Randolph Zoller, GHS

Randolph W. Zoller was born on 17 December 1882 in Williamsport, Pa to Charles Frederick and Sarah (Lehman) Zoller. Sadly, Randolph’s mother died when he was an infant. It would be five years more before his father remarried. The family continued to live in Williamsport where his father was a cabinet maker. The family had a connection to the United Methodist Church in Williamsport. Randolph is listed as a member there in 1895. In the 1900 federal census teenaged Randolph is living at home with his father, stepmother, and half-brother. Randolph is working as a cabinet maker.

Randolph was converted on 26 December 1899 at a Gospel Worker Society mission meeting in Williamsport, with D. B. Rote, J. B. Caskie, and C. C. Haupt in charge. He entered the Gospel Herald Society on 1 April 1901.

His first assignment was in Easton, Pa. In August of 1902 he was in Phillipsburg, NJ. In April and November of 1905, according to reports in the Gospel Banner, he was in Washington, NJ. In April 1903 and 1906 he was in Philadelphia mission #2. Other places he ministered were Trenton, NJ, Stroudsburg, PA, Norristown, PA, and Philadelphia mission #1.

In 1905, Zoller was presented to Conference as a candidate and there he expressed the nature of his call. He was referred to the Committee on Examination of Applicants for Annual Conference License. He scored 80 on his exam. He went through the first year Reading Course with an average score of 68. The following year he scored an average of 62 on the Reading Course. Nevertheless, he was given an opportunity to preach at conference that year and he is listed among the Annual Conference Licensed Missionaries. In 1907 Zoller is listed as absent from conference. On page 13 of the yearbook, it is reported: “Resolved, that we drop R. W. Zoller from the church and conference.” No explanation is given.

The 1907, 1908, and 1909 Williamsport city directories list Randolph Zoller as a cabinet maker, apparently following in his late father’s shoes. This did not last long for him because he died on 25 July 1910 of tuberculosis. He is buried in Wildwood Cemetery in Williamsport.