Page 137 - United Brethren Preachers
P. 137
Volume 9 Preachers of U.B. and EUB Virginia Conferences December 26, 2024
is from [Glovier 1965, p. 76], taken in 1873, and the one second from the right is from [Mellott 2000]. The
picture on the right is from[SC Catalog 1917]. [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 223-224; see also pp. 221-222, 307]
and [Glovier 1965, pp. 318, 330, 331, 333]
RUEBUSH: John Ruebush was one of the most highly honored and best loved
members of Va. Conf. He “was born in Augusta County, Va., in 1816, was converted
in 1834, and in that year licensed by a quarterly conference. He joined Va. Conf. in
1839 and was ordained in 1842. After laboring in this Conference about 20 years as a
successful itinerant, he removed to Tennessee to open up a mission work there to
which he was appointed. After about 15 years spent there, he returned to his old
Conference. He was appointed to Hagerstown, 1840-1841; South Branch, 1842-
1844; Winchester, 1844-1845; Frederick, 1845-1846; Staunton, 1846-1848; South Branch (again), 1848-
1849; Woodstock, 1849-1852; Staunton (again), 1852-1853; Presiding Elder, 1853-1855; Lacey Springs,
1855-1856; Tennessee Mission, 1856-1869; Lacey Springs (again); Edinburg; Shenandoah Valley Presiding
Elder, 1874-1876; Potomac Presiding Elder, 1876-1878; Boonsboro Station, 1878-1881; Hagerstown, 1881.
He was an earnest, stirring and mighty preacher. He died at Leitersburg, Md., Dec. 16, 1881, in his sixty-fifth
year of life. His body rests by the side of his wife in the cemetery at Keedysville, Md. Beginning in 1844, he
traveled in the section of Virginia beyond the Alleghenies, opening up new work. In 1850 he became a
presiding elder, the boundary line of his mountain district being pressed westward. Mr. Ruebush was a born
leader, fearless, energetic, and enterprising, and of broad vision. While not a profound thinker, be loved and
apprehended the truth of the Bible and the ways of God. He knew the lessons of love, faith, and obedience,
and preached and enforced them with power. When in 1856 Va. Conf. decided to open a mission in East
Tennessee, Mr. Ruebush was chosen to lead the enterprise. In his first report he says: “I have found 13
members scattered over a large territory. My congregations are very large and attentive. I have my work
arranged in the form of a 3-weeks’ mission circuit. Last Sabbath I preached in the woods to a large
congregation; in the afternoon at a Methodist church, but the people could not all get in the house.” He soon
announced that he had more calls than three men could fill. His preaching was mainly in the counties of
Washington, Greene, and Johnson. His success closed the doors of other churches to him. He was advised to
leave the state on pain of personal violence, and though subjected to much annoyance because of the anti-
slavery record of his church, he remained in his field until the war of 1861 had broken out. He then said that
“as soon as the war is over there will be a ripe harvest for the U.B. Church in East Tennessee.’ He did go back
after the return of peace, and in November, 1866, the Tennessee Conference was organized by Bishop
Glossbrenner. Mr. Ruebush and two other ministers were present. There were only 209 members, but in
1908 there were 5,000 in Tennessee, Georgia, and Louisiana. In 1869, Mr. Ruebush returned to Virginia,
served Lacey Springs and Edinburg, and in 1874 he was made a presiding elder. He was afterward on the
Boonsboro and Myersville circuits, but after being transferred to Hagerstown Circuit, he died at Leitersburg,
Md., in 1881. He was strong as a revivalist, and few ministers had so much power over an audience.” His
memoir is provided in Section II.A (below). The picture on the right is from [Glovier 1965, p. 68], taken in
1873. The following reminiscences are by John W. Fulkerson, a contemporary [Funkhouser 1913, pp. 73-74]:
