Page 45 - United Brethren Preachers
P. 45
Volume 9 Preachers of U.B. and EUB Virginia Conferences December 26, 2024
the Reformed Church. They were earnest, holy men, and both became itinerants. Their homes were subsequently in
Virginia. Henry, however, was not a preacher in 1791. Christian labored extensively, and was acceptable and useful as a
preacher. He was highly esteemed by Mr. Otterbein, who, toward the close of his life, made him a present of his Bible and
hymn-book, which are still preserved [in the library of Otterbein University]. He died in 1823. [Holdcraft 1938, p. 291];
[Funkhouser, 1921, pp. 45-46, 54-59, 61, 64, 124, 155, 224-230, 233]; and [Glovier 1965, pp. 27, 50, 87, 152, 241]
CRUM: Henry Crum, licensed in 1800, was also a founding member of the Conference. Note [Lycoming
2013]: Henry is the twin brother of Christian Crum. Christian and Henry are reported to have been chaplains
under George Washington in the Revolutionary War. Henry is reported to have become a Methodist minister
and started the Methodist work several miles northwest of Berryville, Clarke County, Va.39 [Funkhouser 1921,
pp. 134; see also pp. 54, 56, 124, 224, 226; Glovier 1965, p. 87]
CUPP: N. F. A. Cupp—Son of Daniel (per Funkhouser—John?) and
Rebecca Cupp, Newton Francis Augustus was born near Mount Sidney,
Va., on Sep. 22, 1862. N. F. A. Cupp was educated at Augusta Military
Academy in Fort Defiance and Shenandoah Seminary (1879-81) in
Dayton, Va. At Shenandoah, he was a classmate of John D. Donovan.
He was a Lutheran until the age of 14, when he joined the United
Brethren. He joined Conference and was licensed in 1885, ordained in
1887. In 1921 he was living in Martinsburg, W.Va., and served as an
itinerant 42 years, serving Nelson, 1881-82; Madison, 1882-84; Singer’s Glen, 1884-86; Franklin, 1886-88;
South Branch, 1888-91; Winchester, 1891-94; Frederick, 1894-99; Berkeley Springs Station, 1899-1902;
Edinburg, 1902-06; Lacey Springs, 1906-07; Elkton, 1907-09; Winchester Circuit, 1909-11; Shenandoah City,
1911-13; Singer’s Glen, 1913-18; Petersburg, 1918-20; Greensburg, 1920-26; and Berkeley Springs Station,
1926-27. Dr. Cupp was a leading and influential member of the conference. He died suddenly during the
night of the first day of Conference, Sep. 14, 1927, at the age of 67 years, having dismissed the first session
with a benediction. He was buried at Berkeley Springs, W.Va. [Rev. David F. Glovier had] tender memories
of Dr. Cupp who was his pastor at Singers Glen and who encouraged him to enter the ministry. It was under
his ministry that [Glovier] received his Quarterly Conference License. Rev. Cupp was a good linguist and a
fluent speaker. He was Presiding Elder of Winchester District 1891-1894. Cupp was married twice. His first
wife was Mary Fuller of Augusta County, and they had one daughter, Edmonia Cupp (Mrs. Hovis). His second
wife was Lottie Orebaugh of Berkeley Springs, W.Va., born Oct. 11, 1882, daughter of Steven E. and Sarah
Elizabeth Orebaugh. Lois Elizabeth Cupp was the only child of the second marriage.40 N. F. A. Cupp’s
memoir, as well as that for each wife, is provided in Section II.A (below). The picture on the right is from a
Singers Glen Circuit newsletter dated Oct. 1916. The two pictures on the left are from [Glovier 1965, pp. 69],
taken in 1886. [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 127, 134, 162, 310; see also pp. 282-291, 297, 306] and [Glovier
1965, p. 118; see also pp. 75, 77, 90, 95, 118, 157, 166, 193, 246].
