858,
and was a member of it forty years, generally occupying a local relation, and preaching mostly in
his native county. He supported his large family by following the trade of shoemaker. He was a
consistent Christian and exerted a good influence. In Bible doctrines he was well informed and he
was powerful in prayer.
RICHARDSON: Harvey Eugene Richardson was born at Buckeystown, Md., June 22, 1865, and is
a son of James A. and Margaret E. Richardson. He was converted when twenty-one, licensed in
1891, ordained in 1898, and has been an itinerant since 1893. His charges in the Virginia
Conference are Berkeley Springs, Great Cacapon, Rockbridge, West Frederick, Bayard, and
Winchester. Mr. Richardson has served several charges in Maryland and Iowa. He had to begin
making his way at the age of twelve, and his has been largely a self-education. He has made quite
a name as a pulpit orator.
RIDENOUR: Jacob R. Ridenour was born near Myersville, Maryland, in 1849. He was the first
student to enter Lebanon Valley College from south of Mason and Dixon's line, and he pursued the
scientific course to the senior year. He was licensed in 1874, and joined conference the next year.
In 17 years of pastoral work he served New Creek, South Branch, Hagerstown, Winchester,
Berkeley Springs, Keedysville, Martinsburg, and Dayton, and was two years presiding elder of the
Winchester district. In 1893 he took a superannuate relation because of failing health.
RODERICK: Lewis Roderick was a Dunkard preacher who came to what is now Grant county,
West Virginia, from Frederick county, Maryland. This was about the close of the Revolution, and he
was accompanied by his brother-in-law, Nicholas Leatherman. He moved on to Coshocton county,
Ohio, and died there at the age of ninety-six. His son Peter came back to visit his uncle, married in
1816, and remained. Jacob M., son of Peter, was born in 1817 on a farm near Burlington, West
Virginia. When eighteen years old he began teaching in the winter season, still working on the farm
in the summer. He was converted in 1843, under the preaching of John Ruebush, and was ordained
in 1861. Alleghany mission had just been formed to favor some thirty or more members who had
moved into Garrett county, Maryland, mostly from Somerset county, Pennsylvania. Benjamin
Stickley was given $50 in missionary money and sent to travel it six months. Mr. Roderick then
took charge, finding fifteen appointments and 210 miles to travel each month. He added two
appointments. His salary was $52 for the first six months, $500 for the fourth year, by which time
there were 400 members. He then served Alleghany, Bath, New Creek, and Bloomery circuits.
Though not a born orator, he was a revivalist of some note, and several of his converts became
ministers. It was a maxim with him that "the fear of hell never helped anyone very far on the road
to the Kingdom." He had a fine education and was an authority on ancient and biblical history.
When asked by Bishop Hott to be examined at Union Biblical Institute for the degree of Doctor of
Divinity, he replied that he could do more for the Master as Uncle Jake than as Dr. Roderick. In
1861 he was secretary of a mass meeting that was instrumental in placing the boundary of West
Virginia east of the Alleghanies. This action cost the chairman and one other member their lives,
but Mr. Roderick was never molested.
ROUDABUSH: George J. Roudabush was born at Seville, Virginia, December 1, 1846, and died
December 17, 1916. He was converted at Shady Grove, Rockingham county, in 1866, and was
licensed in 1868. Despite the limited educational advantages of his early years, he read many
books and was considered a minister of splendid ability. He traveled East Virginia mission, Elkton,
Lacey Springs, Augusta, Dayton, Mechanicstown, and Boonsboro, built three churches and two
parsonages, and received about 500 members into the church. For several years he was presiding
elder of the Maryland Conference.
Chapter XX 89 Biographical Sketches of
MInisters
home, and does not remember the time when he did not consider himself a member of the church.
RAU: William Samuel Rau, son of John V. and Sarah E. Rau, was born August 19, 1858, at
Edinburg, Va., was converted in 1876, licensed in 1900, ordained in 1908, and has been an
itinerant 20 years. He has served Albemarle, Rockbridge, Elk Garden, Bayard, Augusta, Elkton,
Lacey Spring, and Shenandoah. He has built several parsonages and remodeled still more.
