View source for Lehman, Japhet F. (1860-1932)

[[File:Lehman_J_F_Yearbook1931.jpg|300px|thumb|right|''J. F. Lehman, 1931<br />
Source: Yearbook of the General Conference of the Mennonite Church of North America'']]

Japhet F. Lehman, a Mennonite ([[General Conference Mennonite Church (GCM)|General Conference Mennonite]]) leader, was born 8 June 1860 at [[Berne (Indiana, USA)|Berne, IN]], the only son and fifth of the eight children of Peter S. and [[Lehman, Verena Sprunger (1828-1913)|Verena Sprunger Lehman]], who were of Swiss birth. In February 1883 he married Elizabeth Neuenschwander of Berne. They were the parents of six children. Though Lehman's formal education was limited to 18 months in the subscription schools in [[Hickory County (Missouri, USA)|Hickory County]], [[Missouri (USA)|Missouri]], and three months at Moody Bible Institute in [[Chicago (Illinois, USA)|Chicago]], he rendered outstanding service in many offices on church, Sunday-school, and educational boards. He was a leading member of the [[First Mennonite Church (Berne, Indiana, USA)|First Mennonite Church of Berne]], and very active in the "saloon fight" at Berne. For 34 years he was the manager of the [[Mennonite Book Concern (Berne, Indiana, USA)|Mennonite Book Concern]] which was located at Berne, developing it into an important servant of the Conference. For 30 years he served on the [[Board of Publication (General Conference Mennonite Church)|Board of Publication]] of the [[General Conference Mennonite Church (GCM)|General Conference Mennonite Church]]. He was always actively interested in the education of young people. In 1900 he was elected to the first Board of Trustees of [[Bluffton University (Bluffton, Ohio, USA)|Bluffton College]], and remained on the Board until his death. From 1868 to 1880 the family lived in Hickory County, Missouri. He died at Berne on 13 November 1932, and was buried in the M.R.E. [[Cemeteries|cemetery]] west of Berne.
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