View source for Dyck, Gerhard G. (1809-1887)

Gerhard G. Dyck was born in the [[Chortitza Mennonite Settlement (Zaporizhia Oblast, Ukraine)|Chortitza community]] of South [[Russia|Russia]], either in Rosenthal or in [[Nieder-Chortitza (Chortitza Mennonite Settlement, Zaporizhia Oblast, Ukraine)|Nieder-Chortitz]], on 4 June 1809. He was chosen to the ministry in 1848, and to the office of elder 29 March 1855. He was ordained by [[Braun, Jakob J. (1791-1868)|Jakob Braun]] of Bergthal (Mariupol). He died 11 May 1887. He resigned from his duties in 1885 on account of the infirmities of old age. His term of service saw the [[Crimean War (1853-1856) |Crimean War]], the Mennonite alternative civilian public service, economic and religious growth, development of the school system, and the establishment of several daughter colonies. Since daughter colonies were under the care of the elder of the mother settlement, the intervening distance caused some difficulty, in view of the difficulties of traveling in those days in Russia.

When compulsory military service threatened the Mennonites of Russia, he was one of the delegates who made several trips (1871, 26 February 1873, and autumn 1873) to St. Petersburg to request permission to have Mennonite young men perform some alternative service; this was a strenuous task for the aged elder.
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