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Mendel, Jacob J. (1874-1960)
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1960 Dec 1 p. 3
Birth date: 1874
text of obituary:
LONG-TIME EDITOR OF SOUTH DAKOTA WEEKLY CALLED AWAY IN DEATH
(As the Review goes to press, word is received that J. J. Mendel, long-time editor of the Freeman Courier, died Wednesday morning.)
Freeman, S. D. — With a record of service equalled by few editors of small-town weeklies, J. J. Mendel of Freeman recently announced his retirement as editor of the “Freeman Courier.”
After editing and publishing the local paper for one month less than 60 years, the 86-year-old Mr. Mendel was forced to retire due to ill health. Sale of the Courier to the Pine Hill Printery here has been announced.
Under Mr. Mendel’s editorship, the Courier has played a large part in the history of this and nearby\by communities. For the past 15 years the circulation has exceeded 2,000, making it the largest weekly in the state.
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1960 Dec 8 p. 7
text of obituary:
Editor of ‘Freeman Courier’ Had Long, Colorful Career
J. J. MENDEL, PUBLISHER OF WEEKLY PAPER FOR 60 YEARS, DIES AT AGE 85
Freeman, S. D. — Jacob J. Mendel, 85, South Dakota teacher-farmer, and owner and editor of the Freeman Courier for the past 60 years, died at the local Community hospital Wednesday, Nov. 30. By strange coincidence that was also the day the last issue of the Courier was published under his ownership. A short time ago the paper was sold to the Pine Hill Printery.
Of Bohemian descent, Mr. Mendel was born in Russia and came to the United States with his parents when he was five months old. the family settled on a farm near Menno in 1875, where he spent the first 26 years of his life.
He furthered his education by attending an academy in Kansas and then he became a teacher. In 1901 he purchased a farm on the outskirts of Freeman and paid for it on the installment plan by farming in the summer and teaching in the winter.
That same year the Freeman Courier was started by Osborne of Springfield, but before the end of the year the publisher decided to quit. the people of Freeman were eager to see the paper continue and suggested that teacher Mendel take over the printing office. Thus he became publisher and editor by default, not by choice. In his own words, “They talked me into it.”
The Courier under Mendel’s guidance increased from a circulation in the beginning of 200 to2,000. this is unusual for a town of 1,100 population. In fact, at one time representatives of the FBI came to Freeman to investigate in this regard. He never hesitated to insert his philosophy of life and a bit of humor into his lines and always boosted enterprises which he believed to be good for the community.
Mr. Mendel was Freeman’s oldest active businessman and had always been active in community projects. He had an interest in the telephone company, owned the water plant, and for 28 years was on the Board of Directors of Freeman Academy and College. As an author he published two books. One dealt with the history of Freeman, and the second, ready to be published, tells of the area’s pioneers.
Funeral services for Mr. Mendel were held at 2 p.m. Dec. 2 in the Hutterthal Mennonite Church. Services were held in the Walter Funeral Home at 1:15 p.m.
Survivors include the widow; two children, Mrs. John L. (Marie) Hofer, and Jacob J. Jr., both of Freeman, and one foster daughter, Mrs. Peter Regier of Madrid, Neb.
Pallbearers were his grandsons, LaVerne Mendel, Raymond Hofer, Roland Hofer, Jacob J. Hofer, Joseph K. Hofer Jr., and Virgil Schmidt. Honorary pallbearers were J. J. Waltner, J. J. Wollmann, John T. Gross, Ben C. Graber and A. A. Schmidt. Interment was made in Hutterthal Cemetery.
Until recently the Pine Hill Printery, established about 50 years ago by the late J. C. Gering, was operated on a farm near Freeman.
The present plant is located at the edge of Freeman and operated by Glen and Vernon Gering, sons of the founder. the first Freeman Courier to be published by the new publishers will come off the press Dec. 8.