1877 - 1958 (80 years)
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Name |
Noah S. Hunsberger |
Prefix |
Rev. |
Born |
14 Dec 1877 |
Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8] |
Gender |
Male |
Name |
Noah Honsberger |
Residence |
1881 |
Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada [4] |
Mennonite |
Occupation |
1901 |
Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada [3] |
Farm Laborer |
Occupation |
1911 |
Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada [6] |
Minister, Farmer, on Farm |
Occupation |
1911 |
Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada [6] |
Minister, Farmer, on Farm |
Residence |
1911 |
Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada [6] |
Mennonite |
Residence |
1911 |
Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada [6] |
Mennonite |
Occupation |
1923 |
Erb Street Mennonite Church, Waterloo, Ontario |
Minister |
- Early services which began around 1837 were held in private homes. Land at the corner of Erb Street and Hallman Road, where the present-day cemetery is located, was donated by David Eby Sr. on July 14, 1851; a red brick church known as David Eby's Church was built in the same year. The first minister in the new church was Jacob M. Oberholtzer who served from 1852 to 1874. He was followed by Elias Schneider (1874-1889), Jonas Snider (1892-1900), Newton Weber (1921-1923), and Noah Hunsberger (1923-1929).1a
1aAmbrose, Rosemary. Waterloo County Churches A Research Guide to Churches Established Before 1900. Kitchener, Ontario, Canada: Waterloo-Wellington Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society, 1993. [used the kind permission of Rosemary Ambrose 2011]
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Occupation |
1926 |
Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada [2] |
Minister of The Gospel |
Eby ID Number |
00057-3890.10 |
Died |
14 Mar 1958 [7, 8] |
Buried |
Erb Street Mennonite Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada [7, 8] |
Person ID |
I2613 |
Generations |
Last Modified |
12 May 2025 |
Father |
Abraham Hunsberger, b. 5 Mar 1834, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada , d. 28 Oct 1912, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada (Age 78 years) |
Mother |
Elizabeth Sherk, b. 30 Jan 1843, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada , d. 20 Jun 1924 (Age 81 years) |
Married |
1 Apr 1862 |
Greenbush (Kitchener), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada [9, 10, 11, 12, 13] |
Family ID |
F841 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
Family 1 |
Mary Ann Shantz, b. 7 Oct 1881, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada , d. 6 Feb 1925, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada (Age 43 years) |
Married |
1 Mar 1905 |
Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada [5, 14] |
Children |
|
Last Modified |
13 May 2025 |
Family ID |
F6293 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
Family 2 |
Minnie Amelia Witmer, b. 20 Jun 1887, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada , d. 25 Dec 1987, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada (Age 100 years) |
Married |
8 Sep 1926 |
Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada [2] |
Children |
|
Last Modified |
13 May 2025 |
Family ID |
F6294 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
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Notes |
- Hunsberger, Noah S. (1877-1958)
Noah Sherk Hunsberger: pastor and rural mission worker; born 14 December 1877 in Baden, ON to Abraham and Elizabeth (Sherk) Hunsberger. He was the ninth child in a family of twelve. On 1 March 1905 he married Mary Ann (Steiner) Shantz (17 October 1881-6 February 1925). They had three children. After Mary Ann's death, he married Minnie A. (Cober) Witmer (20 June 1887-25 December 1987) on 8 September 1926. Noah and Minnie had two children. Noah died 14 March 1958, and was buried in the Erb Street Mennonite Church cemetery.
Noah and Minnie Hunsberger On 15 May 1900 Noah Hunsberger, after being chosen by lot, was ordained as a minister for the David Eby (later Waterloo, then Erb St.) congregation in Waterloo, ON. Later in life he said he had been ordained to preach in the English language at a time when the change from German to English was underway in the Mennonite Conference of Ontario. Hunsberger served as a minister at the Waterloo congregation from 1900-1920 and again from 1923-1929. From 1920-1923 he served at the Sherkston, ON congregation, and continued to serve the Rural Mission Board in a variety of locations after 1930 (e.g., Zurich, Bothwell and Baden -- in the late 1930s). He was actively engaged in pastoral work for forty years. Hunsberger also had in interest in the early work of the House of Friendship during the 1940s. By vocation he had a woodworking shop for some years and also was a beekeeper. During most of his ministry he lived in Waterloo; in later years he lived near Baden and in St. Jacobs.
Noah Hunsberger had only a grade eight education. He received limited theological training by taking some correspondence courses from the Elkhart Institute (later Goshen College) in Indiana. His lack of education likely influenced his decision to retire in his early 50s as minister of the more urban Waterloo Mennonite Church when younger leaders with more education began to be available. He was described as an "earnest and genuine" preacher, who was often moved to tears while speaking. In his last years he carried on a ministry of hospital visitation. Noah Hunsberger provided quiet leadership, often filling the pulpit in smaller rural congregations, and responding to the call of the conference to serve as an itinerant minister as needed.
