The Hirschy Newsletter

for descendants of Philip and Julianne (Frey) Hirschy
October 1997, No. 16

Return to the Newsletter Index.

HIRSCHY T-SHIRTS

   Identify yourself as a member of the
Hirschy Clan in a distinctive way. Cletus
and Janet Hirschy had T-Shirts prepared
for the Hirschy Gathering and they have
them for sale at the same price as they
were sold then.
   On the front of the shirt is the deer
which has been used as the logo for The
Hirschy Genealogy. On the back is the
word HIRSCHY. There is no date or other
wording, so the shirts are not dated.
Wear One when you want others to know you
are part of the larger Hirschy family.
The shirts come in two colors - light
blue and yellow. They comes in sizes M,
L, and XL. They are available at the
modest price of $10.00 each.
   Send your order to Cletus and Janet
Hirschy, 912 50th Ave. W., Bradenton, FL
34207-2524 from now to the end of May.

CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEA
   Consider giving a copy of The Hirschy
Genealogy to your children, grandchildren,
brothers and sisters or other relatives.
Order them now so you'll have them in time
for Christmas. Price $35 plus postage.
Order from David L. Habegger

LETTERS
Don Entner 3.2.2.4.3 "We appreciate your
faithful work on the newsletter. My wife
and I usually fight (?) over who can read
it first. Sorry we missed the reunion. I
had a job change just the end of June."

Dorothy Beattie 4.6.13.9 Kyle, Sask.
"It's been a busy year and summer. Two of
my sisters and their hubby's (Lois & Joe
Count) (Phylis & Ilene Thrasher)
celebrated their 50ths, so we had mini
Armstrong family reunions. Next summer we
plan on having another Armstrong reunion
here at my place. It's so handy, right by
the Sask. River for swimming and boating.
   Alex and I had a busy summer. He drove
across Canada and picked me up in Montreal
at the airport and toured the Maritines
and Newfoundland, the later was

celebrating the 500th anniversary. So
lots of excitement. We drove across the
new Confederation Bridge to P.E.I>, its
close to 13 kilometers long so a real
thrill.
   Love and God bless to you, your wife and
family."

Ora Lee Rea 4.6.2.6 N. Little Rock, AR
   "Thanks for a good (wonderful) reunion.
I enjoyed it so much but there was not
enough time to get around to meet
everyone. Think about making it a two day
affair. Because of age and finances I
will probably never get to attend another.
   The newsletter this month - and always -
is great. The story 'Barbara Hirschy
Habegger' is wonderful. Is she your
mother? (yes, she is] They really
endured hardships to spread the gospel.
What a wonderful heritage our parents left
us. I pray none of us let them down.
   I have put hours studying the genealogy
book and comparing with pictures I took.
I guess too many generations have past for
me to figure out who is who.
   The news letter has a paragraph from
Grace Wilson who is my first cousin. I
have a few pictures I am sharing. It is a
shame my family was so scattered that we
never even knew most of them.
   My son, Stephen 4.6.2.6.2, and I drove
to Ft. Wayne on Monday and drove around.
It has some beautiful buildings.
   I believe Berne is the most beautiful
and well kept town I have ever seen. I
was there at age 15 (1936) with my parents
but did not remember how pretty it was.
Your cousin."

Elizabeth A. Oldenburg 3.4.4.1.1.1 Falls
Church, VA. "I found an original picture
exactly like the one of Philip and Mary
Hirschy that you have reprinted in the
genealogy. Reading your description of
the house and property gave the photo much
more meaning! I regret that I was unable
to attend the Hirschy reunion this year.
If I am able to make it to a future
reunion, I will be sure to bring some of
the photographs with me."

Here is a summary of
information sent to me
about Joy Beitler
3.11.1.3.1.2 of Forest,
Ohio and her athletic
achievements at
Cedarville College,
Cedarville, OH.
Joy described her move
to the Cedarville track
team as a hard transition, "The tough workouts,
the new relationships, and a team that was
run much differently than my high school team
were a big strain on me as a freshman.
Coming here was a big culture shock."
That trying first year was turned into a
four-year career which compiled six NAIA
and 11 National Christian College Athletic
Association (NCCAA) All-American
qualifications, trips to the NAIA and
NCCAA National each season, seven Mid-Ohio
Conference titles, and a school record.
"She's a very hard worker," high jump
coach John McGillivray explained. "She's
come from being a good high jumper with a
lot of potential to a great all-around
athlete.
Beitler guided the Lady Jackets to
their fourth straight NCCAA national title
on the home track the first weekend in
May. She copped first place finishes in
five events--high jump, 100 meter hurdles,
400 meter hurdles, 4xlOO meter relay, and
the 4x4OO meter relay. She ended her
career with a pair of NAIA All-America
performances (top 6 finishers) by tying
for second in the high jump and placing
fourth in the 100 meter hurdles.
Additionally, she was named an NAIA and
NCCAA All-America Scholar-Athlete.
Beitler attributes her success to the
talents and abilities that God has given
her. "My motivation comes from using
track as a way to glorify Him," she
claimed. "That is what makes it enjoyable
for me." Her father has also played a
significant role in her career,
continually pushing her to do better.
Beitler graduated from Cedarville in
June with degrees in Communication Arts
and Christian Education. This summer she
was on a missions trip with teenagers to
Europe. This fall she has begun an
internship at Calvary Baptist Church in
Covington, Kentucky, pursuing the field
she would eventually like to make a

