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Volume 9 Preachers of U.B. and EUB Virginia Conferences December 26, 2024
HAMMACK: Cornelius B. Hammack was born in the year of 1832. He was licensed
to preach at Otterbein Chapel, Shenandoah County, Va., at the Annual Conference of
1856, and became one of the early circuit riders. He was ordained at the Annual
Conference which convened at Rohrersville, Md., in 1859. He served appointments at
Hagerstown (with W. B. Coursey), 1856-1857; Churchville (with George W. Statton),
1857-1858; Winchester, 1858-1860; Woodstock, 1860-1861; Churchville (again),
1861-1863.; Lacey Springs, 1864-1865; Hagerstown (again), 1867-1869; East
Rockingham, 1869-1870; Pleasant Grove, 1870-1871; Winchester Circuit, 1872-1873;
Tuscarora Mission, 1873-1875; and Bath (Berkeley Springs), 1875-1878. He was secretary of the southern
section of the Virginia Annual Conference during the years of 1862, 1863, and 1864. His last assignment of
work was to Bath (Berkeley Springs) Circuit. His wife was Mary F. Rev. Abraham Statton Hammack, who
served as Virginia Conf. Superintendent for many years, was their son. Rev. C. B. Hammack died Mar. 1,
1877, in the 46th year of his life. He was buried at the Oak Hill Cemetery, near Mt. Zion U.B. Church,
Churchville Charge. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 126, 137, 217, 258-276]; [Glovier 1965, pp. 99-100; see also
pp. 8, 89, 93]; and [MacAllister 1976, p. 84, which provided the picture on the left]
HAMMOND: R. G. Hammond joined the Conference in 1909, having been received from St. Joseph
Conference and served Winchester Station, 1908-09; Harrisonburg Station, 1909-12; and Keyser Circuit,
1912-15. In 1916 the Conference Minutes state that “the name of R. G. Hammond dropped from the roll, he
having joined another church.” The Religious Telescope on May 27, 2024 (Vol. 74, p. 31) noted the
resignation of R. G. Hammond in the St. Joseph Conf. The obituary of Elmer E. Hammond (his brother, who
died Dec. 13, 1913, noted that R.G. Hammond was at Keyser, W.Va. Their parents were George W.
Hammond (d. 1879) and Rebecca A. Manering (1825-1885), both buried at Wesley Chapel Cemetery in
Madison County, Ind.). R. G. Hammond was pastor of Sickafoose U.B. Church in 1908. [Funkhouser 1921,
pp. 128, 302, 306; Glovier 1965, p. 90]
HAMRICK: W. L. Hamrick joined the Conference in 1913 and served West Frederick, 1912-
13, and Inwood, 1913-15. In 1916 the Conference Minutes state that “the name of W. L.
Hamrick was dropped from the roll because of irregular withdrawal.” The May 1964 obituary of
Mittie May Strange Hamrick (of Collinsville, Lauderdale County, Miss.) was the wife of a Rev.
William Lee Hamrick (b. Mar. 13, 1886; d. Dec. 21, 1965), who served [Methodist] pastorates in
Meridian, Long Beach, Gloster, and Purvis, where he retired. They are both buried at Pleasant
Ridge Cemetery in Collinsville, Miss. One son (J. W. Hamrick of Hattiesburg) survived them
both. The picture is from a 1964 family photo posted for Mrs. Hamrick’s obituary (credit
“Tiffany”). He was at Oak Grove Methodist Church, Clarke County, Miss., in Sep. 1944, when he officiated at
the funeral service there for William Arthur Alexander. He assisted in remodeling Hawkins Memorial Methodist
Church in Meridian, Miss., in 1947. He wrote Mississippi Conference of the Methodist Protestant Church,
1829-1939, in 1957. The following is from [Davis 1921, pp. 174-176]50:
Rev. W. L. Hamrick was born at Schamberville, Miss., Mar. 13, 1886, and entered the ministry in the Miss. Conf. of the
Methodist Protestant Church, Mar. 1906, before he had reached his 20th birthday. He was commissioned chaplain with the
military rank of first lieutenant Apr. 15, 1918, and was assigned to Kelly Field. Chaplain Hamrick worked among the
soldiers with great zeal and consecration during the influenza epidemic. Brother Hamrick is one of the progressive young
ministers of the Texas Conference, a representative in the General Conference, and is she popular and successful pastor of
our church at Cooper. [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 128, 306; Glovier 1965, p. 91]. [The picture is from a family photograph
taken in 1964.]
