Page 102 - United Brethren Preachers
P. 102
Volume 9 Preachers of U.B. and EUB Virginia Conferences December 26, 2024
KUMLER: Bishop Henry Kumler, Sr. (b. Jan. 3, 1774, Berks County, Pa.; d. Jan. 7, 1854;
mar. Susanna Wenger) presided, along with Bishop Christian Newcomer, over the U.B. Annual
Conferences for 1825-1833. Bishop Kumler presided over the U.B. Va. Conf. in 1845. The son
of Swiss immigrants, Henry Kumler joined the U.B. Church and was licensed to preach in 1814,
following which he accompanied Spayth, Mayer, and others on preaching circuits. He served
Greencastle Area, 1815-16; and Virginia Circuit, 1816-17. He was ordained in 1816 along with
George Geeting. The Annual Conference of 1815 was held at Henry Kumler’s home in Franklin
County, Pa., on May 9, 1815. It was also at the home of Henry Kumler that six members of the
newly-formed Evangelical Association met with six representatives of the U.B. Church to discuss
a proposed union in 1817, but they failed to come to any understanding. Kumler was made
Presiding Elder, 1817-19. Kumler lived near Greencastle, Pa., but moved to Butler County, Ohio, in 1819,
joining Miami Ohio Conference in 1819. He was a member of the first General Conference and a bishop for 20
years, 1825-45. He died in 1854, aged 79, and is interred in Butler County. His son, Rev. Henry Kumler, Jr.,
presided (pro tem) over the U.B. Va. Conf. (Northern Section) in 1865. He was accepted as an advisory
member (visiting minister) of the Va. Conf. in 1854 and in 1866. Notes: He is the father of Bishop Henry
Kumler, Jr. (1801-1882) [who married the daughter of Bishop Andrew Zeller (1755-1839)] and grandfather of
Bishop Daniel Kumler Flickinger (1824-1911). In addition, his son Daniel C. Kumler (1807-1882) was a
member of the Miami Ohio Conference, and his daughters Hannah (1798-1892) and Susannah (1804-1875)
were the wives of Miami Ohio Conference pastors Jacob Flickinger (1782-1844) and John Zeller (1797-1858),
respectively. Susanna Wenger was a sister to Jacob Wingert. Susanna and Bishop Kumler, Sr., had 11
children who grew to maturity and one that was drowned in a spring when 5 years old. Hannah, the widow of
the Rev. Jacob Flickinger, born in 1798, lived in Seven-Mile, Ohio. Henry Kumler (b. Jan. 10, 1801) lived in
Dayton, Ohio, an ex-bishop of the U.B. Church, an office he held for 20 years. Susannah, the wife of the Rev.
John Zeller (b. Jan. 3, 1804) died in 1875. Elizabeth (b. July 5, 2024) was the widow of the Rev. A. Hess and
lived in Brazil, Indiana. Daniel C. (b. Sep. 30, 1807) lived in Seven-Mile. Elias (b. Oct. 21, 1809) died in
1873. Jacob and Michael (twins, b. Aug. 31, 1811) were each married and lived near Millville, Ohio. Joseph
(b. Feb. 23, 1813) was married and lived in Wayne Township at Jacksonburg, Ohio. John (b. Dec. 24, 1814)
was married and lived in Dayton, Ohio. Catherine (b. Apr. 6, 1817), widow of Henry Welty, lived in Oxford,
Ohio. Mary, born in 1819, was drowned in 1824. [Thompson 1906, p. 254, which provided the picture;
Funkhouser 1921, pp. 51, 64, 140; see also pp. 111, 124, 147, 229-231, 237, 238-244, 251, 257, 264-265]
and [Lycoming 2013]
KYRE: Kenneth K. Kyre, son of Galen and Pearl (Smith) Kyre, was born July 4, 1927, at Gypsy, W.Va. He
was converted in 1947 at a Youth Camp in W.Va. Conf. . Rev. Kyre is a graduate of East High School,
Fairmont, West Virginia; Indiana Central College (Class of 1950); and United Seminary. He has served
pastorates at Enon and South Solon, Ohio; Salem, W.Va.; and Dayton, Va. (1956-57 and 1958-59). He joined
Va. Conf. in 1962. He has served Shenandoah College as teacher, basketball coach, Academic Dean, and
Assistant to the President. He is married and has the following children: Kenneth Kay, Mark Stephen, David
Lee, and Kathy Ann. Kenneth K. Kyre, Jr., graduated from Shenandoah College with an A.A. degree in 1973
(wife Deborah; in 2002, living in Greensboro, N.C.). [Glovier 1965, p. 277; see also pp. 258-259, 341]
LAKEN: Richard Laken was licensed to preach at the Conference of 1828; nothing else is known.
