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Volume 9 Preachers of U.B. and EUB Virginia Conferences December 26, 2024
Burtner, Newton W. Burtner and Otto W. Burtner. Henry was also the father of Mr. Ezra Burtner, who was the
father of Revs. Cornelius A. Burtner and Markwood M. Burtner. John W. Fulkerson relates the following
reminiscences [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 70-71, 180]:
The affairs of the conferences of the 1850s were managed by three strong men: Henry Burtner, Jacob Markwood, and
Jacob Bachtel. The measures they originated and advocated were adopted, and what they opposed was sure to fail, no
matter by whom it was supported. They were invulnerable, but the conferences were well managed. These men were
intellectually ahead of the other members. They were devotedly attached to one another and to the church. Burtner was
the oldest of the three, and was at this time a retired itinerant, his education being wholly in the German. In 1842 he came
to Dayton from Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, and was now living on a fine farm. His preaching, which was mainly in
German was of depth and power. He was above the medium height, of commanding appearance, and possessed a fine
countenance and a very penetrating eye. Burtner was genial, benevolent, and hospitable. His home was open to all his
brother ministers, from the highest to the lowest, and to the membership of the church as well. He was admitted to
conference in 1820, and died at Dayton in 1857. A powerful man, he was a factor not to be ignored in the councils of his
church. His voice was heard with no uncertain sound in several of the general conferences. [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 71,
133, 158-159; see also pp. 70, 125, 158, 159, 233-246, 248, 250-259] and [Glovier 1965, pp. 50, 88, 93, 98;
Lycoming 2013]
BURTNER: Luther Olin Burtner, a son of William H. Burtner (see below) “was
born at Dayton, Va., Dec. 9, 1858,” and died May 15, 1910. He was a student at
Union Biblical Seminary during 1885-87 (Class of 1888), joined Virginia Conference
and was licensed in 1882, and he was ordained in 1889. He married Jennie Louisa
Light (shown with him at the right). He transferred to the Maryland Conference in
1889. “He preached at Keedysville and Frederick before going to Africa as a
missionary,” with his wife—the former Jennie Light, daughter of Rev. and Mrs.
Ezekiel Light of Pa. Conf.—where he spent 7 ½ years. “After his return, he was
presiding elder of Maryland Conference.” He served Rockbridge, 1883-84;
Keedysville, 1888-89, and transferred to Maryland Conference in 1889. He
continued at Keedysville, 1889-92; Walkersville, 1892-93; missionary to Sierra Leona, 1893-96; furlough,
1896-97; missionary to Sierra Leona, 1897-98 (the journey ended following the terrible massacre there in
1898); Hagerstown Circuit, 1898-99; Presiding Elder, Maryland Conference, 1899-01; missionary to
Philippines, 1901-04; Foreign and Home Missionary Boards, Dayton, Ohio, 1904-09; and located, for health
reasons, 1909-10. Luther was the son of William H. Burtner of Va. Conf., and the grandson of Henry Burtner.
Four of the eight Burtner brothers were ministers, including Newton W. and Otto W. Burtner, and Mrs. W.
Lomas Childress was a sister. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 159; see also pp. 127, 130, 218, 281, 283-285, 287-
288, 290, 295-296]; [Glovier 1965, pp. 90, 106]; [Lycoming 2013]; and [Holdcraft 1938, p. 324, from which
the picture was taken]
BURTNER: Otto Whitmore Burtner, another son of William H. Burtner (see below) “was
born at Mount Clinton, Va., in 1873.” He graduated from Shenandoah Institute in 1894. “He
was licensed in 1893, joined Conference in 1893, and during the next 6 years served five
charges, receiving 157 members into the church.” He graduated from Union Biblical
(Bonebrake Theological) Seminary, Class of 1901. He served, for example, Aug. Circuit, 1894-
95. He married Bethel Bookwalter (1875-1963). He served Greensburg Charge (Allegheny
Conf., 1899; and as supply for Scottsdale (Allegheny Conf.), 1899-1900. His name was
referred by the 1901 Va. Conf. to U.B. Seminary for ordination. He was granted a transfer to
Pa. Conf. in 1902. O. W. Burtner served Lacey Springs Circuit as supply during Summer 1894
while a student at Shenandoah Institute. In Mar. 1896, the Presiding Elder reported, “Rev. W.
