USA > Illinois > Church of the Brethren in southern Illinois > Part 15
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DAVID LEWIS HECKMAN was born in Kosciusko County, Indiana, on December 27, 1853; his parents were Aaron and
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Anna Miller Heckman. He married Mary J. Brubaker on March 11, 1875. To them were born four daughters. He united with the Church of the Brethren about the time of his marriage and was elected to the office of deacon in the Macoupin Creek church, November 9, 1897. His vocation was farming in the vicinity of Virden and Girard. He served in the Macoupin Creek church in various activities and also in district work, being for a time a member of the board of trustees of the Home, to which he left a valuable gift. He died in Macoupin County, Illinois, February 28, 1931.
IRWIN DANIEL HECKMAN, son of David and Elizabeth Miller Heckman, was born near Cerro Gordo, Illinois, May 8, 1876. On August 23, 1899, he was married to Lydia Sen- senbaugh of Oakley, Illinois. To this union were born four daughters. He united with the Church of the Brethren at Oakley on September 20, 1900. After attending college at Marion, Indiana, in 1898, for a number of years he taught in the schools of Macon Coun- ty. He also took courses in agriculture at the University of Illinois, qualifying as a corn judge. For several years he gave lectures on seeds and soils in many counties of Illi- nois and served as a judge of IRWIN D. HECKMAN AND WIFE agricultural exhibits under a license from the state univer- sity. He was elected to the ministry in the Oakley church on November 30, 1906, and on November 10, 1916, was ordained to the eldership. He at-
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tended Bethany Biblical Seminary two years. Evangelistic services were conducted by him in many churches in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Colorado, and Kansas; his con- verts were numbered by the hundreds. He served on the Standing Committee a number of times, officiated as moderator of district meeting, was an efficient secretary of the board of administration for nine years, represented the district as a member of the trustee board of Manchester College, was elder of a number of the churches of the dis- trict, was a member of the district historical committee, and served the district in other capacities. He died on De- cember 28, 1943.
J. HUGH HECKMAN was born to David and Elizabeth Miller Heckman on July 17, 1887, near Hammond, Illinois. At the age of fifteen he was baptized. On August 19, 1911, he married Jennie A. Sellers of Fostoria, Ohio; one son and two daughters were born to them. He attended Colo- rado College, received an A.B. degree from Mount Morris College, a B.D. and a Th.M. from Bethany Biblical Semi- nary, and an A.M. from the University of Chicago. He was elected to the ministry in the Cerro Gordo, Illinois, church on October 7, 1905, and was ordained to the eldership in 1916. From 1915 to 1925 he taught in Bethany Biblical Sem- inary, and during the latter years of his life was professor of Bible and philosophy in McPherson College. His varied activities included some work as pastor: Rocky Ford, Colo- rado, summer of 1907; Fruita, Colorado, 1928-1933. He not only possessed analytical and oratorical gifts in pulpit work but was a writer of marked ability. Among his books are The Teacher's Appreciation of the Old Testament; Second Year Teacher Training Book (co-author). He was the writer of "Lessons in Everyday Life" in the Brethren Teachers' Monthly for thirteen years. Although he suffered much physically, he rendered sacrificial service with poise and
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judgment. He died at McPherson, Kansas, on April 23, 1933.
