Page 99 - United Brethren Preachers
P. 99
Volume 9 Preachers of U.B. and EUB Virginia Conferences December 26, 2024
Elmer and Lillian (Bean) Kessel. Haven served in the U.S. Army, 1941-1946 (16Jun1941-08Feb1946), and
retired from the Army Reserve. In 1941, he married Laura P. Sheets of Brooklyn, Iowa, and they had three
children: Jeanette (m. Berry), Sylvia (m. Dean), and Jolene (m. Fretwell). After 1994 Rev. Haven and Laura
Kessel lived in Staunton, Va. On the 1940 Census, he gave his occupation as "minister,” but there is no
record of a U.B. or EUB appointment for him. Haven was born October 30, 1913, and died August 8, 2008,
having lived 94 years, 9 months, and 8 days. [Herbaugh 2013d]
KESSLER: Elias Alvin Kessler (b. Nov. 28, 1904; d. Jan. 18, 1992; mar. Emma Mary Smeltzer) served
Otterbein Circuit, 1934-36; South Branch Circuit, 1939-41; Antioch Circuit, 1941-44; and Pleasant Valley
Circuit, 1946-51. He received his Barry Circuit quarterly conference license in 1935 and graduated from
Shenandoah College in 1936. He was licensed and joined East Pa. Conf. in 1938. He transferred to Va. Conf.
in 1940 and was ordained in 1944. He served Beaver Falls EUB First (Bennetts Run Circuit, Western Pa.
Conf.56), 1951-55, Bradenville, 1955-58; Port Matilda, 1958-60; Conemaugh Calvary, 1960-67; and
Conemaugh Calvary-Johnston Mt. Hope, 1967-70. He retired in 1970, and while retired served Cassellman,
1971-74. In 1985 and 1990 (but not 1995) he was listed in the UMC General Minutes as a retired elder in
Western Pa. Conf. In 1987 he was living in Somerset, Pa. He is the author (self-published) of Reiflich and
Sequel as a Country Preacher Discovers While Searching the Scriptures. [Glovier 1965, p. 91;
Lycoming 2013]
KESSLER: Matthias Kessler became a member of Conference in 1801. He died about 1812. [Funkhouser
1921, p. 140; see also pp. 124, 225, 228-229] and [Glovier 1965, p. 87]
KETTERMAN: J. G. Ketterman embraced religion when but a boy. Sometime shortly after the Civil War he
was licensed by the Quarterly Conference to preach, and, in 1880, he was admitted to the Virginia Annual
Conference. He was a sound, forcible, and faithful itinerant preacher, loved and respected by all. He served
Mill Creek, 1898-1880, and Garrett, 1880-83. His last circuit was Lost River Mission, 1883-84. He performed
the Franklin-Ritenour marriage in Sep. 1883. He died Dec. 11, 1884, at his residence on Lost River Mission,
Hardy County, W.Va., at the age of 50 years. He was buried in Bakers Run U.B. Church Cemetery, Hardy
County, W.Va. His memoir is provided in Section II.A (below). [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 140, 173-174; see
also pp. 127, 277-285] and [Glovier 1965, pp. 93, 102]
KIBLER: William Howard Kibler, III, son of William H. Kibler, Jr., and Vivian Lucille Devine
Kibler was born Aug. 9, 1945, in Martinsburg, W.Va. He was active in the Baptist Church, but
attended the Youth Fellowship services at St. Luke’s Church. He united with St. Luke’s Church
in 1964, following his decision for the gospel ministry. He is [1965] in the second year at
Shepherd College and assists the pastor at St. Luke’s Church. [Glovier 1965, pp. 297, 302]
KIMES: J. M. Kimes served Berkeley Springs Station, 1927-28. [Glovier 1965, p. 91]
KIMMERLING: Henry Kimmerling became a member of Conference and licensed to preach in 1825.
