Page 62 - United Brethren Preachers
P. 62
Volume 9 Preachers of U.B. and EUB Virginia Conferences December 26, 2024
are Jo Ellen Marie, who married Rev. Robert L. DuBreuil, Jr., and Wilda Catherine DeHaven. Both were born in
Harrisonburg, Va., while Rev. Fulk was pastor at Singers Glen. Son Daniel Lee Fulk was born at Martinsburg,
W.Va. The present Cherry Grove church was built during the time Rev. Fulk served the Singers Glen Charge.
He also started the idea of an activities building which finally was constructed as the Fellowship Hall years
later. Many improvements to the Donovan Memorial Church were added during Rev. Fulk’s pastorate
including acquisition of the organ and chimes, rearranging the rostrum, arranging the church office or study,
and numerous other small changes. When he arrived in 1946, he was eager to put his learning into action as
is evidenced by the preceding paragraphs. He was a nice, well-liked young man willing to do necessary work
whether in the church or the community. Mrs. Fulk was a fine musician and able church leader reinforcing
Rev. Fulk’s ministry. In 1987 he was Chaplain at the V.A. Medical Center in Martinsburg, W.Va. Rev. Fulk
died July 5, 1996. His memoir, as well as his wife’s, is provided in Section II.A (below). [Glovier 1965, p.
273, which provided the middle picture); see also pp. 57, 85, 86, 92, 131, 158, 190, 203, 258, 259, 273, 317,
339, 341] and [MacAllister 1976, pp. 106-107, which provided the picture on the left]
FULKERSON: John W. Fulkerson (b. Jan. 16, 1822; d. Jan. 20, 1910; mar. Delila S. Snooks, 1828-1910)
was born in Frederick County, Va. He was a member of Va. Conf. from 1839 to 1852, being ordained there in
1846. He served Pendleton, 1843-44; South Branch, 1844-46; Winchester, 1846-47; Frederick, 1847-48;
Hagerstown, 1848-50; Highland, 1951-52; Rockbridge, 1852-53; and Churchville, 1853-54. In 1856 he
transferred to Iowa Conf. and went to Minnesota as a missionary—he held his first meeting as such on the site
of Eyota. He, with Rev. John Haney, Bishop Davis, and a Rev. E. Clow, were the four charter members of the
Minnesota Conf. in 1857. The people on that frontier were living in log cabins, board shacks, and sod houses.
What little money they brought with them had been spent in the long winter that followed. Living was very
high and potatoes could not be had at any price. Snow covered the ground to a depth of five feet. Mr.
Fulkerson was a student of human nature and learned to adapt himself to his environments. When he began
his ministry, his mother had given him this advice: ‘John, your rest must be in labor. Greet all with a smile.
Make your back fit anybody’s bed. By your social life attract the people, and by your religious life save them.’
The first session of the Minnesota Conf. was held in 1857, himself, J. Haney, and two others comprising the
preachers. The membership was 247. The first year he had $188.20 from the General Board. John and
Delila had one child, Cleveland O. Fulkerson (1849-1874). At his death in 1910 he was the second-oldest and
longest-serving member (John Haney was the oldest and longest-serving) of Va. Conf., living at Marion, Minn.
John died in Minnesota and is buried at Marion Cemetery, Olmsed County, Minn. The following from
[Funkhouser 1921, pp. ] reveals a lot about U.B. ways in the early days:
Writing from Minnesota in 1900, John W. Fulkerson wonders if the walnuts and locusts in front of his childhood home are
now mammoth trees, the spring a lake, the hills mountains, the narrow valleys great plains, the sheep-nose and damson
trees scattered to the winds. He was received into conference in 1843. The preachers of that period were sterling men,
competent, industrious, and economical. Ministerial support was meager and called for economy in the home. Fulkerson
was first sent to “the College,” which he found “marvelous in extent, but the scenery sublime, the air balmy and bracing.”
The 24 appointments paid $64.40, but Selim, the dapple riding horse, made the salary go far enough. The moral
atmosphere for producing ministerial life was strong in Pendleton and Frederick. In his soliloquy on what “some of our
college-padded preachers of to-day would do with such a charge,” Mr. Fulkerson observes that “simplicity of dress with both
men and women has always been an admonition with me. If the greedy, unnecessary expenses of the Christian Church in
dress, living, and house furnishing were wisely applied to the building of church houses and missionary effort, the world
would soon be brought to God.” U.B. services were then being transferred from the German to the English.
