Page 149 - United Brethren Preachers
P. 149
Volume 9 Preachers of U.B. and EUB Virginia Conferences December 26, 2024
89; Augusta, 1889-91; Spring Hill, Elkton, 1891-92; New Creek, 1892-97, along with Prince William Mission,
1892-93; Winchester Circuit, 1897-1906; Edinburg, 1906-09; Berkeley Springs Circuit, 1909-12; West
Rockingham-Mt. Clinton, 1912-14; Manassas, 1920-23, Winchester Station; and Berkeley Springs Circuit,
1925-29. In 1907 he attended the World’s Sunday School Convention, at which time he made an extensive
trip through Europe. He retired from the active ministry in 1929 and made his residence in Berkeley Springs,
where he resided until death. He died Dec. 5, 1937, at age 76 in Berkeley Springs, W.Va., and is buried
there. His wife was Margaret Catherin. His memoir, as well as his wife’s, is provided in Section II.A (below).
The pictures are both from [Glovier 1965, p. 70], taken in 1886. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 184; see also pp. 127,
198, 285-286, 288-291, 297-298] and [Glovier 1965, pp. 90, 96, 125, 148, 160]
SLONAKER: Paul Jeremiah Slonaker was born May 6, 1912, the son of J.
Carl and Marianna Dunham Slonaker, Ganotown, W.Va. He was converted in
1924; entered Shenandoah College for High School work, 1931; graduated
from Hedgesville High School, 1934; requested and received a Quarterly
Conference license in the summer of 1934; entered Shenandoah College in
1934 and was graduated in 1936; entered Lebanon Valley College in 1936 and
received a Bachelor of Science Degree with a Major in Education, 1938; went
to Bonebrake (United) Seminary in 1938; married Ethel Mae Houts on Mar. 17,
1939; graduated from United Seminary in 1942 with a Masters in Divinity. He
joined the Virginia U.B. Conference in 1939, was ordained by Bishop G. D.
Batdorf at Harrisonburg in 1942; and was assigned to Broadway Circuit. He was elected trustee of Lebanon
Valley College in 1945, trustee of Shenandoah College and Shenandoah Conservatory of Music in 1954,
trustee of Va. Conf. Board in 1962. He served Broadway Circuit (1942-47), Berkeley Springs Station (1947-
59), and Winchester Station (1959-69). He retired in June 1977 and made his home in Richmond. In
June 1978, he began serving as part-time associate at Pace Memorial UMC. For many years, he was
Secretary of Christian Social Action of the Council on Administration of Va. Conf. “Through the years, he
made contributions by working on many agencies of the Conference. For almost 35 years, he provided good
professional ministry. He died on Jan. 15, 1979, and is buried at Westhampton Memorial Park in Henrico
County. The Rev. and Mrs. Slonaker were the parents of four children as follows: Linda Mae, Jerry Paul, Noel
Gerrard, and David Lowell—”Paul dearly loved his children. Paul’s family and friends celebrate the memory of
the great prince of faith. He won the hearts of the people. His winsome smile, his sincerity, his courage of
conviction, and his gentle manner served as a perfect example of Christian love. His special talents were
given freely, joyfully, and abundantly.”93 The Conference memorial, as well as a memorial by Jerry P.
Slonaker, Esq., the eldest son of Rev. Slonaker, are provided in Section II.A (below). [Glovier 1965, p. 283,
which provided the picture on the left; see also pp. 86, 91, 254, 257, 259, 317, 339]
SMITH: Christian Smith became a member of Conference in 1809. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 144; see also
pp. 124, 154, 227-231, 234, 236-237, 241, 265] and [Glovier 1965, p. 87]
SMITH: Gideon Smith (b. in Ironville, Lancaster County, Pa.) was licensed and became a member of
Conference in 1823, ordained in 1825. He was designated a Conference Itinerant during 1823-25 and served
Hagerstown Circuit, 1825-27; Lancaster Circuit, 1827-28 and 1831-32; Presiding Elder, Canada District, 1832-
33; and Canada Circuit, 1833-34. Member of Pa. Conf. of 1833. He was expelled in 1837. He was examined
and receive back in 1845, and in 1846 became a charter member of East Pa. Conf., in which he served
Lebanon Circuit. Note: Gideon Smith is the son of Rev. John Christian Smith (b. Jan. 11, 1774; d. Sep. 8,
1860; wife, Mary), who was licensed in 1807 and who served Lancaster Circuit, 1833-34. [Funkhouser 1921,
p. 144; see also pp. 125, 235-239] and [Glovier 1965, p. 88; Lycoming 2013]
SMITH: John Smith (b. Feb. 26, 1796; d. July 22, 2024) was licensed and became a member of
Conference in 1828; ordained in 1830. He was designated a Conference Itinerant for 1830-31 and served
Carlisle Circuit, 1831-32. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 144; Glovier 1965, pp. 87-88; Lycoming 2013].
SMITH: Walton C. Smith “was born near Winchester in 1822 and died at Westfield, Illinois in 1905. He
went West in 1834 and joined the Wabash Conference in 1848. He was a member of eight General
Conferences, and is known as the ‘Father of Westfield College.’” [Funkhouser 1921, p. 154]
SMITH: William “Billy” Henry Smith, Jr., was born Mar. 3, 1927 at
Dayton, Ohio, the son of William Henry and Mary Elizabeth (Edwards)
Smith. He was converted at the age of 10 at East Point U.B. Church,
Elkton (now Massanutten) Charge in 1937. He was educated at Dayton
(Virginia) High School, Shenandoah College (Class of 1948), and
Bridgewater College (B.A., 1950), and United Theological Seminary at
93 Taken in part from the memoir written by Emmett W. Cocke, Jr., and published in the 1979 Journal of the Virginia
Annual Conference, p. 205.
