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Volume 9 Preachers of U.B. and EUB Virginia Conferences December 26, 2024
Virginia and preached at Whitesel’s; died 1861. He served Juniata (Lancaster?) Circuit, 1828-29;
and was a designated Conference Itinerant, 1829-31. He was presiding elder for Chambersburg,
Juniata, and Huntingdon Circuits, 1831-32. Member of Pa. Conf. in 1830. He was presiding
elder of Huntingdon District, 1832-34; and he then served Cumberland Circuit, 1834-35, and
Lancaster Station, 1835-36. Born of Ezekiel Boring (1750-1838) and Mary Magdelene Working
Boring (1752-1830) in Baltimore County, Md., he died at age 81 and is buried at Manchester
Bethel U.B. Church Cemetery in Manchester (Carroll County), Md. Gravestone picture credit,
“Mechburggrannie.”29 He is the namesake of Bishop Ezekiel Boring Kephart (1834-1906).
[Funkhouser 1921, p. 132; see also pp. 125, 237-242] and [Lycoming 2013]
BORTSFIELD: Matthias Bortsfield became a member of Conference of 1804, where he was licensed. He
was then present at Conference (held at David Snyder’s) with only Christian Newcomer, Frederick Shaffer, and
David Snyder. . He became a charter member of Muskingum Conference in 1818, together with Abraham
Forney, Joseph Gundy, Christian Knagi, Jacob Winter, and John Crum. [Lawrence 1868, pp. 96-97] notes that
the week prior to the Conference a “camp-meeting was held on Mr. Bortsfield land, not far from Joseph
Naftzgar’s (in Tuscarawas County), in notice of which Bishop Newcomer says, ‘I was astonished to see so
many people and could not conceive where, in this new country, they could come from. The Grace of God
wrought powerfully among the people.’” [Funkhouser 1921, p. 132; see also pp. 124, 226-227] and [Richey
2000, Vol. 2, p. 122]
BOVEY: Adam I. Bovey was an active local preacher who preached in both German and
English. He married Elizabeth Rinehart and was the father of three sons, Henry A., Jacob A., and
Daniel R., all of whom were preachers, and eight other children Born in Washington City, Md., (25
Mar. 1797), he died in 1879 (11 Sep.) at the age of 82 years and was buried at Mt. Carmel U.B.
Church Cemetery, on South Branch Circuit (Grant County, W.Va.).30 A. I. Bovey became of
member of Conference and licensed to preach in 1835. In 1852 he went from Keedysville, Md., to
W.Va. and served Highland Circuit, 1861-62. The Religious Telescope (J. W. Stearn, Apr. 8, 1980,
p. 31) reported that Rev. Bovey, together with Ben Stickley, George B. Rimel, and A. M. Evers,
preached the funeral of Mahala Jane Mozer at Kline, W.Va. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 132; see also
pp. 125, 156, 183, 247-251, 253-270, 272-273, 275- 277, 279] and [Glovier 1965, p. 100; see also pp. 88,
93, 98, 211]. His memoir is provided in Section II.A (below).
BOVEY: Daniel R. Bovey was born in Washington County, Md., ordained in
1877 and served Frederick Mission Station, 1886-87; Berkeley Springs Circuit,
1891-92; and Cross Keys Mission, 1892-93. He served Williamsport (Md.)
Station, March-Sep. 1893. He is listed in the 1893 and 1894 U.B. Yearbooks as
in the Maryland Conference. Daniel R. Bovey (1827-97) was the third child and
second son of Elizabeth Rinehart and Adam I. Bovey (see above; b. 25 May 27,
d. 5 Dec. 1897) and married Mary Cost (b. Feb. 2, d. Mar. 19, 1914) on Dec. 29,
1851. They had 10 children, among them John W. (died in infancy), Daniel E.
(died in infancy), Otho Adams, Scott N. (died at age 23), Nora Estelle (Mrs. Snively), and Daniel T (died at
birth). Daniel died at Keedysville, Md., and he is buried at Fairview Cemetery in Keedysville.31
BOVEY: Henry A. Bovey (1831-1919) was born near Leitersburg, Md., in 1831,
the ninth child and sixth son of Elizabeth Rinehart and Adam I. Bovey. He was
converted on his 22nd birthday. He was licensed in 1859, joined Conference in
1862, and ordained in 1864. In 1861 was assigned to Highland circuit.” He also
served Franklin, 1862-64; Churchville, 1864-66; Lacey Springs, 1868-70; Presiding
Elder (Potomac), with office in Hagerstown, 1870-73; Keedysville, 1873-76; and
Boonsboro, 1876-78. “In 1878 he removed to Westerville, Ohio, where three sons
and three daughters graduated from Otterbein University. He served Marion Circuit,
1893-94, as a member of Va. Conf. [Lycoming 2013]. Mr. Bovey was a son of Adam I. Bovey (see above), an
active local preacher who preached in both German and English. Jacob A. Bovey was another son. Still
another was Daniel R., who did not enter the ministry until about 50 years of age. Adam Bovey’s daughter
Elizabeth married Snowden Scott. H. A. Bovey transferred to Central Ohio Conference in 1878. The picture
on the left is from ancestry.com; the one on the right is from MacAllister 1976, p. 85]. [Funkhouser 1921, pp.
132, 156; see also pp. 126, 129, 262, 264-276] and [Glovier 1965, pp. 68, 89]
29 http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid;=46977273.