HANBY: Bishop William Hanby (1808-1880) presided over Va. Conf. in 1847. He
was born April 8, 1808, in Washington Co., Pa. In 1930, having moved to Ohio, Hanby
experienced an evangelical conversion. In that year he also met and married his wife,
Ann Miller. Soon afterward, he entered the U.B. Ministry. Hanby served several circuits
in Ohio before being elected publishing agent in 1837. Two years later he was elected
editor of The Religious Telescope. While at the publishing house, Hanby compiled and
published two hymnals and was co-author (with Spayth) of the first official U.B. history.
In 1845 General Conference elected Hanby to a 4-year term as bishop, following which
term he again became editor of The Religious Telescope. After 1953 Hanby returned to
pastoral ministry in the area of his home in Westerville, Ohio. Hanby was instrumental in
founding Otterbein College, as well as being a leader in Ohio’s abolitionist movement.
His home was even used as a “station” on the Underground Railroad. The Hanby House
in Westerville, Ohio, is heritage landmark of the UMC. Rev. Benjamin Russell Hanby (b. July 22, 1833; d. Mar.
16, 1867, Chicago; mar. Kate Winter] was the son of Bishop Hanby—he was a well-known composer,
especially for his antislavery ballad, “My Darling Nellie Gray.” Amanda Hanby Billheimer (1834-1926) was the
50 [Davis 1921] has a chapter on Methodists in the Great War.
Biographical Sketches 63
HAMMACK: Cornelius B. Hammack was born in the year of 1832. He was licensed
to preach at Otterbein Chapel, Shenandoah County, Va., at the Annual Conference of
1856, and became one of the early circuit riders. He was ordained at the Annual
Conference which convened at Rohrersville, Md., in 1859. He served appointments at
Hagerstown (with W. B. Coursey), 1856-1857; Churchville (with George W. Statton),
1857-1858; Winchester, 1858-1860; Woodstock, 1860-1861; Churchville (again),
1861-1863.; Lacey Springs, 1864-1865; Hagerstown (again), 1867-1869; East
Rockingham, 1869-1870; Pleasant Grove, 1870-1871; Winchester Circuit, 1872-1873;
Tuscarora Mission, 1873-1875; and Bath (Berkeley Springs), 1875-1878. He was secretary of the southern
section of the Virginia Annual Conference during the years of 1862, 1863, and 1864. His last assignment of
work was to Bath (Berkeley Springs) Circuit. His wife was Mary F. Rev. Abraham Statton Hammack, who
served as Virginia Conf. Superintendent for many years, was their son. Rev. C. B. Hammack died Mar. 1,
1877, in the 46th year of his life. He was buried at the Oak Hill Cemetery, near Mt. Zion U.B. Church,
Churchville Charge. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 126, 137, 217, 258-276]; [Glovier 1965, pp. 99-100; see also
pp. 8, 89, 93]; and [MacAllister 1976, p. 84, which provided the picture on the left]
HAMMOND: R. G. Hammond joined the Conference in 1909, having been received from St. Joseph
Conference and served Winchester Station, 1908-09; Harrisonburg Station, 1909-12; and Keyser Circuit,
1912-15. In 1916 the Conference Minutes state that “the name of R. G. Hammond dropped from the roll, he
having joined another church.” The Religious Telescope on May 27, 2024 (Vol. 74, p. 31) noted the
resignation of R. G. Hammond in the St. Joseph Conf. The obituary of Elmer E. Hammond (his brother, who
died Dec. 13, 1913, noted that R.G. Hammond was at Keyser, W.Va. Their parents were George W.
