Page 135 - United Brethren Preachers
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Volume 9 Preachers of U.B. and EUB Virginia Conferences December 26, 2024
RODERICK: Lewis Roderick (RODRUCK on gravestone; 1772-1867) was a Dunkard preacher who came to
what is now Grant County, W.Va., from Frederick County, Md. This was about the close of the Revolution, and
he was accompanied by his brother-in-law, Nicholas Leatherman. He moved on [not listed at the Conference
of 1789 or later] to Coshocton County, Ohio, and died there at the age of 96. His son Peter came back to visit
his uncle, married in 1816, and remained. Jacob M., son of Peter, was born in 1817 on a farm near
Burlington, W.Va. (see above). [Funkhouser 1921, p. 179-180]83
RODERICK: Raymond LeRoy Roderick was District Superintendent for the Hagerstown District of the
Baltimore Conference, The UMC, during 1963-69. He was received on probation and ordained a deacon in
1943 and ordained as an elder in 1945. He is married to Anna Mary Roderick. He served the following
appointments: Monkton, 1943-47; Forest Hill, 1947-51; Dundalk, 1951-57; Congress Heights, 1957-63;
Glenmont (Wheaton), 1969-74; and Calvary (Frederick) as an associate, 1974-76. He retired in 1976. He is
living in Frederick, MD, and his charge conference is at Calvary (Frederick).
ROGERS: Chaplain Vernon O. Rogers was born in Martinsburg, W.Va., Jan. 12, 1912, a
son of Raymond P. and Bessie P. Rogers. After attending the local schools, he entered
Shenandoah College and completed the first two years (receiving a Junior College
Diploma). He then transferred to Lebanon Valley College, receiving the A.B. Degree in
1938. He entered United Theological Seminary and received the B.D. Degree in 1941. He
later completed requirements and received an M.S. Degree in 1960 from the University of
Colorado. He was honored by the Atlanta (Georgia) Law School who conferred upon him
the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws in June 1964. He received his Quarterly Conference
license in Sep. 1934 in his home church at St. Luke’s. He was ordained in Sep. 1941 in the
First Church at Winchester by Bishop G. D. Batdorf. He then received his first pastoral
assignment, Shenandoah Charge. He married Ruth Naomi Brill Sep. 4, 1938, in St. Luke’s Church. They have
the following children: Judith, Pamela, Timothy and Rae. He served Shenandoah Circuit, 1941-42. In
Sep. 1942, he entered the U.S. Air Force Chaplaincy, where he has since served faithfully and in the most
honorable manner. During the World War II, he was in the China-Burma-India Theater of Operations for 2 ½
years. His peace-time service includes a variety of assignments at Air Force Bases in the Continental U. S.
and two overseas assignments of 3 years each in Europe. At present [1964] he is Command Chaplain of the
Air University, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. In 2002 he was retired, living with his wife Ruth in St. Petersburg, Fla.
He died in 2003 and she in 2009. Their children were Judith, Pamela (deceased), Timothy, and Rae. Short
memorials are provided in Section II.A (below). [Glovier 1965, p. 324, from which the picture was taken; see
also pp. 91, 257, 259, 281]
ROPER: Frederick A. Roper joined Conference and was licensed to preach in 1837 and served Pendleton
Mission, 1837-38. He was absent in 1838 and expelled (no reason given in the Minutes). [Glovier 1965,
p. 88]
ROSS: John N. Ross became a member of Conference in 1870; served Page Valley Mission, 1870-71, and
East Virginia Mission, 1872-73; and joined MECS, 1873. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 143; Glovier 1965, p. 89]
ROTH: Conrad Roth became a member of Conference in 1817. Christian Newcomer relates that he
preached at “Mr. Roth’s” Sep. 30, 1907, the day before he heard the celebrated Lorenzo Dow in Woodstock.”
Pa. Conf. archives [Lycoming 2013] note that Rev. Roth preached in the Hagerstown area, 1818-19:
“Resolved that Conrad Roth be permitted to preach the gospel in and around Hagerstown this year, with the
understanding that after harvest he is to go to Virginia to help to hold big meetings if his health permits” [Pa.
Conf. Journal, May 5, 2024]. The archives further note that A Conrad Roth attended Miami Conf. in Warren,
Ohio, June 16, 1818, and preached in English June 17, 1818; and that in Marion County, Ohio, a Conrad Roth
performed to weddings (Nov. 6, 1825, and Nov. 17, 1825). A Conrad Roth (b; Mar. 18, 1772, Rockland
Township, Berks Co., Pa.; d. May 7, 2024) was a Lutheran member who moved to North Whitehall township in
Lehigh Co., married Elizabeth Hartranft (1871-1846), and was buried at Unionville Church.84 In 1810 a
83 According to another genealogy: Lewis Rodruck was the fifth child and fifth son of Ludwig and Catherine Rodruck,
who purchased land in Frederick Co., Md., in 1762. Lewis Rodruck (1772-1867; mar1. Susanna Norris; mar2. Sarah
Bell) traveled from Virginia to Coshocton Co., Ohio, with his sons Levi and Zale in 1809, then returned to Virginia for
the rest of the family in 1811. He served in the War of 1812 from Coshocton County. Although his name often appears
in public documents etc. as Lewis, he himself still signed it Ludwick as late as 1862. The Rodruck spelling becomes
Rodrick and then Roderick in Ohio. Peter Roderick (1796-1879; mar1. Catherine Miller; mar2. Polly Iman) was the
third child and third son of Lewis Rodruck and Susanna Norris. [Elizabeth Norris, “Rodruck or Roderick Family,”
Nov. 30, 2008; http://www.momslookups.com/generations/roderick.html]
84 [LCHS 1914, Vol. 3, pp. 1095-1096]. No mention of this Conrad Roth being a preacher.
