Shenandoah County Library Archives

Shenandoah County Library Digital Archives

Elder William Peters

Files

http://10.10.10.10/zach/Morrison04000jpg/04011.jpg

Dublin Core

Title

Elder William Peters

Subject

Peters, William (1830-1922)
Clergy - Virginia - Shenandoah County

Description

Portrait of Elder William Peters later in his life. In this photograph, he is seated on a chair with an open book on his lap. He is best remembered as having organized and help build the Church of the Brethren in Fort Valley. This church is also known as the Dunkers.

Elder William Peters was from Powells Fort (Fort Valley), the son of Adam Burner (1802-1865) and Anna (Keller) (1809-1875) Peters.

His first wife was Eliza Jane (Clanahan) (1833-1910) who he married in 1852. They had a daughter, Charlotte, together. In both the 1860 and 1870 censuses, the family farmed in Fort Valley.

In December 1876, he submitted to the U.S. Government a claim for reimbursement of $20.50 due to the loss of 3500 pounds of good quality Timothy Hay he incurred during “the Rebellion” in March 1862. The record indicated that Banks’ Command was encamped at Woodstock when William Peters’ hay was taken. A receipt was given to him and that, along with testimony by his neighbors, Addison Munch and Alex Clem, swearing that he had opposed secession and was against the Rebel cause throughout the war, were required to prove he was entitled to a reimbursement. The claim was paid out in March 1877.

William Peters was also an active member of the Church of the Brethren (Dunkers) Church. By 1877, he was a Bishop and between the years, 1904-1918, “Elder William Peters” was reported many times in the Strasburg News to have preached in the area. Communities including Dry Run, Cross Roads, Oak Hill, White Chapel, Maurertown, Strasburg, and Page County benefitted from his visits.

His wife died when he was about 80 years old. Two years later, in 1912, Elder William Peters married Mary Elizabeth McInturff (1845-1935). They had ten years together before he died. The cause of death noted on his death certificate was: “Old age and worn out”.

Creator

Morrison Studio

Source

Morrison Studio Collection - Shenandoah County Historical Society

Publisher

Shenandoah County Library

Date

Undated

Contributor

Subject identified by Jeanette C. Ritenour, who has the same photograph at home.
Biographical information was compiled from public records.
Information specific to the reimbursement claim submitted by Peters was extracted from the "U.S. Southern Claims Commission Allowed Claims (1870-1888)" data base, found on Ancestry.com.

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED

Identifier

004011

Still Image Item Type Metadata

Original Format

Glass Negatives

Citation

Morrison Studio, “Elder William Peters,” Shenandoah County Library Archives, accessed December 21, 2024, https://archives.countylib.org/items/show/31998.

Comments

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