Edna Lorine Heiser

Notes:

Obit:
Cender, Edna Lorine Heiser, 78, Fisher, Ill. Born: Feb. 5, 1918, Fisher, Ill., to Joseph and Fannie Schrock Heiser. Died: Aug. 6, 1996, Fisher, Ill. Survivors-husband: Alva Cender; children: John, Mark, Mary Alene Miller, Annette Williams, Kathy Martin, Ruth Ellen Reaves; sisters: Alta Detweiler, Mabel Teuscher; 13 grandchildren, one great-grandchild. Funeral: Aug. 10, East Bend Mennonite Church, by Calvin Kaufman and Michael Dean.

Died:
At Home

Buried:
East Bend Mennonite Cemetery

Edna married Alva John Cender on 5 Sep 1939 in Fisher, Champaign Co., IL. Alva (son of John Cender and Katherine Frances Zehr) was born on 13 Jul 1913 in Fisher, Champaign Co., IL; died on 26 Aug 2001 in Fisher, Champaign Co., IL; was buried in Fisher, Champaign Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Mary Alene Cender
2. Annette Barbara Cender
3. Kathryn Frances Cender
4. John Alva Cender
5. Ruth Ellen Cender
6. Mark Joseph Cender was born on 12 Jul 1962 in Champaign Co., IL; died on 4 Jan 2003 in Champaign Co., IL; was buried on 9 Jan 2003 in Fisher, Champaign Co., IL.

Other Events and Attributes:

• CLER: Y
• Education: Third grade, then self taught
• Occupation: Minister/Farmer
• Religion: Christian
• Ordained: 1917, Fisher, Champaign Co., IL
• Ordained: 1921, Fisher, Champaign Co., IL

Notes:

Obit:
Heiser.- Joseph A., son of Joseph and Barbara (Bachman) Heiser, was born in Morton, Ill., Aug. 22, 1888; died at Fisher, Ill., Jan. 1, 1977; aged 88 y. On Dec. 15, 1909, he was married to Fannie Schrock, who preceded him in death on Dec. 17, 1950. Surviving are 2 sons (Leslie and Willard), 3 daughters (Mrs. Alta Detweiler, Mrs. Mabel Teuscher, and Edna-Mrs. Alva Cender), 17 grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren. He was a bishop in the Mennonite Church and a minister of the East Bend Mennonite Church for 35 years. Private funeral services were held at the Lamb Funeral Home, Gibson City, Ill., on Jan. 3, in charge of Merle Conklin; memorial services were held at the Gibson City Bible Church on Jan. 4, in charge of Merle Conklin, Clyde Ingold, Irvin Nussbaum, and Wendall Arms; interment in East Bend Mennonite Church Cemetery.


{“When Barbara's third son, Aaron, was born on August 22, 1888, Grandfather Bachman looked at the infant and said, 'Du armes Kind! Dass du auch musst zu dieser verkruppelten Welt geboren sein' ('You poor child! That you also must be born into this crippled world')." (Mennonite Women: A Story of God's Faithfulness) After his father died, his mother called him Joseph rather than Aaron.

Joseph (J.A.) was baptized 11Jun1905 by Peter Zehr; ordained as minister at East Bend Mennonite Church on 5 Aug 1917 by the voice of the church; ordained bishop on 1 May 1921 by the same church. Active in Bible conference work and evangelistic work in many states an Canada, and served as moderator of Illinois Conference and a member of the General Mission Board of the Mennonite Church. He later left the Mennonite Church and pastored the Gibson City Bible Church.
Regarding his ordination (by lot) ––"Dad was surprised that his name was included, but he had no fear at all because Levi Birky was a real Bible student and Uncle Albert was a very genuine student of the Bible. He just shrugged his shoulders about this lot; he knew that it would either be Levi Birky or Uncle Albert. I was sitting with my mother in church on the day they cast the lot. I remember seeing my mother break down and cry, and I could not imagine what happened. It did not look to me like anything serious had happened, but she was crying. After we got home from church, they both cried. It cast quite a pall over the family. I was only three years old then, but I thought something terrible had happened. "

About 1930 J.A.’s mortgage was called on Josephine’s land which he had bought. $300 was due immediately to save it from foreclosure, but there was no money available. This matter was a topic of discussion and prayer at numerous family meals, times which included grandparents John and Mary. Growing anxious about the outcome John, evidently without the family’s knowledge, took the very unusual action of going to a neighbor and asking if he could borrow $300 for a short time. The loan was granted.