career, Christian Education and Women's
Ministries.
(From information by Jason Kaufman, sports
information student intern.)

From the Editor, David L. Habegger.
In August, LaVeta and I drove to Wixom,
Michigan to visit Joan Beamish, widow of
Lawrence Neal Beamish 3.5.3.2. She had
prepared a lovely lunch for us and
afterward we looked at the photos she had
from Lawrence's grandmother, Lydia Hirschy
Wurthner, and several documents.
   We learned a number of new things.
First of all Lydia and Christian Wurthner
had lived in Allen Co., IN for a number of
years and their three children were born
there. Thus the family was not far
removed in distance from Lydia's brothers.
She had photos of a couple of her
brother's families which means they had
contact with each other even though she
married outside the church.
   Some time after the family moved to
Michigan Lydia and Christian separated and
she lived with her daughters in her later
years. It is not known where Christian
died, Lydia is buried in the M.R.E.
Cemetery.
   Our visit with Joan was the first
contact the family has had with members of
the Hirschy family for many years -
possibly since 1920 when Lydia died. We
trust there will be more contacts in the
future.

The 1. John Hirschy Family
   With this issue we are beginning a
series of articles that will tell the
history of the various families. These
will give in greater detail the stories we
can develop from the history in hand and
from further research, as well as any
contributions you readers can make.
   We will seek to reproduce any photos of
the families of the children of the first
generation of Hirschys that came to
America. If you have any photos of the
children of John and Barbara Stauffer
Hirschy with their families, it would be
appreciated if you would either loan the
photos to the editor, or send a good
reproduction that can be used. We would
like to use them in January and possibly
the next issue.

The Story of Johannes and
Barbara Hirschy and Their Children
Johannes Hirschy was born in the winter
of 1821, on December 12. Being the first
child of Philip and Julianna Frey Hirschy
his birth was surely warmly welcomed. His
parents had been married for a little over
a year. In giving him the name Johannes,
they were naming him after both of their
fathers. The family was living near the
village of Le Locle in Canton Neuchatel,
Switzerland where they were leasing a
farm.
   The Hirschy family moved to various
farms in the next years and were on Bas de
Brandt when Johannes turned ten. The time
surrounding his 10th birthday was very
sad. Just four days prior to his
anniversary his mother gave birth to her
eighth child, a son. He died at birth.
Then ten day after his birthday his father
Philip died on Dec. 22, 1831.
   The death of the father, placed a
terrible burden upon the family. There
was a hired hand to help with the farm
work, but Johannes, as the oldest son, was
now expected to shoulder additional
responsibilities.
   Opportunities for an education were
quite meager for Amish children. It likely
was no more than a few months each winter.
After his father's death, additional
schooling was surely out of the question.
   We do not know young Johannes' feelings
when his mother married Christian Horn,
the hired hand who was thirteen years
younger than she. But after a year of
marriage, when Johannes was 13 years of
age, there was the excitement of leaving
Switzerland and embarking on a sailing
ship to America.
   Upon arrival in New York on July 8,
1835 on the ship Richmond, the family
traveled to Stark Co., Ohio where Johannes
got to meet his grandpa, Johannes Frey.
Shortly after coming to America, he was
hired out to a family in Wayne Co., Ohio.
All of his earnings went to his step-
father until he reached the age of 21.
   Johannes worked in Wayne or Stark
County for two years following his 21st
birthday. Then in 1845 he came to Adams
.County, arriving August 28. He could have
traveled by canal to Fort Wayne, but if he
had a horse or two, he may have ridden or
walked. It was not uncommon for persons
to walk that distance on the Indian trail
that was on a ridge of land on which

