Page 147 - United Brethren Preachers
P. 147
Volume 9 Preachers of U.B. and EUB Virginia Conferences December 26, 2024
ordained by Bishop G. D. Batdorf, assisted by Revs. J. Paul Gruver and Millard J. Miller. He was married to
Miss Grace Adams on Dec. 3, 1939. He served Mt. Horeb Circuit, 1934-37. Following his ordination in 1940,
he was assigned to Winchester Charge where he served as pastor until Sunday, July 11, 1943, when he
resigned to make final preparation for sailing to their new work on the mission field in Africa. From that time
[until 1969] he served in this high calling with his wife, Grace Adams Shirley. In 1969, the Shirleys accepted
a call to serve in the Florida Conference. He officiated the funeral of Elsie Moitt at Springfield UMC and
Riverside Memorial Park in Apr. 1980. In 1987 he was clergy for the Lakeland District of that Conference,
living in Lutz, Fla. He died in Lutz, Fla., in 1998. [Glovier 1965, p. 321, from which the picture is taken; see
also pp. 91, 197, 257, 259, 289]
SHOPP: Christian Shopp [b. Dec. 22, 1791; d. July 4, 2024 (July 14, 1872?); mar. Sarah (Sally) M.
Rupley (1792-1871)] was licensed and became a member of Conference in 1825 and was ordained in 1829.
Annual Conference was held at the residence of Bro. Shopp, Cumberland County, Pa., in Apr. 1826, with
Christian Newcomer and Henry Kumler as presiding bishops. The Annual Conference of 1830 convened at
Shopp’s Meeting House, Cumberland County, Pa., in May, with Bishop Henry Kumler presiding. Member of Pa.
Conf. of 1833 and served York Circuit, 1833-34. Note: Christian Shopp is a son of John Shopp Sr. (1761-
1821) of Shiremanstown, whose home/church/cemetery location is a Pa. Conf. historical site, and of Anna
Hershey Shopp (1765-1850), daughter of John B. Hershey. Through a common Schupp ancestor in Germany,
Christian Shopp is a third cousin to the father of James W. Shoop. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 144; see also
pp. 125, 236, 238, 240-241] and [Glovier 1965, p. 88; Lycoming 2013]
SHOWALTER: Walter L. Showalter, of Dayton, Va., was licensed Feb. 17, 1908, and is now in Shenandoah
Collegiate Institute and School of Music—he purposes to take a thorough English and Theological course [1908
Minutes, p. 10]. He graduated from SCI in June 1908. Conf. Superintendent Floyd L. Fulk reported in 1948
that “Appreciation is due our beloved Bishop J. Balmer Showers for his constant interest in the Virginia
Conference, for his willingness to spend and be spent, and for his counsel and encouragement. It is a
pleasure and an inspiration to be thus yoked with one who expects no more of others than of himself.”
