Page 81 - United Brethren Preachers
P. 81
Volume 9 Preachers of U.B. and EUB Virginia Conferences December 26, 2024
HERSHEY: John B. Hershey, Sr. [b. Mar. 11, 1741, Conestoga, Pa.; d. Apr. 4, 1811, Hagerstown, Md.;
mar. Magdalena Huber (Hoover) about 1764)], the son of Rev. Andrew Hersche (1702-1792) and Mary
Catharine Schnabley, was licensed in 1791 and a member of Conference in 1800 (along with Abraham and
Christian Hershey). In 1793 he moved to Beaver Creek, near Hagerstown, Md. He attended the Conferences
of 1800, 1803, 1806, and 1808. Died in 1811 (the same year as Martin Boehm and Peter Kemp) and interred
a Fahrney’s in Washington County, Md. Note: He is the son of Rev. Andrew Hershey of the Mennonite Church,
and his [layman] son John Hershey (1771-1854) was elected first treasurer of the Preacher’s Aid Society when
it formed in 1822. Rev. John B. Hershey is a first cousin to [layman] Abraham Hershey, father of Abraham
and Christian Hershey. His daughter Anna married John Shopp, Sr., of Shiremanstown, whose
home/church/cemetery location is a Pa. Conf. historical site, and is the mother of Christian Shopp. From
[Holdcraft 1938, p. 297]: Rev. John Hershey’s home was within a mile of Christian Newcomer’s home in
Washington Co., Md. He was a member of the conference in 1800, but had been closely associated with the
church founders for a number of years prior to that time. His son, John Hershey, Jr., became prominent in
the city life of Hagerstown and served as mayor. He was a leader in the development of St. Paul’s church and
was an organizer and first treasurer of the “Benevolent Fund Society of the U. B. Church,” which was the
denomination’s first attempt at aged preachers’ pensions. The elder John Hershey had been a slave-owner,
but voluntarily set them free. From [Drury 1884, p. 237]: John Hershey was of Mennonite descent. He lived
at Hagerstown, Md. While he did not preach as constantly as some, he was yet a pillar in his community and
was generally in his place in the conferences. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 45, 61, 138, 224-229; Glovier 1965,
p. 18; Lycoming 2103] See also [Samuel L. Hershey, History of the Hershey Family from the Year 1600; New
Castle, Pa.: The Petite Book Company].
HERSHEY: Joseph Madison Hershey (Sep. 3, 1810; d. Mar. 27, 1879; mar. Marie Witter and Mrs. Arbelia
Markwood) became a member of Va. Conference in 1832, was there licensed to preach, and assigned to assist
J. J. Glossbrenner at Staunton Circuit. He also served South Branch, 1833-35. He was ordained in 1835. He
later transferred to St. Joseph Conference, but often visited Virginia Annual Conference. His obituary
(Lafayette Dailey Courier, Mar. 28, 1879): Hon. Joseph M. Hershey expired from typhoid pneumonia. He was
in the prime of life, and quite well up to the first of the present week, nor were his symptoms alarming until
night before last, when it became painfully apparent that the hand of death was on him. The deceased was a
regularly ordained member of the U.B. Church, but has not been assigned to any special field of labor for
some years. His administration as County Commissioner for this county was characterized by close economy
and good judgment in the important interests committed to his trust. From [Funkhouser 1921, p. 86; see
also pp. 83-84, 87, 125, 138, 243-246, 274-276]: Joseph M. Hershey in youth was a sizeable man,
possessed emotional emulation. He was bred and born under the influence of the church, and was decidedly
churchly in his feelings. In dress he was becomingly costumed, in manners quiet and dignified, occasionally
almost cold and indifferent, yet domestic in disposition and loved home and surroundings. As a preacher he
was not a brilliant explorer of the deep things of God, but adorned his efforts with the force of common sense
and aimed at compactness with some degree of style. The last days of his life were somewhat foggy, made so
by influences over which he had no control, still we believe he lives with Jesus.” From [Biographical Record
and Portrait Album of Tippecanoe County, Ind. (Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co., 1888, pp. 445-446; posted by Adina
Watkins Dyer)]:
Joseph M. Hershey was a native of Maryland, born in Washington County, near Hagerstown, Sep. 3, 1810, where he was
reared, and married to Miss Marie Witter. His great-grandfather…was a native of Germany. Joseph M. Hershey was reared
a farmer, in his native State. In early life he joined the United Brethren Church, and at the age of 19 years began
preaching the gospel. In 1834 he came with his family, consisting of wife and daughter Lurenna, to this [Tippecanoe, Ind.]
