Page 93 - United Brethren Preachers
P. 93
Volume 9 Preachers of U.B. and EUB Virginia Conferences December 26, 2024
considerable income. He was a good business man, and even under trying conditions he was resourceful. Twice his home
burned during his absence, yet he would at once set about recouping the loss. He always saw success ahead. Withal, he
was liberal, and in the last 20 years of his life scarcely a church or parsonage was built in the Conference to which he did
not contribute. Mr. Howe was always a friend to Shenandoah Collegiate Institute, and was one of the first men to
contribute $500 toward the purchase of the School by the Church. It was through his counsel and help that the Howe
Memorial Building was erected in front of where he lived. He was a leader in his Conference for many years, and during this
time nearly every important selection of men was made with his approval. Mr. Howe was a leader of men, a fine organizer,
and a tireless worker. He was as competent to manage a state as a conference. It is to him more than any other one man
that is due the recovery of the Church from the disasters of the war. His second wife was Rebecca Hancher of Frederick
County. There were five daughters by the first marriage. See also [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 170-171; see also pp. 126, 170,
173, 192-202, 218, 259-262, 264-274, 276-288, 290, 292-293, 299]; [Glovier 1965, p. 110; see also pp. 68, 70, 89, 94,
110, 112, 148, 151, 156, 159, 162, 169, 172, 225, 233-236, 246, 311, 329]; and [MacAllister 1976, p. 83, which provided
the picture on the left]
HUBER: Abraham Huber (b. Apr. 16, 1786, Rocky Springs, Franklin County, Pa.; d. Feb.
26, 1879, Chambersburg, Pa.) became a member of Conference and licensed to preach in
1823. He was a local preacher, 1823-79, interred at Salem Church, Franklin County. From
[Holdcraft 1938, p. 298 (from which the picture was taken)]: He was a brother of Samuel
Huber (see below) and was a valuable member of the Conference, being received in 1823.
He died in 1879 and is buried in the Salem Church cemetery. It is claimed that Samuel and
Abraham Huber were the first United Brethren to contribute to foreign missions. [Funkhouser
1921, p. 139; see also pp. 125, 235-237, 239-241]; [Glovier 1965, pp. 88, 304]; and
[Lycoming 2013]
HUBER: Henry Huber (b. Jun. 29, 1805; d. Mar. 14, 1874; mar. Elizabeth Shenk, 1804-1874) was
licensed and became a member of Conference in 1828. He and Elizabeth are buried at Huber Mennonite
Church Cemetery, New Carlisle, Ohio. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 139; see also pp. 55, 59, 125, 250] and [Glovier
1965, pp. 88]
HUBER: Samuel Huber (b. Jan. 31, 1782, Franklin County, Pa.; d. July 12, 1868; mar.
Nancy Weaver, 1786-1854 and Susannah Crider Grove, 1794-1868) was licensed to exhort in
1815; became a member of Conference and licensed to preach in 1816; and was ordained
1819. He was a missionary to Tuckahoe Valley, 1816-17; Presiding Elder (Hagerstown), 1819-
1822, was a designated Conference Itinerant, 1822-23; and Presiding Elder, 1826-27; and
Presiding Elder, Chambersburg District, 1836-40. As for his brother, Abraham, he is interred
at Salem Church Cemetery near Rocky Springs, Franklin County, Pa.. Note: The second Mrs.
Huber, nee Crider, was the widow of a Mr. Abraham Grove. From [Holdcraft 1938, p. 298
(from which the picture was taken)]:
Mr. Huber’s parents were Mennonites, but opened their hospitable home at Rocky Springs to the pioneer
U.B. preachers, including Otterbein, Boehm, Geeting, Newcomer, and Hoffman. At first it was the only preaching place of
the United Brethren between Hagerstown and Harrisburg. Samuel Huber married Nancy Weaver June 10, 1806—both were
converted after marriage. In 1816 Mr. Huber became a member of the Conference, was ordained in 1819, and became one
of the truly outstanding ministers of the conference for a half century. He was elected presiding elder the year he was
ordained and served a total of 12 years in that office. Samuel Huber was a great promoter of camp meetings in which
thousands of souls were brought to Christ. He was the first U. B. preacher from Franklin County and established the
preaching appointment in Chambersburg in 1818 which developed into the formal organization of Chambersburg First
Church in 1823. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 139; see also pp. 230-241] and [Glovier 1965, p. 304; Holdcraft 1939, p. 298;
Lycoming 2013]
HUFFMAN: George Huffman joined Va. Conf. in 1830, and his name was on the church roll for 59 years.
