View source for Jasper Church of God in Christ Mennonite (Jasper, Missouri, USA)

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The Jasper congregation was founded by [[Holdeman, John (1832-1900)|Elder John Holdeman]] and family, together with nearly all of the early members of the [[Church of God in Christ, Mennonite (CGC)|Church of God in Christ, Mennonite]] (1859-1883), located in [[Wayne County (Ohio, USA)|Wayne County]], [[Ohio (USA)|Ohio]], USA, around the village of New Pittsburg, which is about nine miles northwest of Wooster. This group moved and relocated in Jasper County, [[Missouri (USA)|Missouri]], beginning in 1883.

According to John Holdeman's diary and other sources, the move from Ohio to Missouri was carefully considered, soon after the death of his mother, Nancy Holdeman, in the fall of 1882. There were several reasons for the move. The congregation was experiencing growing opposition primarily from Mennonite people in the area. It began to feel that the door was closing for the proper advancement of the work and cause of building the church in this area, while in some places in the United States and [[Canada]], the church was prospering. The opposition was also affecting the younger family members. John Holdeman was urged to live nearer the congregations of the west and north to be more helpful in building the church.

There were also economic opportunities in the West. The families made their livelihood mostly by farming and carpentry. They made gardens of vegetables and orchards of a variety of fruit. Though on a moderate scale, their farming operations included horses, cattle, hogs, poultry, and eggs.

The following families settled in the general area of Jasper County: John Holdeman and wife Elizabeth and family; John Holdeman's daughter Anna and husband Cornelius Gnagy and two young children; John Holdeman's son Alpha Holdeman and his bride of a few months, Sarah (Capp) Holdeman; and John Holdeman's son Samuel, a teenager of about 17 years of age. Also, Holdeman's father Amos, then a widower, moved with them in the year 1883.

Others who moved included John's brother Alpheus and wife Elizabeth (Buerge) Holdeman, John's sister Mary and husband James Fike, John's sister Sarah and husband Daniel Swinehart, Andrew and wife Lavina (Aeschliman) Vonier, Samuel and wife Elizabeth (Vonier) Gearig and three children, Ben Gearig and wife Precilla, and Minister Frank (son of Frank Seidner) and wife Mary (Hauenstein) Seidner. Minister Christian G. and wife Clara (Wiggers) Buerge moved to Jasper County several years later, and about 1894 they moved to [[Reed City Church of God in Christ Mennonite Church (Reed City, Michigan, USA)|Reed City]], [[Michigan (USA)|Michigan]]. Minister Henry Heer and wife moved to Jasper County at an unknown date, and around 1900 or a little later, the Henry Heer and James Fike families moved to Longdale, [[Oklahoma (USA)|Oklahoma]], becoming, in time, a part of [[Fairview Church of God in Christ, Mennonite (Fairview, Oklahoma, USA)|Fairview congregation]], where Heer served in his ministry.

A number of the above-named individuals or their children are buried in the Hackney Cemetery, a little over eight miles southeast of the town of Jasper. A few relatives are buried in the Mitchel Cemetery, located three miles east of the town of Jasper.

The total number of church members who moved to Jasper County must have been around 30 or more. However, several families moved back to Ohio and other places during the first several years. By 1900 there were only a few remaining. John Holdeman and his wife Elizabeth moved to the [[Lone Tree Church of God in Christ, Mennonite (Galva, Kansas, USA)|Lone Tree congregation]] in 1897 to continue his busy ministry in writing and traveling. His widow, Elizabeth, lived with her children, Alpha and Sarah Holdeman, who moved to the [[Hutchinson (Kansas, USA)|Hutchinson]], [[Kansas (USA)|Kansas]], area about 1900.

The Jasper congregation never built a church house but worshiped in their homes.
= Bibliography =
''Histories of the congregations.'' 3rd. ed. Moundridge, Kansas: Gospel Publishers, 1999: 397-400.
= Additional Information =

'''Address''': Jasper Country, Missouri, USA

'''Phone''':

'''Website''':

'''Denominational Affiliations''':

[https://churchofgodinchristmennonite.net// Church of God in Christ, Mennonite]
= Original Mennonite Encyclopedia Article =

By A. L. Yost. Copied by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from ''Mennonite Encyclopedia'', Vol. 3, pp. 98-99. All rights reserved.

Jasper Church of God in Christ Mennonite Church, now extinct, located about four miles east of Jasper, Missouri, was organized in 1883 with about 20 members when Elder John Holdeman and Preacher Frank Seidner moved to that place from New Pittsburg, Ohio. During its time of about 15 years, services were held in the homes and in the Mayflower school. The ethnic background of the members was Pennsylvania German. John Holdeman was the elder, and later Amos Seidner was ordained to the ministry. About 1898, John Holdeman moved to Moundridge, Kansas. Nearly all the members soon afterward moved to other organized congregations.
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[[Category:Churches]]
[[Category:Church of God in Christ, Mennonite Congregations]]
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