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Title
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Fuchs, Johann M.
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extracted text
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Rev. J. ~~ .,F~uhe' •
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Mini~ter·s Recor;d-llichigan Conference
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Pc:f': s..y
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This informat ion i1 being gathered for historical purpoks
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1_cName
J.il2./1.~&iJ.!L.../.lfJJ1,.CiJ.:;..... (a)
(b) If deceased, date of death M~r
.. 9,.J.91J~. (c)
2-Father's name (
3-Mothcr's name
f r':tf.4.......~-------------------· (a)
(a)
./3.Y;2,...3./.:£.--/i.:JJ.:.JU.g£i.!'..n;ii.<:ife~t
Place of buriai __ _$..J.4~.02k.. ~ ..Y.Vc.t..S..b.J"e..n.a.w~~iW~
Date, plac• of b;rth
Birth, date, place---------------················-----------------------------~-Birth, date, place
------- ----ii{;~i;;;-~;-~~~h;;·~~;;·p;~·,;;ineot~ information on•et>ar~~~-~h;~; -·······- ---~-~
·
4-Brothers_______ ___ ____ __..ktJO./)..,kY-:VL.........:t:.....~-~-~-----~------~-;---------·----·-·.
5-Sisters .............~D<~-------······································----------------···-········e...................
O...-.........._....
1e_
6-Marriage, date, place .... F~.b.:.J..63.:-L'RJ::'l ........l1:.~.~--d_a_(1J.......J:fa.~)J___ ~./l..AJ.:r... C.fC~.--···--·
(a) Wife's maiden name, birth, place ... /t11-l1.r&..../i ..L.J.:s.J: ..£:e.:b,l:l..~l~'?i.Z. .. Fr..~.~--J..o.tr1
Name. and plac-es of
ro•idenc.:, ~if · livinl .
will be apprfciate.d
If thue were subsequent marriagu, pl~a~t giYe information
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i-7:)i·l-~~-~:f.;::Z~.~L.~~~~~-~~-~:~-~~. . -~:~~~·~:~· ;::e:n~~ m~~-~i-~~-~~~~~-d.~~-------------·-------··········
Cb) ---J:5~-"=--)J:..........4d.Jtt?.V...l:-.~.-::/..tUf. Residence································---------.-------·-------·--·---·--··-·-----·
~~;_~~::::::::::::: : : : : : :: : : : : : : :· :::::;· · ·:·:.:·.·tt::::q.:·.:::·.·f:!::::::~:'.
((') _.bua.._fl,/J..~---- .::. ____.,ff__~--_ ....Residence·------ ____ _..... ____ .... _____________ _... _______ ··--------·--------- -----·
(f)
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·~-~---~---··········:z··-dfl.·1J'---------------·Residenec
.........
Jf'uAf-Jr?~l......./~-----·~-~-----·
~ ~hil<lr.:n have>!!t\.'\'l},lcj'i>r~m'ir\e nce , plea~e g ive informat ion and any ~~matron of interest
&-Education-schools attended. ·Give names and locations
(a)
Rural schools.............................................. (b)
High schools·-------------····---------·--------~------------------------·
(c)
College ------····--------------------------------·---------·(d)
U ni versi ty ·----------..... _. __ __ ..... ___ _. _____ ·---------------------------
(e)
SeminarY...................................
Dtgrces held._ ... _____ .. ___ .. __ _......... ______ ---------------------------_
(g)
Correspondence courses
............. (f)
!>-Christian exp£·rienca and training
(a) Conversion, when, where, under whose labors___ _
j_cp_j_'3_.,.../J1..K,..,. .. C..hKtV.h. ../)ft!<..!t.C./Lt:-..~-riJ-:-..
Cb) n ..,.ligious training -- -----------------···--------- ___ ___ . _____ .......... ___ --------------------· ______ ........ ________ . _... ___... __. _____ ____
J.Q.t'a.e.d....l..x{ll1.~-~JJ.~.CJ.L ..a.sS/t...... Wc?...sh.ft.lt.fll'Y....ClJ: c. ~; I
(c)
United with church, when, where ...
