The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-12-31
Father Henry Boehm.
(New York Times, Dec. 80. |

Father Henry Boehm, the patriarch Of
the Methodist Episcopal Church, died
at the residence Of his granddaughter,
near Richmond, Staten Island, ON Tues
day afternoon at sunset, having passed
his one hundredth birthday on June Of
the present year. Father Boehm was
the oldest clergyman in the wofld, there
being no other who has attained the age
of one hundred years. Taken all in all,
his life has not a parallel in civil or &C.
clesiastical history.
He was Older than the Republic, being
born a subject of George LII in IT'S, older
than the Methodist Episcopal Church,
whose first general conference he at
tended in Baltimore in 1860. He was a
young man when Webster, Calhoun, and
CLAY were born, and was old enou gh to
mourn the death of John and Charles
Wesley, the great leaders OF the Method.
list Church. He lived under every Presi-
dent from Washington to Grant, cast
ing his first vote for John Adams in 1896.
There are other centenarians, but he
Of his faculties TO the last could speak
inteIligently and authoritatively of the
entire history OF his country and his
church. He read the newspapers and
kept himself thoroughly intorMed on all
matters. Father Boehm was bora in
Conestoga, Lapcaster county, Penn,
and in that immediate vicinity passed
dis youth. He always remembered his
schoolmaster, and has often spoken Of
him. His name was Henry Rosman, a
native of Hesse Cassel, and was one OF
the Hessian soldiers taken prisoner at
Trenton by Washington.
When fifteen years old Father Boehm
was apprenticed to learn the millip 9
business, and according to his own story
fell in with bad company, and was rap
an elder OF the Mennonite Church, but
then Methodist local preacher, discov-
cred the sons way and by
prayer and remonstrance reclaimed him,
and he was converted shortly afterward
| and entered upon his life OF Christian
| work as q Methodist class-leader. In
| January, 1900, he was appointed circuit
lpreacher Of the Dorchester Circuit, on
| the eastern shore. of Maryland, then in
the Phiiadelphia Conference.
From this time forward he did not
cease work until age compelled him to
4 forego the fatigue, having travelled over
lone hundred thousand miles on horse.
back, preaching The gospel and assisting
Bishops in the care OF outposts. Father
Boehm was almost a contemporary with
l
heard Robert Strawbridge, the founaer
of Methodism in Maryland, preach ID
IIiis own father's house, and Benjamin
Abbott, at the sound Oh whose voice, he
says, the people fell like dead men.
He received his commission from
Bishop Whatcoat, who was commits
stoned by Wesley himself, SO that Father
Boehm was always said TO be in tht
direct Apostolic succession. He waf
| tor i've years the travelling companion d
Bishop Asbury, who with Ceke ana
| Whatcoat were the first Bishops of tht
| Americsn Methodist Episcopal Church
Jesse Lee, the first historian of Method.
ism, was during bis last days the care
Of Father Boehm. He attended the first
| Methodist cannp-meeting held in Mary
land, and personally assisted In the
great revival OF the early part of the
century.
He was prevailed upon to write thu
story Of his lie and "reminiscences, and
with the assistance OF Rev. j. B. Wake
ley, D. D., now dead, produced, in 1865
one OF the most valuable works OF the
kind. The book, with supplement bring
| ing the story down to DR.. B0ehn's last
birthday, was republished this season
under the title "The Patriarch OF One
Hundred Years. the last ten years oil
| the patriarch's d life have been spent iii
tquiet retirement, Under Che care and
l nursing Of erandkranddaugh
ter, his wife having 0ied twenty three
yearsago, at'tlie time twenty years his
jupior. ss..
i The laet year has been. however. /