Shortly thereafter J.A. drove to Fisher and parked in front of Heiser and Ingold’s grocery store and sat in the car praying about how he was going to get the money for the payment. About that time Chris Good (father of Peter?) walked across the street and stopped to say hello. Then he asked J.A. (who at the time was pastor of the East Bent Mennonite Church), “Do you know anyone who could use $300? I have some extra cash and figured there are lots of people in bad straights because of the economic situation right now and would like to help.” Of course, J.A. told his story and received a loan for the amount he needed to stop the foreclosure. The family saw this as a direct answer to their prayers, and John returned his “backup” funds, with interest!

“Besides the gardens and orchards full of growing things, my father loved animals.  He raised purebred livestock--Jersey cattle that made records of note in butterfat and as show animals.  He raised several kinds of hogs when I was quite young.  Buff Rock chickens were a favorite for several years; and when I was a teenager he got an incubator, and we had a small hatchery.  I was more involved in the chicken business than any of the other animal projects.  I felt quite responsible for the trap nesting and enjoyed following the yearly records of some of the best hens.  Number 421 was the top producer; I wrote the number on her eggs so often, it still remains in my memory.  With the hatchery, my father got the salesmanship for a feed business also.  He vaccinated and gave medicine to all his animals, had the dealership for Onarga nursery stock, pruned and sprayed our trees, and did all our wallpapering.  He and Mama would do wallpapering for friends and neighbors also.  He seemed like an ordinary man to me when I was a child, but now I wonder how he did all this, besides pastoring a large church.” (From the memoirs of Edna Heiser Cender held by Kathy Cender Martin)



June 2012 - At an afternoon in Paxton with Heiser cousins, the story was told about the Murphy brothers who are buried in Beekman cemetery. They were a rough bunch and always getting into fights (drunk?). When the police were not able to handle them and settle them down they would call J. A. and he would always be able to get the job done!

Ordained:
Minister, East Bend Mennonite Church

Ordained:
Bishop, East Bend Mennonite Church

Buried:
East Bend Cemetery

Joseph married Fannie Ann Schrock on 15 Dec 1909 in Champaign Co., IL. Fannie (daughter of John Schrock and Mary Birky) was born on 18 Jul 1889 in Morton, Tazewell Co., IL; died on 17 Dec 1950 in Fisher, Champaign Co., IL; was buried on 19 Dec 1950 in Fisher, Champaign Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Baptism: 11 Jun 1905, Fisher, Champaign Co., IL

Notes:

Obit: Pantagraph
Fisher-(PNS-Mrs. Fannie Heiser, 61, wife of Bishop J. A. Heiser, pastor of the East Bend Mennonite Church, died at 1 p.m. Sunday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Justus Detweiler, near Fisher. She had been ill for seven months. The body was taken to the Blair Funeral Home in Mahomet, where it was to remain until 9:30 a.m. Tuesday when it was to be taken to the East Bend Mennonite Church. Short funeral services were to be held at 1 p.m. at the church. Burial was to be in the church cemetery. The Rev. Francis C. Yoder of Goshen, Ind., was to officiate.

She was born July 18, 1889, near Fisher, daughter of John and Mary Birkey Schrock. She spent her entire life in this community. On Dec. 15, 1909, she married Joseph A. Heiser.
Surviving are her husband; her parents; two sons, Leslie and Willard; three daughters, Mrs. Detweiler, Mrs. Mabel Teuscher and Mrs. Edna Cender, all of Fisher and 14 grandchildren. She had been a life long member of the East Bend Mennonite Church.

Baptism:
East Bend Church by Peter Zehr

Buried:
East Bend Mennonite Cemetery. Funeral service by S. C. Yoder and Harold Zehr.

Notes:

Peter Zehr’s church records have written notation “in East Bend Church,” then, “at home of John Schrock.”