highway 30 was later built.
   Johannes arrived in time for the fall
harvest and would have had little
difficulty finding employment while he
became.acquainted with the area There
were a number of both Amish and Mennonite
families with whom he could have stayed.
   It was while he was living in Adams
County that he became acquainted with
Barbara Stauffer, the daughter of Johannes
and Maria Steiner Stauffer, whom he
married on Apr. 16, 1847. She was from a
Mennonite family while he was Amish. They
were married by Henry S. Juday, the
Justice of the Peace. They may have gone
to him because they were both marrying
outside of their own church fellowships.
Also, Barbara was 19 years of age when
married, so may have married without her
parent's permission. Living in an English
speaking community, Johannes began using
the English form of his name, John.
   For a time the young couple must have
attended both Mennonite and Amish churches
as his name is given as a participant in
the First Mennonite Church. However, the
couple eventually were part of the Amish
church led by Bishop Henry Egly. Several
of their children went with the Missionary
church when it was started and Barbara's
funeral was held in the church across the
road from their home. As far as is known,
there is no photograph of this couple.
This would have been in keeping with the
Amish interpretation of the Biblical
commandment in Exodus 20:4 not to make any
image or likeness.
   A few weeks after they were married, on
May 5, 1847, John bought 73 acres of land
three miles west of Berne in Hartford
township. The 1849 Tax records shows him
holding two parcels of land both in
Section 2, of township 25, Range 13. One
parcel had 73 acres worth $219.00 and the
other 158.24 acres worth $474.00, When
the land was purchased, cash needed to be
paid. One wonders whether he had been
able to save up this amount of money or
whether he had to borrow a sizable
amount. He probably had the money to pay
for the smaller acreage.
   The land that was purchased was wooded
and the couple went to work clearing the
land and building a log house. Ten or
more years later they built the
substantial house that is still standing
on the farm and is lived in today. The
house has hand hewn beams. The glass

panes on the east side of the house are
original. It was in these homes that all
thirteen of their children were born.
   Of the thirteen children, the first,
Christian D. was born Aug 3, 1848, and the
last, Rebecca, was born Aug 22 1873.
Twenty five years separates the first and
last children. While there is an average
of 1 year and 9 months between the births
of the children, only a year and one month
separate the first two children. What is
amazing is that there is no record of any
still born children nor of any children
dying in infancy. One child, 1.12 Lovina,
died at the age of 10.
   The mother was very busy rearing her
children in addition to giving them birth.
In spite of having a large family, Barbara
lived 88 years, 7 months, and 18 days.
Barbara's Dumber of live births and the
length of her life could be a record for
women living in Adams County. Considering
the primitive conditions under which she
lived most of her years, it is amazing!
   Barbara's obituary, which appeared in
The Berne Witness, Friday, Oct. 29, 1915,
says, "Mrs. Hirschy, nee Stauffer, was
born on March 10, 1827, in Wayne Go.,
Ohio. When she was about eleven years old
she moved to Indiana. At the age of
twenty [actually 19] she was married to
John Hirschy, Together they settled down
on the farm now owned by her son,
Christian Hirschy, three miles west of
Berne. She resided on this farm for
sixty-seven years. Thirteen children were
born to them, ten of whom are living.
They are: Christian Hirschy, Mrs. Mary
Biberstein, Rosina Hirschy, Mrs. Fanny
Augsburger, Mrs. Katharine Kauffman, Mrs.
Christian Liechty, John S. Hirschy, Mrs.
Anna Liechty, Mrs. Salome Wanner and Mrs.
Rebecca Schindler. The three who died are
Barbara, Ephraim and Lovina. A half
sister, Mrs. Peter Steiner, also survives
Mrs. Hirschy.
   During the last year she has resided in
Linn Grove in a home of her own with two
of her daughters." Funeral Services were
held in the West Missionary church, and
burial was in the Defenseless Mennonite
cemetery. Since John Hirschy died
December 20, 1894, no obituary for him has
been found. He died 8 days after his 73rd
birthday. Barbara outlived him by 20
years.
   [In the next issue we will present
stories about John and Barbara's children]