Hammond (d. 1879) and Rebecca A. Manering (1825-1885), both buried at Wesley Chapel Cemetery in
Madison County, Ind.). R. G. Hammond was pastor of Sickafoose U.B. Church in 1908. [Funkhouser 1921,
pp. 128, 302, 306; Glovier 1965, p. 90]
HAMRICK: W. L. Hamrick joined the Conference in 1913 and served West Frederick, 1912-
13, and Inwood, 1913-15. In 1916 the Conference Minutes state that “the name of W. L.
Hamrick was dropped from the roll because of irregular withdrawal.” The May 1964 obituary of
Mittie May Strange Hamrick (of Collinsville, Lauderdale County, Miss.) was the wife of a Rev.
William Lee Hamrick (b. Mar. 13, 1886; d. Dec. 21, 1965), who served [Methodist] pastorates in
Meridian, Long Beach, Gloster, and Purvis, where he retired. They are both buried at Pleasant
Ridge Cemetery in Collinsville, Miss. One son (J. W. Hamrick of Hattiesburg) survived them
both. The picture is from a 1964 family photo posted for Mrs. Hamrick’s obituary (credit
“Tiffany”). He was at Oak Grove Methodist Church, Clarke County, Miss., in Sep. 1944, when he officiated at
the funeral service there for William Arthur Alexander. He assisted in remodeling Hawkins Memorial Methodist
Church in Meridian, Miss., in 1947. He wrote Mississippi Conference of the Methodist Protestant Church,
1829-1939, in 1957. The following is from [Davis 1921, pp. 174-176]50:
Rev. W. L. Hamrick was born at Schamberville, Miss., Mar. 13, 1886, and entered the ministry in the Miss. Conf. of the
Methodist Protestant Church, Mar. 1906, before he had reached his 20th birthday. He was commissioned chaplain with the
military rank of first lieutenant Apr. 15, 1918, and was assigned to Kelly Field. Chaplain Hamrick worked among the
soldiers with great zeal and consecration during the influenza epidemic. Brother Hamrick is one of the progressive young
ministers of the Texas Conference, a representative in the General Conference, and is she popular and successful pastor of
our church at Cooper. [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 128, 306; Glovier 1965, p. 91]. [The picture is from a family photograph
taken in 1964.]
HANBY: Bishop William Hanby (1808-1880) presided over Va. Conf. in 1847. He
was born April 8, 1808, in Washington Co., Pa. In 1930, having moved to Ohio, Hanby
experienced an evangelical conversion. In that year he also met and married his wife,
Ann Miller. Soon afterward, he entered the U.B. Ministry. Hanby served several circuits
in Ohio before being elected publishing agent in 1837. Two years later he was elected
editor of The Religious Telescope. While at the publishing house, Hanby compiled and
published two hymnals and was co-author (with Spayth) of the first official U.B. history.
In 1845 General Conference elected Hanby to a 4-year term as bishop, following which
term he again became editor of The Religious Telescope. After 1953 Hanby returned to
pastoral ministry in the area of his home in Westerville, Ohio. Hanby was instrumental in
founding Otterbein College, as well as being a leader in Ohio’s abolitionist movement.
His home was even used as a “station” on the Underground Railroad. The Hanby House
in Westerville, Ohio, is heritage landmark of the UMC. Rev. Benjamin Russell Hanby (b. July 22, 1833; d. Mar.
16, 1867, Chicago; mar. Kate Winter] was the son of Bishop Hanby—he was a well-known composer,
especially for his antislavery ballad, “My Darling Nellie Gray.” Amanda Hanby Billheimer (1834-1926) was the
50 [Davis 1921] has a chapter on Methodists in the Great War.
Biographical Sketches 63
