Historical Committee

Hist. Mss. 1-599
Russell Krabill (1917-2005) Collection
Papers, 1948-1982
73 Boxes (1 Green, 67 Large and 5 Pronto)

    Series and Box Listing          Page 1
    Biographical Sketch             Page 1
    Administrative Information     Page 2
    Inventory Listing                   Pages 3-9

    Introduction and Biography                    Box 1 (Green)

    Articles by Krabill, 1981, 1983                Box 1 (Green)

    Mennonite Commission for Christian Education, 1948-77     Box 1 (Green)

    Mennonite Board of Congregational Ministries, 1972-75    Box 1 (Green)

    Subject Files, A-Z      Boxes 2-23 (Large)
                                    Box 24 (Pronto)
                                    Box 25 (Large)    

    Personal Papers, Box by Box listing                Boxes 26-34 (Large)

    Sermon Notes (Binder) (29 Binders organized topically)    Boxes 35-36 (Pronto)

    Personal Papers, Box by Box listing                 Boxes 37-40 (Pronto)
                                                                         Boxes 41-73 (Large)    

As taken from the obituary in The Elkhart Truth, July 18, 2005, page A6.

GOSHEN -- Russell R. Krabill, 88, of 1801 Greencroft Blvd., Apt. 415, died at 9:25 a.m. Saturday (July 16, 2005) at Greencroft Healthcare, where he had been a patient for the past month.

He was born July 5, 1917, in Brighton, Iowa, to Elmer and Mary Ann (Roth) Krabill. On Aug. 30, 1947, in Marietta, Pa., he married Martha Hiestand.

She survives with a daughter, Mary Ann (Dennis) Hollinger of Camp Hill, Pa.; a son, James (Jeanette) Krabill of Elkhart; five grandchildren; and a brother, Murray Krabill of Fredrickstown, Ohio.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Maurice Krabill.

Friends may call from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Yoder-Culp Funeral Home, 1911 S. Main St., Goshen. Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Prairie Street Mennonite Church with visitation one hour prior to services. Burial will be at Prairie Street Cemetery with Art Janz and Dennis Hollinger officiating.

After teaching in Iowa schools in the 1930s, Mr. Krabill attended Goshen College, where he earned his bachelor's degree in 1943 and his post-graduate degree in theology in 1946. He was ordained in 1945, and was also a manager of the Gospel Book Store in Goshen from 1945 to 1954.

He was active in the Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference, serving on the executive committee from 1956 to 1976 and as president for 12 years. Later in life, he served as overseer for the conference and as conference historian. He also served as president of the Indiana-Michigan Anabaptist Historians.

Mr. Krabill was also a founding board member at Bethany Christian High School in Goshen, serving 20 years. He chaired the 1970-71 Leighton Ford Area Crusade. He authored Sunday school and vacation Bible school curricula for Herald Press and devotional guides for Rejoice magazine. He also authored "Beginning the Christian Life," and instruction book used by denomination in catechism classes for new members.

He was an active member of the Prairie Street Mennonite Church.  Memorials may be given to the Mennonite Mission Network or the Mennonite Historical Society.

    Russell Krabill, Elkhart, Indiana, deposited his files on his involvement in MCCE and MBCM into the archives in 1980.  Krabill deposited an additional two folders of  articles he wrote (Walnut Hill, Jennie Troyer Yoder) in 1983.  Krabill deposited his personal papers into the archives in fall 2004, when he and Martha moved to Greencroft, Goshen, Indiana (66 Large and 5 Pronto Boxes).  John R. Smucker added one box of North Goshen Mennonite Church bulletins (Box 73 Large) in spring 2005.  (Accession #7247, August 22, 2006 / des).

    An inventory of Box 1 was prepared on August 19, 2004.  A preliminary inventory of Boxes 2-73 were prepared by Rich Preheim, Elkhart, Indiana, on August 22, 2006.

Box 1 (Green)

Introduction and Biography

1/1    “The Krabill Herald”, December 25, 1969, Family Christmas letter

Articles by Krabill, 1981, 1983

1/2    “The Walnut Hill Project: its Beginnings,” by Russell Krabill, paper read at the 25th anniversary of the Walnut Hill Mennonite Church, October 11, 1981.  14 pages plus 3 pages of notes.
1/3    “Jennie L. Troyer Yoder, 100 Years”, by Russell Krabill, after her visit with her on February 2, 1983.  Read at Clinton Frame Mennonite Church on February 20, 1983.  7 pages.

Mennonite Commission for Christian Education, 1948-77
    Krabill was a Field Secretary for this commission.

1/4    Young People’s Bible Meetings, and Sunday Evening Services, 1948-60
1/5    Sunday Evening Services, 1961-62
1/6    Sunday Evening Services, 1963-64
1/7    Field Secretary Reports, 1955-66
1/8    Correspondence, 1957-77
1/9    Articles, 1960-62, on Sunday Evening Services
1/10    Final Report of the Christian Nurture Study Committee, February 1964

Mennonite Board of Congregational Ministries, 1972-75

1/11    Board Meeting, January 27, 1972
1/12    Peace and Social Concerns report, 1973
1/13    Writers’ Conference and Audio-visual Advisory Council, 1972
1/14    Board Meeting, November 1974 and May 1975

Subject Files, A-Z  (Boxes 2-25)

Box 2 (Large)

A – Atomic Power

Boxes 3 - 24 (Large)

A - T

Box 24 (Pronto)

Th - Wi

Box 25 (Large)

Wo – Z

Personal Papers  (Box by Box listing)

Box 26 (Large)
(Note: many of  the materials in this box are in binders)