Married:
By Peter Zehr

Other Events and Attributes:

• CLER: Y
• Occupation: Farmer
• Religion: Amish Mennonite
• USR1: Pulmonary Hemorrage
• Residence: 11 Dec 1881, Morton, Tazewell Co., IL
• Baptism: 11 Jun 1905, Fisher, Champaign Co., IL
• Ordained: 5 Aug 1917, Fisher, Champaign Co., IL
• Ordained: 1 May 1921, Fisher, Champaign Co., IL

Notes:

A week after Joseph and Barbara arrived in Champaign County, near Fisher, to live in a new home in a heavily wooded area along the Sangamon River, a four-month-old nephew--son of Peter and Barbara (Heiser) Zehr--died of measles. Three days after this burial some of the men were helping Joseph unload hay in the barn for his livestock when he was suddenly stricken with a fatal pulmonary hemorrhage.

Baptism:
By Peter Zehr

Ordained:
East Bend church by Bishop Samuel Gerber and Andrew Schrock

Ordained:
East Bend church by same Bishop

Died:
29 years, 4 months and 3 days

Buried:
Waggoner Cemetery (Blackford) - four miles north and 1/2 mile east of East Bend Mennonite church.

Joseph married Barbara Bachman on 11 Dec 1881 in Elm Grove Twp., Tazewell Co., IL. Barbara (daughter of John Bachman and Barbara Sutter) was born on 15 Jun 1862 in Tazewell Co., IL; died on 24 Mar 1926 in Fisher, Champaign Co., IL; was buried in Fisher, Champaign Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Religion: Amish Mennonite
• Residence: 11 Dec 1881, Morton, Tazewell Co., IL
• Residence: 1900, Fisher, East Bend Twp., Champaign Co., IL

Notes:

Mennonite Women: A Story of God's Faithfulness

"This mother endured many hardships and remained faithful. After eight years of happy marriage she suddenly became a widow with three sons to raise in a new community. On the advice of men in her congregation, she married a man who proved to be an alcoholic and emotionally disturbed. She cared for a mentally retarded son and a senile mother. She lost a son in the great World War I flu epidemic....When the strong, handsome Joseph Heiser who lived nearby asked her to marry him, twenty-year-old Barbara gladly accepted.....A year after her own marriage Barbara's twin sister married Joseph Heiser's brother Jacob. Sisters married to brothers!" ....
"Following her husband's untimely death, Barbara was left a widow, in a new community, with three sons to bring up alone, and she had a farm to manage. She took little Aaron into her arms and, from that day on, called him Joseph, after his father."

Barbara and her sister, Elizabeth, were twins.
Later Barbara married Andrew Eyer, and they had two sons, William (b.8 Feb 1895) and Daniel (b. 1899).

“On December 11, 1881, Joseph Hieser, the fifth son of Jacob and Catherine Wagler Hieser, married Barbara Bachman, one of the John Bachman’s twins. They made their first home in Tazewell County in the Deer Creek area. To this union were born three sons: John Emil, Amos Albert, and Joseph Aaron.

“In the spring of 1889 Joseph and Barbara Hieser decided to join others and moved their family to Champaign County, Illinois. At this time the children were yet small, John being 6 years old, Amos 4, and Joseph 7 months. Joseph’s brother, Jacob Hieser and brother-in-law Peter Zehr, were already living in the East Bend community. Peter Zehr was the first minister and bishop of the new East Bend church. Joseph and Barbara Hieser made this move on March 4, 1889. He bought the land that lay to the north side of his brother Jacob’s property.

“As there was no dwelling on the property Joseph and his family purchased, they lived temporarily in a small house on his brother Jacob’s farm, until such a time as he could get their own home built. He possibly had already been making plans to build, when his brother-in-law Peter Zehr, who had purchased hay, needed help to get it into the mow. Joseph, a strong robust man, helped pitch the hay into the barn. While working he suddenly became ill, making it necessary to acquire a doctor. The doctor left some medicine without having come to an exact diagnosis. Joseph passed away on March 27, 1889, at the age of 29 years and 4 months, three weeks after moving to Champaign County. It was later determined that death was due to an apomanary(?) hemorrhage (ruptured lung artery). This caused internal bleeding, a result of over exertion.

“This surely must have been disheartening to Barbara Heiser, who was left with her three small sons; John, Amos and Joseph. This left her with a great responsibility and she was now faced with many hardships, the children’s diseases, but at all times she trusted in the Lord to see her through. As there was a new home to build and hired help for farming the purchased ground, she met with many hard financial situation.