DANAHER: Jacob Danaher apparently preached in the Virginia Circuit (sometime between 1819 and
1831); nothing else is known [Burch 1985, p. 19]
DAVIS: H. R. Davis became a member of Conference and licensed to preach in 1856; served Putnam
Circuit, 1856-57; and transferred to Parkersburg Conference. He was a member of that conference at his
death on Apr. 18, 1880. [Parkersburg Conf. Journal 1891, p. 31] and [Funkhouser 1921, p. 126, 134
(“H. F.”), 258-259; Glovier 1965, p. 89]
DAVIS: Dr. Melvin Eugene Davis (b. Aug. 21, 1925; d. Sep. 21, 2012), D.Min., served Dayton Circuit,
1954-56. Dr. Gene Davis passed peacefully on Sep. 21, 2012, in Harrisburg, Pa., surrounded by his loving
family. Born in 1925, in Parkersburg, W.Va., to Amanda and Emery Davis, Gene entered the U.S. Navy in
Feb. 1944, served in California and Norfolk, Va., and was discharged in May 1946. He entered Otterbein
College, Ohio, in Fall 1946, where he met Ruth Eleanor Tomb (Tommie), and graduated in June 1950. Gene
and Tommie were married Aug. 1, 1953. Gene received his B.Div. from Bonebrake Theological Seminary in
Ohio. He was ordained Aug. 1954 and served churches in the West Virginia and Virginia until 1956. He then
became the Director of Religious Activities at Springfield College in Massachusetts. While there, Gene
received his Masters of Education in Guidance and Counseling. Gene then took a position as Director of the
United Christian Fellowship at Bowling Green State University, Ohio, from 1959-1967. Gene then served the
First Congregational Church of Burlington, Mass., from 1967-1977. He earned a Master’s of Sacred Theology
and Doctor of Ministry from Andover Newton Theological Seminary. In 1977 Gene was called to serve as
pastor of Faith United Parish, in Fitchburg, Mass. Gene retired in Aug. 1990. At that time, he and Tommie,
moved to Bethany Village in Mechanicsburg, Pa., where they have lived for the past 22 years. Gene is
39 The Editor attends Crums UMC in Berryville, Va.
40 While Pastor of Alpine Charge in Berkeley Springs, the Editor had the chance to visit Lois Cupp on several occasions.
She was in her 90s.
Biographical Sketches 33
the Reformed Church. They were earnest, holy men, and both became itinerants. Their homes were subsequently in
Virginia. Henry, however, was not a preacher in 1791. Christian labored extensively, and was acceptable and useful as a
preacher. He was highly esteemed by Mr. Otterbein, who, toward the close of his life, made him a present of his Bible and
hymn-book, which are still preserved [in the library of Otterbein University]. He died in 1823. [Holdcraft 1938, p. 291];
[Funkhouser, 1921, pp. 45-46, 54-59, 61, 64, 124, 155, 224-230, 233]; and [Glovier 1965, pp. 27, 50, 87, 152, 241]
CRUM: Henry Crum, licensed in 1800, was also a founding member of the Conference. Note [Lycoming
2013]: Henry is the twin brother of Christian Crum. Christian and Henry are reported to have been chaplains
under George Washington in the Revolutionary War. Henry is reported to have become a Methodist minister
and started the Methodist work several miles northwest of Berryville, Clarke County, Va.39 [Funkhouser 1921,
pp. 134; see also pp. 54, 56, 124, 224, 226; Glovier 1965, p. 87]
CUPP: N. F. A. Cupp—Son of Daniel (per Funkhouser—John?) and
Rebecca Cupp, Newton Francis Augustus was born near Mount Sidney,
Va., on Sep. 22, 1862. N. F. A. Cupp was educated at Augusta Military
Academy in Fort Defiance and Shenandoah Seminary (1879-81) in
Dayton, Va. At Shenandoah, he was a classmate of John D. Donovan.
