Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1917-11-03

in the fall of~1S19. The parents en-
tered servitude for three years near
Hagerstown. Maryland Some time
after the termination of their service,
the parents moved to Somerset
county Pennsylvania, where the
family was subsequently united again.
When eleven years old William was
hired out to farmers, but getting a
few months school in winter. In this
way he secured what was then termed
good learning" At sixteen he taught
school at Myersyille. now Myersdale,
Pennsylvania. He put up with Mr..
Meyers, the miller, paid eight dollars
$3.50 per month for each scholar. He
connected himself with the Lutheran
church, and resolved to study for the
ministry, and in the winter of 1886
be went to Gettysburg for the puT-
pose of entering Pennsylvania Col
lege. His parents being poor, could
not help him financially. There was
no railroad then and passengers had
to travel by stage. Mr.. Gerhardt vas
too poor to avail himself of this lux
ury, and he footed it at a time when
the ground was covered with snow,
walking the distance Of one hundred
and forty miles in three and one-half
days. He graduated with honors in
1871, and spent a number of years in
teaching in Pennsylvania, Maryland,
North Carolina and West Virginia. He
was the first professor of the Luth-
eran institution located at Mount
Pleasant, North Carolina, raised it to
a college standing, under the name
of North Carolina College, which in
stitution in 1880 conferred upon him
the title of Doctor of Divinity.
In 1867 he was called to Martins
burg, West Virginia, to take charge
o fthe public schools. This was Don
after the war, when the schools We're
yet in a crude stage. He threw him
self into the work with energy, and
was the chief factor in building up a
standard of excellence in school work
which compares favorably with the
best in the state. In 1886 he retired
from the schools and the ministry.
On April 5, 1869, he instituted
washington Lodge No. l., with
eighteen charter members. and was
elected Worthy Chancellor. saA few
months later he instituted knights OF
Pythias lodges at Middleways 'Jeffer-
son county: Bath. now Berkeley
Springs, Morgan county; Piedmont,
Hampshire county, now Mineral, and
Newburg, Preston county. On July 4,
1869, al Berkeley Springs, he was the
moving spirit in organizing the Grand
Lodge Knights of Pythias of West
virginia. He opened the session with
prayer, delivered a patriotic address,
and was elected Past Grand Chan
cellor.
He has lived to see the one lodge
an deighteen members grow into 2lB
lodges with 24,471 members.
He served in the Supreme Lodge
sessions 1S69-70-71, and is the oldest
Knight of Pythias living in a mem
bership of $4,000.
In a letter addressed to Samuel b.
Montgomery, Grand Keeper of Rec
ords and Seal, dated Martinsburg, Oc-
tober 25th, and written with a lead
pencil, in a clear and legible hand,
Rev. Gerhardt said: ITO many the
rule of redemption may seem to have
been a species Of slavery, but it was
really a wise arrangement, for 1t not
only gave the honest poor a chance
to get to this free country. but they
! at once found a home, and during
this service acquired a knowledge OF
the language, manner and customs OF
their adopted country, making them
good. practical American citizens. The
knights Of Pythias, in its kindly but