Biographical Sketches 137
89; Augusta, 1889-91; Spring Hill, Elkton, 1891-92; New Creek, 1892-97, along with Prince William Mission,
1892-93; Winchester Circuit, 1897-1906; Edinburg, 1906-09; Berkeley Springs Circuit, 1909-12; West
Rockingham-Mt. Clinton, 1912-14; Manassas, 1920-23, Winchester Station; and Berkeley Springs Circuit,
1925-29. In 1907 he attended the World’s Sunday School Convention, at which time he made an extensive
trip through Europe. He retired from the active ministry in 1929 and made his residence in Berkeley Springs,
where he resided until death. He died Dec. 5, 1937, at age 76 in Berkeley Springs, W.Va., and is buried
there. His wife was Margaret Catherin. His memoir, as well as his wife’s, is provided in Section II.A (below).
The pictures are both from [Glovier 1965, p. 70], taken in 1886. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 184; see also pp. 127,
198, 285-286, 288-291, 297-298] and [Glovier 1965, pp. 90, 96, 125, 148, 160]
SLONAKER: Paul Jeremiah Slonaker was born May 6, 1912, the son of J.
Carl and Marianna Dunham Slonaker, Ganotown, W.Va. He was converted in
1924; entered Shenandoah College for High School work, 1931; graduated
from Hedgesville High School, 1934; requested and received a Quarterly
Conference license in the summer of 1934; entered Shenandoah College in
1934 and was graduated in 1936; entered Lebanon Valley College in 1936 and
received a Bachelor of Science Degree with a Major in Education, 1938; went
to Bonebrake (United) Seminary in 1938; married Ethel Mae Houts on Mar. 17,
1939; graduated from United Seminary in 1942 with a Masters in Divinity. He
joined the Virginia U.B. Conference in 1939, was ordained by Bishop G. D.
Batdorf at Harrisonburg in 1942; and was assigned to Broadway Circuit. He was elected trustee of Lebanon
Valley College in 1945, trustee of Shenandoah College and Shenandoah Conservatory of Music in 1954,
trustee of Va. Conf. Board in 1962. He served Broadway Circuit (1942-47), Berkeley Springs Station (1947-
59), and Winchester Station (1959-69). He retired in June 1977 and made his home in Richmond. In
June 1978, he began serving as part-time associate at Pace Memorial UMC. For many years, he was
Secretary of Christian Social Action of the Council on Administration of Va. Conf. “Through the years, he
made contributions by working on many agencies of the Conference. For almost 35 years, he provided good
professional ministry. He died on Jan. 15, 1979, and is buried at Westhampton Memorial Park in Henrico
County. The Rev. and Mrs. Slonaker were the parents of four children as follows: Linda Mae, Jerry Paul, Noel
Gerrard, and David Lowell—”Paul dearly loved his children. Paul’s family and friends celebrate the memory of
the great prince of faith. He won the hearts of the people. His winsome smile, his sincerity, his courage of
conviction, and his gentle manner served as a perfect example of Christian love. His special talents were
given freely, joyfully, and abundantly.”93 The Conference memorial, as well as a memorial by Jerry P.
Slonaker, Esq., the eldest son of Rev. Slonaker, are provided in Section II.A (below). [Glovier 1965, p. 283,
which provided the picture on the left; see also pp. 86, 91, 254, 257, 259, 317, 339]
SMITH: Christian Smith became a member of Conference in 1809. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 144; see also
pp. 124, 154, 227-231, 234, 236-237, 241, 265] and [Glovier 1965, p. 87]
SMITH: Gideon Smith (b. in Ironville, Lancaster County, Pa.) was licensed and became a member of
Conference in 1823, ordained in 1825. He was designated a Conference Itinerant during 1823-25 and served
Hagerstown Circuit, 1825-27; Lancaster Circuit, 1827-28 and 1831-32; Presiding Elder, Canada District, 1832-
33; and Canada Circuit, 1833-34. Member of Pa. Conf. of 1833. He was expelled in 1837. He was examined
and receive back in 1845, and in 1846 became a charter member of East Pa. Conf., in which he served
Lebanon Circuit. Note: Gideon Smith is the son of Rev. John Christian Smith (b. Jan. 11, 1774; d. Sep. 8,
1860; wife, Mary), who was licensed in 1807 and who served Lancaster Circuit, 1833-34. [Funkhouser 1921,
p. 144; see also pp. 125, 235-239] and [Glovier 1965, p. 88; Lycoming 2013]
SMITH: John Smith (b. Feb. 26, 1796; d. July 22, 2024) was licensed and became a member of
Conference in 1828; ordained in 1830. He was designated a Conference Itinerant for 1830-31 and served
Carlisle Circuit, 1831-32. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 144; Glovier 1965, pp. 87-88; Lycoming 2013].
SMITH: Walton C. Smith “was born near Winchester in 1822 and died at Westfield, Illinois in 1905. He
went West in 1834 and joined the Wabash Conference in 1848. He was a member of eight General
Conferences, and is known as the ‘Father of Westfield College.’” [Funkhouser 1921, p. 154]
SMITH: William “Billy” Henry Smith, Jr., was born Mar. 3, 1927 at
Dayton, Ohio, the son of William Henry and Mary Elizabeth (Edwards)
Smith. He was converted at the age of 10 at East Point U.B. Church,
Elkton (now Massanutten) Charge in 1937. He was educated at Dayton
(Virginia) High School, Shenandoah College (Class of 1948), and
Bridgewater College (B.A., 1950), and United Theological Seminary at
93 Taken in part from the memoir written by Emmett W. Cocke, Jr., and published in the 1979 Journal of the Virginia
Annual Conference, p. 205.
Biographical Sketches 137