[Funkhouser 1921, p. 140]
LAN: Lan Seng Nam became a member of Conference in 1897, a native of China. He took courses at
Bonebrake Seminary and joined Conference in China in 1912 (“name of Lan Sang Nam dropped from roll, he
having become a member of the Chinese Conference). In Mar. 1905 Lan Seng Nam was appointed by Va.
Conf. as a missionary to China. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 140]
LANE: Lester R. Lane served Riverton Circuit, 1968-69.
LAWRENCE: P. J. Lawrence was born in Loudoun County, Va., in 1859, was
licensed in 1879, joined conference in 1882, and was ordained in 1885. He attended
Shenandoah Seminary 1877-81. He served Bloomery Circuit, 1884-1885, 1888-
1891; 1893-1896; and 1898-1899; Toms Brook Mission, 1885-1886; South Branch
Circuit, 1886-1887; Morgan Circuit, 1891-1892; Winchester Mission Station, 1892-
1893; Toms Brook Circuit, 1896-1898. The members taken into the church during his
18 years of ministry were about 450. He served Winchester U.B. Church 1892-1893.
The picture is from [Glovier 1965, p. 70-71], taken in 1886. A Rev. P. J. Lawrence (1853-1931)
is buried with this wife Sula A. Lawrence (1862-1937) and infant son S. O. Lawrence at Mt. Nebo EUB Church
Cemetery at Cross Junction, Va. [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 140, 174; see also pp. 127, 281, 282-291].
LAWSON: Moses Lawson, Sr., became a member of Conference in 1828; ordained, 1830. He was
designated Conference Itinerant, 1830-31. Member of Pa. Conf. of 1833, he served Juniata Circuit, 1835-36
and Westmoreland Circuit, 1838-39. He became a charter member of Allegheny Conf. in 1839, but he was
dropped in 1840. Moses Lawson, Jr. (assumed to be the son of Moses Lawson, Sr.—not always the case, as
Biographical Sketches 90
KUMLER: Bishop Henry Kumler, Sr. (b. Jan. 3, 1774, Berks County, Pa.; d. Jan. 7, 1854;
mar. Susanna Wenger) presided, along with Bishop Christian Newcomer, over the U.B. Annual
Conferences for 1825-1833. Bishop Kumler presided over the U.B. Va. Conf. in 1845. The son
of Swiss immigrants, Henry Kumler joined the U.B. Church and was licensed to preach in 1814,
following which he accompanied Spayth, Mayer, and others on preaching circuits. He served
Greencastle Area, 1815-16; and Virginia Circuit, 1816-17. He was ordained in 1816 along with
George Geeting. The Annual Conference of 1815 was held at Henry Kumler’s home in Franklin
County, Pa., on May 9, 1815. It was also at the home of Henry Kumler that six members of the
newly-formed Evangelical Association met with six representatives of the U.B. Church to discuss
a proposed union in 1817, but they failed to come to any understanding. Kumler was made
Presiding Elder, 1817-19. Kumler lived near Greencastle, Pa., but moved to Butler County, Ohio, in 1819,
joining Miami Ohio Conference in 1819. He was a member of the first General Conference and a bishop for 20
years, 1825-45. He died in 1854, aged 79, and is interred in Butler County. His son, Rev. Henry Kumler, Jr.,
presided (pro tem) over the U.B. Va. Conf. (Northern Section) in 1865. He was accepted as an advisory
member (visiting minister) of the Va. Conf. in 1854 and in 1866. Notes: He is the father of Bishop Henry
Kumler, Jr. (1801-1882) [who married the daughter of Bishop Andrew Zeller (1755-1839)] and grandfather of
Bishop Daniel Kumler Flickinger (1824-1911). In addition, his son Daniel C. Kumler (1807-1882) was a
member of the Miami Ohio Conference, and his daughters Hannah (1798-1892) and Susannah (1804-1875)
were the wives of Miami Ohio Conference pastors Jacob Flickinger (1782-1844) and John Zeller (1797-1858),
respectively. Susanna Wenger was a sister to Jacob Wingert. Susanna and Bishop Kumler, Sr., had 11
children who grew to maturity and one that was drowned in a spring when 5 years old. Hannah, the widow of
the Rev. Jacob Flickinger, born in 1798, lived in Seven-Mile, Ohio. Henry Kumler (b. Jan. 10, 1801) lived in
Dayton, Ohio, an ex-bishop of the U.B. Church, an office he held for 20 years. Susannah, the wife of the Rev.
