Page 133 - United Brethren Preachers
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Volume 9 Preachers of U.B. and EUB Virginia Conferences December 26, 2024
Texas; Destroyer Squadron 13 USS Sperry (A. S. 12); U.S. Naval Proving Ground, Dahlgren, Virginia; Third
Marine Division, Japan, USS Bennington (CVA 20); and U.S. Naval Hospital, San Diego, California; Surface
Squadron Three, Sasibo, Japan; and U.S. Coast Guard Base, Alameda, California. [Glovier 1965, pp. 323-
324] He served the Arlington Circuit, 1947-50. He died in Florida in 1990. His memoir is provided in Section
II.A (below). [Glovier 1965, pp. 323-324, from which the picture was taken; see also pp. 92, 209, 210, 258,
259, 280]
RIMEL: George B. Rimel became a member of Conference in 1832; ordained 1835; owned a farm and
rode a poor horse; transferred to Mo. Conference 1866; died soon afterward. He served Staunton Circuit,
1833-35; Hagerstown Circuit, 1835-37; Frederick Circuit, 1837-39; Winchester Circuit; Woodstock Circuit,
1842-43; Frederick Circuit, 1846-48; Rockbridge Circuit, 1848-49; Presiding Elder (Virginia), 1949-51;
Franklin Circuit, 1851-53; South Branch Circuit, 1853-54; and Woodstock Circuit, 1862-64. A tribute from
[Funkhouser 1921, pp. 78-80, 86]:
Before his conversion George B. Rimel was a hardworking farmer, and afterward he still labored with his hands a good
deal. He was without human polish and destitute of the learning of the schools, and from a human viewpoint was a most
unpromising candidate for the ministry. Yet he had a strong mind and was unquestionably called to preach the gospel. He
was powerful in prayer and clear and pointed in his application of Bible truth to the conscience. Churches sometimes err in
calling men into church work, but God never does. The work Rimel performed could not have been done by anyone else.
He was forceful and his style of preaching was much needed in the early history of the conference. He was its Boanerges.
He gave sledgehammer blows at sin without fear of the consequences, for there was no fear in him. During a revival in
Harbaugh’s Valley, Md., his speech was so plain and hard that the people were greatly offended. Some half dozen men
made an attack on him as he was going home from meeting. “Boys,” said he, “let me alone. Don’t touch me. If you do, I
will straighten my arm on you that the Lord has given me with which to defend myself, and you will think a horse has kicked
you. I don’t want to hurt you.” There was no further trouble in that neighborhood. At another time, while on his way to
Brock’s Gap, Rimel lodged with Andrew Horn, a prominent member near Turleytown. There was a union church in his
neighborhood, and it was a moderately good building for those days. Horn was asked why it was not used, and was told
that every preacher had been run off by rowdies, this element having sworn there should be no more preaching in
Turleytown. Rimel asked Horn to circulate an appointment, an evening in the following week, and he would preach on his
return from the Gap. Horn at length consented, and there was a large congregation. The services began in the regular
way, and until the middle of the sermon the house was quiet. Then a disturbance arose in the farther end of the room. In
a gentlemanly way Rimel asked the toughs to behave themselves. This only made matters worse. Then the preacher
paused in his discourse, and asked if some person would give him the names of the disturbers. The rowdies bawled out
their own names, and these were written down by Rimel. “Tomorrow,” said he, “I shall see the proper officers of the law,
and have you arrested and presented for your unruly conduct here to-night.” There was quiet during the remainder of the
services and another appointment was made. In the morning Rimel had to pass through the town, where a crowd of furious
men were awaiting him. The leader of the gang caught the preacher’s horse by the bridle and demanded that the paper
containing the names be given up. Rimel refused and the bully then attempted to pull him off the horse. “Hold on,” said
Rimel, “I can get off myself.” As he dismounted he slipped off his overcoat, and then made the following announcement: “I
am not afraid of all the people in Turleytown, and I can whip them all if they will fight fair. I can whip the whole pack of
you. I shall only need to get in one or two licks on a man, and every man I hit will never know what hurt him.” He then
made a pass at the rowdy captain, who at once showed the white feather and ran. Rimel remounted, but had gone only a
little way when someone shouted for him to stop. The preacher turned about. The spokesman said the men were sorry for
what they had done, and if the matter were dropped, they would be his friends and protect him in his meetings, for they
much admired a brave man. There were no more interruptions and Turleytown became a reformed place. [Funkhouser
1921, p. 143; see also pp. 78, 83, 125, 243-262, 265] and Glovier 1965, pp. 50-51, 88, 252]
RINKER: F. Blaine Rinker served Cumberland Bethel, 1965-66 and was appointed to the same Circuit for
1966-67, but he “left to serve a Methodist church.” He was pastor of Shaft UMC (Frostburg, Md.), at least
1969-70, and there conducted the funeral of Bessie McKenzie. He was pastor of Centre Street UMC
(Cumberland), beginning July 1, 1975. In 1978-79 (at least) he was pastor of First UMC of Lonaconing. He
was pastor of Overlea Chapel UMC (in Northeast Baltimore City) for 10 years, 1991-2001. He officiated at the
funeral of George Collins in Feb. 1987 in Bel Air, Md.
