View source for Bauman, Amos S. (1854-1911)

   [[File:BaumanAmos.jpg|300px|thumb|right|''Amos Bauman 

'']]     Amos S. Bauman: minister and bishop of the [[Mayton Mennonite Church (Mayton, Alberta, Canada)|Mayton Mennonite Church]] at Mayton, approximately 50 miles northeast of Carstairs, [[Alberta (Canada)|Alberta]], was born 19 October 1854 in [[Waterloo County (Ontario, Canada)|Waterloo County]], [[Ontario (Canada)|Ontario]], and died at Mayton, Alberta on 2 January 1911. He married Lydia Martin on 30 July 1876. They were the parents of 12 children.

Amos Bauman was converted, baptized and joined the Mennonite church in [[Ontario (Canada)|Ontario]] about 1880. The family moved to May City, in [[Osceola County Stauffer Mennonite Church (Osceola County, Iowa, USA)|Osceola County]], [[Iowa (USA)|Iowa]], where they affiliated with the [[Stauffer Mennonite Church|Stauffer branch of the Mennonite church]] in which his brother, Jesse Bauman, had been ordained as minister and bishop. In 1897 Amos Bauman was ordained as a minister by his brother.

In 1902 the Amos Bauman family joined others from May City in a migration to the Mayton district where they established prosperous farms. But the community suffered a great deal in the early years from hail, early frosts, and remoteness from rail shipping facilities. Bauman donated the land and did much of the carpentry work on the congregation's first meeting house.

The small Mayton Mennonite Church which had been organized in 1901 recognized Amos Bauman as its minister. When the Alberta Mennonite Conference (later the [[Northwest Mennonite Conference|Alberta-Saskatchewan Mennonite Conference]]) was organized in 1903 Bauman was chosen, by lot, to serve as its first bishop. He discharged his congregational and conference responsibilities energetically and with earnest dedication. But in 1906 he published two controversial articles in the church paper, the <em>[[Gospel Herald (Periodical)|Gospel Herald]],</em> pertaining to the devotional head covering for women and sanctification as a second work of grace. These were found offensive and he was removed from his position as Minister and Bishop by action of the [[Mennonite Conference of Ontario and Quebec|Mennonite Conference of Ontario]] with which the Alberta-Saskatchewan Mennonite Conference was affiliated.

The Bauman family remained in the Mayton community after his removal from office, but the original church building became a restaurant and was later taken over by the Evangelical Church. Amos and Lydia Bauman died at Mayton and are buried in the [[Cemeteries|cemetery]] which, together with a new Evangelical Church building nearby, are all that remain of the Mayton community.


= Bibliography =
Regehr, T. D. <em>Faith, Life and Witness in the Northwest, 1903-2003: Centennial History of the Northwest Mennonite Conference</em>. Kitchener, ON: Pandora Press, 2003.

Stauffer, Ezra. <em>History of the Alberta-Saskatchewan Mennonite Conference</em>. Ryley, Alberta: Alberta-Saskatchewan Mennonite Conference, 1960: 42.

<em>Sweaty Brows and Breaking Plows. History of Mayton May City Districts</em>. [Mayton, AB : May City-Mayton Historical Society, 1991].

Amos Bauman's obituary in the <em>Gospel Herald</em> (9 February 1911).


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