“For about five years Andrew Eyer, a native of Germany, farmed for Barbara. On June 17, 1894, Barbara married Andrew. To them were born two sons, William and Daniel. About nine years after their marriage, Andrew found himself battling with a mental disability. He was taken to Kankakee State Hospital, Kankakee, IL, where he spent the next seven years. About three weeks before his death, October 8, 1910, he was brought home. Once again Barbara was left without a husband. She now had five sons.

———————————————

Champaign Co., IL, Probate Court guardianship record #1234 (0401000201234) dated 1895, in the matter of the Guardianship of John E. Heiser, et.al., Barbara Eyer, Guardian:

Petition of Barbara Eyer in the matter of the Estate of Joseph Heiser deceased, for Letter of Guardianship respectfully represents that John E. Heiser, minor aged 12 years on the 4th day of December 1894; Amos Heiser, minor aged 10 years on the 18th of February 1895; and Joseph Heiser, minor aged 7 years on the 22nd day of August 1895...
said minors are residents of this County; that they have no father living, or other legal guardian residing in this state; that said minors are heirs of one Jacob Heiser, deceased, father of their father Joseph Heiser, deceased, late of Champaign County, Ills. and as such heirs they will shortly be entitled to receive a sum of money realized from the sale of the estate of said Jacob Heiser, deceased, and that said sum of money being about seven hundred dollars, will be payable to them about November 1st 1895. And that your petitioner is the Mother of and desires herself to be appointed guardian of said minors. Dated Urbana, Ill., Sept 26, 1895. Barbara Eyer being duly affirmed deposes and says that the facts averred in the above petition are true according to the best of her knowledge, information and belief. Sworn to and subscribed before me, Harry L. Kelly, N.P. Filed on the 27th of Sept 1895. Bond $1400. H. L. Kelly, Atty, Fisher, Ill.

Receipt of Ward
On August 30, 1909, Joseph Heiser, now being of legal age of 21, acknowledged receipt of the sum of $304.33 from Barbara Heiser Eyer as his Guardian, in full settlement of amount due to him. This was the Final Report of the Guardian, found to be correct, and it was approved and Guardian discharged. Signed by Joseph A. Heiser.

Residence:
Barbara listed as wife of Andreas Eyer, head of household, and children: John Heiser, Amos Heiser, Joseph Heiser, Willie Eyer and Daniel Eyer; and her mother, Barbara Bachman.

Buried:
East Bend Mennonite Cemetery

Notes:

Joseph and Barbara were married in the Mennonite Church at Elm Grove, by Christian Nafziger. Joseph Litwiller and A. Ropp were witnesses.

Married:
MR #84

Other Events and Attributes:

• Education: Railroad School?
• Occupation: Farmer In 1885, Later Carpenter And Painter
• Religion: Amish Mennonite
• USR1: Old age-died in his sleep
• Residence: 19 Feb 1885, Morton, Tazewell Co., IL
• Residence: 1891, Fisher, Champaign Co., IL

Notes:

Obit:
Schrock, -- John Schrock, was born near Delavan, Ill., May 28, 1862; died near Fisher, Ill., July 28, 1951; aged 89 y. 2 m. He accepted Christ in his youth and was a member of the Mennonite Church from then until his death. He was a charter member of the Eat Bend congregation at Fisher. In 1885 he was united in marriage to Mary Birkey, of Morton, Ill. To this union two children were born. Albert, preceded him in death thirty-four years ago and his daughter (Fannie-Mrs. J.A. Heiser, Dec. 17, 1950). Surviving are his wife, 8 grandchildren, and 24 great-grandchildren. His 3 brothers and 4 sisters preceded him in death. N. N. Roeschley conducted the funeral services at the East Bend Church.