He “died at his home at Mount Zion, Augusta County, Oct. 22, 1888, aged about 82 years. ‘Uncle George,’ as
he was familiarly called, had been a member of the Conference 59 years, and at its special invitation he gave
a talk at the close of a half-century of ministerial life. His early experiences and memories were such as the
United Brethren, even of 30 years ago, were rarely privileged to meet. In the permanent growth of the
Denomination, he watched with a jealous eye every departure from established customs and habits. He
always took sides and was strong in his convictions. Everybody knew where to find him. Yet he sometimes
chose his friends from among those who differed with him. He selected for his funeral text, ‘Though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.’”
[Funkhouser 1921, pp. 172-173; see also pp. 125, 166, 199, 244, 290; Glovier 1965, pp. 88, 93, 104, 117,
231] See HOFFMAN.
HUFFMAN: Sylvester J. Huffman, a son of John R. and Mary P. Huffman, and grandson of the Rev. John
W. Howe, was born in Staunton, Va., in 1869. He went to Iowa in 1885, joined the Des Moines Conference in
1891, and was ordained 1895. Note: A Rev. Sylvester J. Huffman is buried at Ames Municipal Cemetery.
[Funkhouser 1921, p. 173]
HUGEL: John Hugel became a member of Conference and licensed to preach in 1827; ordained 1830.
[Funkhouser 1921, p. 139; see also pp. 126, 239, 241] and [Glovier 1965, p. 88]
Biographical Sketches 81
considerable income. He was a good business man, and even under trying conditions he was resourceful. Twice his home
burned during his absence, yet he would at once set about recouping the loss. He always saw success ahead. Withal, he
was liberal, and in the last 20 years of his life scarcely a church or parsonage was built in the Conference to which he did
not contribute. Mr. Howe was always a friend to Shenandoah Collegiate Institute, and was one of the first men to
contribute $500 toward the purchase of the School by the Church. It was through his counsel and help that the Howe
Memorial Building was erected in front of where he lived. He was a leader in his Conference for many years, and during this
time nearly every important selection of men was made with his approval. Mr. Howe was a leader of men, a fine organizer,
and a tireless worker. He was as competent to manage a state as a conference. It is to him more than any other one man
that is due the recovery of the Church from the disasters of the war. His second wife was Rebecca Hancher of Frederick
County. There were five daughters by the first marriage. See also [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 170-171; see also pp. 126, 170,
173, 192-202, 218, 259-262, 264-274, 276-288, 290, 292-293, 299]; [Glovier 1965, p. 110; see also pp. 68, 70, 89, 94,
110, 112, 148, 151, 156, 159, 162, 169, 172, 225, 233-236, 246, 311, 329]; and [MacAllister 1976, p. 83, which provided
the picture on the left]
HUBER: Abraham Huber (b. Apr. 16, 1786, Rocky Springs, Franklin County, Pa.; d. Feb.
26, 1879, Chambersburg, Pa.) became a member of Conference and licensed to preach in
1823. He was a local preacher, 1823-79, interred at Salem Church, Franklin County. From
[Holdcraft 1938, p. 298 (from which the picture was taken)]: He was a brother of Samuel
Huber (see below) and was a valuable member of the Conference, being received in 1823.
