The Old Furnace Church 10-025 (Part 1)

5-6-2001

The Old Furnace Church of the Brethren

A Short History

The Beginnings of the Brethren Church

    The Roman Catholic Church had become corrupt and lost control. The Lutheran and Reformed churches had made an attempt at religious freedom but soon came under the protection of the state. All three became the official churches and persecuted any who professed another faith.
    The founders of the Church of the Brethren had no creed but the New Testament scripture. This, they believed, was a complete guide for their lives. With prayer and fasting, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they sought to find the true Way.
    As well as the religious turmoil, there was almost constant warfare for most of the century. In 1618-1648 there was the Thirty Years War that involved all of continental Europe. In 1688 there began unparalleled brutality and atrocities by French soldiers. The whole country was pillaged with towns and cities burned to the ground. Over 100,000 people were murdered in the process. This never let up until the treaty of Ryswick in 1697. This time period made the people war-weary and war-hating.
    The Church is considered to have its beginnings with a man named Ernst Hochmann in the late 1600’s. Brother Hochmann had a great influence on another man named Alexander Mack. Both made many preaching tours through Germany. In 1702, Ernst Hockmann was imprisoned in the castle Detmold for a period of time for his preaching.
    Alexander Mack was a well educated man, attending the universities of the time. With several other men they prayerfully searched the Scriptures for their guidance. In 1708, Mack and seven others met by the side of the Eder River near Schwarzenau, Germany. One of the members was directed to baptize Brother Mack and in turn Mack was to baptize the other seven. This is considered the beginning of the Church of the Brethren, with Alexander Mack as its founder. Within seven years there were four other congregations that had grown from the original group of seven. The church was well on its way.
    The church followed two principles: spirituality in worship and observance of all the ordinances of the New Testament. If the New Testament taught something, the Brethren sought to do that.
    As a protest against the state religions of the day, they proclaimed, “No exercise of force in religion”. Since infant baptism would not be of free will, they opposed it; since oath taking implied pressure they opposed it; since war was an interference with the rights of others, they forbade members to participate; since God is recognized as being above the state, they sustained freedom of conscience and would obey God rather than man. Much persecution was inflicted upon the members including being chained in galleys, imprisonment, suspension by the thumbs and toes, exile and dispossession. Resenting the persecution of anyone, they were much persecuted themselves. Through all this they never persecuted anyone.
    The constant persecution and hardships led them to seek freedom in America. In 1719, a group from the Creyfelt Congregation, with Peter Becker as their leader, was the first to make the trip to America. They landed in Philadelphia, PA and traveled to Germantown where the American origin of the Church of the Brethren still exists today. A congregation was formed and the first house of worship was erected. From this location members moved out and formed other settlements and churches.
    The first love feast was held on Christmas Day, 1723, followed by the first organization of the Brethren. Brother Becker was chosen leader and minister. That day, six were baptized and the day closed with a communion service with twenty-three members participating. The following fall, an evangelistic party of fourteen men moved out to visit scattered members, encourage believers and preach to unbelievers. This first missionary journey resulted in eleven being baptized, two new congregations being formed and two ministers being elected. The American church was now a missionary church as it was in Germany.
    Until the time of the Revolutionary War the Brethren Church had spread over Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia. Reaching beyond these boundaries and mountains took place after the war.
    The Church of the Brethren was small in number but generous in spirit. It stood for higher education, earnest evangelism, pastoral care of the churches, Sunday School work, and sincere piety and devout living among its members. All this was blended together to form a sincere love and desire for reaching out to the souls of all unbelievers.

The Beaver Run Church

    The Old Furnace Congregation began with the preaching of Elder Benjamin W. Smith, of the Beaver Run Church, in the Abe Schoolhouse. The schoolhouse was located near the Abe Cemetery on the Old Furnace Road. Over the years, The Beaver Run Church, The Old Furnace Church of the Brethren and The Wiley Ford Church of the Brethren have all been a natural progression of formation and growth from one church to the next.

“Beaver Run Church 1939”

 Beaver Run Church 2003

    The Beaver Run Church was the oldest continuously run organization of the Church of the Brethren in the First District of West Virginia, although there were earlier organizations of the Brethren Church. It was located on Beaver Run Road three miles east of Burlington, WV.
    The Beaver Run congregation began when Daniel Leatherman moved from Hagerstown, MD in 1784. A family of Arnolds moved to the area a year later from Frederick, MD and both played a big part in organization of the church. Daniel Leatherman, was the founder of the Brethren Church in Maryland.
    The Beaver Run Church that was formed was considered the mother of a multitude of churches throughout the First District of West Virginia. This church seemed to have great interest in growth and expansion of the Brethren faith throughout the region. After the church building was built, the ministers of the group would preach on the first Sunday of the month. All would try to be present. On the other Sundays of the month they would scatter out to the countryside preaching in schoolhouses, homes and other churches. Faithful members of Beaver Run would often follow them to these locations to worship, traveling sometimes up to ten or twelve miles.
    Elder B. W. Smith was born in Hampshire County, WV on September 4, 1860. At the age of 19 he united with the church and was baptized by Elder Daniel B. Arnold. He was elected to the ministry at the age of twenty seven and ordained to the eldership shortly thereafter. His pioneering work started many congregations in West Virginia in his nearly fifty five years of service to the ministry.