Birth:
Another source says Delavan

Residence:
At time of marriage

Buried:
East Bend Mennonite Cemetery

John married Mary Birky on 19 Feb 1885 in Morton, Tazewell Co., IL. Mary (daughter of Andrew (Andréas) S. Birky and Veronica (Fannie) Sutter) was born on 19 Sep 1862 in Morton, Tazewell Co., IL; died on 24 Mar 1954 in Fisher, Champaign Co., IL; was buried on 26 Mar 1954 in Fisher, Champaign Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Religion: Amish Mennonite
• Residence: 19 Feb 1885, Morton, Tazewell Co., IL
• Residence: 1914, Fisher, Champaign Co., IL

Notes:

Obit: Gospel Herald
Schrock, Mary (Birky), was born near Morton, Ill., Sept. 19, 1862; passed away at the home of her granddaughter, Mrs. Alta Detweiler, Fisher, Ill., March 24, 1954; aged 91 y. 6 m. 5 d. She was bedfast for 18 months. On Feb. 19, 1885, she was married to John Schrock. He preceded her in death in July 1951. They were the parents of 2 children (Albert E., and Fannie-Mrs. J. A. Heiser). Albert preceded her in death in February, 1917, and Fannie in December, 1950. Surviving are her daughter-in-law (Mrs. Josephine Schrock, Eureka, Ill.), son-in-law (J. A. Heiser, Fisher, Ill.), 8 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. She accepted Christ in her youth and bore testimony of her love for her Saviour. She was a member of the East Bend Mennonite Church. Funeral services were held at the East Bend Church in charge of Ezra Yordy. Burial was made in the adjoining cemetery.


John and Mary lost both of their adult children before their own deaths.

Buried:
East Bend Mennonite Cemetery

Notes:

Married at the home of the bride’s parents by Andrew Ropp. Peter Schrock was a witness.
Both were 23 years of age at the time of their marriage.

Married:
By Andrew Ropp, minister of the gospel. (MR #153)

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Farmer
• Religion: Mennonite
• Immigration: 2 Jul 1842, NY
• Census: 1850, Tazewell Co., IL
• Census: 1855, IL
• Census: 1860, Dillon Twp., Tazewell Co., IL
• Census: 1870, Morton Twp., Tazewell Co., IL
• PURC: 1876, Morton Twp., Tazewell Co., IL
• Naturalization: 6 Nov 1876, Pekin, Groveland Twp., Tazewell Co., IL

Notes:

Birth:
Streicherhof, 30 miles south of Hanfeld. Arzbach bei Dachau

Immigration:
On the Rhone, under the name Jacob Heisser, a 27-year-old from Bavaria, accompanied by 26-year-old Margaretha, as yet unidentified.

Census:
Jacob, 34-year-old farmer, living with his stepmother “Madaline” [Eyer], 62, in the home of his younger stepbrother “Joseph Hiser,” 30.

Census:
Illinois State Census. . The family of Jacob 'Heisor' can be found on the 1855 Illinois State Census. It described them as one male, 40-50 years old; one male, 20-30 years old; one male, under 10; one female, 20-30 years old; and one female, under 10 years of age.

Census:
Their family can be found on the 1860 census of Dillon as Jacob 'Hiser', 40; Catherine, 26; Christian, 7; Catherine, 6; Jacob, 4; Barbara, 3; and Joseph, eight months.

PURC:
Bought land from Charles Graves in Section 36.

Buried:
Landes Mennonite Cemetery (Headstone says Hieser) Grave #14 on printed plot map dated 8/12/2013

Jacob married Katharina Wagler on 8 Oct 1850 in Tazewell Co., IL. Katharina (daughter of Christian H. (Jacob) Wagler and Katharina Ulrich) was born on 8 Jun 1834 in Butler Co., OH; died on 2 Sep 1910 in Morton, Tazewell Co., IL; was buried in Morton, Tazewell Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Religion: Amish Mennonite
• USR1: infirmities of old age
• Residence: 1860, Dillon Twp., Tazewell Co., IL
• Residence: Aft 1860, Morton Twp., Tazewell Co., IL

Notes:

Obituary: Oct. 20, 1910 Gospel Herald
Heiser.--Mother Catherine Heiser, nee Wagler, was born in Butler Co., O., June 8, 1834; passed to her reward near Morton, Ill., Sept. 2, 1910; aged 76 y. 2 m. 24 d. Her death was caused by the infirmities of old age. Mother Heiser united with the A. M. Church in her younger years and remained a faithful member to her blessed end. She was united in matrimony with Jacob Heiser in 1850. This union was blessed with 13 children. Father Jacob Heiser, her husband, 4 children, 5 grandchildren, 1 great-grandchild, preceded her to the spirit world. She leaves 9 children, 48 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, 2 brothers and many friends to mourn her departure. Funeral services were conducted by Christ King at the house in German, text 90th Psalm; and at the church near Morton, Ill., by Andrew Schrock in German and Val. Strubar in English; text, Heb. 9:27, 28. Burial in cemetery nearby.

https://www.tcghs.org/cem/buckeye.htm

Residence:
Where they developed a farm in Section 36.