He died in 1879 and is buried in the Salem Church cemetery. It is claimed that Samuel and
Abraham Huber were the first United Brethren to contribute to foreign missions. [Funkhouser
1921, p. 139; see also pp. 125, 235-237, 239-241]; [Glovier 1965, pp. 88, 304]; and
[Lycoming 2013]
HUBER: Henry Huber (b. Jun. 29, 1805; d. Mar. 14, 1874; mar. Elizabeth Shenk, 1804-1874) was
licensed and became a member of Conference in 1828. He and Elizabeth are buried at Huber Mennonite
Church Cemetery, New Carlisle, Ohio. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 139; see also pp. 55, 59, 125, 250] and [Glovier
1965, pp. 88]
HUBER: Samuel Huber (b. Jan. 31, 1782, Franklin County, Pa.; d. July 12, 1868; mar.
Nancy Weaver, 1786-1854 and Susannah Crider Grove, 1794-1868) was licensed to exhort in
1815; became a member of Conference and licensed to preach in 1816; and was ordained
1819. He was a missionary to Tuckahoe Valley, 1816-17; Presiding Elder (Hagerstown), 1819-
1822, was a designated Conference Itinerant, 1822-23; and Presiding Elder, 1826-27; and
Presiding Elder, Chambersburg District, 1836-40. As for his brother, Abraham, he is interred
at Salem Church Cemetery near Rocky Springs, Franklin County, Pa.. Note: The second Mrs.
Huber, nee Crider, was the widow of a Mr. Abraham Grove. From [Holdcraft 1938, p. 298
(from which the picture was taken)]:
Mr. Huber’s parents were Mennonites, but opened their hospitable home at Rocky Springs to the pioneer
U.B. preachers, including Otterbein, Boehm, Geeting, Newcomer, and Hoffman. At first it was the only preaching place of
the United Brethren between Hagerstown and Harrisburg. Samuel Huber married Nancy Weaver June 10, 1806—both were
converted after marriage. In 1816 Mr. Huber became a member of the Conference, was ordained in 1819, and became one
of the truly outstanding ministers of the conference for a half century. He was elected presiding elder the year he was
ordained and served a total of 12 years in that office. Samuel Huber was a great promoter of camp meetings in which
thousands of souls were brought to Christ. He was the first U. B. preacher from Franklin County and established the
preaching appointment in Chambersburg in 1818 which developed into the formal organization of Chambersburg First
Church in 1823. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 139; see also pp. 230-241] and [Glovier 1965, p. 304; Holdcraft 1939, p. 298;
Lycoming 2013]
HUFFMAN: George Huffman joined Va. Conf. in 1830, and his name was on the church roll for 59 years.
He “died at his home at Mount Zion, Augusta County, Oct. 22, 1888, aged about 82 years. ‘Uncle George,’ as
he was familiarly called, had been a member of the Conference 59 years, and at its special invitation he gave
a talk at the close of a half-century of ministerial life. His early experiences and memories were such as the
United Brethren, even of 30 years ago, were rarely privileged to meet. In the permanent growth of the
Denomination, he watched with a jealous eye every departure from established customs and habits. He
always took sides and was strong in his convictions. Everybody knew where to find him. Yet he sometimes
chose his friends from among those who differed with him. He selected for his funeral text, ‘Though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.’”
[Funkhouser 1921, pp. 172-173; see also pp. 125, 166, 199, 244, 290; Glovier 1965, pp. 88, 93, 104, 117,
231] See HOFFMAN.
HUFFMAN: Sylvester J. Huffman, a son of John R. and Mary P. Huffman, and grandson of the Rev. John
W. Howe, was born in Staunton, Va., in 1869. He went to Iowa in 1885, joined the Des Moines Conference in
1891, and was ordained 1895. Note: A Rev. Sylvester J. Huffman is buried at Ames Municipal Cemetery.
[Funkhouser 1921, p. 173]
HUGEL: John Hugel became a member of Conference and licensed to preach in 1827; ordained 1830.
[Funkhouser 1921, p. 139; see also pp. 126, 239, 241] and [Glovier 1965, p. 88]
Biographical Sketches 81
