Irvin Cressman (1927-2005)

Title: Irvin Cressman fonds

Dates of creation: 1957, 1959

Physical description: 1 cm of textual records

Biographical sketch: Irvin Cressman, son of Amos and Clarice (Stager) Cressman earned his living in construction as a carpenter. He was married to Elaine (Schmucker) for 51 years. Cressman was ordained to assist Bishop Curtis C. Cressman at Biehn Mennonite Church in 1957. When Bishop Cressman left the Biehn congregation to join the newly-formed Conservative Mennonite congregation in New Hamburg, Irvin Cressman became Biehn's sole pastor and served in that capacity until 1974. He also served on the board of Rockway Mennonite School, the finance committee of the Ontario Mennonite Conference, and as a congregational overseer for the Wilmot (Western) District. Irvin Cressman died in Waterloo in 2005.

Custodial history: These records were donated in 2009 to the Mennonite Archives of Ontario by Elaine (Schmucker) Cressman.

Scope and content: File contains Bishop Curtis C. Cressman's remarks at Irvin Cressman's ordination, personal correspondence from Bishop Cressman, and correspondence to Irvin Cressman from the Ontario Mennonite Conference. Contents relate to the division in the Wilmot district of the Ontario Mennonite Conference in the late 1950s.

Notes: Biographical data above was enhanced by the following sources:

1. Nith Valley Mennonite Church and its Roots / Koch, Alice. - New Hamburg, Ont. : Nith Valley Mennonite Church, 2000.

2. "Irvin Cressman 1927-2005" in Kitchener-Waterloo Record B7, 13 December 2005.

Original archival description created 4 May 2009 by Laureen Harder-Gissing