USA > Indiana > Historical data and life sketches of the deceased ministers of the Indiana Conference of the Evangelical Association, 1835 to 1915, Volume I > Part 26
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35
284
LIFE SKETCHES OF OUR DECEASED MINISTERS
he stayed at home to read the Bible and to pray. When the fam- ily had gone to church he went up-stairs, opened the Bible and read. Tears blinded his eyes. He fell upon his knees, praying and wrestling with God. Suddenly peace, like a river, flooded his soul; he knew he had pardon and ran into another room, filled with in- expressible joy.
Great temptations now came. He had been taught "that Christians say nothing about being saved, only hypocrites do." His brother and a fellow-workman saw something unusual in him, and said to him, "What is the matter with you?" S. replied, "Oh, nothing." This he afterward deeply regretted. He still held to the Lutherans, who said, "You cannot be freed from sin in this life." This anew threw him into a hard struggle, silencing his joy and robbing his peace. He now sought relief for his soul by attending a United Brethren meeting seven miles off. After the sermon he, uninvited, followed the minister to a home. After a brief talk with the family the minister turned to Steffey, saying, "Have you em- braced religion ?" "I thought I had experienced a change of heart," S. said, "but I am not feeling as happy as when first converted, and I fear my religion is lost." Then the minister explained "how Christians are tempted and tried, but must cling to Christ; that dark seasons in life are no evidence of a lost religion." These words greatly helped him, and went away with joy, and did as he was told, and found it true.
THE CALL TO THE MINISTRY
After marriage he, at first, lived with his father, whom he asked to allow the minister above alluded to, to preach in his house. Father refused, saying, "What will the neighbors say?" So Stef- fey resolved to invite this preacher to preach in his house as soon as they lived alone, no matter what the neighbors say. Soon this minister regularly preached at his home, but he still remained a Lutheran. Rev. Albert, a Lutheran pastor, held a meeting, which was "a time of great power." On the first night of this meeting A. asked S. to pray. But S. thought it impossible amidst his old associates, and asked to be excused. But when the meeting opened he was called on to pray. He asked divine help and offered his first public prayer. New trials came. He felt like quitting the Chris- tian service, but, having made a public profession, and realizing that giving up would bring reproach on Christ, he continued with greater zeal.
Rev. Albert was now dismissed for a less spiritual preacher. So Steffey joined the United Brethren Church. Experimental re-
285
INDIANA CONFERENCE
ligion spread rapidly. S. felt to do personal religious work. Often while meditating on special Scriptures he imagined seeing a con- gregation before him, which he would enthusiastically address. One evening, at a revival, the preacher asked him to close after preaching. He refused. The preacher looked at him and said, "Do you think you can answer this before God?" S. resolved never to refuse again.
In the fall of 1847 he went to work in a paper mill in Mary- land against the minister's advice. A year later his little boy fell into the mill-race and was drowned. S. got him out and felt it was due to his disobedience to God's call. Ere the boy was buried he promised God to preach. During the winter of 1848-9 he and Jos. Fisher held prayer-meetings wherever they had oppor- tunity. The Lord was with them in power. Jan. 1, 1849, he, unsolicited, received a Quarterly Conference license to preach. Not being fully convinced that this action was of the Lord, he agreed with God to do so, provided he gave him liberty on a certain text and fruit of his labors as evidence, which thing the Lord did, and Steffey's mind was settled.
HIS REMOVAL TO INDIANA
In May, 1849, he, with four other families, moved to Indiana. He had a one-horse wagon for his family and personal effects. The journey lasted four weeks. They kept up their family wor- ship on the way. Evenings, where they found lodging, they asked for this privilege and were never denied, and in the morning they worshiped by the road-side. People passing by stopped, looked and listened, then asked, "Who are they? Whence came they, and whither are they going?" One landlord said, "I kept hotel 24 years and lodged hundreds, but these were the first who held fam- ily worship." On June 1, 1849, they reached their destination, five miles south-east of Noblesville, Ind., where they all settled. Here they formed a prayer-meeting class, with Mike Fisher as class-leader. A prayer-meeting was a new thing here. As one settler said, "They are not in fashion here," to which Steffey re- plied, "We will then make them fashionable." These meetings were soon over-crowded.
