View source for Honderich, John G. (1825-1907)

__FORCETOC__
__TOC__
John G. Honderich: [[Reformed Mennonite Church|Reformed Mennonite]] minister and farmer, was born 22 December 1825 in Wilmot Township, [[Waterloo County (Ontario, Canada)|Waterloo County]], [[Ontario (Canada)|Ontario]], [[Canada]], near present-day [[New Hamburg (Ontario, Canada)|New Hamburg]]. He was the eldest child of Christian Honderich (1788-1868) and Margaret Gingerich Honderich (1798-1862) and by family tradition the first child of European descent born in Wilmot Township. [[Amish]] immigrants, Christian and Margaret Honderich settled on lot 16, the concession north of Snyder's Road, in September 1825. John G. was followed by four siblings. He died 20 February 1907 and is buried in Hostetler's Reformed Mennonite cemetery across the road from the site of the church which he routinely served in Wilmot Township.

On 22 September 1850, John G. Honderich married Veronica Roth (3 July 1828-1916), the daughter of a local Amish bishop, Rudolph Roth. Rudolph left the Amish church sometime in 1850 and joined the Reformed Mennonite congregation of Wilmot Township. John and Veronica also joined the Reformed Mennonite church around this time. John purchased the 200 acre lot from his parents in 1854 and over the course of his farming career, finished the work of clearing the land which his father had started.

In 1860, John G. Honderich was elected as a probationary minister in the Reformed Mennonite church and was ordained in 1865. He preached in the [[Hostetler's Reformed Mennonite Church (Baden, Ontario, Canada)|Wilmot]], [[Kingwood Reformed Mennonite Church (Wellesley, Ontario, Canada)|Kingwood]] and [[North Easthope Reformed Mennonite Church (New Hamburg, Ontario, Canada)|North Easthope]] congregations. In 1877 John purchased 100 acres from the crown, the west half of lot 3, west concession 3, Wellesley Township. A Reformed Mennonite meetinghouse and cemetery were established on the front of this lot, just west of the village of Kingwood.

John G. and Veronica had three sons and five daughters. The eldest son, Christian Honderich (1854-1928), purchased the west half of the home farm from John and Veronica in 1886. The second son, John, died in childhood. The youngest son, Abram Honderich (1873-1961), purchased the east half of the home farm in 1899 and also served as a minister in the Reformed Mennonite church. John G. Honderich's great grandson was [[Honderich, Beland Hugh (1918–2005)|Beland Honderich]], former publisher of the ''Toronto Star''.

The story of John G. Honderich is significant not only because he was the first child of European descent born in Wilmot Township, but also because he played a key role in leading the fledgling congregations of Wilmot and North Easthope and helping to establish the Kingwood congregation.
= Bibliography =
''The Descendants of Christian Honderich (1788-1868) and Margaret Gingerich (1798-1862)''. Genealogy prepared for 1991 family reunion.

''Directory of Bishops, Ministers and Deacons: Reformed Mennonite Church''. Published 1995 by the Reformed Mennonite Church.

“Honderich.” Lorraine Roth fonds, Hist.Mss.1.117.1/63, Mennonite Archives of Ontario.
{{GAMEO_footer|hp=|date=June 2016|a1_last=Roth|a1_first=Ken|a2_last=|a2_first=}}
[[Category:Persons]]
[[Category:Ministers]]
[[Category:Reformed Mennonite Church Ministers]]