(d)
Offices held in local church__ /IJ...sJ:d.if.lJ.lld.e.t.).'$.1.~.--:..~.'1::.::: ...!Yll.5.~L~.iJ.Q..r.~.:t::.Fli.f, ____,
~~~i~:~~ion
(b)
before
en~%: ~er:i~i~t~~.~~~;Q~~--q~v~~~~~~[~~~~~;~~;-~P.~~:~~~~~
Call to ministry, when, where experienre_·····--· ---------------------· ············--·------·----·········--· ---·----------------~
-
... ------------------------------------ ...... -.. -- .... --... -- ....... -.. -------.... ---.. -- ........ ---.. --- .. -----.. -.. ---- .. ------------ .. ---- ...................... .. .... -- .... -- .. -.......... ----·-----------·
U~e
additional ~hee t of paper if n.:cessary
(c) Recommended" by Congregation .............................................. pastor_. ________________ .... _._ .... _______ . _...... ___.
(d) Licensed, when, where, Conferenct' ............Ca...r.fl..e..'j-:.Dh.L(r. _____________________ ----················--·~---·
(e) Ordination, Deacon,
Elder,
Itinerancy
,
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G ive dates
(f)
· · ····· ·------- ------- ------··· --
Credentials, from
····----·· ·· · · · -----· · ·. --.... ...
. ..................... ... ....... ·· ·· · -- · · · · ·---
------- ------ ······------------
Denomination, to
A to Conference ····· -- ····· · ··· ···- · ·. -·-·········------- ----- ---~ -
11-Pastoratcs held, when, where.•.. --~ ...--::..... ~--/~-~-~·--················-···························
12-dffices held in Conference
-----------:A-Jsii 'ciille-r den(i,i,inatioi,5, it ·~;.y - --·---------
·--··· --------------··-·----·-·-·------------------------.-
(a) P. E. or D. S., (dates)
.
.
--------------- .. -..... i\E(; ;ii~-~~l~ i~ ·;~ ;~.~d - .. -.. -- ---------...... -- ---- ------------- -- - ------- - ------ -···--- - - · :~ ---------(b)
Delegate to Gen. ConL, (dates)
(c)
Othrr offices held, name, date__-_-_;q_·_-_-i._·_-_;;'i__"1_·_~·;i_~-------------------------------·------------ ----- -·- -·----------------------------.
13-=~i~~-;~;; -~-;~~ ~ ~~i-~~;~·.- ~~~~~ -~~~ ~~~~~~- --
Give full lhts
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,
--------------------------------------------------------------
.. ---..--.. - - -------------.. ----.--.--.--.-.-.----------------------------------------------------------.
(a)Pamphlets and other productions
--~~~~~~df;;;;J~~~~~:~~~~~~~~~:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-~---_-_·_·_·_·_·_·_-_-_·_·_-_-_:_~- - - - - - - - - - - ~- -_·_-_·
14-Political affiliations and offices held
15-0ther information that will be apprc>ciated if available
(a)
Number of miles traveled---------------------------- ----- ....·..... (b)
(e)
Conversions ----------------(d) Baptisms___________ ____ __(e)
(g)
Members received into the church
Sermons preached
... -- .... ---------------------.. -- .. _,-- .. -.. -- ..........
Weddings_________________ __(f)
.-- ................ ---------------- .. -- ---.
Funerals
...... ---·-----·--------·
...
16-Salary, highest amount received, ___ ____ ___________________year __________________ _lowest ________________________ __year.
-... ----------------- ..
17-Fraternal relations
• ---- .. .. - .... .. - -.- .. ...... - ------ ------ ... ------- .. £ .. -
& ....
...
.. -.. ------ ....... --- .. -... .. ----------------·-----·--------- ........ ___,. ________ .,._.,............................. .......