LOOKING FOR A PREACHER
These new settlers now looked about for a United Brethren preacher and found one who was a good speaker. They invited him to come and preach for them. They gave him their creden- tials and were then organized in a United Brethren class. The
286
LIFE SKETCHES OF OUR DECEASED MINISTERS
second and third time he came he wanted to receive new mem- bers without previous conversions. Steffey objected, saying, "Get the people converted first." The third time the preacher said, "He had no time to get the people converted." S. said, "In Penn- sylvania preachers would not receive members unless they were converted." The preacher replied, "Well, we are in Indiana now. Here we have so many different denominations that we must have a big rake to rake over all this ground." Then said a friend of S., "Yes, to rake all the toads and bull-frogs into the church."
Steffey, not being able to preach in English, looked about for German people and found a large settlement 8 miles away and agreed to preach for the people in a school-house every two weeks on Sunday morning. He scon had overflowing meetings. He noti- fied his United Brethren preacher of these meetings, who replied to Steffey, "Go and organize a class." S. replied, "Why, the peo- ple are all unconverted, and who should be class-leader? I sup- pose the devil." To this the preacher replied, "It is useless to labor in German." S., hearing of Germans 12 miles south in Geo. Kloepfer's settlement, went there, found a warm-hearted people belonging to the Evangelical Association, just like those in Penn- sylvania. Their souls at once were knit together, and their hearts beat as one.
Steffey, with others, went to E. Germantown, Ind., Jan., 1850, to attend a quarterly meeting of the Evangelical Association. H. Ragatz was pastor, A. B. Schafer Presiding Elder, and Bishop Jos. Long was present, who also presided. Schafer brought Stef- fey and Jos. Fisher to Quarterly Conference. The Bishop, eyeing them sharply, when Schafer presented them for membership in his church, asked, "Are these of those who run around from one church to another and have no abiding anywhere?" Schafer explained "that it was the language and Christian congeniality that in- duced them to seek the change." Thereupon the Bishop said, "Very well, then, that will do," and received them into the church as members and as local preachers.
STEFFEY BEGINS PREACHING
In 1850 the Illinois Conference established Hamilton Mis- sion, in whose bounds Steffey and Fisher lived. S. now preached nearly every Sunday for two years. During A. Nicolai's pastorate he held a meeting at Bethlehem, near Cicero, Ind., where he had some conversions. Saturday evening, at a quarterly meeting, Cath- olic boys snapped corn over the audience. They were told "to keep their corn, as they likely will need it at home." They quit. But
287
INDIANA CONFERENCE
Sunday morning, when the people met to celebrate the Lord's Sup- per, they found that some "devil's satellite" had placed the rot- ting skeleton of an ox behind the preacher's stand, and over it had hung to the ceiling a penned up bull-dog, and spattered the seats and walls with rotten eggs. The howling dog was released, the skeleton was moved out and the seats and walls cleaned, and Rev. Geo. Blank, P. E., encouraged the friends to serve God, assuring them that they would get to a place of perpetual sweet-smelling savor.
Bro. S. was urged during the year of 1851 to enter the active ministry. He hesitated, owing to impaired health and lack of edu- cation. In June, 1852, Revs. Dickover and Keiper stopped with him on their way to Conference, and again urged him to take work. He agreed with this proviso, that he be allowed time until August to arrange home affairs. This was done at Conference. He was assigned to E. Germantown Circuit and Hamilton Mission, with Peter Goetz as preacher-in-charge, embracing 15 appoint- ments from Marion and Hamilton Counties east into Darke Co., Ohio. He had good congregations wherever he preached. Once during this year he was tempted to quit. But Chr. Glaus, his Pre- siding Elder, encouraged him to go on, saying, "It was only a device of Satan."
In 1853 the Conference sent him to Elkhart Circuit with J. Keiper as preacher-in-charge. He moved his family to Otts Settlement, near Benton, Elkhart Co., Ind., where there was a four-roomed double house for a parsonage. On their arrival, Sat- urday evening, S. Dickover, P. E., who occupied one side of the parsonage, hospitably entertained S. with his family. Here Dick- over preached Sunday morning. In closing the service he intro- duced Bro. S. as their new pastor who would preach in the even- ing. After dismissal the people left the church without shaking hands with him or saying a word to him or his family. In the evening S. preached as best he could. Then the people left again as in the morning. This greatly disheartened him, and said to D., after getting home, "I cannot stay here; these people do not want me; they do not speak to me." D. replied, "Oh, these are Otts; that is their way; you will find them all right when you get ac- quainted with them." And he did, for soon they brought provi- sions, goods for clothes, split wood, etc. Thus his family of 5 chil- dren was taken care of, and at the end of the year he had a little money left of his $73 salary !
