Hist. Mss. 1-923
Clarence Troyer, 1907-1997
Papers, 1930-1989
1 Box (Large)
Biographical Sketch
- Clarence Troyer was born February 5, 1907 in LaGrange
County, Indiana. He died July 9, 1997.
- Married Wavia I. Troyer (6 July 1908-26 March 26, 1987).
They had eight children: Lois A Miller (l931), Esthr
M. Shaum (l933), John L.(1938), James L. (1940), Stanley
J. (1944), Kenneth R. (1947), and Janice I. Wagner (1955).
- An interest in church work took him to Kitchener (Ont.)
Mennonite Bible School. Clarence and Wavia later considered
serving as church planters under the Indiana-Michigan
Mennonite conference Mission Board.
- In 1940 the Troyers consented to move to Michigan’s
Upper Peninsula and join in the evangelistic work of
Chester C. and Eva L. (Troyer) Osborne, who had been
in the area since 1937. Clarence Troyer was ordained
by David (D.A.) Yoder at Shore Mennonite Church on April
14, 1940. In May 1940 the family moved to Germfask, but
soon relocated near Engadine where they operated a dairy
farm.
Troyer was pastor of the new Wildwood Mennonite
Church, near Engadine beginning in 1940. Although
he served in some capacity at Wildwood until his
retirement, by 1952 his work as a bishop and the
Conference was consuming enough time that a new primary
pastor (Lloyd R. Miller) was chosen for the congregation.
- On November 22, 1948 Troyer was ordained by Tobias
(T. E.) Schrock as bishop for the congregations in the
Upper Peninsula, at a service at Naubinway Mennonite
Church. His oversight included the following churches
(with beginning dates): Germfask MC, Germfask, Mich.
1937 (originally Fernland MC), Wildwood MC, Engadina,
Mich. 1939, Maple Grove MC, Gulliver, Mich. 1942, Naubinway
MC, Naubinway, Mich. 1943, Grand Marais MC, Grand Marais,
Mich. 1948, Rexton, MC, Rexton, Mich. 1948, Wayside MC,
Brimley, Mich 1948, Cedar Grove MC, Manistique, Mich.
1951, Seney MC, Seney, Mich. 1952 (New part of Mid-West
Mennonite Fellowship), Soo Hill Community Church, Escanaba
1952.
- Norman P. Weaver was ordained bishop to assist Troyer
in the oversight of these churches.
- Clarence Troyer prepared the study paper on "Biblical
Basis for the Plain Coat" for the December 1959 IN-MI
Mennonite Conference ministers meeting. For many years
Troyer taught winter classes at the Michigan Mennonite
Bible School, in Fairview, Michigan. He served on many
IN-MI Conference committees, the mission board, and the
executive committee.
1980.Troyer retired from bishop responsibilities. In the
decade that followed he
continued a limited preaching schedule in Mennonite
churches in the Upper Peninsula, as well as at a nondenominational community
church in Curtis, Michigan, near his home. In the mid-1980s he recorded sermons
for radio broadcast by a radio station in Newberry, Michigan.
1986. He wrote the 70-page history The Mennonite Church in the Upper Peninsula
(Nappanee, Ind.:
Evangel Press, [1986], available in the Mennonite Historical
Library, which provides more information.Administrative Information
These papers were deposited into the Archives by the children of Clarence
Troyer, in 1998, via Steve and Rachel Nolt, South Bend, Indiana. Updated by
Dennis Stoesz, July 28, l998.
The Biographical Sketch was written by Steve Nolt and verified by Lois (Troyer)
Miller, daughter of Clarence Troyer, August 1998. Note: Dates given in the
Biographical Sketch are accurate. Several dates given in The Mennonite Church
in the Upper Peninsula and "This Happened to Me" are not correct and any
dates therein should be checked against other sources.
Inventory Listing Box 1 (Large)
Sermon Outlines, Notebook, ca. 1940-1979
Includes topics like "The Five Men of the Bible," Poverty that makes rich", "The
Power of the Resurrection", "Endurance," etc.
Sermons are not dated, but sometimes include the name of the place where he
preached it, for example "Brethren White Cloud, Middlebury, Shore". He also
used abbreviations like "Naub (Naubinway), S.T. (Stanley Troyer), K.B., and
F. L."
Some notes on Ministerial meetings, for example "Bowne, March 1,2, 3", are
included in the notebook.
Sermon Outlines, Loose, ca. 1940-1979 (11 inches)
Sermons, Written Out, 1979-89 (3")
Troyer wrote out his sermons beginning in June 17, 1979, to make it easier
for him to deliver the message.
During this time Troyer preached often at Curtis, Michigan, where there was
a church which was visited by tourists.
Kitchener Mennonite Bible School, Kitchener, Ontario, Notebook, 1930-31
Notes by Troyer when attended this school. Includes lectures by S. F. Coffman
and Oscar Burkholder
Also includes a lecture on "Bible Interpretation" by Hare (?) Zook; "Relation
of Bishop, Minister and Deacon," by Menno Eash; a "Ministerial Meeting,"; "Our
Preaching Program," by F. B. Raber; and "Book of Galations" by Sherman Maust.
The four main teachers at Kitchener were S. F. Coffman, Oscar Burkholder,
Jesse Martin and C. F. Derstine. For the history of this school as seen through
the eyes of these four teachers, see For Earthern Vessels, by Urie Bender.
Michigan Mennonite Bible School, Fairview, Michigan, Notebook #1 and #2, ca.
1947. Notes and exams by Troyer in teaching at this Bible School.
Notebook #1 includes here are outline on "Christian Salvation", "Mennonite
Church in Action and at Work," (about 1948) "Mennonite History", "Sunday School
Administration," (about 1947) etc.
Miscellaneous Papers, ca. 1944-1977
Includes
obituary of Maude Gardner Watson, 1957, who was a member of Wildwood
Mennonite;
"Evidences
of His Resurrection," by Vivian Watson
Obituary of Mollie Cutcher Handy, 1944
Installation charge to pastor at Wayside, ca. 1960
Program of Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference held at Engadine, 1973
February 16, 2004 / Posted on the web by Rebecca Allen
January 20, 2004 / Updated by Helen Hostetler
File: "HM1-923.doc" Mennonite Church USA Archives-Goshen, 1700 S Main St., Goshen, Indiana 46526
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