Rev. Noah S. Hunsberger

Other Events:

• Name: Noah Honsberger
• Eby ID Number: 00057-3890.10
• Residence: 1881, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Occupation: 1901, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farm Laborer
• Occupation: 1911, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Minister, Farmer, on Farm
• Occupation: 1911, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Minister, Farmer, on Farm
• Residence: 1911, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Residence: 1911, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Occupation: 1923, Erb Street Mennonite Church, Waterloo, Ontario; Minister
• Occupation: 1926, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Minister of The Gospel

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

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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

Occupation:
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).<sup>1a

1a</sup>Ambrose, 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]

Noah married Mary Ann Shantz 1 Mar 1905, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Mary (daughter of John D. Shantz and Elizabeth Steiner) was born 7 Oct 1881, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 6 Feb 1925, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Erb Street Mennonite Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Noah married Minnie Amelia Witmer 8 Sep 1926, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Minnie (daughter of Levi R. Witmer and Mary G. Cober) was born 20 Jun 1887, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 25 Dec 1987, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Erb Street Mennonite Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Paul — Edna Martin. (daughter of Ishmael Martin and Veronica "Fanny" Snyder) [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-190680

Notes:

HUNSBERGER, John A. Peacefully with his loving daughter Lois by his side, on Thursday, December 1, 2011, John A. Hunsberger of London, in his 96th year. Beloved husband for 70 years of Gladys Hunsberger of London. Loving father of James and Dorothea of Waterloo, Lois and John Pickoski of Kitchener and Mark and Cheryl of London. Proud grandfather of James, Paul, Matt and Florence, Jason and Julie, Shawn and Kelly and Philip. Loved by his great-grandchildren Jacob, Kayla, Toby, Abby, Logan and Brooklyn. Dear brother of Paul and Edna of Goshen, Indiana and Grace and Newton Gingrich of Baden. Predeceased by his brother David and his wife Kate. At John's request, there will be no visitation. A Celebration of John's Life will be held at London First Church of the Nazarene, 176 Wellington St., London on Saturday, December 10, 2011 at 1: 00 p.m. with Rev. Junior Sorzano officiating. Cremation. Donations to the London First Church of the Nazarene gratefully acknowledged. Online condolences and donations are available through www.mcfarlane-roberts.ca. Dad's dreamed journey is now complete.

Waterloo Region Record 3 Dec 2011

John married Gladys Sheila Gingerich 1 Mar 1941. Gladys (daughter of Margaret Gingrich) was born 2 Mar 1918, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 30 Dec 2011, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Forest Lawn Cemetery, London, Middlesex Co., Ontario. [Group Sheet]

Grace — Newton Roy Gingerich. (son of Edmund G. Gingerich and Anna G. Roth) [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Business: St. Jacobs, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Laughing Horse Gallery
• Interesting: photographer
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-169001

David — Katherine Anne "Kate" Nafziger. Katherine (daughter of Amos Nafziger and Nancy Gerber) was born 12 Jan 1933; died 8 Mar 2007, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , St. Jacobs Mennonite Cemetery, St. Jacobs, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]