Page 98 - United Brethren Preachers
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Volume 9 Preachers of U.B. and EUB Virginia Conferences December 26, 2024
house, 2 ¼ miles west of Frederick City, Md. While Mr. Kemp was likely engaged to some extent in preaching
at this time, he was not a regularly recognized preacher. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 140; see also pp. 41, 124,
165, 224-229]; [Glovier 1965, pp. 20-22, 48-49, 56, 87, 241, 303]; and [Lycoming 2013]
KEPHART: Bishop Ezekiel Boring Kephart,
D.D., 24th bishop of the UBIC, presided over the
U.B. Va. Conf. in 1888, 1892, 1894, 1898-99, and
1901. He was born Nov. 6, 1834, to Henry and
Sarah Kephart. He married Susan J. Trefts (1835-
1922). He dedicated Inwood Church and Roanoke
Church in 1895. He was elected bishop for 4 years
in 1881 and again in 1885. E. B. Kephart was
born in Decatur, Pa., was a student at Williamsport
Dickins Seminary, 1856-57, and Mount Pleasant
College, 1857; received his Clearfield Circuit
quarterly conference license in 1858 (1857?); taught public school, 1858-59; entered the ministry in 1859
when he was licensed by Allegheny Conf., was ordained there in 1861, and became principal of Michigan
Collegiate Institute, Leonti, Michigan, in 1865, in which year he was graduated at Otterbein University, Ohio.
He served Troutville Mission, 1859-60; Johnstown, 1860-61; Altoona First, 1861-63; and Greensburg and
Mount Pleasant, 1863-64. He accepted a pastorate in Pennsylvania in 1866, where he served Rochester and
Industry, 1866-67; and Mount Pleasant Circuit, 1867-68; became president of Western College, Iowa, in
1868; and in 1881 was consecrated bishop. Otterbein university gave him the degree of D.D. in 1881.
Bishop Kephart served in the state senate of Iowa in 1871-75. See [John 1907]. Note: Ezekiel B. Kephart is
the son of Henry Kephart and the brother of Cyrus J. Kephart and Isaiah L. Kephart. He is the father of Emma
May Kephart Roop, wife of Hervin U. Roop, and of Lulu Maude Kephart, wife of L. Franklin John of the St.
Joseph Conference. The picture on the right is from [U.B. Yearbook 1898, p. 23]. [John 1907, pp. 97, 176,
which provided the two pictures on the left; Funkhouser 1921, pp. 196, 289, 292, 294-296; Glovier 1965,
pp. 162, 231, 253; Lycoming 2013]
KERNS: Gary L. Kerns served Sleepy Creek Circuit, 1966-69. He became a Probationer in 1965. In
Apr. 2004 he was living in Hedgesville, W.Va. He conducted graveside services for Ramona Iden at Great
Cacapon Cemetery in Berkeley Springs, W.Va., in Oct. 2004. He is not listed in the 1985, 1990, or 1995 UMC
General Minutes.
KESECKER: Earl Raymond “Roy” Kesecker, a native of Morgan County, W.Va., was
converted in early life and united with the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. He joined
Va. Conf. in 1922 and was assigned to Franklin Circuit. He was ordained in 1939. He served
the following Circuits in the Conference: Franklin, 1922-24; New Creek, 1924-27; Great
Cacapon, 1927-33; Lacey Springs, 1933-36; Sleepy Creek, 1936-40; Riverton, 1940-47; Jones
Spring, 1947-51; and Berkeley-Morgan, 1951-56. He retired in 1956 and lived in his own
home, Route 1, Berkeley Springs, W.Va. He transferred to the Baltimore Conference UMC in
1973. He died on June 28, 1974, and is buried at the Mt. Zion UMC Cemetery at Spohrs Cross
Roads, W.Va. His memoir is provided in Section II.A (below). His memoir is provided in
Section II.A (below). The picture is from [Glovier 1965, p. 82], taken on the occasion of his
retirement in 1956. [Glovier 1965, p. 264; see also pp. 91, 150, 257, 258, 262]
KESNER: Olin Raymond Kesner was born Oct. 31, 1903,
at Kline, W.Va. He was converted and joined the U.B. Church
at the age of 12. His education consisted of high school, two
years in college (Shenandoah College, Class of 1941), and
Bible school graduate. He joined the conference in 1933 and
later became an ordained elder. He was united in marriage to
Miss Evelyn Mae Moore of Manassas, Va. He has served
Wagon Mound in New Mexico; and, in Va. Conf., Manassas,
1932-38; all of Mt. Clinton, Mt. Horeb, and Otterbein, 1938-
39; both Mt. Horeb and West Rockingham, 1939-41;
Edinburg, 1941-47; Inwood-Pikeside, 1947-57; and Waynesboro, 1957-69. In 1964 he was Chairman of the
Conference Committee on Ministers Retirement and Widows Aid. After retiring on June 5, 1969, he and Mrs.
