View source for Epp (Eppe, Ep, Epps) family

A Mennonite family name, Epp was found in the Old [[Flemish Mennonites|Flemish]] congregations of [[West Prussia|West Prussia]], mainly in rural areas. Records from 1584, now found in the [[Danzig (Poland)|Danzig]] archives, mention the name. In 1586 an Epp, born at Losendorff, Dutch province of [[Groningen (Netherlands)|Groningen]], lived at Langgarten near Danzig. Forty-six families with this name were counted in 1776 (without Danzig), 131 persons in 1910, and 121 persons in 1935. Members of the family immigrated to [[Russia|Russia]] and [[North America|North America]]. The Epps have been numerous in [[Kansas (USA)|Kansas]], [[Nebraska (USA)|Nebraska]] and [[Canada| Canada]].

In the Dutch <em>[[Naamlijst der tegenwoordig in dienst zijnde predikanten der Mennoniten in de Vereenigde Nederlanden|Naamlijst]]</em>, the name Epp is first found among the ministers in 1766; [[Epp, Peter (1725-1789)|Peter Epp]] (1725-1789) and Cornelius Epp were preachers of the [[Flemish Mennonites|Flemish]] congregation of Danzig. Peter served from 1758 as a preacher and became elder in 1779, serving until about 1790; Cornelius was a preacher until at least 1810. Hendrick Epp was a preacher of the Old Flemish congregation of the Grosse Werder in the [[Bärwalde (Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland)|Bärwalde]] district of West Prussia from 1765 until around 1780. 

Later members of the family who provided leadership in Mennonite communities in [[Russia|Russia]] included [[Epp, David (1750-1802)|David Epp]] (1750-1802), co-elder of the [[Chortitza Mennonite Church (Chortitza, Chortitza Mennonite Settlement, Zaporizhia Oblast, Ukraine)|Chortitza Flemish congregation]] 1793-1802 and one of the delegates to St. Petersburg in 1798-1800 who obtained the [[Privileges (Privilegia)|Privilegium]] from the Tsar. His son David Epp (1781-1843), was a minister of the same congregation and his son [[Epp, Heinrich (1827-1896)|Heinrich Epp]] (1827-1896), an administrator and teacher became elder of the [[Chortitza Mennonite Church (Chortitza, Chortitza Mennonite Settlement, Zaporizhia Oblast, Ukraine)|Chortitza congregation]]. Heinrich's sons included [[Epp, David Heinrich (1861-1934)|David H. Epp]] (1861-1934), teacher, elder and publisher of the <em>Botschafter</em>, and the teachers in the Zentralschule [[Epp, Heinrich H. (1873-1938)|Heinrich H. Epp]] (1873-1942?) and [[Epp, Dietrich H. (1875-1955)|Dietrich Heinrich Epp]] (1875-1955); the latter emigrated to [[Canada|Canada]] and was editor of the <em>[[Bote, Der (Periodical)|Bote]]</em>, 1924-1955.

Other well-known family members in Russia included [[Epp, Bernhard (1852-1926)|Bernhard Epp]] (1852-1926), elder of the Lichtenau congregation; [[Epp, Claas (1838-1913)|Claas Epp, Jr.]] (d. 1913), [[Apocalypticism|chiliastic]] leader of the ill-fated migration to Central Asia; and Heinrich Epp (1827-1896), a teacher and elder of the [[Chortitza Zentralschule (Chortitza, Zaporizhia Oblast, Ukraine)|Chortitza Zentralschule]].

North American leaders included [[Epp, Abraham P. (1871-1941)|Abraham P. Epp]] (1871-1941), minister in the [[Fairview Mennonite Brethren Church (Fairview, Oklahoma, USA)|Mennonite Brethren (MB) Church]] in [[Fairview (Oklahoma, USA)|Fairview]], [[Oklahoma (USA)|Oklahoma]]; Jacob B. Epp (1874-1945), a missionary to the [[Hopi People|Hopi people]]; his son [[Epp, Theodore H. (1907-1985)|Theodore H. Epp]] (1907-1985), who conducted the radio program, "Back to the Bible Hour"; [[Epp, Peter G. (1888-1954)|Peter G. Epp]] (1888-1954), professor at [[Bluffton University (Bluffton, Ohio, USA)|Bluffton College]] and Ohio State University; Gerhard G. Epp (b. 1895), minister in [[Rosthern (Saskatchewan, Canada)| Rosthern]], Saskatchewan; [[Epp, Johann P. (1854-1917)|Johann P. Epp ]](1854-1917), long-time minister and for years elder of the church in [[Henderson Mennonite Brethren Church (Henderson, Nebraska, USA)|Henderson MB Church]] in Henderson, Nebraska; [[Epp, Kornelius P. (1863-1944)|Kornelius P. Epp]] (1863-1944), leading minister of the Evangelical Mennonite Brethren Church in Henderson, Nebraska; and [[Epp, Frank H. (1929-1986)|Frank H. Epp]] (1929-1986), a prominent Canadian Mennonite historian.
= Bibliography =
<em>Naamlijst der tegenwoordig in dienst zijnde predikanten der Mennoniten in de vereenigde Nederlanden</em> (Amsterdam, 1731, 1743, 1755, etc.).
{{GAMEO_footer|hp=Vol. 2, p. 233|date=2001|a1_last=Reimer|a1_first=Gustav|a2_last=Urry|a2_first=James}}
[[Category:Family Names]]