Page 140 - United Brethren Preachers
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Volume 9 Preachers of U.B. and EUB Virginia Conferences December 26, 2024
08; and Baltimore Station (Old Otterbein), 1813-14. Only six weeks before his death in Nov. 1813, William
Otterbein “was assisted from his bed to an easy chair that he might ordain” three of his preachers who had
gathered around him. Indeed, Christian Newcomer, Joseph Hoffman and Frederick Shaeffer were ordained at
the hands of Otterbein on Oct. 2, 1813, with the assistance of William Ryland, an elder of the Methodist
Society of Baltimore [Drury 1884, pp. 358-359; recall that Otterbein had assisted with the ordination of
Bishop Asbury]. Frederick Schaeffer attended Annual Conferences until 1814. From [Drury 1913, pp. 153-
154, 226]: Among those whose awakening, and, in some cases, beginning labors belonged to the period
before 1774, were Frederick Schaffer, who was converted during Mt. Otterbein’s labors at Lancaster, Martin
Crider [see above], and Adam Lehman [see above]. Frederick Schaffer was originally a member of the
Reformed Church. He was a diligent laborer and an acceptable preacher. He had the distinguished honor of
assisting Mr. Otterbein during the last days of the latter, of being one of the three formally ordained by him,
and of filling his pulpit for several months after his death. He labored among the United Brethren until his
death, which seems to have occurred about 1814. …Not long before the first of Oct. [1813, as Otterbein’s
health was failing] Rev. Frederick Schaffer, one of the fruits of Mr. Otterbein’s ministry at Lancaster, “in a
particularly providential way,” came to Baltimore, and from this time forward [until Otterbein’s death in 1814],
Mr. Otterbein was relieved from the work of preaching. A Frederick Shaffer was born in Shrewsbury, York
County, Pa., to John Philip Shaffer and Maria Barbara Scherer. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 144; see also pp. 124,
224-230] and [Glovier 1965, p. 87; Miller 1968, p. 370; Lycoming 2013]
SCHARFL: Joseph E. Scharfl, son of Josef A. and Elvira C. Scharfl, was born in
Washington, D.C., on Nov. 24, 1940. He is a graduate of the Washington-Lee High School in
Arlington and of Shenandoah College, Winchester, Va., from which College he received his
Liberal Arts diploma (Class of 1963). He also attended the University of Virginia Extension in
Arlington, Madison College, Harrisonburg, and the Eastern Mennonite College in Harrisonburg.
In Mar. 1963 he was appointed to the Edinburg Charge of Va. Conf. with five churches. In
1964-66 he served Edinburg Charge with two churches. Rev. Scharfl is a Methodist employed
by Va. Conf. He served Hardy Circuit, 1966-67. [Glovier 1965, pp. 86, 300, from which the
picture was taken]
SCHEKELS: Richard Schekels was an early member of Conference but was “expelled for bad conduct” in
1929. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 240; Glovier 1965, p. 304]
SCHMITT: Joseph H. Schmitt (b. Oct. 26, 1887; d. Oct. 25, 1962; mar. Eunice M. Barger)
was granted quarterly Conference license by Hagerstown Grace in 1914, joined Va. Conference
and was licensed in 1915, and ordained in 1918. He served Pleasant Valley (Rockingham?)
Circuit, 1914-15. He was a student at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio, 1915-18,
and served Aly Chapel and Kingsville of Miami Conf., 1916-18. He transferred to Pa. Conf. in
1918 and there served York Haven, 1918-20; Manchester, Pa., 1920-22; New Cumberland,
1922-32; West Fairview, 1932-37; Frederick, 1937-48; Fayetteville, 1948-53; and retired in
1953. Note: Joseph H. Schmitt was an accomplished poet. Mrs. Schmitt is the daughter of
Rev. William D. Barger. They had no children. The picture is from [Holdcraft 1938, p. 345].
[Funkhouser 1921, pp. 128, 306-307; Glovier 1965, p. 91; Lycoming 2013]
SCHNABEL: George Ernest Schnabel, born Dec. 23, 1894, in Olean, N.Y., the son of
George and Elizabeth Schnabel. Six children graced their home. George graduated from
Albright College, the Evangelical School of Theology, later receiving the college alumni award.
He attended the graduate school at Syracuse University. He was an Ordained Elder in the
Central Pa. Conf. of the Evangelical Association. His first pastorate was West Lawn, Reading,
Pa., followed by Immanuel Evangelical Church in Syracuse, N.Y. During his ministry in
Syracuse, he married Marguerite Breyfogel. In 1926 he was called to Washington, D.C.,
where he organized Albright Memorial Church, and he served that congregation 25 years.88
88 Olean (N.Y.) Evening Times, Feb. 3, 1926: The Rev. George B. Schnabel, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Schnabel, Sr., of
North Eighth street, Olean, pastor of the Immanuel Evangelical Church at Syracuse, has been invited by Bishop M. J.
Maze, chairman of the Missionary Committee of General Conference, to become pastor of the new Evangelical church in
Washington, D.C. Funds have been obtained to build, the first unit of the plant and work will be started early this year.
The site was acquired some time ago and the building will be one of the largest churches in Washington. Mr. Schnabel
went to Syracuse 9 years ago to assume the pastorate of the Immanuel church. He sought to reach a larger group and to
carry on missionary work. A few years later, he was supported by parishioners in a movement to acquire Memorial
Presbyterian Church, located a short distance from the old church in that city. It was learned in Olean today that Mr.
