Page 111 - United Brethren Preachers
P. 111
Volume 9 Preachers of U.B. and EUB Virginia Conferences December 26, 2024
16; Swoope, 1916-19; Pleasant Valley, 1919-20; and Toms Brook, 1920-21. He died on June 15, 2024 at
Toms Brook and was buried at his birthplace near Crooksville, Ohio. His memoir is provided in Section II.A
(below). The pictures are from [Glovier 1965, pp. 68, 117], the one on the left taken in 1873. [Funkhouser
1921, p. 128; see also pp. 193, 196, 304-309] and [Glovier 1965, p. 117; see also pp. 77, 90, 95, 164, 183,
225, 247, 250, 298]
McKINNEY: William R. McKinney served West Rockingham Circuit, 1916-18 (430 members), and South
Branch Circuit, 1918-19 (712 members) in Va. Conf. He joined Va. Conf. and was licensed in 1917. He had
previously served two churches as a local pastor in Central Pa. Conf. of the MEC: Harveyville, 1913-15; and
York Springs, 1915-17. In Allegheny Conf. he served Arona, 1922-23; Liverpool, 1923-24; Bigler, 1924-26;
Industry, 1926-27, evangelist, 1927-28; and located in 1928. He reported to the Allegheny Conf. that he was
ordained in 1918, but this is not supported by [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 129, 307] or Va. Conference Minutes.
[Glovier 1965, p. 91; Lycoming 2013]
McLAUGHLIN: E. McLaughlin served Wood Mission, 1853-54.
McMULLEN: Edgar William McMullen was born near Singers Glen, Va., Feb. 5, 1863, and died at his home
in Dayton, Va., Dec. 11, 1917,” aged 54. He graduated from Shenandoah Collegiate Institute in 1891 and
later earned both the A.B. and M.A. degrees from Otterbein University. “He was ordained in 1889, but
because of a weak constitution and poor health he never entered the active ministry. He taught in the public
schools of Rockingham County and at Shenandoah Collegiate Institute—his pulpit was his class room. His life
was a heroic fight against physical odds. He was buried at Singers Glen, Va. His memoir is provided in
Section II.A (below). [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 141, 175; see also pp. 128, 175, 291, 296-299, 307] and
[Glovier 1965, p. 11; see also pp. 90, 95]
McNAMAR: John C. McNamar, “born in Rockingham Co., Va., in 1779, was the first English-speaking
preacher of the United Brethren. He joined the Miami Conference in 1813, and distinguished himself in the
home missionary field. Within six more years eight more English-speaking ministers had joined that
conference.” [Funkhouser 1921, p. 154] Rev. John Calvin McNamar married Elizabeth Truby in Greene Co.,
Ohio, and they had a son Daniel Boone McNamar (b. 1823-24) [Linda Berry, “McNamar-Truby”]. Rev. John
Calvin McNamar moved to Lawrenceburg and Corydon, Ind., in 1820 and to Tanners Creek in 1830 [Condo
1926; extracted by Ruth Dorrel].65 In Sep. 1832 John C. McNamar, a clergyman, provided a supporting
affidavit for the pension application of George Rinker, born Sept. 1752 in Lancaster, Pa., having served in the
Virginia militia, 1780-81 [http://revwarapps.org/s32485.pdf]. Rev. John Calvin McNamar died in 1846.
