Page 131 - United Brethren Preachers
P. 131
Volume 9 Preachers of U.B. and EUB Virginia Conferences December 26, 2024
has made quite a name as a pulpit orator.” His first wife was Mary Gold Baker. They adopted their only
daughter, Margaret. His second wife was Nora Brannum and they had three daughters. He died Sep. 17,
1957, at the age of 92 and was buried in Rosedale Cemetery, Martinsburg, W.Va. Mt Nebo Church on
Berkeley Springs Charge was built while he served there. The parsonage was built while he served
Winchester First Church. St Luke’s Church in Martinsburg was completed and dedicated during his pastorate.
The Cherry Run Church was built during his pastorate on the Sleepy Creek Charge. His memoir, as well as his
wife’s, is provided in Section II.A (below). [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 143, 179; see also pp. 128, 179, 200, 293,
295-296, 302, 306, 308]; [Glovier 1965, p. 134, from which the picture in the center was taken; see also pp.
77, 90, 96, 134, 145, 186, 195, 252, 298, 317]; and [Lycoming 2013]
RIDENOUR: Jacob R. Ridenour “was born near Myersville, Md., in 1849. He
was the first student to enter Lebanon Valley College from south of Mason and
Dixon’s line, and he pursued the scientific course to the senior year. He was
licensed in 1874, and joined Conference in 1875; and ordained in 1878. In 17
years of pastoral work, he served” New Creek, South Branch, 1875-77;
Hagerstown, 1877-79; Winchester Station, 1879-82; Berkeley Springs Circuit,
1882-83; Keedysville, 1883-85; Martinsburg Station, 1885-90; and Lacey
Springs, 1890-91; and North River, 1891-93; and was two years presiding elder
of the Winchester district. In 1893 he took a superannuate relation because of
failing health. He died in 1929 and was buried in Middletown, Md. He served Martinsburg Mission Station in
1885-87 and Martinsburg Station in 1887-90. His memoir, as well as his wife’s, is provided in Section II.A
(below). The pictures are from [Glovier 1965, pp. 69, 77], the one on the left taken in 1886, the other in
1919. [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 143, 179; see also pp. 179, 197, 200, 202, 219, 272-287, 289, 291, 312] and
[Glovier 1965, pp. 95, 120, 202, 318]
RIDER: John Rider. [Glovier 1965, pp. 88]. See the entry for John Reider (1787-1849), above.
RIEGEL: [John] Adam Riegel was a member of Conference in 1800. He attended
Conference in 1809, 1812, and 1813. In 1812 was listed among those with explicit
authorization to administer the sacraments. [Apparently, he did not itinerate. He is cited
by Christian Newcomer for Aug. 24, 1808. He is noted as a friend of Jacob Albright,
whose followers founded the Evangelical Association. The following story is told by Rev.
Dr. Karl R. Herman [“Herman’s Homilies, Mt. Gilead UMC, Feb. 2013]: “Jacob Albrecht
questioned his faith after an epidemic in 1790 killed several of his children. Jacob’s need
for spiritual aid led him to the house of his neighbor, Rev. Adam Riegel. Under Riegel’s instruction and
direction, and with the help of intercessory prayers, Albrecht came to know Christ. Albrecht became a lay
preacher and eventually the first bishop in the denomination he was to found. Jacob Albrecht is better known
today by the English-sounding version of his name, Jacob Albright.” The picture is of Adam Riegel’s home (ca.
1930, Fred W. Solver, Albright College Archival Photograph Collections). There is a gravestone at Adamsburg
Cemetery, Beaver Springs, Pa., at the grave of an Adam Riegel (Oct. 11, 1719; d. Mar. 12 (?), 1826) [Tiffany
Stuck], whose inscription is in German. Also, Boehm records that John Riegel and his wife Catherine Elisabeth
deeded Valentine Unruh and John Mayer 2 acres of land adjoining Riegel’s land in Tulpehocken Township,
likely the site of one of the first U.B. churches in the area.77 Note: This history of Mechanicsburg identified
John Riegel as a founder (b. 1818), whose parents were John Adam Riegel and Esther (Brandt) Reigel and
whose Riegel grandparent was John Adam Riegel who came with his brothers Abraham and Samuel from
Germany and settled near Hummelstown, Dauphin Co., Pa. [Adams Co. 1886, p. 430-431].78 The Riegel-
Albright story is found in with more detail [Good 1942]79:
The death of several of his children from what was reported to be dysentery in 1790, coupled with several reported
“close call,” life-threatening incidents, had a profound effect upon Jacob Albright’s life. He became mentally and emotionally
troubled. He suffered bouts of depression, but religion saw him through. Although united with the Bergstrasse Lutheran
Church near the small village of Hinkletown, the Albrights sometimes worshipped in the Reformed Church near their home.
It is believed that Catherine was of the Reformed faith before marriage. During this period in American history, there were
many similarities in worship services between these two faiths. In fact, both groups worshipped in the same building on
many occasions. These churches were called “union churches” and were common among the Pa. German settlements. In
spite of his depressed mental state, Albright continued his business, paid his bills, and took care of his family and farm.
However, deep down inside, he was troubled about his “personal salvation.” Albright lived in a community where
evangelical religious experiences were not frequently expressed. However, there were some Methodists, as well as a few
77 [Boehm 1916, p. 68].