Steiner, Sam. "Hunsberger, Noah S.." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. July 2001. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 13 Nov 2005 <https://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/H8555.html>
___________________
Hunsberger, Noah S., son of the late Abraham and Elizabeth (Sherk) Hunsberger, was born Dec. 14, 1877, in Waterloo County, Ont.; passed away March 14, 1958; aged 80 y. 3 m. He had been ill three months with paralysis. Surviving are his wife (Minnie Witmer), 3 sons (John, Waterloo, Ont.; Paul, Monerville, Ont.; and David, St. Jacobs, Ont.), and one daughter (Grace, St. Jacobs, Ont.). He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife (Mary Ann Shantz), a daughter (Nina), and all his brothers and sisters (David, Enos, Lydia, John, Moses, Mary Ann, Menno, Magdalena, Abram, Ira, and Elmina). He accepted Christ as his Saviour at the age of fifteen. In 1900 he was called to serve as minister of the Waterloo congregation. Along with this responsibility he served at itinerant minister for several outlying points. At the call of the Mission Board he served for three years at Skerton and then returned to Waterloo. He helped to start the House of Friendship and also served the Baden Mission for a period of years after his release from Waterloo. The last six years of his life were spent in doing hospital visitation which afforded him much happiness. Funeral services were held at the Erb Street Church in charge of J. B. Martin, Henry Jantzi, and Walter Brubacher, and Rufus Jutzi.
Gospel Herald - Volume LI, Number 13 - April 1, 1958-page 314, 315
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Sources |
- [S3] Book - Vol I A Biographical History of Waterloo Township and other townships of the county : being a history of the early settlers and their descendants, mostly all of Pennsylvania Dutch origin..., 816.
- [S3108] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration, 045957-26.
Noah S. Hunsberger, 48, occ. Minister of The Gospel, b. Wilmot Twp, res. Waterloo, Widower, son of Abraham Hunsberger and Elizabeth Sherk married Minnie A. Witmer, 39, occ. Domestic, b. Waterloo Twp, res. Kitchener, Spinster, daughter of Levi Witmer and Mary Cober, Witnessed by: Leander Bauman of Waterloo and Rosie Cober of Kitchener, 8 September 1926 in Kitchener.
- [S132] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo North - 1901, Waterloo C-4 Page 9.
- [S140] Census - ON, Waterloo, Wilmot - 1881, Div. 1 Page 40.
- [S4] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration.
Noah Hunsberger Born: Wilmot Age: 27 Father: Abram Honsberger Mother: Elizabeth Sherk Born: abt 1878 Spouse: Mary Ann Shantz Age: 23 born: Wilmot Father: John Shantz Mother: Elizabeth Steiner married 1 Mar 1905 married: Waterloo, Waterloo Township
- [S366] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo City - 1911, Div. 44 Pg. 17.
- [S8] News - Gospel Herald, Obituary of Noah Hunsberger - April 1, 1958.
- [S3231] Find A Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/20848201/noah-s-hunsberger.
- [S20] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Berlin Telegraph (title varies: Berlin Telegraph, Berlin Daily Telegraph) (1853-1922), 4 Apr 1862.
"Hunschberger - Scherk: 1st inst: Abraham Hunschberger to Elizabeth Scherk, of Wilmot." By Rev. Mr. Bindeman, at Greenbush, Berlin:
- [S5] Vit - - ON, Waterloo - 1858-1869 Marriage Register.
Abram Hunsberger Birth Place: Wilmot Township Residence: Wilmot Township Age: 28 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1834 Father Name: Archibald Mother Name: Molly Jantz Spouse Name: Elisabeth Scherch Spouse's Age: 19 Spouse Estimated Birth Year: abt 1843 Spouse Birth Place: Wilmot Township Spouse residence: Wilmot Township Spouse Father Name: John Spouse Mother Name: Magdalene Grobe Marriage Date: 1 Apr 1862 Marriage County: Waterloo
- [S6] Church Records - ON, Waterloo - Bindeman, F. W. - Card Index Kitchener Public Library.
- [S8] News - Gospel Herald, Obituary of Abraham Hunsberger - November 14, 1912.
- [S7] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Berliner Journal (1859-1917), 3 Apr 1862.
Apr. 1, 1862 Elisabeth Scherch and Abraham Hunschberger, both of Wilmot, by Rev. Bindemann
- [S8] News - Gospel Herald, February 26, 1925 - Obituary of Mary Ann Shantz.
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Event Map |
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 | Born - 14 Dec 1877 - Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada |
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 | Residence - Mennonite - 1881 - Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada |
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 | Occupation - Farm Laborer - 1901 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada |
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 | Married - 1 Mar 1905 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada |
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 | Occupation - Minister, Farmer, on Farm - 1911 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada |
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 | Occupation - Minister, Farmer, on Farm - 1911 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada |
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 | Residence - Mennonite - 1911 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada |
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 | Residence - Mennonite - 1911 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada |
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 | Occupation - Minister - 1923 - Erb Street Mennonite Church, Waterloo, Ontario |
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 | Occupation - Minister of The Gospel - 1926 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada |
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 | Married - 8 Sep 1926 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada |
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 | Buried - - Erb Street Mennonite Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada |
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