18~lnt.ercsting experiences...................... -......................................................................................... --------·-·--·· ··'
.... . . ............................... . ........... ....... ........ --- - ••. -- - .. .. ..... - .. - . ....... --- - - --- - -- --·-· - ----- .......... ·· - - -- -- .. -- - - - .... - ... - ................. ...... -· ..... . .... --· · ...... 4•••····- ......... - -- ··- -·----·-- - -- -·-·
-----------·- ............... --- .. ------ ---·-------··----·--·- ....................... ------ .............. - --------- .......... .. -- ....... -..... -- .... -- ... ---- ··--·--···· --·------ ... ....... ... ....... ..... -- .... .. ........... ........, .....
...... . _............................. ............ . ........... ...... ....... ..................... ........ .. .... ... ....... .... - .................... .. ...... -------------·~·
·-----···-.... -·- ............... ---- -------·----·····........... ................ .. ··-----·------· .... .. ·- -----·----·--·--···----··------------- .. ... ... -------------·--- ........... . -............. -.................... ------·
19-Remarks
----·-·-----· -- ...................... -.. -.. ---- ..... --------------- .. ......... -...... -.. -.. --- ------·-- ....... -...... --· -----·- -- ............ -·- --- -·- -- .. -.. ·------ .................................... ., ..... ..
' "'"'"''"''"'- •'"' '"''"'"''"''"' "' '"'"'"''"''"'"''"''"' • ••• • •"' '"'"''"' • • • •• ••• • •• "' ••••- - -~-• • • • • •• -
• " •• •••-•" • • •• • • • • •"' • - '"'"'"''"' •
· •~ • · • •
w• • • • • ••••••- · - - • •• • - •"'
1.., • • • " • • • • • • •"' • • • • • • • - •- • - • .. • • • • • • • ~ ...... .. .,. ... .,..,. .. ., • •
~~=:rt,;;-t,;~~-;;;~:;6ii~~--~~;. ~~;~ ;n;;_:~_:z; f/j: :~;;~~: ;{!~:;;;;;;;;;;jjjj;~_
_:::~ ::
By whom
::: -·::·_---
---~----~--- .. ---
Note:We are desirous of securing for the Historical files of the Michigan Conference complete and detailed
information concerning all ministers w.ho havo served and are now serving in the Conference. The above outline
is intended to assist in securing such information in more or less uniform outlines. We urge the addition on a
separate sheet, of such other important and interesting information as cannot be conveniently placed on this blank.
In the case of men now living, the information can, of course, be only up to date. Photographs of living and
decc>ased ministers, diaries, letters and documents of.~jstorical interest are earnestly solicited. Your co-operation
in behalf of t he Conference Historical work will be gr~atly appreciated. Kindly ret urn t he blank to the Conference Historian, W. H. Watson, Kalamazoo, M-ichigan.
•
Rev . J • .. . Fuchs- - Oo i tuc:-ry .
Rev . J . ~ . FuQhs n~a cor~ i n Pi 3aerenth Kr i e s Eger , Bohami a,August
3lst ,l9 .S5 . He Ci:l.rne t.o Am~ricE~- i n .L854 c-ma B!?.3I}.t aoo u t. thr .:;e t.. ont.Jh~ i n
~h ~ s vC..t.~ c f .H e\: Yo rk , f 1·orn the:L: e he carne to :.ich i gan and _s:pen'ti h is
·~ar l i 31' yac..rs i n l'"c.t.shtenet":t c o~n"tf y . He \las cqnv~r t ed. i n a ~ev~vLl meeting i n t!::; i.i ~ E ~ Church i n :~~e:.!}ch~s t er in 1858 ana a.f~ar,.c;,rcis j o i n i ng
t.Jhat church , th3n he JCi!} ~u.tha Ev~n5e lical ~ssqc iat~ on by 13tver , pref e r i ng che German lt..nt_ua~e , J a c ob Schaff e1· oe i nt, pa s~ o r of :;he 1na sht anaw
Circuit i:l.t vha t time .