Indiana-Michigan church planting
Rural Evangel/Gospel Evangel index 1919-1980
Mennonite Board of Congregational Ministries
Leighton Ford Elkhart crusade
Bible Memory
Miscellaneous Bible study resources

Box 27 (Large)

Tapes

Box 28 (Large)

Tapes
Ministers’ manuals and notebooks

Boxes 29-30 (Large)

Tapes

Box 31 (Large)

Biographical data on Indiana-Michigan ordained men
Bible Memory board minutes
Michiana Anabaptist Historians
“Mennonite Museum”
Various Indiana-Michigan minutes
Explo 72

Box 32 (Large)

Bethany Christian School

Box 33 (Large)

Prairie Street Mennonite Church

Box 34 (Large)

Teaching/preaching resources


Sermon Notes (Binder)

Boxes 35 and 36 (Pronto)  

29 Binders of Sermon Notes, as organized topically.  
    (Loaned back to Russell Krabill, April 29, 2005)


Personal Papers  (Box by Box listing) (Continued)

Box 37 (Pronto)

Prairie Street Church Bulletins

Box 38 (Pronto)

Mennonite World Conference, Winnipeg, 1990 (2 files)
Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary
Mennonite General Conference, General Assembly, ca. 1940s - 2001 (Nashville)

Box 39 (Pronto)

The Work of Pastor, including baby dedications, preaching, the role of pastor, Christmas, Goshen and Elkhart Ministerials

Box 40 (Pronto)

Involvements in various organizations and events, such as Festival of the Holy Spirit, Bible Memory, Mennonite Youth Fellowship, Probe, etc.

Box 41 (Large)

Miscellaneous tracts
MBCM minutes and notes, 1990s (1 binder)
Indiana-Michigan history
Prairie Street Mennonite Church history (Research 1996) (2 binders)
Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference, 2000 (1 binder)
Bible Memory board, 1990s (1 binder)
Two Reel-to-Reel Tapes.  "Bishop Ordination of Russell Krabill, September 11, 1955" and "Interview with C. L. Graber and J. D. Graber, at Krabill home, January 29, 1973"

Box 42 (Large):  [Unused]

Box 43 (Large)

Prairie Street Mennonite Church

Box 44 (Large)

Holdeman Mennonite Church

Box 45 (Large)

Manuscripts and articles

Box 46 (Large)

Mennonite histories
“The Sectarian Commitment” manuscript by Leland Harder
Miscellaneous booklets

Box 47 (Large)

Miscellaneous lecture and meeting notebooks

Box 48 (Large)

Holdeman Mennonite Church bulletins

Box 49 (Large)

Elkhart County history

Box 50 (Large)

Miscellaneous reports

Box 51 (Large)

“The Christian Ministry” magazine back issues
Files on Bible topics

Box 52 (Large)

Gospel Evangels

Box 53 (Large)

Prairie Street Mennonite Church

Box 54 (Large)

Indiana-Michigan minutes and reports

Box 55 (Large)

Appointment books

Box 56 (Large)

“People” binders (clippings on non-Mennonites), A-T (See Box 69 for the rest of these)

Box 57 (Large)

Miscellaneous files

Box 58 (Large)

Indiana-Michigan minutes, reports, correspondence, moderator’s notebook (1960s-70s)

Box 59 (Large)

Miscellaneous notes, booklets, Indiana-Michigan-related notebooks

Box 60 (Large)

Bible study notes
Mental health conference notes

Box 61 (Large)

Tapes
Locust Grove Mennonite Church files

Box 62 (Large)

Indiana-Michigan annual reports

Box 63 (Large)

Sunday school files
Mennonite Commission for Christian Education minutes
“Empowered” magazine (Mennonite Renewal Services)
Draft/CO information
Bible Memory notebook

Box 64 (Large)

Miscellaneous Indiana-Michigan materials

Box 65 (Large)

Elkhart County history files (Mennonite, Amish and other)
MBM, MBCM, MPH, MMA, MBE, MC General Board “Memos,” 1980-87
Miscellaneous books, mostly Mennonite history

Box 66 (Large)

Tapes
Pleasant View Mennonite Church files

Box 67 (Large)

General correspondence, 1947-1994 (arranged chronologically)
Miscellaneous correspondence, personal and other

Box 68 (Large)

Holdeman Mennonite Church bulletins, 1988-2001
Pleasant View Mennonite Church bulletins, 1988-1994

Box 69 (Large)

More “People” binders (non-Mennonite), S-Z (See Box 56 for the rest of these)
3 Binders - "Local History," "Elhart County," and "Wakarusa"
Files (and interviews) on various individuals, including Galen Johns, J. C. Wenger, Menno Esch, etc.

Box 70 (Large):  Tapes

Box 71 (Large)

Miscellaneous Mennonite history articles, booklets, etc.
Many congregational histories

Box 72 (Large)

Prairie Street Mennonite Church Messenger
Congregational histories
Rural Evangels
John Nunemaker’s 1850 Elkhart County census

Box 73 (Large)

North Goshen Mennonite Church records, 1948-65, (bulk 1960-65) including church bulletins, church directories, I-W draft records and WWII notes (of North Goshen men), prayer meetings, council, visitation records. [Received May 24, 2005, via John R. Smucker, historian at North Goshen who had received them from Krabill in 2004, before Krabill sent the rest of his files to the archives]

August 22, 2006 / Update and posted on web by Dennis Stoesz
File: “Hm1-599 Russell Krabill.doc”
Mennonite Church USA Archives-Goshen, 1700 S. Main St., Goshen, Indiana 46526

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