Schellenberg, Abraham L. (1869-1941)
Abraham L. Schellenberg: editor and publishing house manager of the Mennonite Brethren (MB) Church; born in Tiegerweide, Molotschna Mennonite settlement, South Russia on 18 May 1869 (N.S. 30 May 1869), the oldest child of Elder Abraham Schellenberg (29 August 1845 – 11 April 1920) and Katharina (Lohrenz) Schellenberg (27 March 1847 – 21 August 1884). On 27 February 1898 in Moundridge, Kansas, he married Sarah Schroeder (4 August 1875, Sparrau, Molotschna Mennonite settlement, South Russia – 25 October 1949, Buhler, Kansas). Sarah was the daughter of Heinrich Schroeder (2 May 1847 – 28 February 1919) and Katharina (Penner) Schroeder (b. ca. 1851). To them ten children were born, of whom eight lived to adulthood: Henry, Theodore, Abraham, Katherine, Sara, Sophia, Walter and Esther. Abraham died at Hooker, Oklahoma, 11 April 1941, and was interred in the Mennonite Brethren cemetery east of Buhler.
When Abraham was ten years of age, the family moved to America and settled on a farm southwest of Moundridge, Kansas. Here Abraham grew up and received his early schooling. Later he attended school at McPherson College and at Rochester, New York. He taught in country schools in the vicinity of Buhler, Kansas for twelve years. He was converted in 1897 and joined the Ebenezer MB Church east of Buhler. In 1907, when the Mennonite Brethren Publishing House was transferred to McPherson from Medford, Oklahoma, Schellenberg became manager of the MB publishing work and editor of the church organ, the Zionsbote. He served the Conference as business manager of the Publishing House and editor of the Zionsbote 1907-19 and again 1923-1929, a total of 19 years. In 1913 he built the MB Publishing House at Hillsboro, Kansas, to which the publishing work was then transferred. He also edited and published Der Deutsche Westen while at McPherson, and the Hillsboro Vorwaerts 1913-1929.
Schellenberg served the Mennonite Brethren General Conference as its secretary 1907-1915. He was deeply interested in the educational activities of his church and served for some time as chairman of the Board of Directors of Tabor College. While living at Littlefield, Texas, 1919-1923, he was engaged in farming. After retiring from the publishing work in 1929 he settled on a farm at Coldwater, Texas, where he also served the MB Church as minister.
| Author(s) | J. H. Lohrenz |
|---|---|
| Richard D. Thiessen | |
| Date Published | November 2006 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Lohrenz, J. H. and Richard D. Thiessen. "Schellenberg, Abraham L. (1869-1941)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. November 2006. Web. 21 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Schellenberg,_Abraham_L._(1869-1941)&oldid=123478.
APA style
Lohrenz, J. H. and Richard D. Thiessen. (November 2006). Schellenberg, Abraham L. (1869-1941). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 21 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Schellenberg,_Abraham_L._(1869-1941)&oldid=123478.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 448. All rights reserved.
©1996-2024 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.