Boese, John Cornelius (1858-1931)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1931 Sep 30 p. 6

Birth date: 1858 Dec 13

text of obituary:

LOCAL

. . .

— Rev. John Boese, who for a time had been minister at the Burrton Mennonite Church, died Sunday morning at his home west of Halstead. Although he had been in ill health for some time, it was only recently that his condition became serious. Funeral services were conducted yesterday afternoon at the Halstead Mennonite church and were largely attended by many friends and relatives. Rev. Abr. Ratzlaff of Buhler preached in the German language, while Rev. H. P. Krehbiel delivered the English sermon. Interment was made in the Halstead cemetery.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1931 Oct 7 p. 6

text of obituary:

Rev. John C. Boese

The deceased, John Cornelius Boese, was born December 13, 1858, at Karlswalde, Polish Russia. His parents were Cornelius Martin Boese and Elizabeth Schmidt Boese. Educational opportunities in that community were very meagre, so the growing boy learnt only to read. However he was early inured to practical work. In his fifteenth year, on April 1, 1874, he was baptized upon his confession of faith in Jesus Christ, by elder Tobias Unruh. In Caroline Koehn lhe found a helpmeet to whom he was united in holly matrimony on October 16, 1883, at Litwela by Elder John Schartner. To this union nine children were born, one of whom passed away in infancy.

Some months before his marriage the deceased had been chosen to the ministry. Several days after the wedding he was ordained by Elder John Schartner and at once entered upon the work of a minster of the Gospel.

In 1893 the family decided to migrate to the United States. They located at first near Canton, Kansas. Later they lived near Moundridge where for a number of years they found employment on the farms of John Rupp and Menno Beutler. In 1903 they removed to the neighborhood of Burrton and engaged in farming on their own account.

Other Mennonite families were moving into that territory at that time. The deceased had not been preaching after his arrival in the United States. Soon a group of neighbors waited on him and urged that he hold preaching services, which he did for several years, in meetings held in homes. When the Burrton Mennonite Church was begun he immediately participated in that work and was a useful and faithful co-worker in the preaching of the Gospel until a few months ago when failing health led him to resign.

On Thursday, September 23, the first signs of serious illness appeared, which ultimately developed into pneumonia, to which he succumbed, and early on Sunday morning, September 27, 1931, his spirit passed peacefully on to his maker and Savior.

He leaves to mourn his departure his widow, eight children, (six daughters and two sons), 33 grandchildren, 4 greatgrand children, 1 sister, and many relatives and friends.

Funeral services were held in the Halstead Mennonite church on Tuesday, September 29, in the presence of a large concourse of relatives and friends. Rev. Abr. Ratzlaff spoke in German. The pastor of the Burrton Mennonite church, Rev. H. P. Krehbiel who was in charge of the services spoke words of consolation in English. Interment was made in the Halstead cemetery.

Safe in the arms of Jesus,
Safe on his gentle breast,
There by His love o'ershaded,
Sweetly his soul doth rest.
Hark t'is the voice of angels,
Borne in a song to me,
Over the fields of glory,
Over the jasper sea:—

Safe in the arms of Jesus,
Safe on his gentle breast,
There by His love o'ershaded
Sweetly his soul doth rest.