county, making the trip over land in a two-wheeled vehicle, and settled on the land on Section 16, Perry Township, which he
had previously purchased. Here he made his home until 1871, when in the fall of that year, he removed to Dayton, this
county. His wife died Feb. 3, 1875, aged 61 years, she having been born in January, 1814. In 1877 he went to Virginia, in
fact made several trips to that State. Mr. Hershey was married a second time to Mrs. Arbelia Markwood, widow of Bishop
Markwood, of the U.B. Church. By his first marriage Mr. Hershey had 13 children, of whom six grew to maturity. Mr.
Hershey died at Dayton, Mar. 27, 1879. He followed the ministry until his death, and was one of the pioneer preachers of
his church in Indiana, and he rode circuit in Virginia and Maryland before he came West and was ever a faithful worker in
the cause of his Master. He organized the Union U.B. Church in Perry Township, which is also sometimes called the Hershey
Church. Mr. Hershey also took some interest in political matters. In early life he was a Whig and later a Republican, and
during the war was a strong supporter of the Union cause. He was twice elected on the Republican ticket to the Indiana
State Legislature, in 1863 and 1865, and discharged his legislative duties with much credit and ability. He was justice of
the peace 8 years and also served as county commissioner. No man was more prominently identified with the early history
of Perry Township than Rev. Joseph M. Hershey. [Glovier 1965, p. 88]
HERSHEY: Michael Hershey became a member of Conference in 1811; licensed to exhort, 1811.
Apparently, he did not itinerate. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 124, 138; Glovier 1965, p. 87]
HERSHEY: Valentine Hershey became a member of Conference in 1822. Apparently, he did not itinerate.
[Funkhouser 1921, p. 234]
Biographical Sketches 69
HERSHEY: John B. Hershey, Sr. [b. Mar. 11, 1741, Conestoga, Pa.; d. Apr. 4, 1811, Hagerstown, Md.;
mar. Magdalena Huber (Hoover) about 1764)], the son of Rev. Andrew Hersche (1702-1792) and Mary
Catharine Schnabley, was licensed in 1791 and a member of Conference in 1800 (along with Abraham and
Christian Hershey). In 1793 he moved to Beaver Creek, near Hagerstown, Md. He attended the Conferences
of 1800, 1803, 1806, and 1808. Died in 1811 (the same year as Martin Boehm and Peter Kemp) and interred
a Fahrney’s in Washington County, Md. Note: He is the son of Rev. Andrew Hershey of the Mennonite Church,
and his [layman] son John Hershey (1771-1854) was elected first treasurer of the Preacher’s Aid Society when
it formed in 1822. Rev. John B. Hershey is a first cousin to [layman] Abraham Hershey, father of Abraham
and Christian Hershey. His daughter Anna married John Shopp, Sr., of Shiremanstown, whose
home/church/cemetery location is a Pa. Conf. historical site, and is the mother of Christian Shopp. From
[Holdcraft 1938, p. 297]: Rev. John Hershey’s home was within a mile of Christian Newcomer’s home in
Washington Co., Md. He was a member of the conference in 1800, but had been closely associated with the
church founders for a number of years prior to that time. His son, John Hershey, Jr., became prominent in
the city life of Hagerstown and served as mayor. He was a leader in the development of St. Paul’s church and
was an organizer and first treasurer of the “Benevolent Fund Society of the U. B. Church,” which was the
denomination’s first attempt at aged preachers’ pensions. The elder John Hershey had been a slave-owner,
but voluntarily set them free. From [Drury 1884, p. 237]: John Hershey was of Mennonite descent. He lived
at Hagerstown, Md. While he did not preach as constantly as some, he was yet a pillar in his community and
was generally in his place in the conferences. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 45, 61, 138, 224-229; Glovier 1965,
p. 18; Lycoming 2103] See also [Samuel L. Hershey, History of the Hershey Family from the Year 1600; New
Castle, Pa.: The Petite Book Company].
