Hist. Mss. 1-429

L. A. (Levi A.) Blough, 1855-1936

Minister in Johnstown District of Allegheny Mennonite Conference, 1890-1936

Papers, 1890-1936

1 Box (Green)

Scope and Content

These papers reflect the pastoral ministry of L. A. Blough in the Johnstown District of the Southwest Mennonite Conference, 1890-1936. The conference has been known as the Allegheny Mennonite Conference since 1954. This district included the Blough, Thomas, Stahl and Weaver congregations found in the Somerset and Cambria Counties, Pennsylvania. Later they came to include the Kaufman and Pleasant Grove churches as well.

The papers consist of membership records, 1890-1904; records of marriages and funerals, 1890-1934; sermon outlines; and additional items such as the 1936 photograph of a Wingard reunion. Blough was ordained to the ministry by J. N. Durr on December 7, 1890, at Stahl church (Page 222 of History*). Jonas Blauch (1830-1906) was bishop over this district during this area, 1862-1906.

Biographical Sketch

Blough-Levi A. Blough was born June 17, 1855; died Jan. 9, 1936; aged 80 y. 6 m. 22 d. He was married to Lavina Thomas Dec. 31, 1876. She died Dec. 14, 1879. To this union was born one son who died in infancy. On Jan. 2, 1881, he was united in marriage to Annie Wingard, who died Feb. 14, 1925. Surviving are the following children: Polly, wife of Ed Thomas; Sue, wife of S. K. Eash; Katie, wife of Homer Baer; Margaret, wife of Lawrence Speigle; Elsie, wife of John Showalter; Edith, wife of Clarence Collins. Wesley, Sally, Bertha, and Annie Ruth preceded him to the grave. He is also survived by one brother (Jacob A. Blough).

He united with the Mennonite Church about sixty years ago. In 1890 he was ordained to the ministry, in which he served faithfully until his death. He was a loyal defender of the faith, ruled his people through love, and held the esteem and good will of all people as far as he was known. His voice will be missed in his home congregation and in the Southwestern Pa. Conference where he served so faithfully and well. The whole Church was the field of his interest and prayers.

Funeral services were held Jan. 11 at the home of Homer Baer and at Blough Mennonite Church, in charge of A. J. Metzler, assisted by J. A. Ressler, James Saylor, S. G. Shetler, and Harry C. Blough. Text, Jno. 4 :37, 38. Buried in cemetery near by.

Source: Obituary found in the Gospel Herald, February 6, 1936 - Vol. XXVIII, No.45 - page 958, 959. Web site: http://www.mcusa-archives.org/MennObits/36/feb36.html. Sources for history of area include *History [Minutes 1876-1923] of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Conference (1923); "Southwestern Pennsylvania Mennonite Conference," Mennonite Encyclopedia (1959); and Two Centuries of Struggle and Growth, 1763-1963, by Sanford G. Shetler (1963).

Administrative Information

The papers had been passed down to a daughter of Levi A. Blough, Mrs. John (Elsie) Showalter, and then deposited into the archives by a granddaughter, Mrs. Royal Bauer, Goshen, Indiana, via Curator Nelson Springer, Mennonite Historical Library, Goshen College, in 1972 (Accession #2208). The membership records of Johnstown area churches were deposited by Ron Collins, Goshen, Indiana, in 1983 (Accession #4005).

Note: there are also three letters of Levi Blough in the J. N. Durr Collection (Hist. Mss. 1-203, Box 6, File entitled "Correspondence, A-Z") found at the Archives.

Inventory Listing

Box 1 (Green)

1/1 Membership Records, 1890-1904, of Johnstown District area churches - Blough, Thomas, Stahl and Weaver church districts / congregations found in the Somerset and Cambria Counties, Pennsylvania. (51 pages)

1/2 Record book of Funerals attended, 1891-1934 (62 pages), and Marriages performed, 1893-1932 (6 pages) (Total: 68 pages)

1/3 Record of Sermons preached, 1932-35. Found in a small Memorandum Book. Also includes three pages of purchases (Gospel Herald, 1932), etc. (13 pages)

1/4 Sermon Outlines, circa 1890-1935. Blough would often give the sermon text and a brief subject description at the top of each sermon outline. For example, "Judges 14:8-9: Hands full of Honey." Most outlines are 4 pages in length (5" x 8" sheets). Approximately 70-100 sermons. (282 pages)

1/5 Programs, circa 1920s-30s; and Letter (1933) (Total: 5 pages)

Programs of Ministerial Meetings of Johnstown District (Stahl Church, no date; Weaver Church, 1935); and of an All-Day Sunday School Conference, Stahl Church (1932);

Letter regarding Johnstown Bible School (1933).

1/6 Preaching Schedule, January - June 1935, indicating the rotation of ministers preaching in the Johnstown District at the Blough (B), Kaufman (K), Pleasant Grove (PG), Stahl (S), Thomas (T) and Weaver (W) churches. Ministers included Samuel G. Shetler (SG), Lloy Kniss (Lloy), Sanford G. Shelter (San), Aldus Wingard (AW, or EW), W. C. Hershberger (WC),

Box 1 (Green) (Continued)

1/6 Preaching Schedule, 1935 (Continued)

Levi A. Blough (LA), Harry Blough (HB), James Saylor (Jas), Hiram Wingard (HW), Irvin Holsopple (IH) and Joseph Saylor (Joe). [Based on research and explanation by Nelson Springer, March 1, 1972, as found in file] (4 pages)

1/7 Constitution, and Rules and Discipline (1908) of the Mennonite Conference of the Southwestern Pennsylvania District. (10 pages)

1/8 Bible Doctrine Notebook (28 pages)

1/9 Church History Notebook (34 pages)

1/10 Statement of Doctrine; Tracts (I. L. Derstine); Clippings, and D. L. Moody pamphlet (1934). (Total: 32 pages)

"A Statement of Christian Doctrine" (4 pages, no date, Mennonite Publishing House);

Two tracts from I. L. Derstine, Telford, Pa. (The Auto King; and Prophecy of Isaiah 11, no date);

Clippings on "Bible Meeting Topic on Social Gatherings" (newspaper clipping, no date); and "The Madness of War" (newspaper clipping, 1929);

Pamphlet, These Forty Years, 1894-1934 [D. L. Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, Illinois] (22 pages)

1/11 Photograph, Wingard Reunion circa. 1936 (4 pages)

Name and Subject Tracings

(Archives Card Catalog)

Blough, L. A. (Levi A.), 1855-1936

Johnstown Area Churches - Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania - Johnstown Area Churches

May 6, 2008 / Updated organization and annotated listing by Dennis Stoesz

January 31, 2008 / Obituary and Administrative information added by Dennis Stoesz, and posted on web site

December 12, 2006 / Update by Helen Hostetler

July 31, 2003 / Inventory typed into the computer by Nelda Nussbaum

November 16, 1983 / Collection processed and organized by Bryan L. Kehr

File: “Hm1-429 L. A. Blough.doc”

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