Leaman, Amos Hershey (1878-1950)
Amos Hershey Leaman, a Mennonite (MC) city missionary, was born near Gordonville, Lancaster County, PA, on 18 February 1878, the third of the eight children of Jacob B. and Anna Barbara Hershey Leaman. On 22 June 1902 he was married to Amanda Eby. They were the parents of four children.
Hershey was educated at the Millersville State Normal School, Moody Bible Institute, and Chicago Theological Seminary, receiving a degree of Bachelor of Divinity in 1915. He attended the Paradise Mennonite Church at Paradise, PA. In the fall of 1896 under the preaching of John S. Coffman he was converted, and in November of that year he assisted the Chicago Mennonite Home Mission, then at 639 W. 18th Street, later becoming superintendent of the mission, serving until 1920. He was ordained to the ministry in the spring of 1902. As the work grew, Leaman raised funds for a new building, which was dedicated at 1907 S. Union Avenue on 5 Janyart 1919. In 1920-1932 he served in Moody Bible Institute in evangelism and practical work, for several years as Director of Practical Work. In 1930 he traveled to England and Scotland under the auspices of the Institute.
Leaman was a promoter of various city-wide, Christian lay activities; he helped to institute the Chicago Easter Sunrise Service, the first of which was held at Soldier Field in 1933. He also led in the founding of the Christian Business Men's Committee of Chicago, which sponsored noonday services in a theater in the Loop and a related radio broadcast. In 1944 he became superintendent of the Lydia Children's Home in Chicago, helping to restore its finances and get its license renewed.
Leaman was active in the Illinois Mennonite Conference and Mission Board, serving as field worker of the latter for several years. He challenged many young people to Christian service.
Leaman served as pastor of the Mennonite Church (General Conference Mennonite) at 73rd and Laflin Streets for approximately ten years during the 1940s. He died in Chicago on 27 May 1950, and was laid to rest in Irving Park cemetery, Chicago.
| Author(s) | Harold Zehr |
|---|---|
| Date Published | 1957 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Zehr, Harold. "Leaman, Amos Hershey (1878-1950)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1957. Web. 18 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Leaman,_Amos_Hershey_(1878-1950)&oldid=88932.
APA style
Zehr, Harold. (1957). Leaman, Amos Hershey (1878-1950). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 18 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Leaman,_Amos_Hershey_(1878-1950)&oldid=88932.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, pp. 302-303. All rights reserved.
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