Page 77 - United Brethren Preachers
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Volume 9 Preachers of U.B. and EUB Virginia Conferences December 26, 2024
Jean. Very early in life he was employed by the Interwoven Mills of Martinsburg. He received his Annual
Conference License, Central Pa. Conf. (Evangelical Association) in 1930; was admitted to Va. Conf. by transfer
from Central Pa. Conf. in 1946, and ordained in 1956. He attended Shepherd College; Study Course, 1956.
He served Blairton-Greensburg, W.Va., Sep. 1943-Sep. 1955; Martinsburg Charge, W.Va., Sep. 1956-
Sep. 1959; Great Cacapon, W.Va., Sep. 1959-Sep. 1962; Sleepy Creek, W.Va., Sep. 1962-June 1964; and
Great Cacapon, W.Va., 1964-69. He was then appointed to Cumberland Calvary, 1970-72, and retired in
1972. After a long illness, his wife Geneva expired on Nov. 16,1964. Rev. Harden continued his pastoral role
alone. Under divine guidance, he and widowed Marguerite Dolly Ziler met, and they were united in marriage,
Oct. 28, 1967, in the Great Cacapon Church where he was pastoring. Together they worked in the ministry of
this Charge until 1969, when they were assigned to the Calvary Church in Cumberland. In 1972 he took
retirement and moved back to Great Cacapon in the home they purchased for retirement. The Great Cacapon
Charge was without an assigned minister at the time, so Rev. Harden was asked to supply the Charge. From
that time, he was named as a Supply Minister to a church or charge in the area, until his death. He was then
supplying the Woodrow Union Church, conducting the services two Sundays per month; and he conducted his
last service on Apr. 5. Illness soon overtook him and he spent his last days in the City Hospital in Martinsburg
where he expired May 12, 1987. His memoir, as well as one for Geneva and for Dolly, is provided in Section
II.A (below). [Glovier 1965, p. 274, which provided the picture at the right; see also pp. 86, 92, 196, 258,
259, 319]
HARMAN: George Harman “was a native of Pendleton County, W.Va., where he was born July 11, 1828.
His parents, Joshua and Elizabeth Harman, died while he was still a youth, leaving him with little more than a
good constitution and native talent. By dint of energy, efficiency, and hard work, he became wealthy and
influential. In 1860 he removed to what is now Grant County and purchased a pleasant home near the county
seat. Soon after this change of residence he was given quarterly conference license, and in 1869 joined the
Conference, being ordained in 1876. Although he did not enter the active itinerancy, he served to the end as
a local minister, and in this field was very acceptable. He always commanded the attention of his hearers,
and was often called upon to preach at funerals. In the political field he rose to local eminence and served in
both houses of the legislature, a total of three terms. At the time of his death in 1899, he was serving as a
member of the county court. He was suddenly stricken and died on Jan. 1, 1899, at the age of 70 years, 5
months, and 20 days. He was buried near Marvin Chapel, Petersburg, W.Va. His end was peaceful and his
soul passed quietly out of its tenement of clay. He was a man of strong convictions and he had the courage to
stand up for them. Mr. Harman was twice married, both wives being daughters of Jacob Smith of Pendleton
County. He had five daughters and two sons.” His memoir is provided in Section II.A (below). [Funkhouser
1921, pp. 166-167; see also pp. 127, 137, 267-270, 272-281, 283-288] and [Glovier 1965, 107-108; see
also pp. 89, 94]
HARMAN: Paul Ambrose Harman, Jr., became a Probationer in 1965. He was a student at United
Theological Seminary (President of the Student Council). Recommended for ordination as an Elder in 1968.
He also did post-graduate work in 1968 at Candler School of Theology, Emory Univ., Atlanta, Ga. However,
he apparently did not join the UMC, since he is not listed in the 1968, 1969, or 1982 UMC Conference Minutes.
