Page 92 - United Brethren Preachers
P. 92
Volume 9 Preachers of U.B. and EUB Virginia Conferences December 26, 2024
the left is from [Holdcraft 1938, p. 389]; the one in the middle is from [Arrington 1970, p. 64]; and the one
on the right is from [Glovier 1965, p. 10]. [Glovier 1965, pp. 3, 86, 133, 160, 183, 224, 226, 234, 253, 255,
261, 280, 286, 332, 335, 337]
HOWE: George W. Howe was born in Rappahannock County, Sep. 14, 1831, and died at
Mount Clinton in Rockingham, Mar. 10, 1889. He was converted and joined the church at Mt.
Hebron, Shenandoah Co., Va., in Nov. 1867. He became at once an active and earnest worker,
and was soon licensed by the Quarterly Conference to preach the gospel. At first, he engaged in
teaching school and in preaching at the same time. For some time he served a charge in the
Lower Wabash Conference. In February, 1867, he was received into Va. Conf. at Boonsboro,
Washington County, Md. He was ordained in 1870. He served Highland, 1867-68; Bath
(Berkeley Springs), 1868-70; Winchester Circuit, 1870-71; Winchester Station, 1872-74 and
1876-77. He was a great revivalist and had a large number of conversions. In 1869 he was
married to Sarah J. Ryan of Augusta County. During the last fifteen years of his life he was an invalid, and at
times a great sufferer. He died at Mt. Clinton, Rockingham County, Va., Mar. 10, 1889, aged 57 years, 5
months and 26 days. He was buried in the Mt. Horeb U.B. Church Cemetery, Hinton, Rockingham County, Va.
His memoir is provided in Section II.A (below). [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 139, 170; see also pp. 127, 193, 202,
265-278, 280-281, 283-285, 287-288, 291] The picture is from [Glovier 1965, p. 68], taken in 1873.
[Glovier 1965, pp. 89, 94, 105, 142, 254]
HOWE: John Williams Howe was born in Rappahannock County, Va., Dec. 4,
1829, and died at Dayton, Va., June 17, 1903, aged 73 years, 6 months, and 15
days. At the age of 15 he was bound out to a farmer, Samuel Crabill [see above]
of Strasburg, Va., with whom he lived until he was 21. In early manhood he was
wild and reckless. At the age of 22, J. W. Howe married Miss Julia Stickley of
Shenandoah County. Five daughters were born of this marriage. He was
converted in a revival meeting at Mt. Hebron soon after his marriage. After his
religious experience he became a colporteur, a peddler of religious books, and a
student.” He joined the Annual Conference in 1858 and was ordained in 1860.
His first circuits were in Augusta, Highland and Pendleton Counties, where he remained 3 years, “building one
good county meeting house and receiving a large number of persons into the Church. After the Civil War
broke out, he was transferred to the Shenandoah Valley. Our denomination was then badly disorganized, but
Mr. Howe preached to his people and the soldiers as opportunity offered. After the return of peace, he
devoted himself zealously to the task of rallying the scattered membership, particularly with the help of
revivals and camp meetings. In these efforts he was very successful. He spent 7 years as pastor in Augusta
and Rockingham Counties. In 1868 he was elected Presiding Elder, serving Shenandoah District, a total of 17
years at different times. In addition, he served as Presiding Elder on the Maryland District, and as pastor on
Hagerstown Circuit, Martinsburg Station, Berkeley Springs, Dayton, Roanoke, and Staunton, where he
organized and built the church. Howe built churches at Friendship and Red Bud and a parsonage at
Greensburg. He dedicated Bluff Dale, Grove Hill, Mt. Zion, Sharon, Tye River, Verona, and Union Chapel
(Augusta County). Under his ministry, Old Salem, near Singers Glen, was the only U.B. Church built south of
the Mason-Dixon Line during the Civil War. To him more than to any other man of his day is due the
successful recovery of our Church in Va. Conf., from the dire disasters of the Civil War. He was elected