John Ruebush had but a limited education, yet was active and hard-working, and in many respects a most remarkable
preacher. During his ministry, many persons were gathered into the church, and many others were so drawn toward it that
they were never able to break away from its influence, and years later came into the fold. The pathos in his voice when he
was preaching or sinking was most affecting. The sermons of Ruebush could not be considered learned, nor was his
rhetoric according to the rules; yet he moved whole audiences as the tempest moves the trees of the forest. He was great
as a revivalist. A pastoral charge in his care was a very poor place for backsliding, and this happened to but few. He and
his co-laborers depended entirely on the earnest preaching of the gospel, the power of spiritual song, the influence of the
Holy Spirit, and the gracious assistance of spiritual enthusiastic church members. Revivals then meant something. They
meant permanent societies. Ruebush would have scorned the kinks, twists, and stratagems of the average professional
revivalist of to-day: To the old U.B. minister or member, their methods would have been disgusting and would have been
deemed a travesty on the Christian religion. Ruebush was the first regular preacher to be sent to the South Branch of the
Potomac, and was largely instrumental in establishing the U.B. Church there. He was sent as a missionary to establish the
church in Tennessee. Such an errand meant severe persecution and even jeopardy of life, because of the anti-slavery
record of our church. Yet at much financial loss Ruebush faced the dangers and endured the hardships until he had planted
the church on that unfavorable soil, where it is still growing and prospering. [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 144, 180-181; see also
pp. 73, 83, 179, 218, 221, 242, 249-261, 267-279, 281, 307] and [Glovier 1965, pp. 100-101; see also pp. 50, 88, 93,
112, 247]
RUPP: James Rupp was present as a member of the Conferences of 1826 and 1830; nothing else is
known. [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 238, 241]
RUPPENTHAL: Harry Preston Ruppenthal, Sr. (1893-1966), son of Henry M. and Ida C.
Ruppenthal, was born at Berkeley Springs, W.Va., Apr. 27, 1893. He was converted in 1905 and
joined the U.B. Church at 12 years of age. He attended the public schools of Morgan County,
W.Va. He attended Shenandoah Institute 1912-13. Following his graduation from Lebanon Valley
College, he joined the Virginia Annual Conference in 1920 and was assigned to Shenandoah City
Biographical Sketches 125
is from [Glovier 1965, p. 76], taken in 1873, and the one second from the right is from [Mellott 2000]. The
picture on the right is from[SC Catalog 1917]. [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 223-224; see also pp. 221-222, 307]
and [Glovier 1965, pp. 318, 330, 331, 333]
RUEBUSH: John Ruebush was one of the most highly honored and best loved
members of Va. Conf. He “was born in Augusta County, Va., in 1816, was converted
in 1834, and in that year licensed by a quarterly conference. He joined Va. Conf. in
1839 and was ordained in 1842. After laboring in this Conference about 20 years as a
successful itinerant, he removed to Tennessee to open up a mission work there to
which he was appointed. After about 15 years spent there, he returned to his old
Conference. He was appointed to Hagerstown, 1840-1841; South Branch, 1842-
1844; Winchester, 1844-1845; Frederick, 1845-1846; Staunton, 1846-1848; South Branch (again), 1848-
1849; Woodstock, 1849-1852; Staunton (again), 1852-1853; Presiding Elder, 1853-1855; Lacey Springs,
1855-1856; Tennessee Mission, 1856-1869; Lacey Springs (again); Edinburg; Shenandoah Valley Presiding
Elder, 1874-1876; Potomac Presiding Elder, 1876-1878; Boonsboro Station, 1878-1881; Hagerstown, 1881.
