Hours
Generally 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Monday to Friday. An appointment in advance is recommended.
Contact
Mennonite Archives of OntarioConrad Grebel University College
140 Westmount Road North
Waterloo, ON N2L 3G6
Phone: 519-885-0220 x24238
Title: Blake Amish Mennonite Church fonds
Dates of creation: 1875-1984, 2012
Physical description: 1 cm of textual records; 2 audio compact discs
Administrative history: The church was located 1.75 miles north of Highway 84 on Bronson Line, Hay Township.
Clayton Kuepfer served in 1980 as a congregational leader. In 1925 there were 43 members; in 1950, 55; in 1965, 91; in 1975, 57. The congregation formally dissolved about 1981; it last met as a separate congregation in late 1978. It had been affiliated with the Western Ontario Mennonite Conference (1923-1981) and Mennonite Church (1959-1981). The language of worship was English; the transition from German occurred in the 1930s.
The congregation began services in 1848, and formally organized in 1849. Bishop John Oesch organized the group, but died in 1850. Early family names were Baechler, Gingerich, Kuepfer, Erb, Gerber, Gascho, Schantz, Bender, Egli, Schwartzendruber and Wuetherich.
The first building was occupied in 1884. The first minister ordained was Joseph Wutherich (in 1849); the second was John Egli. John Gascho served 1876-1908. Bishops from Waterloo County served the congregation except when Bishop Eli Frey of Wauseon, Ohio served 1915-23.
Blake was formerly known as Hay Amish Mennonite church. The members became part of the Zurich Mennonite Church when Blake closed. The building was sold to Lakeview Conservative Mennonite Church in 1992. Lakeview built a new building on the site in 2012.
Custodial history: Series 1, files 1-3 were donated by the Western Ontario Mennonite Conference and Lorraine Roth in the 1980s. Series 1, files 4-7 and Series 2, files 2-4 were donated by Irma (Baechler) Buehler in 2016. The audio recording of the final service was donated by Lorraine Roth in 2013.
Note: Archival description created March 2000 by Sam Steiner and updated 2016 by Laureen Harder-Gissing. Photographs related to this congregation are listed in the Mennonite Archival Image Database. Further information on this congregation is found in GAMEO.
Generally 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Monday to Friday. An appointment in advance is recommended.
Phone: 519-885-0220 x24238
Conrad Grebel University College
140 Westmount Road North
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G6
519-885-0220
All information on this website is copyright by the Mennonite Archives of Ontario, Conrad Grebel University College, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Permission is granted to include URL references to this information for noncommercial purposes, provided that proper attribution is given.
Conrad Grebel University College is situated on the traditional territory of the Attawandaron (Neutral), Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Read Grebel's full territorial acknowledgement.