After a few rounds Bro. Keiper had to quit work due to bron- chitis. This left S. alone, until Geo. Eckhart was secured. The
288
LIFE SKETCHES OF OUR DECEASED MINISTERS
year was filled with glorious results. At the session of 1854 Stef- fey was returned to Elkhart Circuit, with Peter Goetz as colleague. S. disliked this, for G. was much older in years and in the service. This year a camp-meeting, held at Otts, was greatly disturbed by a band of rowdies, led by a Mr. Lacy. They came with clubs. J. Fuchs was preaching. S. succeeded in quieting them during the service, but in the night the toughs returned and threw firebrands on tents and tried to pull them down. Dickover and Steffey were on guard, but found they were unable to cope with the mob. They called the brethren out of bed to give aid. Armed with ropes and straps they tried to capture some rowdies, but failed. A club, thrown at S., missed him and struck Geo. Klein on the forehead, knocking him senseless. When K. fell one of the mob yelled, "Lacy, you hit the wrong man," and ran away. Some now thought of closing the meeting at once. But Steffey said, "No! Let us stand our ground and show the devil and his followers that we are not afraid. God is with his people." The meeting continued over another night undisturbed. Sinners were converted and God's people strength- ened.
The next day D. and S. had Lacy arrested and arraigned be- fore a justice court, and L. had to pay a fine and costs. This en- raged him. Soon after L. met D. on the public road, caught his horse, and ordered him to dismount, as he wanted to give him a beating. D. struck his spirited horse with the whip, the horse broke away, and D. escaped. A few days later Steffey was riding on horseback through Goshen, Ind. He saw Lacy pointing him out to his associates, and heard him swear revenge. After S. had gone about 40 yards he saw L. pursuing him. Both applied their whips to their horses. L. gained on S. rapidly. Just as S. was about to be overtaken he came to a house, jumped from his horse, threw the bridle-rein over a gatepost and went inside the yard. L. cursed and raved, but soon left. After some waiting S. returned to Goshen, took a different route to his appointment. Soon after this L. was seen by a farmer trying to steal a horse. Before the authorities could apprehend him he escaped and left the country. The first year on this circuit Steffey began preaching in South Bend, which was the beginning of our work in the city. This field was extended the second year until there were 17 appoint- ments, reaching up into Michigan.
In 1855 he was sent to the newly established Indianapolis Mission. Brethren from the Otts class helped to convey his fam- ily and household goods to Peru, from whence they could go per railroad. Coming down a hill just to the north of the city, it be-
289
INDIANA CONFERENCE
ing dark already, the harness on his own horse broke, the rig rushed onto the horse, which was frightened by it, and began to run, rear and kick. It looked serious for a while, but ended without serious injury to any of the occupants. In 1856 he was returned to Indianapolis. In the two years he gathered a society of 39 good, pious, working members. In 1857 he was sent to Dayton Station, where, he says, "I spent the two most pleasant years of my ministry." He received 61 members. In 1859 he was elected Presiding Elder and assigned to Wabash District, which consisted of 5 fields in each State of Illinois and Indiana, with only two rail- roads. He almost exclusively traveled per horseback, or horse and buggy. Streams were unbridged, bottom lands often inundated, and fording streams was dangerous, exposures were great. He spent about one-third of his time on the road. This he regarded a great waste of time, and so told Bro. Schafer, who replied com- fortingly, "Well, brother, someone must do it; if you did not some- one else would have to, and so you might as well do it as someone else."
In 1863 he was re-elected and assigned to Elkhart District, which reached far up into Michigan. When the Michigan Confer- ence was organized in 1864 the district became smaller. He served out his four years with success. In 1867 he was again re-elected, but, feeling he should be more at home, he resigned. Ft. Wayne was now taken up as a new mission and assigned to Steffey. A class of 16 members had been organized here in the past year by D. S. Oakes. He served here two years, having 47 accessions. In 1869-71 he again served Dayton Station and met with many diffi- culties. In 1871 he was again elected Presiding Elder and served Ft. Wayne District, and was re-elected in 1875, and served Elkhart District. In 1879 he thanked the Conference for not re-electing him. He was sent to Elkhart, Division Street Church, and served it 3 years with good success. In 1882 he was sent for the third time to Dayton Station, serving 3 years with splendid results. In 1885 he was sent to Indianapolis after an absence of 30 years as pastor. He then began with no members, but now had 250. Salary then, with appropriation, was $275; now self-supporting with $800. No church and parsonage, now a $30,000 church and a good parsonage. In 1887 he was again sent to Elkhart, Division Street Church, serving it 3 years. In 1890, and for three years, he served South Bend, German. These were years of great concern, caused by fac- tions and rebellious spirits, when 100 dissatisfied members left. A few ringleaders who were largely responsible for these with- drawals were expelled.