REXROAD: George W. Rexrode was born in Pendleton county, West Virginia, January 4, 1821,
and died near Port Republic, Virginia, March 25, 1898. He joined the Virginia Conference in 1858,
and was a member of it forty years, generally occupying a local relation, and preaching mostly in
his native county. He supported his large family by following the trade of shoemaker. He was a
consistent Christian and exerted a good influence. In Bible doctrines he was well informed and he
was powerful in prayer.
RICHARDSON: Harvey Eugene Richardson was born at Buckeystown, Md., June 22, 1865, and is
a son of James A. and Margaret E. Richardson. He was converted when twenty-one, licensed in
1891, ordained in 1898, and has been an itinerant since 1893. His charges in the Virginia
Conference are Berkeley Springs, Great Cacapon, Rockbridge, West Frederick, Bayard, and
Winchester. Mr. Richardson has served several charges in Maryland and Iowa. He had to begin
making his way at the age of twelve, and his has been largely a self-education. He has made quite
a name as a pulpit orator.
RIDENOUR: Jacob R. Ridenour was born near Myersville, Maryland, in 1849. He was the first
student to enter Lebanon Valley College from south of Mason and Dixon's line, and he pursued the
scientific course to the senior year. He was licensed in 1874, and joined conference the next year.
In 17 years of pastoral work he served New Creek, South Branch, Hagerstown, Winchester,
Berkeley Springs, Keedysville, Martinsburg, and Dayton, and was two years presiding elder of the
Winchester district. In 1893 he took a superannuate relation because of failing health.
RODERICK: Lewis Roderick was a Dunkard preacher who came to what is now Grant county,
West Virginia, from Frederick county, Maryland. This was about the close of the Revolution, and he
was accompanied by his brother-in-law, Nicholas Leatherman. He moved on to Coshocton county,
Ohio, and died there at the age of ninety-six. His son Peter came back to visit his uncle, married in
1816, and remained. Jacob M., son of Peter, was born in 1817 on a farm near Burlington, West
Virginia. When eighteen years old he began teaching in the winter season, still working on the farm
in the summer. He was converted in 1843, under the preaching of John Ruebush, and was ordained
in 1861. Alleghany mission had just been formed to favor some thirty or more members who had
moved into Garrett county, Maryland, mostly from Somerset county, Pennsylvania. Benjamin
Stickley was given $50 in missionary money and sent to travel it six months. Mr. Roderick then
took charge, finding fifteen appointments and 210 miles to travel each month. He added two
appointments. His salary was $52 for the first six months, $500 for the fourth year, by which time
there were 400 members. He then served Alleghany, Bath, New Creek, and Bloomery circuits.
Though not a born orator, he was a revivalist of some note, and several of his converts became
ministers. It was a maxim with him that "the fear of hell never helped anyone very far on the road
to the Kingdom." He had a fine education and was an authority on ancient and biblical history.
When asked by Bishop Hott to be examined at Union Biblical Institute for the degree of Doctor of
Divinity, he replied that he could do more for the Master as Uncle Jake than as Dr. Roderick. In
1861 he was secretary of a mass meeting that was instrumental in placing the boundary of West
Virginia east of the Alleghanies. This action cost the chairman and one other member their lives,
but Mr. Roderick was never molested.
ROUDABUSH: George J. Roudabush was born at Seville, Virginia, December 1, 1846, and died
December 17, 1916. He was converted at Shady Grove, Rockingham county, in 1866, and was
licensed in 1868. Despite the limited educational advantages of his early years, he read many
books and was considered a minister of splendid ability. He traveled East Virginia mission, Elkton,
Lacey Springs, Augusta, Dayton, Mechanicstown, and Boonsboro, built three churches and two
parsonages, and received about 500 members into the church. For several years he was presiding
elder of the Maryland Conference.
Chapter XX 89 Biographical Sketches of
MInisters