Buried:
Buckeye Cemetery

Notes:

Married:
Their names were transcribed into the Illinois Statewide Marriage Index as Jacob Hiser and Catharine Wauble.

Other Events and Attributes:

• CLER: Y
• Religion: Mennonite
• Census: 1870, Morton Twp., Tazewell Co., IL

Notes:

John Bachman was born in France and spoke French more fluently than English and German. Although he was an ordained minister, he seldom preached at their Amish Mennonite house meetings, in which the German language was used exclusively.

“..He was apparently the ‘deacon Bachman’ in the Pleasant Grove Amish Mennonite Church referred to in Harry F. Weber, The Centennial History of the Mennonites of Illinois. “Johannes Bachman” attended the Diener-Versammlungen in 1871, 1875, and 1878.”

Census:
Farmer John Bachman, 52, France; Barbara, 43, Bern; and four children born in Illinois.

Buried:
East Bend Mennonite Cemetery

John married Barbara Sutter on 4 Nov 1855 in Tazewell Co., IL. Barbara (daughter of Johannes Sutter (Suttor) and Barbara Oesch) was born on 1 Feb 1827 in Probfeld, Bavaria, GR; died on 10 Jan 1903 in Fisher, Champaign Co., IL; was buried in Fisher, Champaign Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Immigration: 1850

Notes:

“John and Barbara Sutter Bachman family also lived near Morton in Tazewell County. They had the misfortune of losing their first child. Thus, they gladly welcomed the opportunity to open their home to a homeless young lad by the name of John Grund. His name soon became John Bachman. The Bachmans also had twin daughters, Barbara and Lizzie, born June 15, 1861. Two more children, Lena and Joseph, were born but both died while young. Their youngest son was Andrew, who grew up in that area.”

Birth:
Detenfield Village

Died:
75 yrs. 11 mo. 8 days

Buried:
East Bend Mennonite Cemetery

Other Events and Attributes:

• Education: Railroad School?
• Occupation: Farmer, beekeeper
• Religion: Amish Mennonite. Attended A Methodist Church in Pekin After Marriage And Before Moving To Fisher.
• USR1: Chronic Interstitial Nephritis (Kidney Failure)
• Residence: 1850, Elm Grove Twp., Tazewell Co., IL
• Census: 27 Jul 1860, Malone Twp., Tazewell Co., IL
• Residence: 1862, Elm Grove Twp., Tazewell Co., IL
• Residence: 1864, Pekin, Tazewell Co., IL
• Residence: Abt 1890, Fisher, Champaign Co., IL
• Residence: 1898, Fisher, Champaign Co., IL
• PURC: 1904, Fairview, MI
• Residence: 1905, Fairview, MI
• Residence: 1907-1922, Fisher, Champaign Co., IL

Notes:

Obituary: Gospel Herald, 20 April 1922, pg 63
Schrock.--Peter Schrock was born, Aug. 1, 1839; died at his home in Fisher, Ill., April 5, 1922; aged 82 y. 8 m. 5 d. He was united in marriage to Anna Garber Jan. 8, 1860, who preceded him in death twenty years ago. To this union 8 children were born. Two preceded him in death. He leaves 6 children, 10 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, and 1 brother. He accepted Christ as his Savior while young and united with the Mennonite Church. He was a faithful member until death. Funeral services were conducted April 7, by Bro. S. S. Zehr and Bro. Sam Gerber. Text, Gal. 2:20.
—————————
“Peter Schrock had long, white whiskers and told one of his grandsons, "You'd be a fine feller if you'd let your whiskers grow." After Peter got older he would sit in his big chair in the sitting room with his spittoon by his chair. He had a jack knife with the words "Peter Schrock, Fisher, Illinois" made in the handle. He used this to cut his chewing tobacco. He also whittled a great deal. Peter raised pigs and kept bees--from 10-15 hives. Peter wasn't able to establish himself as a prosperous farmer like his brother Joseph, or a successful businessman like his brother John, but he left a legacy of compassion and kindness to his descendants.