The Va. Conf. was having four stubborn difficulties to deal with. (1) The German speech was giving way to the English.
The church could hold the parents, but the children were passing out of its control. George Hildt, a strong representative
preacher, had four sons preaching in other denominations. (2) Another was too long a delay in opening church schools.
(3) A third was slavery. Many good, honest slaveholders attending the services of the church approved its doctrines and
methods. Yet they did not see their way to become members because they sometimes became owners of slaves not from
choice, but by legacy or marriage. The last cases of slavery in the U.B. Church were disposed of in 1851. (4) A fourth
cause was secrecy, which turned away hundreds. (5) Fulkerson, however, mentions a fifth, when he remarks that a false
attitude on church support is hard to correct. He preached one full year where one member of his flock was said to be
worth $80,000. At the end of the year this man handed him a dollar. The preacher looked at the munificent gift with
astonishment. “Do not be startled,” remarked the money-grubber, “I have heard better preaching than you gave, (referring
to the fathers), and it did not cost me a cent.” [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 153-154; see also pp. 70, 83, 126, 129, 136, 250-
258] and [Glovier 1965, p. 88; Holdcraft 1938, p. 293]
FUNK: Erasmus P. Funk (b. Mar. 29, 1848, Singers Glen, Va.; D. Nov. 13, 1883; mar. Margaret A.
Jordan, who d. Feb. 3, 1869) was licensed and became a member of Va. Conf. in 1872, at the same time as
Abraham [sic] P. Funkhouser, Erasmus P. Funk, J. W. Funk, Charles M. Hott, J. Negley, P. W. Weller, James E.
Whitesel, and J. Zarman. He was ordained in Va. Conf. in 1875. He served Page Valley, 1872-74; Highland,
1874-76; Mechanicstown (Thurmont), 1876-77; South Fork Mission, 1877-78; and Potomac Mission, 1878-79
(apparently, he did not finish that appointment). He transferred to East Pa. Conf. in 1878 and served
Shamokin First, 1879-80; and Halifax, 1881-82. He transferred to Pa. Conf. in 1882 and served Baltimore
Woodberry (Otterbein Memorial), 1882-83. He is interred at Stover Cemetery, Dauphin County, Pa. His
Obituary is in the Pa. Conf. Journal of 1884 (p. 21). Note: Erasmus P. Funk is a brother to John B. Funk and
Biographical Sketches 50
are Jo Ellen Marie, who married Rev. Robert L. DuBreuil, Jr., and Wilda Catherine DeHaven. Both were born in
Harrisonburg, Va., while Rev. Fulk was pastor at Singers Glen. Son Daniel Lee Fulk was born at Martinsburg,
W.Va. The present Cherry Grove church was built during the time Rev. Fulk served the Singers Glen Charge.
He also started the idea of an activities building which finally was constructed as the Fellowship Hall years
later. Many improvements to the Donovan Memorial Church were added during Rev. Fulk’s pastorate
including acquisition of the organ and chimes, rearranging the rostrum, arranging the church office or study,
and numerous other small changes. When he arrived in 1946, he was eager to put his learning into action as
is evidenced by the preceding paragraphs. He was a nice, well-liked young man willing to do necessary work
whether in the church or the community. Mrs. Fulk was a fine musician and able church leader reinforcing
Rev. Fulk’s ministry. In 1987 he was Chaplain at the V.A. Medical Center in Martinsburg, W.Va. Rev. Fulk
died July 5, 1996. His memoir, as well as his wife’s, is provided in Section II.A (below). [Glovier 1965, p.
273, which provided the middle picture); see also pp. 57, 85, 86, 92, 131, 158, 190, 203, 258, 259, 273, 317,
339, 341] and [MacAllister 1976, pp. 106-107, which provided the picture on the left]
FULKERSON: John W. Fulkerson (b. Jan. 16, 1822; d. Jan. 20, 1910; mar. Delila S. Snooks, 1828-1910)
was born in Frederick County, Va. He was a member of Va. Conf. from 1839 to 1852, being ordained there in
1846. He served Pendleton, 1843-44; South Branch, 1844-46; Winchester, 1846-47; Frederick, 1847-48;
Hagerstown, 1848-50; Highland, 1951-52; Rockbridge, 1852-53; and Churchville, 1853-54. In 1856 he
transferred to Iowa Conf. and went to Minnesota as a missionary—he held his first meeting as such on the site
of Eyota. He, with Rev. John Haney, Bishop Davis, and a Rev. E. Clow, were the four charter members of the
Minnesota Conf. in 1857. The people on that frontier were living in log cabins, board shacks, and sod houses.