290
LIFE SKETCHES OF OUR DECEASED MINISTERS
Bro. Steffey, through all church conflicts, remained firm, and was uncompromisingly loyal to all her interests. After he had given 41 years of unbroken service he located, April, 1893, in South Bend, remaining until the death of his wife in 1898. After this he made his home in Dayton with his daughter, Mrs. Geo. Freehafer. His interest in the church did not abate after retirement. When- ever practical he attended the Annual Conference sessions. His memory, once so retentive and clear, became in his last two years very defective, and in his thoughts lived in the remote past, talk. ing of things of pioneer days. D. S. Oakes, who was intimately acquainted with him, said of him "that he was a man of keen in- tellect, good judgment and fine executive abilities. As an associate he was genial, courteous, frank, open, vivacious and cheerful. His conversation was animated, interesting and instructive. As a pre- siding officer he had clear comprehension and fine tact. He was an excellent Presiding Elder. As pastor he was active, consistent, sympathetic, and always took a deep interest in the temporal and spiritual welfare of his parishioners. As a preacher he was a su- perior exegete and textuist. His discourses were not emotional, but invariably clear, logical, edifying and convincing. In his work he was methodical, which was of a substantial character."
GEO. CALVIN STEININGER (1864-1889)
Geo. C. was a son of Ruben and Sophia Steininger, and a na- tive of Snyder Co., Pa., born Dec. 30, 1864. He died in E. German- town, Jan. 2, 1889. His remains were taken to the old home ceme- tery near Rochester, Ind. While he was yet a lad his parents moved to Fulton Co., Ind., on a farm about 7 miles north-west of Rochester. Here he grew to manhood and was brought up in an Evangelical home and community. From youth up he attended Sunday-school. He received his education in rural district schools.
In 1884 he was soundly converted to God and joined the Evan- gelical Association. He took active part in her work. When he be- came fully conscious of his divine call to the ministry he applied to the Grand View class of Rochester Circuit for a recommenda- tion to Conference for license to preach the Gospel. This was cheerfully given, April, 1887. At this session he was sent to Akron Mission under J. Wales. In 1888 he was stationed to E. German- town, where he labored very acceptably and successfully until death. Dec. 30, '88, he held a service in E. Germantown and re- organized the Sunday-school. In the afternoon he preached at
291
INDIANA CONFERENCE
Pleasant Hill, apparently in the best of health and joyous spirit. His last Gospel theme was, "Go on to perfection." On Monday noon, Dec. 31, he took very sick, suffering intensely, until Wednes- day morning, when he peacefully passed away. P. A. Orth of Richmond conducted the funeral at E. Germantown. D. S. Oakes, his Presiding Elder, held another service at his old home, after which his body was entombed. "His preaching was sound and logical. He was staid and consistent, and a promising young preacher. He was survived by his wife and one child."
1
HENRY STRICKLER (1828-1856)
The subject of this sketch was born near Warsaw, Ind., March 3, 1828, and died near Cicero, Ind., while serving Hamilton Mis- sion. His body was interred in Bethlehem Cemetery, near Cicero, Ind. He died of typhoid fever and cholera, suffering eight weeks. He was converted in his twelfth year in a class of the Evangelical Association, located between Warsaw and Silver Lake, Ind., where his parents belonged. He then also united with this class and became active in the church. Here he grew to manhood. His school privileges were limited, as were those of early settlers.
He was married to Rachel Schnitz, May 23, 1850. To them were born one son and one daughter. Their life was one of great deprivations, like that of all early pioneer preachers. Mrs. Strick- ler related an experience they had in a log parsonage, the roof of which was so poor that when it rained she would have to pile the bedding under the family umbrella to keep them from getting wet, so they would have a dry bed to sleep in.