He conducted the funeral of Mrs. Edith Harris Groah in May 2010 at Weyers Cave UMC in Weyers Cave, Va.,
together with his son Rev. Paul A. Harman, III. They also participated in the funeral for her husband,
Thurman Lester Groah in Feb. 2007.
HARMAN: Peter Harman became a member of Conference and licensed in 1829 [Funkhouser 1921,
pp. 125, 241-244; Glovier 1965, p. 88]. See HERRMAN.
HARP: Joshua Harp (b. Sep. 29, 1826, Myersville, Md.; d. Feb 19,
1905, Benevola, Md.; mar. Magdalen Wolf, 1825-1862, and later Julia
Mullendore) was licensed in 1860, joined Conference in 1861, and was
ordained in 1864. He was a farmer of Washington County, Md., and his
relation to the conference was local. He transferred to Maryland
Conference in 1887. In 1879 he reported as a local preacher that he
had preached 55 times, held one regular appointment; held one [class]
meeting, had 30 conversions, and had 31 accessions. Note: Joshua
Harp is the father of Cyrus D. Harp and of ministerial wives Clara Harp
Brane (Mrs. Commodore), and Alice Harp Weidler (Mrs. Z. A.). He is also the father of Elizabeth Harp Flook,
the mother of Cyrus F. Flook and Emma E. Flook Plummer (Mrs. F. Berry). He never itinerated but served
locally and as a supply. He gave leadership that resulted in the organization of Benevola and Mt. Lena
Church, Boonsboro charge. He is interred at Benevola, Md. One son, Cyrus D. Harp, became a minister, and
two daughters married ministers, Revs. C. I. B. Brane and Z. A. Weidler. A grandson is Rev. V. O. Weidler,
D.D., a bishop of the Southwest District; another is Prof. Deleth Weidler, who served as a missionary in Africa;
and another is Mr. Harry Newcomer, treasurer of Quincy U. B. Orphanage and Home. The pictures on the left
are from [Glovier 1965, p. 69-71]; the one on the left was taken in 1873, the one in the middle in 1886. The
Biographical Sketches 65
Jean. Very early in life he was employed by the Interwoven Mills of Martinsburg. He received his Annual
Conference License, Central Pa. Conf. (Evangelical Association) in 1930; was admitted to Va. Conf. by transfer
from Central Pa. Conf. in 1946, and ordained in 1956. He attended Shepherd College; Study Course, 1956.
He served Blairton-Greensburg, W.Va., Sep. 1943-Sep. 1955; Martinsburg Charge, W.Va., Sep. 1956-
Sep. 1959; Great Cacapon, W.Va., Sep. 1959-Sep. 1962; Sleepy Creek, W.Va., Sep. 1962-June 1964; and
Great Cacapon, W.Va., 1964-69. He was then appointed to Cumberland Calvary, 1970-72, and retired in
1972. After a long illness, his wife Geneva expired on Nov. 16,1964. Rev. Harden continued his pastoral role
alone. Under divine guidance, he and widowed Marguerite Dolly Ziler met, and they were united in marriage,
Oct. 28, 1967, in the Great Cacapon Church where he was pastoring. Together they worked in the ministry of
this Charge until 1969, when they were assigned to the Calvary Church in Cumberland. In 1972 he took
retirement and moved back to Great Cacapon in the home they purchased for retirement. The Great Cacapon
Charge was without an assigned minister at the time, so Rev. Harden was asked to supply the Charge. From
that time, he was named as a Supply Minister to a church or charge in the area, until his death. He was then
supplying the Woodrow Union Church, conducting the services two Sundays per month; and he conducted his
last service on Apr. 5. Illness soon overtook him and he spent his last days in the City Hospital in Martinsburg
where he expired May 12, 1987. His memoir, as well as one for Geneva and for Dolly, is provided in Section
II.A (below). [Glovier 1965, p. 274, which provided the picture at the right; see also pp. 86, 92, 196, 258,
259, 319]
HARMAN: George Harman “was a native of Pendleton County, W.Va., where he was born July 11, 1828.