The Old Furnace Church of the Brethren

First “Old Furnace Church of the Brethren” 1913-1944

    The Abe Schoolhouse on the Old Furnace Road was one of those pioneering places of worship. One person of this small gathering, Jacob Abe, became the first member of the congregation when he was baptized in the Little Cacapon River. This took place on his brother, John Adam Abe’s farm in Hampshire County in February, 1896. This farm was in the area below Paw Paw, WV.
    In November 1897, Alpheus Jerome Whitacre and his wife Lacy Ann (John Adam Abe’s daughter) moved to Short Gap and in May of 1898 started the first Sunday School in the Abe Schoolhouse. His family and that of Jacob Abe were the only Brethren Church families in the area. As services were held, members were continually added to the church.
    The first love feast of the congregation was held in 1908 in a machine shed on the old Abe home place on the Old Furnace Road. The first council meeting was held on August 10, 1912 in the Abe Schoolhouse. From that meeting, A. J. Whitacre and Emmer Lechliter were elected to the ministry and William Edward Abe to the deaconship and as the first church clerk.
    The congregation continued to grow and during the summer of 1913 the Furnace Chapel church was built. Materials and labor was donated by many for construction. Those on the committee to select the site were Jacob Abe, Emmer Lechliter, U. G. Umstot, Henry Nicholas Abe and Frank Baldwin. Jacob Abe donated the plot of land.
    Before construction was completed, a council meeting was held on August 30, 1913 to discuss the possibility of forming a separate congregation. The decision to select an elder-in-charge from the mother church, Beaver Run, was made.
    On April 11, 1914, an organization was formed and B. W. Smith was elected as elder-in-charge. This organization later took the name “The Old Furnace Church of the Brethren”. The name Old Furnace was chosen from an old iron ore furnace that stands to this day across the road. Later the church acquired the site of the old furnace. The first love feast held in the church was on September 12, 1914 and A. J. Whitacre was elected to the eldership in 1916. Brother Smith continued in that position for fourteen years until 1929 when   A. J. Whitacre succeeded him. Brother Whitacre served for two years and the elder-in-charge passed back to B. W. Smith for another two years.

 “Old Iron Ore Furnace" across from the Church - 2010

John H. Abe 10-024

 John H. Abe

     John H. Abe was born the son of Nicholas and Lacy Ann (Long) Abe. A (60)family photo lists his birth as March 25 1853, but I have not been able to confirm this with other records. There are a number of unknowns for him found in records.
     In the (3)1850 Census a son "John Abe" is listed with Nicholas and Lacy Ann (see post John Abe...The Unknown John 10-022). He was listed as one year of age which would put his birth about 1849. I will let you draw your own conclusions, after reading these two posts, whether or not John Abe and this John H. Abe are the same person.
     As for this John H. Abe there seems to be some discrepancy about his birth year. The (4)1860 census places his birth year as 1853. The (5)1870 census places his year of birth as 1854. The (55)1900 actually lists his birth year as 1853. The (56)1910 census places his birth year as 1853. (6)“The Abe Family Heritage”  book says 1850 and his cemetery (13)headstone says 1850.  A (60)picture from the family has a birth date on it of 1853. (6)“The Abe Family Heritage” book most likely got it’s information from the cemetery. The (5)1870 census age was most likely recorded wrong by one year (a very common occurrence).
     On (61)October 19, 1875 John H. married Mary Elizabeth McKenzie (marriage record lists her name as McKensey). He is listed as age twenty two and she as age twenty. Both are from Mineral County, West Virginia. (52)Rev. H. C. Holloway of the Kingsley M.E. Church performed the ceremony. Thirteen children were born to this union: Sarah Catherine, Martha Jane, Daniel, Rose M., Nicholas M., Harry Irland, Emily Laura Virginia, Jerry, Charles, Elmira, James, John, and an unnamed child. (55)(56)Charles, Elmira, James, John and the unnamed child died at birth or as infants.
     The (54)1880 Census shows another interesting bit of information. He is listed in two places. On June 5, 1880 he is listed as a foreman laborer on a farm. He is listed living among a number of other laborers. He is 27 years of age which would make his birth year as 1854. It say that he was unemployed for six of the previous 12 months. Apparently he has taken a farm job to make ends meet. On (53)June 10, 1880 he is also listed as living on Greene Street in Cumberland, Maryland with his wife, Mary and two daughters Sarah and Martha.
     In (57)1895 and 1896 John was living at 32 Thomas Street in Cumberland, Maryland. His occupation is listed as a "heater". It is unknown exactly what this job was.
     In (58)1897 he has moved to the rear of 23 Oldtown Road in Cumberland. His occupation at that time is listed as a fireman.
     In the (55)1900 Census John and Mary have now been married over twenty five years. Children listed here with them are: Martha, Daniel, Rosey, Nicholas, Harry, Emily and Jerry. The census also states that they had a total of 13 children but only eight of them are still living.
     The (56)1910 Census lists John and Mary with three children living at home. They are Harry, Emily and Jerry. This record also says that there were 13 children with eight still living. We can now say that five children died at birth or very young as none of them have shown up in any census record. John's last name is recorded here as "Abbe" and the family is living on Virginia Avenue in Cumberland, Maryland.
     In (59)1913 John is living at 1102 Lexington Avenue in Cumberland, Maryland and he is listed as a laborer.
     John died on (60)November 18, 1918 at the age of 68 according to the above mentioned family photo. Mary Elizabeth died (60)February 4, 1922 at the age of 70. The death date on Mary’s cemetery (13)headstone also seems to have been carved wrong. It reads 1920. Both are buried in the (13)Abe Cemetery.

