Harms, Gerhard N. (1864-1951)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1951 Jan 25 p. 1

Birth date: 1864

text of obituary:

Pioneer Kansas Pastor, Teacher Died Jan. 18

SERVICES HELD MONDAY FOR REV. G. N. HARMS, GNADENBERG ELDER

Funeral services took place Monday afternoon at the Gnadenberg church southeast of Newton for Rev. Gerhard N. Harms, 87, elder and pastor of the congregation for 50 years who died at the Bethel Deaconess hospital Jan. 18 after a long illness.

A large congregation attended the final services for the widely known pastor, teacher and conference worker. Rev. H. E. Miller, present pastor of the church, and Rev. J. J. Voth were the officiating ministers.

Rev. Harms was one of the pioneer settlers in Pleasant township, having come to this country from Russia with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Harms, in 1874. He was educated in private and public schools in Russia and also in this country, graduating from the Halstead seminary in 1885.

Taught In Church Schools

In the 1880’s and 90’s he taught in district schools of Harvey and Butler counties and also in the Gemeindeschule at Summerfield, Ill. and in the Gnadenberg community. In 1888 he became assistant pastor of the Gnadenberg congregation, and in 1901 was ordained to the office of elder.

Rev. Harms was also active in conference work and in benevolent and educational institutions, having served as secretary of both the Western District Conference and the General Conference, and chairman of the trustees of General Conference, as well as on the board of both the Bethel hospital and Bethel college.

Surviving in the immediate family are two sons, E. L. Harms of Dodge City and G. F. Harms of Whitewater; six daughters, Laura of the home, Sister Theodosia of the Bethel hospital, Mrs. Fred Klaassen and Mrs. Wm. Harms of Whitewater, Mrs. Jake Hooge of Plum Coulee, Man. and Ruth of Tacoma, Wash. Mrs. Harms, the former Maria Kliewer, died in 1944.

The Mennonite obituary: 1951 Mar 13 p. 179