His parents, Joshua and Elizabeth Harman, died while he was still a youth, leaving him with little more than a
good constitution and native talent. By dint of energy, efficiency, and hard work, he became wealthy and
influential. In 1860 he removed to what is now Grant County and purchased a pleasant home near the county
seat. Soon after this change of residence he was given quarterly conference license, and in 1869 joined the
Conference, being ordained in 1876. Although he did not enter the active itinerancy, he served to the end as
a local minister, and in this field was very acceptable. He always commanded the attention of his hearers,
and was often called upon to preach at funerals. In the political field he rose to local eminence and served in
both houses of the legislature, a total of three terms. At the time of his death in 1899, he was serving as a
member of the county court. He was suddenly stricken and died on Jan. 1, 1899, at the age of 70 years, 5
months, and 20 days. He was buried near Marvin Chapel, Petersburg, W.Va. His end was peaceful and his
soul passed quietly out of its tenement of clay. He was a man of strong convictions and he had the courage to
stand up for them. Mr. Harman was twice married, both wives being daughters of Jacob Smith of Pendleton
County. He had five daughters and two sons.” His memoir is provided in Section II.A (below). [Funkhouser
1921, pp. 166-167; see also pp. 127, 137, 267-270, 272-281, 283-288] and [Glovier 1965, 107-108; see
also pp. 89, 94]
HARMAN: Paul Ambrose Harman, Jr., became a Probationer in 1965. He was a student at United
Theological Seminary (President of the Student Council). Recommended for ordination as an Elder in 1968.
He also did post-graduate work in 1968 at Candler School of Theology, Emory Univ., Atlanta, Ga. However,
he apparently did not join the UMC, since he is not listed in the 1968, 1969, or 1982 UMC Conference Minutes.
He conducted the funeral of Mrs. Edith Harris Groah in May 2010 at Weyers Cave UMC in Weyers Cave, Va.,
together with his son Rev. Paul A. Harman, III. They also participated in the funeral for her husband,
Thurman Lester Groah in Feb. 2007.
HARMAN: Peter Harman became a member of Conference and licensed in 1829 [Funkhouser 1921,
pp. 125, 241-244; Glovier 1965, p. 88]. See HERRMAN.
HARP: Joshua Harp (b. Sep. 29, 1826, Myersville, Md.; d. Feb 19,
1905, Benevola, Md.; mar. Magdalen Wolf, 1825-1862, and later Julia
Mullendore) was licensed in 1860, joined Conference in 1861, and was
ordained in 1864. He was a farmer of Washington County, Md., and his
relation to the conference was local. He transferred to Maryland
Conference in 1887. In 1879 he reported as a local preacher that he
had preached 55 times, held one regular appointment; held one [class]
meeting, had 30 conversions, and had 31 accessions. Note: Joshua
Harp is the father of Cyrus D. Harp and of ministerial wives Clara Harp
Brane (Mrs. Commodore), and Alice Harp Weidler (Mrs. Z. A.). He is also the father of Elizabeth Harp Flook,
the mother of Cyrus F. Flook and Emma E. Flook Plummer (Mrs. F. Berry). He never itinerated but served
locally and as a supply. He gave leadership that resulted in the organization of Benevola and Mt. Lena
Church, Boonsboro charge. He is interred at Benevola, Md. One son, Cyrus D. Harp, became a minister, and
two daughters married ministers, Revs. C. I. B. Brane and Z. A. Weidler. A grandson is Rev. V. O. Weidler,
D.D., a bishop of the Southwest District; another is Prof. Deleth Weidler, who served as a missionary in Africa;
and another is Mr. Harry Newcomer, treasurer of Quincy U. B. Orphanage and Home. The pictures on the left
are from [Glovier 1965, p. 69-71]; the one on the left was taken in 1873, the one in the middle in 1886. The
Biographical Sketches 65