SHOWERS: Bishop J. Balmer Showers presided at Va. Annual Conf., 1945-1951. Our
Minutes show that he had “preached day and night” at the 1927 dedication of the tower
chimes for Harrisonburg Church. In 1946 Conf. Superintendent J. Paul Gruver reported: “His
personal interest and concern about almost every phase of our work is an unforgettable
experience. He and Mrs. Showers gave $100 to the College Campaign and with that a mind
for the future of our Conference School. His desire to see and go personally over our mission
projects gave added courage. When he was in the Conference last spring, he visited every
district and saw a majority of the churches. Months ago he requested a file
ArchiveCDSep2013of each charge, pastor and salary. We will have confidence in our bishop
because he will be directing us after much personal observation and study.” He noted
appreciation in 1949: “for the fellowship, patience, counsel, and encouragement of our
Beloved Bishop Showers. His keen mind and warm heart and sympathetic understanding has endeared him to
ministers and laymen alike, and for him we thank God and take courage.” Bishop Showers dedicated the
Arlington Church in 1948; Greensburg and Waynesboro Churches in 1949; and Cherry Grove and Potomac
Park Churches in 1950. Regard for Bishop Showers was so high in Virginia that, on the 1956 resignation of
Troy R. Brady as president of Shenandoah College and Conservatory of Music in Winchester, the Board of
Trustees elected Rev. Showers to be the next president (which, after due consideration, he declined). In 1957
Bishop Showers dedicated the Educational Unit at St. Luke’s Church in Martinsburg. Bishop Showers was born
in Canada, the son of a minister. He began his preaching career while still in, high school and continued for
more than 50 years. He graduated from Bonebrake Theological Seminary, Class of 1910. He served as
associate editor of The Religious Telescope from 1926 to 1933, and then took over the Otterbein Press. He
headed the Eastern Area of the church for 6 years and then became head of the area including Indiana. He
received the title of bishop emeritus in the General Conference of 1954. . Bishop Showers retired in 1957
and died in 1962. His obituary is provided in Section II.A (below). He is survived by his widow, Justina
Lorenz Showers. The picture is from the 40th Anniversary Bulletin of Bonebrake Seminary (May 1912).
SHUEY: George A. Shuey was born near Churchville, Va., June 7, 1815, was educated in a classical
academy at Staunton, and was married to Martha Goldsmith, whom he met in a camp meeting in Franklin
County, Pa. He became a member of Conference in 1833; ordained 1835. Note: Christian Newcomer writes
of meeting at Lewis Shuey’s in Oct. 1802, at John Shuey’s in Oct. 1807, at “Shuey’s” in Aug. 1809, and at
Lewis Shuey’s in June 1811 and June 1814. George had six children, of whom Theodore F. was chief
stenographer in U.S. Senate. John Ludwig Shuey, grandfather of George, was born in Bethel township,
Lancaster County, Pa., and came to Middle River, 1795. Like his ancestors, who came from the Palatinate, he
was of the Reformed Church. Of his nine children, John, born 1787, married Catharine Funkhouser and
Biographical Sketches 135
ordained by Bishop G. D. Batdorf, assisted by Revs. J. Paul Gruver and Millard J. Miller. He was married to
Miss Grace Adams on Dec. 3, 1939. He served Mt. Horeb Circuit, 1934-37. Following his ordination in 1940,
he was assigned to Winchester Charge where he served as pastor until Sunday, July 11, 1943, when he
resigned to make final preparation for sailing to their new work on the mission field in Africa. From that time
[until 1969] he served in this high calling with his wife, Grace Adams Shirley. In 1969, the Shirleys accepted
a call to serve in the Florida Conference. He officiated the funeral of Elsie Moitt at Springfield UMC and
Riverside Memorial Park in Apr. 1980. In 1987 he was clergy for the Lakeland District of that Conference,
living in Lutz, Fla. He died in Lutz, Fla., in 1998. [Glovier 1965, p. 321, from which the picture is taken; see
also pp. 91, 197, 257, 259, 289]
SHOPP: Christian Shopp [b. Dec. 22, 1791; d. July 4, 2024 (July 14, 1872?); mar. Sarah (Sally) M.
Rupley (1792-1871)] was licensed and became a member of Conference in 1825 and was ordained in 1829.
Annual Conference was held at the residence of Bro. Shopp, Cumberland County, Pa., in Apr. 1826, with
Christian Newcomer and Henry Kumler as presiding bishops. The Annual Conference of 1830 convened at
Shopp’s Meeting House, Cumberland County, Pa., in May, with Bishop Henry Kumler presiding. Member of Pa.
