Page 32 - United Brethren Preachers
P. 32
Volume 9 Preachers of U.B. and EUB Virginia Conferences December 26, 2024
BROWN: George Brown (born in Cumberland [now Perry] County, Pa. was granted a license in 1815,
became a member of Conference in 1817, and was ordained in 1820. This is believed to be the Rev. George
Brown who was a brother of Peter Brown, father of Bishop William Brown. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 125, 133,
230, 231, 233; Glovier 1965, pp. 87; Lycoming 2013].
BROWN: George W. Brown was another member of Conference in 1870—withdrew under charges in 1877
[Funkhouser 1921, pp. 133, 275; Glovier 1965, pp. 89].
BROWN: H. T. Brown served Shenandoah Circuit, 1916-17. Nothing else is known.
BROWN: John Brown (African-American) was among the first to be assigned to the Freedmen’s Mission of
Virginia, 1871-73. Nothing else is known.
BROWN: John Brown (Pa.) became a member of Conference in 1813 and was licensed as an exhorter. He
was ordained in 1921 with the other John Brown (Va.). Apparently he did not itinerate. [Funkhouser 1921,
pp. 124, 133, 229, 233; Glovier 1965, pp. 87]
BROWN: John Brown (Va.) was received into Conference and licensed in 1819, became a member of
Conference in 1820, and was ordained in 1821 with the other John Brown (Pa.). Rev. John Brown served
Juniata Circuit, 1820-21; and designated a Conference Itinerant, 1821-26. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 125, 133,
232-238, 268; Glovier 1965, pp. 88]
BROWN: William Brown (b. Jul 7, 1796, Cumberland County, Pa.) entered Conference in 1816 and was
ordained in 1819. He moved to Benton Co., Ind., in 1838. He died in 1868, aged 72.
BROWN: Bishop William Brown (b. July 9, 1796, Cumberland [Perry] Co., Pa.; d. May 11,
1868, Benton County, Ind.; married Sallie Koch, 1796-73). He was elected bishop for one
term, but declined reelection. He served Hagerstown Circuit, 1817-18; Virginia Circuit, 1818-
20; Hagerstown, 1820-21; as designated Conference Itinerant, 1821-23; Presiding Elder,
1823-26; Conference Itinerant, 1823-25; Baltimore Circuit, 1825-28; Presiding Elder, 1828-
1830; Conference Itinerant, 1829-30; and Presiding Elder, 1830-33. He was elected Bishop,
1833-37, but also served Lancaster Station, 1834-35. He moved to Indiana in 1837 and
transferred to Wabash Conference in 1838. Bishop William Brown is a brother to John Brown
[PA] and is the father of Rev. William Otterbein Brown (Wabash Conference), and one of his
daughters married Peter Whitesel. In addition, his brothers Simon (1804-1874) and David (1813-1875) and
numerous nephews were also U.B. preachers. His father Peter Brown served as a local pastor. His name is
also rendered Wilhelm Braun. From [Holdcraft 1938, pp. 315-316]: While a young man he was a boon
companion and friend of Bishop Newcomer, often accompanying him on long itineraries. He was a true
itinerant and soon revealed talents that brought him to the forefront. He was a strong advocate of prohibition
in the days when even Christian people condoned liquor traffic. At the age of 25 he was a delegate to General
Conference and was elected a bishop at the age of 37. Prior to becoming bishop, he served as pastor of
Otterbein’s Church in Baltimore, 1825-28. Bishop Brown died in 1868 and is buried in the Snyder-Brown
burying ground near Newville, Pa. The picture is from [Thompson 1906, p. 192]. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 133;
see also pp. 49, 124-125, 127, 147, 190, 230-242, 244-245, 267-270, 272-273, 275] and [Glovier 1965, pp.
29, 34, 52, 87, 97, 226, 245; Lycoming 2013] The picture is from [U.B. Yearbook 1898, p. 71].
BRUCE: W. H. Bruce was originally a local minister. An African-American, he became a
member of Conference and licensed to preach in 1895, then itinerating with the others. Rev.
Bruce served Rockingham Freedmen’s Mission, 1895-97. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 128, 133, 293].
The picture is from [Glovier 1965, p. 71; see also pp. 41, 90], taken in 1896.
BRUNK: Jacob Brunk, a Mennonite and the ancestor of the Brunk family, came in 1795, from Maryland
and settled near Pennington’s store in Frederick County. Bishop Newcomer made his home a stopping place.
George Brunk, a grandson, lived on Brunk’s hill on the road from Brock’s Gap to Broadway. [Funkhouser
1921, pp. 62, 158]
BRUNK: John Henry Brunk was Conference Superintendent during 1922-30.
He was the son and fourth child of Hugh A. and Nancy (Heatwole) Brunk, “born
in a log house 7 miles west of Harrisonburg” in Rockingham County, Va., Apr. 3,
1861. He was educated at Shenandoah (1879-80) and Bridgewater Colleges and
followed the teaching profession for 16 years. He was converted in 1879. He
wanted to preach but the Mennonites refused to ordain him. He was licensed by
the United Brethren, joined Conference in 1897, was ordained in 1900
[Funkhouser 1921, p. 133; Glovier 1965, p. 90], and was an itinerant 22 years.
