Wenger, Frank H. (1887-1974)

Revision as of 15:07, 14 September 2023

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1974 Sep 19 p. 3
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1974 Sep 26 p. 11

Birth date: 1887

Mennonite Weekly Review biography: 1942 Oct 15 p. 7

text of biography:

Editor’s note: This is the first of a series of biographical sketches of Mennonite rural life leaders. Future sketches will deal with representative Mennonites from various parts of the country and from different branches of Mennonites. — W. F.

I came to the home of Minister Frank Wenger for the suggestions as to who among his branch of the Mennonite Church were considered successful farmers, good family men and positive leaders in church and community affairs. As Brother Wenger began to tell me of different men and their outstanding contributions I looked around and sized up my informant and decided that Preacher Wenger himself was the man I was looking for. The farmer-preacher modestly denied that he was a successful farmer and felt that he could not qualify for what I wanted. The longer I talked with this interesting conversation list [sic conversationalist] the more convinced I became that Frank Wenger was a representative of a Mennonite rural life leader of the kind I was looking for. Our visit took place in the center of an 80 acre field as we leaned against Wenger’s half-ton red truck. While we were talking Irwin Wenger, the minister’s fifteen year old son continued industriously to sow the quarter section field of wheat.

Going back a little way into Wenger family history I discovered that Frank Wenger’s parents, Absolom [sic Absalom] and Sarah Wenger pulled up stakes at Wakarusa, Indiana, in 1872 and took a homestead one mile north and seven east of Moundridge, Kans. As minister Wenger mentioned this he pointed out across the wide expanse where his parents began farming in 1872 and where they continued with a family of nine children for the rest of their lives. It is of interest to note that the date of the settlement preceded by two years the settlement of the first large number of Mennonites from Russia in 1874. The Wengers were of pure Pennsylvania German stock. (Neither Mr. Wenger nor the writer discovered until near the end of our visit that both could speak the Pennsylvania German dialect. When this was discovered the conversation immediately sifted [sic] into our native tongue.).

Frank Wenger worked on his father’s farm until he was 23. On his twenty third birthday he was married to Anna Dyck of Hillsboro, the daughter of Min. John Dyck, of that place. The newly married couple immediately moved to a 200 acre rented farm several miles to the west of the old home place. This was in 1910. The Wengers later bought this farm and have made it their home ever since. They, like the elder Wengers, had nine children.

Not all of this modest Mennonite minister’s life ran smoothly and without hardship. His first wife died after suffering for five years and left nine children none of them full grown. In addition to the loss of his beloved partner there was an accompanying economic depression following the First World War. Brother Wenger thoughtfully remarked that this was the severest test to which the Lord had ever put him.

The skies cleared again; economic conditions improved and in time Pastor Wenger married a second time. Mrs. Mary Peters, a neighbor and member of Wenger’s church became his second wife. She brought two children with her and to this new union two more children were born making a total of 13 children. Of this number seven are still at home.

The father of so large a family should have some philosophy of family life and Preacher Wenger does. It is his aim to help all of his children get a start in life but he does not believe in making it to [sic] easy. He feels that it is good for young people to have to struggle for themselves. This, he said, was well illustrated in an article he had hecently [sic] read in the READER’S DIGEST regarding a silk worm trying to get out of its cocoon. Two men were looking on. One man, an amateur asked his friend the expert why he did not help the worm out of the cocoon. The expert said if he did the worm would soon die. If he left it struggle and free itself it would develop itself and become strengthened sufficiently to undergo the rigors of life.

In the Wenger family all learn to work and to assume responsibility. This is a first principle of success in life Mr. Wenger believes. All of his children are given a chance to develop this responsibility by choosing an interest and looking after it. A calf, a flock of chickens, a sow, several sheep or a plot of ground. One 21 year old boy at home has four cows, several sheep and hogs of his own. “When the boys go away from home they have practical experience and a little something to begin farming on their own.” then with a twinkle in his eye and a soft chuckle, the pastor added, “Of course all at Dad’s expense.” The Wenger boys all had about two years of high school. The girls generally quit school as soon as the law allows because they get married often at the ages of 18 and 19 and often do not care for further training in school.

As Minister Wenger thoughtfully leaned against his truck he ventured the prediction that hard times ere ahead for the Mennonite Church similiar [sic] to that of our forefathers in Europe. Although he hopefully commented that there might be some bright spots ahead too which we did not foresee. It is a belief among the Holdeman Mennonites not to charge interest for the use of money. Disclosing a little more of his philosophy, Elder Wenger remarked: “We seldom need financial help. What we need is moral help, that is, confidence in each other. I believe in helping but I also think a Mennonite ought to feel a sense of responsibility for taking care of himself. No one ought to depend on the government for relief; it is a disgrace to accept relief. we must use our heads and our hands to help our selves. We ought to pay our debts now. I preach that to my people.”

So ended a brief but pleasant visit. The farmer-preacher expressed views typical of many of his fellow Mennonites. As I turned to go the straight-forward and hard working elder tuned to join his son in sowing next year’s supply of wheat. He was sure God would nurture it and supply the increase as he had so bountifully done in all previous times. — Winfield Fretz.