Bishop Clayton Freed Derstine

1891 - 1967  (76 years)

• Name	Clayton Freed Derstine
  Prefix	Bishop
  Born	17 Aug 1891	Souderton, Montgomery, Pennsylvania, USA   [1, 2]
  Gender	Male
  Residence	1927	22 Cameron St. S., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  School	Jul 1935	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  	Summer Bible School
  		Summer Bible School Kitchener July 1935
  Residence	1957	RR3, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  Residence	1959	1102 Victoria St. N., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  Died	31 Aug 1967	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1, 2, 3]
  	Cause: heart attack
  Hall of Fame - Waterloo Region	Bef 2012	, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-22548
  Buried	First Mennonite Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1, 2]
  Person ID	I22548	Generations
  Last Modified	7 Nov 2024

  
  

  Family 1	Mary Elizabeth Kolb,   b. 11 Aug 1901, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 11 Mar 1971, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 69 years)
  Married	5 Jul 1927  [3]
  Children	1. John R. Derstine   2. Margaret Derstine   3. Clayton Kolb Derstine,   b. 1928,   d. 21 Mar 2008, Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 80 years)
  Last Modified	12 Nov 2024
  Family ID	F7626	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 2	Gertrude B. Haney,   b. 21 Mar 1885, Silverdale, Bucks, Pennsylvania, USA ,   d. 23 May 1926, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 41 years)
  Married	21 Aug 1912  [5]
  Children	1. Esther H. Derstine,   b. 1913, Souderton, Montgomery, Pennsylvania, USA ,   d. 9 Jan 1975, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 62 years)
  Last Modified	12 Nov 2024
  Family ID	F7627	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos

  Bishop Clayton F. Derstine

  
  

• Notes

  Derstine - Clayton F., son of Mr. and Mrs. Mahlon Derstine, was born at Souderton, Pa., Aug. 17, 1891; died at his home in Kitchener, Ont., of a severe coronary attack, Aug. 31, 1967; aged 76 y. 14 d. He was an ordained minister for 54 years, serving at Altoona, Pa., and Eureka, Ill., before going to Kitchener. He was predeceased by his first wife (Gertrude B. Haney), May 23, 1926. On July 5, 1927, he was married to Mary E. Kolb, who survives. Also surviving are 2 sons (John R. and Clayton K.), 5 daughters (Mrs. Esther H. Smith, Ruth-Mrs. George Hostetter, Margaret-Mrs. Robert Becker, Grace-Mrs. Paul Brunner, and Eyvonne-Mrs. Lawrence Harries), 2 brothers (Clarence and Lloyd), and 10 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one brother and one sister. Funeral services were held at the First Mennonite Church, Sept. 3, with J. B. Martin, A. J. Metzler, and Robert N. Johnson officiating. Gospel Herald, October 3, 1967 _________________________ Clayton F. Derstine, a Bishop in the Illinois Conference of the Mennonite Church, was the youngest Bishop in America. He came to the First Mennonite Church, Kitchener, in 1924, where he demonstrated spiritual integrity and wisdom for more than forty years. He was Bishop in the Ontario Conference from 1925. He was internationally known as an evangelist, teacher, writer and lecturer. Bishop Derstine was an instructor in the Ontario Mennonite Bible School; taught public speaking at Waterloo College; was editor of the Christian Monitor for twenty-five years; compiled a book of 300 hymns and meditations and wrote fifteen books. He started the first Community Bible School in Canada; launched and served the Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship; and was Chairman of the Board of the House of Friendship for twenty-five years. His work took him through Canada and to forty-five states of the USA. He had the privilege of preaching to and serving three generations of the Mennonite Church. Waterloo Region Hall of Fame ___________________ Clayton Freed Derstine, born 17 August 1891, died 31 August 1967, was the son of Mahlon and Mary (Freed) Derstine of Souderton, Pennsylvania. Following his conversion in 1911, "C.F." Derstine joined the Souderton Mennonite congregation. His zeal in organizing cottage meetings for Bible study and young peoples' Bible meetings launched him on a lifelong mission of evangelism and teaching throughout the Mennonite Church (MC) and beyond. Derstine was ordained a minister in 1914. He and his first wife, Gertrude Hangey (m. 1912), served at the Mennonite Mission in Altoona, Pennsylvania, 1913-1915. Within 13 months of his ordination, C. F. preached 520 sermons, as he accepted invitations from congregations in various states to conduct evangelistic services. He served as pastor of the Roanoke Mennonite Church at Eureka , Illinois , 1915-1924. He was ordained a bishop in 1921. Derstine moved with his family to Ontario in 1924 in response to a call from First Mennonite Church, Kitchener, where a division had splintered the congregation. During his pastorate (1924-1964), membership quadrupled. Derstine continued his evangelistic itineraries throughout Canada and the United States. His pulpit ministry stood as the focal point of his contribution to the church. After the death of his first wife, he married Mary Kolb in 1927. His assignments in the Mennonite Conference of Ontario (Mennonite Church) included: conference executive committee (1925, 1930-33, 1936-30); bishop of the Toronto Mission (1938-1944) and of the Central District (1961-1966); Mennonite Mutual Benefit Association board (1944-1947); Colonization Committee (1953-1955); and the Ontario Mennonite Bible School faculty (1929-1948). He served the Mennonite Church (MC) general conference as associate member on the Relief Committee (1944-1946) and as editor of the Christian Monitor (1923-29; editor of the "World News" section until 1953). His ministry in the community included founding a Summer Vacation Bible School for children, the first to be held in any denomination in Canada. With the support of community churches and the city of Kitchener, he founded the Kitchener House of Friendship, a ministry for the homeless. Bergey, Lorna L. "Derstine, Clayton Freed (1891-1967)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1990. Web. 25 February 2011. https://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/D477ME.html.

  
  

• Sources

  [S8] News - Gospel Herald, October 3, 1967 - Clayton K. Derstein. [S47] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - First Mennonite CC#4507 Internet link First Mennonite Cemetery online. Derstine / Bishop Clayton F. Derstine / 1891-1967 / Minister & Evangelist for 53 years / beloved Paster / First Mennonite Church 1924 to 1967 / his beloved wife / Mary Elizabeth Kolb / 1902-1971 / alive in His presence [S8] News - Gospel Herald, April 6, 1971 - Obituary of Mary Elizabeth Kolb. [S220] Waterloo Region Hall of Fame Waterloo Region Hall of Fame. [S8] News - Gospel Herald, June 10, 1926 - Obituary of Gertrude B. Haney.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 17 Aug 1891 - Souderton, Montgomery, Pennsylvania, USA Residence - 1927 - 22 Cameron St. S., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada School - Summer Bible School - Jul 1935 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - 1957 - RR3, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - 1959 - 1102 Victoria St. N., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - Cause: heart attack - 31 Aug 1967 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Hall of Fame - Waterloo Region - Bef 2012 - , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - - First Mennonite Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth