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Obituary · primary-source record

Brother Jacob Holderman

16 April 1837 – 8 March 1911

Died 8 March 1911 at Reedley, California, in his seventy-fourth year — Brethren minister; obituary from The Gospel Messenger

Editorially verified

At-a-glance facts

Record type

Obituary

Date of death

8 March 1911

Date of birth

16 April 1837

Age at death

in the seventy-fourth year of his age (73y 10m 20d)

Place of death

California, United States

Inscription transcription

From The Gospel Messenger, April l, 1911 p 197

DEATH OF BRO. JACOB HOLDERMAN

The subject of this sketch was born in Holmes County, Ohio, April 16, 1837, and died within the bounds of the Reedley congregation, Cal. He was in the seventy-fourth year of his age. Bro Holderman was of Mennonite parentage, and at the age of eleven he moved with his parents to Elkhart County, Ind., where he united with the Mennonite church.

Oct. 16, 1860 he was united in marriage to Catharine Miller. To this union thirteen children were born. His faithful wife and eleven children survive him.

Early in life Bro Holderman was elected to the ministry in the Mennonite church, and served about a score of years in that capacity. He united with the Church of the Brethren in the Mount Hope congregation, Okla, and in a short time was called to the ministry. For nearly twenty years he was an untiring and faithful worker, serving the church in the Mount Hope, Okla, and Fruitdale, Ala., congregations, thence to Ramona, Kans. From there he removed to Newberg, Oregon, and then to Northern California. He has been living at Reedley, Cal., for over four years.

Bro Holderman had just returned from a long visit to his old home in Kansas, when he was stricken with paralysis, and was confined to his bed for eight weeks. He suffered intensely, yet he was patient through it all, often saying, "I am glad I can suffer for Christ who suffered so much for me." Finally, on March 8, 1911. God called him to his reward. The young men of this congregation will miss his good counsel and kindly greetings. Services were held in the Brethren church by our elder in charge, Bro. J. J. Brower. Text, 2 Cor. 5.

Sent in by W.H.Johnson Reedley, Cal.

Transcribed verbatim, including the source line's "April l, 1911" (a lowercase L printed for the numeral 1) and the period in "on March 8, 1911. God called him". "Brother"/"Bro." is the Church of the Brethren religious style, kept as an honorific.

People named in this record

  • Brother Jacob HoldermanSubject
  • Catharine MillerSpouse
  • Elder J. J. BrowerOfficiant
  • W.H.JohnsonInformant

Record submitted by

From the Ancestors at Rest archive

Source & citation

Source type
Transcription only
Provenance
From the Ancestors at Rest archive — founded 2004 by Brian and substantially built out across two decades by Lorine McGinnis Schulze of Olive Tree Genealogy.
Transcribed by
Ancestors at Rest archive — original contributor not recorded.
Last verified
2026-07-06
Permalink
/records/obituaries/holderman-jacob-1911/
Image vs transcription
Transcription only — no photograph or clipping image in this record

Citation: Obituary of Jacob Holderman (1837–1911) of Reedley, California, from The Gospel Messenger, 1 April 1911, page 197, sent in by W. H. Johnson of Reedley, California; transcription preserved in the Ancestors at Rest archive. (https://ancestorsatrest.com/records/obituaries/holderman-jacob-1911/ : accessed [your access date]).

W. H. Johnson of Reedley, California, is named as the correspondent who sent the obituary to The Gospel Messenger in 1911; the name of the contributor who submitted it to this archive was not recorded.

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