delegate to the General Conference of 1869 and of every succeeding General Conference until his death. He
was resourceful, a wise counselor, a great organizer and leader of men, an expert financier and successful
business man, a tireless worker, and a good singer and preacher. His business ventures were financially
rewarding—financial matters were his specialty anyway. He generously made many contributions toward
church constructions. He was one of the earliest friends and most generous among contributors to
Shenandoah Institute at Dayton, Va. He gave $500 to help the United Brethren buy the school. The Howe
Memorial Building on the old campus was named in his honor, and it was built in front of his Dayton home,
standing as a silent memorial to him. In 1890 he married Miss Rebecca Hancher, of Frederick County, Va. He
died at Dayton, Va., June 17, 1903, aged 73 years, 6 months, and 15 days. After largely attended funeral
services conducted by his pastor, Prof. E. U. Hoenshel, Presiding Elder Hammack, and Dr. A. P. Funkhouser, in
Memorial Hall, his body was laid to rest in the cemetery at Dayton, Va. His memoir, as well as his wife’s, is
provided in Section II.A (below). From [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 171-172]
In Staunton [after the War] he organized a congregation and built a church. This was his last charge. He believed in
the itinerancy and would not consent to serve longer than 4 years at one time as elder or pastor. Beginning with 1869 he
was in every General Conference, and in that body he was a great worker, especially on committees. Finance was his
strong point, and when he was present the taking of a collection fell upon him. He was several times offered important
places in the financial work of the Church, but preferred staying in Virginia. His home for some years after the war was at
Singers Glen, and being himself a good singer, he was there in touch with kindred spirits. He used new and popular songs
with great effect, and helped to get up a small song book for use in camp meetings. It took well and a large and better
printed book was called for. A company was formed for the publication of a new book, which sold at a profit. Thus started
the publishing house of the Ruebush-Kieffer Company, Mr. Howe being a member, and deriving from the business a
Biographical Sketches 80
the left is from [Holdcraft 1938, p. 389]; the one in the middle is from [Arrington 1970, p. 64]; and the one
on the right is from [Glovier 1965, p. 10]. [Glovier 1965, pp. 3, 86, 133, 160, 183, 224, 226, 234, 253, 255,
261, 280, 286, 332, 335, 337]
HOWE: George W. Howe was born in Rappahannock County, Sep. 14, 1831, and died at
Mount Clinton in Rockingham, Mar. 10, 1889. He was converted and joined the church at Mt.
Hebron, Shenandoah Co., Va., in Nov. 1867. He became at once an active and earnest worker,
and was soon licensed by the Quarterly Conference to preach the gospel. At first, he engaged in
teaching school and in preaching at the same time. For some time he served a charge in the
Lower Wabash Conference. In February, 1867, he was received into Va. Conf. at Boonsboro,
Washington County, Md. He was ordained in 1870. He served Highland, 1867-68; Bath
(Berkeley Springs), 1868-70; Winchester Circuit, 1870-71; Winchester Station, 1872-74 and
1876-77. He was a great revivalist and had a large number of conversions. In 1869 he was
married to Sarah J. Ryan of Augusta County. During the last fifteen years of his life he was an invalid, and at
times a great sufferer. He died at Mt. Clinton, Rockingham County, Va., Mar. 10, 1889, aged 57 years, 5
months and 26 days. He was buried in the Mt. Horeb U.B. Church Cemetery, Hinton, Rockingham County, Va.
His memoir is provided in Section II.A (below). [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 139, 170; see also pp. 127, 193, 202,
265-278, 280-281, 283-285, 287-288, 291] The picture is from [Glovier 1965, p. 68], taken in 1873.