[Funkhouser 1921, p. 125, 140, 237]
KINNEAR (KENIER, KERNER): William Kinnear became a member of Conference in 1828; ordained 1831.
He was designated a Conference Itinerant, 1830-31. Member of Pa. Conf. of 1833, where he served
Huntingdon Circuit, 1831-32; and Juniata Circuit, 1832-33. He withdrew in 1833. Funkhouser 1921, p. 140;
see also pp. 125, 240-243]; [Glovier 1965, p. 88]; and [Lycoming 2013]
KIRACOFE: George William Kiracofe (b. Aug. 5,
1847; d. Aug. 19, 1919; mar. Katharine Kootnz)
became a member of Va. Conference in 1874;
ordained, 1877; and served Rockbridge, 1873-75;
Potomac, 1875-77; and New Creek, 1877- 78. He
transferred to Pa. Conf. in 1878 and served Liverpool,
1878-79; Perry Circuit, 1879-81; Littlestown Circuit,
1881-83; Greenmount Circuit; 1883-86; and
Winterstown Circuit, 1886-88. In 1890 he entered
the ministry of the Baptist Church. Note: George W.
Kiracofe is a brother to John Wesley Kiracofe and Nimrod A. Kiracofe. The picture is from [Holdcraft 1938,
p. 307] , taken in 1888. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 140; see also pp. 127, 271-277, 293] and [Glovier 1965,
p. 89; Lycoming 2013]. [The group picture above is from http://www.shambaugh.org/pictures.htm. Kiracofe family
reunion near Mt. Solon, Va., 1912; front, left to right: Mamie Daggy, dau of Zacharias and Mary Jane (Kiracofe) Daggy;
Anvilla Rundles, wife of Charles Hiram Kiracofe, 1843-1942; Myrtle (Kiracofe) Cooper, dau of George William Kiracofe (b.
1876); Mary Jane (Kiracofe) Daggy 1851-1923; Susan Penora Buxton, wife of John Wesley Kiracofe, 1853-1939; Lilly
56 [Young 2013, p. 10]. 87
Biographical Sketches
Elmer and Lillian (Bean) Kessel. Haven served in the U.S. Army, 1941-1946 (16Jun1941-08Feb1946), and
retired from the Army Reserve. In 1941, he married Laura P. Sheets of Brooklyn, Iowa, and they had three
children: Jeanette (m. Berry), Sylvia (m. Dean), and Jolene (m. Fretwell). After 1994 Rev. Haven and Laura
Kessel lived in Staunton, Va. On the 1940 Census, he gave his occupation as "minister,” but there is no
record of a U.B. or EUB appointment for him. Haven was born October 30, 1913, and died August 8, 2008,
having lived 94 years, 9 months, and 8 days. [Herbaugh 2013d]
KESSLER: Elias Alvin Kessler (b. Nov. 28, 1904; d. Jan. 18, 1992; mar. Emma Mary Smeltzer) served
Otterbein Circuit, 1934-36; South Branch Circuit, 1939-41; Antioch Circuit, 1941-44; and Pleasant Valley
Circuit, 1946-51. He received his Barry Circuit quarterly conference license in 1935 and graduated from
Shenandoah College in 1936. He was licensed and joined East Pa. Conf. in 1938. He transferred to Va. Conf.
in 1940 and was ordained in 1944. He served Beaver Falls EUB First (Bennetts Run Circuit, Western Pa.