Kesner lived in Woodstock, Virginia. Rev. Kesner passed away Mar. 31,1984. His memoir, as well as his
wife’s, is provided in Section II.A (below). [Glovier 1965, p. 276; see also pp. 86, 91, 131, 206, 222, 240,
244, 250, 257, 259, 276] and [Burch 1985, p. 30]
KESSEL: Haven W. Kessel (1913-2008) of the Mt. Olive-Kessel Class, Petersburg Charge, Kessel, W.Va.,
was granted Quarterly Conference License on July 17, 1938—“he is in college completing his studies in
preparation for his life work.” [Conference Minutes 1938] He was a minister, teacher, and eldest child of
Biographical Sketches 86
house, 2 ¼ miles west of Frederick City, Md. While Mr. Kemp was likely engaged to some extent in preaching
at this time, he was not a regularly recognized preacher. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 140; see also pp. 41, 124,
165, 224-229]; [Glovier 1965, pp. 20-22, 48-49, 56, 87, 241, 303]; and [Lycoming 2013]
KEPHART: Bishop Ezekiel Boring Kephart,
D.D., 24th bishop of the UBIC, presided over the
U.B. Va. Conf. in 1888, 1892, 1894, 1898-99, and
1901. He was born Nov. 6, 1834, to Henry and
Sarah Kephart. He married Susan J. Trefts (1835-
1922). He dedicated Inwood Church and Roanoke
Church in 1895. He was elected bishop for 4 years
in 1881 and again in 1885. E. B. Kephart was
born in Decatur, Pa., was a student at Williamsport
Dickins Seminary, 1856-57, and Mount Pleasant
College, 1857; received his Clearfield Circuit
quarterly conference license in 1858 (1857?); taught public school, 1858-59; entered the ministry in 1859
when he was licensed by Allegheny Conf., was ordained there in 1861, and became principal of Michigan
Collegiate Institute, Leonti, Michigan, in 1865, in which year he was graduated at Otterbein University, Ohio.
He served Troutville Mission, 1859-60; Johnstown, 1860-61; Altoona First, 1861-63; and Greensburg and
Mount Pleasant, 1863-64. He accepted a pastorate in Pennsylvania in 1866, where he served Rochester and
Industry, 1866-67; and Mount Pleasant Circuit, 1867-68; became president of Western College, Iowa, in
1868; and in 1881 was consecrated bishop. Otterbein university gave him the degree of D.D. in 1881.
Bishop Kephart served in the state senate of Iowa in 1871-75. See [John 1907]. Note: Ezekiel B. Kephart is
the son of Henry Kephart and the brother of Cyrus J. Kephart and Isaiah L. Kephart. He is the father of Emma
May Kephart Roop, wife of Hervin U. Roop, and of Lulu Maude Kephart, wife of L. Franklin John of the St.
Joseph Conference. The picture on the right is from [U.B. Yearbook 1898, p. 23]. [John 1907, pp. 97, 176,
which provided the two pictures on the left; Funkhouser 1921, pp. 196, 289, 292, 294-296; Glovier 1965,
pp. 162, 231, 253; Lycoming 2013]
KERNS: Gary L. Kerns served Sleepy Creek Circuit, 1966-69. He became a Probationer in 1965. In
Apr. 2004 he was living in Hedgesville, W.Va. He conducted graveside services for Ramona Iden at Great
Cacapon Cemetery in Berkeley Springs, W.Va., in Oct. 2004. He is not listed in the 1985, 1990, or 1995 UMC
General Minutes.
KESECKER: Earl Raymond “Roy” Kesecker, a native of Morgan County, W.Va., was
converted in early life and united with the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. He joined
Va. Conf. in 1922 and was assigned to Franklin Circuit. He was ordained in 1939. He served
the following Circuits in the Conference: Franklin, 1922-24; New Creek, 1924-27; Great
Cacapon, 1927-33; Lacey Springs, 1933-36; Sleepy Creek, 1936-40; Riverton, 1940-47; Jones
Spring, 1947-51; and Berkeley-Morgan, 1951-56. He retired in 1956 and lived in his own
home, Route 1, Berkeley Springs, W.Va. He transferred to the Baltimore Conference UMC in
1973. He died on June 28, 1974, and is buried at the Mt. Zion UMC Cemetery at Spohrs Cross
Roads, W.Va. His memoir is provided in Section II.A (below). His memoir is provided in
Section II.A (below). The picture is from [Glovier 1965, p. 82], taken on the occasion of his
retirement in 1956. [Glovier 1965, p. 264; see also pp. 91, 150, 257, 258, 262]
KESNER: Olin Raymond Kesner was born Oct. 31, 1903,
at Kline, W.Va. He was converted and joined the U.B. Church
at the age of 12. His education consisted of high school, two
years in college (Shenandoah College, Class of 1941), and
Bible school graduate. He joined the conference in 1933 and
later became an ordained elder. He was united in marriage to
Miss Evelyn Mae Moore of Manassas, Va. He has served
Wagon Mound in New Mexico; and, in Va. Conf., Manassas,
1932-38; all of Mt. Clinton, Mt. Horeb, and Otterbein, 1938-
39; both Mt. Horeb and West Rockingham, 1939-41;
Edinburg, 1941-47; Inwood-Pikeside, 1947-57; and Waynesboro, 1957-69. In 1964 he was Chairman of the
Conference Committee on Ministers Retirement and Widows Aid. After retiring on June 5, 1969, he and Mrs.
Kesner lived in Woodstock, Virginia. Rev. Kesner passed away Mar. 31,1984. His memoir, as well as his
wife’s, is provided in Section II.A (below). [Glovier 1965, p. 276; see also pp. 86, 91, 131, 206, 222, 240,
244, 250, 257, 259, 276] and [Burch 1985, p. 30]
KESSEL: Haven W. Kessel (1913-2008) of the Mt. Olive-Kessel Class, Petersburg Charge, Kessel, W.Va.,
was granted Quarterly Conference License on July 17, 1938—“he is in college completing his studies in
preparation for his life work.” [Conference Minutes 1938] He was a minister, teacher, and eldest child of
Biographical Sketches 86