His charges have been New Creek, 1897-1900; Elkton, 1900-03; Singers Glen,
Biographical Sketches 20
BROWN: George Brown (born in Cumberland [now Perry] County, Pa. was granted a license in 1815,
became a member of Conference in 1817, and was ordained in 1820. This is believed to be the Rev. George
Brown who was a brother of Peter Brown, father of Bishop William Brown. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 125, 133,
230, 231, 233; Glovier 1965, pp. 87; Lycoming 2013].
BROWN: George W. Brown was another member of Conference in 1870—withdrew under charges in 1877
[Funkhouser 1921, pp. 133, 275; Glovier 1965, pp. 89].
BROWN: H. T. Brown served Shenandoah Circuit, 1916-17. Nothing else is known.
BROWN: John Brown (African-American) was among the first to be assigned to the Freedmen’s Mission of
Virginia, 1871-73. Nothing else is known.
BROWN: John Brown (Pa.) became a member of Conference in 1813 and was licensed as an exhorter. He
was ordained in 1921 with the other John Brown (Va.). Apparently he did not itinerate. [Funkhouser 1921,
pp. 124, 133, 229, 233; Glovier 1965, pp. 87]
BROWN: John Brown (Va.) was received into Conference and licensed in 1819, became a member of
Conference in 1820, and was ordained in 1821 with the other John Brown (Pa.). Rev. John Brown served
Juniata Circuit, 1820-21; and designated a Conference Itinerant, 1821-26. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 125, 133,
232-238, 268; Glovier 1965, pp. 88]
BROWN: William Brown (b. Jul 7, 1796, Cumberland County, Pa.) entered Conference in 1816 and was
ordained in 1819. He moved to Benton Co., Ind., in 1838. He died in 1868, aged 72.
BROWN: Bishop William Brown (b. July 9, 1796, Cumberland [Perry] Co., Pa.; d. May 11,
1868, Benton County, Ind.; married Sallie Koch, 1796-73). He was elected bishop for one
term, but declined reelection. He served Hagerstown Circuit, 1817-18; Virginia Circuit, 1818-
20; Hagerstown, 1820-21; as designated Conference Itinerant, 1821-23; Presiding Elder,
1823-26; Conference Itinerant, 1823-25; Baltimore Circuit, 1825-28; Presiding Elder, 1828-
1830; Conference Itinerant, 1829-30; and Presiding Elder, 1830-33. He was elected Bishop,
1833-37, but also served Lancaster Station, 1834-35. He moved to Indiana in 1837 and
transferred to Wabash Conference in 1838. Bishop William Brown is a brother to John Brown
[PA] and is the father of Rev. William Otterbein Brown (Wabash Conference), and one of his
daughters married Peter Whitesel. In addition, his brothers Simon (1804-1874) and David (1813-1875) and
numerous nephews were also U.B. preachers. His father Peter Brown served as a local pastor. His name is
also rendered Wilhelm Braun. From [Holdcraft 1938, pp. 315-316]: While a young man he was a boon
companion and friend of Bishop Newcomer, often accompanying him on long itineraries. He was a true
itinerant and soon revealed talents that brought him to the forefront. He was a strong advocate of prohibition
in the days when even Christian people condoned liquor traffic. At the age of 25 he was a delegate to General
Conference and was elected a bishop at the age of 37. Prior to becoming bishop, he served as pastor of
Otterbein’s Church in Baltimore, 1825-28. Bishop Brown died in 1868 and is buried in the Snyder-Brown
burying ground near Newville, Pa. The picture is from [Thompson 1906, p. 192]. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 133;
see also pp. 49, 124-125, 127, 147, 190, 230-242, 244-245, 267-270, 272-273, 275] and [Glovier 1965, pp.
29, 34, 52, 87, 97, 226, 245; Lycoming 2013] The picture is from [U.B. Yearbook 1898, p. 71].
BRUCE: W. H. Bruce was originally a local minister. An African-American, he became a
member of Conference and licensed to preach in 1895, then itinerating with the others. Rev.
Bruce served Rockingham Freedmen’s Mission, 1895-97. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 128, 133, 293].
The picture is from [Glovier 1965, p. 71; see also pp. 41, 90], taken in 1896.
BRUNK: Jacob Brunk, a Mennonite and the ancestor of the Brunk family, came in 1795, from Maryland
and settled near Pennington’s store in Frederick County. Bishop Newcomer made his home a stopping place.
George Brunk, a grandson, lived on Brunk’s hill on the road from Brock’s Gap to Broadway. [Funkhouser
1921, pp. 62, 158]
BRUNK: John Henry Brunk was Conference Superintendent during 1922-30.
He was the son and fourth child of Hugh A. and Nancy (Heatwole) Brunk, “born
in a log house 7 miles west of Harrisonburg” in Rockingham County, Va., Apr. 3,
1861. He was educated at Shenandoah (1879-80) and Bridgewater Colleges and
followed the teaching profession for 16 years. He was converted in 1879. He
wanted to preach but the Mennonites refused to ordain him. He was licensed by
the United Brethren, joined Conference in 1897, was ordained in 1900
[Funkhouser 1921, p. 133; Glovier 1965, p. 90], and was an itinerant 22 years.
His charges have been New Creek, 1897-1900; Elkton, 1900-03; Singers Glen,
Biographical Sketches 20
