Samuel Grant Shetler ¹³⁷⁹

  General Notes:

OBITUARY

SAMUEL GRANT SHETLER
1871-1942

Shetler. - Samuel Grant, son of the late Jacob and Amelia (Kaufman) Shetler, was born Jan. 13, 1871; died Aug. 11, 1942; aged 71 y. 6 m. 28 d. He is survived by the following children: Luella (wife of Harry E. Miller), Goshen, Ind.; Rosella (wife of Jno. M. Bachman), Creston, Mont.; Goldie (wife of Jno. Sala), Creston, Mont.; Margaret (wife of Calvin E. Kaufman), with whom he resided at the time of his death; and Sanford G. (married to Florence Young), Hollsopple, Pa. He is also survived by 16 grandchildren, and 1 great-grandchild; also by 1 sister (Mrs. Louisa Hostetler). His wife, Maggie Jane (Kaufman) Shetler, and 2 children (Ralph and Rena Shetler) preceded him in death. He was baptized into the Mennonite Church Dec. 13, 1892, at the Stahl Church, Bishop J. N. Durr officiating. May 20, 1894, he was ordained deacon, and April 18, 1897, minister, Bishop Jonas Blough officiating in both services. Feb. 28, 1915, he was ordained bishop by Bishops J. D. Mishler and J. P. Bontrager, at the Hopewell Church, near Hubbard, Oreg. He was greatly interested in the welfare of the Church, and engaged in many activities. His passing will create a vacancy in many places. He was a much loved pillar in the Church. During the two days before the funeral over 800 persons came to the Kaufman home to view the mortal remains. The funeral was attended by over 1,000 persons. There were present 28 ministers. 12 bishops, and 9 deacons, as well as many other church workers. While our brother was conducting summer Bible school at Grantsville he collapsed one evening in the meeting and his condition became worse again after a slight improvement from treatment, and he passed away peacefully at the end. He was one of the pioneers in the starting of both winter and summer Bible schools in our church. He founded the Pacific Coast Bible School at Hubbard, Oreg., in 1921. Also another such school was founded at the Stahl Church in the Johnstown district in 1922. Last year, the twentieth term of the Johnstown Bible School, he was principal. He conducted many two-week winter Bible schools in other churches. At the time of his death he was in charge of the Stahl Church, and had bishop oversight of the Stahl and Elton churches and of the Johnstown City Mission. The funeral services, conducted at the home and at the Stahl Church, were in charge of Bros. Lloy A. Kniss, Robert Dayton, John L. Horst, and Jas. Saylor. Text, Rev. 14:13. Others who were present and added comforting words were Abram Metzler, S. C. Yoder, J. Irvin Lehman, Roy Otto, Allen Erb, Daniel Kauffman, Roy Kinsinger, and Irvin Stonerook. The body was laid away in the Stahl Cemetery. Besides our departed brother's much appreciated service to the Church as a bishop, minister, teacher, and evangelist, he also served the community as a successful schoolteacher for over 40 years. He taught a teachers' training normal in Conemaugh Township for more than twenty terms. Many of the persons at the funeral services were at one time or another pupils in some school that he taught. It was touching to see the small children, with those who were one time small children, coming into the home to view the body, standing by the coffin and weeping as they paid their last tribute to a beloved schoolteacher. In the flyleaf of his Bible was found written the following verse which aptly describes his attitude toward discouraging incidents which came up in his work:
Don't Give Up
God can read each falling tear,
He knows the heart that's needing cheer.
He sees the path that's hard and drear,
Don't give up for He is near.
--Aug. 9, 1935, Coatesville, Pa.

From: Gospel Herald, Vol. XXXV, No. 22, August 27, 1942, pages 479,480 ¹³⁷⁹

  Christening Notes:

by Bishop J. N. Durr

  Death Notes:

Age: 71 years, 6 Months, 28 Days

  Life Events:

1. Ordination: Deacon, 20 May 1894, Stahl Mennonite Church. ¹³⁷⁹ Ordained by Bishop Jonas Blough

2. Ordination: Minister, 18 Apr 1897, Stahl Mennonite Church. ¹³⁷⁹ Ordained by Bishop Jonas Blough

3. Ordination: Bishop, 28 Feb 1915. ¹³⁷⁹ Ordained by Bishops J. D. Mishler & J. P. Bontrager, Hopewell Mennonite Church, near Hubbard, Marion County, Oregon.

4. Church Affiliation: Mennonite. ¹³⁷⁹

Samuel married Margaret Jane "Maggie" Kaufman, daughter of Jacob W. Kaufman and Catharine Blough, on 13 Jan 1891 in Krings, Somerset, Pennsylvania, USA.¹³⁷⁹ (Margaret Jane "Maggie" Kaufman was born on 23 Apr 1876 in Davidsville, Somerset, Pennsylvania, USA ¹³⁷⁹, christened on 13 Dec 1890 in Stahl Mennonite Church ¹³⁷⁹ and died on 14 Jun 1932 in Johnstown, Cambria, Pennsylvania, USA ¹³⁷⁹.). The cause of her death was Cancer.

  Marriage Notes:

Married by Bishop Jonas Blough ¹³⁷⁹