JOHN HECKMAN, SR., was born in Franklin County, Vir- ginia, June 28, 1810. In April of the next year the father, David Heckman, and three of his married sisters (the three married three Kinsey brothers) went by wagon to Wheeling, Virginia. Here they built a raft of logs and floated their be- longings down the Ohio River to Cincinnati; there they landed and traveled north to near New Carlisle, where they established homes in the heavily wooded new country. They lived in the vicinity of the Donnels Creek church and were among its early members. He married Louiseana Keplinger; to them was born one daughter. After his wife's early death he married Elizabeth Beanblossom Wones, a widow with three sons. One daughter and two sons were born to this union. A few months after he moved to Bond County, Illinois, his wife died, on February 3, 1860. On May 15 fol- lowing, he married Lavina Moyer Goshorn, formerly of Wayne County, Ohio, a widow with one daughter; she became the mother of Elder John Heckman of Polo, Illinois, the only child of this union. She died May 14, 1865. Again he married, this time Mrs. Cassandra Powers of Ohio, a widow with one daughter. He moved to Bond County, Illi- nois, in the fall of 1859. The old Hurricane Creek church stood on the corner of his farm. There he lived for six years, then immediately following the death of his wife in 1865 he moved near Girard, Illinois, and lived on a farm. He read much, as was indicated by the number and character of the books in his library. His death occurred on March 28, 1867. His funeral was held in the Pleasant Hill school- house as the church under construction was not yet com- pleted.
LUCILE GIBSON HECKMAN, the daughter of George W. and Rebecca Harshbarger Gibson, was born at Girard, Illi-
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nois, on August 10, 1902. Mrs. Gibson died at Lucile's birth and Lucile was taken into the home of her aunt, where she lived for twelve years, until her aunt's death. Then she made her home with her father and her step- mother. She became a member of the Church of the Brethren at Girard at the age of ten years. Mount Morris College granted her A.B. degree in 1924. She was married to Clarence Heckman on June 3, 1924. They had hoped to go to India, but when the General Mission Board asked them to go to Nigeria they were willing to go there. Her work in Nigeria in- LUCILE GIBSON HECKMAN cluded serving as housemother at the Hillcrest School, 1942-1946, and as field treasurer of the Africa mission since 1937.
WILLIAM T. HECKMAN, the son of David and Elizabeth V. Miller Heckman, was born near Oakley, Illinois, January 26, 1875. On November 3, 1895, he was baptized by Elder Granville Nevinger. He mar- ried Hannah Blickenstaff of Oakley on September 5, 1900; three sons and two daughters were born to them. He at- tended Mount Morris College three years and taught school in Macon County. From 1899 to 1946 he engaged in farming on the Heckman homestead in the Oakley (Brick) church
WILLIAM T. HECKMAN AND WIFE
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community. Elected to the ministry in the Oakley church January 10, 1901, he was ordained an elder on November 19, 1911, in the same church. From 1901 to 1949 he was minister and pastor of the Oakley church. He has held a number of evangelistic meetings in different states. Other capacities in which he served the church in this district are: elder, Champaign, 1920-1946; elder, Springfield, 1923-1934; elder, Hudson, Blue Ridge, La Motte Prairie and Oakley, and at Cerro Gordo six years; elder, Decatur, 1935-1945; elder, La Place, 1945-1948; Standing Committeeman six times; mem- ber district mission board (later the board of administra- tion) thirty-one consecutive years; moderator of district conference eight times; reader four times; committee of arrangements for the Annual Conference of 1906; trustee of Mount Morris College. Twice he served on Annual Con- ference committees to churches in other districts. For six years he was president of the board of education of the Cerro Gordo Township high school. He has preached about three hundred funerals and is a prominent leader in the home community, church and district.
SOPHIA HEITZ was born in Baden, Germany, on Septem- ber 23, 1855. When he was twelve years old he came to America. His wife was Amanda Ellen Bowyer; two sons were born to them. She died in 1922. He was baptized in the Milmine church on September 2, 1883, by M. J. McClure. This church elected him to the ministry in 1891 and or- dained him as an elder in 1898. His active ministry was largely in this congregation. He died in 1929.
JOSEPH HENDRICKS was born near Bremen, Ohio, Sep- tember 14, 1818. His first wife was Elizabeth Seitz; to them were born nine children. The mother died in 1864. He came to Cerro Gordo, Illinois, in 1867. His second mar- riage was to Mary Metzger Heckman, a daughter of Elder
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John Metzger. He united with the Church of the Brethren in Ohio at the age of twenty years, was elected to the ministry at Bremen in 1857 and ordained in the same year. After coming to Cerro Gordo he became an associate in the ministry with Elder John Metzger, and was a great leader in the early mission work of the district. He was very strong in the pulpit and was successful in evangelistic work. He did much organizational work and represented the district on Standing Committee a number of times. On January 5, 1881, he died at Cerro Gordo.
ELDO R. HENRICKS, son of Elisha and Hattie P. Scott Henricks, was born near La Place, Illinois, October 25, 1893. Lela M. Shively of La Place and he were married on August 8, 1915; two sons were born to them. He was baptized by Isaac Frantz in October 1905. He received an A.B. degree from Mount Morris College in 1927, and an A.M. from the University of Illinois in 1938. From 1912 to 1915 and again from 1919 to 1924 he taught in the public schools of Piatt County, Illinois. From 1924 to 1932 he was the business manager, treasurer and assistant professor of education at Mount Morris College. From 1935 to 1947 he was the assistant principal and teacher of mathematics ELDO R. HENRICKS in the high school at Mount Morris. He was elected a minister at La Place in December 1919 and ordained an elder in December 1927. His record of ministerial work is: elder, Mount Morris, 1937- 1947; elder, West Branch, Illinois, 1945-1947; elder, Cerro Gordo, since 1948; pastor, La Place, since 1947.
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IRA T. HIATT was born in Madison County, Indiana, March 18, 1895, the son of Cylvetus A. and Flora May Lamb Hiatt. He was baptized by J. R. Wellington on May 18, 1905. Lula May Ritchie of Muncie, Indiana, became his wife on December 23, 1914; they have three sons. After graduating from the Bible course at Manchester College in 1914 he attended Muncie Normal Institute, 1914-1915. In October 1914 he was elected deacon; in January 1915, a minister; about 1918, ordained an elder. For a num- ber of years he served on the district mission board of IRA T. HIATT AND WIFE Southern Indiana. He was a farmer-minister near Muncie, Indiana, from 1915 to 1927; pastor near Clay City, Indiana, 1927-1935; farmer near Jacksonville, Indiana, 1935-1939; in business at Fortville and Anderson, Indiana from 1939 to 1945; pastor at La Place, Illinois, 1945-1947. Since 1947 he has been the pastor of the Panther Creek church.
LEMUEL HILLERY was born in Frederick County, Mary- land, May 14, 1843. He married Mary Nicholson of Marshall- town, Iowa, on November 13, 1866; they had four daughters and one son. On April 15, 1890, he married Aloretta Nihart, of Middlebury, Indiana; one daughter came into their home. He married Mina Cripe of Goshen, Indiana, on September 21, 1895. He united with the Church of the Brethren in April 1865, was called to the ministry at Marshalltown, Iowa, and was ordained to the eldership in 1881. Brother Hillery was
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an ardent reader with an excellent memory. He preached much in Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, and Indiana. One year, 1877, was spent as pastor of the Oak Grove (then Pi- geon Creek) church. The following incident, quoted from Brethren in Northern Illinois and Wisconsin, by Heckman and Miller, illustrates well his Christian influence: "He was a natural orator, with commanding personality, and ready wit. He understood the Brethren doctrine, and defended it fearlessly. He was once called to preach in a 'wild and woolly' place, where ruffians had driven out the preacher. He had not gone far in his sermon when a half dozen heads were huddled in conversation. Lemuel paused, shot his eyes through those men, shook his shaggy head and said: 'For God's sake, men, take your seats. This is my time. When I am through it will be your time.' Stunned, they took their seats. A few months later the gang was baptized." He died at Goshen, Indiana, on August 31, 1912.
DANIEL HOLLINGER, son of Jacob and Catharine Shu- maker Hollinger, was born in Dauphin County, Pennsyl- vania, July 8, 1831. He married Leah Balsbaugh in 1902; two sons and one daughter were born to them. He was an elder when he located in Fulton County, Illinois, in 1880. A farmer preacher, he was for a short time elder- in-charge of the Astoria church.