He s oon h ec.rc.t and obe y ed . . he cc..ll of Goa to ~;c..ke up the pr ei:<..ch ing
c f the Gospel and •.. as lice ns ed to lJ...'eaob in the Oh i o Conf er.:;nc e in
Annual s e ssion a t ca rney(probaoly Carey ), Oh i o . Thd ~ i c h i g&n Co nference
\\ as ·ca..k.e n f .rom th s Ohi o Conf e.t ~n o ~ a. t t.Jhat s es s i on a n d Re v . Fuchs . .:, as
s ent t o D·3 o.roonn, ,.:i c:1 i g,an as h i s first pastora"te .
I n ~ h ~ s~r i n_ of 1865 th 3 ~ ic n i . an Conf e r ~nce h ~ l a i ts f i rst
Annua l s ess i on n sar Bli osi i ~l a , ,. i chibo. n , ana he r. as s e nt tc r on i ct l.:ission,
c ompr i s i n~ sev eral av~c i nt reeute \. i ~h Rev . Speck . Durin~ the fall of that
y eE:.L r h e v. en-c to qe rsey , Os c e ola County , :..ic h i ga n ;, trave line, on hors eback ,
ch9 nhol 3 coun try bet ee n r on i a a n d Hersey, a d i s ~anc e of 90 mi les , be ing
n ea rly ,;c1. dens e for {~ st . He organ i ze d a cla ss i n Herse y i n 1 866 u i th
Br ot.h e r Bittner class l e aaer . I n 1 866 h e ~as s e nt to Flint on the soc a ll ed Genesee i.Ii s s i o n , ~.h ich had ~ appo i n t me nts loca t ed i n Ge n e s ee ,
Lapeer , Tus col a , Oaklana and Livingston counties . Durin 5 the y ear he
too k up t \v O aJ-j,)O i ntments i n sh i awasse c ount y a na t\ iO i n Sa~ i naw c oun w~
The fo l lov; ing y ear he haa Rev . Ea . We i ss a s colleague . They bu i lt
t h e church· i n Coho c tah , Liv i n~S st on county , one i n Fremont , Tuscol a ,county
a n a pr eparations ~ ere made for a church i n Fl i nt .
Hi s next c i rcui t was Capac i n 1868, th an ca lled t h e st . Clai r
Mi s sion , c ons i s t inb of s i x a~~o i ntmen ts i n four a i ff erent c ount i es .
I n 1870 h3 ·,, en-c to ne t:. ro i.,; , Dearbo rn belont;i nt; -co t h e Detro i t
Circu i t .
From 1872- 74 h 3 labored on the o. . . osso c i rcui t >1 i th el e v e n
appo i ntments. From 1 874-1877 h e pr eachea in Sag i nav; , t a ki n~ up a missi on .
From 1 877- 78 h e p r eacheo aga i n i n Dearoo r n . Froru 1878- 82 h e was pres i ~ inb elder of t h e I oni a Di str i ct extenu i n t from t h e Ina i a na state
l i ne 'tO Petoske y, ?.!i ch . Fron1 188:3 to 1885 h3 servea Owosso Ci rcuit a
secona t i me . From 1885 to 87 h e served Byron ,fi ss i on . He t h 3n , on a ccount
of ill h~~ lth too k a loca l r c la-c i on a n d r e s i ded on a f arm n ear Chesaning ,
but on a c count of the illnes b of Rev . Pont i us vlhO was at Q\;os so , he ag:t i n
s er ved ~ : osso circuit .
During the y ears of 1 889- 91 h e s er ved the sebe\1 a i n g Ci r cui t , and
aurin6 the y ears 1 891- 93 h e a ga i n l oc ated a n d l i ved on h i s farm on
account of i ll h~alth . In 1893 h e a~ a in e nter ea act i v e s e ~vi c e a na
s er v ed Bay Ci ty !.Ii ss i on . In 189 4-98 h -3 preached on .. h e woo dl a n d c i rcuit.