THE STORY OF MY LIFE
by Barbara Hirschy Habegger (4.5.5)
Written in 1973.
Part IV continued
   While each of our children were in
college we assisted them financially and
each one supplemented their own needs
through various jobs. Mardeti, David and
Lois graduated from Bethel College i.n N.
Newton, Kansas, while Jeanne, Helen and
Esther graduated from Bluffton College in
Bluffton, Ohio. Jeanne earned her nursing
degree at the Bethel Deaconess Hospital
School of Nursing at Newton, Kansas.
   Later on, Marden, David and Helen
continued their education in graduate
school, earning degrees - Doctor of
Medicine, Doctor of Religion, and a Master
of Arts in Home Economics.
   As parents we were happy we could meet
our children's college bills without
borrowing money and that no child had to
stay out of school to earn money for an
education.
   Our children received their religious
training in the home, the Sunday School,
and Vacation Bible School. It was
remarkable and satisfying to Alfred and me
that each child had remained true to the
Christian faith and has been active in
Christian work. This is the case in spite
of their poor financial background and
life in primitive conditions on an Indian
reservation.
   There was a German song our children
sang after saying their bedtime prayers.
It was the Abendlied.
1.    Mude bin ich geh' zur Ruh
       Schliesse meine Augen zu;
       Vater lass die Augen dein
       Uber meinem Bette sein.
2.    Hab' ich Unrecht heut' gethan,
       Sieh' es, Liber Gott, nicht an!
       Deine Gnad' und Jesus Blut
       Macht, ja, allen Schaden gut.

   In the summer of 1924 we were assigned
to go to Ashland because the Rev. and Mrs.
P.A. Kliewer left the mission work for
health reasons, No substitute could be
found. So Alfred and Marden stayed at
Busby, while our three daughters and I
stayed at Ashland until other temporary
workers took over Ashland. This was a
difficult time for our divided family
because the roads were poor and the
telephone service inadequate.

   When Dr. Rodolphe Petter died in 1947
his wife Bertha continued to live in the
parsonage in Lame Deer. Meanwhile, the
Malcolm Wengers.and we worked together to
serve Busby and Lame Deer. Since a new
church was to be built in Lame Deer, it
was necessary for a man to supervise the
building. After Mrs. Petter built a small
cottage for herself near the church, we
moved into the Lame Deer parsonage in
1949. With the help of local Indian men
and carpenters from the home church
(Berne, Ind.) congregation, the Petter
Memorial Mennonite Church was built in a
few weeks. The building program was a,
difficult one for Alfred. He did all the
planning of the architecture, work, and
purchasing of supplies from Forsyth, which
was 65 miles away. The church was
dedicated in June 1950.
   Our mission board granted us a year's
leave of absence in 1950 after serving 30
years. Then we returned to Lame Deer to
continue our work. This lasted five more
years.

Part V. Conclusion
   Instead of continuing our education in
a seminary, during our year's leave of
absence, we decided to travel abroad and
visit mission fields. We wanted to gain
first hand insight and inspiration to
carry on our mission work. We especially
wanted to visit India, the land where we
first applied and were accepted to do
mission work through our mission board.
Also, Alfred's older sister, Metta, and
her husband, Sam Moyer, were missionaries
in India under the same board. Of course
we wanted to visit them and their work.
   First, we attended the General
Conference in Freeman, South Dakota and
then did deputation work in the east. On
Oct. 31, 1950 Alfred and I sailed on the
S.S. Queen Mary for England. There were
ten days to see parts of England before
sailing for India. Originally we wanted
to visit Europe first and then return home
by way of the Pacific Ocean. A world trip
could not be made because the 50th
anniversary of our board's mission work in
India was scheduled to be held in
December.
   This was a great experience for us to
participate in the 50th anniversary
celebration held at all the India General
Conference Mennonite mission stations.
Then we visited the Mennonite, Brethren,

Missionary Alliance, and other
denominational mission work. We
especially enjoyed being guests of Vasant
and Padima Shah, wealthy business people,
in their high-rise home in Bombay.
   Enroute to Africa., we sailed over the
Indian Ocean to Mombassa, Kenya. We
visited Old Mennonite mission stations in
Kenya, Tanzania, and the island of
Ukeriva. We visited Alfred's cousins, Mr.
and Mrs. Andrew Losier in Nairobi, Kenya.
   Because of the long distances to
travel, it took time to arrive at the
various places of interest and mission
stations. Time did not allow us to visit
Zaire. Next, we stopped in Ethiopia, and
Cairo, Egypt, from where we took the plane
for the Holy Land. From Lebanon we took a
cruise to Greece.
   In Europe we stopped in Italy,
Switzerland, Holland, and Germany. From
France we departed on the S.S. Queen
Elizabeth. Our tour took eight months.
During the last five years in Lame
Deer, we witnessed definite results of our
mission work. The four Cheyenne Mennonite
churches were united. As one body they
were called the United Cheyenne Mennonite
Church. They were accepted as members of
the Northern District of the General
Conference Mennonite Church. Many details
of church work were assumed responsibly by
these churches, including financial
obligations of operating the church, and
paid part of the salaries of their lay
ministers.
   Our last deputation work among the
churches took place in Feb. and March
1953. We were asked by our mission board
to go with Rev. and Mrs. Frank Enns to
visit colleges, Bible Schools, and
churches in all the provinces of Canada.
   In 1955 we made our last trip together
to our parental homes in Indiana, On the
return trip we stopped in Wayland, Iowa
where Alfred gave his last message to a
sister conference church. He planned to
attend the Minister's Conference at
Freeman, South Dakota in November and take
church laymen with him. But bad weather
and his heart condition did not permit
this.
   Due to stress and overwork Alfred's
health began to fail in the fall of 1955.
Arteriosclerosis caused a blood clot to
form and the heart became damaged. For
several months lie was a semi-invalid, but
always able to care for himself and