Conf.56), 1951-55, Bradenville, 1955-58; Port Matilda, 1958-60; Conemaugh Calvary, 1960-67; and
Conemaugh Calvary-Johnston Mt. Hope, 1967-70. He retired in 1970, and while retired served Cassellman,
1971-74. In 1985 and 1990 (but not 1995) he was listed in the UMC General Minutes as a retired elder in
Western Pa. Conf. In 1987 he was living in Somerset, Pa. He is the author (self-published) of Reiflich and
Sequel as a Country Preacher Discovers While Searching the Scriptures. [Glovier 1965, p. 91;
Lycoming 2013]
KESSLER: Matthias Kessler became a member of Conference in 1801. He died about 1812. [Funkhouser
1921, p. 140; see also pp. 124, 225, 228-229] and [Glovier 1965, p. 87]
KETTERMAN: J. G. Ketterman embraced religion when but a boy. Sometime shortly after the Civil War he
was licensed by the Quarterly Conference to preach, and, in 1880, he was admitted to the Virginia Annual
Conference. He was a sound, forcible, and faithful itinerant preacher, loved and respected by all. He served
Mill Creek, 1898-1880, and Garrett, 1880-83. His last circuit was Lost River Mission, 1883-84. He performed
the Franklin-Ritenour marriage in Sep. 1883. He died Dec. 11, 1884, at his residence on Lost River Mission,
Hardy County, W.Va., at the age of 50 years. He was buried in Bakers Run U.B. Church Cemetery, Hardy
County, W.Va. His memoir is provided in Section II.A (below). [Funkhouser 1921, pp. 140, 173-174; see
also pp. 127, 277-285] and [Glovier 1965, pp. 93, 102]
KIBLER: William Howard Kibler, III, son of William H. Kibler, Jr., and Vivian Lucille Devine
Kibler was born Aug. 9, 1945, in Martinsburg, W.Va. He was active in the Baptist Church, but
attended the Youth Fellowship services at St. Luke’s Church. He united with St. Luke’s Church
in 1964, following his decision for the gospel ministry. He is [1965] in the second year at
Shepherd College and assists the pastor at St. Luke’s Church. [Glovier 1965, pp. 297, 302]
KIMES: J. M. Kimes served Berkeley Springs Station, 1927-28. [Glovier 1965, p. 91]
KIMMERLING: Henry Kimmerling became a member of Conference and licensed to preach in 1825.
[Funkhouser 1921, p. 125, 140, 237]
KINNEAR (KENIER, KERNER): William Kinnear became a member of Conference in 1828; ordained 1831.
He was designated a Conference Itinerant, 1830-31. Member of Pa. Conf. of 1833, where he served
Huntingdon Circuit, 1831-32; and Juniata Circuit, 1832-33. He withdrew in 1833. Funkhouser 1921, p. 140;
see also pp. 125, 240-243]; [Glovier 1965, p. 88]; and [Lycoming 2013]
KIRACOFE: George William Kiracofe (b. Aug. 5,
1847; d. Aug. 19, 1919; mar. Katharine Kootnz)
became a member of Va. Conference in 1874;
ordained, 1877; and served Rockbridge, 1873-75;
Potomac, 1875-77; and New Creek, 1877- 78. He
transferred to Pa. Conf. in 1878 and served Liverpool,
1878-79; Perry Circuit, 1879-81; Littlestown Circuit,
1881-83; Greenmount Circuit; 1883-86; and
Winterstown Circuit, 1886-88. In 1890 he entered
the ministry of the Baptist Church. Note: George W.
Kiracofe is a brother to John Wesley Kiracofe and Nimrod A. Kiracofe. The picture is from [Holdcraft 1938,
p. 307] , taken in 1888. [Funkhouser 1921, p. 140; see also pp. 127, 271-277, 293] and [Glovier 1965,
p. 89; Lycoming 2013]. [The group picture above is from http://www.shambaugh.org/pictures.htm. Kiracofe family
reunion near Mt. Solon, Va., 1912; front, left to right: Mamie Daggy, dau of Zacharias and Mary Jane (Kiracofe) Daggy;
Anvilla Rundles, wife of Charles Hiram Kiracofe, 1843-1942; Myrtle (Kiracofe) Cooper, dau of George William Kiracofe (b.
1876); Mary Jane (Kiracofe) Daggy 1851-1923; Susan Penora Buxton, wife of John Wesley Kiracofe, 1853-1939; Lilly
56 [Young 2013, p. 10]. 87
Biographical Sketches
