Enns, Peter W. (1872-1957)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1957 Sep 12 p. 6

Birth date: 1872 Feb 6

text of obituary:

— Peter W. Enns, 85, pioneer resident of the Newton community, died Tuesday morning a short time after being admitted to the Bethel Deaconess Hospital. Funeral services are announced for Friday afternoon at 2:30 in the Bethel College Church, of which he was a member. Rev. Russell Mast, the pastor, will officiate. Mr. Enns was born in South Russia and came to this county at the age of 17. Surviving are his wife, the former Elizabeth Buhler; three sons, Bernhard B. of Fort Pierce, Fla., Rudolph and Walter of Newton; one daughter, Mrs. J. J. Siemens of North Newton; 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1957 Sep 26 p. 8

text of obituary:

PETER W. ENNS

Peter W. Enns, born in South Russia on Feb. 6, 1872, to Cornelius and Katherina Wilms Enns, attained the age of 85 years, seven months and 15 days at the time of his death Sept. 10, 1957

At the age of three he lost his mother. His training fell to one sister, then another, and at five to a stepmother. He was orphaned at 11. In a later diary he writes about his early years saying, “these substitutions for his real mother, performed with good intentions, were sadly inadequate to meet the training necessary for his nature.”

At 17, having completed his high school education in German, he embarked for America alone, arriving at his destination, Inman, Kansas in 1889. The same year by baptism, he joined the Hebron congregation under Rev. Bernhard Buhler. In the fall of the same year he started his teaching career, first exclusively German. In between he studied eleven months at McPherson College, where he earned a teaching certificate and then taught both English and German in the public schools near Buhler. Here he also learned to know Rev. Bernhard Buhler's daughter, Elizabeth, surviving, whom he married August 17, 1894. His diary reflects fully what he said at occasions, “his life began at seventeen.”

In 1908, when the family had increased to four children, Newton became their choice of residency, where Bethel College was offering the desired educational opportunities.

Well-known are his active interests in community, education, and church conference work. Known best in the community as a dairy farmer, he distinguished himself as a pioneer in the dairy improvement association, winning state awards, also being awarded the honor of state president of the Kansas State Dairy Association and Treasurer of the Kansas State Farm Bureau, which he helped organize.

Other survivors are three sons, Bernhard B. of Ft. Pierce, Florida, Rudolph and Walter of Newton; one daughter, Anna (Mrs. J. J. Siemens) of Newton; eleven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.