In 1898-1~02 h e praached at I ml a y Ci ty . Agai n h i e h ealth f a ilinb h i m
h e ret ir ea and l ived i n Ch esani ng . Burin~ h i s act ive y ears he vas an
e ffici ent \lu rk e r in "'he Church . H~ h~la ot" t ic-3s in the ~.Uss i onu.ry and
Fir J I nsuranc a soc i et i es for many y ~~ rs a n a ~as ~ l e c toa •. 1 l eg~te to the
Board of !a as i ons u.nd Gen:3 ral confo.3r.;nc e a numO·H' OI vi mes .
Rev. Fuchs '"t~.s an e vaneo,elist as ' e ll a s a pas ~;or for h e po i nted
hundr Jas of souls to :he Lamb of Goa .. ho t a kes a wa y t h e s i ns of the
worl d e Aft er a life of unusual o1 ess i ng s a n d us e fuln es s h e i s now at
his r es t.
Brother Fuchs wus unitea in marr i age \, i th Mi so Anna H. Li st ,
February 2 5,185 9 , ~> ho prec eded h im Oct . ':.9 , ltJ07 ~ Th is union was ol essed
v. i "th e i t>ht o.o i ldron ,six of ·.:horn are l ivi u~ _, t.o sene havlnb prec edea him .
H ~ l eaves thr ~3 sons , thr ea aaubhte r s a n c ~lalve g r unu cnil a r 9n .
He pass ea aHay qui etly ar a peac e fu lJ. y ruesuay 1110.rn i n~ at 3 A . >.~ .,
Ma1· ch 9 yh ,l915 in Pouulana a1.. .. ld hcrne of h is dc..ughter , Urs. J ohn Dell ,
agea 79 y ~a rs , 5 L~nGhs ana b abys .
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W'
Rev. John M. Fuchs (Fox)
Presid~ Elder--1878-82 .
Rev. John M. Fu chs was a man of heroic dedication to his Chr istian t ask. One of t he
few men in the his t ory of t he Confer ence elected to only one t enn as a pr e sidi ng
elder of the Conference one de t e cts no trace of bitterness or diseppointment but L~
a ll the year s of his mini et~ only evide nc es of humble dedication to his t as k a s a
Christian mini st e r. The t a sk was primary, the position secondary.
J olm M. Fuchs ·Has born August 31, 1835 in Ni ederei ck, Germany . He di e d March 9 , 191 5,
in the home of his daughter, Mr s . John Dell, at Woodl and, Mi chi gan. He ha d att,ained
the age of 79 years,6 months and 8 days. He was lai d t o rest in the Shar on cemet e r y ,
n ear Manchester, Michiga n.
(..f j '"'
In . l8~
he came t o Americ a. He spent a bouth three months in New York bef ore coming
to Michigan. He settled in Freedom Tv~p., Washt enaw County , whe re he spent his earl y
y ear s in Michigan. In a great r el i gious r evlval held in the .Methodist Chilrch in
Manchest er in 1858 he entered into a j oyous conversion experience . He 1inited ·with
the Methodist Church but l at e r tra nsferred , by l e t t er, to the Evangelical Church,
preferring the us e of the German l anguage .
Short ly aft er hi s conversion he expe r i enc ed a call to the Christi an minis try , which
call h e obeyed. He was licens ed by t he Ohio Conference , whos e boundri es included
Mi.chigang in 1864 and became a charter member of the .f.Uchigan Conferenc e which \'tSS
organized that s ame year. He ~a s or dained deacon in 1866 a nd el der i n 1868 . He ~as
r eceived int o t he itine r ancy in 1864.
