| Notes |
- Obit: Herald of Truth, July 1897
"On the 18th of May 1897, in Livingston Co., Ill., of the infirmities of old age, Bro. John Stalter, aged 84 years, eight months and three days. Like a weary pilgrim, longing for home and rest with Jesus, our dear aged brother passed from us, and we think of him as having gone where his soul so often longed to go. Bro. Stalter was born in Monbijou in Rhenish Bavaria, Germany and was thrice married. Eight children blessed the first union, of whom two sons and two daughters remain. His youngest sister, widow Susanna Petter Schmitt, residing in Alsace, Germany, also survives. His oldest daughter has been a hapless invalid for over twenty years, which weighed heavily on him at times, yet he ever did what could be done for his child. God graciously provided ample means and faithful servants, so that their home was one of peace and plenty. His remains were laid to rest on the 20th in the Waldo graveyard.
A large concourse of friends assembled to pay their last respects to the departed. Funeral services by Joseph Kinsinger at the house and by Chr. Zimmerman at the church, from 2 Tim. 4:7, 8 and by J.P. Schmitt from Isa. 38:3, and by D. Orendorff from 2 Cor. 5:10, and from 1 Cor. 15:44 to end. Bro. Stalter was a faithful member in the Old Amish branch of the Mennonite church."
An obituary:
TRANSLATED FROM GERMAN BY A. LLOYD SWARTZENDRUBER (1962)
STALTER- On May 18,1897 in Livingstone County, Illinios, Brother John Stalter fell asleep in the Lord, of infirmities of old age, at the ripe age of 84 years, 8 months, and 3 days. So it pleased the Lord of life and death to bring our beloved brother and tired pilgrim out of this wearisome life into eternal home and rest. His earth life has departed but he has arrived where he will remain eternally. Brother Stalter was born on the farm Monbijon, in the Rhineland-Pfalz, Bavaria, Germany. He came to the U.S.A. in 1857. He was married three times: (#1 Elizabeth Rediger, #2 Jacobina Rediger, #3 Katherina Scherz) and had eight children in the first marriage; four preceding him in death. He leaves two sons, Joseph and Daniel, and two daughters, Lena Rocke and Elizabeth Bartonville. He also leaves behind his youngest sister in Alsace, Germany (this is now in France), namely Widow Susanna (Stalter) Peter-Schmitt. (There are still Peter-Schmitts living around the Colmar and Mulhouse areas.).The oldest daughter of our brother was bed-fast for 20 years and needed to be cared for like a child, which caused a great burden for the old father. But the means did not fail to have her cared for because the Lord richly blessed him in life. In a wonderful way the Lord cared for the old Brother's household until the end, through the faithful service of his children and a faithful maid who had lived with them while his last wife was living. She remained with him until his death and cared for his sick daughter and kept the house in good order. He also had a faithful hired man, so he often said he could not thank God enough for such help.
His earthly body was laid to rest on May 20, in the Waldo Cemetery. A large number of his friends and acquaintances accompanied his body to the grave. The funeral messages were given at the house by Joseph Kinsinger and at the church by Christian Zimmerman speaking on II Timothy 4:7-8 and by John Peter-Schmitt from Isiah 38:1-3; and II Chorinthians 5:10, and by Daniel Orendorf at the grave from I Corinthians 15:44 to the end of the chapter. Brother Stalter was a faithful member of the Old Order Amish Mennonite Church.
Children you are still in rich mercy
Your father has gone to eternal rest
By him there is also room for you
God calls you daily.
Tombstone in Waldo Cemetary. near Waldo, Illinois confirms these dates for birth and death.
On the 1870 census John is 58 years old. On the listing is a Josephine Stalter, also 58 years old, listed in the place where a wife is usually listed. This must have been a housekeeper. ddk, , , ,
In 1835 Joseph Stalter gave the lease of the Kirschbacher Hof to both of his sons, Joseph and Johannes. Joseph stayed on this farm and Johannes soon moved to the Nassenwald estate in Lorraine. In 1849 Joseph and John emigrated to the United States.
{Centennial History of the Mennonites of Illinois 1829-1929: "'The region about Farnisville on the Mackinaw river was settled almost entirely by Germans, many of whom had been there for as long as twenty years (before
Amish Mennonites in Tazewell County, Illinois 1858-1864). They were almost exclusively Mennonites (Amish, as they were usually called), who had immigrated from Bavaria, Rhenish Bavaria, Switzerland, Wuerttemberg, Baden, Alsace, and Lorraine. They were good farmers and otherwise fine people, most all of whom attained prosperity and many of whom became wealthy.... In the vicinity of Gridley the situation was similar. In the township in the southwest corner of Livingston County, Waldo Township, the Germans were in the majority. Children of the German settlers around Farnisville moved here, and we find the same names here as there. For instance, Ehresman, Mueller, Ulrich, Neuhauser, Klopfenstein, Schlegel, Sommer, Rich, Farni, etc. This township was called 'the German township' at that time. New settlers from Germany also settled here, such as: George Wurst, Heinrich Otto, John Lukert, John Stalter (who had first lived for several years in Tazewell County), Joseph Cloudon, John, Christian and Jacob Koenig who came from McLean County, and many others." [7, 8, 9]
- Joseph and his brother John received the Kirschbacherhof 4 Mar 1835. Both later went to America. They fell into debt and migrated in 1849 to (where?). After John was in America he sent a photo of himself and his wife (he was married three times) and a letter written by a friend. Both items still exist. John was homesick, but his brothers who had paid the debts of John and Joseph no longer wanted contact with them.
Herald of Truth - July 1, 1897 - Page 206, 207
STALTER - On the 18th of May 1897, in Livingston Co., Ill., of the infirmities of old age, Bro. John Stalter, aged 84 years, 8 months and 3 days. Like a weary pilgrim, longing for home and rest with Jesus, our dear aged brother passed from US, and we think of him as having gone where his soul so often longed to go. Bro. Stalter was born in Monbijon in Rhenish Bavaria, Germany and was thrice married. Eight children blessed the first union, of whom two sons and two daughters remain. His youngest sister, widow Susanna Petter Schmitt, residing in Alsace, Germany, also survives. His oldest daughter has been a hapless invalid for over twenty years, which weighed heavily on him at times, yet he ever did what could be done for his child. God graciously provided ample means and faithful servants, so that their home was one of peace and plenty. His remains were laid to rest on the 20th in the Waldo graveyard. A large concourse of friends assembled to pay their last respects to the departed. Funeral services by Joseph Kinsinger at the house and by Chr. Zimmerman at the church, from 2 Tim. 4:7, 8 and by J.P. Schmitt from Isa. 38:3, and by D. Orendorff from 2 Cor. 5:10, and from 1 Cor. 15:44 to end. Bro. Stalter was a faithful member in the Old Amish branch of the Mennonite church. [10]
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1812 - 1897 (84 years)
