Page 115 - United Brethren Preachers
P. 115
Volume 9 Preachers of U.B. and EUB Virginia Conferences December 26, 2024
mental endowments and of recognized culture. He was a close thinker, and possesses in fine degree the
power of exact expression. In sermon or other address his speech was characterized by elegant finish, never
redundant, nor yet too concise, the right word always in the right place. He led a close student life so far as
public duties permit, is fond of scientific and metaphysical inquiry, and he was interested in the great social
problems of the day. He was a member of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, and an
associate member of the Iowa Academy of Science. In the allotment of episcopal residences Bishop Mills was
assigned to the Pacific Coast, where he lived in Eugene, Oregon. His field, however, like that of other bishops,
was the entire Church. He made a visit to the foreign fields in Germany and Africa. The bishop was, at the
time, the youngest member of the Board of Bishops, was usually in excellent health and vigor. See The Life of
Bishop J. S. Mills by William Ross Funk. His memoir is provided in Section II.A (below). The picture on the far
left is from [U.B. Yearbook 1898, p. 24], and the one second from the left is from [U.B. Yearbook 1903, p.
26]. The picture second from the right is from [Thompson 1906, p. 652] and the one at the far right (taken at
his home) is from [Funk 1913, p. 16]. See [Berger 1897]; [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 193, 293, 297-300]; and
[Glovier 1965, p. 143]
MINSER: Jacob Minser joined Va. Conf. in 1835, along with Adam I. Bovey, Martin L. Fries, Daniel
Funkhouser, David Jackson, David S. Spessard, and Jonathan Tobey. He had come from the Methodists,
reared in Frederick Co., Va., married a Bender. He quit preaching and went West. [Funkhouser 1921,
pp. 126, 142]
MITCHELL: William Davis Mitchell was born Oct. 11, 1869, son of Edward
Dudley and Sarah Oakley Mitchell, in Montgomery County, Va. He was educated at
Roanoke, converted in 1894, and licensed in 1905. William D. Mitchell was a
telegraph operator before joining the ministry. While working in the telegraph
office in Cumberland, Md., he organized a Christian mission. Prior to joining Va.
Conf., he had served charges in Ohio (Akron, Cambridge, and Lorraine), Florida
(Tampa), and Tennessee (Knoxville). He joined Va. Conf. in 1907 and was
assigned to the Cumberland, Md., Mission Station. He served seven pastorates in
Va. Conf.: Cumberland, 1906-08; Inwood, 1911-13; Staunton, 1913-15; Roanoke, 1915-18; Harrisonburg,
1920-22; Reliance, 1936-40; and Singers Glen, 1940-42; and one year as Conference Evangelist. W. D.
Mitchell married Lena Rivers Snell, (b. 18 Apr. 1878, d. 18 Mar. 1944), daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Allen
Snell of Charleston, W.Va., Jan. 24,1894. Mrs. Marie Arey was a daughter. For 6 months prior to his death,
in connection with his pastorate at Singers Glen, he had conducted the early morning broadcast and the
evening vesper services over Radio Station WSVA, Harrisonburg. He was deeply spiritual, successful as an
Evangelist, and a strong gospel preacher. He died in the Memorial Hospital at Harrisonburg, Sunday, June 21,
1942. Funeral services were held in the Donovan Memorial Church at Singers Glen, Va., on Monday, June 22,
at 4 p.m., in charge of Dr. E. E. Miller, pastor of the Harrisonburg Church, assisted by Revs. J. R. Collis, C. W.