[Glovier 1965, pp. 89, 94, 105, 142, 254]
HOWE: John Williams Howe was born in Rappahannock County, Va., Dec. 4,
1829, and died at Dayton, Va., June 17, 1903, aged 73 years, 6 months, and 15
days. At the age of 15 he was bound out to a farmer, Samuel Crabill [see above]
of Strasburg, Va., with whom he lived until he was 21. In early manhood he was
wild and reckless. At the age of 22, J. W. Howe married Miss Julia Stickley of
Shenandoah County. Five daughters were born of this marriage. He was
converted in a revival meeting at Mt. Hebron soon after his marriage. After his
religious experience he became a colporteur, a peddler of religious books, and a
student.” He joined the Annual Conference in 1858 and was ordained in 1860.
His first circuits were in Augusta, Highland and Pendleton Counties, where he remained 3 years, “building one
good county meeting house and receiving a large number of persons into the Church. After the Civil War
broke out, he was transferred to the Shenandoah Valley. Our denomination was then badly disorganized, but
Mr. Howe preached to his people and the soldiers as opportunity offered. After the return of peace, he
devoted himself zealously to the task of rallying the scattered membership, particularly with the help of
revivals and camp meetings. In these efforts he was very successful. He spent 7 years as pastor in Augusta
and Rockingham Counties. In 1868 he was elected Presiding Elder, serving Shenandoah District, a total of 17
years at different times. In addition, he served as Presiding Elder on the Maryland District, and as pastor on
Hagerstown Circuit, Martinsburg Station, Berkeley Springs, Dayton, Roanoke, and Staunton, where he
organized and built the church. Howe built churches at Friendship and Red Bud and a parsonage at
Greensburg. He dedicated Bluff Dale, Grove Hill, Mt. Zion, Sharon, Tye River, Verona, and Union Chapel
(Augusta County). Under his ministry, Old Salem, near Singers Glen, was the only U.B. Church built south of
the Mason-Dixon Line during the Civil War. To him more than to any other man of his day is due the
successful recovery of our Church in Va. Conf., from the dire disasters of the Civil War. He was elected
delegate to the General Conference of 1869 and of every succeeding General Conference until his death. He
was resourceful, a wise counselor, a great organizer and leader of men, an expert financier and successful
business man, a tireless worker, and a good singer and preacher. His business ventures were financially
rewarding—financial matters were his specialty anyway. He generously made many contributions toward
church constructions. He was one of the earliest friends and most generous among contributors to
Shenandoah Institute at Dayton, Va. He gave $500 to help the United Brethren buy the school. The Howe
Memorial Building on the old campus was named in his honor, and it was built in front of his Dayton home,
standing as a silent memorial to him. In 1890 he married Miss Rebecca Hancher, of Frederick County, Va. He
died at Dayton, Va., June 17, 1903, aged 73 years, 6 months, and 15 days. After largely attended funeral
services conducted by his pastor, Prof. E. U. Hoenshel, Presiding Elder Hammack, and Dr. A. P. Funkhouser, in
Memorial Hall, his body was laid to rest in the cemetery at Dayton, Va. His memoir, as well as his wife’s, is
provided in Section II.A (below). From [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 171-172]
In Staunton [after the War] he organized a congregation and built a church. This was his last charge. He believed in
the itinerancy and would not consent to serve longer than 4 years at one time as elder or pastor. Beginning with 1869 he
was in every General Conference, and in that body he was a great worker, especially on committees. Finance was his
strong point, and when he was present the taking of a collection fell upon him. He was several times offered important
places in the financial work of the Church, but preferred staying in Virginia. His home for some years after the war was at
Singers Glen, and being himself a good singer, he was there in touch with kindred spirits. He used new and popular songs
with great effect, and helped to get up a small song book for use in camp meetings. It took well and a large and better
printed book was called for. A company was formed for the publication of a new book, which sold at a profit. Thus started
the publishing house of the Ruebush-Kieffer Company, Mr. Howe being a member, and deriving from the business a
Biographical Sketches 80