O. [sic] Burtner, with much regret, resigned Martinsburg Station Sep. 1st, a way having opened by which to
complete his preparations for the ministerial work.” He died in 1951. He served Washington, D.C., 1902-05;
and New Haven, Conn., 1905-12. Otto is the son of William H. Burtner of Va. Conf., and the grandson of
Henry Burtner. He is a brother to Luther O. and Newton W. Burtner, and to Mrs. W. Lomax Childress.
[Funkhouser 1921, pp. 133, 159; see also pp. 128, 197, 218, 293, 296-297] and Glovier 1965, p. 90;
Lycoming 2013] The picture is from [U.B. Yearbook 1903, p. 34].
BURTNER: William Henry Burtner was a son of the Rev. Henry Burtner and Margaret Statler. He was
born near Leitersburg, Md. (Washington Co.) and came to Dayton, Va., with his father. A farmer near
Harrisonburg, “he was converted early in life and gave the church of his choice a loyal support. He was
progressive and ever ready to aid any worthy enterprise.” He was a member of Conference in 1869 and was
ordained in 1874 [Funkhouser 1921, p. 133]. “Mr. Burtner was never an itinerant; yet, while he sustained
only a local relation, did much preaching, especially in revivals. During a number of years he was an active
trustee of Shenandoah Institute.” He married Martha Jane “Mattie” Huffman, and their home was “a Christian
home.” He died, following a lingering illness of 3 ½ years. “At the time of his death, at his home near Mount
Clinton in Rockingham, May 25, 1894, 9 of his 12 children were living and were members of the church.
Three of them were in the active ministry.” These were Luther Olin Burtner, superintendent of our church on
the west coast of Africa (see above), Newton Weldon Burtner, pastor at Muscatine, Iowa, and Otto Whitmore
Biographical Sketches 22
Burtner, Newton W. Burtner and Otto W. Burtner. Henry was also the father of Mr. Ezra Burtner, who was the
father of Revs. Cornelius A. Burtner and Markwood M. Burtner. John W. Fulkerson relates the following
reminiscences [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 70-71, 180]:
The affairs of the conferences of the 1850s were managed by three strong men: Henry Burtner, Jacob Markwood, and
Jacob Bachtel. The measures they originated and advocated were adopted, and what they opposed was sure to fail, no
matter by whom it was supported. They were invulnerable, but the conferences were well managed. These men were
intellectually ahead of the other members. They were devotedly attached to one another and to the church. Burtner was
the oldest of the three, and was at this time a retired itinerant, his education being wholly in the German. In 1842 he came
to Dayton from Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, and was now living on a fine farm. His preaching, which was mainly in
German was of depth and power. He was above the medium height, of commanding appearance, and possessed a fine
countenance and a very penetrating eye. Burtner was genial, benevolent, and hospitable. His home was open to all his
brother ministers, from the highest to the lowest, and to the membership of the church as well. He was admitted to
conference in 1820, and died at Dayton in 1857. A powerful man, he was a factor not to be ignored in the councils of his
church. His voice was heard with no uncertain sound in several of the general conferences. [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 71,
133, 158-159; see also pp. 70, 125, 158, 159, 233-246, 248, 250-259] and [Glovier 1965, pp. 50, 88, 93, 98;
Lycoming 2013]
BURTNER: Luther Olin Burtner, a son of William H. Burtner (see below) “was
born at Dayton, Va., Dec. 9, 1858,” and died May 15, 1910. He was a student at
Union Biblical Seminary during 1885-87 (Class of 1888), joined Virginia Conference
and was licensed in 1882, and he was ordained in 1889. He married Jennie Louisa
Light (shown with him at the right). He transferred to the Maryland Conference in
1889. “He preached at Keedysville and Frederick before going to Africa as a
missionary,” with his wife—the former Jennie Light, daughter of Rev. and Mrs.