John Zeller (b. Jan. 3, 1804) died in 1875. Elizabeth (b. July 5, 2024) was the widow of the Rev. A. Hess and
lived in Brazil, Indiana. Daniel C. (b. Sep. 30, 1807) lived in Seven-Mile. Elias (b. Oct. 21, 1809) died in
1873. Jacob and Michael (twins, b. Aug. 31, 1811) were each married and lived near Millville, Ohio. Joseph
(b. Feb. 23, 1813) was married and lived in Wayne Township at Jacksonburg, Ohio. John (b. Dec. 24, 1814)
was married and lived in Dayton, Ohio. Catherine (b. Apr. 6, 1817), widow of Henry Welty, lived in Oxford,
Ohio. Mary, born in 1819, was drowned in 1824. [Thompson 1906, p. 254, which provided the picture;
Funkhouser 1921, pp. 51, 64, 140; see also pp. 111, 124, 147, 229-231, 237, 238-244, 251, 257, 264-265]
and [Lycoming 2013]
KYRE: Kenneth K. Kyre, son of Galen and Pearl (Smith) Kyre, was born July 4, 1927, at Gypsy, W.Va. He
was converted in 1947 at a Youth Camp in W.Va. Conf. . Rev. Kyre is a graduate of East High School,
Fairmont, West Virginia; Indiana Central College (Class of 1950); and United Seminary. He has served
pastorates at Enon and South Solon, Ohio; Salem, W.Va.; and Dayton, Va. (1956-57 and 1958-59). He joined
Va. Conf. in 1962. He has served Shenandoah College as teacher, basketball coach, Academic Dean, and
Assistant to the President. He is married and has the following children: Kenneth Kay, Mark Stephen, David
Lee, and Kathy Ann. Kenneth K. Kyre, Jr., graduated from Shenandoah College with an A.A. degree in 1973
(wife Deborah; in 2002, living in Greensboro, N.C.). [Glovier 1965, p. 277; see also pp. 258-259, 341]
LAKEN: Richard Laken was licensed to preach at the Conference of 1828; nothing else is known.
[Funkhouser 1921, p. 140]
LAN: Lan Seng Nam became a member of Conference in 1897, a native of China. He took courses at
Bonebrake Seminary and joined Conference in China in 1912 (“name of Lan Sang Nam dropped from roll, he
having become a member of the Chinese Conference). In Mar. 1905 Lan Seng Nam was appointed by Va.
Conf. as a missionary to China. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 140]
LANE: Lester R. Lane served Riverton Circuit, 1968-69.
LAWRENCE: P. J. Lawrence was born in Loudoun County, Va., in 1859, was
licensed in 1879, joined conference in 1882, and was ordained in 1885. He attended
Shenandoah Seminary 1877-81. He served Bloomery Circuit, 1884-1885, 1888-
1891; 1893-1896; and 1898-1899; Toms Brook Mission, 1885-1886; South Branch
Circuit, 1886-1887; Morgan Circuit, 1891-1892; Winchester Mission Station, 1892-
1893; Toms Brook Circuit, 1896-1898. The members taken into the church during his
18 years of ministry were about 450. He served Winchester U.B. Church 1892-1893.
The picture is from [Glovier 1965, p. 70-71], taken in 1886. A Rev. P. J. Lawrence (1853-1931)
is buried with this wife Sula A. Lawrence (1862-1937) and infant son S. O. Lawrence at Mt. Nebo EUB Church
Cemetery at Cross Junction, Va. [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 140, 174; see also pp. 127, 281, 282-291].
LAWSON: Moses Lawson, Sr., became a member of Conference in 1828; ordained, 1830. He was
designated Conference Itinerant, 1830-31. Member of Pa. Conf. of 1833, he served Juniata Circuit, 1835-36
and Westmoreland Circuit, 1838-39. He became a charter member of Allegheny Conf. in 1839, but he was
dropped in 1840. Moses Lawson, Jr. (assumed to be the son of Moses Lawson, Sr.—not always the case, as
Biographical Sketches 90
