Page 125 - United Brethren Preachers
P. 125
Volume 9 Preachers of U.B. and EUB Virginia Conferences December 26, 2024
early became an important member of the Miami [Ohio] Conference. He was formally ordained in 1815. As a result of his
labors, a church was built in 1818 in his neighborhood, on ground owned by his son—it was the first U.B. church built west
of the Ohio. He likewise formed the first U.B. class in Indiana. Through his foresight and extraordinary energy, he
contributed greatly to the establishment of the work in the West. The hero in many toils and the victor in many conflicts, he
ended his labors with his life in 1825. [Holdcraft 1938, p. 304] comments:
He was well educated and served as a surgeon in the French navy during the French-English war in 1782, receiving a
saber cut in the face during the conflict, which mark he carried to his grave. In 1788 he immigrated to the United States
and settled in Eastern Pennsylvania. He was converted in 1790 and secured license to preach the same year. Beginning in
1800 he began to work his way westward, doing so by easy stages, establishing preaching appointments as he went. He
finally settled in Harrison County, Ind., in 1808. He was appointed a judge and became a leader in the development of the
religious, social, and political life of the community. He joined the Miami Ohio Conference in 1814 and became one of its
first presiding elders, having charge of the “Kentucky and Indiana District.” He is credited with being the founder of Sunday
school work in the U.B. Church, in 1800, at his home in Pennsylvania, and in 1820 in Indiana. President William Henry
Harrison was his personal friend and remarked that if he had turned his attention to military affairs, he might have been one
of the greatest generals of his day. Dr. Pfrimmer was a musician of note and took with him into Indiana what was probably
the first piano brought within its bounds.73 [Funkhouser 1921, p. 142; see also pp. 224-225, 235]; [Glovier 1965,
p. 18]; and [Lycoming 2013]
PHILLIPPE: William McKinley Phillippe, Sr. (mar. Oney Gibson), served Swift Run (with D. A. Frazier),
1920-21; and Harriston, 1921-22. Note: A William Phillippe was pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church
of Alexandria, Va., in Jan. 1997. On June 24, 2003, the National Capital Presbytery rescinded “the action
taken in Nov. 2002 transferring the Rev. William Phillippe to Greater Atlanta Presbytery, based on that
presbytery’s notification that Bill does not want to transfer and they will not require him to do so.”74 The son,
Rev. Dr. William McKinley Philippe, Jr., was born in Staunton, Va., ordained an elder in the Indiana District of
the Wesleyan Church in 1952, pastored Jordantown Wesleyan Church in Vinton, Va., and awarded the D.D. by
Southern Wesley University—he pastored churches in Virginia, Indiana, and Georgia, spent two years in Africa
developing new churches for Wesleyan Missions, and lived in Brooksville, Fla., from 1985 to about 2000—he
died in Oct. 2005. A daughter, Mrs. Jane Anne Phillippe Edwards (b. Jul. 12, 1927), 92, died in Winston-
Salem, N.C., July 31, 2009. Her sister, Patche, preceded her in death.
PHILLIPS: John Phillips became a member of Conference and licensed to preach in 1853; ordained 1855;
withdrew irregularly, 1858; joined the Presbyterian Church; and died in the western part of Pennsylvania. He
served Wood Mission, 1853-54;; Highland Circuit, 1855-56; South Branch Circuit, 1856-57; and Alleghany
Mission, 1857-58. A Rev. John Phillips (b. Oct 23, 1821; d. Apr. 15, 1862, Norene, Tenn.; mar. Rebecca Jane
Williams, 1823-1866), the son of David and Mary Phillips, had four children: William Anderson (1849-1933),
Mary Ann Frances (1847-1933), Margaret America (b. 1851), and Julius (1853-1934). [Funkhouser 1921,
p. 142; see also pp. 126, 256-259] and [Glovier 1965, p. 89]
PHILLIPS: Vernon Lee Phillips joined Conference 1916; living
in 1921 at Westerville, Ohio (Field Secretary, Otterbein College).
He attended Shenandoah Collegiate Institute (Class of 1914). He
received the A.B. from Otterbein College in 1917, the B.D. from
Yale Divinity School, and the A.M. degree from Yale, after which he
did additional special graduate work in religion and philosophy at
Yale. He was pastor of Kensington Congregational Church, United
Church of Christ, Kensington, Conn., 1924-30 (pictured on the
left)—”Rev Philips was an athletic young man. He was interested
in the youth of the church and as a result he established an active
sports program for them.”75 He returned in 1930-33 as President
of Shenandoah College. He was married to Enda Miller (1895-1933). Her memoir is provided in Section II.A
(below). The picture on the right is from [Mellott 2000], the one on the left from [Arrington 1970, p. 80].
[Funkhouser 1921, pp. 128, 307, 311-312]; [Glovier 1965, p. 91]; [Kensington Ch., 2013, which provided he
picture in the middle]
POOL: Grover Marion Pool was born near Mt. Storm, W.Va., Nov. 21, 1895, where he lived on a farm until
1910. He then moved to Kitzmiller, Md., where he worked as a weighman at coal mines, taught school, was a
Justice of the Peace, and preached. Here he lived with his mother and sister. Rev. Pool began his ministry in
the Methodist Church, as a local minister, being licensed in 1916. He came to the U.B. Church by transfer in
1929, and was assigned to the Bayard Charge. He received his Annual Conference License in 1931 and was
ordained in 1935. He spent the year 1935-1936 at United Seminary. He served Bayard, 1928-38; Great
73 There is a biography: [Bell 1983] (10 pages).
74 http://www.thepresbytery.org/home/presbytery-meeting/minutes/2003-summary-minutes/june-24-2003/?mobile_switch=mobile.
