Erb, Tillman M. (1865-1929)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1929 Jan 30 p. 1

Birth date: 1865 Nov 3

text of obituary:

Rev. T. M. Erb Passes Away Friday Morning

Mennonite Leader Succumbs to Amputation of Leg Injured 16 Years ago

Rev. Tillman M. Erb, well known Mennonite leader and Professor of Bible at Hesston College, passed away at the Bethel hospital last Friday, January 25, at 5:45 A. M. following the amputation of a leg on Jan. 14. His death came as a great shock to his many friends and relatives in Hesston, Newton and vicinity. The amputation was the second major operation which followed an explosion in his home 16 years ago in which his little daughter, Elva, aged eight years, lost her life. Mr. Erb was badly burned about the legs and for three years skin grafting was done in an effort to save the limb. in 1915 one leg as amputated at the knee and during the entire time since the accident there has been an unhealed wound on the other leg. this fall Mr. Erb motored with his wife to Pennsylvania to visit relatives and while there he consulted specialists concerning this wound, which was gradually rowing worse. They advised him to return home and undergo an amputation immediately. He and his wife returned, Mr. Erb driving his car the entire distance and upon arrival here he made arrangements immediately to go thru with the operation. He did not rally as he should owing to the large amount of tocsin [sic toxin] in his body from the wound and death came Friday morning to relieve his sufferings.

Funeral services were held Monday afternoon at one o'clock at the home in Hesston, followed by services at the Pennsylvania Mennonite Church near Zimmerdale. the church was filled with the many friends and sympathizers who came to pay their last respects to the departed leader. Funeral services were conducted by Reverends D. H. Bender and J. M. Weaver. S. E. Miller, Edward Yoder, S. M. King, D. D. Dreier, J. M. Byler and M. D. Lantis acted as pall bearers.

Tillman M. Erb

Tillman M. Erb was born at Mount Joy, Pa., on Nov. 3, 1865, a son of Jacob B. and Leah (Miller) Erb. He was one of five children, one of whom died in infancy. When he was 18 years of age he came to Harvey county with his parents and a year later was married to Lizzie Ann Hess. Eleven children were born to this union, nine of whom are living. A daughter died at the age of six months and the other was the child who lost her life in the accident which has now taken the life of her father sixteen years later.

Rev. Erb, a bishop of the Mennonite Church, has been one of the community leaders of Hesston. He was one of the founders of the Hesston creamery, which business thrived under his management and finally branched out to Newton, where Mr. Erb moved to take active control. Later he went to Harper, kan., to manage a creamery where he remained for a number of years and then moved to a farm three miles northwest of Newton. Here he resided for ten years. The family then moved to a farm near Hesston and in 1918 moved into the city of Hesston where he resided at the time of his death. He was one of the founders of the Hesston College and Bible school, organized in 1909 and he has held the position of business manger since its founding.

Besides his widow and nine children he leaves his aged mother, Mrs. Leah Erb, 87 years, who has lost in Mr. Erb her only son, whom she adored and with hom [sic whom] she made her home.