Rev. Heinrich Hermann Fiegenbaum

Rev. Henry Fiegenbaum, a pioneer German Methodist Minister circuit rider of the central west, died at 2:30 yesterday afternoon at the age of 83 years at his home Fifth and Auguate Streets. He was born in Ladbergen, Prussia, 16 October 1821. He came with his parents to America in 1832 , landing at New Orleans. Coming up the Mississippi River from New Orleans, the family stopped in St. Charles County, Missouri, where he spent his early life in clearing ground and farming. He lived in St. Charles County for several years but finally went to St. Louis to seek employment. While in St. Louis he was invited to attend a German Methodist revival. He was converted at the meeting and soon entered the ministry, spending the next twenty years of his life as a circuit rider, commencing in the late 40's. His first circuit went out from St. Louis and through central Illinois, returning back to St. Louis. After about eleven years spent preaching as a circuit rider in Illinois, he turned his attention to the west. He was married to Miss Clara Kastenbudt 11 April 1847. She died 2 September 1897. He moved his family to St. Joseph in 1870 at the close of his ministry east of St. Louis. His family has lived in and near St. Joseph since that time. For about eleven years after coming to this part of the state he traveled all through Kansas, Nebraska, western Missouri and Iowa, and as far west as Denver, in the interest of the German Methodist Church. As a result of his work in the west, after coming to St. Joseph, both as a circuit rider and as an organizer, the German Methodist Church became a conference in itself, he being its father. Many times his trips would keep him away from his family for two or three months at a time. He traveled from place to place while preaching a circuit either on horseback or using a canoe and snow shoes. Frequently in the winter time he was taken from one place to the next German settlement in a sleigh. Although he answered requests for English services, he devoted his entire ministerial life to the German Church and in his organizing the conference in this part of the central west he had to find the German settlements during the early days when this part of the country was thinly inhabited. He retired from active service in 1889. After the German Methodist Church became a conference and St. Joseph a district, the Rev. Mr. Fiegenbaum was presiding elder, which position he served for about twenty years. Up to the last ten years of his life he was sturdy, active and always working. Even during his retired years he was always ready to serve his church and was frequently called upon to assist in revivals. He was the first of four brothers, who came to America, to die. The others are ministers. He has two sisters, who married ministers, who are living. They are: Rev. F. Fiegenbaum of Wathena, Kansas, Rev. William Fiegenbaum of Edwardsville, Illinois, Rev. Rudolph Fiegenbaum of Connell, Washington, Mrs. K. Wellemeyer of Warrenton, Missouri and Mrs. William Winter of Kansas City. His brother, Rev. F. Fiegenbaum and sisters were at his bedside when he died. The funeral will be held from the German Methodist Episcopal Church at 2 o'clock Monday afternoon. Rev. G. Becker will have charge of the services. Burial will be at Ashland Cemetery. The Rev. Mr. Fiegenbaum's wife, Clara (Kastenbudt) died shortly after they celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary. Surviving children are Mrs. C. J. Steinmetz, Miss Mary and Miss Anna Fiegenbaum of St. Joseph and Mrs. Thomas Curry of Oregon, Missouri.

His Life's Work

"Death," wrote Faber, "is an unsurveyed land, an unarrayed science. Poetry draws near death to hover over it for a moment and withdraw in terror. History knows it only as a universal fact, philosophy finds it only among the mystery of being, the one great mystery of being not. But we all rejoice in the fact that the light of our Christ hath penetrated this dark shadow, by his promise of 'whoso findeth me findeth life'."

Rev. Henry Fiegenbaum, a pioneer German Methodist circuit rider of the central west and founder of the Western German M. E. conference, died at his home in St. Joseph, Mo., Friday morning, January 13, 1905 in the 84th year of his age. He was born in Ladbergen, Prussia, October 16, 1821, and came to America with his parents by the way of New Orleans, in 1832. The family came immediately to St. Charles county, Mo, where he spent his early life on the farm. From here he went to St. Louis to seek employment, and while there he attended a German Methodist revival and was converted. At this same revival a Miss Clara Kastenbudt was converted and on April 11, 1847, she became the wife of Rev. Fiegenbaum.

