John Kline

Born in Pennsylvania in 1797 and raised from boyhood in Virginia, he became an elder in the German Baptist Brethren, the group later known as the Church of the Brethren. He was known for wide-ranging ministry journeys on horseback, visiting congregations across several states and recording much of his work in a diary that later helped preserve his story.

He is especially remembered for his strong pacifist convictions, practical care for people in his community, and influence among the Brethren during a turbulent era in American history. Accounts of his life consistently describe him as a respected preacher and church leader whose example carried unusual weight within the tradition.

His life ended violently in 1864, and he has often been remembered within Brethren history as a martyr. Because of the lasting interest in his diary and the biography drawn from it, readers today can still encounter a vivid picture of rural religious life, travel, and conscience in the mid-19th century.