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Historical Committee



Hist. Mss. 1-49
S. E. (Samuel Evans) Allgyer, 1859-1953, and Priscilla Adeline Umble, 1896-1946
Papers, 1904-53, 1996
Four Folders (Small Collection)

Scope and Content

S. E. Allgyer was a farmer, missionary, promoter of Sunday Schools and youth meetings, evangelist, counselor for conscientious objectors, Mennonite minister (1904) and bishop (1908). Priscilla and S. E. had eight children born between 1883 and 1905.

These papers focus on S. E.’s autobiography (1952), prayer scroll, and obituaries. A variety of more materials are found in various other collections at the archives:

Allgyer, S. E., Newspaper Clippings Hist. Mss. 3-1

Allgyer, S. E., Photograph Hist. Mss. 4-062

Allgyer, S. E., Photograph, framed portrait, 33x26 cm Hist. Mss. 4-236

Allgyer, S. E., Cassette tape recording of "His Life Story" Hist. Mss. 6-014

Mast, C. Z., Correspondence Hist. Mss. 1-6

Mennonite Board of Missions, Correspondence, 1916-43 IV-7-1

Meyer, J. C., Correspondence, 1919, 1963 Hist. Mss. 1-44

Steiner, A. J., Correspondence, 1923, 1947 Hist. Mss. 1-472

Yoder, David A., Correspondence Hist. Mss. 1-314

Brief Biographical Sketch

1859         S. E. born March 8, Joseph & Barbara (Zook) Allgyer, Mattawana, Pennsylvania

1874         Allgyer family moved to Wayne County, Ohio, then to West Liberty, Ohio, in 1875

1883         Married January 18, to Priscilla Umble, at Millwood Mennonite Church, Gap, Pennsylvania. Umble was born October 14, 1862, to Jacob and Barbara (Kurtz) Umble, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

1880s-1950s S. E. Allgyer was active in church work in many different capacities

1883-1905 Priscilla and S. E. had eight children born between 1885 – 1905.

1904         S. E. was chosen by lot for the ministry, May 6, Oak Grove Mennonite Church, West Liberty, Ohio. Preached 4,000 sermons.

1908         S. E. ordained as bishop, April 27. Served in this position for 43 years.

1946         Priscilla (Umble) Allgyer died April 23, after 63 years of marriage. Buried in Hooley cemetery, Champaign County, Ohio

1953         S. E. Allgyer died, November 15. Buried in Hooley cemetery next to Priscilla

Source: Allgyer Family: Samuel Evans Allgyer and Priscilla Adeline Umble and Their Descendants (Revised 1996), by Anne M. Yoder. Obituaries, Gospel Herald.

Administrative Information

Paul O. King, Goshen College, Goshen, Indiana deposited the autobiography into the archives in 1952. The prayer scroll was deposited into the archives by Ruth (Weber) Yoder, West Liberty, Ohio, via Walter Bachman from Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Indiana, who visited in her home in 1990. Dennis Stoesz, Goshen, Indiana added notes about the books by or about Allgyer in 1996, and added the obituaries in 2003.

Inventory Listing

Four Folders (Small Collection)

1/1     Autobiography, April 1952, written by S. E. Allgyer, 5 handwritten pages. Sent to Paul O. King, a student at Goshen College, who requested this information.

1/2     "Prayer" scroll, circa. 1904-53. measuring 22 1/2" x 28 1/2". This large banner is an outline on the teachings on prayer, such as "When to Pray", "Where to Pray", etc., used by S. E. Allgyer. It includes scripture verses for each section.  This was a typical way that Mennonite ministers taught, and preached, on various Christian teachings, possibly having the chart placed in front of the pulpit on the platform. Other such charts can be seen in the Elias L. Frey (1856-1942) Collection, and in the J. S. Shoemaker (1854-1936) Collection.

1/3       Books by or about S. E. Allgyer, 1934-1996. Includes a copy of the catalog references for nine books by or about S. E. Allgyer, as available from the Mennonite Historical Library (MHL), Goshen College. (Web site: http://www.goshen.edu/mhl/) File includes reference copy of Allgyer Family: Samuel Evans Allgyer and Priscilla Adeline Umble and Their Descendants (Revised 1996), by Anne M. Yoder. Original at MHL.

1/4     Obituaries, Gospel Herald, May 14, 1946, pages 158-59, and December 1, 1953, pages 1157-59. Copies made available from MennObits Project, 2003 (Web site: http://www.mcusa-archives.org/MennObits/index.html)

Name and Subject Tracings

Allgyer, Priscilla Adeline (Umble), 1896-1946

Allgyer, S. E. (Samuel Evans), 1859-1953

Umble Allgyer, Priscilla Adeline, 1896-1946

January 23, 2004 / Updated by Rebecca Allen
December 12, 2003 / Updated by Dennis Stoesz

File: "Hm1-049.doc"

Mennonite Church USA Archives-Goshen, 1700 S. Main St., Goshen, Indiana 46526



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