Wellesley-Mornington Amish Mennonite District (Wellesley, Ontario, Canada)
The Wellesley-Mornington Amish Mennonite District near Wellesley, Ontario extended into Mornington Township, Perth County, Ontario.
When about 1890 a meetinghouse was built north of Poole, a group led by Christian L. Kuepfer and Andrew Kuepfer as ministers and Solomon Kuepfer, deacon, continued to worship in homes as had been done from the original organization in 1874. For a few years Old Order Amish bishops from Ohio served communion. In 1891 Samuel Miller and David Miller of Holmes County, Ohio, helped the Old Order Amish in Mornington to organize a congregation. Christian L. Kuepfer became bishop in 1891, and Solomon Kuepfer was ordained minister in 1911. No Sunday schools were conducted and the German language was used. Ministers have been John J. Kuepfer (1865-1945), ordained minister 1897 and bishop 1913; Jonathan Kuepfer, minister 1916; Henry S. Albrecht, minister 1924 and bishop 1934; and Daniel Steckley, minister 1931.
The congregation held services every two weeks alternating with the Wellesley Old Order group, using the Ausbund. The membership of 135 comprised some 40 families, and services were held at about 30 homes.
About 1945 dissatisfaction led to cleavage in this group. Samuel Steckley was ordained bishop to assist the senior bishop, Henry Albrecht, with the majority of the young people under this leadership. In 1954 this Mornington Old Order Amish district stands divided as follows: Samuel Steckley, ordained minister in 1945 and bishop in 1946, Joseph Z. Kuepfer and Daniel Steckley ministers, Menno J. Kuepfer deacon, as the leadership for 26 families with a membership of 40. The total number of worshipers is 116, with 5 adherents. In 1955 services were held in 30 different homes. This group became known as the Steckley District Amish.
Under the leadership of Solomon S. Kuepfer bishop, Jonathan Kuepfer, Simon Kuepfer, and Gideon Streicher ministers, Christian W. Kuepfer deacon, in 1955 there were 20 families with a membership of 80 and a total of 162 worshipers and 8 adherents. They have worship in 21 homes. In 1999 their descendents were in the Milverton Lower West District.
It formed as a merger of a group leaving Wellesley (Maple View) Mennonite and a group leaving Mornington (Poole) Mennonite in 1886. Both groups objected to the building of meetinghouses by their congregations. Wellesley-Mornington divided into two districts in 1891.
| Author(s) | Joseph C. Fretz |
|---|---|
| Sam Steiner | |
| Date Published | January 1999 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Fretz, Joseph C. and Sam Steiner. "Wellesley-Mornington Amish Mennonite District (Wellesley, Ontario, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. January 1999. Web. 16 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Wellesley-Mornington_Amish_Mennonite_District_(Wellesley,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=113682.
APA style
Fretz, Joseph C. and Sam Steiner. (January 1999). Wellesley-Mornington Amish Mennonite District (Wellesley, Ontario, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 16 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Wellesley-Mornington_Amish_Mennonite_District_(Wellesley,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=113682.
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