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Archiver > BRETHREN > 1998-09 > 0906505981


From: Merle Rummel <>
Subject: Re: surname lookup
Date: Tue, 22 Sep 1998 19:13:01 -0400


>I put in a request to Merle but I think it must have gotten side tracked
along the way to reaching him. I am looking for in formation on:
>Jacob Wohlgamuth and Elizabeth Bisel
> They migrated from York Co in 1815 with others to Wayne County OH -
Wyandot County OH
---------
> have previously asked if anyone had info on the church in Pasco, Shelby Co
OH, with no response. Since I have been told that my GGrandparents, David
and Elizabeth Shaffner were members there
-----------

My apologies: No -I didn't see it! but -- Wayne and Wyandot Cos are in
Northern Ohio -while I've been through both Counties (even twice this
summer), I really do not know much about Brethren History in that area. I
remember the query for Shelby Co and do occasionally go there, but have not
recently. Its been on a waiting list, and I have hoped someone else had
answered.

I need to explain a limitation on my assistance. As a Historian, I could
easily get myself too involved, so much that I would get nothing completed.
As such, I have chosen one LARGE area of research, plus one that is more
limited.

[You see, until I got too involved with History --I'm a Ham Radio Operator,
and was doing microwave research. I am moderator of the Microwave Forum at
the annual (world's largest) Dayton HamVention. Most of the College
courses I taught were in Physics and Electronics (retired). I'm currently
teaching just one College course -Bible Survey.]

I researched and wrote a documentary History of the Four Mile Church, the
first Brethren Church in Indiana (well, yes, Fern -the oldest Existing
Church), where I live, my wife's ancestry, going back to Franklin Co VA and
Maryland and Pennsylvania, and being on the migration path that led west
across Indiana and to early Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas.

Most of my present research centers on building a history of the Stonelick
Church of the Brethren (sole existing meetinghouse of the Obannon Baptist
Church, the first Brethren Church north of the Ohio River) -my present
pastorate, my own ancestry, and the migration path of most of the early
Brethren who came to and through Southern Ohio. (This is requiring
background of the Brethren on the Ohio River Valley Frontier.) Both of
these churches have included MANY Early Brethren families.

I am very involved in research on the early churches in the Ohio River
Valley area. This area is Southern Ohio (and I do not often include the
churches of the Dayton area, since there are a number of people that know
considerably more about their churches in that City than I do), Southern
Indiana, and Kentucky. I also am doing most of my research between the
dates of 1780 and 1830. I do follow the families back into the Eastern
States, and this has necessitated a basic knowledge of the Early Eastern
Brethren History, and a familiarity with the various Eastern areas, but
again, there are people far more knowledgeable about those areas, than I
am. In the cases of these particular churches, I have also followed the
migration away from here, almost invariably to the west.

I am doing primary research, but I am depending on the previous work of
several Historians for guidance --Austin Cooper (2 Centuries of Brothers
Valley), which I had a small part in; Dr David Eller (Brethren Settlement
at Hinkston Creek -MA Thesis, Bethany Seminary), (Brethren in the Western
Ohio Valley -PhD Dissertation -Miami Univ, Oxford OH); Rolland Flory (Lest
We Forget); J H Moore (Some Brethren Pathfinders) and the accepted works
by Floyd Mallott, Don Durnbaugh, Roger Sappington, Martin Brumbaugh, J
Maurice Henry, etc. I frequently talk with Dr Jeff Bach, Professor of
Church History, Bethany Theological Seminary; Glenna Blackburn, Pastor of
the Strait Creek Church of the Brethren, and a former school teacher
colleague; Audrey Gilbert, Preble Co OH Historian and member of the 1st
Brethren Church; Elizabeth Lane, So Ohio Brethren Historian and Editor of
the new Southern Ohio History; Donald Bowman, former president of the
Brethren Genealogical Society, whose collection of family data is
tremendous; and of course, Fern Baldwin, Archivist at Manchester College.
I make regular use of the Brethren Library of Bethany Theological Seminary,
now here at Earlham College (Richmond IN).

My second area of research is in Northern Indiana. I was born near
Nappanee IN, and my family goes back to the early days there. I am doing
research on my families and family church (Union Center Church of the
Brethren), and following them back to the Brethren Movement to Canada in
1800, from eastern PA. I am including the migration of earliest Brethren
settlers to Elkhart Co IN, who came from my church at Cincinnati, via
Montgomery Co OH.

[Oh- "Obannon Baptist Church" that was the original name for my church!
-we didn't call ourselves "German Baptist" until there were enough English
Baptists around to make a need to differentiate. We were the first Baptist
Church -if not the FIRST Church, north of the Ohio River (at least, outside
Ft Washington, which was the original Cincinnati). The Brethren were
there, before the Indians let other settlers settle! My (non-Brethren)
Newton ancestor there, escaped the Indians 3 times, once by hiding INSIDE a
buffalo carcass! He managed to make 110 years, with 4 wives and 26
children! -the last child when he was 84 years old (documented).]

Merle C Rummel
Church Historian

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