78 History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania. Warner, Beers, and Company, 1886.
79 [Good 1942].
Biographical Sketches 119
has made quite a name as a pulpit orator.” His first wife was Mary Gold Baker. They adopted their only
daughter, Margaret. His second wife was Nora Brannum and they had three daughters. He died Sep. 17,
1957, at the age of 92 and was buried in Rosedale Cemetery, Martinsburg, W.Va. Mt Nebo Church on
Berkeley Springs Charge was built while he served there. The parsonage was built while he served
Winchester First Church. St Luke’s Church in Martinsburg was completed and dedicated during his pastorate.
The Cherry Run Church was built during his pastorate on the Sleepy Creek Charge. His memoir, as well as his
wife’s, is provided in Section II.A (below). [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 143, 179; see also pp. 128, 179, 200, 293,
295-296, 302, 306, 308]; [Glovier 1965, p. 134, from which the picture in the center was taken; see also pp.
77, 90, 96, 134, 145, 186, 195, 252, 298, 317]; and [Lycoming 2013]
RIDENOUR: Jacob R. Ridenour “was born near Myersville, Md., in 1849. He
was the first student to enter Lebanon Valley College from south of Mason and
Dixon’s line, and he pursued the scientific course to the senior year. He was
licensed in 1874, and joined Conference in 1875; and ordained in 1878. In 17
years of pastoral work, he served” New Creek, South Branch, 1875-77;
Hagerstown, 1877-79; Winchester Station, 1879-82; Berkeley Springs Circuit,
1882-83; Keedysville, 1883-85; Martinsburg Station, 1885-90; and Lacey
Springs, 1890-91; and North River, 1891-93; and was two years presiding elder
of the Winchester district. In 1893 he took a superannuate relation because of
failing health. He died in 1929 and was buried in Middletown, Md. He served Martinsburg Mission Station in
1885-87 and Martinsburg Station in 1887-90. His memoir, as well as his wife’s, is provided in Section II.A
(below). The pictures are from [Glovier 1965, pp. 69, 77], the one on the left taken in 1886, the other in
1919. [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 143, 179; see also pp. 179, 197, 200, 202, 219, 272-287, 289, 291, 312] and
[Glovier 1965, pp. 95, 120, 202, 318]
RIDER: John Rider. [Glovier 1965, pp. 88]. See the entry for John Reider (1787-1849), above.
RIEGEL: [John] Adam Riegel was a member of Conference in 1800. He attended
Conference in 1809, 1812, and 1813. In 1812 was listed among those with explicit
authorization to administer the sacraments. [Apparently, he did not itinerate. He is cited
by Christian Newcomer for Aug. 24, 1808. He is noted as a friend of Jacob Albright,
whose followers founded the Evangelical Association. The following story is told by Rev.
Dr. Karl R. Herman [“Herman’s Homilies, Mt. Gilead UMC, Feb. 2013]: “Jacob Albrecht
questioned his faith after an epidemic in 1790 killed several of his children. Jacob’s need
for spiritual aid led him to the house of his neighbor, Rev. Adam Riegel. Under Riegel’s instruction and
direction, and with the help of intercessory prayers, Albrecht came to know Christ. Albrecht became a lay
preacher and eventually the first bishop in the denomination he was to found. Jacob Albrecht is better known
today by the English-sounding version of his name, Jacob Albright.” The picture is of Adam Riegel’s home (ca.
1930, Fred W. Solver, Albright College Archival Photograph Collections). There is a gravestone at Adamsburg
Cemetery, Beaver Springs, Pa., at the grave of an Adam Riegel (Oct. 11, 1719; d. Mar. 12 (?), 1826) [Tiffany
Stuck], whose inscription is in German. Also, Boehm records that John Riegel and his wife Catherine Elisabeth
deeded Valentine Unruh and John Mayer 2 acres of land adjoining Riegel’s land in Tulpehocken Township,
likely the site of one of the first U.B. churches in the area.77 Note: This history of Mechanicsburg identified
John Riegel as a founder (b. 1818), whose parents were John Adam Riegel and Esther (Brandt) Reigel and
whose Riegel grandparent was John Adam Riegel who came with his brothers Abraham and Samuel from
Germany and settled near Hummelstown, Dauphin Co., Pa. [Adams Co. 1886, p. 430-431].78 The Riegel-
Albright story is found in with more detail [Good 1942]79:
The death of several of his children from what was reported to be dysentery in 1790, coupled with several reported
“close call,” life-threatening incidents, had a profound effect upon Jacob Albright’s life. He became mentally and emotionally
troubled. He suffered bouts of depression, but religion saw him through. Although united with the Bergstrasse Lutheran
Church near the small village of Hinkletown, the Albrights sometimes worshipped in the Reformed Church near their home.
It is believed that Catherine was of the Reformed faith before marriage. During this period in American history, there were
many similarities in worship services between these two faiths. In fact, both groups worshipped in the same building on
many occasions. These churches were called “union churches” and were common among the Pa. German settlements. In
spite of his depressed mental state, Albright continued his business, paid his bills, and took care of his family and farm.
However, deep down inside, he was troubled about his “personal salvation.” Albright lived in a community where
evangelical religious experiences were not frequently expressed. However, there were some Methodists, as well as a few
77 [Boehm 1916, p. 68].
78 History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania. Warner, Beers, and Company, 1886.
79 [Good 1942].
Biographical Sketches 119