Known children of John H. Abe and Mary Elizabeth (McKenzie) Abe are:
1. Sara Catherine (1876-1953)
2. Martha Jane (1879-1951)
3. Daniel Walter (1883-? )
4. Rose Mae (abt 1887- abt 1953)
5. Nicholas Millard (1888-1968)
6. Harry Irland (1893-1970
7. Emily Laura Virginia (1895-1978)
8. Jerry (abt 1897-? )

John H. Abe holding Martha Jane

Mary Catherine (Abe) Herrick 10-023

Mary Catherine (Abe) Herrick and John Adam Herrick

     Mary Catherine Abe was born on (6)(13)June 1, 1851, to Nicholas and Lacy Ann(Long) Abe. All her life she lived on or near the Abe home place. There isn't a whole lot about Mary Catherine's life that has been found. Most census records list her as a housekeeper. There seems to be a little more information on her husband. No actual birth or death records have been found for either.

     On (49)August 22, 1867, at the young age of 16, she married 32 year old John Adam Herrick. John Adam was born on (6)(13)February 28, 1835 in (5)(17)Hesse, a state in (25)Germany. His (13)headstone says he came to the United states in 1854 although the time and place of his emigration to this country has not been established. He is listed as a carpenter on the (5)1870 census and on their (49)marriage record. From the (17)(46)(47)1880 Census on he is listed as a farmer.

     Twelve children were born to this union: an unnamed infant, Nicholas, Anna Elizabeth, Magdalene, Mary Jane, Josephine, William, Elmira Martha, Amanda May, Adam, Lillian Catherine and Daisy.
     The (5)1870 Census lists John Adam and Mary Catherine with a one year old son Nicholas. An interesting find here is that a nine year old Emma Buser is living in the household. Emma is the sister of Mary Buser who married Mary Catherine's younger brother Jacob. It is unknown why she is living in this household, but Emma's sister Mary can be found (on the same page of the census) living nearby with the family of John and Sara House. For some reason this Buser family seems to have been split up. I will have to research further on the parents and for the location of any of the other children.

     The (17)1880 Census lists a 25 year old Joseph Orndorff living in the household as a farm hand. Nicholas is now deceased. Annie, Magdalene, Mary Jane and Josephine are listed. The others are not born yet.
     One reference for Mary Catherine can be found in her (7)father's will that gives her a $200.00 cash settlement from the estate. It was to be paid to her over three years by her brothers, Frederick and Jacob, because of them receiving a split of the Abe Farm.
     Her Uncle Gustus’ Abe's (18)will gave her an equal settlement of his estate with her brothers. No record of the cash settlement is known.

     Mary Catherine died on (13)June 10, 1907 at the age of 56.
     John Adam died on (13)April 6, 1921 at the age of 86.

The following are photos of a (48)German Language Bible that John Adam carried with him during The Civil War. They show the cover, title page and the first page of the "Book of Matthew". A certificate glued to the inside cover reads:


Bible House, Baltimore
                     __________________186"3"
     From the Maryland State Bible Society
to "John A. Herrick" soldier in
Comp'y "D  2" Reg. "Virginia" Vol'es.
     Should I die on the battle field or in
Hospital, for the sake of humanity, acquaint
"my Cousin Nicholas Abe" residing
at "Cumberland Maryland"
of the fact, and where my remains may be found.

Note: The words in quotation marks are handwritten in with a pencil. The "Cousin Nicholas Abe" mentioned, is actually his future father in law. It is unknown why he would be the contact person or why he is referred to as "Cousin". Also keep in mind, his future bride was only twelve years of age at this time. More confusing is this "Cousin Nicholas Abe" is supposed to be living in Cumberland, MD when he was operating a farm on the Old Furnace Road in Mineral County, WV.

UPDATE:  
New records and information on John Adam Herrick in the Civil War can be found in the post "They Abandoned the 77th Virginia Militia 11-004".  Also see Record # 0136 for more on his membership in the 2nd Virginia Infantry.

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