Page 100 - United Brethren Preachers
P. 100
Volume 9 Preachers of U.B. and EUB Virginia Conferences December 26, 2024
Venona Stroh, wife of James Herbert Kiracofe, 1871-1959. Back (L-R): Rev. Nimrod Addison Kiracofe, 1849-1921 (see
below); Rev. Charles Hiram Kiracofe, 1845-1921; Rev. George William Kiracofe, 1847-1919; Zacharias T. Daggy, husband
of Mary Jane Kiracofe (b. 1850); Rev. John Wesley Kiracofe, 1841-1914 (see below); Rev. Joseph Harvey Kiracofe, 1857-
1936; and James Herbert Kiracofe, 1857-1936.]
KIRACOFE: John Wesley Kiracofe (b. Aug. 25,
1842; d. Sep. 29, 1914; mar. Catharine Virginia
Snyder, 1846-1870; and Susan P. Buxton) was born
near Stribling Springs, Augusta County, Va., in 1842.
He united with the Mt. Zion U.B. Church near Mt.
Solon, Augusta County, Va., at the age of 15 years.
He was given quarterly conference license in 1861,
4 years later. He joined Va. Conf. and was assigned
to the Lacey Springs Circuit at the Annual Conference
of 1862. He was licensed in 1863 and ordained in 1864. He
transferred to Maryland Conference in 1887. He served the following Va. Conf. circuits: Lacey Springs, 1862-
63; Highland, 1863-64; Rockbridge, 1864-66; Winchester, 1866-67; Churchville, 1867-68; Frederick, 1868-
70; Hagerstown St. Paul’s, 1870-73; Boonsboro, 1873-76; Keedysville, 1876-80; Opequon, 1880-82;
Williamsport, 1882-83; and Potomac, 1883-85. He had pastorates of Pa. Conf. at Newville, 1885-89;
Mechanicsville First, 1889-94; Mon Alto, 1894-98; Rocky Springs, 1898-99; Greencastle, 1899-1900; Boiling
Springs, 1900-04; Frederick, 1904-10; and Windsor, 19910-12. He was an able pulpit orator and long a
powerful factor in the church. “In 1912 he retired and made his home in Hagerstown, Md.” Five of his six
brothers were preachers. He died at Hagerstown, Md., aged 73 years, where he was interred (Rose Hill
Cemetery). Note: Note: The first Mrs. Kiracofe (b. Apr. 10, 1846; d. Jan. 11, 1870) is buried at Mt. Tabor
Lutheran church in Augusta County, Va., on Route 252, about 8 miles from Staunton, Va. John Wesley
Kiracofe is a brother to George W. Kiracofe and Nimrod A. Kiracofe. “He was an able pulpit orator and long a
powerful factor in the Church. He had eight children.” The middle pictures are from [Glovier 1965, p. 68-70];
the one on the left was taken in 1873 and the one on the right in 1886. A son, John W. Kiracofe of Boiling
Springs, Pa., wrote “Comments of the History of the United Brethren in Christ” (a 10-page paper ca. 1945).
The picture on the far right is from [Holdcraft 1938, p. 301], who notes:
Fifty-one ministers attended the funeral. He was one of 11 children, 6 of whom became ministers of the gospel. Three
entered the U.B. ministry: Rev. George W. Kiracofe was a member of Pa. Conf. from 1878 to 1890, then became a Baptist
minister; and Rev. Nimrod A. Kiracofe was a member of Pa. Conf. from 1904 until his death in 1936, having previously
served in Va. Conf. Rev. John Wesley Kiracofe was always an outstanding minister and pulpiteer from the time he received
his first license in 1863. A brother, James H. Kiracofe, a layman, also stood high in the councils of the Denomination (part
of the history Grace U. B. Church, Hagerstown; see Vol. 5 of this History). Rev. J. W. Kiracofe was known for his ability as a
pulpit orator and served most acceptably many of our leading pulpits over a period of half a century. His first wife, who was
Miss Catherine V. Snyder, died in 1870; there were three children by this Union. A granddaughter by this union is Mrs.