HERSHEY: Joseph Madison Hershey (Sep. 3, 1810; d. Mar. 27, 1879; mar. Marie Witter and Mrs. Arbelia
Markwood) became a member of Va. Conference in 1832, was there licensed to preach, and assigned to assist
J. J. Glossbrenner at Staunton Circuit. He also served South Branch, 1833-35. He was ordained in 1835. He
later transferred to St. Joseph Conference, but often visited Virginia Annual Conference. His obituary
(Lafayette Dailey Courier, Mar. 28, 1879): Hon. Joseph M. Hershey expired from typhoid pneumonia. He was
in the prime of life, and quite well up to the first of the present week, nor were his symptoms alarming until
night before last, when it became painfully apparent that the hand of death was on him. The deceased was a
regularly ordained member of the U.B. Church, but has not been assigned to any special field of labor for
some years. His administration as County Commissioner for this county was characterized by close economy
and good judgment in the important interests committed to his trust. From [Funkhouser 1921, p. 86; see
also pp. 83-84, 87, 125, 138, 243-246, 274-276]: Joseph M. Hershey in youth was a sizeable man,
possessed emotional emulation. He was bred and born under the influence of the church, and was decidedly
churchly in his feelings. In dress he was becomingly costumed, in manners quiet and dignified, occasionally
almost cold and indifferent, yet domestic in disposition and loved home and surroundings. As a preacher he
was not a brilliant explorer of the deep things of God, but adorned his efforts with the force of common sense
and aimed at compactness with some degree of style. The last days of his life were somewhat foggy, made so
by influences over which he had no control, still we believe he lives with Jesus.” From [Biographical Record
and Portrait Album of Tippecanoe County, Ind. (Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co., 1888, pp. 445-446; posted by Adina
Watkins Dyer)]:
Joseph M. Hershey was a native of Maryland, born in Washington County, near Hagerstown, Sep. 3, 1810, where he was
reared, and married to Miss Marie Witter. His great-grandfather…was a native of Germany. Joseph M. Hershey was reared
a farmer, in his native State. In early life he joined the United Brethren Church, and at the age of 19 years began
preaching the gospel. In 1834 he came with his family, consisting of wife and daughter Lurenna, to this [Tippecanoe, Ind.]
county, making the trip over land in a two-wheeled vehicle, and settled on the land on Section 16, Perry Township, which he
had previously purchased. Here he made his home until 1871, when in the fall of that year, he removed to Dayton, this
county. His wife died Feb. 3, 1875, aged 61 years, she having been born in January, 1814. In 1877 he went to Virginia, in
fact made several trips to that State. Mr. Hershey was married a second time to Mrs. Arbelia Markwood, widow of Bishop
Markwood, of the U.B. Church. By his first marriage Mr. Hershey had 13 children, of whom six grew to maturity. Mr.
Hershey died at Dayton, Mar. 27, 1879. He followed the ministry until his death, and was one of the pioneer preachers of
his church in Indiana, and he rode circuit in Virginia and Maryland before he came West and was ever a faithful worker in
the cause of his Master. He organized the Union U.B. Church in Perry Township, which is also sometimes called the Hershey
Church. Mr. Hershey also took some interest in political matters. In early life he was a Whig and later a Republican, and
during the war was a strong supporter of the Union cause. He was twice elected on the Republican ticket to the Indiana
State Legislature, in 1863 and 1865, and discharged his legislative duties with much credit and ability. He was justice of
the peace 8 years and also served as county commissioner. No man was more prominently identified with the early history
of Perry Township than Rev. Joseph M. Hershey. [Glovier 1965, p. 88]
HERSHEY: Michael Hershey became a member of Conference in 1811; licensed to exhort, 1811.
Apparently, he did not itinerate. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 124, 138; Glovier 1965, p. 87]
HERSHEY: Valentine Hershey became a member of Conference in 1822. Apparently, he did not itinerate.
[Funkhouser 1921, p. 234]
Biographical Sketches 69