McNEIL: T. S. McNeil became a member of Va. Conference in 1859, transferring from Miami
Ohio Conference; died 1874. He served York Springs Circuit, 1854-55; and Path Valley Circuit,
1855-56, in Pa. Conf. The picture is from [Glovier 1965, p. 68], taken in 1873. He is listed for
1846 as one who could perform marriages in Tippecanoe Co., Ind. From [Reed undated,
p. 48]66:
[Among the many patent remedies sold during the Civil War were] “Dr. T. S. McNeil’s Celebrated Pain
Exterminator and Liver and Blood Purifying Pills…[I] have found them a prompt and unfailing remedy for
most of the ills that afflict an ordinary household, especially for colds, derangement of the stomach and bowels and for
nervous headache. In my travels I always carry them with me. Our neighbors also frequently call on us for them and are
always benefited by their use. June 28, 1886. Robert Cowden, Secretary of the United Brethren S.S. Board.” The adds
claim they were established in 1848, Writing from Westerville Ohio, Rev. C. W. Miller also provided a published testimonial,
Aug. 5, 1886. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 141; see also pp. 126, 262-270, 273 (all “T. S.”); and 260-262 (both “F. S.”]; [Glovier
1965, pp. 68, 89 (both “T. S.”)]; and [Lycoming 2013]
McNEIL: William Grady McNeil “was born in Mississippi, in 1889. He was converted in 1907, licensed in
1908, ordained in 1913”; living in 1921 at Petersburg, W. Va. His fields have been Fountain, 1914-16; Elkton,
1916-21; both Franklin and Petersburg, 1921-24, and Petersburg, 1923-24. From “Ancestors of Walter Randy
Ridgeway [Family Tree Maker]:
William Grady McNeil, born Nov. 10, 1889, in Jones County, Miss., to Thomas McNeil and Jose Henrietta “Mittie”
Lancaster, died Mar. 7, 1929, of encephalitis at age 39. He married Mattie Gertrude Wells (b. Nov. 8, 1896, Miss.;
d. Sep. 14, 1947, Kans.) in Oct. 1916 in Jones Co., Miss. Bernell McNeill Baldwin related the following (in 1997): William
reported Essie [Amanda McNeill] was his favorite sibling. After the death of their father, times were really tough for the
McNeill’s. During one of those tough years, at Christmas time, William earned enough money to buy Essie a small bag of
candy. After they grew up, William continued to send Essie a box of candy each Christmas. After William’s death, his wife
continued the tradition until her death in 1947. [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 128 (as “McNeill”), 176, 311] and [Glovier 1965, p.
91 (“McNeill”)]
MENSER: J. Menser served Winchester Circuit, 1936-37. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 246]
65 [Condo 1926] [http://genealogytrails.com/ind/united-brethren-ministers.html].
66 [Reed 1863].
Biographical Sketches 99
16; Swoope, 1916-19; Pleasant Valley, 1919-20; and Toms Brook, 1920-21. He died on June 15, 2024 at
Toms Brook and was buried at his birthplace near Crooksville, Ohio. His memoir is provided in Section II.A
(below). The pictures are from [Glovier 1965, pp. 68, 117], the one on the left taken in 1873. [Funkhouser
1921, p. 128; see also pp. 193, 196, 304-309] and [Glovier 1965, p. 117; see also pp. 77, 90, 95, 164, 183,
225, 247, 250, 298]
McKINNEY: William R. McKinney served West Rockingham Circuit, 1916-18 (430 members), and South
Branch Circuit, 1918-19 (712 members) in Va. Conf. He joined Va. Conf. and was licensed in 1917. He had
previously served two churches as a local pastor in Central Pa. Conf. of the MEC: Harveyville, 1913-15; and
York Springs, 1915-17. In Allegheny Conf. he served Arona, 1922-23; Liverpool, 1923-24; Bigler, 1924-26;
Industry, 1926-27, evangelist, 1927-28; and located in 1928. He reported to the Allegheny Conf. that he was
ordained in 1918, but this is not supported by [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 129, 307] or Va. Conference Minutes.
[Glovier 1965, p. 91; Lycoming 2013]
McLAUGHLIN: E. McLaughlin served Wood Mission, 1853-54.
