Aaron Everett Zehr

1896 - 1974  (77 years)

• Name	Aaron Everett Zehr
  Birth	22 Nov 1896
  Gender	Male
  Baptism	19 Feb 1911	Champaign Co., IL   [1]
  	East Bend Mennonite Church by Peter Zehr
  Death	14 May 1974
  Burial	Fisher, Champaign Co., IL
  	East Bend Mennonite Cemetery
  Person ID	I2730	Schrock-Birkey Connection
  Last Modified	3 Apr 2017

  
  

  Father	Samuel S. Zehr,   b. 24 Feb 1870, Lilly, Tazewell Co., IL d. 31 Mar 1943, Fisher, Champaign Co., IL (Age 73 years)
  Mother	Magdalena A. (Lena) Unzicker,   b. 11 Aug 1870, Possing, Bavaria, GR d. 1 Mar 1939, Fisher, Champaign Co., IL (Age 68 years)
  Marriage	27 Sep 1892	Fisher, Champaign Co., IL   [2, 3]
  	Daniel Grieser’s home, by Bishop Christian Nafziger of Hopedale. “Samuel wore a black tie for his wedding, but he never wore it again. George Grieser was 15 years old at the time and he recallls the wedding. At that time, it was customary to pass out cigars following a wedding. The cigars were given out, and he thought that he was old enough to try one. This resulted in one pretty uncomfortable boy!”
  Notes	Marriage index gives date as 6 Sep 1892.
  Family ID	F136	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Nina Hensler,   b. 15 Jan 1899   d. 8 Oct 1981 (Age 82 years)
  Marriage	25 Nov 1920  [1]
  Family ID	F1928	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	24 Jun 2008

  
  

• Event Map

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  Baptism - 19 Feb 1911 - Champaign Co., IL Burial - - Fisher, Champaign Co., IL  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Notes

  “Aaron was called into the service (World War I), and he arrived at Camp Forrest in Chattanooga, Tennessee in September 1918. Aaron went as a Conscientious Objector. He was told to put the military uniform on, or dig his own grave. He chose to dig his own grave, at gunpoint. When the men in the military saw that Aaron was willing to die for his convictions, they spared his life. Aaron was allowed to work as a cook for the military, and because of his status, he actually had to pay the military. This experience was difficult, because many of our forefathers had come to America to escape, among other things, military service.” [2]

  
  

• Sources

  [S225] Peter Zehr, East Bend Mennonite Church Records. [S345] Bertha Mae Reedy Zehr, Richly Blessed--The Life and Memories of Bertha Zehr, (Campbell Copy Center, Harrisonburg, VA). [S397] Margaret Oyer, Biographies of Mennonite Leaders: Samuel S. Zehr.