Ezekiel Light of Pa. Conf.—where he spent 7 ½ years. “After his return, he was
presiding elder of Maryland Conference.” He served Rockbridge, 1883-84;
Keedysville, 1888-89, and transferred to Maryland Conference in 1889. He
continued at Keedysville, 1889-92; Walkersville, 1892-93; missionary to Sierra Leona, 1893-96; furlough,
1896-97; missionary to Sierra Leona, 1897-98 (the journey ended following the terrible massacre there in
1898); Hagerstown Circuit, 1898-99; Presiding Elder, Maryland Conference, 1899-01; missionary to
Philippines, 1901-04; Foreign and Home Missionary Boards, Dayton, Ohio, 1904-09; and located, for health
reasons, 1909-10. Luther was the son of William H. Burtner of Va. Conf., and the grandson of Henry Burtner.
Four of the eight Burtner brothers were ministers, including Newton W. and Otto W. Burtner, and Mrs. W.
Lomas Childress was a sister. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 159; see also pp. 127, 130, 218, 281, 283-285, 287-
288, 290, 295-296]; [Glovier 1965, pp. 90, 106]; [Lycoming 2013]; and [Holdcraft 1938, p. 324, from which
the picture was taken]
BURTNER: Otto Whitmore Burtner, another son of William H. Burtner (see below) “was
born at Mount Clinton, Va., in 1873.” He graduated from Shenandoah Institute in 1894. “He
was licensed in 1893, joined Conference in 1893, and during the next 6 years served five
charges, receiving 157 members into the church.” He graduated from Union Biblical
(Bonebrake Theological) Seminary, Class of 1901. He served, for example, Aug. Circuit, 1894-
95. He married Bethel Bookwalter (1875-1963). He served Greensburg Charge (Allegheny
Conf., 1899; and as supply for Scottsdale (Allegheny Conf.), 1899-1900. His name was
referred by the 1901 Va. Conf. to U.B. Seminary for ordination. He was granted a transfer to
Pa. Conf. in 1902. O. W. Burtner served Lacey Springs Circuit as supply during Summer 1894
while a student at Shenandoah Institute. In Mar. 1896, the Presiding Elder reported, “Rev. W.
O. [sic] Burtner, with much regret, resigned Martinsburg Station Sep. 1st, a way having opened by which to
complete his preparations for the ministerial work.” He died in 1951. He served Washington, D.C., 1902-05;
and New Haven, Conn., 1905-12. Otto is the son of William H. Burtner of Va. Conf., and the grandson of
Henry Burtner. He is a brother to Luther O. and Newton W. Burtner, and to Mrs. W. Lomax Childress.
[Funkhouser 1921, pp. 133, 159; see also pp. 128, 197, 218, 293, 296-297] and Glovier 1965, p. 90;
Lycoming 2013] The picture is from [U.B. Yearbook 1903, p. 34].
BURTNER: William Henry Burtner was a son of the Rev. Henry Burtner and Margaret Statler. He was
born near Leitersburg, Md. (Washington Co.) and came to Dayton, Va., with his father. A farmer near
Harrisonburg, “he was converted early in life and gave the church of his choice a loyal support. He was
progressive and ever ready to aid any worthy enterprise.” He was a member of Conference in 1869 and was
ordained in 1874 [Funkhouser 1921, p. 133]. “Mr. Burtner was never an itinerant; yet, while he sustained
only a local relation, did much preaching, especially in revivals. During a number of years he was an active
trustee of Shenandoah Institute.” He married Martha Jane “Mattie” Huffman, and their home was “a Christian
home.” He died, following a lingering illness of 3 ½ years. “At the time of his death, at his home near Mount
Clinton in Rockingham, May 25, 1894, 9 of his 12 children were living and were members of the church.
Three of them were in the active ministry.” These were Luther Olin Burtner, superintendent of our church on
the west coast of Africa (see above), Newton Weldon Burtner, pastor at Muscatine, Iowa, and Otto Whitmore
Biographical Sketches 22