What little money they brought with them had been spent in the long winter that followed. Living was very
high and potatoes could not be had at any price. Snow covered the ground to a depth of five feet. Mr.
Fulkerson was a student of human nature and learned to adapt himself to his environments. When he began
his ministry, his mother had given him this advice: ‘John, your rest must be in labor. Greet all with a smile.
Make your back fit anybody’s bed. By your social life attract the people, and by your religious life save them.’
The first session of the Minnesota Conf. was held in 1857, himself, J. Haney, and two others comprising the
preachers. The membership was 247. The first year he had $188.20 from the General Board. John and
Delila had one child, Cleveland O. Fulkerson (1849-1874). At his death in 1910 he was the second-oldest and
longest-serving member (John Haney was the oldest and longest-serving) of Va. Conf., living at Marion, Minn.
John died in Minnesota and is buried at Marion Cemetery, Olmsed County, Minn. The following from
[Funkhouser 1921, pp. ] reveals a lot about U.B. ways in the early days:
Writing from Minnesota in 1900, John W. Fulkerson wonders if the walnuts and locusts in front of his childhood home are
now mammoth trees, the spring a lake, the hills mountains, the narrow valleys great plains, the sheep-nose and damson
trees scattered to the winds. He was received into conference in 1843. The preachers of that period were sterling men,
competent, industrious, and economical. Ministerial support was meager and called for economy in the home. Fulkerson
was first sent to “the College,” which he found “marvelous in extent, but the scenery sublime, the air balmy and bracing.”
The 24 appointments paid $64.40, but Selim, the dapple riding horse, made the salary go far enough. The moral
atmosphere for producing ministerial life was strong in Pendleton and Frederick. In his soliloquy on what “some of our
college-padded preachers of to-day would do with such a charge,” Mr. Fulkerson observes that “simplicity of dress with both
men and women has always been an admonition with me. If the greedy, unnecessary expenses of the Christian Church in
dress, living, and house furnishing were wisely applied to the building of church houses and missionary effort, the world
would soon be brought to God.” U.B. services were then being transferred from the German to the English.
The Va. Conf. was having four stubborn difficulties to deal with. (1) The German speech was giving way to the English.
The church could hold the parents, but the children were passing out of its control. George Hildt, a strong representative
preacher, had four sons preaching in other denominations. (2) Another was too long a delay in opening church schools.
(3) A third was slavery. Many good, honest slaveholders attending the services of the church approved its doctrines and
methods. Yet they did not see their way to become members because they sometimes became owners of slaves not from
choice, but by legacy or marriage. The last cases of slavery in the U.B. Church were disposed of in 1851. (4) A fourth
cause was secrecy, which turned away hundreds. (5) Fulkerson, however, mentions a fifth, when he remarks that a false
attitude on church support is hard to correct. He preached one full year where one member of his flock was said to be
worth $80,000. At the end of the year this man handed him a dollar. The preacher looked at the munificent gift with
astonishment. “Do not be startled,” remarked the money-grubber, “I have heard better preaching than you gave, (referring
to the fathers), and it did not cost me a cent.” [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 153-154; see also pp. 70, 83, 126, 129, 136, 250-
258] and [Glovier 1965, p. 88; Holdcraft 1938, p. 293]
FUNK: Erasmus P. Funk (b. Mar. 29, 1848, Singers Glen, Va.; D. Nov. 13, 1883; mar. Margaret A.
Jordan, who d. Feb. 3, 1869) was licensed and became a member of Va. Conf. in 1872, at the same time as
Abraham [sic] P. Funkhouser, Erasmus P. Funk, J. W. Funk, Charles M. Hott, J. Negley, P. W. Weller, James E.
Whitesel, and J. Zarman. He was ordained in Va. Conf. in 1875. He served Page Valley, 1872-74; Highland,
1874-76; Mechanicstown (Thurmont), 1876-77; South Fork Mission, 1877-78; and Potomac Mission, 1878-79
(apparently, he did not finish that appointment). He transferred to East Pa. Conf. in 1878 and served
Shamokin First, 1879-80; and Halifax, 1881-82. He transferred to Pa. Conf. in 1882 and served Baltimore
Woodberry (Otterbein Memorial), 1882-83. He is interred at Stover Cemetery, Dauphin County, Pa. His
Obituary is in the Pa. Conf. Journal of 1884 (p. 21). Note: Erasmus P. Funk is a brother to John B. Funk and
Biographical Sketches 50
