The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-01-01
A RIPE OLD AGE.
Death Of Father Boelim, the Meth
nhist Genfennrinn.

New YORK. December 30.-The Eren.
ing Pot announces the death yesterday Of
the Rev. Henry Boehm, better known as
Father. Boehm, the Oldest preacher Of the
Methodist Church in this country, and
probably the Oldest Clergyman in the
world, at the house OF his granddaughter,
near Richmond, Staten Island,
Father Boehm was born at Lancaster,
Pa, June 8, ,l775, or nine days previous
to the battle OF Bunker Hill. He re-
manned little over twelve months NOM
inal subject Of George Ill, and cast his
irst1yote for John Adams, as President OF
the United States. 10 rT..
hHe lived in stirring times, remember
ing the event Of the Revolutionary War,
Of the French Revolution, the Nepoleonic
and other wars-in short the most strik-
ing events Of two centuries occurred in his
youth. His manhood witnessed changes
and fortunes no less remarkable, and, in
his old age, the din Of great events was
still in the ears OF this privileged mortal.
Father Boehm Joined the Methodist Epis.
copal Church in 1897, being then in his
ed year, his father having been for many
years a minister among, the United
Brethren, and for some time Bishop OF
the same denomination. The old gentle
man Joined the Methodists before he died,
and built Boehm's Chapel, which still
exists, being the first Methodist Church
in Lancaster county. Father Boehm was
licensed to preach by the Rev. Thomas
Ware, Jan. 6, 1900, and was appointed to
travel in the Dorchester District on the
Eastern Shore, OF Maryland. He attend
ed the General Conference OF his Church
at philadelphia four years after he be-
came u preacher, and travelled with the
famous William Colbert in AnnameSsex
Circuit, gaining numerous converts to the
Methodist Church.
He subsequently, Travelled all over the
East with Bishop Asbury, and had uni
formly successful career. He Travelled
with the Bishop-who was one Of the
greatest lights Of the American Methodist
Episcopal Church-from 1903 to 1913,
when he was appointed Presiding Elder
OF the Schuylkill District, which com
prised the entire territory from, Will
mington toStroudsburg, between the Sus.
quehannah and the Delaware. ...'..
His travels with Bishop Asbury were
religiously romantic, embracing the most
picturesque region OF the East, along the
Blue Ridge Mountains, the Alleghenies,
and all the rivers and magnificent val
leys Of Virginia, Pennsylvania and Mary
land. 10
He next made acquaintance with the
most prominent Methodists OF the South,
including Loyick Pierce and William
Capers, both Of whom are well remem.
bered as guiding:stars of the Southern
Methodist Church. The division was
always heartily deplored by Father
Boehm, who used all his exertions in
latter days to bring. about union Of the
two Churches, nominally divided.
The venerable deceased attended near
ly all the great Methodist Conferences,
and was ever listened to with profound
respect, because Of his acknowledged
yea, great ability, and wonderful exper-
fence. The old man saw n steamboat for
the first time in his life at Elizabethport,
N. T., some time in 1909. twas very
crude affair, altogether unlike the float
ing palaces Of which Father BOehm had
experience before he departed to his re-
ward. He attended Bishop Whatcoat,
the parent Of Pennsylvania Methodism,
in his dying hours, at the residence of
Gov. Bassett, in Delaware, in the year
1906. Father Boehm was acquainted, he
said himself, with all the Methodist Bish-
ops from Coke to Peak, but Asbury was
the greatest and best of them all. To the
last the ancient minister preserved his
zeal for the work OF his choice, and he
has left behind him a reputati on for SELF
sacrifice and earnestness Of purpose
unexcelled by any preacher Of the Cos
nal ....