RITCHIE: William D. Ritchie (Ritchey) served Mt. Clinton Circuit, 1956-57; and Jones Spring Circuit,
1957-59. He attended Shenandoah College 1961-62—at the time he was living in Timberville, Va.
RITTER: Hallie B. Ritter was listed as a visiting minister at the Conference of 1908. He served Prince
William Mission, 1907-10, and Westernport Circuit, 1911-12. A letter from Rev. Ritter regarding witch trials
was published in The Pennsylvania-German (Sep. 1910; Vol. XI, No. 9, p. 575), at the time of which his
parishioners were from Old Williams Church. He is listed as pastor of Christ Union Church of Lower Saucon
(Northampton Co., Pa.), 1907-1915 [Jean Kashnicki]. In 1915 he accepted the call to serve St. Paul’s U.B.
Church in Annville, Pa., and he was Friedensburg U.B . Church in 1917 [The Kutztown Patriot, Sep. 25, 1915,
and May, 4, 1917]. He is listed as one of the most recent (in 1922) ministers of Liverpool U.B. Church,
Liverpool Township, Pa.80 Since he officiated a funeral there in July 1918, he was pastor of Liverpool U.B.
Church about 1917-19. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 301]
80 [Hain 1922, p. 989]. 121
Biographical Sketches
Texas; Destroyer Squadron 13 USS Sperry (A. S. 12); U.S. Naval Proving Ground, Dahlgren, Virginia; Third
Marine Division, Japan, USS Bennington (CVA 20); and U.S. Naval Hospital, San Diego, California; Surface
Squadron Three, Sasibo, Japan; and U.S. Coast Guard Base, Alameda, California. [Glovier 1965, pp. 323-
324] He served the Arlington Circuit, 1947-50. He died in Florida in 1990. His memoir is provided in Section
II.A (below). [Glovier 1965, pp. 323-324, from which the picture was taken; see also pp. 92, 209, 210, 258,
259, 280]
RIMEL: George B. Rimel became a member of Conference in 1832; ordained 1835; owned a farm and
rode a poor horse; transferred to Mo. Conference 1866; died soon afterward. He served Staunton Circuit,
1833-35; Hagerstown Circuit, 1835-37; Frederick Circuit, 1837-39; Winchester Circuit; Woodstock Circuit,
1842-43; Frederick Circuit, 1846-48; Rockbridge Circuit, 1848-49; Presiding Elder (Virginia), 1949-51;
Franklin Circuit, 1851-53; South Branch Circuit, 1853-54; and Woodstock Circuit, 1862-64. A tribute from
[Funkhouser 1921, pp. 78-80, 86]:
Before his conversion George B. Rimel was a hardworking farmer, and afterward he still labored with his hands a good
deal. He was without human polish and destitute of the learning of the schools, and from a human viewpoint was a most
unpromising candidate for the ministry. Yet he had a strong mind and was unquestionably called to preach the gospel. He
was powerful in prayer and clear and pointed in his application of Bible truth to the conscience. Churches sometimes err in
calling men into church work, but God never does. The work Rimel performed could not have been done by anyone else.
He was forceful and his style of preaching was much needed in the early history of the conference. He was its Boanerges.
