Preheim, Jacob J. (1870-1954)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1954 Apr 15 p. 9

Birth date: 1870 Aug 19

text of obituary:

JACOB J. PREHEIM

Jacob J. Preheim, son of Jacob and Anna Schrag Preheim, was born August 19, 1870, in Horodish, Poland. At four years of age he came with his parents to Yankton, Dakota Territory. The following spring his father rented a place 12 miles northeast of Yankton. His mother passed away there when he was eight years old. At the age of nine his father homesteaded on the Henry J. Preheim farm. There were no schools in those days and his limited education was received in private homes.

On July 18, 1886, he was baptized upon confession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior by Rev. Christian Kaufman at Salems church, now the Salem-Zion church.

On Oct. 27, 1892, he was married to Frene Kaufman by Rev. Christian Kaufman. They were blessed with 61 years of married life and eight children: Rudolph, Emil, Julius, Ida, Edward J., Jacob Roy, Otto, and Edna. For six years they lived at the Dan Preheim place and in 1898 established their own home at the present Otto Preheim farm. They farmed for 40 years, retiring in 1938 and moving to Freeman, South Dakota.

He held many civil offices. Ho was a charter member of the Salem (South) church and served on the first building committee as well as serving again on the committee when the church was rebuilt. He was a trustee of the Salem church and a great friend to education.

He enjoyed fairly good health through his life but in the second week of January 1954 he began to fail. On the last day of his life he was able to sit up and converse. Towards evening he became seriously ill with heart disease and finally passed away at 1:45 a.m. on the morning of April 1, 1954, at the age of over 83 years.

He leaves behind an unbroken family circle of eight children, 20 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, five daughters-in-law, and two sons-in-law. He was the last of six sons from the first mother. Seven half-brothers and three half-sisters from the second mother remain.

The funeral was held Saturday, April 3, 1954, at the Salem church. Pastor J. Herbert Fretz preached on Job 19:25 and was assisted by John C. Kaufman. Burial was made in the adjoining cemetery.