JOSEPH HOLLINGER was born in Dauphin County, Penn- sylvania, in 1820, the son of Jacob and Catharine Hollinger. He married Lizzie Balsbaugh; to them were born four sons and two daughters. In 1880 he moved to Astoria, Illinois. A farmer minister and an ordained elder, he had charge of the Astoria church for a time.
SAMUEL A. HONBERGER, son of Charles and Catharine Honberger, was born near Lititz, Pennsylvania, on Novem- ber 10, 1842. The father was a member of the Reformed
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Church and the mother was a Lutheran. In his early life the family moved to Reading, Pennsylvania, and in the fall of 1860 to Ashland County, Ohio. Arriving here, Samuel worked as a farm hand for Daniel Artz, a member of the Church of the Brethren. He attended church services regu- larly, and on December 20, 1860, he was baptized by Isaac Schmucker. On June 4, 1864, he married Sarah Clauser; they had seven sons and three daughters. In 1867 they moved to Nebraska, locating on a homestead. The first church in Nebraska was organized in the Honberger home by Elder John Murry of Marshalltown, Iowa. In 1872 the Honbergers moved to the Kidder congregation, Missouri. On September 20, 1874, he was elected to the ministry; his ordination took place in 1878. The family moved to Roanoke, Louisiana, in 1891. Brother Honberger was pastor of the Panther Creek church, Southern Illinois, in the early 1900's, then moved to San Diego, California, in 1910. He preached in twenty-three states and in Canada.
JAMES HALE JELLISON was born in Randolph County, Indiana, January 29, 1849, the son of R. A. and Philena Hale Jellison. He married Esther Gerhart of Lawrence County, Illinois, on April 20, 1873. Two sons and two daughters were born to them. After farming and teach- ing in Whitley County, Indiana, he farmed in Lawrence County, Illinois, from 1873 to 1932. He was elected to the ministry September 25, 1875, and ordained to the eldership September 9, 1883. From 1875 to 1932 he was minister and associate elder of the Allison Prairie church. He died in Lawrence County, Illinois, September 18, 1932.
J. J. JOHNSON was born at Uniontown, Pennsylvania, February 22, 1882. His parents were John F. and Margaret Cover Johnson. He was baptized in the Woodland church near Astoria, Illinois, by F. E. Eckerle in September 1906.
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Ella M. Gruber of Astoria became his wife on October 29, 1905; one son was born to them. After farming for a while he attended Bethany Biblical Seminary, 1911-1915. His talents in carpentry, me- chanics and several related crafts bene- fited his churches as he made many improvements in their buildings. He planned and supervised the building of new parsonages at Dixon, Illinois, and Springfield, Ohio. The following sum- mary indicates his ministerial service: pastor, Dixon, Illinois, 1916-1922; pastor, Omaha, Nebraska, 1922-1926; pastor, J. J. JOHNSON Springfield, Ohio, 1926-1931; pastor, Can- ton, Illinois, 1931-1934; pastor, Logans- port, Indiana, 1934-1939; elder, Woodland, Illinois, 1931-1934; elder, Astoria, Illinois, 1931-1934; elder, Octavia, Nebraska, 1924-1926; member and officer, Nebraska mission board, 1922-1926; Standing Committee delegate. He died at Lo- gansport, Indiana, July 7, 1939.