“Sometime around 1885-1890 a real estate agent appeared in Fisher and persuaded Peter and his two sons, Samuel and Joseph, to buy some uncleared timberland in Fairview, Michigan [village of Mio nearby]. Peter went ahead and sometime later Sam and Joe and their families chartered a freight car and moved to Michigan. Sam and Joe, their livestock and furniture, rode in the freight car and the women (evidently including Lena and Ella) and children rode in a passenger car.

“The Schrocks managed to clear a few acres of land and planted it to Buckwheat. They had the buckwheat ground for pancakes at the mill in Mio. There were beautiful big rainbow and speckled trout in great abundance in the Au Sable river about on and one-half or two miles south of their house...Fish and buckwheat cakes were two important items in the Schrocks’ diet....On the north side of the small buckwheat field was the Sam Schrock house and on the south side of the field was the Joe Schrock house....Pete’s father [Sam], mother and oldest sister Katie worked for other people whenever they could to make a little money. Ellen would help when there was a new baby in the community or when extra help was needed with housework, etc.”

“After a few years Peter moved back to his home in Fisher, IL; Joseph and his family moved to Defiance, OH; and Samuel and his family moved to CO.”

















—————
Then, in the January Term A.D. 1919, Circuit Court, Champaign County, IL: George Bowman, Emma Van Dorn and Lucinda Lady, vs. a large number of persons named, including Peter and Anna Schrock; re who is the owner of real estate as follows:
The East Half (1/2) of the Southeast Quarter (1/4) of Section Thirty-one (31), and the West Half (1/2) of the Northwest Quarter (1/4) of the South west Quarter (1/4) of Section Thirty-two (32), all in Township Twenty two (22) North, Range Eight Eight (8), East of the Third Principal Meridian, in Champaign County, Illinois.

The three complaintants say their mother purchased the land in 1904 from John Zehr, and John Zehr had purchased the property from Austin E. Troutman in 19 from a whitacker01; and that Troutman had purchased the land from Peter Schrock in 1900; and that Peter Schrock had acquired title to the said lands by purchase thereof from Geo. S. VanHouten, the owner at that time, in 1893, and that Geo. S. VanHouten acquired title through various conveyances running in an unbroken line duly filed for record from the United States government, with the exception of a deed executed by Thomas Gile who originally entered said land from the United States Government in 1836.}

Census:
Page 261, Dwelling 1902: Peter Shrock age 21, farmer b. OH; Anna age 20, b. OH. (See map at http://www.tcghs.org/images/mp1857LLLG.jpg)

Residence:
Received mail in Fisher from Eureka

PURC:
Bought timbered land

Residence:
Moved family there in the spring of the year. This was noted in a letter from John Schrock (who stayed in Fisher) to Jonathan Schrock in Congerville, dated Sept 12, 1905.

Residence:
Moved back to the house in Fisher and remained until death

Buried:
East Bend Mennonite Cemetery (Amish Mennonite Cemetery). Undertaker was L. C. Wade of Fisher. Funeral service by S. Zehr and Samuel Gerber

Peter married Anna (Nancy) Garber on 8 Jan 1860 in Tazewell Co., IL. Anna (daughter of John Garber and Eva Caroline Paithe) was born on 30 Apr 1839 in PA; died on 3 Feb 1902 in Fisher, Champaign Co., IL; was buried on 5 Feb 1902 in Fisher, Champaign Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Education: Railroad School?
• Occupation: Housewife
• Religion: Amish Mennonite
• USR1: Carcinoma Of Stomach
• Residence: 1844, Groveland Twp., Tazewell Co., IL

Notes:

The Garber family owned and ran a mill (see map at http://www.tcghs.org/images/mp1857MRLG.jpg)

Grandson Peter Schrock (1895-1950) remembered his grandmother as a large woman, rather quiet and solemn, but his memories were vague since he was only seven years old when his grandmother died in 1902. Some who knew Grandma Nancy say she was a very good cook.

Walter Ropp comments in his writings that Nancy loved beautiful things in nature like the sunsets, etc.

Residence:
Family moved when Anna was 4 yrs. old.

Buried:
East Bend Mennonite Cemetery (Amish Cemetery on the death certificate)

Notes:

Anna’s surname is spelled Gerber when entered by the county clerk, and Garber when entered by Andrew Ropp.