Biographical Sketches 123
RODERICK: Lewis Roderick (RODRUCK on gravestone; 1772-1867) was a Dunkard preacher who came to
what is now Grant County, W.Va., from Frederick County, Md. This was about the close of the Revolution, and
he was accompanied by his brother-in-law, Nicholas Leatherman. He moved on [not listed at the Conference
of 1789 or later] to Coshocton County, Ohio, and died there at the age of 96. His son Peter came back to visit
his uncle, married in 1816, and remained. Jacob M., son of Peter, was born in 1817 on a farm near
Burlington, W.Va. (see above). [Funkhouser 1921, p. 179-180]83
RODERICK: Raymond LeRoy Roderick was District Superintendent for the Hagerstown District of the
Baltimore Conference, The UMC, during 1963-69. He was received on probation and ordained a deacon in
1943 and ordained as an elder in 1945. He is married to Anna Mary Roderick. He served the following
appointments: Monkton, 1943-47; Forest Hill, 1947-51; Dundalk, 1951-57; Congress Heights, 1957-63;
Glenmont (Wheaton), 1969-74; and Calvary (Frederick) as an associate, 1974-76. He retired in 1976. He is
living in Frederick, MD, and his charge conference is at Calvary (Frederick).
ROGERS: Chaplain Vernon O. Rogers was born in Martinsburg, W.Va., Jan. 12, 1912, a
son of Raymond P. and Bessie P. Rogers. After attending the local schools, he entered
Shenandoah College and completed the first two years (receiving a Junior College
Diploma). He then transferred to Lebanon Valley College, receiving the A.B. Degree in
1938. He entered United Theological Seminary and received the B.D. Degree in 1941. He
later completed requirements and received an M.S. Degree in 1960 from the University of
Colorado. He was honored by the Atlanta (Georgia) Law School who conferred upon him
the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws in June 1964. He received his Quarterly Conference
license in Sep. 1934 in his home church at St. Luke’s. He was ordained in Sep. 1941 in the
First Church at Winchester by Bishop G. D. Batdorf. He then received his first pastoral
assignment, Shenandoah Charge. He married Ruth Naomi Brill Sep. 4, 1938, in St. Luke’s Church. They have
the following children: Judith, Pamela, Timothy and Rae. He served Shenandoah Circuit, 1941-42. In
Sep. 1942, he entered the U.S. Air Force Chaplaincy, where he has since served faithfully and in the most
honorable manner. During the World War II, he was in the China-Burma-India Theater of Operations for 2 ½
years. His peace-time service includes a variety of assignments at Air Force Bases in the Continental U. S.
and two overseas assignments of 3 years each in Europe. At present [1964] he is Command Chaplain of the
Air University, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. In 2002 he was retired, living with his wife Ruth in St. Petersburg, Fla.
He died in 2003 and she in 2009. Their children were Judith, Pamela (deceased), Timothy, and Rae. Short
memorials are provided in Section II.A (below). [Glovier 1965, p. 324, from which the picture was taken; see
also pp. 91, 257, 259, 281]
ROPER: Frederick A. Roper joined Conference and was licensed to preach in 1837 and served Pendleton
Mission, 1837-38. He was absent in 1838 and expelled (no reason given in the Minutes). [Glovier 1965,
p. 88]
ROSS: John N. Ross became a member of Conference in 1870; served Page Valley Mission, 1870-71, and
East Virginia Mission, 1872-73; and joined MECS, 1873. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 143; Glovier 1965, p. 89]
ROTH: Conrad Roth became a member of Conference in 1817. Christian Newcomer relates that he
preached at “Mr. Roth’s” Sep. 30, 1907, the day before he heard the celebrated Lorenzo Dow in Woodstock.”
Pa. Conf. archives [Lycoming 2013] note that Rev. Roth preached in the Hagerstown area, 1818-19:
“Resolved that Conrad Roth be permitted to preach the gospel in and around Hagerstown this year, with the
understanding that after harvest he is to go to Virginia to help to hold big meetings if his health permits” [Pa.
Conf. Journal, May 5, 2024]. The archives further note that A Conrad Roth attended Miami Conf. in Warren,
Ohio, June 16, 1818, and preached in English June 17, 1818; and that in Marion County, Ohio, a Conrad Roth
performed to weddings (Nov. 6, 1825, and Nov. 17, 1825). A Conrad Roth (b; Mar. 18, 1772, Rockland
Township, Berks Co., Pa.; d. May 7, 2024) was a Lutheran member who moved to North Whitehall township in
Lehigh Co., married Elizabeth Hartranft (1871-1846), and was buried at Unionville Church.84 In 1810 a
83 According to another genealogy: Lewis Rodruck was the fifth child and fifth son of Ludwig and Catherine Rodruck,
who purchased land in Frederick Co., Md., in 1762. Lewis Rodruck (1772-1867; mar1. Susanna Norris; mar2. Sarah
Bell) traveled from Virginia to Coshocton Co., Ohio, with his sons Levi and Zale in 1809, then returned to Virginia for
the rest of the family in 1811. He served in the War of 1812 from Coshocton County. Although his name often appears
in public documents etc. as Lewis, he himself still signed it Ludwick as late as 1862. The Rodruck spelling becomes
Rodrick and then Roderick in Ohio. Peter Roderick (1796-1879; mar1. Catherine Miller; mar2. Polly Iman) was the
third child and third son of Lewis Rodruck and Susanna Norris. [Elizabeth Norris, “Rodruck or Roderick Family,”
Nov. 30, 2008; http://www.momslookups.com/generations/roderick.html]
84 [LCHS 1914, Vol. 3, pp. 1095-1096]. No mention of this Conrad Roth being a preacher.
Biographical Sketches 123
