Seigne (Sennergemeinde) Mennonite Church (Alsace, France)
Seigne (Sennergemeinde) Mennonite Church, Alsace, France, now extinct, had its place of worship on a farm called by that name on the left bank of the Doubs River opposite the village of Vaufrey, near the French border east of Montbéliard, in the county of Montjoie. The Mennonite community here must have been started very early by Swiss refugees from the canton of Bern, probably in the latter 17th century. The area was isolated and rugged and furnished a quiet retreat. The first definite data about the group date from 1750, when it had close relations to the congregations at Montbéliard and in the Swiss canton of Neuchâtel (Chaux de Fond). At times it is difficult to distinguish Montbéliard and Seigne, especially before the meetinghouse was built at the former place (1833). Thereafter Seigne was completely independent, with its meetings in the homes of the members. In 1888 there were 76 baptized members. Due to immigration to America and removal to the Montbéliard and Courgenay congregations, Seigne declined. About 1918 the congregation dissolved, and the few remaining members joined or moved to Montbéliard. The Courgenay congregation was built up largely from Seigne. In 1903 Elder Pierre Ramseyer, who had been ordained in 1896 at Seigne, moved to Courgenay. Elders at Seigne from 1830 on were Peter Rich (d. 1849), Hans Rich (d. 1877), Jean Staehli (ord. 1859, d. 1865), Jean Ramseyer (ord. 1866, moved to Alsace 1897, d. 1920), Pierre Ramseyer (ord. 1896, moved to Switzerland 1903).
Bibliography
Sommer, Pierre. "Assemblée de Seigne." Christ Seul (February 1930): 8-10.
| Author(s) | Harold S Bender |
|---|---|
| Date Published | 1959 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Bender, Harold S. "Seigne (Sennergemeinde) Mennonite Church (Alsace, France)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1959. Web. 21 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Seigne_(Sennergemeinde)_Mennonite_Church_(Alsace,_France)&oldid=104355.
APA style
Bender, Harold S. (1959). Seigne (Sennergemeinde) Mennonite Church (Alsace, France). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 21 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Seigne_(Sennergemeinde)_Mennonite_Church_(Alsace,_France)&oldid=104355.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 497. All rights reserved.
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