Married:
By Andrew Ropp

Other Events and Attributes:

• DESC: At Time Of Death Owned Land As Follows: The SE 1/4 Of The NE 1/4 Of Section 19 Town 22N, R8E Of 3rdPM (40 Acres At $70 Per Acre =$2800)
• DESC: At Time Of Death Owned Land As Follows: The W 1/2 Of The NE 1/4 Of Section 19 Town 22N, R8E Of 3rdPM (Excet One Acre In NE Corner Thereof, Deeded For Cemetery Purposes (79 Acres At $80 Per Acre=$6320)
• DESC: At Time Of Death Owned Land As Follows: The W 35 1/2 Acres Of The SW 1/4 Of The NW 1/4 Of Section 20, Town 22N, R8E Of The 3rdPM (35 1/2 Acres At $70 Per Acre = $2485) Purchased From Cora Baker
• Occupation: Farmer
• PURC: Champaign Co., IL
• PURC: Champaign Co., IL
• Religion: Amish Mennonite
• Residence: 1872, Morton Twp., Tazewell Co., IL
• Naturalization: 16 Feb 1888, Tazewell Co., IL
• Naturalization: 3 Mar 1890, Tazewell Co., IL
• Residence: 1892, Fisher, Champaign Co., IL

Notes:

“After Andrew and Veronica married, they probably soon moved into the [Johannes] Sutter home, after the elder Sutters moved into the smaller house just across the garden. Their home was about eighteen feet long and sixteen feet wide. Its one room was divided into a kitchen and bedroom by a curtain. The hired man had to climb a ladder to his bed in the loft. Later an addition was built to the house for use as a kitchen in the summer. It could not be used during the winter because it was not built very warm and was floorless. The pole barn was eight feet high, sixteen feet wide, and eighteen feet long. In the wall in front of the horses was a flap door, which was opened at feeding time. The haystacks were just outside. Oats was kept in a rail pen nearby.”

Andrew and Veronica bought 80 acres of the Sutter land in 1882 for $50 an acre. In 1891 they sold the land for $95 an acre and moved to Fisher. He bought some land in the same section where daughter Mary and her husband had purchased land and built a house.

Birth:
Perhaps Arzbach. Birthdate on gravestone is 31 Mar 1830

PURC:
Section 19 portion purchased from George W. Mathews, who had himself derived title by patent from the United States.

PURC:
35 1/2 acres in Section 20 purchased from Cora A. Baker, who had derived title indirectly from the United States by patent.

Residence:
Daughter Mary lived in Morton as a child

Naturalization:
Intent to become a citizen

Naturalization:
Final certificate signed

Residence:
Moved from Tazewell Co., IL

Buried:
East Bend Mennonite Cemetery (First burial)

Andrew married Veronica (Fannie) Sutter on 25 Mar 1858 in Morton, Tazewell Co., IL. Veronica (daughter of Johannes Sutter (Suttor) and Barbara Oesch) was born on 11 Nov 1838 in Neuberg-an-Donau, Bavaria, GR; died on 16 Apr 1927 in Fisher, Champaign Co., IL; was buried in Apr 1927 in Fisher, Champaign Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Religion: Amish Mennonite
• Immigration: 1851, New York, NY
• Residence: 1863, Morton, Tazewell Co., IL
• Residence: 1914, Fisher, Champaign Co., IL

Notes:

Obit: May 26, 1927 Gospel Herald
Birkey--Fannie S. Birkey was born Nov. 11, 1838; died April 16, 1927. She was the daughter of John Sutter of Berlin, Germany, who with his family came to the United States in 1848. She became a member of the Mennonite Church in her youth. In 1858 she was married to Andrew Birkey, who preceded her in death in 1895. She was the mother of five sons and two daughters. She is survived by three sons, one daughter, twenty-six grandchildren, and thirty-nine great-grandchildren. The funeral service was held in the East Bend Mennonite Church near Fisher, Ill., by A. H. Lehman of Chicago, Ill.

"Our dear Mother's tasks are finished,
Labors o,er and victories won
Now she's gone to be with Jesus,
Beckons to US all to come."

Birth:
Forsthof

Immigration:
On the ship Samuel M. Fox from Havre

Residence:
Living with Veronica’s parents

Buried:
East Bend Mennonite Cemetery