He was a Lutheran until the age of 14, when he joined the United
Brethren. He joined Conference and was licensed in 1885, ordained in
1887. In 1921 he was living in Martinsburg, W.Va., and served as an
itinerant 42 years, serving Nelson, 1881-82; Madison, 1882-84; Singer’s Glen, 1884-86; Franklin, 1886-88;
South Branch, 1888-91; Winchester, 1891-94; Frederick, 1894-99; Berkeley Springs Station, 1899-1902;
Edinburg, 1902-06; Lacey Springs, 1906-07; Elkton, 1907-09; Winchester Circuit, 1909-11; Shenandoah City,
1911-13; Singer’s Glen, 1913-18; Petersburg, 1918-20; Greensburg, 1920-26; and Berkeley Springs Station,
1926-27. Dr. Cupp was a leading and influential member of the conference. He died suddenly during the
night of the first day of Conference, Sep. 14, 1927, at the age of 67 years, having dismissed the first session
with a benediction. He was buried at Berkeley Springs, W.Va. [Rev. David F. Glovier had] tender memories
of Dr. Cupp who was his pastor at Singers Glen and who encouraged him to enter the ministry. It was under
his ministry that [Glovier] received his Quarterly Conference License. Rev. Cupp was a good linguist and a
fluent speaker. He was Presiding Elder of Winchester District 1891-1894. Cupp was married twice. His first
wife was Mary Fuller of Augusta County, and they had one daughter, Edmonia Cupp (Mrs. Hovis). His second
wife was Lottie Orebaugh of Berkeley Springs, W.Va., born Oct. 11, 1882, daughter of Steven E. and Sarah
Elizabeth Orebaugh. Lois Elizabeth Cupp was the only child of the second marriage.40 N. F. A. Cupp’s
memoir, as well as that for each wife, is provided in Section II.A (below). The picture on the right is from a
Singers Glen Circuit newsletter dated Oct. 1916. The two pictures on the left are from [Glovier 1965, pp. 69],
taken in 1886. [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 127, 134, 162, 310; see also pp. 282-291, 297, 306] and [Glovier
1965, p. 118; see also pp. 75, 77, 90, 95, 118, 157, 166, 193, 246].
DANAHER: Jacob Danaher apparently preached in the Virginia Circuit (sometime between 1819 and
1831); nothing else is known [Burch 1985, p. 19]
DAVIS: H. R. Davis became a member of Conference and licensed to preach in 1856; served Putnam
Circuit, 1856-57; and transferred to Parkersburg Conference. He was a member of that conference at his
death on Apr. 18, 1880. [Parkersburg Conf. Journal 1891, p. 31] and [Funkhouser 1921, p. 126, 134
(“H. F.”), 258-259; Glovier 1965, p. 89]
DAVIS: Dr. Melvin Eugene Davis (b. Aug. 21, 1925; d. Sep. 21, 2012), D.Min., served Dayton Circuit,
1954-56. Dr. Gene Davis passed peacefully on Sep. 21, 2012, in Harrisburg, Pa., surrounded by his loving
family. Born in 1925, in Parkersburg, W.Va., to Amanda and Emery Davis, Gene entered the U.S. Navy in
Feb. 1944, served in California and Norfolk, Va., and was discharged in May 1946. He entered Otterbein
College, Ohio, in Fall 1946, where he met Ruth Eleanor Tomb (Tommie), and graduated in June 1950. Gene
and Tommie were married Aug. 1, 1953. Gene received his B.Div. from Bonebrake Theological Seminary in
Ohio. He was ordained Aug. 1954 and served churches in the West Virginia and Virginia until 1956. He then
became the Director of Religious Activities at Springfield College in Massachusetts. While there, Gene
received his Masters of Education in Guidance and Counseling. Gene then took a position as Director of the
United Christian Fellowship at Bowling Green State University, Ohio, from 1959-1967. Gene then served the
First Congregational Church of Burlington, Mass., from 1967-1977. He earned a Master’s of Sacred Theology
and Doctor of Ministry from Andover Newton Theological Seminary. In 1977 Gene was called to serve as
pastor of Faith United Parish, in Fitchburg, Mass. Gene retired in Aug. 1990. At that time, he and Tommie,
moved to Bethany Village in Mechanicsburg, Pa., where they have lived for the past 22 years. Gene is
39 The Editor attends Crums UMC in Berryville, Va.
40 While Pastor of Alpine Charge in Berkeley Springs, the Editor had the chance to visit Lois Cupp on several occasions.
She was in her 90s.
Biographical Sketches 33
