Schlichting, Martin F. (1849-1929)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1929 Jul 17 p. 1

Birth date: 1849 Jan 19

text of obituary:

Schlichting Funeral at Corn Draws Large Attendance

Corn, Okla., July 11 — Once of the largest funeral attendances w\ever witnessed in Corn, marked the last rites held last Sunday for Martin F. Schlichting, who passed away, Thursday, July 4th, at the age of eighty years and five months. Funeral services were conducted in the M. B. church; rev. J. J. Wiebe made the opening remarks, Rev. Fred Just of Garden City, Kansas, delivered the German sermon. Rev. Haber of Hutchinson, Kansas, spoke in the English language and Rev. J. F. Duerksen made the closing remarks. Interment was made at the M. B. cemetery where Rev. J. M Friesen conducted the services.

In the passing away of Mr. Schlichting, the community loses the last of the fathers who settled here in the pioneer days of this settlement. But what distinguished the old patriot and what maeks [sic] his memory dear to the community is not so much when he came here, but the services he has rendered to his fellowmen in all the years that he has lived here. Many men, women and children were benefitted for life, by his devoted services, and he has probably given more aid to the sick and suffering than any doctor in the community. — Washita County Enterprise.

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1929 Sep 18 p. 5

text of obituary:

Martin F. Schlichting

Martin F. Schlichting, son of Johann and Regina Koslowski Schlichting, was born in South Russia, Jan. 19, 1849. He spent his childhood and youth with his parents on the farm where his mother taught him the fundamentals of an elementary education. In 1869, at the age of twenty, he was converted, and was baptized by Rev. Abraham Unger and admitted into the fellowship of the Mennonite Brethren church of which church he remained a member until his death. From 1869 to 1879 he was engaged as a Bible colporter for the British and Foreign Bible Society of London, England. The aim of this society was to carry the Bible, the Word of God into the remotest parts of the great Russian Empire. His colportage work took him into distant parts of the Empire and necessitated long and dangerous journeys. In spite of those difficulties, he found great satisfaction and joy in taking the Bible to thousands of people from every walk of life who were hungering and thirsting after righteousness. This work also gave him the opportunity of proclaiming the Gospel of salvation and light to the Russian people. On June 11, 1872, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Renz. Their union was blessed with eleven children — nine sons and two daughters. Two sons and two daughters died in infancy and one son died on April 8, 1922, in his twenty-eighth year. From 1879, until the spring of 1893 he devoted himself to farming and the construction of flour mills in South Russia. In the spring of 1893 he emigrated with his family to America and settled at Hastings, Nebraska. On January 14, 1894 he settled on a homestead in Washita county, Oklahoma, four and one-half miles northeast of Corn. The venture on his part required great courage and faith for he was among the first settlers to arrive on the open prairies. The first few years on the new settlement were years of hardships, suffering and hard work. But God prepared him and consequently he was able to amply provide for his family. Since his youth he had been interested in medical science and he acquired a valuable body of knowledge in this field. He had a very intimate and accurate knowledge of the structure of the human body and particularly the human anatomy. This knowledge and the art of accurately setting fractured and dislocated bones he devoted entirely to the service of his suffering fellowmen. Many men, women and children were benefitted for life by his devoted services. People from every walk of life and every profession of faith came to him for help and to each of them he gave his conscientious service and his sympathy. All patients were treated alike for he recognized them as children of the Heavenly Father. During the last nine years of his life he lived with his children. He always possessed of robust health and an exceptionally strong constitution. However, about five months ago his health began to fail rapidly and since June 10th he was confined to his bed. He seemed to be clearly conscious of the fact that his earthly days were numbered and he arranged his affairs in preparation for his departure. And although loving hearts and willing hands did all they could for him, he grew weaker every day and on July 4, 1929,at eleven fifteen in the morning he quietly passed to the great beyond, to his heavenly reward. He lived to the ripe old age of eighty years. He lived as a follower of Jesus Christ for over sixty-nine years. — Washita County Enterprise.