Hiser, D. F. Glovier, L. G. Bridgers, and W. F. Gruver. Rev. J. Paul Gruver, Conference Superintendent,
preached the funeral sermon. Interment was at Salem, Va., with Rev. W. B. Obaugh conducting graveside
services. Rev. Mitchell is remembered for his fine prayers. He was also good to promote financial giving to
the church. When he first arrived, the Donovan Memorial Church was alternating Sunday morning and
evening services with Cherry Grove. One Sunday, Singers Glen would have a morning service and Cherry
Grove would have an evening one. On the next Sunday, services would be alternated. Mitchell thought that
holding services every Sunday morning at both churches would help with finances. He said he never preached
about money, but he would walk from the pulpit to the front pews and talk about giving for 15 minutes. He
once used a money tree as a fund-raising device. An actual little tree was put at the front of the church and
members of the congregation came forward to pin money on the tree. Rev. Mitchell was also a good poet,
author of evangelistic leaflets, and frequent contributor to the Telescope. His memoir is provided in
Section II.A (below). The pictures are from [Glovier 1965, p. 77, 176], the one on the left taken in 1919.
[Funkhouser 1921, pp. 176-177; see also pp. 128, 199, 300-306, 308]; [Glovier 1965, pp. 126-127; see also
pp. 90, 91, 96, 182, 202, 284]; and [MacAllister 1976, p. 103]
MOON: Charles A. Moon, a native of Pennsylvania, was born in Garrett County, Md., on Dec. 19, 1890,
and died on June 9, 1964, at Quincy, Pa. He came to Va. Conf. in 1930 and first served the Sleepy Creek
Charge, 1930-31. His longest pastorate was at Toms Brook where he served from 1932 to 1941. He was
ordained in 1940. He also served Berkeley Springs, 1942-49; Hardy, 1948-50; Jones Springs, 1951-56;
Westernport Church, Md., and Bethel Church in Cumberland. In 1959 he received retired relations and moved
with his wife to Quincy Home, where he remained until death came on June 9, 1964, after a brief illness
resulting from a heart attack. Memorial services were held from Quincy EUB Church. Interment was in the
family lot in the Waynesboro, Pa., Cemetery. Rev. Moon was a modest man, a faithful pastor, and a good
preacher. His memoir is provided in Section II.A (below). [Glovier 1965, p. 138; see also pp. 91, 97, 195,
198, 243, 298]
Biographical Sketches 103
mental endowments and of recognized culture. He was a close thinker, and possesses in fine degree the
power of exact expression. In sermon or other address his speech was characterized by elegant finish, never
redundant, nor yet too concise, the right word always in the right place. He led a close student life so far as
public duties permit, is fond of scientific and metaphysical inquiry, and he was interested in the great social
problems of the day. He was a member of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, and an
associate member of the Iowa Academy of Science. In the allotment of episcopal residences Bishop Mills was
assigned to the Pacific Coast, where he lived in Eugene, Oregon. His field, however, like that of other bishops,
was the entire Church. He made a visit to the foreign fields in Germany and Africa. The bishop was, at the
time, the youngest member of the Board of Bishops, was usually in excellent health and vigor. See The Life of
Bishop J. S. Mills by William Ross Funk. His memoir is provided in Section II.A (below). The picture on the far
left is from [U.B. Yearbook 1898, p. 24], and the one second from the left is from [U.B. Yearbook 1903, p.
26]. The picture second from the right is from [Thompson 1906, p. 652] and the one at the far right (taken at
his home) is from [Funk 1913, p. 16]. See [Berger 1897]; [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 193, 293, 297-300]; and
[Glovier 1965, p. 143]
MINSER: Jacob Minser joined Va. Conf. in 1835, along with Adam I. Bovey, Martin L. Fries, Daniel
Funkhouser, David Jackson, David S. Spessard, and Jonathan Tobey. He had come from the Methodists,
reared in Frederick Co., Va., married a Bender. He quit preaching and went West. [Funkhouser 1921,
pp. 126, 142]
MITCHELL: William Davis Mitchell was born Oct. 11, 1869, son of Edward
Dudley and Sarah Oakley Mitchell, in Montgomery County, Va. He was educated at
Roanoke, converted in 1894, and licensed in 1905. William D. Mitchell was a
telegraph operator before joining the ministry. While working in the telegraph
office in Cumberland, Md., he organized a Christian mission. Prior to joining Va.
Conf., he had served charges in Ohio (Akron, Cambridge, and Lorraine), Florida
(Tampa), and Tennessee (Knoxville). He joined Va. Conf. in 1907 and was
assigned to the Cumberland, Md., Mission Station. He served seven pastorates in
Va. Conf.: Cumberland, 1906-08; Inwood, 1911-13; Staunton, 1913-15; Roanoke, 1915-18; Harrisonburg,
1920-22; Reliance, 1936-40; and Singers Glen, 1940-42; and one year as Conference Evangelist. W. D.
Mitchell married Lena Rivers Snell, (b. 18 Apr. 1878, d. 18 Mar. 1944), daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Allen
Snell of Charleston, W.Va., Jan. 24,1894. Mrs. Marie Arey was a daughter. For 6 months prior to his death,
in connection with his pastorate at Singers Glen, he had conducted the early morning broadcast and the
evening vesper services over Radio Station WSVA, Harrisonburg. He was deeply spiritual, successful as an
Evangelist, and a strong gospel preacher. He died in the Memorial Hospital at Harrisonburg, Sunday, June 21,
1942. Funeral services were held in the Donovan Memorial Church at Singers Glen, Va., on Monday, June 22,
at 4 p.m., in charge of Dr. E. E. Miller, pastor of the Harrisonburg Church, assisted by Revs. J. R. Collis, C. W.
Hiser, D. F. Glovier, L. G. Bridgers, and W. F. Gruver. Rev. J. Paul Gruver, Conference Superintendent,
preached the funeral sermon. Interment was at Salem, Va., with Rev. W. B. Obaugh conducting graveside
services. Rev. Mitchell is remembered for his fine prayers. He was also good to promote financial giving to
the church. When he first arrived, the Donovan Memorial Church was alternating Sunday morning and
evening services with Cherry Grove. One Sunday, Singers Glen would have a morning service and Cherry
Grove would have an evening one. On the next Sunday, services would be alternated. Mitchell thought that
holding services every Sunday morning at both churches would help with finances. He said he never preached
about money, but he would walk from the pulpit to the front pews and talk about giving for 15 minutes. He
once used a money tree as a fund-raising device. An actual little tree was put at the front of the church and
members of the congregation came forward to pin money on the tree. Rev. Mitchell was also a good poet,
author of evangelistic leaflets, and frequent contributor to the Telescope. His memoir is provided in
Section II.A (below). The pictures are from [Glovier 1965, p. 77, 176], the one on the left taken in 1919.
[Funkhouser 1921, pp. 176-177; see also pp. 128, 199, 300-306, 308]; [Glovier 1965, pp. 126-127; see also
pp. 90, 91, 96, 182, 202, 284]; and [MacAllister 1976, p. 103]
MOON: Charles A. Moon, a native of Pennsylvania, was born in Garrett County, Md., on Dec. 19, 1890,
and died on June 9, 1964, at Quincy, Pa. He came to Va. Conf. in 1930 and first served the Sleepy Creek
Charge, 1930-31. His longest pastorate was at Toms Brook where he served from 1932 to 1941. He was
ordained in 1940. He also served Berkeley Springs, 1942-49; Hardy, 1948-50; Jones Springs, 1951-56;
Westernport Church, Md., and Bethel Church in Cumberland. In 1959 he received retired relations and moved
with his wife to Quincy Home, where he remained until death came on June 9, 1964, after a brief illness
resulting from a heart attack. Memorial services were held from Quincy EUB Church. Interment was in the
family lot in the Waynesboro, Pa., Cemetery. Rev. Moon was a modest man, a faithful pastor, and a good
preacher. His memoir is provided in Section II.A (below). [Glovier 1965, p. 138; see also pp. 91, 97, 195,
198, 243, 298]
Biographical Sketches 103