receive callers. The heart attacks
increased and by Jan. 17, 1956 there was a
massive clot that damaged the heart beyond
repair. He was taken to the hospital in
Billings. That evening he died.
   For me, this was the most difficult
experience in my life. I was away from
relatives and felt alone in the city until
I called a friend to help me. She
assisted me to make telephone calls to
notify the children and accompanied me to
Hardin to purchase the casket and flowers.
   Since the funeral service was scheduled
for Sat. afternoon, it was possible for
many government and tribal employees to
attend the funeral. This gave time for
Marden, his daughter Martha, and Esther to
come from California by plane. Jeanne,
David and Lois came by train from
Illinois. The Fretzes, except Joe, came
by car from Freeman, South Dakota.
   Funeral services for Alfred were held
in the Petter Memorial Mennonite Church in
Lame Deer. The church was filled with
people. Rev. Arnold Nickel of Mountain
Lake, Minnesota, representing the mission
board, gave the funeral sermon. Songs
were sung by Mrs. Malcolm Wenger, and a
mixed group of Cheyenne Christians. Six
Indian Christian men were the pall
bearers.
   A long funeral procession wound its way
toward Busby, over the snow-covered hills
and road in the late afternoon. Because
the snow was deep, cars were left on the
road side, and passengers walked to the
cemetery at Busby. The casket was open
again for the final viewing by the
relatives and for people who could not
attend the funeral in Lame Deer.
Sylvester Knowshisgun gave the message at
the grave side. Mrs, Mary Red Woman sang
the traditional Indian death song. As the
sun was setting all departed in quiet and
sorrow.
   On the following Monday, Marden, Martha,
and Esther returned to California by
plane. Jeanne and David left for Illinois
and Herb Fretz with the two girls returned
to South Dakota. Helen with James stayed
a week with me.
   Lois stayed with me a year to put
mission records in order for filing and
making reports. We packed personal
belongings and disposed of some things
through a sale, In March 1957 Herbert
Fretz came from Freeman, S.D. to help us
move. Our friend, Marion Miller, moved

our things in his pick-up truck, and
stored them in Fretz's parsonage. My work
in Montana was finished for- the time
being, but I returned for short periods of
time in 1958, 1959, 1967, and 1973, making
it 40 years of service to the Cheyenne
Indians.
   After my retirement in Mar. 1957 I made
a second trip of five months to Europe.
Florence Lora, my second cousin was my
companion. We attended the World
Conference of Mennonites at Karlsruhe,
Germany. We visited Holland, Austria,
France, with our longest stay in
Switzerland. When I returned to the U.S.
I visited David and Lois at Allentown,
PA., and my niece, Florence Welch, in
Massachusetts. Since Esther was not well,
I proceeded to California and stayed with
her till Carolyn was born in May 1958.
For almost a year I lived with Miss.
Elizabeth Wirkler of Los Angeles, as her
companion.
   Lois and I accepted a joint position as
house supervisors at Sarepta, the student
nurses' home in Newton, Kansas, in
September 1959. Together we held this
position for three years until I retired
in 1962 at the age of 70.
   Fortunately Alfred and I purchased a
home in North Newton, Kansas in 1951, and
I had a place to go. I have never
regretted that we purchased this property
in North Newton instead of one in Berne,
Indiana. By living in the center of the
U.S. my children and grandchildren find it
convenient to stop in Newton.
   The admonitions given in I Thess. 5:16-
18 need to be heeded daily, "Be always
joyful, pray continually, and give thanks
whatever happens in all circumstances."
   Barbara Hirschy Habegger died Aug. 14,
1977 following an automobile accident in
which her son-in-law John Boehr was
killed. She was buried beside her husband
Alfred in the cemetery at Busby, Montana,

PUBLICATION INFORMATION
   The Hirschy Newsletter is
published four times a year. Cost
is $5.00 for four issues.
   The editor is David L. Habegger,
6929 Hillsboro Ct., Fort Wayne, IN
46835-1818.
   If you have material you would
like to submit for publication,
send it to the editor.

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