McMULLEN: Edgar William McMullen was born near Singers Glen, Va., Feb. 5, 1863, and died at his home
in Dayton, Va., Dec. 11, 1917,” aged 54. He graduated from Shenandoah Collegiate Institute in 1891 and
later earned both the A.B. and M.A. degrees from Otterbein University. “He was ordained in 1889, but
because of a weak constitution and poor health he never entered the active ministry. He taught in the public
schools of Rockingham County and at Shenandoah Collegiate Institute—his pulpit was his class room. His life
was a heroic fight against physical odds. He was buried at Singers Glen, Va. His memoir is provided in
Section II.A (below). [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 141, 175; see also pp. 128, 175, 291, 296-299, 307] and
[Glovier 1965, p. 11; see also pp. 90, 95]
McNAMAR: John C. McNamar, “born in Rockingham Co., Va., in 1779, was the first English-speaking
preacher of the United Brethren. He joined the Miami Conference in 1813, and distinguished himself in the
home missionary field. Within six more years eight more English-speaking ministers had joined that
conference.” [Funkhouser 1921, p. 154] Rev. John Calvin McNamar married Elizabeth Truby in Greene Co.,
Ohio, and they had a son Daniel Boone McNamar (b. 1823-24) [Linda Berry, “McNamar-Truby”]. Rev. John
Calvin McNamar moved to Lawrenceburg and Corydon, Ind., in 1820 and to Tanners Creek in 1830 [Condo
1926; extracted by Ruth Dorrel].65 In Sep. 1832 John C. McNamar, a clergyman, provided a supporting
affidavit for the pension application of George Rinker, born Sept. 1752 in Lancaster, Pa., having served in the
Virginia militia, 1780-81 [http://revwarapps.org/s32485.pdf]. Rev. John Calvin McNamar died in 1846.
McNEIL: T. S. McNeil became a member of Va. Conference in 1859, transferring from Miami
Ohio Conference; died 1874. He served York Springs Circuit, 1854-55; and Path Valley Circuit,
1855-56, in Pa. Conf. The picture is from [Glovier 1965, p. 68], taken in 1873. He is listed for
1846 as one who could perform marriages in Tippecanoe Co., Ind. From [Reed undated,
p. 48]66:
[Among the many patent remedies sold during the Civil War were] “Dr. T. S. McNeil’s Celebrated Pain
Exterminator and Liver and Blood Purifying Pills…[I] have found them a prompt and unfailing remedy for
most of the ills that afflict an ordinary household, especially for colds, derangement of the stomach and bowels and for
nervous headache. In my travels I always carry them with me. Our neighbors also frequently call on us for them and are
always benefited by their use. June 28, 1886. Robert Cowden, Secretary of the United Brethren S.S. Board.” The adds
claim they were established in 1848, Writing from Westerville Ohio, Rev. C. W. Miller also provided a published testimonial,
Aug. 5, 1886. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 141; see also pp. 126, 262-270, 273 (all “T. S.”); and 260-262 (both “F. S.”]; [Glovier
1965, pp. 68, 89 (both “T. S.”)]; and [Lycoming 2013]
McNEIL: William Grady McNeil “was born in Mississippi, in 1889. He was converted in 1907, licensed in
1908, ordained in 1913”; living in 1921 at Petersburg, W. Va. His fields have been Fountain, 1914-16; Elkton,
1916-21; both Franklin and Petersburg, 1921-24, and Petersburg, 1923-24. From “Ancestors of Walter Randy
Ridgeway [Family Tree Maker]:
William Grady McNeil, born Nov. 10, 1889, in Jones County, Miss., to Thomas McNeil and Jose Henrietta “Mittie”
Lancaster, died Mar. 7, 1929, of encephalitis at age 39. He married Mattie Gertrude Wells (b. Nov. 8, 1896, Miss.;
d. Sep. 14, 1947, Kans.) in Oct. 1916 in Jones Co., Miss. Bernell McNeill Baldwin related the following (in 1997): William
reported Essie [Amanda McNeill] was his favorite sibling. After the death of their father, times were really tough for the
McNeill’s. During one of those tough years, at Christmas time, William earned enough money to buy Essie a small bag of
candy. After they grew up, William continued to send Essie a box of candy each Christmas. After William’s death, his wife
continued the tradition until her death in 1947. [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 128 (as “McNeill”), 176, 311] and [Glovier 1965, p.
91 (“McNeill”)]
MENSER: J. Menser served Winchester Circuit, 1936-37. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 246]
65 [Condo 1926] [http://genealogytrails.com/ind/united-brethren-ministers.html].
66 [Reed 1863].
Biographical Sketches 99