HIS CALL TO PREACH AND MINISTRY
Quite early in his Christian life he felt that he should preach the Gospel of Christ, but from lack of education he declined to take up the work. But the Lord gave him no rest. So he finally yielded. The pioneer preachers often sorely felt the need of a better intel- lectual equipment. His class duly recommended him to the Illi- nois Conference, which then covered the State of Indiana. At the Conference session of 1848 he was licensed as preacher on proba- tion. He then served four years as a local preacher, then followed four years of active service. His physical weakness considerably hindered him in his Gospel work, and he was soon overcome by the ravages of disease. In 1853 he served as junior preacher to Jacob Keiper on Miami Circuit, later called Fulton. This field then extended over the greater part of six counties, Wabash, Hunt-
292
LIFE SKETCHES OF OUR DECEASED MINISTERS
ington, Kosciusko, Fulton, Miami and Cass. There were 20 ap- pointments. The roads were bad, streams had few bridges, the woods were inhabited with wild beasts. The hardships, indeed, were numerous and great, enough to dishearten a strong man, say nothing about a weakly man. In 1854 he became assistant to J. M. Kronmiller on St. Mary's Circuit, consisting of about 20 appoint- ments in Wells, Adams, part of Huntington, Allen Counties, and over into Ohio. The privations on this field were very great, due to prevailing chill-fever, and, further, as Kronmiller said, "The spirit of disunion among members of the church was quite notice- able in places," which added to the burdens.
In a meeting held by Bro. K. and S., six miles north of Van Wert, now Grand Victory, then called Mohr's settlement, Brother Strickler, under the power of the Spirit, after seven souls were converted in one night, fell into a trance at 8 P. M., and remained so until the next day 8 A. M., when he came out of it again. This was a wonderful experience. Some thought he was dead. One man said, "If this man comes to life again I will believe in this work." When he came out of the trance it made a deep impres- sion on the citizens and resulted in good to others and to the praise of God. In 1855 he served on Yellow River Circuit. He lived in Benton, Elkhart Co., Ind., and preached around Bremen, Ind., and northward and eastward into Elkhart and Kosciusko Co. In 1856 he served Hamilton Circuit.
Bro. Strickler was a tender-hearted man and was often quite emotional in his preaching. His relatives say "he was not a great preacher, but that his tears, while preaching, caused more conver- sions than did his preaching." He had an amiable nature; he was sociable with the people and gave them good pastoral care. Dur- ing his illness his mind was steady. He was an incarnation of pa- tience and of resignation. By the grace of God he was able, in the midst of intense suffering, to praise God with a loud voice, saying repeatedly, "How blessedly true Christianity is in life, but how much more in sickness. Hallelujah !" Thus ended his life in victory.
CONRAD TRAMER (1824-1902)
This brother was born in Hemschack, Baden, Germany, Jan. 13, 1824, and peacefully departed this life in Mishawaka, Ind., March 22, 1902. His body was laid to rest in Crown Hill Ceme- tery, Indianapolis, Ind. He was survived by his second wife, 2 sons and 5 daughters. He was the youngest of ten children. His first
293
INDIANA CONFERENCE
marriage was with Elizabeth Pfle- ger in Cleveland, O., in 1847, the same year in which he came to America with his mother. To them were born eight children. Here he and his wife and mother came un- der the influence of the Gospel of Christ in the labors of Rev. C. G. Koch, pastor of Cleveland charge of the Evangelical Association. The Gospel seed took root, and in 1851 they were all converted to God and joined our church, and continued faithful to the end. He was licensed to preach by the Ohio Conference in 1856, and was or- dained deacon and elder.
He was reared in the Luther- CONRAD TRAMER an Church and obtained the usual catechetical instruction besides other schooling. He obtained a fair German education. After he was converted he became active in the work of the Evangelical Association. He soon felt that God wanted him as a "herald of the cross." He did not hesitate long after this high calling was made clear to him. He saw the great harvest white for reaping and gar- nering, but that the reapers were far too few. Cheerfully he obeyed the call. His class in Cleveland duly recommended him to the Ohio Conference as a fit person to preach the Word. The Con- ference met in the Hope Church of the Evangelical Association in Wayne Co., Ohio, in 1856, where he was licensed and received into the itinerancy.
He served the following fields in this Conference: Lake Cir- cuit, 1856, with G. L. Behner. In 1857 he was assigned to San- dusky City and served here two years. In 1859-61 he served De- troit, in Michigan; 1861-3, Tiffin, Ohio; 1863-4, Cincinnati ; 1864-6, Wooster Mission; 1866-8, Cleveland charge; 1868-70, Sandusky City again. He served this Conference 14 years and was its sec- retary for the greater part of this time. This shows that he was held in high esteem by the Conference and presiding officers.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.