75 http://kensingtoncong.org/Our%20History/1950/1950.html.
Biographical Sketches 113
early became an important member of the Miami [Ohio] Conference. He was formally ordained in 1815. As a result of his
labors, a church was built in 1818 in his neighborhood, on ground owned by his son—it was the first U.B. church built west
of the Ohio. He likewise formed the first U.B. class in Indiana. Through his foresight and extraordinary energy, he
contributed greatly to the establishment of the work in the West. The hero in many toils and the victor in many conflicts, he
ended his labors with his life in 1825. [Holdcraft 1938, p. 304] comments:
He was well educated and served as a surgeon in the French navy during the French-English war in 1782, receiving a
saber cut in the face during the conflict, which mark he carried to his grave. In 1788 he immigrated to the United States
and settled in Eastern Pennsylvania. He was converted in 1790 and secured license to preach the same year. Beginning in
1800 he began to work his way westward, doing so by easy stages, establishing preaching appointments as he went. He
finally settled in Harrison County, Ind., in 1808. He was appointed a judge and became a leader in the development of the
religious, social, and political life of the community. He joined the Miami Ohio Conference in 1814 and became one of its
first presiding elders, having charge of the “Kentucky and Indiana District.” He is credited with being the founder of Sunday
school work in the U.B. Church, in 1800, at his home in Pennsylvania, and in 1820 in Indiana. President William Henry
Harrison was his personal friend and remarked that if he had turned his attention to military affairs, he might have been one
of the greatest generals of his day. Dr. Pfrimmer was a musician of note and took with him into Indiana what was probably
the first piano brought within its bounds.73 [Funkhouser 1921, p. 142; see also pp. 224-225, 235]; [Glovier 1965,
p. 18]; and [Lycoming 2013]
PHILLIPPE: William McKinley Phillippe, Sr. (mar. Oney Gibson), served Swift Run (with D. A. Frazier),
1920-21; and Harriston, 1921-22. Note: A William Phillippe was pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church
of Alexandria, Va., in Jan. 1997. On June 24, 2003, the National Capital Presbytery rescinded “the action
taken in Nov. 2002 transferring the Rev. William Phillippe to Greater Atlanta Presbytery, based on that
presbytery’s notification that Bill does not want to transfer and they will not require him to do so.”74 The son,
Rev. Dr. William McKinley Philippe, Jr., was born in Staunton, Va., ordained an elder in the Indiana District of
the Wesleyan Church in 1952, pastored Jordantown Wesleyan Church in Vinton, Va., and awarded the D.D. by
Southern Wesley University—he pastored churches in Virginia, Indiana, and Georgia, spent two years in Africa
developing new churches for Wesleyan Missions, and lived in Brooksville, Fla., from 1985 to about 2000—he
died in Oct. 2005. A daughter, Mrs. Jane Anne Phillippe Edwards (b. Jul. 12, 1927), 92, died in Winston-
Salem, N.C., July 31, 2009. Her sister, Patche, preceded her in death.
PHILLIPS: John Phillips became a member of Conference and licensed to preach in 1853; ordained 1855;
withdrew irregularly, 1858; joined the Presbyterian Church; and died in the western part of Pennsylvania. He
served Wood Mission, 1853-54;; Highland Circuit, 1855-56; South Branch Circuit, 1856-57; and Alleghany
Mission, 1857-58. A Rev. John Phillips (b. Oct 23, 1821; d. Apr. 15, 1862, Norene, Tenn.; mar. Rebecca Jane
Williams, 1823-1866), the son of David and Mary Phillips, had four children: William Anderson (1849-1933),
Mary Ann Frances (1847-1933), Margaret America (b. 1851), and Julius (1853-1934). [Funkhouser 1921,
p. 142; see also pp. 126, 256-259] and [Glovier 1965, p. 89]
PHILLIPS: Vernon Lee Phillips joined Conference 1916; living
in 1921 at Westerville, Ohio (Field Secretary, Otterbein College).
He attended Shenandoah Collegiate Institute (Class of 1914). He
received the A.B. from Otterbein College in 1917, the B.D. from
Yale Divinity School, and the A.M. degree from Yale, after which he
did additional special graduate work in religion and philosophy at
Yale. He was pastor of Kensington Congregational Church, United
Church of Christ, Kensington, Conn., 1924-30 (pictured on the
left)—”Rev Philips was an athletic young man. He was interested
in the youth of the church and as a result he established an active
sports program for them.”75 He returned in 1930-33 as President
of Shenandoah College. He was married to Enda Miller (1895-1933). Her memoir is provided in Section II.A
(below). The picture on the right is from [Mellott 2000], the one on the left from [Arrington 1970, p. 80].
[Funkhouser 1921, pp. 128, 307, 311-312]; [Glovier 1965, p. 91]; [Kensington Ch., 2013, which provided he
picture in the middle]
POOL: Grover Marion Pool was born near Mt. Storm, W.Va., Nov. 21, 1895, where he lived on a farm until
1910. He then moved to Kitzmiller, Md., where he worked as a weighman at coal mines, taught school, was a
Justice of the Peace, and preached. Here he lived with his mother and sister. Rev. Pool began his ministry in
the Methodist Church, as a local minister, being licensed in 1916. He came to the U.B. Church by transfer in
1929, and was assigned to the Bayard Charge. He received his Annual Conference License in 1931 and was
ordained in 1935. He spent the year 1935-1936 at United Seminary. He served Bayard, 1928-38; Great
73 There is a biography: [Bell 1983] (10 pages).
74 http://www.thepresbytery.org/home/presbytery-meeting/minutes/2003-summary-minutes/june-24-2003/?mobile_switch=mobile.
75 http://kensingtoncong.org/Our%20History/1950/1950.html.
Biographical Sketches 113
