Kirchhofer, Daniel (1860-1934)

Christlicher Bundesbote obituary: 1934 Jul 10 p. 14

Birth date: 1860 Apr 15

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1934 Jun 20 p. 1

text of obituary:

Well Known Correspondent of Review Called by Death.

Daniel Kirchhofer, Review correspondent from Dalton, Ohio, was called to his reward on Wednesday, June 13, death coming after an illness of several weeks. Mr. Kirchhofer reached the age of 74 years, 1 month, and 28 days. He was born on what is now the John P. Lehman farm at Dalton and spent his boyhood days on this residence which overlooks the cemetery where his mortal remains will rest.

Baptized into membership of the Mennonite church on June 1, 1884, by Rev. Christian Krehbiel and latter [sic] transferring his membership to the Salem church, he has remained an active member there to the time of his death.

Mr. Kirchhofer was united in marriage to Rosa Baumgartner on August 9, 1896, and to this union were born two sons and two daughters: Roy and Delvin at home, Stella of Wooster and Dora of Bluffton, O. Mrs. Krichhofer died on November 26, 1932.

In his earlier years Mr. Kirchhofer was a worker in the Mennonite mission in the Indian territory of Oklahoma. Later he was widely known for building picket fences and for dealing in wire fencing; but he has been known most widely through his regular cor3espondence to various periodicals. He contributed regularly to the Dalton Gazette for over 50 years , to the Orrville Courier for over 30 years and also for shorter periods of time to the Berne (Ind.) Review and the Mennonite Weekly Review.

Aside from his immediate family of children he leaves to mourn his departure a number of nephews and nieces, many of them in Indian, and a large circle of friends in Ohio and other states.

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1934 Jun 27 p. 2

text of obituary:

Daniel Kirchhofer

After an illness of more than six weeks Daniel Kirchhofer passed away Wednesday afternoon, June 13, at his home three miles southeast of Dalton, O. He had been suffering from heart trouble, dropsy, and complications.

A host of relatives and friends attended funeral services on the following Saturday forenoon at the Salem Mennonite church. A loud speaker was installed so that people who could not be admitted to the church were able to hear the sermon and the singing. Sunday School classmates were the pall bearers who bore the body to its last resting place. There were many beautiful floral offerings. The services were conducted by Rev. A. R. Kaiser and the singing was by a young men's quartet of the Salem church.

Relatives from a distance who attended services were: Mr. and Mrs. Sam Leichty, Henry, Fred, Mary and Thelma Leichty; Mrs. Ed. Gerber, Mrs. David Habegger, Amos Kirchhofer, Mrs. Ezra Habegger, Mrs. Hiram Baumgartner, and Mr. and Mrs. Milton Leichty of Berne, Indiana; Gideon Lehman of Bluffton, Ohio; David Lehman of Lima; Miss Emma Lehman, Abe and Adam Bixler of Pandora; Dan Bixler and Orlo Sprunger of Canton; Mrs. Raymond Flickinger of Massillon; Mr. and Mrs. Frank Shoup of Wilmot and a very large number from more nearby towns.

Obituary

Daniel Kirchhofer, son of David and Barbara Bixler Kirchhofer, was born on the Center Pioneer Farm in the heart of Sonnenberg on April 15, 1860. At the age of four he lost his father, but with his mother, brothers, and sisters he continued to spend his boyhood days on the farm now owned by John P. Lehman, overlooking the church with which he later affiliated and the cemetery where his body has been laid to rest. In the year of 1883 he went to Newton, Kansas, where he took a course in the academy of Bethel College. On June 1, 1884, he was baptized by Rev. Christian Krehbiel of Halstead and became a member of the Mennonite church there. Later he spent two and a half years in Oklahoma, in what was then known as the Indian Territory, where he was in charge of the boys at a Mennonite Mission station. Following that, he came to his home near Dalton where he spent the remainder of his life. He transferred his church membership to the Salem Mennonite church and remained a faithful member up to the time of his death. On August 9, 1896, he was married to Rosina Baumgartner, with whom he shared joy and sorrow for 36 years. Two sons and two daughters were born to this union. His wife preceded him eighteen months ago. He is survived by his sons Roy and Delvin at home, and his daughters Dora of Bluffton and Stella of Wooster.

Mr. Kirchhofer led a very active life. Besides operating his farm in a general way, he and his family have for many years specialized in market gardening; have operated a sugar camp; and since 1920 have had a picnic grove in their farm open to the public. He was for many years known as a builder of picket fence, of which he completed more than 50 miles. Later he became a dealer in woven wire fence and followed that business for many years. But his interests did not stop there. For over 50 years he has been Sonnenberg correspondent to the Dalton Gazette, for over 30 years to the Orrville Courier Crescent, and for shorter periods to the Mennonite Weekly Review of Kansas, and the Berne Review of Berne, Indiana. He was also active in all church organizations. He was the teacher of the first English Sunday School class in the Salem church; was the church librarian for many years; and for several periods of time served as church correspondent to the Mennonite and Bundesbote. In musical activities he was not only an interested party but a decided asset. In earlier years he was a member of a church male quartet and was a member both of the male and mixed choruses as long as his eyesight permitted. In his later years he often assisted in singing special choral numbers he had long since memorized and had retained in memory. The harmonica solo, "Speak to my soul, der [sic] Jesus," which he gave at Sunday School on one of the last Sundays he attended will live in the memories of all who heard it.

His style of writing was unique, sometimes quaint, always interesting, and it brought him renown. Only a month before his passing, "The New Yorker" made note of a paragraph of weather observations he had written in beginning one of his weekly news letters. Millions of words came from his hand and he will not soon be forgotten.

The Mennonite obituary: 1934 Jul 17 p. 23