Voth, Maria Jantz (1838-1938)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1938 Mar 2 p. 2

Birth date: 1838 Mar 20

text of obituary:

Mrs. Maria Voth

Maria Voth, nee Jantz, daughter of Peter and Katharina Jantz, nee Unruh was born march 20, 1838, in Karolswalde, by Ostroga, in Poland, Russia, and died at 9:15 a.m., February 24, 1938. Had she lived 24 days longer, she would have attained the 100-year mark. Thus, she reached the ripe old age of 99 years, 11 months and 4 days.

She was baptized upon confession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ on June 6, 1854, by the Elder Tobias Unruh, and received into the fellowship of the Mennonite church in Karolswalde.

She was united in marriage Nov. 28, 1858,, with David Voth, who died April 10, 1910. They were privileged to live and share together the joys and sorrows of holy wedlock for 51 years, 4 months, and 12 days. She lived as widow 27 years, 10 months and 134 days.

To this union were born 13 children: 8 sons and 5 daughters, of which 5 preceded her in death: Tobias, David and Bernhard died in infancy, and Tobias and Andrew died several years ago.

She emigrated together with her husband and children to America in 1874. She lived in Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania 3 years, then came to Kansas in 1877 to McPherson Co. After some years here she made her home with her children in Kansas and Oklahoma, until July 23, 1935, when she made her home in the Old People's home, Goessel, Kansas, for 2 years, 7 months, at which place she died.

While living in McPherson Co., Kansas, she and her husband transferred their church membership to the Lone Tree Church of God in Christ, Mennonite, north of Moundridge, of which she was a member until death called her to her heavenly home.

She leaves to mourn her departure in joyful anticipation to meet again in eternity: 3 sons, Henry of Moundridge; Peter of Montezuma; and Benjamin of Goltry, Oklahoma; 5 daughters: Katie (Mrs. Ben) Koehn, of Meno, Okla.; Anna (Mrs. Corn.) Schultz, Protection, Kansas; Aganetha (Mrs. Jacob) Becker, Enid, Okla.; Susanna (Mrs. John) Dirkson, Geary, Okla.; Elisabeth (Mrs. Jacob) Wedel, Protection, Kansas; also 77 grandchildren, 288 great-grand-children, 42 great-great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great-great-grandchild, making a total of 416 living descendants. Five sons, 17 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren, have passed on before Grandmother, a total of 38 dead, and grand total of 454. Also one brother Tobias Jantz, Montezuma, Kansas survives, 2 sisters, Mrs. Henry Unruh, Tampa, Kansas, and Mrs. Ben Becker, Meno, Okla., and many other relatives and friends.

Funeral services were held at the Old People's Home in Goessel, Kansas, Feb. 26, 1938, and at the Mennonite church near Meno, Okla. She was laid to rest in the ceemtery near the church beside her husband on Feb. 27, 1938. May we all have the faith and feeling of security in theLord Jesu Christ which Grandmotehr mentioned so often in her last days. —Written by Joh D. Voth, a grandson, Moundridge, Kans.