BIOS: Bishop Conrad Gillian LINT, Meyersdale, Somerset County, PA File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Candace Roth Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/somerset/ ________________________________________________ History of Bedford & Somerset Counties, PA; v.3; Bedford County by E. Howard Blackburn; Somerset County by William H. Welfley; Lewis Pub. Co., NY/Chicago 1906; ppg. 122-125 Bishop Conrad Gillian LINT. Bishop Conrad Gillian Lint, who for over fifty years has served as pastor of the local congregation of the German Baptist Brethren church at Meyersdale, was born May 19, 1834, at Meyers Mills (now Meyersdale), Somerset county, Pennsylvania, the son of Gillian Christian and Elizabeth (Hochstetler) Lint, of Swiss and German descent, respectively. Christian Lint, grandfather, was born in Pennsylvania. He became a farmer in Somerset county, and later in life removed to Ohio, where he died. His wife was Miss Lichteberger, of Westmoreland county. They had children as follows: Christian, John, Jacob, Conrad, Daniel, Elizabeth (Mrs. Baker), and Gillian C. Jacob bought the home farm, where he died at the age of ninety. Gillian Christian Lint, father, was a native of Somerset county, born March 19, 1808, in the section that is now known as Jefferson township, a short distance west of Somerset town. He was a blacksmith by trade, and followed this occupation for a number of years in Meyers Mills. He was the first justice of the peace in Summit township and served in that capacity for fourteen years, and during this period never had a case reversed by the courts. Gillian C. Lint married, March 6, 1832, Elizabeth Hochstetler, who was born April 18, 1812, a daughter of Jacob Hochstetler, of Somerset county. The following children were the issue of this marriage union: Conrad Gillian, see forward; Margaret (Mrs. Samuel Foust), born February 14, 1836, died May 2, 1884, at Meyersdale; Eliza (Mrs. M. D. Miller), April 12, 1838; Anna (Mrs. Israel Berkley), January 4, 1841; William Gillian, March 14, 1843, died July 1, 1903, at Meyersdale; Mary (Mrs. Isaac Miller), August 4, 1844; Daniel Gillian, February 1, 1847, died February 9, 1905, at Cross Roads; Zacharia, October 1, 1848, died May 19, 1849, at Meyersdale; Lydia (Mrs. Alex. E. Shoemaker), April 24, 1850; Sarah Jane, November 5, 1852, died August 25, 1854; and Edward, born and died October 1, 1859. Gillian C. Lint died May 20, 1893. His wife, Elizabeth, died June 25, 1881. Conrad Gillian Lint obtained his early intellectual training in the subscription schools of his day under the preceptorship of some of the prominent educators of the country. Among them were numbered Alexander Stutzman, who later became a leading attorney of Somerset county; Joseph Stutzman, afterwards the first school superintendent in the county after the installation of public schools; Christ Stutzman, M. D.; Frank Stutzman, attorney-at-law; W. J. Baer, later judge in the court of common pleas; C. C. Musselman, afterwards an assemblyman; and General William H. Koontz. Under these eminent instructors Mr. Lint acquired an education of no mean dimensions, and was prominent in the numerous literary societies of the day. Being of a studious nature and a great reader, Mr. Lint succeeded in amassing a fund of information on all subjects, that became of inestimable value to him when he entered the ministry. Early in young manhood, and before he left the school-room, he entered into an apprenticeship to learn the blacksmith trade with his father. He was engaged in this occupation until 1866, and during the period spent at the smithy became very proficient. It is said that he had few if any equals in the work of the anvil, while he attained to an unusual degree of success in the more technical points in the trade. During the seven years of more in which he was engaged at this hard labor he attended night schools, and pursued his studies with the utmost assiduity and earnestness. He was baptized June 16, 1855, by Elder Jacob Blough, in the church over which he now presides. On the same day he was made deacon of the church, which was a most unusual event. The confidence and trust reposed in him by the members of the congregation are attested by the fact that on the 24th of June, eight days after his baptism, he was admitted to the ministry. He was but twenty-one years of age at this time, but of ability and wisdom beyond his years. His advancement in the church was rapid, and the trust reposed in him by the church has been in no manner betrayed. The district in which his church is located was at that time called Elk Lick. It was later changed to Dale city, but in 1870 assumed its present form, Meyersdale. In early life Rev. Lint had taken several courses in vocal culture, and at the time he was elected to the ministry he was engaged in teaching vocal music in the evenings. He had three large classes in the community, but finding it necessary to devote his entire time and attention to his church work he immediately closed his music classes. Rev. Lint's life was a very busy one at that time. Laboring at the blacksmith shop every day, diligently studying evenings, and filling widely distributed ministerial appointments on Sundays, his time was very closely occupied. When he began his ministerial work the church membership was about one hundred and seventy-five in the entire district, embracing six regular preaching stations. It was the custom of the bishop to start out early Sunday morning on horseback, no matter how inclement the weather might be or how impassable the roads. Frequently he would return late at night, sometimes having eaten nothing during the day but a light meal before starting. In 1865 the bishop of the district, Rev. John Berkley, died, and in 1867 Rev. Lint was made his successor, the church membership having grown at this time to three hundred. For over half a century this has been his field of labor, and during this time he has officiated at over five hundred funerals, covering a territory as far east as Wellersburg, and west to Somerfield. Services were at first conducted in private residences; in 1847 the Summit Mills meeting house was built, and in 1852 the first meeting house in Meyersdale was erected on the site of the present German Baptist Brethren church. Bishop Lint is possessed of unusual ability as a preacher, and having been, during all the years he spent in the ministry, a close student of the Bible, few have a clearer understanding than he concerning the things spoken of therein. His sermons are interesting and direct, and great numbers are always attracted on the occasions of their rendering. He is still in charge of the Meyersdale church. June 24, 1905, was the fiftieth anniversary of his election to the ministry, and on the following Sunday he preached a sermon in honor of the event. Personally Bishop Lint is a man of genial and pleasant disposition, and greatly loved by all who know him. In his political relations he accords allegiance to the Republican party. All his relatives are Democrats, except his father, who joined the Republican organization in 1856. The bishop has never held public office, although repeatedly urged to do so. He is deeply interested in educational affairs and served as school director for five terms of three years each, from 1858 to 1873. He married, in 1855, Catherine Flickinger, a daughter of Samuel Flickinger, of Elk Lick township. No children have been born of this marriage union.