Conf. of 1833 and served York Circuit, 1833-34. Note: Christian Shopp is a son of John Shopp Sr. (1761-
1821) of Shiremanstown, whose home/church/cemetery location is a Pa. Conf. historical site, and of Anna
Hershey Shopp (1765-1850), daughter of John B. Hershey. Through a common Schupp ancestor in Germany,
Christian Shopp is a third cousin to the father of James W. Shoop. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 144; see also
pp. 125, 236, 238, 240-241] and [Glovier 1965, p. 88; Lycoming 2013]
SHOWALTER: Walter L. Showalter, of Dayton, Va., was licensed Feb. 17, 1908, and is now in Shenandoah
Collegiate Institute and School of Music—he purposes to take a thorough English and Theological course [1908
Minutes, p. 10]. He graduated from SCI in June 1908. Conf. Superintendent Floyd L. Fulk reported in 1948
that “Appreciation is due our beloved Bishop J. Balmer Showers for his constant interest in the Virginia
Conference, for his willingness to spend and be spent, and for his counsel and encouragement. It is a
pleasure and an inspiration to be thus yoked with one who expects no more of others than of himself.”
SHOWERS: Bishop J. Balmer Showers presided at Va. Annual Conf., 1945-1951. Our
Minutes show that he had “preached day and night” at the 1927 dedication of the tower
chimes for Harrisonburg Church. In 1946 Conf. Superintendent J. Paul Gruver reported: “His
personal interest and concern about almost every phase of our work is an unforgettable
experience. He and Mrs. Showers gave $100 to the College Campaign and with that a mind
for the future of our Conference School. His desire to see and go personally over our mission
projects gave added courage. When he was in the Conference last spring, he visited every
district and saw a majority of the churches. Months ago he requested a file
ArchiveCDSep2013of each charge, pastor and salary. We will have confidence in our bishop
because he will be directing us after much personal observation and study.” He noted
appreciation in 1949: “for the fellowship, patience, counsel, and encouragement of our
Beloved Bishop Showers. His keen mind and warm heart and sympathetic understanding has endeared him to
ministers and laymen alike, and for him we thank God and take courage.” Bishop Showers dedicated the
Arlington Church in 1948; Greensburg and Waynesboro Churches in 1949; and Cherry Grove and Potomac
Park Churches in 1950. Regard for Bishop Showers was so high in Virginia that, on the 1956 resignation of
Troy R. Brady as president of Shenandoah College and Conservatory of Music in Winchester, the Board of
Trustees elected Rev. Showers to be the next president (which, after due consideration, he declined). In 1957
Bishop Showers dedicated the Educational Unit at St. Luke’s Church in Martinsburg. Bishop Showers was born
in Canada, the son of a minister. He began his preaching career while still in, high school and continued for
more than 50 years. He graduated from Bonebrake Theological Seminary, Class of 1910. He served as
associate editor of The Religious Telescope from 1926 to 1933, and then took over the Otterbein Press. He
headed the Eastern Area of the church for 6 years and then became head of the area including Indiana. He
received the title of bishop emeritus in the General Conference of 1954. . Bishop Showers retired in 1957
and died in 1962. His obituary is provided in Section II.A (below). He is survived by his widow, Justina
Lorenz Showers. The picture is from the 40th Anniversary Bulletin of Bonebrake Seminary (May 1912).
SHUEY: George A. Shuey was born near Churchville, Va., June 7, 1815, was educated in a classical
academy at Staunton, and was married to Martha Goldsmith, whom he met in a camp meeting in Franklin
County, Pa. He became a member of Conference in 1833; ordained 1835. Note: Christian Newcomer writes
of meeting at Lewis Shuey’s in Oct. 1802, at John Shuey’s in Oct. 1807, at “Shuey’s” in Aug. 1809, and at
Lewis Shuey’s in June 1811 and June 1814. George had six children, of whom Theodore F. was chief
stenographer in U.S. Senate. John Ludwig Shuey, grandfather of George, was born in Bethel township,
Lancaster County, Pa., and came to Middle River, 1795. Like his ancestors, who came from the Palatinate, he
was of the Reformed Church. Of his nine children, John, born 1787, married Catharine Funkhouser and
Biographical Sketches 135