He gave sledgehammer blows at sin without fear of the consequences, for there was no fear in him. During a revival in
Harbaugh’s Valley, Md., his speech was so plain and hard that the people were greatly offended. Some half dozen men
made an attack on him as he was going home from meeting. “Boys,” said he, “let me alone. Don’t touch me. If you do, I
will straighten my arm on you that the Lord has given me with which to defend myself, and you will think a horse has kicked
you. I don’t want to hurt you.” There was no further trouble in that neighborhood. At another time, while on his way to
Brock’s Gap, Rimel lodged with Andrew Horn, a prominent member near Turleytown. There was a union church in his
neighborhood, and it was a moderately good building for those days. Horn was asked why it was not used, and was told
that every preacher had been run off by rowdies, this element having sworn there should be no more preaching in
Turleytown. Rimel asked Horn to circulate an appointment, an evening in the following week, and he would preach on his
return from the Gap. Horn at length consented, and there was a large congregation. The services began in the regular
way, and until the middle of the sermon the house was quiet. Then a disturbance arose in the farther end of the room. In
a gentlemanly way Rimel asked the toughs to behave themselves. This only made matters worse. Then the preacher
paused in his discourse, and asked if some person would give him the names of the disturbers. The rowdies bawled out
their own names, and these were written down by Rimel. “Tomorrow,” said he, “I shall see the proper officers of the law,
and have you arrested and presented for your unruly conduct here to-night.” There was quiet during the remainder of the
services and another appointment was made. In the morning Rimel had to pass through the town, where a crowd of furious
men were awaiting him. The leader of the gang caught the preacher’s horse by the bridle and demanded that the paper
containing the names be given up. Rimel refused and the bully then attempted to pull him off the horse. “Hold on,” said
Rimel, “I can get off myself.” As he dismounted he slipped off his overcoat, and then made the following announcement: “I
am not afraid of all the people in Turleytown, and I can whip them all if they will fight fair. I can whip the whole pack of
you. I shall only need to get in one or two licks on a man, and every man I hit will never know what hurt him.” He then
made a pass at the rowdy captain, who at once showed the white feather and ran. Rimel remounted, but had gone only a
little way when someone shouted for him to stop. The preacher turned about. The spokesman said the men were sorry for
what they had done, and if the matter were dropped, they would be his friends and protect him in his meetings, for they
much admired a brave man. There were no more interruptions and Turleytown became a reformed place. [Funkhouser
1921, p. 143; see also pp. 78, 83, 125, 243-262, 265] and Glovier 1965, pp. 50-51, 88, 252]
RINKER: F. Blaine Rinker served Cumberland Bethel, 1965-66 and was appointed to the same Circuit for
1966-67, but he “left to serve a Methodist church.” He was pastor of Shaft UMC (Frostburg, Md.), at least
1969-70, and there conducted the funeral of Bessie McKenzie. He was pastor of Centre Street UMC
(Cumberland), beginning July 1, 1975. In 1978-79 (at least) he was pastor of First UMC of Lonaconing. He
was pastor of Overlea Chapel UMC (in Northeast Baltimore City) for 10 years, 1991-2001. He officiated at the
funeral of George Collins in Feb. 1987 in Bel Air, Md.
RITCHIE: William D. Ritchie (Ritchey) served Mt. Clinton Circuit, 1956-57; and Jones Spring Circuit,
1957-59. He attended Shenandoah College 1961-62—at the time he was living in Timberville, Va.
RITTER: Hallie B. Ritter was listed as a visiting minister at the Conference of 1908. He served Prince
William Mission, 1907-10, and Westernport Circuit, 1911-12. A letter from Rev. Ritter regarding witch trials
was published in The Pennsylvania-German (Sep. 1910; Vol. XI, No. 9, p. 575), at the time of which his
parishioners were from Old Williams Church. He is listed as pastor of Christ Union Church of Lower Saucon
(Northampton Co., Pa.), 1907-1915 [Jean Kashnicki]. In 1915 he accepted the call to serve St. Paul’s U.B.
Church in Annville, Pa., and he was Friedensburg U.B . Church in 1917 [The Kutztown Patriot, Sep. 25, 1915,
and May, 4, 1917]. He is listed as one of the most recent (in 1922) ministers of Liverpool U.B. Church,
Liverpool Township, Pa.80 Since he officiated a funeral there in July 1918, he was pastor of Liverpool U.B.
Church about 1917-19. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 301]
80 [Hain 1922, p. 989]. 121
Biographical Sketches
