Schowalter, Jacob Abraham (1879-1953)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1953 Mar 12 p. 1

Birth date: 1879 Sep 25

text of obituary:

Prominent Farmer Called Away In Death

JAC. A. SCHOWALTER DIED IN BETHEL HOSPITAL TUESDAY AFTERNOON

Jac. A. Schowalter, 73, prominent farmer and community leader, died in the Bethel Deaconess Hospital at about 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, March 10, after a four weeks’ illness of heart ailment.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, with a brief service at the Kaufman funeral home in Halstead for relatives and close friends at 1:30 p.m. and the public service at 2:30 in the First Mennonite church of Newton. Having never been married, Mr. Schowalter leaves as his closest surviving relative a brother, Fred Schowalter and family of near Halstead. Living with him at the homestead southwest of Newton in recent years were Mr. and Mrs. Titus Jost, formerly of Hillsboro.

Born in Friedelsheim, Germany, Mr. Schowalter came to America in his early youth, taking up farming and engaging in various business undertakings, in which he proved outstandingly successful. He served one term in the Kansas state legislature as representative of Harvey county. Aside from his farming and business interests, he devoted much time to community work, relief and philanthropic enterprises. Together with other local men, he spent several weeks in Paraguay early last year and had planned a similar trip again this spring.

Burial is to be made in the Mennonite cemetery at Halstead.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1953 Mar 19 p. 3

text of obituary:

CALLED AWAY—Jac. A. Schowalter, 73, who died Tuesday, March 10, and for whom funeral services were held at the First Mennonite church, Friday afternoon, March 13. Mr. Schowalter customarily spent much time at his business desk (above), stacked high with papers in the front room of his farm home seven miles southwest of Newton. A man of considerable means, he gave generously to benevolent causes, including educational institutions, missions and relief. The Wurlitzer electric organ in the First Mennonite church is a gift from him. He served three terms in the Kansas state legislature. A second trip to Paraguay he had planned this spring failed to materialize.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1953 Mar 19 p. 6

text of obituary:

— A large assembly of relatives and friends from the Newton vicinity, as well as many from other communities, attended the J. A. Schowalter funeral at 2:30 p.m, Friday, March 13, at the First Mennonite church. A service for the closest relatives was held earlier in the afternoon at the Kaufman funeral home in Halstead. Ministers who participated here were Rev. D. J. Unruh, Rev. J. E. Entz and Dr. J. H. Langenwalter. A men's quartet sang three of Mr. Schowalter's best-loved hymns, one of them in German. Interment was made in the Halstead cemetery, at the side of his parents, Heinrich and Marie Schowalter.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1953 Mar 26 p. 9

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1955 Oct 20 p. 1

text of obituary:

Major Portion of Schowalter Estate Becomes Property of Churches

JUDGE STURM SIGNS ORDER TRANSFERRING KANSAS HOLDINGS TO SCHOWALTER FOUNDATION

Upward of $700,000 of Kansas real estate owned by the late J. A. Schowalter was legally transferred here this week to the Schowalter Foundation, Inc., and thereby to three Mennonite conferences, through an Order of Partial Distribution signed by Judge Sam Sturm of the Harvey County Probate Court.

Three Conferences Named

The three conferences becoming beneficiaries of the large estate are The General Conference Mennonite Church, The (Old) Mennonite Church, and the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite.

Jacob A. Schowalter, 73, wealthy Harvey county farmer and stockman, died March 10, 1953, leaving a will directing that his estate be held in trust by the three named bodies for religious and charitable purposes and for the promotion of world peace. He was a member of the Newton First Mennonite church.

“With all major indebtedness against the estate having been paid and all contingent claimants having released all claims, this sizeable distribution can be made at this time,” said Herbert H. Sizemore, of the law firm Spier, Stroberg & Sizemore, attorneys for the executors and trustees.

Excess of 7,500 Acres

Farm lands involved in the distribution total more than 7,500 acres and are located as follows: Harvey county, approximately 2,000 acres; Scott county, 2,200 acres; Sedgwick county, 560 acres, Sherman county, 880 acres; Stevens county, 2,100 acres. Included is also some property in the City of Newton.

Additional properties in Oklahoma and in Paraguay are to be handed over to the Foundation at a later date.

Trustees of the Schowalter Foundation, Inc. are H. J. Andres and Ernest Bachman, Newton, representing the General Conference; Orie O. Miller, Akron, Pa., and Albert Weaver, of near Hesston, representing the (Old) Mennonite conference; D. C. Buller, Halstead, and Adin Holdeman, Hesston, representing the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite. Executors for the estate are A. C. Dettweiler, Halstead, and Wm. P. Schowalter, Newton.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1957 Jun 13 p. 1

text of obituary:

$1,000,000 Estate Closed, Handed Over To Churches

PLEASED LARGE ESTATE CAN GO FOR SUCH SPLENDID CAUSE, SAYS JUDGE STURM IN SIGNING ORDER

Final disposition of the $1,000,000 J. A. Schowalter estate was made at the Harvey County court house Tuesday at 10:30 a. m. when Probate Judge Sam Sturm signed the order closing the estate and officially transferring the property into the hands of three designated Mennonite conferences.

"I am pleased and gratified that this large estate can be handed over to such splendid cause," said Judge Sturm as he signed the papers which now constitute a document of considerable Mennonite historic significance.

The three conferences named as beneficiaries are the (Old) Mennonite Church, the General Conference Mennonite church, and the Church of god in Christ, Mennonite, with title to the property held jointly through the Schowalter Foundation, Inc.

Present at the Tuesday hearing in the offices of Judge Sturm were H. J. Andres, administrator of the Schowalter Foundation, Inc., A. C. Dettweiler, executor, and attorneys Herbert H. Sizemore and Rodney Stone.

Extensive Land Holdings

The estate of the late J. A. Schowalter consists of extensive land holdings in central and western Kansas, some farm lands in Oklahoma and also a sizeable undeveloped acreage in Paraguay. Mr. Schowalter, wealthy Harvey county farmer and stockman, died March 10, 1953, leaving a will directing that his estate be held in trust by the three named bodies for religious and charitable purposes and for the promotion of world peace. He was a member of the Newton Frist Mennonite Church.

Trustees of the Schowalter Foundation, Inc. are: For the General Conference, H. J. Andres and Ernest Bachman, Newton; (Old) Mennonite Church, Orie O. Miller, Akron, Pa., and Al Weaver, Hesston; Church of God in Christ, Mennonite, Adin Holdeman, Hesston, and D. C. Buller, Halstead.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1957 Jul 4 p. 1

text of obituary:

MILLION DOLLAR TRANSACTION — Judge Sam H. Sturm of the Harvey County Probate Court signs the order closing the $1,000,000 J. A. Schowalter estate and officially transferring the property into the hands of three Mennonite conferences. Looking on are (l. to r.) Atty. Herbert H. Sizemore, representing the estate, A. C. Dettweiler, one of the two appointed executors, H. J. Andres, administrator of the newly organized Schowalter Foundation, Inc., and Atty. Rodney Stone, representing unknown heirs, minors and disabled persons. The three Mennonite conferences to whom the estate was wille by the late mr. Schowalter are The (Old) Mennonite Church, The General Conference Mennonite Church, and The Church of God in Christ, Mennonite.