Shortly after his conversion he felt that he should enter the ministry, and at once began preparations to dedicate his life to the Master's cause, and in 1847 he was granted exhortor's license and the following year he was given the Okoe, Illinois, charge, until the annual meeting of conference, and his circuit afterward was extended and for several years he preached as a circuit rider in Illinois, Southern Wisconsin, Northern Iowa and Southern Minnesota, being in the Rock River conference and doing the pioneer work among the Germans in these various states. His home was in Galena, Ill., having charge of the Galena charge and for six years was presiding elder. During these eight years he traveled mostly by buggy and horseback, and was often in danger of his life from wild animals and Indians, which were plentiful in this sparsely settled country, but his zeal knew no limit, fearing neither weather, beasts or Indians, on he went, carrying the tidings of Salvation to his fellow countrymen, who had come to America to build themselves homes in our land of liberty. From Galena he went to Wapello, Iowa, where he served as presiding elder for four years; then taking a three year charge at Pekin, another three at Quincy brought him into the folds of the German conference, then known as the Southwest German conference. By this conference he was sent as presiding elder to the Missouri district, which extended over the western half of Missouri, all of Nebraska, all of Kansas and the west half of Iowa. After serving in this capacity two years, he took the charge at Oregon, Mo., where he worked successfully for three years, after which he again became presiding elder of the Missouri district, whose growth was so rapid as to form two large districts in themselves, and by the year 1878 he brought it before the Southwest conference at Warsaw, Illinois, Bishop Merrill, presiding. At that time there were but 37 ministers enrolled. Of these but ten are now in actual service, 12 are superannuated, and including Rev. Fiegenbaum, 11 have died. The conference included three presiding elders and 3,014 members. He lived to see the fruits of his early work extend until the conference today includes over 100 ministers, four presiding elders and 8,000 members. The original conference included the state of Iowa, but since has been transferred to St. Louis. The first session of the West conference was held in the old rock and brick church in St. Joseph, on the same site now occupied by the present German M. E. Church. We here give Father Fiegenbaum's early fields of labor in his Savior's cause:

1848-50,  Mascoutah, Ill.
1850-52,  Muscatine, Iowa.
1852-60,  Galena, Ill.,  P. E.
1860-64,  Wapello, Iowa;  P. E.
1864-67,  Pekin, Ill.
1867-70,  Quincy, Ill.
1870-72,  St. Joseph, Mo.;  P. E.
1872-75,  Oregon, Mo.
1875-83,  Presiding Elder, St. Joseph.
1883-86,  St. Joseph.
1886-89,  Sedalia.

While in Sedalia his health failed him and he retired from active ministerial work and returned to St. Joseph, where he had made his home since 1870, and where he lived up to the time of his death - thus giving 42 consecutive years of labor in the ministry. In his early day labors for the church, his circuits covered large territory, which would keep him away from his family for two and three months at a time, and would travel from place to place on horseback or using canoe or snow shoes, and frequently in the winter season would be taken from one German settlement to another in a sleigh.

He began his ministry when but 27 years of age, and during all these years he gave his life in extending the cause of Christ and building up the church; and though enfeebled from age and physical infirmities, he was ever ready to do what he could for his people. His ambition through life was service for the Master, and up to the last several years he was sturdy, active, earnest - always working - always busy. Even during his retired years he was frequently called upon to assist in revivals.

It is a remarkable co-incident in the history of this family - there were four brothers and two sisters - the brothers were all ministers and the sisters married ministers. Father Fiegenbaum is the first of the list to be called home by Him who gave him being.

The brothers and sisters are Rev. William Fiegenbaum, Edwardsville, Illinois, aged 80 years; Mrs. Katharine Wellemeyer, Warrenton, Missouri, aged 77 years; Rev. F. W. Fiegenbaum, Wathena, Kansas, aged 74 years; Mrs. Mina Winter, Kansas City, Missouri, aged 71 years; Rev. Rudolph Fiegenbaum, Connell, Washington, aged 68 years. The combined ages of the family that are left, aggregate 370 years, something very remarkable, surely, in one family. His brother, Frederick W., and the two sisters and his surviving children were at his bedside when he died.

On April 11th, 1847, Rev. Fiegenbaum and Miss Clara Kastenbudt were united in marriage in the city of St. Louis and on Sunday, April 11th, 1897, in their home in St. Joseph, they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. The wedding was solemnized in the German M. E. Church in that city, immediately following the regular service. Their golden wedding anniversary came on Palm Sunday, and although having reached the golden stepping stone, and true to their early faith, wended their way to the house of God, they found the church a bower of palms. At the close of the regular service, Rev. Harmes, pastor in charge, called the bridal party forward, and seating them before the altar, delivered a touching and fitting address to them. Mrs. Dorothea Lahrman and Dr. Heinz, of St. Joseph, the only living witnesses of the marriage in 1847, were present on the occasion of the golden anniversary. Mother Fiegenbaum died September 2, 1897, only a few months following their golden wedding anniversary.

The surviving children are Mrs. J. C. Steinmetz, Misses Mary and Anna Fiegenbaum, of St. Joseph, and Mrs. Tom Curry, of Oregon. There are also 12 grand-children and three great-grand-children.

The funeral was held from the German M. E. Church in St. Joseph, on Monday afternoon, January 16, 1905, the services being conducted by the pastor, Rev. G. Becker, the interment being at Ashland cemetery.

"Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

--- Sentinel, Oregon, Mo., Jan 20.