Edna Bell, president of Pa. Conf. Branch of the WMA. Mr. Kiracofe’s second wife was Miss Susan P. Buxton, of Keedysville;
seven children were born of this union. [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 140, 174; see also pp. 126, 174, 195, 263-286, 288, 290,
293, 300]; [Holdcraft 1939, p. 300]; [Glovier 1965, pp. 68-69, 89, 115]; and [Lycoming 2013]
KIRACOFE: Nimrod Addison Kiracofe [b. Apr. 20, 1849; d. Mar. 10, 19211; mar. Mary
Elizabeth (1870) and Kathryn Dick (1890)] was born at Stribling Springs, Va. He was
converted in 1868, licensed in 1872, and joined Va. Conference in 1886.” He transferred to
Maryland Conference in 1887, where he was ordained in 1893. He served West Augusta,
1880-82; South River, 1882-85; Lost River Mission, 1885-86; Williamsport mission, 1887-88;
Deer Park Circuit; Rockbridge Circuit; and Lost River Mission, 1891-92. During the first
14 years after admission to Va. Conf., “he built three churches, and in one meeting had
93 conversions to report—on one occasion he baptized 40 persons. In East Pa. Conf., he
served Manor Circuit, 1892-95, Chestnut Grove Circuit, 1895-96; Mount Joy Circuit, 1896-97;
Pequea Circuit, 1898-1901; Catawissa Circuit, 1901-02, after which he lived in Roaring Creek
and Middleburg. In Pa. Conf. he served Springett, 1904-05; Perry Circuit, 1905-07; Rayville, 1907-08; and
Mechanicsburg, 1908-09. In retirement, he was assistant superintendent for Mechanicsburg Old People’s
Home. He is interred in Mechanicsburg. The picture is from [Glovier 1965, p. 68], taken in 1873.
[Funkhouser 1921, pp. 140, 174; see also pp. 127, 130, 280, 282-284, 286-289, 291-292] and [Glovier 1965,
pp. 70, 90, 223; Lycoming 2013]
KLEIN: J. W. Klein served Lost River Circuit, 1897-99. He preached at (possibly the pastor of) Pearl
Street Evangelical Church in Lancaster in Oct. 1907.
KLINE: F. D. Kline served Swift Run Circuit, 1919-20, and Bayard Circuit, 1923-24.
KNOTT: William Knott (mar. Lydia L. Silers) was licensed and became a member of Conference in 1829;
ordained, 1832; “Pappy Knott” was a good preacher with a wonderful voice; could not read when he began to
preach and someone often read for him. He served as a designated Conference Itinerant, 1829-30;
Woodstock, 1833-35; Frederick, 1836-37; Hagerstown, 1837-39; Franklin, 1846-48; and Staunton, 1848-49.
Biographical Sketches 88
Venona Stroh, wife of James Herbert Kiracofe, 1871-1959. Back (L-R): Rev. Nimrod Addison Kiracofe, 1849-1921 (see
below); Rev. Charles Hiram Kiracofe, 1845-1921; Rev. George William Kiracofe, 1847-1919; Zacharias T. Daggy, husband
of Mary Jane Kiracofe (b. 1850); Rev. John Wesley Kiracofe, 1841-1914 (see below); Rev. Joseph Harvey Kiracofe, 1857-
1936; and James Herbert Kiracofe, 1857-1936.]
KIRACOFE: John Wesley Kiracofe (b. Aug. 25,
1842; d. Sep. 29, 1914; mar. Catharine Virginia
Snyder, 1846-1870; and Susan P. Buxton) was born
near Stribling Springs, Augusta County, Va., in 1842.
He united with the Mt. Zion U.B. Church near Mt.
Solon, Augusta County, Va., at the age of 15 years.
He was given quarterly conference license in 1861,
4 years later. He joined Va. Conf. and was assigned
to the Lacey Springs Circuit at the Annual Conference
of 1862. He was licensed in 1863 and ordained in 1864. He
transferred to Maryland Conference in 1887. He served the following Va. Conf. circuits: Lacey Springs, 1862-
63; Highland, 1863-64; Rockbridge, 1864-66; Winchester, 1866-67; Churchville, 1867-68; Frederick, 1868-
70; Hagerstown St. Paul’s, 1870-73; Boonsboro, 1873-76; Keedysville, 1876-80; Opequon, 1880-82;
Williamsport, 1882-83; and Potomac, 1883-85. He had pastorates of Pa. Conf. at Newville, 1885-89;
Mechanicsville First, 1889-94; Mon Alto, 1894-98; Rocky Springs, 1898-99; Greencastle, 1899-1900; Boiling
Springs, 1900-04; Frederick, 1904-10; and Windsor, 19910-12. He was an able pulpit orator and long a
powerful factor in the church. “In 1912 he retired and made his home in Hagerstown, Md.” Five of his six
brothers were preachers. He died at Hagerstown, Md., aged 73 years, where he was interred (Rose Hill
Cemetery). Note: Note: The first Mrs. Kiracofe (b. Apr. 10, 1846; d. Jan. 11, 1870) is buried at Mt. Tabor
Lutheran church in Augusta County, Va., on Route 252, about 8 miles from Staunton, Va. John Wesley
Kiracofe is a brother to George W. Kiracofe and Nimrod A. Kiracofe. “He was an able pulpit orator and long a
powerful factor in the Church. He had eight children.” The middle pictures are from [Glovier 1965, p. 68-70];
the one on the left was taken in 1873 and the one on the right in 1886. A son, John W. Kiracofe of Boiling
Springs, Pa., wrote “Comments of the History of the United Brethren in Christ” (a 10-page paper ca. 1945).