CLEVELAND KAISER, a native of Iowa, was born on Janu- ary 12, 1889, son of Franklin and Catherine Tabor Kaiser. He married Rosa M. Harshbarger of Jeffersonville, Illinois, February 23, 1908; two sons and one daughter came into their home. One year was spent at Bethany Biblical Semi- nary. He was baptized by John W. Harshbarger, Septem- ber 11, 1911. The Liberty church, Illinois, called him to the ministry on September 15, 1912. He farmed in Michigan and Illinois, helping with the ministerial responsibilities at Liberty, Illinois, 1911-1913, Homestead, Michigan, 1913-1915, and Scottville, Michigan, 1915-1917. From 1918 to 1921 he was pastor at Batavia, Illinois. From 1921 to 1930 he shared in the work of the ministry at Hart, Michigan. He died at Flat Rock, Illinois, December 17, 1942,
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WILLIAM THOMAS KEISER was born in Augusta County, Virginia, September 5, 1845. He married Elizabeth Stoner; they had four sons. In an early day he came to Woodford County, Illinois, and settled near Roanoke, where he farmed. He served in the eldership for a number of years, and while in Southern Illinois he served the district as district officer and on committee work. In 1898 he moved to Los Angeles, California, where he engaged in the feed and fuel business and farmed. He died at Pomona, California, July 22, 1927.
CLINTON EARL KESSLER was born in Fulton County, Illi- nois, November 18, 1912, to Samuel and Minnie Etter Kess- ler. He married Fern Evelyn McMullin of Ipava, Illinois, on February 18, 1940; one son and one daughter were born to them. He was baptized by Elder S. G. Bucher, November 30, 1925. In 1936 he attended Western Illinois State Teach- ers' College; then he was interested in farming from 1938 to 1947. Licensed to the ministry in the Woodland church on January 26, 1947, he is now the pastor of the Camp Creek church, Colchester, Illinois.
B. E. KESSLER was born in Franklin County, Virginia, March 6, 1861. After taking courses in Halesford Classical and Mathematical School he taught thirty-four years in his home county. He united with the Church of the Brethren in his seventeenth year. In August 1884 he was elected to the ministry; in 1898 he became an elder. In December 1895 he came to Illinois, locating at Cornell. After four months here he was employed by the district mission board and the Macoupin Creek church as minister in the city of Litchfield, Illinois, for ten months. From there he was sent by the Gen- eral Mission Board to the Arkansas mission field, where he labored for nine years. Three congregations were organized in that field. There he received his first challenge to a debate. Following two and a half years at Norton, Kansas,
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he was called to southeastern Missouri to hold a public de- bate. He held such debates at Wanda, Nebraska, Akron, Indiana, and Miami, Texas. About 1913 he was located at Plattsburg, Missouri, by the General Mission Board. Later he became the leader of the Dunkard Brethren movement and had a part in publishing The Monitor.
HOMER NEWTON KIRACOFE began his pastoral work in the Astoria church in Southern Illinois on September 1, 1949. He came to this district from the Sugar Ridge church, Custer, Michigan, where he had served as pastor from 1941 to 1949. His parents were Minor Newton and Gertie Eavers Kira- cofe. He was born July 23, 1916, in Rockingham Coun- ty, Virginia. His marriage to Rachel Miller of Scottville, Michigan, took HOMER N. KIRACOFE AND WIFE place on June 5, 1940; to them were born three sons. His education consisted of earning an A.B. at Manchester College and a B.D. at Bethany Biblical Sem- inary. He was baptized by Noah Cool in October 1927. Elected to the ministry on May 29, 1936, he was ordained to the eldership in October 1943. He served in a summer pas- torate at Pampa, Texas, in 1939 and at Waka, Texas, in 1940. Twice he has been a member of Standing Committee.
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HOWARD JOSEPH KREIDER was born in Whitley County, Indiana, April 17, 1900. His parents were Landa U. and Erma Blanch Snell Kreider. He was baptized at Omaja, Cuba, by Ira P. Eby on June 3, 1910. He married Irene Miller, daughter of Noah H. and Elva Miller of near Cerro Gordo, Illinois, on May 14, 1925; one son and two daughters were born to them. One year was spent at Manchester Col- lege. He was elected to the ministry at La Place, Illinois, in 1928 and ordained to the eldership at the same place in 1931. As a free minister he served the Okaw congregation (now La Place) from 1928 to 1934, and as elder and pastor served the New Salem congregation near Milford, Indiana, from 1934 to 1947. Twice he was a delegate to Standing Committee, was a member of the ministerial-mission board of Northern In- diana from 1940 to 1946. He is now the pastor of the Liberty Mills church in Indiana.