30 Adam I. Bovey: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid;=36601718; photo by “Cricket.”
31 Daniel R. Bovey: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid;=53720487; photo by “Birdman.”
Biographical Sketches 14
Virginia and preached at Whitesel’s; died 1861. He served Juniata (Lancaster?) Circuit, 1828-29;
and was a designated Conference Itinerant, 1829-31. He was presiding elder for Chambersburg,
Juniata, and Huntingdon Circuits, 1831-32. Member of Pa. Conf. in 1830. He was presiding
elder of Huntingdon District, 1832-34; and he then served Cumberland Circuit, 1834-35, and
Lancaster Station, 1835-36. Born of Ezekiel Boring (1750-1838) and Mary Magdelene Working
Boring (1752-1830) in Baltimore County, Md., he died at age 81 and is buried at Manchester
Bethel U.B. Church Cemetery in Manchester (Carroll County), Md. Gravestone picture credit,
“Mechburggrannie.”29 He is the namesake of Bishop Ezekiel Boring Kephart (1834-1906).
[Funkhouser 1921, p. 132; see also pp. 125, 237-242] and [Lycoming 2013]
BORTSFIELD: Matthias Bortsfield became a member of Conference of 1804, where he was licensed. He
was then present at Conference (held at David Snyder’s) with only Christian Newcomer, Frederick Shaffer, and
David Snyder. . He became a charter member of Muskingum Conference in 1818, together with Abraham
Forney, Joseph Gundy, Christian Knagi, Jacob Winter, and John Crum. [Lawrence 1868, pp. 96-97] notes that
the week prior to the Conference a “camp-meeting was held on Mr. Bortsfield land, not far from Joseph
Naftzgar’s (in Tuscarawas County), in notice of which Bishop Newcomer says, ‘I was astonished to see so
many people and could not conceive where, in this new country, they could come from. The Grace of God
wrought powerfully among the people.’” [Funkhouser 1921, p. 132; see also pp. 124, 226-227] and [Richey
2000, Vol. 2, p. 122]
BOVEY: Adam I. Bovey was an active local preacher who preached in both German and
English. He married Elizabeth Rinehart and was the father of three sons, Henry A., Jacob A., and
Daniel R., all of whom were preachers, and eight other children Born in Washington City, Md., (25
Mar. 1797), he died in 1879 (11 Sep.) at the age of 82 years and was buried at Mt. Carmel U.B.
Church Cemetery, on South Branch Circuit (Grant County, W.Va.).30 A. I. Bovey became of
member of Conference and licensed to preach in 1835. In 1852 he went from Keedysville, Md., to
W.Va. and served Highland Circuit, 1861-62. The Religious Telescope (J. W. Stearn, Apr. 8, 1980,
p. 31) reported that Rev. Bovey, together with Ben Stickley, George B. Rimel, and A. M. Evers,
preached the funeral of Mahala Jane Mozer at Kline, W.Va. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 132; see also
pp. 125, 156, 183, 247-251, 253-270, 272-273, 275- 277, 279] and [Glovier 1965, p. 100; see also pp. 88,
93, 98, 211]. His memoir is provided in Section II.A (below).
BOVEY: Daniel R. Bovey was born in Washington County, Md., ordained in
1877 and served Frederick Mission Station, 1886-87; Berkeley Springs Circuit,
1891-92; and Cross Keys Mission, 1892-93. He served Williamsport (Md.)
Station, March-Sep. 1893. He is listed in the 1893 and 1894 U.B. Yearbooks as
in the Maryland Conference. Daniel R. Bovey (1827-97) was the third child and
second son of Elizabeth Rinehart and Adam I. Bovey (see above; b. 25 May 27,
d. 5 Dec. 1897) and married Mary Cost (b. Feb. 2, d. Mar. 19, 1914) on Dec. 29,
1851. They had 10 children, among them John W. (died in infancy), Daniel E.
(died in infancy), Otho Adams, Scott N. (died at age 23), Nora Estelle (Mrs. Snively), and Daniel T (died at
birth). Daniel died at Keedysville, Md., and he is buried at Fairview Cemetery in Keedysville.31
BOVEY: Henry A. Bovey (1831-1919) was born near Leitersburg, Md., in 1831,
the ninth child and sixth son of Elizabeth Rinehart and Adam I. Bovey. He was
converted on his 22nd birthday. He was licensed in 1859, joined Conference in
1862, and ordained in 1864. In 1861 was assigned to Highland circuit.” He also
served Franklin, 1862-64; Churchville, 1864-66; Lacey Springs, 1868-70; Presiding
Elder (Potomac), with office in Hagerstown, 1870-73; Keedysville, 1873-76; and
Boonsboro, 1876-78. “In 1878 he removed to Westerville, Ohio, where three sons
and three daughters graduated from Otterbein University. He served Marion Circuit,
1893-94, as a member of Va. Conf. [Lycoming 2013]. Mr. Bovey was a son of Adam I. Bovey (see above), an
active local preacher who preached in both German and English. Jacob A. Bovey was another son. Still
another was Daniel R., who did not enter the ministry until about 50 years of age. Adam Bovey’s daughter
Elizabeth married Snowden Scott. H. A. Bovey transferred to Central Ohio Conference in 1878. The picture
on the left is from ancestry.com; the one on the right is from MacAllister 1976, p. 85]. [Funkhouser 1921, pp.
132, 156; see also pp. 126, 129, 262, 264-276] and [Glovier 1965, pp. 68, 89]
29 http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid;=46977273.
30 Adam I. Bovey: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid;=36601718; photo by “Cricket.”
31 Daniel R. Bovey: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid;=53720487; photo by “Birdman.”
Biographical Sketches 14