Schnabel had communicated with Bishop Maze several times since the call came for the purpose of becoming thoroughly
familiar with all the details of the new office. His decision will not be given until later in the winter. Mr. Schnabel was
graduated from Olean High School and while a student took a prominent part in the school activities. He was graduated
Biographical Sketches 128
08; and Baltimore Station (Old Otterbein), 1813-14. Only six weeks before his death in Nov. 1813, William
Otterbein “was assisted from his bed to an easy chair that he might ordain” three of his preachers who had
gathered around him. Indeed, Christian Newcomer, Joseph Hoffman and Frederick Shaeffer were ordained at
the hands of Otterbein on Oct. 2, 1813, with the assistance of William Ryland, an elder of the Methodist
Society of Baltimore [Drury 1884, pp. 358-359; recall that Otterbein had assisted with the ordination of
Bishop Asbury]. Frederick Schaeffer attended Annual Conferences until 1814. From [Drury 1913, pp. 153-
154, 226]: Among those whose awakening, and, in some cases, beginning labors belonged to the period
before 1774, were Frederick Schaffer, who was converted during Mt. Otterbein’s labors at Lancaster, Martin
Crider [see above], and Adam Lehman [see above]. Frederick Schaffer was originally a member of the
Reformed Church. He was a diligent laborer and an acceptable preacher. He had the distinguished honor of
assisting Mr. Otterbein during the last days of the latter, of being one of the three formally ordained by him,
and of filling his pulpit for several months after his death. He labored among the United Brethren until his
death, which seems to have occurred about 1814. …Not long before the first of Oct. [1813, as Otterbein’s
health was failing] Rev. Frederick Schaffer, one of the fruits of Mr. Otterbein’s ministry at Lancaster, “in a
particularly providential way,” came to Baltimore, and from this time forward [until Otterbein’s death in 1814],
Mr. Otterbein was relieved from the work of preaching. A Frederick Shaffer was born in Shrewsbury, York
County, Pa., to John Philip Shaffer and Maria Barbara Scherer. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 144; see also pp. 124,
224-230] and [Glovier 1965, p. 87; Miller 1968, p. 370; Lycoming 2013]
SCHARFL: Joseph E. Scharfl, son of Josef A. and Elvira C. Scharfl, was born in
Washington, D.C., on Nov. 24, 1940. He is a graduate of the Washington-Lee High School in
Arlington and of Shenandoah College, Winchester, Va., from which College he received his
Liberal Arts diploma (Class of 1963). He also attended the University of Virginia Extension in
Arlington, Madison College, Harrisonburg, and the Eastern Mennonite College in Harrisonburg.
In Mar. 1963 he was appointed to the Edinburg Charge of Va. Conf. with five churches. In
1964-66 he served Edinburg Charge with two churches. Rev. Scharfl is a Methodist employed
by Va. Conf. He served Hardy Circuit, 1966-67. [Glovier 1965, pp. 86, 300, from which the
picture was taken]
SCHEKELS: Richard Schekels was an early member of Conference but was “expelled for bad conduct” in
1929. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 240; Glovier 1965, p. 304]
SCHMITT: Joseph H. Schmitt (b. Oct. 26, 1887; d. Oct. 25, 1962; mar. Eunice M. Barger)
was granted quarterly Conference license by Hagerstown Grace in 1914, joined Va. Conference
and was licensed in 1915, and ordained in 1918. He served Pleasant Valley (Rockingham?)
Circuit, 1914-15. He was a student at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio, 1915-18,
and served Aly Chapel and Kingsville of Miami Conf., 1916-18. He transferred to Pa. Conf. in
1918 and there served York Haven, 1918-20; Manchester, Pa., 1920-22; New Cumberland,
1922-32; West Fairview, 1932-37; Frederick, 1937-48; Fayetteville, 1948-53; and retired in
1953. Note: Joseph H. Schmitt was an accomplished poet. Mrs. Schmitt is the daughter of
Rev. William D. Barger. They had no children. The picture is from [Holdcraft 1938, p. 345].
[Funkhouser 1921, pp. 128, 306-307; Glovier 1965, p. 91; Lycoming 2013]
SCHNABEL: George Ernest Schnabel, born Dec. 23, 1894, in Olean, N.Y., the son of
George and Elizabeth Schnabel. Six children graced their home. George graduated from
Albright College, the Evangelical School of Theology, later receiving the college alumni award.
He attended the graduate school at Syracuse University. He was an Ordained Elder in the
Central Pa. Conf. of the Evangelical Association. His first pastorate was West Lawn, Reading,
Pa., followed by Immanuel Evangelical Church in Syracuse, N.Y. During his ministry in
Syracuse, he married Marguerite Breyfogel. In 1926 he was called to Washington, D.C.,
where he organized Albright Memorial Church, and he served that congregation 25 years.88
88 Olean (N.Y.) Evening Times, Feb. 3, 1926: The Rev. George B. Schnabel, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Schnabel, Sr., of
North Eighth street, Olean, pastor of the Immanuel Evangelical Church at Syracuse, has been invited by Bishop M. J.
Maze, chairman of the Missionary Committee of General Conference, to become pastor of the new Evangelical church in
Washington, D.C. Funds have been obtained to build, the first unit of the plant and work will be started early this year.
The site was acquired some time ago and the building will be one of the largest churches in Washington. Mr. Schnabel
went to Syracuse 9 years ago to assume the pastorate of the Immanuel church. He sought to reach a larger group and to
carry on missionary work. A few years later, he was supported by parishioners in a movement to acquire Memorial
Presbyterian Church, located a short distance from the old church in that city. It was learned in Olean today that Mr.
Schnabel had communicated with Bishop Maze several times since the call came for the purpose of becoming thoroughly
familiar with all the details of the new office. His decision will not be given until later in the winter. Mr. Schnabel was
graduated from Olean High School and while a student took a prominent part in the school activities. He was graduated
Biographical Sketches 128
