Klaassen, Jacob (1867-1948)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1948 Dec 2 p. 3

Birth date: 1867 Apr 15

text of obituary:

JACOB KLAASSEN

Jacob Klaassen was born on the fifteenth of April, 1867, in Koeppental, a village on the Trakt settlement in eastern Russia. His parents were Martin and Marie Klaassen, nee Hamm. Here in Koeppental he spent a happy childhood.

In 1880, at the age of 13, he with his parents joined the "Auszugsgemeinde" to Khiva in central Asia. Here he was baptized on the confession of his faith by Johann Jantzen. Here his father and his older sister were buried.

Because of uncertain conditions his mother, with her children, went to America after four years. They established a temporary home at Beatrice, Nebr. Jacob worked as a farm laborer for several years and then took up a homestead in the Indian Territory, later known as Oklahoma. There he learned to know the hardships of pioneer life.

On March 15, 1895, he was married to Katherine Toews, daughter of Jakob and Maria Toews of Newton, Kansas. In January, 1904, he was ordained as a minister. After a short period of happy family life, his beloved wife died, in 1908, leaving him with six young children. Two children had preceded her in death. As a result of the great strain put forth to care for his children and his farm, he suffered a nervous breakdown. Soon after he recovered, his youngest son Hermann was killed in an accident.

As the children grew up, things began to go more smoothly and the family lived in prosperity. However, when conscription was enforced in 1918, he sold the farm and took up the trek to Canada to ensure military exemption for his sons. He bought a farm three and a half miles north of the Eigenheim church. Soon he was summoned to serve the Rosenort church, and when Eigenheim organized as a separate congregation he remained in its service. In 1948 he retired, living with his third son, Henry T. Klaassen. During the past 30 years he had twice visited his home in Oklahoma.

In 1944 he celebrated his 40th anniversary as a minister of the church. It was also his official retirement. After that his life became very quiet. His close friends, the Henry Jantzens, had passed away in 1937 and 1938, so that he felt lonely indeed. Yet he was not impatient. Physically and mentally he gradually weakened during the last few years. On Sept. 27, 1948, he was brought to the hospital with a cerebral hemmorrhage [sic], and the following Sunday, Oct 3, he quietly left this earthly abode.

He reached the age of 81 years five months and 18 days. He lived in matrimony for 13 years, and as a widower for 40 years. He served as a minister for 40 years, including 16 years at the Herold church at Bessie, Okla., and 24 years at Eigenheim. Left to mourn his death are five sons with their families, 34 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. — The Family.