He was an earnest, stirring and mighty preacher. He died at Leitersburg, Md., Dec. 16, 1881, in his sixty-fifth
year of life. His body rests by the side of his wife in the cemetery at Keedysville, Md. Beginning in 1844, he
traveled in the section of Virginia beyond the Alleghenies, opening up new work. In 1850 he became a
presiding elder, the boundary line of his mountain district being pressed westward. Mr. Ruebush was a born
leader, fearless, energetic, and enterprising, and of broad vision. While not a profound thinker, be loved and
apprehended the truth of the Bible and the ways of God. He knew the lessons of love, faith, and obedience,
and preached and enforced them with power. When in 1856 Va. Conf. decided to open a mission in East
Tennessee, Mr. Ruebush was chosen to lead the enterprise. In his first report he says: “I have found 13
members scattered over a large territory. My congregations are very large and attentive. I have my work
arranged in the form of a 3-weeks’ mission circuit. Last Sabbath I preached in the woods to a large
congregation; in the afternoon at a Methodist church, but the people could not all get in the house.” He soon
announced that he had more calls than three men could fill. His preaching was mainly in the counties of
Washington, Greene, and Johnson. His success closed the doors of other churches to him. He was advised to
leave the state on pain of personal violence, and though subjected to much annoyance because of the anti-
slavery record of his church, he remained in his field until the war of 1861 had broken out. He then said that
“as soon as the war is over there will be a ripe harvest for the U.B. Church in East Tennessee.’ He did go back
after the return of peace, and in November, 1866, the Tennessee Conference was organized by Bishop
Glossbrenner. Mr. Ruebush and two other ministers were present. There were only 209 members, but in
1908 there were 5,000 in Tennessee, Georgia, and Louisiana. In 1869, Mr. Ruebush returned to Virginia,
served Lacey Springs and Edinburg, and in 1874 he was made a presiding elder. He was afterward on the
Boonsboro and Myersville circuits, but after being transferred to Hagerstown Circuit, he died at Leitersburg,
Md., in 1881. He was strong as a revivalist, and few ministers had so much power over an audience.” His
memoir is provided in Section II.A (below). The picture on the right is from [Glovier 1965, p. 68], taken in
1873. The following reminiscences are by John W. Fulkerson, a contemporary [Funkhouser 1913, pp. 73-74]:
John Ruebush had but a limited education, yet was active and hard-working, and in many respects a most remarkable
preacher. During his ministry, many persons were gathered into the church, and many others were so drawn toward it that
they were never able to break away from its influence, and years later came into the fold. The pathos in his voice when he
was preaching or sinking was most affecting. The sermons of Ruebush could not be considered learned, nor was his
rhetoric according to the rules; yet he moved whole audiences as the tempest moves the trees of the forest. He was great
as a revivalist. A pastoral charge in his care was a very poor place for backsliding, and this happened to but few. He and
his co-laborers depended entirely on the earnest preaching of the gospel, the power of spiritual song, the influence of the
Holy Spirit, and the gracious assistance of spiritual enthusiastic church members. Revivals then meant something. They
meant permanent societies. Ruebush would have scorned the kinks, twists, and stratagems of the average professional
revivalist of to-day: To the old U.B. minister or member, their methods would have been disgusting and would have been
deemed a travesty on the Christian religion. Ruebush was the first regular preacher to be sent to the South Branch of the
Potomac, and was largely instrumental in establishing the U.B. Church there. He was sent as a missionary to establish the
church in Tennessee. Such an errand meant severe persecution and even jeopardy of life, because of the anti-slavery
record of our church. Yet at much financial loss Ruebush faced the dangers and endured the hardships until he had planted
the church on that unfavorable soil, where it is still growing and prospering. [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 144, 180-181; see also
pp. 73, 83, 179, 218, 221, 242, 249-261, 267-279, 281, 307] and [Glovier 1965, pp. 100-101; see also pp. 50, 88, 93,
112, 247]
RUPP: James Rupp was present as a member of the Conferences of 1826 and 1830; nothing else is
known. [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 238, 241]
RUPPENTHAL: Harry Preston Ruppenthal, Sr. (1893-1966), son of Henry M. and Ida C.
Ruppenthal, was born at Berkeley Springs, W.Va., Apr. 27, 1893. He was converted in 1905 and
joined the U.B. Church at 12 years of age. He attended the public schools of Morgan County,
W.Va. He attended Shenandoah Institute 1912-13. Following his graduation from Lebanon Valley
College, he joined the Virginia Annual Conference in 1920 and was assigned to Shenandoah City
Biographical Sketches 125
