In August, 1896, I found the grave of a Cumberland Presbyterian preacher in the Savannah Cemetery, Los Angeles County, Cal. It was a strange providence to me, as I read the inscription.

This led to much investigation and many enquiries; which resulted in the accompanying facts. In the Providence of God, four months after finding this grave, the undersigned, with the help of Dr. S. K. Holtsinger, organized a Cumberland Presbyterian Church near this grave. When (in 1866) Brother Wear organized a Cumberland Presbyterian Church at Elmonte, there was no other Cumberland Presbyterian Church in all Southern California. He never met one of his brethren on this coast. But true to his church, true to his convictions and loyal to God, though all alone he planted the Standard of his church and stood by it, until death released him from his labors. Thirty years after he fell at his post (1896), no one then living at Elmonte knew or hand ever heard of Rev. Wm B. Wear; but uncovering my head at that lonely grave, mysteriously and providentially found, I prayed, that he might have a monument to his memory--and that monument a Cumberland Presbyterian Church, :and by it, he being dead, yet speaketh" Heb. xi. 4.

Rev. William B. Wear was born in Kentucky, September 30, 1817. His parents were John and Mary Wear. They moved to Missouri at an early day, and settled in Cooper County, near Lebanon. They were Cumberland Presbyterians, and William, having been reared in that belief, and feeling a call to the ministry, came under the care of the New Lebanon Presbytery and was licensed to preach in 1841. He preached in the bounds of that presbytery for several years. In 1845 he was married to Miss Mary E. Parsons, daughter of James Parsons, of Cooper County, Missouri. In 1848 he moved to Texas, where he spent a great deal of his time in preaching in different parts of that State. He settled near Austin, the capital of that state, and at one time assisted Brother F. E. Foster, who was pastor there, in holding a camp meeting, in which there was a great revival. He had charge of the church at Round Rock, Williamson County, Texas, for some time. He was one of the first settlers of the new County of San Saba, where he organized a church. He then returned to Missouri, remaining there two years; then to Texas and settled in Denton County, where he remained until after the war. He was an ordained minister, and the last presbytery to which he belonged while in Texas was Guthrie Presbytery, which met at Gainsville, in 1865, from which he took his letter of dismissal and recommendation. He started to California, and reached San Bernardino, in December, 1865. After reaching this State he was attacked with pneumonia which resulted in consumption. Notwithstanding his poor health, he preached when able. He moved from there to El Monte where he organized a church of sixteen members, and preached while he was able. He did not attend presbytery, it being so far and his health being so poor, but he notified the presbytery of his work and the condition of his health. No one was sent to take charge, so the church finally died out, most of the members having moved away, some dying. His health continued to grow worse until on March 24, 1868, he died in the triumphs of the Christian religion that he had preached, leaving a widow and six children, two of whom have since died. He was buried in El Monte Cemetery, near Savannah, Los Angeles County, California. He widow is now living at Pomona, Los Angeles County, California .
[Source: The Cumberland Presbyterian, November 11, 1897]