HIESTER LANDES, son of Samuel M. and Rebecca Lutz Landes, was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Au- gust 7, 1865. He was baptized in the Oakley church, Illinois, by Elder John Metzger on May 24, 1880. He married Hannah J. Arnold of La Place, Illinois, February 7, 1889; four sons were born to them. The Milmine church elected him to the ministry in 1894; he was ordained to the eldership in the Okaw (now La Place) church. His contribution to the ministry has been that of a farmer-minister in the Milmine and La Place congregations.
ABRAHAM S. LEAR, son of Samuel and father of J. W., was born in Elkhart County, Indiana, May 6, 1842. In 1865 he was married to Elizabeth N. Studebaker of near Goshen, Indiana; two sons and two daughters were born to them. He was a carpenter and cabinet maker, 1865-1876, at Girard and Morrisonville, Illinois; a farmer, 1876-1882, near Mor- risonville. Elected to the ministry in 1867, he was ordained
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to the eldership in the Bear Creek church, Christian County, in 1876, and given charge of the church the same day; this responsibility he retained to the time of his death. His ministry was successful from the beginning. Possessing rare leadership and spirituality, he early developed marked evangelistic ability, and his services were sought by many congregations throughout the district. Much of his travel was on horseback. He attended many love feasts. His death occurred on January 6, 1883.
JOHN WALLACE LEAR, son of Abraham S. and Elizabeth Studebaker Lear, was born near Girard, Illinois, April 12, 1870. He was baptized by Elder Daniel Vaniman in 1885. Martha E. Shull of Virden, Illinois, became his wife on August 16, 1891. He taught in the public schools from 1893 to 1900. His A.B. degree was granted by Mount Morris Col- lege, 1919; he attended Mil- liken University, and received a B.D. from Bethany Biblical Seminary, 1921; later a D.D. was conferred on him by Mount Morris College. Elected to the ministry in the Macoupin Creek church in 1899, he was ordained an elder in 1909. His first full-time JOHN W. LEAR AND WIFE pastorates were at Cerro Gordo, Illinois, 1902-1911, and at Decatur, Illinois, 1911-1918. From 1923 to 1938 he taught at Bethany Biblical Sem- inary and served as the executive secretary for the Council of Promotion and the Council of Boards at Elgin,
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Illinois. He was dean of Bethany, 1931-1938, and served as acting president of the seminary one year. During the years 1938-1942 he was pastor at Glendora, California. From 1942 to 1948 he was the executive secretary for the Pacific Coast Region. He was the moderator of Annual Conference in 1926, served on Standing Committee seven times, and held more than seventy-five revival meetings in thirteen states.
MATTIE A. LEAR was born in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, August 17, 1838. She was left an orphan at fourteen. In December 1858 she married John Lear; one daughter was born to them. She was a member of the Methodist Church for several years, then united with the Church of the Breth- ren in 1862. The church at Hudson, Illinois, licensed her to preach about 1897, although she had preached for twen- ty years before that time. She was one of the early students at the teachers' college at Normal, Illinois. She wrote much for church papers, taught in Mount Morris College, 1879- 1881, and led in organizing the first Brethren Sunday school in Mount Morris. On January 1, 1903, she died at her home in Hudson.
ROLLAND N. LEATHERMAN, son of John and Mary Dresher Leatherman, was born near Springfield, Ohio, January 29, 1888. He united with the church at the age of fifteen, was elected to the ministry at twenty-one, and was ordained to the eldership at twenty-nine. While in Chicago attending Bethany Biblical Seminary he married Pearl C. Shutt. The following pastorates have been his fields of work: Cham- paign, Illinois; Cincinnati, Ohio; West Alexandria, Ohio; Grand Junction, Colorado; Union City, Indiana. Through the one hundred evangelistic meetings which he held, al- most four thousand were brought into the church. He died at Union City on February 4, 1936.
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