The picture on the far right is from [Holdcraft 1938, p. 301], who notes:
Fifty-one ministers attended the funeral. He was one of 11 children, 6 of whom became ministers of the gospel. Three
entered the U.B. ministry: Rev. George W. Kiracofe was a member of Pa. Conf. from 1878 to 1890, then became a Baptist
minister; and Rev. Nimrod A. Kiracofe was a member of Pa. Conf. from 1904 until his death in 1936, having previously
served in Va. Conf. Rev. John Wesley Kiracofe was always an outstanding minister and pulpiteer from the time he received
his first license in 1863. A brother, James H. Kiracofe, a layman, also stood high in the councils of the Denomination (part
of the history Grace U. B. Church, Hagerstown; see Vol. 5 of this History). Rev. J. W. Kiracofe was known for his ability as a
pulpit orator and served most acceptably many of our leading pulpits over a period of half a century. His first wife, who was
Miss Catherine V. Snyder, died in 1870; there were three children by this Union. A granddaughter by this union is Mrs.
Edna Bell, president of Pa. Conf. Branch of the WMA. Mr. Kiracofe’s second wife was Miss Susan P. Buxton, of Keedysville;
seven children were born of this union. [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 140, 174; see also pp. 126, 174, 195, 263-286, 288, 290,
293, 300]; [Holdcraft 1939, p. 300]; [Glovier 1965, pp. 68-69, 89, 115]; and [Lycoming 2013]
KIRACOFE: Nimrod Addison Kiracofe [b. Apr. 20, 1849; d. Mar. 10, 19211; mar. Mary
Elizabeth (1870) and Kathryn Dick (1890)] was born at Stribling Springs, Va. He was
converted in 1868, licensed in 1872, and joined Va. Conference in 1886.” He transferred to
Maryland Conference in 1887, where he was ordained in 1893. He served West Augusta,
1880-82; South River, 1882-85; Lost River Mission, 1885-86; Williamsport mission, 1887-88;
Deer Park Circuit; Rockbridge Circuit; and Lost River Mission, 1891-92. During the first
14 years after admission to Va. Conf., “he built three churches, and in one meeting had
93 conversions to report—on one occasion he baptized 40 persons. In East Pa. Conf., he
served Manor Circuit, 1892-95, Chestnut Grove Circuit, 1895-96; Mount Joy Circuit, 1896-97;
Pequea Circuit, 1898-1901; Catawissa Circuit, 1901-02, after which he lived in Roaring Creek
and Middleburg. In Pa. Conf. he served Springett, 1904-05; Perry Circuit, 1905-07; Rayville, 1907-08; and
Mechanicsburg, 1908-09. In retirement, he was assistant superintendent for Mechanicsburg Old People’s
Home. He is interred in Mechanicsburg. The picture is from [Glovier 1965, p. 68], taken in 1873.
[Funkhouser 1921, pp. 140, 174; see also pp. 127, 130, 280, 282-284, 286-289, 291-292] and [Glovier 1965,
pp. 70, 90, 223; Lycoming 2013]
KLEIN: J. W. Klein served Lost River Circuit, 1897-99. He preached at (possibly the pastor of) Pearl
Street Evangelical Church in Lancaster in Oct. 1907.
KLINE: F. D. Kline served Swift Run Circuit, 1919-20, and Bayard Circuit, 1923-24.
KNOTT: William Knott (mar. Lydia L. Silers) was licensed and became a member of Conference in 1829;
ordained, 1832; “Pappy Knott” was a good preacher with a wonderful voice; could not read when he began to
preach and someone often read for him. He served as a designated Conference Itinerant, 1829-30;
Woodstock, 1833-35; Frederick, 1836-37; Hagerstown, 1837-39; Franklin, 1846-48; and Staunton, 1848-49.
Biographical Sketches 88
