Wiebe, Hermann (1850-1920)

Christlicher Bundesbote obituary: 25 Mar 1920 p. 7

Birth date: 1850 Feb 3

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Bundesbote-Kalender obituary: 1921 p. 34

Text of obituary:

† Pred. Hermann Wiebe.

Br. Hermann Wiebe war geboren am 3. Februar 1850 in Freienhufen bei Danzig. 1868 wurde er von seinem Vater, dem Aeltesten der Gemeinde Fürstenwerder, getauft und in die Gemeinde aufgenommen. 1872 wanderte er mit seinen Eltern und Geschwistern nach Rußland aus. 1870 verehelichte er sich mit Wilhelmine Hein. Nach dem Tod seiner Gattin verehelichte er sich 1886 mit Gertrud Epp. 1894 kam er nach Beatrice, Nebr. Er wurde schon in Rußland ins Predigtamt gewählt und diente mit Ernst und Treue in der Gemeinde Beatrice. Er nahm am Aufbau des Reiches Gottes regen Anteil, besonders in der Diakonissensache.

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Mennonite Year Book and Almanac obituary: 1921 p. 21

Text of obituary:

REV. HERMANN WIEBE

Rev. Hermann, Wiebe, of the Mennonite Church, of Beatrice, Neb., was called to his reward on March 9, 1920, aged 79 years, 1 month and 3 days. He was born on the 3rd day of February, 1850, on a farm near the city of Danzig, Germany. His parents were Rev. Johann and Margaretha, nee Hamm, Wiebe. he was educated in a very good school in Danzig. In 1868 he was admitted to the membership of the Furstenwerder Mennonite church by baptism at the hands of his father, who was the Elder of the church. In 1869 he moved in company with his brother Gerhard Wiebe and two other families to a Mennonite colony, near the city of Samara, east of the Volga river in Russia, in order to avoid the military obligations in Germany. There in the village of Alexanderthal together with his brother, he engaged in the general store business. In 1879 he married Wilhelmine Hein. This bond was, however, severed in 1885, when he with two children survived. A year later, 1886, he married Gertrude Epp. To this union nine children were born. In 1902 his second wife died.

Shortly after he had located in Russia the congregation with which he had united called him to the ministry. In spite of a very prosperous business and very dear family relations he did not feel at home in Russia. Accordingly in 1894 he and his brother, Gerhard, decided to come to America. At the time of his coming to America he had an uncle, a brother to his father, residing in Cleveland, Ohio. Since there was no Mennonite congregation in Cleveland, upon the advice of his uncle there, he came to Beatrice, and bought a nice farm near town. Having come into the midst of the Beatrice congregation he was at once accepted as one of their ministers. He was not only a minister but a very active and consecrated worker in the cause of the Sunday-school and Christian Endeavor. He was very active in the establishing of the Mennonite Deaconess Home and Hospital and was a member of the Board of directors. After he had moved from his farm and located in town he became unusually active in the management of the same.

The cause of Brother Wiebe's death was Influenza. On the 12th of March his mortal remains were laid to rest. The funeral services were conducted at the house by Rev. H. D. Penner in the English language, choosing for his text, 2 Cor. 5:1. At the church the sermon was preached in German by Rev. J. K. Penner, based on Luke 2:29, 30. The high regard in which the deceased was held was testified by the very large number of people who attended the funeral and followed to the grave.

Brother Wiebe leaves to mourn his death ten children, five sons and five daughters; three sons and three daughters-in-law; seven grandchildren; his only brother and many relatives and friends here, as well as in Russia and Germany. "The memory of the just is blessed." Prov. 10:7.