He served t he follOYJing pastorates,-Dee.r born i ssion 186h-65; Ionia Mh sion 186566; Genesee 1866-68; Capac 1868-70; DAt roit 187G-72; Owosso l1372-7h; Sagi naw
Mi9sion 1874-77; De arborn 1877-78.In i 878 he was elected pr e sidi ng elder a nd
appointed to the Ionia Di st r ict, where he s e rved for the qua drenniwn. It will be of
interest to note t hat when J. M. Fuchs served the Ionia District i t extended from
t he lndiana st ate l ine on the nouth to Petoskey on t he north, a dist ance of about
300 miles. Travel conditions were very primitive . Following his t enn a s pr esi ding
elder he s erved the f ollowing pas tor ates,-Ovrosso 1882-85; Byron 1885-87; Se bewai ng
1889-91; Bay Cit y 1893-94; Woodlam 1894- 98 ; Imlay Ci ty 1898- 1902.
During the y ears of 1887-89 he rested 1 took a local relat i on and r esirled i n Chesaning.
Due to the i l lness of Rev . Pon(c:.ius he s e rVE>d the Owosso Circtrl.t for a pa:rt of t hi s
perS.od . Due t o ill-heal t h he looat s d again in 1891-93, r esiding on his f arm, pr obabl y
near Ches aning. I t is well t o r emenber t hat the pi oneer cir cuit rider lived a ve r,y
strenuous lif e and broken heal t h was not uncommon . Again , d ue to i l l hoa.J:th Brother
Fu~~s retired from ac tive service in 1902.
Twice he 11as a cl el egat e to the General Conference, t he yeqrs being 1A79 end 1883.
He was vice- president of t.he Conference ..! iss :i.on~ry Soci ety nnd treasur er of the
Confe:;:ence Church bxtension Society. He '"as ol so a d elegate to t he Gener a l Board
of Missions . He l EIS eppoi nt ed a s a member of t he "Committee on Conferencll H..i..ntorians "
in 1896. On thi s Coamitteo he s e ems to have done t he wr iting in prepar ine a brief
his t ory of tho Michigan Confer ence, which appeared a~ a supplement i n t hree sect ions
in t hree Confer ence Journals .
He was united in marriage with Miss Anna H. List Februa r y 25 , 1.859 . llrs . Fuchs d ied
October 29, 1907. For more than 48 years she h~d stood with her husband in his
minis t eri al t ask. f hey were the patents of eight cluldrenJ five sons and three
daughters .
J ohn M. Fuchs v.as a man of gr eat s piritual devotion. He stood unafraid in tho f ace
of great hardships . In the fa l l of 1865 he traveled f rom Ionia to Hersey, a distance
of about 90 miles, through dense forests . He organi zed the Hersey olass in 1866.
(2)
As a n illus tration of his devotion to his t a sk l et us lift out one incident from his
lasi pastoral charge , Iml ay Cit y . He was wel l a dvanced i n years a nd much broken in
he al th. His circuit had t wo appoi ntm~nt s , Imla y a nd Bur nside. The dista nce beM:Ieen
the t wo churches was about eleven miles. On a ce rtain wi nt er Sunday a terrible
blizzar d s~ept that a r ea. The country roads ~ere al l but impassabl e from drifted
snow. Bu r nside v1as due for a Sunda y afternoon se:rvic fh 1•hen the hour for s e rvice
arrived the pa stor was at. the church, sno11 drift s notwit hst.anding . But \'Jh ere were
the peopl e? Not one, ev-en of the 11 fa ithfuls 11 , had dc.red to X£t venture out in the
storm. But. the pastor was t here, having come over eleven miles of t errible roads.
He must not di sappoint a congregation. Scolded by 30me of his people for having dared
t o uake t he l ong t rip under such adverse circumsta ncas the pastor was at t he church
at the appoi nt ed hour, though it could have c ost hin his life .
John Fuchs was made of stur dy stuff. In his
great man .
w.
de\~t ion
t o his t ask he was r eally a
H. Wat so:-:.,
Conference Histori an.
•
Fuchs, Johann M.